***Hello everyone! I am proud to bring you a RusPrus fanfiction co-written with Timlyn! We put our RusPrus loving brains together in hopes of producing an enjoyable story for our readers! You can find this story also on Timlyn's page at Archive of Our Own (AO3) I will be posting our updates on Fanfiction.

***Please read and review! We'd love to hear feedback! ^_^

***Warnings: Language, minor violence

***Disclaimer: We do not own Hetalia. We are making no money off of this fic.

***Summary: Desperate to regain his place among his clan, Ivan kidnaps the Elven Lord, Gilbert. Ivan's people believe Elves to be magical beings with the powers to give one eternal life or heal diseases, through blood or sacrifice. Ivan has no wish to see Gilbert, a beautiful creature, harmed in any way. But keeping his fellow warriors away from the Elf while trying to gain their respect is going to prove difficult. He may have to chose between being an outcast or regaining his rightful place among them.

Gilbert Beilschmidt is a n Elven noble, sick of his safe and boring castle life. On the same night that he wishes for something exciting to happen to change his usual daily routine, a wounded warrior named Ivan sneaks into his room and kidnaps him with an unknown intent behind his actions. Gilbert may have to adjust to this life of primitive warriors while being nothing more than a prisoner. But could this experience be just what he is looking for? Or will it be the end of his life?

Moonlight and Musk

by

CreamPuffBunny and Timlyn

Chapter 1

The horse stomps its foot with a snort, shaking its head as its master hopped onto the saddle.

Ivan looked down from the hilltop at an Elven castle surrounded by waterfalls and standing high on a raised platform of earth. Last night it was a mere lighted spec in the distance but now it was in his grasp, about a days ride. A flock of white birds flew overhead, circling the castle's tallest tower before flying off into the sky. This castle is hosting an Elven noble named Gilbert who was the reason for Ivan's travel. The Elves in the castle owned this part of the world where he and his own people resided. What better way to avenge your people and regain your place among them than to take the young noble Elven lord that lives there.

He clicked his horse into a walk down the hill.

Kidnapping an Elven lord is not something Ivan wanted to do but there was little choice given the situation he was put in. In the last battle with the Elves he had a terrible sickness that clouded his fighting and judgment. He was wounded in the battle, losing the sight in one violet eye that was now clouded white and gray. The scar that blinded him remained from the tip of his eyebrow to the center of his cheek. Such a battle wound is a mark of honor among his clan of warriors. However, his prized wound was spit upon rather than praised. While wounded he was taken hostage by the Elves, some low level soldiers that lacked the usual nobility and pride of regular Elves. The rogue Elves beat him with their fists and feet, knocking him unconscious for a time before making a game of sport out of him. They had tied a rope around his neck and took turns raising and lowing him from a branch all the while laughing at his humiliation. Ivan never let on that he was hurting. He would never give in to the Elves. But the rogues left his neck raw, scarred and bleeding from the rope that he now hid under a faded scarf of pink given to him by his deceased older sister.

When the other warriors found and rescued him they laughed at his misfortune, taking him back to the village only to ridicule him further. The excuse of being ill did little in his defense for a clan warrior was to always be at his best no matter what the circumstances. In this case, Ivan had failed as a warrior. The clan leader punished him for his failure by isolating him from the tribe, forcing him to live on the outskirts of the tribal village in an old hut. Now shunned by his fellow warrior brothers, Ivan had to spend all of his days mostly alone with only himself for company. He had to hunt and gather his own food, fend off predator animals alone and sleep in fear of another member coming to slit his throat. The few times he had to enter the village, no one paid any attention to him. Children threw things at his person, women whispered and laughed while the warriors sneered and spat at his feet.

Ivan hated being alone more than he hated the Elves for what they did to him. He wanted to rejoin his clan, to regain his pride and acceptance once more among them. Community is something that he treasures. There is harmony when everyone is friendly with one another, and that's what he likes. But now he was isolated from them, completely alone, without a friend in the world. Yet all of that was about to change.

Elves were considered magical beings whose blood holds special powers like the kind that heal and grant immortality. Some believe Elven blood will keep a person young forever, since the Elves themselves age very slowly. It was rumored that they bleed silver or blue whenever they are cut. Ivan didn't believe that for he had killed many Elves and not once did he see silver or blue blood spray from their death blows. While he was not as superstitious as the rest of his clan, Ivan knew he could regain his place among them if he brings with him the young Elven lord of their region. His warrior brothers would welcome and praise him. He could not live by himself any longer. Complete isolation would drive him mad, which he had been on the brink of before the thought of this came to mind.

By the time he reached the castle the sun had set and the moon rose, creating a beautiful halo around the shining structure. The Elves lived in such beautiful places. Ivan's home was always cold and covered in snow, a rugged wasteland of plains and forests. If only his people were allowed to live amongst the Elves…

Tying up his horse, he pet the large beast's nose and put a finger to his lips. From the saddle bag he pulled out a black cloak and hood, wrapping it around his shoulders to match with the darkness. He tied the scarf around his face so only his eyes were showing. Scaling the castle walls would be easy because the right side of the castle was always left unguarded. For days he had camped out upon the hill, watching the hustle and bustle of the castle inhabitants, learning their daily routines as well as soldier patterns. He even saw the balcony where the young lord stood every evening in his bed clothes, on the right side. All he had to do was sneak to the right side of the castle, climb the roses to the balcony and enter the room. Once there, he would kidnap the young lord and bring him back to the territory. What did he have to lose?

Every morning started with the sun beaming through the thin white curtains to the left of his large, plush bed. Gilbert groaned as he sat up, yawning and stretching his arms before finally getting up. He put on a night robe and made his way to some fancy glass double doors that led out onto a balcony. Stepping outside, the warmth of the morning sun washed over his milky white skin as a soft breeze blew through his short hair.

He had to admit that his home was beautiful, especially in the morning when the plants and flowers were still covered in dew. The castle was made of a special type of white stone that could only be found in the region. Vines of ivy crawled up the sides, creating a winding lattice of white and green. Colorful flowers also sprouted in various areas, which, ironically, smelled very sweet for being poisonous. The trees and flowers dotting the land were in bloom year round thanks to the warm climate, and it wasn't ever hot enough to burn the plants. The lakes and rivers were crystal clear with white sand, surrounded by forests and waterfalls, and teeming with colorful fish and other unusual animals. It was beautiful, and the city almost seemed to have a glow to it.

But it was boring. The seasons never changed, rain came on a rare occasion, and he lived a quiet, sheltered life free of any danger or struggle. He was born the eldest son to an Elven nobleman, and therefore was also a lord entitled to all his father's land and wealth. As a child, Gilbert would always dream of sitting on his father's throne, which wasn't as much of a throne as it was a fancy wooden chair with expensive cushions on it. His father wasn't a king, but a young Gilbert felt like a prince in a magical world, and was so excited to grow up and be the handsome prince everyone wanted him to be. Gilbert would daydream about the days of the future where he'd be able to order people around, buy whatever he wanted as lord of the castle, and make decisions that change how the city worked. Eventually, though, as he got older, those daydreams didn't satisfy him anymore. He became bored with such a safe existence.

His title as lord came with the basics: protection of fancy armored guards, servants to wait on him hand and food, the best clothing and food money could buy, and now thanks to his father, he would also have a bride in a few short months.

Remembering the night before when his father told him of his engagement was a dreadful way to start the day. As a child he would dream of being lord of the castle, but he always forgot that taking a wife was one of the requirements. He didn't even know the woman's name, as if it mattered to him. Even though the engagement news had caused the entire city to buzz with excitement, Gilbert still felt like his life was far too boring. He would go insane if he had to lock himself inside for another day and read boring books, drink boring wine, or listen to old nobles tell boring stories of their youth. Finally the day would end with sleep, and then repeat.

As he gazed out at the horizon, he wished for something exciting to happen. He didn't care what it was, as long as it got his heart beating faster.

Once the sun started to hurt his skin, he returned inside to continue his usual morning routine. He dressed in some of his finest clothing, which he hated how many gold tassels and accents his top had on it. He wore tight, black pants with knee-high boots, and tightened a wide leather belt around his waist to shape his red shirt to his body more. At least he looked good in the ridiculous clothing. Once he was done dressing, a maid came in to bring him his morning cup of tea and tell him if he was needed for anything. He hardly ever had to do anything other than walk around and bow his head in approval at guards and servants.

It was a little different this morning. His father had called for him, which was unusual. The meeting with his father only made Gilbert realize how much he hated his sheltered life. Today he was to read a book on the history of his family, the culture of his city, and important things to know if he was to be lord of the castle soon. That wasn't all, either. When Gilbert finally thought he'd be allowed to leave, his father told him how his laziness has affected how people view him. That he'd become the type of man who took what he had for granted, and needed to start acting accordingly if he wanted the respect of the people he would one day rule over.

Gilbert left the room thinking that he didn't care if he was respected or not. He didn't care about running a city, throwing fancy dances, or listening to citizens complain to him. It wasn't a life he wanted, it was too safe and boring.

He continued from that meeting to walk around and visit several of the others in the castle. The words his father scolded him with were starting to sink in, and he began to pick up on the signs that people had actually started to disrespect him. They wouldn't bow to him, he heard them whispering as he passed by, and they'd mock him for his unusual lack of color. He heard a few guards in the dining hall say that he didn't even look like a man, that he was too skinny and didn't have any muscle, and didn't do anything to prove himself. Living in a castle protected by strong guards and knights didn't really give him a chance to get strong like the others.

Maybe reading the book his father gave him wouldn't be such a bad idea. As much as he hated his lifestyle, what he hated more was feeling like a disappointment.

In the evening he went back to his room, set the book on his bed, then dressed in his white nightwear. He stepped out onto the balcony again. The sun was setting over the trees, and he watched the orange orb sink into the black silhouette of the forest. The air felt unusually chilly, but it was just a passing thought.

Gilbert went back inside after the sun had set and the stars came out. He closed the curtains over the glass doors, and then lit a candle on his nightstand before settling into bed to start reading. It wasn't long before the boring book had put him to sleep. He slumped down against his headboard into a half-sitting position that would make his neck sore in the morning.

The roses were thick and sturdy with short, sharp thorns. Ivan barely felt them through the hide gloves as he climbed. He was covered from head to foot in his furs despite the warmer climate in this region and it helped to shield the piercing of the thorns. Glancing upward, he saw that the balcony was growing closer. A few more careful steps and he would be there.

With a leap from the roses he grabbed on to the stone railing, using his strength to pull his weight up and over. He landed silently like a large cat, stopping for a moment to make sure no one was around. All was silent. He heard a wolf howl and an owl hoot. The sounds startled him for a moment. The howl of a wolf nearby would alert the night guards so he laid low for a few moments, watching carefully through the railing for any signs of movement, man or animal. When the coast was clear he got up and went to the doors.

The curtains hid the inside from his view so he couldn't be sure of where the Elf was in his bed. He tried the handles, jiggling them to find that they were locked. Ivan felt himself smirk behind his scarf. Nothing could keep him out if he wanted in. His strength was a marvel, and always has been since he was a little boy having been taller and stronger than all the other tribal boys his age.

With a hard push downward of the handle he broke the lock mechanism. The sound was soft, barely loud enough to wake a sleeping person. Quietly, gently, he pushed the balcony door open and peered inside. Darkness greeted him for the most part, but as he stepped further inside he saw the dying light of a candle on the wall. It was just enough light to let him make out the setup of the room. He remained still and silent, waiting for his eye to adjust to the dark room. When items were in view, he caught sight of the large bed.

A canopy bed with four posts wrapped in never wilting white flowers, as just was the magic of the Elves. The white sheets rose and fell with the young sleeping lord, the soft snores telling Ivan that Gilbert was in a deep sleep. Like a panther he walked to the bed where the form lay, dreaming of sweet things and thinking he was free of danger. Ivan did not plan to hurt the Elf for that was not in his nature. Gilbert the Elf was an innocent in his ploy to regain his place among the warriors. He'd worry about the fine details later.

Yet nothing prepared him for the sleeping sight he would find on that bed; a sight that mesmerized him to a wide-eyed stupor. He knew Elves to be pretty, but this Elf, Lord Gilbert, was young and very beautiful. Too beautiful to be a man. The skin was white, more like milk than snow. Gilbert's features were delicate and probably smooth to the touch. This Elf before him was certainly no warrior or soldier Elf, he was a noble through and through. Ivan glanced at the hands, unblemished, perfectly smooth without a callous in sight. Ivan felt a bit self-conscience at his own appearance for it was tarnished, scarred and maimed from countless battles and training. Looking at Gilbert's Elven beauty made him feel dirty, but most of all, he felt unworthily. How could he take this beautiful, sheltered creature from this bed to bring him to a wasteland of snow and woods? To lay this being on old furs in front of a small fire would be a crime.

But he had a job to do. He set out on a mission to kidnap this young Elf and regain his rightful place among the warriors. He had to put aside all other feelings of doubt for the time being and focus on the task at hand. From his belt he took the thin rope and a gag cloth to restrain the young lord.

Gently, he pulled the sheets down to reveal the equally lithe and unblemished body. The nightwear was lightly sheer and Ivan got a faded glimpse of the almost naked body beneath the fabric. His breath caught in his throat, both from the sight of the beautiful creature as well as the pink eyes that opened suddenly and looked in his direction.

Gilbert thought he was seeing things, maybe the structure of his canopy bedposts looking like a person standing over him in the dark. After blinking a few times and focusing, he saw a bright violet eye gleam from the light of the candle nearby. Sitting up quickly he gasped as his heart pounded harder. He shoved his hand under his pillow and yanked out a small dagger, then held the blade toward the other.

"Who are you?" he shouted, looking frightened. "How did you get in here?" He jerked the blade toward Ivan's face, but clearly did not know how to properly hold a dagger.

Ivan reached out and gripped Gilbert's wrist, twisting it so that the dagger fell from his hand and onto the bed.

"Don't speak or scream unless you want me to cut out your tongue." He said with his other hand on Gilbert's throat, the rope and cloth falling to the floor by his feet. It was an idle threat but a necessary one to ensure Gilbert's silence. "You are my prisoner now."

The smaller male tried to protest by pulling on his wrist but couldn't get his arm free from the man's tight grasp. When the hand held around his throat he stiffened. Fear filled his pink eyes that stared at the other, and he dared not to move a single muscle.

"I can snap your neck with one swift twist of my hand, so you'd best be quiet and do as I say. It's better to be alive than dead, yes?" He said softly to the Elf while staring in to those endless pink eyes. Such a strange color. A beautiful color.

Ivan felt like a monster in a fairytale kidnapping the beautiful princess from her bed and sweeping her away to his dark evil lair. So frail and stiff this Elf is beneath his touch. The urge to ravish the Elf in this bed made itself known, feeling his pants start to tighten and the blood rush through his veins. But he would never take advantage of another without full consent. It wasn't in his nature, despite what others thought of him at first glance. His warrior brothers were no strangers to ravishing whenever the need struck them.

"Now I'm going to tie your hands and feet together," he did not let go of Gilbert's throat. "With rope. I will gag you as well. It's not my intention to hurt you. I don't want to hurt you. Do not fight me or struggle."

Gilbert swallowed roughly, feeling the constriction around his neck. He did not break his gaze with the other. It terrified him, but he knew that trying to fight back would be a huge mistake. He'd never seen a man like this before, his clothing was proof enough that he wasn't from the area. Elves would never make such dark and dreary clothes. Slowly, the Elf relaxed as best as he could with the large hand at his throat. Even if the man said he didn't want to hurt him, he was still threatening him, and Gilbert didn't want to push his luck.

"Good." Ivan said to him a whisper.

Pushing the Elf down on the bed, he picked up the rope from the floor with the cloth. First, he gagged Gilbert, tying the cloth tightly behind his head. The white hair, Ivan noticed, was softer than it looked. He tied wrists and ankles together, not tight enough to break the skin but strong enough to hold the limbs in place. The look of fear on the Elf's face had him feeling shameful of what he was doing, but this had to be done.

"Forgive me for this, Lord Gilbert." He said in a soft voice before taking the Elf and tossing the lithe form over his shoulder with ease.

The cloth gagging him was already starting to hurt Gilbert's face and head. He kept watching Ivan as his hands and ankles were tied, but when Ivan suddenly apologized, Gilbert's fearful expression shifted slightly to one of confusion and shock. He didn't understand why a kidnapper would apologize for the act he was about to commit. As he was lifted up over the other's shoulder, Gilbert let out a soft grunt behind his gag.

Ivan hurried to the balcony, looking all around for any signs of guards or servants. Gilbert weighed nothing and climbing down the roses wouldn't take him long. However, he did have to switch Gilbert's position. Shifting the lithe body, he moved Gilbert onto his back, throwing the tied wrists around his neck. This way, Gilbert could hold on and he wouldn't have to worry about the Elf falling off or climbing down with one hand.

"Don't struggle too much. You don't want both of us to fall, and it's a long way down by air." he joked darkly.

Gilbert had wondered how the man got into his room, but when they *went out on the balcony he couldn't believe the stranger actually scaled the side of the castle. Gilbert wasn't scared of heights if he had a railing in front of him, but the idea of climbing down made his heart fall into his stomach. When the stranger started to climb down, Gilbert made the mistake of glancing to the ground below and regretted it instantly. A small whimper sounded in his throat and he shoved his face into the thick fur on the man's shoulder, closing his eyes tightly.

For Ivan, climbing up was proving to be of little effort. Climbing down was a little bit more challenging than going up. The Elf had buried his face in the back of his neck, a motion that Ivan found strangely sweet. Gilbert wasn't putting up a fight or a struggle and this kidnapping couldn't have gone any smoother. As they reached the bottom, Ivan lifted Gilbert's tied wrists from his neck to steady the Elf in front of him for a moment.

"Are you alright?" he asked him. Gilbert stared at him, not answering because of the gag, but also not making any gesture to answer the question. "You can nod?" He suggested.

The Elf narrowed his eyes, refusing to answer for a moment. He finally gave a single slow nod, but then looked up at the balcony above him. For a brief moment, he wondered what would become of him. It seemed the man saw the direction in which he was facing and spoke in a hushed voice.

"You can't go back there." Ivan told him. "I'm taking you to my people, to my village. I have need of you there."

Gilbert snapped his eyes back to Ivan. He didn't like the sound of being needed for something by this man.

Ivan picked Gilbert up again and began walking to the woods where his horse was waiting. He thought it best to tell Gilbert his name now. There was no reason why Gilbert couldn't know his name.

"My name is Ivan." He knew Gilbert would be pleased to finally have a name to call his kidnapper.

Gilbert was scared but he tried not to let it show as he was carried off. The day started to play in his mind, and he thought back to when he wished something exciting would happen. He didn't mean something like this. All he knew is that Ivan was taking him to a village because of something that he needed. That could be any number of things and Gilbert found his mind starting to wander with the unknown possibilities of his future. The horse gave a snort as its master approached. 'Hush.' Ivan said to the horse and lifted him up onto the saddle before leaping on behind him. Ivan's large body was warm, but the smell of him was almost too much to bear. Furs, leather, and hide along with an unwashed body gave off a smell that could make his toes curl.

The Elf was trembling in his arms and Ivan knew he had to be cold, or frightened, or both. Balancing himself on the saddle, he removed his cloak to wrap it around Gilbert's shoulders. "Are you warmer now, Lord Gilbert?" He asked in a whisper.

It was both fear and cold that made Gilbert tremble. He had to admit, though, that the warmth of the cloak made things better, but he'd rather be cold than frightened. Ivan's voice made him shiver and feel uncomfortable, so he scooted forward to put an inch of distance between them. His kidnapper would have none of it. Instead, Gilbert was pulled tightly against the strong chest, smell and all.

"It's a day's ride to my village. We will stop along the way so you can rest. I can tell by your features and skin that you haven't ridden a horse before, or rather, haven't ridden for any great length of time." Ivan turned the horse into a slight run.

Ignoring everything Ivan said to him, Gilbert turned away and stared at whatever passed by his side. He hated that his abductor was making small talk with him so casually. Hopefully, his forced silence and averted gaze would let Ivan know that he had no interest in his words. What could he possibly have to stay to his kidnapper that wouldn't come out as fiery venom?

Ivan knew the Elf couldn't speak and figured that even if Gilbert could talk, he wouldn't. So Ivan took the hint and kicked his horse into a faster gallop through the woods. He wanted to get them as far away from the castle as possible. With any luck, no one would know Gilbert was missing until the morning when someone came to wake him and they would be far gone.

The wind against his face brought the faint aroma of Gilbert's hair, a sweet smell of roses, or something else floral. He couldn't help himself from sniffing the Elf's head, finding the alluring, almost natural scent of him to be intoxicating.

Gilbert could hear the faint sounds of Ivan sniffing his hair and he jerked forward to move even farther away. It frightened him more, the man reminded him of an animal, like a wolf, and during the trip there were many horrible images in his mind of what was going to happen once they got to wherever they were going. There seemed to be no end to his imagination of horrors. Gilbert was smart enough not to try to fight back, but he hated feeling so helpless. He only hoped that by morning his disappearance would be known and someone would find the tracks and follow them.

By early morning, Ivan brought the horse to a stop inside a shaded glen now that they were far enough away from the castle to rest for a bit. He got off the horse first, then lifted Gilbert from the saddle to hold him in his arms.

"We can take a rest now." He had put the hood of his tunic up over his head and still kept his face covered by the scarf. He didn't want to scare Gilbert with his looks so he kept his eyes downcast and tried not to gaze directly at the Elf as he placed him on the horse blanket while propped up against a tree.

Gilbert watched as Ivan made an effort to cover himself up. He tried not to care much about why but he thought it curious. After a moment of leaning against the tree, the Elf tried to relax but couldn't since he was starting to get even colder, and couldn't help but wonder about Ivan's intentions. What would the man do to him now? He was tied up and helpless on the ground with no way to call for seek help. All he could do was keep his gaze on Ivan, following the man with his eyes to see if he is planning anything.

Ivan could see that Gilbert was cold so he took another spare horse blanket and brought it over to lay across the other's lap. Gilbert was small in comparison to him and wearing nothing more than sheer, thin nightshirt. The nearer they traveled to his village the colder the air would get. He was looking forward to having the Elf cuddling against him for warmth. He smiled at the thought and asked,

"Are you hungry? I brought some salted venison jerky. Would you like some? I have water too."

The gesture from Ivan stunned Gilbert a little. He'd never heard of a kidnapper being so kind to their victim. Still, he tried to snuggle under the blanket as best he could with his limbs bound. He could feel his stomach begin to hurt from lack of food, so Ivan's offer was a hard one to refuse. Reluctantly, Gilbert nodded.

Ivan took out a flat stick of the venison jerky to bring to Gilbert.

"If I take off your gag, you will not scream, right? I don't want you to go hungry if you don't have to." Ivan gently warned him.

Gilbert simply nodded again, silently promising not to scream. What good would it do him? It will only end badly.

Ivan placed the jerky in Gilbert's bound hands before untying the gag, all the while keeping the hood shadowed over his eyes.

"I'll bring you water too."

Once the gag was off, Gilbert moved his jaw around a bit. He didn't reply to Ivan, and brought the piece of meat up to his mouth to look at it. He gave it a cautious glance, then shifted his eyes to Ivan. The way the man was keeping his face covered was starting to annoy him. Eventually, he would have to see his kidnapper's full face.

"I promise it tastes good." Ivan assured him. "I made it myself. I'm a fine hunter. It isn't poisoned or anything." He kept his back turned. "I wouldn't kidnap you just to poison you randomly in a glen. And I'm afraid it's all I have to feed you right now. When we get back to my village, I can go hunting and bring you better food. Fresh food. It's not a castle feast, but it's all I can do."

Gilbert nibbled on a corner of the meat as Ivan spoke, then swallowed a piece. He tilted his head to try to see around the other.

"Why did you kidnap me?" his voice was quiet and faltered a little, showing some of the fear he still felt.

"Like I said, I need you to help me with something back home. If all goes well, I shall return you to the Elves."

Gilbert liked the sound of being returned home. However, not knowing what Ivan needed him for made it so he couldn't relax or feel safe at all. He continued to eat the piece of meat until it was gone, and remained quiet since he was a little frightened to speak again. Ivan clearly was not going to reveal to him what his intentions were once they arrived at the village. He looked up as Ivan brought over a large water flask.

"Here, drink up." He uncorked the flask. The Elf tried to hold onto the flask, but with how his hands were bound he couldn't get a good enough grip on it. He looked annoyed. Ivan found it humorous.

"I don't want any," he lied. He knew that Ivan wouldn't untie him, but the idea of the man helping him drink made him uneasy. Besides, he was an Elven Lord. He wouldn't drink from the hands of a lowly forest peasant! Tied up or not, he still had his pride.

"I'll untie your hands to drink. Don't try anything though. You won't get far without the use of your feet. Unless you'd like to try to hop?" He suggested with amusement.

"I'm not stupid enough to try to run." He let the small retort slip out, then looked a bit nervous for his comment. Ivan didn't seem to care.

"You're smart then." Ivan carefully untied his hands and even rubbed the wrists a bit. "Now you can drink. The water is fresh, I promise you."

Once his hands were free, Gilbert quickly retracted them to himself, as Ivan's touch made him uncomfortable. He picked up the flask, cautiously gave it a sniff, then began to drink.

Ivan didn't blame him for pulling away. He said nothing more to the Elf but sat with his back towards him.

The horse started to panic suddenly. Ivan stood up quickly, pulling out a small hatchet from his belt.

"Stay still and quiet, Lord Gilbert."

Gilbert obeyed, keeping his body frozen still and held his breath, but his pink eyes darted around fearfully. Was something coming?

Ivan could hear something heavy moving though the woods nearby. He sniffed the air.

"It's a bear." He said to Gilbert. "He's coming this way."

As if being kidnapped wasn't enough, Gilbert now thought that a bear would be ripping him apart. He only hoped that Ivan knew how to handle the situation. All Gilbert could do was sit and try not to make any sudden movements.

Ivan found it strange that a bear would be so close to this open area. He had to figure something may be wrong with it, or it could indeed just be a wandering bear. It must have picked up the scent of his horse and now that it heard the horse's stressed cries it would come this way.

There came a low roar, almost like a guttural bellow, as small sticks and grass crunched under the animal's weight. Ivan saw the large, hairy form appear and he had been right in assuming it was a bear. The massive creature roared when it saw Ivan and the horse, making his horse rear and cry once again. Ivan saw that it had two arrows sticking out from its back leg. 'It's already been hunted...and the hunter is probably trailing after it.' He said to himself, his fingers curling along the hatchet. 'I have to kill it, and then we have to leave.' He prepared to fight, forming a stance while the bear paced back and forth. 'It thinks I'm its hunter.'

"Lord Gilbert!" Ivan called back to him. "Make no movements! Once I've wounded it, we have to leave quickly!"

Gilbert looked terrified once he saw the bear. His first instinct was to crawl backward and try to get away, but he knew that was a bad idea, and Ivan had told him to stay put. He watched Ivan reaching for his hatchet, and worried about what was going to happen. Ivan couldn't possibly take on a large bear like that, Gilbert wondered to himself as he kept his eyes on both of them. He could try to untie the knot at his ankles but everyone knew it was dangerous and stupid to run from a wild animal. Still, he tried, all the while keeping his eyes focused on the brawl beginning before him. He had to curse under his breath for the knot was way too tight for him to undo.

The bear moved towards Ivan, swinging it's large paw and roaring, its bottom teeth dripping with fatigue. Ivan swung the hatchet, wishing that he had his real ax with him for this. He took another swing at the bear with the hatchet, watching as the beast moved back yet it didn't stop coming towards him. Then, it took off in a charge. Ivan knew that for a large animal a bear can move with great speed. He had to keep it away from his horse and Gilbert. He moved towards the bear, swung the hatchet, and it met with the animal's thick neck. It roared and turned away, a small stream of blood dripping from its neck. Ivan knew the wound wasn't too deep but the bear wouldn't last must longer with the gash. 'Poor beast.' He thought to himself as he kept swinging the hatchet to force the bear away. The animal roared again but turned away, wobbling off.

Gilbert squeezed his eyes shut just before the hatchet hit the bear. He didn't have the stomach for this sort of thing. When Ivan came toward him, he didn't care about the fact that this man had taken him from his home, and tried to used his hands to stand up. Ivan hurried towards him.

"We have to leave this place!" Ivan scooped him up effortless. Rushing back to the horse, he had to quickly calm it before they could settle on the saddle. He put Gilbert up first once he had control of the horse, untied the reigns, and then hopped on behind. 'YA!' he clicked the horse into a fast run.

"Hold on to the mane!" Ivan told him.

Gripping his thin finger into the horse's mane, Gilbert held on tightly. With his feet still tied, it was fairly difficult for him to remain on the horse, especially with how fast the animal was running. It was Ivan's arms that kept him from falling completely off the horse.

They had to get far enough away from the bear and its hunter before they could slow to a walk. But it was starting to get dark, the sun had lowered in the sky and soon they would have to stop again to rest for the night before continuing on. They rode on for a bit more until Ivan knew they were safely away and slowed the horse to a walk.

"I'm sorry for all that. I couldn't risk the hunter who is trailing that bear to find us. We'll have to stop soon when it gets dark, and these woods are known for their night animals and predators."

Gilbert breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "I can't believe you just went up to that bear and hit it with an ax," he said, looking back at Ivan. "And you say there are NIGHT predators?"

Ivan nodded. "I'm not afraid to face animals like that. I've taken down a bear or two during hunts. My people do it often. We tend to be fearless when it comes to predators." They came to a small clearing. "This will do well for the night. See that branch? We're going to be sleeping on it. So long as we are off the ground no predators will attack us. The horse will alert us if there is any trouble."

Gilbert's expression became a bit uneasy. He really didn't like the idea of sleeping on a small branch, and next to his kidnapper of all people. How could someone sleep on a branch?

Ivan got down, tied the horse to the tree, and lifted Gilbert from the saddle. Saying nothing, he started to tie Gilbert's hands again.

Gilbert didn't struggle, but once Ivan was done tying him, he yanked his wrists away and narrowed his eyes on Ivan's face.

"I can't risk you running away." Ivan said. "Besides, I have to lift you up onto that branch somehow." Ivan spoke no further and moved Gilbert over to the base of the large tree. He climbed up quickly, sat on the branch, and reached his hand down to Gilbert.

Having no other choice, Gilbert lifted his arms so Ivan could lift him up. Ivan yanked him up without issue and settled the Elf between his legs so the slim back was against his chest.

"See? This branch is big enough for us both."

Gilbert let out a quiet, uneasy whimper. He tried to sit up, wanting to get away from the other.

"I-I don't like being this close to you," he stuttered. "I don't."

"I understand, but I promise I won't do anything to harm you, Lord Gilbert. I know it's silly to say you shouldn't be afraid of me because I know you are. I did kidnap you from your home. But I swear I won't hurt you."

Gilbert thought on it for a while, trying hard to find some truth in Ivan's words. He knew deep down that he had to stay with him, because he had no idea where he was and he was bound with rope. Forcing himself to rest against the other, he tried to relax.

Ivan kept his arms wrapped tightly around the smaller waist and found that he once again was intoxicated with Gilbert's smell. He lowered the scarf from his face so that his nose could rest in the white hair.

Gilbert couldn't get fully comfortable, even after shifting his body a few times. He didn't like how close Ivan was, but he supposed that if he was going to hurt him, he would have done so by now. After the exhausting day, Gilbert could feel his eyes getting heavy, wanting to close and go to sleep.

"Sleep well, Lord Gilbert." Ivan whispered, continuing to hold him throughout the night.

After a while, they fell asleep and slept soundly throughout the night and didn't wake up even after the sun had risen.

End Chapter 1 TBC