A/N: I know, I know. It's been forever and I apologize I have no excuse. Anyway if anyone is still interested in this. Here's the update. This chapter just kinda came out of me the other night. Anyway, enjoy!
"You, Quinn. Always you."
With those words out in the open, Rachel grabbed Quinn's neck and kissed her like she's never kissed her before. Quinn meets the kiss head on and as their lips molded together and their tongues swirled in a love dance, Quinn held Rachel's waist tight against her body. Then slowly the blacksmith lowered them down to the hay and Rachel pulled up her dress so she could straddle the blonde.
Their mouths continued to meet and Quinn moved her hands up to cup Rachel's face as the princess's hands wondered beneath Quinn's shirt. Her finger tips trailed across her abs, memorizing the firm muscle and the softness of her milky skin. Quinn's fingers tangled themselves into her silky brown tresses, keeping her in place. Rachel's hips began grinding down against Quinn's. A moan made its way to the surface and Quinn swallowed it back down.
Breaking for air, Quinn gasped, "Run away with me, Rachel. We'll leave this kingdom and go find another where we can just be. All you have to do is say yes and we'll be gone by nightfall."
"Quinn…" Rachel's hand cupped Quinn's cheek, her thumb tracing her bottom lip. Her brown eyes memorizing every inch of Quinn's face and the hopeful look in her green eyes. "I can't…" Her heart clenched as she took in Quinn's disappointment. "I'm just not brave like you are Quinn. I have to stay here… we have to stay here. We can't just run away from everything and start over."
"Why not?" Quinn's voice strained, trying to keep it from cracking.
"Because it's the wrong thing to do," Rachel reasoned.
"Rachel… please don't marry him. Please. I couldn't survive if you did."
Rachel leaned her forehead against Quinn's and just breathed in the blacksmith. She wanted Quinn so badly, and she knew they were meant to have met, if it hadn't had been that day it would've been some other day. Rachel climbed off Quinn and sat there in the hay beside her, hands fiddling with the hem of her dress before Quinn intertwined their fingers. "I love you Quinn, but we just can't be together. You've already seen my father's reaction to us. He's never going to like it and I can't bare it if you were to get hurt again if we stayed together. I think it'd be best if you go. There's nothing that can change our situation. I'm marrying Finn; I have an obligation to do so. And you keep getting hurt and I can't bear to see you like this." Tears rolled down her cheeks as she stared down at their hands. Their hands fit within each other like a perfect puzzle piece and Rachel never wanted to let them go. But she had to. She had to for Quinn's sake more so than her own.
"Rachel," a deep voice called out causing both girls to get to their feet quickly and Quinn as straight as she could. She relaxed a little when she saw who it was but she still didn't feel completely safe to be at ease. "And Quinn, I see."
"Hello Leroy," Quinn said with an anxious voice.
"How's your back?" He asked concern obvious for the blacksmith.
"Well I'm not dead. Thank you again for the medicine. I fully appreciated it."
"You're welcome. Glad it helped." He turned to face the small brunette. "Princess, Finn is looking for you."
Rachel looked from Leroy to the blonde beside her. "Rachel?" Quinn pleaded, her eyes expressing everything she couldn't vocalize.
"I'm sorry." Rachel said as her eyes expressed everything right back to Quinn. She then left the two alone as she made her way back inside.
Quinn felt her heart breaking as she stared after the princess. She was foolish to believe that Rachel would drop everything and run away with her. Just another hopeless dream the blonde had. Just like when she used to dream about her mother finding her and being a family again. A moment ago she felt all the happiness in the world from kissing Rachel and being with her, but now she couldn't feel anything. She was numb. She wanted to cry, she wanted to yell and scream and fight, but all the fight she had in her left the moment Rachel chose to go back to Finn.
Quinn felt a gentle hand come to rest on her shoulder and she remembered that Leroy was there. That he saw Rachel just leave and go back to that fucking prince who could give her anything she wanted in the world. "Quinn," Leroy asked his voice full of concern for the blacksmith. She looked up at him and he offered her a soft smile. "I like your new haircut."
She gave a small smile at his attempt at small talk. "Thank you. I think it's time I depart now. Wouldn't want the King to find out…"
"He already knows you're here. He would like to see you in his chambers."
Quinn felt all of her fight leave her as his words sunk in. The King already knew she was there, no doubt to see his beloved daughter. And now he was going to throw her into the dungeon or who knows what else. He had warned her to stay away from her and yet here she was; standing heartbroken in the barn feeling as if nothing else mattered to her anymore.
Leroy showed her the way to Hiram's chambers and as they arrived Quinn noticed all the books piled on his desk, and the ones which were still on their book shelves. She's never seen so many books in one place before. In the split second before Hiram turned from the window, Quinn was able to take them all in; wondering what they held, the stories that were stored away in the pages, the information of the world, everything. She didn't even notice Leroy leave her side.
Hiram was dressed in simple black pants and a red tunic; his eyes were still behind the pair of glasses he wore for reading, but there was something in his eyes she hasn't seen since the first time she stepped foot in his castle. "Quinn Fabray, we meet again," he said as he made his way back to the desk that was littered in papers and ink. "I take it you've seen Rachel by now?"
Quinn swallowed a lump in her throat and all she could do was nod.
"I've figured as much." He took a seat then folded his hands over the top of the wooden desk. "I know you love my daughter, Quinn. But that doesn't mean you get to come to our home and try and sweep her off her feet; particularly when I told you to stay away from her a little over two weeks ago."
Quinn just stared at him. Wanting to say something, but there was nothing she could say. He was a man who was set in his ways and there certainly wasn't anything she could say that would change his mind. So she just shook her head and looked him in the eye. Her back was straight and she replied. "Nothing will keep me from loving Rachel, Your Majesty. Not you and not Rachel. I love her, even if she no longer loves me back." Quinn felt the tears finally welling up in her eyes, but she fought to keep them at bay. There was no chance in hell that she'd break down in front of this man. "I've loved her ever since I heard her laughter over a crowd of people in the market that day! She means more to me than anything. And she walked away. So go ahead. Kill me, lock me away! I don't care anymore." She took a deep breath and lowered her gaze then she whispered, "You win."
Her gaze stayed on the stone floor. She waited for him to say something, to order the guards to throw her into the dungeon, or to be sentenced to a hanging. But he didn't do anything. "Quinn… I know you hate me, with right reason. What I did to you wasn't how I should've handled things. I was rash and I apologize for that. But I do want you to stop coming by and trying to convince Rachel to leave behind her responsibilities and run off with you. I could have you killed, but I won't, because otherwise all this trouble would've been for naught."
"What trouble?" Quinn looked up curiously at the King.
Hiram then stood up and went to the door and upon opening it, he whispered to the guard and then there was a blonde woman not that much older than her standing on the other side. Her hair long and blonde and her hazel eyes similar to Quinn's. The woman looked so tired though, as if she's been through hell and back, and Quinn couldn't help but wonder. The woman entered the room and Hiram closed the door behind them.
Taking a step closer, Quinn squinted her eyes as she stared at the blonde. "Francine?" She asked her eyes full of hope.
The woman stared back and her shoulders sagged when she heard that name. "Quinnie," she breathed out before tears and sobs took over her body. Quinn flung her arms around her older sister. Hugging her as close as she could. Tears streamed down her face as she held her in her arms. She couldn't believe it. She thought her family was dead, but here was her sister still alive and back with her.
A/N: thoughts? Review! :)