Clumps of mud bounced off the hard lid of the coffin with tiny thuds of finality. Olivia Hunter emptied another shovel of dirt into the dark ground, grateful the funeral well-wishers were long gone. She'd dismissed the gravediggers too, preferring to finish the task on her own.

She could already hear the old biddy neighbors tsking about her unladylike behavior--poor dear, they were probably saying, not the same since her lovely stepmother left--but Olivia gave absolutely zero fucks anymore about what they thought.

Her father was dead and the only thing that mattered was vengeance against the heartless bitch who killed him: Olivia's oh-so-lovely stepmother.

Her eyes were out of tears, so dry they felt bruised around the edges. Before her stepmother, the beautiful and spoiled Anya Rolf (technically now Anya Rolf-Hunter-Lovell-Randolph if the woman was still keeping track) showed up, Olivia and her father had been a team against the narrow, stilted expectations of the world. Her father had been determined to raise his daughter as a self-sufficient individual and stole her away from her embroidery lessons to teach her to hunt and fight. When Olivia saw her peers being forced to cook and genuflect, she thanked every lucky star for her remarkable father. When she worked her way up to the highly-coveted position of Royal Yeoman at the palace, she'd been so sure her small family would be set for life.

All that changed when Anya showed up, her face as innocent as a cherub’s, her eyes as dead as a cat's. The oval emerald pendant resting on Anya’s ample cleavage and the tailored animal pelt on her back wove a curious spell promising wealth and beauty. Olivia's father--who had never before fallen prey to such things--couldn't resist.

"I'm so sorry, Dad. I should have bashed her head in when I had the chance." Olivia told the grave as she dumped another load of dirt into the hole. Anya Rolf was a cruel woman happy to steal and kill for whatever she wanted. The world would be a better place without her. "Don't worry. I won't make the same mistake again."

It was another swell day, the weather finally turning warm after so many cold winter nights. Cap whistled a jaunty tune to himself as he sauntered through the woods, looking forward to a grand weekend with his favorite Grandpappy. The sun shone brightly. Woodland creatures scurried about in their daily activities, their tiny noises reassuring Cap all was right with the world.

The hike through the woods to the rental coach junction which would take him to his Grandpappy’s house was only a short way--barely a day’s walk--and Cap already smiled in anticipation.

Cap’s Grandpappy was a vibrant old gentleman: kind, generous, and quick with a joke. Grandpappy also had a bad habit of getting into more mischief than the old man could handle. Cap found him trapped up a tree or down a well on more than one occasion, not to mention that one time with the monkey.

I can’t wait to see what Grandpappy is up to this time, Cap grinned to himself.

Cap didn’t mind the trek; he'd done his share of strenuous physical activity in his military days. His journeys then, though, were fraught with peril, ending in screams and blood. Now, he took pleasure in his leisurely walks, finding joy in the beauty of the woods and creatures all around him. He adjusted the collar on his bright red army coat to let the sun warm his neck.

Birds sang and squirrels chattered and...Cap heard something out of place. The hairs on the back of his neck stood upright as he unsheathed his sword and approached the source of the unnatural sound. He rounded a bend in the path and quickly re-sheathed his sword, embarrassed at his paranoia. Rather than the unnatural beastie of nightmares he'd imagined, the sound was from a young maiden. She sprawled across the ground in a state of distress, her moan like the haunting wail of a banshee.

Cap’s stopped mid-step as her green eyes locked with his own. Holy cow, she's gorgeous.

The woman fell silent as soon as he came into view. She fiddled with her long brown hair with one hand as she stroked her slender calf with the other. Her clothes and manner were like the fine ladies he'd only seen from afar ensconced in carriages and castles. Fine embroidery covered her green dress and sparkling beads accented her ample bosom. The weather was too warm for the elegant fur coat lying on the ground next to her and a slit in the side of her skirt ran high to her thigh, showing quite a lot of pale skin.

The woman’s face, even twisted in pain, was as perfect as a painting. Cap had a hard time looking away from her twinkling eyes, her flushed cheeks, her plump red lips just waiting to be kissed senseless...

“Hello there, good sir.” Her voice broke Cap from his reverie. Even her voice is beautiful. Her every word enchanted, soft as a prayer and laced with laughter, despite her distress. "I seem to have twisted my ankle. I’m terribly embarrassed to be found in such a state, I must admit.” She smiled quickly, and then averted her gaze as a rosy blush overwhelmed her face.

Does that mean she likes me? He'd seen that same look from bar maids, but did such an expression imply the same interest from a noblewoman? Cap’s heart raced as he gazed upon the gorgeous vision on the ground. Don't mess this up, man. Game face.

“Fear not, madam, for I mean you no harm.” Cap was acutely aware of the fears a woman may have in the woods alone with a strange man--Don't be a creep, he told himself--and tried to school his expression to be as unthreatening as possible. “Please, allow me to assist you.” He stooped down low, crouching to make a closer inspection of her wounded ankle. “It doesn’t look like it’s started to swell up, which is a great sign. Do you think you can stand?”

Cap stood and offered his hand to the woman, slightly ashamed of how his dirty and calloused his palm was. This was clearly a well-bred lady, who would have little experience with a soldier's rough touch. He helped her up gently. She heavily favored her good ankle and Cap could tell she was hesitant to put weight on her sprain. She shifted slightly and let out a cry, stumbling before crashing into the broad expanse of Cap’s chest.

“Caught you.” Cap couldn’t help but wink. Stupid! Don’t be a creep! But it was too late, the wink was done. He tried smiling at her, hoping she would overlook his boldness.

The woman pushed a long lock of hair away from her face, tucking it behind an adorably petite ear. She looked up at him through her eyelashes, a shy smile forming on her face.

“Thank you sir, I am most grateful. My name is Anya Rolf, and I’m afraid I must ask you for some assistance.” Her face turned so serious, Anya looked like she might cry. “I’m traveling to see my poor old aunt one last time before she dies.” Her eyes brimmed with tears and Cap could see Anya struggling to regain composure. “The journey is only five days on foot. I was trying to get to her sooner by rushing and...” She gestured at her wounded ankle. “I’ve ended up wasting time. Can you help me?” She was still leaning against him and he could feel the curve of her breasts against his chest. She played with the edge of his bright red jacket, not seeming to realize that her fingers brushed against his stomach with every sweep of her fingers.

“Captain Red Hardison, at your service. Call me Cap. It would be my honor to assist you.” He gave a glance at the rapidly setting sun, “I’ll get you to your aunt's on time, no question about it!” He wasn't sure how he was going to do it, but he knew Grandpappy wouldn't mind him being a few days late to help a woman in need.

He gently guided Anya to a nearby boulder, allowing her to sit, taking weight off of her injury. “I don’t think we’ll be getting too far on that ankle tonight. I’ll set up camp and then we can figure out how to get you where you’re going,” he said.

Cap made short work setting up the camp with a tent, roaring fire, and spit complete with a freshly-skinned rabbit. While he set up, Anya told him stories and jokes and sang him songs while making daisy chains with her nimble fingers. She asked him about his journey and laughed at Cap's many tales of Grandpappy and his exploits.

“Your Grandfather sounds like such a lovely man. It must be a terrible hardship for him to be all alone out there. So isolated.” She shuddered, bringing her fur-trimmed cloak closer around her body. “I don’t think I could stand it.”

“You’re much too fascinating to be hidden away from the world.” Cap wondered if she would balk at the boldness of his reply. A warm rush of relief spread through his body when her face broke into a small smile at the compliment. “Grandpappy is just sick and tired of the extravagant life he used to have. His wealth just bores him these days, so he finds new ways of getting into trouble.” Cap returned to the task at hand, pounding stakes into the ground for his tent.

By the time the rabbit was cooked, the two strangers were talking and laughing like old friends. They munched cheerfully on their meal as the fading twilight turned to darkness, and the woods transmuted from a friendly world into a dark and foreboding beast.

Anya scooted closer to Cap on the log bench they shared, warming her hands on the fire. “I am so grateful for everything you’ve done, Cap. I wish there was some way to repay you but...” She took a moment to fiddle with the emerald amulet around her neck. “The only thing I have is this gem and it’s a family heirloom going back centuries. I’m meant to give this to my own daughter some day.” She bit her lip and shook her head vigorously. “No, I must pay this debt I owe you.” With shaking fingers, she unclasped the necklace and gripped it in her hand, giving it a farewell squeeze before offering it to Cap in her outstretched palm.

Cap was dumbfounded. This woman was beautiful, he had seen that right away, but she had such beauty of spirit as well. Such kind, lovely company. To think she would sacrifice something so precious to repay his kindness resonated with Cap down to his core. She’s everything I’ve ever dreamt of.

He took the necklace from her pale hand and held it up, pretending to appraise its worth. “I have just the place for this.” He grinned as he looped the ends of the necklace back around Anya’s slender neck, holding her long hair aside with one hand while securing the clasp with the other.

She giggled at his response, but suddenly turned serious. “There is such kindness in you, but I sense a deep sadness. A loneliness.” Anya was so close to Cap he could feel the heat radiating off of her body. "I understand loneliness, Cap." She reached up and traced the line from Cap’s ear to his chin, ribbed with stubble. Her thumb found his lower lip and she traced the digit back and forth.

Cap could feel his blood beginning to race and he boldly captured the young woman’s finger in his mouth, sucking gently before letting her go. She gasped and looked up at him, blushing at his attention.

“I will step away now if you ask me to,” Cap said, hoping his desperation wasn't too apparent on his face. “If not, I'm afraid I won't be able to resist you for much longer.”

Anya leapt at Cap, her hands bordering either side of his face as she kissed him. Is this really happening? Cap wondered. Her hands clasped his head, pulling him closer, and her hips flexed along the bench, grinding into his side. Oh thank God she's not a virgin, he thought, before all the blood rushed from his head and he couldn't think anymore.

Cap groaned into Anya’s mouth and let his hands explore the contours of her body, starting at her slender shoulders and moving south to where he truly wanted to be. When his hands reached her hips, he hoisted her off the ground and carried her to the tent.

Once they were safely inside, Cap made short work of her dress, a much simpler button-down affair than he'd feared. She lay naked before him, panting with anticipation.

He had never seen such an intoxicating sight in his entire life.

Cap tore off his own jacket and shirt and ran his hands up her strong legs, past her firm stomach to her breasts. She mewed at his attentions as he began rolling and massaging one breast with his hand while directing his mouth to the other, licking and nipping at the soft flesh and hardened nipple.

“Mmm...” a sound escaped Anya’s lips as she raked her fingers through Cap’s short hair, pressing him firmly into her. “Oh Cap, I can’t wait any longer.” She was panting now, her body writhing beneath him. “I need you.”

Cap released her from his grasp and unbuttoned his trousers. Anya pulled at the thin fabric, divesting him of his pants with impressive speed. His cock had been straining against its confinement and Cap breathed an excited breath of relief now he was free. He brought his mouth to Anya’s core, tasting her as she squirmed in pleasure. She was already so wet, so ready for him. Cap couldn’t hold back any longer. He positioned himself at her entrance, slowly pushing inside of her, giving her time to adjust to his length.

Surprising him, she lifted her hips sharply, taking all of him inside of her in one smooth movement. He stilled, holding back his release. Cap had never been so worked up about a woman before and he took a few deep breaths to calm himself. Once he was sure he was ready, he began thrusting into her. She met his thrusts with a wild abandon Cap had never seen before. She moaned unabashedly with her pleasure and rocked her body against the hard forest floor as Cap moved in her. Her hands were in constant motion, exploring her body and Cap’s, torturing her own nipples and running along the hard ridges of Cap’s abs. Cap was entranced by how this shy thing transformed into such a sensual nymph, and he moved his hand to where their bodies met, teasing and rubbing her clit.

Her eyes snapped open as he made contact, her moans growing louder and her movements becoming more frantic as she reached her peak. Cap thrust into her with increased fervor, responding to her unspoken request for more.

“Cap!” She came with a high pitched scream, his name echoing through the wood as she climaxed around his dick. The feeling of her wet cunt spasming around him was too much for him to resist, and Cap followed her over the edge, spilling his seed into her with a loud roar.

Anya snuggled against Cap’s broad chest, resting her head gently on him as she twined her fingers lazily through the hair on his chest. Cap pulled a few blankets over them both, taking a moment to passionately kiss Anya with all the energy he had left.

He was still smiling as he collapsed into a deep sleep.

The morning sun blazed down on his face and it took him a second to realize why that was wrong.

No tent.

Cap stood, naked and alone in the middle of the forest.

“I did not see that coming.” His pack, including all his money, his coach tickets to his grandfather’s home in Crispin, and all his travel supplies were gone. His clothes, blankets and--so it would seem--what remained of his dignity were stolen away in the night. Anya'd even managed to steal the tent from around him, which showed a level of ingenuity he hadn't expected from a noblewoman. Although the evidence now suggested she wasn't that noble. Regardless of who she really was, Anya was long gone and, with no sign of a struggle at the camp, Cap knew what happened.

I got screwed.

Olivia couldn't quite stop herself from giving the very naked man trudging on the forest path a good once over.

And what do we have here? He wasn't just some drunk who literally bet his shirt on some game of cards, this was a fighter. His chest showed a map of scars crisscrossing over his rippling muscles, his brown hair cut close to his scalp in the style of the outlander forces.

She tried to convince herself she was scanning his body for injuries. If there is something dangerous enough out here to make a strong man slump stark naked through the woods, I should know about it, right?

From the way his round ass flexed as he walked, to the bend of his calf, he looked whole and perfect: completely without fresh injury. So why was he alone and naked in the woods? He might be insane...

Olivia didn't know she'd made a sound, but the naked man turned and looked at her, his face losing what little color remained.

"Um, hi," he said, one hand quickly covering his genitals--Way too late for that, honey, Olivia thought--and the other giving her a little wave.

Olivia stepped out from around the bend in the path and walked forward, keeping her hands loose at her sides just in case the man made any sudden threats. Olivia's eyes scanned the trees around for any sign of movement, but her eyes kept coming back to the man. The way his hip bones curved into his ass was a little too adorable. For all Olivia knew, Mr. Naked Guy was bait for a trap. Anya loved her games. She had to know Olivia had been tracking her for the last two towns.

In the year since her father died, Olivia’d been too late to save Anya's last two husbands. The murders were so successfully disguised as accidents Olivia could almost respect Anya as a villain, if she didn't hate the woman so deeply. After so much time stalking this particular prey, Olivia was picking up on how Anya's twisted mind worked. Olivia couldn't fail again.

Olivia started to walk past the naked man down the trail, keeping her knife in easy reach. If Anya wanted to delay her, she would have to do better than leaving a handsome ass in Olivia’s way.

The man timidly took a step into Olivia’s path, smiling a sheepish grin. "Miss, hi, I'm Cap. Well, Captain Red Hardison of the Royal Outlander Forces, but everyone calls me Cap." He waited like he expected Olivia to respond with her name, but after a slightly awkward pause, he continued on, eyeing her travel pack. "I will gladly pay you whatever you ask for an extra shirt or blanket or anything I could use to cover up. An extra pair of shoes would be even better, honestly. The forest floor is much rougher on bare feet than I anticipated." He lifted one of his pale feet as evidence, showing several bloody cuts.

"What happened to you?" Olivia asked, relaxing slightly, but keeping her hand near her knife. Whoever this guy was, he wasn't a willing participant in Anya’s scheme, that much was clear. Misery deepened wrinkles around the man’s eyes, but he kept his mouth cheerful.

"Well, there was this giant, huge hulking bloke," Cap said, his eyes looking everywhere except at her. "He wanted all of my stuff and, you know, he had about twenty of his friends with him, all armed to the teeth, so what was I supposed to do? I mean, he looked really hard on his luck; he probably needed it more than I did. I was really just doing a good turn for a neighbor."

He was such a bad liar; Olivia had to bite back a smile. Bad liars were always her favorite. They were easy to trust.

"Stop, stop. This is getting embarrassing. Start again," she said, taking off her pack and beginning to rummage through for a spare change of clothes that might fit him. She doubted she had anything that would stretch across his wide shoulders, but the sight of his chiseled chest was distracting. "And this time, try to lay off the talk about giants."

Cap shifted uncomfortably. "It was a woman," he mumbled. "Maybe a demon in disguise."

Olivia looked up at him, her hand paused in her bag."This woman got a name?"

"I think she said Anna? She was so beautiful I admit I was a bit distracted during the initial introductions. I noticed you didn't give your name either."

Olivia made a small huffing sound as she cut a large hole in the middle of her spare blanket and handed it to him, along with her second pair of sandals.

"I'm Olivia Hunter, Royal Yeoman." she said curtly. The sandals didn't fit, but she rummaged for some rope they could tie the bottom of the shoes to his larger feet. "What did this demon look like?" Olivia asked, handing him the rope. She watched as he tied them expertly to his feet, impressed by how agile his large, strong hands appeared to be.

"I don't know, about this high," he pointed vaguely to his shoulder, "Brown hair, green eyes. Wore a heavy green necklace thing. It kept banging into me during--"

"An emerald necklace?" Olivia stilled, her hands unconsciously curling into tight fists.

"How did you know?"

Olivia ignored his question, but quickly got to her feet, swinging her pack over her shoulders. "Did the demon happen to mention where she was going next?"

He shrugged. "She mentioned an ailing aunt, but I suspect no such person exists. I don’t think I can help you find her."

"But did she ask you any questions? What did she want with you in particular? Anya wouldn't have wasted her time with you just for your clothes and your travel pack." Olivia wanted to shake him until the answers spilled out.

"Anya! Yes, that was the name. She was really interested in my Grandpappy, I guess. That's who I was heading to see when I met her. He'll probably get a real kick out of this story--"

"And this Grandpappy of yours, is he rich and live out in the middle of Bumble-Fuck Nowhere?" Olivia asked.

"I guess, although he would always just call it 'where all those sycophantic court nutbags can't find me’. He lives in Crispin. I was going to catch the carriage at the next town and take the shortcut through the woods. I don't know how I'm going to get there now with--"

Olivia had stopped paying attention. Classic Anya. At last I've got her. A grin grew on her face. "But she didn't know exactly where he lives, right?" Olivia interrupted him in mid-sentence. "She'll have to ask around?" For once, I might even get there ahead of her.

"I suppose...but what are you getting at? Are you telling me this woman is dangerous? She's obviously been through a rough patch, made a few bad decisions, true, but how threatening can she really be?"

"Guy, you have no idea how lucky you are to have only lost some skin off your feet and some pocket change. It could have been far worse. Anya isn't a wolf in sheep's clothing. A wolf goes straight for the kill. She's a cat that likes to play with her food before mauling the carcass."

Olivia hoisted her pack further up on her shoulders and turned around, heading back to town. If Anya was headed for Crispin, then Olivia would have to dash to get back to the carriage house before the last of the transports left for the night.

"Wait!" Cap cried, hurrying after her as quickly as he could on his impromptu shoes. He fell into step beside her, the strain of striding on his wounded feet only showing in the droplets of sweat rolling down the side of his face. "If Grandpappy is in trouble, I'm coming to help."

"It's too dangerous," Olivia said, picking up her pace slightly, then feeling bad about it when he sped up his pace to match her and started to limp. This guy was clearly too stubborn for his own good, and too stupid to be of much help against a wily bitch like Anya.

"I was fighting in the border wars for five years before my tour ended,” he said. “Trust me, I know how to handle myself in dangerous situations." He stood up a little straighter.

"Uh huh," Olivia said, "And how experienced are you with bandits and storms and the hundreds of other dangers in the woods? The borders are all mountains and snow. The forest is a darker creature. It requires vigilance and finesse. Can you handle that, Captain Red Hardison?"

Cap was quiet for a long moment, simply keeping pace with her. "I guess you're just going to have to find out," he said.

Olivia felt the side of her mouth twitch in a smile she curbed immediately. Well, he has spirit, I'll give him that.

I hope it doesn't get him killed.

Cap’s feet objected with each step he took down the winding path. Does this woman really have to walk quite so quickly? He was certain she was moving briskly on purpose, punishing him for insisting on coming along. He could hardly be blamed for ensuring the well-being of his grandfather, could he? Olivia mentioned she was the Royal Yeoman at the palace, sent to hunt down an escaped criminal, but something about this journey seemed more personal than just a job.

Cap felt graceless and huge next to Olivia. As they trekked through the rough terrain, she seemed to glide over every obstacle, moving without so much as a stumble or missed step over rocks and branches.

“Think you could try and not break every stick? I do plan on hunting for dinner eventually and I'd like there to be some game in this forest that doesn't know we're here." Olivia spoke for the first time in nearly an hour, not breaking stride.

Cap took an exaggerated step over a twig, but came down hard on a stone. As a border guard he knew how to climb up ice walls and plow through three feet drifts of snow. But walking quietly through the woods? Olivia had been right that he had no skill at it at all. She doesn't have to mention it every few minutes, though.

It was a shame Olivia was so surly. He might have thought her golden hair was magnificent dancing in the occasional beams of sunlight if she wasn't always tossing her braid in annoyance at him. Her hazel eyes might have been the most intoxicating he'd ever seen if they weren't always glaring at him with disdain. Her delicate cheekbones highlighted her flushed cheeks and small brown freckles dotted her ears. Her strong, lean form, wiry with muscle, was curved with womanhood.

My luck with beautiful women is getting worse, Cap sighed. I meet two in two days and the first is a killer and the second…is probably a killer too.

“So, Olivia," he started, attempting small talk as he stepped around another branch. "I was wondering how you got into this particular line of work. I've rarely heard of a forest yeoman hunting down a criminal. Aren't you usually just hunting deer? And the yeomen I know are all hardened old soldiers, usually turned mean by time and drink.” What's your excuse? he didn't finish. He gave her a small smile he hoped she would find charming. “You hardly fit that description,” he lied.

“You're a bad liar," she said. Cap thought that would be it, but after a long exhale, she started to talk like the words were being pulled from her throat by force. "I’ve always been good at finding things, I suppose.” She hopped over a fallen tree in her path without making a sound. “I grew up learning how to fight and hunt. Tracking a person is a lot easier than tracking deer, I can tell you that much.” She grinned. It was nice to see her smile for once. It made her significantly more lovely, but slightly more scary.

“Ha, what a relief it must be that...” His words were cut off by a blood curdling scream, not too far off.

Olivia ran off toward the scream without giving Cap so much as a backwards glance, moving through the untamed wood like a ghost.

"Wait!" he cried, but either she didn't hear him, or she ignored it.

Olivia vaulted over boulders, dodging thorns and exposed roots with quick sideways jumps and using a low-hanging tree branch to swing over a small creek in her path. Cap did his best to keep up with her, even if it meant moving through obstacles rather than around them. His well-muscled form made short work of any stray branch or bush that stood in his way. He winced at the crashing sounds following in his wake, but the sounds of fighting were getting louder.

“Stop! In the Queen’s name stop!” A female voice screamed. Cap could make out an ornate carriage stopped in the middle of the forest road. It was clearly the carriage belonged to some royal or other: pure white, decorated with golden patterns of peaches and bananas. Five men wielding large curved swords, dressed all in black with hoods covering their faces, had the coach surrounded. Three guards in royal uniforms bled from various superficial wounds on the ground, their hands and feet already bound.

Olivia! Cap didn’t dare shout her name aloud and he couldn’t see her anywhere. She wasn’t among the captives. She must have had the good sense to hide until they’ve left. He let out a long breath, relieved.

A figure fell from high in the trees, landing on top of two of the bandits at once with a loud thud. One bandit slumped over immediately, while the second struggled beneath the figure’s boot. Olivia. She flipped her long blonde hair out of her eyes and stomped her heel hard on the back of the second bandit's neck. He fell still.

Of course Olivia couldn’t stay out of this. Cap rushed in, hoping his enthusiasm would make up for his lack of a coherent plan. The remaining three bandits were shouting and scrambling to attack her, their attention momentarily diverted from entering the coach.

The bandit near the back of the vehicle was isolated a short distance from his cohorts, his knife at the ready to throw at Olivia’s back as soon as he had an opening.

As good a place to start as any. Cap tackled the bandit with a crunch, pinning him to the ground. The man struggled to stand, gasping for breath and Cap quickly slid behind him, tucking the man’s neck into the crook of his elbow. He held tight as the blood flow cut off from the bandit’s brain.

As the bandit in Cap’s arms was being slowly rendered unconscious, Cap watched Olivia take up both swords from the two bandits beneath her feet and advance on the remaining two. They attacked her at once, but she held them off, valiantly sparring with both of them and keeping them at bay with her ambidextrous parries.

Slash slash, parry, feint, parry, slash, slash: her swords moved so quickly Cap could barely follow their movements as they whipped around. Slash, dodge, strike, parry. She laughed with wild joy as she blocked two downward swings at once and forced her opponents back a couple of steps.

The bandits rebounded, attacking hard, advancing quickly and forcing her to move backwards towards a particularly nasty incline of loose rock along the side of the road where steady footing would be impossible.

Olivia slashed upward and across with the sword in her left hand, blocking a downward blow from the man on her right. As she moved, she flicked her right wrist in a fast clockwise swirl, simultaneously blocking the thrust from the man on her left with her hilt while--in the same move--cutting a deep slice across the wrist of his sword hand.

“Bitch!” The bandit shouted, shaking with pain. The two bandits charged at Olivia again, swords raised.

"Watch out!" Cap cried, knowing even as the words came out of his mouth how useless they were. The bandit in his arms still struggled for breath. “Go down!” Cap grunted at the bandit. “I need to help her!”

Olivia pivoted suddenly, positioning herself behind the man to her left, swiping her sword across the back of his knee as she moved. He howled and dropped to the ground, grasping at his severed vein as his blood gushed into the dirt.

Olivia hurled one of her swords at her final opponent in a fast straight line directly at his neck. The bandit dodged at the last moment, the sword barely grazing his upper arm.

This last bandit was the largest of them all, his hood falling back to show a long scar running down his face and a messy tangle of black hair. He looked grim as he raised his sword at her, his eyes never looking at his fallen compatriots groaning or still on the ground. He reminded Cap of the hardened mercenaries the generals brought in at the end of the war.

The bandit in Cap's arms finally slumped unconscious and Cap got to his feet, ready to jump in if Olivia needed him, which seemed increasingly unlikely. Olivia saluted the bandit, smiling as she straightened up for a proper swordfight. She's got this, Cap thought.

Cap was about to go check to see if the carriage's occupants needed assistance when a hurtling shape flew from the trees. Another bandit leaped from the shadows of the woods, delivering a brutal kick to Olivia’s turned back. She fell forward, her arms scraping along the rough gravel road as she tried to regain her balance.

The scarred bandit came forward, pressing a heavy boot against the back of her neck while the new bandit from the woods dug a boot into the small of her back. The big one growled something to her that Cap couldn't hear, but it made Olivia squirm. She was pinned, struggling against their weight. It appeared the only reason she wasn't already dead was the two bandits seemed to be debating whether to kill her immediately or bind her up like the guards.

Don't you dare!

Cap sprinted toward Olivia, lifting a fallen tree branch from his path as he ran. The branch's weight barely slowed him down as he barreled towards the two remaining bandits. They only had time to look up in surprise as Cap swung the branch in a wide arc, catching them both across their stomachs. The blow flung both to the ground with a sickening crunch.

They curled on the ground cursing and gasping for air. One of the bandits clutched at his torso, horror filling his face. Through the man's torn shirt, Cap could see the smaller man's broken ribs penetrating his skin and jutting out into the open air. The larger scarred bandit looked relatively unharmed as he shakily got to his feet, wiping blood from the side of his mouth. Cap tightened his grip on his branch.

“Your girl here damaged my men.” He kicked at Olivia's side, making her cry out. He withdrew a knife from his belt, prepared to drive it down into Olivia's back.

Cap lurched forward, his face flushed red as fury coursed through his veins. "Don't fucking touch Olivia!" he cried. As Cap moved, the bandit moved lightning fast, changing the direction of his strike to sink his blade deep into Cap’s chest.

The world dissolved into rage, adrenaline, and blood. Distantly Cap could hear himself roaring with pain as he ripped the dagger from his wound, turning to drive it deep into the bandit's neck. He wished he could enjoy the sight of the man’s surprise more as he felt the dagger breaking through the bandit's spine and out through the back of his neck.

She’ll be safe now. The world spun and turned black.

Olivia saw Cap fall and felt a deep pit open up in her stomach. Nooo! She stumbled to his side, blood dripping from shallow cuts along her arms where she'd deflected the bandits' blows. She could feel the unpleasant sticky sensation of gore splattered across her face and neck, and something fleshy squished against the bottom of her boots, but she didn't care.

Cap's usually cheery face was so drawn and pale he was almost unrecognizable, like a morbid caricature. Olivia frantically felt for a pulse, sighing in relief at the faint beat in his neck. She tore off the blanket covering his chest, bunching it into a thicker pad and pressing it against the wound.

"Keep it together, boy-o," she said, looking around for her pack with the first aid kit. No, not again. I'm not losing someone else.

Out of the corner of her eye, Olivia saw a high-heeled foot step out of the white and golden carriage. Olivia’s eyes followed the line of the woman's bright blue three-inch heels up her long shapely pale legs, billowing silk blue skirts, tight yellow-embroidered corset cinching her tiny waist, and finally her blond-encircled heart-shaped face. She was so beautiful, Olivia distrusted the woman immediately.

"Try a splash of this," the blond said, holding out a small gold and silver-plated cordial bottle embedded with precious stones.

Olivia shook her head. "I’m not going to put some mysterious mumbo jumbo on him," she said. "If you really want to help, hold this firmly." She nodded to the padded blanket slowly saturating with Cap's lifeblood.

The beauty knelt down elegantly on the ground next to her, ignoring the dirt already staining her silk dress. "Here?" the woman said, pressing down on the blankets with a firm hand. Olivia was grudgingly impressed the noblewoman wasn't shrieking or fainting or any of the other useless responses Olivia associated with the wealthy.

It occurred to her as ran for her pack that she should have said something nice to the woman, or asked if she was okay after having her carriage attacked. Too late now. Olivia rummaged through her pack for her kit as quickly as she could. She'd seen wounds worse than Cap's which some men survived. She couldn't stop her next thought: Not many made it, though.

For a second she missed her father with a desperate longing. He was always better at this sort of thing. He'd be laughing and smiling while he sewed up the wound, not yelling at people and trying to bluster his way through.

Focus. You can do this, she told herself, clasping the first aid kit hard. Fighting she could do easily. Having a pleasant bedside manner afterward? Much harder. Olivia turned back to Cap and the woman.

"What the fuck?" Olivia yelled.

The noble woman had removed the blankets from Cap's wound and was pouring drops from her bottle into the cut. "What are you doing?" Olivia cried.

The woman smiled, her perfectly-formed lips curling into the kind of exquisite half-moon shape Olivia didn't think was possible in real life. "Take a look."

Olivia blinked twice to confirm her eyes were working properly. Cap's wound was healing before her eyes, the raw gash in his skin knitting itself back together and sealing as if it had never been there. Olivia's eyes traveled back and forth between the woman and the cordial.

"Is that...are you...what is that?" Olivia finally stammered.

The woman laughed--a lovely bell-like twinkling sound--and held out a delicate hand. "My name is Amelia, and this is the least I can do for the brave fighters who saved my life and the lives of my men." She gestured to her guards gathered by the horses bandaging up their own wounds and reassuring each other with ridiculing banter. "Your friend will sleep now, I think. I admit I don't have much experience with this stuff, but that's what I was told."

Olivia looked at the cordial, feeling the blood drain from her face. "So you don't know if there are any side effects? What will that stuff do to him?" As forest yeoman for a magic-less kingdom, Olivia had grown up wary of magic. It was unpredictable, couldn't be taught, and often worked by its own subjective rules of rewarding those it deemed "worthy”.

Olivia considered the quietly breathing man on the ground. She supposed if there was anyone magic would deem "worthy”, it would probably be someone like Cap: brave, doggedly loyal, handsome…

"Hi? You in there?" Amelia smiled, waving her hand in Olivia's face.

"What?" Olivia had been so caught up in mentally cataloging all of Cap's virtues, she'd missed what Amelia said.

Amelia's expression was sympathetic. "I know you're worried for your friend." She held up her wrist with a simple gold bracelet encircling it. "I have two lovers-for-life back home. I know they would be worried to distraction if I was lying unconscious at their feet."

"No! No, we're not like that, we’ve just met. He's really annoying."

Amelia shook her head. "You don't need to explain it to me. He looks like a keeper." She handed Olivia the bottle of cordial. The metal felt cool in her hand. "This is my gift to you, in exchange for saving my life. It feels right I give it to you, considering it was so recently given to me. Our unruly neighboring kingdom gave it to me in exchange for negotiating Crispin's latest trade agreement."

Olivia looked at the cordial bottle in her hand, unsure whether it would be impolite to throw the strange magical thing on the ground and stomp on it. She settled for holding it open-palmed as far away from her body as possible.

"Don't you want it? If it was a gift from a trade agreement, wouldn't the queen or somebody important want it?"

Amelia closed Olivia's fingers around the cordial and pushed her closed fist back toward Olivia's chest. "Trust me, I know Queen Cassandra intimately enough to know she would agree with me."

Olivia's eyes followed Amelia's to the gold bracelet. Amelia was the lover-for-life of Crispin's ruler? Olivia blanched, Holy crap!

Amelia chuckled at Olivia's expression. "I was told that just a few drops can bring someone back even from the brink of death, although once they have it, it will never work a second time."

"Uh, thanks."

Amelia made a gesture toward her coachman, who sprang to work getting the horses bridled and back into position. "I'm sorry I can't linger to learn more about my saviors," she said, her bright blue eyes taking in both Hunter and Cap with a tiny smile. "But I'm expected back. You look after each other, okay? And please send word to me at the palace if you have further needs."

Olivia didn't know quite what to say, so simply nodded mutely as Amelia sprang back into her carriage and the entire ensemble disappeared around a bend in the road. She let out a long breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

"Fancy people are weird," Olivia sighed. She looked down. "But I guess their magic is helpful sometimes." Cap was snoring lightly, curled on his side, hugging the dirty pile of blankets and looking far too adorable. Since she'd had to tear off his blanket tunic to staunch the wound, he was naked again, his wound a new thin scar along his chest.

Olivia grabbed her blanket from her pack and pulled the blood-soaked pile from his arms, replacing it with her spare clean one. "You and me, pal, we don't need their slick fancy people ways, right?"

It bothered her slightly how attached she'd become to Cap in the short time she'd known him. Unlike so many people she knew, Cap managed to be one hundred percent himself all of the time. Even when he walks too loud and tells too many stories about his grandfather. So many people spent way too much of their energy pretending to be someone they weren't.

She took a deep breath and looked around. They couldn't camp here, not with all the bandits’ bodies lying around, and not so close to the road. Cap was too big to carry, but Olivia couldn’t consider leaving him behind. Making a rough stretcher of tent poles and her blanket, she dragged him a fair distance into the woods. Once they were far enough from the road they wouldn't be easily stumbled upon, she let him down with a heavy thump.

Sweating and exhausted, she checked Cap was still breathing and headed toward the sounds of water gently splashing along a slow-moving stream. Dark clouds on the horizon were rushing her way--she'd have to work fast to get the camp ready and tent up before the storm rolled in. It would have been nice if Amelia just took us to the next inn rather than give us a weird magical liquid, she grumbled. But it was hard to be too angry with Amelia considering the woman had saved Cap's life.

Olivia quickly washed Cap's blanket-tunic and her own clothes, scrubbing off the blood splashed on her neck and face and confirming none of her cuts were bad enough to need stitching. Small blessings.

With her clothes all wet and her spare blanket in use by Cap as a pillow, she wasn't sure what she was supposed to do to cover up. The evening was warm so far, but from the silence in the woods around her, she figured it was going to be a hell of a storm coming in. Not a night she would want to spend naked, or out of doors.

Wrapping her body in a wet shirt--long enough it went down to mid-thigh, thankfully--and sliding her boots back on, she made her way back to the camp. She had a new keen sympathy for the hours Cap spent trudging naked through the forest after Anya left him there. No matter how warm the evening, being naked in the woods was awful.

She made her way back to where she'd left Cap, then stopped short, confused. For a brief moment Olivia thought she must had taken a wrong turn somewhere, an unprecedented thought since she did not get lost in the woods. But there was her tent; already pitched with the opening closed tight against the rain and the beginnings of a fire pit already dug with a couple small sticks lying in the center.

She felt tears prickle the back of her eyes, which she firmly ignored. It had been so long since she traveled with someone. It warmed her in ways she hadn't expected to see these small courtesies done for her rather than having to take care of everything herself.

She couldn't find Cap at first, but then she heard the familiar cacophony of breaking twigs and mumbled curses coming from the opposite side of the camp. He emerged from the trees carrying an armful of firewood. He wore her blanket around his waist like a towel. He stumbled and dropped the whole bundle when he saw her dripping wet, wearing nothing but a long wet shirt and boots.

"Uh, hi. Storm...uh...a storm is coming," he stammered, looking up at the leaves.

Olivia realized she was having a hard time looking away. Cap appeared completely healthy, albeit wearing nothing other than a small blanket draped over his hips and a deep blush. If the cordial had any side effects, it certainly hadn't altered the fine definition of his chest or the lean muscles of his legs and arms.

"You seem to be feeling better," Olivia said, leaning down to help pick up the fallen sticks and throwing them into the pit, aware the mouth of her shirt leaning down gave him an excellent view of her chest.

"Yeah, about that…what the hell happened?" he asked, nodding toward his sealed wound.

"Long story, I'll tell you later. Let’s just say the lady in the carriage repaid us in full for saving her life."

He stammered something she couldn't quite catch and finished setting up the camp, covering up the extra firewood with a tarp so it would stay dry in the oncoming storm. They worked in silence, quickly looking away every time one caught the other’s admiring glance.

The dark clouds above released rain in sheets and they ran together for the tent. Olivia secured the opening and turned to Cap. With no fire inside the tent and evening drawing on fast, Cap was barely an outline in the darkness. But even the outline of him was enough to remind her of all that glorious flesh and muscle less than a foot away.

Screw it.

Pulling off her wet shirt, she jumped on him, straddling him and kissing his face until she found his mouth, thrusting her tongue deep. He groaned into her mouth, his hands skimming over her body. In one swift motion he swept the bare blanket from his waist and moved his fingers in the dark toward her sensitive clit, rubbing fast.

"Just so we're clear," he said, moaning a little as she cupped his dick and stroked hard, "You're not doing this just to find and kill my grandfather?"

She kissed him quiet, her tongue rolling around the inside of his mouth. Outside, thunder began to sound in a low, distant rumble. Cap’s kiss moved from her mouth down to her neck, sucking and biting at the tender flesh. His hands explored her, sliding from her hips to her shoulders and back down again in long, lazy circles.

She let out a soft gasp as his mouth found a hardened nipple and Cap began to suck at her tender flesh, rolling the sensitive peak with his tongue. His hands continued to work magic over her hot skin as he slid them to her core, his mouth still torturing her breasts. His hands were large and hardened with a lifetime of hard labor, but his fingers were surprisingly gentle and nimble as they danced over her wet pussy.

“Yes, oh yes, right there,” Olivia panted, pulling Cap’s head tighter to her breast as she lifted her hips to increase pressure with his hand. She wanted all of him.

Cap acquiesced and rubbed her swollen folds, spreading her wetness all over. His mouth moved over her other breast, leaving one nipple wet and cold in his absence and the other on fire with his attention. She moaned and tightened her fingers in his hair, loving the soft feel of his curls. He slipped two fingers inside of her, slowly pumping in her warmth while rubbing her clit, hard.

She moved with him now, fucking herself with his rough hand, head thrown back in ecstasy. Olivia could feel a heady warmth growing, threatening to explode.

Cap pulled his hand away, leaving her empty. Nooooo. She was just about to protest when he slid down her body, leaving kisses and bites on the way. He gave her thigh a particularly fierce nibble before capturing her cunt with his mouth, lapping up her wetness like a starving man.

His tongue slipped inside of her in short bursts before he moved his mouth to her clit and she moaned with ecstasy. He shifted between flattening his tongue out against it, applying hard pressure, and flicking at it with his tongue. The pressure and the sensation were too much to take.

Olivia grasped at the ground with her hands, trying to find something to hold on to as her climax stampeded through her body. She screamed, spasming and shuddering under him.

He grinned and positioned himself on top of her, kissing her fiercely, hands roaming through her hair. “You okay over there?” He asked, eyes full of mischief.

She flexed her hips until she could feel the head of his rigid dick, slick with pre-cum, hovering just below her opening and rubbing her labia.

"Just nut up and fuck me, Captain."

"Yes, sir," he said, lifting her up and sliding her under him. She tried to rearrange the blanket under her for protection against the rough ground, but gave up when she needed both hands to grab hold of his ass.

Lightning flashed and in the brief split of light, he pushed his bulging cock deep into her core, hooking her legs behind his neck so her hips lifted off the ground. He pushed deep and she howled at the fullness. It had been a long time, and he was enormous, his fullness hitting all the right places all at once.

"You're so tight! God, you feel amazing," he groaned.

The wind picked up, roaring through the trees, making the tent shake from the outside while their acrobatics shook the walls from the inside out. Rain splattered across the top of the shaking structure, water running down the sides in streams. As the howls of the wind threatened to block out Olivia's cries, Cap increased his pace, thrusting faster and harder, using one hand to hold up her hips while the other hand squeezed her bouncing breasts.

"Don't stop!" Olivia screamed. "Don't you dare fucking stop!" Sweat dripped down her skin, combining with the sweat from his chest and his powerful thighs pumping into her. Her hips swiveled to meet his, pushing back with heaving lifts as he slammed into her over and over again.

Thunder rolled.

He unhooked her legs and turned her over to her hands and knees.

"Yes! Yes, that!" she cried as he thrust in deeper, pushing to the hilt and ramming her with enough friction to make her scream. She pushed her hips back against him, loving the feeling of her breasts against the tent's floor.

"Oh fuck! I'm not going to be able to hold back much longer!" he cried, running the hand around her hips to her clit and rubbing the hood in fast circles.

Lightning flashed and Olivia screamed, coming so hard she couldn't tell if the fireworks going off in her head were outside as well. He pumped once, twice and she felt the warm gushing of his cum deep inside her. He withdrew slowly, patting her leg in soothing strokes like a wild creature about to spook.

"That was--" he started to say.

She put a hand over his mouth, shushing him before he said anything maudlin and she would have to smack him. Outside the tent, the rain was beginning to ease, the torrents decreasing to soft pattering on the roof.

"Just sleep, Cap. We need to get to Anya before she marries and kills your grandfather. Civilization might collapse if we lost two Hardisons in two days."

Triumph roared through Cap’s body as he caught sight of his Grandfather’s small cottage in the distance.

"There it is!" He pulled Olivia close, crushing her against his body as he kissed her with everything he had.

“Wow, what’s gotten into you?” Olivia pulled away, chuckling at his enthusiasm.

“This week I have been tricked, robbed, and stabbed. Today I get to save Grandpappy with you at my side.” He grinned broadly, “I like today better.”

“Good to know you’ve got standards.” She rolled her eyes. “Let’s be serious about this, though. Anya has left a long trail of dead bodies behind her and can be extremely clever when she’s trying to save her own skin.” Olivia pointed towards the cabin. “See that side door there? I’ll go around that way in case she tries to sneak out. You go in through the front, pretend like everything is normal, okay?”

“Yes, sir,” Cap gave her a quick salute and a wink before heading in.

“Your favorite grandson is here!” Cap sang out as he opened the door to Grandpappy’s tiny home.

“Stephen?” A hoarse voice called out from the bedroom.

Of course Stephen would be his favorite. Cap rolled his eyes.

“Real funny, old man. It’s Red.” He wound through the empty kitchen, noticing how the small fireplace was stone cold, like it hadn’t been lit in days.

“Are you still in bed? I told you not to play cards with the mountain trolls. They always get you too drunk to...” Cap swallowed the rest of his sentence in a terrified gulp. His grandfather was in bed, pale and shaking. His skin appeared paper-thin, nearly transparent and Cap could see the pulsing of blood moving through his veins.

“Look at you, boy, you’re nearly as handsome as I am.” The old man’s chuckle turned into a wet cough, which he blocked with a handkerchief patterned with ducks in top hats. “Although you’re less...late than your fiancé implied.”

“What are you talking about? I don’t have a fiancé,” Cap said.

“Oh. That’s good news then,” Grandpappy lifted an arthritic finger, pointing towards the doorway, “Since she doesn’t exist, I won’t waste any energy worrying about the woman with the pistol.”

“Hello dear.” Anya grinned as she leveled the pistol at Cap’s face. She had a tray with two goblets of wine in her other hand, and she set it down on a nearby dresser without once taking her eyes off of him. “Since your unfortunate demise, Grandpappy here has so generously bequeathed everything to me. As the heartbroken mother of your unborn child, we’re practically family anyway.” She pulled a small pillow out from under her shirt, waving what was once her “pregnancy” bump at the men.

“You’re not making any sense.” Cap slowly moved around the room, positioning himself between the madwoman and his grandfather.

“She’s not making any dollars, either!” Grandpappy’s voice was punctuated with another wet cough.

“Actually,” Anya shook a green velvet sack tied to her belt, its contents clinking expensively, “I think I’ve done rather well.” She pressed the pistol to Cap’s throat, snaking her hand up and down his torso. “You were fun, but I should have killed you when I had the chance.” She pushed him violently against the wall and stepped backwards towards the door, taking aim. “Isn’t it lucky you showed up to give me another try?”

Anya suddenly lurched forward as Olivia’s running tackle hit her from behind.

Olivia slammed Anya’s head on the hard stone floor in one swift movement, rendering her unconscious. She kicked the pistol to the side.

“I like this one better, Red.” Grandpappy’s voice was nearly gone at this point, “She's murderous, sure. But at least she doesn’t seem to have it out for us handsome types.” He hacked and coughed some more, blood now coating his worn handkerchief with each spasm.

“Oh god, no.” Cap ran to Grandpappy’s side. “The potion thing!” He flailed out one arm, snapping his fingers trying to remember the words, “Amelia’s cordial. Do you have it?”

Olivia dug through her pack, tossing the precious bottle to Cap.

“So what do I...? How does it work?” Cap gestured helplessly at his now-unconscious grandfather.

Olivia examined Grandpappy’s face. “This doesn’t look like the effect of some sort of localized wound, it’s probably poison.” She furrowed her brow and set her jaw, “Our best bet is to pour some in his mouth, since that was the mostly likely point of entry. Poisoned food and drink is how Anya killed my father, it would make sense she's continued with the classics."

Killed her who? Cap was about to ask, but Olivia grabbed his shaking hands and helped him pour three drops of the liquid down Grandpappy’s throat, elevating his head slightly so he wouldn’t choke.

“For you, the effect was pretty much instant, so we should know soon.” Olivia squeezed Cap’s hand.

Grandpappy suddenly sat up in bed, stretching his arms over his head as his bones creaked and cracked.

“Damn it, I’m still old.” Grandpappy gave the couple a quick wink, “It’s a good thing, too. It seems like my charm may be too much for the modern woman to handle.” He gestured to where Anya had fallen.

Cap turned to check on her, but the bloodstained floor was empty and he heard the click of a gun being cocked.

Olivia stared down the barrel of the gun. I knew I should have gotten rid of that thing when I had the chance, she cringed. Anya grabbed a piece of paper off of Grandpappy's side table and stuffed it down her cleavage.

"I wondered if I would run into you again, Miss Olivia. I see no one has been able to get through to you about face moisturizers since I left. Such a shame, you would have such a nice complexion if you really tried."

"You're insane," Olivia said, trying to calculate how quickly it would take Anya to pull the trigger versus how quickly Olivia could knock out her legs. If I'm willing to risk a bullet to the shoulder, I could try to--

"I'm not insane. I’m a winner. I won," Anya patted her cleavage with her non-pistol-holding hand. "This document not only guarantees me all of Grandpappy's wealth when he dies," she said his name with a sneer, "but also grants me power of attorney over all his legal matters, including permission to declare him mentally unfit the second I get back to town. So I can claim his entire treasury this afternoon."

"That's impossible," Cap cried, beginning to get up from the bed.

Anya swiveled the pistol back to his head and stepped back so she could get both Olivia and Cap in her sites. Olivia hesitated making a jump for it. She'd risk getting herself shot, but Cap? Not yet. They still had a chance to get out of this so long as they could keep Anya monologuing.

"I'll testify to what you've done," Cap continued. "You'll have to fight legal battles for the rest of your life to get at that money."

Anya cackled, her head falling back in maniacal glee. Her hand holding the pistol didn't waver. "You don't get it! And you!" The pistol went back to Olivia's chest. "You’ve been pathetically failing at hunting me for a year and even you don't get it! All of my husbands, all of my lovers, they were all for this! This score! I have all the lawyers, all the judges in my pocket. I’ve manage to secure all of the connections necessary to prove that you--" she pointed to Cap, "--lost your mind in the war, and that you," she pointed to Olivia, "are a radical. A crazed woman pretending to be a man, with your pants and your swords," she sneered. "Clearly a madwoman is incapable of testifying."

Cap stood up, moving slowly to the side table where Anya had placed the wine goblets when she first entered, his hands raised above his head. "And how are you going to prove we were engaged when I never saw you before yesterday?"

Anya dug in her cleavage and held up what looked like a round piece of leather. Olivia couldn't tell what it was, but the shocked look on Cap's face said it had be important. "I found this in your pack after our sensational night of pre-marriage bliss, darling. Your army badge. Don't you remember giving it to me when you pledged your life and soul to my happiness?" She slipped it back into her dress.

"I need a drink," Cap sighed, grabbing the goblet placed closest to his grandfather on the platter.

"No!" Olivia screamed, as he chugged a deep gulp of the wine. "It's poisoned!"

Too late. Cap's face went languid, his jaw falling open as the poisoned goblet slipped through his fingers and fell to the ground, staining the carpet with red as it rolled around. He fell with a thud that echoed through Olivia's chest.

Olivia forgot about Anya, forgot about vengeance and her father, forgot about everything. She grabbed the cordial from the bed and spilled it over his lips, waiting for him to wake up. Amelia had said the cordial only worked on the same person once, but this was Cap! The magic would make an exception for him, wouldn't it? He was brave and true, just the kind of hero magic favored. It would heal him! It had to!

She leaned forward, kissing his lips, hoping whatever love she felt in her hard heart would be enough for the magic to respond and revive him. I can't lose anyone else! She didn't realize she was crying until her tears fell, running down his cheeks. She couldn't feel his heartbeat.

"Well, isn't that the sweetest thing," Anya said, her swaying walk coming closer, her pistol still trained on them. "I didn't know you had it in you, honey. Maybe there's hope you can act like a real woman some day after all."

Olivia glared at her, "I'm woman enough to kill you the next time I see you."

"You always do say that," Anya tsked, kicking at the bottom of Cap's boot with the toe of her stiletto.

"You stay away from him!" Grandpappy cried from the bed, wrestling with the heavy weight of his blankets to get to his grandson.

"Oh do, please get up and try to fight me, old man," Anya’s smile didn't reach her eyes. "The ensuing heart attack would be exceedingly useful." She picked up the remaining goblet on the table. "I just want to salute to the happy couple.” She smiled a wolfish grin, “First rule of murder, always leave one drink unpoisoned."

"You won't get away with this!" Grandpappy cried. Olivia felt her heart sinking deeper into her chest. She had really done it. She had really allowed Anya to get away with it. Again.

"My poison is untraceable and mimics an aneurysm perfectly," Anya said. "My case for taking over your fortune has gone from the work of an afternoon to the work of under an hour. Don't you love overworked bureaucracies? So much can just fall through the cracks if you know the right people." She toasted Olivia and took a long sip. "Don't feel bad, darling, about losing. I just always win."

Anya stumbled a little, her hand shaking just the tiniest fraction. Olivia jumped to her feet, kicking the pistol out of Anya's hand and sending it spinning across the room. Olivia expected Anya to cry out or make a run for the gun or the door, but the woman's eyes just rolled back in her head and she dropped to the ground. She landed with a hard thud.

Cap sat up, making Olivia cry out and jump away from him.

"Finally!" he cried. "I thought she would never drink it!"

"What?" Olivia sputtered. "But--"

"I switched the goblets while you two were yelling at each other."

The feeling of Olivia's hand in his was going to take some getting used to. Cap squeezed her callused palm as they walked together through the woods, content to listen to the songs of the birds in the trees. It was a long walk back to her kingdom, but he was happy to make it with her.

"You really don't have to hold my hand all the time, Cap," she said, "I'm not going anywhere." He noticed she didn't try to free her hand, though.

"Well, I have a bad history of beautiful women running off," he said, grinning down at her. "Sometimes with my stuff, other times to go kill bandits and things. I'm just being cautious," he said solemnly.

"You're going to have to get used to being on your own, though, you know that, right? I can't take you with me when I'm performing my yeoman duties. What are you going to do?"

Cap shrugged, appreciating the way the bands of sunlight filtered through the leaves like sparkling spotlights. "Grandpappy doesn't need me. That cordial gave him a new swig of life. He told me he plans to spend his every last coin all over the world before he dies." Cap shook his head, remembering the twinkle in his grandfather's eyes when he mock-apologized for no longer planning to give him an inheritance. Grandpappy would be fine, wherever he went. "So now I'm free to go wherever I please. And, right now, I want to go where you’re going."

"And for how long are you planning on going with me?" she said, her eyes on the path below her feet.

"For as long as you want me to be with you, and for as long as I want to be with you. Isn't that all anyone can ever promise?" he said.

Olivia looked up at him and smiled a radiant smile that lit her face from within. "And see? That. That's why I love you, Cap. You don't lie or try to be anything that you're not, even for an instant. I know I can trust you."

"Hey! I can lie when I need to!" he said, affronted. "You totally thought I was dead back there for a second. I'm a really great actor."

She laughed, looping her arm inside his and walking close enough their hips grazed each other as they walked.

"Nope, I knew it was a trick the whole time. I was just helping you sell the bit," she said.

"No, you didn't! I was really good! I even used a meditation trick I learned in the army to slow my heart beat! You didn't know!"

"Keep telling yourself that," she said, patting his arm.

He wanted to keep arguing with her, but the feeling of her hip nudging his with every step was distracting him away from his next argument.

"I love you too, by the way. Just throwing it out there," he said.

"Hmmm," she said, looking thoughtfully at the blue cloudless sky, "I think it looks like rain. We should pitch the tent, hold up someplace for the rest of the day. We don't want to be caught out when the storm hits."

Cap looked up, scratching his chin in what he hoped looked like a pensive, wise manner. "You're right, it looks like there is going to be a lot of howling and roaring tonight," he looked into her face and winked. "Maybe even some screaming."

Olivia grabbed his arm and pulled him deeper into the trees. "Let's get ready for it to pour."