-1To Fight For His Queen…

By: KidHeart4

Disclaimer: I do not own The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, or The King of Attolia novels. These are books by Megan Whalen Turner; and I do not own any of her characters from these books. My fanfiction is only to be for fun and out of tribute to my favorite books in the world. So please enjoy, read, and review so that I can be sure that everyone likes them! .

Sunlight crept into Eugenidies's room slowly. Telling the soon to be King to awaken. The young man groaned in irritation, turning away from the brightening day outside his window. Not ready to get up, for he had been awake half of the night. His thoughts keeping him from much needed sleep.

It was now that the thief turned his head to find Attolia looking at him. Standing just barely in his room. Wearing a dress of crimson with her dark hair cascading down. He could tell that her attendants hadn't been to her yet. For she had no covering on her face and her hair wasn't in its usual ornaments. Though she was wearing his earrings.

"Get up," she commanded when she saw him still in bed.

When he remained still she crossed the marble floor of his bedroom. Taking a seat in the chair beside his bed. Looking at him with slight concern in her eyes. He normally answered to her commands; but this time he stayed where he lay beneath his blankets.

"What's wrong?" She asked him when seeing his weary eyes.

"We're getting married tomorrow," he stated quietly.

"Sudden regrets?" She enquired with rising amusement which showed in her one raised eyebrow.

"No," he murmured, "not regrets. Worries."

"Worries?"

"Yes."

"This was your decision, Eugenidies."

"I know that."

"Then what are you worried about?"

"Whether I will be a good King to you," he told her with true fear in his eyes.

Attolia couldn't help but smile. Gently brushing away the dark strands of his hair away from his face. He jumped slightly at her touch, showing that a part of him was still afraid of her.

"I…I believe in you, Eugenidies," she said to him calmly.

Then she watched him smile a little. Somewhat reassured.

Now Eugenidies sat beside Attolia at the dinning table. Once again he had to brush away the sand from his food. The Thief thought he'd starve to death before he was even married. Though he didn't complain out loud.

Soon after Attolia had gone to a long meeting for the wedding arrangements. While Eugenidies sat alone in his room. Frustration got to him quickly, having an uneasy feeling. Though he knew it wasn't just from his quickly coming marriage. It was something else.

He knew that as he sat staring out his ceiling high window that started from the marble floor. He tried to figure out what it was. Then soon he went to walk through the palace halls. Looking for what he wasn't sure he'd find. Listening to the different conversations he passed by. Watching familiar and unfamiliar faces to see if they gave away anything at all. Nothing.

The feeling grew worse as the day went on. His mind running wild to search for a reason. The fingers of his left hand drumming the surface of the throne beside hers. He had monitored everyone he had seen that day. Yet nothing had proved his instincts right. As though everyone knew to keep quiet around him or he would find out what they were planning. Though what truly worried him was whether it involved his Queen or not. Was she in danger by whatever was being planned? What was worse was that he couldn't tell her without being sure; or else she would think he was just paranoid.

"What's bothering you?" Attolia finally asked him, growing annoyed by his constant drumming.

She watched as he began to open his mouth to answer when he stopped suddenly. His head turning to face the doorway of the throne room. Attolia turned her head towards the startling sight.

Nahuseresh stood alone in the doorway. Eugenidies noticed that everyone else had slowly slipped away undetected, as though they knew he were coming. Silence filled the room. Attolia sat in her throne, seeming to be unafraid.

Though Eugenidies saw the unsheathed sword in the ambassador's hand; and the hint of fear in her eyes. Wondering if he were there to kill her while she sat in her throne unguarded. Betrayed by Gods knew how many she thought were loyal to her. Alone with only her Thief to watch her die while he froze in helplessness.

He saw all of this with one simple look.

With that Eugenidies got up. Standing as he slowly drew his sword while approaching the intruder from the Mede. A strange courage stirring in his heart. The want and need to protect His Queen.

"Why have you come?" Attolia now asked when she found her voice again.

"To reclaim you as My Queen!" He hissed, trying to hold his temper down, "To kill off your Thief prince and become the rightful King!"

"You will never be her King!" Eugenidies snapped in a sudden rage, now standing before his adversary ready to fight, "I will not allow someone who doesn't love her to marry her!"

Nahuseresh laughed mockingly, "And a boy Thief like you knows what love is?"

Eugenidies didn't take the bait. She knew that he loved her; he didn't need to tell him that. Instead he stood in his ready stance. Glaring at him with such hatred; he would never let him have her.

With that a fight slowly began between them. Eugenidies anticipated and blocked every swipe, as though something were guiding him. The God of Thieves perhaps?

Attolia watched with widened eyes. Unsure of how to react. She hadn't thought that he would be able to fight for her; when she had taken the hand he used for battle. Yet as she watched them, she was proven very wrong.

Eugenidies fought with a strange fury. Defending her with his own body. Forgetting the fact that he wasn't a soldier. Unwilling to give up.

"You can't defeat me boy; you're not strong enough to be her King!" Nahuseresh yelled in a cold, but tired, laugh.

With that the ambassador thrust his sword towards the young man with full force and speed. Catching him off guard by the sudden change in routine of his fighting style.

"NO!" Attolia screamed as she saw this.

The blade went into Eugenidies, striking the farthest right side of his chest. Then the Mede ambassador laughed wickedly, "It seems I was right about your Thief!"

Attolia stood, looking down at Eugenidies in genuine fear. His face twisting in pain as the sword was pulled out of his body. She watched as he gazed up at her with love in his eyes.

Now Nahuseresh began walking towards the Queen. A cold smile curving his lips as he watched her like a hungry wolf. Knowing he had won her and his right to be King.

The young Queen looked from him to where Eugenidies had fallen. Her eyes widened again to find his body gone. She hadn't seen him move, nor did she see him stand up.

Just then she heard a gasp and a quick swipe. Then she heard someone collapse to the ground.

When Attolia looked back over, she was stunned to see Eugenidies standing before her down the stairs from her throne. Nahuseresh lying unconscious and bleeding from a nonfatal wound at his feet. The sword on his hand stained with the blood Eugenidies had spilt. The Thief stood with labored breathing as he stepped forward. Yet before he reached her, he collapsed to his quaking knees again.

As she watched him, Attolia's hardened mask cracked and fell apart in an instant. Caving in as she hurried over to Eugenidies. Kneeling before him as she embraced him.

"I thought I had lost you," she whispered to him.

The Thief smiled wearily as she held his head just below her warm throat. Holding him close to her while she fought back tears.

With no one there to witness that truly cared, Attolia allowed herself to worry for him. To show that she had been afraid of him dying and then leaving her all alone to the Mede. Allowing herself to hold him close to her. She freely showed him how much she did love him.

Moments passed before she helped him to the palace physician. Then while his wound was tended to, the Queen quickly found the barons who had betrayed her. As soon as they were found they were sentenced and Nahuseresh was sent back home to his country, defeated again by Eugenidies.

It was morning when Attolia returned to her Thief. Sitting quietly as he slept in his bed. While she watched him, she remembered the feeling of her breaking heart when she thought that he was dead. Knowing now that no matter how young or foolish he seemed to be at times, she cared for him deeply; and he cared for her.

"My Queen, are you alright?" She heard him ask in his tired voice.

She hadn't noticed him awakening. So she was startled when he spoke to her so quietly. Looking down to meet his concerned expression. His young face filled with worry for her. His eyes easily giving away anything he felt at any given time. Now showing unease and love.

Attolia smiled with some relief as she rested one hand against his cheek. His body jerked slightly at her touch, never failing to notice when she showed him intimacy and never knowing completely how to respond to it.

"Yes Eugenidies, I'm alright," she finally answered him gently.

Now he smiled with a little more ease. Glad to see her safe and still with him and not with the Mede. He would die before she ended up at Nahuseresh's side.

"You saved my life," she then told him.

"I did? I didn't think he would kill you?" He stated, a bit confused.

"Probably not, but then again he might if I had still refused to go with him. Either way you saved me from him and a life of being truly alone."

"I would never let anyone take you," he told her sincerely.

"Why?" She asked with amusement again, "Because you took such care in stealing me yourself?"

A soft smile came over him as he laughed quietly as well, "No, not just because of that."

"Then why else?"

"You know why."

"I wish to hear the reason again, please?"

Eugenidies stared at her with a bewildered expression for only a moment more. Then he realized that he was finally reaching her. At last touching her cold heart and giving it warmth and a longing to be cared for.

Then, while reaching with his left hand to take hers, he answered her in a gentle voice, "I will always fight got you; because I love you, My Queen."

The End