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

Terra looked horrible, in a sort of daze. She was bandaged up, but still the pain drilled itself into her very soul. She did not look directly at the man that was to be the last person she would even speak with. "I can't lift my arms..." she told him in a raspy, weary voice. That was her only reply as her eyes seemed to be blank, staring into nothing before her.
 
He sighed deeply and reached out starting to remove what was left of her dress. he stopped and turned to glare at the guards. “I have to be here to do this…you don’t. unless you wish to join her in death respect a woman of higher birth and leave.” His words dripped with venom sounding very much like a honorable executioner. After the guards were completely gone he looked at Terra brushing his hand over her cheek. “Terra don’t make me do this. Nathan will kill me already just for seeing you as you are now, I would hate to think what he would do to me if I have to dress you.” His voice hand changed to one much softer and should be easy to recognize since they were now totally alone.
 
The change in his voice, clearly registered to her as her eyes seemed to focus again. Slowly her head raised up to look at his eyes through the mask. It took he are moment, they then his eyes always held that hint of honor and nobility she admired. The realization struck her then and she shook her head in disbelief. Before she could say or do anything more, her eyes rolled aback and she slumped forward, right into the prince's arms.
 
He saw it in her eyes seeing the recognition and smiled nodding his head letting her know she was right. Then she fell into his arms out cold. He sighed and shook his head. “You are going to get me killed Terra.” he whispered under his breath. He went about quickly changing her doing his best to not see her naked even though it was impossible. He finished and called the guards back. “I need some water, and food she is too weak to make it to the coronation. Water and some bread was brought up along with a small flask of wine. He used some of the water, using his fingers to splash it over her face to make her wake.
 
She slowly came awake again, her vision blurry at first but when it focused on the face the the executioner above her, at first she gasped, forgetting for a moment who he was. And it was good as well since the other guards were in the room. It was a few moments later that her memory of the realization she made right before passing out sunk back and she looked upon him with wide eyes, in shock he was here when he should be far away where he was out of danger. This was the last place he should be right now! Smart enough to not ask him these things though, she just accepted the bread offered her and sipped the wine, just taking enough to be steady on her feet. Before anything at all could be said between them, a guard popped his head into the room, "It's getting ready to start. You best get her down there. The regent want her in the room before the guests enters it."

There was a hiding place picked out by the regent himself, not far from the dais he would be standing upon but out of view of his guests. A little curtained alcove where he could hide with her. Within the regents sight and ready to be revealed should the fox show himself.
 
The prince nodded and helped her up even if appearing to be rough with her. He led her down into the great hall and behind the curtain set up for them. He sighed softly finally being alone with her he could talk to her even if only in a whisper. He placed his hands on her shoulders offering them as support. “Are you alright Terra? I saw what they did to you are you going to be able to stand through this?”

The guests were starting to arrive but it allowed them even more freedom to talk since the babble of voices would cover their own. The regent would be the last to enter when the coronation actually started.
 
"What are you doing here?" was her answer, totally ignoring his own question of her well being. It was him she was suppose to be looking out for not the other way around right now. "If they realize who you are they will kill use both then. You have taken to great a risk coming here." And then she realized... "Nathan put you up to this? Is he mad? I told him to-" she got a little weak in the knees then and stumbled against him only to right herself once again, "He's going to get you and himself killed...."
 
The prince sighed and shook his head slowly gently wrapping his arm around her putting something into her hands. “Listen closely Terra, and do what I say and that won’t happen. When I run my knife over your throat push your hands to your throat and crush what I just put in them. it will look like a killed you, drop to the floor and stay there till Nathan comes to you when it is over. Your husband decided that rescuing you and taking back the throne might as well happen in the same day. Now if you get weak just lean back against me I will be holding you with a knife to your throat the whole time so it won’t look wrong to anyone.”
 
She glanced down at the small packet in her hand before hiding it away in them again. "Run the knife over my throat.... and pretend I am dead? I think that may make me very dead indeed..." it was a little refreshing for her to realize that even in her horribly battered and bruised state, she held a hint of her sense of humor. She took his offer though and leaned back, but hissed at the tears over her back stung terribly.
 
Nathan had just entered the great hall and was watching for the men that he had been able to station around the hall dressed as guards. He looked to the curtain and knew that was where Terra had to be, he just hoped the prince had done his job right and Terra was safe in his hands. So many things relied on others to have done their jobs and he had no way of knowing that it was done right because he ahd been stuck here.

The prince sighed and shook his head. “Just trust me, I already have Nathan going to kill me for seeing you naked, I don’t need him killing me again for killing you.” He smirked and then heard the music start. “Remember your part, and we will take care of the rest.”
 
With the music starting, they room went from a mutter or conversation to silence as all faces turned to the doors where the regent would enter from. But as they swung open and he appeared, a light gasp came from the crowd and a mutter started low once again. Terra could not see what the shock was about, but still she smirked, knowing full well that it was because to the fresh claw marks upon his face.

Indeed, that was it. Three, perfectly formed nail scratches marked the man's formally flawless face. Everyone had to wonder where he had gotten it from. And many wondered why he walked for slowly down the isle up to the dais. He seemed... in pain to the trained eye. He covered his face well, but the body language screamed of pain. As he reached the dais at last, he turned his eyes towards the curtain wanting to make sure his security tool was there. Seeing Terra, he smirked at her. His face though sunk back into a look hate when she tilt her head to present her cheek in his direction, the same one that was now ruined upon his face.

The prince whispered into her ear, amusement in his voice, "And to who can we thank for the regent's shocking appearance today?"

She just laughed slightly, "Oh and his back is just as pretty. Toasted to perfection. Can't wait until he has to sit down..." and when soon he was directed by the priest to take his seat upon the thrown so that the nobility would start to step forward and pledge themselves to him, Terra took great pride and pleasure in watching the pain slip across his face as she sat upon the thrown which she noted had even more padding upon it.
 
Nathan like all the rest turned to watch the regent enter. He had to focus not to burst out laughing at the regent. He knew something had happened the night before and from the look of it his wife had done a number on the pompous pig. He couldn’t stop a soft, “Good girl.” From slipping passed his lips. though in his heart he worried what a action like that would cost her and hoped that she hadn’t ruined their rescue plan for her.

He sighed and just waited, all they could do was go ahead with their plan and pray she was alright. The nobles were finally called to pledge their loyalty to the regent as the new king. Nathan watched the balconies and side doors seeing the evidence of his men in place before walking forward to take his turn as the last noble. All the others would face charges of treason and have to do a lot of fancy talking to get out of it. he stepped forward to the point that all the nobles had. His hand rested on his sword looking hatefully at the regent.

Had not at that moment Jacob, dressed as the Fox burst in through the main doors, Nathan would have said too much. Jacob smirked up at the regent, “Yield false king, as long as the prince lives you will never have the throne.” The gasp around the room was total shock except for a few men that were in league with the regent.
 
Terra gasped slightly as Nathan came into her view ever so slightly from their hiding place. "He can't mean to-" she started, wanting to scream out for him to not pledge himself to the vile man like that.

But the prince quickly whispered into her ear, "Do not worry, it's all just a part of the plan. Watch and you'll see." She did watch and saw all heads turn as towards a voice from the back of the room. Terra could not see who it belonged to but the realization that the plan, what ever it may be, was in motion.

"Ah, the Black Fox, I was expecting you to join us..." the regent spoke as he rose his hand towards where the prince held Terra and the regents own plan started into motion as well.

The prince whispered on last instruction to her before he pushed her out into the room, "When the Fox looks are you, slowly close and open both your eyes..." She didn't understand, but was ready to do as she told. It was a signal that the man holding her was indeed the prince and that the swap between him and the original man that was to hold Terra's life had happened and their plans could progress as planned. Two additional guards seemed to appear out of now where as they guarded the prince that held Terra close, knife pressed to her neck as they came into view of the whole room. Another gasp came up from the crowd as they saw her, face beaten up, her lip cracked and still a little bloody. The evening was suddenly dangerous and exciting for all the unsuspecting people that had no idea this was going to happen.

The regent spoke again, seeming to be cocking to the end, "As you can see my dear Fox, a guest has joined me recently. I believe you have known her. By some sources, they say... rather well," he smiled and his eyes directed towards one person currently not noticed in the room. Anya stood there, not far off to the regent's right, a smug smile on her face as she was dressed like she was someone worthy of being among nobility, but she was just a bitch and a whore, dressed in a dark red. "Her life is in my hands or should I say... it's in your hands. If you turn around now Fox, the lady lives.... if not, her blood is upon your hands..."
 
Nathan once again had to use every ounce of control to stick to the plan, as he saw Terra beaten and bruised. He seethed inside ready to pounce on the regent and inflict ever injury that he had on Terra on him before ending his suffering. There was no hiding such anger but he was her husband. And it only got worse as the regent threatened her life his hand gripping his sword. “Harm her regent and I swear you will not live the day out.”

The regent seemed to barely realize that Nathan was there as he waved the comment away, “Be silent Duke I will find you another whore to bed.”

Jacob was being much more controlled then Nathan though that was his part. He looked from the regent to Terra and back then to Nathan. His eyes for a moment flicked to Anya and a gleam of hate sparked in them before going back to the regent. “She was my captive for a time…what is one more innocents blood on my hands, they are already stained for all time. What do I care if she lives or dies?”
 
When the "fox" looked at her, she did as she had been told to do and gave him the signal with her eyes. It looked to others like she was just getting the strength to go on. But now Jacob knew for sure that this was indeed the prince that held her. And with that... and Nathan declaring in front of everyone that as the dutiful husband, the stage was all set.

The regent laughed, "A convincing deceleration Fox, but it will not save the girl I know you care for. Kill her!" He commanded.

In a flash, the prince swiped the knife over her skin. It was so dull she realized it could likely not even cut butter. On cue, she raised her hands to her neck, the packet of blood bursting against her skin and pigs blood dripping over her hands and down her dress as the prince let her go and she fell to the floor, face down to hide she was still alive even more. Now all she could do was pray. She heard the regent cry out, "GUARDS!" but could not see why.
 
The instant that the blood was seen Nathan drew his sword and rushed forward at the regent which is why he was screaming for his guards. However when none of them responded or were intercepted by other guards that now revealed themselves to be the Fox’s men, the regent had no choice but to defend himself. Nathan closed his eyes narrowed and burning with fire. “I warned you.” He rushed forward with a complex combination of thrusts and slashes that would keep even the best swordsman on the defensive for the moment.

Jacob had one target in mind. His men moved into the crowd engaging the nobles that tried to move toward the “Fox” or Nathan to aid the regent. However Jacob only had eyes for Anya, moving through the crowd fighting only when he had too, but quickly passing it off to one of his men or being able to finish the fight quickly and continued forward toward her.
 
The room was chaos, people running this way and that, Anya had been trying to make her way of the room, only to find that the doors had all been locked. No one was getting out of this room anytime soon.

Meanwhile the regent had drawn his own sword and was fighting for this life. "She attacked my my lord! She was to die for treason or for attempting to kill the king! You must face that! Stop fighting me man and fight with me damnit! You will hang for this if you do not stop!" He still had no idea who he faced.
 
Jacob came up behind Anya and grabbed her arm pulling her around his eyes narrowing. “Hello again Anya.” His voice was low and dark but even in that it shouldn’t have been too hard for her to recognize as Jacob.

Nathan growled and blocked a attempted slash by the regent which left the man open. He stepped in slamming his fist into his stomach. “I assume that is the same place you got those scratches my lord. The only way those could be gotten would be if you were trying to rape her. Yet another reason for me to kill you my lord.”
 
The regent had the wind knocked out of him. Then a vicious smile crossed his lips, "She was begging for it by the time I was done with her. Screaming for me not to stop. Be happy knowing your whore of a wife died after receiving the pleasure you could never give her."

Anya looked a Jacob, masked like the Fox in shock. "You?! You're not the Fox! What the hell is going on here! You let me go you slimy bastard!" She tugged her arm, trying to free herself from his vise like grip.
 
Nathan smirked at the taunt and with a quick flip of his sword shifted positions with the regent getting a slash in across his mid-section before facing him again. “I know my wife very well my lord. And with her so battered and bruised today she must have angered you much. what did she do? Take your manhood? No wait that was already gone.”

Jacob smiled darkly. “Your right but only know that, and I will make sure that you are the only one that ever knows that. The true Fox and his wife will be able to live on without worrying about you tell anything ever again.” He loosened his hand on her arm slightly.
 
His mention of the Fox... and his wife......

All the pieces suddenly clicked inside her mind. "Nathan.... NATHAN is the Fox!" She gave one more tug and freed herself from his hold and stumbled a little only to right herself and run. She tried to push her way through the crowd back towards the regent to tell and warn him.

"You were already going to die Lord Nathan, but now I shall not make it as quick and easy as I made your wife's!" He caught sight of the executioner from the corner of his eye and called to him, "You! Why do you not fight! Help me you fool!"
 
Jacob smiled slightly and shook his head knowing where she was going. “You won’t make it Anya.” Even as he said that he pulled a small dagger from him belt and with a flick of his wrist sent it after the retreating Anya’s back. It was on mark flying perfectly true to claim her life for the good of the kingdom.

Nathan smirked slightly as the regent called to the executioner for help. He kept on the attack forcing the attention of the regent to be on him.

That was until the prince laughed softly and took of his hood. “Really uncle? After you tried to have me killed? And murdered my father you expect me to help you?” he was passed another sword by one of the Fox’s men and now between Nathan the prince stood the regent with nowhere to go.
 
The regent heard this voice and turned his head. Seeing the prince there, her face went pale. He looked from the prince to Nathan, to Terra's bloody body on the floor, back to the prince again. Confusion on his face. "Nephew, you are a hypocrite! You took that ladies life with your own hands to gain back your thrown. You could have saved her," he looked to Nathan, trying to turn his anger to the prince now, "He could have spared your wife but killed her instead!"
 
Nathan shook his head and looked at the prince. “I know that my wife is safe in his hands no matter what happens so that will not work my lord.”

Between the two of them they slowly herded the regent back out onto the balcony that he would have gone out on to greet his people as their new king.

The prince pinned the regents sword against the rail at the same time Nathan ran him through his sword high near the regent’s heart. Not killing him instantly but a mortal blow none the less. “Listen well he would be king.” Nathan spoke softly so only the regent and the prince would hear. “You should never have abused your power, and you should never have touched my wife. Those two things brought your down fall and death today. because the abuse of power made me choose to become your enemy, and a Fox will fight to the death to defend his mate.”

With that the prince push on his uncle shoulder sending him over the rail and plummeting to his death on the courtyard below.
 
The people were already gathered blow and gasped and screamed as they watched the scene above the all.

The last look upon the regent's face, was indeed one to behold. The realization that Nathan had been the Fox the whole time. The Fox had been within the very walls of his castle for days. He opened to door to him, let him inside. He would have ended it... but now, it was over as he fell from the balcony to his death below.

The fight still raged within the ballroom and so the prince ran back in, standing up on the dais and yelling out, "GUARDS! Stand down! By order of your prince, stand down at once!" The activity in the room halted at once as everyone finally spotted the prince among them and gasped filled the room again before he raised his hands to quiet them all. "The regent is dead! It is a fitting end for him as he was the one to kill my father, his brother, the king." He pulled a note from his pocket, "It says so here, in my father's own hand. This final deceleration that I, his son, and the one and only true rightful heir to his throne. I stake that claim now. I am king."
 
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