Title: The Queen and the Soldier
Author: Sairalinde
Type: RPH/RPS
Pairing: Liv/Sean B. and Viggo/Orli
Rating: Explicit Sex
Warning: A.U. fairytale type thing.
Beta: Glorfindel
Website: www.lordsofgondor.com
Live Journal: www.livejournal.com/users/sairalinde
Disclaimer: This never happened...if it did well let's just say I'd be really surprised! Basically this story is based on the song The Queen and the Soldier by Kate Rusby and Kathryn Roberts. The story is original and I look at A.U. like I was writing a movie and if I was going to use the cast from the LOTR what parts I would have them play. I am only using names and physical descriptions of real people, but don't know them blah, blah, blah. This was written in fun that's all.
Feedback: Yes, please send to Sairalinde @ hornofgondor.com
Archiving: Anywhere you want it just let me know.
Notes: Set in a somewhat mixed Colonial/Medieval era. The Queen is 18 and the Prince is 19. Sean is 30 and Viggo 32, just so you can understand the references to age that are made in the story. I know it's not accurate it's A.U. remember? ;-)
Summary: War has raged between the Northern and Southern nations for the past 25 years. The young Queen Olivia of the North and the young Prince Orlando of the South want peace, but there are some who don't want peace. Viggo, Sean, Orlando, Miranda, and Liv have to work together to bring peace and overcome Liv's controlling Uncle Hugo. (Apologies ahead of time to Hugo and Karl fans.)
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Lyrics that inspired the story as performed by Kate Rusby and Kathryn Roberts can be found here: http://www.livejournal.com/users/sairalinde/13067.html

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[Chapter 1] [Chapter 2] [Chapter 3] [Chapter 4] [Chapter 5] [Chapter 6]

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Chapter 6

The next morning Sean made his way from the Queen's chamber to his small office to try and finish his paper work. He spotted Lieutenant Elijah Wood on his way.

"Just the man I was looking for!" Sean said smiling and Lieutenant Wood frowned.

"I was just going to the stables, sir."

"Not anymore. Don't look so down, boy. Come on, I need help with all this damn paperwork or you might not get paid till you reach ninety." Sean admonished and the young officer perked up at the mention of pay.

They had just entered the room when he heard a carriage arrive. He looked out his small window and saw Lord Mortensen emerge. The Queen would be glad to see her friend.

Within a few minutes however he heard a pistol shot followed by a blood curdling scream from the east wing of the palace. "The garden!" He hissed as he raced through the halls with the young Lieutenant hot on his heels and Lord Mortensen meeting them at a corridor on the way.

"What's happened?" He asked as they ran.

"I don't know." Sean answered.

When they arrived in the gardens they found Miss Miranda on the ground with a bloodied Captain Wenham.

"David? What happened?" Sean asked crouching down next to the maid and his friend.

"It was a man dressed in a black cloak, I don't know where he came from or how he got in. I don't think it was Weaving, I am sorry, sir. I shouldn't have let the Queen come out here, you said it wasn't safe. He had been hiding in the vines along the wall." David answered weakly. He would be alright…he had been shot in the shoulder but it had gone completely through.

"Don't be sorry. Where is the Queen?" Sean asked already suspecting the answer.

"He took her, sir." David answered.

"It was Lord Parker, he is who shot David. I was just coming to meet the Queen when I heard the shot and ran here to find David like this." Miss Miranda said softly.

"Lord Parker?" Viggo asked from behind them.

"Know him?" Sean asked.

"Yes, but I would never have expected this…he was one of Hugo's cronies but I would have never suspected he would stoop this low. I discovered some money missing and his signatures along with Hugo's just this morning on some of the books at the war council. That was why I came here unannounced to see the Queen. I think that Parker must have been the spy intercepting Prince Bloom's messages all those months!" Viggo seethed.

"I know, I found it too, in the damnable paperwork I have been going through for days now." Sean muttered standing back up.

He noticed a number of guards had gathered in the gardens now. A little late now lads. Sean thought grimly. The Queen didn't like being a prisoner here in the palace anymore. The war was over but she was still trapped here. He should have assigned more men to her.

"Take him to the infirmary." Sean commanded and then told Elijah to gather some men to go after the Queen. He began to follow Elijah and Lord Mortensen fell in step beside him.

"My Lord I suggest you stay here, or return to the war council or Prince Bloom's palace." Sean stated as they walked.

"No, General. I am coming with you. Liv is like my own sister. My father was a General as well, and I am well trained. I can wield a sword as well as the next man, just as I can a pistol, musket, or rifle. Besides I know where Parker may have taken her. I am going, with or without your blessing, General." Viggo stated.

Sean frowned. "Fine, just keep your head down lest you loose it."

"You just mind your own, when we get the Queen back I don't want to see her heartbroken because you got your pretty blonde head blown off." Viggo warned.

Once they were back at the courtyard men were already assembling there and Viggo was given a sword and a pistol. Sean was given a rifle to go with the sword that never left his hip. They mounted horses which had been quickly saddled and brought from the stables.

"Where to, Lord Mortensen?" Sean asked.

"Viggo…please. They can't have gotten far, if I know Liv she is giving him hell. She has something to fight for now and will not take any of her Uncle's abuse as she did before. Not without a fight at least. I imagine Parker took her to Leighton, he has a house there. It's not far." Viggo explained.

Sean nodded, he knew Leighton well.

When the company reached the village of Leighton the men were dispersed within the town and around the house Viggo indicated.

Viggo went to the door. "Stay back…Parker knows me. May even let me in…Hugo would want me dead and he would look at it as a perfect opportunity that I just showed up on his doorstep to ask some questions about payments from the war council."

Sean frowned at the plan but drew his pistol and stepped around the corner where he would not be seen.

"Feels good to have something to fight for again doesn't it?" Viggo asked with a grin.

"For the right reason, yes." Sean answered.

Viggo knocked and to his surprise Parker answered himself wearing the same black cloak Wenham had described.

"Lord Mortensen?" Parker asked shocked and looked around. There didn't seem to be anyone with the man.

"Parker, I wish to ask you some questions. I found some odd entries in the war council records and was wondering if perhaps you could shed light on it for me. If I am not interrupting anything that is." Viggo said politely playing his part perfectly.

No, he's no spy. Thought Sean with a frown remembering the night he first met Viggo and the man denying he was a spy. Well never did he outright deny just said "not exactly."

"Oh, I am sure I can help." Parker said kindly but then Sean heard someone scuffling upstairs in the house.

"My maid and man servant are moving some furniture, pay it no mind, Lord Mortensen." Parker lied.

Viggo frowned and then pulled his pistol quickly shoving it in Parker's stomach. The man's shock was palpable.

"She upstairs?" He asked icily. Parker was stunned. He was sure that Viggo hadn't been at the palace.

At that moment the General stepped into his view behind Viggo.

"Shoot him, Viggo, or both of you get the hell out of the way." Sean hissed.

"Patience, Sean." Viggo answered softly, "Now Parker call out to whomever you have with the Queen upstairs and have them come down here…is it Weaving?"

"No, it's just my servant, Baker." Parker answered.

"Call him, NOW!" Viggo hissed shoving the pistol into the other man's gut more.

"Baker come down here…I need you to take care of something for me." Parker called out.

"Sir?" Baker asked coming out of a room at the top of the stairs. He was huge!

Sean waited holding his pistol around the side of the door to hide it. Viggo's pistol was well hidden in the folds of Parkers own cloak.

"What's going on, sir?" Baker asked noticing the odd scene in the doorway, the man stopped walking and looked as if he might return upstairs.

"Stop him, or you die, now." Sean whispered.

"Baker…could you please go out and help Lord Mortensen's man? He is having some trouble with his carriage. It won't take but a moment." Parker told the man.

The large man walked past the two men in the doorway and luckily did not notice the pistol shoved in his master's stomach.

Once the large servant stepped outside Sean spun and trained his own pistol on the large man and whistled. Half a dozen soldiers descended upon the large man who gave up without a fight.

Before Viggo could say anything Sean turned and raced up the staircase, opening the door he'd seen Baker coming out of. The Queen was in a corner on a small stool bound and gagged, tears streaming down her face.

Her eyes grew huge when he entered the room and something about that look told him they were not alone. Sean managed to spin just in time for the pistol shot to miss him and shatter the small window in the room. He lunged forward through the smoke knocking the pistol away from Hugo and slammed him into the wall. The older man pulled a dagger from his waistband and slashed madly at Sean. He was no fighter that was sure, but he was frightened, and angry, and quite frankly had nothing left to loose so that made him dangerous.

Sean managed to dodge one of the mad slashes but one caught his arm and he hissed in pain. Finally he managed to grab the man's hand and slam it against a high boy knocking the knife to the floor.

"You will hang for this." Sean hissed close to Hugo's ear, but Hugo suddenly seemed to have gathered his strength or just his will to live and shoved Sean away.

The two men struggled with each other for a moment and then Sean drew back and punched Hugo in the stomach and then kicked him savagely in the crotch. It wasn't a gentleman's way…but it always worked. Hugo fell to his knees gasping in pain.

"So you've got some after all." Sean stated spitting blood onto the floor just realizing his lip was split.

He heard footsteps and turned drawing his pistol but it was Viggo, his hands out in a gesture of peace.

"Where's Parker?" Sean asked.

"Dead…didn't you hear the shot?" Viggo asked.

"I was a little busy at the time." Sean answered with a smirk as he crossed the room to the Queen.

"I can see that…Christ, what did you do to him?" Viggo asked looking at the man writhing on the floor.

"Kicked him in the…," Sean stopped and glanced at Liv. Viggo could figure out the rest on his own which he did and just raised an eyebrow grinning at the General.

Viggo held his sword to Hugo's chest, although the man didn't seem to be ready to get up anytime soon.

"She alright?" Viggo asked over his shoulder keeping his eyes on the prisoner.

"Just shaken up I think. Right love? You are alright?" Sean asked rubbing Liv's chaffed wrists.

"Yes." She whispered unsteadily. "Yes, I am alright now."

"Come on, love." Sean whispered scooping her into his arms.

"I'll send men in to collect the prisoner." Sean answered from the door.

"We won't be taking any prisoners." Viggo answered coldly and Sean looked at him for a long moment. This was about more than what had transpired today.

"Right. Take my pistol then." Sean said handing it to Viggo knowing that he had not had time to reload his own. Then Sean turned his back on the two men and carried the Queen downstairs. She jerked in his arms when the pistol was fired and a few moments later Viggo joined them at the door.

"Lets get her home." Viggo stated blandly handing Sean his pistol as if executing someone was something he did everyday…then again, perhaps he did.

Two days later Sean was in the parlor he was using as his office waiting for Lord Mortensen to arrive.

"Sorry I am late, I was talking with, Liv." Viggo said as he walked in. "There is something you and I must talk about. It's about your relationship with the Queen."

"Yes, sir?" Sean asked a bit worried.

"I don't think I've ever seen you look frightened before." Viggo laughed. "So what do you intend to do?"

"Intend?" Sean asked confused.

"Yes, what do you think you can sleep with the Queen and there not be ramifications?" Viggo snapped.

Sean paled and Viggo nearly laughed again but thought better of it. Let him squirm a little.

"Ramifications?" Sean repeated.

Viggo sighed. "You think you can give me more than one word repetitions of what I've already said?"

"Oh, yes, sir. I um…it's not like that. I mean not what you think. I love her sir and she loves me." Sean answered.

"Quit calling me, sir. I'm not her father and I'm only two years older than you are, Sean. I just want to know what you intend. I do hope you intend to marry the woman, or at the very least break it off. She can't rule a nation chasing around after your boots all day trying to catch your eye and hope you spend some time with her."

"It's not like that at all…I am not avoiding her, I have work, you know that…she knows that!" Sean snapped.

"Then what do you intend, break it off or marry her?" Viggo pressed.

"I…well…is marriage an option? I am not a land owner, I am a second son, I do not have any money, the only rank I have is what I earned as a soldier." Sean answered sadly.

"Yes, marriage is an option. The Queen can marry who she wishes, she has no family to say otherwise, and quite honestly the royal councils could care less as long as whomever she marries is a decent and strong man, who can provide her with heirs." Viggo answered.

Sean smiled. "So we could be married?"

"Yes, although I think you would need to ask her first." Viggo reminded.

"Oh yes…yes. I'll do that." Sean said standing and heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" Viggo asked getting up from his chair.

"To ask her, what else?" Sean said bolting out the door and down the hall.

Viggo laughed and shook his head.

So on a beautiful July day the Queen and her soldier were wed and that week Lord Mortensen was appointed ambassador to the Southern nations.

The following year Prince Orlando turned over his rule to his younger brother who was crowned King in his stead.

Orlando moved to the Northern nations choosing to be with his lover Viggo who now preferred living in his childhood home. It seemed the nobleman had become enamored with his newborn god daughter Princess Emily. The first of four children the royal couple of the Northern nations were blessed with.

And they all lived happily ever after.

The End.