Justric

The Highwayman Came Riding

Reynard grinned, knowing she was being sly and enjoying that knowledge. “Is it any wonder that the words ‘brother’ and ‘bother’ sound so much alike then? Sibling can be… quite trying.”” he chortled in sympathy. The, as though a thought struck him, the laughter died away. “Think on this, Greensleeves. Just as you dared to dream when you came to our meeting tonight, so too might your Theo have his fancies. Be sure to show him some kindness, some tenderness now and then despite his mischief. Perhaps your life of work may not allow for much, but grant what you might to him in sisterly love and motherly love. You may find his behavior much improved. My own brother…”

He stopped himself, not wanting to ruin the night with such memories of his own family affairs. Chuckling darkly, he shook his head. “Another time for that, perhaps. After all, this night is for you, my Greensleeves, not for maudlin reminiscing! “

“Will you, nil you, you did save me that night,” he admittedly candidly. “Even after my pursuers were well away, you might still have screamed and called them back. You might have struck at me with a rock. You might even have lighted back to your home and raises a hue and cry, saying you were lured in the woods and come upon by a seducer. But you didn’t.” His words softened to a whisper again, and Reynard bent his head to whisper sweetly and gratefully into her ear. “You didn’t. You heard me out, accepted my apologies, and allowed me my flight. In doing so, it seems to me that you not only saved my life but something that makes life all the worth living, that without it life would be naught more than a drudgery of existence. Hope, Greensleeves. You saved my life with hope.”

And the words were true. Reynard had come to the point in his life where he had decided to face the callous world dressed in the armor of his hurts and heartaches, to take on the combined force of humanity’s injustice and fate’s cruelty. Left to his own devices, the highwayman would not doubt have become more villainous over time. Only now, a village maiden had believed in him enough to come to him in the night, trusting in his promise to vouchsafe her innocence and maidenhead with only trinkets of gold for reassurance. Whimsically, Reynard had to wonder if there wasn’t some magic in this might after all. What had begun as a lark and a show of gratitude was becoming a bewitching enchantment upon him.

“And I would never take from you anything that you did not freely offer, Greensleeves.” He dared enough to place the lightest of kisses behind her ear. “Even then, I would bid you to well consider the granting of any such gifts first. As promised, I will be fair with you.”

Her last question remained unanswered, and his heart felt heavy for the mentioning of it. Still, he had promised her whatever he had in his power would be hers, and he was determined to remain an honorable rogue.

Reynard looked up towards the moon high above, focusing his sight upon it as it helped clear the morose feeling that accompanied the telling of his tale, however brief. A dark bitterness remained in his voice, a hint of cold steel and hard lead as he stiffened in the saddle. “As for those who hunted me… These lands were mine once. Or at least my family’s. Ancient oaths, rites of custom, and the solemn word of law were broken in favor of man’s glittering gold and clinking coins. Our lands and our responsibilities were purchased away. I would seek revenge and collect a toll from those who trespass against the rightful lord of these fields and forests. For daring to do by stealth what I can not do by mortal law, they hunt me.” A grim smirk tugged at one corner of his lips. “Fate and fortune that night were strangers to me that night as I sought treasure to replace what was taken from me.”

The horse had carried them surely back to the grotto as he had told his tale, the food basket now clearly revealed beneath the moonlight to sit besides a stream. Before, shadows had hidden their midnight feast. It was as though it had appeared by magic now that lunar light shone down upon it.

Suddenly, in a mercurial change of mood, Reynard laughed again heartily. “Yet I should thank them, should I not?! For in their clamoring over my breach of promise towards the hangman’s daughter, the pursuit led me to a greater treasure. To you. My Greensleeves.”

The Highwayman Came Riding

Yes, but... co-writing with you excites me! Inspires me! If I wasn't careful (and I'm being honest here) I could easily stay up all night RPing this with you. But even though I'm off of work tomorrow, I do have other obligations to attend to. Reality is the harshest and most unforgiving of mistresses.

The Highwayman Came Riding

My pleasure! Thank you for navigating!

Yes, Reynard's backstory took some time for me to settle in my mind, but I think I have it now. Although I fear I won't get to post until tomorrow sometime, I'm a bit more tired than I thought I would be.

The Highwayman Came Riding

That was a lag??

I love Bess's honesty right now, it's like she's let a guard down so he can actually see something of who she really is. Won't be able to post for a few hours, but I think Reynard has a way of answering her questions without giving away the game.

The Highwayman Came Riding

Oh, they have a great romance of their own, I think. It just needs to be rekindled. (Laughing) And somehow, I don't really see Fanny helping that much!

The Highwayman Came Riding

And done! A bit of a double entendre at the end there, granted, but it was unintentional. Well, mostly unintentional. And he's given her an easy out to speak her mind to him, too.

For the future of the story, Fanny is supposed to arrive soon is she not? What if Reynard accosts and robs her coach, she complains to the Captain when she reaches their home, and the hunt for the Highwayman begins? How will Diana react when she sees her beloved husband come alive to the call for action, I wonder?

The Highwayman Came Riding

Reynard smiled sadly, a gloved hand reaching up to lightly brush one curl away from her brow to tuck it behind her ear. What did she think he was, some faery lord to take her away from the world and its woes? She was young and full of fancy for all of her common upbringing, and the woman he had started to think of as his own Greensleeves made his heart beat hard when she giggled and smiled at him so. Her body was all too soft and warm in his arms. To think that such a midnight ride would bring this village girl such joy! He felt some guilt as he realized he may have unintentionally deceived her, but now that the masque had begun and the orchestra of the night played for them, he was loathe to leave that dance. But still, he had to remain truthful. Some core of truth had to be at his words, for she had saved him and deserved nothing less.

“I am as real as you need me to be,” he murmured to her, “and I will be fair with you, Greensleeves.” The horse shifted underneath them, huffing as though anxious to be off again. Reynard, on the other hand, had decided there was nowhere else in the world he would rather be just then. As Bess leaned back against him, he boldly embraced her with both arms about her waist and held her close. The breath of his voice tickled her ear as he spoke in hushed tones. “And these are my lands. Or at least they once were.”

“Only you can’t stay here forever, Greensleeves, believe me,” he sighed sadly. “You might say that sights such as these last only a single night and then are gone forever. There’s a magic to it that can not be held by mortals save in their hearts, can not be captured save by dreams and song and poetry. Come the morning, you will have to return to your daily life, Greensleeves. But it will be different, that I can promise you! You shall no longer look upon anything quite the same way again. Because this night will remain in your heart until you are old of age and bouncing grandchildren upon your knee. Because when the winter winds blow cold, this memory will warm you. Because when you are weary and tired, you will recall that a fallen lord found some measure of peace in seeing you smile with delight beneath the moonlight.”

Leaning down, he kissed the crown of her head through her dark curls. “This night will be gone soon, Greensleeves. But there will be other nights with different sights… if you wish them.” He gestured back towards where they had come, back towards the forest grotto where they had first met. “At the rise of each full moon, I would wait for you. I would trust you with my existence, and gift you with whatever you might find most desirable within my ability to grant. I will be your secret. For you saved my life, and for that I do not think I can ever reward you fully.”

Reynard loosely flicked the reins that dangled in his fingers, and his mount turned about to slowly walk back along the path they had traversed. It was a slower ride now. What had passed by in a blur of excitement before now crystalized clear before her eyes to reveal the beauty of the lands up close, all made silver in the moonlight as though just for Bess to enjoy. He kept both strong arms about her waist as they travelled. Reynard only let go long enough to snatch at the edge of his cloak so he might wrap them both against the late night chill, and then she was secured in his embrace again.

Back at the grotto remained the food basket and french wine he had secured, the wicker lid fastened tight against any wildlife. There they would pique-nique until near dawn and share in one another’s company. For now, though, Reynard held her fast and let her have her midnight fancy. “Tell me of your dreams,” he whispered, “Tell me what you might desire and what you might imagine in the darkness of the night by your lonesome, Greensleeves. Do not worry for ponderous words, but speak plainly! For a liar I would be if I did not say that I would know you.”

The Highwayman Came Riding

Oh, I'm not worried about that! I think Bess is too tough a character to become useless. I think the Highwayman will stretch things out for a while, wanting to give her what seems to please her most for as long as he can. But as events unfold, the revelation that he is merely mortal will be tempered with his growing affection and respect for her.

Never Lose Your Hat!

Fumbling as he tried to juggle both the apron and the terminally explosive lantern, Jötz was caught so off guard that he didn’t have a chance to so much as shout a warning as Ivy bolted past towards the steam barge. He did, however, wince in sympathy as she landed hard upon the ancient deck of thick wooden slats to roll off and into the brackish water. Shaking his head and still grimacing, the Jaeger walked up the edge of the dock and simply extended on long leg to cross over.

“Fly.” The words came out flat and disapproving. “No, dey didn’t ‘fly.’ Dey vas Canallers. Dey lived on da canals. Most canals don’ go off into da sky mit all da clouds and da rain and da birdies.’

As soon as he said the words, he closed his eyes in instant regret. He had a horrible feeling that even now she was contemplating how to make water canals that went through the open air.

Taking a deep breath and opening his eyes, he shook his head and set the imposed items off to one side upon the deck where they were safe. “Lets get chou out oft da vater before it gets you stump infected. Ve only gots so much of da healing schtuff after all!”

After helping her out, he tried not to focus on how her soaked clothing clung to her youthful frame. Ivy’s figure was outlined in the light of the mint lamp. Turning around hurriedly, Jötz began to take stock of what they had.

There wasn’t much that could be added, but there was plenty that could be fixed. The wheelhouse near the stern was half collapses, but the wheel and controls appeared to be in sound condition. The connections would probably need some degree of work before the ship could be steered adequately. What looked like twin smoke stacks on either side of the wheel house had also fallen, revealing deep holes that went down into what was possibly a steam engine of some sort. Sticking his nose in one of the holes, Jötz sniffed. “I tink der’s coal down der, but it might be wet. Ve would need someting really hot to get it burning again, I’m tinking!”

Curiosity overruled common sense, and the Jaeger stood to push away most of the collapsed sections of wall that remained around the wheel house; rotten wood and rusted steel slid away into the water with a loud splash. A hatchway led into the darkness below. Sliding down into it, his boots splashed into murky water that released foul smell as he disturbed the silt that had accumulated below. Even with the ticking light source above, he could make out dim details.

“A leetle vet, down here!” he called up as he squinted. “Ders passage dat goes forward, might be oder rooms towards da bow. Maybe another hatch at da other end?” The more immediate surroundings were easier to see, so he focused on those. “Ja, dis ist an engine room. Eet’s a room mit an engine in it. Oh, and der’s tools down here! Don’t look like da vater got to dem, either!”

The Highwayman Came Riding

Oh, wow. I'm rather glad Bess insisted, that was well done! But how badly is it going to break her heart to find out he's just as human as she is?