Hello everybody! Sorry it's been almost a week since my last update, but with Christmas, I didn't have the time I normally do. Either way, this is the next chapter, introducing my favourite character in the whole show! A few of you are clearly anticipating the Samchel action, and there is some in this chapter for sure! BUT I really want to caution you guys that this isn't just a Samchel fic. Every character IS going to have FULL story lines of their own. Yes, Sam and Rachel are the largest characters, but not by a huge amount. Blaine and Quinn and the others are all very large as well, and will go through ups and downs as characters as the story progresses. Sam and Rachel may start to fall for one another, but with everything going around, it's hard to say WHEN they'll make it official. So, hopefully that doesn't discourage you from reading this, but don't say I didn't warn you!
I don't own Glee. :P
watch?v=HhZ1BdMtw_Q
The Farmer's Daughter
"Alright, alright! I've got one!" Rachel said, laughing. "If you could be any storybook character, who would you be, and why?" She looked around at her companions as they walked.
"Ooh, that's a good one..." Blaine mumbled.
"I know." Quinn said. "I'd be Little Red Riding Hood."
"Surprisingly, she is far less charming in person than she is on paper!" Blaine noted loudly. Sam laughed.
"Oh yeah! She was the one who stomped on your foot when you tried to warn her away from the wolves!"
"Oh yeah!" Rachel nodded. "You know, I was in that fairytale, it's far less interesting in person."
"Regardless!" Quinn said. "I would be her because, at least in the story, she's tested by something scary, and she has to choose how to deal with it. That's kind of what I'm doing!"
"Well, here's hoping you don't get eaten." Blaine laughed, clapping her on the back.
"What about you Sam?" Rachel asked.
"Jack, from Jack and the Beanstalk."
"I don't know that one." Quinn said.
"What?" Sam asked incredulously. "It's about this boy who sets off on a scary, but magical adventure. He goes up into the clouds and finds a giant kingdom."
"Wait, there are giants in the sky?" Quinn asked skeptically.
"There are giants in the sky." Blaine confirmed.
"Big, tall, terrible, awesome, scary, wonderful giants!" Sam grinned broadly.
"In the sky." Rachel added. "In case you hadn't already figured that out. What about you Blaine?"
"Oh jeez, I don't know. I'd probably be one of those crazy savages that live in the woods behind Violetedge."
"Oh yeah, I hear they're terrifying." Rachel nodded. "Big, ugly, scary monsters."
"Oh they are." Sam said. "Trust me, I've met them. Barely escaped with my life."
"Tell me about it." Quinn agreed, nodding seriously.
They all burst out laughing again as they traversed the large meadow.
It had been a week since they'd left the ruins of Violetedge behind, and the four of them had grown close. Sam and Quinn found that they enjoyed the travelling more when Bruce wasn't constantly barking at them for taking a break; on the contrary, Blaine and Rachel seemed in no rush to get where they were going. The two hadn't been outside of their forest in a decade, and they were eager to take in the sights that the world had to offer.
On a good day, they could almost forget that they were all on the Kingdom's most wanted list, and since they hadn't had a run in with the soldiers since Violetedge, most days were good days.
Sam looked up at the sky as dark thunderclouds began to roll in, blocking out the sunlight above them.
"Oh man, it's definitely going to rain." He said.
"We should find shelter." Rachel agreed.
"Where?" Blaine laughed, gesturing around them. "I mean, we're in the middle of the biggest meadow I've ever seen."
"Isn't it the only meadow you've ever seen?" Sam asked, laughing.
"It's still huge."
"I don't see any mountains or anything, we probably won't find a cave." Quinn said.
"We'll just have to hope something comes along." Rachel said.
They continued to walk, lapsing into a comfortable silence, their game forgotten. They could hear thunderclaps in the distance and they picked up their pace.
"Sam, where are we going anyways?" Quinn asked.
"Do you remember Finn and Marley? We met them at Falcon Bridge like, a month ago?" He said.
"Yeah." Quinn answered. Had it really been a month? It felt like just yesterday that they'd been sprinting away from their home in the dead of night, leaving their family and friends in the dust.
"They helped us find our way the first time; it wouldn't hurt to ask them again."
"What about that spring that the Blacksmith told you about, isn't that a lead?" Blaine asked.
Sam paused, looking back at his friend.
"For me it is... but you're right, I'll find out someday, and I might as well enjoy what I've got while I've got it. My parents are probably dead, I've accepted that, and that's not going to change. But you guys are all alive and well, and that is...less permanent, especially if we're going to rebel against the Imperial Army."
"Aww!" Rachel rubbed his arm teasingly, though she blushed at the contact. "You love us!"
He blushed as well and Blaine and Quinn burst out laughing, both nudging him teasingly.
"Well, I'm honoured." Rachel laughed, hooking her arm around Sam's. She pulled Blaine in on her other side and Quinn snuggled up on Sam's other side. They walked awkwardly together, laughing at their failed attempts at coordination until the sky decided to open up above them.
"Oh man!" Blaine gasped as the rain hit them. "That's really cold."
"My hair is not built for this." Quinn scowled as her hair began to mat to her face.
"Hey!" Rachel pointed into the distance. "Look!"
"What is it?" Quinn asked, squinting through the torrential downpour.
"A farmhouse!" Sam said, taking off at a sprint.
Blaine, Rachel and Quinn took off after him, splashing through the marshy grassland that was rapidly forming around them.
The sky was angry, but despite the cold, the four fugitives were in good spirits, the water washed away some of the dust and sweat that had built up on their skin and clothing over the last week, and this made them all fairly content, despite the fact that the last heavy downpour Quinn and Sam had experienced had been their last day in Ostvale.
Sam reached the large porch of the farmhouse first, jumping up the stairs and under the roof. He turned around, bouncing up and down and beckoning for the others to hurry. Rachel reached him first, closely followed by Blaine, and then Quinn; complaining about her short legs, arrived last.
"I hate rain." She complained, hair plastered to her face. Blaine snickered and brushed some of the denser chunks away.
"That's a good look for you." He said. They laughed and Quinn scowled.
Rachel turned to face the door to the farmhouse.
"Do we just knock?" She asked, tentatively approaching. Sam reached out and rapped hard on the door. Rachel jumped back. "Sam!" She scowled, pushing him in front of her.
He snickered and they waited as footsteps approached the other side of the door. There was the sound of a lock clicking out of place and then the door opened to reveal a pretty dark haired girl with a ponytail, in brown leather pants and a white blouse.
"Hello!" Sam waved cheerfully.
"Hey guppy lips, what's goin' on?" The girl asked casually, leaning against the doorframe as if she were totally accustomed to having four sopping wet adventurers land on her porch.
"We're travellers and it's raining really hard out right now. We were wondering if we could wait out the storm here." Rachel asked, stepping up next to Sam as he subconsciously covered his mouth.
The dark haired girl looked the two of them over and then looked over their shoulders to examine Quinn and Blaine.
"Sure hobbit! My dad'll probably shoot me for it, but whatevs." She turned and beckoned them inside. The four fugitives hesitated outside the door.
"Wait! We don't want to get you in trouble!" Quinn protested.
"Oh don't worry about it!" She waved it off. "Just be quiet and he'll never know you were here!" She shrugged and they followed, Quinn closing the door quietly behind her.
They followed her through a large kitchen and into an adjoining living area where she reached up and pulled a cord in the ceiling. A wooden ladder fell down and stopped just above the floor.
"After you!" She said, flicking her head up.
The others looked at one another and shrugged, Sam; their unofficial leader, stepped up and slowly began to climb. When he reached the top, he gave the others a thumbs up and they all clambered up after him, the girl bringing up the rear and pulling the ladder up with her. "This is the attic, in case you hadn't already figured that out." She said, gesturing around.
The attic of the farmhouse was full to bursting with bales of hay, with paths cleared and pitchforks leaning against one of the walls. Other than that, the room was fairly sparse. They could hear the steady tapping of the rain against the roof overhead.
"So, my name is Santana, what are yours?" The pony-tailed girl said, sitting down on one of the hay bales and crossing her legs.
"I'm Rachel." Rachel smiled sweetly.
"I'm Sam." He gave her a hasty wave.
"Quinn Fabray." Quinn said primly.
"Blaine." He smiled. "Anderson."
"So...since I'm being fucking awesome and letting you stay here, you should like, tell me stories." Santana said simply, grinning and leaning back with a nonchalance that almost hid the childlike excitement in her eyes.
Rachel blinked and cocked her head to the side.
"Wait what?"
"My dad doesn't let me leave the farm, he says the world outside is too dangerous or whatever. And we never have visitors, because he refuses to allow them, so I don't even get to live, vicariously, through others!" She frowned. The others all shared a look. "What was that?"
"What was what?" Sam asked.
"Don't play with me Trouty Mouth. That knowing look?" She said. "I hate when people do that, it makes me feel like I'm out of the loop. Which I guess I am, because you all obviously know each other, but that is not the point, I, Aunty Snixx deserve to know what's what!" She threw up her hands in distress.
"Well..." Quinn started timidly. "We just...the world outside is dangerous." She said, sitting against the wall across from the pitch forks.
"I don't care!" Santana said. "That's what he doesn't understand, is that I'm not afraid. Of anything. Seriously. Except spiders, those things are freaky."
"Right?" Quinn waved at her and glared at Blaine accusatorily.
He laughed and shook his head.
"You'd uh...you'd be surprised." Rachel laughed. "Sometimes the scariest things are the things you least expect."
"Like...?" Santana prompted.
"I think it's best if we don't tell you." Blaine said. "It's safer that way."
"I'm not going to kill you if you tell me Hobbit." Santana said.
"Wait, I thought I was Hobbit..." Rachel blinked.
"You can be dwarf."
"Oh..."
"Umm...Anyways...I meant, safer for you." Blaine clarified awkwardly.
"Come on, you have to be able to tell me something." She moaned. "I've been cooped up on this farm for eighteen God-damn years! I need adventure! Even if it's just through a story."
She looked at them all, letting a little bit of some hidden vulnerability trickle through.
"Alright." Blaine was the first to break down. "You know the story of Little Red Riding Hood?"
And that was how Blaine, Rachel, Quinn and Sam began to share the quirkier stories of their travels with the farmer's daughter. They omitted key points, like why they were travelling in the first place, and they didn't tell her of the heavier moments they'd had, but that didn't stop them from sharing the story of the awkward boy on the bridge, or the magical golden meadow, or the deer named Flower who lived in the woods behind Violetedge.
"-so the three bears left our...uh...clubhouse, because we kept bringing in furniture and they didn't like it." Rachel finished.
Quinn yawned and rubbed at her eyes.
"I'm tired..." She frowned.
"Me too." Santana said. "I'm gonna go to bed, you guys should hit the hay too."
She paused.
"Feel free to laugh at the hilariousness of Aunty Tana." She said through a barely suppressed laugh. "Cause you're sleeping on hay?" She burst out laughing and the others joined her, though admittedly they were laughing because she thought it was as funny as she did.
"Good night!" Sam waved cheerily as she lowered the ladder.
"Night." Santana waved. "Oh, shit! Do you guys want blankets or something?"
"Yes." Blaine said instantly.
They all looked at him.
"Give me a break; I literally haven't had a blanket in a decade." He frowned.
"Yeah, blankets would be great!" Rachel said.
"Alright, but somebody is gonna have to come with me to get them, and we're going to have to be sneaky as hell so we don't wake that devil who spawned me." Santana said.
Blaine, Quinn and Rachel all turned simultaneously towards Sam.
He frowned.
"Fine..."
With a groan of exertion he pushed himself up and crossed to the ladder. He glared at the others as he descended after Santana, though he really didn't mind all that much.
When he jumped to the floor below, Santana pulled the cord again and the ladder retracted, sealing the attic closed.
"That's cool!" Sam said, awestruck by the new-age contraption.
"I know eh? It's something about springs and bands or something, I don't really know." She laughed. "But I like it!"
Sam nodded in agreement and gestured for Santana to lead the way. She crossed to a hallway and waved for him to follow her.
The two of them tiptoed for quite a while traversing the large house until they came across a large cabinet. She silently held a finger to her lips and pointed to the door directly beside the linen closet, mouthing the word 'Dad'.
Sam nodded and she opened the closet, reaching in and grabbing a stack of blankets. She shoved them in Sam's arms and took two for herself. She gestured with her chin to turn around and he did.
"So why hasn't uh...Blaine? Had a blanket in ten years?" Santana asked.
Sam paused and tried to rack his mind for an excuse.
"...His were...stolen...by...a little girl...in a red cape..."
Santana was about to respond, when the sound of a door creaking open stopped them both in their tracks. She proceeded to body check Sam into a bathroom and throw all of the blankets on top of him.
She pivoted around and leaned against the wall, investigating her nails as her father excited the bedroom, rubbing his tired eyes with a meaty fist.
"What are you doing up?" He asked.
"I just got cold so I came to get another blanket." She said, looking up.
"Go to bed..." He snapped. "There are other people in this house too you know...Walkin' around makin' all this ruckus. It's bad enough I have to put up with the wolves every night."
"Sorry, I'll go now..." Santana turned away.
She paused as a heavy silence descended between them. In the silence, she talked herself into speaking up. "Hey..."
"What?" Her father asked tiredly.
"Why...why can't I go on an adventure?" She asked.
Her father blinked hard and stared at her intensely.
"It's too dangerous. I've told you a thousand times Santana, you're staying put."
"But Dad, I'm not afraid of danger! I'm tough!"
"I don't care how tough you think you are, you're not tough enough for that world. Wolves come and kill our livestock on a nightly basis; you think you can take that on?"
"Yes!" Santana said.
Her father scoffed.
"Have you ever even left this farm?" She asked.
"No, I haven't, and I still-"
"Then how do you know it's dangerous?" Santana cut him off.
"-And I still have enough sense to realize that the world out there isn't all peaches and cream." He snapped.
"How?" She asked.
"I don't need to justify myself to my own daughter!"
"You just don't have a good enough reason!"
"And I don't need one!" Her father bellowed. "You're not to leave this farm, ever, got it? This was my grandfather's farm, and my father's, and mine, and one day, since I don't have a son, it'll be yours. Now, I won't tolerate any more talk of adventures and bullshit like that! I am your father and you will respect me!"
Santana stared back at him.
"I thought if you loved something, you were supposed to set it free, not keep it caged up like a trapped animal."
"I set a horse free once. Found it dead in the pasture the next day." He glared at her. "Go to bed Santana, I'm done talking." He turned and slammed his door shut.
Santana stood there for a long time, staring at the closed door, biting her lip and trying hard not to cry in front of a total stranger.
Sam stood up in the bathroom and silently began to collect the blankets. When he had them all piled, he turned to face Santana, but she was gone. Silently he made his way back to the living area, and pulled the cord.
Shortly after the ladder descended, the others appeared at the opening. Their worried, saddened eyes told him that sound travelled in the old house.
He shook his head and tossed the blankets up to them, but no sooner had he scaled the ladder and closed the opening than conversation started.
"That's not right." Rachel said.
"He's treating her like a bird in a cage. I'm all for parents caring about their children, but that seems a little excessive." Blaine frowned.
"If she doesn't get to learn what's right and wrong for herself, then she'll never know how to react to a legitimately dangerous situation." Rachel added.
"I know!" Sam agreed. "I felt so bad..." He frowned.
"It does suck...but..." Quinn started. They all turned to look at her. "What can we do about it? I mean, I'd love to help her, but we're four teenagers on the run from the Imperial Army. What are we supposed to do?"
The others deflated, their anger replaced by frustration at their uselessness.
"You're right, there's nothing we can do." Rachel sighed.
"Well..." Blaine started. Quinn glared at him.
"No."
"She could be an asset!" He insisted, feeling slightly betrayed.
"No." Quinn repeated. "We can't subject citizens to the same lifestyle we're going through."
"Quinn's right, it wouldn't be fair to her. I agree that she should get to see the world, but, I mean, what will she see with us?" Rachel asked. "Dark forests and burned down villages?"
"We've seen way more than that." Blaine said.
"We've also all seen death, and had to fight for survival." Quinn said heatedly. "Sam, will you settle this?" She turned to face him, Blaine and Rachel looked to him as well.
"Me, why me?"
"Well we're not going to come to a decision on our own." Blaine said.
"It's two against one." Quinn said. "It's practically already settled."
Blaine glared at her in frustration.
Sam paused and thought about it.
Santana was a farm girl. He wasn't sure what assets that brought to the table. She probably had endurance, and she might be able to swing them some horses to ride, but they all had endurance, and walking was quieter, if a little less efficient. They weren't on a deadline, however, so they had no real reason to rush.
Between Quinn and Rachel they knew how to prepare food from the land, and the siblings knew what was and wasn't safe to eat. Rachel was fine with hunting and preparing meat if they needed it and Quinn could probably get them bread if they ever stopped in one place long enough.
Blaine was practically an animal whisperer, and thus, protected, or at least warned them of any approaching predators, and the siblings had animal-esque senses. Blaine and Quinn were both marksmen, Rachel and Sam could hold their own in hand to hand combat.
They didn't really have any glaring weaknesses except that they were all fugitives.
On the other hand, Santana could run errands into towns for them. She wasn't a wanted face, and soldiers wouldn't see her as threatening. Even if her father reported her missing, it was unlikely that the soldiers would actively look for her when they had Quinn and Sam on the loose.
That was a particularly appealing point to Sam, and he almost said yes, until he remembered Mercedes.
Mercedes had helped them when they needed her the most, and for all he knew, she'd paid the price with her life. The people that helped him often ended up in danger, it was entirely possible that they would arrive back at Falcon Bridge to find Finn slain.
"No." Sam said.
Blaine sighed and Rachel and Quinn both smiled at him appreciatively.
"It's too dangerous."
"Apparently." Blaine said bitterly, grabbing a blanket and rolling over on a row of hay bales.
Sam winced.
If this was what it felt like to be a leader, he wasn't sure he wanted the job.
"Good night..." He called out, turning away and curling up against another bale. The others responded with varying degrees of cheer, but Sam almost found himself wishing that they were on the road again, all curled up around a small fire, feeling content and safe in one another's company.
Something told him that things were only going to get harder.
Howl
"Morning." Santana said bitterly, sitting at their kitchen table and biting into a sandwich as her father stomped into the room, looking grumpy as usual.
"Lot to do today. Eggs need collected, pigs need fed, the entire stable needs fixed up, cows need milked, new hay needs to be thrown into the sheep..." He rambled as he approached, Santana tuned him out as she did most morning.
"I'll get the hay, you start on everything else." He said.
Santana nodded absently and then paused as he walked away and lowered the ladder.
"Wait!" She yelled, practically diving from the table and scrambling across the room, but it was too late.
"What the hell?"
Sam was startled awake by a booming cry of absolute fury.
"Oh no." He heard Rachel say, and then the startled flurry of movement as she jumped to her feet. He glanced up through bleary eyes, first taking in a large boot, then a large leg, then a large person.
He sighed.
"What the hell are you doing in my house?" The farmer yelled.
"Daddy please!" Santana's voice sounded.
Quinn roused from her sleep and hurried to wake Blaine as Sam staggered to his feet, holding his hands up passively in surrender.
"Did you know they were here?" Her father roared as Santana stepped between her outraged father and Sam, the other three stood together further back.
"They're four adventurers; Sam, Rachel, Quinn and Blaine. They were just trying to get out of the rain; I couldn't just let them-"
"The hell you couldn't have!" Her father spat. "If they're such mighty adventurers, they could've toughed out the rain!"
"With all due respect, we didn't mean to cause any trouble..." Quinn tried to play the pacifist.
It didn't work.
"With all due respect." The farmer mimicked her in an obnoxious nasally voice. "Nobody takes advantage of my hospitality and gets away with it."
"What hospitality...?" Blaine mumbled sitting up on the hay and rubbing his eyes.
"Really..." Quinn nodded.
"You got somethin' to say?" The farmer spat.
"No sir!" Quinn smiled and shook her head innocently.
"Daddy, come on, they didn't do anything wrong."
"They made my own daughter lie to me. Gettin' yourself some blankets huh? And I bet they're where all this adventure talk came from too! Been tellin' my daughter stories?" He roared, raising his hand.
Instinctively, they all reached for their weapons.
"No!" Santana said, turning to face them. One by one they took their hands away again.
"They were gonna attack me!"
"You were going to attack them first, it was only fair." She reasoned. "Now, we must be able to work something out. Payment or something." She looked at the four fugitives hopefully.
"I'm really sorry, we're totally poor. We haven't got a coin to our name." Rachel said, pointing to Blaine and then back to her.
"With clothing and artillery like that you sure don't look poor." The farmer snapped.
"We don't really have a source of income..." Sam said. "We've got a few coins left though..." He mumbled reaching for his bag.
The farmer stomped his foot, stopping Sam in his tracks.
"I don't want your money." He said coldly.
"Then what do you want?" Blaine asked.
The farmer smiled broadly.
"How are we supposed to do this?" Rachel asked, walking carefully through the chicken coop, wicker basket in hand. "Just, pick them up and look under their butts?" The idea was not appealing to her.
"I guess so..." Sam shrugged, reaching for a large brown chicken. He lifted it up and it squawked in terror, flailing about and scratching his face. "Ah!" He loosened his grip and it flew through the air towards Rachel who screamed and covered her face.
She backed up to get away from it and stepped on a pitchfork that was lying on the ground. It flipped up and smacked her in the side of the head, causing her to stumble to the side, dazed.
"Oops..." She mumbled as she fell towards the ground.
Sam lunged forwards and caught her just before she hit.
"Who knew collecting eggs could be such dangerous work." Rachel smiled up at him. He smiled back and she felt her heart flutter.
Wait what? She thought to herself, rolling out of his arms immediately and thudding to the ground. She clutched at her chest and turned to look at him. He raised an eyebrow in confusion.
There it was again! That flutter in her chest! No. Now was not the time for this! She had just agreed to go on a mission where she would most probably die, heck, she'd just had a close call collecting eggs! There was little to no chance that she'd walk out of a war intact! She did not have time to spend doodling hearts in the dirt!
"Are you...okay?" Sam asked, genuinely concerned.
"Fine!" Rachel answered shrilly. "Just, stressed out! You know! Dangerous chicken farming!" She rested a hand on one of the rotted walls of the coop with a horribly fake laugh, and promptly fell straight through.
Sam peeked in after her as she lay twitching in the hay on the other side.
"Look on the bright side; at least you don't have to deal with the horses. If the chickens are this bad, imagine how much fun Quinn's having!"
"Oh yes, who's a pretty horse?" Quinn cooed, holding up the chin of the horse she was brushing and shaking it back and forth. The horse whinnied and nuzzled against her. She laughed. "You know, this isn't as bad as I had anticipated."
"Yeah, they're babes alright." Santana said fondly, rubbing the nose of a white horse next to the one Quinn was brushing. "I love them, but...after a while; it's not as fun..." She trailed off looking the other way.
Quinn bit her lip.
"You've never been off the farm?" She asked softly.
"Once." Santana smiled tightly. "When my mom was still alive. I was three, and she took me to see the crystals in Violetedge. Dad was so mad when we got back..." Santana frowned and blinked hard.
Quinn swallowed deeply, looking at her with sad, pitying eyes. Santana caught her staring and shook her head, as if to brush off her concern.
"It's fine though! I mean, I'm a fucking boss at what I do, and I always have food to eat and a roof over my head! That's a lot more than some people!" She smiled and turned back to the horse. "And I've got four different species of friends!" She laughed.
Quinn didn't.
Santana was quite obviously a hard person, with a penchant for pretending to look on the bright side of things. That was an interesting attribute, and it made Quinn wonder how often she hid behind these good things that were really only mediocre, in order to avoid seeing the bad.
At the same time, she had a hunch that Santana wasn't as naive as she appeared. She knew more than her father gave her credit, and Quinn had a feeling she could do anything she put her mind to.
She also had a feeling that Santana was someone she could trust.
Something deep inside of her told her that...that maybe she should take a chance on this girl, because she didn't deserve to wait years for the right people to come along and make her see reality.
Santana had already been waiting for eighteen.
Now...maybe Quinn was the right person.
"I heard your fight." She said.
"Yeah, let's not talk about that!" Santana waved her off again, turning away.
"Blaine pitched the idea of you coming with us." Quinn said.
Santana fell into a hopeful silence. Not moving, not speaking, barely even breathing.
"We said no." Quinn said apologetically.
Santana sighed and bit her lip, blinking back tears. She'd known that they wouldn't want her to come with them, but it hadn't stopped her from being stupid and hoping, just that little bit...
"When I was young...my mom would always show me pictures in books, of far off places." Santana said, looking at her, horses forgotten. "Princesses in towers, street rats and magic lamps, magnificent golden slippers..." She paused.
Quinn sat down delicately on an overturned bucket and directed all of her attention to her. Something told her that she was the first Santana had ever opened up to like this. She looked at the horses. The first one who spoke English at least...
"She used to go out on these outings, just to walk and see where she ended up. She and Dad always used to fight about it, but she would come back so happy and excited, and she'd tell me stories of the places she'd been and the people she met." Santana smiled and wiped away a tear. "She always told me that when I was old enough, she'd take me with her, and that maybe one day, we'd just walk and never come back..."
She lapsed into silence and Quinn rested her chin in her hands, looking up at the other girl. Santana was still staring at the horse, as if looking away would crumble the courage she'd built up to talk. This was different from her usual bravado, this was real courage...
"She died when I was four." Santana said. "She went out on one of her walks, and was attacked by a gang of bandits on the road. We didn't know until her horse came running home without her. Dad went out and found her."
"That's why he's so set against you leaving..." Quinn said, staring at her with understanding eyes.
Santana nodded.
"I'm sorry; I'm not an emotional person." She laughed and wiped her eyes. "It's just...I'm not the type of person who can stay like this and be okay with it. I need adventure. I'm my mother's child, not my dad's..." She shrugged.
Quinn looked at her for a long time, deliberating in her head. Despite how angry the others would be with her if they ever found out, she decided that Santana deserved to know just who she was dealing with.
"When Blaine was young..." She started. "He lived in the castle, with his sister." He said. "Rachel."
She took a deep breath and Santana turned to look at him in confusion.
"Their parents are the King's right hand man and woman. They tried to have Rachel and Blaine executed. Their Nurse set them free, and escaped with them. She died protecting them from the world they were born in. It was leaving that world that saved them." Quinn said, looking up at her and making eye contact. "If you think that this world you're living in is wrong for you, than it probably is. You have big dreams Santana, and you shouldn't give up on those just because your father says to."
"I'm just some farm girl, how could I make it on my own?"
"You don't have to be big, to chase giant dreams." Quinn told her. "Maybe...maybe it's time to take your life into your own hands. Sometimes parents don't know what's best..." She laughed. "I love my mom, but my Dad ran out on me. Sam's parents dropped him at somebody's doorstep. Rachel and Blaine...well, you know their story now."
Santana smiled softly and turned to look at her horse. Eventually she nodded and turned back to her.
"You're right." She said. Quinn smiled.
"I know."
Blaine scowled as he trudged through the mud. Of the four of them, he had been chosen to feed the pigs. The pigs, who happened to live in mud that was almost up to Quinn's knees. To be fair, that wasn't saying much, but still! Why couldn't any of the others have been given this job? He would much rather be picking up eggs.
"Alright, I have food..." He scowled as the four massive pigs turned to face him.
One of them grunted and pawed at the mud. He paused and raised the barrel of compost in his hand.
"There there, I'm just gonna poor this out over here..." He turned away slowly.
The pigs charged.
They met up again around lunchtime, the four of them crowding around a large kitchen table. Santana's father had decided not to join them, and had taken his food out to the barn.
Rachel caught the look shared between Quinn and Santana and gave her a questioning glance. She turned away immediately, looking around innocently, which of course made Rachel suspicious.
She caught Sam's eye and instantly turned away, choking on her sandwich.
As Santana pounded her back Sam looked around.
"Hey, where's Blaine?" He asked.
"I don't know, which job did he get?" Santana asked.
"Pig pen." Rachel coughed out, wiping her eyes. Santana's eyes widened.
"Oh shit..." She took off out the door and the others raced after her, confused. They didn't have to run far.
Blaine stood in the middle of the porch, scowling and covered from head to toe in mud.
Santana brought a hand to her mouth and Quinn pursed her lips to try not to laugh. Sam failed to contain himself and burst into hysterical laughter, and Rachel tried to cover her giggle with a cough as she rushed over to her brother.
Quinn reached a hand up to wipe mud from his forehead and flung it to the ground.
Santana lost it, doubling over and joining Sam in hysterics.
"I guess he didn't tell you that the pigs weren't very friendly..." Santana gasped out.
Blaine scowled.
"Nope."
Rachel daintily reached into Blaine's hair and pulled out an apple core. She looked at Quinn. Despite a valiant effort, that was it. Soon Blaine was the only one still standing as all four of his friends burst into hysterics at his feet.
"Alright." The farmer said as he re-entered the house. He looked up to find Santana, Quinn and Sam standing before him. "Where are the other two?"
They looked at one another.
"Nobody gets out of this; you all have a debt to work off."
"No!" Blaine yelled angrily from further in the house.
"He had a bad experience with the pigs..." Santana said. "It's probably best to let him be."
"Fine, then you two better work twice as hard." He glared at the others, who sighed. "Go; cut some wood out beside the barn. The sheep need some hay too; I'm expecting that to be finished by nightfall, I've got another job for you then." He said.
Sam and Quinn frowned but nodded and tiredly left the house. As they walked across the property towards the barn Sam opened his mouth to speak, but Quinn interrupted him.
"No! I am doing the sheep!" She said.
Sam laughed.
"That wasn't what I was going to say."
"Oh, well, I'm doing it anyways." Quinn blushed. "What were you gonna say?"
They reached the barn and slowed to a stop outside of the door.
Sam turned to her.
"About last night..." He started. Quinn smiled and shook her head.
"Its fine Sam, you made the right call." She said. "I have a hunch that Santana will find her own way."
She looked up at the house with a knowing grin on her face.
"Alright, I just wanted to make sure." Sam smiled and then paused. "I think you're right about Santana though. She's strong." He nodded and turned away, walking around the side of the barn.
"Yeah, she is." Quinn smiled and walked into the building.
Santana smiled, bouncing into the bathroom where Blaine and Rachel were bent over the metal wash bin scrubbing away diligently at the boy's clothing.
Blaine had changed into an old pair of overalls while they worked, and was retelling the story of his battle in the pigpen to Rachel in animated detail.
"-and then I fell..." He paused and looked up, smiling.
Blaine was over his ordeal, and now that he was all cleaned up and his clothing was almost finished, he was willing to see the humour in the situation.
"Are you all cleaned up Hobbit?" Santana asked.
"Yep!" He smiled and began hauling his soaking clothing out. "I'm going to go and set it to dry for the night actually." He said and Santana nodded, stepping aside so Blaine could pass by her.
"Put it on the chicken coop roof! It gets more sun!" Santana called after him.
"Alright!" Blaine laughed.
Rachel rose to her feet and smiled at Santana as she turned.
"Thanks for not letting your dad kill us." Rachel laughed, stepping past her and walking down the hallway towards the porch.
"Oh anytime!" She laughed, running to catch up with the other girl.
Rachel stepped out onto the deck and leaned against the railing, looking out at the farm. As hostile as Santana's father was, it almost felt homey. She was going to be sad to leave it again, if only for the sake of their newfound friend and savior.
She smiled at Santana.
She didn't regret saying that she shouldn't come. She shouldn't! It was going to be a long, difficult and dangerous journey. Santana's father was right about how awful the world was. Rachel, Sam, Blaine and Quinn all had personal ties to the situation; they didn't have a better alternative. Santana led a comfortable life on the farm, even if it got boring sometimes. But she was still definitely going to miss the farm girl...
Rachel turned to look past the Hispanic girl, towards where Sam was chopping wood in the distance. There it was again, that stupid flutter in her heart. That wasn't fair; infatuation would only complicate things later on. What if she had to make a choice? Between Sam and her brother. Sure, as it stood, she would pick Blaine, but what if she allowed the infatuation to continue. Would she still think the same way two months later?
"He's cute, huh?"Santana nudged Rachel teasingly.
"What?"Rachel blinked and looked away. "No, yes, I don't know. What?" She shook her head and Santana laughed.
"Oh come on dwarf, don't play with Aunty Snixx. I can see the way you look at him. You're in love." She fake swooned and then gave her a look.
Rachel shook her head and rolled her eyes.
"I don't do love." She said seriously.
Santana looked at Sam, and then back at Rachel.
"Maybe it's time to start." She suggested, before turning and walking off into the house.
"I'm not complaining, but do you have sandwiches for every meal?" Sam asked over dinner.
"Mostly." Santana nodded.
"At my house, we pretty much always had chicken." Quinn offered.
"Does your dad ever eat with you?" Rachel asked, looking around.
"Mostly...not." Santana shrugged. "He likes his space, I like mine. I like having company though, it's like a party!" She smiled and the others laughed.
As they finished up, Santana's dad reappeared.
"I've got one more task for you all." He said. The four of them groaned and hung their heads. "Be grateful I didn't stab you with a pitchfork!" He boomed.
"What's the task?"Blaine asked tiredly.
"You're adventurers, right?"
"Sure are." Sam nodded.
"Good, there are some wolves in the area. They've been picking off my sheep and I want you to take care of them." He turned to walk away.
"The sheep?" Rachel blinked.
"The wolves."
"Wait!" Quinn yelled out. He turned back around. "You want us to kill them...?" She asked meekly.
"No." Blaine shook his head.
"Listen, I'm not dumb. I know you four are running from something, and unless you want me to alert the entire kingdom to your whereabouts, you'll do as I say." He glared at them.
"Dad!" Santana cried in outrage. "That's not fair!"
"Stay out of this Santana." He snapped, staring down the four of them one at a time. Sam held his gaze.
"Fine." He said.
"That's what I thought." The farmer turned and stalked away.
The sun set far sooner than any of them wanted it to, and before long, it was time to bite the proverbial bullet and make their way to the field.
Sam sighed and looked around at the others, relaxing around the small clearing in various states of unease. Relaxing probably wasn't the right word actually... relaxation would imply a level of comfort. In fact, 'relaxing' was the exact opposite of what they were doing; not one of the fugitives were okay with the task that had been set before them. Blaine and Quinn both looked particularly perturbed.
"We can't kill them..." Quinn said, cradling her knees against her chest. Blaine, who was drawing shapes in the nearby river with a twig, nodded earnestly.
"We have to." Rachel sighed. "I don't like it either, but it's the only way the farmer will keep quiet."
"About that..." A curious voice piped in. The four of them glanced up to find Santana approaching with some kindling in arm. "What are you running from?"
"Nothing." Sam said hastily.
"That's convincing." Santana snorted. She set down the logs. "I brought you stuff to make a fire with, the least you can do is tell me why you're all acting like the world wants your heads on a platter."
"We can't even make a fire!" Sam laughed. "We'll scare away the wolves!"
"Yeah really!" Quinn frowned.
"Shut up Trouty! It's the thought that counts!" Santana protested.
Sam shook his head and turned to face the two youngest members of their group.
"Are you two ready?" He asked sympathetically.
Blaine and Quinn both looked at him sadly. They were the best marksmen; it was up to them to shoot the wolves. If they got closer, Rachel and Sam could join in the feuding, but they couldn't rely on brute force alone.
Quinn looked at the bow by her feet and then looked back up at the stars that twinkled above her head. The night was warm, but the thought of killing something that had done nothing wrong chilled her to the bone.
"There are a lot of fish in this pond." Blaine remarked. Sam blinked, that could not have been any further from a direct answer.
"Yeah?" He asked. "So?"
Blaine paused and looked at him.
"I don't know, I was just making an observation."
"It's because these waters never freeze, but they never get too hot either." Santana explained. "The fish never have to leave or relocate. They've actually begun to overpopulate. My father's been debating buying a few barn cats just to keep the number down. I mean, we'd never have to feed them ri-"
"Shh!" Rachel hissed. She pointed into the darkness and the other four stared out into the night. There, slowly approaching, the moonlight glinting off of its eyes; was a wolf. "That's the first one, come on..."
She looked back at Blaine and Quinn. They looked at each other, then down at their weapons. Rachel felt her heart break for them. They were the babies of the team...even if the ages varied, they seemed the least corrupt... She couldn't let them kill. Not without reason at least; fighting a soldier who was gunning for them was one thing, slaughtering a wolf just for doing what a wolf did was quite another.
Silently she took Quinn's bow and brought it to her eyes, lining it up with the wolf.
They all watched with baited breath as the predator slinked closer and closer. Slowly it stepped into a bright beam of moonlight and Rachel tightened the string.
"Wait!" Blaine yelled. The wolf looked up, but didn't run away. Blaine hastily put a hand atop the bow and lowered it so that it pointed towards the ground. He looked at Rachel imploringly. "Look at it...really look..." He whispered.
She did.
They all did.
The wolf continued to struggle forwards, but in the moonlight it was all too clearly malnourished. Its coat did not have the lustre and shine that healthy fur should have possessed, its gums were inflamed and bleeding and its skin stuck to its ribs.
Rachel swallowed deeply and exchanged a look with Blaine. She knew he was thinking it too. The wolf looked the same way the two siblings had felt for years in the forest on the outskirts of Violetedge.
She dropped the bow.
Sam sighed. They couldn't kill the wolf and he knew it, it had just as much a right to fight for survival as they did. It was the sad truth, but it was a dog-eat-dog world. He looked away from the poor creature and his eyes found the water.
"H-hey..." He whispered. The others looked at him curiously. "I think I have an idea..."
Five minutes later, Blaine and Rachel were slowly approaching the curious looking canine. They, of the group, smelled the least human. They'd spent ten years living in the forest, and both were pretty certain that the smell of pine and black earth would never wash out.
"Hello..." Blaine crouched down before the beast when they were almost a carriage-length away. The wolf slowly began to draw back its lips in a snarl but Blaine hastily shook his head. "We don't want to fight, and we're not going to get in the way of your food, I promise!"
The wolf looked at them both curiously, but his lips returned to a neutral position.
Rachel glanced up behind the wolf and then did a double take. Slowly, crawling across the terrain, were six other wolves. She caught her breath, but turned back to the first wolf.
"We spent years having to fend for ourselves in the forest, just like you have to, and I know you think the only way you can stay alive is by attacking the farmer's stock, right?" Rachel asked. Slowly it nodded. "Well what happens when you eat all of the sheep?"
The wolf paused and looked down as if it hadn't thought of that.
Blaine smiled at it and half turned away towards the river. "Come over here." He said, crawling so as not to seem like he was trying to intimidate the wolf. Rachel crawled after him and he risked a glance over at the other three humans who sat watching with baited breath.
The wolf closed the distance between them in half, and two of the other wolves approached as well, looking curiously into the water where dozens upon dozens of fish flittered to and fro.
"See all those fish?" Rachel asked. "They're overpopulating the river. There are so many, that they're running out of space. Think about it, that's hundreds of fish at the tips of your claws! You'll never go hungry again!"
The wolf, who Rachel assumed was the pack leader, looked up with a spark in his eye and let his tongue loll out the side as he panted excitedly.
He turned back to the river and dunked his head under. He came out wet, but unsuccessful and scowling. He looked at the humans mutinously.
"No, no, not like that!" Blaine said hastily. He waved his hand for the other wolves to approach. "Here, we'll show you. Our friends are going to come and help us demonstrate, okay? They're not going to hurt you..." He paused and waited for the seven wolves to nod, one by one, before turning and beckoning Sam, Quinn and Santana forward.
The three of them approached slowly and Blaine and Rachel split apart to allow Sam to approach the pack leader.
"Show him how Sam." Rachel said.
The wolves watched intently as Sam turned to face the water.
"Fish are fast in the water, so even if you get your teeth around them, they can swim right back out again." He said. "But if you bat them out of the water..." He paused and darted his hand in, slapping a passing fish and sending it flying out onto the riverbed where it flopped around hopelessly. "They're helpless."
The pack leader's eyes lit up and he turned to gobble down the fish, but paused. He looked up at a smaller brown wolf who was panting off to the side. She had a very noticeable bulge in her stomach and with a start; Sam realized that she was pregnant.
The pack leader nudged the fish with its snout towards the alpha female. She nodded bashfully and devoured the fish in a way that only a starving creature could.
"Now you try." Quinn smiled at the wolves and the alpha female approached her. Looking over top of her, Quinn noticed the other wolves pairing off as well. The pack leader stayed with Sam, and a boxier wolf moved to Santana. The other four, who seemed more afraid of any one on one contact, stayed around Blaine and Rachel.
She looked at the pregnant female who was watching the water intently in front of her. Quinn blinked back tears, reaching out to stroke the beautiful creature's musty coat. The wolf looked at her and Quinn smiled.
"It's over now. You don't have to be hungry anymore." She looked at the wolf's pregnant stomach. "None of you."
The wolf nuzzled against her and nodded.
"I know you're scared..." Quinn whispered. "But you'll never have to live that way again."
She paused.
-Musical Cue-
-Rob Thomas: Little Wonders-
"And...and if things ever get hard for you or your pack...I want you to find us, okay?" She asked. The wolf's eyes danced with happiness, and again she nodded.
She turned back towards the river, and flicked out a paw. In a flash, Quinn saw the moonlight reflect off of the metallic grey scales of the fish as it soared through the air.
She felt happy, truly happy, to be lucky enough to witness such a magical, wonderful moment. These were the moments, she realized, that gave her hope for this world.
"Let it go..." She sang as the wolf gobbled down the fish. She reached out to pat the wolf's head. "Let it roll right off your shoulder, don't you know? The hardest part is over..."
"Let it in!" Sam continued, giving the alpha male a thumbs up and a grin as another fish soared through the air. "Let your clarity define you, in the end, we will only just remember how it feels."
He glanced over the back of his wolf and caught Quinn's eye. She smiled and joined him in song.
"Our lives are made in these small hours." They nodded. "These little wonders; these twists and turns of fate!"
Together, they looked out across the starlit meadow.
"Time falls away, but these small hours...these small hours, still remain."
Rachel squealed excitedly and hugged one of her wolves, rubbing its side encouragingly as it succeeded. Blaine bent down next to one of his, coaching it along.
"Let it slide." Rachel sang. "Let your troubles fall behind you..."
"Let it shine, until you feel it all around you." He beamed as the wolf caught on.
"And I don't mind!" Rachel sang, turning to face her other wolf. "If it's me you need to turn to." She caught Blaine's eye.
"We'll get by..." He sang softly, smiling at her. "It's the heart that really matters in the end."
He nodded and she took a shaky breath, reaching over to grab her brother's hand. They opened their mouths to sing the chorus and Sam and Quinn looked over at them, singing along.
"Our lives are made, in these small hours! These little wonders, these twists and turns of fate." They sang. Santana looked up and around at the four of them and then swallowed sadly, looking back at the farmhouse. "Time falls away, but these small hours...these small hours, still remain."
The four of them turned back to their wolves, but Santana stared at her home.
"All of my regret...will wash away somehow..." She turned back to the boxy wolf and smiled at it. "But I cannot forget...the way I feel right now." She looked up to notice Sam watching her and smiling.
"In these small hours..." He sang. "These little wonders."
Santana smiled tearfully and nodded, joining him.
"These twists and turns of fate...yeah these twists and turns of fate!" They belted together, standing up.
"Time falls away, yeah but these small hours, and these small hours still remain. Yeah." Quinn, Rachel and Blaine stood up and joined them. "Ooh they still remain...these little wonders, oh these twists and turns of fate!"
The five of them turned to watch the seven wolves fishing in the moonlit river.
"Time falls away..." They sang softly. "But these small hours...these little wonders-"
"-still remain..." Santana finished.
She looked up at the house once more and nodded to herself. Nobody noticed the crystals on Sam's sword shimmer to life for just a moment. They were restoring hope to the land, one person at a time.
Clyde
"It was nice meeting you." Sam said as he clipped on his belt, slipping Bruce's sword into his scabbard. He looked up and smiled at Santana, who smiled fondly back.
"It was nice meeting you too." She said. "All of you."
It was barely sunup. They'd spent the entire night with the wolves, and when the first hints of sunlight began to light up the sky, the animals had taken their leave, fleeing back into the woods.
It had been an unforgettable experience.
Now the five of them stood on Santana's porch, packing their belongings and preparing to part ways.
Sam opened his arms for a hug and Santana smiled and embraced him tightly. He nodded and stepped back as Blaine stepped up, taking his place.
"Thank you for everything Santana." He smiled. Blaine was dressed in his own clothing again, and had his bow and quiver safely attached to his back.
As he pulled away, Santana swiped a curl out of his face and they both smiled.
"Dwarf..." Santana said, opening her arms and beckoning the other girl forwards. Rachel laughed and obliged, wrapping her arms around Santana. "Have fun seducing Sam!" She whispered teasingly in her ear.
Rachel gasped and pulled away, trying and failing to glare at the other girl. Eventually she settled for walking away and securing her daggers in her belt. Santana laughed as Rachel joined the other two at the bottom of the stairs.
Quinn was just walking up to her when the farmer walked out, scowling.
Blaine wondered if he actually knew how to smile.
"I heard those wolves last night." He said gruffly. "Did you do your job?" He asked.
"I don't think you'll be having any more wolf trouble." Sam said, grinning mischievously. Santana nodded and the farmer grunted.
"Alright then, get going." He snapped.
Quinn hastily ducked past him and hugged Santana. Before they separated she leaned in close to her.
"Remember what I said." Quinn whispered and then jumped away, skipping down the stairs to join her friends.
Santana watched her new friends go, smiling and waving.
"I'm gonna miss them." She said fondly.
"I'm gonna miss the extra help. There are chores to be done, get to work." Her father snapped.
Santana smiled and nodded, turning towards the barn and grabbing a pitchfork to take with her. Even her father's perpetual bad mood couldn't bring her down anymore. One day, she'd live her life for her.
For now, however, she was going to pick her battles.
"I think she'll be fine." Quinn smiled as they walked away.
"Me too..." Rachel said.
"Me three." Sam agreed. Blaine nodded.
"So, now what?" Rachel asked.
"We go back home." Sam said, sharing a nervous look with Quinn. "To the boy on the bridge."
Three nights later the four of them found themselves making camp in yet another large meadow.
They'd chosen a spot near a large boulder that would cover some of the light from their fire, and they had decided to sleep in shifts, uneasy being so blatantly in plain sight.
Sam awoke to a hand on his shoulder and blinked up at a tired-eyed Rachel.
"Your turn." She told him. He nodded and pushed himself up. She moved over to where Blaine was sleeping and curled up next to him. She was asleep before her head hit his shoulder.
Sam sighed and stood up, brushing dirt off of his pants. He leaned in to the fire and poked the embers with a stick, keeping it going. He glanced to the side and noticed Quinn watching him.
"You're not sleeping?" He asked casually.
She pushed herself upright and pulled her knees in to her chest.
"We're too close to Ostvale for me to get any real sleep." She sighed.
"Are you scared?"He asked.
"Yeah." She shrugged. Fear was almost a give-in at that point.
"Don't be." Sam smiled. "We'll be fine, as long as we stick together. You're my best friend; I'm not going to let anything happen to you."
Quinn nodded, smiling.
"You're right." She said and then looked past him. Her eyes widened and she backed up immediately. "S-S-Sam!" She stammered, pointing over his shoulder.
Sam whipped around and gasped.
"Hello boy." The man behind him snarled. The two soldiers at his side both had their swords and shields drawn.
"W-who are you?" Sam stammered, backing away. The man drew a sword and stabbed it into the ground at Sam's feet, scaring him into immobility.
"My name is Clyde." He drawled. "I'm the King's right hand man." He said.
Quinn shot a look at where Rachel and Blaine were still passed out beside the large rock. She reached over with her foot and began to nudge Rachel's foot. She grunted and shifted around in her sleep, but didn't rise.
"Now, we can do this one of two ways." He said, leering down at Sam and drawing his sword from the ground to point it at Sam's face. "You can come along quietly, or we can have some fun. Please do pick the latter." He snarled.
"We'll I'm definitely not coming along quietly." Sam said.
Quinn grabbed her bow, whipped it over her shoulder and fired a shot at the man's face. He ducked to the side and Sam lunged for a hot coal from the fire, holding it up as Clyde lunged at him, pressing it into his face.
"Blaine! Rachel!" Quinn shrieked, rising to her feet.
"What?" Rachel asked irritably, sitting up.
Blaine scratched his head and sat up behind her. They both looked forwards and froze.
"Oh my God." Rachel whispered.
"...Fuck." Blaine leapt to his feet and lunged for his bow.
The soldiers leapt into action, charging forwards as Clyde doubled over, clutching at his forehead where Sam had burnt him.
Quinn screamed and fired another arrow as a soldier approached her, sword and shield at the ready. He stepped forwards and brought the sword down towards her but Rachel jumped in the way and parried the blow with her spear, spinning around and delivering a kick to the soldier's shield. He stumbled backwards and glared at the two girls.
Blaine nervously circled the other soldier, bow at the ready. He lunged and Blaine scrambled backwards, crawling on top of the boulder. He fired off one of his arrows and the soldier blocked it, but took a half-step backwards.
Blaine looked around fearfully and fired another shot that nailed the soldier in the shoulder. He roared in pain and wrenched it free, glaring daggers at the younger boy.
Clyde recovered and lunged at Sam, who tumbled backwards and brought his feet into Clyde's chest, flipping the older man over his head. Sam sprang back to his feet and drew his sword.
Clyde flipped in midair and landed nimbly on his feet. He turned around and smiled coldly.
"Impressive." He said.
Sam didn't respond, but kept his gaze trained on Clyde's sword.
The soldier swung at Rachel, who ducked and kicked him in the groin. He doubled over and she punched him in the face and pushed him backwards.
"You bitch!" The soldier snarled and lunged at her.
She screamed and jumped out of the way, and Quinn ducked. The soldier stumbled forwards and tripped over Quinn, falling to the ground, dazed. Quinn rushed forwards in an attempt to put distance between herself and the soldier, but he reached out and grabbed her foot, pulling her to the ground and smashing her face against the hard earth.
"Quinn!" Blaine and Sam yelled simultaneously.
Clyde took his chance and leapt forwards, disarming Sam in one swift stroke. He watched in terror as his blade flew across the fire pit and imbedded itself in the soil next to their gear.
Clyde smiled victoriously and swung at him again, but Sam balled his fist and blocked the attack by punching Clyde's wrist. Clyde pivoted around and tried to bring his blade into Sam's back, but Sam ducked and tackled him around the middle, bringing them both to the ground and sending Clyde's sword tumbling from his grasp and into the fire.
Blaine gritted his teeth and fired another arrow at the soldier, but he raised his shield and blocked it. Blaine reached out and kicked the shield as hard as he could and the soldier staggered backwards. This only deterred him for so long, as he rushed forwards again.
He swung his sword at Blaine's ankles and he jumped, landing clumsily on the rock and wobbling. Blaine looked up as the sword was swung at him again and he cringed but the ringing noise of steel on steel brought him back to reality as Rachel stepped in the way and parried the blow.
Quinn kicked the soldier holding her in the face, effectively breaking his nose, but her vision was swimming, and when she managed to rise to her feet, the arrow she fired at him flew wide.
The soldier rose to his feet and tackled her around the legs, taking her down to the ground again and smacking her head against the hard soil. She cried out and spots erupted in front of her. Her bow dropped out of her grasp.
Quinn flailed about wildly for anything to attack with and eventually managed to grab hold of a small log from the fire. She twisted around and drilled the hot end into the soldier's face. He screamed and let her go, curling in on himself.
Sam and Clyde rolled around on the ground, fighting for dominance, but eventually Clyde won out. He balled his fists and punched Sam in the face, but the teenager grabbed his fist on the next swing and twisted his wrist until he was forced to roll off of him.
He wasted no time in pouncing and pinning Clyde's hands beneath him as he punched him back, ignoring the blood that dripped from his own nose.
Quinn staggered to her feet, clutching at her head. Her brain felt like it was ringing and the spots in front of her eyes weren't going away. She looked back at the soldier who was just now struggling to his feet, and then over at where Rachel and Blaine were trying to tag-team the other soldier.
Her soldier ran at her and she tried to stumble out of the way, but he tackled her to the ground again and she cried out as her breath left her. She dug her fingernails into the soldier's face, causing him to cry out and drop her again, but when she managed to rise to her feet, fatigue won out.
She crumpled.
"Quinn!" Rachel yelled, half-stepping away from her brother.
The soldier took his chance and lunged with his sword, and Rachel cried out as a long gash opened up along her right arm. She stared at the blood. It looked so surreal...She staggered away and the soldier approached Blaine.
"Rachel!" He yelled, fear for his sister overpowering his battle instincts. He noticed the soldier too late, he was too close to fire. Blaine tried to kick him away again, but the soldier was ready, and ducked under his foot to grab his other leg, yanking on it hard.
Blaine yelled as he fell from his perch, and everything went black as his head hit the boulder.
Hard.
"Blaine!" Rachel yelled, lunging towards him. She tried to swing her spear at the soldier but he caught her arm and twisted it until she let go and fell to the ground. She grabbed her shoulder and looked up at him in terror, the other soldier joined him and they both began to advance on her menacingly.
"Rachel!" Sam gasped, looking over his shoulder. "Quinn! Blaine!"
One by one, his friends had fallen. This couldn't happen, not yet! They'd barely even begun! This wasn't how it was supposed to be! He was supposed to be great someday!
"Hey kid!" Clyde snapped.
Sam turned around and Clyde head-butted him in the face.
Sam gasped and one hand flew to his already broken nose. Clyde wrenched a hand free and shoved Sam off of him, lunging for his sword. Sam tried to grab him again, but missed. Clyde grabbed his sword and hissed as the hot metal from the fire burnt his skin.
He dropped it again and Sam lunged for it, grabbing it. Clyde scowled and reached for Sam's.
"No! Nobody can touch that!" Sam screamed.
Clyde grinned and reached for it more deliberately as Sam stumbled to his feet.
Clyde turned to grab the sword, but Sam was quicker, kicking him in the back and sending him sprawling to the ground. Sam grabbed his own sword and then held both weapons at the ready as Clyde jumped to his feet.
The evil man lunged at him again and Sam pivoted, raking the blade of his sword along Clyde's face, from his forehead down to the opposite side of his chin. Sam continued to turn as Clyde howled in pain, and Sam threw Clyde's sword across the meadow with as much force as he could gather.
When he turned back, Clyde had Rachel's spear at Sam's throat.
"You lose you little brat." Clyde snapped, blood dripping down the diagonal sized gash. "Though I must say; what an extraordinary effort. It's been a long time since somebody lasted so long against me." He boasted. "It's been a long time since somebody managed to land a serious blow, actually."
"Well maybe they didn't have something worth fighting for." Sam said, trying hard to hold it together.
"Sheath your weapon." Clyde commanded.
Sam raised his chin defiantly and refused.
"Kill the girl." Clyde turned to the soldiers casually. They raised their swords.
"Wait!" Sam yelled. "I'll sheath it!" He practically slammed his sword into the scabbard and the soldiers looked to Clyde for guidance. He nodded for them to lower their weapons.
"Good, now we understand who's in charge around here." He taunted, slowly circling Sam like a bird of prey. "I have a proposition for you...Sam."
"No." Sam said automatically.
"Oh but my boy, you don't even know what I'm offering yet." Clyde cooed. He was enjoying the situation far too much; that was apparent. He circled around and Sam got his first good look at the man. He was a dark haired man with strikingly cold eyes that made Sam shiver. He'd seen those eyes in both Blaine and Rachel, though on them, they held warmth and laughter.
He might've been handsome, had it not been for the jagged wound that now marred his flawless complexion.
"I don't care."
"Not even if it meant survival?" Clyde asked.
Sam looked at him.
"Why would you want to offer me survival?" He asked.
"Because...you're the strongest amateur swordsman I've ever met. Stronger than Coal, or Riker, or Savannah. Not stronger than myself, and your movements are sporadic and untrained, but with a little honing, you could be an asset to our organization."
Sam glared at him.
"I'd rather die." He snapped.
"Oh come now child." Clyde circled around him and grabbed his shoulders, bringing his face in close to his ear. "Evil has its perks, my boy. Power beyond your wildest imagination, riches the likes you've never known...your mother would never have to work again."
"Don't do it...Sam..." Rachel coughed.
"Shut up!" Clyde snapped. "Who do you think you are? You know nothing of the wonders that can be obtained through my way of life!"
Rachel and Sam stared at him.
He didn't recognize her...she'd grown so much in the last decade, that she was no longer recognizable to her parents.
She supposed they'd never really cared enough to really look in the first place.
"So how 'bout it son?" Clyde asked.
Sam looked at Blaine's crumpled, unconscious form.
"Don't call me son." He spat. "And I'd rather die than join the likes of you."
Clyde glared at him coldly.
"That can be arranged." Clyde said, all friendliness gone from his tone. "I'm giving you one final chance boy. Join us...Everybody has a dark side."
"Maybe." Sam said. "Maybe you're right; maybe I do have a dark side."
Rachel looked shocked, and Clyde smiled expectantly.
"But I'm also strong enough to realize that it's better to die for the light in your heart, than it is to give in to the darkness."
Clyde growled and raised Rachel's spear to Sam's throat again.
"Have it your way than." He snarled and pulled back, looking towards the two soldiers. "Kill her first, let him watch."
Sam lunged forwards but Clyde grabbed his arms and kicked his knees in so that he fell to the ground. He struggled, but Clyde's grip was firm.
Rachel looked up tiredly as the two soldiers climbed in.
They raised their weapons together.
A howl froze everybody in place.
"What the...?" One of the soldiers looked up just in time for a large, boxy grey blur to plow him into the ground, sending his sword flying. He screamed as the wolf clamped down on his foot and began to drag him away towards the forest.
"Hey!" The other guard lunged forwards after his partner, but two thinner wolves stepped around the sides of the rock. Dimly, Rachel recognized them. She'd taught them both how to fish! "Now, back off!" The soldier stammered.
One of the wolves growled and he turned towards it, raising his sword. The other wolf pounced, sinking her teeth into his bicep and causing his weapon to tumble to the ground. The first wolf grabbed his opposite hand and dragged him off into the forest.
"What is going on?" Clyde asked, taking a faltering step backwards.
Sam dove forwards out of his reach and a grey blur leapt over his head.
The pack leader growled menacingly up at Clyde, who barred Rachel's spear bravely.
"Back off, you mutt!" Clyde snapped. "I've skinned worse than you in my day."
More growling joined the pack leaders as two other wolves stepped up on either side of him. Rachel looked up as the alpha female padded out from behind the boulder to stand protectively in front of her.
Clyde's eyes flicked from one wolf to the other, weighing his chances. He looked up at Sam and Rachel, eyes narrowed.
"Don't think I'm finished with you yet." He snapped and then turned and sprinted away into the meadow.
The pack leader barked and the two wolves on either side of him gave chase as he turned back to Sam, nuzzling him warmly. The alpha female licked Rachel's face and then turned and bounded off into the forest.
Sam stared off into the distance, eyes shimmering fearfully and jaw clenched. They'd been beaten. That fight would never count as a win. They'd lucked out, and that was all. Quinn had gone down first. She'd taken hit, after hit and still refused to stay down until her body gave out for her. Blaine was next, he'd tried to stay away from the close combat, but one heavy hit had knocked him under and cracked his skull! Then there was Rachel...she hadn't succumbed to unconsciousness, she'd had her eyes open, and had looked up as the end approached her. She'd looked death in the face, not with fear or with bravery, but with fatigue...
Sam felt responsible. It had been his responsibility to protect them! He'd started this war by challenging the King's rule. He didn't regret saving Quinn, and he never would, but the casualties seemed to be piling up; Mercedes, the Blacksmith, who knew how many citizens of Violetedge!
The two wolves returned, loping along in apparent frustration.
Sam sighed; Savannah, Riker, Coal, Ree, now Clyde. They were officially outnumbered, and that didn't even count the regular soldiers that patrolled the Kingdom in search of them!
"He got away huh?" Sam guessed.
The wolves nodded.
Sam shook his head and turned back to Rachel. His heart had stopped when she was on the brink of death, but watching her bleed out on the ground didn't offer him any comfort.
Rachel looked up as Sam rushed to her side, calling out to her. She was having trouble making out what he was saying, and everything was getting kind of fuzzy. She wondered if it would be alright to have a nap.
The pregnant wolf before her barked anxiously, and it wasn't long before the other wolves returned and dropped something to the ground. She smiled tiredly, as her groggy mind came to a groggy conclusion.
She had helped those wolves to survive. If she'd done as she was asked, they would all be dead; wolves and humans alike. All she had to do was take a chance on them, and they would return the favor.
Maybe there really was good in the world.
That was the last thing Rachel thought before she gave in to the fatigue, Sam's frantic cries nothing but a far off drone.
I like this chapter! :D Santana is a BAMF, and don't think you've seen the last of her. Quinn and Santana's scene in the barn is my favourite. You might be starting to see some trends, how, one piece of good advice can mean a thousand things to a thousand different people, for example. The Nurse told Blaine and Rachel that they didn't have to be big to chase giant dreams, and that advice translated to Quinn, Sam and Santana. Nice huh?
Did anybody catch the Into The Woods reference?
Next chapter; an old character returns and leads the team back into dangerous waters, one fugitive can't shake their near miss against Clyde, another character decides that it's time to break free, and everybody is tested when they have to choose between what is good and what is right.