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

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow flushed when he realized Penelope may have known more about his rendezvous with the queen’s attendant than he had thought. He didn’t know how she knew Lily had met with him that evening, but she had definitely found out about it somehow, since he had never mentioned the girl’s name. Averting his gaze to look at a tapestry on the wall, he just hoped she hadn’t learned about it after Lily had come back from the tavern. Given his history with women, he didn’t know if she would believe him if he told her all of the physical advances had come from the servant, and not from him.

As they walked down the corridor, he wondered if he should apologize to her. Glancing at her from the corner of his eye, it was difficult to tell if she was upset with him or not. Though, she could have just been hiding her disappointment. He looked away again. It was hard to say what was the right thing to do. He didn’t want to pretend like everything was fine if she was truly mad at him, but he also didn’t want to bring it up again unnecessarily and possibly make things worse if she wasn’t. He sighed, Relationships are stressful.

Fortunately, Penelope made his decision for him. He met her gaze with wide eyes as she accused him of chasing other women, missing the teasing edge to her voice in his fluster. “It wasn’t like that, I swear!” he hurriedly defended himself, struggling to keep his voice down. “I just met her for drinks so she would let her guard down and tell me about the castle. She wanted more, but I turned her down and told her I was with someone else. Nothing else happened between us!” He bit his tongue, forcing himself to be quiet as the sound of voices came from the staircase around the corner. He may have been determined to convince Penelope that he hadn’t been unfaithful to her, but he cared more about making sure they both made it out of the castle alive.

He hung back as she glanced around the corner to see who was there. As she mouthed the word ‘guards’ to him, he tensed and drew the dagger in his boot as a precaution in case the knights came their way. However, it didn’t seem like a fight would be necessary, because after they reached the bottom of the stairs, the sound of their footsteps began to recede in the opposite direction. He relaxed slightly, moving to join Penelope by the edge of the wall to watch them leave. As he did, he caught the end of a sentence that piqued his interest.

“…of those Brerratic prisoners?”

Brerratic prisoners? Crow rested a hand on Penelope’s side as he leaned over her, trying to hear what the guards were saying. They have to be talking about William and Abraxas.

“Yeah, I heard too,” one guard said. “Rumor has it that this’ll be the biggest one of the year. All of the royal guard will be coming, even Oakley.”

“Really? I thought can’t stand the sight of a hanging.”

“That may be true, but even he wouldn’t miss the execution of a Brerratic.”

“Execution?” Crow whispered curiously.

“Well if everyone is going to be there, I guess I had better clear my schedule tomorrow.”

“What schedule?” the first knight let out a braying laugh. “You make it sound like you have a life outside of guard duty.”

“I do! You just think that anyone who doesn’t…” their voices faded as they rounded a corner.

“Even if we get the staff back to the king of Brerra, I don’t think they’re going to survive tomorrow night,” Crow murmured, turning to Penelope with a sympathetic gaze. “I’m sorry, love.”

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope glanced over at Crow as he grew flustered from her words. She would have reassured him she was only joking but her attention was quickly drawn in by the guards and their conversation. The knight tensed as they talked about the Brerratic prisoners, whom she was quick to guess meant William and Abraxas. There was a feeling of relief to hear that her comrades were still alive, however it didn’t last long as she heard the knights go on to speak of their execution. Her heart dropped.

She lowered her gaze as the guards left. I can’t let them be killed.. The knight thought about it for a moment and recalled the old, wooden door that she had spotted near the barracks. It might just be a cellar for weaponry, but there was a chance that it was a dungeon and where her two comrades were being held. Maybe there was something she could do about the situation after all. She turned to face Crow with a flame of determination in her green gaze. “Well, then I’ll just have to make sure that they aren’t here by tomorrow.” She declared stubbornly. Her determination faltered slightly as she realized what that meant. In order to get William and Abraxas out in time, she’d have to leave Crow to steal the staff alone. There was no way they could do both together after all and they had already come this far for the staff, she couldn’t imagine leaving it behind now.

Letting out a soft sigh, she moved to take his hand in hers. “I think I know where they’re being held... I might be able to get them out.” She told him with a small frown. She still felt guilty about leaving them behind when the Younisian knights caught onto them. They were suppose to be her comrades, she didn’t want to leave them behind again now that she was given the chance to save them.

“We’ll have to split up again. I’ll get the knights and you get the staff.” She told him giving his hand a small squeeze. Penelope looked up to meet his gaze. She felt torn in two. She wanted to stay with Crow to make sure all went well but that didn’t seem possible now. “I’m sorry. I have to try though. I owe them that much."

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow eyed the corridor that led up to the stairs, wanting to make sure the knights had gone. He felt bad for Penelope—she must have been feeling terrible to know that her comrades were going to be executed—but it wasn’t like there was anything they could do. It was only a matter of time before someone found out there were intruders in the castle or that the servants had been poisoned. They couldn’t waste time looking for William and Abraxas and risk losing both them and the staff. If he didn’t steal it tonight, they would have to wait for months or maybe even a year before the palace lowered its guard again and he would have another chance. At that point, they may as well turn back and prepare for war, because the king of Brerra wouldn’t keep waiting around.

Once he was sure the hallway was clear, he turned back to Penelope to let her know they could keep moving. However, when he met her gaze again, he was surprised to see not sadness or guilt, but fiery determination in her eyes. He was even more taken aback by her words that followed. Penelope… he frowned. He supposed he should have known that she would want to go after her fellow knights, but he didn’t like the idea of leaving her to wander around the castle alone while there was a chance that the guards would figure out she was the one who had slipped the henbane into the servants’ dinner.

He opened his mouth to protest, but she continued first by saying that she had an idea about where William and Abraxas were being held. He held her gaze, still unsure, but also aware that it would be difficult to convince her to knowingly abandon her comrades. But who knows? he thought. Maybe she’ll be safer trying to free them while the Younisians are focused on stopping me. The possibility made him relax slightly. He still didn’t like the idea of parting ways after they had only just found each other again, but it was starting to look like this new plan might actually work out for the best.

“Do what you have to do,” Crow nodded when she took his hand. He drew her in and wrapped his arms around her, pressing a parting kiss to her lips. When he pulled back, he looked at her with eyes full of a mixture of affection and seriousness. “But please be careful. I know you would do anything for your comrades, but I want you to come back to me in one piece, okay?” He kissed her one more time on the forehead. “I love you, Penelope. Don’t make me find out what I would do without you.”

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope pressed closed to him as wrapped his arms around her. She returned his kiss and met his gaze as he drew back. “I will.” She promised, moving one hand up to cup his cheek. “I love you too... And the same goes for you. Be careful, Collin, please.” She stepped away from him to leave but paused as she realized they needed somewhere to reunite again. “Once you get out of here, head for the cluster of trees we camped at the other day. I’ll try to meet you there.” She added before turning to head back towards the staircase she had came from before. She casted one glance back at him and frowned a little before focusing her gaze back ahead as they parted ways yet again.

The sudden change of plans didn’t bode well for her despite the fact that she was the one insisting on it. If something happened to Crow while they were separated, not only would she be unable to do anything but she also wouldn’t know about until he never met up with her. She felt her throat tighten at the thought of never seeing him again. He’ll be fine.. He’s the expert at this stuff.. She took in a deep breath trying to push away such thoughts as she carefully maneuvered her way to the staircase, keeping a watch out for any guards.

It wasn’t long before she reached the stairs as she was able to retrace her steps fairly easily. She headed down them at a slow pace, worried that once she reached the second floor she might find a swarm of guards if they had discovered what had happened in the great hall. As she neared the bottom of the staircase, she was relieved to see that the coast was still clear for the time being. No time to waste then.. She picked up her pace slightly as she headed past the closed doors of the great hall and down the second staircase onto the first floor. She was barely at the last step when heavy footsteps sounded from the front entrance. The knight slipped off to duck away into the shadows of the staircase behind a medium sized statue.

The door swung open and knights swarmed in with narrowed eyes and angry looks. “In the great hall! I-I don’t know what happened! Everyone’s dying!” Cried a familiar voice with clear panic. Dotty! Penelope tensed as she realized that the short servant girl must have run out to get the knights as soon as the rest of the staff fell victim to the poison. She didn’t doubt that the servant had been waiting for her to return, which likely meant that Dotty would know that the poisoning was her doing. Penelope bit her lip and held her breath as she listened to the knights storm up the stairs to investigate.

Penelope peaked around the corner of the statue to see that two knights remained behind to watch the front entrance, making sure no one came in or out. Guess I’ll just have to go out a different way... Penelope thought as her gaze drifted over towards where the kitchen and pantry were. She’d just have to figure out a way to sneak past them.

[Rogue Sloth]

“I will,” Crow offered her a reassuring smile when she told him to be careful. He nodded when she said to meet up at the trees, although her phrasing when she said she would ‘try’ to meet him there made him uneasy. For a moment, he considered changing his mind and insisting they stay together, but he had already told her to go after the other two knights. So instead, he said nothing and just watched her back as she turned to head down the hallway in the other direction.

She’ll be fine, he thought, trying to reassure himself. As long as I keep the guards’ attention on me, they won’t even notice a servant-looking girl in another part of the castle. Feeling a little better, he turned around to face the staircase that would take him up to the fifth floor. Apart from the two guards that had passed through earlier, no one else seemed to be travelling through this wing of the palace. He stepped forward into the open space, looking around curiously. Perhaps Penelope had been right that there were only two guards per floor. If so, that meant there were probably only two more guards on either the fourth or fifth level of the palace.

Crow walked up to the stairs and began his ascent, moving carefully so his footsteps wouldn’t echo against the stone walls. Even if there were only two guards above him, he didn’t want to make his presence known if they were nearby. He preferred to have the advantage of surprise if he came across either of the knights.

Fortunately, it appeared Lily had been correct in saying that this particular staircase would take him all the way up to the top floor of the castle. He passed by the fourth level and arrived on the fifth with no trouble at all. In fact, it almost seemed too easy. Who knew that poisoning the castle staff would leave it so empty? he mused as he stepped out of the stairwell. I should use henbane more often.

Rounding a corner, he entered the north wing of the palace. There was still no sign of any guards. He smiled to himself. The Younisians were fools for leaving the royal family so unprotected. It wouldn’t be long before he reached the western wing and then the king’s bed chambers. The staff would be his in no time at all.

He began to make his way around the final corner, but then froze as he was met with a startling sight. The west wing of the castle was completely covered in Aeklora-themed ornamentation. Tapestries of the goddess draped over the walls, massive gold idols lined the corridor, eye-shaped lanterns hung from the ceiling. Even the stones that made up the foundation of the hallway were each carved individually with the goddess’s four eyes.

Talk about garish, Crow wrinkled his nose in disgust at the over-the-top decorations. He could understand having respect for the matron goddess, but to go this far bordered on insanity in his opinion. Maybe the servant who tried to steal the staff last time dropped dead from fright after walking through this nightmare, he thought with some amusement.

Despite his distaste for the corridor, there was something strangely haunting about it—almost as if every eye in the wing really was watching him. He suddenly found it difficult to move his feet. However, he couldn’t stand there, staring at the decorated hallway for long. He soon heard voices coming from the northeastern wing. It sounded like the knights had finally figured out that something wasn’t right in the castle and were coming to check on their king.

The thief looked around hurriedly for a place to hide. He didn’t want to go into the western wing, but he couldn’t find anywhere better to hide. He dove behind the closest statue of Aeklora and watched as a small unit of guards rounded the corner, heading right for the western wing where he was hidden.

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope moved to creep along the hallway wall, trying her best to stay as covered by the shadows. She watched the guards with care, making sure their backs were turned to her as she hurried toward the kitchen. As she reached the door, she opened it slowly, trying to avoid making any noise that would draw attention. Even though she did so successfully, a pair of unwanted eyes fell on her.

“Guards! The kitchen!” Dotty’s caught both Penelope’s attention and the two guards at the door. Shit, shit, shit! Penelope ran into the kitchen as she heard the faint sound of footsteps charging towards the kitchen. Luckily she had a head start, she just had to move fast to keep it. The knight moved swiftly towards the pantry door, hoping to slip in and out before the three entered the kitchen. Then a loud clap of thunder sounded from outside making the knight freeze in her tracks. Her heart pounded fearfully in her chest as she realized the storm outside was getting worse. For a moment, she nearly forgot what she was doing and began to look for a place to hide and take shelter.

No no no! Focus Penelope! You’re safe inside just focus! Penelope shook her head, coming back to her senses slightly as she moved to hurry into the pantry. She reached up and grabbed the keys she had located above the door from earlier then sped towards the door. Her hand fumbled with the locks, still shaking with fear. She tried not to think about how worse it was going to get once she stepped outside.

“Step away from the door, Farah!” Growled Dotty. Penelope turned to see the three had caught up with her and were stalking towards her menacingly. She gripped her hidden dagger tightly as she glared across at the three. What was surprising was how coldly Dotty looked at her. It certainly wasn’t the bubbly servant she had gotten to know over the day.

I can’t beat both of them... The knight pursed her lips together as she eyed the two guards. She just needed to buy a little more time to figure something out. What would Crow do... She put on a smirk and eyed them challengingly. “Alright, alright!” She said moving to step away from the door. She eyed a shelf out of the corner of her eye. “I think I’ve done enough damage already anyways.” She mused.

“You bitch..” One of the guards growled and moved to draw his sword. He was soon caught off guard as he only pulled out half a sword. “What the-“

Penelope blinked in surprise but took the opportunity. She darted towards them then shifted directions towards the shelf as the second guard move to draw his sword as well. She slammed into the shelf, making it topple over and crash into the bewildered knights. She tumbled to the ground alongside it, wincing. The knight began to push herself back up when a screech came from the right. Suddenly, she was dragged back onto the ground by Dotty, who had dodged the shelf and then tackled Penelope. The two tussled on the ground until Dotty pinned Penelope down and brandished a dagger of her own. She pointed it close to the knight’s throat.

Now close up, Penelope noticed how red Dotty’s eyes were and that tears were still trickling down them. She thinks everyone’s dying.. She thinks Emeric is dying. Penelope realized in alarm. That’s why the servant was so out for her blood. Perhaps that would give her a way out of this situation. “I won’t let you get away with this!” The servant declared with a strained voice.

“Dotty! Wait! Wait!” Penelope began quickly as she felt her press the dagger closer to her neck. She flinched slightly. “They’re not dead! No one’s dead!”

“You poisoned them! They can’t move. Don’t lie to me anymore!”

“I’m not! By the gods, I swear I’m not this time! They’re all going to be fine. Emeric is going to be fine. The poison just makes them hallucinate and paralyze for a little but it’ll wear off.” Penelope looked up pleadingly at Dotty. The servant seemed to accept her words for a moment and Penelope felt her grip on her relax slightly. Now! The knight shot her knee up into Dotty’s stomach, kicking her off of her much like she had done to Crow before, and rolled them over so she now had the upper hand. Penelope quickly reclaimed the dagger she had dropped and wasted no time as she slammed the hilt against the side of Dotty’s head, effectively knocking the servant out.

Penelope moved off the unconscious servant and slumped against the wall to catch her breath. With all the fighting, she had nearly forgotten about the storm outside. She looked at the unlocked door with hesitation. If she froze up and a guard or archer caught sight of her, chances were it would all be over. It’s just thunder... It’s not going to hurt you.. She slowly opened the door, almost immediately being greeted by heavy raindrops. She slipped outside and hurried into the garden for cover. A flash of lightening and a clap of thunder, made her freeze by one of the trees. Her heart raced rapidly in her chest and she felt her legs tremble in fear.

She felt her panic of being outside in the poor weather beginning to set in as she tried to catch her breath. Penelope leaned against the tree and closed her eyes tightly, trying to calm herself down enough to move before anyone took notice of her. She thought of Crow, wishing he was besides her to keep her calm. She thought about his warm embrace, his kiss, and meeting up with him again after they both succeeded. With another burst of determination, Penelope opened her eyes and scanned the surrounding area. It seemed most of the guards had hurried into the castle but she still noticed a few archers perched to watch out for anyone leaving the castle. It wouldn’t be too difficult to get past them thanks to the rain and the fact that she wouldn’t be heading for the front entrance. Her eyes locked in on the cellar door and she gripped the hilt of her dagger tightly as she tried to summon the courage to move from her spot.

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow’s heart began to race as the knights walked down the hallway. He was concealed behind the statue, but if any of them decided to do a search for intruders, he had nowhere to run. He held his breath as they walked up to his hiding place… and then past it, continuing on to the double doors at the end of the corridor that likely opened up to the king’s chambers. He exhaled softly in relief. It seemed like they were only interested in checking on the king after all. He watched from a distance as one knight stepped forward to knock on the door.

“You Highness!” the man called urgently. “There’s been an incident in the palace. Please open up!” He took a step back, exchanging a nervous glance with the guard beside him as they waited for a response. After a moment, the door opened, and the knights all stood at attention. Crow craned his neck curiously, trying to catch a glimpse of the man he was going to rob.

The Younisian king was a rather short man. He was advanced in age, well beyond the years of anyone Crow had ever seen before—granted, he had lived among peasants who often died young. His hair was silvery but still long and full. It framed his face like the mane of a lion, giving him a mystic look of wisdom. His skin was wrinkled, and he had permanent crinkles at the corners of his eyes. He looked like a man who spent most of his lifetime smiling or laughing, completely unlike the king of Brerra, who spent his days scowling about one thing or another. His kindly appearance almost made the thief feel bad for plotting to steal from him.

The king looked up at the knights with a questioning look in his still-bright eyes, “Tell me what has happened.”

“Someone poisoned the stew that the servants ate tonight,” the first knight explained hurriedly. “We suspect the girl that was taken in this morning, as she was nowhere to be found when the rest of the staff fell ill. The court physician is currently undergoing tests to diagnose the poison, but it’s still unclear whether it was meant to be lethal or not.”

Penelope, Crow felt a trickle of fear run down his spine. They know it was her. Oh gods, I sent her right to them! We should never have split up. He leaned a little closer towards the men at the end of the corridor, straining to hear the rest of their conversation.

“Oh, dear,” the king knit his brow sadly. “I do hope everyone will be alright. Why would the poor girl do something like this?”

“We are unsure about her motives,” the second knight chimed in. “However, we suspect she may not be working alone. We believe she was sent ahead to remove obstacles in order for others to invade the castle.”

“That’s why we’re here now,” another knight nodded. “The intruders may be after you, my liege. You must allow us to give you protection until the rest of the guard captures the assassins!”

Suddenly, everyone spun around as a crash was heard at the other end of the hallway. One of the Aeklora statues had somehow dropped its golden orb onto the ground. Crow felt his blood run cold as he realized that, in his eagerness to eavesdrop on their conversation, he was in full view of the patrol of knights. All eyes fell on him.

He stood up and took a step backwards, feigning confusion, “This isn’t the bathroom? Sorry, I must have taken a wrong turn.”

“Get him!” a knight shouted, and the patrol charged.

Crow bristled and spun around on his heel to run back down the corridor. Damned goddess! he silently swore, looking frantically for an exit. He turned a sharp corner, heading for the northern wing of the castle with the guards hot on his trail. Again, there were no exits. He cursed out loud this time, forcing himself to sprint faster despite the pain in his left leg.

Rounding a final corner, he saw the staircase up ahead and felt a rush of excitement. Finally, a way out! He ran for the entrance to the stairwell… and then faltered as he saw a second patrol of knights coming up to the fifth floor. He gritted his teeth and whirled around again to run back the way he had come, momentarily losing his footing in the process, and ducked past the startled knights behind him. They stumbled to turn around and chase him back into the north wing again.

Come on, come on, he thought urgently. There has to be a way out. There’s always a way out! Running back towards the west side of the castle, his heart began to sink. For once, there was no way out. He was cornered between the knights and the king’s chambers—The king, he blinked, suddenly coming up with a plan. It was risky, but at this point, it was all he had.

Turning the last corner into the western wing, he hastened his pace one more time, heading straight towards the old man who was still standing in his doorway. For a fleeting moment, the thief wondered why he seemed so calm with a potential assassin in his midst, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it. As soon as he was close enough, he grabbed hold of the man’s arm, pinning it behind his back as he retrieved his dagger from his boot. Holding the blade up to the king’s neck, he narrowed his eyes at the guards. They skidded to a stop, eyes wide with terror.

“That’s right,” Crow snarled. “Back off or I’m taking your precious king down with me!”

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope held her breath as she eyed the cellar door. With all that she was risking, she prayed that it would lead her into the dungeon rather than just some weapon or wine cellar. Summoning her courage, she began to move towards the cellar door. It took nearly everything in her to not bolt for cover, especially when she heard another softer rumble of thunder come from above. She was still trembling, though it was becoming difficult to tell if it was from fear or cold as the rain had made her completely drenched.

She walked briskly, trying to stay out of the sight of the archers she had spotted. If there were any guards patrolling nearby, she definitely didn’t want them to find her. She finally made it across the clearing and over to the door without being seen. She paused to do one last survey of the area around her before opening the door and slipping inside. The knight felt a great deal of relief wash over her now that she was inside. She swept her gaze over what lied inside. She couldn’t seem much yet as she was at the top of a long wooden stair case that lead down further below the castle. It was dimly lit by lanterns and Penelope guessed that guards were likely waiting at the bottom.

She paused to reach into her boot and pull out the cloth that had the henbane oil on it. She carefully unfolded it and rubbed it over her dagger before stuffing it away again. Chances were that there would be more than just one guard at the bottom, so she hoped the oil would help even out the upcoming fight. She stood back up and began her descent into the cellar, trying to move quietly but finding it difficult as the wooden stairs creaked beneath her.

I wonder if their swords will be broken too... She recalled the half swords that the knights from the previous fight had drawn. Was it a fluke? Or was it... He must have done something to them.. A smile tugged at her lips as she figured Crow must have done something to the swords. She wasn’t sure how or when but any other reasoning seemed unlikely to the knight. However, this meant she would be stuck with a dagger for the rest of the mission. It wasn’t something she was overly thrilled about but she had managed fine with a dagger so far.

The end of the stairs came in sight and with it, two guards. One was sitting comfortably at a desk with a dull expression on his face while the other leaned against one of the pillars in the room. It was certainly a dungeon, for which Penelope was very thankful for. As she snuck a look past the two guards, she saw a long row of tightly locked up rooms. She couldn’t see into them so she had no idea where William and Abraxas were. I’ll find them soon.. She focused back on the guards, thankful they were unaware of her.

“Man I hate these shifts.” Groaned the man in the chair. He leaned back in it and stared up at the ceiling. “And it’s so cold in here!”

“Bad weather.” The other mused without much care about the conversation. “At least we’re dry.”

His gaze lifted slightly and he noticed Penelope approaching. “Hey!” he snapped. Penelope moved fast, tipping the guard in the chair and causing him to fall to the ground as she moved to meet the blade of the other guard. He had pulled out his half sword, and though thrown off by it’s state, swung at her. She deflected the attack with her dagger and went to attack his shoulder. The guard blocked her and she glared at him in annoyance. Penelope slipped to his left and swiped at his right hand, managing to fake him out and cause for a small cut on his arm. He snorted, thinking nothing of it and moved to attack her again. Except this time, he fell short as the henbane took effect.

Penelope spun around, expecting to face the other guard but instead finding his form fleeing up the stairs. She felt her stomach churn. He was going to get back up and that meant she wouldn’t have as much time to free William and Abraxas. “Damn coward.” She spat hatefully then quickly began to look around the room for the keys. She finally spotted them hanging on a rack on the wall and quickly grabbed them before hurrying into the hall of cells.

“William! Abraxas!” She called out, dropping her accent. “I’m here! Where are you guys?”

She held her breath as she listened for a response.

“Hey if it gets me out of here, I’ll be either one of ‘em!” Came a crude voice of a different prisoner. Laughter and agreement came from another cell. She rolled her eyes in annoyance.

“Penelope?” Came a familiar voice from a little further down. She grinned. “Abraxas! There you are!”

Penelope hurried over to the cell and began to undo the locks on the door. “My gods, Penelope, you’re actually here!?” Came the louder voice of William from the cell across from Abraxas’. She finally got the door open and stood back to let Abraxas get out. “Yes I am and we’re getting out of here.”

Her younger comrade stepped out, looking dazed by her sudden appearance. He looked a little beaten up but nothing too bad, which she was grateful for. She smiled at him and then turned to undo William’s lock. Soon the older knight joined them, also looking rather beaten. “How did you even get here? What happened?” William questioned her immediately, clearly shocked by her sudden appearance.

Penelope looked at him and smirked a little, feeling rather joyful that she was reunited with her comrades. However, she knew the moment couldn’t last long as they had to get out before the guard returned with reinforcements. “I’ll explain everything once we get out of here.” She said tossing the keys to the side as she hurried down the hallway to where the guard was lying. She grab his half sword and handed it to Abraxas before shifting around him to locate his dagger. Once she did, she haded the weapon over to William.

“We got to move quick.. Just follow me.” She told them sternly. Her heart began to race again as she turned to begin the last stretch of her mission.

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow stood at a standoff against the knights in the hallway, his dagger hovering threateningly next to the Younisian king’s throat. His heart pounded in his chest. So far, the knights hadn’t called his bluff, but they weren’t going anywhere either. If he couldn’t think of a way out of this situation soon, they would probably realize he was lying about killing their king.

“Step aside,” he growled, his eyes darting between each man. “Let me through or I’ll kill him.”

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty!” one of the younger knights called out, ignoring the thief’s threat. “We’ll save you.”

“Shut up,” Crow snapped at him, trying to sound intimidating. “I’m serious, here. If you idiots value your king’s life, then stand down!”

“You can’t kill him,” another knight spoke up. “Aeklora won’t let you.”

“Oh yeah?” Crow raised a brow, shifting his dagger a little closer to the old man’s throat. “Care to make a wager on that little superstition of yours?” As hard as he tried to scare them off, these knights weren’t budging. He had to come up with something else, fast. He glanced over his shoulder at the king’s open bed chambers. He wasn’t sure if there was another escape route in there, but at least it would give him some cover until he could think of another way to get away from the knights.

Turning back to the guards, he narrowed his eyes, “I’m taking him in there. If any of you take even one step towards us, I’ll cut his throat.”

“Oh, no you don’t!” one of the knights tensed, seeming ready to disobey the thief’s order.

Crow swallowed nervously. The guards were literally one step away from discovering that he had been lying to them. His mind raced to come up with another plan, but fortunately, he didn’t need one.

“Do as he says,” the king spoke up unexpectedly. He smiled at the knights. “I will be fine.”

The men exchanged uncertain glances, but stood down. Feeling a wave of relief, Crow backed into the royal chambers, still holding the king’s arm tightly behind his back to keep up his charade. Once they were inside, he released the old man and quickly closed the door, shoving what looked like a wooden cane through the handles to keep the guards at bay.

Finally able to breathe easy, he turned to the king warily, “Why did you help me?”

“Because Aeklora didn’t strike you down for laying a hand on me,” the old man answered unhelpfully. When the thief just stared at him blankly, he gave a knowing smile. “If you were truly dangerous, she would have killed you the instant you touched me.”

“She sounds like a lovely person,” Crow muttered dryly, looking around the room they had entered. It was elegant, yet simply decorated like the rest of the palace. In the center was a large bed, and resting against the bottom bedpost was…

The staff, his eyes widened at the sight of it. Skillfully crafted, the staff looked like it had been carved by a master craftsman and dipped in high-quality gold. Glittering rubies were embedded into the knot that sat atop the body of the staff. Even in the low light of the bed chambers, the whole thing seemed to glow of its own accord. It was mesmerizing.

Noticing Crow’s lingering gaze, the king stepped up to his side and cracked another smile, “I see you’ve taken an interest in the goddess’s symbol of power. Is it not the reason you’ve come here?”

The thief shifted his weight, forcing himself to turn away from the staff so he could meet the old man’s eyes. He had never spoken to anyone that he had stolen from like this before. It was strange, and he didn’t know what to think about it.

“You do not have to worry,” the king chuckled, seeming to read his mind. “If you are here to take the staff, I will not try to stop you.”

“You won’t?” Crow asked in surprise, finding his voice again.

“No,” the king’s kind gaze turned serious. “If you are not supposed to remove it, Aeklora will stop you, herself.”

“How thoughtful of you,” Crow snorted. His eyes wandered back to the staff and he slowly moved closer, drawn by its luster. As he approached the golden rod, his heart began to race again. There was something unexplainably powerful about it that made him nervous to be so close.

Swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat, he turned back to the king once more, “Have others really died from touching it before?”

“Of course,” the old man said with an airy shrug. “I am the only one who has ever held the staff and lived.”

“That’s not exactly the answer I was hoping to hear,” Crow frowned.

“If you are afraid, then why are you still here?”

“It’s not that simple,” Crow lowered his gaze. “I’m not doing this because I want to. I’m doing it because I have to.”

“Interesting,” the king stroked his beard.

“I’m glad my discomfort amuses you so,” Crow said with biting sarcasm.

The old man laughed and shook his head, “No, no. You misunderstand me. However, the musings on my mind are of no concern to you.” He shuffled over to a chair and sat down with a grunt, casually picking up a book and thumbing through its pages. “Do what you will, young thief. I pray that you do not end up like those who came before you.”

“Thanks,” Crow exhaled, turning back to face the staff once more. He stared down at it, entranced by its aura of power, yet unable to bring himself to reach out for it. By this point, his heart was hammering wildly. After hearing about the servant who had died five years ago, and knowing that the current king was the only one who had ever lived, he was more apprehensive to touch the staff than ever. It sounded like the legend was true after all—only the rightful ruler of Younis could hold it without being smote by the goddess.

What have I gotten myself into? he closed his eyes, wishing he had never agreed to carry out this ridiculous mission—wishing that the king of Brerra had chosen any other thief to steal it in his stead. Yet here he was, chosen for gods knew why, to risk his life for the sake of two kingdoms. It was a heavy burden for one man to bear.

Suddenly, an image of Penelope flashed through his mind, and he softened. For what it’s worth, this trip hasn’t been all bad, he smiled to himself. Even if I die tonight, I got to meet her before I go… I got to experience what it is to love and be loved by someone, and that’s something worth dying for.

Opening his eyes again, Crow looked down at the staff with new resolve. I’m ready, no matter what the outcome is. He reached towards it slowly until his fingertips brushed the edge…

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope lead the way up the stairs feeling hesitant to going back out into the storm. She didn’t have a solid escape plan, especially since she didn’t know a better way out than the front gate. The knights likely wouldn’t be able to climb out very successfully. Not only was it a skill they had very limited experience with but the weather also wasn’t on their side. They’d have to make a break for the main gate, which would likely put them out in the open. Penelope chewed her lip nervously as she reached the top of the stairs.

She pushed the door up slightly to try and see what lied ahead. From what she could tell, there were no guards nearby but that didn’t mean they weren’t coming. The knight was just about to full open the door when thunder crackled above and made her falter. She gulped and closed her eyes tightly waiting for the noise to die down before she pushed the door open and headed out of the dungeon. Now able to look around, she noticed it was just as empty outside as before and moved to keep the door open for William and Abraxas, who both moved with clear caution.

Penelope closed the door behind them and was about to make a move for the front gate when the faint sound of voices caught her attention. Figures of guards began to appear from the barracks and they were moving quickly, on high alert. The knight felt a bit of panic wash over her as she looked around desperately for a place to hide. She eyed the deep shadows that were casted by the barracks, the only building nearby. It was risky to take cover so close to where the guards were coming from but it didn’t look they had much of a choice. “This way. Keep quiet.” She hissed to her comrades before darting towards the barracks. She noticed William hesitate but the older knight didn’t argue as he moved to join her in the shadows casted.

Penelope bent down to make herself smaller and motioned for the other two to follow her lead. Once they did, she focused her gaze back on the guards that were now swarming the area. She counted around six guards, luckily not too many which was probably due to the fact of how many went after Crow. She did, however, notice that a few of them already had their swords drawn and this time they weren’t broken. That’s why it took them so long to get out here.. They changed swords so they wouldn’t be broken.. She watched as three of the knights disappeared down into the dungeon while the rest remained nearby, looking around for signs of her.

She clenched her fist slightly as she tried to think of what to do. They couldn’t make a break for the main gate with the three guards roaming so closely. They’d get into a fight and though the numbers seemed even now, Penelope didn’t want to risk the other guards returning in time to help their comrades. “Well what now?” William hissed impatiently. The older knight was tense and eying the remaining guards almost threateningly. Abraxas, on the other hand, seemed nervous and waited for further direction.

“We’re not fighting them.” Penelope told William sternly as the group remained hidden. She looked around before looking back to the other two knights. “Come on. We’ll sneak around the barracks and then make a run for the gate.” It likely wouldn’t get them completely out of being spotted but she hope that they would be long gone by the time the guards did manage to see them. She lead the way, moving carefully along the wall of the barracks and trying to keep an eye on the guards who were still looking around near the dungeon door.

She slipped past the corner out of their view with William and Abraxas closely following. She stopped at the last edge before they would begin to make their run. “Ready?” She asked looking over her shoulder at them. Abraxas nodded while William tensed.

“Let’s just get out of here already..” The older knight grumble, glancing over his shoulder to make sure they weren’t followed.

Penelope nodded before darting out of the cover of the building and towards the main gate. They got about halfway when lightening lit up the sky and a loud roar of thunder followed. It made Penelope freeze in her tracks. Her eyes widened fearfully as she swore that the thunder seemed to even shake the ground beneath her. For a moment, her mind went blank with terror and she couldn’t bring herself to move forward.

William had passed her now and was snapping at her but his words were lost in the heavy rain and thunder above. Finally she felt someone give her a shove from behind. “Penelope! You have to keep-" Penelope turned her head to see Abraxas’ looking scared and desperate as he tried to move her. As she turned her head, she felt an arrow whiz past her, just barely missing her. What it didn’t miss was Abraxas’ chest. It sunk straight into his chest, making the young knight let out a cry of pain. He staggered backwards before finally collapsing to the ground.

“Abraxas!” Penelope cried with newfound horror as she looked down at her dead comrade, barely aware of the danger she was in. They had caught the attention of both the guards and an archer perched nearby but she couldn’t bring herself to move.

[Rogue Sloth]

It’s warm.

That was the first thought that went through Crow’s mind when he touched the staff. He blinked in surprise, tracing his fingers along its smooth gold plating. With the storm outside sending chill winds into the castle, he had expected the metallic exterior of the staff to be cold. Instead, it seemed to radiate a warmth of its own that made his skin tingle pleasantly.

He slowly wrapped his hand around the middle of the staff and lifted it from where it leaned against the king’s bedpost, his heart still pounding with a mixture of fear and excitement as he picked it up to take a closer look. Part of him was elated that he hadn’t been struck down upon touching it, but another part of him was still worried that Aeklora just hadn’t chosen to kill him right away. He glanced towards the king, hoping to see a sign of surprise, astonishment, or anything else on the man’s face that would reassure him that he was different than the others. Unfortunately, the old man continued to read his book, taking no notice of the thief, still alive and breathing.

He frowned, opening his mouth to try to get the king’s attention, but froze as a new voice spoke up from behind him:

“Don’t bother. He won’t hear you.”

Crow flinched and spun around to see who else was in the room with him, only to find a woman standing near the doorway. He let out a startled yelp and stumbled backwards, tripping on the rug beneath his feet. As the initial shock of her appearance began to fade, he tried to remember when she had come into the king’s chambers. However, as much as he wracked his brain, he couldn’t remember hearing the door open.

Wait a minute, he blinked confusedly as his eyes fell on the door. The rod he had shoved through the handles was still in place, meaning it couldn’t have been opened. Looking around the room, he could see no other exits. He paled, But that’s impossible. I checked when I first came into this room, and there were no other people here. He turned slowly back to the mysterious woman, who was watching him with an unreadable expression.

Taking a moment to really look at her, he saw that she was unusually tall, with long black hair and a tan complexion. She wore shimmering red garments that flowed loosely around her lithe body, almost like water. Her face looked familiar to him somehow as well, although he couldn’t place where he might have seen her before.

“Who are you?” he eyed the woman warily, shifting his weight to run in case she proved to be hostile. “How did you get in here?”

“You know the answer already,” she replied with an air of disinterest.

“If I did, then why would I waste both of our time by asking you?” he retorted dryly.

“You know,” she said again. “You just don’t want to see the truth.”

“If I wanted to listen to pointless riddles all night, I would have kept talking to that old fool,” Crow gestured to the king, who was still sitting at his table. Despite his words, he was beginning to feel uneasy about what the woman was saying. Part of him even believed she was right. He almost felt like he knew her from somewhere, but there was something blocking him from remembering who she was.

He looked at the king again and frowned. The man was still engrossed in his book, paying no attention to the other people in his bed chambers. His apathy was starting to grate on the thief’s nerves. “Hey,” he growled, stepping over to him and snapping his fingers. “Old man, you’re still alive, right?” There was no response. He felt his unease growing steadily. “…Your Highness?” he reached out tentatively to put a hand on the king’s shoulder, and then gasped as he passed through like a ghost.

He retracted his hand quickly and spun around to face the woman, wide-eyed as he was finally able to see the second set of eyes on her face. “Y-you… you’re…” he stammered, unable to form the sentence. He looked down at his own body and then back up to her. “Am… am I dead?”

“Yes and no,” Aeklora’s stern expression was broken by a small smirk. “You are a spirit, that much is true, but you will return to your body.”

Crow stared at her, still in shock at her words. He couldn’t believe he was talking to an actual goddess. Sure, he had rambled at idols and statues before, but he never expected he would find himself face to face with the real deal. It reminded him of the legends he had been told as a child, tales of heroes who had communed with the gods and gained the power to save kingdoms. But he was no hero. What could a goddess possibly have to say to a lowly thief?

Gaining back some of his courage, he shifted his weight, “Can I go back now?”

Aeklora laughed. It was a musical sound that made him relax, despite knowing he had been turned into a spirit by a goddess. She gazed upon him with amusement, “Don’t worry. You’ll return soon enough. I merely wish to speak with you.”

“Why are you letting me live?” he asked suddenly, knowing he might have been testing the waters with her, but unable to help his curiosity. “I thought only a king could touch the staff, but I’m just a peasant from another kingdom.”

“What you say is true,” Aeklora said. “However, the rules have changed.” Her soft expression was replaced with one of anger and sadness. “My heart lies with the people of Younis, but their safety may soon be in peril.”

“Because of the war,” Crow nodded knowingly.

“A war unlike anything this kingdom has ever seen,” Aeklora met his gaze with fire in her eyes. “If it comes to pass, both Younis and Brerra will be destroyed, and they will only be the first of many.”

“The first?” Crow echoed confusedly, suddenly unsure about what she was talking about. Isn’t the war just between Brerra and Younis? How would anyone else be affected?

“I’m afraid I cannot say more,” she shook her head sadly and then looked at him with a sternness that sent a thrill of nervousness down his spine. “Once the staff passes beyond the border of this kingdom, I will no longer have power over it. You must not let it fall into the hands of those who wish to abuse it. Make sure it is retrieved by the king of Brerra—do not let it out of your sight until it passes into his hands.”

“If it’s so important that the staff is safe, then why don’t you just leave it in the hands of the old man?” Crow objected. “He’s held onto it without a problem for years. Why hand it over to me when it’s been safe here for so long?”

“I would prefer to do as you say,” a melancholic smile softened the goddess’s features as she gazed upon the king. “However, his time is upon him. The crown of Younis will soon pass to his eldest son, and with a change in power always comes unbalance and strife. The staff will not be safe here during a period of such turmoil.”

“I see,” Crow frowned again, glancing at the king as well. “So I have to take it then.”

“It’s the only way,” Aeklora nodded. “Though I must warn you: There are those who do not want the staff to find its way into the Brerratic king’s hands. They will try to stop you on your journey back, but you mustn’t let them succeed. Alert your companions. All three of you must be on guard if you are to complete your task.”

All three? Crow paled. Last time he counted, there had been four of them. Oh gods. What did Penelope do? He staggered slightly, suddenly light headed.

“I see you are concerned for your companions’ safety,” the goddess observed. “I just have one more parting word of advice for you, and then you may return to your world—As long as you are within the walls of Younis, do not let anyone else touch the staff. I’ve made one exception, but it is still filled with my power. Anyone else who touches it before it passes into Brerra will die.”

Crow nodded wordlessly, feeling sick to his stomach.

“I’m glad I was able to meet you, Collin Lockton,” Aeklora smiled. “Now, go back to your companions.” With that, she disappeared, and the thief found himself standing by the king’s bedpost again, touching the edge of the warm gold plating of the staff. He blinked dazedly. It was all a vision.

“Well, well,” the king spoke up with a bemused smirk. “It seems Aeklora has taken a liking to you after all, young thief.”

Crow picked up the staff, still disoriented from the vision, and looked at the old man, “How long was I standing there?”

“What on earth do you mean?” the king tilted his head. “You stared at the staff for a while and then picked it up just now.”

“Huh,” Crow murmured absently. Suddenly, his eyes widened as he remembered what the goddess had said about three companions. Penelope! He whirled around and raced towards the door without another word to the old man, who stared after him in bewilderment.

In the hallway, the guards were still standing outside of the king’s chambers. When Crow burst out, they all tensed, ready to stop him, and then balked when they saw the staff in his hand.

“Stand back!” Crow held it up, his eyes flitting between them as they stumbled away from the golden rod. “You all know what happens if you touch it.”

“H-how—?” one knight stammered, pressing his back against the wall. “You aren’t our king!”

“Oh yeah?” Crow smirked at him, twirling the staff in his hand. “Your goddess seems to think differently.”

“It has to be a trick!” another guard growled, although his eyes gaze away his unease. His words gave some comfort to the others though, and they began to close in on the thief. However, before anyone could lay a hand on him, all of the Aeklora statues dropped their golden orbs at once. The knights froze in their tracks.

“It’s Aeklora!” one of them squawked. “She really did let him take the staff.” The guards exchanged nervous glances and hesitantly began backing away from Crow, who was just as surprised as the rest of them.

“T-that’s right,” the thief said, recovering quickly. “So you all had better let me through, or I’ll have her smite every last guard in this palace!” To his relief, they did as he instructed, edging towards the walls so he had a clear path of escape.

Thanks, Aeklora, he glanced upward and then took off at a sprint, passing by the guards on his way back to the stairs. He made his way out of the castle with no resistance—any time a patrol of knights saw the staff in his hands, they backed off—and bolted for the main gate. Fear gripped his heart as he ran for the distant tree line. Penelope, please don’t be dead…

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope stood like a statue as she stared down at Abraxas. Her blood ran cold as what had happened began to sink in. Not only had she come closed to being killed but now one of her comrades was dead because of her fear of the weather. I killed him..The knight paled at the thought. She felt sick to her stomach, nearly feeling like she was going to throw up as guilt began to consume her. “Penelope, I swear to the gods, move!” William snarled at her. She looked over at him, surprised to see how panicked he looked despite the rage in his expression. He suddenly grabbed her arm and gave her a sharp tug as he began to pull her towards the gate.

She could barely move in time at first and was practically being dragged along by the older knight as he ran for the opening of the front gate. A bit disoriented, she didn’t fight against him and instead turned her head to look around. It was then she noticed that the guards from the dungeon were charging towards them with weapons drawn. They were gaining ground fast. Her eyes shifted back to notice another arrow hit the ground near them, alerting her that the archer was still aware of where they were.

Coming back to her senses a bit, she found her own footing and began to run alongside William. The older knight looked relieved and was able to pick up his pace now that he wasn’t dragging dead weight behind him. The thunder began to fade into the background, replaced by the hammering sound of her heart. They had come this far, she couldn't imagine not making it out now. Penelope gripped William's had as they reached the gates. She sprinted ahead of him slightly and pulled him into the shadows casted by the wall. It would keep them safe from the archer's view but they needed to move quickly to avoid the guards that were approaching.

Wordlessly, she lead William along the shadows until they were as close as they could get to the tree line. She glanced over at the guards as they searched for where the two had disappeared to and then looked back at the tree line. With a flash of lightning, Penelope bolted into the cover of the trees with William in tow. For a while, the two just ran through the forest, not bothering to see if they were followed and just trying to put distance between themselves and the castle.

Penelope finally had to slow to a stop to catch her breath. William doubled over placing his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his as well. "Did... Did they follow us?" Penelope managed out between breaths as she glanced over at William. The older knight shook his head.

"No.. No.. I don't think they saw us." William cleared his throat and moved to lean back against a nearby tree. "Let's just rest for a moment. I think we're safe now."

Penelope hesitated. Every part of her was screaming to keep moving and get as far as she could from the palace but she realized that probably wasn't the wisest idea. Both the knights were drenched from the rain and if they pushed themselves too much, they'd end up sick with fevers. She let out a soft exhale and nodded her head in agreement. "Ok." She mumbled.

Though William seemed glad for the break, Penelope shifted anxiously as her gaze drifted to the castle. The fate of Crow was still unknown to her and after losing one of her comrade during their escape, she wasn't exactly feeling confident. The knight scanned the forest around them, desperate for any sign that the thief was nearby, even though it wasn't their designated meeting place.

"So... You want to start explain?" William said looking over at her questioningly.

"What?"

He snorted and crossed his arms. "Everything! How did you get in the castle and what the hell is going on?!"

"Oh.." Penelope paused before focusing her gaze over at the other knight. "I was just sticking to the mission.. Me and Crow-"

"Wait! The thief is still with you?" William looked at her with unsuppressed surprise. "I thought he would have ran off the moment we got captured.."

Penelope looked over at William and crossed her arms. She felt a bit of protectiveness bubble inside her. "He's not what you think he is. He's a good person."

William raised an eyebrow at her and snorted. "We'll see... He might just take the staff and run."

The female knight shot a glare at William. "You'd be dead by tomorrow if I was the only one in that castle. You owe him thanks not criticism." She told him sharply. William shifted his gaze away looking annoyed. Well it's progress.. Penelope thought as the older knight didn't argue with her words. "Anyways," She continued on shifting her gaze away. "we stuck to the mission and got inside the castle.. I was going to stick with him the whole way through but then we overheard some knights talking about your execution so we parted ways.. He went after the staff and I went after you and Abraxas.." She trailed off slightly as she mentioned the younger knight. Her gaze lowered and she felt her guilt building up again.

William held a somber expression, not completely unfazed by the event. He opened his mouth to say something but then decided against it. He sighed and pushed himself off the tree. "Come on, let's keep moving.." He grumbled as he walked past Penelope. She hesitated, casting a glance back towards the castle. Oh Collin, please be ok... She closed her eyes tightly for a moment before turning to continue onwards with William.

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow panted heavily as he ran through the citadel. He was out of breath from sprinting so fast all the way from the fifth floor of the castle, and his injured leg pained him from the exertion as well. Despite these things, he gritted his teeth and pushed forward, holding onto the stolen staff with a white-knuckled grip. He had to keep going until he reached the meeting point—He couldn’t stop until he knew if Penelope was still alive.

His vision blurred from the cold wind, and he felt water stream down his cheeks, though he couldn’t tell if it was from rain or tears. I don’t know that she’s the one who died, he tried to reassure himself. Aeklora never said her name. It could have been one of the others. Still, he remained unhopeful. After getting to know Penelope so well, he knew she would give anything to save her comrades. He doubted she would stand by and let one of the other knights die as long as there was something she could do about it. It had to have been her.

We never should have split up! he thought, squeezing his eyes shut as he ran blindly through the street. This is all my fault. I should have insisted that she stayed with me. How could I have been so stupid! His eyes snapped open again as he tripped on a loose stone in the pavement, stumbling to catch his balance. After a moment, he recovered and kept going until he finally reached the tree line. Heart pounding, he hastened his pace a little more until he could see the cluster of trees up ahead. He was almost there. Soon, he would find out for sure which of the knights had perished at the castle.

Crow burst into the small clearing, finally allowing his exhausted body to stop moving. He dropped to his hands and knees, doubled over as he fought to catch his breath. Between all the running and his panic that he had lost Penelope, he felt like he was going to pass out. He looked up, searching for the others, and felt his heart drop when there was no sign of anyone. They could still be on their way, he thought, sitting up on his knees as he started to get his breathing to slow down. I could have been the first to arrive.

Still weighed down with worry, he moved to sit back against a tree as he waited for the others to join him. However, when no one showed up after a while, he began to doubt they were coming at all. He stared up at the cloudy sky, absently noticing that the rain had subsided. He felt hollow inside. The only one who had known about the meeting location was Penelope. He knew they hadn’t all died at the castle, since Aeklora had told him he would have two companions with him on the journey back, and since no one had come to find him, he was certain now that she was the one who had been cut down.

It’s not fair, he buried his head in his hands. She was the first person to ever truly accept me, and now she’s gone. Why couldn’t it have been one of the others?

Crow stayed in the clearing for a while, until the pain faded into numbness. Taking a shaky breath, he stood up again and picked up the staff. Even though he had lost her, he still had to find William and Abraxas. Aeklora had told him he would need both of the knights in order to succeed, so he couldn’t keep sitting around while they moved on without him. He took off at a brisk jog through the woods, searching for signs that would show him where the others had passed through.

For a while, he found nothing aside from a few broken branches to tell him he was going in the right direction. But eventually, he caught sight of two figures up ahead. It was hard to tell who they were in the darkness, but he was sure it was William and Abraxas. After all, who else would be out in the forest at this hour?

He slowed to a walk as he approached them from behind. However, as he got close, his heart began to beat a little quicker. One of the knights was tall with short cropped hair—William—but the other was short with long hair that fell down her back. She’s alive, he felt weak with relief.

“Penelope!” he called out, running to her in a new burst of energy. Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace, careful to hold the staff away from her so she wouldn’t accidentally touch it, and sighed. “I thought I lost you,” he murmured in her ear. Suddenly, he realized William was staring at them, so he pulled back and averted his gaze uncomfortably.

“Sorry, I guess I just got excited that we all made it out alive,” he lied, not wanting the older knight to suspect what had happened between him and Penelope during the time they had parted. He wanted to make sure she still had the opportunity to make a respectable name for herself in Brerra and, as hard as it was in that moment, that meant making sure her equals didn’t know she had fallen in love with a thief. He blinked and looked up again after a moment, exchanging glances with the two knights, “What happened to Abraxas?”

[BuzzingBee]

The two walked quietly in silence, both weary from all that had occurred. Penelope looked ahead in search of the meeting place, worrying that she might have gone in the wrong direction during her panic to get away from the castle. Her gaze drifted up to the sky, noticing that the rain had ceased. Maybe now that the weather's better, I can figure out where we are.. She thought hopefully and began to eye the forest for a sign of the trees from before.

"Wait a minute.. I want to make sure we're going the right way." She told William as she slowed to a stop.

"Don't tell me we're lost." The knight muttered.

"We're not just give me a second." Penelope said with a soft sigh as she looked around.

Penelope looked around the forest with a thoughtful gaze. Let's see I think if we head- Her thoughts were interrupted as a familiar voice called out her named from behind her. Her heart beat fluttered and she turned to see Crow running towards them. The knight nearly took off to meet him halfway but restrained herself as she caught sight of William to the side of her. She worried how the older knight would react to learning what her true feelings for the thief were and certainly didn't want to test it. However, she didn't even have to move as Crow wrapped his arms around her. She wrapped her arms around him as well. "Oh thank the gods you're ok.." She mumbled under her breath.

As he pulled back, Penelope took a step away from him, becoming aware of William's presence once again. She attempted to act like it was nothing and merely nodded her head in agreement with Crow's words. "It's been a long day." She added with a shrug. Her gaze drifted over to Crow and felt a small bit of frustration at the current situation. After all that the day had put them through, she longed to be in his embrace for more than just a brief moment. However, with William around, that was going to be difficult.

Penelope faltered as he asked what had happened to Abraxas. She frowned and lowered her gaze, unsure what to say at first. William stepped up to answer for her.

"Arrow to the chest." William replied curtly as he crossed his arms.

"It was my fault." Penelope admitted quietly. "There was thunder... and I froze.. The arrow should have hit me, not him."

William looked down at her and sighed. "Just be grateful you're still alive. We would have both been dead by tomorrow anyways." He shrugged his shoulders then flickered his gaze over to Crow. "More importantly," He eyed the staff in the thief's hand. "I can't believe you actually managed to steal it." Penelope followed William's gaze over to the staff. She hadn't even noticed it until then. She had just been so relieved to see him alive that she hadn't even noticed the staff that was in his hands.

[Rogue Sloth]

Though he knew Penelope was probably glad to have saved at least one of her comrades, Crow was not quite so enthusiastic about William’s return. He wanted nothing more than to gather her up in his arms and kiss her after everything they had just gone through in the castle, but he restrained himself, not wanting to give the temperamental knight a reason to turn on her. He sighed softly. It was going to be a long journey home if they had to keep sneaking around William.

As Penelope lowered her gaze, he felt a pang of sadness. He wanted to tell her that it wasn’t her fault that Abraxas had died, that she should feel no guilt for surviving, and that he was glad she had been the one to live. However, with William standing right there, he held his tongue. He would just have to find a way to talk to her privately later.

As William mentioned the staff, he turned to the older knight with a casual shrug, “Oh this? Just another day for the most talented thief in both Brerra and Younis.” He smirked as William curled his lip slightly at his haughty response. He had forgotten how much fun it was to get under the knight’s skin. Even though he couldn’t get close to Penelope while William was around, he would at least be able to do that.

“Yes, I’m sure you think you’re very clever,” William grumbled. “But now that we’re out of the castle, someone competent will need to guard it.” He reached to take the staff from Crow’s hand, but the thief jumped back, moving just beyond his reach. He narrowed his eyes, “What do you think you’re doing?”

“You can’t touch it,” Crow said. He shifted his weight. It would be hard to convince William that a goddess had told him not to let anyone else lay a hand on the staff while it was still in Younis. If he hadn’t seen her for himself, he didn’t know if he would believe such an eccentric story either.

“You had better not be thinking about taking it for yourself,” William growled accusatively.

“Gods, no,” Crow made a face. “This thing is more trouble than it’s worth. When we get back to Brerra, it’s all yours.”

“Then why won’t you hand it over now?” William seemed confused now.

“I know you have your moral conflictions about trusting a thief,” Crow said. “But trust me just this once, okay? I have a good reason.”

The knight hesitated for a moment before he gave a reluctant sigh, “Fine. I suppose it doesn’t matter who carries the staff anyway.” He paused, suddenly noticing the bow slung across the thief’s shoulders, and shot him a glare, “Where did you get that?”

“Seriously?” Crow rolled his eyes. “I saved the asses of you and every other knight in Brerra, and you’re concerned that I have a weapon?”

William faltered and turned to Penelope, changing the subject, “We’ve stopped long enough. Let’s keep moving while we still have the advantage of the darkness.”

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope watched the two as the spoke, falling silent for a moment. She gave a questioning look at Crow as he avoided giving the staff over to William. As her gaze wandered over the staff, she wondered what his reason was for not letting the older knight touch it. The legend was clearly false... So then why? She wanted to ask him but judging by how he didn't give William a detailed answer, the knight figured she'd have to wait for a chance to talk with him privately.

She was glad to see that the older knight wasn't hellbent on taking either the staff or bow from the thief. At least he'll be a little easier to deal with than before.. She thought as she recalled how coldly William had treated Crow before. Though the change wasn't too great, she was still thankful for it. As William turned to her, Penelope bit back a smirk as the older knight quickly changed the subject.

"Alright," She said with a small nod of agreement. "We'll keep moving until we find a better place to stop for the night." Penelope added the last part as she considered how tired she felt. She understood William's desire to keep moving and put a greater distance between them and the castle, but it had been a long day and she wanted nothing more than to curl up and sleep.

William nodded and began to follow Penelope as she took the lead as they walked. After a little while of walk, she gradually fell back besides Crow, silently letting William take the lead. She looked over at William, making sure that the older knight had his gaze focused ahead as she moved closer besides Crow so their hands brushed as they walked. "Hey, how's your leg holding up?" She asked, trying to keep her tone casual despite the more serious and concerned look on her face. She hadn't forgotten about the injury and though he had made it out alive, she was still worried about his well-being.

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow smirked at William’s back when the knight turned to address Penelope. It had taken a while, but the hot-headed knight finally seemed to be coming around to view him as more than just a detestable criminal. Even if he was merely tolerating him now, the thief would take that over his spiteful outbursts any day.

He trailed behind the other two as they continued to walk away from the citadel, favoring his left leg. Now that the adrenaline of escaping the castle had faded, the wound in his thigh had made itself quite a bit more apparent, sending a shooting pain through him every time he took a step. He looked through the trees around them, trying to focus on keeping watch for night guards as a way to distract himself from it. Despite the ache, he didn’t want to stop until they were far from the Younisian palace.

When Penelope dropped back to walk beside him, he smiled at her, grateful for her presence. He wanted to hold her hand, but was content with the way she walked so closely beside him that their hands touched occasionally. With William nearby, it was the most they could get away with anyhow.

“I’m alright,” he shrugged as she asked how his leg was holding up. “It hurts a bit more after all that running around, but I expected as much. It’s nothing to be concerned about.” He glanced at William for a moment and then turned to her, lowering his voice so the other knight wouldn’t hear him, “How are you doing though? After… what happened, I know your tendency is to blame yourself, but it wasn’t your fault. I’m sure it was just a fluke. You can’t carry the burden of protecting everyone all the time. That’s too much for anyone to handle.”

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope gave a small nod as he assured her he was alright. She noticed he was favoring the leg but trusted his word so she didn't push it for now. She glanced over at him as he asked about her and soon caught on to what he meant. Letting out a soft sigh, she lowered gaze to the ground and shook her head at his words. "It's not like that..." She began quietly. The image of the scared look Abraxas had right before the arrow hit him flashed through her mind, making the knight flinch.

"It wasn't just a fluke.. It was my fault. I completely froze, right in the open. Just because of the damned weather." Feeling frustration towards herself, she kicked a small rock that came across her path as they walked. "He would have been fine if he just kept moving but he stopped to try and snap me out of it. When I turned to look at him, the arrow sank into his chest instead of my head..." The knight trailed off for a moment. Now that she wasn't running for her life or worrying about if Crow survived, Abraxas' death began to sink in more and along with it, a heavy feeling of guilt. Though they had succeeded in their mission to retrieve the staff and even get William out, she couldn't help but feel defeated.

And I can't do anything to fix that mistake. She added silently. In that moment, she had felt so powerless to what was going on around her. She looked over at William as he walked ahead of them. She'd likely would have joined Abraxas if the older knight had dragged her forward.

"I'm glad that we both made it out and that I'm still alive but..," Penelope shook her head and looked over at Crow with a despondent expression. "I was the one that froze, not Abraxas. I should be the one dead. I was the coward that couldn't move."

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow lapsed into silence as Penelope explained what had really happened after they had split up at the castle. Though he would never say so out loud, it did sound like her fear of thunder had been the reason why Abraxas had taken the arrow. He averted his gaze uncomfortably. The worst part was that he couldn’t think of anything to say to make her feel better. After all, he knew better than anyone how dangerous it could be to freeze up in the middle of a battle. If he tried to tell her that she was wrong and that she shouldn’t blame herself, then he would be a hypocrite.

“I’m sorry that happened,” he murmured, trying a gentler approach. “But you shouldn’t say that. It’s unfortunate Abraxas didn’t make it out with the rest of us, but don’t sell yourself completely short. You still saved William.” As their hands brushed once more, he grabbed hers, gave it a quick squeeze, and then let go again. “Besides, I’m glad you weren’t the one who died,” he added softly, recalling how terrified he had been when Aeklora had told him only three of them would make it back. Turning to her, he offered a halfhearted smile, “You have no idea how worried I was that I’d never see you again.”

“This looks like a decent place to stop,” William announced from up ahead. They had arrived in a small clearing surrounded by a thick border of trees, far enough from any town that it was unlikely for them to be spotted. The knight turned around to face them, “It’s almost daybreak, so we don’t have long to rest. Penelope, sleep while you can, and I’ll wake you when it’s time for you to take the second watch. We need to get moving again before high noon.”

“I forgot what pleasant company he is,” Crow muttered to her under his breath.

“What was that, Lockton?” William growled.

“Nothing,” Crow said airily, moving to sit beneath a nearby tree as he removed the bow and quiver from his shoulders. He yawned and laid back in the grass, resting his head on his arms. After everything that had happened, he was ready for a good, long nap.

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope merely nodded her head as he tried to comfort her. Her guilt weighed heavily on her and wouldn't easily disappear. Though she was still thankful for Crow's attempt to ease her guilt. She looked back ahead as William's voice got her attention and quickly put a little distance between her and Crow as the older knight turned to face them. She nodded to William as he quickly gave out instructions. She glanced at Crow as he muttered about the other knight and tried to hide her faint amusement.

She had nearly forgotten what it was like traveling with William and despite his less than favorable company, she was glad to have the other knight back. It meant there was another person to help keep watch and also fight should they run into trouble again. If the journey back is anything like the first half... we'll need his skill.. She thought to herself as her eyes drifted over to the staff.

Penelope stretched a bit before moving to lay down as well. Though she couldn't sleep besides Crow like she had been, she still laid down nearby him. As she laid down, she felt her sleepiness begin to catch up with her. It didn't take long for the knight to fall asleep, worn out by all the day had put her through.

---

Her sleep was dreamless and certainly not long enough. It felt like she had only just closed her eyes when the sound of someone calling her name began to stir her awake. "Penelope, wake up." William said, raising his voice slightly when she didn't get up the first time. Penelope groaned and slowly sat up feeling groggy.

"I'm up.. I'm up.." She grumbled and rubbed her eyes as she strained to focus them on the older knight. He looked exhausted so she waved him off to go lay down. Once William moved to settling down across the clearing, Penelope slowly rose to her feet trying to wake up more.

She stretched for a bit and then leaned back against a nearby tree. She eyed the morning sky, it was a clear pale blue with no signs of the storm from the night before. Penelope took a deep inhale of the crisp air and swept her eyes over the clearing, trying to focus on keeping watch.