Staying true to his word, Crow stopped drinking after he finished off the last of the ale in his mug. As the wench came around to refill Hartley and Penelope’s mugs, he had her switch his glass for water. He leaned back in his chair, watching his companions drink themselves into oblivion. He sighed, Now I know how Penelope must have felt when I got drunk with the kid two nights ago.

While she stopped after her second mug, Crow was surprised to see Penelope let herself get so inebriated. He could tell she was focusing hard to act sober, despite the toll the alcohol was taking on her body. As she moved to stand up, he was quick to be at her side, resting a hand on her waist to keep her steady.

“I could say the same to you, love,” he teased when she said they should go back to the room before Hartley passed out. “Come on. Let’s get both of you back to the room.”

“What’re you talkin’ about?” Hartley waved his empty mug in the air. “Th’ party’s jus gettin’ started!” He slid out of his chair and collapsed on the floor.

“Get up, kid,” Crow gave the boy a light kick with his boot. “You don’t want to be hungover when you see Kip tomorrow, do you?”

“Where’s Kip?” Hartley lifted his head, blinking confusedly. “How’d id I get down ‘ere?”

Gods, this is difficult, Crow stared up at the ceiling in exasperation. He kicked Hartley again, “Come on, idiot. Kip is in the room. You have to get off the floor if you want to see her.”

“She’s ‘ere?” Hartley, in a burst of energy from gods knew where, climbed hurriedly to his feet.

“Follow me,” Crow instructed. He adjusted his hold on Penelope so he could support most of her weight and then headed towards the stairs that led up to the second level of the inn. “You really let yourself go, huh?” he smirked at her. “And here I thought knights weren’t supposed to get drunk on the job.”

He took the stairs slowly when they reached them, careful to check his balance so Penelope could continue to use him for support if she needed to. Hartley struggled along behind them, but somehow managed not to fall over in his eagerness to see Kip. His excitement almost made Crow feel bad for lying to him. It won’t matter soon, he glanced over his shoulder as he reached the top of the stairs. He’ll pass out the instant he lays down on his bed.

Penelope rolled her eyes at Crow as teased her. “A-least I can stand up on my own.” She said with a small huff. She didn’t bother moving away from his side though, especially at the sight of the stairs. The knight shifted her gaze over to Hartley and gave a small snort as he fell for Crow’s lie. “See I’m not acting stupid like him.” She argued.

She followed him to the stairs and was forced to lean a bit more into Crow as she found it much more difficult to keep herself upright while heading up them. Flat ground had been much easier for her to walk on. “Hey! I’m not that drunk! I know wha’s goin’ on. Besides you’re one ta talk! At leasst I’m not trying to get you in my bed!” She said referring to the time he was drunk. Thanks to alcohol in her system, she didn’t seem the least bit flustered or bashful by her accusation. Instead, the knight smirked up at him with a teasing gaze.

As they stepped into the room, she turned her head to watch Hartley’s face droop at the Kip-less room as he moved to take a seat on one of the beds. “Where ’s she?” He asked with confused look as he fell back on the bed.

Penelope glanced at Crow and gave him a devilish wink before turning to look over at the younger thief. “Who?” She asked Hartley.

“Huh?” Hartley was already closing his eyes, beginning to drift off to sleep.

Penelope chuckled a little before she looked back up at Crow. “Out like a light.” She said with a smirk. Her smirk soon faded as she looked at him, her expression suddenly softening as she stared at him. “Damn... I’m so glad I met you.” She breathed, beginning to lean in for a kiss before stopping herself and pulling away as she smelled the alcohol on her own breath. “Ahh my breath reeks, sorry."

“Maybe not,” Crow chuckled when Penelope said she wasn’t trying to get him to sleep with her. “But you are most certainly drunk.” He met her teasing look with one of his own. Even though he knew she was intoxicated, he found the mischievous glint in her eyes attractive. She had a way about her when she was in a good mood that made his heart race every time. If you were trying to get me into bed with you, you wouldn’t have to try very hard, he thought as they walked down the hallway.

When they reached the door to their room, Crow unlocked it and held it open for Penelope and Hartley to step through first. As expected, the boy’s excitement drained from his face when he realized Kip wasn’t actually there. He collapsed on his bed and fell asleep after some prompting from Penelope. Crow moved to walk Penelope to her bed, but he paused as her expression changed.

“Damn... I’m so glad I met you,” she leaned in to kiss him, but hesitated. “Ahh, my breath probably reeks, sorry.”

Crow laughed and took the initiative, closing the distance between them by pressing his lips to hers. He rested a hand on the back of her neck, lightly tracing his way around the side of her jaw. His other arm slipped around her lower back, holding her close to himself. After a moment, he pulled away from the kiss, but continued to hold her in an embrace, resting his head on hers, “I’m glad I met you too.”

He guided her over to her bed and sat down next to her. He glanced at Hartley’s sleeping form across the room. The boy looked like he was out cold. Crow doubted he would wake up to anything. He looked back at Penelope, his eyes wandering over her body as he wondered yet again what it would be like to sleep with her. Now isn’t the time, he bit his lip. She’s drunk and not thinking clearly.

“We should get some sleep,” he said, meeting her gaze as he fought the urge to push her down on the bed and kiss her again. “Trust me, you don’t want a hangover tomorrow when we need to get back on the road.”

Penelope smiled against his lips as he kissed her. She slipped her arms around him, holding him firmly against her. She kept her eyes closed as he rested his head against hers, feeling a bit tired. The knight smiled though weariness began to seep into her. With the warmth and comfort of his, she could see why she slept so soundly the night before. She was nearly tempted to fall sleep in his arms again.

She let out a small yawn as she followed him over to her bed. She sat down besides him and nodded in agreement with his words. “That’s for sure.” She said with a soft laugh. Her hand moved to rest over his as she leaned over and pressed her lips against his in another quick kiss. “Goodnight, Crow.” She said as she pulled away. She moved and laid back in her bed. The knight was asleep in practically no time as she curled up in her bed.

---

A low moan of pain was what stirred the knight from her slumber. She slowly peeled open her eyes, looking up to see the ceiling of the room. It took a moment, but soon the memory of the other day came rushing back into her head. Her heart fluttered as she thought about what had occurred between her and Crow. The knight smiled to herself despite the grogginess she felt due to the alcohol she had drank. She certainly didn’t feel her best but at least it wasn’t a hangover.

She turned her head as another moan came from nearby. She spotted Hartley sitting up clutching his head. “Damn my head’s killing me...” He groaned. Penelope rolled her eyes and slowly sat up.

“You’re the one that asked for it.” She reminded him as she rubbed her eyes with her hand, trying to wake herself up.

Crow leaned into Penelope’s kiss, closing his eyes blissfully. He kept his arms by his sides to enjoy the feeling of their lips meeting without pushing for more. It was surprisingly nicer than he expected. The simplicity of kissing for its own sake was something new to him, since he had never attempted to be in a long term relationship before. As a fugitive, he was always on the run, so the most he could ever safety engage in were brief flings and one night stands. He was excited to give his relationship with Penelope a real shot.

Part of him did worry though, that she would change her mind about him the next morning. He worried she would wake up and feel like she had made a mistake or decide it didn’t make sense for them to be together because of what they were. His care for her ran so deeply that the thought frightened him. He wanted to believe what they had was different than what he had experienced before, but all of those experiences still told him that he was a thief, and thieves can’t settle down.

Slivers of doubt began worming their way into his mind. Were he and Hartley fools for even trying to be with Penelope and Kip? Maybe Hartley can do it because he only made a reputation for himself in one town, he thought. But all the knights of Brerra will be looking for me when I get home. If I stop moving to settle down, I’ll be killed. Could he really ask Penelope to accommodate such a demanding lifestyle, especially when she was a knight, herself? Would she even want to?

He pressed more deeply into the kiss, driven by a mixture of passion and fear. Unfortunately, Penelope pulled away all too quickly, saying goodnight to him and laying down to sleep. He gazed down at her, unwilling to move from her side just yet. Tentatively, he reached out to rest one hand on her shoulder, feeling the steady rise and fall of her chest as she slept. He still couldn’t believe everything that had happened between them that day was real. He only prayed she wouldn’t change her mind about him in the morning.

I don’t ask for much, he pleaded, running his hand gingerly down her arm. Just let me have her when I wake up… please.

Being careful not to disturb her, Crow got up from Penelope’s bed and moved silently across the room to his own. After taking off his boots, he laid down and closed his eyes, letting out his breath slowly. The mattress was soft and inviting. Despite his worries, he didn’t take long to fall asleep.

--

Crow was the first one up the next day, which didn’t surprise him considering how much the others had had to drink the night before. He sat up and stretched languidly, blinking against the morning light that filtered in through the window. His eyes wandered to Penelope’s sleeping form on the other side of the room as his concerns made their way back to the surface of his mind. Would she still want to be with him when she woke up?

He didn’t want to think about that now, so he climbed down from the bed and found an open spot on the floor to work on loosening his muscles. As he stretched, he found that quite a bit of his former limberness had returned despite the short amount of time that had passed since his prison days. It pleased him to know that it would take more than a year to break down the level of fitness he had acquired throughout his lifetime.

After a while, he heard the other begin to stir. Hartley let out a moan, clutching his head with both hands as he sat up and complaining about his hangover. Penelope seemed to be faring much better than the young thief. She was tired, but fortunately didn’t show any signs of nausea or aching.

Crow got up from the floor, hesitated for a moment, and then made his way over to Penelope’s bed. He sat down on the edge again and offered her a friendly smile, “Good morning, love. How are you feeling?”

Penelope blinked as her gaze focused on Crow when he moved to sit down at the edge of her bed. She noticed the small bit of hesitation he had but didn’t quite understand why so she merely brushed it off. “Morning. I’ve been better but at least I’m not as bad as him.” She responded with a nod to the hungover Hartley. Hartley waved his hand dismissively.

She slipped her legs off the side of the bed and scooted to sit besides Crow. She paused, the day before still felt unreal to her that she nearly felt like slipping back into her ways of hiding her feelings. She quickly snapped out of it though and leaned in to kiss his cheek before resting her head against his shoulder. I can do this now.. And I don’t even need an excuse.. She thought excitedly.

“Sorry if I caused you trouble last night.” She said briefly thinking over her actions from the night before. Luckily it seemed like she hadn’t done anything crazy or embarrassing so the knight relaxed. “Guess we should probably grab some breakfast and then get moving.”

Hartley’s eyes widened with realization and he suddenly rose to his feet. “Oh geez I was suppose to get up early to meet up with Kip! She wanted to say goodbye before you guys left too.. Gahh-“ He groaned again as his sudden motion caught up with him and his head pounded. “I’ll be back! Don’t leave just yet!” He said finding another burst of energy as he hurried out of the room.

Penelope rolled her eyes as she watched him go. “He’s nuts.” She mumbled with a small smile. She closed her eyes for a moment, remaining resting against Crow. “I think drinking last night has completely zapped away all my energy.”

“I’m glad you’re not as bad as him,” Crow smirked. “I’m strong enough to carry you up a flight of stairs, but hauling you all the way to the next town would really stretch my limits.” He felt a wave of relief wash over him when Penelope sat next to him and kissed his cheek. It seemed she hadn’t changed her mind about him so far. She really does want to make this work, fresh excitement rushed through him. It wasn’t just a spur of the moment thing. She really meant what she said yesterday.

As Penelope leaned her head against his shoulder, he rested a hand on her thigh, enjoying their newfound closeness. He shook his head when she apologized for causing him trouble, “You were a perfect, tipsy angel,” he said teasingly. “The kid was the troublesome one. He made a scene in the restaurant last night by getting a little too friendly with the floor.” He shot Hartley an annoyed glance. “You’re a sloppy drunk, you know that?”

The boy ignored Crow’s comment as he suddenly realized he was supposed to have met Kip that morning already. He bolted out of the room, telling the others to stay put until he returned. With Penelope on his shoulder, Crow had no qualms with the request. He would take any excuse he could get to stay next to her like that.

“Mm,” he grunted in agreement when Penelope said Hartley was nuts. “I wish I could borrow some of his energy. Just the thought of walking all day again makes me want to go back to sleep.” He wondered how much farther the palace was from Hef’n. It was difficult for him to tell since there was a more equal distribution of wealth in Younis. If they had been traveling to the inner cities of Brerra, he could tell how close he was by the quality of life of the people he passed by.

“I think drinking last night has completely zapped away all my energy,” Penelope said tiredly.

Crow looked down at her thoughtfully. She seemed completely drained, even after getting a full night of sleep. “Maybe you should take a short nap,” Crow suggested, softly stroking her leg. He didn’t want her to move away from him, but she needed to be more awake when they left for the next town. “Hartley won’t be back for a while, so there’s time if you want to.”

Penelope shook her head at his suggestion. "I'll be fine." She assured him. "I don't think taking a nap would help me much anyways. I doubt I'd even be able to fall asleep actually. I just need to wake up a bit more and then I'll be good to go." It hadn't been the first time she had felt this way before. Penelope knew that sleeping more wouldn't help. More likely than not, she would just end up feeling tired and lazy the rest of the day so she decided it was better to fight it off now rather than later.

She lifted her head off his shoulder to stretch out her arms and then rotated her torso to stretch her back. It helped slightly in jogging the knight awake though it would take more than a couple movements to completely fight off her tiredness. She leaned back, propping herself up on the palms of her hands as she looked back over at Crow.

"I wish we knew how much longer we had until we reached the castle." She said with a small sigh. She feared it was only a matter of a few days before they hit it now and that was more unnerving than satisfying to the knight. The possiblity of something going wrong was rather high and now they didn't have the back up of the other two knights.

Penelope frowned with worry at the thought. If something happens to me or if I can't get to him in time... She stopped her train of thought, already feeling her heart sinking.

"Crow I think I should teach you how to fight." She said suddenly, meeting his gaze with determination burning her eyes. "I mean, from what I've heard you already know some but I can help refine those skills. I'm you're only back up so if something happens to me or if I can't get to you, I want to make sure you can get yourself out of there."

Crow nodded when Penelope said she just needed to wake up a bit on her own. He shifted away from her on the bed, giving her space to stretch and loosen up. At her mention of not knowing how much longer they had until they reached the castle, he sighed. There were probably only a few more days of traveling left, but he was more concerned about what was to come when they found the Younisian palace.

With the way William had been hurrying them along, it sounded like the king of Brerra wasn’t planning to give him much time to actually steal the staff. Hartley’s description of the protection around the Younisian king wasn’t encouraging either. Crow would have liked to have at least a month to prepare for the raid, if not longer, but it was beginning to look like he would have a few days at best. That wasn’t even enough time to learn about all of the weapons the guards used, let alone the layout of the palace itself. If he was going to pull this off, he needed a miracle.

“Crow, I think I should teach you how to fight,” Penelope said suddenly. “I mean, from what I’ve heard you already know some, but I can help you refine those skills. I’m your only back up, so if something happens to me or if I can’t get to you, I want to make sure you can get yourself out of there.”

“I don’t know,” Crow shifted his weight uncomfortably. “It’s not that I can’t fight, it’s just…” he trailed off, averting his gaze. It’s just that I can’t stand the sight of blood, he finished silently. It was probably the secret he was most ashamed of in himself. He knew it wasn’t a very manly thing to be afraid of, but he couldn’t help it. He had been hematophobic since he was a child. It was the reason why he spent extra time preparing for raids like the upcoming one—so he would never have to resort to brute force.

“I’ll be fine,” he offered Penelope a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry about me. I’m good at finding my way out of tough situations.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead, hoping she would just take his word for it and drop the subject. “Besides, I prefer to avoid fighting at all. If we get caught in a battle in the middle of a palace full of Younisian knights, it won’t turn out well. We should work on not getting caught to begin with.”

Penelope watched as he shifted uncomfortably at her words. She looked at him questioningly as he trailed off. The knight couldn’t understand why he was so reluctant to fight. It was so opposite to her own instincts and how she had been taught. What was hard for her to grasp was how they would sneak around the castle. She knew he was an expert at it, but going in and getting out unseen seemed nearly impossible especially when they had very little time to prepare.

The knight rolled her eyes as he told her not to worry about him. As if that’s going to make me not worry.. She shook her head at his words. “Well of course we’ll try to avoid it, but with the time we’re given to prepare, it’s more likely that we’ll get into a couple fights on the way out.” She argued stubbornly.“The trick is to just knock them out before we have the whole army on our tail. Which is why it’d be good to practice a bit. Not to mention I could use a sparing partner. I need to learn how to fight a bit more gracefully in this thing.” She added, gesturing to the dress she wore.

That part was very true for her. She had fought a couple fights wearing a dress and though she was still rather skilled, her moves could use a bit more work. More often than not she found that the dress occasionally got in the way, often slowing her down or throwing off her balance. It really wasn’t nearly as convenient as the usual uniform she wore back home. Plus there was the fact that she hadn’t been doing her usual due to all the traveling and other duties. She wanted to make sure her skills remained as sharp as ever. I wish I had my sword and armor for this.. She would feel much more sure of herself if she had her usual weapon at her side. Unfortunately, she’d be stuck with relying on a dagger for now. Maybe I can get a sword off of a guard once we’re in..

“It’s just a precaution. I’m not saying you have to run in and go attacking everyone you see.” She said with a small smirk. Her smirk faded and she gave him a curious look. “Why are you so reluctant to fight anyways?"

Unfortunately for Crow, Penelope wasn’t so quick to forget about teaching him how to fight. He frowned as she went on to explain why she thought it would be good for him to learn, and as much as he hated to admit it, her reasoning made sense to him. With so little time to prepare, there wasn’t much of a chance that they would get out of the palace without getting spotted at least once—and that was only if they were lucky.

At the end, Penelope asked the question he had been dreading to hear. He hesitated, toying with the idea of fabricating a lie to sate her curiosity, but ultimately decided against it. He loved her, and he wanted to make the relationship last. While he had never been in a long term commitment before, he knew enough about them to guess that lying wasn’t the best way to start out. He had to tell her the truth.

“I’ve never told anyone this before,” he started, staring down at the floor. “I… I can’t stand the sight of blood. Every time I see it, even just a little bit, I feel like I’m going to faint.” He looked up to meet her gaze. “It started when I was about eight years old. I was running an errand for my mother, since she was sick at the time, and I went to a marketplace in a village near to our home. While I was there, the king’s tax collectors came to secure the money owed to him for the season.” He paused, wincing as the memory he had been trying to forget resurfaced.

“They rode in on horseback,” he went on. “It was nothing out of the ordinary for us. Tax collectors come at the end of every season in the outer villages. The difference this time was that the people of this particular village had planned a rebellion. As a child, I had no idea what I was about to walk into.

“As soon as the tax collectors dismounted, the farmers in the market attacked them with hoes. They tried to overwhelm the knights with their numbers, but… it wasn’t enough.” He took a shaky breath as the scene replayed through his mind. “The knights killed every farmer in the rebellion, but they didn’t stop there. They went on to pillage their homes, attacking anyone else who had the misfortune of crossing their paths—men, women… and children.” He lifted his tunic to show Penelope a long, jagged scar across the right side of his torso.

“I was lucky to have survived,” he continued, letting the shirt fall back down. “After one of the tax collectors struck me with his sword, I played dead. It saved my own life, but unfortunately, I also had to watch them kill all of the other villagers. For a while after that, I used to get flashbacks of the slaughter every time I saw blood. Now, the flashbacks are gone but I still feel sick whenever I see it.”

He laughed mirthlessly and stared down at his hands, “I know this probably comes as a shock, since I’m ‘the most wanted thief in Brerra,’ but I’ve never killed a man in my life. I can’t bring myself to do it.”

Penelope fell quiet as she listened to him. She was a bit surprised to hear him say that he couldn’t stand the sight of blood considering how dangerous his line of work was. However, the knight was horrified by the story he told. She had been too young at the time to even know about that happening and it was likely never spoke of but in whispers afterwards. Though, she couldn’t help but wonder what her father knew about the incident or if he was even apart of it. It sent a chill down her spine at the thought of not only knowing but being so close to someone who had participated in such a brutal act. She frowned as he revealed the long scar he had across his torso.

She also couldn’t help but feel a spark of anger towards the tax collectors. It was foolish to feel it now since the attack was far in the past but that didn’t stop the knight from wishing there was something she could do as she thought about all the lives that were lost that day. She swallowed her anger down as lifted her gaze back up to meet his before stared down at his hands. Her expression softened and she grabbed his hand, giving it a soft, reassuring squeeze.

“I think that’s the least shocking thing you’ve said..” She told him with a half-hearted smile. It was true though as she had never pinned him as someone who killed, even before growing close to him. He was known for escaping capture, not for fighting after all. “You might be the most wanted thief in Brerra but you’re also one of the kindest people I’ve ever met.

“And,” She said, her smiling fading and being replace by a small frown. Her eyes glimmered with sympathy for the thief, still wishing there was more to do than just say some words. “I’m sorry that ever happened.. I-“ She paused shaking her head as she felt her anger rising again. The thought of going through what he did, she started to understand his distrust and dislike of knights. It went far beyond what she had thought originally thought which was just basic clashing of careers. The knight had been taught to think badly of thieves but the thief had seen the worst of knights first hand. “-I don’t understand how they could just.. do that. And,my gods, I don’t understand how you were even willing to be my friend! Let alone get to where we are now. I-I’d probably still hate me if I were you.”

“I appreciate the thought,” Crow shook his head. “But it isn’t kindness that stays my hand. I’ve been in many situations where I’ve wished I could kill, for my own sake as well as for others’.” He absently traced his forearm with his free hand, thinking of all the other scars he had obtained through the years from close encounters with men who were not as ‘kind’ as he was. His hematophobia had hindered him in many desperate situations. In fact, he was probably only still alive because of how cautious he was to avoid any sort of fighting to begin with. He considered the fear to be a curse, not a blessing.

He met Penelope’s gaze again as she went on to apologize for everything the knights had done. “I’m sorry it happened too,” he said in quiet agreement. “As far as I know, that village is still decimated to this day. No one has gone to repopulate it, because most peasants in the outer villages believe it’s cursed or haunted. Some of them even put up shrines nearby to ward off spirits so travelers can pass safely through the area.” He sighed and wrapped an arm around Penelope, pulling her close to himself. “As terrible as it was though, it’s in the past. There’s nothing anyone can do to change it.”

Crow took a moment to think about the last thing Penelope said to him before responding. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t hate you at first,” he said slowly. “Almost all peasants in the outer villages aren’t fond of knights. The massacre in that village was extreme, but we’ve all seen the worst of the worst when it comes to knights. So, as you can imagine, I wasn’t thrilled to find out I would be going on this journey with three of you.”

He leaned his head against hers, remembering the course of their trip to Younis, “But… the longer we traveled together, the more I realized you weren’t like the knights I had dealt with in the past. You fascinated me. I couldn’t figure you out. You seemed to think more like I do than like a noble would, even though that’s the world you came from.” He drew back from her slightly to meet her eyes and smiled. “Somewhere along the line, that fascination turned into attraction, and that attraction into love.” He touched his lips to hers in a soft kiss. “I don’t care that you’re a knight and a noblewoman. To me, you’re Penelope: the woman I fell in love with.”

Penelope leaned into him as he pulled her close. She gave a small nod to his words as he said it was all in the past, however she couldn’t help but recall the time she had nearly accepted a job as a tax collector, even mentioning it to Crow at one point on their journey. She would have done it so see her family, but now the idea of it just left her with a bitter taste in her mouth. She glanced up at him as he began to talk about when they first began the journey. It was no surprise to hear he had hated her at first. It wasn’t like she had been very fond of him to start with either after all.

She smiled at his kiss and then his words. Her heart fluttered at his last words. “Well, good because half the time I forget you’re a thief, you know. It’s strange... To hear- To say the name Crow and not think ‘that damn thief’ anymore but instead think ‘the man I love’.” She said smiling up at him. However, the knight couldn’t shake the slight feeling of upset she still felt about the story he shared with her. Her heart was tugging into directions at the moment, even though she wasn’t showing it. Part of her felt the renewed desire to better the knights of Brerra and make them work with the people like they did in Younis. The other half of her desired to be with Crow. It was unlikely that the two could both be achieved. It was either one or the other for the knight.

But I’ve already decided. She reminded herself firmly. Penelope leaned in and kissed Crow, assuring herself of what she had chosen even though their future was still very unclear. She snaked her arms around him and deepened the kiss as she pressed up against him. The action quickly doused the small trace of doubt that had come up due to her anger towards the past.

She finally pulled back from the kiss to catch her breath and smirked at him. “Sorry, love. Guess I still needed something to wake me up..” She joked, trying to lighten up the mood. Though despite her teasing, she still had a small blush on her cheeks as she realized how forward she had been with kissing him like that.

Leaning against Penelope, Crow thought about how much his opinion had changed, not only about her but also about other knights. As much as he disliked William and Abraxas, he couldn’t say that he hated them as much as he had at the beginning of their journey—not even after his spat with the older knight. He may not have agreed with them on most things, but after being around them for so long, he had started to understand why they were the way they were. He found that he even felt slightly bad for leaving them behind to get arrested by the Younisians. It was strange to think that he would ever feel such empathy for noblemen.

“I’d take both as a compliment,” he quipped when Penelope explained how her view had changed of him as well. “Although I think I do prefer the latter, coming from you.” He smiled at her fondly. It was still strange to hear her say she loved him. After living for so many years as a fugitive with no prospect of settling down, he had come to believe no woman would ever say such words to him. It was nice to know he had been wrong. She’s really something else, he ran his hand affectionately down her arm.

In the next moment, something changed in Penelope’s expression and she pressed into Crow with a passionate kiss. He didn’t skip a beat, meeting her lips with rivaling desire. His right hand slipped around the small of her back while his left hand gripped her thigh, holding her close. He felt her arms move to his back and he shivered, enjoying her touch. The force of the kiss left him breathless, so when they finally parted he had to take a moment to breathe again.

“I see,” He chuckled at her teasing. “Are you sure it wasn’t because you find me irresistible?” He winked at her wryly and kissed her on the cheek.

The door opened and Hartley stepped inside, hand in hand with Kip. He looked at the two on the bed and smirked, “Sorry, I forgot I have to knock now.”

Crow rolled his eyes and pulled back from Penelope, taking his hands off of her. He would have kissed her again to spite the boy, but with Kip staring at them so innocently, he was too uncomfortable to do it.

“Have either of you moved since I left?” Hartley asked, placing his hand on his hips.

“You told us to stay here,” Crow leaned back on his palms. “So that’s what we did.”

“Alright, smartass,” Hartley snorted. “Anyway, I just brought Kip here to say goodbye.” He turned to the girl, squeezing her hand lovingly. “She told me she didn’t want to miss you before you left, Penelope.”

Penelope rolled her eyes as he winked at her. She jumped slightly as the door opened and Hartley returned with Kip in tow. She quickly separated from Crow and flushed slightly at the young thief’s words. Her gaze flickered over to Kip, who gave a small smile.

“Oh alright.” Penelope said, recovering from her slight embarassment as she stood up from the bed. Kip smiled at Hartley then moved away from his side and over to Penelope.

“I just wanted to thank you again. I might have made a mistake if I didn’t listen to you.” Kip said politely. A small smirk crossed her lips, catching Penelope slightly off guard. She leaned in closer and lowered her voice. “Sorry if we interrupted anything. I didn’t expect you to move so fast.”

Penelope’s face turned a bright red. She was beginning to see that perhaps Hartley and Kip weren’t total opposites. She’s just quieter... She shook her head. “What? No, no nothing was going on.” She said defensively. Kip giggled at the knight’s reaction and stepped back to glance around the room.

“So are you two already ready to leave?” She asked.

“Pretty much. Just have to grab our stuff and go really.” Penelope answered glancing towards their bags.

“We’ll walk with you to the town line.” Hartley said with a grin. “It’s not too far from here anyways."

Crow stood up with Penelope as Kip walked over to talk to her. He noticed that the girl was more open and relaxed around the knight. Her expression was calm and she held herself in a casual manner that was different than how she had appeared when he had first seen her the day before. It seemed like the two women had gotten fairly close during the short period of time they had spent together. He shifted his weight, wondering if they mentioned him at all. They had talked about Hartley yesterday, but did his name ever come up too? He wondered what they would have said if it did.

After a short while, Hartley announced that he and Kip would accompany Crow and Penelope to the town line. Crow nodded in response, “Only if you promise you won’t get too attached and try to keep us here.” He moved over to his bed to collect his things, putting on his boots and shouldering his bag.

“Don’t worry about that,” Hartley smirked. “I’ll be glad to see the last of your smug face.”

“Aw, come now,” Crow pouted in mock disappointment. “After everything we’ve been through, you’re not going to miss me?”

“Not even a little bit,” Hartley laughed as the older thief punched him in the arm.

“Liar,” Crow scoffed. He adjusted the straps of his pack so they fell more comfortably across his shoulders. “Anyway, we should get going.” He stepped over to the door and held it open for the others to step through first.

On the way out of the inn, Hartley fell into step beside him, “So, you’re still going through with stealing… whatever it is you’re stealing from the king?”

“We don’t have a choice,” Crow shrugged. “Trust me, I’d like to just forget about this and go home, but unfortunately, there’s too much at stake.” His eyes wandered to Penelope, who was walking just ahead of him with Kip.

Hartley followed his gaze, “Is it really worth risking your life though?”

“For her, it is,” Crow sighed.

“I see,” Hartley chewed on his lip thoughtfully. “I can’t say I don’t understand, but… what is it you’re going to steal, exactly? Why is it so important?”

Crow hesitated, debating whether or not to tell the boy the truth. He didn’t like the idea of more people knowing what they were planning to do, but Hartley had earned some of his trust during their time together. Besides, he seemed more concerned about Crow’s wellbeing than about the item to be stolen. Surely there was no harm in answering the question.

“I was commissioned by the king of Brerra to steal the Younisian king’s staff,” Crow said at last.

“His staff?” Hartley gawked at him. “You can’t be serious. Tell me that’s a joke. It’s a joke, right?”

“Unfortunately, no,” Crow shook his head. “Why? What’s so concerning about it?”

“You know the legend, right?”

“Yeah, something about divine right and godly smiting. I’m familiar.”

“Alright, well answer me this: Do you know what happened to the last man who tried to take the king’s staff?”

“I wasn’t aware anyone had tried before,” Crow knit his brow. “I thought the rumors were just to keep thieves away.”

“No,” Hartley shook his head vigorously. “Five years ago, one of the palace servants tried to take the staff. He had been drinking with some friends who dared him to steal it and bring it back to them. He managed to get into the king’s chambers, but as soon as he laid one finger on the staff, his heart stopped and he fell, dead, to the ground.”

“Are you sure he didn’t just pass out from drunkenness?” Crow asked.

“The court physician declared him dead. The incident reaffirmed our belief that only the rightful king can touch the staff and live.”

“Lovely,” Crow muttered.

“Whatever the reason your king had for sending you to steal the staff, it isn’t worth it,” Hartley went on. “It’s impossible to steal something you can’t touch.”

“I’ll figure it out.”

“You’ll die!” Hartley flinched at the intensity of his own voice. He glanced at the others and went on in a softer tone. “I’m begging you to reconsider, Crow. The palace is already extremely secure and, even if you somehow manage to get in, the king is protected by the gods. On top of all that, the staff is cursed to strike down any man who lays a hand upon it. You can’t succeed.”

“I guess that just means I’ll have to be extra careful,” Crow said stubbornly. He slowed to a stop and rested a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Look, kid. I appreciate the concern, but I can’t back out now. I made a promise to her.” His eyes wandered to Penelope once again before returning to Hartley’s worried face. “Besides, you’re looking at the most talented thief in all of Brerra,” he smirked confidently. “If anyone can find a way to trick the gods and take that holy walking stick, it’s me.”

“How can you be so sure?” Hartley shook his head despondently. “No one else has ever been able to come close to stealing the staff. What makes you think you’ll be the one to do it?”

“Because I have to,” Crow answered simply. “I can’t just sit around worrying about all of the odds stacked against me. One way or another, I’m going to keep my promise to Penelope. I gave her my word.”

“Great,” Hartley sighed. “You almost have me believing you.” He began to keep walking again. “Well, for your sake, I hope you’re right.”

“Me too,” Crow said under his breath, following after the boy. In truth, he wasn’t nearly as confident as he sounded. The fact that another man had actually died after touching the staff left a stone in the pit of his stomach. It was beginning to sound like this was a suicidal mission after all. I have to find a way, he thought firmly. It didn’t matter how many others had failed before him. He was going to do it for Penelope, and he wasn’t going to let one goddess stand in his way.

He looked up and saw a sign on a house with an eye painted on it. Standing up slightly straighter, he stared back at it with new resolve. I hope you’re watching, Aeklora, he challenged. Because I’m the thief that’s going to steal that damn staff of yours.

Penelope walked besides Kip as they headed out of the room. The two women fell into a small silence until Kip glanced over her shoulder towards the thieves, making sure there was some distance before turning her attention back over to Penelope.

“So.. What happened yesterday? Give me the details.” Kip said with a glimmer of interest in her gaze.

Penelope blinked as she looked over at Kip with a hint of surprise. The seemingly timid woman could certainly be quite forward sometimes. “Uh... I’m not sure what to tell you.” She said with an awkward chuckle. “I just told him how I felt and well, clearly he felt the same. I-I don’t know what details you’re looking for."

“You’re not very experienced with this kind of thing huh?” Kip giggled. “Have you never been courted before?” She added teasingly.

“I have... Once... Kinda.. But that was a couple years ago and it didn’t last very long.” Penelope admitted looking a bit embarrassed.

“Really? What happened?”

The knight shifted her gaze away from the questioning gaze of Kip. She shook her head and waved her hand dismissively. “Nothing important. It just didn’t work and I had other things to focus on.”

Kip clearly wanted to push for more details about Penelope’s past suitor, though the knight didn’t find it to be a very appealing topic. It’s not like it’s a big deal anyways. She thought with a strange hint of annoyance. She fixated her gaze on the road ahead. “Hartley looked over-joyed to be courting you again.” She mused, changing the topic. Luckily it was a topic Kip was rather fond of so the peasant women didn’t seem to mind.

“Yeah.” She said with clear affection. “He may be a thief now but to me, he hasn’t changed at all.. It was almost like we were never apart.”

“That’s good.” Penelope mused with a small smile. “I wish you two the best.”

“Thank you. I wish the same for you and Crow.” Kip said returning the smile before slowing her pace as the group reached the town’s end. “looks like this is where we part.”

Penelope nodded her head turned to look over at the two thieves as they caught back up with them. Hartley seemed less energetic now, though the knight thought it might have something to due with parting ways. Admittedly, she was even a bit sad to say goodbye.

“Well, if you two come back this way, be sure to find me.” Hartley said with a sigh and crossed his arms as he shot a look towards Crow. “I’m certain you’ll have some stories I’ll want to hear if that happens.”

“We will.” Penelope promised with a nod. “Just try not to cause too much trouble.”

“No promises.” Hartley said with a grin. The knight rolled her eyes and patted the young thief’s shoulder. She looked over at Kip and smiled. “And good luck to you.”

Kip giggled and smiled at Penelope. “Thanks.” She said then looked over to Crow. “She really loves you so you better treat her right.” She added quietly with a wink, her smile turning into a small smirk as she looked over at the two. Penelope had to note that the young girl was certainly growing rather relaxed around them, bringing out a side to her that Penelope wouldn’t have guessed existed upon first meeting her. Kip's gaze softened once again as she moved to hold Hartley’s hand.

Penelope blushed at Kip’s words to Crow. She cleared her throat and looked up at Crow as their goodbyes finished up. “Ready to go?” She asked him.

Crow and Hartley lapsed into silence as they continued towards the edge of the town. The older thief stared down at the ground, kicking a small rock ahead of him and thinking about the remainder of the journey. He chewed on a number of ideas about how he could infiltrate the Younisian king’s castle without getting caught. Though he had never been there before, he had enough experience from his raids in Brerra to know a few things about the life of royalty. There would be palace guards to patrol the corridors—they were the dangerous ones—but there would also be numerous servants. Maybe he could take advantage of that somehow.

He looked up again, “Hey, kid. Do you know anything about the king’s attendants?”

“Not much,” Hartley shrugged, eyeing him curiously. “Why do you ask?”

“Just an idea,” Crow said. “Tell me what you know.”

“If you’re thinking of disguising yourself as one of them, you might as well abandon that plan now,” Hartley sighed. “I’ve heard that all of the staff in the castle share living quarters. They’re like family, and they support the king. They would recognize an outsider instantly and they definitely wouldn’t harbor you.”

“Maybe not me,” Crow’s eyes wandered to Penelope. “But what about a woman fleeing from an abusive husband?”

“That… might work, actually,” Hartley blinked. “It isn’t unheard of for communities here to bring a stranger in trouble into their homes. But that only gets her inside. What about you?”

“I have a few ideas,” Crow answered vaguely. “With so little time to prepare, I’d rather keep my options open than pin myself down to just one plan though.” He smiled down at the boy. “Don’t worry. I’ll get in one way or another.”

“I hope you can back that cocky grin up with action,” Hartley frowned, seeming unconvinced.

“Just head to any tavern in ten days’ time,” Crow said confidently. “I guarantee they’ll be telling stories about how we stole the king’s staff and got away.” He was glad to have the beginnings of a plan put together now. When they got closer to the castle, he could refine the details, but at least he had something to work with. He just hoped he wouldn’t have to go with the riskiest option—his last resort—to get himself into the castle with Penelope.

At last, they reached the town line. Kip, Hartley, and Penelope all said their goodbyes. However, the quiet young girl had a few words for Crow that caught him off guard.

“She really loves you, so you better treat her right,” Kip said with a wink.

Crow quirked a brow in surprise at her mischievous words. He hadn’t been expecting the soft spoken girl to say such a thing. After taking a second to recover, he cast her a smirk of his own, “Don’t worry. I will.” He glanced at Penelope, his wry expression softening. At least, I’m going to try, he added silently. Part of him still felt unworthy of her affection, since he couldn’t give her the life that a nobleman could have offered, but he reminded himself that she had chosen him too. She loved him in spite of what he was; it didn’t matter if it made sense of not.

He stepped up next to her as they got ready to leave the others behind, nodding when she asked if he was ready to leave. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” he exhaled, looking back at Hartley and Kip. “See you around.”

“You better,” Hartley waved. “Good luck.”

Crow raised a hand in a lazy wave back at him and then turned to walk on down the road with Penelope. After putting a bit of distance between them and the town, he nudged her with his shoulder. “Looks like it’s just you and me now, love,” he smirked. “No more chaperones or annoying brats to deal with.” He slid his hand into hers. “I think I’m going to enjoy this.”

Penelope waved goodbye to the two before turning her attention to the road ahead as she walked onward with Crow. She was thinking about how much longer they would have to go when he nudged her and stirred her from her thoughts. She looked up at him and smile a little at his words. “Me too.” She agreed with a small laugh.

The mention of their previous companions made her think about the knights they had left behind once again. However, amongst the familiar guilt she felt, she also found a strange sense of relief that they weren’t still around. Yesterday would have never happened if William was still watching us like a hawk.. She thought to herself, giving Crow’s hand a small squeeze. It was nice but it being just the two of them definitely had its downsides as Penelope consider the mission.

“Guess we should enjoy what we can..” Penelope said, losing the small smile on her face as a more serious expression took it’s place. “The castle can’t be too far now.. Pretty soon we won’t just be traveling.”

She could barely even think about what their return trip would be like if they succeeded and was mostly focused on the more immediate issue of actually coming up with a plan and getting into the castle. We might not even make it out.. As the knight thought about it, she found a strong urge to just call the whole thing off at the thought of something happening to Crow. Especially due to the legend behind the king’s staff. While Penelope didn’t really believe in the gods interfering in the mortal world, a small part of her did worry it was true. The king might have seen Crow as an expendable criminal but to Penelope he was so much more. She shuddered at the thought of losing him.

Penelope shifted a little closer to him as they walked. “I nearly think we should just start up a life here and forget about Brerra.” She mumbled with a sigh then shook her head. “But we’ve got a war to prevent.” She was reminding herself more than Crow. I can’t let my family get sucked up into a war..