Chapter Text
Now back on the Mountain path where Luther fought the Man in Black. the Prince, kneels inspecting every grain of misplaced sand. The others wait behind him.
'' Someone has beaten a giant!’’ He figures, brows furrowed as he slowly gets up.'' There will be great suffering in Guilder if she dies!''
And with that He leaping onto his horse, rounding the path’s bend sharply and they charge off.
….
The Man In Black comes running into view, still dragging Buttercup, who sometimes stumbles, but he keeps forcing her along the terrain. Which was a rocky hill and void of fauna.Finally, when she is close to exhaustion, he lets go of her.
'' Catch your breath.'' His voice is harsh now, carrying the promise of violence as she lands down on a rock.
'' If you'll release me ... whatever you ask for ransom, you'll get it, I promise you.'' The princess spoke out of breath. glancing down at him as she sat down.
'' And what is that worth, the promise of a Princess?'' the pirate smirked at her, looking her up.'' You're very funny, Highness.
'' I was giving you one chance.'' She promised, matching his smirk.'' No matter where you take me...there's no greater hunter than Prince Atlas. He could rack a falcon on a cloudy day. He can find you.''
'' You think your dearest love will save you?''
'' I never said he was my dearest love.'' she states quite firmly.'' And yes, he will save me. That I know.''
'' You admit to me you do not love your fiance?'' He moves away from the rock he leaned on. Going to her now surprised in both tone and expression. Almost…Hopeful.
'' He knows I do not love him.''
" 'Are not capable of love' is what you mean.'' he corrects her, now himself again.
'' I have loved more deeply than a killer like yourself could ever dream.'' Delores hisses And the Man In Black cocks back a fist at her. but she does not flinch, nor backs off.
'' That was a warning, Highness. The next time, my hand flies on its own. For where I come from, there are penalties when a woman lies.'' The pirate chides her, only serving to make her more peeved with him. all the same he takes her hand in a surprisingly gentle way and pulls her along once again.
….
The picnic is spread as before, where Ben's corpse still lays limp. the Prince kneels by the body as the others ride up. The Prince grabs the empty poison packet, hands it to Reginald, after first sniffing it himself.
'' Iocane. I'd bet my life on it.'' he huffs, gesturing to the trail ahead.he was quite annoyed now, the chase prolonged again.'' And there are the Princess's footprints. She is alive ... or was, an hour ago. If she is otherwise when I find her, I shall be very put out.''
And as he vaults onto his horse and the all charge off.
….
'' Rest, Highness.'' He mutters. She falls heavily as the Man In Black releases her. they are at the edge of an almost sheer ravine. The drop is sharp and severe. Below, the ravine floor is flat, and grassy. but getting there would not be half the fun.
'' I know who you are — your cruelty reveals everything.'' She claims, words clear with hate as she sits down, her eyes bored into the pirate. The man in black says nothing. '' You're the Dread Pirate Hargreaves; admit it.''
'' With pride!'' His voice is light as he bows mockingly to her. '' What can I do for you?''
'' You can die slowly cut into a thousand pieces.'' she tells him in a single breath, as if to wish it into existence. He clicks his tongue at her response.
'' Hardly complimentary, Your Highness.'' The pirate states unassumingly,'' Why lose your venom on me?''
'' You killed my love.'' She states, voice quite yet fervent. Speaking millions in their silence. her hate clear to him now, the princesses face contorted in anger.After a beat he speaks again.
'' It's possible; I kill a lot of people. Who was this love of yours? Another Prince, like this one, ugly, rich, and scabby?'' As the dread pirate went on he circled her, before stopping again.
'' No. A farm boy. Poor.'' Delores corrected him immediately, voice growing distant and nostalgic.The dread pirate's heart ached, she meant him. '' Poor and perfect, with eyes like the sea after a storm. ''
As she described her him, imagining her love before her once again.Though she did hate Hargreaves so, she shed a tear. a tear she got rid of quickly to kill any amusement he may have gotten from it.
'' On the high seas, your ship attacked-'' Delores voice broke slightly, mustering up courage and spite.'' And the Dread Pirate Roberts never takes prisoners.''
'' I can't afford to make exceptions.'' The dread pirate Hargreaves explained as a teacher might.Hiding his emotion with a smile as he sat down on a log.'' Once word leaks out that a pirate has gone soft, people begin to disobey you, and then it's nothing but work, work, work, all the time.
'' You mock my pain!'' She hissed.
'' Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.'' His voice dies down to something more serious. he gets up, hands crossed behind his back.'' I remember this farm boy of yours, I think. This would be, what, five years ago?''
He looks to her for confirmation, but she does not nod nor look at him.
'' Does it bother you to hear this?''
'' Nothing you can say will upset me.'' Delores lied, she was a strong woman. she cried a single tear a moment before. and she would not do it again for his amusement.
'' He died well, that should please you. No bribe attempts or blubbering. He simply said, "Please. Please, I need to live." It was the "please" that caught my memory.'' The dread pirate Hargreaves explained to her, grasping at the memory with the softest of voices.'' I asked him what was so important for him. "True love," he replied.''
Delores looked over to him now, eyes wet at the thought of her farm boy at the brink of death.
'' And then he spoke of a girl of a surpassing beauty and faithfulness. I can only assume he meant you. You should bless me for destroying him before he found out what you really are.'' The pirate spat his venom at her. Making her stand right up, seething.
'' And what am I?'' She hisses.
'' Faithfulness he talked of, madam. Your enduring faithfulness.Now, tell me truly. When you found out he was gone, did you get engaged to your prince that same hour, or did you wait a whole week out of respect for the dead?''
'' You mocked me once, never do it again! I DIED THAT DAY!'' Delores shouted, she wanted to rip this guy's face off. He didn't know her, who she truly was, what she's been through. He had no right to toy with her in such a way! The Man In Black is about to reply as they stand there on the edge of the sheer ravine. But then something catches his attention and as he stares at it briefly, a dust cloud. Made by Atlas's Horses is rising up into the sky. while his attention is on the dust cloud, rising high, Delores towers over him from behind.
'' You can die too, for all I care!!'' Delores states, voice firm with anger as she push him with all the strength she has.The man in black teeters on the ravine edge, for a moment, then he begins to fall. Down goes the Man In Black. Down, down, rolling, spinning, crashing always down toward the flat rock floor of the ravine. Delores staring transfixed at what she has wrought. There is a long pause. She stands there, alone, as from far below the words come to her, drifting on the wind —
'' ... as ... you ... wish...''
'' Oh, my sweet Five; what have I done?'' Delores exhales, eyes swelling up, covering her mouth in realization.And without a second thought or consideration of the dangers, she starts into the ravine. A moment later, she too is falling, spinning and twisting, crashing and torn, cartwheeling down toward what is left of her beloved.
….
The dust cloud rises.Prince Atlas and the others reining in at the spot where Delores promised ransom in exchange for her freedom. The Prince shakes his head.
'' Disappeared. He must have seen us closing in, which might account for his panicking in error. Unless I'm wrong, and I am never wrong, they are headed dead into the fire swamp.'' the prince explains.
Count Reginald grimaces, The mere mention of the Fire Swamp makes him pale.
….
On the ravines floor our hero's lie a few feet apart, not moving. They might be corpses. After a time, Five quickly forces his body into motion. his love's head turns at the sound of him. She was bruised and torn as he crawled to her.
'' Can you move at all?'' five asks, propping her head up slightly as he holds her.
'' Move?'' Delores laughs, tears quick to come. five runs hand over the side of her face, thumb rubbing her cheek as she spoke. '' You're alive!! If you want, I can fly-''
Five brings her into a tight embrace, letting her sob for as long as she liked. After a while he pulls back, face full of concern.
'' I told you, ‘I would always come for you.’ Why didn't you wait for me?'' Five had been wanting to ask that from the minute he saw her. He was angered at the news that Delores was to be married. it made no sense…
'' Well my father was going to lose the farm and you..you were dead.'' Delores states, studying her lover's face. The mask was long gone now. lost in the tumble. He looked the same as he did all those years ago, only rougher.
'' Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while.'' Truer words have never been spoken till now. yet he said it so simply, like it was as blatant as the sun in our sky.
'' I will never doubt again.''
'' There will never be a need.'' He breathed, And now slowly, they begin to kiss; a tender yet gentle kiss—
'' Oh no. No, please.'' Niam cuts in with a groan. Now back in his bedroom, Ronnie looks up from the book, surprised.
'' What is it? What's the matter?'' his grandfather sighs, and here he thought he could get through this book without interruptions.
'' They're kissing again, do we have to hear the kissing part?'' The little boy complained. His grandfather chuckled.
'' Someday, you may not mind so much.'' Ronnie shrugged.
'' Skip on to the Fire Swamp — that sounded good!!''
'' Oh. You're sick, I'll humor you,'' He picks up the book again, readjusting his glasses.'' So now, where were we here? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ah. Oh. Okay. Five and Delores raced along the ravine floor…''