Flashf0rward

Chapter 33: This Means War

Ivy

I awoke on something soft, but firm. My eyes blinked twice, blearily, and then I removed some of my messy hair from around my face. Moving my head up, I took in my surroundings, and I realized that I wasn't in my bedroom. My current location didn't fully hit me until I looked down and saw the shirtless form of Connor sleeping below me.

A huge blush crept over my face, and I began to recall what had happened last night. Getting Jude back to the camp, Wren making his speech at the hospital, me asking Connor to come home, and then...God, what was I doing? I barely knew him, and already I'd slept with him. Wren was going to kill me.

At that thought, another one rose up in my head. It said: "There's more to it than that, and you know it. You didn't just meet him, he's saved your life more than once, and you might as well have lived with him for months while you were out there for a few days. He's special, he's different than the rest. Don't you dare go thinking that you're gonna regret this because of Wren."

My thoughts were right, in the end. I was my own person now, free to make my own decisions, not Wren's little sister. And for me, this felt like the right choice. I could trust him. And he clearly trusted me enough to let me in like this. I smiled down at his sleeping form, seeing both of his eyes for the first time closed, and peaceful.

Leaning down, I planted a gentle kiss on his forehead, remembering a few nights ago when I'd done the same thing to calm him down during his attack. As I drew back, I saw both of his eyes were open. Even though his scarred, milky eye seemed like it was blind, the way he looked at me made me feel like he could see me as clear as day. His smile reflected that.

"Hey." He said softly, and I laughed a little. "Hey." I said back, and I returned to relaxing on his chest, feeling his heartbeat and breathing beneath my ear. His hand reached over and laid on my back, stroking my spine slightly. As much I wanted to stay here, I knew I couldn't forever. My face turned from one of peace to of worry.

Connor must have noticed it, because he shifted his head to look at me. "You alright?" I sighed and nodded. "Yeah...I'm just worried about Matthias...about you." I admitted as I looked back up into his brown eyes, seeing the intensity in their gaze. "You shouldn't. I'll be fine, I promise. I can handle myself."

I shook my head. "Don't make promises you can't keep. We both know what he did to you, what he can do to everyone else. He may look like a stable guy, but I know that under his facade, he's a psychopath." Connor held the side of my face in his hand. "Ivy...I know we've only known each other for a short time but...you have to know something about me."

He paused, then continued. "After losing Alicia, I made a vow to myself. I would always keep myself alive, for her memory, to make sure she never stayed out of my head. But soon, that wasn't enough. The fact that she was dead still persisted. Then, I came to a realization. I wouldn't let any other person I loved die. Not while I was still breathing." Connor stared at me. "What I mean by that is-"

I cut him off with a finger to his lips. "I do...trust me, I do. Just...not yet, ok?" I said. I wasn't ready to hear those words from his mouth. My brain and heart wouldn't be able to take it. Connor paused, then took my hand, holding it in his and kissing it gently as he held it against his face. "Ok."

Smiling, I leaned up and gave him one last kiss on his lips before getting up. Standing next to the bed, I grabbed my shirt that was lying on one of the chairs and placed it back on, buttoning it up. Looking in the water bucket, I fixed my hair. "We should get a move on. Dunno if Wren and Katrina are up yet." Connor frowned. "What do you mean?" I turned to him, and gave him an exasperated look. "Geez, you really are blind."

Just as I was placing my hair in a ponytail, I heard a shouting coming from the main gates. "Movement! Enemy horse on the hill!" My eyes widened, and I turned to Connor. Tossing him his shirt and jacket, I picked up my pistol from the table. "Clothes, now!" Nodding, Connor put his things on, and the both of us bolted out the door.

As we made it to the front gates, I could see Wren bringing up the rear, with Katrina following not too far behind. I tried to keep a smug grin off my face, knowing I had little room to talk. I couldn't see who it was due to the wall, but the guards on top were pointing their guns at something. Sparrow aimed her rifle at the wall, then shouted to one of the guards. "Open the gates!" I kept my hand on my pistol, ready for anything.

The large wooden doors swung open, and revealed a single man sitting on a horse, looking at all of us with a frown. Matthias didn't look happy. And he had every right not to be, but frankly, I didn't care. He would pay for what he did to Jude and Connor. Seeing all of us pointing our weapons at him didn't even faze him, however, as he stepped off of his horse and walked up to the border of Sanctuary.

"I'm so disappointed in all of you." He finally said. "I gave you every chance I had to end this peacefully, and I admit, I had to resort to underhanded measures. But last night was unacceptable. Sneaking into my base, injuring my men, almost setting the entire place on fire. What are you, barbarians?"

I looked at him incredulously. "You captured and almost killed one of our own!" I shouted, and Matthias turned his head to me. He shook his head. "My dear, if I wanted him dead, he would be dead. What I did was simply a wakeup call, a way to get you people thinking. You honestly thought you could ignore us forever?" He laughed. "And you think I'm crazy."

Wren frowned. "Lot of talk for someone with 20 guns trained at his head." Matthias looked at my brother with a smile. "Oh Wren, you and I both know that 20 guns aren't enough to kill me." He let that sink in for a moment, then turned back to everyone else. I'd noticed a crowd of people had come to watch as well.

"So, to all of you citizens of Sanctuary, I come with a message. You have pushed things too far this time. You have attacked us, and therefore, we must retaliate. But, since a sneak attack, unlike what you have done, would be unjust, instead, I come announcing our imminent assault, as well as an ultimatum: You have 24 hours to surrender yourselves to us, or each and every single person in this village will die."

Matthias placed his hands behind his back and then looked out at the village behind the crowd. "I can assure you, you should consider surrendering. It would be a fate much more merciful than death." With that, he turned around, and got back on his horse. "24 hours." He said one last time, then rode off, disappearing over the hill.