Note: This is quite possibly the lightest chapter. It was written very late at night with little to no revision besides spell check.
Introduction : Recap
Hannah was called "Hannah the Brave" for good reason.
Her mother died when she was just a baby from a disease she couldn't afford to cure, so she was raised by her Grandfather. 'Grandpa' was an explorer and was trying to raise her to explore, but his life was ended when her uncle Bloodhook killed him to take the family treasure. Bloodhook took Hannah and made her a pirate wench, forced to work in a bar day after day and sing for those drunkards at night. Since she lost her grandfather her days were filled with guilt and loneliness. The guilt was cleared when she killed Bloodhook and took back her grandfather's treasure; burying near the family plot where no pirate could find it.
Even after avenging her father and becoming a hero to those on Krawk she was still terribly lonely. There were plenty of Pirates who wanted to 'take care of her', but she had no interest in them. Truthfully she hated pirates and wanted to get as far away from Krawk as possible, but money was hard to come buy and rent in other countries was too much for her to afford.
Then she met Kanrik.
Teenager
Kanrik was obviously not a Pirate, he didn't drink. He calmly ordered mixed fruit drink and offered her a drink that he'd pay for, an open invitation to talk. They shared stories and a couple of drinks, and sometime in between he offered her a job in exchange for money that didn't involve taking off her dress. He wanted her to retrieve a cure for his sick sister, who she later found out was alive and well in Meridell, and quite offended Kanrik would say such a thing.
As soon as she got him what he wanted he abandoned her in that tomb. What little kindness and trust she had in her heart was destroyed instantly, replaced with rage and hatred. Apparently her own hatred for him was what kept her from dying on the trip to Terror Mountain, which would explain why she was doing so well with the living thing until she met up with Kanrik again. Turns out Kanrik was betrayed himself by his girlfriend and thrown out of his lifelong home, and was filled with the same bitter feeling she was.
Over time her bitterness faded, replaced with a feeling she couldn't quite describe. Now that he was free of the guild Kanrik seemed like a changed man. Kanrik could've easily walked out of that cave after she attacked him and left them both to die, but he told Hannah and Armin how to get into the mountain and helped them get there.
" We are all we got. " Partially true. Hannah had no family, Kanrik had no guild, and Armin was about to lose everyone he ever knew. " So we have to stay together. "
Against the odds they prevailed against ten thousand thieves and an endless army of icy zombies and she lived to see another day. The last hours of the war were a blue to her because of her condition, but Taeila filled her in on the details. Hannah was grateful for Kanrik's help in her darkest hour but the thief left the night after the Bori were freed.
There was mention that he was now the new leader of the Thieves Guild in accordance to their unwritten code. In short that meant the chances of seeing him again alive were slim as the guild's leader rarely went out of their hidden city. Reluctantly Hannah caught a ferry back to Krawk Island to take back her job as a barmaid, not even mentioning where she went or what she did.
Back to what she 'loved'...
Adulthood
A few months later a rather large group of patrons came into the bar, taking a booth in the back. Now a veteran waitress at the Golden Dubloon it fell upon her shoulders to serve the large group. Just as she went to get her apron a hand fell on her shoulder.
" It's been a while... "
He came looking for her? Kanrik's official excuse was that The Guild had business with Smuggler's Cove, but she knew he came to see her again. The 'business' would take a weekend and they'd be gone Monday night. Mornings were spent at his 'excuse' destination, but at night he was at the Golden Dubloon talking to her.
That weekend of business turned into a week.
The week turned into a month.
And after six months...
Kanrik had long since sent his fellow thieves back to the guild. That night they were walking home from closing the Golden Dubloon, and he seemed unusually affectionate. A brush here and a bump there, nothing that became noticeable until they got to the house. On the doorstep he bumped her a little too hard and sent her purse to the ground. Most of the stuff in her purse spilled out onto the step when it dropped.
Hannah ignored his apologizes as she knelt to pick it up, stuffing dubloons and lipstick back into the purse until she came across something that wasn't hers...
A little black box.
Hesitantly Hannah picked up the box and opened it, a gasp instantly escaping from her lips. The most beautiful black velvet choker she ever saw was neatly placed on a soft black cloth. Square shaped diamonds encircled it with a rather large silver heart on the end, encrusted with diamonds and a single blue sapphire in the middle of the heart. Attached to the top of the box was a note written in the neatest handwriting she ever saw:
Hannah,
Before I met you I have known no kindness. Through you I was reminded that not all that exists in this world is evil, and that I myself am not evil. Before I was just a little boy corrupted by society, but in your arms I have become a man graced by the faeries themselves.
I ask you now to be my love, my wife, my mate, so we can continue to grow together until the end of Neopia and for years after...
She needed assistance to get back to her feet because the emotion flowing through her left her too weak to stand.
Growth
Four more months they lived together sharing nothing more than a hug and kiss. Though Kanrik was still active leader over The Guild he slowly slipped back into the customs of his own people: nothing more than a kiss until they were married. They could live with that. Kanrik slept downstairs on the couch while Hannah kept her room.
Their wedding was planned on the newly announced 'Bori Victory Day' in the month of Celebrating, and would take place in the same cave they met up in on Terror Mountain. The ceremony was going to be as private as possible to avoid attracting the wrong kind of attention. Kanrik only invited those higher up in ranks of the guild, and Hannah could only think of two pets she wanted to invite:
First was Armin the Bori, naturally. Since becoming a hero in his own right on Terror Mountain he went around the world to train himself. His journey took him to Meridell where he began training in their new Junior Knighthood program under Jeran. Rumor has it that Armin was developing a fondness for Jeran's younger sister, but that was nothing more than a rumor.
Then there was her best friend Angela Sylvia, or Angie for short. She was a sweet little Ashia gypsy who worked in the bar a couple of years before opening her own booth at the Deserted Fairground. Though she was a fairly strange child Hannah couldn't think of anyone else to be her maid of honor.
Before they knew it the day had arrived. The ceremony was a small one just as planned with little interference...
Until Masila came.
The psycho came out of the crowd with intents on killing Hannah, armed with a dagger and an army of trained Snowbeasts. Armin was able to direct most of the guests out before they got hurt, but couldn't get to Hannah. First the Snowbeasts separated Hannah and Kanrik so Masila could have the unarmed Usul all to herself. Between avoiding the claws of the Snowbeasts and trying to save his own life Kanrik heard the troubled screams of his finance from the other side of the cave.
Something inside him snapped.
The events that followed were distorted for both of them. Hannah lost too much blood from a serious wound to her stomach to notice much else besides the pain she was experiencing, and Kanrik lost himself somewhere along the way. All they knew was that the cave was a disaster area after the wedding...
And Masila got away...
Again...
Now a Woman
Kanrik found his senses a while later and was relieved to find Hannah alive, but not well, at home. She was still weak from her injuries and suffered a serious loss of blood. Sir Jeran mentioned there was a thing called 'Blood Transfusion' in his time, but mention didn't do them much good in the Neopian middle ages. As soon as he walked through the door Hannah spoke.
" Who ... the hell ... was that? "
The gelert winced naturally. In all the time he had met Hannah he forgot to tell her about Masila! Holding her hand from bedside, Kanrik told Hannah everything about Masila. That she was the one who got him mixed up with the guild in the first place: the second in command of The Guild under Galem and his 'girlfriend' for as long as he could remember. Girlfriend meaning that he had sex with her whenever she asked him to and bought her things he couldn't afford. Hannah listened with a distant look in her eyes... One that Kanrik never saw before.
At the end of his lengthy explanation he waited for her reaction only to receive nothing.
Finally Hannah rolled over so she was facing him. " And that's it? " Kanrik nodded solemnly, patiently waiting for a more appropriate response. Something along the lines of telling him to get out of her life forever. " Leave The Guild. "
" What? "
" Masila doesn't love you, she wants your Guild. Once you're gone she can take over and leave us alone. " The tone of her voice was very serious, as if she was willing to give up everything based on his decision.
Kanrik had to think about it silently. It was morning when Kanrik entered her room, but now the sun was setting on Krawk Island. Just as the first hints of darkness touched the sky he sighed. " It's near impossible to pull out of leadership after taking over, but I can make it happen. "
Hannah smiled faintly before pulling on their still clasped hands. He was tugged out of his seat and onto the bed right on top of her. Much to his surprise the Usul leaned up and gave him a sweet kiss. " Thank you. "
They kissed again this time with passion. Her hands traced along his shoulders before tugging at the cloak that he wore. They broke their kiss but didn't part. Instead he started to softly kiss her neck while stroking her small body. Hands running down her sides he found the hem of her dress and proceeded to inch it up to her hips. Normally Kanrik had more control over his actions but tonight he was grateful that the love of his life was alive. He wasn't aware of how badly she was injured until he lifted Hannah's green dress over her head. Though she wore a black slip under her dress, but the thin material was see through.
When he saw the bandages wrapped around her stomach he stopped instantly, too scared of hurting her to continue. " I can't... " As much as he wanted to take her he couldn't while she was in this condition. He pushed his muzzle against hers one last time before pulling away for good.
Hannah tried to pull him back down gently. " It's okay, really. "
" No it's not. " Kanrik pulled away again and stood up at the side of the bed. " It's my fault you're hurt now. If we do something now I can end up hurting you worst. " His arousal was replaced with guilt, and he went to the door.
As he went downstairs Kanrik's mind shifted from his more primeval needs to the situation at hand. He was sure he wanted to spend his life with Hannah, but what kind of life would they have after they broke off the Thieves' Guild? The money and possessions he got with the guild would be void, and they weren't going to be happy being kicked to the curve. They'd chase them to the ends of Neopia to try and get him to be their leader, or kill him in the process...
He mused about it while he laid down on the couch, too worried and horny to go to sleep. Eventually he closed his eyes confident that he and Hannah could work out something with the guild.
That was a false hope...
There you go. A long intro filled with plot holes and perspective errors. Reviews, Flames, and Suggestions are welcome. This will eventually be a Hannah and the Ice Caves / Battle for Meridell / AU Curse of Maraqua / The Darkest Faerie crossover with plenty of surprises to come. With motivation and a prayer this story will continue.
Thank you.