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Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow laughed at Penelope’s suggestion, “I like the way you think. I’ve never actually tried a tactic like that before, so it should be fun to see how it goes.” He glanced back towards the entrance of the tent, where Gavin was supposedly waiting for them to come out. “I don’t have any fire steel on me, so we’ll have to figure out how to get some in order to light the sticks, though…” He paused for a moment and then looked back at the knight, his eyes falling on her bandaged shoulder before he met her gaze, “Actually, I do have one idea. But first, let’s go get the wood.”

Crow stooped down to draw the dagger from his boot and then stepped over to the back wall of the tent. He stabbed the blade through the thin fabric at about chest-height and slashed downwards, cutting an opening just big enough for him to fit through. The thief paused, glancing back at the front of the tent to see if Gavin had noticed the sound of the tearing. When nothing happened he waved a hand for Penelope to follow him and slipped out through the back, hurrying to the tree line before any guards could have a chance to see him in the open.

“Look for the driest wood you can find,” Crow said quietly once he and the knight were both out of sight from the camp. “We need something that will catch fast or the plan won’t work. Meet me back here when you’re done.” That being said, he began to follow his own advice, searching the forest floor for dry sticks of wood. After a bit of looking, he found the perfect candidate: a long, brittle stick that he could use as a torch. Satisfied with his finding, the thief returned to their designated meeting point, where he waited for Penelope to return.

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow slipped his arm around Penelope’s waist as Gavin led them to the tent. The gesture was done partly to help the knight walk in case she was still feeling light headed and partly to keep up the romantic act they were putting on. However, his eyes flicked between the other guards that stood around the camp. Very few of them were actually vigilant. Most of the men were eating or talking with one another in a casual manner, which just proved their lack of discipline. If everything went according to plan, that same lack of discipline would be the factor that allowed him and the knights to escape.

When they reached the tent, Gavin stepped aside to allow Crow and Penelope to enter by themselves. He obviously planned to wait outside until the thief brought the knight back to be chained with her comrades again. Stifling a smirk, Crow walked up to the opening flap and held it aside for Penelope to go in first. Once she had, he stepped over to Gavin and placed a hand on the guard’s shoulder, “I really owe you for this one. And don’t worry, we’ll be out soon.”

Crow turned away from the guard and entered the tent. As soon as the flap closed behind him, he grinned victoriously at Penelope and held up a set of keys stolen off of Gavin’s belt while the young man was distracted by the thief’s sordid words. He moved closer to the knight and spoke in a quiet voice, “Okay, so I’m still working out the rest of the plan, but I have a general idea. I still have my dagger, so we can use it to cut an opening in the back of the tent and sneak out that way. I also have the key to William and Abraxas’s chains, and I know the way back to the village. All we have to do now is think of a way to free the others without getting ourselves killed first.” He smiled, proud of his own cleverness. “I’m sure you’ve noticed, too, but these guards aren’t very competent, so it shouldn’t be very difficult to get past them. Do you have any idea as to how we should do that?”

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow nodded at Penelope’s words, staring at the ground in thought. They definitely needed to get away from these rebels as fast as they could. He was no longer expendable to them because of his ability to sneak them into the palace, but now the knights’ lives were at stake. It was only a matter of time before the blonde woman decided they were useless to her, and the thief couldn’t try to save them without giving away his real allegiances. He had to get them out of the rebel camp before he would ever have to make that decision.

Crow glanced over his shoulder to see that Gavin was looking around the camp rather than keeping a close eye on him. It was almost like the young guard was trying to give them some privacy. He turned back to Penelope, suddenly stuck with another idea. “Actually,” he said softly. “There is something you can do. It will require a little bit of acting, but I think you can pull it off. Just wait here.” He climbed to his feet and stepped over to Gavin, offering the guard a friendly grin, “Thanks for letting me see her. You know, I think there might be something between us.” He glanced off to the side and then rested a hand on Gavin’s shoulder, leaning close to the young man as if he were about to share a secret. “So about these special accommodations I’m getting. Does that include a tent for the night?”

“Yes,” Gavin answered, eyeing the thief curiously. “A couple of our men just finished pitching it. Why do you ask?” He raised a brow when Crow cleared his throat and tipped his head towards Penelope. “Oh,” the guard snorted. “Sorry, but I can’t unchain her for you. I’d get in serious trouble.”

“Come on,” Crow pleaded, giving the guard a nudge. “I promise you’ll have her in chains again before the sun comes up. No one has to know.”

Gavin shifted his weight, thinking it over, and then nodded, “Fine, but just this once.”

“Thanks,” Crow grinned. “I owe you one.” He walked back over to Penelope and knelt down in front of her, leaning close to murmur in her ear, “Scrap whatever plans you had before and follow my lead. We’re getting out of here tonight.” He turned his head slightly and planted a kiss on her cheek to hide his whispering from Gavin, who had stepped over to unlock the knight’s chains. Once she was free, the thief helped her to her feet and smiled at her mischievously, “This way, love. We’re going back to my tent.”

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

“I expected nothing less,” Crow smiled. “As long as you keep your end of the bargain, I’ll be content.” Suddenly his stomach decided to chime in, letting out an audible growl. He laughed bashfully, “Although… a decent meal would be nice as well. Now that we’re working together, do you think I could get something to eat?”

The noblewoman chuckled softly, breaking her stern façade for a moment, “Of course. Come with me.” She got up and led the thief back outside. As they exited the tent, he glanced back at the tree where the three knights were still chained and let out his breath when he saw a guard attending Penelope. The rebels were keeping their word so far. He just hoped he could find a way out of the camp so his efforts to gain their trust wouldn’t be in vain. He turned away from the knights and followed after the blonde woman before she noticed his lingering stare.

“Gavin,” the woman called to a young guard. She waited for him to walk over before she went on, “The thief is with us now, but he is to be under constant observation. I’m assigning you to be his guard. All you have to do is monitor his movement and make sure he doesn’t try to run off. Is that clear?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Gavin nodded.

“Good. Now then, our new ally is hungry. Show him where the food is.”

“Um, one more thing,” Crow jumped in, holding up his bound hands. “I can’t eat with these ropes on.”

“Fine,” the woman nodded at the guard. “Untie him. It’s not like it makes much of a difference now that he’s under our supervision.” With that, she walked off to speak with one of the other guards, leaving Gavin to remove the thief’s restraints.

Once he was free again, Crow sighed and rubbed his wrists in relief, “Thanks a lot, Gavin.”

“Mhm,” the man grunted noncommittally. “The food’s over here.” He turned and led Crow to another tent that was filled with a number of boxes and barrels and stood in the entryway while the thief looked around. “Take your pick, but don’t take too much. We still have to make it last.”

Crow opened one of the boxes and gave a whistle, “Wow, salted venison? I think I’ve died and gone to heaven.” He found a bowl in a box of utensils and filled it with the meat. As he did this, he also slipped a bit more food into his pocket, angling his body so the guard wouldn’t notice the motion. He closed the box of venison again and stepped back out of the tent.

“Think that’s enough?” Gavin scoffed when he saw the amount of food piled into Crow’s bowl.

“I’m a hearty eater,” Crow shrugged. He popped a strip of venison into his mouth and let his eyes wander over the camp once more, stopping to pointedly rest his gaze on Penelope. He stared at her for a moment before glancing back at Gavin, fidgeting slightly as if he were nervous, “Hey, could I go talk to her for a bit?”

The guard looked from the knight to the thief and snorted, “Got a thing for girls in armor, huh?”

“No,” Crow scoffed, looking away. “She’s not even wearing armor.”

“If you say so,” Gavin shrugged. “But I suppose I can let you speak with her for a short while.”

Crow grinned and walked over to the tree while the guard followed a few paces behind him. When he got close William shot him a furious glare, but he ignored the knight and crouched down near Penelope, speaking loudly enough that Gavin would be able to hear him, “Feeling better? I pulled a few strings so they would treat your shoulder.” He reached out to take her hands in a seemingly romantic gesture, but in reality he dropped the extra food he had hidden earlier into her palms. He lowered his voice to a whisper as he went on, “Hide that in your apron pocket until your guards aren’t looking. There’s just enough for all three of you to share.”

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

“I might be your captive, but that doesn’t mean I have to help you,” Crow pointed out as the man began unchaining him from the knights. “The type of work I perform would happen mostly out of your sight anyways, so you’ll have to give me a reason not to bail out. Make sense?” He bit his tongue to keep from smiling when the man curled his lip at him. So far, his impromptu plan was going perfectly. In one move, he just made himself the most valuable captive and increased his chances of getting away from the rebel camp. All he had to do now was keep the blonde woman interested in his proposition so he could think of a way to free the others. The game was in motion.

Crow rose to his feet and followed the two rebels into their tent. Inside, there were no furnishings except for a mat on the floor and a pile of folded blankets off to one side. A single lantern was lit in the center of the small space. The blonde woman sat down on one end of the mat and gestured for the thief to do the same across from her. The man who had been accompanying her stood watch by the entryway, folding his arms over his chest and glaring hostilely at their captive as if he expected him to try and run away.

“So,” the woman said. “Convince me. Why should I trust you to help us?”

“I hate the king,” Crow answered honestly. “He has no respect for anyone who doesn’t hold a noble status in his kingdom, and he takes money from those who desperately need it just so he can add to his own vast wealth. Now, his greed has taken over him to the point where one kingdom isn’t enough. He wants to rule over both Brerra and Younis so he can be even richer, while the majority of his people are starving in order to pay his taxes.” The thief rolled his wrists, which rubbed uncomfortably against the rope that bound them. As he went on, he slipped a little further away from the truth and began throwing in some lies, “On a more personal note, he had me locked up in prison for an entire year of my life. I want revenge, and if that means helping some rebels then that’s what I’ll do.”

The noblewoman nodded, her lips pursed in thought, “What help can you offer us?”

“I was arrested because I tried to steal the king’s crown,” Crow explained. “I made a few critical mistakes that night, but they had nothing to do with my competence as a thief. I know the layout of the palace, how the guards are rotated, which corridors are patrolled the most, and more. With my help, you can get to the king without alerting any of the knights in the castle.”

“Hm, that does sound tempting,” the woman smirked. “But what do you want in return? I hope you’re not expecting us to crown you as the next king.”

“No, no,” Crow shook his head. “I don’t want anything like that. All I ask for is a tenth of the wealth in the king’s vault, and…” he paused, looking slightly uncomfortable. “And I want you to tend to the female knight’s wound.”

“Oh?” the noblewoman raised a brow at him. “Does our thief have feelings for a knight?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Crow said defensively. He studied the blonde’s face. It seemed like she was buying his entire act, from his supposed thirst for revenge to his feelings for Penelope. If things kept up like this, he would be able to win her trust and the knight wouldn’t be too weak to come with him when he made his escape.

Crow held out his hand, “So, do we have a deal?”

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow looked up when he heard the sound of approaching footsteps. The man that he had previously taken to be the leader of the group had returned, accompanied by a blonde woman. The thief raised a brow when he recognized her as the same noble who had attacked him and Penelope by the pond. He looked her over curiously. By the way she carried herself, there was no doubt in his mind that she was the real leader here, but he also remembered that she wasn’t a Younisian either. So why did she care about their quest to steal the staff? It didn’t seem like it would affect her in any way.

“It’s you again,” Penelope seemed to have recognized the woman as well.

“Of course,” the blonde said. “Did you think you could just knock me over the head and get away with it?” She turned to glare at Crow with her last words.

“My apologies, darling,” Crow held his hands up in a helpless shrug. “I can’t help that I make women swoon at my touch.”

“I’m assuming we’re not just here because a petty thief knocked you out cold?” Penelope said, ignoring the thief’s comment. “If we are, I think you might have some anger issues.”

The noblewoman and the knights went on speaking, and Crow listened in silence. What the blonde woman said made sense; if there was to be a war, the king would be distracted and vulnerable to an attack from inside the border. For a moment, the thief almost found himself sympathetic to their plot. He hated the king. The man was completely oblivious to the suffering of the peasants in his kingdom—all of whom made up the majority of the population—and he was greedier than any bandit Crow had ever met. He would have liked to see some new leadership installed in the throne.

However, this woman didn’t seem like the right person to take the current king’s place.

By the end of the conversation, Crow knew one thing for certain: he was expendable to her. She could use the knights for information, but what was there to gain from, as Penelope put it, ‘a petty thief?’ As things stood right now, there was nothing stopping the nobles from killing him off. He shifted uncomfortably, trying to think of something he could use as leverage, and then froze as he was struck with an idea. Everyone here, except perhaps for Penelope, thought he was a snake. Maybe he could use their misguided impression to his advantage.

“As I said before,” Crow looked up at the noblewoman with newfound interest. “I’m the most useful person here. Sure, these knights can give you battle strategies and money—and that’s only if they’re willing—but I can get you inside the palace.” He smirked slyly when he saw a hint of curiosity in the blonde’s eyes. “You know, I think you’re right. The king’s been in power for far too long now. It’s time for some changes around here.” He tilted his chin up, meeting the noblewoman’s gaze evenly. “I’ve seen the effects of his tyranny firsthand, so I want to help you overthrow him. Of course, I don’t offer my services for free. I’m a renowned criminal; my assistance is worth more than a few copper coins. If I help you get rid of the king, I want something in return.”

“You viper,” William spat, glaring at Crow with as much hatred as he could muster.

“So, what do you say?” the thief went on, ignoring the knight’s outburst. “I’m willing to negotiate if you are.”

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

“You most certainly are not fine,” Crow said quietly, throwing Penelope a glare. “You’re bleeding all over yourself! I don’t know about you, but I think that qualifies as a life-threatening injury.” He let out a frustrated huff and shook his head, closing his eyes as he tried to recompose himself. In the rational part of his mind, he knew he was acting ridiculous. He needed to calm down and stop getting so flustered over a wound that wasn’t even his own. He was needlessly working himself up, which in turn distracted him from plotting a plan for escape. His irrational fear was just causing more problems.

Crow opened his eyes when the guard called him useless. His discomfort momentarily forgotten, he shot the man a venomous look, “Pardon? I’m the most useful person in this little group. These knights are just my bodyguards.”

“Is that right?” the other man spoke up, crossing his arms. “And just how are you so useful, thief?”

Crow was about to respond, but William kicked him hard in the leg again and whispered harshly, “Shut up, you idiot. In case you hadn’t noticed, we’re trying to tell them nothing about what we’re doing here.”

“Why?” Crow frowned and studied the two guards standing before them. “They’re obviously not Younisian, and I doubt they’re smart enough to be spies, so what’s the harm in giving them what they want and going on our way? I’d much prefer to fess up and live than die keeping some secret for the king.”

“And that’s exactly why you need to shut up and let us handle the situation,” William snapped under his breath. “You like to act, so why don’t you play the role of a useless peasant? You can stand aside while Penelope, Abraxas, and I take care of these people.”

“Hey,” one of the guards interrupted sternly. “Stop talking over there.”

Crow shot William one final glare and dropped his gaze, fiddling irritably with the chains around his wrists. The group that captured them was undoubtedly hostile, but the thief still didn’t see what would be so bad about telling them about the king’s assignment. He was a survivor. If spoiling one mission meant that he could live to see another day, he had no problem in doing so. But, unfortunately, the knights didn’t seem to agree.

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow reluctantly allowed himself to be led over to the other knights by the man with the sword. The sickeningly familiar chill of metal around his wrists soon followed. He grimaced. These chains were heavier than the ones he had been bound with in prison, but apart from that it almost felt like he was being locked in a cell again. And that wasn’t even the most uncomfortable part. So far, the thief had been doing a decent job of distracting himself from Penelope’s wounded shoulder, but now that they were so close to each other, it was difficult for him not to notice the blood trickling down her arm. He looked away, nodding absently when the knight tried to speak with him, “Chains are maddening at first, but after a while you stop noticing them. It’s almost like the metal becomes a part of your body, and you forget what it feels like to be free until they’re off again.” He paused, knitting his brow in thought. “Huh. I suppose that, in a sense, they do drive you insane.”

Crow lapsed into silence as Penelope went on to question William about being captured, the latter simply responding that they had been outnumbered and taken by surprise. He seemed to be rather indifferent about it, but the thief suspected that he was just hiding his embarrassment. So, naturally, he had to take the opportunity to prod at William about his failure.

“Really?” Crow muttered incredulously. “And here I thought you knights were impervious to all enemies. I guess you’re not so powerful after all.”

William gave him a kick in the leg from where he sat. “You’re one to talk, thief,” he growled. “You claimed that no one could catch you, and yet you’ve been locked in chains twice now.”

Crow opened his mouth to argue and then closed it again, deciding that William wasn’t worth the effort. He had messed up when he got captured the first time—he had gotten a bit careless with his bragging—but he was only wearing these chains because he went back to help Penelope instead of run away. He should have known better than to expect the knights to be grateful for his efforts, though. Despite his actions, they still thought he was a self-centered criminal. They couldn’t even begin to fathom the possibility that the thief would look out for anyone other than himself. He exhaled and glanced at Penelope, only to instantly regret it when his eyes fell on her wounded shoulder again. He paled and dropped his gaze to the ground. Even from the brief look he got of it, he could tell that the injury wasn’t healing yet. A cut like that needed medical attention.

“Damn it,” Crow snapped suddenly, turning on the two guards who stood nearby. “Just how selfish are you people? If you’re going to hold a woman captive, you should at least do her the courtesy of making sure she doesn’t bleed to death!”

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow wondered about the leader’s answer to his question. So this group had been tracking them for a while now. Why would they bother to do that? The wagon the king had provided them with didn’t contain many things of value, and these men didn’t look like they were in need of either money or equipment. As far as the thief could tell, there was nothing special about him or his companions—at least, there was nothing special enough to warrant any attention—so it made no sense to him that the strange men would want to capture them. For a moment he wondered if they were working for the Younisian king, but that didn’t seem likely. None of the men had the slightest hint of an accent, and the Younisians were far too proud of a people to hire Brerratic mercenaries. So what did they want with him and the three knights?

Crow put the thought aside as they arrived in the group’s camp. He stopped walking and looked around, taking in as many details as he could. It was small and rather plain for his taste, but he supposed it was a perfect fit for their purposes. Its simplicity was also a problem for the thief in that he wouldn’t have very many options if he tried to escape. There were few places to hide and the entire area could be kept under watch by a small number of guards. If he tried anything, he would likely be caught within minutes... Well, he could always hope for a proper distraction, but the chances of that happening were slim as well. Overall, the setup put him at a major disadvantage.

Soon Crow spotted William and Abraxas, who were both chained to a tree near the middle of the camp. They looked quite roughed up as if they had also tried to fight off these unusual attackers. He shivered, wondering if they had gotten their injuries before or after they had been caught. Penelope seemed to think these men were after information, but to what extent would they go to get it? Had they already tried to pry at the other two knights? The thought was unnerving.

“Well now, welcome to our humble abode,” the leader was saying. “I suppose we should start with reuniting you with your friends now shouldn’t we? Please, make yourself at home before we get down to business.”

“‘Make ourselves at home,’ you say?” Crow mused. “Well then, do you have any food? I’m famished.”

“Not that much at home,” one of the nearby men scoffed, giving the thief a push towards the tree where William and Abraxas were chained up. “Come on. Go sit with your friends until we’re ready for you.”

“But they’re not my friends,” Crow objected, planting his feet and giving the man a hard stare. “And if you think I’m just going to let you put more chains on me, you’re horribly mistaken.”

“Is that so?” the man narrowed his eyes and drew his sword, poking the thief in the torso with its point. “How about now?”

“You know, I think I’ve changed my mind,” Crow said quickly, stepping back from the blade. He glanced at Penelope. “I guess we’re going to join our ‘friends’ now.”

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

“It’s not my fault,” Crow snapped, flushing at the accusation. “I came back for you. If I had been on my own, they wouldn’t have stood a chance.”

He looked away from the knight to stare indignantly at the ground as they walked. As much as he hated to admit it, he had made a pretty sloppy performance. He had been careless to choose a hiding spot that had been so open to the road. Yes, it had been veiled in shadows, but mere darkness was never enough when that many people were searching for him. He shouldn’t have let himself get distracted so easily. So what if Penelope had gotten captured or killed? She was just a knight. It wasn’t like she meant anything to him. If she had died, he could have moved on to another village and forgotten about the king’s damned assignment too…

Yet, somehow it felt wrong.

Crow glanced subtly at Penelope. He couldn’t have just left her to die. He wasn’t sure what it was yet, but he felt certain that they had formed some kind of bond over the past few days. Whether it was friendship or mere comradery, a small part of him felt like they were partners now. That meant he couldn’t throw her to the dogs and sleep peacefully at night. He let out his breath in a solemn exhale. He couldn’t believe he had let himself get this close to a noble. It was such a foolish thing to do. Even if she was different from other knights, she could never be part of the lawless world he lived in. He shouldn’t have even let her put her foot in the door.

He frowned, averting his gaze once again. Despite what he told himself, it had felt so natural to let her in. For all her harshness and stern words, there was just something about her that made it difficult for him to keep his distance like he did with every other knight. He just couldn’t put his finger on what it was.

“Hey!”

Crow snapped back to attention as Penelope suddenly called out to one of the men walking ahead of them. He listened silently as she began talking to one of the men in the group whom he assumed was their leader. The man seemed amused by the knight’s sharp tongue at first, but suddenly his expression changed to something darker. He reached out and grasped her shoulder, making her cry out and drawing Crow’s attention back to her injury. His eyes fell on her shoulder, which was covered in dark, scarlet blood... gods, that was a lot of blood. Feeling faint, he staggered into a man who was walking beside him.

“Watch where you’re going, thief,” the man growled, giving him an angry shove that just caused Crow to bump into someone on his other side.

“It’s kind of hard to do that when you’re all walking so close to me,” the thief mumbled bitterly. Still feeling a bit faint at the sight of Penelope’s wound, he attempted to distract himself by questioning the strange group’s leader, “So, where are we going exactly?”