Disclaimer: Power Rangers belong to Saban and Disney. Characters you recognize are not mine, but characters you don't recognize, the plot and the idea are mine!

A/N: well, only 9 reviews, I really wanted 12... ;grumbles;
Currently I'm writing the Epilogue (instead of doing the math I should be doing), so here's the last chapter and…I'll see ya in the Epilogue:)
Ps: oh wow, it's raining! Yay!

Star Fata: :P threats do no work… ;hands a huge lollypop;

AH/AY: The Epilogue will take a while since I have no clue what exactly I wanna show there (but I do have a cute SiennaOz thingy there). ;hands a large…lasange?;

Phantom Rogue: XD The idiot :D I love you XD ;hands a large Tobleron;

zeopurple: I'm sad too, but every fairytale has its own happily ever after:) Thanks for reviewing throughout the story ;hands a really large twix bar;

Anonymous: Why, thank you :P this story means a lot to me, and I'm happy you like it! ;hands ice cream;

C.C.C.: well, the tying up part was the one making me laugh my guts:P Thanks for reviewing all the way ;hands 4 cookies;

puasluoma: this is the last, but there will be an Epilogue… thanks for your reviews ;hands a lily;

Ani: you'll see :P scroll down XD ;hands an Andros action figure;

Slytherin-Angel44: Well, he had to lie, if he showed up telling her he's Andros from day one, she'd beat the crap outta him (not that she didn't do it anyway..:P ) ;hands an Ashley action figure;

In the Clearing of the Forest
by DarkHonda aka Tal

Chapter fourteen

(A week after the day Andros left)

'It was a long torturing day,' she thought as the sun slowly sank in the horizon. It was another day without Andros, it was a day gloomy and miserable, so grey and lonely without him. She was sitting on her bed, looking anxiously out of the window, looking for any sign that would tell her he's coming back. She couldn't believe how she let him go, she didn't even kiss him goodbye, and if anything happens to him, anything, she knew she'd die.

She loved him, she had no doubt; only that morning she realized it in terror, but she got used to it, she wouldn't fight it anymore. Not when she can have him, finally, she can have him and it didn't matter if he was a servant or a master, if he was Coran or Andros, she wanted who he is, not what he is. She never felt so alone in her whole life, he was her best friend and only lover as Coran, and he was her protector and her owner as Andros, no matter how bad it sounded. The remarkable thing was that he was really both; he was protective and charming, caring and fierce, beautiful and smart, a Kadan who captured her heart against all odds. She respected it and loved him for that, she knew he was right in what he told her, yet it was still hard to admit it.

She loved him for seeing her plainly as Ashley, a young woman, not a peasant; she was grateful that he wasn't prejudice concerning her like she concerned him. She felt embarrassed when she remembered all the horrible things she ever told him; the times when she insulted him in his face. She was so ashamed of it, because eventually, he was right when he told her she was a spoiled little girl; she really didn't have a clue about life.

She sat on her soft yellow bed with her knees underneath her chin and looked at the scenery; she looked so calmed, yet she was storming inside, she wanted to see him so bad, to apologize, to hug him, to kiss him again.
Stars! It was a week since she last kissed him and she missed that feeling; that anticipation and the slight tingle of fear in the moments before their lips touched, the butterflies in her belly that flied inside of her as she let herself give in to his lips, to his graceful touch.

Suddenly she felt a soft touch on her back, she turned her head to see Karone, dressed in a faint purple dress, her blue eyes were sad but she was smiling.

"Why are you crying, Ashley?" she asked gently, rubbing her back with trying to soothe her friend. Ashley touched her cheeks gently, she didn't even feel she was crying, but then again, she didn't feel anything without him by her side. Nothing. She was so empty without him, without their friendship and that bond they shared, that it hurt so much.

"Ashley, please, talk to me," Karone begged and stroked Ashley's hair, Ashley buried her face in her knees. 'I need him,' she realized, 'Oh stars, how I do,' she knew and nothing else mattered. She wanted him with her, she wanted to fight him and hit him and kiss him and yell at him and make love to him… she needed him… and she was breaking without him, without his strong presence, his stubbornness she had learnt to accept now, his calming essence that made her feel assured every time she was in doubt.
Yet he was out there, risking his life for the peace and quiet of KO-35, and what was she doing? Nothing, letting him go, letting him risk himself for everyone else.

'Is this fair?' she asked herself.

A loud noise was heard, the noise of hoofs and shouts… Ashley raised her head, as fear crept into her. Were those the darkondians, happy as they defeated the Kadans at last? Were they ready to conquer KO-35 under the rule of Dark Specter? Or were they the Kadans, happy as the defeated the horrible threat on freedom? Who was the winner? She couldn't tell, they where still far and she was afraid. Afraid to find out something happened to him…

Karone and Ashley were glued to the horizon, watching the horsemen that were making their way to the castle, yet only after a while could they recognize the bright stripes on every warrior's hair. The Kadans won.
'My Kadan won,' Ashley thought happily as she nearly jumped off of the bed and gently brushed her hair. She sighed and Karone hurried away from to her own room, squealing with joy. Now, as the threat on KO-35 was removed, there was a challenge awaiting for her: Andros.

After all she had said to him, she wouldn't be surprised if he wished to cancel their betrothal, she couldn't blame him for that. It hurt her to think that in the moment she did fall in love with him, he wouldn't want her anymore. She braided her hair quickly and washed her face, gently drying it with a soft yellow cloth. She walked out of her room slowly, her body tense, her stomach full with fear as she descended the stairs to the Grand Reception Hall. She noticed the warriors entering the hall;

First, entered Tiaren, he walked proudly even though he was dirty and bruised. After him walked three warriors two of them scarred with freshly new wounds, she recognized them as Danjan, Laden and Kagen. After them she saw TJ and Zhane looking quite beaten and bruised but not something serious according to the way they were laughing about something. More warriors came along and she looked for Andros, yet he didn't show up. She have seen them, seen them all: Izerac, Kaleo, Shea, Kara, Ivar, Eije, Okal, Vergo, Elores, Okoth…and so many more but she hadn't seen him.
The tears welled up in her eyes, she didn't even bother to suppress them, she lost him; she lost the only man she ever loved. Tears were rolling down her cheeks. She felt so empty without him, without Andros… had he truly left her?

And there, right there, when she thought everything is lost, that there is not any hope left for her without him, she saw a familiar form entering the Reception Hall. He entered dressed with a torn red working shirt, black breeches and black boots, his sword dangling in its scabbard on his left leg. He was carrying a man in his hands, she easily recognized the man as Nevan, the old groom who insisted on going to war with the rest of them.
She watched as Andros limped his way to Kara, his face was dirty, yet not bruised and she could see a blood stain on his right thigh, he was injured and she wanted to hold him close to her and never let go, but her eyes couldn't move away from him.

From his amazing built figure, his hair that was gathered in a ponytail, his torn shirt right above his right elbow, his boots that weren't black but auburn, from muddy ground and blood. Yet, to her, he was just as beautiful as if he has just bathed; she longed to see him for a whole week, a week in which she grew up and understood more of the world while pondering of him, now she was ready to accept him despite their differences and disagreements.

She watched as Andros handed Nevan to Kara of Kadan and immediately his eyes were locked with hers. She felt herself blushing, but she didn't care anymore, he was right there in front of her and she missed him. She ran across the stairs and hugged him, almost knocking him over, inhaling his intoxicating manly scent. She could almost purr with satisfaction, finally, he was with her! She felt him chuckle as he hugged her tightly, almost crushing her and she didn't care, as long as he was near her, she didn't care what would he do to her.

"Finally, they come around," she heard Tiaren say and the rest of the crowd laughed. She buried her face in Andros' chest while her tears mixed up with her own laughter.
Andros knew there was no other sound he longed to hear, more than her amazing laughter, no other woman he longed to touch more than her, no other woman he longed to vow in front of and spend the rest of his life with. He knew what he had to do, he had to ask her, it was always about decisions, she deserved making her own decisions, he knew.
She felt whole again, complete, he was there and she knew everything would turn out great, always great if he's with her. She felt him loosen his hug and she let go as well as he let go of her briefly and slowly knelt in front of her, on his injured leg.

"Ashley of Hammond Hall, will you marry me?" he asked her, she was caught by surprise. She never thought he would her give her the right to choose, the right to decide what's good for her. She loved him if only for that, for understanding her that good. She slowly shook her head and knelt in front of his kneeling form, feeling the tears streaming on her face.

"No, Andros, will you have me as your wife after all I put you through?" she whispered and he nodded and before she realized they were kissing, in the Grand Reception Hall of the Kadan Castle, after a glorious victory on the darkondians and the crowd cheering them.

A/N: ;wipes away tears; ;evilgrin; so, whadaya think? ;D