A Forbidden Fairytale Love

[Risk]

"Dresden!" She ran to him before anyone reached them. She put her hand over his, tears filling her eyes, but they were real now. "I shouldn't have left your side, I'm so sorry. It should have been me." She kissed him as the healers and guards came rushing in. Her hand tightened over his helping him slow the blood loss. When the healers came she was the one to hold the bandage over his wound, her hands much stronger than a palace maidens hands. She the healers took over to tending to him she stayed at his head her hair falling in curls around him, shielding his face from what was being done to save his life and she kissed him, like she never had before.

Ginger closed her eyes. "Names and faces come and go for me. It's mostly the men right now, but I know soon it'll be you and the boys." She cuddled into him. "No one can know that I'm going senile. It will be used against me." She rubbed her temples. "My head ache is coming back too." She sighed and pressed herself into his fur. Ginger had no idea what was going on with her but she knew what time she had left remembering her family was quickly being wasted away by this war.

Gerard grinned, "So we get the girl. Kalila knows her, so let's see what we can do about that. How are you feeling?" His mind clearly more focused on having Erin back.

[Taiylor Wallace]

"No..." Dresden reached up with his good hand, now cleaned of blood, to stroke her cheek. "If it had been you... I couldn't live with myself." Her kiss seemed to give him heart, though, and he struggled through the healers' work until they could do no more, and left him to rest. He lay in his bed now, propped up, his breathing a little shallow but nothing to worry about. He wouldn't relinquish Sarah at all, not for anyone. Out of nowhere, he began chuckling good-humoredly about something, reaching out to the nightstand by his bed, into a thin drawer hidden below the visible drawer. He slid it open, and there shone a beautiful ring set with a blue-tinted diamond, one of the rarest types in all the world. "I was planning to give you this today... And ask you properly to be my wife, my Queen."

Ciaran set his forehead to hers, as if wishing he could absorb her aches and pains and losses. "I'll be here no matter what... If worse comes to worst, I'll be your memory."

"I'm alright, if a little bit tired from those drugs." Erin smiled up at Gerard, stroking his cheek lovingly. "But I need to talk with Ginger and Ciaran before you and I can have some time together, I'm afraid."

Back in Crys, Doran would suddenly find Jackie's arms around him from behind, looped about his waist. She left a light kiss in the center of his broad back. She'd made a quick recovery under his love, and it showed in the fierce way she led the Alcadians and the more and more passionate kisses Doran recieved. She slipped under his arm, around to his front and kissed his chest, wordlessly taking his hand and leading him along toward their room.

Of course, Kass had gone with the ships, making Rain stay whether she liked it or not. (Just to mention them).

[Risk]

Sarah stayed with him, she had no reason to leave him. Her men were perfectly capable of taking care of themselves. She joined him in bed as he produced the rings and she blushed. "With or without the crown I'd say yes." She whispered before she kissed him lovingly. Every kiss every word was real now. She lay with him, helping him with the rings after settling against his other shoulder. She'd been in this bed many times before, but it wasn't until recently it had become more than a desire for herself.

"I know, tell the boys if I don't get to myself ok?" Ginger squeezed him gently taking in a few deep breaths. The salty air seemed to be helping her. She found her feet again and made her way to shore with him, not letting go of his hand.

Gerard nodded, "They'll be here soon, mom was up and about today. She'd been bed ridden since you left." He tried to update Erin a little bit but there was a lot.

Rain had reluctantly stayed home, but she was never alone she was the baby sitter. She was watching more kids than what she knew to do with along with the tripplets that were showing to be very strong and clever.

[Taiylor Wallace]

Dresden turned his head to rest it upon hers comfortably, letting himself drift off to sleep, feeling safer with her than he would with a thousand armored men standing watch.

"Of course." Ciaran brought Ginger to Gerard and Erin, and Erin had Gerard set him down. Erin hugged Ginger gently like a lost son being reunited with his mother, and he soon relayed all he knew, all the same things he'd told Gerard.

Maids were always around to help Rain, but the children favored Rain most of all. Little Nadia, however, was more of a handful than any of the others, and was always going missing, getting into dangerous situations, and going off alone. She never got a single scratch, though, not even when she managed to find her way into the castle armory. She was shaping up to be clever like Erin, and independant like Gerard, and then some. She caused constant worry and headaches, and did it all as if life were a breeze. She had manners and such when required, but she was a rebel.

[Risk]

Rain supported every child's habits, encouraging them to be themselves. Telling them of their parents and what they did any time she could. While she worried of Nadia she didn't threaten her for it either just told her she was worried and that it wasn't easy for her to follow but if something bad happened she would know and come and find her.

Ginger smiled and pulled Erin close, hugging him tightly. "It's a shame we couldn't have gotten there first." She sighed. "Innocent lives. Alright, we're just about all here, so let's push the army inland and bring everything, the more land to can push on before the army shows up the better."

Sarah stayed with Dresden, she could have killed him, but she didn't. She lay there, running her fingers through his hair, humming a telchi song to him as he fell into a slumber. She was mad at herself for not keeping him safe. She was his personal body guard after all, even if no one else really knew it.

[Taiylor Wallace]

Nadia, though she liked Rain, didn't really listen much. That particular day, Lady Liza came to Rain, bringing Nadia back. "I found her in the kitchens. The little thief managed to steal most of the crystallized fruit." She couldn't help a smile, though, setting Nadia down beside Rain.

Erin nodded, "I know the lay of the land from here on, and Dresden has no idea you're coming, especially not with this force." He would lead them on.

[Risk]

Through the night Ginger pushed the men into the kingdom. But her health hadn't slowed her down yet so she was taking full advantage of it. She stayed right with Ciaran and Erin. Gerard of course with Erin the entire time, keeping a very protective watch over him.

Rain smiled, "Well, you can't be as clever or as strong as your father if you eat nothing but crystallized fruit now can you Nadia? Just you wait, they'll tell you when they get home. You're so much like your fathers," She picked up Nadia, setting her on a hip. "I heard your father was quite the sucker for crystallized fruit as well when he was your age. Gave himself a stomach ache and your uncle Doran was stuck taking care of him.

Sarah woke in the middle of the night, a bad feeling creeping over her. She still had Dresden on her shoulder though. She reached down and stroked his cheek. "Duty calls love." She smiled and kissed the top of his head giving him a moment to wake under her lips before sliding out from under him. "I'll be back. I promise." She stole a loving kiss from him. Then she went to speak with some of her men.

Even as morning came though, Sarah didn't return as promised. In fact there was the overwhelming lack of her and a good chunk of her men. When Dresden was up there was one of her men waiting at the door. He looked scared, not something common for any of her men.

As the morning pressed on Gingers army saw the dust of an approaching, very small group of men. They were all on horse back, and dressed as Tlechi. But none of the telchi in her army seemed pleased about this, and all of them drew their weapons, setting the entire army into an uneasy halt. On a black horse was Sarah herself, tied and restrained by four men on other horses all around her and a fith on the same horse as her with a knife pressing into her throat, blood trickling down her neck. They rode right up to Ginger.
"We bring you a gift saint red." The man holding the knife said. Sarah had taken a good beating, but they hadn't hit her face, making sure she could be recognized easily. She was gagged and stripped of all her weapons. They weren't taking any chances with her. "What will you have us do with her?"
Ginger was surprised and worried, they had just handed her one her most dangerous enemies but in doing so also made Dresden even more dangerous. She looked to Ciaran and Erin. "We need to talk."

[Taiylor Wallace]

Nadia just grinned away, gnawing on a piece of glazed apple. She was never the talker, even though she'd learned to speak almost eloquently in a short amount of time.

"Be careful..." Dresden spoke softly to Sarah, watching her go. In the morning, when Dresden was alerted to the man at the door, his brow furrowed. He ushered the man in almost kindly, "What is it? Where's Sarah?"

Erin didn't even wait for Ginger and Ciaran, he snapped at the men. "You idiots!" He snarled, looking quite ferocious despite his pale, thin frame. "Do you have any idea what you've just done?! You've brought the wrath of Damonheim down on not just us and yourselves, you've brought it on the whole damned world!" The more he yelled, the angrier he got.

[Risk]

"Says the one who forced action." One snapped back. "Fifteen children and three of our own died because you couldn't sit in your room like a good lad."

Sarah only looked annoyed, she was far from frightened by these men even with the knife sinking into her flesh every time she moved. These men would pay for their actions, she knew that, it was only a matter of time.

"Some of the men.. after she killed off the notelchi and the kids.. they turned on her. They're already ridding to the enemy, knife drawn and poison in her blood." He looked worried. "I've sent others sire but.. sire catching them, it's nearly impossible, they lamed our horses."

Ginger sighed rubbing her head. "Idiots, they know we're here now too. Alright we're setting up here.." She looked around not liking their options in miles upon miles of open field. "When my tent is up you bring her there and you lift that blade from her throat. Now!" Ginger rarely used a demanding voice but now she was and it had all the strength it needed to even startle the horses.

[Taiylor Wallace]

"That's not my fault!" But it obviously hurt Erin that the children had died for his freedom. He would've killed the man himself if left to his own devices.

Dresden's face became something no one in the Empire had ever seen before. Terror, mixed with a rage that welled up deep in his chest. "... Get me a good horse, then... I can't walk the whole way in this condition. Get the generals, gather the army... We move. As of right now, this is total war, no expense is to be spared." Dresden turned, going to his wardrobe to change.

At this point, Ciaran took Sarah from the men, not trusting them with her at all. He decided it was best to leave Sarah to the care of the one who was least likely to kill her: Loke. But that also meant that Loke wanted to keep Kalila away from Sarah, just in case. He silently took her arm, still a gentleman, and brought her away from the others to sit down while he took care of her neck.