'Till Death We Will Fight

Chapter XIX

Each day that brings us closer to the capital the more I worry about V, Jay has disappeared. He said that he wanted to find her. I should have gone too but Zena and Fratren wouldn't let me. It's been a month since she left and our troop's morale is lower than I've ever seen it. I shake my head and continue doing my rounds.

Vernocesses's POV

I have been brought into the court of the human king and I have spent this last month training his troops. Most really do not like him. One of the generals throw a man down at my feet, "Crastor wants you to take care of this."

I kneel in front of the man, he lifts his head to look at me and I gasp, "Jay? What the hell are you doing here!?!?!?"

I help him stand and everyone is watching us, "I'm here to get you out. I'm here to save you."

A dry crack echoes through the courtyard as my hand connects with his cheek. "I'm in no need for a savior!" I growl at him, "If you haven't seen I am not a damn prisoner! I am training these men!" He looks shocked that I would speak to him like that. "Take a break men. I have something to deal with." I take hold of Jay's collar and drag him into my room. As soon as I close the door I hug him, "You can't be here." His arms wrap around me, I pull out of the hug and take his face in my hands. "I didn't hurt you too bad, did I?" I stroke the cheek that I slapped.

He takes my hands in his, "No, you didn't." He smiles and kisses my hand, "I'm getting you out of here."

I shake my head and move away from him, "I can't leave. These people....they need me." Go with him. Yeah, go back to the rebellion.

"You can help them by coming back to the rebellion and ending Crastor's rule once and for all." He walks over to me and I can feel his breath on my neck, "Zena, Julius, Fratren, and the troops need you. I need you." I turn to look at him but I freeze and I am suddenly aware of how close our lips are. "I need you V." His voice is low and I can see longing in his eyes, I nod slowly and our lips connect in a strong, passionate kiss. His soft lips on mine make the world spin. We pull apart in need of breath, "You have no idea how long I've been wanting to do that."

Blushing I smile at him, "We should go back out there and pretend like I scolded you."

"How can I do that when I can't stop smiling?"

I smile even more, "I can always hit you again."

He rubs his cheek remembering the first time I slapped him, "No, no, I think I'm okay."

"Good." I walk out of the room to find the human king waiting. "Your highness."

I bow my head, "I want you to go back to the rebellion with that man. I need someone I can trust within those ranks." I nod, "Good, you'll leave in an hour."

I nod and walk back to the room, "It looks like we are going sooner than later." I begin packing the few things I have and the whole time Jay was watching me. After about thirty minutes or so of him staring at me I turned to him, "Can I help you?"

He stands and walks to me, "You can but I think I need to wait to ask exactly what I want from you." I narrow my eyes at him unsure of what he's talking about, "You are so damn beautiful."

Shaking my head I push him away, "I'm going to bathe before our trip." He nods and I walk into a separate room and began filling the water basin. I take my time washing my hair and body, as I stand to step out of the basin and grab a towel Jay walks in and just freezes just staring at my unclothed body. "Uh..."

I point at the towel on the rack behind him, he quickly grabs it and hands it to me. I wrap up, "Um... Crastor wants to talk to you I told him you would be there in a moment I just wanted you to know I didn't mean to walk in and...."

"Jay. Calm down, it's okay. I'll dress and speak with the human king." He quickly nods and runs out of the room. It's a little weird having my unclothed body seen by another, especially a man, but Jay is acting as if he had just seen me making love with another. I shake the thoughts away and begin dressing, I fix my hair up in a tight braid. I love the way the blood red strips pop out in my white hair.

I step out of the room to find the human king standing in the doorway. He turns to me, "If you betray me I don't know what I'll do. I can't have my heart broken twice." I cock my head, what the hell does he mean, "That man has seen you exposed, hasn't he?"

"...Just now...yes...."

"Did you intend for him to see? Or did he intend to see?"

"Neither...."

The human king walks over to me, "Try not to die in the upcoming battle."

I nod slowly, now is the only time I will ever be able to ask about the scar .... "You were a protector weren't you?"

His eyes grow cold, "How did you know?"

"You have a mark, that scar....you had to be....what happened, to your dragon I mean..."

"I died... When the protector dies so does the dragon....someone who practiced necromancy brought me back, it was too late for my dragon though."

"Oh..."

"Anyway. You need to get to the road if you want to reach the rebellion's troops by tomorrow."

I nod and take up my bag of belongings before meeting Jay at the stables. "Look V..."

"It's okay."

"I just... I wanted to apologize it's just....I didn't think that you would be getting out right then and you know well....I'm sorry I was staring but you're just....you're very beautiful."

I blush widely and settle myself atop the horse, "Let's go."

He nods and we head out at a swift pace, "What did Crastor need to say to you?"

"That if I were to betray him it would break his heart.... What does that mean?"

"I don't know V."

'We are on our way to you.'

'Really!??!?!?!'

'Yes, we should meet you by mid-day tomorrow.'

'You aren't hurt are you?'

I smile, I miss Julius worrying over me all the time. This month has been strangely lonely. 'No, I'm not hurt. Confused but not hurt.'

I can hear his nervous laugh and sigh of relief, 'What did you do when you saw Jay?'

'Well I was in front of the human king's troops so I slapped him, a little harder than I meant to, then yelled at him before dragging him to my room and apologizing. Can you believe that the human king sent me back to you and asked me not to betray him?'

I can feel him shaking his head in disbelief and smiling, 'I'm just glad you are okay. I'll see you tomorrow at mid-day, right?'

'Right.'

With that we end the conversation and I can feel Jay staring at me, "You just spoke to Julius didn't you?"

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"You always smile like that when you talk to him...." I stop pull on the reins halting the horse, "What's wrong?"

"You sound...saddened that I smile when I speak with him. I smile when I speak with you too."

"But not like you do when you speak to him. Your whole face lights up and it looks like a huge weight has been lifted from you....when you smile at me it's like you are happy to see me but there is something always swirling behind that."

Sighing I get the horse to start moving at the same pace as before, "You're right there is always something else swirling behind the happiness I feel when I'm with you. It's called nervousness."

"Why are you nervous around me?"

"I...think about the kiss we shared and then ask me again why I would be nervous around you if you don't understand after that." I urge the horse to move faster and soon we are galloping through the country towards the rebellion. I smile at the wind batters me and I look at the countryside, it's beautiful. If only we could keep this from being touched by this war. We ride through the night only stopping to give the horses time to rest and to eat.