Trash Panda

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow met Penelope’s lips when she kissed him again. He believed she meant everything she said, that she wanted to stay by his side even though it might mean giving up her old life, but it was a huge promise to make. Even if she didn’t regret choosing him over her family now, there was no telling what she would think in a day or a week or even a month. As much as he wanted to be with her, he didn’t want her to ever feel like she couldn’t go back to them. He had opened the door for her. So for now, he would just enjoy the time they had together and hope she would continue to feel the same way for him when they got back to Brerra, because regardless of her choice, he meant what he had said. He would always love her, even if she couldn’t stay with him.

When Penelope pulled back from him, he had to force himself not to chase after one more kiss. He leaned his head against hers, panting softly. He hadn’t noticed at the time, but he had gotten so lost in her lips that he had forgotten to breathe. Feeling a bit light headed, he traced his fingers lightly up her arm, relishing their closeness. It was still hard for him to believe that she loved him so much—a thief who had done nothing to warrant the affection of any woman. Yet here she was, sitting with him, holding his hand, kissing him… They had even slept together. He brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face, smiling affectionately. Here was the most beautiful woman he had ever met, and she wanted to be with him too.

As she mentioned that they should keep moving, Crow hesitated. He wished they could stay there longer and forget about the mission, but she was right. They had spent quite a while in the same place, and they needed to make up for lost time. “I did,” he answered her question with a nod. “All that’s left is to find a safe place where we can light a fire.” Climbing to his feet again, he raised his arms over his head in a long stretch before heading back into the forest with her.

Once they were out of sight from the knights in the town, he did a quick search for the tree he had stowed his bow in. It didn’t take long for him to find the notch he had carved. He climbed up the marked tree to retrieve the weapon and then hopped back down once he had slung it over his shoulder again.

“When we find somewhere to stop, I’d recommend sleeping if you can,” he turned to Penelope as they continued walking “You might not have another chance until after we get out of the castle.”

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

True! Wednesdays are turning out to be my busiest day of the week though ^^;

Tuesdays and Fridays are probably my most free days, unless I make plans with anyone too

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

I think I'm free like 1-6 tomorrow, and then maybe again after 8 or 9 depending on how long my friends and I keep bowling cx
Oh and generally, my Mon, Wed, Thurs, and Sun nights will all be booked for at least a few hours after 7 because of my club

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

I feel like I'm seeing a pattern here xD
I have 10:30-8:30 free today (possibly later, because our plans are super tentative right now)

I'll write up a reply once I get back from my class ^^
Also maybe a few more CS's for the characters I've been considering adding
I'm not avoiding first week homework assignments or anything... >>

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

I have an 8AM class, so I'm going to bed now, but that's also my only class tomorrow, so I'll be around most of the day unless I make any last minute plans ^^

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow’s mouth felt dry as he stared down at the grass. His heart fluttered nervously in his chest. Part of him wished he had kept his concerns to himself, but he knew he had done the right thing in bringing them up to Penelope. It would have been selfish of him to make her feel like she had to stay for his sake, even though the mere thought of her leaving made him feel like he was being torn in two. He needed to let her know she could still change her mind if it was all too much for her.

As much as he tried to act calm about the situation, he squeezed her hand tightly when she laced her fingers with his. The silence between them was torturous. He wanted her to give him an answer, but he also dreaded hearing her say that she couldn’t give up her life for him. He closed his eyes, trying to shut out the pain of waiting for her response.

When she finally spoke again, he felt his stomach drop. It sounded like she was going to take the out after all. I shouldn’t be so surprised, he winced. I’m asking her to give up more than anyone ever should. She has a good life as a knight, and she’s beautiful. It won’t take long for another man to court her if she decides to settle down… I have no right to take those things away from her. He loosened his grip on her hand, readying himself to let go if she said she wanted to go back to just being friends.

After working up the nerve to accept that Penelope was going to leave him, her final words came as a shock. He turned to her, wide eyed, as she said that she was going to choose him over her family and her life as a noblewoman. A wave of relief washed over him. She wasn’t ending things after all. Part of him still worried she might change her mind as she thought more about what she would be giving up, but he pushed the doubts aside. She still wanted to be with him, and for now, that was good enough.

In a burst of passion, Crow leaned in and pressed a long kiss to Penelope’s lips, holding her hand to his chest. Afterwards, he pulled back and grinned, “Gods, I love you, Penelope. I don’t know what I did to deserve you.” He shook his head and ran his thumb gently over the back of her hand. “Of course I’ll have you. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. You’ve given my life a purpose, which is to make you happy for as long as you’ll allow me.” He kissed her again. “I may not be able to give you status or money or security, but I promise I’ll love you as long as there’s still breath in my lungs.”

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

I just got home, so I'll write a reply now

I didn't think about that, but yeah, they definitely would get along if they met x3

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

We're opposite again xD
I'm about to leave for another game night pretty soon. My friends and I usually meet up at 6-7pm when we hang out

Also, here's the CS's for the Mannering family! I have a couple other characters I'm considering adding too, but I'll decide later

Albin

Albin Mannering
Royal Ambassador

Age: 43

Bio/Personality: As the king’s viceroy, he holds the most prestigious position in the castle, second to being an honorary member of the royal family. He claimed the job at the early age of nineteen by his silver tongue and charisma, making him the youngest ambassador in Brerra’s history. Despite his already impressive achievements, he’s an ambitious man who will not settle for anything less than the most powerful position in the kingdom. Knowing the current king’s wife is barren and will give him no heirs, Albin plans to secure the throne for himself when the man dies so he can become the next ruler of Brerra.

Goldwine

Goldwine Mannering
Brerratic Noblewoman

Age: 40

Extra: Albin’s trophy wife. They were married one year after his fling with Crow’s mother. She is a vain and prideful woman who pulls the strings to make sure her three children are given the best lots in life, and she’s willing to go to any means necessary to guarantee their success.

Braden

Braden Mannering
Brerratic Marquess

Age: 21

Bio/Personality: As the oldest son of Albin and Goldwine, Braden is being groomed to become the next head of the Mannering family. He’s strong-willed and proud, expecting to have everything he wants in life. Though he is not officially a knight, he serves as a daytime guard in the inner citadel of Brerra and has built a small network among some of the barons and baronesses. Like his father, he knows the value of having connections in high places and he often uses them for favors, most often to get out of trouble if he’s had too much to drink.

Naida

Naida Mannering
Brerratic Knight

Age: 20

Bio/Personality: Of all the Mannering children, Naida is the most hard headed. She inherited her father’s pride and ambition, but both qualities are driven by a rebellious streak that often gets her into trouble. She wants nothing to do with noble life, as she sees most of the traditions and rituals as a waste of time. This is why she became a knight: to forsake the duties of a noblewoman in the stead of fighting for glory. Overall, it’s a world much more suited for her wild antics and free spirit.

Willow

Willow Mannering
Brerratic Marchioness

Age: 16

Bio/Personality: Willow is the tamest of the Mannering siblings. She is quiet and reserved, keeping her opinions to herself unless otherwise asked. Because of her beauty and meekness, she already has a number of dukes and lords lined up to court her. She has no interest in seeing a suitor, but has agreed to do so because her mother wants her to marry into another family with power in Brerra in order to merge the two families together.

Secret: Willow is asexual

EDIT: Their ages are set to what they will be after the 2 year time skip btw ^^

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow finally opened up to Penelope about his fear :'c

Yaaas~ I love it already xD
I ended up having to make some calls to insurance this morning (nothing bad, fortunately), so I haven't started on the CS's yet, but I'll get them posted as soon as I can!

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow ate in contemplative silence as Penelope explained why she humored the other nobles. He supposed it made sense that she would do something like that, especially when considering her situation. He wondered if he would have made the same decision if he had been in her shoes. It was something he never used to think about often, but he found himself more and more curious about it as he got to know Penelope. If Albin hadn’t disowned him, would he also be running around try to please pompous noblemen in order to earn their respect?

Setting his now empty plates aside, he glanced back at Penelope, starting to understand her predicament a little better. However, when his eyes fell on her, he noticed a look of dejection on her face. He averted his gaze again, feeling a stab of guilt. She was risking everything she had worked for to be with him. If anyone found out about their relationship, she would lose the respect of the other nobles, and probably her father too. Any hope she ever had of moving up in the kingdom would be permanently dashed.

Meanwhile, he was giving up nothing for her. There was no risk in a thief falling in love with a knight, aside from the possibility that one of his enemies could find out and use it to their advantage. But even then, he had escaped from traps before, and he could do it again. It wasn’t much more dangerous than anything he had faced in the past. It wasn’t even close to the chance she was taking. Could he really ask her to do that for him in good conscience?

Maybe it was foolish of us to try to make this work after all, Crow grimaced as he finally began to admit the truth to himself. She still has a chance to make a respectable name for herself. If I ask her to stay with me, she’ll be nothing more than an outcast like I am. I can’t ask that of her—not while she still has the opportunity to have something better.

“You can still repay your father,” he said, breaking the silence that had fallen between them without meeting her gaze. “Right now, no one in Brerra knows about us… We can still keep it that way.” He hesitated, finding that the words were more difficult than he expected them to be. “I mean… I’m going back to the outer villages anyway, and you have your job in the castle. It wouldn’t be hard to keep all of this a secret if we…” he trailed off, unable to bring himself to say ‘if we stop seeing each other.’

He let out his breath in a ragged exhale, “Look, I just want to make sure you don’t regret… us. I know you had a plan for your life, and a good one too. If you think you’re going to regret giving all that up to be with me—your job, your family, your future—then this is your out.” He forced himself to meet her gaze. “I can’t promise that you’ll have a good life if you stay with me. In fact, I can honestly say that you probably won’t. So, if you have any reservations about being with a thief… you can still back out.”