A/N: Here's chapter 32-romantic, no?
Choices
Chapter Thirty-Two
I was too weak to prevent it. The battle with the Dark Dragon had left me close to death myself. I couldn't believe it. I had done it—defeated the Dark Dragon, but instead of living as a hero, I was going to die. At least, that is what I thought. Right before Huntsman fired at me, I saw a flash of pink and realized that Rose had thrown herself in front of me. I smiled slightly. She was okay; when I destroyed the Dark Dragon, time had started again.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that Gramps and Fu were approaching, ready to fight to the death if necessary.
But Rose was ready as well. "No, Uncle!" she said.
"Move," he demanded.
"No, I won't. It's not right…I love him!"
I heard a sharp gasp from Huntsman and then an angry retort, but that didn't bother me. Not one bit. All I cared about was what Rose had said. "I love him!"
I caught her eye and said, "I love you too."
She smiled, then turned back to the Huntsman. "Uncle, if you want to kill him, you'll have to kill me first. I will not let you harm him!"
"So this is what it comes to?" her uncle growled. "Betrayal? Thorn, I—"
"It is no longer Thorn," said Rose. "And no longer Huntsgirl." There were gasps from the clan. "I quit."
"You do know," began Huntsman slowly, "that the penalty for quitting the Huntsclan is death?"
Rose gasped. "Uncle, surely you wouldn't…"
"Come now, Thorn," he said, despite Rose's objections to be called that, "let us put this business behind us. You have obviously been through a great ordeal tonight; it is probably why you aren't thinking straight. Go on and get up, and I shall slay the dragon, and then you can forget all about tonight. How about it?"
"No, Uncle! If you have to kill me to get to Jake, so be it…and if the penalty for quitting the clan is death…then I'll take that too! What you do is wrong, Uncle. Why don't you realize that? If you kill Jake, you aren't killing just a dragon. You are killing a living breathing human being, just like you and I. And I won't let you."
"Fine." He aimed his Huntstick at the two of us. "I'll give you one last chance, Thorn. You are like a daughter to me, I don't want to do away with you…move, and we shall put this business behind us."
"Rose," I whispered. "Go. I don't want you to get hurt…" At that moment, my true feelings for Rose had been realized fully. I loved her with all my heart, and no matter what it took, even if it took my own life, I wouldn't let anything happen to her.
Using all of my strength, I pulled myself up to a standing position. I slowly and with great effort stepped in front of Rose, and facing Huntsman, said, "Here I am. Kill me. Do whatever you want with me. Just don't hurt Rose."
"Noble, eh? Well, I won't hurt her, I suppose…if she behaves…"
I couldn't stand any longer. I didn't have the strength. I sank to my knees. Huntsman pointed his Huntstick directly at me. "You are barely able to stay alive as it is, so I won't have to use much force…just a little bit from the Huntstick…it couldn't kill anyone normally, but seeing as you are so weak, a little will serve just as well…"
He pressed a button on the stick, and before Gramps or Fu could do anything to help, Rose took a running leap and jumped in front of the stick. The energy bolt hit her in the stomach, and she landed on the ground beside me, groaning. I took her hand. "Rose?"
"Jake…I had to…"
"Will you be okay?"
"I…think so…"
Huntsman stepped forward, apparently planning to finish us both off, but Gramps (a dragon) stepped in between us. "Leave. You have tormented my grandson long enough."
"What if we don't?"
Suddenly there was the sound of rushing wings as several dragons landed next to Gramps—the dragon council! I had forgotten that Gramps had summoned them. Of course, they would have been here sooner if the Dark Dragon had not stopped time.
All of the dragons' eyes narrowed dangerously, tails twitching, and all began to breath fire, ice, or another fatal substance at the clan the same time. "Retreat!" screamed Huntsman, and in a flash of green light, he was gone. We heard his echoing voice as he disappeared. "You may have won this time, but I will find you…you cannot hide forever, Jake Long…neither you nor Thorn!"
I slowly pulled myself to my feet. Rose did the same.
"We did it," I said dully.
"Oh, Jake," said Rose. Then she fainted.
I felt weak once more, this time worse than it had ever been. It was taking over my whole body; I couldn't support my own weight. I fell to the ground, right next to Rose. I grasped her hand tightly, and just a few seconds later everything went black.
A/N: I hoped you liked it. review, don't flame please!
~Emachinescat ^..^