The Sword and The Rose. ((Kolath x Butterfly))

As Anya laid her head back upon her pillow and was, just as he was doing at that very moment, staring up at the ceiling. And just as he was, she thought over how she too was falling in love with the Fox. She had hoped when she left her home that she might have been able to fall in love, in time, she her husband. As each day passed, she feared that would be impossible for she didn't know if there was room in her heart for two men.

----

Their walk had not started the next day until later on in the day, but it was just as pleasant as the night before as well. Bottom joined them for a time and they two played with the pup and both of them fed him at the dinner table as well. After dinner, they were on their way back to her hut when she turned them off into the woods, "Just a little longer Fox. It's a beautiful, fair night. I wish to take in this lovely weather while I can." It was still spring so there would be much more nice weather to be had but one did need to stock up on it while they could for the bitter winter that would follow in time.

He smiled having enjoyed their day together he also didnâ??t want to end it and the nice weather only being a small part of why. He walked with her strolling through the woods hand in hand. The night air worked on them slowly helping them forget who they were and just be the people they wanted to be. They came out onto the bank of a river. It was a clam gentle right flowing slowly through the forest. The stars were out and a full moon. They walked along the river bank together finally coming to a large beautiful waterfall. The mist hung in the air and the full moon light created the most beautiful lunar rainbow in that mist. The scene couldnâ??t have been more romantic had he planned it.

Anya's eyes sparkled as she looked up to the star filled sky. The whole scene just took her breath away. It actually brought tears to her eyes. Never in her wildest dreams had pictured ANYTHING like this. "It's beautiful. Oh........ oh my. It's like something from a book. A fairy tale even. I had no idea such a place could even exist in nature." Turning to look at him, she eyes still sparkled, only now more with the unshed tears.

A moment later thought, one more thought made those tears start to trickle down her cheeks as she looked away. She would miss a sight like this when she was locked back up in her husband's home. The waterfall, the stars, the mist, and... the Fox.

Nathan sighed softly looking around the scene wishing some how that things could be like this with him and Terra once they were married, but he knew that there was no way. He decided that he would enjoy the moment with Anya as much as possible. He turned to look at her seeing the tears and before he could stop himself his hand came up and brushed against her cheek. â??Anyaâ?¦why are you crying?â?

She struggled to answer him, shaking her head and raising her hands to wipe away the remainder of her tears on the other cheek where his hand was not, "I just... it's so lovely and I don't think I'll ever see anything like it again my whole life." She didn't mean the waterfall nor the stars. She meant him. Tears still feel. "It's a horrible, terrible shame."

He looked down into her eyes gently lifting her chin as his thumb brushed away some of her tears. Even though he had a mask on he still cried soft tears that were quickly soaked away by the maske. â??I know Anya.â? His thumb brushed over her lips softly. â??I feel exactly the same way.â? He stood there his words hanging in the air between them waiting to see what would happen now.

She had no idea he cried as she did, felt as she did. Not until he told her so, though... "No. You have no idea." He had no idea how horrible it was to be falling in love with someone knowing full well you are promised to another. Well, she at least thought he didn't. "I wish-" she stopped herself and sighed heavily. "I wish things could be different."

He nodded his hand still gently brushing her cheek. â??I know Anyaâ?¦I wish things were different as well.â? He sighed and then looked down into her eyes. Perhaps tonight he could pretend that they were different. Just for tonight he wanted them different, he didnâ??t want to be a noble secretly working against the regent, he wanted to just be the man that loved Anya. â??I want them to be different if only for tonight.â?

She nodded in agreement, though not saying any words at first. Then, something just seemed to be something in that moment. Looking in his eyes, those deep passionate eyes that pierced her very soul. They were like a magnet that was pulling her closer to him. She started to lean into him, "Just for now...." she whispered, getting closer still.

His eyes never left hers as he seems to be drawn in closer to her. his hand slips from her cheek to back around her neck softly pulling her closer at her own pace. â??Just for nowâ?¦â? he agreed and leaned in more his eyes starting to drift shut as his lips once again brushed lightly over hers. He pressed closer going for a brushing to a light kiss his lips gently molding to hers as they shared a soft kiss.

The kiss was like, a distant memory to her. It was a strange yet familiar feeling, especially since she had not ever kissed him before. She had not ever kissed any man outside her close family before. Yet this tender, soft touch of the lips. Was it really a kiss? It was so gentle. Delicate. Strange. She didn't think a kiss from the Black Fox would be any of these things. Oh dear, that meant she had thought about the Fox's kiss before. This was not it, yet it was still very nice.

It never got to hard or to deep before they started to pull their lips back once again. There eyes opened to look into each others once again. There was a pause. Then, as if they were reading one another's minds, they joined there lips once again. This time it was harder, deeper, intense. Desperate! As if it was the only kiss either of them would ever have for the rest of their lives and they needed it to last.

As the second kiss started his hand slipped up into her hair holding her tight against him as the other wrapped around her waist holding her tight. He growled gently into the kiss pressing close against her feeling his body mold perfectly to hers. His hand brushed down her back along the ties of her dress not doing anything to them but touching them.

He gently pulled back from the kiss a fire burning in his eyes. His upbringing was starting to be pushed to the side as he came back down kissing her deep and passionately. His hands brushed up her sides getting ready to head for her dress ties when there was a cough from the side. Nathan pulled back and blushed as he saw Jacob standing there looking very disappointed. â??Fox you donâ??t have time for that right nowâ?¦the princess Beatrice has had a son.â?

It took Nathanâ??s mind a moment to clear enough to realize what that meant. â??Get the men up and ready for the attack Jacob and send the messengers out.â?

Jacob nodded, â??Already done just waiting for you and response from the others.â?

Nathan looked back at her and sighed softly. â??I have to go Iâ??m sorry.â? He took her hand and along with Jacob moved quickly back to camp. When they got there it looked drastically different then normal. All the able men, and some of the women were lined up in military formation all armed with swords and bows it was clear something big was happening.

Anya's mind was fuzzy. From the kiss and then from the sudden end of the passion. Only half hearing what was being said, she was confused as he went into attack mode, leading her quickly back to camp. Her eyes widened as she looked about at the chaos. Looking off in the distance, even Terra had her head poked out of her hut to look about at the madness.

"Fox," Anya said, tugging at his arm to get his attention, "What is going on? Princess Beatrice? The Regent's wife? What does she had to do with you and your people? Why are you all gearing up looking as if you.... you're going to war?"

He stopped long enough to look into her eyes and sigh. â??Iâ??m sorry I canâ??t tell you right now we have to get going we do not have a lot of time.â? Horses were brought along with the foxes own weapons. He mounted pulling the bow and quiver over his head and buckling the belt around his waist. â??Jacob see to things here.â? There was a sudden screech that sounded like a distant hawk or eagle but it was followed by three more all from different directions. â??MOVE OUT!!!â? the Fox called and the large force of bow men set off toward the heart of the kingdom.

Anya was left standing, watching them all as they left. Soon, she was standing alone, the only thing left behind by the Fox and his men was a light dust in the air from their horses hooves as they galloped away. Anya had no idea what had just happened. Then, one realization slowly swept over her.... they had kissed. Passionately and deeply. And if Jacob had not stopped them.... they very well could have gone much further. She had almost cheated upon the man she was promised to. She suddenly felt ill with herself. Dirty, sick, and worried it could happen again. She might not be able to stop herself if it did again.

She had to go. She had to leave. Escape this place. Before it was to late.

Nathan and his troop joined up with troops from the other camps that he had spread out throughout the huge forest. It had been around eight or nine at night when they had set off from his camp. It was well into the morning before they reached their destination the horses extremely tired after a hard gallop through the night.

That night, just as the sun set the bulk of his force was left behind only a hand picked few went with him on foot after that point. The rest would prepare for when they returned because they expected trouble. The small force had one mission only. They were to rescue the crown prince from his uncleâ??s castle.

Things went well the prince being old enough to understand what was happening. And the Fox swearing on the kingâ??s soul that they meant him no harm helped also. It was on the escape that they ran into trouble. They ran into the assassination squad sent to kill the prince. The battle was intense and the assassins had back up. Only three of the five man group that had entered made it out including the prince and the Fox.

The battle that followed was short merely a delaying battle to hold back the force of the regent to allow the prince and Fox to escape. There were no other injuries or deaths only those three men lost their lives.

The group came back to the camp all in high spirits the crown prince on the Foxâ??s horse behind the Fox. Even though they had ridden throughout the night again they still found time to celebrate and the camp having expected them to arrive started to wake up slowly.

If ever there was a time to escape, this was it. She was even more sure of that as she walked about the camp the next day. All the able men gone, there was not even anyone left to guard her and Terra. That still was not enough motivation for Terra to leave her hut. Anya didn't let her know that she was leaving until late in the day, right after the sun went down.

"Take me with you! We can flee together!"

Anya only shook her head, "No, we might not make it if we both go. It will be easier if one of us goes. However, give me a head start. In three days, tell them the truth. Between that and my pleading with the duke, you will be along soon after. I promise." She grasped her hands, "I will not leave you to suffer! But we need to get to the duke swiftly! There must be some reason he has not paid the ransom yet, and I will find out what it is."

Terra had no choice but to agree.

That night, once the camp was asleep, Anya made her move. She didn't know where she was going, but she could try and find a way. If she followed the river, it would take her to other people eventually. Then she they could point her the right way.

With no man left to guard her, it was easy to slip from her hut and start off into the woods. She was on her way and no one would stop her. She could hear the river and all there was to do was follow it. But then she heard something else making her turn to the other direction and look. In the dark, she could see the outlines of the Fox's men, returning. Soon after she heard the sounds of the camp waking behind her. They had returned. Perhaps this was even better then she thought. They would be so busy all night no one would notice she was gone for hours still. A fantastic head start. But... she she looked through the darkness, her heart constricted as she realized what she was really doing. She was looking for him. Wanting to see his outline stand out from the rest. To see him.

Looking to the river, she knew this was her one and only chance she may have to make an escape. But....... what would he think of her if she did? He trusted her to be good. Trusted her to stay. What would he think if she proved him wrong. Why did she care? She didn't know why, but she couldn't help but care what kind of last impression she left upon him in the end. Running in the night was not it.

Turning back she made her way back the short distance to the camp, blending her way into the crowd. No one ever knew what she had just attempted. She tried to work her way towards the Fox was.

The camp was gearing up for a major celebration knowing that the other camps would be coming to join them as soon as possible. However the first thing was getting the weary fighters to bed and rested after a short impromptu celebration that would involve little more than cheering.

Just from how people were reacting to him could tell that he was among friend, he hadnâ??t been treated with this much respect since his father died. He waved and shook some hands from horse back till they reached the center of town. He turned and slipped off the horse from behind the Fox.

At that moment fear gripped everyone that could see. The Fox who had been slumping a little in the saddle, though no one noticed, started to fall from the saddle to one side. two of the men along with the prince caught him and lowered him to the ground nothing but fear in their faces. It was then that everyone close noticed the short blot shaft stuck in his thigh high up close to the artery, and if the side of his horse is any clue he had lost a lot of blood.

She knew something was wrong, even before everyone else did. The moment she saw him, she could tell. Something was wrong. "Fox?" She called out, trying to get his attention over the crowd, but her voice was drowned out over the masses.

When he went falling from his horse, her heart stopped a moment she swore for it was like one of her worst fears realized. A fear she didn't even know she had. "Fox!!" she cried out now, more desperate as she tried to push her way through the crush of people, but by the time she made her way to where the Fox had falling from his horse, his men had already whisked him off in the direction of the medical ward area beyond the cover of trees. She tried to follow, as did many, but she was stopped and grasped by one of the men. "Let me go!" She yelled at the one holding her back, but he would not.

"Lady Anya, you can't go out there. You'll only distract them from helping him." That didn't stop her from struggling still until he whispered to her, "Don't let the others see how worried you are. You are a strong woman and if the others see you worry, they will only worry all the more. It's what he would do."

She struggled to compose herself, taking a few deep breaths before she was able to stop herself from making more of a scene then had already been made. Only then did he let her go and follow after the men to care for the Fox.

Anya looked composed, but she was frightened something awful.

Hours passed without word from the medical ward. It seemed as though there was no hope for the Fox. For everyone in the camp there was no rejoicing everything seemed to be ending when they thought it would just be starting.

Finally it was around noon that word came from the medical war. The Fox was alive though horribly weak. He was to have no visitors till the nurses said otherwise but he would live as long as infection didnâ??t set in. there was almost a audible sigh of relief from the camp when the new was heard.

Anya was among the very relieved. She had not slept or ever returned to her hut until she had heard of the Fox's fate. Only then did she return to the hut... and face Terra.

"What are you doing here?!" Terra asked, clearly shocked to see her. "Did they catch you?!"

Anya shook her head, "I couldn't do it. The Fox is hurt and... I couldn't use his pain to flee."

"Are you insane!? It's the perfect time to run for it! No one will give chasing you the time of day without their leader! You just gave up the one chance we had! How could you?!"

It as a good question and as Anya laid herself on her bed, so tired from being up all night, she could only give Terra the truth. "I don't know."

It was a few hours later on toward mid-afternoon that there was a knock on their door. It was Jacob, he had been sent by the Fox to bring Anya to his bedside. Jacob didnâ??t like this but how was he going to tell his best friend no right after getting shot with a bolt. So here he stood waiting for one of the girls to answer the door. He knew Anya had to be here since she hadnâ??t slept all last night, he had after all been the only guard left in camp. He had known she was trying to slip away and had been going to let her for the Foxâ??s sake he needed to get her out of his mind, as it was though that didnâ??t seem to be going to happen.

At first there was no answer and then Terra came, the door flying open. She glared at him and looked him up and down before raising her chin up, "What do YOU want?"

Anya nuzzled her head against her pillow in the background, behind Terra.

Jacob sighed and rubbed his eyes softly as Terra came to the door. â??I need to speak to Anya the Fox has asked that she join him. Now if you donâ??t get out of my way I will just move through you and get her myself.â? Jacob clearly had something against Terra as did much of the camp.

Terra's eyes burned red and she gritted her teeth together, "She is asleep. And need I remind you AND your leader that Anya is MY servant. That means she answers to me. Not to you. Not to the Fox. ME. And I say she rests now." She crossed her arms, thinking she had won this one.