Fable 1. Chapter 1

**A/N The usual disclaimer applies; I don't own Fabel or any of its characters, if I did then obviously this would have been how the story in the game would have gone...**

**Just A Common Soldier**

**Chapter One**

"Be you men or be you Hollow men?!" Shouted the nervous voice of the Soldier from atop the gates.

Aurora put her hands on her hips slightly exasperated, and called back; "Quite frankly I'm neither. And that's a dog" She gestured to the Collie sat obediently at her feet.

Walter frowned and gave her a stern sideways glance. "Behave yourself." He scolded before calling back up to the clearly nervous Soldier. "Have you gone daft boy?! It's me Walter, inform Major Swift of my arrival at once. And open this bloody gate!" His bellowing voice echoed through the damp air like a fog horn.

"Open the gate! Open the gate!" The young Soldier cried frantically, disappearing from his post. Within moments the large wooden barricade slowly swung open, the noise of its decaying wood moaning at the effort.

Aurora stayed planted to the spot for a second, there was something about this Fort that made her uneasy, and then she began to wonder why was there even a Fort all this way out in the middle of the swamps in the first place?

- "Well are you coming or not? Trust me you don't want to be stood out there come nightfall."

Walter called back to her, having already made to enter the Fort. Aurora sighed, her eyes looking upwards at the crumbling stone archway as she slowly stepped through it, her line of sight following the arch around to the raised wall that circulated the entire Fort. She flinched ever so slightly as the great wooden doors were pushed closed behind her by two Soldiers.

She simply stood there for a moment, taking in her new surroundings. There were men scattered about the place, wearing torn and dirty uniforms that belonged to the Albion Royal Army's Guard. Most of the men were young, probably too young to be Soldiers she thought. All of them looked pale and broken, dark circles encompassing their eyes and drawn features giving the young men an appearance aged far beyond their years.

- "HOHO! WALTER! What the blazes are you doing here?!" The sudden ecstatic voice made Aurora spin round with a start. There marching purposefully towards them, with his arms out stretched was a man who had quite possibly the most elaborate moustache she had ever seen. The older man removed his pipe momentarily before embracing Walter. Aurora couldn't help but smirk at the clearly uncomfortable expression on Walter's face at the sudden over bearing gesture.

From above them on the ledge the other side of the Fort three men could be seen gathered around the Mortar.

* * *

"So if you cock it up, he dies. It's as simple as that. So don't cock it up." The blonde hair instructor folded his arms and fixed his trainees with a level stair. "Now Smith, you have a go at loading it, while Jenkins you try aiming, and remember you're aiming to hit as many of them as you can in one shot… Smith? Smith are you even paying attention?!" He snapped noticing the young Soldier's sudden distracted glance to the gates.

"Is that a _woman_?" Asked Jenkins in a mixture of excitement and disbelief.

Another young soldier came bounding up the stairs towards them. "Have you _seen _her?!" He exclaimed in excited alarm. " She's bloody gorgeous!"

The blonde haired instructor rolled his eyes and sighed, having being stationed at the Fort for weeks on end with not even so much as a glimpse of a woman in all that time had clearly taken it's toll on his men. So it was no surprise at their excitement when a woman walked in, although he suspected that would have reacted the same way to a Hobbe in a dress at this point.

"Well that's just bloody marvellous isn't it. All of this, and now we have to try and protect some lost travellers who've wandered in... Ah good Swifty's going over to send them on their way…. What? Why's he hugging them?! Oh the soft old git, right wait here…"

He marched down the stairs towards the figures in the distance, determined to send them packing before it got dark. He couldn't afford to have his men distracted by some traveller woman playing the damsel in distress. His pace slowed as he got closer, his stern expression slowly subsiding to a warmer grin. He recognised that voice, that was no lost Traveller, that was Sir Walter Beck.

He strode closer to the group, his determined stride now simply a confident swagger. The woman had her back to him, she was dressed in what looked like to be a Highwayman's outfit, minus the hat. Her long flame red hair tied back in a loose knot.

Who was she? As far as he knew Walter didn't have any daughters, and if she was Walters's wife… then he was impressed with the old dog! She stood tall and straight, everything about her posture screamed Nobility. He glanced down at her boots, his late mother had always said you can tell a everything about someone from their footwear, and sure enough they were no Highwayman's boots, but rather expensive looking Leather ankle boots. He smirked to himself, pleased with is deductive skills, his eyes slowly trailing up from her shoes along her tight fitted trousers, and he cocked his head to the side slightly admiring her buttocks. He hadn't laid eyes on a woman either for weeks, and he had never been one to pass up the chance to admire a well sculpted female figure.

"_Not bad Walter. Nicely done._" He thought to himself, as he closed in on the group.

"Why has Logan got you in this god-forsaken hole?" Walter raised his arms to gesture at their crumbling surroundings. The moustache wearing man let out a purposeful puff on his pipe.

"Ah the King always saves the finest jobs for my Brigade, personally I think it's something Finn probably said to him once to offend him." He quipped, motioning to the Blonde man who joined the group.

"Ben Finn!" Exclaimed Walter in delight.

"Walter." The stranger nodded in acknowledgement. "Still alive then?" He chuckled, he was still slightly behind Aurora and unable to see her face properly.

"I could ask the same of you, no irate husband's managed to get a clear shot at you yet then?" Walter laughed, as the Pipe smoking gentleman gave him a knowing glance before changing the conversation.

"We've been here for weeks trying to eradicate the Hollow Men that infest this area. Every night we battle them and every night we lose more good men. Why just last night we lost Lieutenant Simmons." He gestured over to the freshly dug graves over to the side of the Fort. Aurora cast her gaze over to the direction of the make shift cemetery, her jaw slightly falling slack.

"Those were your comrades?" She asked softly.

The moustached man turned to her, "Not to fret my Dear, they died a noble Death defending their Country and it's people." He paused and extended his hand to her, "Major Swift of the Royal Army." He said proudly puffing out his chest slightly.

Aurora smiled slightly and shook the mans outstretched hand, he suddenly released his grip seeing the faintest flash of her Will lines course under the skin of her bare fingertips. He took a slight step back in momentary suspicion, he turned sharply to Walter.

"Walter, is that…" He glanced almost alarmed at Aurora. Ben stepped forward to see what had caught Major Swift so off guard.

Walter lowered his voice, and glanced around before he spoke. "Yes. This is the Princess…. But you're to treat her like any other pair of hands around here for now." He added hurriedly. It was clear he wasn't overly keen on admitting her identity, mainly because she was technically on the run from her Brother and surrounded by _his _Royal Army.

Major Swift bowled, "My Lady." He nodded, it absolute admiration.

"The _Princess_?!" Exclaimed Ben loudly in disbelief.

"Shout it out a bit louder why don't you. I think there's some Hollow men in the ground who didn't quite hear you!" Snapped Walter, exasperated that their cover had been blown.

Major Swift sighed, "Discretion never has been your strong point has it Finn?" He glared at the young man. "Princess allow me to introduce you to Captain Benjamin Finn. One of the greatest Marksmen in all of Albion. And also one of it's gobbiest."

Ben huffed at his introduction, and stretched out a hand for Aurora to shake. She took it and for the first time looked directly at him.

"It's a pleasure Captain Finn." She said politely shaking his hand. Ben paused, fully taking in her features for the first time.

"The pleasure is all mine Princess." He replied in a low husky voice not breaking her gaze, he still held onto her hand.

*_Ahem_*** **Walter cleared his throat purposefully and the Princess pulled her hand away from the Captain. Walter was eyeing Ben with disdain. "Princess, a word if you would?" He gestured for her to follow him.

As they moved away Major Swift stood with is Arms folded across his chest, watching the two as they privately conversed. "Watch yourself boy." He said in a quiet warning tone.

Ben also stood watching the two newcomers, his hands in his pockets, and without removing his gaze he replied; "I'm sure I don't know what you mean Swifty."

The Major cast a purposeful glance to his right, yet Ben still faced forward feigning unawareness. "She's a Princess, not one of your floozies you pick up in taverns or a bored house wife. I know what you're thinking, and take my advice. Don't."

Ben sighed, and turned to face the Major, a smug smirk plastered across his face. "You put a ridiculously beautiful woman in front of me, and instruct me not to try anything?" His tone was mocking.

The Major shrugged. "I'm not instructing you to do anything. But Sir Walter isn't a hapless irate house husband, if he shoots at you, he won't miss." The Major arched an authoritative eyebrow at the young Captain.

Ben let out a light chuckle, "Point taken." He nodded. He glanced back over in the direction of Aurora. "She couldn't of been a fat ugly Princess could she? No, had to be a gorgeous one I'm not allowed to touch."

Swift laughed, "I'm sure you'll find plenty of other beautiful young ladies to have your way with once we get out of here my boy. You always do." He gave Ben a reassuring pat on the back.

Ben's smile faded slightly, and he looked down over to the freshly dug graves. "_If_ we ever get out of here." He muttered.

"I want you to walk around, talk to the men here, gain their trust and learn their strengths and weaknesses, come nightfall you'll be fighting side by side with them." Walter had his lecturing voice on, a tone Aurora had become all too familiar with.

"And what if they ask me who I am? Why I'm here? Where I… where I've come from?" She was hesitant at the thought of Walter's instructions. Gaining the trust of the Dwellers was relatively easy, they all hated Logan. But this was a different set of circumstances entirely, this was the Royal Guard. These men had swore an allegiance to the Crown, which ultimately meant to Logan. She was more than apprehensive to announce her plans of rebellion to Soldiers of her Brother.

Walter placed both hands on her shoulders, "It's not going to be easy recruiting followers, and there will be times when people will decline you, and or betray you. And that as they say is a bridge we must cross when we come to it. For now, there will be no better way to recruit these Soldiers to your cause than to fight by their side. You're brother has forsaken them here, sent them practically to their deaths, you need to show them you're willing to fight with them, fight _for _them."

Walter always had a look of pride in his eyes that left Aurora often feeling terrified of disappointing him. He always seemed so adamant, so sure and certain that what she would do would be the right thing. A certainty she wished she shared.

"Come on, lets get you introduced to the men." He marched back towards the Major and the Captain, with Aurora trailing behind him. The two men watched as they approached once more, Aurora noticed that the young Captain wouldn't look her directly in the eyes. In fact he hardly acknowledged her at all, turning his attention to Walter instead.

"So you've still not told me why you've deemed to grace us with your presence old friend." The Major took an elongated puff on his pipe.

Walter glanced momentarily to Aurora, then back to the Major. "All in good time, but for now the Princess here would like to have a tour of the Fort, get to know the men she'll be fighting with."

"_Fighting _with?" Captain Finn seemed almost amused by the statement.

Aurora turned to face him. "Yes fighting with. You may be deemed as one of the greatest shots in Albion Captain Finn, but I doubt very much you are a patch on me when it comes to swordsmanship." Aurora was clearly insulted by the Captain's amusement at the idea of her fighting with the Soldiers. How dare he. He didn't know her, he didn't know what she was capable of.

Walter grumbled low in his throat. "Aurora, I thought we'd agreed you behave." He muttered sternly.

Ben finally turned his gaze to hers, a rugged smirk plastered on his lips. "If you say so _Princess_." His tone dripping with sarcasm. Her Will lines flared slightly at her annoyance, catching Ben's eye, he glanced down at her collarbone where her skin radiated thin trails of dancing blue. Suddenly very conscious of her newly acquired physicality she fidgeted slightly, embarrassed by the unwanted attention to her "affliction" as she would put it.

"Finn, why don't you escort the Princess around the Fort, introduce her to a few of the men, maybe let her have a go at the Mortar?" Suggested Major Swift interrupting. "That way me and Walter here can have a little chat." He sent his friend a knowing glance, and Walter nodded back in agreement.

"Let her have a go on the… fine." Ben sighed holding up his hands in defeat. But if she blows herself up I want it noted this was not my idea." He turned to face the Princess. "If you'd be so kind as to follow me Princess." He said in a flat emotionless tone.

"As you wish, _Captain _Finn". She retorted. Ben bristled slightly at her mocking of his title. He took it back, she wasn't gorgeous, she was a snotty cow.

The Major turned to Walter, "Don't worry she'll be in safe hands with Ben." He smiled in an attempt to reassure his old friend. Walter didn't look impressed.

"Yes, it's his hands I'm worried about." He grumbled eyeing the back of Ben's head as though he was trying to bore through it.

Swift let out a faint chuckle, "I've already had a word. He'll behave himself. Besides from what I can gather, if he tried anything she'd cut his hands clean off." The Major's tone was light hearted, and Walter seemed to be appeased slightly by it. He tore his murderous gaze away from the back of Ben's head and faced his friend.

"We need to talk. It's about Logan and the Crown."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"And this is Private Smith." Ben gestured towards a gaunt looking young man, who was desperately trying to wipe his sweaty palms on his tattered uniform before shaking the Princess' hand.

"It's… it's an honour to meet you Princess." He curtsied. Aurora used every last bit of her self-restraint trying not to laugh, her lips twitched wildly trying to stifle the gesture. Ben rolled his eyes upwards in despair. Aurora cleared her throat to try and dispel the strangled giggle that was held there.

"It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance Private Smith." She flashed him a smile, and Ben swore he saw love hearts pop up in the young Soldier's eyes.

"Yes Princess. Thank you Princess." Smith gasped, whilst curtsying again.

Aurora couldn't hold back anymore, and seeing her lips begin to twitch again Ben hurriedly put his hands rather boldly on her shoulders and steered her quickly away.

"Yes thank you Smith, I'm sure you've made a lasting impression on the Princess, but now I've got to let her go play with the Mortar." He lead her at pace towards the stairs that lead to the upper level of the Fort.

Ben sighed as they ascended the crumbling stone steps. "Yes er sorry about that, the men don't get to see women very often, let alone Princesses. And no, before you ask I have no idea where he learnt to curtsy, although he seems quite good at it." He quipped.

Aurora allowed a very un-ladylike snigger to escape her mouth, and Ben smiled wryly at her reaction.

"Typical Royalty, taking amusement from the misfortune of the lower classes…" He trailed off sarcastically.

"And you deal a lot with Royalty then do you Captain Finn?" She replied. "Because I did wonder if you thought it polite to man handle all of them, or if it's just me that you're making an exception for?"

Ben stopped in his tracks, releasing the grasp on her shoulders he had forgotten he had placed, holding up his hands defensively.

"Forgive me Princess." He said in an innocent tone, before adding, "That is of course unless you'd like to be man handled by me?" His voice lower and far more suggestive, he finished of the brash remark with a cheeky wink.

Aurora was slightly taken aback by his brazen comment.

"My Brother would have your head for that remark." She replied coolly. The smirk didn't falter on his face.

"From what I hear recently he'd rather settle for having yours."

Damn him that was quick. Aurora's cool and collected demeanour clearly taking a blow, Ben knew he suddenly had the upper hand.

"It's alright Princess not to worry, I'm the best shot in Albion after all. He'd have to get through me before he could lay a finger on that pretty little head of yours." And with that he turned casually and strolled towards the Mortar, with a satisfied smug grin plastered on his face.

Aurora glared at his retreating figure. How _dare_ he. No one had ever spoken to her in such a crude and disregarding manor as this _Captain_ Finn. She was the Princess of Albion! Admittedly she was dressed like a Highwayman, smeared in Hobbe's blood and was on the run from the Castle, but she was still the Princess!

She paused, mid mental rant as realisation struck her like a cold blow to the head. That was it now. It was just simply a title. She held no power over these Soldiers, why should they show her any respect, she was technically a deserter to the Crown, and an extension of the man who sent them to this god-forsaken hole. She was nothing more than a spoilt pampered little girl to most of them. Now she understood. She was just simply another woman to this Captain Finn. A woman who had waltzed in, demanding she be allowed to play Soldier. Just a pretty rich girl. Well she'd be damned if she was going to live up to that expectation.

She strode towards the Mortar with a new found determination, which only slightly faltered at the sight of the battered and bruised Solider stood at Captain Finn's side. Blood and yellow puss seeping from crudely tied bandages, and stains covering his uniform that Aurora didn't even want to bear thinking about.

Captain Finn stood there, with that same insufferable smirk plastered on his face. "Ah good decided to join us then did you? Thought you were waiting for someone to roll out a red carpet for you or something."

She fixed him with a level stare. She wasn't going to rise to his petty taunts about her heritage.

"Right then Princess, this here's Private Jammy. So forth know as such, as he is in fact the Jammiest Bastard in the entire Squad."

Aurora tried not to blink at the use of the profanity, these were common Soldiers after all, and she was intruding on their territory. She glanced at the hapless looking Private, a silly grin plastered on his face, a heavily blood stained bandage wrapped around his head. He outstretched a rather grubby and blistered looking hand for the Princess to shake. She hesitated all for the briefest second.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to him. After a while, he's hardly revolting at all." Added Ben seeing the slight hesitation of her acceptance of the Private's blistering hand. Any excuse it seemed to get a dig in about her looking down on commoners.

She instantly captured the Soldier's outstretch limb in her grasp and shook it gratefully. Beaming at him with a sincere smile.

"Unlike like you then Captain Finn?" She didn't even bother to glance at him as she said it, but instead took pleasure in the goofy laugh that Private Jammy had let escape, before quickly catching himself fearing his Captain's wrath.

"724 wounds, and still going!" Explained Jammy with pride. Aurora's heart sank slightly, this poor poor boy. Enduring all this on her Brother's whim. What was he thinking sending these men out here? But then what _was_ it out here that was so dangerous in the first place?! The Princess felt herself staring at the young Solider with pity, and quickly caught herself.

"So Private… Jammy." She didn't know his real name, so his moniker would have to suffice. "Will you be instructing me on how to use this monstrous looking beast?" She patted the top of the Mortar, and was rewarded to her slight dismay with a soot covered hand as a result.

"No my Lady, I mean my Princess, I mean your Princessness. I just load it, Captain Finn here is the expert in aiming. He's the greatest Marksman in all of…"

"Yes. So I've heard." She interrupted rather sharply.

Ben cleared his throat for dramatic effect, and stepped forward, "If you would be so kind Private?" Jammy happily began to load a gun powder filled balls into the Mortar's firing chamber.

"Shall we?" Ben gestured towards the gunpowder covered device, Aurora climbed up onto the raised platform ledge the Mortar sat on.

"What do I have to do?" She asked, trying to cover her hesitation in her voice.

"Well you're standing wrong for a start, here…" Ben stepped forward and with not so much as a warning grasped onto Aurora's calves and pulled them further apart. "You need to balance you're weight more evenly, that's it Princess open your legs for me, there's a good girl."

Private Jammy hung his head to try and cover the schoolboy grin that had spread across his face, whilst loading the Mortar. Aurora's lips pursed, and she glared into the distance, her fists clenching into balls at her sides, this was possibly _the_ most undignified situation she had ever been exposed to.

"Good that's better". Ben lifted his head only to discover he was now faced with Aurora's skin tight leather clad buttocks. He shook his head for a second, as if to dislodge the dozen inappropriate thoughts that had just flooded into his mind, and he took a step back to critique her stance.

"Right now you need to loosen up your hips a bit, you're too uptight…" Ben allowed a small chuckle to escape as soon as the words left his lips. "I didn't mean… _well_…"

"Captain Finn!" She snapped, still facing forward, her nails digging into her palms in frustration.

"Right, sorry!" He called back in a genuine tone. "No look you're still not loosening up your hips. Right hang on…" he let out an exasperated sigh, before clambering up behind her onto the small platform. Aurora startled at the sudden sensation of his hands on her waist.

"Look you need to pivot like this." Came a softer husky voice in her ear. His hands slowly swaying her waist from side to side. "That's it, like that." Came the soft gravely tone from behind her. Aurora's back went ridged with the sudden unexpected close contact, but she allowed the Captain to gently guide her waist, his pressure firm but his movements delicate.

"Better." Came that low husky drawl from behind her. She could feel his firm chest pressed against her back, like a having a solid wall leaning against you. "Now grip the handles, carefully, you don't want to pull trigger just yet."

Aurora did as she was instructed, placing her delicate hands over the cold metal handholds. The residue of gunpowder and dirt congealed together under her fingertips.

"Now lean into it, take the slack with your upper arms not your wrists." His tone was so different now, it was calm and patient, and even soft.

Aurora struggled to manoeuvre the large heavy cannon, it was certainly harder than she anticipated, there was indeed a knack to it that was required.

"Lean into it more, use your biceps" Ben placed his hands onto her upper arms, and gently eased her forward leaning her more into the cannon as he leant in with her, the movement of her bending forward causing her buttocks to stick out behind her, and noticeably into the crotch of the Captain, although he didn't seem to pay attention, Aurora on the other hand was struggling desperately to try to concentrate.

"Now manoeuvre it around like this…" He slid his hands down from the top of her arms to her hands, placing his gently over hers where she gripped the handle. He too was bent over now, his body firmly pressed against hers. She could feel the contours of his shifting muscles next to hers, the scent of him suddenly surrounding her, a mixture of gunpowder, blood, whiskey and a faint hint of a musky cologne.

His rough callused fingers slid in between hers as he gripped the handles either side of the Mortar, and he could feel her trembling slightly, he assumed with nerves at handling such a dangerous weapon. He took most of the slack to begin with as the giant cannon slowly began to lurch into movement with a mechanical groan. Aurora gathered her senses and began to guide the cannon herself. It was surprisingly painful, she had to tense her biceps and really drag the lump of metal around. Ben had been right, there was no way she could of controlled it by simply standing up straight and trying to direct it with simple wrist movements. So he wasn't just trying to make her feel uncomfortable after all, who would have thought? She mused.

"That's it, you're getting the hang of it." Came the reassuring low voice in her ear. Now really lean in to it to swing it round quickly." Aurora leant further forward into the thing, to really try and put her weight behind swinging it around. As before the further she leant in, the further her behind stuck out pressing quite hard this time against Captain Finn's crotch. This time he did notice.

"Easy love, watch where you're aiming your backside too, I don't want _my_ Mortar balls getting squashed." His tone was light hearted, and he didn't really pay much head into his words. Aurora on the other hand froze, her eyes widening in alarm. She felt her cheeks burn a crimson red, and her entire body went ridged, she immediately stood up straighter, but this only resulted in causing her upper body to press harder against Captain Finn's chest. Ben laughed softly in her ear at her over reaction. "Come on pay attention, you were doing well." He nodded forward trying to dismiss the accident as nothing and get her focus again, Aurora cringed as she leant back into the mortar, slowly and carefully trying to minimise her body's contact with that of the Captain enveloped around her.

She began to gain confidence in aiming the vast weapon, it was still painful to move, but she was getting used to how to use her body weight to her advantage to really get a good swing on it. Ben finally pried himself off of her, and stood up straight, letting her do all the work herself.

Ben's eyes momentarily tore themselves away from the makeshift targets in the distant trenches to glance at the Princess. It took most of his men hours to master the Mortar, and she seemed to have conquered it in minutes. Maybe she wasn't such a useless little rich girl after all?

"Ready to start shooting stuff?" He asked challengingly. "_Now we'll see just how good she actually is._" He thought to himself. He looked around at the sky, twilight was falling. "_And she's going to have to get good at it really fast if she's going to be of any use."_

Aurora's focus was now fully regained, in fact she was practically itching to start firing the large cannon. She nodded in response to Ben, not tearing her gaze away from a sad looking scarecrow that would be her first victim.

"Right squeeze the trigger here…" he moved her hand with his to the small leaver attached to the underside of the Mortar's right handhold. "Do it gently, and watch out for the kick bac..!"

Aurora grasped the trigger with vigorous force, and the mouth of the cannon exploded, spiting out the ball of gunpowder, completely obliterating the defenceless scarecrow in its wake. The giant cannon jolted back upon the release, sending Aurora flying backwards. She would have been knocked clean off the platform if Ben hadn't of been stood there to brace her fall. She slammed hard into his chest, and he stumbled slightly, as he caught her about the waist to steady her.

"I got it!" She exclaimed in excited disbelief. "Did you _see_ that?! I got it!" She turned her head to the side to face Ben and suddenly startled at how close their faces were to each other, so caught up in her excitement that she seemed previously oblivious to the fact that she was leaned against his chest with his hands around her waist.

"I did." He replied in barely anymore than a hoarse whisper, a faint proud smile etched on his lips.

Aurora's excited child like grin had faltered at her sudden situation, her pouty lips slightly parted in surprise. Her long thick lashes fluttering wildly as she blinked with nervous uncertainty as to what to do.

Neither spoke.

Private Jammy suddenly felt quite uncomfortable, and cleared his throat nervously. It was no more than mere seconds that passed yet it felt like painfully drawn out minutes before Ben broke the awkwardness of the situation.

"Of course it's only because you had a bloody amazing teacher. Best Marksmen in Albion apparently." His previous soft expression replace once more with his cocky smirk. "Now." He patted her waist dismissively like one would pat a horse. "Let's have another go shall we? And this time watch out for the kick back." He crossed his arms and moved back a bit to allow her plenty of room to lean into the Mortar without knocking into him. He made a point of not looking at Private Jammy who was currently stood gawking at the pair.

Aurora blinked in response, and hurriedly grasped the Mortar's handles glad of the distraction.

"If you would Private Jammy?" She asked quietly, and the bloodied Soldier hurriedly began to load the Mortar once more.

"Aim for the one on the left." Ben instructed.

Aurora swung the giant metal mechanism round, and squeezed the firing trigger, this time gripping onto the hand holds and planting her feet firmly down to brace for the kick back. The Scarecrow exploded into a thousand pieces.

"Good, now the one on the right." Ben watched as she strained to spin the heavy Mortar round at a speed.

"I don't remember setting that one up…?" Interjected Jammy looking puzzled as to where the ragged scarecrow had come from.

Almost as quickly as the words left his mouth the skeletal scarecrow's eyes flashed blue, and it tore it's self free of the wooden post that had been holding it up.

Aurora's jaw fell in shock.

"HOLLOW MEN!" Bellowed Ben, drawing his rifle and taking aim at the seemingly walking skeleton. He fired one single shot, which ripped through the air straight into the eye socket of the horrific beast and clean out the other side, the blue orbs distinguishing instantly and the walking skeleton shattering into dust.

Aurora swung her head round to look at the armed Captain. _That _was one hell of a shot.

Suddenly blue wisps of light swarmed into the trenches below the fort where the scarecrows had once stood. As they dove into the ground the earth rumbled, and more skeleton's dragged themselves from the depths.

"What _are _they?!" Gasped Aurora in horror.

"It doesn't matter just shoot the damn things!" Snapped Ben, as his rifle fired another shot, taking out three of the walking dead with one bullet as it travelled clean through all of their skulls."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Aurora heaved the Mortar round and began to fire, as Private jammy desperately loaded it as fast as he could.

The quicker she was blowing them up, the more flashes of blue light would hit the ground and more walking Skeletons would emerge in their place.

"There's more coming from the left!" Ben yelled over the sound of the Mortar and the crack of his gunfire. Aurora glanced to the left to see a vast horde of Hollow Men dragging their decaying bones towards the Fort. Aurora swung the mighty cannon in their direction unleashing an explosive welcome, whilst Ben hurriedly picked off any stragglers that were lucky enough to escape Aurora's sights.

"Right! To the Right!" He called again over the sound of bullets and explosions. Aurora cried out under the pain of having to swing the Mortar round at such a speed. The muscles in her arms burning in agony under the sudden strain. Aurora gasped through the pain, and let another round fire from the great Mortar's chamber.

"At the back!" Ben seemed to forget that she couldn't simply aim the Mortar in the same effortless manor he could manoeuvre his rifle around.

She braced herself again, and heaved it into position, this time letting out a greater cry of pain, a cry she had had no intention of letting escape her lips, but was powerless to the sound emitting from her throat. Ben's eyes flickered from his target momentarily at the sound. He caught a glimpse of the pained expression etched across her once delicate features, sweat beads gathering on her forehead.

"You're doing great Princess." He called, taking aim on his rifle once more, as a bullet whizzed into the distance leaving a pile of collapsing bones in its wake. "Just pretend they're peasants trampling over the Royal flower beds or something." He knew if he could get her blood boiling enough she'd be able to push through the pain.

She let out what could almost be described as a deafening growl from low in her throat as she swung the Mortar once more taking out five Hollow Men with one shot. "Why don't you go down there and try to take them out at closer range Captain Finn, I'll promise to try not to hit you!" She yelled through gritted teeth.

Ben smiled as he took aim at a blue wisp as hit the ground, following it up as it unfolded into a skeletal warrior and took it's head clean off before it even has so much as a chance to roar. "At a girl." He muttered quietly.

"Why. Won't. They. Just. DIE?!" She bellowed swinging the Mortar round and taking out another advancing group.

"The gates! The gates!" A voice could be heard from down below in the fort, Aurora didn't bother to look round, the blue wisps it appeared had momentarily stopped soaring in from the trees, and she only had it seemed the current walking skeletons to deal with. They had started to mass closer to the foot of the Fort, which whilst alarming meant it was easier to pick them off in larger groups.

"Princess?" Called Ben turning to look at the gates as the wood began to buckle.

"Go!" She called back, I'll take care of the rest of these!" Firing off another round into the oncoming Hollow Men below.

Ben hesitated for the briefest second before making a run for the stairs to join his fellow Soldiers below on the ground. Two Soldiers were desperately trying to hold the great wooden structure, as it shook violently under the strain of an unseen onslaught from the other side.

The great wooden barricade finally gave way under the strain, sending the two Soldiers hurtling in opposite directions, as a mass of Hollow Men spilled in through the open gap like water.

Aurora was half aware of the commotion unfolding below, but she was so close to finishing off the remaining Hollow Men in the trenches below. Private Jammy was desperately trying to load the Mortar to keep up with her. Neither of them noticed that two Hollow Men had ascended the stairs and were running towards them, until one was almost right behind Aurora, it's rusty sword raised ready to strike down through her skull.

"PRINCESS!" Screamed Jammy as he suddenly caught a glimpse of the creature out of the corner of his eye. Aurora swung round in time to come face to face with the manic looking beast, a vile shriek coming from its mouth and it's eye sockets burning wild with a blue fiery light. And then it exploded into dust before her, covering her face and hair. Aurora had just enough time to glance down to the ground to see Captain Finn's rifle pointing at her with smoke billowing from the end before she drew her sword to defend herself against the second monster as it charge forward at her.

She raised her blade up to deflect the wild swipe from the skeleton, and forced it backwards as she leapt from the mortar platform. It quickly steadied its self, and lunged forward again, as Aurora charged into its attack, kicking it hard in what would have been it's stomach, before circling her sword round to cut it's head clean off. The rest of the body exploded into dust before the skull even hit the ground. Without so much as a moments hesitation Aurora turned to Private Jammy and outstretched her hand.

"On your feet Private." She instructed, pulling the young man up. "Let's go help the others." She turned and the pair hurriedly made their way to the stairs, that were already becoming infested with Hollow Men trying to climb the stone steps. Aurora let out a grunt as she kicked the first one hard in the chest, and it tumble backwards, taking at least three others with it as it fell. She didn't waste a single second, as she ran down the stairs lunging forward and drove her blade through all of the piled up mass of bones, not stopping until she felt the hard stone beneath her. A huge dust cloud erupted as a result, and she coughed slightly breathing in the foul particles.

Aurora's fiery hazel eyes snapped upwards and fixed their striking glare on the remaining Hollow Men who littered the stairs, as they advanced with weapons raised, the shrieks emitting from their mouths thundering in her ears. She didn't move, she remained knelt on the steps, her eyes now merely slits never shifting from the advancing enemy.

"Princess?" Whispered Private Jammy nervously from a few paces behind her. His gaze flickering wildly from her figure to that of the on coming Hollow Men. "Princess?!" He whimpered again in alarm as the skeletal warriors grew closer, his fingers trembling around the hilt of his own sword.

Aurora seemed deaf to his panicked pleas, as the sounds of the battle slowly faded around her, the shrieks of the Hollow Men and cracks of gun fire now no more than but a dull hum. All that she could hear now was the pounding sound of her pulse thudding in her ears, as her adrenaline bubbled and coursed wildly through her veins. Her full lips twisting into a menacing snarl as she eyed the on coming beasts.

Time slowed, the steady boom boom, boom boom, boom boom of her heart beat playing a hypnotic drumbeat bringing a calming still to the madness around her. As if in painfully slow motion the first Hollow Man loomed above her, sword raised above its head about to plunge, yet still she did not move. She in inhaled one deep solid breath as the noise of the world around her came screaming into existence, she let out a roar that would have made a lion whimper in fear, and in one lightening fluid motion, rose bringing her blade up with her, cleaving the skeleton from coccyx to skull clean in half, the dust cloud erupting about her as her sword claimed the chest of the beast behind, the bony fragments releasing her blade only to slash fiercely at the monster behind that.

Private Jammy watched jaw slack as she carved her way down the steps like the Hollow Men were nothing but twigs in her path. He scuttled down the stairs after her drawing his own sword and gave a strangled war cry of his own as leap from the last few stairs bringing his blade down through the skull of the nearest Hollow Man as he landed.

The battle on the ground was a frenzied mass of bullets and blades. Aurora suddenly realised that some of the Hollow Men were also armed with guns, and whilst they seemed unable to aim the weapons with any accuracy, the straying bullets were no less deadly.

"_What kind of beasts are these?!" _She screamed in her mind, deflecting a rusty sword's swipe. Her gaze frenziedly searched the mass of walking corpses and Soldiers to find Walter. He was over the other side of the Fort, apparently happily hacking away at the enemy like it was some kind of game. Aurora made to get to him, cutting down any Hollow Man that stood in her path. But soon the swarm became too great for her to make any real progress, and she found herself surrounded in the middle of the Fort's ground.

She drew her pistol in her left hand, it wasn't her firing hand, but she held her sword in the other, and was growing desperate as the swarm seemed to get thicker around her. She wildly fired, as she swiped with her sword. Her strikes far less accurate now, and her aim consisted of merely pointing her pistol and firing rapidly hoping to down something.

Three Hollow Men surged forward at her at once, and she narrowly dodge them by rolling away blindly in the opposite direction. As she pounced to her feet a horrific tingle shot down her spine. She knew. She didn't have to look behind her, she already knew the fatal mistake she had made.

"Princess!" Screamed Private Jammy from the foot of the stairs where she had left him fighting to make her way towards Walter. His pistol taking aim at what appeared to be her head as the bullet soared towards her. Aurora turned her head away and winced as she felt it fly past her face into the Skull of the Hollow Man stood inches behind her with its sword in mid swing. She opened her eyes to see Jammy absolutely beaming with pride at the shot he just made, he had just saved the Princess of Albion's life, and the grin plastered across his face couldn't of been any wider. Aurora actually laughed, part from relief but mainly from the radiant dopey smile adorning her rescuer's face, she'd never seen a man so proud. Yet her joyous expression slowly faded into one of sheer horror. Her eyes went wide and her sparkling grin formed into jaw japing terror.

Time slowed.

Jammy still stood beaming at her with pride as the blade pierced clean through his chest from behind. Aurora stood helpless to watch as his grin contorted into a pained 'O' shape, and blood gargled from his lips. His eyes still locked on hers, confused and panicked. The sword penetrated further through his chest, thick dark blood smeared along its blade. Jammy's blood. Blood was now cascading from his open mouth, and his eyes went dull. The blade slid back through where it had carved, and Jammy's lifeless body crumpled to the ground.

"JAMMY!" It was Ben's voice that screamed through the maddening bustle. Aurora struggled to gasp for air in sheer disbelief of what she had just witnessed.

"No." She breathed, her voice fainter than a whisper.

Ben charged through the Hollow Men knocking them out of his way like cascading dominos to reach the fallen body of his comrade. As he neared the Hollow Man responsible, barrelling forward he swung his rifle round and with its butt bludgeoned the beast in the head. He didn't stop. The Hollow Man let out a cry, it's arms flailing helplessly at the onslaught, the sword falling from its grasp as it tumbled backwards to the ground under Ben's relentless thrusts. He dived on top of it, bringing his gun down repeatedly onto its skull while the creature writhed and screamed in apparent agony underneath him. Ben let out cry from the very depths of his throat and brought down the riffle in one last hard strike, and the beast exploded into dust beneath him.

He knelt on the ground, his breathing ragged, slowly he turned his head to the left to look at the body that lay still on the ground. Jammy's lifeless brown eyes stared back him, his cold dead expression one of confusion. Ben turned his head way and closed his eyes, inhaled deeply he grasped his rifle as he rose to his feet and began firing what appeared to be wildly, yet all of his shots connected with a deadly accuracy.

Aurora felt a wave of rage coarse through her own veins. She snarled and gripped the hilt of her sword as she raised her pistol marching forward with a new found ferocity, any Hollow Men that weren't blown to smithereens by her bullets were simply cut down like blades of grass by her sword as she carved a path trough the battle to reach Walter. She was no longer thinking about her aim or her strikes, it was sheer instinct guiding her hand. Much like when she knew the Hollow Man that Jammy had gunned down was behind her, she was aware of every entity around her without having to see them. If Hollow Men had the capacity to looked surprised many would have wore stunned expressions as they exploded into dust, confused as to how without looking at them, Aurora would simply aim her pistol firing a shockingly accurate bullet into their skulls.

Aurora could of sworn that the number of Hollow Men were starting to dwindle, there were certainly fewer blue wisps flying in from the above the Fort. Over the clashing of weapons and firing of guns she heard her name being called.

"Princess!" Boomed Walter over the commotion. "There you are! I thought you'd disappeared and left me and Major Swift to have all the fun!" He stood along side the Major, who both seemed in their element hacking away at any Hollow Men that advanced. She didn't share their joy in the current situation, but then she had never been a Soldier, she had no lust for the battle despite it seems her natural talent that was developing. She raised her pistol firing at point blank range at a Hollow Man the charged towards her, she didn't even break her stride, it was like she was a machine.

"I say Princess, you're rather good at this battling lark." Trilled Major Swift, as he beheaded the nearest skeleton. It was supposed to be a compliment, but Aurora felt far from flattered, she wasn't good, if she was good Jammy would still be alive she told herself.

"Looks like you're a bit handy with a pistol as well as a sword. You'll be giving young Captain Finn a run for his money next!" He barked out an amused chuckle. "Speaking of the devil, where has he got to?" The Major's eyes flickered around the Fort searching for the scruff of Blonde hair. "Walter can you see him anywhere?" He called, whilst swatting away a grabbing hand of a Hollow Man like it was a fly, before cutting off the appendage that seemed to be aggravating him whilst he was occupied scanning the battlefield with his eyes trying to spot the Captain.

Walter used his towering height to scan over the heads of the Soldiers and Hollow Men, then in the far corner of the Fort behind the stairs he just caught a glimpse of Blonde hair before it was obscured from view by a swarm of skeletons advancing further into the corner.

"He's over there!" Walter hollered back gesturing to the Major in the direction of the mass of Hollow Men in the corner.

"What's the daft sod doing over there?! He'll never be able to get a decent shot in with a rifle that close to them the fool!" He replied.

Aurora looked over to the corner and paused. "I…. don't think he has a choice." She called back to the Major. It became suddenly very to clear to her that Ben was in fact dangerously out numbered, and separated from everyone else. The Major was right, he wouldn't be able to do much damage with a rifle at such close range, it was far too slow, all the Hollow Men had to do was get within striking distance….

She whipped her head round and glanced to Walter in alarm, her panicked eyes screaming what her lips didn't get a chance to.

"Go!" He yelled back beaconing her to leave him and try to get to Ben. "We'll try and hold this lot off over here!"

Aurora nodded, and turned and began to run. She didn't have time to stop and fight her way through, instead she did the best she could to dodge and duck swipes from swords, firing blindly with her pistol in an attempt to clear some sort of a path. The swarm ahead was deep as the Hollow Men were massing around the corner of the Fort that backed off of the stairs. "_Don't be dead. Don't be dead._" She said over and over in her head as she drew near, her heart pounding in her chest from a mixture of adrenaline, fear and exhaustion.

How on earth was she going to get through the swarm? Then an idea struck her panicked mind. It was reckless, but it was an idea none the less. She changed course and made for the stairs themselves, shooting down what Hollow Men she could that blocked her path, whilst desperately manoeuvring around others. She made it to the foot of the stairs, her heart threatening to tear from her chest it was beating so fiercely, as she made to run up the steps.

She let out an ear piercing cry of pain. She felt the cold burning sensation rip through her left shoulder from behind. She stumbled forward onto the steps in agony dislodging herself from the Hollow Man's sword as she did. Gasping through the torturous sensation washing over body, she managed to roll over in time and bring up her sword with her right arm to block the downward thrust of the Hollow Man's weapon just in front of her face, her own blood smeared along the length of the blade. She kicked out hard sending the skeleton falling backwards down the few stairs they had climbed, she dropped her sword where she lay and grasped for her pistol with her good arm as the beast steadied its self. It dipped low and charged at her letting out a murderous scream with it's arm aloft holding its sword, as Aurora's finger's scrambled to lock around her fallen gun. The Hollow Man's horrific screech stung her ears as it galloped towards her, its wild blue orbed eyes manically flaring in their sockets.

*_click_* Went the sound of a firing pin.

The scream vanished into thin air along with the Hollow Man, as dust rained down on the fallen Princess. She had no time to recover, she knew that. Holstering her pistol, she leaned over to pick up her discarded sword, whimpering in sheer agony at the sensation of her wound. She used the steps in front to help push her to her feet with her right arm, and then with her left arm hanging seemingly lifeless at her side, she gritted her teeth and ran up the stair as fast as her broken body would allow her.

* * *

Ben desperately fired and reloaded his rifle as fast as his fingers would allow, but it was no good the mass of on coming Hollow Men was too thick, and his shots were only picking off one at a time.

"_This it then._" He thought. "_Well mum looks like I'll be seeing you and dad, and my brothers sooner than I thought_." He felt strangely calm about it, he always knew he'd die in battle as opposed to an old man in his bed, and he had really lived his life to the fullest after all. But he'd be damned if he was going to go down without a fight. He raised his rifle once more to fire when a sudden shadow cast against the moonlit ground seemed to be rapidly expanding as if something was falling from the sky…

It was only his lightening reflexes that stopped him from pulling the trigger as Aurora landed on the ground in front of him. Whilst she had landed on her feet, she still fell forward onto her knees with the sheer momentum of her vault to the ground. The Hollow Men seemed as stunned as Ben as to what had just happened, yet it took them mere seconds to realise before the front few advanced forward. And then they were nothing but falling clouds of dust.

Aurora stood sword in hand, having just practically sliced three of the skeletons clean in half with one single swipe. She may only have had one fully able arm, but it was her striking arm.

"Where the… How the…. Where the bloody hell did you come from?!" Ben yelled utterly dumbfounded.

"Shut up and shot things!" She snapped back.

The Hollow Men had paused as if assessing the situation, Aurora's fingers twitched around the hilt of her sword. She was in pain. And she was _angry_ about it. Before they had a chance to react, she cleaved her way into the front few beasts with a force like an avalanche.

"Shoot!" She screamed. Ben didn't need to be told twice, he took aim and began to fire.

The Hollow Men seemed to back off slightly at the new reinforced attack they were affronted with. But Aurora wasn't letting them get further than a half a pace before she would cut them down.

"Duck." Ben shouted from behind her.

"What?" She called back as her sword clashed with a Hollow Mans blade.

"Duck woman!" He snapped.

She ducked, as a bullet swept over her head picking off a rather large looking Hollow Man near the back.

"Get the other one on the left. The big one!" She called behind her. Sure enough about three seconds later the Hollow Man in question exploded into dust fragments.

Ben noticed her left arm hanging limp at her side. "What have you done to your arm?" He called almost conversationally from behind her.

She let out a grunt as she deflected a blow before decapitating the offending Hollow Man in return. "Really? You _really _want to have this conversation now?!" She barked back, just as a blow caught her off guard and she stumbled backwards, Ben advanced forward slightly to cover her with gunfire as she got to her feet.

He turned to her as she stood. "Fine be a stroppy cow." He muttered.

"I heard that!" She snapped.

"I said it loud." He replied, going back to shooting.

Despite their bickering it appeared they were taking the advantage over the now greatly depleted swarm. The tactic of Aurora holding them back and taking out the front Hollow Men whilst giving room for Ben to shoot the ones at the back was actually working quite well.

Whilst being preoccupied with removing the threat from the back of the group Ben kept a close eye on any attackers that got too close to Aurora without her noticing them, having shot down at least four that she was blissfully unaware were trying to cut her head off. He doubted she'd thank him for it even if she had known.

Aurora landed a solid kick to the chest of one advancing Hollow Man, knocking it back, as she swung her sword to finish it it simply exploded into dust in front of her. She swung round to glare at Ben.

"I was helping! What now I'm only allowed to shoot the ones _you _tell me to is it?... Shit! Duck!"

Without turning around she ducked, as dust particles sprayed over her head. She still glared at him in annoyance.

"You know a thank you would be nice, thought you were meant to have been brought up proper with manors and such like?" He snorted.

"Do you want me to stab you?"

"Do you want me to shoot you? Duck." Crack went his rifle as another Hollow Men evaporated into the night air.

The swarm was no more than a gaggle now, and Aurora had had about as much as she could take of both Hollow Men and Captain Finn. She turned her attention back to the gathered beasts. She kicked, elbowed and swiped at anything that stood in front of her, purposely blocking any shot Ben had, she wanted to finish this herself. She let out a cry as she drove her sword deep into the chest of the last Hollow Man, panting in exhaustion and pain as it exploded before her. She blinked and realised that the fort was practically cleared of the foul monsters, save a few stragglers here and there dotted around.

Ben moved towards her and moved to look at her shoulder. "Right show me your…." He trailed off scrunching up his face and making a hissing sound through his teeth at the sight of her wound. "That's gone clean through. We'll need to get that stitched up right away before you lose any more blood." He looked her in the eye his expression earnest.

"I'll be fine." She replied, her voice only slightly faltering through the pain.

He huffed at her.

"You're not going to be fine, it's going to get infected if it's not seen to straight away, and then your arm will fall off. That what you want?" He sounded like her old tutor from when she was a child.

"My arm is not going to fall off." She snapped.

"No you're right, someone will most probably have to cut it off to prevent the infection spreading instead. And it'll most likely be me." He scolded.

- "He's alive then?!" Boomed Walter's voice. They both looked up to see him and Major Swift marching towards them, looking rather pleased with themselves having clearly been in their element in their battle with the Hollow Men.

"Unfortunately." Aurora called back, ignoring the glare she received from Ben.

"Had to be rescued by a Princess did you? Isn't that meant to be the other way around?" Walter couldn't hide the smug grin tugging at his lips, which only faded upon seeing the large blood stained gash in Aurora's shirt.

"You're hurt!" He took a closer look at her wound. His brow furrowed and he sighed looking back up at her face to meet her eyes. "Give it a minute and you'll be fine." He patted her on her other shoulder reassuringly. Ben's eyes went wide in confusion darting from the Princess to Walter and then back.

"She'll be fine in a minute?! Have you _seen _that wound?!" Ben gestured wildly at Aurora's shoulder. "It's gone straight through, she'll be lucky if she doesn't lose her arm…" He was cut off mid protest by something that caught his eye, by something that caught everyone's eye. A single blue wisp soared in from the night sky and dived straight into the fresh grave of Lieutenant Simmons.

No one spoke.

And then the ground began to rumble. And the figure of a towering Hollow Man unfolded from the ground.

Aurora swallowed hard at the sight of the skeletal Lieutenant Simmons, he was huge, even bigger than Walter, and he had a sword nearly the size of her.

"Lieutenant Simmons I specifically instructed you to remain buried!" Bellowed Major Swift in complete outrage, seemingly unaware of the actual danger of the situation rapidly developing.

"Does nobody listen to orders anymore?" Muttered Ben sarcastically, as he nervously eyed the seemingly growing menacing figure of Lieutenant Simmons. He reached for his rifle, taking aim he let a bullet fly straight into the Hollow Man's skull.

Lieutenant Simmons didn't even so much as stumble as the bullet connected. Instead the enraged beast let out a screech that knocked everyone off their feet with its force.

Aurora lifted her head from the ground where she had fallen back, to see Lieutenant Simmons begin to lift his sword aloft in the air.

"Walter. Keep everyone back, make sure they are at a safe distance." Her voice was cold and stern as she slowly sat up and clasped her fingers around her sword that lay by her side on the ground.

All those within earshot looked at her in confused alarm. Ben opened his mouth to respond to her ridiculous demand, but was cut short by Walter grasping him roughly by the back of his collar and pulling him to his feet. "You heard her. Get back." Walter's tone suggested that there would be no arguing the instruction, as he kept his grip around the young Captain's collar pulling him backwards.

The fallen Soldiers all hurriedly followed Walter's lead, and getting to their feet backed away against the wall, even Major Swift didn't argue as he watched the Princess purposely slowly rise to her feet, making no sudden movements as Lieutenant Simmons' manic blue gazed fixed upon her.

"Is she mental?!... Are _you _mental?!" Demanded Ben, whilst Walter still kept a firm grip on him. "She can't take him on alone, he'll kill her!" He went to raise his gun, Walter tightened his grasp reining him back.

"Do not underestimate her. She needs to do this on her own if she's ever going to learn to become strong enough to be a real Hero." Warned Walter, his eyes fixed on Aurora.

"A real _Hero_?" Scoffed Ben. "All the Hero's are dead. You may be happy to stand back and watch that poor girl get slaughtered but I'm not." He went to raise his rifle again but paused, he watched in disbelief as Aurora sheathed her sword, and took a few steady steps towards Lieutenant Simmons.

The Hollow Man rose up to it's full menacing height, and let out another scream, four blue wisps erupted from it's jaws and drove into the ground giving birth to new Hollow Men. Aurora didn't move. She stayed planted to the spot, her feet apart and her head down with her arms out to her sides. The smaller Hollow Men began to advance, yet still she made no effort to move.

Ben's eyes darted to the glowing orbs that seemed to be growing from the very palms of her hands. His jaw fell slack as the orbs transformed into flames, her hands were actually on fire, or at least that's what it looked like from where he was standing. Then what appeared to be some kind of wave of energy began to resonate from the Princess, as dancing lines of electric blue became visible from under her skin. Ben opened his mouth to speak but was silenced by the blinding flash of flames that suddenly engulfed everything around Aurora, incinerating any of the Hollow Men who got near. Yet there she stood, unharmed by the raging fire, controlling it with simply her will.

Ben for possibly the first time in life was rendered speechless. As were all the gathered Soldiers.

Lieutenant Simmons however did not seem phased, and lifting his sword aloft he began to charge.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N Sorry for the delay, I was struggling to find a point to end the chapter on. It was was either going to be epically long or pointlessly short. So I think I've finally found something in between that works? Feel free to let me know what you think of the story so far...  
**

**Chapter 4**

Aurora just had enough time to roll out of the way as the vast bulk of Lieutenant Simmons barrelled towards her. It took the beast several steps to slow its self down due to the momentum it had gathered. When he finally came to a halt he spun round wildly and let out a roar of anger. Aurora had already leapt to her feet, and had her pistol aimed at his head, she wasted no time in pulling the trigger yet just like Ben's previous shot the bullet seemed to bounce off his skull like a pebble. She fired again, and again yet the only effects her efforts seemed to achieve was to enrage the corpse of Lieutenant Simmons even further. He opened his mouth and let fly four more blue wisps that plunged into the ground, as the earth shook at the sensation Aurora holstered her pistol and began to summon a fireball in her hands ready for the emerging foes. They appeared quicker than the ones previously, and she did not have time to fully charge the spell before being forced to release it to repel the charging Hollow Men. The spell only knocked them back instead of incinerating them entirely, and Aurora was forced to draw her sword to defend herself.

The Hollow Men began to gather around her in a circle, whilst Lieutenant Simmons loomed ominously in the background. Aurora summoned another fireball in her left hand whilst grasping her sword in the other, one Hollow Man charged from the left and another from the right, she blocked the swipe of one with her sword, whilst sending the other hurtling backwards with the fireball. As if waiting to see what would happen to the first two, the other Hollow Men charged, Aurora fired a weak fireball in their direction whilst deflecting another swipe from the beast to her right. She dived into a roll, edging away from the circling skeletons yet all this did was give Lieutenant Simmons a clear run at her, he dipped low and charged leaving Aurora mere seconds to react. To the shock of the assembled Soldiers watching she too charged forward running at Lieutenant Simmons, as the dipped creature made to swing its vast weapon, Aurora leapt and actually ran over its stooped back, whilst slashing downward with her sword as she went letting out a growl from her throat. The Hollow Man roared in pain.

"Finally found something that works then." She muttered to herself through ragged breaths as she stumbled slightly to steady herself from her dismount, she found herself surrounded by the four smaller beasts once more. She backed away slightly, summoning a stronger fireball as she did, allowing the Hollow Men to get dangerously close before releasing the spell. This time they screeched as they exploded in dust and ash. Aurora turned to the direction of Lieutenant Simmons, she swore she saw the beast smirk at her as it opened its mouth and unleashed more wisps. Aurora glowered, "_Cheating Bastard!_" She thought.

She drew her pistol once more, as the beasts emerged from the ground, taking out two with shots through the eye sockets immediately. From where he stood at the edge of the Fort, still being grasped round the back of the collar by Walter, Ben raised his eyebrows in surprise.

Lieutenant Simmons was clearly getting frustrated by the manor of which the battle was unfolding, and let more wisps fly from his jaws. Aurora felt her pulse quicken in alarm, she was rapidly becoming dangerously out numbered. Ben went to grasp his rifle, and felt a painful yank on his neck.

"Don't. You. Dare." Hissed Walter in his ear. "She has to finish this on her own."

"That's assuming they don't finish her first!" The young Captain snapped back in frustration. He wanted to fight, it felt completely unnatural to him to simply be standing as a spectator on the sidelines as a battle took place. His blood was pumping hard in his veins, every part of him wanted to lunge forward into the battle, to fight, to get involved, to defend the Princess of Albion… who had just cut a Hollow Man's head clean off and sent the skull flying towards him. Ok so maybe she didn't need protecting as much as he initially thought…

Aurora took aim once more with her pistol, whilst summoning fire again in her hand, she kept the Hollow Man at bay long enough with her shots to fully charge the spell and then released it sending a wave of deadly burning flames coursing across the Fort's grounds, the Soldiers winced at the heat that stung their faces even from their position against the walls. When they reopened their eyes all that was left standing amidst the smoking piles of ash was the figures of the Princess and of Lieutenant Simmons.

"Ha! Take that you undead Zombies!" Yelled Ben, unable it seemed to contain himself anymore. Walter allowed himself the faintest smirk of pride at how well Aurora was handling herself, but he was only too aware that the battle wasn't over yet. It was a risky move allowing her to fight alone against such a foe, but he knew if they were to gain the confidence of the Royal Army and Major Swift to their rebellion she would have to prove herself as a formidable force, one capable of taking on Logan and his allies.

"What's the matter, scared to take me on alone?" Yelled Aurora at the hovering beast, it roared in response, and began to pace forward. Aurora holstered her pistol, as she had already established it had little effect on the large Hollow Man, instead she held her sword whilst summoning the flames in her free hand. "Come on, a bit closer…" She whispered under her breath, whilst the flaming orb in her hand grew with intensity. The two enemies circled each other from a distance across the Fort, eyes locked on one another, both waiting for the other to make the first move, Aurora's hand was actually starting to hurt from the intensity of the spell she was holding, and she knew she wouldn't be able to contain it any longer, it was now or never.

She began to run forwards, Lieutenant Simmons followed her lead this time learning his lesson and holding himself at his full menacing height as he charged. Aurora threw her arm out in front of her as she ran unleashing the full blast of the spell from her aching fingers, Lieutenant Simmons was cut dead in his stride from the force of it as the flames engulfed the enormous beast. This was it, her chance. Aurora continued to run, her blood thumping wildly in her ears, she swung the handle of her sword around in her hand to grasp it like a spear above her head and let out a battle cry as she plunged it into the chest of the towering flaming Hollow Man. She used the embedded blade like a handle and yanked herself upwards onto its shoulders into practically a kneeling position, swinging her body round so her thighs were either side of its head. She clamped her legs around its skull and twisted her body sharply, the sickening *_Crack_* of Lieutenant Simmons neck echoed throughout the Fort like a thunder clap. The Hollow Man slumped to its knees, before tumbling forwards to the ground, Aurora fell from her position aloft its shoulders as it collapsed as she too hit the ground.

All was silent. Not even a breath was released. Aurora eyed the motionless figure of Lieutenant Simmons laying in front her with cautious alarm, her eyes wide with suspicion. It hadn't turned into dust. Hollow Men turned into dust when they were killed… Didn't they? But then this had been no ordinary Hollow Man, it had powers and size far superior to the rest of its kind, but still if it was dead shouldn't it have evaporated?

Aurora slowly rose to her feet, taking tentative steps towards the still corpse expecting it to leap up and make a grab for her any second. She swallowed hard as she kicked it over with her foot, the mass of bones flopped onto its back, its skull severed from its spinal column slapping onto the ground with the momentum. Its eye sockets void of blue light. Aurora released the breath she'd been holding, and allowed herself the faintest smile of both pride and relief as she grasped the handle of her sword, and dislodged it from the lifeless corpse of Lieutenant Simmons. She stood silently blinking at the blade held aloft in her hand in disbelief at what she had just achieved.

- "We did it! No, REALLY we did it!" Major Swift almost screamed the words in excitement.

Aurora turned her awe struck expression to the gathered Soldiers as a roar of excitement and happiness erupted throughout the men. She blinked in response, still in shock at what had just happened. She had won. She had won all on her own. The Soldier's whoops and cheers became louder, and Walter finally releasing his death grip from around Ben's neck making the Captain slump forward with the sharp movement, marched towards her practically bursting with pride.

"We did it?" She almost laughed the words in disbelief as they fell from her lips as Walter approached.

"No. _You _did it." He corrected, patting her proudly on the back. She looked up at him like a child having just passed its first test in school. Walter beamed down at her. "Never doubted it for a second." He added with a wink. Their moment was interrupted by Major Swift striding towards them both, with Ben in tow.

"That was bloody marvellous! Well done old girl! I suspected it, but you never actually said she had Hero blood Walter?!" Trilled the Major, almost bouncing as he stepped towards them. Walter turned to face them with a smug grin adorning his face.

"Didn't I say don't underestimate her…?" He replied to the Major, whilst shooting a '_I told you so_' look at Ben.

The Captain simply raised an unimpressed eyebrow in response. He looked at Aurora, who was clearly a little shaken from her ordeal, yet Ben couldn't help but feel cheated somehow by the whole situation. He had stood panicking for the safety of what he thought was helpless young woman, as she faced certain death. When the reality was she could have killed every single Hollow Man _and _Soldier in the Fort if she had really wanted to. He knew she hadn't exactly lied to him, but still he couldn't shake the feeling of being made a fool of fearing for her safety.

"That was pretty damn impressive." His tone was almost bitter, as if he was forcing the words of praise from his mouth. "So your Father wasn't the last Hero of Albion after all?" Although his words were supposedly complimentary his tone and facial expression were more of an accusation.

Aurora couldn't help but pick up on the seemingly resentful undertone of his behaviour, but she was cut off by Major Swift before she had a chance to reply.

"And that bit at the end, where you snapped its neck! Genius!" He marvelled. "I _do_ love a woman with strong thighs… isn't that right Finn?" He added jovially, giving the Captain a nudge in the ribs assuming he would appreciate his slightly crude joke, yet Ben remained silent, his gazed fixed on the morbid sight of Lieutenant Simmons' corpse on the ground instead.

Walter let out a chuckle at the remark. "Don't you just!" He joked, before adding "Don't tell me I have to make sure you keep your hands to yourself too? You'll need to watch this one Aurora, he's a sly old dog." Winked Walter in jest. Aurora gave a polite laugh in reply, but her attention was being drawn to Captain Finn, who apparently it seemed had lost his carefree charm all of a sudden.

"We should burry the dead." Stated Ben coldly to no one in particular, completely killing the joyous mood. Major Swift frowned, it was unlike Finn to be so sombre.

"Agreed. But then we must celebrate our _marvellous_ victory!" The Major threw open his arms gesturing to the battlefield of the Fort, he was obviously overjoyed at the overall outcome, despite the loss of some of his men. Death, as he would often say was a painful bi product of victory. Better to lose a few to save a thousand. It was logic like that that Ben often struggled to come to terms with, that's why he could never see himself as a General, or even a Major for that matter. He could never get his head around thinking in figures and statistics when it came to human lives. He saw Soldiers as men, with families, not as collateral and numbers. He didn't blame the Major for it, it was his job after all, if he started letting feelings and personal connections get in the way of his strategies then they probably would have all been dead long before now.

Ben snorted at the words, folding his arms.

"Let the poets tell our epic tale! The Swift brigade fought against impossible odds, they won. The end…" He trailed off sarcastically, then as if becoming suddenly aware of his behavior he glanced up to look at Major Swift who was eyeing him with concern. He sighed, he knew he was out of line, and as if putting on his performing face his manner completely changed. Gone was his furrowed brow and solemn stare, and instead his smug smirk began to creep over his lips. "Well we did have a rather unfair advantage over our enemy after all." He looked to Aurora as he spoke, she gave a half smile in acknowledgement at his reference to her Hero status. "I mean what with having the greatest Marksman in Albion on our side and all that…" Her smile transformed into a glare.

Ben then seemingly satisfied with irritating the Princess then turned to Walter. "Well, Sir Walter, you didn't do too bad... for an old man." He gave a cocky smug grin at the graying haired Knight.

"Shut up Ben." He retorted unimpressed, he rarely had little patients for the Captain's smart arse remarks. Especially when they were at his expense.

Despite his apparent lighter mood, the Major still eyed the young Captain with a glint of concern in his eyes, He'd known Ben for many years, and he had seen him in these melancholy moods before after losing close comrades in battle, and no matter how hard the Major tried to get him accustomed to the concept of not getting attached to the men under his command, Ben never seemed to be able to separate his emotions from his role. The Major knew why, Ben having lost all of his family at such a young age saw these Soldiers as his brothers, it was after all the closet thing he had left to family, the only place where he felt he really belonged. The Major often wondered what would of become of him if their paths had never crossed and he taken the then young Smuggler and accidental Pirate under his wing. He looked at Ben's face, whilst he wore his trademark cocky smirk, with his hands shoved casually in his pockets in a seemingly causal confident stance, the Major could still see the hint of sadness lingering in the Captain's bold blue eyes. No, Captain Finn would never learn to separate his emotions from his role, or from any thing he did.

"Well it appears Walter faired better than you there boy." Major Swift nodded his head to a gash in the back of the Captain's red tunic. Ben craned his neck in a futile attempt to look at his own back.

"Ahhh that? It's just a scratch…" He shrugged dismissively. The Major simply glared at him.

"Really? Well there's a fair bit of blood splatter on your sleeve. And as far as I'm aware, Hollow Men don't bleed." He fixed the young Captain with a stern glance, and Ben glanced down at his arm, sure enough his white shirt had violent streaks of vivid red blood down its sleeve. Ben's blood. He sighed.

"Go get Jenkins to have a look at it." The Major instructed, he then turned to Walter. "And you good Sir look like a man that needs a drink." He raised his eyebrows in a questioning fashion.

"You know, I believe I do look exactly like that sort of man." Chuckled Walter, gesturing with his arm for the Major to lead the way.

Ben knew it was more of a direct order than a suggestion that he got his injury seen to. He sighed.

"Fine." He muttered. "You lot go enjoy yourselves whilst I get man handled by Jenkins." Before turning and walking away sulkily, kicking a Hollow Man's fallen sword that lay on the ground as he went.

"Sometimes, I just want to bash that boy's head against a wall." Sighed Major Swift, as he watched the Captain leave. "He's like the son I never wanted." Both he and Walter laughed at the remark. Aurora however did not seem to share in their amusement, her gaze was instead cast to the other side of the Fort, where some of the Soldiers had begun to gather the fallen to burry them. Walter catching her solemn expression followed her stare. He gave a small sigh, he knew what was going through her mind.

"Come on." He placed his arm around her shoulders and began to lead her away. "You fought like a real Soldier tonight, and now I'm going to teach you how to celebrate like one." Aurora didn't reply as she walked with her Mentor and Major Swift over to the mass of Barrels stacked in a corner.

* * *

"How bad is it then?"" Sighed Ben lifting up the back of his shirt so it was almost over his head.

"Yep you're going to need a few stitches Captain." Replied Jenkins examining the gash on Ben's left shoulder blade. "And not just in your tunic." He mocked. Ben rolled his eyes.

"Yes thank you Private." He sighed. "Someone go get the needle and thread then." He moaned, Ben always hated having stitches done, he swore that half the time they were more painful than the actual wound. After what seemed a rather extensive amount of time an awkward looking young Soldier appeared with a needle and thread from the supplies, and handed it to Jenkins.

"What took you so long?" Grumbled Jenkins, as he took the instrument from the Soldier.

"He was too busy ogling the Princess!" Laughed Smith from where he was sat on a nearby crate with his arms folded, and the few gathered Soldiers all laughed whilst the young boy flushed almost as red as his Uniform.

"I wasn't ogling!" He insisted. "I was just… looking at her that's all." In a slightly pathetic voice.

"Same difference." Shrugged Jenkins threading the needle. "Right Captain you're going to have to take your shirt off I'm afraid, I can't get to the wound properly otherwise." Jenkins was what could of been classed as the Brigade's resident medic. In that he could sew up a wound without vomiting, and had at some point in his life suffered from almost every ailment going, so therefore knew how to cure it. Out of Private Jammy's 724 wounds, Jenkins had dress at least several hundred of them. Ben did as he was instructed and tugged his white shirt of his uniform over his head, having already removed his red tunic previously. He shuddered slightly at the cold chill of the Mourningwood night air against his bare skin.

"Stop your shaking I've not even touched you yet!" Scolded Jenkins as he assessed the best place to insert the first stitch.

"Just get on with it!" Snapped Ben, growing both cold and impatient.

"Alright! Alright! Keep your shirt on!" Remarked Jenkins, at this all the gathered Soldiers laughed, even Ben smirked at the quip. All the men respected him as their Captain, there was no arguing the fact that he was the finest shot any of them had ever seen, not to mention fearless in battle. However they would all jump at any given opportunity to banter with their cocky Captain, mainly because it was normally him and his smart mouth that was getting one over on all of them.

Ben gritted his teeth and furrowed his brow as he felt the sharp sting of the needle pierce his flesh. He fixed his gaze on the wall in front of him to take his mind off of it.

"You know what I need right now?" Said Smith out loud from his position on the crate. "I need a drink. I always crave a good stiff drink after a battle." He mused to his fellow Soldiers, a few nodded in agreement.

"Nah, there's nothing like a woman after a battle." Replied Ben, still transfixed with the wall in front of him. "All that fury and adrenalin pumping in your veins, nothing quite like making love to a beautiful woman to help with that."

There was a brief silence as the Soldiers pondered the statement.

"Well I'm game if she is." Quipped Smith nodding in the general direction of where the Princess was sat with Walter and the Major. All the men laughed, even Ben.

"Yeah good luck with that." Replied Jenkins from over Ben's shoulder where he stood stitching up the Captain's wound. "If she doesn't kill you, then old Walter certainly will." Again a laugh went up from the gathered men.

Smith nodded and pulled a face, as he seemed to mull over this idea briefly.

"Yeah but it'd be worth it though! What a way go, in between her thighs…" Smith trailed off with a comical sigh.

"Alright enough." Interjected Ben, a joke was a joke, but she was the Princess of Albion after all, and a certain level of respect needed to be maintained. The group of Soldiers gave out a collective groan in protest, rolling their eyes.

"She's the Princess, and you lot will do well to remember that." There were a few grumpy mutters in response, and the mood noticeably died. Ben allowed the sullen silence to linger for a moment before adding;

"Even if she does have _the _most perfect arse."

A rapturous roar of laughter erupted throughout all of them.

* * *

"Good grief man! What's _in _this?!" Spluttered Walter taking a swig from the metal tankard in his hand. Major Swift laughed.

"I said I could offer you a drink, I didn't say it was going to be a good drink." Replied the Major, he seemed to be taking pleasure from the distraught expression on Walter's face. Even Aurora giggled.

"And what about you my Dear? Can I tempt you with some of Mourningwood's finest Ale… Or would you prefer some Whisky from my personal stash?" He shot her a charming grin. Walter cut her off before she could even answer.

"Whiskey?! What?! Then why have I got to drink this pigs swill?!" He demanded in outrage, gesturing wildly with the tankard and spilling a fair amount of the murky brown liquid inside of it in the process.

"Because." Replied the Major, "You are one, not a Princess, and two not nearly as pretty…" Again he grinned at Aurora in the same dashing manor as before, then sighing he added;

"Very well, if you insist on refusing this fine…" He momentarily struggled for the right words. "…intoxicating nectar, then I suppose seeing as it's you I can make an exception. We don't have glasses I'm afraid though my old chap."

"This is fine." Said Walter waving the tankard that he usually had strapped about his belt, and began to pour the brown liquid it contained onto the ground.

The Major smirked at his friend's disgust as he watched the Ale ooze onto the ground, he then turned to the Princess.

"And you your Highness?"

Aurora shook her head with a faint apologetic smile.

"No thank you Major Swift, I'm not feeling particularly well at this moment to be perfectly honest." She didn't want to admit it, but she was feeling incredibly ill all of a sudden, her head was beginning to spin whilst her vision became ever so slightly blurred, and her limbs ache. She had never used so much Magic before, and she could feel how drained it had left her.

"What's wrong?!" Walter snapped his attention away from the puddle of ale on the ground to her face.

"Nothing, I just… feel a bit weak after using all that Magic I think. I've never had to use so much at once. It's just left me a bit drained that's all, I probably just need some rest." She swallowed slightly and tried to look him in the eye to convince him it was nothing to worry about, but her false brave smile couldn't fool the man who practically raised her like his own daughter.

Walter's eyes surveyed her face, she was indeed looking a lot paler than a moment ago, and her eyes seemed slightly glazed over.

"You need more than just rest, you've gone as pale a ghost. You need a potion or something…" His voice had the faintest hint of alarm.

"Walter I'm fine! I just need rest, we've been on the road for days now, I just need a good night's sleep to recover some of my strength. What kind of Hero am I if I can't even use a bit of Magic?" She tried to appease his worry, but the truth was she was equally worried herself. She had never felt like this before, it was like all her energy, all her awareness were being slowly drained from her.

"That wasn't '_a bit of Magic_', that was… well it was a lot for you to handle whilst you're still learning to control your powers. I was wrong to allow you to face down that beast on your own, I should of..." She cut him off.

"Walter enough! I'm not a child, I'm a Hero. And if feeling like this after using Magic is something that happens, then I'll just have to get used to it. I very much doubt I'll be able to go have a bit of a lie down whilst I'm facing my Brother's men, and I certainly can't have you fussing over me in the middle of a battle!" She instantly regretted getting so worked up, not because of Walter, she knew he could take it, but because she had just exhausted what little energy she had left.

Major Swift could see how the situation was rapidly getting out of hand, and hurriedly took the opportunity to interject.

"Your Highness, at least let my Brigade's Medic Jenkins have a look at you, just to make sure you're alright. He might have a potion or something in his supplies that could help." Major Swift's tone was at least more respectful than Walter's worried old woman like manor. Aurora looked at him defeated, she knew he was right.

"Thank you Major." She replied softly with a faint smile. She cast her hazy glance over to Walter's worried face. "I'll be fine." She added, before making her way as steady as she could manage over to where the Soldiers were gathered.

* * *

"And then what happened?!" Demanded a young wide eyed Soldier who was sat cross legged on the ground eagerly listening to Ben's tale from his past.

"Then? Well then I grabbed my clothes and jumped out the window before her Father could reach for his gun!" He replied.

All the men laughed, they loved to hear his stories of his colourful past. Most of them were barely older than eighteen, so to hear the adventurous tales of danger and of passion and romance from their Captain's history often left them wide eyed in wonder having experienced very little of life themselves before the Army. Smith had even convinced him to start writing them down, he said he could turn them into a book. Not necessarily one suitable for children or the easily offended mind, but a bloody interesting read none the less. Only problem was, most times when Ben found a moment to himself to actually put quill to paper was generally in a tavern, where by the time he had finally written anything of any length and substance he had consumed so much alcohol that he was too drunk to remember to pick up the parchment when he left. He often suspected that there were scattered chapters of his ramblings throughout Albion somewhere.

"Did you ever see her again?" Asked the Soldier, totally enthralled in the tale.

"No." He shrugged. "To be honest I can't even remember her name. I think it was Mary, or Molly or something like that. Something definitely beginning with M… I think?" He scrunched up his brow trying to remember the girl in questions name.

Aurora rounded the corner where all the Soldiers were gathered, she was desperately trying to walk in a straight line, her blurred vision was fixed on the floor, as she looked down trying to concentrate as to where to put her foot next. Her eyelids were heavy, and she ran a hand through her fiery red hair to hold her head as it felt like her brain was currently trying to smash its way out of her skull.

The men fell silent at the sight of her. Even Jenkins looked up and stopped stitching up Ben's shoulder in surprise at the sight before him.

"Princess?" Ventured Ben, he eyed her with concern, she did _not _look well. "Are you alright?" He looked at her face, she was practically grey.

She slowly lifted her head in response to being addressed, her blurred vision suddenly affronted with the hazy sight of Captain Finn stood shirtless in front of her. She blinked slightly, trying to comprehend if she was now actually hallucinating as well. No, no there was most definitely Captain Finn stood there in front of her shirtless, her heavy eyes unsteadily roamed over his clearly visible predominate stomach muscles and sculpted chest. An act that if she had of been in full control of her senses would have caused her to die of embarrassment. She was vaugley aware that he had asked her a question.

"Princess?" His tone was now full of concern.

"Chest. I mean yes." She hurriedly corrected herself, trying desperately to focus. Ben couldn't help but smirk ever so slightly at her response.

"I think your Highness should maybe sit down…?" Offered Jenkins, warily eyeing her deathly like pallor. But she could barely hear him, there was a deafening muffling sound, and a high pitched ringing echoing in her ears.

- "Princess?!"

It could have been Captain Finn's voice, she couldn't tell, as a black tunnel seemed to close in around her vision, the last thing she was aware of before it all went completely black was someone catching her in their arms before she hit the floor.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I am SO sorry for the stupidly long delay, I got a bit of writers block and again became faced with the problem of where to end this chapter so as it wasn't stupidly long.**

**The one after this is the last in the Mourningwood Fort I promise, I know this scenario is getting a bit boring now, so trust me I will be moving on from here soon.**

**Anyway hope you enjoy, and thank you very much for all the follows and favs! Means a lot!**

**Chapter 5**

"_Eliot! Stop it! Someone will hear us!" She giggled, as her flawlessly handsome lover mercilessly ticked her sides, eliciting high pitched squeals from her pouty lips. She lay on her bed, chocolate brown hair strewn about the covers, her eyes sparkling with laughter. Elliot knelt one leg on the mattress as he leaned over the bed to attack her again._

_"Eliiiiiiiot!" She wailed, trying so desperately hard to stifle her voice for fear that someone would hear and realize she was not alone in her chambers._

_"I'm sorry what did you say?" He teased, wiggling his fingertips again. "You have to annunciate my sweet, you're really not making any sense." His soft brown eyes creased at the corners giving away his tell tale smile, even if the rest of his face managed to stay dead pan as he spoke._

_"You know, if you keep making all that noise you leave me with no option but to try and think of a way to keep you quiet." He leaned further over her on the bed, looking down on her as she lay beneath him. She bit her lip slightly, watching the change in his demeanor, he was almost forceful, she always loved that. She was the Princess and people always used to bowl down her every whim, and grovel at her feet, nothing excited her more than having Elliot attempt to be dominant with her, it was such a thrilling change._

_He brought his leg over her body to straddle her, his hands placed either side of her head to support his weight as he loomed over her._

_"So, are you going to keep quiet, or am I going to have to silence you?" He whispered, as he slowly trailed a hand down to her ribs whilst supporting his weight on only one arm, his fingertips barely grazing the fabric of her blouse._

_"Eli…!" She squeaked out, trying to hold it in, lips trembling._

_"I'm sorry what?" He did it again._

_"Stop it!" She giggled eyes closed._

_"I did warn you Aurora, now I'm just going to have to keep you quiet." And before she could even open her eyes or mouth to respond, his lips met hers, silencing her._

_"Mmmm" She sighed into his mouth as his kiss deepened ever so slightly._

_He lifted his head away just enough to whisper against her mouth._

_"Are you going to be quiet now?" He enquired in a graceful tone._

_She sighed against his lips._

_"I…" But before she could answer he silenced her once more with a kiss, sweet, tender and deliciously delicate. She murmured his name as his hands made to slide under her blouse, his fingers trembling ever so slightly as he explored the bare skin under his fingertips._

* * *

Everything seemed to be running in slow motion for Ben, as though he was a bystander watching the events unfold from a far.

He literally saw the colour drain from her face before his very eyes, as her lashes fluttered shut and her head lolled back.

"Princess!" He yelled in alarm, and instinctively darted forward to grab her before she hit the hard ground. He winced slightly as he pulled away from Jenkins at the sensation of the unfinished stitches in his shoulder being snagged with his sudden abrupt movement. In one lightning fluid motion he just managed dip down and shoot an arm under her back as she crumpled to the ground breaking her fall, he hurriedly brought his other arm around her waist to help support her weight as he carefully lowered her limp motionless body to the ground.

It was in this current position, him kneeling with the Princess laying unconscious in his arms slumped against his bare chest that he found himself, watching the slow motion frenzied scene play out around him, as the gathered men all floundered for what to do, this was the Princess after all, this was serious.

- "Is she breathing?!"

Ben stared down at the seemingly lifeless girl in his arms, her fiery red hair was strewn across her face, and her once naturally blushed cheeks were a deathly pale shade. Her lips had also lost their natural full tint, and her thick eyelashes remained permanently closed. Ben could feel his heart start to hammer against his chest in alarm, she wasn't moving. The _Princess_ wasn't moving.

- "Captain! Is she breathing?!" Came the voice again, this time a little more sternly than before. Ben realised it was Jenkins who had spoke, and quickly shook himself from his stunned mental paralysis and allowed himself to glance down to her chest, it rose and fell ever so slightly.

"Yes, only just!" He replied, as he continued to stare at her, noticing the lines of blue that ran from her collar bone down into her cleavage that he had spotted earlier were now void of all colour too, he didn't know what they were but he took it to be bad sign that they were no longer glowing.

"Let me check her pulse!" Jenkins stumbled to kneel by his Captain, and placed two fingers just right of Aurora's jugular. Ben looked on in quiet concern. He'd seen women faint plenty of times before, but they never looked quite like this, so devoid of all pallor entirely. No this was more than just simply fainting.

"It's weak." Replied Jenkins quietly answering Ben's worried glance. "Somebody get me the Healing Potion vile from my supplies!" He called. About three different Soldiers all rushed off at once in search of his request.

"And someone get Walter and the Major!" Instructed Ben, he glanced down to corpse like girl in his arms and carefully and as delicately as he could brushed her hair off her face with his hand, he was surprised when she flinched slightly at his touch.

"Did you see that?!" Snapped Jenkins in surprise at her movement. Ben nodded.

"Princess?" He whispered as he ran the backs of his fingers hesitantly over her cheek, she whimpered ever so slightly and turned her face barely more than a fraction into his touch.

"Princess can you hear me?" Ben asked, in a soft quiet tone, both he and Jenkins' gazes were expectantly transfixed on her face. There was no reply.

"Move your hand again, she seems to be responding to your touch." Instructed Jenkins looking to his Captain.

Ben cupped her face in his hand, and ran his thumb ever so lightly over her cheek, whilst still supporting her with his other arm, cradling her against his bare chest.

"Princess? Aurora?" He ventured.

"El…" She murmured in a feathery whisper.

"What was that?!" Rasped Jenkins, shifting forward to try and decipher her words. Ben shrugged.

"Aurora?" He asked again, not entirely comfortable using her name instead of her title but it seemed to work. He softly brushed her check with his thumb again, before tentatively moving it over her lips. She responded with what could not be denied as anything else other than a quiet moan.

"Eli.." She whispered.

"What's she saying?" Jenkins glanced from the unconscious Princess to Ben in confusion.

"I don't know, I can't make it out." He replied, then something happened he was not prepared for, she moved. Or rather her head did, as she turned her face to nestle against his naked chest. Ben's eyebrows raised.

"Don't stop Eliot." She murmured barely audible, her lips brushing against his skin.

"Did she say '_Don't stop the chariot_'?" Asked Jenkins confused, Ben's eyebrows knitted together. What _was_ she saying?

- "WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Boomed an unmistakable bellow coming towards them, Ben's head shot up to see an absolutely livid Walter barreling towards them with the Major behind him, his finger pointing wildly at Ben.

"Me?!" Hissed Ben in response. "I didn't do anything! She collapsed, all I did was catch her!" He kept his hand on her face despite Walter's seething glare at its position.

"Finn?! What the blazes do you think you're doing?!" Barked the Major as he caught up to Walter and took in the scene before him. There was the Captain, with no shirt on clutching the unconscious Princess to his chest. The situation didn't exactly show Ben in a particularly favourable light.

"For Avo's sake! She _collapsed_ and I caught her!" He didn't mean to snap at the Major, but he certainly didn't care for the accusations that were currently being flung his way. Before things could get any further out of hand a young Soldier came running up waving a bottle of purple looking liquid in his hands.

"I found it!" He gasped trying to catch his breath, he outstretched his hand with the bottle in it, and bent over panting having just sprinted across the Fort upon finally finding the Health Potion. Jenkins hurriedly took it from the young Soldier's grasp, and began to remove the stopper. Walter moved to get closer to the Princess, but Jenkins shot out his arm.

"Everyone needs to stay back and give her some room to breath!" He commanded, he caught the furious look on the towering Knight's face. "Sorry Sir Walter but that means you as well, me and Captain Finn have got this." The Major rather tactfully placed a hand on Walter's arm and shook his head.

"Jenkins knows what he's doing old chap, she's in good hands." He nodded at Jenkins to continue. Jenkins removed the stopper to the glass vile, and a rather potent smelling aroma hit the air. Ben grimaced, he had always hated Health Potions, they smelt more like death than a life saving concoction, and tasted even worse, he didn't envy the Princess one bit right now.

"What happened?!" Demanded Walter through gritted teeth, as Jenkins swirled the liquid in the glass vile to ensure it was mixed properly.

"She stumbled over…" He squinted at the colour of the Potion, and held it up to the moonlight. "Mumbled a few words, then all the colour drained from her face and her head fell back. Captain Finn here managed to grab her time just before she hit the ground and smacked her head on anything." He lowered the vile apparently now satisfied with its consistency, and looked to Ben. "I need you to tilt her head up a bit, so I can get her to swallow this without choking. You'll have to keep a tight grip on her, as she might try to fight it."

Ben nodded, and shifted the girl in his arms so she was a bit more upright, taking her full weight resting on his right arm underneath her, whilst his left hand still cupped her face. He tightened his grasp around her body ever so slightly, bracing for if she tried to fight him when the Potion was administered.

Walter began to pace, he was getting impatient with worry. He wanted to help, to do something, anything!

"Ready?" Said Jenkins looking at Ben, the Captain gave a short nod in reply, and with that Jenkins placed the vile to Aurora's pale lips, and Ben tilted her head in his hand ever so slightly to allow the liquid to flow down her throat.

Everyone was silent in worried anticipation, all that could be heard was the sound of her Dog barking nervously and whimpering, fretting after his mistress.

The contents of the vile slowly slipped past her lips down her throat, for a few brief seconds there was no reaction, and then as Jenkins had predicted she tried to fight it. Her body began to jolt and wriggle, as her head tried to move away from the vile against her lips. Ben's brow furrowed as he clamped down his hold on her bracing her tightly against his chest, and his hand that once delicately stroked her cheek was now rather forcefully grasping her jaw holding it still so Jenkins could finish administering the liquid. She spluttered, and to everyone's surprise and relief she brought her hand up to knock the near empty vile from her lips.

Walter let out the breath he had been holding with an exasperated sigh of relief, allowing his tensed shoulders to sag.

Aurora's eyebrows began to form into a frown, and her lips purse, clearly in disgust at the taste that had just assaulted her. Ben couldn't help but smile ever so slightly at the reaction, she looked like a child that had just tasted something sour for the first time. Her eyelids began to twitch, and her lashes fluttered slightly as she slowly cracked an eye open.

Everything was blurry, there were just coloured shapes. There was a large grey blackish looking blob towering over her to her right, with a smaller red blob next to it. Another red blob seemed to be crouched at her feet, whilst a yellowish blob seemed to be perched on top of the beige wall she was leaning against. Slowly, very slowly her vision began to focus somewhat in between blinks of her eyelashes.

"Back with us yet?" The yellowish blob asked in a soft raspy voice. She squinted, it seemed to be attached to the beige wall she was propped against, it was all very strange. She tried blinking again, and once more her vision focused a further fraction. It was a face, not a yellow blob, the yellow blob she deciphered was hair.

"Wha… wha… what hap…pened?" She managed through breathy murmurs. Walter immediately rushed to her side.

"Thank Avo you're awake!" He gasped grasping her hand in his, and nearly crushing it in his eagerness.

"Wal... Walter?" She managed, attempting to turn her face towards the sound of his voice, but seemingly unable to control the weight of her own skull.

"Shhhh, shhhhh. Stay still. Yes it's me." He replied softly, his eyes having lost their previous hard edge now that he knew she was alright.

"Where is he? I heard him. Where is he Walter?" She mumbled, eyelids fighting a loosing battle to stay open.

"Where's who Princess?" Walter replied, rubbing her hand gentle trying to coax her awake.

"Elliot." She sighed, as her lashes closed again.

Walter stiffened, and his posture sagged. He swallowed hard. Ben watched him utterly confused as the old Knight let out a long solemn sigh, he lifted his head to look at the girl laid in the Captain's arms, pain and sorrow etched over his face.

"He's er… He's not here right now Aurora." He stammered quietly. But I am, and I need you to wake up for me, try to focus." Ben had never seen Walter like this, in all the years he had known him, it was like he was afraid of the words coming out of his own mouth.

"But he kissed me." She mumbled, eyes still closed. Walter's glance immediately shot back to Ben, rage burning in his eyes.

"I did _no_t!" He whispered harshly so as not to startle Aurora, in response to the look Walter gave him. "Don't look at me, I don't know what she's on about." He protested, completely bewildered.

"Elliot?" She asked.

Walter continued to glare murderously at Ben.

"No Princess, that's Captain Finn." He tried to sound pleasant despite his clear current distain for Ben, his face betraying his tone. Ben quirked an unimpressed eyebrow in response.

"Captain who?" Her eyes tried once again to battle her drowsiness, as her lids lifted partially. Her focus was somewhat better this time, and she could almost make out the face gazing down on her. It was that of a man, she could make out a strong jaw line and chiseled cheekbones, and then his eyes. They were the boldest blue eyes she had ever seen, she gingerly pulled her hand from Walter's grasp to run her fingers along side of the stranger's temple, trying to picture how she knew him. Ben flinched in surprise.

"Er…" He mumbled slightly panicked at the situation. Walter was going to _kill_ him.

Then her vision seemed to clear, as did her head.

"Captain… _Finn_?!" She gasped in alarm placing the face, she hurriedly withdrew her hand and tried to sit up, a foolish move as she was nowhere near ready, and the world began to spin around her as a result.

"Woah easy there Princess!" Ben supported her in his arms once more. "You need to stay still for a bit, you had a bit of an accident." He gave her a half smirk before looking to Walter.

"Ben's right, you need to lie still for a bit. You had a bit of a funny turn it seems." He sighed a fatherly sigh, patting her shoulder. "Do you want some water?" He offered earnestly, glad that there was maybe something he could do to assist her. She nodded meekly, and he rose to his feet to fetch her a flask of water.

Ben glanced down at her, cocky grin sitting on his lips.

"You know, most women at least buy me a drink before they get to wake up to me with no shirt on." He smirked in a quiet tone. She glared and made to get up again in disgust but once more was hit with an overwhelming dizziness and slumped back. "I told you, keep still! You're only making it worse." He tutted. "Honestly woman, Princess or not, try doing what you're bloody told for once." He shook his head in disapproval, she was too stubborn for her own good.

"Why are you…" She swallowed hard. "Why are you topless?" She hissed. "And why am I laying in your arms?!" It was quite apparent unlike most women, she wasn't overly happy about waking up in the Captain's arms. He chuckled.

"Well you marched over, all Regal, demanding to have your way with me…" He trailed off seeing the look of absolute horror forming on her face. He chuckled again, before abandoning his mocking tone. "I was having stitches done, and you came over and before anyone knew it, you just sort of fainted… I must admit it was quite impressive, never had that reaction before from a woman seeing me without my clothes on, normally it's just slack jaws and gasps, but to actually _faint_… OW!" He hissed as she dug her nails into his bare arm.

"Be grateful I'm too weak to lift my sword Captain Finn, or you would find yourself needing a hell of a lot more stitches." She growled as menacingly as she could given her current situation.

"I'll bare that in mind." He grumbled, looking at the nail marks in his skin. "Well for what it's worth, I caught you before you hit the floor. That's why you're laying here like this. Should of let you bloody fall if I'd of known you were going to be this grateful." He fixed her with a unimpressed stare.

She glared back at him through her heavy eyelids, she hated this, this feeling of being helpless especially in this particular situation having to lay in the arms of Captain Finn. For a moment she even briefly toyed with the idea of wishing he had just let her fall and spare her the current indignity. But he hadn't. He _had_ made the effort to catch her and break her fall, and as much as he was enjoying tormenting her in her current state, he had still held her until she regain consciousness, and even now in her state of helplessness, here he was supporting her. As much as it sickened her to admit it to herself let alone him, she did owe him her thanks.

Ben was looking away from her, staring at the nail marks still embedded in his arm.

"Thank you." She muttered quietly.

He frowned, and purposely excruciatingly slowly turned his gaze back to her.

"I'm sorry what was that?" He managed to keep his tone as innocent as possible, and his face dead pan, yet Aurora knew exactly what he was doing.

"You heard me." She hissed back sulkily, looking away from him in annoyance. There it was, _that_ smirk again.

"No, no I'm sure I didn't." He went on in the same faux innocent tone. She knew he was enjoying this, Aurora huffed and glared at him once more.

"Thank. You." She said clearly and louder, but her tone was still icy cold. Ben laughed softly. "What?!" She snapped in confusion at his actions.

"You know," he said softly "you almost sounded like you meant that. Keep working on the gratitude thing, you might get there eventually." He smiled slightly at her, not a smirk but an actual smile. She didn't particularly care for that either, condescending git. Aurora was grateful for the interruption when at that moment Walter lumbered over, with the flask of water he had gone to retrieve for her.

"Sip this, slowly." He said bending down to her and outstretching the flask.

"Here, let me help you up." Ben said gently, carefully adjusting his arm to help her sit further forward to drink easier. Aurora trembled slightly at the movement, she was still incredibly weak, and her head was still spinning. It was a feeling like no other she had ever experienced, if she was being honest with herself it scared her. Walter placed the flask to her lips, and she swallowed a few mouthfuls greedily mainly to try and eradicate the vile taste of the Health Potion from her mouth. Ben watched as a few droplets of water trickled from her lips as she gulped down the liquid, which he found slightly seductive, before realising Walter was glaring at him once more and his overactive imagination came to a screeching halt.

"Easy, slow down." Warned Walter, removing the flask from her lips. "Too much at once will make you feel sick." She pouted slightly, but she knew he was right. Walter studied her face, the colour was ever so slightly coming back to her cheeks, and she was holding her eyes open with more ease now. He felt the wave of relief wash over him seeing that she was already starting to regain some of her strength. "We should get you laid down somewhere so you can rest, can't have you laid here all night on the Captain, I'm sure it would be a terrible inconvenience for him." Walter shot Ben a pointed look, as if to say '_get your hands off her_', but the Captain only grinned back.

"Well now you come to mention you're right, I've always found it a great inconvenience when a beautiful woman is laid in my lap, it really does get tiresome after a while…" He was fully aware Walter was going to make him pay for that remark later, but he couldn't help himself. Seeing the old Knight get all flustered was far too an amusing opportunity to pass up. Aurora simply rolled her eyes at his comment, she was too tired to keep arguing with him right now. Walter's lip curled into a small snarl as he went to speak and surely reprimand Ben, when Major Swift who had rejoined them along with Walter interjected, sparing the Captain an ear bashing.

"Perhaps Finn, you would be so kind as to help the Princess to a sleeping area, so as she may get some rest, somewhere quiet perhaps?" Whilst his tone was light hearted and casual, the look he shot Ben suggested he too would be having words with him later as well as Water. Ben sighed.

"Think you can stand yet?" He looked at Aurora, for once without a hint of mockery in his eyes.

"I'll be fine." She replied curtly as she tried to move, succeeding in moving at least six inches forward on her own before her aching muscles and spinning head caught on to what was happening, and caused her to fall back again rather unceremoniously.

"Yeah, sure you will." He muttered sarcastically, before sliding his free arm under her legs, and without any warning or more surprisingly to her any effort, rose to his feet scooping her up in his arms as he went. She didn't even have a chance to brace herself or protest. "I'll see to it she has somewhere to rest." He said quietly to the Major, purposely avoiding Walter's furious gaze, and began to walk away to the other side of the fort, with her Dog following close behind him.

Aurora considered demanding he put her down, but then realised she wouldn't be able to walk on her own, plus she didn't put it past Captain Finn to simply drop her where he stood if she said that anyway. She sulked for a moment, thoroughly displeased with her situation. Here she was once again being man handle by this infuriating Captain, and this time he was half naked! She was certain this must be some form of treason, there must of been some kind of law against it at the very least. As if sensing her apparent displeasure Ben glanced down at the girl in his arms.

"What's wrong now?" He sighed.

"He'll kill you know?" She stated coldly. He didn't reply, which aggravated her further. "Walter." She added when he didn't respond.

"Yeah I know who you're talking about." He replied casually, as if he couldn't care less. Now he was _really_ starting to annoy her.

"He means it."

"No he doesn't."

"And how do you know that?"

"Because if he meant it every time he threatened to kill me, I'd have been dead about thousand times over by now." There it was again, that casual couldn't care less tone. At that point she did want Walter to bloody well kill him, which was actually a lie. _She_ wanted to be the one to kill him, his arrogance was insufferable!

"Maybe, but that last comment was just unnecessary." She scolded, trying to look as authoritative as she could in her current situation. Ben's lips twitched at the corners ever so slightly.

"And what was so unnecessary about it?" He asked, his voice betraying his apparent nonchalant expression.

"You were deliberately trying to wind him up!" She snapped. He smirked in response and tilted his head down to face her.

"And why's that, because I referred to you as a beautiful woman?" His voice had taken on that husky quality again, Aurora would have almost found it seductive if it hadn't belonged to such an irritating, clearly womanising scoundrel like the Captain. She glared back at him, despite her slight discomfort at the remark.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. And it'll serve you right if this time he does actually throttle you." She held his gaze, glowering slightly still trying to hide her embarrassment, he simply smiled. "What?" she snapped.

"I think you must be getting better, you're cheeks have gone all red you know that?" He made no attempt what so ever to mask his amusement. Aurora's eyes went wide, and she opened and closed her mouth a few times floundering for words before finally closing it and looking away in temper, she couldn't bring herself to look at him, if she did she would surely punch him, if only she had the strength.

They both remained silent as they neared the other side of the Fort, Ben seemed to be contently smug and Aurora was too angry to speak. They neared an area with various packs and personal belongings dotted around, and a few bedding rolls littered under some of the Fort's stone arches that cut into its thick walls the entire way around. Aurora guessed this must be where the Soldiers bedded down for the night, but to her confusion Captain Finn continued to walk past them, she frowned wondering where he was going. He carried on walking a few more archways along, to a particularly tidy one, mainly because there was only one bedding roll in the space. There was a pack resting against the wall, and a largish wooden crate with a smaller one next to it creating a make shift desk and chair of sorts. The wooden crate was strewn with various pieces of parchment, and a few stumps of burnt out candles amongst other things, it was quaint in an odd and out of place kind of way she mused.

Ben stopped next to the laid out bedding roll on the ground, and slowly and very carefully lowered Aurora down onto it.

"There, it's nice and quiet over here so you should be able to get some rest. Hang on let me get you some water." And he rose and walked to the wooden create laden with parchment, picking up a flask of water from it and handing it to her. He glanced down at her Dog who had already settled his head on her lap.

"Now you keep on an eye on her you hear?" He instructed the beast jovially. As if knowing he was being addressed the Dog's ears pricked up, Ben smiled. "Is there anything else you need, or am I good to go back and give Walter new reasons to threaten to execute me?" He leant against the stone archway looking down at Aurora.

She rolled her eyes.

"No I'll be fine. Thank you." She replied simply.

"See you're getting better at it." He nodded.

"At what?" She asked confused.

"Showing gratitude." He smirked. "Now get some rest before Nurse Walter comes over and starts fussing again." He nodded prying himself from the wall ready to leave and give her some peace.

"Won't the person who's spot this is mind? I mean I'm taking their bed." She protested slightly, feeling guilty that some poor Soldier who had also just fought a battle was now being expected to give up his bed for her.

He smiled slightly, and shook his head.

"Nah, they won't." He answered simply, turning to leave. Aurora sighed grumpily.

"And what make's you so sure of that? Oh wait let me guess, it's because I'm the _Princess_." She huffed sarcastically, annoyed at how he seemed to think it acceptable to just simply commandeer some poor Soldier's bed under his command because she needed a rest.

He turned back to her for the briefest moment, and in a soft voice said;

"Because it's my bed."

And with that he continued to walk away back to the other side of the Fort to rejoin the other Soldiers and let her get some much needed rest.


End file.
