Forest Kingdom Trilogy 1 - Blue Moon Rising

jewels back, have you thought about what we're going to do with ourselves, once we get out of here?'
    'Not really, no,' said Rupert. 'I've never had to think about earning my living before. The jewels should help.'
    'Yeah,' said Julia. 'We could buy ourselves a tavern.'
    Rupert shook his head. 'The hours are too long.'
    'How about a farm?'
    'Too much like hard work.'
    'Well, what do you want to do?'
    Rupert shrugged. 'I don't know, lass. But preferably something that doesn't require me to use a sword.
    I've had enough of that.'
    'Right,' said Julia. 'I'll go along with that. At least until my sword hand's back to normal.'
    'Let's go,' said Rupert. 'I'm not going to feel safe until I've put several miles between us and the castle.'
    'Rupert,' said Julia slowly. 'We don't have to go. You could stay, and make yourself King. After all you've done for the Land, you'd have no trouble finding support.'
    'I don't want to be King,' said Rupert simply. 'I'm not suited to it. And besides, it's going to be hard enough work rebuilding the Kingdom without having the Land torn apart by a civil war. I didn't put my life on the line to save the Land, just to see it destroyed again. No, Julia, the best thing I can do for the Forest is to leave. My last duty. And then, finally, I'll be free.'
    'And you're happy to leave Harald sitting on the throne?'
    'Yes. For all his faults, and he's got enough of them, he'll make a good King. Certainly a better King than I'd ever be.'
    'I couldn't agree more,' said Harald.
    Rupert and Julia spun round to discover Harald leaning confidently against the closed stable door. 'You really should have locked the door behind you,' said Harald calmly. 'You're getting careless, Rupert.'
    'Don't try to stop us, Harald,' said Rupert.
    'Wouldn't dream of it, dear boy,' said Harald. 'As you said, the Forest Land will be far better off without you. The Princess Julia, however, is a different matter.'
    'Oh yes?' said Julia.
    'You're not going anywhere, Julia,' said Harald. 'You're staying here, with me, as my Queen.'
    'Like hell I am,' said Julia. 'Ours was an arranged marriage, set and signed without my consent. As far as I'm concerned, the marriage is now very much unarranged. Look, there's no need to worry about my father. Hillsdown must have taken nearly as much damage from the Darkwood as we did; he'll have far too many troubles of his own to worry about without trying to invade the Forest. And if it's just an alliance you're after, I have several other sisters ...'
    'I don't want them,' said Harald. 'I want what's mine. I want you.'
    'Harald,' said Julia firmly, 'the marriage is off. I wouldn't marry you if the alternative was a nunnery. Got it?'
    'Now, how can you say such things, after all we've meant to each other?' said Harald calmly. 'I mean, you have told Rupert all about us, haven't you?'
    'She didn't have to,' said Rupert. 'I'd barely been back in the Castle an hour before your people had taken great pains to let me know that she'd been sharing your bed in my absence. And you know something, Harald, I don't give a toss. She thought I was dead, and you always were a charming bastard.
    No, Harald, what matters is that in the end she chose me over you, because she loves me, as I love her.'
    'Right,' said Julia, moving in close beside Rupert. 'I wouldn't take you on a bet, Harald.'
    'We're leaving now,' said Rupert. 'Get out of our way.'
    'I'll see you hanged first,' said Harald.
    He went for his sword, and Rupert punched him in the mouth. Harald reeled backwards against the stable door, caught off balance, and Rupert slammed a fist into his gut. Harald bent sharply forward at the waist, and Julia rabbit-punched him. Harald fell to the ground, and lay still. Rupert knelt beside him and checked his pulse, and then rose grinning to his feet.
    'He's going to feel that in the morning,' he said happily. 'You know, I've waited a hell of a long time to do that.'
    'So have I,' said Julia. 'So have I.'
    They shook hands solemnly.
    'I hate to spoil the moment,' said the unicorn dryly, 'But it strikes me as rather unlikely that Harald would have come here alone. Hadn't you better check to see if he brought any guards?'
    Rupert and Julia looked at each other, and then Rupert darted over to listen at the closed stable door, while Julia hooded her lantern, plunging the stable into darkness. For a moment, all was still and silent, except for the restless movements of the horses in their stalls, and the quiet rasp of