A/N: Thanks for the lovely reviews! Feedback nourishes the writer's soul. Well…at least this writer.
"I hate you...and then I love you...it's like I want to throw you off a cliff...then rush to the bottom to catch you." ---Anonymous
Miles of canyon rubble stretch before them. The wane moon appeared listlessly. The wind over the horizon picked up its speed and a small sandstorm was heading their way.
The captain and the queen looked over the ledge of the cliff.
"You know there's an easier way to kill me besides making it look like I committed suicide. Then again you do plan on humiliating me as much as possible." He smiled ironically at the shadow next to him.
She replied indignantly "No, I'm not here to kill you. If I was, I would've done it a long time ago."
"So what stopped you?" His question made her stop.
"Unlike some people I don't kill for sport." She looked up at him.
"Neither do I." He replied only to see her incredulous expression. "I kill to survive."
"You got to be kidding me!" She couldn't help but chuckle at his admission.
"Hey! Think about it! Think about each time we fought! Each time you saw me take out my sword or raise my pistol!" He was secretly hurt by her dismiss.
That made her pause. He was right, whenever Grisham provoke harm it was not his doing. Every context and intention was purely self-defense and even self-sacrifice. There were times that he did things to instigate conflict only to divert attention from Montoya.
Grabbing his arm in her gloved hands, she stared into his eyes.
"What are you running from, Grisham? Why torment yourself? Why listen to Montoya at all?"
He didn't want to tell her. Unfortunately, the dream was still fresh on his mind when the queen woke him. Buried memories surfaced and poured over his heart. Hidden emotions tumble out into the open.
"Because I killed someone I loved!"
He stumbled backwards and fell onto his knees. "I caused her pain. I was too late to save her. She drowned…she…." Gasping for breath he clawed at the hard ground.
"Marcus…" Tessa pulled him into her arms.
For a minute or two, Grisham finally came to his senses. The faint smell of vanilla and rose calmed him. The soft fabric of her tunic caressed his stubble. Small pats on his back soothed his shaking body. It was too much. It had been awhile since he laid with a woman and he knew nothing could come from this. As much as he wanted her, he remembered the mine episode and her reaction. He disengaged from her embrace and stood up quickly. His mind protested at this action. The queen stood up as well. She sighed into the air between them. Tessa didn't plan on comforting him, let alone hug him.
"You need to go." She finally told him.
"I was about to tell you the same thing." He looked down at her. He felt his heart breaking. He knew the feeling, knew it all too well. The death of his first love was still fresh in his mind. He pushed the image of woman away.
"What is going on in that head of yours? You can't make me go unless I choose to." Her defiant voice reflected his temperament.
"I don't suppose you know about the large amount of counterfeit treasury bills Montoya hidden in his library?"
"I knew about the fake gold coins but not about the bills. What is it? What is Montoya planning?"
"He's going to use the fake money to amass a large share of the newest weaponry this side of the Mississippi." Smiling at the image Montoya once described to him.
"Oh my god!"
"I never said he was subtle about his intentions." The captain looked up at the crescent moon. Fate can only do so much. Everything else he must accomplish himself.
"You need to leave, this is too much for you to handle."
"Since when do you think anything is too much for me!" Tessa didn't like anyone to think the queen was weak. She made sure to instill fear in her enemies, but Grisham never as to bat an eye at her threats.
He sighed. He didn't like anyone to question his commands. Let alone some strong-headed woman to get in his way. Especially this one. She means too much to him. It was too late to deny it. He has feelings for her, but there's no time to sort them out. As long she's safe, he can finish his plan.
"I'm not leaving or let you go ahead with your plan unless you fill me in. I have to know."
He growled "Why do you care!"
"Because you mean too much to me!" Her hand covered her mouth. She didn't meant to say it. An entirely different sentence was formed in her head, but her mouth decided to say something else.
His body went rigid. He had been waiting to hear this…even dreamed about it. Nevertheless, it reminded him of the responsibility, the trapping feeling that comes with it. He didn't want any of it. He remembered his younger self, how naive he was. He was at best stay as far away from love and whatever emotions that comes with it.
"No you don't. But that's ok. I know you're trying to help."
"Don't do this, Grisham. You…Stop it! The past is in the past. You have to move on."
"You stop it! You don't know me. Up to this moment, you and I are enemies. The minute we leave this place, we are still enemies. Nothing changes. So what are you trying to prove!" He spat out. She was poking her nose into his private thoughts again. She seems to have such innate ability to irritate him to no end. It was no wonder he find such joy in seeing her angry…she can unwittingly leave him hurting more than just physical pain.
"I know you're a good man. You are good. You can change. You have to believe that you can."
"Spare me the talk. I do what I want."
"Do you really? I don't see you walking off into sunset and let Montoya do his own dirty work."
"You really don't understand do you? I was assigned to kill you. The only thing between you and your death is me. However, I don't know how long I can keep you alive with Montoya growing persistence from your latest stunts. For me to walk off into sunset is to let him get his hands on you." His stress was showing through. Fatigue and the sleepless nights were catching up on him.
"Apparently you still don't know much about me." She glowered at the captain.
"I know more than you'll ever realize." He whispered as he reached for her lace mask. "You can't hide from me…Tessa."
Shock possessed her. Her mind screamed to back away but her body refused to cooperate. Her right hand reached for her sword, Grisham stopped her and grabbed her arm. He leaned in while he revealed her face.
"Gotcha." He smirked at her.
The sting was unexpected. Then the throbbing pain reminded him what just happened. The slap echoed off the canyon.
Tessa was angry. She was embarrassed and shaken to the core. "How…how did you figure it out?"
He sighed…expecting the reaction. He didn't really want to do it, but she provoked him. Yes, as always. "I saw you left your hacienda the night before the capture in the queen's outfit. I thought you were the impostor. But I followed your movements closely, only your horse knows the real queen. I knew Chico would only follow the real queen and at first I couldn't believe it was you but everything made sense. I even saw you train. Can't say I didn't like what I saw. You might catch a cold running around in your corset." Smiling at the memory he was brought back to the present by a kick in the shin.
"OW! What the hell!"
"You know why. I can't believe this. You knew all this time! I…I…" All of a sudden Tessa was afraid of the ramifications.
Straightening his stance, he looked into her questioning face. "I will never tell anyone…not even Montoya. I haven't so far, why would I do it now? You mean too much to me."
Tossing the same words back to her, he felt a thousand weights lifted off his shoulders. But the trapping feeling didn't go away. Marcus Grisham never took responsibilities seriously, but love was a responsibility that he can't shrug off. He won't. Yes it's true that he was still new to it. However, it feels so right to say it. He didn't know he would admit the truth, but he wanted to soothe Tessa. Making her angry was one thing but to be the cause of her distress was another.
The wind picked up speed. The sandstorm gathered more strength as it hurled its way towards the couple.
They both knew it won't be long until they will be caught in the middle of it. But something is happening between them two that's more important than the storm. Nature will have to wait.
She didn't know how much Grisham had put his life on the line for her. The revelation was making her doubting all those conclusions she made about Grisham's ethics. This new side of him that she never saw, the vulnerable side he adamantly kept hidden (for good reason) made her see that he didn't need to change. He is just who he is.
Pulling him by the shirt collar, she saw the fierce protection for her demonstrated. Marta will probably yell at her for the sudden foolishness, but she's didn't care. Tessa leaned a little closer, Grisham was too bewildered to move anticipating her next act.
She kissed his neck.
A/N: Yes, back to back chapters. My juices are flowing and I'm not even studying for a test to finish this chapter! There's an ending to all this drama...just not yet. ;-P