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

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow knew Penelope was tired, but he didn’t realize she was so tired that the sound of the stream was lulling her to sleep. He tensed as he felt her lay her head on his shoulder, her arm brushing softly against his as she used it to prop herself up. She was so close, her hair tickled his jaw. He swallowed anxiously. He simultaneously wanted to stay still so she could keep resting and pull away from her so she wouldn’t hear his heart pounding in his chest.

“I-it’s fine,” he stammered when she apologized to him. He sucked in his breath, unprepared for the fullness of her weight to fall into him as she suddenly fell asleep beside him. Bracing himself to support her, he looked down at the sleeping knight. Her lithe body fit comfortably against his own, almost like it was meant to be there. He smiled and leaned his head against hers, enjoying their closeness while it lasted.

With the darkness, the gentle breeze, and the hypnotic cascade of the water, Crow found himself growing weary as well. He closed his eyes, slipping his arm around Penelope’s waist to hold her closer against his side. There would be no harm if he let himself drift off for a quick nap, right? Besides, Penelope had been exhausted, so it would give her more time to sleep before they went back to the inn. Feeling content with the decision, his breathing slowed as he slipped into unconsciousness.

--

The first thing Crow was aware of was a pressure on his chest. He blinked his eyes open to find that he was staring up at the hazy morning sky. I’m outside? His eyes drifted down to see what the weight on his body was, and his heart skipped a beat. The previous night came back to him in a rush when he saw that he was holding Penelope in his arms. She was curled up against him, still asleep.

She’s going to kill me for this, the thief groaned inwardly. He shifted slightly, trying to free his arm that was trapped beneath the knight’s body without waking her. Unfortunately, the task was easier said than done. He froze when he saw that his motion was rousing her from her sleep. Oh, gods. Don’t wake up, he silently begged, his eyes wide as he waited to see if she was awake.

[BuzzingBee]

The knight had been fast asleep. Very little could wake her but as soon as she felt movement, she began to wake. Her first thought was that it was time to get moving to continue their journey, however, as she opened her eyes, she quickly became aware that that wasn’t the case. She blinked as her green gaze focused on a wide eyed Crow. Her heart leapt as she realized his arms were wrapped around her. The night before came flooding back like a rapid river. While she quickly blamed herself for their current situation, part of the knight wondered why the thief was holding her and how long he had been holding her.

Her face flushed a bright red at the thought. I don’t know what happened but surely it’s not that he feels the same. She assured herself. Penelope suddenly realized she still hadn’t moved from his arms and had just frozen. “Ah! Sorry..” The knight spoke fast, clearly embarrassed as she slid out of his grip.

She shuffled a couple paces away and avoided his gaze as she eyed the sky to figure out what time it was. It seemed to be early morning and she wondered if they had been like that all night. So much for going back to the inn. She thought wanting to hit herself for being foolish the night before. However, the thought of the inn soon reminded her of another issue at hand. Hartley! Her eyes widened in alarm.

“Oh gods, we need to head back to the inn... If Hartley’s awake he’s probably freaking out.” Penelope said as she rose to her feet. She was quick to ignore the situation and focus on something else of concern as she hoped to act like nothing happened.

[Rogue Sloth]

The moment when Penelope’s eyes met his felt like an eternity to Crow. So many thoughts rushed through his mind that he couldn’t keep them all straight. Was she mad at him? Had she figured out his feelings towards her? Why wasn’t she moving? Why was just staring at him like that? He felt like he was in a trance. He wanted to avert his gaze—to look anywhere else—but he was transfixed on her startled green eyes.

Penelope was the one to break the spell. She pulled away from him, freeing his arm so he could sit up. He nodded wordlessly at her apology, unsure of what to say. Part of him wanted to take the blame for what had happened, since it was technically his fault, but he didn’t know how to do so without revealing what he had done last night. He didn’t want to tell her that he had put his arm around her while she had been unconscious. If she wasn’t already feeling creeped out after waking up beside him, that information would definitely do it.

“Oh gods, we need to head back to the inn,” Penelope’s urgent voice startled him. “If Hartley’s awake, he’s probably freaking out.”

“Oh, no,” Crow paled and clambered to his feet as another thought came to him. “Hartley isn’t the only one we need to worry about.” He picked up the satchel from the ground and slung it over his shoulder, then turned back to Penelope. “We need to get back quickly, so I can hide this before the owner wakes up and realizes it’s gone.” They had slept for too long in the open. As soon as the peasant noticed his money was missing, the next step would be to alert the local knights, and that would make their trip back much more difficult.

“Let’s go,” the thief said, putting the awkwardness of the night behind him as the adrenaline set in. He took off at a brisk walk back towards the inn, fast enough to cover ground quickly without drawing attention to himself or causing the coins in his bag to make noise. He just prayed that the victim of his stealing wasn’t an early riser.

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope gave him a questioning look as he paled. Her eyes shifted over to the bag and it dawned on her what he was talking about. The knight had nearly forgotten about the coins Crow had stolen. She flinched slightly at the thought of the local knights catching up with them. She nodded to Crow and followed alongside him as they hurried back in the direction of the inn. The knight purposely put herself on the side of Crow where the bag was hanging, hoping to block it from obvious view just incase that the peasant was already up and looking for his missing coins.

Penelope, now more awake thanks to the rush the morning had brought her, kept a vigilant eye out as they walked. She kept a bit quiet on their way back to the inn, largely because she was focusing on keeping alert but also slightly due to guilty about what had happened. As the inn came into view, Penelope noticed a couple of local knights patrolling a little further down the street. She watched them with care, unable to tell if they were looking for someone or just making their regular rounds.

The knight gave Crow a light tap to alert him of their presence. She took a couple steps towards the front door of the inn, hoping they could slip in without being seen. However, before she was even close to grabbing the handle, the door flung open. Hartley stepped out looking around until his eyes fell on the two.

“There you guys are!” He exclaimed. The boy had a clear look of frustration and worry as he looked at them. “Where have you been? Why didn’t you wake me up!"

[Rogue Sloth]

As they made their way back to the inn, Crow was thankful to have a second set of eyes watching out for knights. Penelope was the first to spot the patrol by the lodge, tapping him subtly to indicate their presence. He nodded and slowed his walk, keeping his head up and eyes fixed straight ahead as if he was just an average peasant with nothing to hide. He stood back as Penelope started to reach for the handle, but before she could open it, the door flung open on its own accord.

“There you guys are!” a very awake Hartley stormed out to confront them. “Where have you been? Why didn’t you wake me up?"

“Calm down,” Crow replied nonchalantly, putting on a show for the knights who were now looking in their direction. “We woke up early and went for a walk, that’s all. Get back inside, kid. We need to pack up and head out to the next town.” He herded Hartley back through the door, casting the patrol a discreet glance. The group of knights were now talking amongst themselves. He needed to hide the money before they wised up and came to question him and Penelope.

Once they were back in their room, Crow turned to Hartley and gave the boy a sharp smack to the back of his head.

“Ow,” Hartley yelped, whirling on him with a glare. “What was that for?”

“That was for almost getting me caught, dumbass,” Crow opened the satchel, revealing the glittering pile of coins.

“Where did you get all those?” Hartley’s eyes stretched as wide as disks at the sight of the money.

“This was just a little practice run,” Crow smirked. He closed the satchel and stepped over to his pack of supplies, hiding the bag of coins beneath the gear inside of the larger pack. “Come on,” he said, heaving the bag over his shoulder once more. “We need to get out of here before those knights come looking for us.”

“Do they know you stole that?” Hartley asked, scrambling to get his own things in order.

“No, and I’d like to keep it that way,” Crow said, glancing back at the door. He could have sworn he heard voices talking outside. “Hurry up. We don’t have much time.”

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope walked in after the two thieves as they stepped back inside. As they stepped back into their room, she gathered her bag and slung it over her shoulder. She turned back to the others as Crow explained to Hartley what was happening. The faint sound of voices coming from beyond the door immediately made the knight a bit tense.

“Ok, ok I’m ready.” Hartley said as he scrambled to join the two with his things.

She stepped out into the hallway with the two and listened in as the faint voices became clearer. It seemed that the knights were speaking with the innkeeper. She glanced towards Crow, shooting him a small look of worry before forcing herself to relax slightly. She didn’t want to draw any suspicion towards them from acting nervous.

“So, you don’t recall those two leaving this morning” One knight asked, looking around the room.

“I went to bed at a decent hour so I could wake up at a decent hour, sir.” The innkeeper said with a small shrug. “But no I don’t. Feel free to ask around though. I’m sure Mr. Marshton is having a heart attack after losing that much tael."

“He certainly is.” Said the other knight, his eyes drifting over to the three as they entered the main room. His gaze drifted mainly over Penelope and Crow before he finally addressed them. “Good morning, sorry if we disrupted you.”

“Oh you’re fine.” Hartley said with a small smile. “We were just on our way out.”

“I see.. And I don’t suppose you’d mind us asking you a few questions?” his comrade asked moving to take a small step forward. “Since it seems like two of you might have been up rather early this morning, you might have seen something that could help us."

Penelope watched the knights, already trying to formulate a convincing lie in her head. Something she was notably getting better at, which she wasn’t sure she if she was quite proud about it. She gave the knights a confused look and nodded her head as she took a couple steps forward to the knights.

“I don’t mind at all... but uh, you see,” She paused to glance back towards Hartley and then lowered her voice to whisper to the knights as she put on a bashful look, “if you’re going to ask about what happened this morning, I’d prefer to do it in a less public place. We left to get some alone time from the kid after all..”

The knights exchanged an uncomfortable look, seeming to buy her words. Penelope quietly prayed that they had been the only ones to hear that as the last thing she wanted was Crow or Hartley to realize what she had told them. One of the knights awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. “I-I see... Well,” He said clearing his throat as he looked from Penelope to Crow. “I think we have our answer so that won’t be necessary.."

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow was the last to leave the room as they headed out of the inn. He closed the door behind him and looked up to see two of the knights speaking with the innkeeper. They looked concerned, as if the man was telling them something they didn’t like. He returned Penelope’s nervous glance right before the knights finally took notice of their appearance. Subtly shifting his weight in case he needed to run, he met their suspicious gazes with confusion, as if he didn’t know why he was being approached.

Hartley spoke first, explaining that they were just leaving, but the knights didn’t let up so easily. They turned to Crow and Penelope, asking if the two minded being questioned about the robbery. Crow opened his mouth to reply, but Penelope stepped up first. She muttered something to the guards that made the men blush, announcing that they had everything they needed.

She’s getting better at lying every day, Crow eyed Penelope curiously. He didn’t know exactly what she had said to the knights, but based on their flustered reactions, he could take a guess. Looks like she figured out that a few sultry words can go a long way, he bit his tongue to keep from smiling. If she’s going to have fun with them, then I am, too.

“I hope you catch your thief before he causes any more trouble,” Crow crossed his arms, shooting the knights a glare. “If I get home to find my valuables missing, I’m going to have a few choice words to share with your commanding officer.”

“How did you know we’re looking for a thief?” one of the knights looked him over skeptically.

“What, are you kidding me?” Crow rolled his eyes. “You were talking about it so loudly, I could hear you from the end of that hallway.”

“Right…” the knight grimaced, uncomfortable about getting called out in front of his comrade, who elbowed him mockingly in the ribs.

“Anyway,” Crow placed a hand on Penelope’s waist to guide her toward the door as if she was his woman. He hoped he had been correct in assuming she had told the knights that they had left the inn early to get some privacy. “We’re in a hurry, so if that’s all you have to say, then we’ll be going now.”

“So, neither of you saw anything?” the first knight asked.

“Not even the tail of a cloak,” Crow shook his head. “Sorry, boys, but I only had eyes for this beauty.” He pulled Penelope close to himself and winked at her flirtatiously.

“Alright, you’re free to go then,” the knight reluctantly admitted defeat. “Have a safe trip.”

“Thanks,” Crow waved at them and kept walking towards the door, holding it open for Penelope to step through first.

Once all three of them had left the inn, Hartley turned on Crow with a glower, “That wasn’t fair. If one of us is going to pretend to be with Penelope, it should be me!”

“If she was with you, then why would she have snuck out with me?” Crow shook his head. “The lie has to be believable, kid.”

“Fine, but next time I get to be her lover,” Hartley muttered.

“Whatever you say.” Crow laughed and turned to Penelope. “So, where do we go from here, captain?”

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope glanced over at Crow as he picked up on her charade. She continued to play along as Crow put his hand on her waist and guided her to the door. She smiled up at him as he sent her a flirtatious wink and let out a soft giggle. Relief swept over the knight as she stepped out of the inn and they were out of the knight’s way. She turned her head as Hartley complained.

“Next time? I certainly hope that doesn’t happen again. That was a close enough call...” Penelope said shaking her head. She looked over to Crow. “Well.. I think I saw that the name of this town is Dorberg?” She said looking to Hartley for confirmation. Once the young thief gave a nod of agreement, Penelope went on, “Which means we’re still traveling on the main road today.”

“Thanks to that cart yesterday we’ll probably hit Hefn not long after noon.” Hartley said optimistically.

Penelope nodded her head and began to walk on towards the main road. Hartley fell instep besides her. “So how early did you guys wake up? I can’t believe you got away with all that!” He said beaming with excitement at the amount of coin Crow had managed to steal.

“Before the sun rose.” Penelope answered, glancing towards Crow. She couldn’t imagine how Hartley would react to hearing the truth, even if they left out the details of her falling asleep in his embrace, so she decided it was best to go along with the story Crow had originally told him.

“You should have woke me up. We could have had a competition and I could have gotten us even more tael.” Hartley said with a challenging look towards Crow. “Maybe tonight-“

Penelope rolled her eyes at the younger thief and cut him off before he could finish what he was about to say. “Ah yes and then we would have been in even more trouble.” She said and crossed her arms as she gave him a stern look. “It was a one time deal so don’t even think about trying it tonight.”

Hartley frowned a little at Penelope’s curt words. “Ok.."

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow was only half listening to Penelope and Hartley’s conversation as they walked along the road towards Hefn. With a bag full of stolen gold, he couldn’t help but be cautious. His eyes swept over the faces of the people around them as he kept watch for anyone who might have been helping that “Mr. Marshton” person look for his missing valuables. Of course, he knew it would be impossible for anyone to know he had been the one to steal the money. He just wanted to be aware of his surroundings as much as possible, in case something was to go wrong.

Fortunately, their trip to the next town was uneventful. No one stopped them or even glanced in their direction as they reached the small town of Hefn.

“See?” Hartley pointed at a nearby sign, which Crow, of course, couldn’t read. “What did I tell you? We made it just after high noon.”

“That sounds like a fancy way of saying we’ll be getting lunch,” Crow grinned.

“Good idea,” Hartley placed a hand on his stomach. “I’m starving.” He squinted as he looked up, trying to find a place to eat. “There,” he said after a moment, pointing at a stand where a street vendor was giving out plates of freshly-cooked food.

“Younis has merchants that prepare food for you?” Crow quirked a brow in surprise. “In Brerra, the only place you can find freshly cooked meals like those are at taverns and restaurants at the inns.”

“Yeah, we have cookshops all over,” Hartley said proudly. “They can make you one of their special dishes or prepare a custom meal for you with your own ingredients if you bring them some. They make great hot pies. Come on, I’ll show you.” He waved a hand, gesturing for the others to follow as he took off towards the vendor.

“I guess we’re eating at the cookshop,” Crow glanced at Penelope with a hapless shrug. He followed after Hartley, who was reading something off of a wooden sign near the vendor’s stand.

“Let’s see,” the boy crossed his arms. “Let’s get three hot pies, some pescods, and sheep’s feet.”

“Sheep’s feet?” Crow echoed.

“What?” Hartley smirked at him mockingly. “Are you afraid of eating an animal’s foot?”

“I’m not opposed to trying exotic dishes,” Crow shrugged. “I’ve just never heard of this one before.” He turned to Penelope with a challenging glimmer in his eye. “Think you can handle it, darling?”

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope didn’t protest as the two decided it was time for lunch. She was a bit hungry as well, already picking up on the enticing smells coming from the nearby vendors. Like Crow, she was rather surprised to find out that their were merchants who prepared food. She met Crow’s glance and gave a small smile.

“I guess so. At least it smells good.” She remarked optimistically before following the young thief up to the stand.

She eyed the wooden menu with interest. It seemed the food of Younis was rather different than that of Brerra as there was very little that Penelope recognized. She wondered if they were even cooked the same. Her focus was drawn away from the sign as Hartley mentioned the sheep’s feet. The knight matched Crow’s challenging gaze with a smirk.

“Of course I can. I’m more worried about you honestly.” She said teasingly, giving him a playful nudge.

“It’s really not that weird...” Hartley said as he watched the two for a moment. The young thief turned and stepped up to order for them.

Penelope shrugged at his comment and waited while Hartley ordered the food. The knight soon began to feel as though they were being watched. Not able to shake the feeling easily, she began to look around the street. Nothing seemed off until her gaze landed on a young blonde woman. She was pretty, there was no doubt about that as she even reminded Penelope of a doll. She stood near a small shop with what Penelope guessed to her older brother. The older brother seemed focused on a conversation with the shopkeeper so he didn’t even notice that the girl wasn’t paying attention.

Her light blue gaze kept drifting over towards them and for a brief moment, Penelope thought she was looking right at her. However, she soon realized that she was focusing on Hartley. The knight raised eyebrow, wondering if the girl possibly knew him. She looks like she wants to speak to him... so why isn’t she? Penelope wondered in confusion. Alarm suddenly washed over Penelope as she thought that maybe Hartley had stolen from this woman at one point. Perhaps she was keeping an eye on him to make sure he didn’t get away before she could find some guards. If that was the case, Penelope wanted to get out of there before she sent the local knights their way.

Penelope turned her attention away from the woman and back to the others. She saw Hartley was grabbing the food from the vendor and quickly moved to help him. “Let’s go find some place to eat out of the main street.” She said to Hartley, shifting her gaze to glance over at Crow as she wondered if he had picked up on the watchful doll.

[Rogue Sloth]

“You’re worried about me?” Crow snorted. “I’m sure I’ve eaten plenty of things you wouldn’t dare to touch. Living on the run can force a man to make some… unsavory decisions.” He gave a small shudder to emphasize his point.

As Hartley went to order their food, Crow noticed Penelope looking around like she was searching for something. He followed her line of sight to find a young woman staring in their direction. Her unblinking gaze set him on edge, and he wondered why she seemed so fixated on them. But she’s not focused on all of us, he suddenly realized, glancing at Hartley. What does she want with him? He said he’s never been to this town before, so I doubt they know each other. He then wondered if the girl was interested in Hartley. They appeared to be close in age, so perhaps she was hoping he would come talk to her. A faint smile crossed his lips. He and Penelope needed to lose Hartley before they reached the palace. If his assumption was correct, then maybe he could play this out to his advantage.

Crow turned back to the others when Penelope suggested they find somewhere to eat away from the main road. No, no. That would take us away from the girl, he thought urgently. Who knew when another opportunity like this would come up again. He needed to come up with an excuse to stay long enough for Hartley to notice the staring girl.

“Why not eat right here?” Crow offered. “Sure, it’s crowded, but if we wait too much longer our food will get cold.” He tilted his head subtly towards the young woman, hoping Penelope would catch the gesture and understand what he was doing.

“That’s true,” Hartley nodded in agreement. “Cookshop food is best when it’s hot, and I want you both to try it how it was meant to be eaten.”

“See? The kid wants us to try everything at its best,” Crow grinned at Penelope. “Look, there’s a spot where we can sit over by that tree.” He pointed to a small area with public seating, offhandedly noting how the outdoor tables and chairs were something else that was unique to Younis. Such places where travelers could stop and rest without paying for an inn didn’t exist in Brerra. If they did, they’d probably just get stolen and sold in pieces, he eyed the unsecured legs of the furniture.

“Perfect,” Hartley beamed, turning expectantly at Penelope. “Let’s go there.”

“Come on, love,” Crow chimed in with a victorious smirk. “You don’t want to let the kid down, right?”

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope looked up at Crow and raised an eyebrow. She caught the gesture but didn’t understand what he was doing. Did he think the girl was purely staring over because she was interested in Hartley? Who eyes someone like that out in the middle of the street! She must recognize him... She thought shooting Crow an annoyed look.

As Hartley gave her an expectant look, Penelope let out a small sigh of defeat. If this girl was planning to go after them, it seemed Penelope wold have to use a different approach to get them away. “Alright, let’s go.” She agreed, rolling her eyes at Crow. She began to follow them over to the sitting area. The knight remained alert, occasionally glancing towards the girl. As expected, the girl’s eyes seemed to track them through the crowd despite the fact that she did look away a couple times.

Hartley, however, remained completely oblivious. Something that was beginning to frustrate Penelope. She moved up besides the thief, deciding to address the situation directly now. “Hey Hartley, do you know that girl?” She asked him quietly, gesturing in the blonde’s direction with a small nod.

“Hmm?” Hartley said with a confused look. He followed her nod over to the girl and his eyes quickly widened in surprise. It seemed that she had noticed Penelope’s nod and had been looking away when Hartley finally noticed her. “W-Why do you ask?” He said suddenly acting rather nervous.

“Because she’s been eying you since we got here.” Penelope said with a small snort. However, his nervous attitude made her worry that her fears had been right. “So how do you know her? Did you steal from her?”

“What? No!” Hartley said shaking his head, which admittedly confused Penelope. Why’s he so nervous then? She watched him with a raised eyebrow.

Hartley let out a sigh. “She’s from the same town as me.. Look let’s just go eat somewhere else.."

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow sat down heavily at one of the empty tables. He was beginning to feel sore from walking all day and sleeping on the ground the night before. Although he had secretly enjoyed it, holding Penelope all night had made his back stiff. He pulled on his right shoulder with his left hand, rolling it slowly until it made a satisfying pop, and then repeated the process on the other side in an attempt to loosen the muscles. It helped a bit, but he still ached. He sighed, I suppose there are some benefits to being single.

Once Hartley had passed around their food, Crow dug into his portion. The hot pie was surprisingly delicious. It was filled with spiced meats, eggs, and cherries that tasted like they had been cooked with ale and vinegar. He ate ravenously as Penelope questioned Hartley about the strange girl. Their conversation was interesting. It appeared that the boy did know her after all. However, that didn’t mean his guess had been wrong.

“You’re looking a little flustered there, kid,” Crow snatched Hartley’s food away before he could pick it up to move.

“Give that back,” Hartley said, reaching for his plate.

“Not until you tell me the story between you and the cute blonde,” Crow grinned, holding the boy’s food just beyond his reach.

“It’s nothing,” Hartley stretched a little farther, his fingers barely missing the edge of his plate. “Give it back!”

“Fine,” Crow handed the food back. He stood up from the table and smoothed down his tunic, shooting the boy a mischievous look. “Then you won’t mind if I go introduce myself, will you? She looks like my type of woman.” He smirked as the color drained from Hartley’s face.

“N-no,” the boy averted his gaze.

“Great,” Crow clapped him on the back. “I’ll see you later—maybe in the morning if I’m lucky.” He winked devilishly and started walking towards the shop where the girl was standing, but he didn’t get far before he felt a hand grab him by the wrist.

“Leave her alone,” Hartley snapped.

“Oh? I thought you said there was nothing between you two,” Crow raised a brow in mock surprise and crossed his arms, “Or were you lying to me?”

“Alright, you caught me” Hartley glared down at the ground and swallowed hard. “Her name’s Kip. I… I used to court her during the year before I left home… before my father kicked me out.” He exhaled shakily. “After that, I was too ashamed to show my face in front of her or her family again. I never even said goodbye. I’m sure she hates me now.”

“I don’t think that’s true,” Crow rested a hand on Hartley’s shoulder. “Kid, she’s been staring at you ever since you got here.” He glanced back to see Kip was looking at them again, and then shook his head. “That’s not the look of a bitter ex-lover. She’s waiting for you to talk to her.”

“Yeah, right,” Hartley muttered. “What would I even say? ‘Oh, hey, Kip! It’s me, the town failure. I’m a criminal now, and I’m back to take your hand in marriage’?”

“Maybe say it with a bit more tact than that, but yeah,” Crow shrugged. “Look, you obviously still have feelings for this girl if you couldn’t stand the idea of me making a move on her. Now go to her.” He gave Hartley a shove towards the shop.

“But—”

“Go,” Crow shoved him again, causing the boy to stumble slightly. Hartley shot him a final glare and then turned back towards Kip. He hesitated for a moment, fidgeting self-consciously with his shirt, before he forced himself to walk over to the shop.

Crow sat back down at the table with Penelope and sighed, “I swear, he’s so clueless sometimes…”

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope smirked a little as Crow decided to intervene. She took a few bites from her own food as she listened in on their conversation. It made sense now why Kip had been staring their way and why Hartley was acting so nervously. She frowned a little at the thought of Hartley leaving her behind without so much of a goodbye. She’s probably been worried sick about him... No wonder she keeps staring over here. She thought with sympathy.

She watched as Hartley headed off at a slow pace towards the shop and then glanced over at Crow as she gave a small nod of agreement. “And oblivious. I can’t believe he didn’t notice her on his own. She was zeroed in on him like a hawk.” She said shaking her head as she turned back to her meal. She took a couple more bites of her food and noticed Hartley had reached the shop. He seemed stiff but Kip’s face seemed to brighten at his appearance, though Penelope noted that she seemed a bit nervous as well. Penelope smiled a little to herself and looked over at Crow.

“I hope she accepts him... Poor kid has enough problems with his family, last thing he needs is being rejected just because he’s a thief.” She said quietly before continuing to munch on her food.

---

Hartley stepped up to Kip and her brother, his heart beating fast at the thought of speaking to her again after so much time had past. He was still rather sure she was mad at him for leaving without a word. While he walked up, Kip moved away from her brother to meet him. He reluctantly lifted his gaze to meet her bright eyes. “Uh.. Hey Kip.” He said soon averting his gaze to the ground.

Kip smiled at him. “Hi Hartley... It’s.. It’s been a while.” She said in a soft and polite voice. “Have you been well?"

“Yeah. I-I’ve been good. How have you been?” Hartley said shuffling his feet.

“Good.. We moved into this two a couple weeks ago. Dad wasn’t making as much money back home as he used to so he moved out here for some job.. Do you live out here now?”

“Oh no.. I’m just passing through with some friends.” Hartley said motioning back to Penelope and Crow. An awkward silence fell over the two until Hartley spoke up once more. “I’m sorry I just left without a word.. I know you probably hate me now..”

“I don’t hate you.” Kip said shifting her gaze to the side. “I missed you.. That town wasn’t nearly as fun without you around.”

Hartley flushed at her words. “W-Well! I’m here now! Uh for a little bit at least... I mean, do you want to spend some time together now, for a while? We can catch up and I can introduce you to my friends.” He said speaking rather excitedly.

Kip giggled and nodded her head. She glanced over her shoulder towards her brother, who merely rolled his eyes and waved his hand dismissively. “Just don’t be late for dinner! Otherwise mom and dad will kill me!” He shouted over to her before turning back to the shopkeeper.

“C’mon. We can split my hot pie.” Hartley said before beginning to lead Kip back over to the table.

[Rogue Sloth]

“Completely oblivious,” Crow nodded. “I’m shocked he’s lasted this long as a thief when he can’t tell if he’s being watched. I know I would have died a long time ago if I was as absentminded as he is.” He popped a bite of pescods into his mouth. “The boy’s lucky Younisian knights don’t seem to know how to deal with thieves like they do in Brerra.” If he had tried becoming a thief in Brerra, he would have gotten himself killed in less than a week, he poked at the remaining food on his plate thoughtfully. Although he probably never would have tried if he had been born in the outer villages like me. Brerratic peasants would never disown a child for something so petty as losing an apprenticeship.

“I hope she accepts him,” Penelope’s soft voice drew Crow from his thoughts. “The poor kid has enough problems with his family. Last thing he needs is to be rejected just because he’s a thief.”

Crow turned to her in surprise, not expecting to hear something like that come out of her mouth. He wondered how long she had felt that way. Does she feel the same way towards me—that my choice to be a thief doesn’t mean I should be rejected? His heart fluttered in his chest at the thought of asking her. However, another thought tugged at the back of his mind that kept his lips sealed. It’s not the same. She’s a knight and a noblewoman. Kip is a peasant. Even though Hartley is a thief, he’s part of the same social class as she is. Still... He smiled. Knowing Penelope didn’t think criminals like them deserved an unhappy life pleased him.

He blinked, realizing he had been staring at Penelope for a while. “Right,” he said, averting his gaze in a clumsy attempt to cover his mistake. “I don’t think she’s going to reject him. With the way she was staring just now, it looks to me like she’s been waiting for this moment for a long time.” At least one of us can have what he wants, he thought with a pang of sadness. Having finished his food, he rested his elbow on the table, propping his chin in his hand as he watched the two interact from a distance.

After a bit, Hartley came back over with Kip in tow. He stopped by the table and held out his hand, beaming from ear to ear, “I’d like you both to meet Kip Fletcher. Kip, this is Penelope and Crow.” He gestured to each in turn.

“Nice to meet you both,” Kip bowed her head politely.

“The pleasure is ours,” Crow grinned and stood from the table. He stepped over to take the girl’s hand in greeting. “Crow Lockton, renowned thief and Hartley’s favorite traveling companion.”

“A thief?” Kip met Hartley’s gaze with wide eyes.

“Don’t worry,” Hartley said with an edge of nervousness. “He’s harmless. Hey, you know what? You should talk to Penelope. I’m sure you’ll both get along fantastically.” He ushered her to the female knight and spun on Crow with a glare. “Can you please downplay the thief talk?”

“And do what?” Crow rolled his eyes. “Lie to her? Look, I won’t mention that you’re a thief too, but she’s going to find out sooner or later.”

“No she won’t,” Hartley lowered his gaze. “Because I’m not going to tell her.”

“That’s not going to turn out well,” Crow knit his brow.

“She doesn’t have to know, because we’re leaving tomorrow morning anyway.”

“I get it now,” Crow narrowed his eyes at the boy. “You’re running away because you’re scared she’s going to reject you.”

“I’m not running,” Hartley snapped quietly. “We already planned to leave. Besides,” he shuffled his feet uncomfortably. “It wouldn’t matter anyway. I have no place trying to court her again. I’m a criminal with no job and no prospect of getting one. Even if she wasn’t bothered by that, which would be shocking, I couldn’t bring her into that life with me—not when she still has a chance to end up with a man who will treat her right.”

Crow quieted. Everything Hartley was saying reminded him painfully of his own situation with Penelope. He wanted to get closer to her, but he knew he could never give her the life that a nobleman could provide. It wasn’t fair of him to drag her down into the life of a fugitive when she could have so much more than that. And that was assuming she would want anything to do with him to begin with.

“See?” Hartley murmured. “You know I’m right. I have to leave and—Ouch!” he grimaced as Crow smacked the back of his head.

“It doesn’t matter,” the thief said sharply. “None of that matters. Do you see any other suitors hanging around her? No, of course not. Why do you think that is?”

“I don’t know,” Hartley said slowly, shifting his weight.

“Yes, you do,” Crow hit him again. “Think about it, kid. She’s a beautiful young woman of marrying age, without a single man to court her. Do you understand what I’m saying?” When Hartley just stared at him blankly, Crow shook his head. “Moron, she’s been waiting for you.”

“Me?” Hartley’s eyes widened.

“Yes,” Crow rolled his eyes. “Now if you squander this opportunity the gods have blessed you with, so help me, I’m going to beat you senseless on behalf of all the thieves who wish they could be as lucky as you.”

“But what if she does reject me because I’m a thief?” Hartley said nervously.

“You’ll never find out if you don’t talk to her about it.”

“You’re right,” Hartley said, taking a steeling breath. “I’ll tell her tonight.”

“Atta boy,” Crow grinned in spite of the sinking feeling in his own heart. If only it were so easy for me to do the same. Olivia’s words came back to haunt him once more. But a thief and a knight can never be together…

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope noticed Crow had been looking at her for a while now. She shifted a little, wondering why he was staring at her. However, she didn’t say anything as he went on with their conversation. She nodded her head in agreement and looked back over at the two. It wasn’t long before they came over to join them. Penelope smiled at Kip and watched as Crow introduced himself. She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

Kip blinked as Hartley ushered her over to Penelope and she quietly took a seat besides her. The young blonde shifted a bit uncomfortably and looked over at Penelope while the two men talked. “So.. Are you a thief too?” She asked curiously.

“No, I’m not.” Penelope said shaking her head.

“Then... is he your husband?” Kip asked, clearly trying to figure the situation out.

“No, he’s just a friend.” Penelope said feeling her heart flutter slightly at the thought. Kip tilted her head slightly, as if she didn’t truly believe the knight’s words. Kip’s gaze was a bit intimidating to the knight. For some reason, she felt like the younger girl would be able to see past any lie she said. Guess I’ll just have to give small versions of the truth... Penelope thought uncomfortably. She nearly suspected that Kip had already figured out her feelings for Crow, or at least some part of them. She decided it was time to change the subject.

“So how do you know Hartley?” She asked, feigning ignorance.

“We were courting before he left town.” Kip said a faint somber look passing briefly over her face. “How did he run into you two?”

“Well,” Penelope paused, a bit unsure how to explain the situation, “We were traveling and just sorta ran into him. He was heading the same way as us so we decided to stick together... Seems like you’ve missed him, huh?”

“Very much.. I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to see him again. He just disappeared.” Kip said casting a small glance towards Hartley. Penelope watched her with curiosity. She really loves him... She couldn’t help but wonder how far that love went though and if it had any boundaries. She hadn’t been too keen to learn that Hartley was traveling with a thief so how would she react to finding out that he was one?

“Well at least now you know he’s alright.” Penelope said, offering some comfort to the girl. Kip perked up slightly and nodded her head in agreement. Penelope smiled then looked back over to the two thieves. “One second.” She told the girl with a wink before rising to her feet to walk over to the two.

“Hartley you better get over there, your share of the food is getting cold.” She told the young thief, planning to give the two some alone time.

He blinked and nodded his head. “Oh right!” He said, seeming to have forgotten his meal due to all the excitement. He said a quick thanks and then hurried to join Kip for lunch.

Penelope shook her head as she watched him sit down besides the girl. “Figure we’d give them a bit of space for now.” She said turning back to Crow with a shrug.

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow looked up as Penelope stepped over to join him and Hartley, announcing that the boy’s food was getting cold. Hartley hurried to join Kip at the table, leaving him alone with the knight. He nodded when Penelope said she wanted to give the two some space, “That’s probably for the best. The kid decided he’s going to tell her the truth about what he’s become. They should take some time to reconnect before he springs that on her tonight.”

He found that he was starting to genuinely hope Kip would accept Hartley, not only because it would mean the young thief would stay behind, but also because he wanted to see them look past their differences. He knew he couldn’t do that with Penelope, but at least Hartley had a chance. He turned to her, “While they’re talking, let’s go find an inn for tonight. I’d rather not sleep on the ground again if I can avoid it.” He laughed and then blushed as his mind wandered back to what had actually happened the night before. “Not that it was completely… I mean, I wasn’t… because of… Sorry, I shouldn’t have brought that up again.”

Crow led the way as they left Hartley and Kip to have some alone time, eager to put his uncomfortable joke behind him. Why did I have to go and run my big mouth? He groaned inwardly. He wanted her to forget what he had done the previous night, and bringing it up again was not the way to do that. He just hoped Penelope wouldn’t linger on his words.

As they walked along the main road, he distracted himself by watching the peasants they passed by. They were dressed in finer clothing than the peasants of Brerra—not as luxurious as the ensembles of nobles, but still better quality than wool. He looked down at his own clothes: a tattered, dark gray tunic and worn black pants. The farther they traveled into Younis, the more he was beginning to stand out. If they wanted to blend in in this kingdom, he needed to find something less conspicuous to wear.

Along the left side of the road, he spotted a seamstress’s shop. He glanced at Penelope. “We should purchase some Younisian attire. Compared to these peasants, we look practically homeless.” Guiding her to the shop, he began browsing the clothes on display. Everything was made extremely well compared to what he was familiar with. The stitching was tight and even, which made the fabric soft to the touch.

He brushed his hand over a dark green, almost black tunic that was strung up on a line. It looked like it would fit him, so he took it down and found a simple pair of black trousers to match. The dark colors were exactly what he needed to blend in at night, and since they were new, he wouldn’t look like he had been living in the woods. “This should do it for me,” he said, turning to Penelope. “Have you found anything, love?”

[BuzzingBee]

“Yeah.. He’ll definitely need to ease her into it a little bit.” Penelope agreed as she looked back at the couple. As he mentioned finding an inn and joked about the night before, she felt her cheeks heat up at the memory. However, what caught her off guard was Crow’s stammering and blush. She looked at him with an uncertain gaze, for a moment wondering if Olivia’s words hadn’t been a lie after all. Her heart leapt at the thought but her mind quickly dismissed it. No that’s not it... Last night was probably just weird for him... I've made things awkward She thought shaking her head.

She followed him quietly trying to figure out if she should apologize for the night before. However, the knight worried that even addressing it would only make things worse. She was finally broken from her thoughts as he suggested they purchase some proper Younisian clothing. All to eager to focus on something else, Penelope nodded her head in agreement.“Yeah, you’re right.” She agreed glancing down at her own worn out dress. It was a light brown, lacking the color that most peasants seemed to wear in this foreign kingdom. Not to mention that it was rather dirty from all the traveling. Her hand traced over the spot where she had been stabbed in the shoulder. The wound didn’t bother her too much now but the poor stitching over where the blade had cut in her dress was a small reminder.

She followed him over to the shop eying the clothing slightly impressed by the skill that went into it. She wandered over to where she spotted a small array of dresses. Each seemed unique and quite lovely but Penelope couldn’t help but long to be in her usual tunic and pants again. It’d be easier for running and fighting... but not blending in of course.. She thought with a small sigh.

She finally decided on a dark, navy blue dress. It wasn’t as extravagant as some of the other brighter colors that they had available and admittedly, Penelope found it to be the one she liked most. She turned her head as Crow spoke to her and nodded her head. “Yeah. I think this will do for me.” She told him as she stepped over to him, carrying the dress. She noticed he had picked out his choices already and started to turn towards where the shop keeper was located. “Ready to go?” She asked.

[Rogue Sloth]

Seeing that Penelope had made a decision, Crow headed to the back of the shop, where a small, elderly woman sat by a table. She squinted up at him as he approached, “Find something you like, dear?”

“Yes,” Crow showed her their choices. “How much for these?”

“Hm,” the old woman grunted, eyeing the clothing in Crow and Penelope’s arms. “I’ll take forty Tael for everything.”

“Alright,” Crow took two gold coins from the coin purse he had stolen from the marketplace and placed them in the seamstress’s waiting hand.

“Thank you for your business,” she pocketed the money and smiled at them. “Your wife will look lovely in that dress, by the way. It was one of my favorites to make.”

Crow shifted his weight, considering telling the elderly woman that he and Penelope weren’t married. In the end, however, he decided it would be easier to save his breath and not correct her. “Thank you,” he said politely, turning to Penelope with a smile. “I’m sure she will.”

After saying a quick goodbye to the shopkeeper, they headed outside once again. Crow looked around, searching for a place where they could change into the Younisian attire. His eyes fell on an alcove between two buildings, just far enough away from the main road that there weren’t any people walking past it. “This way,” he gestured to the secluded spot so Penelope would see it too.

He walked over to the alcove and set down the clothes he had been carrying, “We can change in here. I think there’s a bend in this passage a little farther down. You can put on the new dress back there, since I’m guessing you’ll want your privacy.” Wasting no time, he pulled his old tunic over his head, stripping it off and dropping it by the other clothes so he could exchange it for the new, dark green one. Then, glancing down the passage to make sure Penelope had gone, he did the same with his trousers.

Once he was fully dressed, he leaned against the wall, waiting for Penelope to come back from around the corner.

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope went along with the act of them being married again, something she was beginning to get used to doing. She smiled politely at the older woman and muttered a word of thanks before leaving with Crow. Like him, she began to search for a place to change until he soon pointed out the alcove. She nodded her head and followed him over to the secluded spot.

She looked down towards where there was a bend in the passage before turning back to him. “O-k.” The knight froze as she saw him pulling off his tunic. Her face turned a bright red as she realized she was beginning to stare at him. She quickly turned away and set off at a fast pace to bend where she could change. The knight rounded the corner and buried her face in her new dress. Stop getting all worked up... He could have at least waited until I was gone though! She let out a deep breath, attempting to calm her pounding heart.

She did a small survey of her surroundings to make sure she was utterly alone. Feeling safe and satisfied, she slid out of the dress she was wearing and slipped on the new navy blue one. It’s material was comfortable and it felt like a decent fit around her body. Penelope smoothed it out slightly and glanced down at herself. Though she didn’t wear many dresses due to her career and attitude, she found herself rather fond of this one. Likely because it was not only made better than most dresses in Brerra but also because it wasn’t over extravagant like the gowns most noblewomen paraded around in. If it makes it through the rest of this journey, maybe I’ll even keep it.. She thought to herself.

Penelope turned and headed back down passage to join Crow. Her gaze briefly looked him over, finding that his new clothes fit him much better than the old tattered ones. He looks good.. Her face grew warm at the thought and she soon averted her eyes elsewhere, afraid that she’d end up ogling at him.

“Looks like all that’s left is finding an inn now.” She said, attempting to both sound casual and focus on something else.