Author's Note: Hello you! If you find the first part of this chapter confuses you, just stick with it. It should all come together at the end of the chapter. This is by far my favorite chapter of all the chapters I've ever written here on this fandom. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Again, thanks to theregoesnash whose idea about Brian for this story I completely stole. Her feedback really points me in the right direction on things I could improve in the story. To theregoesnash, if I ever earn money from this story (highly unlikely), I'll give you a percentage of the income. LOL.
Oh, and yes... to all of you, thanks for the reviews, favorites and alerts!
-oiOio-
It was past noon, not too long before the sun would set over the sandy wilderness. It felt as if they were leagues away from the princess' royal procession. In truth, though the convoy was mostly unaware of the fact that a handful of the travellers were no longer with them, they were going at such a sluggish pace and hadn't gone too far along the journey without the missing princess and her friends.
Caught captive by a group of marauders claiming to be warriors of Anubis, Chloe and her companions watched helplessly as Alek fought the leader of the bandit clan. Blood was trickling from the edge of his lips as well as from the ugly cut marring his right cheek. Alek glared at the much larger man, who was giving him a good pounding, even though his left eye was already swollen shut. He had done his own share of damage against his opponent, but it was easy to see that he was on the losing end of the fight. With no weapon to defend himself, he was simply out-muscled by the humongous hulk of flesh he was up against.
The tall, gruff-looking man who had challenged Alek into a fight to the death for Chloe's freedom raised a large hand and gave Alek a powerful blow.
Chloe shut her eyes before the blow could be delivered, more than certain that she heard the sound of bones break. A loud cheer erupted from the onlookers and Chloe willed herself to open her eyes. Her blood curdled at the sight of Alek's motionless body on the ground. She clung to the iron rails caging her, keeping her away from running over to him. "Alek, get up…" she uttered breathlessly, her eyes beginning to brim with tears. "Please… please get up."
Jasmine stood beside the princess inside the cage, her hand over her mouth, her big brown eyes wide with shock, appalled by the scene that just unfolded before them. Alek, get up, her mind echoed Chloe's pleas. Her gut clenched at the sight of Alek's opponent hovering over him like a vulture.
The giant of a man who'd been throwing Alek around like he was nothing but a sack of wheat only moments ago was now approaching the warrior's body tentatively, trying to make sure that he'd won the battle and that his opponent was indeed dead. He kicked the young man on the side, launching Alek's limp, masculine form a few inches away.
Chloe flinched at the cruel motion, still begging… hoping against hope… that Alek would somehow jump back to life. Still, nothing happened. He remained motionless.
The man huffed and looked at his clan, all watching with bated breath, wondering if their leader had come out the victor against the strange Egyptian warrior. Alek remained unmoving and the monster of a man ran a hand against his beard before smiling. He let out a loud roar, which his clansmen responded to with chants and hoots of victory.
Chloe was clutching the iron rails so tightly, it was affecting her circulation and her knuckles were beginning to grow white. Her blue eyes remained on Alek. "No… heavens, no…" she cried. "This can't happen… Alek, get up… please get up…" She heard Jasmine sob next to her. Her mentor never cried and the fact that the strong young woman was giving way to tears did little to ease Chloe's anxiety or her conscience. Her mind was spinning, her stomach clenching, her world collapsing all around her. He can't be dead. I can't lose him… please… Panic was bubbling from deep within her accompanied by the sickening feeling brought about by the idea that she was about to lose Alek…
…and she had no one to blame but herself.
-oiOio-
Earlier that day…
Reining the black stallion to gallop at a slower pace, Alek's brown eyes shot from one clump of travellers to another, intently looking at every face he passed by in search for his lovely, albeit infuriatingly obstinate, royal ward. He swore under his breath, slightly fearful of what he might end up doing to Chloe once he finds her. The stubborn little minx… I was a fool to think she wouldn't pull something like this. He recalled what she said to him earlier in their journey… But what fun would this journey be if I play by all the rules? Alek wanted to slap himself for having been so distracted by what she said moments after, he wasn't able to predict that she would do something like this. I should've seen this coming.
The princess was never one to do as expected. She was known to drive both her guards and her handmaidens mad with worry over an impulsive whim or an adventurous streak that she'd somehow find the need to give in to. It had already happened several times before when Chloe would manage to slip out of their watch and roam the capital disguised as some street urchin in search for adventure or some traveller paying Egypt a visit for the first time. She didn't do it very often, but the few times that she did, it was guaranteed that she would run into some sort of trouble and Alek and Jasmine would have to help bail her out of it.
Alek groaned inside at the idea of what trouble she would manage to get herself into this time. When he questioned Merte earlier why she would allow this to happen… again… Merte merely shrugged. "It's not like she asked my permission to go, Alek. She's the princess. I warn her as much as I can, but there's little I can do to keep her from doing what she sets her mind to do."
"Yes, I know that, Merte, but could you not inform us when she goes on one of these silly little escapades of hers, so we could at least watch her from a distance?"
Merte huffed. "I think being guarded all the time is exactly what she's trying to escape from."
Alek's jaw tightened. "Do you have any idea what danger she could get herself in? What if someone discovers that she's actually the princess?" Alek asked. A series of images flashed through his mind – worst case scenarios that made his blood boil just to imagine. If anything happens to her, I couldn't live with myself.
Again, Merte could only shrug at him in response. "I'll pray they don't find out then."
At the recollection of his conversation with Merte, Alek fought the urge to roll his eyes. He felt a lot of affection for Merte, her being the mother that Chloe never had, but by the gods, she was of no help to him most of the time. He once again looked around in hopes of seeing a stray strand of the princess' yellow hair or a streak of her blue eyes, but found himself disheartened by the inability to do so. Why the hell did so many people join this journey? he complained once again. If she isn't in danger yet, she will be once I get my hands on her. A loud neigh struck his attention and he turned his head to see Jasmine headed toward him in a quick gallop, frustration evident in her eyes.
"Any sign of her?" he asked cautiously, wary of anyone overhearing their conversation. He didn't want to cause panic amongst the caravan, which was the eventual outcome if they didn't find the princess soon.
Jasmine's expression was enough to tell him that she had no such luck. "No," she shook her head. "You'd think it'd be much easier to find her amongst a crowd, considering that her hair shines as bright as the sun."
"You can thank those bloody disguises for that," Alek grimaced. "She'd never mix with common folk donning that splendid mane of hers."
There was a short pause before Jasmine expressed just how mad she was that the princess would do this to them again by admitting through gritted teeth, "I could strangle her."
Alek smirked. "Not if I do it first," he shot back, before coaxing the horse to move forward, ahead of Jasmine. So intent in his search for the princess, he didn't notice a raven-haired, exotic young beauty slinking her way toward him.
"Looking for me, soldier?" she asked, fluttering her long lashes flirtatiously at him.
Alek turned toward the familiar voice. His reaction to seeing her was a combination of sheer nostalgia and a hint of irritation. "Mnoti?"
Jasmine gave him a pointed look. "Beware, Alek," she muttered before moving on ahead of him.
It wasn't too long ago that Alek was engaged to the young woman approaching him. Those were the days when he was brooding like a pathetic fool, sulking over how he was unworthy of the princess. For countless nights, he acted like a dismal sap, filling his bed with a string of women meant to fill the void in his life that Chloe was supposed to occupy. Of all the nameless, faceless women who served as companions during his half-crazed phase of lonely, drunken nights, Mnoti stood out enough for him to consider taking her as his wife.
What a fool I was, he frowned as he watched Mnoti make her way to him, her every move provocative, her hooded gaze designed to allure and seduce.
She was beautiful, yes, but she wasn't Chloe. She only served as a remnant of the past he wasn't so proud of, the past he decided to completely turn away from. She was a cold reminder that he was no valiant knight, shining with virtue, chivalrously coming to the rescue of the princess in distress. He was just like any man – flawed, broken and struggling to find a balance between honor, duty and love.
Chloe knew him for what he was. She saw him beyond all the acclaim that the kingdom of Egypt had thrown his way for all his courageous exploits. She saw beyond the mighty warrior that everyone else adored and revered. She saw who he was as a man. That brief encounter with her at the courtyard, touching her with affection and tasting those sweet lips for the first time, filled the deepest recesses of his soul in a way no other woman before her was able to accomplish.
Despite his past, which she was well aware of, she touched him like he was the most precious thing she'd ever held. She gazed at him like he was her world, her everything. How could that not move him? How could he not love her?
Mnoti, in all her beauty and sensuality, paled in comparison to his princess, and his brown eyes betrayed his disinterest when it came to the young woman before him. "What are you doing here?"
"Egypt would be no fun without you, Alek. I had to come," Mnoti purred. "Besides, I wouldn't miss the princess' wedding for anything. If only to see your reaction as you watch her prince lock lips with her, it would make trekking through this god-forsaken desert completely worth my while."
Alek did not miss the acid in her words. He fought within himself to push the mental image of Chloe and her prince out of his mind. He wasn't about to let Mnoti get to him. "You already have a lot of traits that are bound to drive men away, Mnoti. Don't add bitterness to them. It's very unbecoming."
"Drive men away? I remember a time when you were pining for me, Alek," she persisted, running her fingers against his stallion's black mane.
"That time is long gone," he responded, getting quite irritated and anxious to return to his search for Chloe, but unable to do so, considering the black-haired vixen was blocking the horse's way. "I don't have time for this. Get out of the way."
She pouted. "You're not even going to say please?"
Alek groaned, playfully entertaining the idea of whether or not he should just go ahead and run the girl over.
-oiOio-
Chloe shifted her weight slightly on the not-too-comfortable seat provided for her by her newfound friends at the back of a horse-drawn wooden wagon. She had her hair lifted up in a tight bun and covered by a black wig. To further ensure that she won't be discovered, she pulled the hood of her cloak over her head. The plain white smock she had on was made of coarse woollen fabric and it was beginning to make her skin, accustomed to silks and linens, itch, but she was having too much of a good time to really care.
Her scraggly, unkempt, peasant-like appearance – a far cry from her usual princess-like demeanour – made her fit right in with the motley crew of misfits she managed to strike a quick friendship with on her little adventure. She was specifically drawn to them, because with one glance, she could immediately tell that they were not natives of Egypt.
"I'm from a land far away," one of them introduced himself to her.
She had just struck a conversation with them after hitching a ride on the wagon they were on.
"I'm from an empire I'm certain you've never even heard of, young one," he continued with flair. "A land of emperors and dragons and…"
"…rice fields and sunsets and sunrises," the dark-haired young woman beside him drawled, rolling her brightly colored eyes. "I've heard this spiel from him before," she explained to Chloe. "His name is Ki Hong. I'm Aria."
Chloe immediately took a liking to both of them. "It's a pleasure to meet you," she nodded and smiled at them sweetly.
"And your name, young one?" Ki Hong asked, his chinky eyes disappearing into slits as he smiled.
"Why do you persist on calling her 'young one', Ki Hong?" Aria huffed. "She can't be any older than us."
Ki Hong's round face deadpanned and his lips formed in a slight pout. "It sounds more…" he paused, thinking up a proper word "…sagely." His face broke into another smile. "Sagely is a good word to describe my home country."
"M-hm," Aria nodded, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "That makes sense, Ki Hong. Wise and clever are good words to describe a place." Catching herself, she looked at Chloe, not having the slightest idea that she was speaking to royalty. "Apologies for our rudeness… We tend to bicker a lot. I hope this doesn't bother you. What's your name again?"
Chloe's mind raced, inwardly slapping herself for not thinking up a name beforehand. For some reason, the first image that came to her mind was that of the armlet Alek always had on and she remembered Bastet. "I'm Maia," she introduced herself.
"Interesting name… You must be devoted to the goddess Bastet. Your name is closely linked to the cat god," Ki Hong nodded as he spoke. He looked very pleased with himself that he knew so much about Egyptian mythology.
"I'm not that much of a devotee of Bastet," Chloe admitted, "but someone I care about deeply is." Alek's face flashed through her mind and as if on cue, she saw him drawing close. She held her breath, wondering if he would recognize her once he saw her. He had just ridden off after a few exchanges of words with Jasmine, both looking piqued – something Chloe was certain she had everything to do with. He was about to look her way when something else seemed to catch his attention. Chloe sat up straight to get a better look and her gut clenched when she saw his former lover, Mnoti, approaching him. What is she doing here?
"It's uncanny that he would have hair the shade of the sun, don't you think?" Aria asked no one in particular, giving Chloe quite the start.
"Who?" she asked feigning ignorance.
"Him," Aria emphasized, pointing a finger at Alek. "The princess' bodyguard…" Aria let out a deep sigh. "The princess is so lucky. She's on this grand journey to meet a prince of Persia and she gets to be escorted by the likes of Egypt's famed mighty warrior."
"Pfft…" Ki Hong waved a hand in the air. "Who cares about him when you have me, Aria?"
"Yes, yes, Ki Hong," Aria said, her eyes still distractedly glued to Alek. "You're wonderful."
Chloe, on the other hand, barely heard Aria and Ki Hong's snippy squabbling. She was too busy being eaten up alive by her jealousy. She was well aware of the history Alek and Mnoti shared and though at that moment, Alek was showing no sign of interest, just seeing him with Mnoti made Chloe's stomach turn with disgust. Mnoti fluttered her eyelids at Alek and it made Chloe want to jump out of the wagon and rip the unsuspecting woman's eyes out of their sockets. Is this what he'll have to go through when I marry the prince? she wondered to herself, the idea of marrying anyone one other than Alek making her want to vomit.
"Who do you have with you, Aria?" a baritone voice asked, effectively distracting the princess from Alek and Mnoti.
Chloe looked up to find two young men approaching them.
Aria perked up at the sight of them. "This is Maia," she introduced, waving a hand in Chloe's direction. "Maia, this is Brai and Kia."
Both young men took her hand and gave it a soft kiss. Brai was a tall brown-haired lad who was shamelessly staring at her. Kia, on the other hand, wouldn't even look at her. He looked completely distracted and slightly nervous as he hid his hands behind his cloak, anxiously shifting from one foot to another.
Ki Hong gave Brai a funny look then shot a glance at Chloe. "He seems to like you, Maia."
Brai's cheeks flushed red and his eyes widened. "Ki Hong…" he hissed.
That only served to make Ki Hong's face break into a teasing smile. "It's true isn't it? You like her!"
Not really caring about Brai or whatever crush he had going on, Chloe simply smiled at the two lads who were just introduced to her, and immediately shifted her gaze back to Alek. Her eyes widened when she realized that Mnoti was no longer there and that Alek's brown eyes were now staring straight at her. Chloe bit her lip. I'm in so much trouble.
As he began to approach the wagon, her heart began to thump harder, partly because she'd been caught, partly because that was Alek's normal effect on her. She then recalled… I'm in disguise. He would never do anything to blow my disguise. A smile crept on her lips, a smile that spelled complete and utter mischief.
When Alek finally reached the side of the wagon, he cleared his throat to get the passengers' attention.
Aria's eyes were twinkling with shock even as she gawked at him. Ki Hong was looking at him as if he was some sort of mythical creature. Brai looked irritated that someone would interrupt his failed attempts to get the new girl interested in him. Kia visibly swallowed hard at the sight of the warrior. Chloe, on the other hand, was excited to find out what Alek was about to do.
He looked straight at her. "What have you been doing?" he snapped at her. "The princess has been looking for you all morning."
Chloe couldn't keep herself from breaking into a wide smile. "Has she?" She creased her brows. "What would the princess want with someone like me?"
Alek's face fell. He was glaring daggers at her and looked just about ready to snap her neck in two. She's going to drive me insane before we ever reach Persia. He gritted his teeth. Two can play at this game. "Are you not the girl she hired yesterday? The girl who's supposed to do my every bidding?"
Before Chloe could respond, Aria practically leaped out of her seat. "Yes! That's definitely her!"
Chloe's eyes widened at Aria. "Aria! What do you think you're doing?" she hissed.
"Maia, he's the princess' warrior…" Aria whispered to her in a whisper that was too excited and too loud to be considered a whisper. "If he has mistaken you for someone else, just go with it. You get to spend time with him and maybe even the princess!"
Yes, because that's exactly what I need… spend more time with myself. Chloe fought the urge to roll her eyes and her cheeks flushed red when she saw the glint of amusement twinkling on the corners of Alek's eyes.
The expression on the princess' face was utterly priceless and Alek was loving every moment of this diverting encounter. "So Maia," he addressed her mockingly. "Are you coming or not? There's quite a thing or two… or maybe three… that I'd love to have you do for me."
"Like what?" Chloe snapped at him.
Alek fought the urge to laugh as he shrugged one shoulder. "Clean my feet, prepare my food… a massage would be nice… How about a kiss?"
Aria's mouth dropped wide open and she looked as if she was entirely willing to take Chloe's place. Ki Hong was still looking at Alek like he was some sort of heroic dragon slayer. Brai looked utterly defeated, accepting that he didn't stand a chance against Alek. And Kia looked as if he was about to hurl.
Chloe, on the other hand, raised a brow. "You… a mighty warrior of Egypt… would actually kiss a peasant girl like me?"
A self-satisfied smirk formed on Alek's lips. I like this game. "I'll take what I can get, peasant girl Maia."
Aria began coaxing Chloe forward. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go kiss him."
Ki Hong eventually managed to snap out of his moment of blank astonishment upon seeing the warrior up close and began assisting Aria in pushing Chloe to do something she actually had no problem doing.
Chloe stumbled forward, her eyes fixed on Alek, adoring how incredible he looked with the sun shining down on him, his hair – the same shade as hers – slightly tousled. The way he was looking at her was intoxicatingly alluring. She drew near the edge of the wagon and reached for him, slipping long, dainty fingers over his neck. Much to her surprise and to the surprise of her new friends, he grabbed her waist and pulled her out of the wagon, over the horse and into his lap.
"Hey, don't grab her like that," Brai spoke up in a botched attempt to act chivalrous and impress the girl, only to be given the cold shoulder by pretty much everyone.
Barely even hearing the nosey stranger, Alek whispered to her ear, just loud enough for only her to hear, "Got you, princess."
She quirked a brow, slightly disappointed, as she adjusted herself over his lap, her petite form snuggled against his armoured chest in the cramped space she found herself in. She couldn't help but chuckle. "What? No kiss?"
He grinned. "As if I would ever pass up on that." He then bent his head forward and captured her lips in his.
She could still sense his desire for her even as their lips touched, but this kiss wasn't like the first. This one was soft and gentle and less demanding and claiming than the first, but not without as much passion. The first time they kissed, it was like he was trying to make sure that she was his. This time, to Chloe, it felt like he already knew the truth that she'd known for a long time. You have me, Alek. I'm yours.
The sweet caress of a kiss that they shared was interrupted when someone cleared her throat beside them. Their lips parted, both slightly breathless, and they turned their heads toward the sound to find Jasmine staring at them incredulously. "Really?" was all she asked, seemingly on the verge of banging their heads together.
Both Alek and Chloe broke into giggles, much to the confusion of their newfound friends.
"What's happening?" Ki Hong mouthed to Aria, and Aria shrugged in response. Brai, on the other hand, had returned to his seat, looking like he just lost a fortune.
"Jasmine, I found Maia," Alek retorted.
That only earned him a glare from his best friend, a glare that clearly said, "Who's Maia?"
Chloe gripped Alek's arm and he turned to her to find panic etched on her beautiful face.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"My ring…" she responded, searching her person for one of her most treasured possessions. "My mother's ring… it's gone. I was wearing it on my finger and now it's gone."
Alek groaned and looked at the wagon. He immediately noticed that someone was missing from the group. "Who was that other boy you were with? Where is he?" he demanded.
Aria and Ki Hong exchanged glances before noticing that Kia was no longer with them. "His name is Kia. He just joined us this morning. We don't really know him," Aria explained so quickly, it almost sounded like she said all the words all at once. Ki Hong nodded in agreement, looking quite unnerved by Alek's agitation.
Alek's jaw clenched. He turned toward Jasmine. "Take the princess," he commanded in a low voice.
"Alek…" Chloe began to protest.
"Go with her!" he bellowed at her. This wasn't just any ring Chloe was missing. It contained the royal seal. Should anything happen to her father, it would be one of the few possessions she had that could prove her claim to the throne.
Stunned that Alek would so adamantly order her to do something, Chloe momentarily forgot that she was the princess and immediately complied with his command, reaching for Jasmine who helped her get from one horse to the other.
Within moments after he was sure that Chloe was secure with Jasmine, he growled, "Stay here," before having the horse gallop around in search of the thief. It didn't take long for him to see the boy quite a distance away from the caravan, stumbling through the sandy dunes, making a run for it. He chased Kia, oblivious of the commotion behind him.
It didn't take long for him to catch up with the lad. He grabbed the back of Kia's cloak with one hand. Kia struggled against his hold and managed to pull Alek out of his horse. Both lads stumbled to the ground. Kia attempted to stand up and make another run for it, but Alek was stronger and quicker and was easily able to subdue him. With Kia lying flat on the ground and Alek's dagger against his throat, it seemed the struggle was already over.
"Where's her ring?" Alek hissed.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Kia responded, stuttering even as he said the words.
"Where's the ring?" Alek repeated, louder and more menacing this time.
Intimidated by the much more seasoned warrior, Kia looked like he was just about to give up and betray the whereabouts of the ring, but a smile eventually crept on his lips. "Look around you, soldier."
Alek looked up and found a large group of men beginning to surround him. His heart stopped midbeat when he saw that they had Chloe. Not only her, they also had Jasmine and the two other travellers Chloe was with on the wagon. Apparently, they didn't quite understand what he meant by "stay here" and followed after him. Alek groaned.
One of the men stepped up and pointed a dagger against Chloe's throat. "Let my son go or she dies."
Alek clenched his fists, hating the sight of sharp steel against the pale skin on her neck. He wondered to himself if they were aware that she was actually the princess.
"It's strange that a warrior like you would chase after a thief to retrieve some peasant girl's belongings," the man who was holding a dagger to Chloe remarked. "Shouldn't you be watching over someone more important… like the princess?"
There was no doubt in Alek's mind that the large man was actually the group's leader. He stared down at Kia, expecting to find arrogance, but only found remorse. Confused by the lad's reaction he turned his eyes toward Chloe. His heart ached at the sight of her in danger. He clutched the hilt of his dagger tighter before sighing and letting Kia go.
Kia immediately got up and scrambled toward his companions.
Alek stood up, straightening himself to his full height. "My duty is to the people of Egypt. Peasant girl or princess, everyone deserves justice."
The large, scraggly man chuckled. "Noble words, boy. Tell you what… we've been lacking some entertainment lately. If you want your peasant girl and her friends back, let's head back to our camp and settle all this with a fight. If you manage to live, you and your friends get to go home alive and well. You can even have whatever my son stole from you back."
Alek tensed even as he asked the question. "And if I die?"
A wicked grin crossed the bandit's face. "Let's put it this way, soldier: You don't want to die."
-oiOio-
He can't be dead. I can't lose him… please… Panic was bubbling from deep within her accompanied by the sickening feeling brought about by the idea that she was about to lose Alek…
…and she had no one to blame but herself.
Alek's opponent looked at them and smiled. "Seems the fight is over."
Chloe's heart sank. Both Jasmine and Aria were in tears and Ki Hong simply looked dazed.
Some of the men began to approach Alek's unmoving profile and from the looks of it, they were motioning to pick him up from the ground.
Chloe was losing all hope until she saw it… a flicker of hope. Alek began to move one of his fingers. "Don't touch him!" Chloe screamed. Dear Bastet… please… please spare him…
"You're giving us orders, peasant girl?" the leader asked.
Questioning her own sanity, Chloe pulled her cloak down before grabbing her wig and tossing it to the ground. "I said don't touch him."
A hushed silence filled the place when the men realized who it was that they had just captured.
"It's the princess!" one of them stated the obvious.
All eyes were on Chloe, most of the bandits gawking at her, Aria and Ki Hong looking at her like she had somehow transformed into a goddess.
Jasmine looked horrified. What is she doing? Who knows what they'd do to her? They could keep her here in order to get a ransom from Pharaoh… Heavens, have mercy… What is she thinking?
"Let me and my friends out of here or I assure you… I will bring the wrath of the entire Egyptian army down on you and you will regret the day you ever laid eyes on me," Chloe threatened.
The leader of the clan eventually nodded toward one of his men and they opened the cage that entrapped the princess. The moment they were free, all four ran toward Alek.
Chloe was the first to reach his side. "Alek, please…" was all she could say as he gently caressed his hair. She wiped the blood from his brow. "Please… I can't lose you."
To her relief, he began to cough out loud.
He's alive… Thank the heavens… he's alive.
The giant stepped forward. "Seems the fight isn't over yet."
Chloe glared up at him. "Oh, it's over. I believe your deal with him was that if he lives, we all go free. He's alive."
"But so am I, princess," the man insisted.
"Father," Kia stepped up, looking remorsefully at Chloe. "Let them go." He then moved toward Chloe and handed her the ring. "I apologize for this."
Chloe could only frown at him. "Don't let this happen again." She then looked at Kia's father. "You should listen to your son more often."
Within moments, Alek's beat-up profile hung over Jasmine and Chloe's shoulders as they walked out of the bandits' camp. Ki Hong and Aria trailed behind, wondering to themselves how they had gotten out of that mess in one piece. Unlike them, even in his broken, pained state, Alek didn't need to wonder how Chloe had gotten them out of the mess that she had gotten them all in. He knew that there was something about Chloe, something about her that made people trust her. She had a certain authority about her that could frighten and bring to submission even the toughest warriors. Alek couldn't explain it. He just knew that Chloe wasn't like any other human he'd met before. She was so much more.
-oiOio-
The starlit sky loomed over the vast desert expanse and the Egyptian camp had finally settled for the night. Everyone was silent inside the comfort of their tents and sleeping areas, grateful for a good night's rest after such a hard day of travel.
Chloe tossed and turned in her bed, unable to gain a wink of sleep. All she could think of was Alek, whom she had to leave with the healers, after Merte insisted that she finally get herself refreshed and settled for the night. Chloe was well aware that it was far into the night and that he would most likely be sound asleep, but she felt deeply unsettled, so she eventually relented to her desire to be with him and got off the bed.
To her surprise, the moment she opened the flap of her tent to breathe in the fresh night air, she found Alek standing guard outside her tent.
"Alek?" she tentatively asked, looking up at him, surprised over how fast his wounds seemed to be healing. She gently touched his elbow and looked into his brown eyes.
The longing she saw there took her aback.
"We belong together," he said before holding her waist and pulling her in for another kiss.
Tears began streaming down her eyes as she returned his advances, pushing herself against him, responding with as much yearning to the longings he was letting her know he felt. The tears she was shedding were the result of relief and sadness, happiness and yearning, the bittersweet aftermath of loving someone the way she loved him and feeling like there was a monstrous gap keeping them apart.
When their lips parted, Chloe drew herself closer to him, breathing in his scent, remembering the sickening feeling that she felt when she thought she'd lost him forever. She revelled on how right it felt to have his arms around her, to hear him admit out loud what they both knew all along.
She nodded. "Yes, we belong together." The softness in his eyes as he lovingly caressed her face, wiping her tears away, made her melt inside. She didn't have the slightest idea what it did to him just to hear her say what she said next. "I want to be yours, Alek. You have me." Without another word, she intertwined her hands with his and pulled him inside her tent.
She lied on her bed, looking up at his soft brown eyes. He moved over her, breath-taken by her beauty. That night, both surrendered to the other. That night, they made what was already true official. She became his and he became hers.
On that night and all the nights that would follow, it didn't matter what life would throw their way, they knew that they would always belong together.
-oiOio-
Author's Note: Well, there you go... my The Princess & the Warrior twist on TNLOCK's Dogs of War episode.Come on... Must I beg for a review? Begging here. LOL. Seriously though... I'm dying to hear your feedback on this chapter, so let me know, okay? Leave a review. :)