End of Forever: Part 5:
Methos returned from one of his nights at the river, anxious knowing that night he would see Meshda and again the next night- they were going out on a raid the day before they're next visit and he'd miss it. Even though Kronos trusted his brothers, there was something in Silas's voice that let Kronos know there was something more than what was being led to believe.
"Caspian." Kronos called as he saw him tormenting one of the slaves that was not pleasing to any of the horsemen. "I have a job for you."
"Yes Kronos." Caspian said as he pushed the girl against the post hearing an audible sound letting them know that there was one less trouble maker to worry about.
"I have suspicions that Methos is betraying us. I want you to follow his every move outside the camp, and report back only to me. Stay out of range from him and do not let anyone know what you are doing. Is that clear?"
"Yes Kronos." He said as he went back to his tent, grabbing another slave on the way.
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Later that night as Meshda laid in Methos's arms, she sensed something was bothering him. He seemed distracted, far away, and closed off from the world. "What is troubling you tonight?" she asked as she turned on her side looking down at him. He was so beautiful to her. His long black hair was spread out loose, his hazel eyes shined with deep love and passion but also hatred and fear. And then there was the subject of his nose. The nose that he had used to bring her pleasure not more than a few minutes before. He had taught her about life and how to live it, when she thought her life was over and even though he was so filled with anger, he was the sweetest person she had ever met.
Methos looked up at her and sighed. "I'm leaving." He said. He saw a look of hurt cross Meshda's face and smiled. "Not you," he said as he pushed a strand of hair out of her face. "I've decided I'm going to leave the horsemen. This will be my last ride with the men I've called brothers for as long as I can remember. I want to be with you all the time. I want to be the one you wake up with in the morning, and the one you fall asleep with each night. "
"But I thought you couldn't leave. How?"
"It doesn't matter how, just know that when I return from my raid, we'll run far from here. I've caused enough pain in your life and other peoples lives and I can't do it anymore. I want to be with you and forget about everything in my past. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
Meshda bent down and kissed the tip of his nose. "I want nothing more." She said as she kissed him in the mouth.
They made love again with the fear that Methos had felt earlier gone. What they didn't know, is just outside buzz range, Caspian had watched and heard everything that was said, and returned to the camp to report back to Kronos.
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Caspian rode back faster than he'd ever rode in his life. He knew there would be hell to pay for Methos lying about the captive being dead, and even more that he'd been sneaking of at night, talking about leaving his brothers. The day Silas said he was leaving was a day none of them forgot. Kronos had Silas on the ground with his sword at his throat, ready to strike. "We are brothers forever and if anyone wants to leave, they'll do it without their head!" Kronos had yelled.
Caspian watched as Silas lowered his head. Kronos raised his sword and was about to swing when Silas spoke. "I am still your brother, and I will ride until I die."
Kronos withdrew his sword, and helped Silas up. None of them ever spoke of it again, but now it was Methos's turn. This time it would be different. Methos was Kronos's right hand man. He was the brains of the men, while Kronos was the power. Without Methos, things wouldn't be the same.
As he entered the camp, he put his horse and ran to Kronos's tent. "Kronos!" he yelled. Kronos sat up alarmed.
"This had better be good. What have you to report?"
"I followed Methos as you asked, and I followed him to a camp we once raided on the other side of the river. There was a woman waiting for him. The slave Meshda."
"Surely you're wrong. Methos said she was dead. He threw her body...."
"He helped her escape. He's been meeting her for sometime. I overheard him telling her he plans to leave us after our next raid."
Kronos stood and looked for something to hit. "How dare he! He has betrayed us and he will suffer for it!"
"Shall I bring him to you when he returns?"
Kronos shook his head. "No. If he has been playing games with us, then we shall with him. When he returns in the morning act as if nothing is wrong. Are you sure he didn't know you were there?" Caspian nodded.
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Later that morning, Methos rode back to the camp happy. *Only a few more days!* he kept saying to himself. Tonight would be his and Meshda's last night together in fear, soon they would be together and nothing was going to stop him.
"Methos!" Kronos said as he approached his brother. "Another restless night?"
Methos nodded. "They have been getting better, but every few nights, I need to be alone. Have time to myself to think."
"Still thinking of the salve girl that starved to death?"
Methos looked at Kronos shocked. Only he and Silas talked about Meshda, and as far as Methos thought, Kronos had forgotten about her. What had brought this sudden question about her on. "Sometimes. Other times just about life in general."
"Well, sleep well tonight, we have a big raid ahead of us and I don't need my best man tired and strung out."
"Yes Kronos I will." Methos headed back to his tent, noticing Caspian grinning. *Only a few more days.*
Kronos asked several more times about Meshda through out the day. Methos began to wonder if he somehow found out. He went to Silas and questioned him. "I don't understand, he never said a thing the six months she's been gone, and now all of a sudden everytime I see him he asks about her."
"I gave you my word that your secret was safe with me, and I have not betrayed you."
"I know, and I thank you. Maybe I'm just over reacting."
"Are you still planning on leaving us?"
Methos nodded. "After our raid tomorrow. I can't keep killing women and then turn around and make love to the one I love, who I could've killed. It's not fair to her."
"I will miss you."
"And I will miss you. Who knows, maybe one day our paths will cross again in a happier time."
"Maybe, brother. Do you think it's safe to return to her tonight? If Kronos is suspicious again, then it may not be a good idea."
"I should stay, but I just wish I had a way to tell her. If I don't show she may get worried and come looking for me."
"I'm sure she'll understand." He said as he patted his shoulder. "She loves you very much."
"And I love her too. I'd give my life to save her."
"You already have." Silas said as he walked away.
Against his better judgment, he stayed at the camp that night. Kronos's questions intensified, and Methos wished more than anything he could be with her, but it was too much of a risk for both of them. He would make it up to her as soon as he was free. He'd have too.
The next morning as the horsemen rode off, Methos kept thinking about Meshda. He ached to hold her so much. He would have given anything to see her before, but they were heading off. It took him a few minutes to realize they were riding off into the other direction than planned, they were headed straight towards Meshda..
"Kronos, I thought we had planned on going in the other direction."
"Nonsense. This is much shorter." Kronos answered.
"But they'll see us coming and have time to run. We'll loose the element of surprise."
"Oh, it'll be there all right!" Caspian snorted. Methos looked at him and then Silas who just shrugged.
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Meshda woke to the sound of a horse, and thinking it was Methos, she got dressed. She had been up most of the night worrying about him when he didn't show. *Maybe they left early?* she thought to herself. *Maybe he's just running late. Maybe he's escaping early and he'll be here any minute. Maybe...* Knowing it was him, she ran out of the tent and stopped dead in her tracks.
Methos saw her and turned pale. He wasn't sure if Kronos had seen her so he tried to motion for her to get back in the tent, but she was frozen in her tracks.
"Surprise brother!" Kronos laughed as he stopped his horse and dismounted.
*He knew!* Methos thought. *I should have known when he started asking all those questions. Damnit, I should have taken her out of her last night.* "Meshda, run!" he hollered. He jumped off his horse and tried to run between her and Kronos.
"Out of my way brother." Kronos said as he pushed Methos aside. "You've betrayed me, and you will pay for it! Caspian!"
Methos turned to see Caspian raise his sword. Methos pulled his out and fought him blow for blow. He could hear Meshda screaming, but if he became distracted, he'd be no good to her dead. "Let her go Kronos!" Methos hollered as he jumped when Caspian swung at his feet. "She did nothing wrong."
"No, but you did and she's going to pay for it." Kronos grabbed Meshda by her hair and pulled her to his horse. "You can either return with us, or you can die in front of her here, where the two of you so often betrayed me together. It's your choice."
Methos had disarmed Caspian and looked towards Kronos. He had slung Meshda over the back of his horse tied, gagged, and his sword at his throat. He wanted to run to her and kill Kronos, but he knew Caspian would seek revenge. He walked back to his horse, mounted, and sighed. "Anything for you, just let her live."