The Lonely Ones

Chapter Forty-Five: Someone's On the Way

Wren wakes after one of the best sleeps he has ever had and it's all thanks to the boy curled up in his arms. Truly a wonderful, wonderful night that Wren tells himself not to expect too much from. It's important not to push, and quite frankly, it's always worth the wait. Resist the urge to jump him every moment of the day. Resist!

Which becomes increasingly harder to do when Artemis hums in his sleep, holds Wren a little tighter, and tilts his head under Wren's chin. This should be against some kind of law, but if it were Wren would break it anyway. Going against the rules is in his nature.

A knock sounds at the door that startles Artemis awake. Wren grins when his panicked eyes look between their naked bodies under the covers and the door that rattles. Luckily for him, the door's locked because Wren refuses to be interrupted or allow anyone to see Artemis so exposed. Tis a sight purely for his eyes.

"Artemis? It's late. Breakfast has been done for a while," Camellia calls, causing the boy to stumble frantically out of bed. Wren doesn't mind as much as he thought he would, seeing as he has a great view. At least until Artemis shimmies into a pair of pants and tosses on his shirt.

"I-I'll be right out," Artemis sputters, then shoots a very weak glare at Wren. The prince tilts his head, playing oblivious.

"Why didn't you wake me earlier?" Artemis whispers, flushing up to his ears when Wren steps out of bed. Wren snickers when Artemis turns away in an attempt not to stare. He moves closer to wrap his arms around Artemis' waist, who immediately stiffens and glances briefly at Wren's exposed shoulder. "And p-put your clothes on."

"I propose you take your clothes off," Wren argues while placing a kiss against Artemis' neck. He grins at the sight of a dark kiss mark barely peeking out from beneath Artemis' shirt.

"I have to work today. I've missed enough already."

"Didn't that rotten bastard toss a few coins at you to make up for it?"

"Yes, but the shop is likely a mess and I need to refill everything so that will take time."

Wren hates the sound of that. He hates even more that Artemis leaves to have breakfast while he dresses, grumbling unhappily all the while.

Why does Artemis have to work when Wren can conjure up some coins? They'd be made of mud and twigs, of course, but once they were mixed in with taxes from everyone else, one would never know who it came from. Or maybe Wren should just kill the new lord and continue doing so until the inevitable day came that Artemis would come to live with him. Ah, but the castle would be quite cold for Artemis.

Wren's about to conjure up a list of all the changes he'll have to make for their future living arrangements when a whimper on the wind catches his attention. He rushes to the window to throw it open, listening intently to the growing wind that's nearly strong enough to topple the house. There's the sound of steps rushing closer and heat ripping through the trees. Ones capable of that kind of heat come from the Ashen Plains.

"Ignit," Wren bites, his nails threatening to tear apart the windowsill.

Why would she send someone after just seeing Artemis? This is no spy...

Wren's eyes widen.

Could it be... she found out about Azar or even Wren's attachment to Artemis?

Without delay, Wren bursts out of Artemis' room. Camellia jumps from the table, on the verge of screaming when he knocks her out with a flourish of his hand. Camellia drops to the floor while Artemis kneels at her side.

"Wren, what are you--" Artemis' words are cut short by Wren grasping his arm.

"We have to leave. Now," Wren growls. He tugs Artemis to the door, who plants his feet firmly in the doorway.

"What? Why? My mother--"

"Will wake and not know of you," Wren spits, causing Artemis' face to grow sickly pale. "Ignit is sending someone and they're no spy. She either knows about you or--" Wren bites his lip, catching himself.

"Or what?" Artemis asks.

"We have to leave, unless you want two fae casting Eidenswill into a sea of ice and fire."

Artemis plants his feet once more, making Wren growl, then growl more when Artemis asks, "What about Maggie? Ignit knows about her."

Wren didn't even consider her. His focus is on Artemis, but Artemis won't listen if he doesn't at least try to save the girl. Huffing, he drags Artemis swiftly to Maggie's shop in town. The girl thinks nothing of Artemis stepping into the store with the blonde stranger she met at his shop a while back. Artemis requests to talk to Maggie and her parents, claiming he wants to apologize for what happened. That's enough to get all three of them into one room where Wren does the same to Maggie's parents as he did to Camellia. Artemis groans when Wren makes Maggie unconscious under the excuse, "She'll be screaming the whole way through town and the woods otherwise."

"I know, but... isn't there a better way?" Artemis grumbles. Wren should be the one who is grumbling, seeing as he's the one carrying Maggie.

"We haven't much time to come up with a better plan. They're too close." Wren can already smell the ash and smoke. "We'll have to take the long way through the woods to avoid them."

Artemis nods, even if the look on his face says he doesn't like their prospects. Keeping himself and Maggie invisible, Wren steps out of the shop with Artemis on his heels. They rush through town where Artemis earns a few raised eyebrows by confused townsfolk. In the forest, Wren can let up since he needs to keep his strength in case they do run into any suspicious characters.

"Where are we going?" Artemis asks after some time sneaking through the forest, attempting to avoid even the greenlings. Should they see Wren with Artemis and Maggie, no doubt they'll be running to tell his siblings, if they aren't already aware.

"To my home," Wren replies, glancing over his shoulder to catch Artemis' wide-eyed stare.

"Do you mean the mountains you spoke of that I've never seen?"

"Exactly."

"How can we get there?"

Wren winks. "You'll see."

A bit more running and they come upon the tree, one Artemis clearly hasn't stumbled across based on his impressed staring. He hesitates to enter, already shivering from the cool wind whistling within the tunnel. Wren nods his head forward, "Come on. Once we're through here, you're safe. No firelet would be foolish enough to follow."

Artemis takes a hesitant step forward, then another. Wren offers his arm and says, "Keep hold of me."

Dumbly nodding, Artemis grasps Wren's arm and they step through the tunnel together. The familiar cold of home mixed with freezing air and blinding light takes them until they've reached the snowy fields of Wren's Winterlands. Artemis shivers beside him, stepping closer while gazing slack jawed at the surrounding trees.

Artemis turns around to admire the tree they came through that looks exactly the same. Then he stares at Wren with a question that is written perfectly on his face.

"It's magic," Wren states, then steps forward. "Come on, we need to get you inside."

Artemis doesn't release Wren's arm for the rest of the journey.

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:✧*⋆.*:･ﾟ✧.: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆ ☾

This is what happens when I don't plan ahead. I'm all over the place, but uh, I hope the story's still enjoyable. Anywho, why do you think someone was coming after Wren and Artemis? Did Ignit learn about Azar or Wren being with Artemis? What's going to happen now that Artemis and Maggie are in Wren's home? P.S. Any and all Maggie hate will be deleted. No exceptions. Move along~