I soared through the air. Vana caught one of my hands, flapping her wings quickly and grunting with the effort to keep us both up. We began to sink slowly, but she managed to get me close enough to the window that I was able to grab the sill with my other hand and support myself a little.

Vana helped me grab totally onto the sill, and lowered herself, slipping her arms around my middle and trying to raise me higher, but to no avail. I felt something poke into the bottom of one of my shoes, pushing me up as well, and realized that Chrys was trying to help by pushing up with the long pole. It didn’t really do much, but it did steady me a little.

Knowing I wasn’t strong enough to hold onto the sill like this for very long, even with Vana’s help, I pulled for my magic, focusing on levitating myself. Even if I could only manage a couple of inches, that might help a little.

Vana exclaimed excitedly as my magic began to work. She hauled upwards, and I shot up several inches. This let me get my elbows up onto the sill itself, and she was able to boost me up onto it totally.

“I’m up!” I gasped, out of breath.

Vana sank back down to the floor.

“That was smart. You might need to do something like that to ease your landing.” Chrys called up.

“I need a rest first.” I sighed. The window sill was very narrow, so I clung to the window itself, and sat down to rest, dangling my feet back into the harem room.

I listened for a minute, having caught raised voices through the window, calling to one another in Faerie.

“Something is going on out there…maybe a party? I don't know.” I told the women down below.

“It’s not unlikely. Brand has a lot of stuff going on here. We’re also not far from the courtyard where he trains his guards.” Chrys said.

“That sounds more like it. I think I hear metal clanking, so that would make more sense.”

“If that’s the case, then you might be in luck, most of the guards will be slacking off to watch that instead. They usually have some kind of tournament.”

“Then I won’t dally anymore.” I said. My arms weren’t shaking as much anymore, and I didn’t want to waste the opportunity of the currently empty hallway. “I promise, I’ll do everything I can to help you all get out of here.”

“We know. Good luck.” Chrys smiled sadly, waving as I slowly turned myself on the sill.

Pulling for my magic, I used it on myself again, then slowly slid off the ledge. I fell a little faster than I’d hoped I would, but I didn’t land as hard as if I’d fallen normally, so my landing didn’t hurt too badly.

After scrambling from the middle of the hallway and hiding behind a pillar, I took a few moments to calm myself and catch my breath.

I heard a slight squeaking noise, and saw Vana peering out the window as she lowered the pane back into place. She smiled encouragingly, then disappeared.

God, I hoped they wouldn't face any horrible repercussions when Brand found out I escaped.

The noises of metal clanging seemed louder, now, and I heard shouting and yelling and felt magic being used. But if they were having a tournament, that would make sense.

Taking a deep breath, I took off my shoes to carry with me, knowing I’d move more quietly without them, and hurried along, pausing briefly behind each column as I made my way down the hallway as quickly and as quietly as I could.

Suddenly, I heard the rustle of someone approaching and froze, pressing my back against a column and holding my breath as a fey person darted by, and then another, chattering loudly in Faerie.

Once they’d been gone a few moments, I dared to breathe again, then continued to creep my away along, flitting from column to column until I reached the end of the hallway. The hall attached to another, larger one, and I poked my head out, looking both ways.

A gasp escaped me, unbidden, as I realized what exactly it was that I’d been hearing, and I jerked my head back and scurried to hide once more behind a column.

There were fey folk fighting, with weapons, just down the hallway. The metal rang loudly, now, and it was obvious that it wasn’t just noise from the nearby training area that I’d been hearing, it was actually fighting!

Taking a deep breath, I turned that fact over in my mind. Maybe…maybe whoever was attacking the palace would help me? The enemy of my enemy…right? And there was a chance it was Fen who was attacking the place, which gave me a good deal of hope. Or it would have, if I knew I could find someone who could help me.

Given I had no idea where I was in Brand’s house, I had no idea how to escape, and didn’t want to spend hours wandering the hallways, especially in the middle of the fighting. With my luck, I'd get shot by a stray arrow or something.

That said, the commotion was enough that, if I could cover up the ridiculous clothes I'd been forced to wear, I might be able to sneak through without being noticed...I couldn't stay there forever, that was certain. I had to at least try to get out of there.

After another deep breath, I went back to the end of the hallway, knelt, and poked my head out, hoping no one would see me.

There was a fey person wearing what looked like a guard’s uniform lying unconscious on the ground nearby.

Scrambling forward, I wrenched the cloak from his body, and draped it around my shoulders, holding it closed with one hand. Using my free hand, I slipped my shoes back on. No one would hear the light tap-tapping of my shoes in the immense racket the fighting was causing.

Whoever was attacking the place had to have come into the building through an entrance. All I had to do was find that entrance, right? I slowly crept down the hallway, my heart pounding in my chest as I drew closer to where I could see fey folk locked in combat.

They were so focused on fighting one another that they didn’t notice me. Not at first, anyways.

As I studied the situation for a moment, trying to figure out how to get around the fighting soldiers, I accidentally locked eyes with one of the fey men. His expression shifted slightly, but instead of charging towards me, he motioned slightly with his head down the hallway as he took a step back, drawing his foe away to let me pass.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

I blinked, nodded, then hurried down the way he’d indicated, then glanced back and caught sight of the crest on the man’s uniform.

My heart leapt at seeing the familiar coat of arms, and relief flooded me.

“Fen!” I gasped. He had been looking for me! And he’d all but found me, too.

My gasp drew the gaze of the fey person, one of Brand’s guards, and he gave a cry of alarm.

“Run!” Fen’s soldier shouted at me.

Breaking into a sprint, I raced towards the end of the hallway. It opened into a much larger area, where even more soldiers and guards were busy fighting.

But I wasn’t fast enough. Brand's guard grabbed me from behind, only to be tackled by Fen's soldier. “Go, go!” the soldier shouted, wrestling with his opponent.

Knowing Fen, he would be fighting alongside his men. Stumbling towards the end of the hallway, I screamed, “FEN!” at the top of my lungs, and ripped the ring off my finger, knowing Fen would be able to feel my magic in doing so.

As I staggered out into what I now saw was a courtyard, the eye of every fey person fighting there turned to me, also able to sense my magic. I froze, my heart pounding.

“YOU!” Brand’s voice roared, and I saw him charging at me, expression enraged. “What are you doing here?!”

Being a woman of immense bravery, I turned and bolted, screaming, “FEN! AXL! HELP!”

But thanks to that damned fey speed, Brand caught me easily, grabbing me roughly from behind and clamping a hand over my mouth. I pulled for magic and bit down hard on his hand, simultaneously shooting flames up his arms. Fen’s half-brother yelped in surprise and pain, and let go.

Freed, I stumbled forward again, screaming again. "FEN HEEELLP MEEE!!!"

My eyes lit on a knife lying on the cobblestones by a body just a few feet away. I scrambled desperately towards it. Brand snarled angrily in Faerie, lunging after me, still on fire from my magic. But this time, he hadn't moved fast enough, and my hands curled around the hilt.

Knowing Brand was on my heels, I turned to face him, only to find him bearing down on me. I raised the knife in front of me, terrified. As I spun, the wall just behind Brand exploded, propelling the fey man forward.

Time seemed to slow around me.

Fey people were fast and strong, but physics was still physics. Brand was off balance as he careened forward, thanks to whatever had blasted the wall open behind him.

A look of surprised fear as he realized I was brandishing a weapon at him registered on his expression. In another fraction of a second, it occurred to me that that wouldn't be able to stop himself from moving forward.

I, on the other hand, had my feet braced beneath me, and had been shielded from the blast by Brand himself.

In the split second I had, I remembered Chrys saying that the runes wouldn't go away unless Brand was dead. I moved the knife down and over just a little.

I was thrown back by Brand’s momentum as he slammed into me, sending us both crashing to the floor.

“MERCY!” Fen’s voice shouted.

The breath was knocked out of me, so I couldn't breathe, and Brand had landed on top of me, so I couldn't move.

But the knife had found its mark, plunging into Brand’s chest. He gurgled awkwardly, twitching briefly, then went silent.

Someone rolled him off of me.

“Oh gods!” Axl’s voice gasped.

But all I could see was Fen. There was a cut on his face oozing blood, and there were smudges on his pale skin. But it was him.

The man I loved scooped me up, and I finally caught my breath, gasping and deeply inhaling his scent.

“Y-you came for me!” I whimpered, bursting into tears.

“I will always come for you.” He whispered, holding me close. “We…talked about what would happen if something happened to me, but not what to do if someone targeted you! Gods, I’m so, so sorry!”

“I-I…I-I…th-think I-I k-killed him!” I sobbed.

“You did.” Axl confirmed.

“Good.” Fen muttered.

“H-he…he h-had w-women i-in h-his harem w-with runes keeping them here! Th-they said they c-couldn’t leave unless h-he was dead b-because he’d rather d-die than free them! S-so I-I…I-I…” I couldn't bring myself to say it.

“You aimed to kill.” Axl said quietly.

“Y-yes!” I buried my face into Fen’s chest.

“It’s alright, Mercy.” Fen murmured, I felt him plant a kiss in my hair. “I promise, it’s alright.”

“And you’re right, lass, he wouldn't have freed them. He’d have passed the buck down and said someone else had enslaved them, using either fear, or a direct order, to keep them from telling the truth.” Axl told me.

“I-I…I-I…”

“Shh…” My fiance stroked my hair back. “It’s alright. Just breathe. You did what you had to do. You saved those other women, Mercy. I know it’s…distasteful and horrifying to feel like that’s what you had to do, but…well, you weren’t wrong. I should have gotten here sooner. I would have done it to spare you, but…” His voice broke and tears came to his eyes, “I was too late to save you, and you had to do it yourself. I’m sorry. I am so, so sorry.”

“D-do you s-still want to m-marry me? E-even though I-I…k-killed him?”

“Of course I want to marry you! Mercy, I’m a soldier! I’m not happy you had to kill him, just because I know it's distressing to you, but it doesn't make me want to break off our engagement."

“P-promise?” I whispered.

“I promise. I promise that I will love you forever, and I will bind myself to you, body, mind, and soul by law and by magic. For better or worse, no matter what.”

“H-he f-forced me to join his harem!” I whimpered.

“Did he…he…”

“No.” I shook my head, “Thank goodness.”

Fen murmured in Faerie, clearly relieved. “You’re not hurt or anything?” he glanced quickly over me.

“I’m alright.” I shook my head, then asked, “How on earth did you find me?!”

“I’ve dealt with Parva before, and he’s the one who took you. I recognized his magic and knew it was Brand who’d taken you, since Parva is Brand’s main agent of mischief, usually. Then…did you take your ring off earlier today?”

“They took it off of me for a moment to see if I really had my own magic.” I muttered.

“I felt it. I was outside the palace, doing recon. Feeling your magic was confirmation that you were here, although I was already fairly sure you were here. Feeling that just confirmed it.”

“I was in the dungeon and you still felt it?”

“Yeah. It was faint, but I felt it. I was desperate for final confirmation that you were here, and still alive. So I was searching for something like that. Once I felt it, I got the troops into position and then we attacked.” Fen sighed.

“I took it off to help you find me just now, but…I think I dropped it in the chaos.” I frowned.

“Just a moment.” Axl said, he darted off, returning after a moment. “Here.” he extended his hand, holding the ring. “It has a unique magic signature, if you know what to look for.”

“Thank you.” I took the ring and slipped it back on.

“Let’s go home.” Fen said softly.

Those words brought tears to my eyes, and sent a powerful affection for him surging through me. “Fen?”

“Hm?

“W-would you kiss me?”

Without another word, Fen pulled my mouth gently to his, tilting his head to the side and kissing me deeply.

As we kissed, I pushed gentle healing magic into him, sealing up the cut on his forehead.

My fiance broke away too soon. “We should go.” He stroked my face gently, and stood, lifting me with him.

“I can walk. Oh, can we go get the other women?”

“Of course.” he put me down and steadied me. “You sure you’re okay to walk?”

“I-I want to.” I said softly, but positioned myself under one of his arms and wings. “I-is this okay?”

Fen bent and kissed my forehead, “Of course.”

We walked for a few moments. Axl came with us. “You can kiss me more often.” I told him softly. “On the mouth, too. I’ll let you know if I don’t want it.”

“I wasn’t sure you wanted me to, all things considered. And I didn’t want to push too far.”

“I appreciate it. But I do want you to kiss me.” I told him firmly. “Often, if possible.”

“That can be arranged.” he snorted.