Author's note: Ok, this has been like a busy week for me, and now I apologize right now because this chapter is kinda short compared to some of the previous chapters, but it's still good.

Ashlynn: Yeah talk about a busy week, school work, jury duty, a quiz, a midterm, and a field-trip on Saturday. Pretty packed if you ask me.

Aralyn: You also forgot work. But that's besides the point, the point is I got this next chapter out! *happy dance*

Ashlynn: Ar, does not own the smurfs or any of their characters and plots

Aralyn: All I own is me and Ash.

Medieval and Modern Times


(S)

As the sun came up and began to paint the sky pink and orange Ashlynn awoke to something nudging her hand. Slowly she opened her sleepy eyes to see that the black stag was still there.

"Hey boy," she smiled as she sat up, "How do you feel?"

The stag didn't speak but his grey eyes seemed to dance with happiness.

Standing up Ashlynn went over to Greedy's house to get breakfast for herself and the deer.

As they finished their morning meal Brainy approached, wearing a sort of doctor's outfit, with Smurfette in tow. Holding out his hand her requested his pair of scissors, which he then used to carefully cut off the wrappings around the stag's leg.

"Now to see if the treatment was a success."

Everyone held their breath as the stag tried to stand, then again. Finally on the third try he stood up on all fours.

Everyone, including Ashlynn, cheered with all their might.

"Your leg is all better Mr. Deer, now you can go back to the forest." Smurfette smiled.

But to everyone's shock the black stag shook his head. The smurfs watched in confusion as the deer began to drag his hoof in the dirt.

"Whatever is he doing?" Vanity asked.

"Why, he's drawing a picture." Smurfette observed, looking at the lines in the dirt. "It looks like a castle."

"But what does it mean?"

"What are you trying to tell us?"

Before anyone could respond there came a horn blast from the forest, nearby too, by the sound of it. The stag's head shot up in alarm and he bounded off in a panic.

"You guys stay here," Ashlynn instructed, "I'll try to keep him safe." She promised as she ran as fast as she could after the strange stag. 'No way am I letting those hunters kill that deer.' She swore to herself, 'Over my dead body.'


(E)

Slowly Gerard opened his eyes, the soft sunlight of early morning lit up his window.

"Good morning Clockwork." He yawned as he rubbed his still sleepy eyes, but he recived no response. "Clockwork!" he asked again, far more awake than he had been a second ago.

But his little wooden friend was nowhere to be seen. Scanning the room Gerard noticed the door was opened ever so slightly, but he didn't remember leaving it open last night.

"He must have wandered out." He thought as he got up and walked out into the hallway.

Listening he heard sounds coming from the kitchen, as quietly as he could he snuck down the empty hallway and listened with all his might.

There was the sound of pans, sizzling food cooking, footsteps around the kitchen, and a soft mechanical whirring he had come to know very well over the past years.

"Thanks for helping with breakfast Clockwork," he could hear Ashlynn say, "but you didn't have to, you know."

Clockwork gave a few chirps and Ashlynn giggled, "But thank you, there are more mouths to feed than what I'm used to."

She paused for a second, "When do you think they'll wake up?" she asked.

Clockwork shrugged his little shoulders and things were quiet for another few seconds.

"Gerard, you can come out now." Ashlynn said calmly, much to his surprise.

"How did you know I was there?" he asked rounding the corner into the kitchen.

Ashlynn smiled as she shook her head, "You're not as quiet as you think you are."

They both laughed softly as Ashlynn returned to her cooking and Gerard gathered plates and utensils to set the table. Silently they both wished that, that one little moment had been a little longer, even if it was only a second more, together.


(S)

Ashlynn leaned against a tree, trying to catch her breath, "Man that stag is fast, but I can't stop now, not until he's safe."

Looking up she saw the stag, he was on the edge of a small gully. Looking back the stag jumped down the side of the gorge, trying to get away from the rapidly approaching hunters.

Running along the edge Ashlynn followed them until they came to a dead end where the hunters had the poor stag cornered.

Malcolm chuckled darkly as he took an arrow from his quiver and Ashlynn knew now was the time for action.

"STOP!" she screamed as she slid down the slope and placed herself in front of the stag.

"What do you think you're going little lass?" Malcolm asked, his tone beyond the point of deadly, as he aimed his bow in her direction.

"I'm not going to let you kill this stag." She glared at the hunters, "If you really want to kill this poor stag so badly then you will have to live with the stain of my blood on your hands as well!" she yelled as she wrapped her arms around the deer's neck and shielded the defenseless animal with her body.

Malcolm seemed to hesitate for a second, and that was all that was needed. In that second a smurf made out of wood ran in front of Malcolm's horse causing it to rear and throw Malcolm off its back. However in losing his balance Malcolm let go of the arrow he had set, and it flew through the air.

Ashlynn involuntarily screamed as the metal tip pierced her skin and embedded its self in her side. Consumed by pain she collapsed on the ground, simply wishing the pain would stop. Slowly she began to lose her vision, and the last thing she saw was the dogs growling as they drew closer to the black stag, then everything went dark.


The dogs closed in on the stag, but before they could attack there was a flash of light and the stag disappeared, and in its place stood a young man, dressed in royal robes, with a crown upon his head and his hands on his hips.

With yelps and whimpers the dogs retreated. Malcolm rubbed his head as he sat up, and to his surprise the magic he had used on his younger cousin had been reversed onto him, now he was the black stag, the prize of the hunt. Filled with fear he quickly fled, the dogs right on his heels.

Malcolm's two, unknowing henchmen took aim at the fleeing deer.

"Stop, don't shoot!" the young monarch commanded, "It is I, King Gerard."

The two men fell flat on their faces, "Your majesty!" the shorter one gasped. "B-but the black stag." The other one pointed out to the frightened creature that was still running away.

"I want him captured alive." Gerard instructed and the men gathered their horses to continue to pursuit.


At long last Gerard made his way back to the smurf's village, in order to thank them properly for all their help. "Thank you dear friends, once again I owe you my life. If it hadn't been for the bravery of Harmony and my dear Clockwork, I might have been just another prize for Malcolm to hang on his wall."

"And what will become of Malcolm now you're majesty?' Papa Smurf asked.

"I will restore him to normal," Gerard promised, "only after he's captured. Perhaps my cousin will have learned his lesson, after the dogs have snapped at his own heels for a while." He chuckled good humoredly.

The smurfs cheered for their good friend, his sense of justice, and his safe return.

Later as they all began to go about their normal chores Gerard stopped Papa Smurf, "Excuse me Papa Smurf, but I was wondering…"

"Yes you're highness?"

"What happened to that girl, uh, Ashlynn, I believe was her name. Is she alright?"

"Doctor Smurf is tending to her at the moment, I was just about to go see how she was." Papa Smurf motioned for Gerard to follow him.

Sure enough near the edge of the village Ashlynn was laying down on the ground, with Doctor working as best he could on her wound. "How is she Doctor Smurf?" Papa asked worriedly.

"Not good I'm afraid, Papa Smurf." Doctor sighed sadly, "The arrow caused so much damage to her side, and she is losing a lot of blood. She needs medical attention from a human, and soon, or she could… s-she could die."

"I'll take her!" Gerard spoke up after a long silent second.

"Are you sure you're highness?" Papa Smurf asked uncertainly.

"Yes," he confirmed, "This young lady has paid a deadly price for my safety, the least I can do is try to do save her life in return."

Doctor Smurf finished wrapping a temporary bandage around Ashlynn's wound and gave the ok for Gerard to move her.

Gerard gently picked up the girl's small, fragile frame, as if one wrong movement would cause her to shatter like broken glass. Lifting her up onto Malcolm's hunting horse he had Clockwork hold her steady as he used some bits of rope to secure her to the horse.

Then climbing up in front of her he secured her hands around his waist, so she would not fall off as they hurried towards the castle.

Giving a final farewell Gerard and Clockwork bid their friends good bye and raced away as fast as they could. Galloping through the trees Gerard prayed in his mind that they would make it in time, for her, the unconscious girl behind him, the girl who had saved his life, the girl who's life now desperately hung in the balance of fate itself.


Aralyn: Dun dun da-dun! Cliffhanger!

Ashlynn: Hey you can't kill me off! I'm a main character! What main character dies in a story before it's over!

Aralyn: What about Harry Potter, he died?

Ashlynn: And came back from the dead.

Aralyn: Lord of the Rings, Gandalf the Grey?

Ashlynn: He came back too, as Gandalf the White, remember?

Aralyn: Maybe I'll resurrect you back from the dead, then you'll actually be a zombie. Any way thank you readers for all your support, it means a lot.

Ashlynn: Also be on the look out for her up coming smurfs/disney parody, 'All Tangled Up'. Hopefully the first chapter will be up next week.

Aralyn: What about Spock in Star Trek?

Ashlynn: Radioactively reborn, face it Ar, even if they die they come back, so you can't kill me!

Aralyn: What about Jack Dawson from Titanic?

Ashlynn: *gasp* You wouldn't!

Aralyn: Hey, who's the author here?