I am currently writing this on a makeshift desk by an open window overlooking the ocean and bringing along the salty breeze. So clearly I am inspired. My parents are European and I've visited this tiny island about five times so it's really a home away from home and the perfect remedy from life. You wouldn't believe the difference in lifestyle; it really is island time here.

On a side note I can also hear my neighbors goat :P

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Of all things she had expected to encounter along the way a child certainly was the last thing. Her hand involuntarily smoothed over the boys dark, loose curls murmuring soothing words. Eric had observed them for a few quiet moments before looking around slowly with a calculating eye, this was too far for a child to wander off on their own. The situation filled him with concern; something was amiss.

He turned back to the pair, the boy sniffling quietly his nose pressed into the crook of Rose's neck and shoulder while she had wrapped him tightly in her cloak. Although he knew that they could not handle another person there was no way he could leave the child behind and it rose an explainable irritation within him.

Now he was accountable for two lives when he was already struggling with the one he had before. He moved towards Snow White his arm going to her back as he urged her forward.

"Come Rose," his voice was insistent and her feet moved her even before she managed to ask him why, her blind trust in him unwillingly pleasing that particularly male part of his brain.

"Where'd he come from?"

"Not sure. He didn't come from the direction we came from, his tracks were to the east. Hale had mentioned that there was another village but it was a few days trek there would be no way he could have made it on his own."

A few silent moments passed them as they walked, the sounds of nature filling the void; twigs snapping along with the slight crunch of the dried leaves, their smoky scent lingering in the air. Sunlight filtered through the treetops spattering patches of light on the forest floor as two birds swooped before them in some type of elaborate dance before flitting off not paying the strangers any mind.

"Will we keep him?" her voice was hushed as if not to alert the small boy should the huntsman's answer should be no.

The question however made him look at her while thoughts began to rush his mind unbidden. She had unintentionally made it seem like they were a family. They way she had asked 'we' innocently caused his mind to stray with the word nonetheless.

Could they keep him? It was more a question of what they were to do with him for the time being and not as a permanent fixture. He knew this but some part of his mind that seemed to have been hibernating instantly pictured her as a wife, his wife, and her question seemed to offer them as a ready made family for him if he agreed.

The idea slammed him hard in the chest. The only person he had ever thought of having a family with had been Sarah. But seeing Rose with the boy clutched at her breast made him suddenly long for it again and it terrified him of just how strongly he wanted it. And just how sudden it had resurfaced.

But responding with yes was just as terrifying, it was as if he was confirming that he was ready to sever Sarah from him entirely and completely. Though he had moved on with his life, thought of her less and when he did it was with less grief he wasn't quite ready to take that step. It also came to him that this was not what she had intended at all, asking him a simple question that he was delving into far too much.

Instead he avoided giving her an answer telling her that they needed to move. And so she did wrapping the cloak around herself and the child tighter who had stopped sobbing at this point but continued to sniffle and whimper. Eric's hand found her back once more and pressed her gently into his side as he scanned the area around them, too much of this did not feel right.

They continued their walk for another hour as the sky began to slowly change to a deeper hue of orange and pink, they would need to set up camp soon and figure out what to do with this new addition as there had to be someone missing him. But before he could make his thoughts known a sound to their right caught their attention and he tightened his arm around Snow White's shoulders effectively stopping her from moving forward.

She looked up at him with concern in her eyes along with underlying panic and he made sure to keep his own emotionless. He angled and tilted his head straining his hearing trying to make sense of what it could be while feigning that he was unaffected by it.

Unexpectedly shouts and high-pitched screams filled the air and around them men, women, riders atop horses moved from between the trees and surrounded them. It was not yet dark, time was suspended in the space between day and evening the light glowing a bright orange as of the sun was giving its last efforts before night came upon them. It was enough to see the people clearly and to see the fury reflected in each of their faces.

There had of been roughly twenty people all scowling, all watching their every move calculating when it was best to advance. Somehow during all this Eric had moved in front Rose her right arm wrapped around his abdomen tightly and he could feel the small lump that was the boy pressed between his back and her chest.

The huntsman's eyes flitted off each person knowing with a sinking feeling within his gut that there were too many of them and that he would not be successful in fending them off. Instead he brought his own right hand to cover Rose's, wrapping her small hand within his and pressing it against his chest sure that she could feel the erratic rate his heart took on, unable to disguise the panic he now felt.

He lifted his left hand up the palm facing the wall of people in front of him, his fingers splayed in a show of surrender.

"We have nothing save for the clothes on our backs." Eric's voice rang out clear and stronger than he felt.

Had he been alone he would have already been swinging his fists, pulling men from their mounts but his thoughts were invaded with Rose; her safety, her life, keeping her close. Even his own life depended on how he approached them and he was painfully aware he was treading a very fine line.

"Who is behind you?" An olive-skinned man with black, chin length wavy hair sat atop a chestnut horse. He carried himself with authority and a no nonsense air causing Eric to believe this man was the head of this ambush.

"My wife," he said without a moment's hesitation. "We are travelers nothing more, let us pass we do not want any trouble."

"We seek a child, have you seen him?" the man scrutinized them one hand fisted against his hip, the horse's reins in the other.

Eric's eyes narrowed taking in the man, his vibrant clothing and the small gold hoop in his ear giving away who he was. Gypsies; generally a nuisance and easily dealt with but they were skilled fighters with no moral code outside their individual clans. Outnumbered like this the odds were completely in their favour.

They wanted the boy, which only spiked Eric's curiosity. An innocent child being hunted by this many people did not sit well with him.

"Out here?" Eric gestured around them watching as they also eyed the trees. "We have not seen any children here."

Their leader seemed unimpressed. "Tell your wife to move from behind you, what has she there?"

"We have nothing and she stays with me." his voice had taken on its usual edge as his hand tightened hers in response.

"Either you move willingly or we move her for you."

The silence seemed to stretch for a few moments until the man lifted his chin gesturing to someone off to the side. simultaneously Eric felt Rose being pulled from him while hands grabbed at him leading him away and keeping his arms from moving as his heels dug into the earth. His managed to free one arm and his fist found the face of the man nearest him, a spurt of blood spilling forth as the man brought his hands to his nose.

The second he rammed his shoulder into sending them both to the ground allowing Eric to straddle him before delivering two heavy fists to the man's face. Another came from behind Eric's and his elbow lifted sharply and into his face. He was doing well until four men advanced on him finally bringing him down.

"Let her go! Rose!" he jerked his arms angrily trying to get to her before a sharp pain brought him to his knees a warm trickle running down the side of his face where he had been struck. The blow had made him dizzy and unable to focus, the world swimming before his eyes.

Rose had stumbled on the hem of her skirts confused by Eric being swarmed and wanting to keep herself from being captured, all the while managing to keep a hold of the boy in her arms. The man was gripping her arm painfully twisting it until she cried out painfully.

"You cannot have him!" she finally cried out. "He is an innocent and you cannot have him, we wont let you!" The groups angry rustling and noise died down at her declaration until the man who had spoken earlier took a moment to study her before dismounting and making his way leisurely towards her.

He hooked a finger under her chin making her look up at him. She could smell a mixture of earth and spices on him, the corners of his eyes were lined and though he had to be some thirty odd years older than she could see that he was handsome. His black hair somewhat was somewhat wiry and lined with grey. Faintly she could hear the huntsman struggling against his captors before a familiar grunt and curse broke the string of threats and pleads.

"Stop!" Snow White cried as blood had begun to drip from the huntsman's nose as his eyes took on a glazed, dazed look.

"Stop." she turned back defiantly to the man in front of her keeping her fear just under the surface where she prayed he couldn't see.

The boy had begun to cry again still concealed from them under her cloak.

"You are ready to fight tooth and nail for a child who is not yours and who you must have stumbled upon mere hours ago?" the man sounded curious like she was a puzzle he could not quite figure out. "And though we have the upper hand you still make demands and tell me what I can and cannot do? Pretty girl like you should have a sharper mind."

"He is innocent, merely a baby." her fingers tightened around him, she could envision the boy living the life she had led as their prisoner and no longer free. The man cocked his head lifting a hand to slowly pull at the strings at the front of her cloak. The men behind her kept her in place and she could do no more than try to jerk free and hold tighter to the small bundle on her arm which had grown tired from his weight.

Soon he lifted the cloth and the boys wails were no longer muffled and pierced the air. He grabbed the child roughly from her arms and she could do no more than curse the words that Eric favoured and try futilely to reach for the boy.

A woman rushed from the group up to the man and took the boy from him, clutching him closely burying her hand in his hair as she nearly yelled incoherent words. The woman gave Rose pause as sudden confusion descended on her.

"He may not be mine, but he is not yours either." the man stated with a softer voice. "I am Krell, leader of our clan."

When Snow White didn't reply Krell gestured for the men to release her as did the men holding Eric. She wasted no time rushing to him her fingers going to the blood that had seeped from the cut at his temple. His hand found her wrist holding it tightly also confused by the turn of events.

"I apologize for the hastiness of my men. Outsiders are not welcome among us." Krell had remained where he stood watching the pair, the woman and her child lost back in the crowd.

"But we owe you a debt of gratitude now for finding the child and willing to keep him safe. We would like to invite you to join us tonight, share our fire and food as a small show of thanks."

Snow White's hands paused wiping away Eric's blood with the edge of her cloak, not sure she had heard them correctly. Her eyes found Eric's before he turned back to Krell spitting blood onto the ground.

"Have you ale?"

Krell grinned. "We have much stronger than ale."

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They had made their way back to the clan's camp which could only be described as a type of grotto. A large rock caught between the ground and another rock formed a type of awning and a crude shelter, protecting them from most of the elements but allowed wind to rip through. Not very deep but wide they had set up makeshift torches along the walls, lighting the interior and having the light coloured stone reflect the flames. Elaborate and colourful carpets littered the floor clustering around fires.

They must have been here a while as there were signs of being settled in, workbenches had been set up, there was an area devoted to laundry as baskets filled with clothing stood alone while pieces hung up to dry.

Snow White sat next to Eric who had been seen to by their healer and announced no concerning damage. Krell had made a joke about the huntsman having a hard head and it was if all had been forgiven. Noise filled around them as everyone else had settled in around their own fires as well, chattering and laughing the air light around them.

Krell poked the fire between them, his legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles while he supported himself on an elbow the very picture of ease. His gold hoop blinked from the flames and Snow White had to force herself to look away from it and pay attention to his words.

"We didn't realize the boy had gone. Usually he plays by himself close to his mother but he was supposed to be watched by one of the older think he must have followed some of them playing and wandered off. By the time we noticed he could of been gone for hours."

"How long were you looking for him?" Eric questioned slowly drinking from a cup the contents burning down his throat helping ease the pulsing pain in his temple.

Krell looked pensive for a moment before replying,"Three hours give or take."

"Were you not able to track him? A child that age isn't likely able to cover his own tracks."

"We need to be extremely careful during these dark times. Yes, I wanted to find the boy but I also must think of my people and if we had been hasty we could of found ourselves against the queen's men. My priority is the safety of my people and if sacrificing a child saves the clan then so be it."

Krell's morbid and nearly cruel response caused a heavy silence to settle over them.

"I don't mean to sound cruel, of course I would do all I can to find anyone of our clan, but if we were to lead them back to us they would kill all of us, including the children without hesitation."

"Why does the queen want to rid herself of a small group of people?" the huntsman questioned, watching as Krell rummaged through a sack removing a small leather bound book.

"We refuse to follow her, or even show fear of her. We follow our own rules, listen to no king and take what we want. That is not the kind of discipline she wants shown to others, she wants everyone to fear her. Bend at her slightest will and that is not who we are."

krell's now blackened fingers moved deftly and swiftly across the page, glancing every now and then to Snow White taking in her features. She felt exposed all of a sudden, the way his eyes studied took all of her in examining each and every detail of her face. Belatedly she realized he was drawing her.

He finally broke the silence but only to joke with Eric.

"You managed to snatch yourself a very pretty, little wife. Would you like to trade?" he smiled wide but kept his eyes to the paper continuing to sketch.

"Wouldn't your own wife be upset with you?" Eric's usually serious face had broken out into a small grin watching the older man as if he couldn't quiet understand him.

Krell burst out into laughter at this suggestion, "Which one?! I have many!" he continued to laugh heartily as if Eric's question had been absurd, "Though you'd probably be my favorite." he sent Snow White a wink as he set down the sheet.

"Thank you for the offer but I've already gotten used to this one." Eric took another swig to hide his smile and not offend the man with strange ways.

"Pity, if only if I had stumbled upon you sooner he might have not become so attached." he laughed again reaching over to bump his own cup against Eric's the contents of which he had been drinking for some time already affecting him. "Would you like another?"

"I think I've had enough of the drink tonight but thank you." Krell scoffed.

"Never say such things! One can never have too much drink!" to prove his point he took another swig. "But no I meant wife, would you like another? One to take care of the cleaning and cooking when the other is heavy with child."

Krell paused a moment as a sudden thought struck him. "That is if they are not both with child." he seemed to have confused himself but Eric and Snow White only laughed.

"I can only handle one unlike yourself."

Krell tipped back waving his hand as if multiple wives was an easy thing. Snow White joined in the laughter, the few sips she had taken herself having warmed her cheeks more than the fire, a giddy feeling in her belly. The feeling grew stronger when she felt Eric's arm come behind her, his hand resting above her hip with a gentle pressure.

It was a simple gesture but she could feel warmth spread through her body and she briefly wondered if it was this strange drink. But she enjoyed where she was at the moment, thoughts of death far from her mind and were replaced with how her leg was pressed against the sides of the huntsman's, how her shoulder bumped into his chest feeling the rumble within it every time he spoke.

She hoped this feeling of lightness lasted, but of course it couldn't.

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Snow White woke with a start, she did not make any noise, did not scream cry or gasp. Merely opened her eyes wide still seeing the invisible horrors in her minds eye from the dream.

Hale, Magdon and their daughters had been around her, dead upon the ground their unseeing eyes following her movements. It was then that they began to bleed from their eyes and noses, trickles of blood also pooling from their mouths. They did not speak but she could hear them tell her that this was her doing.

Her fault.

Finn was there also moving up from where she had left him, the knife still sticking from out of his chest. He paused and watched her, the world around her bleak and dreary as if the colours had been dulled - except for the blood which remained a vivid, deep red.

Finn took a step towards her, pulling the blade from his chest slowly blood spilling from the open wound before plunging it forcefully back into his chest his face contorting in pain. He removed it again, slick with his own blood before taking another step and plunging it back into himself.

He repeated the process over and over, faster each time until he was close enough could touch him. But she couldn't move, her body refused to respond to any commands she willed. Finally he went in a frenzy stabbing himself much in the same way she had done, his voice an agonized scream and she could feel the warm splatter of blood on her face again - and that had been where she woke up.

Eric was sleeping next to her propped up against filled sacks serving as cushions. She slowly moved her hands over her face trying to wipe away the blood but in the faint light of the dying fire her hands came back clean. She let out a slow, shuddering breath keeping it quiet as to not wake anyone.

"Rose?" Snow White turned to the huntsman who she had thought had been sleeping, but she should of known better. "What's the matter?"

"Just a dream."

He turned onto his side to face her and she could just make out his face in the darkness.

"A bad one?"

She said nothing as their faces flashed in her mind again. "I had wished that something terrible would happen to them, Magdon and her daughters, but I didn't mean this. I did not want them dead."

The huntsman could hear distress in her voice and he thought through what he should say. Could imagine very well what she was going through since he had been there himself.

"None of that was because you thought bad things. If so the world would of burned long ago with some of the evils people have thought up. This happened because other people, bad people, wanted to hurt them."

He watched as she stared at the nearly dead fire wanting the ease from earlier to be back, she had laughed freely and looked about her excitedly. Gypsy's were interesting to observe but for someone who had never seen one before to actually be able to sit with them - it had made her happiness his. Just watching her had given him an odd satisfaction.

"What happened with the daughters?"

Snow White's eye slid over to Eric wondering if she should even mention their cruelty so soon after their deaths.

"They said things, horrible things. It was as if whenever you weren't around they took every opportunity to take their frustrations out on me. There would even be times when they would hurt me - a pinch, shove. Liv had even slapped me one morning when I dropped a bowl of chopped garlic."

Snow White could not see it but the huntsman had tensed, angry that he had not known any of this. He knew that they were not kind, but to touch her? It was unacceptable and had he known he would of made them leave days ago, if not the very same day. Eric told her this and she did nothing more than shrug.

"And go where? We were tired, cold and if we hadn't stayed there would of been worn out by now and who knows what could of happened. From my experience there are things in life that that we must endure in order to survive and move on. Besides, I managed to get even with at least one of them. "

She tried to smile at the mention of the fight but Eric remained solemn and unsmiling. He shifted closer, his arm moving to her back and pulling her towards him leaving only a small amount of space between them. His arm hugged her and she felt his lips press to her forehead before moving his face into her hair.

"I'm sorry."

Taken aback slightly Snow White did little more than lay there, heart pounding in that way that had become all too familiar as of late but still did not have a name.

"You haven't done anything." there was confusion in her voice, why should he be apologizing for the error of others?

He did not correct her or explain himself but simply told her to tell him everything and anything that happened from then on.

"No matter who it is, these people or anyone else we happen to come across. If anything happens to make you uncertain or afraid, tell me. Even if I should do something to you."

"But-,"

"Tell me." he cut her off and she remained quiet observing him but not agreeing.

The huntsman kissed her forehead once more than rested his chin on the top of her head, his thumb moving back and slowly on her back.

"Try to sleep.

She moved up onto her elbow opening her cloak she had been using as a blanket and draped it over the two of them settling back against his chest, his arm wrapping around her once more. She was not sure what was happened but knew that something had certainly changed.

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Ok so very late update but while in Europe I thought that I would have tons of time to sit and write. Not the case, I think there was only two days in the month I was gone that we stayed home. But yes I hoped you enjoyed it, I like how everything is progressing, please tell me what you think reviews make me happy!

Keep it real you smexy mo-fo's you ;)

Spoony.