[IC] The Lost Princess (Durachka and Marx)

[Durachka]

The morning is a beautiful one I observe out my window. Hopefully I'll be able to enjoy it outdoors instead of cooped up inside waiting on rude drunks. I sit up in my bed finally after procrastinating for a good 20 minutes. With a sigh I'm out of bed and slipping one of my only outfits. I glance at the mirror and frown at my reflection. My face is nothing if not dirty in the morning light. I know I likely stink slightly of human bodily odor. My hair is a tangled mess and I frown. I grab my brush and run it through my hair quickly. It succeeds in taming the black locks slightly. Then I wrap it up in a high pony tail. Thankfully tonight is an off night for me. I can make a quick run to the forest and swim in the stream. Maybe then I'll smell a little more pleasant than I do at the present moment.

I head downstairs and tell my boss that I am present and ready for duty. I then get to work serving the guests breakfast. I put on a fake smile towards these people, even though a quarter of them flirted with me the night before in a drunken stupor. They probably only hold affection for me because I bring them their booze. I smile invitingly at many of the guests that are regulars and quickly put their orders in. I ask a few of the guests if they would like to order, but they decline. "Let me know when you are ready to order." I say with my fake smile still plastered on my face. Hopefully they don't notice it because I have been practicing for years. When someone practices something enough its easy to make it look real or effortless. I turn around and take the order of another table before walking back into the kitchen.
"Eve!" Exclaims the cook with a smile on his face, "Long time no see."

She dawns a genuine smile, "Hey George. Sorry, I've been busy out front. How are the kids?"

"They are doing just fine." He beams, "What do I have to make?" I give him the order ticket and walk back out into the dining room. The room is beginning to thin out luckily. Lunch is almost over for most of the citizens from town. They begrudgingly make their way to their shops and work places. Although bad news for them it is good news for me. I will soon be able to take the rest of the day off.

[Marx]

A son's duty is to obey his father. A knight's to obey his king. Jax held both duties when his father, Thesius the Jackal, sent for him some four years after he left the castle.The order to return home had come directly from his father, his father who was quite aware that he had sent his son and some four hundred other knights to Barring Strait, the river that separated the kingdom from the neighboring empire. The very same neighboring empire who was attempting to invade through the damned strait. Jax held no bitter feelings for his father for being so indecisive with where he wished his son to be, though the days of travel that it had cost him had gotten on his nerves. When Jax had returned to his childhood home, the place his father had stolen from the previous king, there was no fanfare, no men awaiting his arrival, not so much as an acknowledgement that the second heir to the throne had returned from the war. No such surprise there, Jax had thought to himself long since used to the modest lifestyle he was bound to.

The king looked toward him with bored eyes, a life of luxury having drawn the good nature towards the simple things in life such as seeing ones son out of him. "Jax," the king groaned, "you took your time returning home, haven't you?" Jax approached the king, dropping on one knee, eyes fixated on the cool stone beneath him, "My apologies,my lord. One can only travel so fast when in the midst of a war." "Then let us hope one learns to respect orders with more haste come next time," Thesius chided, scowling at the knight. "Well, let us quit this and move on," the king continued, standing for the first time since Jax entered the room, his large gut leading the way. "There is a girl..." Thesius began dully, motioning for Jax to rise, which he readily complied with, "Who lives amongst one of the kingdom's inns along its outer rim." Jax hid his displeasure in hearing that once more he would be forced to ride across half the damn kingdom.

No more than an hour had passed before Jax took to his horse and began North, his hunt beginning. "Hair of a raven's plumage, eye of winter's ice, and freckles adorning the side of her lip. With a description like that, how could one miss her?" Jax growled, gripping the reigns of his horse fiercely, knuckles glowing like hot iron as he rode into the night.

[Durachka]

Nearly three hours later Genevieve was finally told that she could go. As she walked outside she grinned pleasantly. The lateness had caused the sun to threaten to disappear under the horizon. Eve sighed as she began to walk towards the woods located behind the inn. She'd have to make due with the limited light she had. Luckily she had a candle in her bag so she could sit there for longer hopefully. 20 minutes later she found herself at a beautiful stream with a small waterfall to her right. She sat down and stuck her legs in. The cool water felt amazing against her legs.

She stood and took her dress off with the silent hope that, like always, no one would stumble upon her. She then jumped in. Its depth only came up to her chest and the current was not as strong as most rivers. It was a calming pull and not one that sent someone flying through the stream. She plugged her nose and let herself sink to the bottom. Once she resurfaced all of the dirt that had plagued her face was washed off. She breathed a sigh of relief at the feeling of finally being clean. This swim was the only time in which she got a chance to bathe. Even then, she was lucky enough to get a day off each week where she wasn't working all hours. Sometimes she had gone months before she could steal away and find solace in her stream.

Once clean she climbed out of the water and allowed herself to dry off before putting her dress back on. Her hair curled in soft tendrils as it dried and she took a brush from her bag and ran it through the knots. Finally they were compliant and the knots disappeared. She breathed a sigh of relief for nearly the third time in that night. It was rare for moments by herself like this and it made them all the more enjoyable. She lit a candle and stayed there for hours until she was completely dry. By the time she arrived back at the Inn it was already 11 o'clock and most of the guests were partying.

She made her way upstairs and collapsed on her bed. She fell into a deep sleep and did not wake until the sunlight kissed her eyelids. She sat up and glanced over at her small mirror. Finally she could look presentable and not smell so unpleasant. She stood and put a different dress on than the one before. It was one she saved only for when she had just bathed in the stream. She strode downstairs and took everyone's orders. To her the day was looking up and she realized she might actually be in a good mood for once.

[Marx]

Three weeks passed since the son of the king was dispatched to recover the young woman whom the king claimed to be the future queen, the woman that he would have married to his son. At least, that was the story the king had shared with those who asked. It was the very same story he shared with the men he chose to hire in Jax's place, Jax having tested his father's patience far too much. The only thing that surpassed his ambition was his lack of patience, that man who wore a crown woven as much with gold as deceit. Sixteen men, some the most wretched the kingdom had to offer spread outwards from Castle Reinhardt that day in search of the young woman with eyes of ice and hair of a raven's plumage. The reward for finding and bringing the wench back to the castle would sustain several generations and there would be blood spilled over this woman. That was something they were all sure of.

Jax's journey had remained largely fruitless these past few weeks. There were plenty of young women with the hair and the eyes, though they always lacked the damn freckles. The gods themselves seemed to taunt him some evenings. If it wasn't for Jax's patience, he would have stormed off and returned to the war-front which last he heard was still alive and well. Today, for the first time in three nights, he would rest at an inn. The Sleeping Dog it was named, the rowdy travelers yelling and drinking in the dive of a bar anything but accurate to the inn's name. 'Well' he thought with a shrug, 'no reason not to enjoy myself' Jax joined in with the others, drinking the night away, swapping war stories, both real and fake, and having a wonderful time on his father's coffers. That night the patrons of the Sleeping Dog drank on Jax's dime, one that was the direct product of his father's coffers, which amusingly enough came from the pockets of those drinking away the night.

He found himself in a room the next morning, his limbs sluggish and thoughts blurred. A morning's drink would stave off the hangover, he could only hope as he gathered his clothes and trudged downstairs in his daily attire. It was yet another day of the hunt and from his hazy memories of last night, a rather fruitless one. That is until he saw hair black as night, a glowing set of pale blue eyes between them. "Gods almighty..." Jax muttered under his breath, taking a swig from another man who was drinking away his hangover. For the first time in nearly a month of riding he was speechless. Was it truly her?

[Durachka]

Genevieve wove around tables and men as she took orders and gave out drinks. The morning certainly was a busy one. She barely had a moment to catch her breath between each trip to the kitchen. She quickly deposited the orders to the chef and was right back out. She finally got a chance to sit down at the bar for a minute or two. She drank a glass of water slowly as people bustled around eating their food and some drinking their liquor. A cluster of people poured into the Inn again eager for a hot breakfast. She got up and quickly arrived at their table to get their orders.

On the way back to the kitchen she bumped into a man. "Oh, I'm sorry sir." She offered him a surprised smile as she apologized. He stuck out a little from the other men. He did not seem as unkempt, "I simply do not know where I walk sometimes." She turned and walked back into the kitchen and gave the kind Chef the latest order. The man mumbled something about being overworked as she walked out of the kitchen. Luckily a few tables had emptied themselves and she walked over to clean them off. She silently hoped for a break between the breakfast and lunch rushes.

She sat down at the bar again and said a friendly hello to the bartender as she sipped on some more water. She sort of wished for a glass of wine. Then wondered if she'd enjoy one later that night just for something to keep her mind off of things. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed the man she had bumped into. He appeared to be staring at her for some reason. She suddenly felt self conscious. She ran a hand through her hair and then took another sip of her water. She turned and stared at the door of the Inn. A few more people filed into the room. She made a mental note to ask the boss for another waitress besides her on duty.

[Marx]

He took a seat at the bar after bumping into the girl and made the decision to make his interest in her abundantly clear. He watched her with keen eyes, that traced her every movement for a good while, ensuring she knew that she alone held his gaze whenever she stepped out of the kitchen. At a point in her serving hours the two made eye contact for a long second, his eyes drifting to the open seat next to him. His gaze became less of interest and held a certain severity when he looked at her after that, as if to say "You must sit here." After the moment of eye contact, he broke his gaze and ordered from the barman, knowing that his point was made. He wanted an audience with her, now it was only a matter of whether she was going to comply. If not, then he'd have to confront her when she was alone. Something he did not particularly want to do.

[Durachka]

The man's expression caused Genevieve to wonder why he was staring at her. She had felt his eyes on her ever since she'd bumped into him. Could he be angry that she had done so and wanted to tell her this? She stood and walked over to another table that needed an order. She smiled and then took the order to the kitchen. Her boss informed her that she'd be allowed a break until the lunch rush at noon. Eve thanked her and then turned towards the bar. She took in a deep breath and walked over. "Hello, Sir. Enjoying your drink?" she said politely as she sat down.

[Marx]

"Hardly. It's cheap beer," Jax said to the girl, finishing his drink with a contradicting gulp of the frothy golden liquid . "I'm willing to wager you have no idea why I'm here, eh?" Jax looked towards her now, his stone grey eyes that ran in the royal bloodline taking her in. He squinted slightly, shifting in his seat as he suddenly brought a hand to her chin, turning her face slightly so he could get a look at the freckles he had yet to see. They were there, staring back at him, verifying his suspicions. Jax released her, his hand dropping back to his side, "Congratulations," he almost mumbled, speaking up suddenly, "I've been sent by my fa- the king to bring you to Castle Reinhardt. He let a sigh from his lips, "Apparently my brother wishes to court you, or so I'm told. Have your things packed by this eve." He turned away from her, raising a hand towards the barkeep for another beer. "Do try to say your goodbyes soon. Neither you nor I are particularly able to refuse this."

[Durachka]

"What do you expect? This Inn isn't rich." She said with a small smile. She glanced at the barman as this man continued to talk. "Nope. No-" Suddenly her face was being grabbed. When he released her she gave him a glare, "Any idea what manners are, sir?" She gulped at his next statement. The king? The castle? The Prince?. This guy must have been drinking before he came into this Inn. "I am dearly sorry, sir, but I don't just throw away everything for some stranger. You could be a kidnapper for all I know. I suggest you lay off the drinks." She stood and began to walk away.

[Marx]

"Girl," Jax shot an arm out at her, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her back to him, standing up in the process. He stood over her, her eyes meeting his chin. Jax brought his hand up to his face, biting onto the finger of his glove and pulled it off. The back of his hand was facing her, as was the royal seal which had been branded into his hand and then traced with purple dye set into his skin. The only people in the kingdom that could afford the dye were the reigning family and those who bore the royal brand without being a member of the household had long since been executed. "I am the second son of King Reinhardt. Now please, accept the bloody truth."

[Durachka]

Genevieve fought against his grip, but seemed to be unable to do it. She knew that the barman would help if things got to out of hand. So she just stood there and stared up into his eyes. She didn't care if she looked a bit ridiculous with her head tilted so steeply. Her eyes widened when she saw the royal crest. Only a few posters in the village even had it posted otherwise she wouldn't know what it looked like or what it meant. She wondered if she should bow...or curtsy or something. Instead she just stuttered out a, "Yo-your Highness. I am deeply sorry for my rudeness." She gulped.

Everyone in the Inn was staring at them. Conversations had gone quiet. Eve's eyes immediately stopped staring into his for that may be a rude thing to do. SHe had no idea how to act around a Prince so she just stood there dumbly and stared at the bar stool behind him. "I will do as you ask immediately as long as you let go of my arm." When he did so she took a few steps back, did a sloppy curtsy, and then walked into the kitchen. Her heart was beating rapidly. She found the chef and told him what was going on. He advised her to do what the Prince asked and just roll with it. So she did just that. She found her boss and talked to the woman. The woman gaped at the news, but simply nodded.

"Your job will be here if you return, Genevieve." She put an affectionate hand on Eve's shoulder, "You always have a home here." Eve nodded and walked out of the kitchen with tears in her eyes. That woman had been a mother to her ever since she got out of the orphanage. She gave Genevieve a place to sleep and a job to earn money. Genevieve quickly shuffled up the stairs and to her attic bedroom. She didn't have much except for a small brush and a raggedy old dress laying around. She left the dress and stuffed the brush into a bag that had some candles, a small pouch of coins, an extra pair of shoes, and her only book. All of the things she owned in the world contained in one small bag.

She took in a deep breath and headed downstairs. She offered a small smile and then just stood there.

[Marx]

"Gods," Jax sighed when the girl apologized, referring to him as your highness. He was not royalty like his brother or his father nor would he ever be anything beyond a knight. He may be the son of the king, but for all intents and purposes he was a bastard in his father's eyes. When the entire room's eyes were drawn upon the two, Jax instinctively froze. Being the center of attention had always been his bane when he was sober and even after the few drinks he already had, his tolerance was still that of an ox. As the girl slid out of his arm and slinked off into the kitchen, he could only assume that the girl was finally going to comply. A relief to Jax as he was already making his way out the front door, the inquisitive cumulative gaze of the bar becoming a bit too much for him.

He waited by the door to the bar, peering in occasionally to see if the girl was ready to take her leave. His horse had been idly waiting for him in the stables and until she was ready to join him, the steed would wait. She made her appearance in a pleasingly timely fashion and with a wave of his hand through the door, he gave her a signal to come along. The second born made his way to the stable well before girl made her way out and quickly took to untying the horse's reigns and mounting the beast. His horse, Leorus was a well bred war horse that stood a solid foot over the other horses among the stable, and had a deep amber coat of fur that almost shined when the sun met it. Leorus was a magnificent beast, one that Jax had first rode as a child and planned to ride for years to come.

The horse trotted slowly to the front of the inn where the girl would be waiting, and Jax gave her a quick look. "Throw your belongings into his saddlebags and climb on, I'd be best for us to not waste time." Jax stole a second glance at her, questioning his own actions now. She was a gorgeous young woman, his brother easily a decade her senior and wide as a cow.It was rather difficult to, in good faith, deliver her to the king, though with Jax... Well, he wasn't particularly in a position to betray his father's wishes. Not if he wished to have his head remain in it's rightful place above his shoulders.

[Durachka]

Genevieve followed him out slowly. She still had no idea what was going on and the entire mess of events was baffling to her. What could the royal family want to do with her? She barely looked presentable on a good day. She wouldn't even think about what she looked like on a bad day. As she walked outside the Prince was already waiting for her with his horse. She stuffed her bag into the saddlebags and then looked at the horse. She still didn't know what all of this was about and it scared her on the inside.

She realized she may as well take a leap of faith so she tried to mount the horse. She realized this might prove difficult because she was in a dress. Usually when she rode she'd wear a pair of pants underneath her skirts. She supposed that would have been a smart idea. She gulped and placed her left foot on the stirrup and hoisted herself up onto the horse. She arranged her skirts so it was not to uncomfortable and sat up straight. She wondered if she should say something, but decided to keep her mouth shut for the time being. She glanced around her hometown for the last time with a frown on her face. When would she see this place again?

Maybe adventure would turn out to be a good thing. She tried reassuring herself of this, but it did not qualm her fears that she held. She had just been picked up by the second son of the King out of nowhere. Thank god she had taken a swim in the stream the night before. Otherwise she'd smell like something died in her skirts. She gripped the saddle so she would not have to wrap her arms around the Prince's waist.

[Marx]

Jax dug his heels into the horse's side, the beast breaking into a gallop. Jax wondered if he should speak to the woman, he had yet to even hear her name. Nor had he actually introduced himself beyond the honorific of being the second son to the king. Perhaps making one another at least remotely familiar would make this ride more bearable, probably not, but it was worth a shot wasn't it? The inn was beginning to meld into the horizon as they rode along, the sun just reaching its apex for the day, marking that there was still half a day worth of riding to be had. If Jax rushed and rode from dawn till dusk every day, they would reach castle Reinhardt in just shy of a week. Or so he guessed. It had been awhile since he took his leave and his path was not exactly linear.

"The name's Jax," he said after they had been riding for nearly half an hour, the silence finally beginning to get under his skin. "My apologies for being rather... brash earlier." He went on, giving a glance behind him to make sure the girl was still, in fact, riding right behind him, "I'm a soldier, not a diplomat. So those kind of situations aren't my forte." Jax wondered what the girl would say to him, if she would even respond to him. He couldn't blame her if she didn't. It was difficult enough to be picked up by a lackey of the king and be hauled off. The lackey trying to make small talk would only make things less uncomfortable, Jax thought with a thin grimace.

[Durachka]

"I'm Genevieve." She said simply, "And its alright. I gather I likely embarrassed myself. I am sorry for some of my rude comments. I'm afraid that situations in which men are...erm," She paused for a second to think of a word, "Inappropriate are my forte." She glanced around the trail they rode upon. She hadn't ever really been outside her small village because she hadn't ever had a need to. The next town was a days journey away and she had never seen it fit to leave.

Everything she could have ever needed was inside those city limits. She found herself missing it with each step the horse took. She wondered exactly why someone of royal caliber would want her. Not to mention the fact she lived so far away from the Kingdom's main city it would be impossible for her to honestly be seen by said royal man. She gulped as she gripped the horse's saddle tightly. She was in for a great many surprises within the next few weeks and she could feel it. That day had only been one in many she expected.

[Marx]

"So perhaps I was a little inappropriate, I could have handled that a lot worse!" Jax said to her comment, The sun was already beginning to set and Jax knew the moon would provide little light tonight. They would have to stop riding much earlier than he would have liked, though he was never particularly fond of riding in the first place. It was just that the sooner this job was done, the sooner he could go about his own business, and the sooner he could distance himself from his family. There was still a good distance for them to travel before the next town, before they could get supplies that would last them the week long journey it would take to get to the next town. The king's castle was still nearly a month's ride away, which also meant that there was a month worth of time for anything and everything to go wrong.

When the night became too dark to ride further, Jax led the horse from the road and dismounted, offering the girl a hand once he was off the horse. "Do you have any idea why the king had sent me to find you?" he asked as he removed the bedroll from the horse. He laid the roll beneath a tree and left it to Genevieve, sitting at the base of the tree. "I have no idea why he needs you, though the king has always been an... eccentric man" he went on, rubbing his temples in a vain attempt to ward off a headache. "The bedroll is yours. I'm well adjusted to sleeping in worse conditions than this," he sighed, closing his eyes slightly, keeping them just open enough to watch the girl.

[Durachka]

Genevieve kept silent throughout the ride until he stopped. She took his hand with a small smile and slid off of the horse. She shook her head, "I'm as ordinary as it gets. Maybe even lower than that. Not to mention I've never even seen a member of any royal family. I have no idea how His Majesty would even know my name or appearance." She took in a deep breath as she sat down on the bedroll and leaned back against the tree behind her. "Thank you." She mumbled. She had no idea how she would get any sleep. Her eyes found the stars and they gave her a small comfort.

She had always loved the stars. They were beautiful and she often wondered if her real parents were one of them. Did they watch over her on life's difficult journey? Or were they still alive and they just didn't want her? So many questions she knew she'd never have an answer for. Now she had many many more. She had no idea what royalty would want to do with her besides ignore her. She often could not take baths, or swims for that matter, therefore, she stank. Her hair was likely a tangled mess. Her personality was stale at best. She knew that sitting there and staring at stars was not likely to calm her so she slid down and got comfortable on the bedroll and closed her eyes.

[Marx]

He was up at the crack of dawn, the soldier in him accustomed to waking at first light. The young lady seemed to be asleep and he wanted to avoid waking her for the time being. If she wasn't up in a few hours, he'd be sure to rouse her, but for the time being he was going to go about his own business. Jax walked over to his horse and went through his pack, grabbing his canteen which was just shy of being completely empty as well as his compound bow and steel headed arrows. From his travels, he knew he was near a river where he planned to refill his canteen and hunt some of the water fowl.

He reached the river in no more than two or three minutes of walking and sat down by the slow flowing river that connected to the sea that separated this kingdom from the next. The water had been as clear as it was when he first passed by a few months back and already. Jax gave a slow and cautious look around, making sure there wasn't anyone in the nearby vicinity before he stripped, folded his clothes neatly, and waded into the river with his bow. If he were to hunt the ducks that floated idly across the river, he may as well take a bath and wash away the filth from riding. His breath slowed as he notched an arrow, drawing it back slowly. His fingers slowly slid from the string, the arrow cutting through air and landing in the closest bird with a dull thump. The current brought the duck to Jax, who tossed the corpse onto the shore by his clothing, adding his bow to the pile. Laying back in the water, he let himself sink until only his his face was above the gentle current, closing his eyes and losing himself to the cold water.

[Durachka]

Genevieve's ears registered movement, but she did not wake completely. For another half hour she stayed in her restful state. Once she did awaken, she smiled softly as she sat up thinking about the day's work and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She'd have to go downstairs and...she stopped as she opened her eyes. The events from the day before came back to her abruptly and she leaned back against the tree. It wasn't a dream. She really was on a road trip towards the Castle for some unknown reason. She glanced around quickly and realized Prince Jax was no where to be found. She ran a hand through her hair as she stood slowly. Her back ached from sleeping on the bed roll. Her bed had been mightily uncomfortable at times, but it was still a bed. There is in fact a difference from a bed roll and a bed.

She stretched as she glanced around their makeshift camp. Which consisted of a bed roll, a horse, and a slight impression on the grass from where Jax had slept. She could see the imprints of his feet near the horse and wondered if he was in the direction in which they went. If she were to follow the tracks she wondered what could happen. Would he get mad at her for leaving camp? Maybe he was hunting or something and she'd just scare off any game that he had cornered. So she sat back down on the bedroll. After about 10 minutes she began to wonder what was going on. She briefly recalled the sound of movement almost an hour before she had woken herself. So that would mean he had been gone for approximately an hour and a half. She stood again and eyed the tracks. What could the man honestly do to her if she was just worried? Right? She walked in the direction in which they pointed. There was a time she could no longer see the tracks in the ground and worried maybe she would get herself lost. It was then that she came across a river. Next to it's bank sat a pair of clothing and...a bloody duck. She glanced at the water and realized her mistake: Jax was swimming in the water butt naked. "oh my god." She said as she turned around quickly. His back was turned to her...maybe he hadn't heard her yet? With the uttering of her words she doubted it.

She crept back towards camp as quietly as she could. Her cheeks burned from the embarrassment. If he hadn't known she had come across him maybe it wasn't honestly an embarrassment? The thought comforted Genevieve a little, but nonetheless her cheeks burned fiercely. She grabbed her bag from the horse and pulled out her book. She decided to act casual for when he came back to camp. So she sat down on the bed roll and began to read. Her eyes did not focus on the pages, however, her mind was still on the river incident. She felt like slapping herself.

[Marx]

Jax stood when he heard an unclear voice that sounded vaguely like Genevieve's from just beyond the bank of the river. "Whoops," he said with a grin and a laugh, trudging to shore as he caught a glimpse of her quickly trying to make her way back to camp. She seemed innocent enough, Jax smiled, a shame she was traveling with a man with little to no shame. He climbed out of the river and walked around for a few minutes, letting himself air dry before throwing on his clothes. It was a bit damp, but it was bearable. He had been covered in head to toe in mud, blood, and whatever else was spilled across the battlefield. Some dampness wouldn't kill him, that was for sure. He grabbed the duck by the neck and began his walk back to the camp, hair still wet and plastered against his skin. The thick scent of sweat was finally gone, replaced with the freshness of the water he bathed in, the dirt that had managed to work its way onto his face also finally being washed away. He had always thought it was worth a good laugh, a member of the royal family living the way he did, even abstaining from the daily baths that his family was so accustomed to. It was a nice luxury to have, but not one that could be had beyond the caste walls.

"Do a bit of exploring while I was away?" Jax asked with a raised eyebrow and a crooked smile, dropping the duck a few feet from her as he made his way to the horse. Jax opened the pack, fishing out a knife he preferred to use to strip an animal and sealed shut the pack once more, going back to the duck. He took a seat on the dirt by the animal and dug his knife into the plumage, pulling the blade away shortly after a quick swipe. He idly plucked the fowl, his gaze on the duck, but looking past it. He was practically on autopilot, having done this dozens of times in the past. "Try not to worry about catching me in the buff, princess." He continued to pull away feather, eventually looking up at her with a small smirk, "If you really wanted to see, all you had to do was ask." He withheld any laughter, looking back down at his task, the fowl missing a good portion of its plumage now. "If we're going to keep traveling together, you're going to have to be smarter with your actions." he continued, his gaze not shifting, "We're not in your small town anymore. There are people that would jump at the opportunity to steal you away and do whatever they please. And if you're going to wander around like that again, you best arm yourself." Jax didn't bother to mention that he had as big a stake in her safety as he did. The king was not a man to show mercy to those that denied him whatever it was he desired, especially to his kin.