Guys I'm sooooooooooo sorry I haven't updated this story for so long. I've gotten SO sucked up into working on my Avengers fic that I completely forgot about everything and everyone else (okay, maybe I'm exaggerating... a bit)

But here's the next chapter for our lovely Prince Hal and his fair Lady. And before I let you read I'd like to give a very heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who has reviewed, favorited and/or followed so far. You guys are the best and I love you all more than you can imagine :D

Now enjoy, lovelies~

P.S. I do not own any of the Hollow Crown characters. I only own Odette and any other OC you might encounter along the way :)

Aftermath

"Then let us fight, if you will not surrender... and let God decide which of us is worthier of her."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Though shortly hesitant Harold now lunged forward, his sword coming down from above in his attempt to have the steel bite into the Prince's shoulder. With Hal parrying his blow, despite his ragged breath, the nobleman tried to use his body's weight to break the young heir's stance. However, Hal brought up his injured leg, gritting his teeth at the pain he knew would come, and kicked the noble in his armor, the blow throwing them both off balance and landing them in the mud. Scrambling to his feet, Hal again picked up his sword though his arm felt as if it would crumble and his whole body was shaking with fatigue and pain. His breath was painful, like searing fire in his lungs, making him moan in agony even as he limped over to Harold only to find that he had lost consciousness upon hitting his head on a rock in the fall, blood now seeping from beneath his helmet.

The sheer relief rendered him to his knees whilst his sword escaped his tired grasp. It was at that sight that Odette moved to stand and despite her own pain ran over to Hal followed closely by John. Arriving at his side she too dropped to her knees and flung her arms around him whilst the Prince now leaned to her and closed his eyes; never had he felt more at ease than he did now in her loving embrace.

"My Lord, your wounds need tending..." she said before kissing his bloodstained forehead.

"I pray you... let me rest... for but a moment..." he replied amidst painful breaths. "For your embrace... is more soothing... than the most revered healer."

Unable to hold back a chuckle in spite of the joyful tears now staining her face, Odette leaned down to kiss his lips as he rested his head onto her chest.

"You would speak in fancy words even whilst you die..." she retorted in jest.

"If you were there... to hear them... I would..."

Faintly smiling as he stated that, he then finally did lean away with a groan and set his arm around John's shoulders whilst the younger Prince hefted him to his feet.

"Leave him lie..." he said, gesturing to Harold. "His body shall join the others and feed the worms upon this field."

With that he allowed his brother to lead him to one of the still standing tents whilst Henry and the soldiers did finally return.

"You go inside and rest... I will have words with your father in your stead." Odette said leaving the two males at the tent.

Upon arriving in front of the King's horse, she bowed her head for she could not bow properly due to her wound.

"What happened here?"

"My liege, a group of seven came from the woods... led by Harold of Hemingway. They killed most of the wounded which had been returned from the field, as they slew three of the unarmed servants left to guard the camp. Prince Harry battled and killed Harold, as Prince John killed two others."

When she lowered her head and clenched her teeth in pain, her knees once more turning to useless rags beneath her weight, the Earl of Westmoreland rushed to her side to grasp her arm.

"Did they harm you?" the King asked.

"But a shallow wound, my sovereign King... Prince Harry did arrive in time and saved my life. I sent him to my tent with his brother, for his wounds are deeper and greater in number than mine. If you have need of me, so... if not, I will withdraw to tend to him."

"Go... and Lord Westmoreland, take her to her tent then send someone to help her."

"I will, my liege." the elder nobleman replied.

Whilst the King turned his horse around Odette now did glance about.

"My King!" she called out. "Have you any word of my father?"

When he glanced to her in silence, the woman did feel a cold shiver run down her back whilst her heart cringed in her chest.

"The Duke of Willoughby... is dead... my Lady." Westmoreland replied gently. "I saw him with my own eyes, lying in the field, five rebels dead around him."

His face grew hazy in her sight as tears drowned her chocolate eyes and overflowed along her cheeks. Watching as the King rode away, she felt all strength abandoning her; had the elder Earl not been at her side, she would have likely fallen to the ground.

"Come, child..." he said, lightly urging her on.

Upon entering the tent, he bowed his head to the two Princes, whilst Hal moved to his feet with a painful grimace.

"What happened?" he asked. "My fair Lady's cheek is stained in tears and she does shake like a leaf in the wind."

Even as he spoke, he reached out and wrapped his arms around Odette who clung to him and buried her face in his shirt, for he had taken off the armor and the mail to ease his breathing.

"Her father did I see below... lying in the field with rebels all around him, sleeping their eternal sleep. And when I went to him I found no breath, for his wounds were too many and too deep."

Silenced by the news, all the Prince could do was tighten his embrace on his beloved and nod to the Earl to let him withdraw.

"I will send someone to help tend to you my Lord, your brother and Lady Odette."

With those words he left the tent whilst Hal now pressed his cheek to the side of the woman's head.

"He died a brave and noble death, my Lady..." he whispered, not knowing how else to comfort her.

Her only response was a nod, as otherwise she did not move or speak. Forsaking all desire to rest, the Prince merely stood there with her in silence until she ceased her shaking and leaned away from him.

"Come... let me tend to your wounds." she said, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand.

For while her father's death was painful, Hal was still alive and needed care else she lost him as well; and she could use that to distract herself from her grief. Helping him back to his brother she seated him upon a chair.

"Are you wounded, John?" she now asked whilst helping Hal out of his shirt.

"No more than bruises, my fair Lady." the younger prince smiled.

"He was the more fortunate soldier..." Hal chuckled. "And did bravely slay all who dared to challenge him."

Offering the younger brother a smile, Odette then cringed at the sight of the bleeding wound upon Hal's shoulder. Taking up a clean cloth she poured water onto it and gently started cleaning the blood and mud from the cut.

"Why do you look upon me as if I'm dead?" he asked, sighting her sorrowful expression.

"I look upon you as if you are an injured fool..." she retorted humorously.

With a chuckle the Prince brought his healthy arm around her waist and pressed his face to her stomach.

"Lie still you giddy goose..." she laughed. "And let me clean your wounds before you bleed to death."

"Give me a kiss, and by my word, I'll lie so still you shall think me dead indeed." he replied with a wink after leaning back.

Glancing to John who was trying his best to hold in his laughter, she then grasped a strand of Hal's hair and lightly tugged on it.

"Have you no respect for your brother, that you would force him to witness such an improper scene?"

"Were it by me, he would already be married..." the Prince replied with a shrug. "No harm in teaching him how to handle a woman."

When she glanced away whilst trying – and mostly failing – to hold back a smile, he tensed his arm to make her lean against him.

"Come, my fair angel... will you not kiss the valiant soldier who, just earlier this day, did take the breath from Harry Percy's chest?"

It was at those words that she looked at him again, with an astounded expression.

"Is he who gave you these wounds?"

"Just the one on the thigh, as he says..." John replied on a displeased tone.

"Brother John..." Hal began.

When Odette looked to him with a puzzled glance, the younger brother did now speak interrupting Hal's phrase.

"I will not keep silent, my Lord, brother!" he retorted. "For you did battle Percy, you did risk your life, you did gain that wound... and yet you would let that gross fat man have your praise upon himself! And do not tell me he spoke the truth of Percy rising where you left him, for both you and I could hear his lies as though they were thunder in our ears."

"What?" Odette breathed out in anger.

Looking back to her, Hal grasped her hands and kissed them both.

"Peace, my Lady, peace..."

Freeing one hand she pointed her index finger right beneath his nose, rendering him momentarily speechless as he raised his eyes from her digit to her furious gaze.

"Lest you have a bloody good reason to gift your hard-earned glory to that flagitious mound of grease and sack, I shall have no peace until I thrust my sword down his lying throat."

"I pray you, fair Odette, to hear me out... for I did grant him that, I will not lie; I did it in repayment of the debt I owed him. For while he is indeed a scoundrel, and a liar, he did serve me by his word more than once."

With a sigh, Odette finally softened her gaze somewhat and trailed a hand amidst his hair.

"So then repay him in some other way... why must you trade that which would earn you your father's heart again?"

"O my love..." he sighed, leaning his forehead against her stomach. "It would have earned me but a fleeting honor. I have yet much to do if I am to regain my father's heart."

Watching him in silence for a moment, Odette then glanced back to John.

"If you are not too tired, do go see what keeps the healer..." she said softly.

"And so I shall, my fair sister." he smiled before rushing out of the tent.

"Now lie still..." she said to Hal once his brother was gone.

"Give me my kiss and I shall..." he replied, in an attempt to ease her mood.

Ultimately failing to hold back a smile of her own, she leaned down and pressed her lips to his with all the need and love she had for him. Upon leaning away she did chuckle softly.

"Were you not sworn to be my husband, I would not even regard you."

"Then I am twice blessed... once to have you as my future wife and once to be your future husband."

"You incorrigible jester..." she retorted, rolling her eyes at his antics. "Now lie still, I'll not warn you again."

Finally settling down, the Prince allowed her to cleanse his wound, the healer then applying honey and herbs to it along with a bandage.

"It was a clean cut, my Lord. It should heal without leaving a too visible scar. The wound on the thigh was shallow; it shall heal faster than your shoulder."

"Thank you..."

After his reply, the healer now did turn to Odette.

"My Lady, Lord Westmoreland did tell me you were injured."

Sighting Hal's widened eyes, the girl now smiled.

"You were much too busy embracing me, my Lord, to even notice my wound?"

Discarding her leather coat as she had removed her mail earlier, she then lifted her shirt to expose the horizontal cut across her belly, the healer motioning her to the ground.

"Do lie down, my Lady... I am sure it looks worse than it is. Allow me to clean it and tend to it."

Doing as she had been told, the woman did smile when Hal settled onto his knees and placed her head onto his lap.

"Had I known he had already wounded you, I would have been far less merciful and slain him before I'd even learned his name." he stated, placing his palm to her cheek.

"It was but a shallow cut, my beloved Lord..." she replied prior to kissing his hand. "Had my father not left instructions that I were taught to use a sword, I surely would be dead by now."

"O fair Odette, speak not such words that pluck the very roots of hope from my heart." the Prince now pleaded. "Speak not of death, that cold and ruthless enemy, which I have no power to frighten from you forever."

"We all owe God a death, my Lord... be it in youth or in old age... we all must go."

"Then I pray to God I may go with you... for should you go before me, my life would be as death... barren, cold and desolate. And I would feel no more warmth in the sun, and no more perfume in the flowers, and I would see no more beauty in this world."

"Truth you speak, my beloved Lord, for I do pray the same... that I may leave this world with you, when time comes for God to summon us. That I would not be denied your handsome face, your tender touch, your loving gaze wherein I see the clear sky each time I look."

Leaning down the Prince now gently kissed her lips, as though to seal their words as he would a vow. Turning his gaze then to the healer, he did fall silent watching as the man tended to her wound. With his leave, the Prince settled at her side taking her in his arms.

"Rest, my fair Odette... rest, for tomorrow we must away to London." he whispered against her forehead.