A/n: Alas, a long time to update and another "set-up" chapter. Sorry guys, but don't worry. It's gonna get better. :D

Chapter 11

The sun was beginning to rise, so Westley kept even closer to the tree line than before. The dock was far behind them now and Will hadn't been able to see the ship or the lake in the distance for quite some time.

Still, the three of them said hardly anything at all, not finding any reason to talk as they walked steadily on without rest.

They climbed a steep hill, using boulders and long clumps of grass the help them up. Once on top, Westley stopped them for a moment. He turned around and pointed at a dark, ominous looking forest, the entrance of which sat between two extremely steep hills (the one they were now on top of and another straight across from them).

"That's the Fire Swamp." Westley said, indicating the dark forest. "And, yes, it would have cut our journey in half, if not more, to go through it."

Will nodded, looking at the Fire Swamp and shivered. "I'm fine with your decision to go around, Westley. I'm not particularly keen on meeting – what were they called?"

"Rodents of Unusual Size." Buttercup interjected.

"Right. Those." Will could only imagine what they looked like and the damage they could inflict.

"Moving on?" Westley asked.

Again, Will nodded. "Lead the way."

Buttercup sighed heavily and nodded as well.

"What is it, my love?" Westley questioned at Buttercup's deep sigh.

"Could we rest, please?" she pleaded. "My legs are dying. I just need a moment to catch my breath."

Westley smiled. "Just a bit further and then you will be able to have a longer rest, I promise."

Buttercup sighed again and reluctantly forced her legs to keep going.

Will was glad she had said it and not him. Sweat glazed his forehead and his own legs were burning form the effort of a several hour long walk, though he had refused to say anything. Westley didn't seem tired at all, so Will wasn't going to appear tired either.

They continued along the hilltop, passing larger and larger boulders as they went. The hilltop was quite broad and many of the boulders were wide and flat instead of tall and round. On their right the hill fell away smoothly into other rolling grassy hills, riddled with rocks of different shapes and sizes. On their left, the hill dropped away sharply to a rocky path at the bottom before steeply becoming the next hill, the top of which reached higher towards the sky then the hill they were on now. In the distance before them, Will could see more trees and smoother looking hills.

Shortly, Westley brought them to a part of the hill with smaller boulders and where it was quite flat and clear. In the distance to their left was a jagged looking hill, swooping acutely down into a thick forest, which in turn swept up to crest on a browning hilltop. Here, Westley stopped.

"Have a seat, darling." He said and Buttercup gratefully collapsed on a soft section of ground. "You too, Will."

"But Westley – " Will started. He had the feeling Westley came to this specific spot for a reason and Will didn't want to sit and let his guard down, just in case.

Westley held up a hand. "No worries, Will. Everything is completely under control."

Will sat slowly on a flat boulder, positioned to jump up at the first sign of trouble.

Westley cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted, "Inconcieveable!"

There was a deep whoop of laughter coming from the trees before a man dressed like a pirate dropped out of one of them and began coming towards Westley.

Will jumped up, but Westley waved his hand to indicate this other man was a friend and not a foe.

"It still makes me laugh, all this time later." The man said and he and Westley embraced like long-lost brothers.

"It's been a while." Westley said when they pulled apart.

"So why do you need my help?" the man got immediately to the point.

Westley chuckled. "I shan't waste a moment."

The two men moved out of ear-shot and Will strained to hear what they were saying. He guessed – correctly, though he didn't know it – that they were talking about him and his situation. He very much wanted to be included in the conversation.

After a moment, Buttercup shook her head and laughed a little. "Will, it does no good."

He turned to her quizzically.

"If they don't want to be overheard, they won't be."

Knowing she was right, and to take his mind of trying to eavesdrop, Will said, "Why this spot?"

Buttercup smiled. "This is where Westley officially rescued me – the first time. Though I didn't know it was him at the time." She sighed a little. "Vizzini and his men had taken me captive and were going to kill me. Vizzini sent Inigo first to finish off a man in black who was following us. That's Inigo there." She pointed to the pirate talking to Westley.

"But, if he was kidnapping you, how is he Westley's friend?" Will asked.

"I'll tell you in a minute." Buttercup said and continued. "Inigo was beaten and the man kept coming, so Vizzini sent Fezzik. Fezzik is a giant of a man who wouldn't hurt a fly if he didn't have to. Somehow the Man in Black got past Fezzik as well, and kept coming. So Vizzini blindfolded me, sat me down, and held a knife to my neck."

Will leaned forward a bit. "How did you escape?" he asked, the image of a cursed pirate holding as knife to Will's neck flitting briefly in his mind.

"Well, the Man in Black challenged Vizzini to a battle of wits, for me, to the death. Westley outsmarted him and won the challenge. He took off my blindfold and unbound my hands, and rushed off – " she pointed the way she, Will and Westley had just come – "that way. The whole time he was very cruel and cold to me, and finally at my first chance I pushed him over the ridge."

Will raised an eyebrow. "When did you find out it was Westley? And how did he survive?"

Buttercup blushed. "As he was rolling down the hill he called out something that only he and I would know, and then I knew it was him. I threw myself down after him."

Will laughed outright, thinking of the boulder-ridden, very steep hills they had passed, and two people rolling and bouncing painfully down them.

Buttercup smiled sheepishly. "And yes, it did really hurt. After that, he left his mask off, and when Humperdink's men were coming close, we disappeared into the Fire Swamp, where we encountered all three terrors: the Fire Spurts, the Lightning Sand and the R.O.U.S.'s. Thankfully, we made it out alive."

"And then what?" Will pressed, very much intrigued by her tale.

"We walked right out of the Swamp and into Humperdink and his men. I promised to go with Humperdink if he spared Westley, to which he promised he would." She sighed. "After that, I spent very long hours moping about the castle, for I was to be Humperdink's wife if Westley didn't come for me. And he didn't, at first, but I never doubted him. I knew he would come.

"The wedding began and there was a commotion outside, and I knew it was Westley. Then suddenly, we were married."

"You and Westley?"

"No. Humperdink and I."

Will raised an eyebrow. "And did you get out of that one?"

Buttercup smiled ruefully. "Well, I was just about ready to kill myself, thinking my life was doomed, I was never to be with Westley, and things like that, when he spoke." Her cheeks turned pink at the memory. "And there he was, laying on my bed, waiting for me. When Humperdink found us, Westley played with words and managed to bluff Humperdink into surrendering. It was only later that I found out Humperdink had killed Westley after he learned I was in love with Westley and would never voluntarily choose Humperdink over Westley.

"That's where Inigo and Fezzik came in. When Westley beat Inigo, he knocked him out, same as what happened with Fezzik. When he beat Vizzini, Vizzini died. Because Inigo and Fezzik lived, and found out their leader was gone, they had a special respect for the Man in Black. Inigo needed to get into the castle to kill Count Rugen, who betrayed Inigo and killed his father, many years ago. So he and Fezzik sought out the Man in Black. They found him dead and bought a miracle form Miracle Max. Westley came back, Inigo killed Rugen, Humperdink was left in his cowardice, we rode off into the sunset to live happily ever after. Later, Inigo became the Dread Pirate Roberts after Westley gave up the title, Humperdink changed his name to Saradon, became King, and is now holding your fiancé prisoner."

Will blinked as Buttercup finished.

"Is everything clear to you?" she asked.

Will half nodded and then shook his head. "Clear as mud."

Buttercup smiled. "Good."

At this moment, Westley walked over to Will and Buttercup, Inigo right behind him. Will stood immediately.

"Will, this is my good friend Inigo Montoya." Westley introduced.

"Pleased to meet you, Will." Inigo said, shaking Will's hand firmly. Will noted that Inigo sounded as though he once had a Spanish accent but had been hiding it for some time and so it barely came into his words at times. "But if anyone asks, I'm the Dread Pirate Roberts." Ingio added with a wink.

"So what are we going to do?" Buttercup asked, just a split second before Will did. "Do we have a plan?"

Inigo and Westley smiled. "We have a plan." Inigo said.

A/n: So? Boring, I know. It's gonna get better. I just know what I want to happen a little bit after this, I just needed some filler to get me there. Review me anyways! I will reply! And if you don't want a reply from me... review me anyways and make me happy and want to update quicker:D (Check out my bio page often to see what's going on with me and my fics etc).

Also, I referenced the movie for location descriptions (the part where Buttercup and Westley race only the ravine floor, where she pushes him over the hill, where they talk about who Westley is, where Westley beats Vizzini, and where Westley comes over the hill and Fezzik is intructed to finish him). And lastly, I'm hoping there aren't too many errors in this chap. My computer didn't like the way I spelt Inigo, Fezzik, Vizzini, Westley, Humperdink and Saradon, so when I went through my spell checker, I hit "Ignore" alot. Hopefully I din't miss anything.