I'm falling for the man I hate ~ But is he falling as hard as I am? ~1~

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Even the stars weren't as bright with out Ethan.

"My wife?! Are you in here?" Irena wanted to sink into the ground as she heard Darin's footsteps come closer. But then suddenly a cry of alarm sounded and five men came out from the gardens, one shot an arrow into Darin, and the five all ran past her, not seeing her in the shadow of the tree. Irena stayed deathly still at they past her, screaming war cries as they went.

The rebels! They were attacking!

Ethan's breath caught in his lungs as he heard the men scream out, attacking.

Irena.

It was his only thought as he ran back to her. However she was gone from the place he had left her. Darin laid on his back, an arrow protruding from his middle. Ethan went to him and quickly checked if he was breathing.

He wasn't.

The arrow must have punctured his lung. Ethan got up and swiftly ran back into the ball room. It was panic everywhere. Women were screaming and running every which way as men with swords attacked the crowd. He saw Irena run for the door. He chased after her, as the crowd got more and more panicked. He skirted around the swarm that was at the door trying to get out. Ethan pushed through and quickly grabbed Irena's hand, drawing her out of the crowd and back through the panicked floor of people. Irena's hand gripped his as he moved swiftly through the people. He made it back out to the gardens and through the small passageway to a court year before three men attacked. Ethan forced Irena behind him as he cursed himself for not bringing his sword. Two attacked at once as the third had his eye on Irena. Ethan quickly reared around and took the sword from the mans hand by force then swung and cleaved the other mans back, then continued to arch around till his sword slammed into the first mans head, severing it from his body. Then, before the third even had a chance to run, Ethan threw the sword like a spear at the third before he even had a chance at taking a step toward Irena. Ethan took up her hand again, firmly in his. She didn't question as she followed him out of the castle and through the streets to where Ethan had left Justin for the night.

They burst into the inn. Ethan saw Justin jump up from his seat at seeing them.

"Let's go." Ethan said quickly, adrenaline still pumping through him, for the time being Irena was safe, and that meant he could think, for now. But he had to get her safe, had to get her away from any kind of danger. He had to get her home.

"Wait! Ethan, I can't leave. My people need me." Irena spoke up as she held his hand tighter, afraid he would rip his hand from her's and reject her words. He only looked back, worry all too evident in his eyes.

"No." He said simply, but he knew that no matter what he said she wouldn't change her mind, not when her people were in jeopardy.

"I won't go back tonight, I'll let it die down and tomorrow take control. I'll just send a message to the captain to fight them off. But the looks of it there wasn't very many, but they used the element of surprise to their advantage. The panic helped a great deal as well… But, I can't leave." Ethan's eyes studied her.

Finally he saw the Irena he knew.

Before in the palace he had seen her come out of the servant quarters, practically cowering. He had never in all of his life seen Irena's head lowered and her shoulders hunched over. He almost thought it wasn't her. But now she was the Irena he had loved. Fierce, determined, and beautiful. He wished as that moment he could see her beautiful face without the mask.

"Alright." Ethan gave in. "But we stay here." She nodded them looked over to Justin. He was frowning, looking down at Ethan's leg.

"You're bleeding."

"What?" Ethan looked down to his leg to see blood seeping out onto the planked floor. I must have gotten nicked and didn't realize it." Ethan said plainly as he rose up his pant leg to reveal the stream of blood.

"Ethan!" Irena said shocked. She urged him over to a chair. "Sit down." She commanded.

"I'm fine, really." He tried to reassure her as she had already torn a sleeve off of her beautiful gown.

"Ethan." She said in a tone of voice that told him she wasn't going to give it up.

"Alright." He sat down on the chair and she quickly crouched down. She pushed up his pant leg and examined the cut quickly. She wrapped it up to stop the bleeding then looked up to his board face.

"I told you it was nothing."

"So who's this?" Justin interrupted, looking over at Irena.

"This is your queen. Queen Irena. Justin's eyes grew wide as he composed himself and bowed awkwardly to her.

"I'm so sorry my queen! I pledge-"

"Please, not now. If you could find a foot soldier and get him here I'll give my message to him."

"Yes! Yes of course!" Justin ran out of the inn to the street coming quickly back with a soldier literally being dragged by his collar. Irena smiled to herself as the soldier looked at her skeptically.

"Go tell commander Koren to get the troops up and defend the castle. The rebels have gotten out of hand. The soldier just looked at her.

"Who are you to command me?"

"You're queen!" Ethan said harshly and the soldier took in Ethan then Irena. His mind turning on the statement.

"My… My Queen!?" He quickly bowed. I will go do as you command, my queen." He quickly ran off. Justin bowed now in front of her.

"Is there anything else I can do for you, my queen?"

"Call me Irena. If you are a friend of Ethan's you are a friend of mine." Justin nodded then stood to his feet, a grin spread over his face.

"How many rooms do you have?" Ethan called out to the inn keeper.

"One left. One bed."

"I already have a room." Justin chirped up.

"We can share the room." Irena said calmly. Ethan looked at her surprised.

"Alright!" Justin bounced up the steps to his room, yelling goodnight behind him. Irena and Ethan awkwardly followed. They made it to the door, a large 10 placed crookedly on the wood. Ethan gently pulled the handle of the door to let Irena into the room. She walked in and surveyed the small room, everything seemed miniature, the roof was barely high enough for Ethan to stand in, and the lamps that hung around the room were too small to give off any real light, leaving the room in a dim shadow as she moved closer to the middle. Her eyes settled on the bed and realized that maybe she shouldn't have said it was alright to sleep in the same room. The bed was so tiny; she doubted that one person could sleep comfortably on it.

"I'll sleep on the floor." Ethan said, seemingly to read her thoughts. She turned to him, suddenly feeling even more awkward. Questions and thoughts ran through her head as she stood looking back at the only man she had ever really loved.

"I uh…" She tried to make her thoughts work. "I want to uh… take another look at your leg… Make sure it isn't going to get infected." She blurted out, even though she knew that the cut was minimal, and clean.

Ethan sat down on the bed and took off his mask. He leaned back, letting his muscles relax for the moment. But then he saw Irena starring at him, her eyes wide.

"Are you alright?" He asked frowning, and sitting up a little, concerned.

"I'm fine… I just… It's you. You're really here. You're really alive." He looked down, not knowing was to say. Irena walked closer to him, then bent down and unwrapped the tie she had put around his leg. She lightly fingered the gash, knowing that it was already clean, but wanting to make herself useful. Irena sighed, realizing what she was doing was probably causing more pain than being helpful. She quickly rewrapped his leg then looked up at him. His face was perfectly still as he starred back at her. She traced his jaw with her eyes, taking in every curve of his face. Trying to burn it into her memory, so when her husband came to take her away she would still have her image.

Irena jumped slightly as she felt his hand come up to her face and finger the mask. She quickly jerked away as her thoughts settled on what was beneath the white crystal. Her hands flew to the mask, making sure it was still in place; still hiding her secret. She glanced back to him to see a confused frown.

"Irena?" He stood up from the bed, still frowning at the sudden cower in her shoulders.

"It's nothing." She said and turned her back toward him. He didn't say anything but continued to frown. She crossed her arms, wishing again that there had been another room for her. Ethan walked closer to her, then gently rested a reassuring hand on her back.

"Irena… what is it?" He asked concern dripping from his voice. She sighed as she knew it was pointless to try and stop him from seeing her. She couldn't wear the mask all the time till the bruise healed over. She lifted both hands to the mask, contemplating. She turned to him, realizing how close he suddenly was. She bowed her head and slowly slipped off the mask. She let it fall to the floor, and tried to breath evenly, and she kept her head lowered, studying the wooden floorboards.

Ethan's frown grew deeper as she didn't raise her head to look at him, as if she was ashamed of her own face. His hand glided to her hair, gently stroking it back, till he fingered her jaw line and gently urged her head up to look at him. She followed his urgings, her eyes closed. His vision settled on the blue and black bruise ravishing her perfect face. His anger grew with out his consent, and he had to force himself to keep his hands from balling into fists.

"Who did this?" His voice sounded angrier then he had intended, and he winced as Irena jumped in her own skin.

"Darin." Her small voice reached his ears clearly, but his rage was pushing him over the edge. Ethan didn't step away from her as she looked up at him with scared eyes. It was as if she was ready to be hit by him as well. Ethan sighed, suddenly angry with himself. He should have been here for her. He should have protected her. Ethan wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders, bring her closer to him. She wrapped her arms around his middle, clinging to him. He fingered her hair, smelling her sent suddenly so close to him.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered out. She nodded against him but then pulled away.

"But it's like you said. It doesn't matter… I'm still married to him." Ethan frowned as he looked down at her.

"If he wasn't dead already I would kill him my self."

"He's dead?" Ethan nodded.

"I checked myself. He wasn't breathing." Both of them were silent as they starred at each other.

"That means I'm free." Irena's arms swung suddenly around Ethan's neck, her lips were on his before she really realized what she was doing.

Ethan's arms snaked around her back, holding her closer to him. He never wanted to let her go.

Irena pulled away slightly, coming up for breath.

"I love you. I always will love you. You have to know that Darin was only for my country." Irena spilled out quickly as she looked up at him. Ethan nodded through her quick speech, his lips thirsty for her's.

"I love you too… forever." His lips finally found her's, and he drank her in.

They were finally together.

And Ethan promised himself right then, that he would never let her go again.