Chapter Seventeen: Answers
After a day or so of hiding out Duke and I could still see vans every so often seeking us out.
"What do we do now?" I asked Duke as he watched the outside again.
"I'm not really sure sweetheart," he answered shaking his head.
It was now that I remembered the folder I had tucked away with my belongings. I had been putting away my sketchbook when I noticed it in the back of my bag.
"What's that Heart?" Duke enquired when I pulled it out.
"It was with your saber and my hair they had found on your suit," I told him before turning to him curiously.
"Duke, what happened in there anyway?" I asked him.
"They were lookin' for ya. Falcone set us up so they could try an' take ya away," he told me.
I had noticed his recent bruises from his time in jail. He'd assured me that they didn't really hurt, but it still bothered me.
"I kept tellin' them I didn't know who ya were an' that I'd never seen ya, but they weren't convinced," he said.
Duke then walked over to me, placing his hands on my shoulders as I opened the folder. I began sifting through the photos and forms until something caught my eye.
"Is that you?!" Duke asked in disbelief as we found a photo of me as a very small hatchling.
Then I began to read the papers it was attached to.
Parents - Deceased
Female Duck, White Feathers, Red/Burgundy Hair, Blue Eyes
Research Subject #1, Subject shows strange abilities. Energy emits when under stress or panic. Power outtages noticed in the building when she tries to run away.
Thoughts: Is she connected to the legends? Further tests are needed.
Further Notes: Subject seems to have grown semi-emotionless. Difficult to create a sensation of fear to test her abilities when the subject is disconnected.
Update: Subject suddenly burst today, subject was told their parents were deceased. Abilities exploded and subject ran. When cornered subject's abilities came out on full display and knocked them back through the window. Subject has now vanished.
Upon reading this I began seeing flashes of memories locked away. Duke carefully took the forms from my hands, set them aside, and quickly wrapped his arms around me, "It's okay Heart. I've got ya."
"They did all of this! They killed them! I was just a subject, I didn't even have a name!" I realized as I clung to him, "I wasn't anyone to them!"
Duke:
I held her tight as she said these things.
"Ya are ta me," I told her as she trembled in my hands.
After a moment Heart pulled away from me and picked up the folder again. Pouring over it with her I noticed something odd as with the vans.
"Heart, I don't think this organization is authorized by anyone," I said as I looked over the forms, "All of these papers and there's nothing stating the name of the facility or scientists involved."
Heart then seemed to notice what I had.
"That's why they're looking for me, it's so I don't say anything!" She gasped, "But if they had just left me alone I wouldn't have!"
I looked to her, my blood running cold as I realized why they kept asking me when I was in jail, "They were goin' ta kill ya..."
Her hands gripped the papers, nearly crinkling them.
"No, we need these," I told her carefully as I took them from her again.
"What for?" She questioned, "I just want to forget about this!"
"Heart, we need ta get these guys off of ya," I told her, "But we need a little more proof."
Then I got an idea as I looked at her. She seemed to get the same one as she got up and started getting dressed.
"Do you remember where it was?" She asked me as she pulled her gloves on a few minutes later.
I nodded my head, "How can I forget somethin' like that? That's where I first saw ya."
She gave a slight smile when I said this to her. Then I got ready myself.
We walked along the streets carefully that night. Even the moon seemed to shy away behind the clouds that dusted us with a light snow. Before long we had come upon a well hidden building deep on the other side of the city.
"It looks abandoned," Heart said as we listened for any sign of life around us.
I reached for her hand when I noticed it shaking a little, "It's goin' ta be okay. We're goin' ta put an end ta this tonight."
She nodded as she regained her composure, "I love you."
"I love ya too sweetheart," I assured her.
With that we headed in. We found a side door that I quickly unlocked with ease. Then we quietly slipped inside. While we walked through I noticed Heart taking rather slow, cautious steps. It were as though she were resisting, almost trying to run back. I carefully reached for her hand, "It's okay, I'm not goin' ta let anythin' happen to ya. We're goin' ta end this."
Heart:
I took a deep breath and fought through the nightmares my memories tried to show me. As we walked down the halls I noticed rooms I vaguely remembered being locked in. One room in particular made me grip Duke's hand as tight as I could.
"Heart?" Duke asked.
Briefly looking inside the darkened room I mentioned, "They locked me in there often. They knew I hated it, that it was dark. They wanted to scare me into using my magic..."
Duke carefully pulled me away from that room and continued down the hallway with me.
We continued on until we found the main lab it appeared. Though the walls were covered in black tarnished spots as though struck by some explosion. Then turning towards the window I saw why, it was the window I had gone through. The markings were from me.
"Do you think they would really have stuff still hidden here?" I asked nervously.
"That's what we're here ta find out," Duke said as he walked over to one of the desks and started opening drawers.
I followed his lead as I began looking around the room for anything that could help.
After a while we were coming to think that this may have been a lost cause. That is until I stumbled upon something strange beneath one of the tiles I was standing on. Sliding my foot over it I found it was loose. Duke noticed as I knelt down as he walked over to help me slide the heavy flooring over. Beneath the tile were more folders and forms.
I carefully picked them up and began sifting through the papers. Inside I found more records, hospital forms, check-ups, photos with taken of the researcher and her partner with me as they performed tests, and my origianl address where I had been taken from.
"Why did they do all of this? And why cover it up?" I asked.
I was so distracted by all of this that I hadn't heard footsteps approaching from down the hall. I also had barely noticed Duke as he stiffened, hearing something for a moment, before we heard something fire off. In an instant Duke shoved me aside, shielding me as we evaded a blast that rushed over us.
"Duke?!" I exclaimed as I looked up at him worriedly.
"Ya alright?" He asked as he gazed down at me, then he gave a sigh of relief when I nodded my head.
"I thought you said you didn't know her?" A chilling voice echoed from the doorway, "What a shame, that was meant for her you know."
We looked up to see a very thin duck somewhere in her early 40s looking at us amused with icy blue eyes. In her hand was a blaster pistol much like the one Falcone had used before. As we lay there prone she had it trained on me now.
"I knew you had taken that folder, and I knew it would lead you here," she said, "It's been quite the wait though."
"Why are you hunting me?!" I demanded, "If it's to keep me quiet I wouldn't have said anything before all of this! I just wanted a life with my family and to forget all of this!"
"A freak like you had a family? They must not have known what you're capable of," she mocked.
Then she looked to Duke, "And I can return you to prison after I take care of her. Unless you want to pretend you never saw any of this? I don't really care either way."
"I'm not leavin' her ya psycho!" Duke growled from atop of me still.
"Such an odd sentiment to come from a thief?" She taunted as he glared at her.
"Why did you do any of this anyway? Why did you take me away from them? Why did you kill them?" I questioned.
The woman raised a brow at these questions, looking down at us like we weren't worth giving an answer to. To her I was still the test subject that got out of hand. To her Duke was a common criminal that had gotten tangled up in this.
"Your parents brought you to us at the hospital when you started showing your...tendancies...They wanted someone to help you. Yet I saw the trouble that could arise from a young duck with such abilities, the danger that you were. Seeing how you ended up I wasn't too far off was I? Injured a young duck and ran from the responsibility? Joined a gang of thieves? Even broke one out of prison? Did you not use your abilities to aid him then and before that?" She explained in an amused tone.
"You took me from my original parents before all of that! You locked me away until I found a way to run!" I shouted as energy sparked around me, "If I hadn't run from my brothers that day you would have dragged me back here or..."
She aimed the blaster at me still with a smirk, "Now you don't have to run anymore, and I can stop looking for you! We both win!"
Then she looked to Duke for a moment, "I still don't get why you were trying to protect a monster like her, nor do I understand why she stayed with you all these months. For someone who didn't want to run she chose an odd life didn't she? Isn't that all a thief does, is run and hide?"
"She's not a monster, an' I love her. I won't let ya take her from me," Duke said firmly.
She laughed, "Does a thief really know how to love? Face it, you saw what she was capable of and thought she would make things easier for you! So you took her to be a well used tool!"
"He's not like you!" I shouted as my blood began to boil.
"I should really get rid of you as well the more I think of it. You broke in after all, and I don't think the public cares too much about what happens to a thief like you anyway," she scoffed while training the blaster on him while he still shielded me.
"I care what happens! I love him! He's the reason I chose to finally stop running!" I snapped as energy burst around me.
I noticed for a moment as Duke looked to me with a reassuring smile. He gripped my hand with his. Just as she went to pull the trigger I quickly jumped up, pushing Duke down as I pinned him safely beneath me and reached out my other hand, letting out a burst of energy as it struck her hand and sent the blaster flying out of it.
"Heart!" Duke breathed as I then jumped up and lunged at the woman, tackling her before she could reach the blaster on the floor.
"You keep saying I'm a monster and that he's a thief! But aren't you a bit of both? You stole me from my family twice! You tortured me and now you're trying to kill us to cover your own tracks!" I shouted as I pinned her down.
"You're nothing but an unholy freak! What good could come of a creature like you?! There's not a single duck out there with abilities like yours! What does that tell you?!" She demanded boldly while leering up at me, "And all you've done is use them to aid a thief like him!"
Then I thought for a moment. What would have happened had all of this not began? If I had been left alone, would I have my brothers that I had? The family I grew up with? And...I looked over at Duke, what would have happened to him?
In that moment I realized it didn't matter at this point. This is who I was now regardless. While I was sad to know that the parents I had before had loved me and wanted to help me, the truth was I didn't know them like the ones I had now. Wildwing and Nosedive were my brothers now. The brotherhood and others I had met through the last few years were my friends. And Duke, he was the drake I loved.
"I just want to stay with him..." I said more to him than anyone else, "Just leave me alone and I won't say anything! Leave him alone and I won't say a word! Please!"
She looked at me with widened eyes, "You...you think I'm going to just let you walk away after all of this?!"
With that she snapped her fingers as she drew a knife from a spring sheath on her wrist and slashed at me with it. I jumped back in time for her to miss my eye, but she still grazed my right cheek as it left a decent slash in it.
"Heart!" I heard Duke call to me as I fell back against the wall harshly holding my cheek to try and stop it from bleeding.
Before Duke could get to me a muscled up duck came swinging through the window and slammed into him before he could dodge him.
"Duke!" I cried as he was kicked into the wall, his back buckling from the impact.
I tried to summon up some energy, reaching my hand out again to get him away from Duke, but he seemed to brace for it. Looking closer I noticed the suit he wore was resistant shocks. He continued his way towards Duke, grabbing for him. Duke gripped the wall before pushing off of it and sliding under the duck's grasp.
I scrambled to my feet now as I hurried over and leapt onto the duck's back in an attempt to choke him. Yet he quickly grabbed my arms and swung me towards the opposite wall.
Duke:
As Heart was thrown to the side I quickly slid over and caught her. Then I swept up the pack with the folders we had and had found and bolted with Heart's hand in mine.
"Get them Ice!" The woman screamed as she scrambled for the blaster on the floor.
"I'm on it Doctor Shells," he replied as he gave chase.
Before she started firing I released Heart's hand to fall back a bit behind her in an attempt to shield her. Sure enough several blasts flew by us as she tried to hit her. Though we noticed she was also trying not to hit her partner as he charged after us. Behind us I heard him rip something from the wall as a metallic sound snapped.
Turning aroud to face him now I drew my saber as he rushed at me with an iron pipe in his hand.
"Duke!" Heart called to me when she heard metal meeting with metal.
"You two can't run forever L'Orange!" Ice told me.
"I don't know about that, we've out run ya this long," I taunted as I lunged forward to push him back a bit.
"As I recall we had you behind bars barely a week ago, it'll happen again now that the public knows your face Duke!"
"Sounds like a challenge ta me," I said confidentally as I blocked another attack with my blade.
I then lunged forward, cutting a decent slash in his suit, "Ya might have come prepared for her, but I don't think ya counted on me did ya?"
"Don't be so sure," we heard Doctor Shells laugh from behind Ice.
She was holding a strange device in her hand. I continued to block Ice's onslaught when I noticed her grinning smugly at me, "I knew you would come with her, even though I don't understand it myself."
Ice then lunged at me with the pipe he weilded. As I swung my saber to block him we heard a click as a strange frequency was admitted from the device. In that instant my right side seemed to go black as the mechanical eye I had vibrated violently behind the patch. I couldn't resist the urge to try and cover it, trying to get it to stop somehow. Ice didn't cease in his onslaught as he remained in motion hitting the iron rod into me, knocking me to the floor.
Heart:
As Ice rushed forward, raising the pipe over Duke's head I rushed in front of him. Drawing my glaive I swung it forward and blocked the attack with the staff of my weapon. Behind me I saw Duke groaning in pain as he grasped at where his eye would have been. At the same time he tried to get to his feet as Shells turned the dial on the device.
"Stop it!" I shouted.
"Such a shame, if it weren't for that you would be able to save her perhaps? If you hadn't been a thief you wouldn't have gotten that scar. You might think it makes you look adventurous, but really it's just a reminder of what you'll always be isn't it?" Shells taunted.
While she said this Ice applied further force as he pushed down on my staff with the iron he held. Behind me I heard Duke in pain as she continued to push him. Pressure built in my chest as I tried to think of what to do. I was too small to overpower him. Then I noticed the slash Duke had made in his suit. Taking a quick breath I pulled my staff back for a split second as I summoned up some energy and lunged it forward to make contact with him.
Ice cried out as he fell back a bit from the shock. Then I turned towards Shells and rushed at her. She tried to step out of the way, but I grabbed the device from her grasp. Without a second thought I threw it on the floor and smashed it with the staff of my glaive. It sputtered and sparked until it finally went out and the frequency stopped. Behind me I heard Duke gasp as the pain came to a stop, releasing him. "..Heart!"
Just as I turned to him, not realizing he was trying to warn me, Ice grabbed at me. Gripping my collar he tossed me, slamming me against the stone wall. As Duke tried to get up we both heard the distinct sound of the blaster being fired.
Hearing Duke cry out, my eyes widened with horror as I looked to see his left side bleeding and seered from the shot. Before I could struggle to get to him Ice placed a strong hand on my arm and began to drag me down the hall.
"Duke!" I screamed as I saw him trying to push past his injury to get to me.
Before he could get up Shells walked over to him, her smile smug as she looked down at him, "Is that monster really worth all of this pain Duke? Is she worth risking your freedom and even your life for?"
She then pointed the blaster at his chest just as Ice pulled me along around the corner of the hall. I reached out my hand in some sort of attempt to save him. Then I heard the blaster fire and a body drop. Sheer terror filled every fiber of my being as I shrieked his name desperately.
Energy burst around me again, but Ice's grip remained tight as he swung me over his shoulder. However one of the strikes of electrcity had caught a piece of the wooden frame of a doorway, igninting it. His arm became like an iron vice around my back as he marched me down the hall, even as smoke began to build and follow us. Then we came to the room that I had noticed before.
"This will be fitting I think," he commented as he quickly tossed me into the windowless room.
Panic gripped me as I tried to scramble for the door as it was slammed shut. As I tried to pry it open from the edge of the doorway I heard a bolt lock on the other side. Then I heard as he slid the key in with me as it could only be locked or unlocked from the outside.
Around me everything was black. Even the crevice underneath was blocked out now as he slid something heavy over the door.
"Let me out!" I screamed, "Duke! Duke please! Don't leave me!"
I couldn't remember being so scared. Even the night I had runaway didn't compare. That night I didn't know what would happen. No one I knew had gotten injured. No one had gotten in any trouble. This time everything had gone wrong. Behind the door I could hear structures cracking as it grew warmer.
Without words I screamed, "Duke! Please!"
From the doorway I felt it getting hotter, forcing me to back away from it. The room around me seemed to close in around me as I huddled in the corner of it trembling. Beside my hand I felt the key that would have been my salvation if someone on the other side would set me free.
Just then from the other side I heard a loud thud, then a sliding sound as someone groaned pushing something away from the door. Not seconds later did I notice a gleam of a blade cut through the heavy door with some force, carving it out, "Stay back!"
Obeying the words shouted to me over the crackling flames I watched as the thick door was pushed in and fell with a crash on the floor. Looking up my heart leapt within my chest as Duke hurried towards me and offered me his hand as he coughed from the smoke he had taken in, "Let's go Heart!"
Tears brimmed my eyes as I reached for his hand. Yet as I did Duke was pulled back by his right shoulder from me by Ice and thrown back into the wall.
"You could have escaped L"Orange," Ice taunted as he approached him, his fist knocking Duke back as he struck the right side of his face as he tried to get up, "If you had left her here instead of trying to steal her back you could be well away from here!"
Duke's voice didn't waver as he asked, "How could I resist stealin' such a treasure? What kind of thief would I be if I left empty handed, right Heart?"
"You act like you're proud of what you are!" Ice mocked.
"That's because I am," Duke smirked, "I have no reason ta be ashamed."
Then I noticed something about Duke as he glared at Ice. While his expression remained focused, the red light that indicated his mechanical eye had remained off.
"What's to be proud of when you're nothing but a thief?!" Ice laughed.
Duke glanced at me with his remaining eye and smiled, "Bein' a thief gets her heart poundin'. Doesn't it my love?"
I couldn't help but nod my head.
"Being a thief stealing what you shouldn't is what's going to get you killed L'Orange!" Ice scowled as he raised his fist again with the flames rising around him, unaware of me approaching from behind when I noticed something troubling along the floor, "I hope she was worth the risk!"
"She is," Duke assured firmly as he quickly slid to the side with some reserved strength and tripped Ice as he went to grab him.
Just as this happened the floor under Ice began to give away from the fire and weight applying pressure it couldn't handle anylonger. With a loud crack the floor began to give way and tried to dump Ice to the level below us. He gripped at the remaining floor to get some traction. Finding none he then grabbed for Duke as he had leapt away to get to me as I rushed over to him now. Before I could grasp Duke's hand Ice grabbed his leg and started to pull him down with him.
"Duke!" I cried as I gripped his hand and tried to pull him up.
Duke looked up at me, "Heart let go! Run!"
I refused. Yet we began to slip towards the caving floor with Ice weighing him down. Duke looked at me, smiled, and grasped my shoulders quickly, "I love ya sweetheart."
With that he shoved me back with all the force he could, pushing me to the firmer part of the floor just as Ice pulled him down to the floor below.
"Duke!" I screamed as he fell with a harsh crash as they dropped.
Before I could look down the broken up floor a hand grabbed the fabric of my suit at my shoulder and pulled me back.
"Let go!" I shouted over the crackling flames.
"He's gone now girl! He died because of you!" Shells scoffed at me with scornful eyes as she forced me to look up at her.
"No!" I screamed, "Just stop! I get it!"
I then started to cough as smoke poured through the room.
"What more can you fight for at this point?" She questioned, "Why try to run now that you're alone?"
My brow furrowed into a glare as she then said, "It's fitting though. It's a shame about Ice of course, but at the very least he took care of that worthless thief didn't he?"
"He's not worthless!" I snapped as energy burst from me, knocking her back.
"I know you'll never get it! I know most others never will! But I don't really care!" I said as I got to my feet now, "We understand each other for who we are! That's what matters!"
"Then why don't you join him?!" She laughed as she lunged at me.
I quickly jumped out of her way and shot out my bolo pucks at her. This entangled her legs as she fell to the floor. Then I left her there as I hurried down to the floor below with the aid of my grappling hook. As I neared the ground I looked up to find the rope giving way as the flames lapped at it. With a snap I fell the rest of the way down.
More fire surrounded the room I found myself in. Smoke tried to overwhelm me as I dropped to the floor to avoid it. At my feet was an unconcious Ice. Not long after did I find him. Lying on the ground over broken bits of flooring and other debris was Duke. My heart leapt to my throat when I realized he wasn't moving.
"Duke! Duke wake up please!" I begged him as I gently touched his shoulder.
The heat around us continued to rise. Flames licked at us. Smoke tried to suffocate me as I looked around for a way out. Hoping I wasn't making any of his injuries worse I wrapped my arms around Duke's upper torso and began to drag him with me towards the nearest exit. This turned out to be a door that I kicked open and pulled him through. I didn't stop until I reached the alley nearby and set Duke down carefully. In the distance I could hear sirens growing louder, but I was too afraid to pay them much attention.
"Duke," I begged when he still hadn't woken up, "Duke don't leave me! Please!"
I gently placed my fingers against his neck and held his wrist with my other hand. There was no pulse. With a quick breath I forced panic away for a moment and focused on him. Pulling my hands back I then had a sudden thought. Taking a chance I rested a hand below Duke's heart and slid the other beneath his back also below his heart. Within me I felt my body heat up a bit as I let out a jolt of energy through my hands. For a moment his chest rose, his body jolting from the energy entering him as I tried to get his heart beating again. He remained still and without a pulse.
"Heart?" I thought I heard him say, but he hadn't moved.
"Duke!" I attempted once more with one more surge of energy emitting from my palms.
His body reacted to the burst of power sent through him once again. As he did my heart jumped to hear him let out a gasp for breath. Then tears swelled my eyes as I watched him open his. He turned his head and gazed up at me with his remaining brown eye, "Heart?"
"Duke," I whispered as the tears fell now as I noticed the red light behind his eyepatch had also returned.
Duke:
I felt my body tremblig from cold and shock. Somehow I realized nothing was broken, though I was still sore from the fall and injuries from the fight. None the less, when I saw her kneeling beside me I smiled. However I didn't hold it long as I started coughing out the smoke and toxins I had breathed in. I slowly sat up to try and get it out. Heart gently wrapped her arms around me when she noticed my body shaking. I in turn held her close.
"Heart," I breathed finally as I looked over her.
Before we could move or speak any further I heard the sirens getting quite loud as they drove up. I forced myself to try and get up, but found the injury in my side kept me from doing so. Heart then took a cloth from the pouch on her belt and pressed it against the wound to try and clean it and keep it from bleeding any further.
"Heart, you can get away," I told her, "If we get caught here now your freedom ya jus' got will be stolen away again."
She looked at me with certainty shimmering in her sapphire eyes, "I'm not leaving you. No matter what happens I'm staying by your side."
Before I could try to convince her a young drake hurried over to us.
"Heart?!" The tan feathered duck exclaimed.
"Canard?" Heart replied just as surprised.
This friend of hers was dressed in a volunteer's uniform for the city's first response team. At his side was a medical bag that he then opened when he noticed my injury.
Heart:
I was relieved to see my childhood friend, but was worried as well. Due to his job he had to take us in.
"What's going on Heart? Wildwing told me a little bit about what happened to you," Canard informed.
"We came here looking for answers," I said as I looked over at the burning building.
"Answers to what?"
Duke then turned slightly as he pulled out some forms and photos folded and tucked into the larger pouch of his belt, "This."
"This is where they took you? The place you escaped from?" Canard enquired a bit in shock.
I nodded my head, "The two that did it are still in there. They were looking for me to silence me so no one would learn what they did."
"With this evidence we can put them away. It turns out they've been pretty sought after by someone in the higher up part of the city. I read some of the file," Canard then said, "It could be your grandparents Heart. If you go with us, we can take you to them Heart."
I didn't take a second to think about my answer, "I want to stay with Duke."
"Heart, you can finally have your family back," Duke said, "An' if ya stay with me your life will be spent-"
"Duke," I said looking at him, "I have my family. My brothers and you. I appreciate the offer, but these ducks are strangers to me at this point. Even if they weren't, I know I belong with you."
Canard then smiled, "Wildwing told me about that too."
He shook his head with a light chuckle, "You always were a strange duck."
Canard looked over his shoulder as his team now dragged out Ice and Doctor Shells both still alive somehow. Then he looked over at Duke, "Can you drive?"
Duke nodded, "I think so, why?"
"Their van is parked down the street a bit. Take it to get away from here and I'll retrieve it later," Canard told us with a sly smile of his own.
"Canard?! Won't you get in trouble?" I asked.
Canard shook his head, "Who's to say I even saw you here? Besides, I made a promise to take care of you too when we were kids remember? You're my best friend's baby sister after all!"
"Thank you Canard," I said with a sigh of relief.
"Don't mention it, just take care of one another," he insisted as we got up.
Then my friend looked to the drake beside me, "Duke, I can only do this once. Don't let me catch you both this way again."
"That won't be a problem," Duke assured with a confident smirk.
"We need you to take on the promise we made to her," Canard added, "Keep our little sister safe for us, and don't you dare hurt her."
"I gave a vow of my own," Duke nodded, "So of course."
Canard gave me a quick hug, "I'll let your brothers know that you are safe and no longer being searched for, but none the less you're where you have to be."
"Thank you Canard," I repeated as I hugged him back.
With that we hurried as fast as we could to the van Canard had mentioned. Our pace remained steady despite Duke's injury. Then we found the vehicle parked in an alley down the street. Duke unlocked the door with ease and had me get in. Then he pulled himself up after me. With a spark of energy we were on our way far from the scene.
Duke:
After we had driven a good bit away and left the van to be found by Canard, I glanced at Heart curiously. As though she knew I were looking at her she gazed up at me while we walked. Our feet sank in the fresh snow, but our steps were quickly covered by the falling white flakes.
"Heart, I know an' don't know at the same time," I started quietly, "But why didn't ya take Canard's offer? You could have met your family, it sounded like they could have taken care of ya..."
"Duke you heard me back there," she told me, "I belong with you. I have my brothers. That's all I need to know at this point."
"But you could go back to your brothers now. Ya won't be on the run anymore. No one knows you're my partner."
"I know," she said firmly.
"Heart, your freedom-"
"Will mean nothing without you," she said.
Over our heads the night sky was fading to dawn. The earliest shades of light made us able to see one another a little better. With this I could see her looking at me without a waver of doubt in her eyes. Then she looked over me in my suit and gave a shy smile.
"So I was right?" I asked her playfully.
"It's not that you're a thief exactly Duke," she told me, "It's just...it's a part of what made you who you are..."
No matter how many times she said these things to me I always found myself a little surprised. It still stunned me to watch as she looked up at me. She knew what was behind the eyepatch I wore, yet still seemed to think I was handsome. My being a thief had never turned her away from me. Knowing this I took her by the hand as we slipped into the park and hid beneath the shade of a large tree for a bit. Above we could see the moon still giving a fading glow as it smiled down over us.
There I pulled Heart close to me as I leaned back against the trunk of the tree.
"Yet in a strange way," she then said blushing a little beneath her white feathers, "You being a thief does make my heart pound."
I gave her a charming smile before leaning close to her, "Then allow me ta be your thief my love, an' steal a kiss?"
She gave a soft smile, "I love you."
"I love ya too my angel," I promised her as we closed the distance between us.
Heart:
You would think that's where our story had ended in a way. That we would go on for the rest of our days together as two thieves adventuring beneath the moonlight. However it turned out that life would test us in a way neither of us could ever have imagined.
Yet for now, in that moment, we knew in a way that we were safe. Wrapped in burgundy and black beneath the gentle shades of morning light caused by the rising sun, we were allowed to just be together as we had vowed to be.