I Will Always Return ~ (A Will Scarlet Love Story) *Completed*

Chapter Eighteen

~Chapter Eighteen~

Happily Ever After

I love you too, Will.

Those words echoed in his head as he stared into her teary emerald eyes.

Was this a dream? Evemina loved him back?

The rapid beats of his heart joined with her words.

Will Scarlet smiled brightly at the woman in awe of everything about her. His rough fingers still caressed her soft cheek and her long hair. As his finger brushed past a tender bruise, the maiden winced. This reaction brought the young man back into reality.

Evemina was badly beaten and needed to be taken out of the torture chamber immediately.

"Mina, I'm going to lift you up. So there's going to be pain."

A frown appeared on her face at his words but nonetheless nodded. She desperately yearned to be free of this prison and if that meant being in pain than she would suffer the consequences.

Damn Nottingham to hell. The maiden grumbled in her thoughts as she hooped her arms around the young man's neck.

Tenderly Will Scarlet placed a hand to her back and looped his arm under her knees, ready to lift her. His hazel eyes sought out hers, "Are you ready?"

Evemina's hands clasped tightly in fear of the incoming pain and slowly bobbed her head to Will.

The young man spotted the fear in her emerald eyes and pressed a kiss to her forehead that sent a warmth deep into her heart. Slowly Will rose to his feet making the maiden clench her teeth to keep her whimpers silent. Her muscles tensed and twitched at the sudden force of her weight against his arms holding her. It brought tears to her eyes but she forced to keep them at bay as Mina buried her face into the crook of Will's neck.

Once Will reached his full height, he quickly and carefully made his way through the dark hall to the outside world to where salvation would be.

His movements did create discomfort for the maiden, causing her to bury her head further into the young man to hide the tears running down her bloody, dirty cheeks.

"Will!" A familiar voice called, but the maiden made no move to figure put who.

"Fanny, has Azeem and Robin returned?" Will questioned hurriedly.

"Yes, deary." There was a muffle of a gasp, "Oh Evemina..."

"Fanny lead me to Azeem, quickly." Will pressed.

There was a silence where the maiden assumed there was a silent and quick nod from the Little, before the running resumed.

A strong whiff of fresh air whipped past her and a chill snaked down her spine.

She was outside.

She was free.

No longer bound in chains and beaten into a pulp.

No...

She was free.

Her wish came true.

Instead of tears of pain, little droplets of relief trickled down her skin.

Her Will saved her and now was taking her away to a place where she could be safe.

Mina's eyes squeezed shut as her muscles eased from all the stress of the horror she went through. She focused on her breathing, letting Will to worry about her condition. She had no strength to remove her head to help look for Azeem. She could barely breathe for God's sake.