WARNING: this is a fight seen, and I've never been to great at fight scenes there's either a)not enough action or b) too much gore or both. I'll do my best. But I did warn you.

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Chapter 12:

We're on a roll here so how about Adrian's P.O.V.

Faith and I both jumped up to our feet, she was obviously feeling like her normal self. I drew out my sword, and then a thought occurred to me. "Starling, how is Faith supposed to help me, she doesn't a weapon." Be right back entered my mind as she flew off in to the trees. "Faith, go stand off to the side till star gets back." She did that just as Samuel reached me. Our swords met with a loud clink. The fight had begun.

"It's a shame that we have to fight our own blood isn't it." Sam asked me. as I blocked a stab to my chest.

"We don't have to fight" It was his turn to block me now. The clinging of swords was making it's own music.

"Your right, we don't, you can let me kill Faith, and then I can finally get to know my little brother."

"I can't allow you to kill Faith." Sam's blade cut the sleeve on my left arm, but it thankfully didn't cut any skin.

"you know I watched you grow up. I saw all of your sword fighting lessons, so in other words I know all of your strategies." That just freaked me out, but it does explain why I was always seeing that wolf around the castle.

"you've been spying on our whole family, haven't you." I said as I took another swipe at Connor.

"it wasn't spying, I was just checking up, making sure that everything was ok. I never thought that I would be here today, battling my little brother." His sword cut across my stomach. I felt the skin tear and the blood flow down my stomach. "Adrian!" Faith yelled. I saw her take a step towards me, but stayed back knowing that there was nothing she could do. I swung at Sam, breaking the slight pause that usually came at the first shed of blood in a battle. The orchestra of clinging was once again started up by our swords.

"you're already loosing, little brother, I'll give you the chance to leave alive."

"but then you'll kill Faith. I' don't think so." Yes, my blade finally shed blood. I had aimed to stab Sam in the chest, but he had tried to dodge sending the blade into his arm. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Casey edge up a little but back down just as Faith had when Sam yelled "this is my fight."

The fight continued, brother vs. brother. The forest was quiet around us, it seemed as if every thing was watching us fight, waiting to see who the next person would be to walk into death's embrace.  The swords were once again making music in my ears, a deadly music. It went on like this for about ten more minutes, then it was over. Samuel had knocked my sword out of my hand and I fell to the ground. His sword was hovering above my chest, waiting for it's owner to thrust it into my heart.

"it's a shame, I was really looking forward to developing a relationship with you after this was over." You have to be joking, life was really going to end for me here. I didn't want to die this early in my life. Now I know how Gabriel must have felt when looking into the face of death. Have Faith.

"good bye little brother."

"see you in hell." And that's when it ended. An arrow came flying at Samuel and hit him in the heart. His sword fell down next to me, soon followed by Sam. I glanced over at Faith who was still holding her bow in the firing position. For the first time in my life I was thankful for that deadly aim. I stood up and retrieved my sword, then walked over to her. Starling was sitting on her shoulder, looking solemn.

"the bow and arrow was all I could fine, I hope it was ok." She said in somewhat of a daze. I glanced back at Sam to see that Casey had came over and was licking at the wound on Sam's back, whining and grieving.

"it's perfect, Faith always had a knack for archery." I said recalling all those times I had competed against her with Conrad as the judge.

"Thank you." Faith and I locked eyes and then she was in my arms. I don't know who went into whose arm's first, but we were there.  "I finally have Faith." It seemed like the right thing to say, since I had heard it so much today.

"yes, you do." Faith said as she stood on her toes to kiss me. I was shocked at first, but soon started kissing her back. I think I could have stayed there forever, but it didn't last to much, longer.

"oh my god, Adrian! I completely forgot about your wound. Are you all right? Starling do you have more of that powder stuff?" Faith didn't wait for me to answer, but instead looked upon Starling, who was now flying in the air.

"I'm sorry, I used it all on you, that was a bad wound that Connor had given you."

"we have to get you back to the castle. It's going to be hard enough going through the forest this late at night." It was true, the sun had long since set.

"we also need to bring Samuel back. He is a prince, and he deserves a proper burial. The problem is that Marcan can not carry all three of us."

"don't worry about  Connor," Starling said  "I'll have him taken to the castle. I think that Casey needs a little more time to grieve. He was like a son to her. At the moment we need to worry about getting yourselves home, you'll never find your way in the dark like this, so you'll just have to fallow me."

Faith and I walked over Marcan still in each other's arms. I got on to my horse first. Then pulled Faith up behind me. I saw the little ball of light that I knew was Starling and wondered were Sparrow had gone off to. Starling flew off into the woods, and I fallowed before I could lose sight of her. The feel of Faiths arms around my waist was enough for me to momentarily forget about the pain coming from the cut below.

* ~ *    Faith's P.O.V. * ~ *

When Conrad and I returned to the Castle we were bombarded by tones of tear streaked faces. I gave all of my family members a hug and held on to my mother for an exceptionally long time. They were asking us so many questions and I couldn't handle it all.

"please, let's get Adrian treated, and then I would like to go to bed. I promise that we will answer all of your questions in the morning." When mom and dad saw my face they rushed everyone up to bed, and asked the servants to help Adrian to his room, I fallowed them and waited with Adrian while they stitched him up.

"thank you again, I'll talk to you in the morning about what happened out there."

"you truly are a prince in shining amour." Yuk, enough with mushy stuff. My parents left with the medicine man and I turned back to Adrian.

"I just wanted you to know that I'm very thankful for you coming to get me, and I think I will enjoy being your wife." I kissed him on the lips and headed for the door, but stopped when Adrian called me.

"I'm glad that your going to be my wife, and that your happy with that to. But I'm going to ask a favor from you."

"Adrian, I owe you my life, I would do anything for you."

"then stay here. I don't want to wake up in the morning and find that your missing again." That was really sweet of him. Truth be told, I hadn't wanted to go in the first place, ignoring the fact that I was still in my night gown from the previous night, I walked over to Adrian's bed and curled up next to him. He pulled me as close to him as he could without hurting himself. I love you. I had learned today to send my thoughts into other's heads, and that's what I did then.

"I love you too." I gave a smile at the fact that Adrian didn't think it was weird that I was talking to him through his mind. At least I didn't think he thought it was weird. He still hadn't brought down that block in his head he had brought up earlier. We fell asleep I each other's arms, and to tell you the truth, it was the safest I have ever felt in my whole life.

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I woke up and found that it was still dark. I untangled myself from Adrian's arm's and walked over to the window. There was a bunch of glowing coming down from the ground below. As I looked closer I realized that the glowing was encircling something. A body. Then I realized what it was.

"Adrian! Adrian wake up!" he sat up fast, and I vaguely saw him wince from pain. "what is it?"

"come look." He slowly got out of bed and walked over to the window and put his arms around me. "The fairies are bringing Sam to the Castle." We stood there and watched the Fairies. When they started going back to the forest I couldn't help but ask, "do you think we will see them again?"

"I honestly don't know Faith, but I think we should go tell a servant about Sam. Do you want to come with me?" I stared at the Fairies for a second longer than turned and gave Adrian another kiss. "lets go get your brother."

We walked out of the bedroom, hand in hand, not daring to be separated again."

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Ok. I sort of think that that would be a good ending. I was thinking about doing an epilogue, but I sort of finished this story so I don't have to. So why not? I think I'll leave this as the ending to the story. (unless I get enough people who say add an epilogue) but right, go press that little button and review. Tell me what you thought. REVIEW!