Crow held his breath as he waited for Penelope’s response to his question. He didn’t know what to expect. Part of him still clung to the hope that she still wanted to be with him too, but it had been two years. Perhaps her feelings for him had faded with time or she had changed her mind about running away with a peasant criminal. His stomach churned anxiously as she finally opened her mouth to speak, and he held her gaze intently. [color=fff79a][b]“I can’t, Crow.”[/b][/color] The words sent a knife through his heart. He listened solemnly as she explained that she had a new suitor now, one that she had grown rather fond of. He averted his gaze. He should have known not to get his hopes up so high just because he had learned she was still alive. She’d had two whole years to meet other men, ones who were much better suited to court her than he was. Who was he, a mere thief, to expect that she, a knight and noblewoman, would ever wait so long for him? It had been foolish to expect anything more. Even as she finished speaking, he could already feel his heart growing hardened again as he bottled away his pain from her rejection. He nodded absently, trying not to feel betrayed—trying to bury his emotions with the logic of the situation. It didn’t matter that he had opened up to her more than anyone else, that he had shared his hoped and fears with her, or that he had even told her his name. In the end, she was still a knight, and he was still a thief. There was simply no getting past that. “I guess that’s it then,” Crow said, hating how hoarse his voice sounded. He backed away from her slowly, casting a furtive glance back towards the knights’ campsite. He had already spent far too long there. He needed to leave before anyone else noticed him. Turning back to Penelope once more, he tipped his head in a curt goodbye and drew the hood of his cloak over his head, turning to run back into the woods without another word. -- Feeling numb, Crow headed back to the thieves’ hideout in the ravine outside of Myrefall. He arrived to find that the other three had already come back from the tavern. Simon and Rikki talked in hushed voices near a small campfire, while Alistair laid nearby, fast asleep. As he walked over to join them, Rikki looked up and feigned an accusing frown, “Hey, Crow. You said you were going to meet us at the tavern. What happened?” “Something else came up,” he answered vaguely, sitting down next to her by the fire. “Turns out, it wasn’t very important though. Don’t worry about it.” The female thief narrowed her eyes at him, seeming unconvinced, but to Crow’s relief, she didn’t push the matter. That was one thing he enjoyed about traveling with the other criminals: They all had their own secrets, and they all knew not to press each other for information. It was an unspoken rule amongst them, but it was strictly followed nonetheless. “You didn’t miss anything important,” Simon muttered, prodding the ashes around the base of the fire with a long stick. “Alistair just got drunk and passed out, and we had to carry him back.” “I’m glad I missed that,” Crow chuckled softly, drawing his knees to his chest and crossing his arms over his legs as he watched the embers burn. “He’s a pain in the ass when he gets drunk.” “You’re telling me,” Simon snorted. “Just imagine! If we had been seen by a patrol of knights, we would have been sitting ducks. He could have gotten us killed.” “Oh, lighten up,” Rikki gave the anxious thief a shove. “We made it back just fine. No trouble at all.” She glanced towards Crow again and pursed her lips, noticing that he was being unusually quiet. “Come on,” she said, climbing to her feet and dusting herself off. “We’re going for a walk.” Simon wrinkled his nose. “Really? A [i]walk[/i]? Come on, Rikki. Even Alistair would know what you’re talking about if he was awake right now.” “Shut up, Simon,” Rikki lifted her leg and shoved him between the shoulder blades with her boot. Crow smiled a bit as he watched their antics, feeling a little better now that he was among his companions again. [i]I don’t need Penelope,[/i] he thought, trying to convince himself. [i]I’ve lived without her for two years, and I’ve been perfectly happy. This is where I belong.[/i] He stood up and slid his arm around Rikki’s waist, holding her slender body against his side. It was no secret amongst the group that the two were sleeping together, so he didn’t bother trying to hide it in front of Simon. “Where to, love?” he asked, shooting her a wry wink. “It’s a surprise,” Rikki grinned back at him. “Come on. I’ll show you.” “I can’t wait,” Crow said earnestly, allowing her to take him by the hand and lead him back out of the ravine. He needed a distraction after being rejected by Penelope, and he hoped that the female thief would give him exactly that. With that hopeful thought in mind, he walked with her into the forest, leaving Alistair and Simon behind.