Pluto

Secrets

Aaron lowered Kat from his grip, but he grabbed her shoulder and drove his dagger into her shoulder. She let out a cry of pain before being kicked into Hal. She winced nearly collapsing right against him as she did. "There was poison on the dagger, so if you don't want her to die I strongly suggest you behave yourself. It'll take but a few hours to kill her with that." He grinned. The dagger was still in her shoulder as he felt Kat shivering in pain against him before she slid to her knees. "You'll help her walk, don't worry my men aren't far from here." He laughed and motioned for them to start moving. He wasn't a very patient man at all.

Kat pulled the dagger from her shoulder, tossing it away. Already her shirt was soaked with blood. If the poison didn't kill her bleeding out might soon enough. Already she could feel a fever coming as the poison coursed through her blood. She leaned heavily on Hal as they were forced to walk along. The world was starting to blur and every step became more and more agonizing. She pressed her face against Hals chest until finally her legs gave. But they weren't far from the camp.

Men approached them, all of them with the same crest. They took Kat from Hal, who was too weak to even resist. She just muttered something under her breath. Hal wasn't far behind, sword ready they forced him to a cell as well. They searched him for any weapons before he was tossed into the same little cell that Kat was in. They hadn't given her an antidote yet, and even that short hour of walk had really put her into a bad place. She was leaned against the bars, with her head turned and blood slipped from between her lips. She coughed weakly, her eyes closed. Once they were both firmly locked in the cell a small vial was passed through to Hal, the yellow liquid inside didn't look like it would be fun to take. Kat didn't even move to react to it, she probably wasn't even aware of it. "You're in for a long night," the guard who gave him the antidote whispered. He seemed to be an alchemist of sorts but he didn't linger any longer to tell him more.

Secrets

As Hal looked to where Kat was hidding, she was pushed out of the shadows. A hand was over her mouth and there was a blade pressed firmly against her neck, already drawing blood. She struggled briefly until he forced her head back, making it very hard to breath as his hand even started to block her nose. "Hal!" His voice growled from behind Kat. He was so tall and the way he held her Kat was now dangling from his arms. He could see the tears in her eyes already sliding down her cheeks. It hurt and she struggled just to keep her neck from snapping. "I never send my men alone." He grinned as he held her.

Hal had only seen this man once before, sitting on a massive war horse, taking over the army he had once been a part of. He was a general by the name of Aaron Kopphear. He had been put into the ranks just as Hal had been chased out. He had a reputation all the same of being merciless with his victims. He was still a man of honour in some ways but not in many. Women who fought were treated as any other warrior, something to be commanded or killed. "Now be good it's time we bring you in hmm? The king has asked for you alive thanks to you finidng this little bird." He motioned with his eyes to Kat.

Addiction by two

The dealer eyed the players as they left and came. Alaera played quietly, sipping away at her drinks. She was used to this life, she grew up in it ever since her mother had left. They continued to play until everyone had folded against her except Callan. Alaera looked at him, taking a sip of her drink before flicking her hair from her shoulders. Every hand she made different gestures, nothing was ever the same twice. She would smile, a friendly smile, but she never frowned except when men folded far too early. She was a clever girl, but the last man folding took the smile right off her face. "This is bullshit, she's been handed cards, being the owners daughter she can rip us all off." Alaera just groaned and slouched on the table, half expecting her night of gaming to be completely over now.

Addiction by two

Alaera was finally dealt in. She had men and women both groaning and throwing their cards onto the table as she easily scooped up her chips. Her poker face was impossible to read for most, but there was a twinkle in her eyes, she was loving it. Making these people work for their winnings. She was lucky that this was still legal here, unlike many places. She wouldn't be able to do this in any other casino. She could feel a warm rough hand on her shoulder and she looked up, smiling a a man that whispered in her ear. She gave a little nod as she kisses his lips before he left her side.
Gauge, the man looked towards Callan, there was no mistaking that look, that man didn't like him clearly. But he quickly looked away and went on his way. Callan could smell his blood from here though. But something wasn't right about that man.

Addiction by two

The casino was lively as ever. Alaera's father had opened an entire new wing tonight. The entire place was packed, and men were putting themselves into deeper and deeper debt. No one could resist putting themselves into the hole with a new wing open in the biggest casino. Alaera watched the men wasting their money away. She sat herself at a poker table, waiting for a chance to get dealt in as she watched the people playing. A lot of people hated playing against her, they all knew she was the daughter, so she really had an endless supply of her fathers money. Several men stood and left the table. She frowned but shook her head, placing a few chips on the table as she did. She just felt like a game tonight. She sipped an apple-tini as she stared at the cards moving on the table. She was being careful not to card count, so she quickly looked over the men and women, counting their chips instead.

Addiction by two

The casino was lively as ever. Alaera's father had opened an entire new wing tonight. The entire place was packed, and men were putting themselves into deeper and deeper debt. No one could resist putting themselves into the hole with a new wing open in the biggest casino. Alaera watched the men wasting their money away. She sat herself at a poker table, waiting for a chance to get dealt in as she watched the people playing. A lot of people hated playing against her, they all knew she was the daughter, so she really had an endless supply of her fathers money. Several men stood and left the table. She frowned but shook her head, placing a few chips on the table as she did. She just felt like a game tonight. She sipped an apple-tini as she stared at the cards moving on the table. She was being careful not to card count, so she quickly looked over the men and women, counting their chips instead.

Secrets

Kat hid silently, unmoving. She watched Hal from where she hid frowning a bit. She didn't know what this man's capabilities were. He was supposed to have protected the princess that either meant he was terrible or he very good and had barely managed to escape. She felt her heart sink as the door to the barn opened. In strode the soldier, curious, and without friends for the time being it seemed. He stood in the door, looking at the bathtub with curiosity. He scratched the back of his head, and walked closer to the tub. He hadn't noticed either of them yet.

Kat sat motionless in her hiding spot. Her hand clenched around her dagger as she stared wide eyed at the soldier. She felt like she was frozen in place, everything told her to run, there would be more, but she couldn't. She had been told to hide and she was being obedient. He reached down feeling the water, his nose flaring to the smell of soap. The water was still warm, his hand tightened on his sword as he turned, shaking his hand of the water. He started making his way back to the door, but he still hadn't set eyes on Hal. They were almost in the clear until he paused and looked right at Hal, unmoving, but his eyes narrowed are he looked into the shadows. Kat felt her heart sink, they were going to have to fight, and then run, she was certain of it.

Secrets

Kat tried to gasp when he had first grabbed her. She thankfully didn't thrash, in fact she almost went limp. She was already working to escape by the time he whispered in her ear. She stopped and looked at him as he whispered. She gave a small nod as he released her. She didn't move, moving in water was noisy, it rarely let you move quietly. She grabbed his arm before it got too far away. "Will he pass?" She whispered in response. Her hand released his arm and she carefully reached over the rub pulling a dagger from her clothes. She eyed him for a moment, wondering briefly how long his eyes had wandered on her nude body, but it was a brief thought and she scolded herself for it. This was the worst time to be thinking of if a man found her to be attractive. Until a year ago she wouldn't have cared, but now these days, she wanted men to look at her the way they did other men, but they didn't. No they had all been warned away from her.

She forced herself back to reality. She wondered how much noise she'd make getting out, but even as she wondered, she got out, grabbing Hal's shoulder to balance herself, last thing she needed was to fall. "Where there's one there's often more." She whispered into his ear, grabbing her shirt as she did. "He'll find us.." She pulled on her shirt. She cringe to how much noise she was making, but maybe it was a good idea. Maybe they should be making noise, get him inside the barn. But, she wasn't a fighter, she was a thief, a good one at best. What to do right now for her would be to hide, but with him here, it wouldn't be so easy.

Secrets

Kat frowned, "Just wait here.." She whispered motioning to him. "I'll wave if it's safe." She moved out of hiding and into the open field. She let her hands brush along the high grass as she moved like she really did belong there. The best way of not raising suspicion was always looking like you were supposed to be there. But everything was still so quiet. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She had been trusted with such an important task of bringing this man back to camp with her. She was good, she got that, but this was more than just moving supplies and killing a few guards, not this was much more. It was a living a breathing, man, with mage's and a great deal more after him.

She finally reached the door and sort of stared for a moment. Then she carefully pushed open the side door of the barn and looked inside. She could see the blinking eyes of two large horses. A cat stared at her as well. The barn smelled clean for a barn. She turned around slowly and waved at Hal with a nod. She waited for him to join her. Once he had cleared the field and joined her in the barn she locked the barn door from inside and climbed up to the loft. As promised to her, food and water was waiting for them. There was even a troff of water with hot rocks in the bottom waiting for them. Smiling she went over to the water feeling it. Thankfully it was still warm. "Eat, and get clean." She whispered to him. Then she stripped down to nothing, she wasn't timid about her body. Then she climbed into the water and went to work scrubbing away with a small bar of soap and a scrub brush, it was probably used for the horses but it was better than nothing. They were both caked in mud. She was perfectly used to being in a public wash, though she wasn't a woman who had a house, so she bathed at camp like all the other men. "We'll rest here then go when night returns." She said to him, leaving him to his own devices.

Secrets

Kat hadn't realized she had dozed off when he spoke. She startled but forced herself to stay quiet. It wasn't like her to let her guard down so much. She crawled out behind him, slinking along the ground. Not wanting to use very many words she gently grabbed his arm and pointed in the direction she wanted to go. At least he knew how to move quietly, she thought to herself. She had had much worse assignments before. They were able to move quietly together, patience was proving to be a virtue though. There were patrols still about, the hunt for him hadn't ended yet. But if either of them were to be seen,they would both surely be hung. Kat was no less a traitor by their standards than he was.

They came to the opening of a field, of course that was a downfall to a farm house, most of the tree were often cleared away. There didn't seem to be any patrols though. Kat frowned as they sat hidden in the bushes just before the clearing. "I'd be happier if we had seen someone poking about, at least we'd know where they were right now." She whispered, having to lean into his ear so he could hear her. Her eyes moved over the land in front of them. There had to be someone near by, there always was someone, but if they were friend or foe she wasn't sure. Of course there was really only one way to find out, but she really didn't like taking that chance. "Thoughts?" She asked out of curiosity.