A/N: Left you in suspense for a moment there, didn't I? Well, I hope you enjoy this one. Please review! I appreciate all of your thoughts and feedback.

-Chapter Eleven-

The six riflemen collapsed one after the other, each having suffered a shot to the head, and their rifles clattered uselessly to the ground.

The crowd gasped, and a few panicked citizens fled the area.

Page spun around, her eyes frantic, searching. She knew who had to be responsible. No one else could have dispatched them as quickly or accurately. "Where are you?!" She couldn't see hide nor hair of him. Her heart pounded in her throat, and her knees trembled. "Come out, you bastard!"

No one stepped forward, but more of her mercenaries spread out. Three more shots rang out but from the other side of the crowd.
"No one can be that fast!" Page gasped, whipping around again.

"There has to be more than one, but who? Find them!" said Gilda the brute, but after another loud shot, she was struck in the throat, falling forward, sputtering, her ocher eyes wide with surprise and pain. She fell face-forward, and she gasped one last time.

The remaining mercenaries, seeing the death of their leader, started to disperse, running like mad away from the scene, but not before a few more fell to the mystery gunman.

"Where are you!?" Page repeated, her body trembling. She was exposed, vulnerable to attack. She turned and moved quickly, scanning the area once more "I know it's you!"

"Who?" asked Ben, coming through the parting crowd, his rifle slung over his shoulder. He cocked a blonde brow at her, and he glanced around.

"No," She said, her eyes widening. "Even you couldn't make those shots...it had to be...but he's not here. I don't..."

"You don't what, ma'am?" asked the greasy worker that had spoken to her before. "You don't see Reaver?" He peeled the false mustache off of his face and the bowler cap from his head, and his sparkling grin was less obscured. Reaver wiped the some of the grease from his stubbly face, and he bowed grandly before seizing her by the arm.

"You," She said, her eyes moving between the dirtied, disguised Reaver and Ben. "You tricked me! You lied to me!"

"Guards!" Ben called out, and nearly two dozen guards spilled into Industrial. He made his way a little closer toward Logan, and he glanced down to the poor, unfortunate woman who'd sacrificed her life. He looked back up toward Page. "I was a little late, I'm sorry to say, but I think my plan worked. It certainly fooled you."

A pair of guards took Page off Reaver's hands, and her face was alight with pure fury. She kicked and writhed in their arms.

"You bastards!" She howled, fighting against her captors. "YOU BASTARDS!"

Logan was freed from his shackles by Ben, and he rubbed his raw wrists.

"What do you want done with this one, sir?" one of the guards asked Ben.

Ben glanced over to Logan, then Reaver. "It's up to you."

The two men seemed to be in agreement, and Logan nodded to Reaver, as if granting him the honor.

"I cannot make the same mistake more than once, I'm afraid," Reaver said, pulling his Dragonstomper from his coat.

"Go ahead," Page said, spitting in Reaver's direction. "Kill me you son-"

The Dragonstomper fired, and she slumped in the guards' arms, a bullet hole placed directly between her eyes.

"What? No snarky comment first?" Logan asked, rubbing his chin.

"She spat at me," He said, checking his face and clothing. "But I suppose...Hmm...Give me a moment, and I shall think of something appropriately witty."

Everyone gaped at him in disbelief.

He frowned, slumping his shoulders slightly, his eyes moving off to one side. "Ah, but I suppose that would be in bad, taste, to say something so awful, would it not?"

Ben merely put his hands up, obviously not knowing the right thing to say.

"Well, one good turn deserves another, does it not?" Reaver asked, spitting at Page's corpse.

Logan and Ben had looks of confusion, but they both glanced at each other and dismissed it, realizing that they couldn't expect more from him.

"You two are quite capable of handling this, yes?" Reaver asked, pulling a watch from his pocket. "I have another appointment to attend to, and I am running quite late."


Angela had prepared comfortable clothes for me, and I dressed quickly, my eyes always finding their way back to the clock. I had overslept. I ran my hand across my belly, and I exhaled slowly. My anxiety was creeping up on me once more. The chances that I would appear and find an empty estate once more were high, and I dreaded it.

Angela had taken to napping on the sofa with her book still open across her lap. She must have worn out before having a chance to wake me. I was slightly annoyed, but I didn't blame her. She had been tending to nearly every need that I had. I was thankful for that.

I took the open book gently from her, and I closed it, setting it down beside her. I exited the trophy room, and I found that Jasper, too, had fallen asleep. I glanced over to the armory. Now would be my chance to go off in search of answers if I so wished. I turned away from the map toward the armory, and I walked swiftly through. I saw the pistol that Reaver had retrieved from the Reliquary sitting on its usual perch. I took it into my hand, and I inspected it. After we'd returned from Aurora, he'd gone back to get it and surprised me with it, noting that he never wished to be on the wrong end of its barrel again. It was the first thing he'd ever given me, and throughout our time together, it had become special to me.

I strapped a shoulder holster on, and I slipped the gun into it, and I moved to grab a gauntlet. I thought momentarily about where I would go. I wasn't sure where would be safe for me, but I figured that the castle wasn't. Perhaps Brightwall would be a good starting point to gather information. I checked my pocket watch, and I saw that I was nearly late.

Cursing, I stormed back to the map, and I laid my hand down over Reaver's estate. White light engulfed me, and I appeared in his study, slightly disoriented. I rubbed my eyes, and I sought balance against the desk. When my vision cleared, I immediately sought out the clock on the mantle. It was exactly the designated time, and I was there alone.

I waited for a few minutes longer before taking off my coat and laying it across the desk. I closed my eyes, unable to contain the tears that burst forth. Another night, and he hadn't come. Was he detained, or worse, dead? I tried to push the thoughts from my mind, but they persisted. I rubbed my eyes, and I tried to think of positive things. No news was better than bad news, though I did not know how I would get the message if something terrible had happened.

Out of the blue, I heard hoofbeats from the gate, and I moved toward the window. A tall, scraggly-looking man was approaching the mansion quickly on a tired-looking horse. My heart stopped in my chest, and I moved swiftly. The bedroom was fortified, and there was also the passage leading out of the secret room adjoining it—a last resort, in case my Will failed me. If I wished to escape, it would be simple enough with so many options available to me, but if I wanted answers, I would have to catch this man off guard.

I hurried as quietly as I could to the bedroom, and I closed the door, though not completely. I listened through the crack, and I heard the large front doors open with a loud, echoing creek. I slid my pistol out of its holster, and I took in a deep breath.

I held my belly as I closed my eyes, listening to his boots approaching. He paused before the bedroom door, and I took that as my chance. I moved faster than I thought possible in this condition, but I grabbed him and slammed him against the bedroom wall, my pistol's barrel tucked under his chin.

A stunning smile crossed his dirty face, and I gasped. It was him. He was dirty and unshaven and almost unrecognizable, but it was him.

"I don't believe even I could dodge a bullet at this range, my love," He said with a small chuckle. He put his hand over mine, lowering the gun, taking it from me, and sliding it back into the holster.

Our eyes met for a brief moment before I grasped him by either side of his face and overtook his mouth with mine. He slipped his arms around me, and he pulled me against him. I drew away only to breathe the words, "You're late." Our mouths weren't separated for long, and his hands clutched me tighter.

He ended the kiss, and he sighed, "For that, I am so sorry."

"I thought you were..." Tears of relief washed across my cheeks. "I couldn't breathe without you."

He stroked my cheek, pushing tears away, and he said, "The feeling is whole-heartedly mutual." He kissed my forehead, and his other hand moved to my womb, tracing small, affectionate patterns against my dress.

"Is it over?" I asked, my eyebrows raising, and my heart pounding in my throat.

He nodded. "All over."

"Is Logan safe?" I asked.

He nodded. "It was all part of Ben's plan."

I exhaled, relieved. "Can...we just wait until later...to discuss it?" I repositioned to slip my arms around him.

"Whatever you desire," He assured me.

Just being in his arms lifted the weight off of my shoulders, but the stirrings in my gut craved more of him. "Whatever I desire?"

He looked over my shoulder, and he grinned. "We are in the most advantageous of locations for such a situation." He took my arms from around him, and he moved toward the bed, which had been covered with a white dust-cover. He pulled at it, and beneath, the bed was covered only in sheets. It didn't matter. It would serve our purpose.

He returned to me, and he removed the holster from my shoulders, and he laid a gentle kiss against the side of my neck, as he deposited it at the foot of the bed. He started unbuttoning the long row of small buttons down the back of my dress, and he leaned in.

"Now, why were you all dressed up for adventure, my little dove?" He asked, pushing the dress down off of me. He unhooked the brassiere from around my body, and he let it drop. He cupped my breasts, and he nipped at my neck.

"I only wanted answers as to what was going on," I told him honestly.

He turned me to face him, and he ran his fingers down my belly. "And you realize that would have been breaking your promise to me, right?"

I reached forward to push the shabby jacket off of his shoulders. I leaned in, brushing my mouth against his as I kicked off my boots.

He pulled back a few inches. "You are trying to distract me, love."

I nodded with a soft smile, but he leaned back in, helping me to remove his shirt as we kissed. We followed with his pants and shoes, and soon enough, we were on the bed, our mouths moving furiously against one another.

He pushed me gently onto my side, facing away from him, and he pressed himself against my back. Pushing my hair to the side, his mouth left searing kisses across and down my shoulder as his fingers followed the curves down my side.

"I missed you," I said, closing my eyes and enjoying his touch.

"I don't think even those words are adequate to describe these past few days," He told me as he pressed his thick arousal against my entrance.

We both sighed in unison as our bodies merged, and I reached back to grip his hip, urging him further inside of me.

His hand roamed up my belly to cup a breast gently, and he groaned, "I craved the feel of your body every moment we were apart."

We were so close, and every bit of anxiety had melted away from me. I didn't know the details of what had happened, but it didn't matter right then. Nothing mattered but the moment. He moved so gently against me at first, but we fell into a more vigorous rhythm as time passed.

He clutched me tightly to him after we'd both reached completion, and he pressed his face against my shoulder.

"I swear," I breathed. "Sometimes I think being separated is worth it, just to have this." I turned over to face him.

He shook his head. "No. That simply is not an acceptable trade. I want you, always."

The baby stirred within me, and I moved his hand to feel.

"This doesn't hurt you?" He asked, sounding almost astounded. "The kicking is quite strong."

I shook my head. "No. It feels...odd, but it doesn't hurt."

He followed the baby's movements as they shifted around. "Do you still believe it is going to be a girl?"

I nodded. "I hope it will be."
"And why is that, love?"

"Because Ashley is a terrible name for a prince," I laughed heartily.

"You're quickly making me regret letting a living soul know my given name," He said. He pinched my ribs gently, but he then nodded. "Though I agree completely."

As we dressed, Reaver looked almost hesitant, as if leaving would break our perfect bubble of bliss, yet he relented, telling me the tale in detail. I was only partially shocked to learn of Page's betrayal.

"And...what happened to her?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"She's dead," He said simply. "She threatened my family too many times to be left alive."

I gulped down the tightness in my throat. Page had once been someone I'd considered a friend. I hadn't wanted to see her take this path, but it was the one she chose. "I understand."

"There are many more traitors to be dealt with, my love" He said with a sigh as he stood straight. "Now is not the time to be squeamish. They must be punished."

"Yes," I said as he pulled me to my feet.

He kissed the top of my head, and he exhaled. "When this is over, I promise that the only thing you shall have to worry about is how much bacon you'd like with your pie."

A faint smile crossed my lips, and I took his hand, squeezing it gently. "If I remember correctly, it was cake, but that actually sounds delicious."

He laughed a little, and he brought my hand to his lips. "Then pop up to retrieve Angela, and I shall meet you at the castle."

I frowned, not eager to be separated again, but I gave in, stepping away.


I watched as Angela launched herself into Logan's arms, as he caught her and kissed her mouth with all the zeal of a man who had nearly been executed. She wiped tears away from her eyes, and kissed him once more.

"I knew that you'd come back to me," She wept.

"I would never leave you," He replied softly.

I stood in the study, leaning against the desk. Reaver hadn't yet returned from Millfields, but he would be along momentarily. I simply watched Logan and Angela's reunion, and I couldn't do anything but smile. She had been so strong during the whole ordeal, and her faith and strength had paid off. She was back with the man she loved.

Ben smiled over to me as he slid into the room, and he put his hands into his pockets, moving toward the center of the room.

I rushed to throw my arms around him, and I squeezed him tightly. "Thank you...thank you for protecting my family."

"Ah, well," He said with a shrug. "Least I could do."

"No," I corrected him. "You really did the country a great service. You did me a great service. I will forever be in debt to you."

"Just doing my job," He replied. "Saving your life. The country. All of that." A snarky grin made its way onto his face, and he chuckled.

I pressed a kiss against his cheek, and I heard someone clear their throat from the door.

"Why Mr. Finn," Reaver said. "I believe we had a little discussion in Aurora concerning this type of situation."

Ben stiffened, and he backed away from my embrace. "I didn't do anything." He held up his hands innocently.

Reaver simply smiled, and he threw an arm around him. "Well, do not think you're going to get off without letting me buy you a drink." His eyes moved up to Logan. "You, too, brother. I daresay we've earned it."

"I've just gotten him back, and you want to take him away from me so soon?" Angela whined, still dabbing at her eyes with Logan's handkerchief.

"Oh, my dear," Reaver said apologetically. "If we must, we can take drinks in the study, but we still have things to discuss. Perhaps after he's tucked you away into bed."

Her eyes lit up with amusement. "I'm sure I can deal with that."


Reaver passed out the cigars, lighting them quickly, and he took a seat in the sofa, while Ben leaned against the desk, and Logan simply stood.

He took a generous puff, blowing smoke rings into the air, and he crossed his legs as he lounged. "I say, boys, I think we did an extraordinary job nipping this little unpleasantness in the bud."

Logan nodded. "Though you're not the one that had to spend those days in a prison cell."

"You did good," Ben assured him with a chuckle as he sipped at his whiskey.

"I spent those days working in one of my factories," Reaver interjected. "It was dreadful!"

"Does that mean you're going to work to improve the conditions of them even more?" Ben questioned, raising a brow.

Reaver merely shrugged. "I don't have to work in one of the any more, now do I?"

Logan and Ben rolled their eyes simultaneously, but they both ended up joining Reaver in a good laugh.

"It went fairly well, I think," Ben said with a short nod. "Minimal casualties."

"Casualties..." Logan's face grew somber, and he furrowed his brow. "A woman threw herself in front of me. I...never for one moment thought that anyone would..." He trailed off, looking down into his drink. "I'd like to find her family...try to make things right."

Ben nodded in agreement. "I think that would be a good thing for you to do."

After a few moments respectful silence, Reaver rose from his place on the sofa, and he raised his glass, as he stubbed the barely-smoked cigar out in a crystal ashtray. "To victory."

"And to sacrifice," Logan added.

Ben just shrugged. "To Albion."

"To Albion," They all repeated. Their glasses clinked against one another, and they drained them.

"Now," Reaver said, setting his glass down and rubbing his hands together. "I've got a few more bottles of the finest stuff stashed away for just such an occasion. Who thinks that they can out-drink me?"

Logan shook his head, obviously knowing better than to accept such a challenge.

Ben nodded. "I think I've got a chance."

"Oh, my boy," Reaver tutted. "Prepare yourself for a world of pain with which you have never encountered before." He moved to retrieve the bottles.