Suddenly self-conscious, Crow averted his gaze uncomfortably when Penelope’s eyes swept over his body. He didn’t like the concern on her face. It was making it more difficult for him to distance himself from her. He wished she would just say what she had come to tell him and go, that way he wouldn’t have to keep looking at her gentle expression that silently spoke of her care for him, or her long brunette hair that fell in waves around her shoulders, or her strong yet slender arms that were slightly tense with concern, or her soft skin that he wanted to touch, or her rosy cheeks that he wanted to caress, or her slightly parted lips that he wanted to…

[i]Gods, Crow, keep it together,[/i] he realized his breath had been coming to him a little heavier, and he forced himself to calm down. He couldn’t keep thinking of Penelope in that way. She was a knight; a noblewoman; his enemy. He would never mean to her what she had come to mean to him. Although, the fear that crept into her eyes at the sight of the cut on his neck made him waver.

“Of course he is,” Crow shrugged when Penelope said William was watching them more closely now. “He can’t just sit back and watch as one of his comrades shows a little human decency. That would be ridiculous.” He winced as Penelope’s previous words came back to him like a ghost. “But I suppose it doesn’t matter anyway. He had nothing to worry about.” She would always choose her equals over him, so William’s fears were unfounded. In the end, status was more important to the knight than friendship.

[color=fff79a][b]“I didn’t mean what I said to William back there... you know that right?”[/b][/color]

Crow eyed Penelope warily, not expecting to hear her say something like that. He wanted desperately to believe that she was telling him the truth, but he had been hurt too many times in the past to take her words at face value. “Why should I believe you?” he said cautiously, his voice echoing his doubts. “Why should I believe you would choose a criminal over your comrades?”