Feet carried the traitor to Tortuga once more, her heart pumping in a panicked flurry within her chest. Argent knew that coming here was dangerous; she knew full well that last time it had been a mere dash of luck that had landed her previous encounter with Taurig undetected. Alas, the silver Queen could not stay away. Not when she needed to check in with him, to check that he was still breathing, to plead with him to let Sendoa go before Isardis came for his head. She stopped at the borders this time, her posture not stiff controlled. No, the knight looked frightened, panicked, her gaze searching for the alpha?s form as she boldly cried out a summons for him. She didn?t care that she was betraying Isardis, not when she was trying to save Taurig?s life. Oh, she loved them both, and it would destroy her. She was caught between, and perhaps she would have chosen the Tortugan if it did not mean Isardis would come for the grey man?s head. Now, however, that was practically guaranteed. She did not fear being discovered, did not fear the lingering smell, courage rushing through her. She feared that a death match was coming, and that there was little to be done. One of the men she loved would be in the ground by the end of it all, this Argent knew, and this made her heart ache with a passion.

He had seen Argent at the Seige, standing beside Isardis like the ever loyal Knight that she was to him. It was hurt for a moment, but the cobalt Re hadn't allowed himself to dwell on the fact that no matter what he did, Argent would always go running back to Isardis. Begrudgingly the titan had come to terms with the fact that she would always belong to the ghost and that there was no chance in hell that he would ever be able to have her. And it was okay. He had found someone new, someone who could hopefully become his for the rest of his life and who wouldn't go running back to someone else...or at least he hoped. Maija was still married technically. Her husband just wasn't around at the moment. Had he left her for good, or was he merely taking a break from her only to come back and take her from Taurig? If her husband came back and managed to take Maija back, the Re didn't know what he would do. Clearly there would be a problem with him if that turned out to be the case. Perhaps he would give up on trying to find someone. After all, he was a Warrior King now and warriors didn't have time for flimsy things like feelings. He had managed to extract himself from the Seige without so much as scratch. Why that was the case, he wasn't too sure, but part of him was glad. He was still in top form, unlike Isardis who had probably been dealing with a horde of wolves who had been trying to bring him down. It would take the Ice King some time to recover, but when he did, Taurig was sure that he would come after his head. How could he not when he had betrayed and stolen one of his most important wolves. God knows how much more he would want his head if Isardis found out what had transpired between himself and Argent. But luckily, the silver woman was able to keep their secret well enough. Too bad she wasn't able to keep herself away from him as he was trying to do with her. Her voice rung out across the territory, and there was a panicked undertone to it. Why in the hell was she here? Was she asking to get killed? Ebony limbs would pull the titan in the direction of her call, features steeling themselves to become unreadable. Frame would become tense, dark tail curling high over his hips in a dominant position, ragged ears standing to attention, icy eyes turning into crystals; the spitting image of an alpha. Her silver figure appeared within his view at the borders, terror coming off of her in waves. What are you doing here? Deep baritone lyrics would spill from the Re's lips, tones neutral and cold. Part of him would always love this woman, but he couldn't let her control his life forever. Talk like this

She knew that she was awful, she knew that she shouldn?t have come, but beneath the binds of her servitude sat a good heart. Argent was a woman of confliction, bound once by duty, then by love, and now by chains to a man who could destroy her world. There was no out; Isardis held her heart, and perhaps she would run even still, but she was not foolish enough to believe she could escape. And would it be her he hurt? No, it would be those who helped her, those who cared for her that were otherwise innocent who would be hurt. The silver knight could never do such a thing; she would never let somebody get hurt for her own sake. He was cold when he approached, and the Queen felt conflicted. A lance of pain struck through her heart, and yet she felt relieved. He?s over you, he?s over you, be fucking happy because you can?t hurt him anymore. But she couldn?t forget the way he?d held her, the way they?d fit together almost like puzzle pieces in her mind, the life she could imagine constructing with him. ?You have to let her go, Taurig. You have to let her go,? she pleaded. She didn?t take the tone of a negotiator; she wasn?t here to manipulate him, she was here to help him, to try to save his neck. ?If you keep her here he?ll come for your head, he?ll come for the people here that you love, he?ll fucking hurt you in any way you can. You have to let her go, you have to?.? and the composed woman was breaking, her speech moving hysterical, her chest expanding too rapidly. She couldn?t breathe, panic gripping her. The people you love most are going to die, and you?re fucking helpless she thought bitterly, and she?d never felt quite so weak before. God, she wanted to fall to her knees now, to let the dark of unconsciousness swath her like a blanket, to hibernate until this was all over and gone, and wake up years later to discover the fallout. Alas, the world was not so kind.

As he stood before her, his crystal gaze roving over her figure, the memory of their night together began to replay over in his mind. The way her silver figure looked underneath the moonlight, the way her body had molded to his, her affections to him...A long blink would cast aside the memories, an irritated flick of his tail banishing them for good. He couldn't think of Argent that way anymore. It was never going to happen and he had come to terms with it. That was that. She belonged to Isardis and he belonged to...Maija. There was nothing concrete yet, nor did he know exactly where their relationship was going, but there was certainly something brewing between the two. Nothing would ever become of him and Argent and the sooner she let go of him, the better it would for the both of them. You have to let her go, Taurig. You have to let her go. If you keep her here he?ll come for your head, he?ll come for the people here that you love, he?ll fucking hurt you in any way you can. You have to let her go, you have to? A snarl would work its way from the depths of his chest, rumbling just at the base of his throat, ebony lips pulling back ever so slightly against ivory daggers, ears flattening against his skull. She wanted him to release Sendoa. That wasn't up to him. She could leave whenever she wanted; he wasn't holding her captive and he wouldn't hold her against her will. Why the fuck does it matter to you Argent? You should be glad that your husband is coming for my head. He kills me and you can live happily ever after with him. It'll solve all your problems. He was never one to take an aggressive tone with a woman, but he needed her to leave. To go away. To stop caring about him because it wasn't doing either of them any good. She just needed to stop. Talk like this

She should have expected the anger, and it did hurt, but she did not let it make her mad in return. No, she deserved this. She was a woman conflicted of having a heart too big, a woman stuck between so many, and she felt so weak like this. She couldn?t breathe, her legs expanding but her head dizzying. ?You?re just as important to me,? she told him, and her eyes flickered back up to him, showing how truly genuine she was. Her sides expanded quickly, fear and anxiety owning her. ?I know I?m terrible, okay, but I said I love you and I fucking mean it okay. I still mean it. And I?m trying to find a way to get you both out of this mess alive,? she told him. She wasn?t expecting him to cave or fall in, but Argent was no liar. She was not the wicked sort of woman to sit idle and watch as Isardis came to burn Taurig?s world down. ?I don?t get a choice about where I end up in this life, but I?d rather live my life a slave knowing that I?d done what I could to protect the people I love,? she said. That was what she was at the core of it, wasn?t it? She was a slave, just like the Broods. Certainly she had more say, and more leeway, but at the core of it all Argent could never leave Isardis. He would hunt her down. He would make her hurt, and her heart was such that it would never permit her to hurt him. ?Please, Taurig. Let her go. I?ll come up with something to keep him away, I?ll figure it out,? she promised. ?Let me save your fucking life, please. You?re worth it,? she begged again, and she looked like a shadow of herself. If only he knew what she had started to plan, the dramatic ultimatum for Isardis, the plan that could result in her own death. All because she loved Taurig more than she loved herself, the man who saw her as more than a sword and shield.

Part of him hated her. Hated the fact that she allowed herself to be treated as a mere object. Hated that she was too weak to realize that she was worth so much more than what Isardis' was giving her credit for. Hated that she loved him. And he hated himself too. For having been stupid enough to let himself feel anything for the silver knight. They were no good for each other and it was time that they stopped this foolishness. You?re just as important to me. I know I?m terrible, okay, but I said I love you and I fucking mean it okay. I still mean it. And I?m trying to find a way to get you both out of this mess alive. Another snarl, this one even more menacing than the first one would work its way up and out of his jaws, lips curling back completely against his fangs. I fucking love you too Argent! And I shouldn't! But I fucking do! But will that change anything? No! So stop trying to save me, or protect me, or whatever else the hell you're doing, and just focus on your husband. He clearly values you more than I do. I don?t get a choice about where I end up in this life, but I?d rather live my life a slave knowing that I?d done what I could to protect the people I love. A slave. That's what she saw herself as? Taurig snorted, shaking his head as he turned away, unable to look at her in the eye for the moment. How could she talk about herself like that dammit! Please, Taurig. Let her go. I?ll come up with something to keep him away, I?ll figure it out. Let me save your fucking life, please. You?re worth it. The titan would slowly turn back towards the silver knight, taking a step forward, using his height to tower over her. Go talk to her yourself. I'm not forcing her to stay here. And go save someone else Argent. I can fucking save myself or die trying. He would snarl, muzzle inches from her own, eyes like crystal daggers. Did she know how much it hurt him to talk to her like that? But it was for the best. He knew that. Talk like this

Part of her wished she could reach out to him, that she could touch him and press into him and try to get him to understand. And yet she restrained herself. His anger hurt, but it did not frighten her. She knew Taurig would not strike her, for he was not that sort of man. The silver knight listened to him, and she offered a sad smile, knowing their situation. ?You don?t have to like me, Taurig. It doesn?t matter to me if you do or not. But nothing you would ever do would make me love you any less. Nothing you can say will make me stop trying to protect you,? she told him. It was how she was, how she?d been raised. Her personality had been melded, her duty shaped into that of a servant, and didn?t Taurig realize how he was getting her to break that mold? Perhaps not. There were none who could truly understand the silver knight, for her history rushed like a secret through her veins. He stepped closer and he did not flinch, and Argent?s mind was made him. Her eyes set upon him as he stated Sendoa could leave when desired, no signs of hate in her. No, that was all inward. She hated herself more than she hated anything, and perhaps this was why she was so ready to sacrifice her own life. ?When he comes for you, I?ll stop him. I?ll tell him that if comes with war upon your house and a warrant for his head, that I will forfeit my own life by my own doing,? she said, and she meant it. Her children were foremost in her mind when she thought of such a plan, but already she had ideas of who to care for them, adopted mothers whom would serve them better than even she had. ?And I mean it. You could tell me you hate me right now, you could strike me, you could try to convince me that I don?t love you, but it won?t work. I?m going to save you, I?m going to save your pack, because you are the one person who has ever seen me as more than a weapon,? she told him. ?Thank you for giving me my wings, Taurig, it is too sad that I will never get to fly,? she said, because she knew where this was going. She knew that Isardis would not listen, that her sacrifice would be for nothing, but she had to try it. If there was even the slightest chance that the albino King would listen, it was worth it. She would wait for a moment, for she wanted to say more to him, to cling to these moments, but she wasn?t sure what she wanted to say. Instead she would wait for his reaction, gauging it, inhaling deeply and enjoying the presence of his scent. She wished he would forgive her, wished he would let the anger go, because she wanted him. She wanted him from choice, not from duty or debt, but because she loved him.

Why did things have to be like this? Had he known that his talking to her would've resulted in something like this, he would've never spoken a word to her. But there no point in trying to think of alternative ways this could've turned out because it was useless. Things were the way that they were and there was no changing that now. All he could try to do was move on with his life and try to forget that Argent had ever meant anything to him. But by the way he was wanting to embrace her, to hold her and tell her that he would be alright, he didn't think that he would ever be able to forget her. At least not for a good while. You don?t have to like me, Taurig. It doesn?t matter to me if you do or not. But nothing you would ever do would make me love you any less. Nothing you can say will make me stop trying to protect you. Jaws unhinged even further, but this time no sound came from them. Why was she doing this to him! She needed to stop caring about him, stop loving him and just allow herself to forget about him. She would never leave Isardis for him, they both knew that, so she had to kill the feelings that lingered for him just as he had to kill the feelings that lingered for her. They were only hurting each other more by continuing to entertain this. He didn't expect to hear the next words that fell from her silver lips. When he comes for you, I?ll stop him. I?ll tell him that if comes with war upon your house and a warrant for his head, that I will forfeit my own life by my own doing. And I mean it. You could tell me you hate me right now, you could strike me, you could try to convince me that I don?t love you, but it won?t work. I?m going to save you, I?m going to save your pack, because you are the one person who has ever seen me as more than a weapon. Thank you for giving me my wings, Taurig, it is too sad that I will never get to fly. No. No. No. No. No! She couldn't sacrifice her life for him! NO ARGENT YOU CAN'T! He roared, his throat tightening at the very thought of her ending her life. You can't sacrifice your life for me Argent, you just can't! I'm the one who left Isardis, I'm the one who took Sendoa, not you. You have absolutely nothing to do with any of this! I won't let you kill yourself just to save me. I won't Argent. I just fucking won't. You have a family to take care of. Children that need you. You can't sacrifice yourself. You fucking can't... Unaware, tears had begun to slip down the Re's cobalt cheeks, his voice thick and raw with emotion. How could she even consider that?! There was no chance in hell he would ever let her do that. He was trying to forget about her, but that didn't mean that he didn't care about her anymore. If she killed herself to protect him, and he survived fighting Isardis, the Ice King would die. There was no question about it. Isardis would have Taurig coming after his throat and the Re would do everything possible to rip it from his body, or die trying. Argent wouldn't die for him. She just wouldn't. Talk like this

She knew the weight of her sacrifice, knew what she was doing. It was what she?d been taught to do from her early days with her family; devote your life to your loved ones. She?d been taught to be a servant, a dispensable life, and she was. She didn?t expect his violet protest, and her gaze weakened upon him as he protested her, as he started to cry. And yet now her resolve was strong; her legs did not shake, her body remained calm, her face a smooth landscape. ?It is no less than I would do for Isardis, for my pack, for my children,? she told him. ?If I do not do all that I can to protect those that I love, I will have gone against who I am. I did that once, when Isardis attacked you. This is all I can do, all that I know will stop him,? she said. She was terrified of death, and yet now she seemed placid about it, as if embracing it would be like embracing an old, distant friend. And yet her eyes faltered as she looked upon the ruler, who cried for her, who loved her genuinely, whom she wanted to embrace. And yet, this time, she didn?t. There was a line in the sand, and if he crossed it she would not reject him, but the silver knight would no longer hurt him. ?You know, my family growing up raised me to be a slave. That was the custom for girls my age. We were to be taught how to fight and defend, and then my father would give his daughters to passing alphas as personal guards, servants. We were trained that the only honorable death is in the protection of those we value, and I cannot count the number of sisters who died before they were four,? she said, remembering her sisters well. ?Do not cry for me, Taurig. I am nothing but a servant following through on her duty. I owe you a debt; I?ve hurt you one too many times,? she said, and with this she would start to feel the tears well up in her eyes.

No. No. Just fucking no. Argent would not kill herself to stop Isardis. That was out of the question. It didn't matter that she had hurt him, that she would always choose the Ice King over him, none of that fucking mattered if she was going to kill herself for him. He wouldn't let her. He just wouldn't. She wasn't supposed to die for him[/s]. He[/i] was supposed to die for her. He was supposed to protect her, like he would protect Maija, his children and every loved one he had. She was not a slave. She wasn't a dispensable weapon that could just be replaced in the blink of an eye. She was a woman, a special woman, a grand woman, an amazing woman, a woman that deserved so much better than Isardis could or would ever give her. But she would never see that. She had been too deeply brainwashed as a child for him to reach her. She was much too gone for him to try and rescue her. She was set in her ways and there was no changing her and the thought made his chest constrict, his throat closing as the tears overflowed. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening. It shouldn't be happening... Unable to contain himself, the Re would take a step forward, closing the gap between himself and Argent, allowing his forehead to press against her own, his chest right up against hers, his chest heaving with the heavy sobs that were bubbling from his slightly parted jaws, salty tears streaking down her muzzle as they leaked from his eyes. You can't Argent. It doesn't matter what you've done in the past and what you haven't done, I won't allow you to kill yourself. You're not a servant. You're a queen. A fucking beautiful queen Argent... A violent sob would rock his massive frame, making his legs tremble, lids shutting tight over icy gems in a vain attempt to stem the flow of tears. If you kill yourself, I don't know what I will do. There is no guarantee Isardis will not kill me after your death...if anything it might spur him on, knowing that you sacrificed yourself for me instead of him......You can't Argent, you can't leave me like this...You won't. I will die first before I allow you to forfeit your own life for me...Pl-please Argent...don't do this... He never thought he would beg anyone for anything, but he would do whatever he had to in order to make sure that Argent kept her life. Talk like this

He would be the one to close the distance, head touching her own, and it was too much. Her breathing became rugged once more, her heart picking up. White started to speckle her vision, head beginning to feel light. It was too much. Why couldn?t things be easier, why couldn?t life have fallen into a simpler pattern? Pain lanced deep into her chest, crimson gaze shutting as she did her best to ignore him there, ignore him pleading with her. Oh, she shouldn?t have come. Once had been betrayal enough, but each time she came she was more tempted to stay, and she couldn?t. She didn?t speak as he spoke, instead enjoying each rise and fall of his voice, simply trying to be there for him. What she needed to say she?d already said. Her vision grew spottier, her head lighter, and then there was nothing. Knees buckled beneath her, body collapsing to the ground, limp and seemingly lifeless. Her chest rose and fell, a sign of life, but she was otherwise without signal of consciousness. This had happened before, not all that long ago at the beginnings of her pregnancy, before she?d brought four little souls into the world. Alas, she was out for now, and when she woke she perhaps would come to the frightening conclusion.

His thoughts were racing. His heart thumping. Limbs trembling. Throat constricting. Chest heaving. How could he get her to understand that she didn't need to sacrifice her life for him? He had brought this all upon himself. All of it. He had chosen to leave Glaciem, chosen not to remain under the rule of the bastard Ice King. Instead of remaining a rogue, he had chosen to form his own pack, to claim his own territory and become his own King.. He had chosen to join himself to Argent all those nights ago. Him. Not her. He could've very well rejected her, turned away, ran her out of Tortuga, but he hadn't. He had chosen to welcome her in, to show her just how much he loved her. He had chosen to go to Valhalla and Seracia and secure alliances with them. He had chosen to stand beside his allies in their time of need, even though it wasn't his battle to fight. He had chosen to take Sendoa from Isardis, knowing full well the effect of his actions. He had consciously done all of this knowing what would become of everything. And now he was here. Trying to get Argent to keep her life. Trying to keep her alive. She had absolutely nothing to do with any of this. It wasn't her place to try and save him; he didn't need her to save him. She needed to worry about her own family, about her children, not him. He was a grown man, fully aware of his actions, and he could answer to the consequences, even if that meant possibly loosing his life. At his touch, he felt a change in the rather stoic knight. He felt her breathing pick up, felt her heart begin to thump against its restraints, faintly being able to feel it through her skin. But she didn't reject him. She didn't pull away, didn't ask him to leave her because she had already made her choice. She didn't say a word. Just stood there. He refused to open his eyes, to see that she was truly ignoring him, trying not to listen to his pleading. He wanted to imagine that she was welcoming his touch, trying to come to reason and see that he was right after all. But what happened next he didn't expect. One moment she was standing against him, the next she was collapsed on the ground in a crumpled heap, seemingly lifeless. His body responded quicker than his mind, limbs folding beneath him as he dropped to the ground beside Argent, icy gaze snapping into view, the organ in his chest constricting at the sight of her lying on the ground. ARGENT! If she had been conscious, the force of his bellow probably would've caused some pretty bad discomfort, but that was the least of his worries at the moment. He pressed his skull to her chest, momentary relief washing over him as he realized that she was still breathing. But that didn't solve the mystery as to what was going on. Argent! Argent! Argent please wake up, what the hell is going on?! What's wrong with you? Argent open your eyes please! Choked sobs would manage to find their way free of his vocal chords as he nudged and licked at the silver woman lying before him, trying to stir her back into consciousness. She couldn't be dying. Could she? Had she taken something before she'd come to see him? Was she ill? Question after question fired through his mind, but he had no way of answering any of them. Argent please...please wake up Argent...Don't do this to me...You can't... The Re would press his skull into her chest, the tears falling in a heavier torrent. What was he supposed to do? He didn't know what to do... Talk like this