I'm so sorry it's taken so long for me to get back to this story... there was a massive writer's block, and I just couldn't bring myself to finish it. BUT, obviously I wanted to, and I love this little universe too much to let it go without a proper ending. There will be one or two more chapters, but please bare with me and be as patient as you have been with me!

I'm extremely grateful for the time you spend reading my silly stories. Happy New year everyone!

The sounds of clanging swords caused the bunny's ears to stand erect, as she sprinted down the burning hallway. She looked toward Nick quickly to confirm that she did indeed hear it, and he nodded in confirmation that he had. The fact he did, eased her mind, thankful she wasn't just losing her mind in all of this chaos.

Reaching the double doors of the armoury, the two burst in without a second thought, and their gazes both fell upon the two in the centre of the room, at each other's throats. Judy gasped, yet furrowed her brow in anger, while Nick let out a snarl and stepped forward.

"Step away from our King." He threatened harshly, withdrawing his sword, and bringing himself into an attacking stance. The King looked toward the fox angrily and pushed away the Duke's weapon.

"Get my daughter out of here right this instant. This is none of your concern!" he shouted, causing Nick to wince. Of course he knew bringing Judy into something so dangerous was a terrible decision, but he was also going to admit that she was one stubborn bunny, and even if he had told her to stay put, she would have adamantly followed him regardless.

"With all due respect your Majesty, I will not walk away from a threat on our Kingdom." Nick replied, stepping further forward, urging Judy to stay put where she was. To his relief, the bunny complied, wanting not to worry her father anymore than she had just by being there.

"Your Kingdom?" the Duke spat, interrupting their exchange. "You're a fox! You've no right to the rabbit Kingdom!"

Nick snarled and pinched his forehead in irritation. "You're no better than a bigot, using a species other than your own as a speciest slur. I can't even begin to fathom how your nephew hasn't taken the throne from you already." He threw back, seemingly having had enough of his backward attitude, and unneeded insults. The Duke stood gaping, but slowly grew more and more infuriated as the words that came from the Prince's muzzle sunk in.

"How dare you.." he growled, stepping toward Nick. The King and Judy watched on, with Stu being unable to come up with anything to cease what was going on, and Judy being unable to do anything to step in, without the disapproval of her father.

Nick's first thought at seeing the hare become enraged, was to attack first, but of course, lapines were technically quicker. What was it Judy had said that day? Defence was a better tactic than attack was? As much as the thought did make the fox chuckle when he'd first overheard he say that to her brothers, now he was thinking that maybe, it hadn't been so ridiculous after all. It all depended on who you were going up against after all.

So that was the conclusion Nick made, as he got into his position, left arm behind his back for balance, and sword stretched out in front of him with his right paw, pointing toward the approaching Duke. Judy's eyes grew wide at Nick's new posture. 'Was that a.. defence stance?' she thought, surprise fully present on her features. A smile grew on her face, and she suddenly felt very..

Warm.

So he hadn't been making fun of her that day! Teasing her sure, but he openly listening to every word she had said to her siblings and took them to heart, and the thought made her incredibly happy. It was a good thing too, considering how blinded with rage at being ridiculed, the hare was. It very well meant that he would not be thinking straight, and throwing blinded hits in anger, would surely tire the Duke out quick enough for Nick to strike back effortlessly when he had the chance. Staying quiet, and bringing her paws up to her chest with a hopeful look in her eyes, she inwardly cheered him on.

'You can do this!'

Nick took a deep breath, and focused his gaze against the Duke. 'Wasn't the King meant to be going up against this fool?' he thought suddenly. He shook the idea out of his head as quick as it came, noting that the King was technically a peaceful mammal according to Lilith, meaning he probably didn't have too much experience on a battlefield.

"I cannot wait to skin you alive fox" the Duke spat, pure venom in each word he spoke, as he broke the gap between them. He swung his sword against Nick's, and the Prince blocked it off, standing his ground. The Duke's hit was strong, but very obviously clumsy. Nick knew he had the upper hand against him, but he'd wait till the hare tired himself out a little, before acting smug. Nick hummed in thought. Maybe he should act smug, get the fool angrier.

"You've got a lot of nerve taking on things that clearly don't concern you, hare." He teased, attempting to aggravate him further. Judy's mouth dropped a foot. 'Nick this is not the time to make stupid jokes!' she thought furiously. She looked to her father, who frankly, didn't really know of Nick's sense of humour, and saw he was probably thinking the same as her, judging by his wide eyes.

The Duke was not pleased with how he was essentially being mocked by the very mammal he looked down upon, and brought his sword down harder, only to have Nick block it again.

And again.

And again.

The hare was quickly growing fatigued, as was evident by the way he was attacking Nick. His efforts were clumsy and futile, every hit he blew, countered by Nick, yet the hare did not relent.

Judy grew agitated watching the pair dual. There had been so many moments where Nick had the opportunity to knock the sword out of the Duke's paws, yet he chose to continue blocking his advances. She couldn't wrap her head around what exactly her fox had planned, but whatever it was, she'd trust his judgement, for maybe he was just having fun with the situation, as careless as that sounded. Unless he got hurt of course, then she'd find herself intervening.

"Had enough?" Nick asked mockingly to the panting royal, as he threw yet another attack back in the Duke's face. The hare snarled and readied his weapon once more.

"I don't think so." He retorted back, throwing down his sword. This time though, when his weapon connected with the Prince's, Nick blocked his attack, and with a twist of his own sword, flung the Duke's out of his paws.

"Yet, I think you have." Nick frowned at the gaping hare, who now stood stunned, terror in his azure eyes. He raised his paws up in surrender almost immediately, and fell onto his knees. Nick lowered his weapon, as the Duke began weeping at his feet, proving to all in the room, he really was a coward. Nick glanced quickly toward Judy and smiled softly at the grin now adorning her face. The King walked up to the Duke, as his guards finally came running in, and the couple had their moment.

"Harold Savage, Duke of the North, I hereby sentence you to exile for your cowardly and speciest deeds." The King announced, as the guards lifted up the bawling hare from the ground. Judy ran toward Nick and hopped into his awaiting embrace, thankful that all this mess was finally over. She could only hope that he mother and all her siblings were okay, and that someone put out that dreadful fire.

As the guards carried the corrupted Duke out of the room, the King walked up to the two and cleared his throat. Judy pushed herself off of Nick, albeit not wanting to, and tried in vain to conceal her blush.

"And what is this?" the King questioned. Unlike how her mother had changed the subject, he was getting straight to the point, which made the pair feel rather uncomfortable. They seemed to both forget Nick was married, and not to Judith.

Judy tried earnestly to come up with some kind of an excuse that her father would possibly believe. She was stupid to think everything going on between herself and Nicholas was a good idea, and now seemingly being caught by not only her father, but her mother previously too?

"Father I can explain-" she managed, only for Nicholas to step forward and kneel before the King, rendering the Princess speechless. 'What was he doing?' she thought, wide eyed.

"Forgive me actions, your Majesty, but I can no longer stay wed to Lilith." he announced, head still down. The room came to an eerie stand still, the King in shock. Judy couldn't believe what was happening. Was her fox really going to come clean? Now?

The King cleared his throat, and tried to reason with the fox at his feet. "Nicholas, surely we can come to some sort of agreement. I understand after what has just transpired, that you are having second thoughts on our partnership, but I assure you we can-"

"That is not what I was implying my King," Nick interrupted, lifting his gaze to meet with the plump bunny's. The King held his tongue and gestured for the fox to explain what he meant, before opening his mouth again. Nick stood and stepped back beside Judy, who was equally as stunned as her father, but also blushing profusely.

"I'm afraid I've fallen for your other daughter." He admitted, pulling the frozen bunny into his side, and looking down at her affectionately. "She's a one of kind bundle of fluff, I must say.." he started, still keeping his eyes set on hers, "And I love her more than my pride cares to admit."

Judy, still frozen in place, slowly smiled, her eyes glazing over. Out of all the ways she thought Nick would go about confessing to the King and Queen, this.. this display of affection was not what she had playing out in her head. It was better.

"Nick.." she muttered, her heart warm. It didn't take very long for her to realise her father was still staring at the two, dumbstruck. She quickly turned to address her father, but was stopped just as quickly by the King raising his paw.

"Judith is this true? Do you love this mammal also?" he asked, his voice showing no emotion whatsoever, making it hard for Judy to read what her father was thinking or feeling at this moment. She nodded, before letting her gaze fall to the stone floor once more, tears pricking her eyes. This was the moment she had been terrified of, ever since starting this affair with her fox. Nick gave her a quick squeeze, signalling that he was still there for her, and to stay strong.

She'd stay strong.. for him.

"Yes father, I do. With all of my heart." She confessed, her voice coming out quieter than she thought it would. Her Father looked between the two of them, seemingly in deep thought. Judy panicked, and clutched Nick's paw tighter.

'This is it, we're done for'

The king hummed in thought, and although Nick appeared calm, Judy could not stop her heart from hammering in her chest. How was he so calm? How was he so sure this would turn out okay?

Her paw was suddenly encased in his own larger one, and she looked up in astonishment. An affectionate smile was adorning his muzzle, and he squeezed in reassurance. Judy returned a small smile, albeit still worried, and turned her gaze back to her father.

To her shock and astonishment, the King was no longer stood before them. In fact, he was no longer even in the same room as them. Judy frantically turned her head in search of him, but it proved useless.

"Oh gosh Nick, he's furious.." she muttered, tears brimming her eyes, barely holding herself together while turning to face the Prince. "Why would you go and do that!?" she shouted, anger replacing her previous feelings. Nick stood surprised at her outburst, but remained calm.

"Now Judy-"

"No! I told you it was a horrible idea! I cannot believe you told my father of what we've done! It's unrighteous and wrong!" she interrupted furiously. Her anger was not something she could control once it reached a certain point, and as much as deep down she knew taking it out on Nick was not the right approach, she couldn't help herself.

"I don't think hiding it any longer would have been the right choice either Judith." he argued back, trying to calm his bunny down.

"Well then it never should have happened Nicholas." she spat back. Nick's ears fell flat onto the back of his head, and paused. Quickly noticing his reaction, her temper suddenly subsided, and the reality of what she'd just said hit her right in her face. Her ears drooped and her amethyst eyes grew wide.

"N..Nick, I didn't.. I mean.." she tried, not being able to come up with the right words. Nicholas looked down and huffed in response.

"If that is really what you think Princess, I will go inform the King that I was seemingly mistaken and that I mistook my feelings for you." he replied, nonchalant. Judy froze, and swallowed harshly, her throat suddenly very dry. She looked down too, tears already finding themselves running down her cheeks. She couldn't believe she'd said those awful things. She didn't even mean any of them. The bunny stepped forward and grabbed his paw, biting her lip.

"Nick, I didn't mean that.. I'm just.. just scared, and I wasn't thinking.." she sobbed, looking back up at his muzzle. Slowly, the fox lifted his gaze to meet hers, but stayed silent. Judy took that as a sign to continue, as she owed him more than that as an apology for her careless talk.

"I do love you Nick, I do. I'm so sorry I said those horrible things.." she muttered, her voice cracking. "I don't deserve you.. I'm a horrible mammal."

Nick stared at the weeping bunny, and made a move to grasp her paw back. She looked up at the change of contact, and remained quiet.

"I love you too Fluff." he whispered, opening his arms welcomingly. Judy giggled through her sobs, and quickly moved into his embrace, bringing her own arms around his lean yet muscular torso. The Prince hugged her back, giving her a chaste kiss between her ears in affection.

A clearing of the throat, caused them to break apart quickly, but not completely. Standing at the entrance of the room, was not only her father, but her mother too. The rabbit felt all the positive energy she had left, evaporate. There was not a chance in the world that this was going to go well.