As soon as they were out of sight from the camp Olivia turned on Crow, pulling herself close to him and kissing him again. He laughed against her lips, enjoying the knight’s wild passion. The thief didn’t skip a beat. He pushed her back against a tree and reached for the hem of her shirt. However, she combatted his attempt, pulling her lips away from his and smiling coyly. “Ah, ah,” she said in a breathy voice. “Let’s go back to my camp first.”

[i]Such a tease,[/i] Crow rolled his eyes. “Alright, alright. Show me the way, darling.”

Olivia smirked, seeming to enjoy his impatience. She grabbed his hand and led him westward through the forest until they came to a small campsite. There was one tent and a small fire pit that smoked from having been recently extinguished. The knight released his hand and stepped into the clearing, tilting her head back to look up at the stars and spinning around in a circle. “It’s a full moon tonight,” she sighed dreamily. “You know what they say about full moons, don’t you?”

“Of course,” Crow walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her neck gently. He knew about the belief that the full moon caused people to act wildly. He also knew what Olivia was hinting at. The thief found her ear and gave it a soft nip, listening to her exhale in response. He reached for the hem of her shirt once more, and she didn’t object this time. He smiled, his heartbeat picking up pace, as he began to lift her shirt… and then stopped. An unexpected wave of discomfort hit him hard, right in the pit of his stomach. What was going on? He was about to sleep with a beautiful woman, yet something was holding him back. He was just as surprised when Penelope flashed through his mind. The thief knit his brow in frustration. [i]Don’t tell me I’m spoiling this opportunity because of her?[/i] He thought. [i]She’s my friend! It’s not like I even had a chance with her to begin with.[/i]

Olivia seemed to notice his hesitation. She took the liberty of sliding her own shirt over her head. The knight turned back around and snaked her arms around him, pressing her bosom against his chest. “What’s the matter, sweetie?” she cooed. “You haven’t forgotten how, have you?”

Crow flushed at the sight of the topless woman and averted his gaze. She was playing on his pride, and he knew it. [i]Why does that even matter?[/i] he scolded himself. [i]It shouldn’t be this hard. She’s practically begging for me to sleep with her. Just forget about Penelope and do it![/i] In a short burst of defiant energy, he pressed his lips against Olivia’s, running his hands over her smooth body. He felt her reach to pull his tunic over his head, so he raised his arms, allowing the fabric to slide easily off. As it did, he felt another sharp pang of unease, but he forced it down. The thief dragged the knight to the ground and climbed on top of her, continuing to kiss her as he did so. Just as he was about to reach for her skirt, he stopped again. Another image of Penelope appeared in his head. [i]Damn it! Why can’t I get her out of my mind?[/i]

Olivia once again noticed his hesitation. She attempted to guide his hand to her skirt, but he resisted. She stopped kissing him and frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Crow shook his head and moved to meet her lips again, but she put a finger between them.

“No,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him suspiciously. She pushed the thief off of her and sat up. “Look, I’m not about to waste my time here. If you can’t perform, I need to know right now.”

“I—” Crow started and then stopped. He stared down at the grass. Could he honestly say she was wrong? Every time he made a move to get intimate with her, he thought of Penelope. But that didn’t make sense; Penelope was his friend. They weren’t going to be anything more than that. He felt the pressure in his chest once more. Every time he told himself the knight was just his friend, it made him uncomfortable. He sighed, closing his eyes. He couldn’t deny it anymore: he had fallen for Penelope.

Olivia watched him, seeming to read his mind. She reached for her shirt, which lay nearby, and put it on again, “This is because of Penelope, isn’t it?”

Crow nodded wordlessly.

“I thought so,” she exhaled in disappointment. “It’s too bad, really. You’re very cute, Crow. I’m sure we would have had a good time together.”

“Yeah,” he murmured absently, reaching for his tunic to put back on. They both stood up, and he finally met her gaze. “I should go back before anyone gets suspicious. Thanks for the offer, love. I truly am sorry that it didn’t work out.”

“Me too,” she shrugged and then cast him a teasing smile. “Now, go get your love-struck ass back to Penelope.”

“Shut up,” Crow scoffed at her jibe. “Anyway, good luck getting back to Brerra. Maybe I’ll see you around sometime.” He nodded a goodbye and turned to head back to the other knights’ campsite.