Okay, this isn't a very long chapter, because I'm right in the middle of exams, but it's been a long time since I posted so I wanted to get this out of the way. This is a very big chapter for Sam, and all of the loose threads start to wrap up. I did cut a song from here which I will include in deleted scenes at the end, just because it was already pretty song heavy, but I hope you like it!
I don't own Glee!
The Spring
Day one found Sam, Rachel, Blaine and Quinn saying a temporary goodbye to the other soldiers. Once they were out of sight, with promises that they would return as quickly as possible, the four of them headed west of Starryville, towards the Blackapple Woods that overlooked the castle.
Day two was when they reached their destination and began to make camp. They were covered by the large apple trees, and they were far enough from the castle that they wouldn't be spotted until they wanted to be, but seeing it for the first time, and knowing that they were going to be invading the massive Draconian style building, with its impenetrable looking walls and massive black dragons acting as scouts in the air...it was enough to cause them all to second guess.
Day three was when their nerves started to get the best of them. Blaine kept making plans, and then redoing them, rushing around asking for the opinions of the others, who never really told him anything useful. Rachel kept sharpening her sword, training herself to be ready to fight whoever she needed to fight, determined to be better! She finally believed that she was strong, but that didn't mean she couldn't get stronger. Quinn found herself wondering whether her mother was okay...she hadn't given it very much thought, seeing as she, Quinn, had died shortly after leaving her again, but the soldiers had been at that door back in Ostvale...was she okay? Sam's mindset was similar. He was scared, for everybody in his army, worried that his actions would bring about their downfall because he wasn't his father!
Day four and day five were similar. The four of them worrying, and preparing, but as time went on... Rachel, Blaine and Quinn began to use their nerves to help them. Blaine made a few solid plans to deal with the dragons that would hopefully bring a swift end to the aerial war. Rachel took more breaks in her fighting to listen to her instincts and allow them to take over, to get out of her own head. Quinn flitted back and forth between the siblings, helping them out however she could.
Sam...however...began to get more and more inside of his own head, worrying and fretting, developing nervous habits that he'd never had before. Biting his nails, running his hands through his hair. No contact with any of the others in five days scared him. He was afraid, for all of them. He tried to be strong, however, because he figured that was what his mother, the Innkeeper, would want him to do.
Unfortunately, on day 6, when the Ice Dragon landed in the middle of their camp, even that wasn't enough. Knowing that his three friends were standing right behind him as he was delivered the worst news of his life did not help. Nothing helped.
"I'm sorry..." The dragon paused. "Your mother is dead."
Sam froze. His blood felt like ice, and his breath came in quick, halting gasps. He fell to his knees, tears blurring his vision.
"The king killed her." The dragon said. "There was nothing we could do."
Sam couldn't speak. He looked around at the others; Rachel, Quinn, Blaine. They all stared at him with pity and sadness in their eyes. He thought of the others, of Brittney, Santana, Marley, Puck, Mercedes, Kurt and Tina. He thought of Kitty and Finn.
Finally he looked past the dragon at the spiral-topped towers of the castle in the distance.
"I can't do this." He whispered so quietly that only Rachel heard him.
"No, Sam, don't..." She said, rushing to him and holding him tightly.
"I can't." He brushed her off. It was true, he couldn't. His father had spent his entire life training to be a warrior, and had lost to the king. His mother, who was the strongest woman he'd ever known, had just lost her life to him. This man was far too powerful for some apprentice to even think about going after.
It would be better for everybody if he just left. He would only get in the way. He looked around at them again. They'd come so far, all of them. They'd grown so much from the people they'd been when he met them.
It seemed that everybody had grown into strong men and women except for him.
He wanted to stay, but that was selfish of him. He had led them astray with false hope for too long. He couldn't do it. Maybe they could, but he could not.
So he turned, and he told them that.
And then he turned again, and he walked away.
Rachel and the others stared after their leader in shock. He was so wrong, his idea so misconstrued. How was it possible that he'd come to such incorrect conclusions?
"I...What do we do now?" Blaine asked.
"We..." Rachel paused. Whatever was happening with Sam, she had to stand by him. At the same time, they'd all worked far too long to throw it away now. She gulped and turned towards her brother. "You...You have to be a leader now."
She pursed her lips and ran off after her fiancé.
Sam stormed through the trees, tears spilling down his face.
"Sam!" He heard Rachel yelling after him, but he didn't slow down until he reached a large spring. He sighed and turned around as she broke out of the tree line after him.
"Just let me do this Rachel!" Sam ran his hand through his hair.
"No!" Rachel insisted. "I love you Sam, and I'll stand by you, whatever you do, but you're making a big mistake!"
"No Rachel, I've made plenty of big mistakes in my life, but this isn't one of them."
"Yes it is!" She yelled. "You're so much stronger than you think you are!"
"But not strong enough!" Sam cried out. Rachel fell silent. "Just let me be strong this time...please." He begged her.
She took a step towards him, looking him in the eyes.
"Strong is fighting." She said. He opened his mouth but she shook her head. "No, it is! Strong is not giving up this easily, it's facing your fear even though it's hard, it's going into battle knowing that, yeah, maybe you won't come back out...but at least you'll know you tried. You taught me that! You did!"
"Rachel..." Sam whispered.
"Please Sam." She took another step towards him, but he shook his head and stepped back into the spring up to his ankles.
"I'm sorry." He turned and dove into the water.
"Sam!" She yelled, but then he was underwater and sound became distorted. She didn't chase him in, so he just continued to swim. The water was cold, it cleared his mind and allowed him to think.
He forced his eyes open and paused as a glow washed over his face.
There was light pouring out of a small enclosure near the bottom of the spring.
Intrigued, and eager to get his mind off of his current situation, he swam towards it.
Minutes later, he stepped out of the water into a massive rock chamber.
He rose to his feet and glanced around, spinning in a slow circle. When he stopped, however, the room continued to spin around him. Melting away until he stood alone in the middle of an inky black void.
"What's happening...?" Sam whispered, looking around.
Suddenly what looked like a large playing card appeared before him; it was at least nine feet tall, and it glowed brightly. The back of the card was engraved with epic drawings of people fighting dragons or trudging through frozen tundra or...
Sam paused.
There was a picture in the center of the card, of a boy, standing in the middle of the darkness, with another glowing card lighting up the space around it.
It was Sam.
The card turned around and Sam found himself staring at a massive picture of Rachel. She stood strong, face set in determination, hair blowing slightly in the wind. She was wearing tan riding pants, knee-length brown boots and a tapered red shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Her sword was sheathed at her side. There were scars all over her body, but she'd never looked more beautiful.
Sam felt light to his right and turned as another card appeared out of the darkness. It turned around to reveal Blaine, standing much like Rachel was. He was dressed in brown leather pants and had a matching leather vest over a green button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He was also wearing green boots. He grasped the strap of his quiver, and the silver tip of his bow was visible over one shoulder.
Sam turned, almost expectantly as a card with Santana staring out at him wielding her half-swords appeared opposite Blaine's card. One after another, other cards surrounding him, blocking him in; Quinn, Brittney, Mercedes, Puck, Kurt, Tina, Marley.
-Musical Cue-
-Spring Awakening: Those You've Known-
He looked around at his friends, and couldn't help but feel his heart shatter.
"Why are you showing me this?" He yelled to no one in particular.
He dropped to his knees and looked around at the cards, not bothering to hide his tears.
"I can't go back..." He whispered into his hands.
But they were a part of him...
If he'd been so strong, and so right, in leaving them behind...why did he feel so sad? Was it possible that he'd made a mistake?
"Those you've known..." A male voice rang out.
Sam jumped and tumbled forwards, turning around.
"...and lost still walk behind you." Finn smiled at him, waving slightly. "All alone... They linger 'till they find you."
He took a step forwards and Sam stood up, shakily.
"Without them, the world grows dark around you." Finn said, gesturing around at the cavern. "And nothing is the same until you know that they have found you."
Sam felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned around to find Kitty smiling sadly at him.
"Those you've pained may carry that still with them." She shrugged. "All the same, they whisper all forgiven."
She stepped forwards and took his hand, looking out at the cards.
"Still your heart says the shadows bring the starlight, and everything you've ever been is still there in the dark night." She finished.
Finn stepped up and grabbed Sam's other hand, and the two of them began to alternate, singing their morals.
"Though you know." He sang and she overlapped him. "You've left them far behind!"
"When the northern wind blows." She frowned. "The sorrows your heart holds."
"You walk on by yourself and not with them!" He frowned. "Still you know, they fill your heart and mine!
"There are those who still know, there's still hope!"
"When they say there's a way through this."
"There's still hope." Kitty faded away and Sam nodded, crying and joining them both in song.
"Those you've known and lost still walk behind you, all alone, there song still seems to find you." Sam let go of their hands and stepped forwards, shaking his head as they continued to sing. "They call you, as if you knew their longing! They whistle through the lonely wind, the long blue shadows falling..."
Sam looked up at Rachel's card, his dead friends standing behind him.
"All alone...but still I hear their yearning. Through the dark, the moon alone they're burning!" He sang, tears streaming down his face. "The stars, too, they tell of spring returning! And summer with another wind that no one yet has known!"
Finn and Kitty both jumped back in, Sam lost in his own world, and the other two singing their truths in his ear.
"Though you know." Finn sang. "There's so much more to find!"
"They call me!" Sam sang firmly.
"The northern wind blows!" Kitty crooned.
"Through all things!" Sam nodded. "Night's falling!"
"Another dream, another love you'll hold." Finn sang earnestly.
"But somehow on I go." Sam frowned.
"The sorrows your heart's known." Kitty belted. "I believe!"
"You watch me! Just watch me!" Sam snapped.
"Still you know, to trust your own true mind!" Finn set his face.
"I'm calling." Sam looked up at his love.
"There's still hope!" Kitty smiled kindly.
"On your way, you are not alone." Finn shook his head.
"From longing..." Sam sighed and looked back at Kitty and Finn.
"There's still hope!" Kitty nodded to him.
"Now they'll walk on my arm through the distant night." Sam sang, smiling at them, even as he cried. "And I won't let them stray from my heart."
He shook his head and turned to look back at the cards.
"Through the wind, through the dark, through the winter light...I will read all their dreams to the stars!" He began to turn in a slow circle, looking at his friends...his army. "I'll walk now with them...I'll call on their names, and I'll see their thoughts are known."
Kurt's card glowed with a black light.
"Not gone."
Marley's card shimmered yellow.
"Not gone." He turned to look at Tina's card. "They walk with my heart!"
"Not gone." Kitty smiled as the card shone pink.
"And I'll never let them go." He sang as Puck's card glowed a maroon color.
"Not gone." Mercedes's card lit up with purple light.
"I'll never let them go." Brittney's began to glow a dark royal blue.
"Not gone." Quinn's started shimmering a lighter blue.
"I'll never let them go." Santana's card burst out into silver light.
"You watch me, just watch me." Sam sang as Blaine's card began to glow green. "I'm calling. I'm calling, and one day all will know."
Rachel's card lit up red.
Sam turned to look at Kitty and Finn, stunned. They were both glowing, teal and a lighter green respectively.
"How are you here?" He asked.
"This is the place where the veil between the living and the dead is the thinnest." Kitty explained.
"Why are you here?" He asked. "Why are you glowing?"
"We're here for you man!" Finn grinned. "And we're glowing, because we're the light. Just like you."
Sam looked down and found his skin giving off a brilliant white light.
"You're the purest of colors Sam, because you're the least tainted by darkness. That's why you have to keep fighting. You're the only one who can defeat it." Kitty said.
"I never asked for that." Sam begged them to understand. "What if I don't want to fight anymore?"
"I think you do." Finn said. "Because you've got people worth fighting for. Only you can save them. You already have."
Sam looked at Santana's card, and then over to Blaine's. He'd saved them both...just like Marley had told him.
"I couldn't save either of you." Sam said. "And I probably just broke Rachel..."
"You of all people should know that Rachel is stronger than that." Kitty insisted, approaching him and resting a hand on his shoulder. "And we were never meant to make it out of this alive. We died for the greater good."
"I'm cool with my death." Finn said. "I died fighting for the good of the world. I'm a hero. So are you." He looked at Sam sadly.
"I'm not a hero." Sam insisted.
"So he's not going to believe us..." Finn sighed.
"Come on out!" Kitty called.
Sam looked around in confusion.
A hearty looking old woman in nursing garb stepped out from the shadows and looked up at Blaine and Rachel's cards with pride.
"Who are you?" Sam asked.
"I'm the Nurse." The woman said simply.
Sam gasped and then turned as somebody else approached. Brittney's father looked up at his daugther's card with a beaming grin. Bruce, the Blacksmith walked out just behind him and waved at Sam, nodding at the sword still at Sam's waist; The Hero's Sword.
Sam turned once more as three more people approached. First his mother, then two other people he didn't recognize. Their arms were linked, and they kept looking from Sam to one another, eyes sparkling.
The man opened his mouth.
"Hello son."
Blaine sat at the edge of a grassy cliff that overlooked the meadow before the castle, looking off into the setting sunlight. He took a deep breath a let it out again, eyes fogging over. It felt like the world was on his shoulders, and to an extent, it was.
"Hey..." A soft dulcet voice chimed softly. He didn't look at his girlfriend as she sat down next to him.
"Hey." He swallowed sadly.
"You'll be a great leader." Quinn said, taking his hand in hers.
"I'm no Sam." He said.
"You don't have to be." Quinn shook her head.
"Son?" Sam asked, taking a step closer. His footsteps echoed around the room as he approached. The closer he got to the man in the middle, the paler he seemed.
"That's right. Son. I always knew I'd see you again..." The man blinked back tears and the other adults all watched, beaming with pride. "I'm your father Sam."
Rachel sat down at the edge of the water, tears in her eyes. She'd spent so long pushing everybody away, and she'd been changed for the better by Sam, but... now she felt so alone.
But she wasn't, she realized. She loved Sam, and that wasn't going to change, but Rachel was also her own person. She realized suddenly that there was a balance between dependence and independence.
She'd stepped over the line on both sides, and maybe it was time for her to find a balance. She sniffled and smiled softly, nodding to herself.
"My father?" Sam whispered. The man nodded, smiling a very familiar smile. Sam realized that he'd seen that grin smiling back at him with every river that he looked into.
His father looked at the woman on his arm.
"Almost twenty years ago, I fell in love. The girl I loved was the sweetest, kindest woman I'd ever met." They smiled at one another. "By the grace of God she loved me back, and you were conceived. We managed to keep the pregnancy a secret for a very long time, but her father eventually found out. He wasn't too pleased..."
"Who...who was it?" Sam asked.
"The king."
"Are you afraid?" Quinn asked, looking out at the castle. He nodded.
"Petrified." He swallowed deeply. "You?"
She laughed.
"Terrified. We could die out there, you know that right?"
He reached for her hand and grabbed it tightly.
"I know." He turned to her. "At least now we have something worth living for." He laughed.
"What's that?" Quinn asked teasingly.
"You, stupid." He laughed, nudging her. "Do you remember the day I taught you to shoot an arrow?" He asked.
"Yeah." She nodded.
"Look how far we've come..."
"After you were born, the King killed his daughter and sentenced you and I to death. That's why I gave you up Sam, because you would be safer in the arms of an unknown than those of a fugitive." Sam's father looked at his biological mother who nodded in confirmation.
Sam let this information sink in. This was the explanation that he'd spent his whole life wondering about.
"Dad..."
"Yes son?"
"How are you here?" He whispered; voice thick with emotion. "How are any of you?"
"You needed us to be here." Bruce smiled warmly. "You're almost there, my boy, it's just a little further."
Sam shook his head.
"I'm not strong enough!"
"You are..." His adopted mother shook her head.
"How do you know?"
"Because you have love on your side." The Nurse stepped forwards and waved a withered old hand through the air at Rachel's card.
"And you have friendship." Brittney's father smiled.
"Those are two things that I never had." His father said. "Your girlfriend is right, you're stronger than you think you are. But the thing that makes you the strongest, is that you have something worth fighting for."
Sam looked down at the illuminated ground, watching as his tears splashed against the light. Slowly the color began to fade away, giving way to the soft earthy gray of rock.
"Dad?" He looked up, startled to find the pale image of his father, the cards, and the other adults fading away.
The man smiled at him fondly.
"You've made me so proud Sam. You're a better man than I ever was." A tear slipped down his father's ghostly cheek.
"You're a wonderful person Sam." His mother said as she waved goodbye.
"I'm proud to have raised you into the man you are today." His adoptive mother smiled.
"See you later kid." Bruce smiled.
"It's just a little further!" The Nurse nodded.
"Make us proud!" Brittney's father smiled.
"Don't forget what we've said Sam. Those you've known, you carry us still with you." Kitty said.
"You're not alone. You're not ever alone." Finn nodded and a single tear slipped down his face.
By the time it hit the ground, the chamber had reverted back to a barren rocky grotto.
Rachel looked up at the sound of breaking water. Sam walked slowly out of the spring, looking at her with new light in his eyes.
As he approached her, he felt new love pumping through his veins.
"I'm sorry." He whispered. "So, so sorry."
"You should be." Rachel looked at him, crying. "You of all people know how hard it was for me to open up, and then to act like you can just walk back out of my life?"
"I was wrong, and I'm so sorry for that. I'll never leave you again Rachel."
"How can I know for sure?" She asked.
"I feel so alone now Quinn..." Blaine sighed.
"What do you mean?" She asked, sitting up.
"Rachel just left...before you, she was all I had in the world."
Quinn softened, holding his hand tightly.
-Musical Cue-
-Darren Criss: Not Alone-
"You're not alone anymore Blaine..." She smiled encouragingly. He frowned disbelievingly.
"I can prove it." Sam said, digging his hands into his pockets.
"I've been alone..." Blaine sang softly. "Surrounded by darkness...and I've seen how heartless, the world can be..." He whimpered. Quinn nodded and took over singing.
Across the forest, Sam pulled the small box out of his pocket. Rachel put a hand to her mouth and fresh tears spilled from her eyes.
"And I've seen you crying..." Quinn sang, smiling. "You felt like its hopeless...I'll always do my best, to make you see..." She nodded and he looked her in the eyes. She sang to him, even as she began to cry. "Baby, you're not alone!" She insisted, nudging him tenderly. "Cause you're here with me, and nothing's ever gonna bring us down cause nothing can keep me from loving you."
Rachel hastily nodded her head as Sam opened the box, revealing the glimmering diamond ring.
"And you know it's true. It don't matter what'll come to be, our love is all we need to make it through." Quinn sang softly.
Blaine looked out at the castle, tears in his eyes as well, but determination etched there as well. He stood up, pulling Quinn to her feet as well.
"Now I know it ain't easy..." He sang. "But it ain't hard trying."
He looked at Quinn and she shook her head in agreement.
Sam slipped the ring onto Rachel's finger.
"Every time I see you smiling." He laughed and she grinned, nodding. "And I feel you so close, to me...And you tell me..."
Rachel leapt into Sam's arms and he held her tight.
"Baby you're not alone!" Blaine and Quinn sang to each other. "Cause you're here with me."
Sam lowered Rachel to the ground and pulled her in for a kiss.
"And nothing's ever gonna bring us down cause nothing can keep me from loving you, and you know it's true!"
Rachel pulled apart and turned, beckoning him to follow her back into the forest. He paused and turned to look at the water.
"It don't matter what'll come to be, our love is all we need to make it through." Blaine and Quinn both smiled and leaned in to kiss once more.
Sam pulled the note from his father out of his pocket; looking out at the spring he opened his mouth to sing.
"I still have trouble! I trip and stumble tryin' to make sense of things sometimes..." He folded the note twice into a small square. "I look for reasons...But I don't need 'em, all I need is to look in your eyes."
He glanced over his shoulder at where Rachel was waiting for him by the forest's edge. He threw the note into the spring and turned away.
"And I realize!" He sang, taking her hand. She smiled and joined him to sing the chorus. "Baby I'm not alone! Cause you're here with me!"
She led him back through the forest, hands clasped tightly as he ran his finger over her engagement ring.
"And nothing's ever gonna take us down!" They paused and Sam nodded for Rachel to continue.
"Cause nothing can keep me from loving you!" She sang, smiling. "And you know it's true!"
"It don't matter what'll come to be..." Blaine sang as he and Quinn separated. "Our love is all we need to make it through, ooh cause you're here with me." He crooned softly.
"And nothing's ever gonna bring us down..." Quinn smiled.
"Cause nothin'-" Sam shook his head.
"Nothin'." Rachel nodded.
"Nothin'." Blaine grinned.
"Can keep me from loving you!" Quinn sang dulcetly.
"And you know it's true..." Sam sang.
"Ooh, it don't matter what'll come to be..." Rachel wailed as she and Sam stepped out onto the cliff where Blaine and Quinn stood. The others turned to face them.
"You know our love," Sam wailed. "Is all we need."
"Our love is all we need." Blaine nodded to him.
They approached each other and wrapped up in a meaningful group hug.
"To make it..." Sam sang.
They closed their eyes as they finished the song together. "Through..."
Reflections
Blaine smiled down into the ashes of the fire as he cooked the fish overtop of it. He looked up, past the flames at the figure who was sitting there, gnawing on an apple overenthusiastically. He was overjoyed, he couldn't even begin to describe it. His companion finished the apple and Blaine laughed, standing up.
"Flower, you are going to get fat." He said, taking the fish from the fire and setting it to the side, walking around and patting the scruff of his deer friend's neck.
Blaine and his deer moved off out of the small clearing and he caught Mercedes's eye, she grinned at him. It had been she who thought to go to the woods behind Violetedge and fetch Blaine's first friend, and when Blaine had woken the morning of the seventh day to find his deer casually eating his hair, triangular hat still firmly in place atop her head, he was positive that he'd been dreaming.
The campsite had grown in size, almost exponentially. It seemed as though every single member of the Kingdom had shown up to fight for their freedom. People and animals alike had arrived to show their support; the wolf pack, the three bears, the dragons, Flower, the citizens of Ostvale, Fayhaven, Starryville, even the bartender from the fishing village had shown up.
After some quick recalculating, Quinn had discovered that their plans of invasion would work even better now. They could risk sending even more of their focal fighters into the castle, now that they had more people to cover the grounds.
The plan was stated again and again, everybody knew what they were to do. A lot of the plan involved thinking on their feet, because they couldn't be sure who or what they would come across in or around the castle. There were two main fields of combat for the initial battling; the air crew, and the ground crew.
Most of the 'soldiers' didn't have much combat training, so Rachel, Kurt and Puck led a workout session every morning for the entire week leading up to their planned invasion trying to make sure that everybody had at least basic knowledge.
Blaine and Quinn sought out and trained a handful of people who had brought ranged weapons, and had assigned them each to a dragon for the war and training them in any way that they could.
Some of the other soldiers stepped up to teach their friends or family members everything they knew, in fact, it was rare to see anybody sitting around doing nothing.
Sam smiled and looked up at the moon.
It was the night before they planned to invade the castle. The soldiers had to know that they were coming at this point, but Sam's army was nothing to scoff at, and they hadn't been attacked, Sam reasoned, because the soldiers wouldn't have the home field advantage in the Blackapple Woods.
Most of the citizens had fallen asleep, getting their rest before the final battle. The only ones who remained awake, were a handful of musicians jamming off to the side, and the original fugitives.
Sam looked around at his army, sitting happily around the campfire, all awaiting the battle that was before them. There wasn't a soldier among them who didn't understand that any one of them could die tomorrow, and yet, all he saw were smiles.
He looked at Kurt; he'd almost single-handedly recruited the majority of their current army. They wouldn't have stood a chance against the Imperial Soldiers without the citizens. At least now, thanks to Kurt, they'd evened out the playing field. Sam didn't need to prove that Kurt was strong; he'd proven that himself when he almost plummeted into the belly of the sea serpent, and had kicked it in the teeth instead, or when he stood strong against the army of spiders in the Vertglass Mines.
He was a sweet boy, but he was a fighter, that much had been apparent right from their first meeting that night just outside of Whitemist Forest, when he was prepared to fight them all to protect his city, and his life. Kurt was one of the strongest soldiers they had, having trained himself since birth to defend the only life he'd ever known. Sam was proud of how far he'd come, from the isolated individual living alone, to the leader of the rebel army.
Sam looked across the circle at where Puck was drinking from a bottle that Santana and Marley had brought back with them. Puck was the strongest fighter they had. He'd saved all of their lives in the Vertglass Mines, he was the only one to drive off Coal in the Fire Dragon's den, and he'd been the main objective for much of their journey. More importantly, he had somehow found the strength to keep going, when his sister had been killed right in front of him. Puck was the strongest fighter they had indeed, and Sam meant that both physically, and emotionally.
Somehow, Puck had managed to survive on his own, as a fugitive, along the Silvershore. Sam knew firsthand how hard it was to stay sane as a fugitive, even with friends by your side, so he was awestruck that Puck had managed to live for so long in such solitude. He'd adapted well, however, to their group dynamic, and, as he watched him chatting almost silently to Mercedes, Sam couldn't help but be happy that they'd found one another.
Sam looked at the biracial girl sitting next to Puck, all rosy cheeked and happy and so obviously smitten. He owed her more than he could count; she'd saved them in Violetedge and stayed strong when she thought she was going to die. She'd chosen them, over who she had believed to be her true love. More than that, Mercedes had found the strength to walk away from a love that was hurting her, more than it healed. Sam could only imagine how impossible that was.
That kind of strength was something that Sam didn't even think he possessed. There were a lot of people in their group that inspired him, but Mercedes was definitely one of his heroes. She was the only one of all of them who had gone through what she'd gone through, she represented the difficult side of love, a side that the rest of them had been lucky enough to avoid for the most part. She caught his eye and smiled, he smiled back.
Then there was Tina, the small-town girl who had wanted so much to help, but had never known how. She'd saved Sam's life in the cottage of the Witch of Whitemist Forest. Actually, she'd saved them all; Rachel, Blaine, Finn and Santana. If Tina hadn't gathered her strength when she did, they might all be plant food. Tina had never been their strongest fighter, but she'd always been their strongest heart. She knew she wasn't going to wield a broadsword like Puck, or command an army like Kurt, but she'd worked privately until she developed her own invaluable skill; healing. She'd been a saviour yet again when Santana broke her leg. If Tina hadn't healed her...Brittney would no longer be with them.
Tina was, in Sam's opinion, one of the bravest of their soldiers, because she'd abandoned a comfortable life to help them. Most of the others had abandoned lives of solitude and fear and captivity in order to fight for somebody, but Tina had been a well-off individual with a steady career and good friends already. She had every right to leave them after Whitemist Forest, but she'd persevered for the greater good, and now she was putting her life on the line for them. He didn't know if he would ever stop owing her.
Just across the fire from Tina, sat Marley. Marley was the strongest mage that they had. She'd guided Quinn and Sam to Violetedge, she'd guided Sam to his friends on Falcon Bridge, she'd been an outside influence for so long, but as soon as she was given the chance, she'd jumped to be on the inside. If not for Marley, Quinn would never have been returned to them! Sam would never have gotten through to Blaine...and they were all aware of how much she'd helped them through Finn.
Marley was the newest member of their army. Sam hadn't been sure how she'd fit in, initially, being so new, and so powerful, but she'd integrated herself into their group seamlessly, and now he could hardly imagine their force without her. He smiled at her and she smiled back, waving. He suspected that she was probably reading his thoughts as he looked around at their small group, and her slight nod proved to him that he was right. He laughed and glared at her. She shrugged and gestured for him to move on to the girl next to her; Santana.
Sam almost didn't know where to start with Santana; she'd been the first person to join them of her own free will. Whereas Sam and Quinn had practically coerced Rachel and Blaine to join, they'd actually tried to forbid Santana from tagging along. She was probably the most stubborn member of their group, however, and had followed them anyways, all in the name of their safety! That was selflessness if Sam had ever known it.
Like Tina, Santana had left a relatively comfortable life behind, trading it in for their life of living off the land and sleeping on the ground, and she rarely complained. Like Finn, Santana had constantly kept everybody's spirits up. She was a hilarious individual, but he remembered how strong she'd been when Ree had tried to kill Brittney. If not for Santana's heart, and determination, than they wouldn't have escaped that battle alive, none of them, not just Brittney.
Santana had also been fortunate enough to find love in this hopeless world, just like Sam had, and how Quinn, Rachel, Mercedes, Puck and Blaine had. Santana was special, however, in that she hadn't meant to fall for Brittney. While the others had eventually fallen for each other, it was a gradual thing, and they had time to adjust. It wasn't until Brittney's life was on the line that Santana realized just how strongly she felt for the other girl.
Brittney, Quinn, Blaine, Rachel... He looked at the other four one after the other. They were his rocks in this terrible world. Without them, none of this would've been possible. He loved everybody in the army, but these four had been there longer, had overcome more...They were the principal characters in his story, and he owed them more than just his life.
Brittney had saved them from Savannah, Coal and Riker at the very beginning. She'd lied to royalty without batting an eye, just because she knew she had to. Because of this, she had been forced out on her own. Brittney had followed the same path as the others, but she'd crept around behind the scenes, helping as much as she could. It was because of her that Mercedes was alive, that Santana was with them, that Kitty had made them leave Fayhaven in time, and she didn't really get any credit for it.
Brittney had been homeless at the start; she'd been lost and alone. Brittney didn't know how to love, not really. Through their journey, however, Brittney had learned that a home didn't have to be stationary. She'd discovered a home with them, with her friends and her girlfriend, and Sam couldn't be more proud of his best friend.
Blaine was another story entirely. Right from his entrance into Sam's life, he had been in the thick of it. He'd saved them twice before he even knew their names, and he'd done so for little reason other than it was the right thing to do. He'd helped them, even though nobody had helped him and his sister when they were in the same situation. He'd volunteered to lead the expedition with the Dragons, he'd managed to stay conscious in the Vertglass Mines, and more importantly, he'd managed to show Quinn that it's better to be the most beautiful thing in the world to one person, than it is to be sexy to a sleezy population.
Blaine had always been friendly, but he'd also clearly been afraid to take a chance on people, to get too close, because once he was there...it obviously scared him. It wasn't surprising really, that he and Rachel had ended up that way. It was a parent's job to love their children, and the siblings had been deprived of that. Now, Sam was proud to call him one of his best friends, and he was sure that the feeling was reciprocated.
Then there was Quinn, who had always tried to think for the good of the group, trying not to let her heart lead, trying to think clearly for everybody! She had died for them! Just like Finn and Kitty, Quinn had died for their group. She had found her mother again when they returned to Ostvale, and then...Quinn had somehow found the strength to leave her, in all the uncertainty and confusion, she'd left her behind for a second time.
Quinn had been one of his two best friends at the very start of his journey, and here she was, one of his best friends at the end. They weren't as close, Sam supposed, as they had been then. But that was okay...because they'd gone through so much, that no matter how much they drifted, they would always be a part of one another's lives.
Rachel...
Sam didn't know where to start with Rachel. Didn't know if he could start with Rachel! She was the true leader of their group, because she led him when he didn't know how. She managed to bring him out of his own head. She willingly chased down her parents, after everything they had done to her. She had managed to survive and take care of her brother at the same time. She had always lived, not just for herself, but for everybody around her. Now, she was putting her life on the line for the same people.
He loved her.
Sam paused, smiling to himself at how lucky he was to have friends as great as these, he looked around at them, fire sparkling in his eyes.
"Hey Sam!" Santana yelled suddenly. He looked up and she passed him a bottle. He thanked her and looked around at his friends.
"I think it's time for a song." He said, laughing.
"I think you're right." Rachel nodded.
"Hell yeah!" Marley cheered. Blaine laughed.
"Take it away fearless leader!" Brittney grinned.
"Actually, I think Tina deserves to start this one..." He said, smiling. She looked surprised but everybody clapped her on the back and cheered her on.
"Umm...okay!" She said.
-Musical Cue-
-Tarzan: You'll Be In My Heart-
Sam grinned and nodded. Some of the citizens of the Kingdom approached them, instruments in hand. The band started up and Tina rocked to the beat. She looked at her friends.
"Come stop your crying it will be alright." She smiled and tilted her head, nodding. "Just take my hand, hold it tight."
"I will protect you from, all around you." Puck draped his arm over Mercedes's shoulders and she snuggled up into him. "I will be here, don't you cry."
"For one so small, you seem so strong!" Blaine smiled, turning to face Quinn and hold her hands. "My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm!"
"This bond between us; can't be broken." Rachel shook her head, looking up at Sam. "I will be here, don't you cry."
Tina nodded at Puck, Blaine and Rachel and the four of them stood up, singing together around the campfire as the others watched.
"Cause you'll be in my heart!" They grinned; Tina throwing her hands out and then pressing them against her chest. "Yes you'll be in my heart! From this day on!" Blaine pointed at the ground for emphasis. "Now and forever more!" Rachel and Puck locked eyes, nodding and smiling emphatically.
"You'll be in my heart!" Marley and Kurt sang together, standing slowly.
"No matter what they say!" Kurt cut his hand through the air.
"You'll be in my heart..." They sang together, and then Kurt fell away as Marley finished the phrase. "Always."
Santana stood up slowly, dusting herself off and turning to Brittney.
"Why can't they understand the way we feel?" She shrugged, reaching out and holding her hands where she sat. "They just don't trust, what they can't explain."
Puck turned to Mercedes as she sang to him.
"I know we're different but...deep inside us...we're not that different at all." She held up her hand and he took it, bringing her to her feet.
Neither Santana nor Mercedes took their eyes off of their significant others as they belted out the chorus together.
"And you'll be in my heart! Yes you'll be in my heart!" They sang, Mercedes nodding determinedly. "From this day on, now and forever more!" Santana pulled Brittney to her feet and she stepped forwards, clenching a fist and locking eyes with Rachel across the campfire.
"Don't listen to them! Cause what do they know?" Brittney nodded sharply.
"What do they know?" Santana backed her up softly.
"We need each other, to have, to hold!" Rachel sang, grinning at Brittney as she joined her in song. "They'll see in time..."
"I know..." Brittney smiled, finishing the line.
"When destiny calls you, you must be strong!" Sam sang, standing and staring at the sky.
"You've got to be strong..." Puck repeated.
"I may not be with you..." Quinn grabbed Blaine's hands and joined everybody else in standing. "But you've got to hold on."
"They'll see in time..." Sam joined her, locking eyes. "I know..."
Kurt stepped forwards and belted out the lead in to the next chorus.
"We'll show them together cause-"
"You'll be in my heart!" Marley and Tina belted together.
"Believe me you'll be in my heart!" Tina nodded.
"I'll be there from this day on!" Marley jabbed her finger towards the ground firmly.
"Now and forever more!" Sam belted, squeezing his eyes shut as everybody jumped in for the chorus.
"Oh you'll be in my heart!"
"You'll be here in my heart!" Blaine wailed, pounding his chest.
"No matter what they say."
"I'll be with you." Santana nodded.
"You'll be here in my heart."
"I'll be there, always." Rachel smiled tenderly.
"Always..." Sam sang, looking down at her.
"I'll be with you!" Brittney nodded honestly.
"I'll be there for you always!" Kurt wailed.
"Always and always." Quinn leaned against Blaine's arm.
"Just look over your shoulder." Mercedes and Puck sang together.
"Just look over your shoulder." Tina and Marley repeated.
"Just look over your shoulder..." They all jumped in and then Sam finished solo, smiling at his army. "I'll be there, always..."
So there you have it; Sam's father fell in love with the King's daughter and impregnated her, when the King found out, he killed her and sentenced Sam and his father to death. Fearing for the life of his son, Sam's father left him with the Innkeeper in Ostvale and fled until the soldiers caught up with him and he was killed. Now, with all of the questions answered, and all of their journeys complete, its time for the army to march into battle, and take on the people who have made this Kingdom miserable. Everything comes to a head in the final battle as everybody must finally duke it out with their rivals, and when the rain begins to pour and the battle draws to a close, one death may shock everything.
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