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Chapter Text

"I’m never going to let you out of my sight"

Jacks wanted to live the rest of his life honoring that promise.

As he laid next to Evangeline, he watched her sleeping.

Finally she wasn’t a married girl anymore.
She was a widow princess, but anyway... she was his.

He agreed easily when she suggested to go to the Hollow.
The two of them shared lovely memories there and they could make so many new great memories together.

Jacks planned to give her all the kisses he couldn't give to anyone in all those centuries of misery.

What he didn't expect was that when his Little Fox fell peacefully asleep, his happiness dimmed, giving room to ancient anguish and fear.

Because that building preserved old memories.
Memories of his youth. Memories that weren't erased from his mind.
It was cruel when Evangeline had lost her memories and forgot him as well. But he wouldn't mind having his ancient past erased from his memory, so he could fully start over with the love of his life.

Evangeline was breathing slowly. She looked like an angel. His angel.
But in the silence of the Hollow his ears heard echoes of familiar laughters.

Jacks swallowed hard.
He promised not to let her out of his sight, but he was already going to break that promise. Just for a moment. Just to deal with scars from his past.

He kissed her warm hand, his eyes falling on the last scar on her wrist, the last kiss of the bargain he wouldn't collect.

Then he forced himself off the bed and walked downstairs, stopping at the entry.
He observed the meal clock, but that wasn't what attracted him there.
He braced himself before letting his eyes rest on the carvings next to the clock.

"Why did you keep that shit?" he hissed to the house.

He recalled when he brought Evangeline to the Hollow for the first time, how she noticed the carved names.

"Were you in love with Aurora?"

The echo of Evangeline's question hit him harder than he expected.
She had been jealous then, just seeing the silly carvings.

Jacks recalled the pleasant things he felt when seeing Evangeline wearing just his shirt.
But she had been upset because his name was linked to another girl's one.

Now Evangeline knew who Aurora was. Aurora was back and was revealed to be the monster she truly was.
The reason of all his misery.
Aurora slept peacefully for centuries, while Jacks had to live through hell for such a long time.
All because she couldn't accept that Jacks never lost his mind for her. He never loved her. He accepted her being around just because she was Castors twin sister. She was a princess. While Jacks was nothing.
And now that she was back and unpunished, he didn’t feel fully freed.
He needed to protect Evangeline at any cost.
Was he capable to protect her from Aurora and her sick curses?

Aurora + Jacks

Jacks grabbed the first knife he found and stabbed her name on the wall.
The building shook, disapproving that attack.

Jacks froze for a moment, hoping that he didn't wake his Little Fox up.

Silence.

He focused on the carved names again.

There was something sadic in the way he slowly tortured Aurora's name. He enjoyed it fully. Cut by cut he removed her name from the wall.
Then he worked faster to remove his own name.

He would carved his name linked with Evangeline's on every hall of the inn, he promised to himself.
They would do it together and he would enjoy watching her smile as they made that place their home.

The Hollow let out a sort of exasperated sigh as Jacks rested a hand against the wall and watched the clock.

Removing Aurora's name linked with his was the first step to his long recovery.
Now it was time to go back to his saviour before she could find him missing.

Chapter Text

The Hollow wasn’t happy for the rough treatment to remove the carvings.
Jacks returned to the bedroom making more noise than he wanted and silently cursed the inn.
But Evangeline was still asleep.
For a moment he lingered by the door, struck by the beauty of her.

When he recovered, he climbed on the bed to lie next to her.
She moved a little, her fingers searching for him.
He grabbed her hand, bringing it to his lips.
He wanted each kiss to mark his love for her.

"Where have you been?".

Evangeline asked weakly as she turned fully to him, but she was still half asleep.

"I've never left" he lowered her hand and leaned to kiss her temple "Where you having a good dream?".

She frowned "I don't remember".

"If I wasn't there, it wasn't a good dream" he was speaking nonsense. He craved to speak another language. The language of love. But he didn't know how to ask her...

She chuckled and tapped his dimple with her index finger.
He caught her finger with his lips, but instead of biting it softly as he planned, he took it into his mouth, caressing it with his tongue.

He watched as she stared at him, a bit more awake now.
He hoped she could see how his eyes darkened, how much he wanted her...
But maybe she would just slap him for licking her finger.

Jacks let her finger go and dropped his head.
He wasn't used to the rush of feelings crushing on him as an avalanche.
His heart was beating wildly, his breathing heavy.
Kissing should be enough, but somehow he wanted more. He needed more.
But he couldn't have more if Evangeline didn't agree with it.
And he didn't know how to ask.

Her hand touched his cheek and he woke from his brooding.
She was staring at him with her innocent eyes, but she seemed to understand how he felt.
Her smile comforted him like the caress of her hand that now cupped his face.

"Come here" she whispered, pulling herself up.
She didn't need to ask twice.

He leaned to kiss her on her lips this time, exhaling as relief soothed his tensed muscles.
Her fingers dove into his hair while his hands grabbed her to pull her closer.

The bed under them made some noises, as if the Hollow was protesting, but Jacks just felt more aroused instead of annoyed.

Evangeline's breathing was turning more labored and he took brief pauses to let her catch her breath, still fearing that his kiss would be too much for her.

But she was growing impatient and pressed herself more against him.
He could feel the warmth of her body through the thin clothes separating them. And it set him on fire.

His naughty Fox wrapped her legs around him and he knew nothing could stop him anymore.
He wanted it to become a Nocte Neverending. He forgot what it was. But the neverending was all that mattered. Day or night. He wanted that moment to be neverending.

He must have said that aloud because Evangeline made a sound of approval that was his undoing.
He kissed her skin, eager to hear that sound again and to hear her moaning.

Her fingers clawed his shirt and he allowed her to remove it.

Then her chest pressed against his and he never felt more alive.
The world was like spinning around him and he felt dizzy.
She was all he saw clearly. And she was all he wanted.

Evangeline took his face in her palms and kissed his lips again.
He felt like worshipping her, until she started to become more naughty, biting his bottom lip and his tongue.
She moved against him, begging shyly for what his body was eager to give.

His hands travelled down her body, hesitating on her lower back.

He forced his lips away from her skin and admired her, blushing and panting hard against him.

"We don't have to rush things. We have all the time in the world" he said softly, caressing her messy hair.

He wanted to believe it was true, but some old fear squeezed his heart painfully.
How long could their happy ending last?
How long could they hide in the Hollow before troubles came to knock at the door?

Evangeline didn't reply. She adjusted her position on his lap and kissed him sweetly. He felt her gratitude for his words, for caring.
He was learning to care, he was learning to love, just for her.
Becoming human again wasn’t as easy as he hoped.
He was just a young man when his world changed and was trapped in a nightmare.
Now he still looked like a young man, but inside he was an experienced creature, ancient and brokenhearted, just recently healed.
He knew a thousand of ways to please Evangeline, all ways he used to just witness, and now he wanted to try with her.
But he still feared he wasn't still human enough for her, that his needs wouldn't match hers.
And he would rather die slowly rather than making her uncomfortable.

He stared at her, letting her take the initiative or just let go.
If she wanted to go back to sleep and simply cuddle, it was fine for him.
He could deal with his frustration. It was nothing compared to his anguish when she was away from him or when he saw her with Apollo.
She could just ignore whatever hardness she felt under her.

But she was Evangeline and was the most stubborn and the bravest woman he ever met.
She sat on him more steadily, stealing his breath away.
Their role were like switched.
Her body was deadly and he didn't mind dying in her embrace at all.

Evangeline breathed with her lips parted, staring at him as her hand found the one that was still lingering on her lower back. And she made his fingers slip lower.

Chapter Text

"Breathe".

Jacks looked up at her, after being distracted for a moment by her breast.

Her fingers were still guiding his hand down there, in that unexplored land, showing him where she wanted him to touch her.
And it left him paralized.
He also forgot to breathe.

Evangeline paused with a naughty grin, encouraging him to breathe again.

He inhaled and exhaled for a couple of times, then she moved up and he was out of breath again, his hand slipping deeper between her legs.

She knew what she wanted, making him look like an unexperienced boy, overwhelmed by what he was feeling.
He would allow only her to feel that way.

His heart was beating wildly, his blood was fire burning in his veins.
When he recalled how to breathe, he pressed his face on her skin and breathed her, letting his lips explore every inch of her skin.

Her dress was discarded roughly and probably never going to be a good cloth anymore. Nothing could divide him from her anymore, not even some thin fabric.
His whole body and soul were hers. And she was his.

He kissed her skin, lapped, nibbled, sucked at it, getting the sweetest music from her.

When impatiently she laid on her back and dragged him down on her, he paused to stare at her.

She had never been more beautiful.
He felt blinded.
He wanted that moment to last, to be perfect. And he felt so clumsy, trembling like a helpless leaf under a breeze named Evangeline.

He promised he would be gentle, but she made it a hard deal when she locked her legs around his hips, guiding him into her depths.

Her eyes fixed in his helped him in that sweet drowning, her hands grabbed his trembling arms as he rested on his elbows for not crushing her under his weight.

Only Evangeline could teach him how heavenly and mind blowing being a mortal can be, how unique was becoming one with his true love.

He breathed her soft gasps, kissing her softly until he couldn't resist and bit her bottom lip without drawing blood.

She shook under him and he closed his eyes, focusing on resisting as he moved slowly.
He grabbed her hands and pressed them on the mattress and he gave all of himself to her.

He wasn't strong enough, he couldn't resist for much longer.
He felt clumsy as he focused on giving her pleasure before seeking his own. His groans were mixed with unspeakable words that just helped her reach her peak.

She was exquisite as her walls squeezed him.
He kissed her sweetly on her cheek, then hid his face in the crook of her neck and finished himself with one last rough thrust, his teeth digging in the flesh of her shoulder as he growled, seeing all white.

He reached the place his heart had craved for so long. A place where he belonged, were he was home. She was his home, his everything.

"How are you?" he asked when he recovered and let her go to lie next to her, being delicate as he pulled her closer.

"Never been better" she was still panting, wearing the best smile he had ever seen "You?".

He pressed kisses all over her face "You're my heaven".

Each kiss wanted to say something.
How he wished it lasted longer. How he wished every night would be like that. How he could make love to her again as soon as he fully recovered from that first ride. How he wished their first time was important to her just as it was to him. How grateful he was that she never stopped fighting for him, letting them get that precious happy ending. How gorgeous she was as she still shone with pleasure, her limbs entwined with his...

She fell asleep and he held her close to him, close to his heart still beating furiously.

Jacks used to believe that he had nothing but pain and death to offer.
Without his heart he was miserable and wicked. He hoped for so long in the power of love. Love capable to free him from his curse. Until he gave up and hated love, hated the couples blessed with love. Love was like a sickness he wanted to avoid. And yet the curse pushed him to kiss and kill. No matter how much he rejected love and being hateful to everyone...

No.
He needed to stop thinking of his dark past.
He was Eva's Jacks now.
Not the Prince of Hearts anymore. Not the Archer. Not Jacks of the Hollow.

The Hollow replied with some weird sound. Something like a ghost weeping.

Jacks closed his eyes, clutching at his Little Fox.
He would be able to let his past go, to be rid of it, someday.

Jacks wanted to believe that now he was fully healed.
And that he would be capable of making Evangeline happy, as she deserved.
He opened his eyes to stare at her, who was dreaming quietly in his arms, feeling safe enough to be totally vulnerable with him.

Yes, he could win any battle for her. Even the battle against the past haunting him.

Chapter Text

"What do I wear now?".

Jacks's eyes followed greedily all her movements as Evangeline walked around the room.
He preferred to lay lazily on the bed.

"You can wear my shirt" he suggested "I know you like to wear my clothes".

Evangeline looked at him, catching the challenge in his gaze.

He expected her to pick her torn dress and wear it anyway, instead she followed his suggestion and stole his shirt.

He watched her wearing it and fell speechless.
His body could sing a song on its own.

Evangeline pulled her hair on one shoulder and noticed his reaction, just smirking at what poked between his legs.

"I'm starving. I don't understand how you can stay here all day and your stomach is not growling like mine".

She left the room.
And Jacks jumped up because he was breaking his promise.
"I’m never going to let you out of my sight".

Maybe he needed to tie their wrists together again.

He quickly jumped into his pants, covering his boner, and launched himself out of the bedroom, reuniting with her in the tavern.

Alright, life wasn’t just about having sex. They needed to feed, to take care of their basic needs, to take a walk under the sunlight... Evangeline had so many ideas to live the day and he knew they would never get bored of that place. Their home.

The Hollow needed few days to accept them there, but Jacks knew it wouldn't want to lose them.
The inn grew attached to Evangeline. And it used to be attached to Jacks.

He made her sit on his lap as they had their meal. She fed him with honey pie.

What more could he ask from his new life? 

Those simple, little moments and Evangeline's creativity was all he needed.

"Hey! Where are you going?".

Jacks was lost in his daydreams when Evangeline jumped away from him and ran out of the room, leaving just the echoes of her laugh behind.

He chuckled and stood up, but his legs were sore and failed him.

His Little Fox wanted to be chased. And he loved that game.

"I'll bring down all these walls if you don't come back into my sight right now" he said loudly.

The Hollow disliked his menace and shook.

"You're not helpful" Jacks took some unsteady steps, then forced his muscles to run.

His prey didn't run outdoor and that was good.

As long as she wouldn't fall from any window was good.

He climbed upstairs, spotting his prey spying him from an opened door.

"You're slow" she said, then giggled and watched him walking to her, taking little steps backwards to stay out of his reach.

He pressed a hand against the wall, patting it "Walls are not so bad after all. They can be useful".

"Yeah, sure" she chuckled, as if amused to see him flirting with a wall, then stilled under the gaze he shot her.

"You're beautiful" he said with the same intensity of his gaze.

She looked taken aback and shoved it off with a laugh, then she sprinted towards him, trying to run past him, but he easily caught her and trapped her against the wall, towering her.

She seemed to love that position as well.

"It's not me chasing you around. You're holding me on a leash, can you see it?".

She grinned at his words and slipped a hand at the back of his head, pushing him to meet her lips.

Kissing was never the same. They would never get used to it.

Each kiss was like a new adventure, familiar and new at the same time.

Jacks melted in the kiss, pressing himself more against her, until the friction was so sweet.

He slammed her hands against the wall a bit too roughly, but her gasp was so sweet that he swallowed it.
He could survive feeding on her soft noises and her body.

She hopped and wrapped her legs around his hips.

"Aren't you the most naughty girl- ".

A loud knock on the door interrupted him.

Jacks would have ignored it if he didn't feel also Evangeline stiffening against him.

Fear flashed in her eyes for a moment.

Jacks was going to murder whoever dared to disturb him.
Who could find them at the Hollow?

He was still petrified as more insistent knocks echoed in the inn.

Evangeline disentangled herself from him and slipped out of his grip.

She would have opened the door on her own, if Jacks didn't react quickly.

He sprinted to catch up with her and grabbed her hand, letting her free hand turn the knob.

Who knocked on death's door- ?

The face that appeared on the other side of the door wasn’t someone he would welcome.

LaLa instead looked surprised and happy to see them.

"Evangeline!" she exclaimed opening her arms "It's been so long!".

Evangeline didn't think twice and threw herself in the arms of the Fate.
Jacks let her hand go and crossed his arms on his chest.

"It's so great to see you, LaLa".

"You've disappeared for months. I was so worried" LaLa glanced at Jacks from Evangeline's shoulder and showed her tongue.
He just narrowed his eyes.

"Months?" Evangeline shot a confused glance to Jacks "We've been here just for few weeks".

Then she recalled how time worked differently in the Hollow.

"You're not welcome here" Jacks said flatly.

LaLa glared at him "Glad to see that you haven't changed that side of you. I'm here for Eva, not for you. She clearly needs to see her friends more frequently".

Jacks rolled his eyes, when he felt another shift in the air.

"What the hell are you doing it?!" LaLa exclaimed outraged at someone who wasn't Evangeline nor Jacks.

Jacks stiffened and pulled the girl closer to him.

"I can't hurt her" Castor halted by LaLa's side, gesturing at Evangeline's cuff "And this place was more familiar to me than to you. Unless you want to become my new twin sister".

Jacks held his breath, having a vision of a younger and more lively self in the company of his best friends, Castor and Lyric. And Aurora.

No. No way.
That gang was gone long time ago.
Now it was just him. And Castor.
Well, he wasn't sure if he could still call him friend.
He regretted saving his life and seeing him turning into a monster when the vampire killed Evangeline.
He had to go through hell to have her back, to reach that happiness that he wanted to preserve at any cost.
He would do anything to protect what was his.
Even using violence.
Against a vampire.

"You insult me if you dare to compare me to that other monster" LaLa was hissing at Castor.

"And you insulted me by claiming that I can't be here" Castor dropped the argument and noticed Jacks's diffident gaze "I'm not here to disturb your peace. I was sent by my family to invite you to our celebrations for finishing rebuilding Merrywood" he glanced at LaLa who looked overly irritated "We rebuilt your family's manor to its ancient splendor. And you haven't said thank you yet".

LaLa was about to explode. She had to avoid looking at the vampire or she would lose it.
"I came here to invite them myself, you nitwit. You wasted it".

Castor blinked, caught by surprise.
There was something amusing about the way his friends interracted. That was what held Jacks from kicking their asses and warning them never to come back.

"Well, why don't you two come in?" Evangeline chirped in "This is an inn after all. It was about time to have some guests".

LaLa looked fondly at her "Thank you, but I don't think the Hollow is ready to welcome us in. We can plan it for another day. Because" she sent Jacks a challenging look "I'll be back to visit you if you won't come to visit me".

"So, are you two coming to the party?" Castor intervened with impatience.

"No" Jacks said strongly.

He got three pairs of eyes glaring at him.

"You can stay here. Alone, as you deserve" Castor said unfriendly "But Evangeline is still a princess. My family wishes to talk to you for a formal...".

"No politics" Jacks grabbed Evangeline, pulling her behind his back to shield her "How dare you come here to harass her, after all your family did to her?".

Castor's eyes shone with wild rage.
And Jacks realized how underpowered he was. He wasn't strong enough anymore to stop a vampire.

"Aurora is not my family anymore. Don't blame us all for what she did" Castor's voice sounder like thunders "We rebuilt Merrywood for Lyric. I came here asking you to come not just as friends. But to honor his memory".

Jacks felt his ears bleeding. Mentioning Lyric-
And the ancient memories it triggered-
And why he kept hearing Lyric's faint laugh coming from the Hollow?
That was a plot.
A plot against his mental health-

"We are coming" Evangeline said with a soothing voice.
Her hand squeezed Jacks's arm as she stepped forward.
"Thank you so much for inviting us. When is the party?".

"Tomorrow" LaLa replied "But don't worry about the time, since this place doesn't help you with that. I'll come to help you dress up and we'll go together".

"Thank you" Evangeline walked forward to hug the Fate again.

Castor shot a venomous look at Jacks as he mouthed "For Lyric" as a reminder.

As he watched his former friends leave, Jacks felt choking.
He wanted to cut the world out, to hide in the Hollow forever. But the world had to come and knock at his door, to drag his Little Fox towards danger again.

Chapter Text

"I'm sorry that you don't want to go to the party".

Jacks huffed a weak laugh.
She was sorry.
As if she was the reason all troubles knocked at her door.

"You have nothing to be sorry about. I'm the one who has to apologise. I should have realized that you are curious about what's going out there but you didn't want to ask because it would make me upset".

He wished to turn to her, to pull her in his arms.
But all he could do was lying on his back, staring blankly at the ceiling.

She moved closer, covering his view with her lovely hair and the curtain of her rose gold hair.
"It will be fun. We'll enjoy the party, then we'll be back here".
She kissed him, making him want to believe her, that it would be alright.

"Talk to me" she whispered to his ear "You told me of when you thought I was dead. You never told me more about it".

Jacks choked on his breath, the weight of that nightmare... that day that was erased from her past, but that he still remembered so it wasn't fully gone...

"Hey, it's alright. I'm here. I'm alive and happy" Evangeline grabbed his face, making him stare at her, at the truth in her words.

But his worst memory was still there to haunt him.
His arms holding her body as she exhaled her last breath, his scream of agony ripping his heart and his soul to pieces.
The one chance to change that awful ending, to change one mistake to save her life...

"I know how much it hurt you" she wrapped herself around him, showing how warm and alive she was "If our roles were switched, losing you would be unbearable. But you saved me".

He hugged her, holding her tight against himself "It's nothing compared to how you saved me".

"We are here" she marked every word with a kiss on his face "Alive. Free. Together. Our love is real. Nothing can harm us anymore".

His sobs turned into heavy breaths. She was right. He couldn't waste a perfect now because he couldn't shake the past off himself.

"I love you, Evangeline" he said like a solemn vow. The only words that were worth saying.

***

"We need some privacy. I won't steal her away from you".

Jacks clenched his jaw more tightly, feeling his teeth about to snap.

LaLa arrived too early in the morning.

He already wore a casual outfit for the party, but now LaLa insisted to be alone with Evangeline to help her wearing a dress she brought and adjusting her hair.

"I'll be alright" Evangeline intervened "We are in the same building, so it's not like I'm so out of your sight".

Jacks glared at her. He didn't even leave her alone in the bathing chamber...
Why he couldn't watch her as she put on whatever dress LaLa picked for her?

"You can wait behind the door. You can still hear if I try to hurt her" LaLa spoke as if he's just a stubborn, annoying child.

Jacks looked at both of them, then scoffed "Don't make me wait for too long".

He stepped out of the room, slamming the door at his back and leaned against it.
He heard LaLa insulting him, but Evangeline explained how he felt, how he needed her close to recover from his recent traumatic experiences.
Then she asked LaLa about her love life.
LaLa was still a Fate, even if Dane was back. So something was wrong with her former lover.
She didn't love him anymore as much as she used to. So she wouldn't turn into a human. She was anguished to be the Unwed Bride forever.

Listening to her story helped him be distracted by his dark thoughts.
He didn't want to care about anyone else but Evangeline, but she cared for LaLa and hoped that she could get her own happy ending, finding her true love.

The fact that she wasn’t with Dane was a little helpful, since Jacks was still furious for how Dane held him by the Tree of Souls instead of letting him save Evangeline.

He was still pondering his chances at paying Dane back at the party, when the door opened -the door he was leaning against- and he almost fell back.

He turned, getting an icy glare from LaLa.
Then she stepped aside and all he could see was her.

Evangeline looked like an angel.
The dress was like taken from the most wonderful sunset, a sky blushing because unable to compete with the unique rose gold of her hair.

"See? I was right. You're gorgeous" LaLa dragged her words as she chuckled at his reaction "Jacks is speechless".

He ignored her and carefully moved closer to his Little Fox, almost scared that the wrong step would wipe away that wonderful view.

But Evangeline stood there, staring at him, in awe for the way he looked at her.

"You're..." his voice was so hoarse he had to clear his throat and yet speaking never felt so hard. Words failed to describe how stunning she was "You're really beautiful".

"Thanks" she said softly, blushing to match her skin with the color of her dress.

He offered his arm and she grabbed it, while LaLa was making a fuss about how they needed to hurry up since they were late.

Jacks saw and felt only Evangeline, so when she walked, he followed her like he was just her shadow.

***

"Nobody else deserve to see you like this" he murmured as he sat next to her on the carriage taking them to the Merrywood Manor "People will try to steal you away from me".

Evangeline scoffed, leaning against him and squeezing his hand "Nobody can rip me away from you. I'm yours. Only yours".

Jacks pulled up her hand to kiss the back of it "Never let my hand go. I beg you".

In front of them LaLa snorted, but she kept looking out of the small window.

He didn't say anything nice to the Fate. She was pretty too and her loneliness was unfair.

"You'll find plenty of lords at your feet. Just keep them away from Evangeline".
It didn’t sound very nice, but that was the nicest thing he dared to say aloud.

LaLa turned her head slowly, her eyes glaring at him.
The carriage halted and she swayed like she was about to vomit any sort of insult at him, but she pressed her lips together and exited before she could say anything.

He didn't care, he jumped down after her just to help Evangeline out of the carriage.

He needed to be repeated several times that the manor was magnificent before he persuaded himself to stop staring at Evangeline and take a look at the place.

A pang of sadness hit him.
Lyric would have loved that his manor was resurrected.

It was like being back centuries earlier. And at the same time it wasn’t the same.
The Valors left their own mark on it.
Every detail spoke of their power.

The Valors...
Yet it was one of them who caused all that disaster.
If Aurora hadn’t humiliate Vengeance by running away on their wedding day, if she hadn’t involved Lyric, the attack at the Merrywood Manor wouldn't have happened.

Jacks was like dragged back to that terrible day.

Castor had rode faster than him to warn Lyric about the imminent attack.
Not fast enough.
Lyric was already dead.
And when Jacks had arrived on the battlefield thinking of playing the hero, Castor was stabbed on his back.

The wounds felt still so fresh.
How every breath was a stab deeper than to his heart. To his soul.

Lyric and Castor were the brothers he never had. They were more than family.
And they were both dead.

Jacks had shot his arrows to the nearest enemies, then had dropped his bow to pick Castor from the ground.
He was still alive.
It took all Jacks's energies to pull him on his horse and then he had rode away.
Away from Lyric.
Away from the Merrywood properties, razed to the ground.
Away from the blood, the debris, the ashes of one of the worst days of his long life.

Everything because of Aurora Valor. And her dangerous games with love.

"Jacks" Evangeline called him back to the present. She felt his hand squeezing hers too hard and he wished to apologise, but if he opened his mouth he would break.

"It's alright" she stood in front of him, so she was everything he could see.
She caressed his face and wiped his tears with a tenderness that filled his mourning heart with all the beauty that only her could feed him.

"Do you need to sit down for a moment?" she said softly, her fingers moving in a soothing way.

He was trembling, but he couldn't let ancient memories defeat him.
He had to be strong. For her.
To be worthy. For her.

Jacks breathed deeply and collected himself.

"No. I'm fine. Let's go".

Her smile gave him so much strength that he felt ready to face an army of enemies.

***

"We are honored to have you here" Wolfric bowed his head at them while his wife Honora kissed Evangeline on her cheeks.

Jacks didn't dare to be rude to them. They were far too powerful and he needed powerful allies by his side. Not new enemies.

"Thank you for inviting us. And for bringing this place back to life" he said, his voice breaking a little.

Wolfric's hands landed on his shoulders, making him stiffen "It means so much to us. We consider you and Evangeline part of our family. So if you want to come to live here...".

"We are staying at the Hollow" Jacks declined carefully.

Wolfric understood. He knew of the Hollow. He knew it was a safe place.

"We guessed so. If you ever need anything or you want to spend some time here, just let us know".

He sounded like a father and Jacks felt overwhelmed.
Wolfric was used to be like that, even if he was the most powerful man in the Magnificent North.
He accepted Jacks to be best friend with one of his sons. He never made him feel unworthy. Even if Jacks was nothing compared to the great Valors.
And it just increased his respect for them.
Just cut Aurora out of the picture.

LaLa sat next to Evangeline as Jacks took the seat by her other side.
Castor forced a friendly smile as he settled himself between his father and Jacks.

Worfric mentioned some issues about the legacy of Apollo, who had no legit heir.
Evangeline was still the Widow Princess.
The people believed that she took her time away from crowds to mourn the loss of her husband and this was her first public apparition.

Members of the Council of the Great Houses were there and Evangeline made it official that she left the power her husband left vacant in the hands of them and of the Valors.

"I would have preferred if Evangeline was made Queen and you her King Consort" Castor murmured to Jacks as they followed the discussion at the table.

"She doesn't want a crown. And I'm no king" Jacks said with disgust.

"You are selfish, but what if this decision will put us all in danger? The impostor is still around and now has the perfect chance to seize the power" Castor slammed his glass on the table a bit too hard. Jacks was surprised it didn’t break "I thought I could keep Luc under my control, but since we Valors are back, he's on his own with the other vampires, who fled as soon as I was freed from the helmet. Would you rather have a vampire king? Not just any random vampire, but your love's former groom?".

Jacks hated to listen to Castor. All the food he tasted felt like poison in his stomach now.
"Are you implying that your father is not strong enough to deal with a bunch of vampires?".

"I am saying that we can't let a new sickness spread. We heard that Tiberius joined Luc in this run to seize the power. We are seen as outsiders. The Vales. A new Great Family came out from nothing. How do we bring all the people to our side? Evangeline is adorable, but she was believed to be the one who killed Apollo. It's a mess. It would be a miracle if we can fix this without starting a new war".

Jacks felt nauseous. He didn't want to know anything about that. He didn't asked Castor to speak of his family's troubles. He just wanted to live his happy ending at the Hollow with Evangeline.
But the winds of a new war weren't shielded from his home.
If the North burned, how long before the Hollow would burn too?
His only purpose was to keep Evangeline safe.
And she didn't seem to be safe at all. Not anymore.

"I'm sorry for pouring all this shit on you" Castor patted his shoulder "We will talk about this another time, if you want. Now your lady wants to join the dances. If you don't stand up, I'll steal her from you".

Jacks turned and only then noticed how the tension in the great hall was softened by the music and the couples already dancing.

He stood and invited Evangeline to dance with him, catching Castor's soft laughs at his back, until LaLa hissed something at him and it silenced him.

Leaving the Fate dealing with the vampire on her own felt wrong, but they could take care of themselves.

Evangeline stopped to exchange some kind words with Vesper Valor. Jacks held his breath until he was sure that the girl wouldn't let out any prophecy.

Then it was just the two of them, waltzing around as the rest of the world disappeared.
Evangeline smiled and laughed as he led her.
Jacks drowned in their shared happiness, wondering why they hadn't danced more often.
They danced until she was clearly too exhausted and they welcomed some drink that was offered them.

"I can't believe my eyes. Princess Evangeline!".

Jacks barely noticed the new male voice, until Evangeline turned to the man gaping at her.

"Kristof Knightlinger" she shook his hand, although Jacks's felt diffident towards that name and the man wearing it.

"I'm so happy that you remember my name. But how do I call you know? Is it Evangeline Acadian? Or Evangeline Fox?".

She shot a quick glance at Jacks before answering "I'm Evangeline of the Hollow. Nice to have seen you again".

Jacks's heart swelled with pride as she pulled him away from the nosy man.
Evangeline of the Hollow.
It sounded like a dream.

"Oh!".
The alarm in her voice dragged him down on earth.
He quickly followed her gaze to find the source of her surprise and spotted LaLa and Castor arguing in a dark corner.

"Should we stop them?" Evangeline asked nervously.

He looked at her like she was crazy. Two common humans... stopping a Fate and a vampire from clawing each other?

"Oh" Evangeline let out another surprised sigh as the scene degenerated with Castor grabbing LaLa's head and pressing his lips on hers to silence her.

Damn. That was really... awkward.
No. That was total madness.

He was about to say some nasty comment when Castor left LaLa's lips and bared his fangs, quickly biting her neck.

No. Definitely he saw enough.

He wrapped an arm around Evangeline's shoulders to make her turn away from that creepy show.

"But..." she said trembling with fear.

"LaLa is a Fate. She'll survive it" he guided her out of the Manor, gesturing to one of the carriages waiting by the road.

Then he inspected her reaction, smiling.

"Do you remember when I was bitten?".

She stared at him with wide eyes "Of course. You were really annoying".

"You said that I didn't like you".

"And you said that you liked me then. A lot".

She remembered.

"In fact, I can’t think of anything I like more" he concluded, leaning to kiss her neck and bite her softly.

She giggled and once they were in the carriage, he played with her skin a bit more.

"It seemed you enjoyed watching the biting" he spoke on her skin, but a flash of the same vampire biting his Little Fox, draining her of her blood and killing her petrified him.

Evangeline noticed it and turned her head to peck on his lips "I enjoy only your bites" her teeth grabbed his bottom lip for a light bite "Am I better than biting your apples?".

He sighed deeply, admiring his ray of sun, always saving him whenever he slipped in the dark void of his memories "You're far more better. Actually, you're better than anything else".

"Like power? I gave up on power for you".

He stilled and stared at her, understanding what she meant. She was a Princess. She could have chosen the crown.
Instead she gave up to be just...
Evangeline of the Hollow.

Jacks kissed her roughly until they were back at the Hollow.
Just a break to hop down the carriage and go back into the inn, and they were kissing again.

His fingers played with the laces of her dress. He waited a whole day for that moment.
But Evangeline stopped him.

"Wait" she stepped back and he felt mortified, wondering if he overstepped somehow.
But she was smiling.
She grabbed both his hands and pulled him into a clumsy dance.

"I just want to enjoy this a little more" she justified nodding at her dress and his "You're so dashing".

He chuckled "And you're ravishing".

He pulled her closer, spinning around with her until he felt dizzy and closed his eyes to kiss her.
She was his centre of the gravity.

"Jacks?" she asked on his lips, her arms wrapped around his neck.

"Hmm?" he opened his eyes to find her staring deeply at him.

"Will you marry me?".

Jacks stopped breathing and maybe also his heart stilled.

She asked him...
Wasn't it his role to ask?
He blinked and forced himself to react before she could change her mind.

"Yes. Of course" he said, his heart waking up to beat so furiously that it might explode.

She smiled and he thought that maybe she was just teasing.

"Now?" she asked batting her eyelashes.

His voice dried. They were alone, sweetly hugging each other. He wasn't sure how weddings worked, but for Evangeline he would accept anything.

"Yes. If that's what you want".

She beamed, leaning more against him until he almost lost his balance and almost fell on his back.

"Then let's get married".

Evangeline let him go and took his hand, walking not into the inn, but taking the path leading to the lake.
It was late at night and few lights appeared to lit the way.
Jacks silently thanked the Hollow for being helpful.

"Little Fox? Where are we going?" he asked as she preceded him with impatience.

"Just wait and see" she looked up to the dark sky, where only the moon watched over them.

Evangeline looked like an angel dressed in moonlight.

"If you're planning a midnight swim..." he spotted the lake at the end of the path. And more candles appeared to lit the place.

Evangeline stopped only at the end of the dock.
They were surrounded by candles and their flames reflected on the water. The lake looked like it was covered with fallen stars.

It was all breathtaking, but his favourite view was still the girl standing in front of him, her teary eyes locked with his.

"This is perfect" he breathed out.

She nodded "Yes. It is".
She leaned forward and he pressed his forehead against hers "My groom".

He chuckled "My bride".

She beamed and a tear of happiness slipped from her eyes, looking like another little fallen star.

"And now?" he asked in awe.

"And now we will write our vows on our hands and place them over each other’s chests, so they may sink into our hearts, where they will be kept safe forever and always" she said with a confidence that left him mesmerised.

There was magic in her words. There was magic in that simple ceremony.

They did just as she said.
And when her hand pressed on his chest, he knew for sure.
Their vows were sacred.
They were married.
Evangeline was his wife.

Chapter Text

"Are you sure you don't want rings?".

"I don't need a ring to remember that I'm yours. Forever" Evangeline whispered on his neck.

Jacks grinned as he carried her on his arms on their way back to the Hollow.

"I can walk on my way. You must be tired" she said as they reached the stairs.

"Your love makes me strong. I can carry my wife like this for the rest of my life" he grinned. He liked calling her wife.

"I want your life to be very long" she sighed as he placed her down delicately.

"Only if yours is long as well" he glanced at their bed "Can this night be long as well?".

"Aren't you sleepy?" she teased him.

"I've never felt more awake. You?" he welcomed her in his arms as she moved closer to him, her fingers playing with the buttons of his clothes.

He sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her with him.

"No poisons in this wedding night?".

Guilt clawed his heart.
She already lived her first wedding night. And it was a nightmare.
All because of him. All because of the prophecy he needed fo become true.

"I'm sorry" she said quickly, noticing his reaction "I didn't mean to... I shouldn’t have said that".

He pressed his forehead against hers "It's alright. It's natural that you would compare this to your first wedding".

"There's nothing to compare. You can't be compared to that" she planted her knees on each side of him, straddling him "Let's forget the past, okay? It's just us now".

"Yes" he said admiring her. He would say yes to anything she wished.

"I really want you, husband" she whispered, locking her hands at the back of his head.

Her words lit his body on fire.

He deepened the kiss, pressing her body against his. He needed her to feel how much he wanted her. And yet it never felt enough.

"I want you so badly" he purred, his fingers playing with her dress "As much as I want to take this off you".

"Then do it" she challenged him.

He groaned in approval. The dress was too wonderful. He didn't want to rip it apart. So he took his time to unlace it.
A little, sweet torture.

Then Evangeline hopped on the floor to shrug the dress off. The fabric slid down and pooled at her feet.

Jacks was blinded by the view of his wife as she kicked the dress carelessly and climbed back on his lap.

"Your turn" she said innocently and her fingers worked to free him from his clothes.

His breaths grew heavy as she quickly undressed him.

When finally they were skin to skin, he impatiently flipped them and laid Evangeline on the bed, positioning himself between her legs.

"I want this to be perfect" he said placing a necklace of kisses on her collarbone "Tell me whatever you want me to do".

"I just want you" she guided his hand between her legs to show him what she wanted.
So he focused there, his fingers exploring her folds, then his lips travelled down to taste her, teasing her until pleasure reached its peak.

He climbed back on top of her, watching her shaking, grinning as he planned to trigger all the pleasure from her until she would beg him to stop.

Then he noticed the only jewel she wore.

All he managed to give her was the wedding gift of Vengeance Slaughterwood for Aurora...
Jacks would never manage to create something so powerful for her. He didn't even know where to get a proper ring...
A cuff that couldn't be remove anymore.
A cuff that would always remind him of the failed wedding between Vengeance and Aurora and all its disastrous consequences.

"Jacks" Evangeline called him sweetly, leaning towards him to grab his face and the cuff disappeared from his view "Can I do something for you?".

He sighed "Aren't you already giving me everything?".

"Yes" her breaths melted with his "But I see you're still... not fully yourself. You can let go, you know".

A not so entirely human growl emerged from his throat.
"You have no idea what you're saying. I'm like a man who've been starving for centuries and now he's given the sweetest cake" he bared her neck to take her soft skin between his teeth "I might devour you. I might hurt you".

"You can never hurt me. Whatever is haunting you. Let it out" she asked "Eat me like I'm one of your apples".

Jacks's breath hitched.
His fingers curled around her hair, pulling a bit so she could see the weight of his stare, of his lust.

"I'll do worse than that" he promised on her trembling, parted lips "Your cuff will hurt me but I won't let you go, until you wear my marks all over you. And in you".

Evangeline was holding her breath, drinking each of his words.
She just let out an affronted sigh, then her hand slipped ar the back of his head, roughly pushing him to meet her hungry lips.

If their first time was careful and gentle, this time they just wanted to belong, to mark each other and lose into one another until they were one.

They felt some discomfort as he roughly filled her, but soon it turned into strong waves of pleasure.
The Hollow must have covered its invisible ears not to hear their lustful noises and screams.

Jacks gave until he almost collapsed on her.
His Little Fox took change and flipped them, riding him as a fierce warrior princess.

They took a nap to recover all that love making, and when they were both awake again, they just lost into each other again and again, until there was no inch of their sweaty bodies that wasn't explored, until Jacks could close his eyes and only see the curves and all the details of her body.

Married life wasn’t bad at all.
Jacks wanted only to live each day with his Little Fox, in their safe haven.
And he would fight mercilessly any menace that dared to endanger his happy ending.

Chapter Text

"You're growing addicted to biting my body".

Jacks grinned feeling like he was the king of the world. His eyes followed her fingers as they traced the marks that his mouth left on her blushed skin.

He wore with proud the signs that she marked on him in her sweet attempts to imitate him.

The bedroom was a total mess. The bed might have been broken since he felt unbalanced as he lied on it, gravity pushing him towards Evangeline.

The Hollow turned inanimate, like offended by their intense activities in that room and didn't fix the mess. At least it kept feeding them.

Evangeline suggested a bath and Jacks happily accompanied her in the bathing room, not just to watch, but to wash and be washed as well.

They were cuddling in the water to catch their breaths, when loud knocks from downstairs disturbed their peace.

Evangeline reacted quickly, slipping away from his arms and covering herself with a bathrobe.

"Jacks!" she scolded him when she noticed that he had no intention to get dressed and see who cane to visit them.

"Don't go, Little Fox" he made sure she was staring at him when he stood and let the water flow down his body.

Her jaw fell, but she recovered quite fast.

"I'm going" she announced and stepped out of the room to get dressed.

Jacks complained aloud as he was forced to follow her and imitate her.
Because of course his Little Fox would go to open the door even to the devil itself.

LaLa looked like she could play the devil that day.
Her glare could start a fire.

"So you're both alive. What took you so long?" she snapped, but her eyes widened as she took in the faint red marks that Evangeline's clothes couldn't hide.

"Why don't you mind your own business?" Jacks replied, resting an arm around his wife.

"We needed to dress up" Evangeline intervened to soften the tension.

"Oh. I see" LaLa closed her eyes for a moment, shaking her head "When are you going to tue the knot?".

Jacks beamed, but didn't expect Evangeline to say the big news.

"Actually we already got married".

"What do you mean you're already married?" LaLa exclaimed, her eyes darting from one to another, expecting it to be just banter.

Jacks rolled his eyes. He wished to slam the door and go back to his new favorite hobby.

"We wanted it to be something intimate" Evangeline said like it was the most natural thing.

"So you didn't tell anyone? Not even to me? No witnesses?" the Fate kept making a fuss.

"Only the moon was our witness".

"The moon" LaLa repeated incredulously.

"So, how are things going? How's Castor?" Evangeline asked to change the topic.

"What?" LaLa blurted out.

"I... we saw you two..." Evangeline stumbled on her own words.

"Oh, come on, LaLa" Jacks snapped "We saw you and Castor being passionate. With all the kissing and biting stuff".

He showed his teeth, biting at the air, just to make LaLa even more embarassed and furious.

"We... I just drank too much at the party. It meant nothing".
She tried to sound convincing, but failer at it.

Jacks grinned mischievously at her.
"Pity. I would have liked to see Dane's face when watching you make out with his younger brother".

LaLa spasmed "It's not... Castor is a monster. He's a vampire".

"So? Dane is an idiot. Castor's twin sister destroyed my existence. They are the Valors. What do you expect? Them to be heroes?".

LaLa lifted her hands and shook her head
"This is nonsense. I'm here also because I've been sent to summon you to Merrywood Manor".

"Again?" Jacks blurted out.

"Yes. Wolfric says it's pretty urgent. But if you'd rather that we reunite here to discuss serious troubles...".

"No way" Jacks cut off harshly "Why would be interested in whatever is going on out there?".

"Jacks..." Evangeline touched his arm to soothe his growing anger, then focused on the Fate "What is wrong, LaLa?".

"As we feared, the impostor heir wants to claim the throne".

Jacks hated to feel Evangeline freezing.
His arm held her more tightly against him.

The impostor heir meant Lucien Acadian.
Lucien Acadian was just the nickname of Luc.
Evangeline's first love.
The reason she seeked the help of the Prince of Hearts.

"We'll come" she said resolutely.
Jacks knew that nothing would stop her from hearing what was going on.
Not even him. Not even their happy ending.

Chapter Text

Merrywood Manor looked different from the day of the celebrations.

Jacks didn't feel comfortable when he and Evangeline were escorted by Castor to the main hall, where Wolfric and Honora were waiting for them.

Then the vampire left, just as all the guards there, and the building fell silent, like it was dead again.

Wolfric claimed that their conversation needed to be private. They couldn't risk to have spies eavesdropping.

He asked them to sit down as he and his wife sat across them, the table separating them offering some refreshment.

"We wanted to meet you since we believe you'd want to hear what our spies found about. And I've been told that you were somehow to this impostor heir" Wolfric gazed at Evangeline.

"Yes. We knew each other before I came here, here to the North".

"Is it true that you were engaged with him?".

"Wolfric..." Jacks warned.

His Little Fox inhaled deeply and lifted her chin "Yes. I was. And I'm glad it never happened".

Wolfric nodded weakly "Evangeline, I'm sorry to involve you in these politics, but you're a widow now. I'm afraid that this impostor might kidnap you to marry you and make his claim to the throne legit. We can't let that happen".

Jacks felt a pang of jealousy and anger that left his speechless.

"I'll never marry Luc. Nobody can force me" she said firmly.

"I admire your confidence. But we got proofs that Tiberius is supporting his cause".

"Who?" Jacks snapped out of his silence.

"Apollo's brother" Evangeline said quickly, her skin turning paler.

Jacks placed the name in the right place. And oh...
He was the one who was engaged with her stepsister Marisol. The evil stepsister who had placed a curse on Luc in first place.

"Yes, we can't let this plot grow larger. And Jacks, we would like to ask for your help as well".

"My help?" Jacks repeatedly with diffidence.
He didn't like that conversation at all. He regretted coming to the Manor.

"Yes. We want to adopt you".

Of all the things Jacks was bracing himself to hear, that was totally unexpected.

"What?!" he exclaimed, believing he misheard it.

Honora smiled and interceded "You've always been part of our family. You've always been a brother to Castor. He actually suggested this. We want you to become a Valor, so you can marry Evangeline and make our claim to power more legit".

Jacks felt empty.
He was just Jacks the Hollow. The Archer.
The Valors were the most powerful family in the history of the North.

"Maybe if we adopted you back then, it would save you from all the mess" Wolfric blurted shaking his head.

"As if Aurora wouldn't have dared raping her stepbrother" it came out more harshly that Jacks intended.

Evangeline's fingers touched his hand, until his fist relaxed enough to let her entwined their fingers.
"It's a great honor".

"But I'm nothing. I have no more powers. How can I be a Valor?".

"We accept you as you are. If you can accept us. We want to protect you. Not to use you" Honora said with her comforting smile.

Jacks was sweating.
It was something he wasn't ready for. For Evangeline he would do anything, so maybe it was her choice to make.

He searched for her eyes and found them already fixed on him, offering the warmth and support he was looking for.

"Would it be okay for you?".

"Yes" she smiled "If that's what you want too".

Jacks nodded and looked at Wolfric "How does it work? How do you adopt me? Do you all agree with it?".

"We explained the situation to our sons and they didn't disagree. We will gather a formal reunion with our most loyal supporters and sign all the papers that will make you one of us. Then we will plan a great wedding for you two. Do you agree? Are you Jacks Vale now?".

He looked at Evangeline again, her hand grabbing his and giving him the strength to agree to something he wasn't sure he fully understood yet.

Jacks inhaled deeply and looked intently at Wolfric
"It's a great honor to join your family. I won't disappoint you".

Chapter Text

"Jacks?"

The mist made it hard to see the way, so Jacks focused of her voice.

"Where are you?" he asked to make her talk.

"Right here" her voice was closer now and he fastened his pace "Come".

He spotted her then, on the dock by the lake, in a white gown that looked like a wedding dress, her rose gold hair combed in elegant waves.

She was giving him her back.

Jacks waked to cut their distance, but when she turned, it wasn't the beloved face he expected. It wasn’t Evangeline's.

"You've made me wait for so long" Aurora grinned wickedly as he panicked.

He lost his balance and fell into the cold waters of the lake.

Jacks woke up gasping for her.
He was sweating cold and clawing at the sheets.

Just a nightmare.

His real bride was sleeping peacefully next to her.

Jacks leaned to check her face, to make sure that it was her.

Why his mind played such cruel pranks?
On their wedding day?
Well, their second wedding.

Jacks focused on his breathing, watching as the first lights defeated the dark.

Soon the sacred silence of the Hollow was disturbed by LaLa and the Valors that came to help to dress up the bride and the groom for the big show that they planned.

Jacks couldn't decide much.
As Jacks Valor or Jacks Vale, he had his amount of duties towards his adopted family.

At least they agreed for them to get dressed at the Hollow.
Jacks couldn't trust to let his bride out of his sight in the Merrywood Manor, specially not after his nightmare.

The view of Evangeline in her stunning wedding gown was the sweetest shock.
Jacks forgot how to breathe and to how to move. His eyes fixed on her and didn't want to move away ever again.
The Valors brothers had to drag him to the carriage while Evangeline followed them laughing softly.

"Oh, come on, you two already married. Why are you still acting like it's the first time you see her?" LaLa snapped sitting next to the bride while Castor pushed Jacks down next to him.

"I can't believe you two didn't invite us" Castor shook his head with disappointment "Now let us teach you how a proper wedding is made".

Jacks ignored their bickering, staring at his bride like a predator.

Her face was covered by a thin veil, but she kept listening and laughing at their witnesses.

Someone had even dared to suggest that they needed ride on two different carriages.
Jacks had promised to destroy the whole wedding if they dared to keep his bride out of his sight again on that day.

The Merrywood Manor was exquisitely decorated to be the perfect wedding location.

A crowd of people welcomed them and Evangeline gasped with wonder.

Children approached her to give her flowers and throw petals on their way.

"Isn't it all too much?" she said breathlessly when she grabbed his arm and looked at their path to the altar by the entrance doors.

"You are too much" he whispered with a mischievous grin, seeing her cheeks blushing under the veil.

He was looking forward to rip that veil away and make a mess of all those hours of dressing up, putting make up and combing her hair.

"Bro, you need to behave and walk forward" Castor said pushing at his back "It's embarrassing to see you eye fucking her".

Jacks ripped his eyes away from his bride just to shoot a glare at his best man at his back.

Evangeline pulled his arm and Jacks followed her, glancing at his adopted parents smiling at them from the altar.

The ceremony was longer than Jacks expected. They exchanged vows in front of a crowd of lords and villagers.
They had gold rings to wear.
And then loud cheers and more petals blessed them.

Evangeline was crying of happiness when the ceremony was over.

At Wolfric's nod, Jacks lifted her veil, his heart exploding with so much joy that also his eyes teared.

He kissed his wife, wishing for that moment to last forever, ignoring the throats cleared around them, until strong hands pulled him away from Evangeline, enough to let her catch her breath and laugh with embarassed joy.

"Well done, brother" Castor said to his ear when pulling him in a rough hug "But you really need to control your hungers".

Jacks slapped his face with brotherly love "Now I understand your hungers. You need blood to live the way I need my wife".

Castor cringed and Jacks turned his back at him, seeing his wife in the arms of a crying LaLa.

It was just the beginning of a long moment to greet all the guests.

When they finally could enjoy the buffet, Jacks needed several glasses of cider to soothe his dry throat.

Evangeline was having fun tasting everything and feeding him, after taking some flowers from her hair to place them on his head.

The Manor paid justice to its name.
It was the merriest place of earth.

"I've been told that you can see the future".

Jacks fell from his happy thoughts to listen to his wife.
She was talking to Vesper, his new sister who could actually see the future.

"Not much. I haven't practice enough" Vesper was saying "My brothers say that I only speak nonsense. But I saw you coming. I'm so happy that now you're my sister".

"Sister in law" Jacks wanted to correct her but just watched the two girls hugging.

Having a large family wasn’t that bad.

"We've been thinking of something that could please you" twins surrounded Jacks claiming his attention "Since you insist on living in that small house of yours, we could make secret tunnels to connect the Hollow to our Manor".

Tempest and Romulus Valor were the twins that blessed the world with the most brilliant inventions, including the magical arches.

"I don't want any connection. We are family. Isn't it enough?" Jacks protested "Why can't you make this Manor also safe from curses?".

They frowned, then grinned "It already is safe from curses. Who could dare to curse us?".

Jacks had an idea or two but he fell speechless when he heard something unexpected.

Vesper was dismissing Evangeline when she quipped "How the Fox can escape the Wolf's teeth?".

Evangeline blinked in confusion as Jacks froze.

Also his brothers stilled, then hurried to drag their unaware sister away.

Jacks glanced at Wolfric, happily entertaining the nobility at the head of the table.
Wolfric. Wolf. Wolf Hall.

But also another Wolf came to his mind. A hated emblem.

Jacks reacted without thinking, pulling his wife to join his walk.

"I'm starving" he just said. He needed to distract her, to protect her, to make sure she would forget Vesper's words.

Evangeline frowned in confusion, looking at the table still covered with the sweetest food.

Jacks halted in a place safe from curious eyes and showed her what he meant.

She was his wife. He could enjoy her how much he wanted.
He kissed her roughly, pulling her closer and hating all the layers of fabric separating their bodies.

He just wanted to go back to the privacy of the Hollow...

"Jacks, you're such a leech!" Lala exclained, too close to them "You'll rumple her dress and destroy her make up and hair!".

The Fate tried to pull him away from his wife. Jacks's hand snapped like a viper, grabbing her throat to push the intruder away.

Evangeline gasped on his lips and moved away "Jacks!".

"Keep your hands off of her" Castor growled, freeing LaLa from his grip.

LaLa just looked offended and patted Evangeline's dress to smooth the mess that Jacks's fingers had already done.

"Can't you wait until the sunset?" Castor said exasperated "You'll be back home and you can do all the filthy things you want".

"Filthy? And how do you call biting and drinking blood for her neck?".

"Jacks, enough" Evangeline begged him "We'll behave now. And enjoy the party. It's a long happy day. And then a long long night. And I'll be all yours".

Jacks grinned as the happiest man on earth as their witnesses stepped away faking a disgusted face.

"All mine" he chanted until that truth seeped into every cell of his body.

Chapter Text

"Look! Another one!".
Evangeline shrieked with joy and jumped away from his arms to run and pick another red strawberry.

She offered it to him but before he could bite it from her fingers, she popped it into her mouth.

Jacks didn't close his gaping mouth, his tongue brushing the tip of his sharp teeth, pondering the idea of kissing her hard enough to taste that strawberry that she stole from him.

Their lips and mouths were already red for all the kissing and strawberries there had been eating in that sunny afternoon of late spring.

Evangeline loved hunting the newly ripe strawberries. And he loved watching her and letting her feed him.

For a moment her eyes were hypnotised by the slow movements of his tongue.
She recovered with a wince and stepped away from him, focusing on the wild nature surrounding them.

"We need more strawberries" she stated as it was an urgent matter "Do you know how to replicate them?".

He shrugged "No idea".
Gardening wasn’t a hobby of his.

"And have blueberries" she continued, amazed by all the new ideas she kept getting to improve their little paradise "And add all sort of berries!".

Jacks liked the idea and waved his hands like introducing a new sign for their house "The Berry Hollow".

She chuckled "And I want some more apple tree".

His face dropped, as his arms.
"No" he snapped "No apple trees".

"But I love apples!" she argued, waltzing back to him as if she was weightless.

He often felt weightless too, when she was around and made him happy.

"I don't" he remarked, letting her grab his hands "Unless for arrow practicing".

Her jaw dropped. Another brilliant idea just stroke her.
"Can you teach me shooting arrows?".

Finally something he could do.
"It's been a while that I don't practice. But we can try".

She beamed "So if there are enemies coming, I can welcome them with some arrows to their limbs".
She let his hands go to mimic using a bow to shoot invisible arrows.

He smiled, loving his little warrior. He grabbed her hands and pulled her closer "No need for that, love. I'll rip them to pieces with my bare hands. Leave the arrows for the apples".

Her eyes shone with love and pride. She loved his protective side as much as she enjoyed trying to evade his guard, well aware of his solemn promise.
He wouldn't let her out of his sight.

She snatched her hands free from his grip and placed them on his eyes. She grew fond of that new little hobby. Covering his eyes so she would be out of his sight. Even if she was within his reach.

"Little Fox..." he warned.

She giggled and jumped away from him, soon distracted by some wild blooms.

"And we need more flowers. Roses" she placed a bloom in her hair and when Jacks approached her, she tried to place another in his too.

But Jacks snatched the rose and popped it into his mouth.

Evangeline dropped her jaw, incredulous, as he chewed and swallowed.
"I can't believe it. You're a goat!".

"Goat?" he repeated "Hmm, let me think... meaning the Greatest Of All Times? Yes, you're right, love!".

She stared at him dumbfounded, then just threw up her arms with exasperation.
"Fine, you won't help me gardening. I guess I'll have to ask LaLa or make new friends. Do we have neighbours?".

"No, no neighbours nor new friends. Unless you want them seeing peeled for your evening salad".

Evangeline blinked under his resolute gaze, then grimaced "Ew, gross".
Her eyes spotted something above his head and followed it.
"Look! Isn't it a beautiful butterfly?".

She followed it like caught by a spell and Jacks had to react without thinking twice.
He caught her before she could step right into the lake.

"Whoops" she squeaked, realizing what she just risked.

Jacks pulled a strand of hair from her cheek, placing it gently behind her ear "You're too beautiful to be shared with the fish down there".

Another too familiar gasp "Are there fish in there? So we can go fishing?".

He chuckled "If you'd like to".

She seemed incapable of holding the intensity of his gaze and looked behind her back "But have you seen that? A blue butterfly!".

"Yeah, but it's not worthy an unplanned swim" he pulled her away from the lake.
Yeah, the nature was beautiful, spring broughy so many new curious things. And yet Jacks had only his wife in mind.

Would he ever stop wanting her so badly?
Love was like an obsession, a curse. The sweetest curse.

Evangeline seemed close to find another distraction, so he lifted her and propped her on his shoulder.

"What are you doing? Put me down!" she banged her fists on his back.

"You've played enough for today, Little Fox" he walked to the Hollow, until he felt her fingers unhooking the braces of his pants.

He halted while her naughty laughs shook against him.

"Little Fox?" he growled "If you're not careful, I'll take you on the grass, not on our soft, comfortable bed. Now, hook my pants so I can walk".

Her only answer was a slap on his ass. Then she wriggled to slip down from his shoulder.

He didn't let her go and helped her down on her feet, then he showed his loose braces.

"If you are so impatient to see me pantless, you just had to let me know".

She grabbed the braces and rested them around his shoulders, hooking her arms around his neck.

"I love every view of you" she kissed him tenderly, well aware that he needed more than just sweet kisses.

He held her close, making her step back until they reached the inn.

Evangeline had been trying to teach him the beauty of art, of portraits, of paintings...
She painted the walls using the brightest colors.

Jacks was going to teach her his favourite art. Painting her naked body with his kisses and bites.
And he would be the only one to enjoy the view of that masterpiece. All shades of pink and red, the light and the shadows of her curves...

Evangeline broke the kiss to exclaim "We have visitors!".

Chapter Text

"Hello, little sister. We came see if you're alright" the Valor twins greeted her waving their arms and offering a basket of food.

Jacks scowled at them and noticed Wolfric appearing at their backs.

"Sorry for disturbing" Tempest said patting his shoulder "We were clearly interrupting".

Jacks just clenched his jaw and fists, resisting to the urge to hit someone.
He didn't mind hiding that he was aroused.
His pants were loose.

"It's fine. Please, come in" Evangeline stepped quickly around Jacks to hang his pants to the braces.

"If you don't mind, we want to see if portals can work in here, so we can connect your house to our manor. It's no more safe to be seen visiting you".

"What do you mean?" Jacks snarled.

"What are the last news you heard about the impostor Acadian?" Wolfric asked sternly.

"What you told us. That the vampire claimed to be the rightful heir and crowned himself with the support of Apollo's brother".

"Luc got married".

"What?" Evangeline snapped.

"With Aurora".

"No way" Jacks shook with several emotions.

"It's her way to reply to your adoption and your wedding. So now we're supposed to be even. But we're not. We also heard that Tiberius married a certain Marisol".

"No" Evangeline exhaled.

Jacks felt the urge to protect her. He wanted to cover her ears, to wrap his limbs around her to hide her from all those unpleasant news.

"Your stepsister".

"She's a witch. When she was here, she messed around with curses..." Evangeline recalled, her skin turning paler.

"So she's a powerful ally to Aurora" Wolfric said as a matter of facts "You now understand the danger and why I insist for Evangeline to use her gift with portals so we can keep in touch more safely".

"We are safer if you leave us alone" Jacks hissed, but no fully meaning it. All he wanted was to protect his wife. And if his adopted family could help, he had to suppress his pride and welcome their help.

"We did it for all these months. And you didn't even notice that Aurora visited you here".

Jacks hoped he heard wrong. But Wolfric looked deadly serious. He wasn't joking. He wasn't using his weakness to convince him. He was saying the truth.

"What?!" Jacks exclaimed on the verge of panicking.

"She's not banned from the Hollow. She has been spotted spying on you two when we believed she was far away. You're not safe enough from her".

"She can't curse us when we are here" Evangeline pointed out weakly.

"Right, but how many other ways she can harm you?".

"We can defend ourselves" Jacks said quickly, but also his voice betrayed him. He felt weak and powerless. And he hated that feeling.

"Link this house to the manor. She's banned from there and we can protect you better" Tempest intervened.

Jacks wanted his wife to be safe more than anything else. So he had no choice but to agree to let the Valor twins and Evangeline practice with portals all around the house.

"I bet you wish we can trap Aurora back into the Valory" Wolfric said as they tested a portal and appeared into the Merrywood Manor.

Jacks eyed him with distrust "Is that even possible? Or do you want that?".

Wolfric closed his eyes and breathed deeply
"She's my daughter. Even if she's the most untameable one and caused us so many troubles. I hoped she could repent and start anew far away from here".

"She's stubborn. She won't accept to let me have my happy ending without her" Jacks hated saying it aloud, but it was the crude truth.

"There has to be a harmless solution. I don't want to kill her, but we have to stop her before we suffer for another of her curses".

We have to stop her. Jacks repeated to himself, even when later the family reunited for dinner.

"You look close to explode, brother" Castor said, waking Jacks from his brooding "Relax, you're safe here. You can even move here whenever you want. Did LaLa already show you the large bedroom we prepared for you two?".

Jacks clenched his jaw. Nothing could compare to their rooms in the Hollow. But he had been rude enough for that day. And he started to feel the shame for how he acted towards the powerful family he owed so much.

He chanced at LaLa, who was happily gossiping with Evangeline, then spotted the only unhappy face at the table.

Smirking, Jacks leaned to say to Castor's ear
"Dane seems close to shift. I don't know if this room is large enough to have a dragon".

Castor glanced quickly between Dane and LaLa, his face flushing "Shut up".

"He's still not so happy to wake up from his long nap to discover that you and his supposed to be true love is having fun with his younger brother".

Castor was the one who looked close to explode now "LaLa is free to be with whoever she chooses. And I've been trapped into that damned helmet for centuries".

Jacks didn't hide his disgust "And you've just discovered that drinking from fates while being in them sates you enough to forget about massacring innocent humans".

"Why don't we ask your sweet wife if you don't like biting too when mounting her?".

Jacks shot a murderous look "You're supposed to be my best friend, but I can still decide to kill you if you dare to harass my wife".

Castor snickered "Sure, brother. You'll end up burning with my venom and becoming like me".

Jacks opened his mouth for some other wicked retort, when an absurt idea flashed his mind.

Castor eyed him curiously and when Jacks didn't say anything, he grew worried
"Jacks? Did someone steal your tongue?".

"Just wondering... to be a Valor, we're supposed to live longer than humans. And Evangeline and I are vulnerable...".

Castor let his fork slip from his grip "Are you thinking that becoming vampires will make you safer and immortal? I'm not going to turn any of you. I'll protect you both with my life, if needed. You don't need to change. I won't burden you with this".

Jacks clenched his jaw.

Castor eyed him nervously and said softly "I've never blamed you for this. You've been more than a friend and a brother for saving me. It's not your fault...".

"Aurora should have been the only one to suffer. If she just married Vengeance, you and Lyric would be still normal and alive" Jacks blurter out.

"We can't change the past. We adapt. If we didn't suffer and survive until now, how would we be here? How would you have found your true love?".

Jacks looked at her, his bright lifesaver in an ugly tempest.

Evangeline was still grinning and enjoying her chat with her new family.

Slowly, he let Castor's words sink. All his suffering was worthy, just for her. And he wasn't going to let anything harm her.

He waited for her to be ready to go back home, listening to her as they slowly walked through the quiet manor to reach the portal that would bring them back to the Hollow, when someone called from behind.

"Evangeline!".

They halted and spun, seeing Lysander running to catch up with them.

"Can we talk for a moment?".

Evangeline smiled but Jacks narrowed his eyes with diffidence.

"Sure" she said.

Lysander looked quite intimidated by Jacks, but understood that he wouldn't get a private talk with her.
Jacks already let the Valors enjoy Evangeline's company for too many hours.

"I just can't stop thinking about what happened to you. You lost your memories, but how exactly did you get them back?".

That was an interesting question.
Jacks observed her. She told him about that, but he was curious if she'd give more details.

"I wrote a letter to myself" she said a bit embarrassed "To warn myself about him. Jacks had it when he shared a room and when I read it... I remembered. I remembered who I was and what pushed me to write that note to myself".

Jacks wrapped an arm around her shoulders, while Lysander looked confused and amuser at the same time.

"That's curious. Was it painful? Did you get some dizziness or headache?".

"No. It felt natural. Like struggling to sort something out and suddenly it clicked in the right place".

True love, mouthed Jacks. He didn't care if a kiss or a letter brought his Fox back to him, but Lysander seemed eager to sort that puzzle out.
Lysander knew about mind and memories far better than Jacks, so they left him brooding about the piece of information that Evangeline gave him.

"You know, I was thinking of writing another note to myself" Evangeline said as she crossed the portal, arm linked with Jacks's "Just to remind to my future self of how much I love you now. And I bet in the future I'll feel silly because now I think it's impossible, but in the future I'll love you even more".

Jacks grinned like the happiest man on earth. He pressed his lips on her forehead, fastening his pace to reach their home, their bedroom and finally worship his queen.