Here's Chapter three. When I originally wrote this there was whole lot less about Huntress Wizard available. All we had was that she had participated in the Wizard Battle for the princess kiss. I hope that I brought her more in line with her contemporary depictions. I always appreciate feedback, so if you're so inclined let me know what you think. .

Lots of Love,

SoundlessS

Marceline ventured out of her quarters by moonlight. She wandered the halls of Bonnie's tower, letting her memories guide her through maze of circular hallways, and long spiraling stair cases. The shell of the tower hadn't changed; everything was meticulously clean, organized, and regal, but the throng of servants and emissaries that once gave the tower life were gone.

Now, only the cold gaze of the machine intelligence running Princess Bubblegum's networks accompanied her as she made her rounds with its soft hums and whirrs. Marceline's vampire senses allowed her to see tiny cameras scattered about every room, and hear the soft hum of machines priming as they attempted to detect some form of life signal and failed. The Vampire Queen started directly into one of the cameras, and wondered what was staring back from behind the lens.

Bonnie has lost her fucking mind, Marceline thought, staring up at the lens. Nervously, she raised her hand to her mouth and sank her teeth into her knuckles. It was a bad habit, and one she thought she'd broken since she'd left Bubblegum behind at the mouth of the Dragon's lair.

"It pays to be a little paranoid." The voice from behind her made Marceline jump. She spun into a defensive crouch, and found herself facing the circular frame of Peppermint Butler in an impeccably clean and pressed uniform. His eyes shone with the dark intellect that made him an invaluable member Bonnie's court. "It's good to finally see you Miss Abadeer."

"Holy shit, Peppermint! You snuck up on me, you little creep." Marceline's heart was pounding with a rush of adrenaline, but she smiled and punched the old candy-man a little harder than playfully on the arm.

"It's a skill ma'am. Got to stay sharp." Peppermint rubbed his arm, and fixed her with his knowing gaze. "You've been here three days and it's the first time you've deigned to enter the tower itself rather than leave through the windows at night. Could I ask what brought you here?"

"It's not skulking. I practically lived here once. I was just seeing what you've done to the old place. I gotta say, the new master of the house is hardly welcoming." Marceline nodded towards one of the larger cameras. The old servant followed her gaze, and gave a little shrug.

"I can't say I care much for it, but things being what they are, it's a necessity."

"Man, what happened to you? Never thought you'd trade in the black arts to become Bubblegum's dark science butt-boy."

"I see time hasn't changed your sense of humour." The savant's face soured.

"I'm a vampire, it's the nature of my condition. Everything moves on around us. We stay the same." With an effort of will, Marceline stopped herself from chewing on her knuckles. No use letting Peppermint see any more of her unease than necessary. She dug her nails into her palm to calm the compulsion. "Anyways, where is our dear princess? I haven't seen her yet."

"She's out, miss."

"Out? As in she actually left her lab?" Her fingernails dug into her skin. Bonnie had actually left Finn's body alone, and unguarded? She could feel the wetness of blood in her palms. The Vampire Queen clenched her fist to stop the blood from dripping.

"Correct, miss. Unfortunately, our princess has other obligations. I was hoping you'd be willing to keep an eye on her. Maybe even help?"

"Help how? I'm not going to help her steal organs or whatever the fuck it is Bonnibel does these days."

"The princess still has to uphold her duties as this kingdom's monarch. She has to defend her realm from any emerging threats, and we've had reports of mutants prodding closer to the kingdom than usual. Probably encouraged by your subject's recent success defying you"

"She's doing this alone? What the fuck kind of operation is this, Peppermint? She's going to get killed."

"Above all things, I follow orders Miss Abadeer, and I was ordered to stay here, and oversee the princess' project downstairs. You were never one for obedience. I leave defying her will to you."

Marceline stood rooted in place. This was it. This was her chance to free Finn from the terrible fate the princess had planned for him. Bonnie would never forgive her, but Marceline didn't care about her forgiveness any longer. She wished she didn't care about her at all. But you do care, her mind whispered. If she dies fighting, you can free Finn, but you'll lose her forever.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

Marceline's hands tightened into fists. Peppermint took a step backwards, recoiling from the violence one her face.

"Miss?"

"Peppermint, you and the other fucking lackey Bonnie has here are a bunch of useless assholes. I need to find her! Where did she go?"

Miserable, Peppermint glanced away from her.

"North, in the Great Woods."

Marceline took off at a run down the hallway. She was in flight before she smashed through a window into the cold night air. She could feel the alien gaze of the cameras at her back. Peppermint's voice floated after her.

"You're wrong, miss. We do care."

Bubblegum stumbled through the darkness of the Great Woods. The whole of the forest was tinted green by her night vision goggles, but she was beginning to suspect that she was lost.

"You're going the wrong way." A voice in the trees chided her.

Bonnie froze, and began scanning the treeline. She couldn't see the huntress, but she was the most skilled tracker Bonnie had ever known. Even with night vision, no one would be able to see the huntress unless she wanted them to.

"Then tell me which way to go." Bonnie twisted the knobs on her goggles, trying to bring the treeline into sharper focus. Her hand slipped to the handle of the energy pistol at her hip.

The brush of fingertips on Bubblegum's neck sent shivers up her spine. The huntress' warm breath was on her ear. The princess pulled her weapon from its holster.

"I could, but what's in it for me?"

Bonnie froze as she felt the point of an arrow pressed against the small of her back.

"Poor lost little lamb. You should never have strayed out of your kingdom. The night in the woods is dangerous, especially for someone like you."

Princess Bubblegum's cheeks warmed in anger.

"I can take care of myself!"

The pressure on the arrow increased to the point of pain, and then disappeared as the point was withdrawn. Huntress Wizard materialized in front of her. The wizard's expression was playful, but her glowing green eyes were serious.

"Clearly not, if I was able to catch you so easily. You're lucky that I cleaned out that nest of mutants an hour ago. It's scared off most of the nasties that prowl around here at night."

Sighing in frustration, Bubblegum holstered her pistol.

"I have a duty to my kingdom to patrol without… without my…" Bubblegum throat tightened painfully as she thought of the body laying in the catacombs of her tower.

Huntress grimaced in sympathy.

"You're plenty lethal in the right circumstances, but when you run into unfamiliar terrain you're vulnerable. You need to trust everyone around here more. We can help you, but only if you'll let us."

"I'm glad there's no one else to watch me fall on my face." The princess laughed wearily.

Huntress smiled, and the expression made Bonnie's heart begin to race. The fitted armoured suit she wore seemed too warm.

What is the world coming to when a wizard's flirtations are enough to make me feel like this? It's been so long since Marceline and I… Bubblegum pushed the thought away. The last thing she needed to think of right now was her former lover's haunted expression of barely concealed loathing whenever she turned her eyes in Bonnie's direction. The princess' heart squeezed, and a painful lump formed in her throat; she closed her eyes against the tears. They misted up the green goggles, but she didn't care. No rogue creature could get past the Huntress, and if Huntress wanted to hurt her, she would already be dead

"Why are you doing this? Luring me out here, and playing these games? Trying to prove you're stronger than me? Undermine my authority? Making a fool out of my kingdom?"

Huntress stared at the ground. Bubblegum could see that the ranger-wizard was thinking carefully about her answer.

"This world can be a lonely place." She said at last. "It has a rough beauty to it, but life here is harsh. Most people can't survive it. It takes a special kind of person to survive here, to build something out of the nothing we inherited."

Bonnie was silent. Huntress lifted her chin and gently pushed her goggles off her eyes.

"I wasn't trying to make a fool of you. You're important to this world. Perhaps its most important inhabitant, and I want to be part of that. I've always wanted to be a part of that. I wanted to prove that I'm your equal. That you can trust me. That those people who visit your kingdom aren't your friends anymore. They don't understand the burden you bear, and they're disgusted by your choices. I'm not. I understand, and I admire your conviction to shape the world around you."

Bonnie was blind as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. The air was very cool, and the breeze ruffled her hair. She took a deep breath of the night air. She was blind, in the realm of another monarch, and utterly at her mercy. A small thrill crawled up the princess' back.

"This is the loneliest I think I've ever been." she said.

"Let me fix that." The wizard gave a breathless laugh.

The Huntress' footfalls were soft against the grass. Bonnie didn't pull away when the taller woman slipped a hand behind her neck, and pulled her in closer for a kiss. Her lips were soft on Bonnibel's mouth, and she leaned in and wrapped her hands around Huntress' neck. Perhaps she was alone here, carrying a burden that threatened to crush her, but perhaps she didn't have to feel that way forever.

Marceline stood in the trees, watching the two figures standing in the middle of the clearing. She felt numb.

The Huntress was tall and powerful. Her arms were wrapped possessively around Bonnie, as if she had found something precious, and never wanted to let go. A quiver was slung over her wide shoulders, and there were a pair of wicked looking knives at her hip. Clearly, she was skilled enough with her weapons to keep herself, and Bonnie, safe from whatever dangers lurked in this forest.

When she'd gone tearing into the forest, Marceline had tracked the mutants only to find their slaughtered remains. They'd been killed with ruthless, professional efficiency, and there was a clear trail leading away from the bloodshed. The Huntress would never be so careless, unless she wanted to be followed.

Marceline had no doubt that the huntress knew she was standing in the trees, watching her claim Bonnie kiss by kiss. The Huntress extracted moans from the candy princess with nips and kisses along the length of her slender pink neck. Whatever this display was, Marceline felt certain that she had been meant to witness it.

The implication was clear. If Marceline wouldn't take care of Bubblegum, someone else would.

The Vampire Queen turned away from the two women in the clearing, and started the long walk back to the tower. Her heart was pounding with a numb fury.

You could turn around, and go back to her. Tell her how worried you were. Her mind whispered. Marceline's hands balled into fists.

Fuck that.