OPTIVUS by: P.P.V.V.

Disclaimer: The Standard Disclaim applies…all original characters/ideas are mine to claim.

AN: As promised. At long last. Another chapter. Apologies aren't enough. I apologize anyway. Welcome back, those who have been waiting for months (literally) for an update! Welcome to all new readers. Here's to hoping you enjoy.

Onward.

Previously:

"Worse? How could it possibly get any worse than this?"

Sirius adjusted Peter in his arms and replied, "The Lupin Household is a proud and dignified one. They have always been in service to the Royal House, leaders in arms and kingdom affairs. They would do anything for the safety of the Crown. If Toma has threatened the King's life, the Hold will most probably have lain down their weapons. They will not pick them up unless we can somehow convince them. Peter's not of age yet, so they will most likely keep him in hiding and wait it out."

"Wait it out?" Lily repeated, incredulously. "They can't just sit back and do nothing! People are dying out there, Sirius!"

"I know," said Sirius, grimly. "But you must understand. If they act too soon, they will be left without a leader on the Throne. I have a feeling Toma does not take his words lightly. He won't hesitate to kill the King." He glanced down at his sleeping friend once more. "The thing is, Peter's already given the order to fight back. In doing so, he's gambled the King's life in return for those in the kingdom. We will have to convince the Hold to draw their swords now, not in defense of the Throne, but in defense of the nation."

The Lady sighed a breath of relief. "Oh, that's good. All we have to do is have Peter issue the order. And we have Sir Remus to back us up."

"Actually…" Sirius said, "I fear we will chance upon a very angry Household. What Peter has done is very risky."

"But didn't you say that he discussed this with Sir Cyath?"

"Even so, Remus is our representative, not Sir Cyath," Sirius said, beginning to walk over toward their horses again so that he could get out a bedroll on which to lay his friend. At Lily's questioning tone, Sirius explained, "In the Lupin Household, Remus is considered a Black Sheep."

Oh.

Great.

Things could get worse, after all.

She shouldn't have asked.

- Checkmate -

"You're unusually quiet."

"Hmm? Oh…ah…"

Nymphadora stopped walking, pulling Remus up short, linked as they were holding hands. "Is something the matter?"

He mustered up a smile. "Everything is fine," he said.

"No, it's not," Nymphadora insisted. "Please do not lie to me, sir."

Remus met her gaze, abashedly. "Very well, I beg your pardons." He drew in a breath before tugging her to walk again and falling into step next to her. "I am…apprehensive to return home."

"Apprehensive?"

"It is never accommodating," he admitted. "At least…not for me."

Nymphadora released his hand in favor of putting her arm around his waist instead. "I'm sure your brothers can't be that terrible."

He huffed and under his breath he said, "You don't know the half of it." At her raised eyebrow, he gave her another smile. This time, though, it was sad. "I will be bringing them bad news."

Nymphadora stopped again, her hand unconsciously touching her stomach. "If you're talking about the baby - "

"-No! No, darling that's not what I meant," Remus said, eyes wide. "I told you: we are having that baby no matter what anyone says. I can't be happier at the thought that we are going to bring a life into this world." He was excited, but at the same time, he was terrified. He'd not even graduated and yet he was going to be a father! "My household will think it's bad news, though, now that you mention it," he added, as an afterthought.

Her heart-shaped face seemed to cloud but she nodded, reluctantly. She'd known that they would not be able to hide it from the world forever.

"But I was talking about the news of the war," Remus continued. "Somehow, I'm sure there is going to be much grief over our request for troops to help."

"It's their duty!" Nymphadora said. "And it's the direct order from your father."

"And I am the messenger," sighed her partner." She already knew that he wasn't very favored. Somehow, he was sure they would find a way to pin the blame of all of this on him.

He really wasn't looking forward to it.

His thoughts were pulled from that topic when he heard Peter's laughter behind him over something Sirius must have said, for the latter was laughing as well. It was comforting to know that he would not have to face his family alone. Relief washed over him at the fact that his friends – more family to him than his actual one – were safe and by his side again.

They seemed just as happy to be back amongst the rest of the Academy body, even though they were not safely within the walls of the old Castle. In fact, Sirius told him that Peter seemed to be making a much speedier recovery now that he was out of the Hospital.

Whatever the case, Remus was glad to hear it.

It was a long trek and there was yet more ground to cover. Because of the roundabout route that they had decided to follow, it would take them another day or so to reach their destination.

"Just remember, Remus, that you are not the cause of this war. You have no reason to be ashamed of the message you bear."

He smiled down at his Lady, pressing a kiss onto her forehead and choosing instead to change the topic. "I'm hoping to find some familiar terrain and soon. All this scouting is wearing me thin."

And it was true, because scouts were constantly coming and going, reporting their findings to him at every hour of the day. There were times where Remus forwent sleep all together in his effort to move the large group forward. He figured that this was what it must feel like to be a Commanding Officer and he didn't envy his father a bit for it.

If he had been exhausted before, he was more so now. Sometimes, it felt as though his head were detached from his body, or like he was floating. For the most part, everything seemed to pass by in a blur. He had to try his best to pay attention because his father had always told him that one mistake could prove fatal in the act of scouting.

He didn't even want to think about his appearance. Haggard and sunken, most likely, if he had any guess. A fine stubble was growing on his cheeks and chin, but at least he was not the only one.

The idea of rest was starting to seem foreign.

Peter's laughter floated out to greet him again, making him turn his head to see what was going on.

The boy was engaged in a mock sword fight with Sirius, both using long branches that had been whittled down to look more like weapons, resembling switches. Despite his height disadvantage, Peter was able to spar well as he was quick on his feet, dancing away from most of the attacks before they could connect. Rick stepped in to stop their fight time and again so he could advise the younger boy on certain tactics before allowing them to resume.

Soon, a crowd had gathered to watch, a few calling out encouragements. Remus was glad to note that Peter seemed to be enjoying himself and was able to move so lithely again – proof that he was recovering just fine. The play turned a little rougher and that brought Professor McGonogall over to intervene. "To think, those of my House displaying such behavior!" the Lady fumed once she had stopped the fight. "You know the rules – no swords drawn against each other unless during Defense instruction!"

Sirius flicked his makeshift blade. "I beg your pardon ma'am, but we have not unsheathed our swords." As he spoke, he gestured to his hip, where the weapon lay safely encased in its scabbard.

"And we are being instructed," Peter added, quite cheekily. "Sir Rick promised me he would help me, seeing as how I've been away for so long and missed so much."

It was always amusing to see their Head of House flounder for words. The Marauders always seemed to have that effect on her. Before she could say anything more, Remus cut in. "Let them have their fun, Professor. So long as no one gets hurt, I don't see why we must refrain from learning what we can on the road."

There was a collective murmur of agreement from the rest of the students and Sirius and Peter gave Remus grateful looks. "It is a bad precedent," the Professor said, with a shake of her head, but her voice was relenting and cheers went up from the crowd. She had to raise her voice to be heard as well as her arms to quiet them down. "However, the rule still stands: you do not have permission to wield the weapons, however makeshift they are, against each other at any point unless under instruction or under supervision. Is that understood?"
"Yes, ma'am!"

As she strode away, her usual scowl in place, Peter turned to face Sirius again. "Let's have a go, one more time, Sirius."

Their dark-haired friend lifted his weapon's tip, an amused smirk on his face. "So eager are we, to lose again?"

"The more practice, the better!" Peter said. "Should we come face to face with a fight, I'd like to be prepared."

"Let us hope it does not get to that point," Sirius said.

"It will not get to that point," Remus told them, confidently. "We are almost to my Hold where safety awaits us."

Sirius' smirk grew bigger. "Very well. The winner of this duel gets the first pick of rooms at the Lupin Hold."

Suddenly, Peter lunged, and let out a peal of delighted laughter when he managed to smack Sirius on the upper arm and Rick awarded him the match. "I'm sorry, Sirius, but it looks like you'll have to wait in line with every one else because I believe I just won."

0-0-0-0-0

James licked his fingers, an act that would no doubt make company frown and, for the more austere, gain him a swat on the hand. Suffice to say it was an unmannerly action, but as he was in the company of no such people, he permitted himself to perform it. As it was, he was alone in a small town pub, with only the pub owner and his wife and their hired hand, all of which were paying no attention to him whatsoever as he ate.

The sweet juice of the plum ran down his arm, his tongue not quite fast enough to catch every drop. It left him wet and sticky, but he didn't mind too much – he couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten anything so good.

Showered, refreshed and well-fed, James was feeling more optimistic than ever. It was like taking a deep breath after a waking nightmare, which, he supposed, was a very close analogy.

With the passes from most villages cleared and open, he would be able to get to Peter all the faster. To keep himself from encountering any soldiers, he stuck to less-traveled paths. The time wasted doing so was better than getting caught in an unwanted situation: after all, he was traveling alone.

He absently tossed the pit of his fruit into a waste bin and wiped his hands on the napkin next to his plate. All he needed now was a nice long nap to soothe his weary body.

"All done, then, sir?" the owner of the tavern asked, as if on cue, as he exited from the back kitchen.

"I haven't any complaints," James responded, with a vigorous nod. "Nor have I any room left," he added, patting his stomach. He'd been weary and hungry from his journey so he'd been lucky that this place kindly offered him a hot meal and a chance to relax. It was way past the lunch hour and too early for dinner but they still showered James with an excellent meal.

"You're too kind," the man, named Marley, laughed as he whisked the plate away. It was a good sound to hear, laughter. It seemed as though it were a rarity, given the times. Now that the immediate threat of the Russian Army was gone, however, people were doling it out with much more enthusiasm.

Affected by it, James grinned. "I really do appreciate it. You should not have gone out of your way for me."

"It was an honor." For this small town hardly ever saw the Nobility not to mention the fact that they rarely had a chance to host them. James' sudden arrival seemed to stir the townspeople into a celebration. "We heard of what you did for Hogsmeade Village. You are a hero, sir."

James almost snorted, but refrained from doing so. One unmannerly action was enough for the day. Instead, he wrinkled his nose and protested, "I am no hero, Marley – in fact, if the villagers of Hogsmeade hadn't come, I'm sure…"

"You still led the Academy and made a stand against impossible odds," Marley cut in, moving toward the kitchen as he spoke, carrying the dirty dishes to the sink. His voice grew muffled, but James could still discern whatever it was that he was saying. "The only thing the villagers managed to do was scare those ruffians away with their numbers."

"And thank Heaven for that!" James agreed, letting out a laugh of his own. It was a warm sound; something most girls turned their heads to. "But it was still the element of surprise that saved the day."

Marley came back out, this time, carrying a tankard of ale toward him. "A drink," he explained, at James' questioning look. "To celebrate."

"We should not celebrate just yet."

The bartender told him, "Do not dampen the spirit of the journey before it's taken." He lifted another tankard in salute and James mimicked his actions, automatically.

Together, they toasted the task.

To the end of the war.

The ale was bitter and sharp, contrasting strongly against the taste of plum that James had just eaten. Somehow, it mixed in nicely and he chugged the drink down before the flavor had a chance to change on him.

Marley did not down the drink quite as quickly, watching as the student set his mug down with a bit of a bang and let out a breath of pure bliss. "Whatever that was, it's the best I've had," James announced.

The elder man smiled behind his drink and took a long swallow. Then, he invited James to stay for a little longer, but the boy declined, politely. "I've dallied long enough as it is," the boy said. "I have set myself a half day behind – there's no telling what the rest of the Russian Army is doing."

"And where exactly are you going?" Marley asked.

"To find some help," James answered, vaguely. At the frown he received, he reluctantly added, "It's a piece away, so I'll have to leave as soon as possible." He planned to go to Hopecrest Village and retrieve Peter and Sirius. From there, they would meet up with the rest of the students at Remus' Hold. Afterwards, he'd have to find a way to reinforce the treaties England had with other countries. Hopefully, having Peter with him would make things a bit easier.

Marley said, "But you've only just got here!"

James tapped his finger on his empty tankard. "I know. And my horse will not appreciate being pushed so hard, but things are…complicated."

The elder man sighed, most probably in resignation to the fact that James' answers were so obscure. He decided to drop the subject. "Do you have enough food for the journey?"

"I should like to stock up on some. And I should like to buy fodder for my horse as well."

Again, Marley raised his glass to his lips to and took a swallow. "You might want to try the Dosset stables, then. Tanza's got the best horses here in Engistown – people say it's because of what he feeds them. If those soldiers hadn't been blocking the passages to Hogsmeade Village, Tanza's prizes would have won at the races in the Festival."

Or whatever there had been at the Festival before it had been hastily pulled apart to bring help to the Academy, anyway.

James shook his head. "No, Engistown was lucky that it did not share in the fate that Hogsmeade Village experienced."

Marley thoughtfully swished the rest of his drink around, eyeing the dark liquid with a faraway look in his eyes. "I suppose you're right. No one ever thinks to look twice here." Engistown's population was less than half that of Hogsmeade's and held simple folk who worked mostly on farmlands. James was surprised that news of the infiltration had managed to make it out to the remote location so fast. His musings were cut short when the door was suddenly thrown open, banging against the wall hard enough to make the tables around the bar rattle.

James almost dropped his glass in his surprise, and luckily nothing was in it any more because the drink would have sloshed over the counter and the floor. He gasped when a man pushed himself inside.

A soldier.

Reflexively, his free hand flew to his sword and he got partway out of his seat until he realized that the man was attired in the uniform of the King's Army.

"We need help!"

Recovering slightly from his shock, James noticed that the soldier was supporting a wounded person, blood staining the rich blue material of his clothing.

Marley came around the bar and had to push chairs and tables out of the way, to make room for the advancing soldier.

"We have more injured people outside." Even as he spoke, more soldiers entered, most of them carrying with them wounded people. "We'll need supplies." Turning to the James, who was watching them warily, he snapped, "You, boy. Go find the Healer."

Biting back a flippant response, James lifted his chin. "What's going on? What happened?" A sense of foreboding started to twist in his stomach and he knew better than to ignore it. So far, his instincts had been correct and he continued to keep his hand tightly clutching his weapon. There was no telling whether this pocket of the Army was still faithful to the Crown.

"Are you blind?" The soldier demanded, angrily. "We were attacked! Don't stand there like a ninny and - "

"Quentin, do calm down before you give yourself a heart failure," someone ordered, in a long-suffering way. It still held the sharp sting of a rebuke and command, because Quentin visibly flinched. Together, he and James looked up to see another man weave his way into the tavern. As he walked, he unhooked his cape to reveal splatters of blood and dirt on the hard plating underneath. The cape itself was ripped beyond repair and was decorated in much the same manner. He frowned as he swiftly took in his surroundings, most likely assessing whether the place would be sufficient for their needs.

When his gray eyes landed on James the boy let go of his the death grip on his sword. "Sir Cyath?"

Cyath blinked and stared at him, clearly startled.

Stepping forward, James announced, "It's me, James Potter!"

The eyes widened in recognition. "Gracious, so it is!" his big hand came out to fall heavily on James' shoulder. "First Sir Sirius and Sir Peter and now you. Where then, is my son?"

Feeling more than confused, James decided on answering his question before voicing his own. "I am alone, sir."

"So very far from Hogsmeade," Cyath said, somewhat absently as he watched his soldiers hurry inside. Marley's wife and the hired hand had exited the kitchens to see what was going on and were now busily trying to help move things out of the way to make some more space.

"If you would, my lord," James ventured, "have you met with Sirius and Peter, then?"

Again, the gray eyes snapped to him, the sudden full attention somewhat disorienting. "You mean to say that you haven't?"

James shook his head, completely at a loss.

"We met briefly at Hopecrest before I sent them ahead toward the Academy," Cyath told him, grimly. "They bore a message from the Queen for the Headmaster. I'm quite surprised they haven't reached their destination. We parted ways half a week ago!"

The dread that James felt intensified tenfold at his words. "I told Sirius to stay put until I gave him a signal…" he heard himself protest.

Cyath, whose eyes had begun wandering the tavern again, flicked back to him. "If Hopecrest hadn't been attacked, I'm sure they would have, lad. Alas, they were forced to flee."

Dumbly, James could only stare at him as his news echoed in his mind. Hopecrest? Attacked?

Well, he guessed there was a little relief in the knowledge that they had managed to get away. That relief quickly turned sour at the thought that no one knew where they were any more.

His plan had failed even before it began.

Moody's words came back to him. "Expect your plans to fail the first time around." Mentally, James scowled and told the voice to shut up. He hated that he didn't have a solid plan to fall back on.

Around them, the soldiers finished filing in and those that weren't injured called out for Sir Cyath who politely excused himself saying, "We have much to discuss. In the meantime, I could use your help very badly in finding some supplies. We are also in need of a Healer."

"Wait," James said, quickly forgetting the resentment that he still felt at being used by Moody, "tell me: how did Hopecrest fare?"

Cyath paused, and his expression turned from worried, to sorrowful. "It fell." He said, shaking his head once. "We were far outnumbered and we had to retreat." He seemed to swallow around a lump in his throat before continuing. "Hopecrest was burned to the ground and there was nothing I could do about it."

A village, lost. James had difficulty digesting that information. The war, it seemed, was turning brutal. The fact that James had declared that war and Toma's ruthless response made his head spin. "H-how…?" he gasped, having difficulty trying to comprehend the scale of the repercussions of his decisions. "Were there any survivors?"

"I'm afraid I don't know. From what I've seen, however, I fear the worst."

The man, whom James had always regarded as confident and sure, was on the brink of tears. His hands creaked in their bloodstained gauntlets, as he looked out over his men. "I thought I had everything under control. We eliminated the section of Toma's Army that we had been grouped with when we came across His Highness and Sir Sirius so that no one would know of the their whereabouts.

"Not a day later, however, another section of the Army came and proceeded to decimate Hopecrest. Men, women…even children were slaughtered." He closed his eyes against the memory and he cleared his throat against another lump in his throat. "I have yet to do a headcount of the remaining soldiers I have under my command here."

James glanced around at the soldiers, assessing them as best as he could. Most of them looked worse for the wear. The battle had probably gone on for quite a while and their travel to Engistown must have been very difficult with the condition they were in. Those that were strong enough wore expressions that were haunted and James was glad that he had not been witness to the event. The experiences at the Academy were quite enough, thank you. Fresh and deep, those memories would not leave him any time soon, he was sure.

Whatever optimism had filled James earlier was evaporating quickly. In an effort to bring Sir Cyath and himself a bit of assurance, he said, "If it makes you feel better, Sir, there are troops within H.W. Academy that have taken a stand and are in good health. And, as we speak, your son is leading all the students toward safety at your Hold."

He expected Cyath to be pleased; he did not expect the man's face to drain of all color. Again, his strong hands fell on James' shoulders, this time giving him a shake that was enough to rattle James' confidence. "What?"

The shout made every head in the room turn to them, and James, bewildered, wheezed, "The King's Army is stationed at the Academy and the students travel to your Hold…"

"God above!" The man's voice sounded like a thunderous roar that bundled anger, shock and despair into a tight ball. His grip tightened to the point where James winced and had to tug the hands free from his shoulders.

"My lord…what is it? What happened?"

Lowering his head, Cyath tried to compose himself. "I had feared that they would take that course of action. I had bid Sir Sirius and His Highness to head for the hills because I had to be certain of the loyalties that lay within my Hold"

"Loyalties?" James echoed in disbelief. "They are the King's Army! There is no way they would break their oaths to the Crown!"

"I had every belief in the same thing," Cyath said, bitterly. "I never dreamed that my own House would turn against us." His gray eyes glittered in fury. "But they did. Hopecrest fell, not to Toma's Army, but our own. I watched as they set the flag of my House afire along with everything in that village. My Army, led by my son, killed thousands of people and have turned against the Crown that they swore to protect."

James became aware of the fact that the room began to blur and that Sir Cyath had to catch him as he stumbled backward. A part of him was alarmed at the queasiness in his stomach and he wished he could blame the drink for making the world seem to tilt, but it was the news caught him off guard. Forcing back the bile that tried to rise up in his throat, he managed to slump onto the nearest bar stool. Marley soon had him nursing a cup of water, and Sir Cyath peered down at him, worriedly.

It wasn't possible.

It couldn't be possible.

Was there no where left where it was safe?

He felt like his final chess piece had been knocked over.

All his options, all the possible plays he'd tried to foresee, came to an abrupt halt The victory at the Academy had been a short-lived one and with a stab of fear, he realized that he had sent everybody into a trap.

Toma had backed them all into a corner.

Hopes sinking, James could think of only one word to describe the situation.

Checkmate.

Another thought came to him, adding more anxiety to his already frayed nerves. "No one was supposed to know you were in Hopecrest. How is it that the Army found you so soon?" It could not have possibly been a coincidence. Someone must have let slip their plans.

Suddenly, Sir Cyath's dark expression seemed to make more sense.

"You were betrayed," James whispered, in realization, half in fear, half in awe. "But…by who?"

Cyath actually gnashed his teeth. "Believe me, I intend to find out."

0-0-0-0-0

Hot water.

Fresh food.

Servants.

A soft bed.

…Luxuries.

It was all too easy to fall into the trap of comfort with those.

Having to go from one extreme to the next was disappointing. Well, all those kids from the Academy who'd been pampered for the whole of their lives were probably in shock.

All luxuries were lost.

The thought alone, although a bit cruel, was amusing.

The most disappointing thing was…

"What's so funny?"

Lily blinked, almost losing her balance. Pavel stood just to her side, one hand resting on his hip while the other gripped a towel. Standing in the spots where the sunlight hit, he seemed to light up, like some sort of chiseled statue come to life, out of place in the forest. His gaze, which had been roaming their surroundings casually, was now focused on her, and a frown etched itself onto his handsome features as he bent down to put a hand on her shoulder to keep her from toppling over into the water she was freshening up in.

"Nothing," Lily told him, gratefully taking the towel from him when he offered it to her. She proceeded to pat her face and hands dry, trying not to feel self-conscious. She hadn't meant to space out.

Pavel went back to scanning their surroundings and Lily skipped away from the bank to his side. At Master Edmund's insistence, all students were to be accompanied by another so that no one went missing and that safety could be enforced. Pavel had been kind enough to offer to escort her to the stream, and she had graciously accepted.

As they made their way back to camp together in a silent companionship, her mind wandered again, remembering the times when she'd walked next to another silent companion. She remembered his straw-colored hair and the way it had been jaggedly cut. She remembered his emotionless face and his monotone voice. In her mind's eye, Lily could clearly hear his laughter and see the sparkle in his eyes – two things she had had the luxury of being privy to. Two things that he had not allowed anyone else to see.

Luxuries again.

"What's wrong?"

Lily glanced up, feeling herself flush at being caught daydreaming for the second time in a row. This time, she shook her head. "Sorry," she murmured. "I was remembering…" Aesalon. She couldn't bear to say his name.

"Lady, if my presence makes you uncomfortable…" Pavel started to say, but Lily quickly waved the notion away.

"No. It's not that, Pavel." She fingered the necklace that James had given her. "I like you. A lot. It's just…" She twirled the flower around between her thumb and middle finger, nervously. Aesalon's image was quickly replaced with James' and she felt her heart constrict anew. "I have James," she finished, somewhat lamely. She hadn't noticed that they'd stopped walking.

Pavel burrowed his hands into his pockets, scuffing at the floor with a boot. The ground protested against the harsh treatment by covering the black leather with angry streaks of dirt.

Lily glanced over her shoulder in the general direction where she supposed H.W. Academy was situated. "I know we haven't been dating long," she turned back to Pavel, who was still fidgeting, "and it may seem childish and a bit strange for someone my age, but…I love him. And I'm sure, he loves me too."

Pavel's words were short and cutting. "He left you. He chose to go to war instead of staying by your side."

She wanted to get mad. She wanted to tell him that it was none of his business. She wanted to come up with excuses, but she had none to give. Instead, Lily lifted her chin. "I know…" she whispered.

"And even still?" Pavel demanded. "You would want to be with someone who would rather hold onto his pride instead of protecting the woman that he loved?"

"I would rather be with someone who kept his word," Lily told him, trying to keep her voice steady. "He has pledged himself to the service of His Majesty even before he met me. It is not my place to hold him by my side, no matter how much I want him by me." She paused, before adding, "I can't be selfish. I don't like the path he's chosen, but I want to support it." As she said the words, she felt a little bit of the weight on her chest lift.

Loving someone was giving them the freedom to make decisions.

Again, Pavel gave the ground an angry kick. "You deserve so much better." He finally glared at her.

Lily found herself smiling despite the tears in her eyes. "James promised me he'd come back. He said he would."

She felt Pavel touch her arm. "I've upset you," he said, apologetically. "I didn't mean to…"

"I'm sorry," Lily brought a hand up to swipe them away. "I can't help but be worried. He was supposed to be here by now. What if…"

He huffed, giving her a light shove. "Sir James is remarkably resilient. If what you said is true, he'll fulfill his promise to you one way or another."

She tried to smile at his sudden reassurance. "I'm sorry," she offered, again.

"I get flustered with women who cry," Pavel grumbled, and despite herself, Lily giggled. He sighed and said, "You really do deserve better, you know." He retracted his hand. "I had no right to say what I did. If anyone is sorry, it's me." He shrugged. "I'm not happy with your decision, but I suppose there isn't much I can do about it."

Lily let the pendant fall back to rest in the hollow of her throat as he began to walk forward again. "In his place, I shall take care of you until he returns," he announced. "Then the bastard will forever be indebted to me."

Taking one last look over her shoulder, Lily hurried to catch up. When she reached his side, he offered his arm to her in a gentlemanly manner and she accepted it.

She'd been mistaken.

Chivalry was one luxury they hadn't lost yet.

To Be Continued…

AN: Argh. I had to scrap, write, re-write, edit and re-edit this chapter what feels like 101 times. It's travelled with me to different airports, hotel rooms, lunch breaks and whatever downtime I could find to write. If there was ever a time I wanted to give up writing this story, it was with this chapter.

It was you, my readers, my reviewers, who encouraged me not to abandon this. Thank you. I will continue writing so long as inspiration lives. Please, tell me your thoughts.

Thanks for reading,

-P.P.V.V.