[IC] Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow pulled himself into the back of the wagon as everyone in the group readied themselves to leave. This time, Abraxas had been assigned to ride in the cart with him and Hartley. Crow was content with the decision. It wasn’t as pleasant as when Penelope rode with him, but at least he wouldn’t be forced to endure another day of William’s infuriating company. He snagged one of the bags of assorted nuts and seeds that Penelope had bought at the market yesterday, just as the other two climbed into the wagon. As an added bonus, Abraxas was the least observant of the three knights, which meant he could have extra food rations for once. He grinned as he enjoyed his breakfast.

As soon as William and Penelope took up their positions on the horses outside of the cart, they began to move. Hartley sat down near Crow, who subtly passed him food when Abraxas wasn’t looking. The boy may not have been Crow’s favorite travelling companion, but he had to admit it was fun to have another thief as company after spending the last week with only knights to talk to.

“So,” Crow said. He decided he might as well start getting to know Hartley, since they would be trapped together in the wagon all day. “Why did you want to tag along with us?”

“Same reason why I tried to frame you in the market,” Hartley shrugged, popping an almond into his mouth. “I had too much of a reputation back there. I need to move on, and you seemed like an interesting bunch to travel with.”

“I’m surprised you stayed as long as you did,” Crow mused. “I always move on to the next town as soon as I hear my name in a tavern.”

“Yeah, well,” Hartley shifted, suddenly seeming uncomfortable. “I have a reputation in a lot of towns around here, actually. Not as a thief, but as a screw up. I guess I just preferred being known as a successful thief than a man who can’t hold down a job.”

Crow eyed Hartley thoughtfully. Every thief he had ever met had baggage, but this was the first time the kid had mentioned his own. It wasn’t much, but it somehow made Crow feel closer to him. He threw an arm over the boy’s shoulders in a friendly manner, “Who cares? There are always going to be people in your life that think you’re a failure, but guess what? You can just take all their money.” He grinned at Hartley. “If you’re really as successful at stealing as you say you are; they won’t know what hit them.”

“I guess so,” Hartley managed a smile. “Maybe you’re right. I shouldn’t care what anyone else thinks of me.”

“Now you’re getting it, kid,” Crow nodded sagely. “Life as a thief is a whole lot easier when you do it all for yourself, and don’t give a damn what anyone else says.”

“Sounds lonely to me,” Abraxas spoke up from the other side of the wagon. His eyes shifted concernedly between Crow and Hartley, as if he didn’t know what to think about the thieves’ conversation.

“Hey, look,” Crow pointed at the young knight and winked at Hartley. “Another guy who doesn’t get it. What do we do with him?”

“Show him I’m a successful thief,” Hartley’s smile broadened into a grin. He raised the sunflower seeds Crow had just passed to him and threw them at Abraxas.

“W-wait! Where did you get those?” Abraxas spluttered, wide eyed.

The two thieves doubled over laughing, and Hartley turned to Crow, “You know, you’re cooler than I thought.”

“And you’re not quite as annoying as I thought,” Crow smirked as Hartley punched him in the arm. “Alright, alright. You’re not bad, kid.”

“William,” Abraxas called anxiously to the knight outside the wagon. “The thieves are bonding… What do I do?”

[BuzzingBee]

“Then separate them Abraxas!” William replied sharply to the younger knight. Meanwhile, Penelope suppressed a laugh at Abraxas’ worry over the bonding thieves. She glanced over at William and gave a small snort that he didn’t seem to detect as he focused back on the road. She was rather sure that poor Abraxas didn’t stand a chance against those two.

Though, she didn’t know if she felt too happy about hearing Hartley and Crow beginning to get along. At best, she hoped Crow might be able to be a positive influence on the young thief. Maybe even get him to ease up on all the flirting he did if she was lucky. However, there was the fact that they were both thieves and likely finding common ground in that. While she respected and even understood Crow, Penelope didn’t quite completely support his career. She was still a knight after all and believed there were better ways to help out the kingdom.

But it’s just one aspect of a whole person... Penelope reminded herself. Even though some people just focus on that one aspect...The knight glanced at William and frowned faintly to herself. Had she not been constantly stuck with Crow, Penelope didn’t doubt that if given enough time and training that she would have ended up no better than William. It was taught to every knight that criminals were lower than dirt and a threat to everyday life. Penelope had never fully accepted that, she had a lot of questions about how criminals became criminals but never any answers. Like some of her fellow knights, she created a barrier between her and any rule breaker. That is, until she spent time with Crow. A small feeling a guilt washed over her as she recalled how she had acted at the beginning of their journey.

“I swear...” William grumbled, breaking Penelope from her thoughts as he spoke about Abraxas. “That boy can be so incompetent sometimes..”

“Cut him some slack.” Penelope muttered. “He’s trustworthy in a fight... even if he is a bit air-headed at times.”

“I guess.” William huffed.

“William.. I’ve got a question.” Penelope announced. William side-glanced over at her. “Well what is it?” He asked.

“How do you think people become criminals?” She asked, earning herself a narrowed-eyed look from William. “Don’t look at me like I’m crazy. Think about it. All criminals have a starting point right?”

William groaned, not seeming very amused with Penelope’s question. “Yes, I suppose you’re right.. I don’t know how they start. Maybe it’s an adrenaline rush or something. Or maybe they’ve fooled themselves into thinking it’s their only option to survive. Either way, they break the law. They make a poor choice that effects good, hardworking citizens. They’ll always make some excuse for it of course. Blame the king or some noble. Point is, they put any blame on themselves.” He rambled off to Penelope. “A good liar can even convince themselves they’re not lying. And that’s something you should always keep in mind.”

“Right.” Penelope mumbled, barely even listening to the older knight. She had been hoping to hear some sort of small bit of sympathy or understanding from William but there was none. Her questioning only forced her to listen to some lecture about how terrible law-breakers were. She sighed and looked off in the distance as they traveled onward to the next town, yet another silence falling between the two knights.

[Rogue Sloth]

“Okay,” Abraxas said slowly. He looked between Crow and Hartley as if unsure how to follow William’s order to separate them. He knitted his brow and sat up a little straighter in an attempt to be more commanding, “One of you two, go sit over there.” He pointed at the opposite corner of the wagon. “And the other one, stay where you are.”

“Oh, yeah?” Hartley said with a sneer. “And what are you gonna do about it if we don’t?”

Abraxas hesitated, seeming unprepared for resistance. After a moment, he drew his sword, “I-I’ll make you!”

“Come on,” Hartley laughed. “Crow could take you in a fight any day, isn’t that right?” He elbowed the older thief.

“Now, now,” Crow held up his hands with mock humility. “Let’s just do what he wants.”

“Wha—” the boy started and then stopped when he caught sight of Crow’s devious smirk. Catching on quickly, he shrugged: “If you say so.”

“I’ll go to the corner of shame,” Crow volunteered, rising to his feet. He passed by Abraxas, resting a hand on the young knight’s shoulder. “I guess you got us.”

“Keep moving, thief,” Abraxas growled with unpracticed authority. His attempt to sound threatening was amusing to Crow.

“Sure thing, Sir Knight,” Crow complied, plopping himself down in the corner farthest from Hartley. He looked up at the young thief, “I just thought of a game we can play.” He held up a dagger, tightly sheathed in leather. At the sight of it, Abraxas’s eyes widened and his hand flew to his hip, where his dagger had been a moment before. As the truth of the situation hit him, he narrowed his eyes at the thief, “Give that back.”

“Ah ah ah,” Crow waved the weapon back and forth. “That would ruin the game.” He tossed the dagger up into the air. It sailed over Abraxas’s head, spinning rapidly, and landed in Hartley’s outstretched palm. “If you want it back, you’re going to have to steal it from us.” He caught the sheathed blade as the young thief threw it back to him, grinning smugly at Abraxas. “Or are you too good for that because you’re a noble knight, full of glory and honor and whatnot?”

“I’m not going to play a game with criminals!” Abraxas said. He held up his sword, but Crow could see the worry in his eyes. William wasn’t afraid to disobey the king’s orders for the sake of his pride, but Abraxas was too obedient to lay so much as a finger on the thief. Crow flung the dagger over his head once more.

“This is worse,” the blonde knight muttered as he tried futilely to intercept the small object that hurtled over him. “This is so much worse…”

--

Eventually, they reached the outskirts of another small town. William stopped the wagon far enough away from it that he could have Penelope dismount before anyone would be close enough to question why a woman was riding alongside a knight. As they travelled deeper into the Kingdom of Younis, they needed to be more careful about keeping their heads down. The knight turned to the group, “We didn’t get everything we needed at the last market since someone decided to cause trouble.” He shot Crow a venomous look, to which the thief simply shrugged. “So we’ll be making a brief stop here.” He turned to Penelope. “Since you’re the most adept at the native accent, I’m putting you in charge of picking up whatever we didn’t get in the other town.”

“I want to come too,” Hartley piped up, stepping forward.

“You’ll stay here, thief,” William glowered at him. “Penelope will be just fine on her own.”

“You obviously don’t know anything about Younis,” the boy rolled his eyes.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means women aren’t allowed to walk around in public without the escort of a man,” Hartley explained. “She’ll be arrested if she goes by herself.”

“Then Abraxas can go with her.”

“Not exactly…” Hartley tilted his head. “You two are dressed up like Younisian knights. It would be just as strange for one of you to be accompanying a peasant woman. She needs to be seen with someone of her own status.” He sauntered up to the female knight, waggling his eyebrows flirtatiously. “I’d be glad to escort a beauty like you, Penelope.”

“Alright, kid,” Crow stepped up to intervene. “You’re not the only one here who could escort her. I think it would be more realistic if she’s seen with someone her own age.”

“You’re not going anywhere, Lockton,” William growled. “You’ve caused enough trouble for us. I’m not letting you out of my sight again.”

Crow turned to him in surprise, “But—”

“Don’t bother,” William pinched the bridge of his nose. “As much as I dislike it, the boy can go with Penelope. You,” he pointed back at the wagon. “Can stay put in there.”

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope looked at William as the knight assigned her to get the supplies that hadn’t been able to retrieve. She gave a curt nod of agreement before Hartley intervened with his knowledge on how women weren’t allowed without an escort. The knight raised an eyebrow at Hartley as he sauntered up to her side, eager to volunteer to accompany her. For a brief moment, she was hopefully that Crow would be allowed to go with her instead, however, William quickly shut that down.

She didn’t protest and merely shrugged her shoulders. “Alright.” She said with a small nod to William before reluctantly turning to Hartley. “Let’s get going.”

The knight turned to head off with the younger thief following closely besides her. She side glanced over at the thief. “Have you been in this town before?” She asked as she looked around for a store.

“I passed through it once.. I think.” Hartley said and turned to grin at her. He was clearly giddy at the chance to be alone with Penelope. “But don’t worry! I think I’ve already spotted a shop up ahead. So what’s on the list?”

“Medicine. Food. Basic supply stuff.” Penelope replied. She looked ahead to where Hartley had pointed out the store and set off in that direction.

“You’re sure in a hurry today!” Hartley chuckled as he followed. “Let’s slow down. Take our time away from everyone else.”

“I doubt William would like that very much.” Penelope said rolling her eyes. “He’s already in a mood because of what happened yesterday.”

“True enough.” Hartley laughed. “You should have seen it! Those two were really entertaining. Of course, neither of them were as amazing as you fighting the other day.”

“Thanks.” Penelope mumbled. She looked over at the annoying young thief and tilted her head slightly. “What I can’t understand is why you’re still pursuing me after yesterday. You know I’m a knight now and I even agreed with William yet you haven’t given up in the least.”

Hartley blushed a bit at her and put on a charming smile. “Well I don’t give up easily.” He said softly, taking the moment to lean in closer to her. “Just because you feel one way now doesn’t mean I can’t change your mind.” He added with a wink. “And I’m very determined to do just that.”

Penelope blinked, freezing slightly. Though she held no feelings for him, she had to admit that was one of his better tries at flirting with her. She let a sigh and shook her head. “You’re a stubborn one kid.” She mused as she walked ahead to enter the shop. “Let’s just try to be friends first, alright?”

Hartley seemed to pout slightly. “I guess.. But that doesn’t mean I’m giving up!” He declared as he followed.

“Of course not.” Penelope said rolling her eyes. Boy this kid was a stubborn one.

The two went on to shop without much trouble this time. Though, Penelope did have to stop Hartley from stealing some small trinket that had caught his eye. Luckily for them, no one else, including the shop owner seemed to notice. Once they had finished their shopping, Penelope and Hartley headed out to join back up with the others.

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow leaned against the side of the wagon, his arms folded over his chest, as he watched Penelope and Hartley walk off together. He had been hoping William would let him go in the boy’s stead since it did make more sense for the female knight to be escorted by someone closer to her in age. Unfortunately, the hardheaded man cared more about punishing him for “causing trouble”— Crow still maintained that the mess in the marketplace had been Hartley’s fault—than he did about seeming believable.

“Don’t make me repeat myself,” William grumbled, gesturing for Crow to get into the wagon.

“I’m not going back in there,” Crow said without meeting the knight’s gaze. “If you get to take a break and stretch your legs, then so do I.”

“You should know better than to test my patience, thief,” William rested a hand on the hilt of his sword.

“And you should remember I’m the reason you’re here,” Crow retorted. “The king sent me, not you, to do this mission, and I’d like to be in condition to carry out the job. That includes taking a break from that cramped cart every once in a while.”

William glared at him for a moment before he finally stood down, “Fine. For the sake of our performance in Younis, you are permitted to remain outside until Penelope returns.”

“Thanks for your generosity,” Crow drawled sarcastically. He turned away from the knight and glanced back at the forms of Penelope and Hartley as they receded into the distance.

As long as he was free to be outside, he decided he might as well genuinely gauge his level of fitness. Since the beginning of their journey a week ago, he had put on a little more weight. He wasn’t as rail thin as he had been the day he left prison. Additionally, the fights and other trouble he had encountered had helped him regain some of his former strength and stamina. He had noticed that he was able to run faster and longer when he had escaped from the noble camp than when he and Penelope had gotten away from the same group at the Gods’ Mirror Pond. It wasn’t much overall—he was still far from his peak—but it was something.

Crow stepped over to a nearby tree and gazed up at the branches. They looked sturdy enough to hold his weight. He reached up and grabbed the lowest branch with both hands, giving it a few sharp tugs. It held firm.

“What are you doing, thief?” William asked cautiously, watching him from off to the side.

“Just testing something,” Crow answered vaguely. He turned his attention back to the tree. Inhaling sharply, he jumped, lifting himself off the ground. His underused biceps flexed, straining against his weight as he hauled himself onto the branch. Though climbing was a bit more difficult for him than it had been a year ago, he managed to swing somewhat gracefully into the tree.

“Get down from there,” William snapped.

“Relax,” Crow grinned at him, rising precariously to his feet. “I’m training for my assignment.” Ignoring the knight’s protests, he reached for another branch over his head and ascended higher into the tree. He enjoyed the feeling of working his body in ways that stretched its abilities, and climbing was one of the best ways to do that. He relished in the cool breeze on his skin, the burn in his arms and legs, and the pumping of his heart. It made him feel alive.

When he reached a point where the branches grew too thin to hold his weight, Crow stopped going higher. He sat down, dangling his legs over the edge of the branch he was perched on, and looked out over the town. Being so far above the ground made him feel powerful. He could see everything, but he was untouchable without a bow. It was an incredible sensation.

He peered down to see a red-faced William still shouting up at him. “I have permission to be outside as long as Penelope is gone,” he called down to the knight. “You never said where.”

“Damn thief!” William spat. “Come back down here now!” He suddenly noticed Penelope and Hartley as they approached from the town. He turned to his comrade, somewhat reluctantly, for help. “Penelope, get the idiot out of the tree. He listens to you for some unknown reason.”

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope noticed William looking up at a tree with clear frustration as she and Hartley drew nearer. She held back a smirk as William spotted her and reluctantly asked for her help. Hartley was grinning in amusement as he watched Crow up in the tree. Penelope held her chin up a little higher as she walked up to William.

“Huh... wonder why that is.” She mumbled sarcastically to his comment about how Crow listened to her. She visibly shot William an annoyed look. It was crazy to her how he could be so oblivious to the reason why Crow was willing to listen to her rather than him. Especially after the big deal he made about her treatment of the thief the day before.

“What was that?” William questioned, narrowing his gaze at her. Penelope waved a hand dismissively.

“Nothing.” She replied calmly, biting back a sharp comment about why Crow was willing to listen to her rather than William. Luckily, William wasn’t going to pester her about her small comment, even though part of her wished he had. It’s not like he’d understand even if I tried... She thought with a small snort.

“Just get him down. He’s already set us behind enough.” William growled, sending a glare up at Crow.

“Here, help the other thief put away the stuff we got and I’ll get him down ok? We’ll be on the road again soon enough.” She told William as she handed off the bag she had been carrying to the older knight. Hopefully her words would calm him down some, especially since she felt slightly bad for sticking Hartley with the older knight. The kid was annoying but Penelope didn’t completely hate him. She just figured it was best to get William out of the way before bothering to talk to Crow.

William grumbled something under his breath but took the supplies. “Come on.” He snapped at Hartley before turning to head over to the cart. Hartley glanced at Penelope before reluctantly following the older knight with the bag he carried.

Penelope turned and walked over to the base of the tree and looked up at Crow. With the other two busy and out of the way, the knight relaxed slightly as she got a chance to briefly speak to Crow alone. “Having fun? I see you’re giving William another heart attack today.” She said in amusement. “So much so that he’s sending me over to get you down despite everything he was yelling about yesterday."

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow watched the exchange between William and Penelope with interest. The older knight was acting like he didn’t understand why the thief preferred her, but Crow knew he was just trying to save face. William would never admit his method of handling criminals was inferior to someone else’s. He shifted his weight on the branch so he was laying down on his stomach as he continued to observe the knights below him.

Eventually William left with Hartley, leaving Penelope to talk to Crow alone. He grinned down at her when she said he was giving William a heart attack. “Eye for an eye, darling,” he said, casually dangling one arm over the edge of the branch. “I’m just returning the favor for yesterday.” He pushed himself to his knees and stood up, balancing steadily as he leaned against the trunk of the tree. “Although I suppose I can give him a break, since I said I’d come down when you got back.”

He hopped down to branch a little farther down the tree, landing smoothly before he continued working his way from bough to bough. Climbing back to the ground was its own type of thrill. It wasn’t as strenuous as going up, since he wasn’t fighting against his own weight, but he still had to be careful about finding sure footing. This time, he practiced his speed, shifting his weight back and forth as he maneuvered effortlessly to the branch he had use to hoist himself up in the beginning.

When he reached the branch, he used one arm to swing himself out of the tree, touching down lightly on the forest floor. He couldn’t help showing off a little bit in front of Penelope. He dusted himself off and walked with her back towards the wagon, “Since you’re back so soon, I take it your trip to the town was uneventful?”

Up ahead, he saw William frowning at a map in Abraxas’s hands. They talked quietly amongst themselves for a moment before the older knight turned to address Penelope, “From here on out, we’ll be travelling through Younisian towns, so you and Abraxas will be switching places.” His lip curled of its own accord, as he was clearly upset about the situation. “Since we’re leaving the forest behind, we’ll be staying in the local inns, which means…” he turned to Crow and Hartley unhappily. “You two must arrange our stays.”

“Are you saying you need me?” Crow said, his eyes wide in mock astonishment.

“You have one job to do for the next few days,” William muttered sourly. “Don’t push your luck, and don’t mess it up, thief.” He walked back to his horse, muttering about inconveniences under his breath.

“I bet he’s regretting not learning the accent now,” Crow nudged Penelope. He took up his position in the wagon bed once again, pleased with how things were turning out.

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope took a small step back to give Crow room as he joined her on the ground. She nodded her head as he asked about their trip to the store. “Pretty much.” She said with a shrug. The knight turned her attention over to William and Abraxas as William turned to address her. She walked closer to join the other knights. At the news that she would be traveling in her usual spot with the back, Penelope managed to keep a serious expression and only gave a small mumble of agreement despite being quite happy about hearing this new information.

She watched as William walked off to his horse, clearly not happy about the current predicament. She glanced at Crow and nodded her head in agreement. “Oh I’m sure he is.” She said with an amused expression. She turned and followed the two thieves into the back of the cart. She sat down at her usual post near the exit and leaned back against the wall of the wagon.

“I was hoping I wouldn’t have to constantly stick my head out of this thing just to talk to you.” Hartley said excitedly as he sat down near Penelope. “Though, those other two are fun to mess with.”

“I wouldn’t mess with William too much though.” She warned, shaking her head. She wondered if the kid ever took anything seriously. He always seemed so carefree, something Penelope just couldn’t wrap her mind around. “Also what were you two doing to Abraxas earlier?” She asked, glancing between Crow and Hartley. “The poor guy seemed freaked out.”

“Nothing! We were just messing around.” Hartley said innocently before shooting a knowing grin towards Crow. “He just doesn’t have any sense of humor.”

Penelope rolled her eyes. “Right..” She said with a small smile. The knight turned her head to look out the cart. “Well at least neither of us are stuck with them now.” She told Crow, also feeling pleased that she no longer had to spend her time in less than desirable company. The knight was much less on guard since she knew William couldn’t keep a close eye on her and Crow now that he was stuck riding with Abraxas. Though, admittedly she did pity Abraxas a bit. The slightly younger knight would constantly be lost on what to do with the two thieves if he had been forced to stay back there.

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow settled down comfortably in the wagon with Penelope and Hartley. He could already tell that this leg of their journey would be far more pleasant than the last. Without William breathing down his neck or Abraxas fumbling for control, he could finally let down the guard he had been keeping up for the last two days. He leaned into the pile of blankets, feeling at ease.

Naturally, Hartley sat himself down next to Penelope. They spoke for a while as the knight asked what had happened when Abraxas was on guard. Hartley simply answered that he and Crow had been ‘messing around,’ to which the older thief shrugged in agreement. He let out an exaggerated sigh when Penelope spoke about how neither of them would be stuck with William or Abraxas again for a while, “Thank the gods for that. I don’t know how much longer I could go without giving William a reason to kill me.”

“On the subject of people killing you,” Hartley spoke up brightly. “Why can’t William? I remember you mentioning you have a king’s protection.” His dark brown eyes lit up excitedly. “What’s that all about?”

“Let’s just say I need to steal something for the King of Brerra,” Crow said nonchalantly. “And if I die before I get it, that king is going to be pretty angry.”

“What do you need to steal?” Hartley pressed.

Crow hesitated. The kid seemed innocent enough, but he was still a Younisian. He might have been loyal to the Younisian king, and Crow didn’t want to risk making him turn against them. “Don’t worry about it,” he waved a hand dismissively. “It’s nothing special. The King of Brerra is a collector of weird things, and he just wanted me to get him something from Younis.”

“Fine, don’t tell me,” Hartley pouted. He turned to Penelope, smiling coyly, “Whatever it is, I bet its beauty doesn’t come close to yours.”

Crow snorted as he watched the boy flirt. Hartley was insatiable. Although, he was thankful Hartley was as young and tactless as he was, or he may have actually been competition to worry about. The thief shook his head, Who am I kidding? It wouldn’t matter either way. Penelope isn’t interested in criminals like us. She’s a noblewoman; and noblewomen end up with noblemen. Thieves like us aren’t good enough for someone of her status.

[BuzzingBee]

The knight shifted a bit as Hartley asked about the king. She looked over at Crow as he went on to answer, glad that he masked it over with a dismissive and vague answer. Hartley seemed harmless enough but Penelope still believed there were certain aspects they should keep quiet about in regards to their mission. As the young thief took the opportunity to flirt with her once more, the knight gave a disapproving look.

“Anyways,” Penelope began in an attempt to switch the subject away from both herself and the mission. “I’m surprised you’re still so eager to join us... Knowing we’re knights and all.”

“Well it was certainly a shocker, I’ll admit that.” Hartley laughed before shrugging his shoulders. “But, you’re interesting group and it was time for me to leave that place anyways.”

Penelope looked over at the thief and raised an eyebrow. He seemed to end his words on a more serious note that made her want to ask more about where he was even planning to go. However, she didn’t get the chance as the young thief went quickly went on with his usual act.

“And of course, the heart wants what the hearts wants.” He added with a wink. “You were the one that said one’s job doesn’t define them after all.”

The knight blinked as he threw her words back at her. The heart wants what the hearts wants... Her thoughts echoed the saying. Unconsciously, she snuck a glance towards Crow and felt her face heat up slightly at the thought of pursuing him. Hartley didn’t seem to catch the glance and instead seemed to be beaming at the thought that he made Penelope blush. The knight barely even noticed as she let out a soft sigh.

“Well then your heart is being foolish.” Penelope mumbled as she reminded herself that a thief and knight together made no sense. He’d never be interest in me anyways. I’m lucky he’s even willing to be my friend... She scolded herself.

“We’ll see.” Hartley said slyly, feeling especially confident after seeing her face turn a bit red.

Penelope didn’t bother to reply to the thief after that and merely turned her head to watch the sky as they traveled onward. She could help but feel that familiar pang of sadness that she had felt after discovering Olivia had been lying about Crow’s feelings toward her. The knight fell quiet for a moment as she tried to clear her head.

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow was just beginning to tune out Penelope and Hartley’s conversation when the boy said something that caught his attention. ‘The heart wants what the heart wants,’ huh? He thought, surprised at the depth of Hartley’s words. I’m impressed the kid came up with something like that. He knew it to be true though. His heart longed for Penelope, even though it seemed like everything and everyone was against him. Their gap in their statuses, the culture of Brerra, their individual futures… all of it stood as a barrier. He couldn’t go after the knight, even if he knew she wanted him too. But she doesn’t, he reminded himself. She doesn’t have feelings for me the way I do for her.

He glanced back at the others, and was surprised to see—for a fleeting moment—a slight redness in Penelope’s cheeks. She was blushing… and she was looking at him. His heart began to pound in his chest. Could it be that he had been wrong? Was there more to her kindness than mere friendship? For a moment, he wondered if there was a chance after all.

“Well then your heart is being foolish,” Penelope said to Hartley. There was a stubbornness to her voice that quickly dashed Crow’s short-lived hope. He turned away again, staring out the window of the wagon as the buildings in the town rolled by. Of course there wasn’t a chance. Penelope was a beautiful woman. Why would she want to be with a thief when she could have any noble she wanted—someone who could care for her the way she deserved to be cared for.

He knew he could never treat her properly. Since she didn’t approve of stealing, he couldn’t even claim to be able to provide food or shelter for her without going about it through less than wholesome means. He had never learned how to tend a field like the other men in the outer villages, so he couldn’t farm. He also didn’t know anything about blacksmithing or carpentry or other jobs that required a specific skillset. Thievery was his whole life—and it was a life Penelope wanted nothing to do with.

Still wrought with disappointment, Crow closed his eyes. He didn’t want to keep thinking about Penelope, since the thoughts brought him nothing but pain. He wanted to sleep and put it all behind him. The rise and fall of his chest grew softer as he slowly faded into slumber.

--

Crow dreamed he was back in Brerra. He stood in the center of a large ballroom in the king’s castle, while nobles danced in circles around him. He looked down at himself, only to find that he was dressed in an expensive surcoat. As he wondered how he had gotten there, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see his father and mother standing beside him, both beaming proudly.

“You’ll do just fine, son,” his father said, giving Crow’s shoulder a squeeze before letting his hand fall.

“No matter what, we love you,” his mother stepped forward in a lavish gown and wrapped her arms around him in an embrace.

“Thank you,” Crow found himself leaning forward in an eloquent bow. His feet carried him away from his parents and towards a nearby staircase, where he stepped into line with a dozen other young noblemen. He looked up to see the king of Brerra—a green-eyed man sporting a balding head of white hair and a silvery beard, with a jagged scar across his face—standing over the crowd.

“Honored guests and venerated suitors,” the king’s voice boomed, sending a hush across the audience. “I am pleased to announce that my daughter, Princess Penelope Vermillion, has made her decision.” There was a brief applause, and then the king went on. “After a season of courting, the princess has chosen the man whom she wishes to marry.” His stern eyes swept over the line of noblemen, coming to a rest on Crow. He could feel the excitement bubbling up inside of him as he predicted what the king was going to say.

“Prince Lockton, step forward.”

Crow felt his legs carry him forward once more as he complied. He bowed deeply to the king, keeping his emotions in check.

“I give you my blessing to marry my daughter,” the king stepped aside, holding out a hand to the princess who had appeared at his side. Though he was still positioned in a bow, Crow snuck a peek at her. His breath caught in his throat.

Princess Penelope was gorgeous. Her long brunette hair was pinned and braided in a complex style; her smiling face shone radiantly down upon him; her scarlet dress flowed like water around her body, cinching in the middle to show off her supple waist. Every small movement she made was full of grace, but best of all was the friendly, yet mischievous simper on her pink lips that seemed to say: I don’t like all this pomp and pageantry any more than you do.

“Come, young prince, and join your betrothed,” the king said with a welcoming gesture.

Crow’s heart fluttered with nervous excitement as he climbed the stairs to stand beside the two royals. When he reached the top, the king took his and Penelope’s hands in his own and raised them to the spectators. “Kingdom of Brerra,” he said proudly. “I present to you your future king and queen!” The crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Crow and Penelope met each other’s gazes. She grinned at him in that infectious way of hers, and his heart skipped a beat. He felt like the luckiest man in the world.

Before he knew what he was doing, Crow swept the princess up in his arms and pressed his lips to hers in a passionate kiss. He didn’t know where he had come from or how he had gotten there. All he knew was that he never wanted the moment to end…

--

“Crow… Hey, Crow! Wake up!”

Crow blinked his eyes open and looked around the wagon in a daze, momentarily forgetting where he was. Where were all of the nobles? The king? His bride? Suddenly, everything came back to him all at once and his heart sank. It had been a dream. He wasn’t in the palace of Brerra; he was in a cart in some Younisian town. He wasn’t engaged to marry Penelope either. Even though the dream had been pleasant, it left him in a dismal mood.

“Get up, lazy ass,” Hartley stood over him with his hands on his hips. “We’re here. William needs us to go to the inn and arrange a room.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Crow groaned, sitting up and rubbing his eyes with the heel of his palm. “Give me a second, okay?” Still disoriented from his vivid dream, he took a moment to gather his bearings by letting his green eyes wander over his surroundings. Hartley stood impatiently off to his side, William and Abraxas were outside of the wagon discussing something, and Penelope…

His heart leapt into his throat as memories of his dream resurfaced. He felt warmth creep up his neck and into his face, and he quickly turned away from her, willing the flush to go away. He needed some time away from her so he could forget about the dream.

“Let’s go,” he said to Hartley, rising to his feet.

The young thief eyed him for a moment before nodding, “Took you long enough.” He hopped down from the wagon and led the way to the inn, with Crow following right behind him.

Once they were away from the wagon, Hartley slowed his pace to walk at Crow’s side. “So,” he narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the older thief. “What was that about?”

“What are you talking about?” Crow said, feigning confusion though he was pretty sure he knew what the boy was going to say.

“That look you were giving my Penelope,” Hartley said. “Don’t pretend like you don’t know. I saw it.”

Crow sighed. There was no point in hiding it when the kid had caught him. “It’s nothing,” he explained. “Just a dream that didn’t mean anything.”

“Oh,” Hartley smirked at him knowingly. “Don’t worry. I get it.”

“It wasn’t like that,” Crow gave the boy a shove.

“Sure,” Hartley winked at him.

“Just shut up,” Crow shook his head, deciding it was better to leave the kid to his assumptions than tell him about the details of his actual dream.

When they reached the entrance of the inn, Crow held open the door for Hartley to walk through with him. “Let’s get that room, shall we?” he said, taking on his Younisian accent once again.

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope found the rest of the trip to be rather uneventful. Though, her talk with Hartley had put her in a rather somber mood. The small talk of love and desires had only brought the pain of the barriers that prevented her from simply ‘following her heart’. Is love always so painful? The knight wondered. It seemed to be true the more she thought about the various types of love.

She loved her family, but they always kept her at a distance and her brother seemed to barely even tolerate her at times. She loved her friends, but since most of them were also nobles and knights, they were often greedy, selfish or cruel, either to people in general or those of lower classes. She loved Crow, but he was unattainable to her. The knight frowned as her mood was brought down by such thoughts.

Once they reached the inn, Penelope was quick to step out of the cart. She hoped focusing back on the mission and some rest would allow her to clear her troubled mind. She waited for Hartley as the younger thief woke Crow up. Once the two had joined up with the knights, Penelope walked on, following William and Abraxas as they headed into the inn.

Penelope glanced around as they stepped inside. It wasn’t too different from the inns she had stayed at in Brerra. She noticed William reluctantly stood back to let Hartley and Crow take the lead this time. The older knight was making no effort to hide the sour expression he had on his face that clearly showed how unhappy he was with the situation. He was very worried they would try something funny.

Hartley nodded in agreement with Crow and quickly stepped up to the innkeeper. “Hello! We need two rooms please! One for the boys and one for me and missus.” He said with a wink at the innkeeper who looked past him towards Penelope.

Penelope rolled her eyes and gave the back of Hartley’s boot a small kick. The boy jumped slightly before grinning at the innkeeper. “Ah make that just one actually.” He said with a chuckle as he noticed both Penelope and William glaring at him from where they stood.

“Right...” The innkeeper said looking at the group with some confusion on what was happening. Penelope felt a bit worried the man might grow a bit suspicious of why two knights were hanging around three peasants. “Well, how big of a room are you looking for?"

[Rogue Sloth]

As they entered the lobby of the inn, Crow took a moment to look around. It was surprisingly nice compared to the inns in the outskirts of Brerra. It wasn’t lavishly decorated, but it was well maintained. The floors had been recently swept, the ceiling wasn’t boarded with wood planks, and the space was well-lit by strategically placed lanterns. It was amazing how much better condition this peasant inn was than the ones he had known in his own kingdom. He wondered with a pang of wistfulness if the outer villages would have looked like this if the king of Brerra hadn’t taken all of their money.

He suddenly realized he didn’t know anything about the Younisian king. What kind of a person was he? By the looks of the of the towns they had been passing through, the man seemed much more generous than the king of Brerra. Yet his kingdom is the one that will be annexed, he recalled dolefully.

Crow stepped up to the counter with Hartley, rolling his eyes when the boy tried to reserve a separate room for himself and Penelope. It was a ridiculous request, but it was one Crow secretly wished he could have made as well. The thought of sharing a private room with her sent his heart racing once more, and he had to remind himself to focus on the task at hand.

“Well, how big of a room are you looking for?”

Crow glanced back over his shoulder to see William subtly gesturing the number two. He shot the knight an annoyed look. He really expects us to sleep on the floor, even though we’re doing all the work around here? Crow wouldn’t stand for that. He turned back to the innkeeper with his best charismatic smile, speaking loudly enough that the knights standing behind him would be able to hear: “We’d like a room with five beds, one for each of us.”

“Fortunately for you, we have one room left of that size,” the man behind the desk reached for a key on the wall behind him. “That will be eighty-five Tael.”

“Great,” Crow said. “One moment.” He turned away from the man and stepped over to William, who was trying to suppress a glare, and held out his hand. “Well? I need money to pay for this room.”

“You fool,” the knight curled his lip at him. “A room that big is going to waste our gold.”

“I would have been fine sharing a bed with Hartley,” Crow shrugged. “But I had a feeling you’d find a way to make us sleep on the floor if we paid for just three beds, so here we are.”

William’s face reddened with anger, but after a moment, he handed over a satchel, “Just buy the damn room.”

“Thanks a lot,” Crow smirked at him and took the satchel, returning to the innkeeper. “Let’s see. Eighty-five, you said?” He cast Hartley a swift, pleading look, hoping the boy would figure out he didn’t know the conversion rate for Younisian Tael.

Fortunately, Hartley understood and jumped in, handing the innkeeper four gold coins and one silver. “Keep the change,” he said with a wink.

The man handed Crow the key to their room and gave him brief directions to find it. He nodded his thanks and headed back to the others. “I don’t know about you, he grinned smugly at William. “But I’m ready to pass out on a nice, soft bed tonight.”

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope stood back besides Abraxas as she watched Crow and William butt heads once again. She smirked a little but held her tongue. She found that having Hartley around might prove more useful than previously thought since he was able to help them with simple things that the people of Younis knew that the three knights and thief of Brerra did not. As Crow returned, William was clearly trying to hold back his anger at the thief’s smug remark. He glanced toward Penelope, as if trying to tell her to control him.

The female knight shrugged her shoulders. “Too late now.” She mumbled to her comrade before turning to follow Hartley and Crow to the room. It was at the end of a long hallway that seemed fairly quiet despite the other rooms nearby. Hartley held the door of the room open for Penelope, flashing a charming grin her way. As soon as the female knight had passed, the young thief quickly stepped in after her causing for the door to almost hit the unsuspecting Abraxas.

Penelope glanced over the five beds before moving to take the one on the far right. The knight stretched and sat down on the bed, feeling a bit weary now that she was finally able to relax. William was quick to take the bed closest to the door, eying the thieves with hatred. “Enjoy it while you can, thief.” He grumbled to Crow. “You’ll be back on the floor where you belong after this.”

Hartley moved to lay back on one of the beds near Penelope. “Ahhhh, this definitely beats sleeping on the ground.” He said as he stretched out comfortably.

With everyone settling down for the night, Penelope laid down in the bed she had chosen. She had wrapped herself rather tightly with a blanket and found herself quickly drifting off to sleep. With pesky thoughts and worries pushed away by tiredness, the knight was able to have a deep and peaceful sleep.

---

“Rise and shine~!” Sang a soft voice that stirred Penelope from her sleep along with a couple gentle taps.

She slowly opened her eyes to find it was Hartley, who had quickly volunteered to wake her once again. The knight gave a sleepy nod to the thief as she sat up in her bed. “I’m up, I’m up..” She mumbled, finding it hard to wake up. It was rare for the knight to sleep so soundly so naturally it was a bit harder to fully wake up.

“Sorry I had to wake you.” Hartley said then add with a smile. “But if it’s any consolation, you’re really cute when you sleep.”

“It’s really not but I’ll accept the apology.” Penelope joked with a shrug. She glanced around the room and noticed Abraxas was gone, likely getting the horses and cart ready for them to depart as he usually did. William had just stepped back into the room with an impatient look as he glared at Hartley. “Hurry up thief. I let you do one thing and you take all morning to do it.” He snapped.

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow took the lead with Hartley and Penelope as they walked down the hallway to find their room. Though choosing a room for the night wasn’t necessarily a huge decision, he felt good about being the one to make it. It was the most power he had been given since the journey began, since he had previously been forced to follow along with whatever William and the other knights arranged to do. If their stay in Younis continued like this, he was going to enjoy it quite a bit.

When they arrived at the door to their room, Hartley took charge. He reached quickly for the knob, opening it for Penelope to step through first. Crow was about to enter with the other two knights, but the boy—one-track minded as he was—let the door fall behind him, nearly hitting Abraxas in the nose. William opened the door again and shook his head, “Idiotic boy…”

Crow was the last to walk into the room. He looked around the space. Like the lobby, it was sparsely decorated, but unusually clean. There were five beds sheeted with white, linen cloth, three on the right and two on the left. At the far end of the room was a single window that opened up to a stable behind the inn.

Finding the others, he saw that Penelope had taken the bed at the end of the room on the right; Hartley had, of course, chosen to occupy the bed directly next to hers; and William took the spot closest to the door. That left the two beds on the left for Crow and Abraxas. He moved to take the empty bed by the window. It was across from Penelope and as far from William as the small room allowed him to get.

Not much talking went on as the group prepared themselves to sleep. Crow laid down on his bed, throwing the blanket over himself and yawning tiredly. He relished the warmth of the linen and the softness of the mattress beneath his body. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been so fortunately as to spend the night in something so luxurious. Even before he had gone to prison, he had been living in a makeshift hovel in the outskirts of a village. He had built up such a widespread reputation for himself that he couldn’t afford to show his face at an inn without risking arrest. It had been years since he had last slept in a bed like this.

I could get used to this, he thought, stretching out contentedly. He gazed out the window at the starry night sky as he drifted off to sleep.

--

The morning came all too soon for Crow. He awoke to the sounds of William and Abraxas putting on their armor. Rolling over lazily, he pulled the blanket farther over his head. He didn’t want to get up from the comfort of the mattress until he absolutely had to.

Crow was just beginning to get lulled back to sleep when he felt someone yank the sheets down from his head. William stood over him, impatiently tapping his foot, “Get up, thief. We’re leaving.”

“Just a little longer,” Crow groaned, shoving the pillow over his head.

“Move it, or I’m going to use that to smother you,” William growled humorlessly.

“Fine,” Crow glared at him and forced his weary body into a sitting position.

Once everyone was ready to go, they headed down to the front of the inn, where Abraxas had brought the wagon around to pick them up. Crow climbed into the back with Hartley and Penelope while the other two knights took up their usual spots on the horses. He sat down, meeting Penelope’s gaze across the cart as he attempted to strike up a conversation, “I wish William would have let us sleep in. Those beds were heavenly.” He offered her a friendly smile. “How did you sleep, love?”

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope took her usual seat in the back as they headed off once more. She looked over at Crow as he struck up a conversation between them, which she was admittedly happy about since speaking with him had become rather hard to do as of late thanks to the extra vigilant William and Hartley. “Good actually.” She replied with a small smile. “I’m assuming you slept well considering you finally managed to get an actual bed.”

“Hold on!” Hartley piped in as usual. His eyes were rather wide as he looked over at Penelope for an explanation. “He just called you ‘love’!” Though his jealousy usually targeted Crow, it seemed this time he was more shocked that Penelope acted so calmly.

“Huh?” Penelope said a bit caught off guard. After spending so much time with the thief, she had grown quite accustom to him referring to her as such, even throwing it back in his face unsuccessfully at times.

“Oh. He just does that..” She replied with a careless shrug. However, it caused the knight to pause for a brief moment. It was the first time she actually thought about how he addressed her. I don’t think he’s ever said my name before... She thought, finding herself caring a little more than she let on.

“What?” Hartley questioned.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard him actually address a woman by her actual name.” She added, noticing Hartley starting to look a little upset with the situation. She hoped by explaining that it was women in general that the younger thief would realize it wasn’t Crow flirting with her.

Hartley narrowed his gaze questioningly at Crow as it sounded like flirting in his mind before turning back to Penelope. “Well that’s just wrong.” He declared to her. “A name as pretty as yours deserves to be said, Penelope.”

“It’s really not a big deal.” Penelope said with an awkward chuckle.

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow quirked a brow at Hartley’s reaction to his sobriquet for Penelope. He had grown so used to calling her by names such as ‘love’ and ‘darling’ that he had forgotten how the infatuated boy might take it. He laughed at Hartley’s objection to his behavior, “Don’t worry, kid. It doesn’t mean anything.” While he had originally used the nicknames to flirt with Penelope, calling her by such things had become more of a habit to him than anything else. He met the knight’s gaze curiously when she said she hadn’t ever heard him address a woman by her name.

“You really haven’t noticed?” Crow gawked at her in teasing surprise, crossing his arms over his chest. “Sure, I don’t address women by their names, but tell me this: When have you ever heard me call anyone by their actual name?” He smirked at her wryly. It was true that he used names when talking about other people, but he never addressed men or women by their names when speaking directly to them. He preferred making up sobriquets to tease or flirt.

“I guess that’s true,” Hartley mused, seeming to relax a bit. “He’s never said my name either… Although I don’t like it when he calls me ‘kid.’” He shot Crow a glare.

“Get used to it, kid,” Crow said dryly.

“I’m not even that much younger than you,” Hartley argued.

“You’re still a kid to me.”

Hartley groaned, raking his fingers through his hair, “Ugh, I give up.” He scooted a bit closer to Penelope. “It doesn’t matter what he calls you anyway, because I’ll always use your lovely name, Penelope. It’s too beautiful not to be said.”

[BuzzingBee]

“I suppose all your complaining about William distracted me from noticing.” Penelope responded with a simple shrug. The knight began to tune out the rest of their conversation as she noticed the speed of the cart began to decrease. While it might not have seemed like a big deal, she figured there must be some reason for slowing down since William would never slow the cart without one.

She glanced at Hartley and opened her mouth to say something but fell short as the cart came to complete stop. “Be quiet for a second.” Penelope whispered instead of what she originally was going to say. The sound of unfamiliar voices greeting the two knights that rode outside made her tense up. She slowly crept to take a peak outside the cart and found a small group of local knights had approached William and Abraxas.

“Greetings.” Said one of the knights as he took a step forward. He eyed the two and then the cart behind them. William dipped his head in greeting. Penelope could tell that the older knight was struggling to come up with a way to get himself out of this mess. Abraxas, on the other hand, was looking expectantly at William for orders as he fiddled nervously with the reins.

Penelope ducked away and turned to face the two thieves. “We need to go. Now.” She said urgently. The knight was tempted to grab a sword but settled for a simple dagger instead. She quickly reached for a small bag and proceeded to stuff a few things of food and a canteen of water. She tried to be as quiet as she could, not wanting to draw any attention to the back of the cart. “There are real knights outside.. We’ll just have to try and get out of here while they deal with William and Abraxas. They don’t know we’re back here yet so hopefully we can keep it that way.” She said.

Even though she remained calm, Penelope couldn’t help but feel a wave of guilt over having to leave behind William and Abraxas. Despite William’s hot-head and Abraxas’ obliviousness, they were still her comrades and they were meant to look out for each other. However, there was a mission to carry out that threatened war if they failed so all she could do was pray for their safety.

The knight raised an eyebrow at the two, already finding them a bit strange but he went on like normal anyways, “What brings you into our town? It seems you’re on a long journey with that big of a wagon.” He commented.

“Just.. Passing through to get back home.” William finally responded in possibly the worst attempt of a Younisian accent. It immediately set the real Younisian knights on guard as they eyed the two with clear suspicion and moved in closer on the two.

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow took no notice of the wagon slowing down until he saw Penelope tense with concern. He fell silent, listening as unfamiliar voices began speaking outside. A man had greeted William and Abraxas and was asking where they were going. He watched as Penelope peeked over the edge of the cart, only to quickly pull her head back in and announce that they had been confronted by real knights of Younis.

“Oh, shi—” Hartley started, but Crow swiftly covered his mouth. Penelope was right. If they wanted to carry out the mission, they needed to get away before William and Abraxas dragged them down with them. There was no other choice. If they stayed, they would just get caught by the knights; and if they tried to fight, they would either die or put a target on their backs. Sneaking away while the knights were distracted was the option they had.

He followed Penelope’s lead, gathering whatever he could think of in the short amount of time they had: an empty water flask, some bread, flint and firesteel, and a carving knife among other things. Lastly, he grabbed a bedroll, which he shouldered with the bag of supplies. He hoped that between the three of them, they would have everything they needed to get by without the wagon.

Just as he was about to stand up, he cringed. Outside the cart, he could hear William floundering to speak with a Younisian accent. There was a shuffling noise as the other knights—it sounded like a patrol of four men—moved to confront the two Brerratic knights.

“I’m starting to think you’re not from around here,” a Younisian voice said warily. “Mind telling me where you’re from, and how you got those uniforms?”

There was a brief pause before William spoke again, trying a different tactic. “We’re here on official business,” he said, dropping his accent. “Let us through.”

“Hang on a moment… You’re from Brerra, aren’t you?” there was audible tension in the Younisian man’s tone. “Travelers from your land are forbidden, on the authority of our glorious king. Surrender now, imposters!”

Crow could hear the sound of a snap as William’s sword cut loose his and Abraxas’s horses from the wagon. The knight let out a battle cry as he charged the Younisians. Metal clashed against metal as a fight ensued.

“I think that’s our cue,” Crow took the lead as he, Hartley, and Penelope crept down from the wagon bed. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he took off running towards an alleyway between two large buildings. However, before he reached the entrance, he was cut off by a burly man.

“Where do you think you’re going?” the man growled, moving to grab the thief.

Damn these ridiculous peasants, Crow gritted his teeth as he slipped out of the man’s grasp. He feigned a look of terror and took on his best Younisian accent, “Please, sir! We’re not with them. The imposters took us captive and forced us to help them sneak through Younis, so they could assassinate our glorious king!” He was glad he remembered the way the Younisian knight had referred to their ruler. “Please let us through before they realize we escaped!”

The man wavered for a moment and then nodded, “Follow me. I know just the place to hide.”

“Thank you, sir,” Crow said with relief. He followed as the man led them into the alley, grinning proudly to himself. The natives of Younis were so gullible, he hardly even had to try to fool them.

“That was quick thinking,” Hartley puffed as he ran up next to him. “How’d you do that?”

“Years of practice,” Crow answered simply. “Now be quiet before you give us away.”

At the end of the passage, the man slowed to a stop. He turned to face them and gestured to a small house nestled between two shops, “This is my home. You’re welcome to stay here until you feel ready to move on.” He offered them a sympathetic smile. “I’m sure it must have been tough, being held prisoners by Brerratics.” He practically spat the word. “But I can assure you that you’ll be quite safe here…” He trailed off, knitting his bushy brow in thought. “What were your names?”

“I’m Hartley,” the boy stepped in quickly, introducing himself. He indicated Crow and Penelope in turn, supplying Younisian names, “And this is Dante and Farah. We’re from the town of Dalry.”

“Pleased to meet you. My name is Malcolm,” the man nodded in greeting. “Dalry, you say? That’s quite a distance from here.”

“The Brerratics took us far from home,” Crow lowered his gaze sorrowfully.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Malcolm frowned. “Please, come inside. My wife, Lorelle, is preparing dinner. You’re welcome to stay and eat.”

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope swung the strap of the bag over her shoulder, flinching slightly as the battle cry sounded from outside the wagon. She nodded her head to Crow and followed his lead as he crept out of the wagon. She followed as they ran towards the alley way, only to come to an abrupt stop as a man stood in their way. The peasants of Younis were certainly quick to aid the knights and it was quickly becoming annoying to her.

Luckily, the man was quick to buy Crow’s story, even going so far as to try and help them. She followed the others remaining quiet and she glanced over her shoulder towards where they had left behind William and Abraxas. She doubted the fight lasted long considering the two Brerra knights were outnumbered. She turned her attention back over to the others as they reached the end of the passage and came upon the peasant’s house.

As they made their way inside, Penelope dipped her head to Malcom’s offer of shelter and food. “Thank you, sir.” She said politely.

“Home already, dear?” Came the voice of Lorelle as peaked her head out from their small kitchen. The woman blinked as she noticed the three and stepped out to find out what was going on. She was a thin and tall woman with light blonde hair. Despite evidence of her age, she was still pretty. Her clothes had a couple stains from cooking. “Oh, hello.” She greeted the three before shifting her gaze to look questioningly at her husband. “Who are these people, Malcom?”

“This is Hartley, Dante, and Farah. They’re from Darly. They were taken prisoner by some Brerratics pretending to be knights!” He explained to his wife. The man shook his head and shot the group a look of pity. Lorelle blinked in surprise but didn’t seem to hold the same empathy as her husband did for them.

“I see.” Lorelle said with a slow nod.

Penelope glanced between the two and quickly switched on her Younisian accent. “Ah, we won’t be staying long. We’re just going to wait for everything to settle down outside.” She assured the woman. “We wouldn’t want to cause you folk any trouble.”

“It’s no trouble at all!” Malcom said dismissively. Lorelle merely nodded her head in agreement.

“Well, make yourselves comfortable. Dinner will be ready shortly.” Lorelle said before she glanced over to Penelope. “Farah, why don’t you come with me? We’ll have a bit of girl time and let the men talk.” The peasant woman said with a fake inviting smile. Penelope was quickly getting the feeling that Lorelle wasn’t as generous as her husband.

“Sure.” Penelope said hesitantly with a small nod. She glanced briefly at Crow and Hartley before turning and following Lorelle.