Trash Panda

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow is totally pushing his luck with Penelope's family XD

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow sat up with a jolt at the unexpected sound of the voice and turned to see two knights standing behind him. He mentally chided himself. Careless. He had been so focused on his conversation with Penelope that he hadn’t even noticed them approach. He narrowed his eyes at the new arrivals, looking them over warily. What could two local knights possibly want with a ragged pair of travelers? They claimed to be the ones Penelope was looking for, too.

His gaze rested on the older one. The man had a balding head with wisps of white hair around his crown. His dark green eyes held a level of sternness that could rival William’s. However, his most prominent feature was a large, gruesome scar that travelled across his face, beginning with his left temple and ending at his right jawbone. Somehow, he almost looked familiar… The thief glanced back at Penelope. Now it made sense. The older knight must have been related to her somehow. They did look quite similar.

But what about the other knight? Crow looked at him curiously, wondering if he could have been related to Penelope, too. He didn’t look much like her. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties, with a thick head of black hair and dark brown eyes that held the same piercing stare as the older man’s. He was tall with an incredibly muscular build that put Crow’s lean, malnourished body to shame. The thief shifted uncomfortably. His suspicion was proven to be true when she stood up and greeted the knights, “Father, Brother.”

Crow felt strange being the only one still sitting, so he climbed to his feet as well and watched the three knights interact in silent contemplation. He crossed his arms and leaned against the tree trunk. If he didn’t know any better, he would have thought they were mere acquaintances rather than family. Even if they were expected to act seriously when they were on duty, couldn’t they at least show a hint of joy when they were reunited after so long? He eyed the stiff-jawed older knight. Well, at least now he knew where Penelope got her sternness from. He glanced back at the her. Though she was usually strict, she had a sense of humor as well. He wondered where that came from.

“I’d suggest putting chains on that thing then,” Penelope’s brother caught Crow’s attention. “It’d make your journey far easier, and once it’s over you’d appear more reliable to the king.”

“Pardon?” Crow raised a brow at him. “In case you didn’t know, this ‘thing’ is the only reason you knights aren’t fighting a war with Younis right now. I think I deserve a little more respect than that, Sir Knight.”

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

“See?” Crow sighed. “This is a prime example of why you need to learn how to relax. Even if you are on duty, you don’t have to be so tense,” Crow closed his eyes again. He did have to wonder what Penelope meant when she said she was looking for someone, though. She was a spoiled noble from the inner citadel. Who could she possibly have known from a village like this one? Everyone here was of the lowest peasant class, so there must have been a story to go along with this mysterious person she was searching for. Perhaps it was a former servant? An outcast friend? A star-crossed lover? The thief suddenly found himself to be quite curious about the strange mention.

“I used to know a man from this village,” Crow said without opening his eyes. “His name was Eligius, and he was a thief too, although he was an amateur compared to myself.” He looked up at Penelope. “I didn’t know him for very long. We went on a raid one night, and he made some novice mistakes that ended in him getting run through with a spear. I have to admit: The knights in this area are very efficient at their jobs. Eligius wasn’t that clumsy of a thief, but they used any mistakes he made to their advantage and killed him before he could escape.” He grinned wryly. “Unfortunately for them, I’m completely perfect in every way, so they didn’t stand a chance against me.”

He rolled onto his side and studied her with interest. “That was an interesting story, wouldn't you say? Now you owe me one. You said you were looking for someone here. Who do you know from this quaint little village?”

Stand Alone(Summers and AHeartlessNobody)

Serix walked with Cassie to the dining hall in silence. He had to make a mental effort not to drag his feet. After everything that had happened, he was reluctant to see any of the humans again, but he knew that if he wanted to win their trust back, he would have to prove that he forgave them for their biased accusations. He and Cassie needed to find refuge in their caves if they wanted to survive the Lunairan invasion, and to do that, making amends with the humans was their only option.

The task was much easier said than done.

When they reached the dining hall, all of the humans stopped what they were doing and stared at them. Serix immediately averted his gaze to avoid meeting their eyes. He stayed close to Cassie as they approached the table where the food was set out and filled his plate as quickly as he could so they could go back to their room. As soon as they were in the same cavern as the humans, he lost all willpower to confront them. Admittedly, it would be a while before he was ready to make an earnest effort to move on, so for now just showing his face in the dining hall would have to suffice.

Serix rested one hand on Cassie’s back to subtly usher her along as they walked back to their room. The sooner they were away from the humans, the better. But unfortunately they didn’t seem to share his opinion. From the corner of his eye, he could see Emily moving to approach them with Connor at her side. He ducked his head slightly and hastened his pace, but the two took no notice of his warning gesture.

“Wait,” Emily stepped around to stop them before they could leave the cavern and offered a tentative smile. “I just wanted to say on behalf of most of us here: We’re glad you’re both out of the hold.” Her smile faded as she met Serix’s gaze. “And… we’re sorry about… what happened.”

Serix softened a bit at the sincere tone of her voice. Again, he was reminded that not all of the humans held on to their grudge against his people. He returned her smile and nodded, “Don’t worry, I’m fine. And you shouldn’t feel the need to apologize. You had nothing to do with it.”

“No,” Emily shook her head. “Like everyone else, I didn’t do anything to stop it. Even if it was only for a little while, I still thought you were a spy, and that’s why I’m apologizing.”

“Really, it’s okay,” Serix said. “The fact that you don’t think I’m a spy anymore is enough.”

Emily nodded reluctantly and moved aside so they could pass, “Okay. I just wanted to make sure you both knew that not everyone here is worried you’re a traitor.”

“Thank you,” Serix said. He walked back to the tunnel that led to their room and intertwined his fingers with Cassie’s. “Well, that wasn’t as terrible as I expected.”

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Okay lol I'll post today if I can, but if not, you'll definitely get a reply from me tomorrow XD

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Sorry, I've been forgetting to reply lately XD I'm writing/editing a ton of music, so I've been neglecting my RPs
I'll try to get a post up later if I'm not half-dead after work tonight lol :3

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow gave Penelope an estranged look, “I’d much rather spend time with a beautiful woman than share the company of two men.” He met her gaze searchingly. She was definitely distracted, but he couldn’t tell what it was that held her attention. Perhaps he could coax the information out if he got her to relax a bit? It was worth a try.

Crow turned walked over to a nearby tree, laying down in the shade. He closed his eyes. It was strange, but in a way, he didn’t mind that Penelope was still on guard. After spending the last two days sitting around inside of a wagon, he felt lethargic. Of course, he wouldn’t pass up a chance to run if it arose, but he didn’t feel like putting the energy into making the chance happen just yet. Unless an opportunity made itself apparent, he could handle one more day with the knights and then take his leave in the outer villages.

“Come over here,” Crow said after a moment, opening his eyes again and patting the grass beside him. He waited for Penelope sit down before he went on, “You’re tense. I’m going to teach you how to relax.” He smiled up at her. “Resting is a valuable skill you will use throughout your life, so pay attention. I want you to lay down here and close your eyes—or just look up at the sky if you still don’t trust me.” He shrugged. “Whatever suits your fancy.”

He didn’t have any particular plot to go along with the little exercise. It would be nice if Penelope fell asleep, but he didn’t expect the knight to do anything so careless. If anything, he found that he was earnestly beginning to enjoy her company, though he would never admit it aloud. He might even miss her when he went back to the outer villages. He never dreamed he would think something like that about a knight. He smiled to himself. It was a strange thought.

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow returned Penelope’s smile, but for his own reasons. So far, his plan was working flawlessly. The knight seemed to have believed every word of his sappy, little speech. Yes, it was true that she had been kinder to him than every other guard he’d had in the past, but he wasn’t overly concerned with how he was looked at by men and women of the higher classes—particularly knights. They could despise him if they wished; it made no difference to him. He would always find a way to manipulate them into giving him what he wanted in the end.

“We’re almost there,” William’s voice interrupted the silence, distracting Crow from his thoughts. “The town’s right up ahead.”

They were already arriving at the village they were due to stop in? Crow leaned out the window again to get a better look, and, sure enough, he could see small houses beyond the tree line. He grinned to himself. The sun had only sunk about halfway to the horizon. They were making excellent time. If they continued on at this pace, they would reach the outer villages by noon tomorrow, and the thief could make his long-awaited getaway. The thought set his heart to racing.

After a while, the wagon finally slowed to a stop and Crow climbed out of the back. He looked around and was pleased to see that this village was in a much worse condition than the last one they had stopped in. They were very close to the outermost edge of the kingdom now, and for a moment he toyed with the idea of ditching the knights here. It wouldn’t be difficult for him to find his way back from this village, and he knew the area well enough that he could find food and shelter along the way if need be. But, unfortunately, William made his decision for him.

“Lockton,” the knight said sternly when he noticed Crow’s wandering eyes. He rested his hand on the hilt of his sword and narrowed his eyes, “Don’t even think about running.”

“Why must you always assume that I’m scheming?” Crow returned his glare. “I was only thinking.”

“About running,” William growled. “I’ve been watching you, thief. If you try anything, I will put you in chains before you can take two steps. You will do well to keep that in mind.”

Crow just rolled his eyes and turned away from the knight. William was sharper than he had thought. He would have to be more careful around him in the future… or maybe he could use Penelope to his advantage instead. He glanced at her. William would never leave him alone with Abraxas, but he trusted the female knight. He just needed to find a way to recreate the situation from the night before. If he could steal some time alone with Penelope while her guard was down, he might have a chance at slipping away.

“I need to make arrangements with the innkeeper,” William announced to the other two knights. “Abraxas, take the horses and find some local knights who are willing to watch them during our stay here. And you two, wait for me here,” he emphasized the word, shooting Crow another cold look. “I will be back shortly. It’s still early enough that we can find somewhere to eat dinner before we turn in for the night.” With that, he walked off down the dirt road.

That was fast, Crow thought. He turned to Penelope, wondering idly if this could be the opportunity he was looking for. She definitely seemed distracted, but he couldn't tell if she was distracted enough for him to make a run for it. He clicked his tongue. Not yet.

“Looks like it’s just you and me again, love,” he said to her with a playful smirk.

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

“Well, you had better hope you can think of some good ones,” Crow said in a luring tone. “I have plenty of stories you would enjoy hearing, but I won’t tell you any of them if I don’t get anything in return.” He glanced out the window at the cloud the knight had been pointing at and then looked back at her teasingly. “Huh, I never expected you to be a daydreamer. I always thought knights were too good for leisure.” He snuck a quick peek out the front window of the wagon. William and Abraxas were engaged in a conversation, completely ignoring him. Why waste a perfectly good opportunity to win some more of her trust?

He crossed over to the knight’s side of the carriage and poked his head out the window to get a better look at the sky. A slight breeze cooled his skin. It felt like a waste to be locked up inside a wagon on such a fine day. He couldn’t wait until they reached the outer villages. For now, though, he would just have to be patient and stay focused on his current goal.

After spending some time staring outside, Crow leaned back inside the wagon and met Penelope’s gaze. He had relaxed a bit compared to his usual eccentric demeanor, and his tone wasn’t as sharp when he spoke, “For what it’s worth, your company hasn’t been completely unpleasant. You’re… a very different person than what I had imagined before. I honestly expected you to act more like my old prison guards. They were always watching me like hawks, and they treated me like something less than human.” He rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged. “I guess I’m just trying to say thanks. I know I’m not the most agreeable man to be stuck in a wagon with, but you’ve been putting up with me anyways without any threats of chains or other restrictions. I appreciate it.” His cheeks colored slightly and he looked away, going on hurriedly. “All seriousness aside, you’re terrible at finding shapes in clouds. That one was obviously a mule, not a horse.”

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

“Ah ah,” Crow held up his hand when Penelope asked for his name. “I said that in return for your story, I would tell you something about myself. Well, I told you that something already. If you want another detail about me, you’re going to have to spin an even better tale.” He smirked at the knight. Of course he wasn’t about to give his actual name to her. He was still avoiding telling her anything personal about himself, and his real name fell under that category. Really, the only reason he brought it up was to bait her attention. If she was focused on prodding him for that information, then hopefully she wouldn’t notice when he began making subtle preparations for his escape. He just had to keep her distracted.

Crow rocked back on his heels, “You know, your story was still quite good. I suppose I can at least tell you the origin of my current name since you entertained me. That should be fair enough, right?” He paused to clear his throat and then began his own tale: “My career as a professional thief really took off when I was twelve years old. I had been stealing long before, but I hadn’t made a name for myself until then. Anyways, the people in my village were finally taking notice that their valuables were going missing, but no one knew who was taking them.” He grinned proudly. “I was quite a clever child, you see. I never left a sign of my presence, so it was almost as if the objects were vanishing of their own accord.

“One day, I decided to rob a group of local knights who had fallen asleep on duty. I took their swords right out from the sheaths on their hips.” He laughed at the memory. “I must give partial credit to the strong liquor they had been drinking, but I still think it was quite an accomplishment for a child. They never even realized I had been there until I was long gone! Of course, they were humiliated that they had lost their weapons while slacking off, so they made up an extravagant tale that they had been attacked by a flock of crows and lost their swords in the skirmish. They used a black feather they had found when they woke up as proof.

“Naturally, I wasn’t about to give a few birds the credit for my work, so I began introducing myself to others as ‘Crow’ and dropping black feathers at the homes of all of the people I stole from. It didn’t take long for the villagers to realize the knights were lying. They were so embarrassed to have been robbed by a child that they left the village and were replaced by another set of guards.

“Eventually, I stopped leaving feathers after my nightly runs, but the name stuck,” Crow shrugged. He rested his chin in his palm and smiled up at Penelope. “So, have I managed to pique your interest yet?”