Last chapter. I tried to end this on a happy note with some implications towards the future as well as the one story from the past I've been wanting to tell. Hopefully you guys enjoy this.

Illusinia

Fallen leaves shifted beneath her feet, crinkling but not breaking under her soft footfalls. One of the many things she she was grateful for in her life was her aunt's insistence she learn to run silently. Though the forest was forbidden and supposedly haunted, it was still nice to know no-one would be able to hear her easily. Except perhaps her brother, who was hiding somewhere in the forest. Hide and seek was usually considered a children's game by humans; they saw it as training in hunting.

Her cloak rustled slightly in the scant wind which flowed through the trees, wrapping it around her legs and catching it on the cloth of her pants. She pushed it back behind her again, sweeping it back over her shoulders and hoping it wouldn't catch under her feet. Normally, she would have worn a cloak closer to her size, but in the forest this one provided her with more cover and helped hide that fact that she was a woman. It wasn't safe to be a woman alone in their time; not with the men who presently ruled the land about.

Slipping between the trees, her eyes darted around rapidly in search of her 'prey'. No matter how many times they played this game, her brother always managed to elude her for a good amount of time. Eventually she caught him of course, but it was usually days after they began the game. The fact that they even played for days no matter who was hiding probably said a lot about their skills though.

A shiver ran down her spine, sharp and sudden, causing her to quickly duck behind a near by tree for cover. Something wasn't right; she was being watched. Reaching out with her magic towards the energy net which flowed across the entire forest, she tried to find the source of her unease. When it was Lopt watching her, the sensation was different. Familiar. This had been unfamiliar, predatory in a way her brother's stare never was.

She found the intruder almost immediately and felt fear begin to squeeze her chest. The man was a warrior, of that she was sure; the way his energy vibrated through him, a strong current reflecting determination, discipline, and loyalty, was identical to that of a warrior. What confused her was the presence of only one individual. Guards traveled in groups, so why did this one roam alone?

Still, she wasn't going to stick around and find out. Though they looked human, both she and her brother were far from it which could lead to some unpleasant repercussions if either of them were caught. Sure, they could both escape, but neither wanted to face the consequences of even having to do that to begin with. Their aunt was very strict at times.

A familiar whisper of sound cut through her thoughts. It was soft, barely audible, but very dangerous all the same. The soft twang of a bow string being drawn; the gentle creak of a bow bending with the pull of it's string; a faint echo of leather against wood.

Without a second thought, she bolted from the tree and took off into the woods just as an arrow struck the tree beside her in the same place where her head had been. Of course, she had to be found by a good archer. Most of the men who practiced archery weren't particularly talented at it beyond that they could hit a target; clearly, this man surpassed them.

More thumps echoed behind her in a rhythmic pattern in tune with the other sounds of the draw and release. Dammit, the man could apparently shoot and run. Meaning he was likely a hunter or a scout. Which was why he was traveling alone. Of course, I'm the one who has to find a scout. Really, it was just her luck. It always seemed like, if someone was going to get caught, it was her.

Leaping a rock, she skidded on the ground and changed direction, hoping the sudden shift would throw the man from her trail. Instead, she heard a thump and the trees above her head shook violently in tune with the sound of running footsteps. Apparently, the man knew how to climb trees. And how to run through them. Seriously, was she being chased by a damn squirrel with a bow? This was ridiculous.

Skidding again, she rolled behind an outcropping of rocks for cover and took off down a slope towards the river. It didn't offer the most cover, but he couldn't track her through the water. If she could cross and make it to the other side, she might have a chance to escape.

Her pace picked up as another arrow struck the ground near her feet, pushing her to run faster. She could hear the water running ahead but knew he was very close behind her as well. The sound of his boots striking dirt and rock echoed through her ears along with her pulse. Even if she made it to the river, he would cut her down before she could make it across. But she did have another option: there was a waterfall ahead. It wasn't particularly large, but it was noisy and if she could get close enough the sound might cover her movement. Plus, she knew there was a cavern behind the waterfall she could hide in if she could reach it. They would crest the top of the falls, but the pool beneath was deep enough for her to jump into without hurting herself. She could swim up into the pool from there.

All hopes of an easy escape were dashed, however, when a sharp whistle echoed close to her ear and a counter force to her own suddenly sent her tumbling to the ground. She rolled as she struck dirt, allowing her to return to her knees and grab one of the knives hidden inside her cloak. It wasn't ideal and she hated when she had to hurt people, but this wasn't a situation where she had much of a choice. Her cloak was pinned firmly into the ground.

The sound of approaching footsteps sent her whipping sharply around, knife in hand, to face her attacker. Her pinned cloak kept her from standing, forcing her to look up her pursuer stepped into view. His bow was drawn, an arrow knocked and pointed straight at her. She didn't flinch, just turned her head to meet the man's eyes.

He wasn't particularly tall, which explained his agility in the trees, nor was he big like many guards were. His built indicated he spent a great deal of time on the move, reinforcing her earlier assessment that he was a hunter or scout. The fact that he was wearing the crest of a local lord enforced the idea that he was a scout. His face was smudged with dirt and he had a decent length beard, meaning he'd probably been in the forest for a while. However, his eyes were a very clear blue-gray color, sharp and focused like those of a hawk. It made her freeze in place, slightly in shock.

For several seconds, neither one made any sort of a move. Both were breathing hard, gulping in much needed air. A furrow drew across his brow, causing her fingers to tighten on the knife gripped between her index and middle fingers, just waiting to be thrown.

Then, to her surprise, his stance relaxed, his arm easing the tension in his bow. "You're a girl."

It was the strangest thing anyone had ever said to her. And that was saying a lot given she regularly dealt with some very strange people. His tone, slightly dismissive as it was, also sent her blood boiling. Did he really believe her sex determined how dangerous she was? Still, she had to give him props for having the balls to actually say that. Which is why, instead of beating the crap out of him, she opted to make sure she heard correctly. "I'm sorry?"

"You're a girl," he repeated. "I thought you were a man hunting in the forest."

"Um, alright?" At this point, she could admit to being more confused than angry. Yes, she was a girl but wasn't it his job to keep people out of the forest, regardless of their status as hunters or their sex? "What does it matter that I'm a woman?"

"Because you're not a hunter," explained the man with a shrug, one of his hands sliding the previously knocked arrow back into his quiver. The motion drew attention to his arms, which she instantly decided were absolutely incredible. Seriously, she wanted to touch those arms. "Plus, I'm not going to shoot a woman. Even if they are dressed as a man."

His voice brought her attention back to the matter at hand. Snorting slightly, she tugged at the arrow pushed through her cloak, using the guise of freeing herself to slip the knife back into its hiding place. "First, my sex does not limit me from hunting. Second, if it weren't dangerous to be a woman, I might not have to dress this way."

"And if you were traveling with a man, it might not be an issue," countered the scout, his eyebrow cocking slightly. "Besides, this forest is dangerous."

Shaking her head, she stood to face the man completely, his arrow in her hands. "Hardly. I've run through this forest for years without incident. Besides, my brother is here, somewhere. I was looking for him when you happened upon me."

One of the man's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Your bother is foolish enough to leave you alone in the forest?"

"We were hunting one another." Her voice comes out harsh, tense. Really, this man's implications are beginning to rub her the wrong way. "Besides, I clearly gave you a run for your money."

He shrugged slightly, resting the bow across his back. "I won't deny that. You are very fast for a woman." His eyes passed over her, assessing. If another man had preformed the same act, she would have felt violated. But her pursuer's gaze was clinical and a touch impressed. Seemingly satisfied with what he sees, he offers her a hand. "My name is Cadeyrn and I am a scout for Lord Laugh."

Her eyes fell to his hand, suspicion clearly written across her face. Still, she took the offered hand in the type of shake she'd seen others perform. Well, at least the men. "Rowena."

A grin slipped across his lips as he released her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Rowena. Normally, I don't meet women who can outrun me as you did."

"And it's rare I can find a man who can shoot as you do." Her lips pursed a little, her mind drawn between attempting to get away and staying to speak with the man. She had to admit, now that he wasn't attempting to shoot her, Cadeyrn seemed like an interesting individual. "May I ask where you learned?"

The grin slipped into more of an easy smile as he moved towards the river, presumably to wash. "You may, if you tell me where you learned to evade pursuit as you do."

For a moment, she weighed the wisdom of telling him that story before following after him towards the river. "Deal."

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"And that's what happened," finished Darcy with a sigh, one eyebrow raised at the group in front of her.

The Avengers just stared back at her, slightly slack-jawed. What? It wasn't that weird of a story. Behind them, she watched Rohan shake her head from where she was standing in the shadows. She'd appeared earlier, unnoticed, when Jane and Tony were tag-teaming her to actually tell the full story of how she'd met Cadeyrn. Apparently they hadn't believed her when she said the man chased her through the forest, then pinned her with an arrow.

Stepping out of the shadows, Rohan moved to lean against the back of the couch beside Steve's head. "You know, it's probably a good thing you didn't introduce him to anyone sooner. I might have hurt him."

"Might have?" asked Darcy with a raised eyebrow as everyone jumped, startled by her Aunt's sudden appearance. "I thought Lopt was going to kill him when he found out."

Rohan nodded a little, a thoughtful look on her face. "I could see it. Which reminds me, I need to check in with Anubis and see if he needs any help."

Darcy just shook her head. "Do I want to know how Lopt killing someone reminded you to talk to Anubis?"

"Probably not," replied Rohan with a shrug as she straightened.

Steve looked back as she moved, offering her boyish smile. "How are you, Peg-er, Rohan?" His brow furrowed as he tried to figure out what he should call her. Apparently, they hadn't decided that the night before.

"Either works," assured Rohan. "Though Rohan is actually my name, you can call me Peggy if you're more comfortable with that."

For a moment, Steve seemed to deliberate before offering her another smile. "I think I'd like to call you Rohan. It's your actual name and I'd like the chance to learn who you really are."

The smile Rohan gave him was soft, even as she ruffled his hair a little. "Whatever floats your boat, Steve."

"Okay, can you stop with the modern terminology?" requested Darcy with a groan. "It's disturbing."

Rohan rolled her eyes, leveling a look of 'really?' at her niece. "Rowena, you do know I didn't start off speaking the way you grew up hearing me speak, correct?"

"I know, you spoke a completely different language that humanoid vocal cords can't recreate," replied Darcy with a shake of her head. "But you sound like me. It's weird to have an aunt you know is thousands of years older than you talk like a teenager."

With another shake of her head, Rohan changed the topic easily. "So, why exactly were you retelling that particular story?"

"Because they were bugging me," explained Darcy, a thumb jerking towards Tony and Jane. "Plus, I was trying to keep Steve from being bombarded with questions about your date."

Rohan shrugged, arms crossing over her chest. "Fair enough. I'm here to tell you that Grandmother is requesting your presence at home along with your brothers for Kith'ka and Loki's binding."

Both of Darcy's eyebrows rose and she immediately perked up. "They're finally getting married?"

"Yep," confirmed Rohan with a smirk. "Loki bit the proverbial bullet and asked her last night while I was out. She told me this morning."

A grin curled across Darcy's face that bordered on predatory. "You didn't get home until this morning? Is Steve's virtue still intact?"

"Yes," growled Rohan. "I told you yesterday that I wasn't going there. The poor man can barely keep from blushing at the mention of sex. Like I'm going to be the one responsible for jumping him. I've probably damaged him enough as is."

Steve gulped a little but managed to keep from turning completely red. "I wouldn't say that. I hurt you more than you've ever done to me."

Cocking an eyebrow, Rohan turned to look at Steve like he was crazy. "Steve, I shot at you. In Stark's lab. Because a secretary threw herself at you. I'm pretty sure that would scar most guys."

"Maybe," admitted Steve with a small grin. "But I gotta admit, you looked beautiful firing that gun. Even if it was at me."

For a moment, Rohan stared at him with a cross of shock and concern painted across her face. "That's kinda worrisome, Steve. Most guys would be scared if a girl took a shot at them."

"Well, yeah, but I'd hurt you," explained Steve. "It was kinda deserved."

Darcy groaned across the room, leaning her head against Clint's shoulder. "See what I mean when I say the man is like a puppy?"

"I already knew that part, Rowena," reminds Rohan with a roll of her eyes. "I was working with him before they gave him the serum."

"Which you are so going to tell me about later," insisted Darcy with a grin. "And don't say you won't, I can annoy you until you do."

Groaning, Rohan raised one of her hands to rub at her eyes. "And these are the times when I see Loki reflected in your personality. Fine, but later. Much later." Checking her watch, she cursed quietly and refocused on Darcy. "I need to run. There's a necromancer causing problems over in Norway. Need anything while I'm there?"

"Nothing comes to mind," dismissed Darcy with a grin. "Have fun beating the dead back into the ground."

"Loads," was Rohan's sarcastic reply before she disappeared.

Shaking her head, Darcy stood and stretched, offering Clint a hand up. "Well, looks like I'm going home for a bit."

"This is wondrous news!" exclaimed Thor happily. "My brother is to be wed!"

"That poor man," sighed Darcy with a grin. "Oh well, it should at least be entertaining. There's no way Mom and Dad will pass up an opportunity to cause trouble. I need to go make a bet with Derek, see you guys." With that, Darcy disappeared, leaving the others starting at the spot where she's been.

Clint just shook his head with a sigh, rubbing a hand through his hair. "So, would asking her to marry me tonight seem suspicious?"

"Yes," replied Natasha and Pepper automatically. Jane just stared at him.

"Do it after the wedding," advised Pepper.

Natasha nodded in agreement. "I know you've been waiting a while to ask Clint, but it would be best to wait. Otherwise, it seems as if you are trying to compete or prove something."

"Right," sighed Clint, slipping a small velvet box from his pocket. He turned it carefully in his hands, staring sadly at it. "So, can you hold onto this again, 'Tasha?"

"Of course," confirmed Natasha as she took the ring from him. "You will get your chance to ask soon, Clint. Don't look so put out."

"I know," replied Clint as he stood. "I'm going to call the restaurant and change the reservation a little. We probably don't need champagne if I'm not asking tonight."

"Probably not," agreed Pepper with a smile as she watched the archer wonder from the room. Sighing, she turned back to look at Natasha and Jane. "Well, at least we know she loves him."

"And will probably say yes," stated Natasha with a touch of a smirk. Her eyes moved to Steve, glinting with mischief. "So, Steven, how was your date last night?"