Same xD He won't be able to enjoy the moment though, since he can't do anything to separate them
Also, I'm really liking the dynamic between Crow and Naida so far
Also, I'm really liking the dynamic between Crow and Naida so far
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STATUS: Does this mean we can call you abmin now? 2 yrs ago
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Does this mean we can call you abmin now?
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300 word minimum is pretty standard for casual level and up in my experience
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There's a panhandler who hangs out on the street corner by our dispensary every afternoon with a sign that just says "Green 4 Green?" and tbh, I respect my boy's confidence.
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Personal Profile
Name: Taylor
Pronouns: They/them
Age: Mid 20s
Relationship: Married (happily, I might add)
Time Zone: Arizona (we hate daylight savings, so it's MST year-round)
Writing History: I've been on a number of different roleplaying websites for over a decade and a half
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Format: 1x1s only. Maybe I'll try a group RP again someday, but I've never had one last longer than a few months
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Favorite Genres: Modern, Historical, Romance, Action/Adventure, Horror/Dark, Fantasy, Slice of Life, Dystopian, can be convinced to write some Sci-Fi
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“So,” Naida spoke up again once she and Crow had put some distance between themselves and William. “What was that about?”
“What do you mean?” Crow casted her a sideways glance.
“What William said about thinking I was someone else,” Naida studied him with a curious look. “Who else did he think you would be walking with?”
Crow hesitated, averting his gaze. While his sister had gained some of his trust, he didn’t want to tell her much about what was going on between him and Penelope. They were still trying to keep their relationship a secret from anyone who didn’t already know about it. Even though he felt like Naida wouldn’t go running her mouth about them, he didn’t know her well enough to say so without any doubts. So, instead of explaining what was really happening, he shrugged, “He’s never liked me very much, so I think he just doesn’t trust me with Penelope. He’s probably hoping to catch me doing something unsavory to report back to the king and get me arrested.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Naida wrinkled her nose. “You wouldn’t hut Penelope… right?” She added the last question with slight hesitation, as if she seemed to realize that she still didn’t know him very well and couldn’t make the claim with certainty.
“Of course not,” Crow snorted. “I may be a thief, but there are some lines that even I won’t cross.”
“I thought so,” the princess seemed to relax slightly. She cracked a smile and elbowed him in the side, “And you were a thief. Now, you’re Father’s viceroy.”
“Almost,” he smirked. “I’ve accepted the offer, but I still have to formally take the title, from the sound of it.”
“Ahh, that’s just a formality,” Naida waved her had apathetically. “You’re already the viceroy. Father just has to make a show of it so the other people in the palace know too.”
At the mention of the other nobles, Crow grimaced faintly. “If it’s that easy, then couldn’t we just skip the ceremony altogether?” he muttered. “That sounds much more pleasant.”
“I wish,” she sighed. “Ceremonies are boring, but unfortunately, Father has to put them on to keep everyone else happy around here. If he just made you his ambassador without involving the other high-ranking nobles, I’m sure they would throw a fit.”
“Is that so?” Crow said dryly.
“Yeah,” Naida nodded. “But they’re not all bad. On the bright side, there’s always great food at titling ceremonies, so we’ll get to enjoy that.”
“I suppose so,” he gave a one shouldered shrug. Usually, the prospect of good food was more appealing to him, but the luxury was starting to wear off a bit after he’d been able to eat venison for a few days in a row now.
Naida studied him with a thoughtful frown before speaking up again, “Hey, did I tell you about the time Braden got drunk and dueled against a baron in a tavern?”
“No,” Crow turned to look at her bemusedly, caught off guard by the sudden change in topic, but grateful for the distraction.
“Oh, that’s a good one,” she snickered. “We had just gotten back from a messaging errand that Father had sent us on in Bexley…”
--
By the time Crow and Naida arrived at the viceroy’s room, the thief was in a better mood again. He was glad that his sister was able to lift his spirits so easily. His discomfort about being given a noble title in front of a room full of nobles had faded quite a bit as she kept him occupied with more stories about herself and his other siblings during their childhood. It was interesting to hear about the family members he’d never known he even had, especially since the princess seemed intent on sharing some of their more embarrassing memories with him.
When he opened the door to step into the room, the two were still laughing over another amusing tale that she had told him about Braden and barely registered that Hunter was already waiting for them inside. The attendant’s eyes flicked between the siblings, and he bowed deeply to Naida, “My Lady.”
“Oh, stand up, Hunter,” she smirked at him amusedly. “You know you don’t need to act like that around me.”
The attendant straightened right away, shuffling his feet bashfully. “O-Of course.” He turned towards Crow and gestured to a packed bag that was sitting on the edge of the bed. “His Highness wanted me to inform you that everything you’ll need for your journey is ready for you here.”
Crow blinked, mildly surprised that the supplies had been prepared so quickly. It seemed that if the king wanted something done, the castle staff worked efficiently to get that something done swiftly as possible. “Thank you,” he nodded to the servant as he stepped over to get a closer look at the bag on the mattress.
“This has been fun, but I should get back to work,” Naida said with a reluctant exhale from behind him. “I’m sure Tybalt is going to complain that I’ve even been gone this long.”
“Right,” Crow turned back to his sister with a smile. “Thanks for accompanying me back to my room. I’ll see you again when I get back to the castle.”
“Have a safe trip, Crow.” she winked at him playfully. “I’d better be the first person you seek out when you come back, you hear me?”
“Naturally,” he grinned at her in return.
With that, the princess exited the room with Hunter, leaving Crow to behind to wait for Penelope alone.
“What do you mean?” Crow casted her a sideways glance.
“What William said about thinking I was someone else,” Naida studied him with a curious look. “Who else did he think you would be walking with?”
Crow hesitated, averting his gaze. While his sister had gained some of his trust, he didn’t want to tell her much about what was going on between him and Penelope. They were still trying to keep their relationship a secret from anyone who didn’t already know about it. Even though he felt like Naida wouldn’t go running her mouth about them, he didn’t know her well enough to say so without any doubts. So, instead of explaining what was really happening, he shrugged, “He’s never liked me very much, so I think he just doesn’t trust me with Penelope. He’s probably hoping to catch me doing something unsavory to report back to the king and get me arrested.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Naida wrinkled her nose. “You wouldn’t hut Penelope… right?” She added the last question with slight hesitation, as if she seemed to realize that she still didn’t know him very well and couldn’t make the claim with certainty.
“Of course not,” Crow snorted. “I may be a thief, but there are some lines that even I won’t cross.”
“I thought so,” the princess seemed to relax slightly. She cracked a smile and elbowed him in the side, “And you were a thief. Now, you’re Father’s viceroy.”
“Almost,” he smirked. “I’ve accepted the offer, but I still have to formally take the title, from the sound of it.”
“Ahh, that’s just a formality,” Naida waved her had apathetically. “You’re already the viceroy. Father just has to make a show of it so the other people in the palace know too.”
At the mention of the other nobles, Crow grimaced faintly. “If it’s that easy, then couldn’t we just skip the ceremony altogether?” he muttered. “That sounds much more pleasant.”
“I wish,” she sighed. “Ceremonies are boring, but unfortunately, Father has to put them on to keep everyone else happy around here. If he just made you his ambassador without involving the other high-ranking nobles, I’m sure they would throw a fit.”
“Is that so?” Crow said dryly.
“Yeah,” Naida nodded. “But they’re not all bad. On the bright side, there’s always great food at titling ceremonies, so we’ll get to enjoy that.”
“I suppose so,” he gave a one shouldered shrug. Usually, the prospect of good food was more appealing to him, but the luxury was starting to wear off a bit after he’d been able to eat venison for a few days in a row now.
Naida studied him with a thoughtful frown before speaking up again, “Hey, did I tell you about the time Braden got drunk and dueled against a baron in a tavern?”
“No,” Crow turned to look at her bemusedly, caught off guard by the sudden change in topic, but grateful for the distraction.
“Oh, that’s a good one,” she snickered. “We had just gotten back from a messaging errand that Father had sent us on in Bexley…”
--
By the time Crow and Naida arrived at the viceroy’s room, the thief was in a better mood again. He was glad that his sister was able to lift his spirits so easily. His discomfort about being given a noble title in front of a room full of nobles had faded quite a bit as she kept him occupied with more stories about herself and his other siblings during their childhood. It was interesting to hear about the family members he’d never known he even had, especially since the princess seemed intent on sharing some of their more embarrassing memories with him.
When he opened the door to step into the room, the two were still laughing over another amusing tale that she had told him about Braden and barely registered that Hunter was already waiting for them inside. The attendant’s eyes flicked between the siblings, and he bowed deeply to Naida, “My Lady.”
“Oh, stand up, Hunter,” she smirked at him amusedly. “You know you don’t need to act like that around me.”
The attendant straightened right away, shuffling his feet bashfully. “O-Of course.” He turned towards Crow and gestured to a packed bag that was sitting on the edge of the bed. “His Highness wanted me to inform you that everything you’ll need for your journey is ready for you here.”
Crow blinked, mildly surprised that the supplies had been prepared so quickly. It seemed that if the king wanted something done, the castle staff worked efficiently to get that something done swiftly as possible. “Thank you,” he nodded to the servant as he stepped over to get a closer look at the bag on the mattress.
“This has been fun, but I should get back to work,” Naida said with a reluctant exhale from behind him. “I’m sure Tybalt is going to complain that I’ve even been gone this long.”
“Right,” Crow turned back to his sister with a smile. “Thanks for accompanying me back to my room. I’ll see you again when I get back to the castle.”
“Have a safe trip, Crow.” she winked at him playfully. “I’d better be the first person you seek out when you come back, you hear me?”
“Naturally,” he grinned at her in return.
With that, the princess exited the room with Hunter, leaving Crow to behind to wait for Penelope alone.
William mistook Naida for Penelope cx
Me too!
Me too!
When Penelope said she hoped that the talk with her father would go smoothly, Crow nodded in agreement. In a way, he felt some pity for her, since he already knew that John was going to be unhappy when he discovered their intentions to leave on a weeklong trip alone; but he was also relieved that he didn’t have to be the one to break the news to the older knight. After her father had caught them the night before, he had a feeling he was on thin ice with the other man. If he went with her to talk to John, he would probably just be chided about his ‘risky behavior,’ and that was not a conversation he wanted to have twice in two days.
He glanced at Naida as she spoke with Penelope and smiled to himself, finding her enthusiasm just as infectious as last time. While there was still a lot about noble life that was going to take him some time to get used to, he was glad to have a half-sister around who was so eager to welcome him into it all. Really, she was the first person in his life who had ever greeted him with such open arms. Everyone he’d met before had either disliked him for being a thief or had maintained at least some level of distrust while getting to know him. Penelope and his companions were no exception. Though they had all warmed up to him over time, none of them had been this friendly to him right away. It was a nice change that made him feel more at home in the castle.
“See you later,” Crow said when Penelope headed out of the room, leaving him alone with Naida. He watched her go until she disappeared from sight before turning to his sister with a tip of his head. “We might as well get going too. Come on.”
“Alright,” Naida fell in step at his side as they made their way to the hall that led to his room. “So,” she spoke up again, lacing her fingers together behind her back as they walked. “Are you getting excited yet? You’re about to take up the position our father held for over twenty years. That’s pretty impressive, if you ask me.”
“Sort of,” Crow shrugged. “Honestly, it’s more overwhelming than anything else. I mean, I’ve been a thief my whole life. I don’t know any different. There’s going to be a lot I’ll have to learn in a short amount of time.”
“I’m sure you’ll do fine,” she grinned at him confidently. “Udolf says that we Mannerings are the fastest learners he’s ever taught. If you’re anything like the rest of us, you’ll pick up what you need to know in no time.”
“Udolf?” Crow quirked a brow at her.
“He’s our tutor,” Naida explained. “He’s really boring, but he’s good at helping us understand complicated subjects like the history of Brerra.” She looked up at him with a smirk. “He’ll probably be the one to teach you too, since he’s a close friend of Father.”
“I see,” Crow mused, still finding the idea of having a tutor strange. Until now, he’d always assumed that being educated was a luxury he simply would never be able to afford. To find out that he was suddenly going to be taught things that the peasants of the kingdom never even dreamed to learn about was a lot to take in.
“Mhmm,” Naida murmured thoughtfully. “And even if you still don’t understand something with Udolf’s help, you can always ask me.” She beamed at him. “I never liked schooling, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t learn anything. I’m sure I could help you figure out whatever you don’t get.”
“Thanks,” the thief sighed. “I’ll probably need it.”
“Of course!” his sister brightened. “I want to—”
“There you two are.”
Crow blinked at the sound of a new voice and peered back over his shoulder to see none other than William approaching them from behind. The knight had a pleased look on his face, as if he seemed to believe he’d found something he wasn’t supposed to. “You managed to get away from me yesterday, but I’m not going to let that happen again,” he growled. “Wherever you’re going now, I’m—” Suddenly, he faltered as Naida turned around to look at him with a frown. His eyes grew wide, and he stumbled, clearly not expecting that the female knight was someone other than Penelope. The sight made Crow snort in amusement.
“You’re what?” Naida asked, studying the older knight curiously as they all slowed to a stop in the corridor.
William’s mouth flapped wordlessly as his mind seemed to go blank. After a moment, he leaned forward in a deep bow, finally coming back to his senses. “I’m sorry, My Lady. I thought you were someone else.”
Naida exchanged a devious look with Crow before turning back to the knight and folding her arms over her chest in mock sternness. “I’ll forgive your tone this time, but you’d better not speak to me like that again, or I’ll be sure my father finds out. Do you understand?”
“I-I understand,” William stammered, remaining lowered in his bow. Crow had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing at how frightened the hot-tempered knight was by his younger sister. Naida wasn’t the least bit threatening in his opinion, but he supposed the weight of her title was enough to scare off even stubborn men like William.
“Good,” the princess nodded, returning her gaze to the thief as she kept up her unamused façade. “Let’s go, Crow. I’ve much more I wish to speak with you about.”
“Of course,” he grinned at her before glancing back at William. Just as the knight straightened his posture again, the thief made a face at him and then fell in step beside his sister, both siblings snickering softly as the other man stared, dumbfounded, at their backs.
He glanced at Naida as she spoke with Penelope and smiled to himself, finding her enthusiasm just as infectious as last time. While there was still a lot about noble life that was going to take him some time to get used to, he was glad to have a half-sister around who was so eager to welcome him into it all. Really, she was the first person in his life who had ever greeted him with such open arms. Everyone he’d met before had either disliked him for being a thief or had maintained at least some level of distrust while getting to know him. Penelope and his companions were no exception. Though they had all warmed up to him over time, none of them had been this friendly to him right away. It was a nice change that made him feel more at home in the castle.
“See you later,” Crow said when Penelope headed out of the room, leaving him alone with Naida. He watched her go until she disappeared from sight before turning to his sister with a tip of his head. “We might as well get going too. Come on.”
“Alright,” Naida fell in step at his side as they made their way to the hall that led to his room. “So,” she spoke up again, lacing her fingers together behind her back as they walked. “Are you getting excited yet? You’re about to take up the position our father held for over twenty years. That’s pretty impressive, if you ask me.”
“Sort of,” Crow shrugged. “Honestly, it’s more overwhelming than anything else. I mean, I’ve been a thief my whole life. I don’t know any different. There’s going to be a lot I’ll have to learn in a short amount of time.”
“I’m sure you’ll do fine,” she grinned at him confidently. “Udolf says that we Mannerings are the fastest learners he’s ever taught. If you’re anything like the rest of us, you’ll pick up what you need to know in no time.”
“Udolf?” Crow quirked a brow at her.
“He’s our tutor,” Naida explained. “He’s really boring, but he’s good at helping us understand complicated subjects like the history of Brerra.” She looked up at him with a smirk. “He’ll probably be the one to teach you too, since he’s a close friend of Father.”
“I see,” Crow mused, still finding the idea of having a tutor strange. Until now, he’d always assumed that being educated was a luxury he simply would never be able to afford. To find out that he was suddenly going to be taught things that the peasants of the kingdom never even dreamed to learn about was a lot to take in.
“Mhmm,” Naida murmured thoughtfully. “And even if you still don’t understand something with Udolf’s help, you can always ask me.” She beamed at him. “I never liked schooling, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t learn anything. I’m sure I could help you figure out whatever you don’t get.”
“Thanks,” the thief sighed. “I’ll probably need it.”
“Of course!” his sister brightened. “I want to—”
“There you two are.”
Crow blinked at the sound of a new voice and peered back over his shoulder to see none other than William approaching them from behind. The knight had a pleased look on his face, as if he seemed to believe he’d found something he wasn’t supposed to. “You managed to get away from me yesterday, but I’m not going to let that happen again,” he growled. “Wherever you’re going now, I’m—” Suddenly, he faltered as Naida turned around to look at him with a frown. His eyes grew wide, and he stumbled, clearly not expecting that the female knight was someone other than Penelope. The sight made Crow snort in amusement.
“You’re what?” Naida asked, studying the older knight curiously as they all slowed to a stop in the corridor.
William’s mouth flapped wordlessly as his mind seemed to go blank. After a moment, he leaned forward in a deep bow, finally coming back to his senses. “I’m sorry, My Lady. I thought you were someone else.”
Naida exchanged a devious look with Crow before turning back to the knight and folding her arms over her chest in mock sternness. “I’ll forgive your tone this time, but you’d better not speak to me like that again, or I’ll be sure my father finds out. Do you understand?”
“I-I understand,” William stammered, remaining lowered in his bow. Crow had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing at how frightened the hot-tempered knight was by his younger sister. Naida wasn’t the least bit threatening in his opinion, but he supposed the weight of her title was enough to scare off even stubborn men like William.
“Good,” the princess nodded, returning her gaze to the thief as she kept up her unamused façade. “Let’s go, Crow. I’ve much more I wish to speak with you about.”
“Of course,” he grinned at her before glancing back at William. Just as the knight straightened his posture again, the thief made a face at him and then fell in step beside his sister, both siblings snickering softly as the other man stared, dumbfounded, at their backs.
For real xD I think it'll take a while for Crow to realize John was right about Albin unless they have a big disagreement lol He might not even find out until Albin forces him into an arranged marriage with the Younisian princess
Crow smiled when Penelope kissed him on the cheek, glad that she seemed just as excited by the news as he was. “Gods, traveling alone is going to be so much nicer than that,” he sighed in agreement. After being stuck with other knights every time they had to go anywhere together, it was going to be a great change to be able to go to the outer villages alone. On top of that, his father was giving them money to stay at the inns along the way, which meant they wouldn’t have to sleep in the woods at night like they normally did. Aside from the less than thrilling reason for their departure, he couldn’t wait to go on the short journey with her.
When Penelope said she would be ready to leave whenever he was, Crow nodded. “Hopefully my father will have preparations made for us quickly then,” he smiled at her fondly, already eager to get going. However, at her following words, his smiled faded a bit. He shifted uneasily at the thought of John finding out about the trip after the older knight had caught them in the middle of a less than decent moment the night before. Penelope was probably right that her father wasn’t going to be happy to find out that they would be alone for a whole week. In fact, he wouldn’t have been surprised if John tried to force his way into the group. He just hoped his father would see no reason to let him go with them.
“Yeah,” he murmured thoughtfully, pausing for a moment before standing up from the bench. “My father will probably have the supplies sent to my room, so I should go back to wait for them there.” He waited for her to stand up and then turned to head to the door. However, before he even made it halfway, the door opened on its own to let someone else into the room. Crow raised a brow in surprise when he recognized her.
“Naida?” he said bemusedly.
“Hey, Crow,” his sister grinned at him, her voice straining slightly with excitement. “Father just told us the news—well, more like Braden and I pestered him until he admitted it.” She snickered proudly and then hurried across the room to stand in front of the thief. “I knew you’d take the job! You tried to pretend like you wouldn’t, but I didn’t buy it for a second!”
Crow rolled his eyes amusedly, “Alright, fine. You win, but I really did take the time to consider both options.”
“Yeah, but you still took it,” Naida smirked victoriously. She reached out to clasp his hand in both of hers. “Oh, this is so exciting! I’ve got two bothers now. I can’t wait to show you around. We’re going to have so much fun!”
Crow blinked as he realized his sister didn’t seem to know that he was leaving. “Father told you I accepted the job, but did he tell you anything else?” he asked.
“Well…” Naida blushed embarrassedly. “He might have, but I got so excited that I sort of… left before he finished talking.” She shuffled her feet before going on in a hurried voice. “But what do you expect? He can be so long-winded sometimes. I didn’t want to stick around and listen to him keep jabbering on about formal stuff. I wanted to come and find you.”
Crow laughed at that. Naida reminded him quite a bit of himself before he’d gone to prison three years ago. It was interesting to see how similar they were despite their vastly different upbringings. “Of course,” he smirked at her. “But if you’d stuck around a little longer, you would have heard him tell you that I’m going back to the outer villages for a week before I formally take the title.”
“What?” Naida frowned. “Why would you do that?”
Crow glanced at Penelope before giving a shrug. “I’ve got my reasons,” he answered vaguely. “But right now, I need to go back to my room to wait for the supplies that Father is having prepared for us.” He gestured at Penelope. “She’s coming too, because he wanted me to have a guard while I’m near the battlefront.”
“Oh,” Naida seemed to deflate a little at the knowledge that both her new brother and close friend would be leaving soon.
Crow thought for a moment before an idea came to him. “Why don’t you walk with me?” He suggested. “Penelope needs to speak with her father anyway, and I don’t think I’m allowed to walk around this place without accompaniment yet.” He turned to Penelope with a smile. “You could come and meet me in my room once you’re ready. How does that sound?”
When Penelope said she would be ready to leave whenever he was, Crow nodded. “Hopefully my father will have preparations made for us quickly then,” he smiled at her fondly, already eager to get going. However, at her following words, his smiled faded a bit. He shifted uneasily at the thought of John finding out about the trip after the older knight had caught them in the middle of a less than decent moment the night before. Penelope was probably right that her father wasn’t going to be happy to find out that they would be alone for a whole week. In fact, he wouldn’t have been surprised if John tried to force his way into the group. He just hoped his father would see no reason to let him go with them.
“Yeah,” he murmured thoughtfully, pausing for a moment before standing up from the bench. “My father will probably have the supplies sent to my room, so I should go back to wait for them there.” He waited for her to stand up and then turned to head to the door. However, before he even made it halfway, the door opened on its own to let someone else into the room. Crow raised a brow in surprise when he recognized her.
“Naida?” he said bemusedly.
“Hey, Crow,” his sister grinned at him, her voice straining slightly with excitement. “Father just told us the news—well, more like Braden and I pestered him until he admitted it.” She snickered proudly and then hurried across the room to stand in front of the thief. “I knew you’d take the job! You tried to pretend like you wouldn’t, but I didn’t buy it for a second!”
Crow rolled his eyes amusedly, “Alright, fine. You win, but I really did take the time to consider both options.”
“Yeah, but you still took it,” Naida smirked victoriously. She reached out to clasp his hand in both of hers. “Oh, this is so exciting! I’ve got two bothers now. I can’t wait to show you around. We’re going to have so much fun!”
Crow blinked as he realized his sister didn’t seem to know that he was leaving. “Father told you I accepted the job, but did he tell you anything else?” he asked.
“Well…” Naida blushed embarrassedly. “He might have, but I got so excited that I sort of… left before he finished talking.” She shuffled her feet before going on in a hurried voice. “But what do you expect? He can be so long-winded sometimes. I didn’t want to stick around and listen to him keep jabbering on about formal stuff. I wanted to come and find you.”
Crow laughed at that. Naida reminded him quite a bit of himself before he’d gone to prison three years ago. It was interesting to see how similar they were despite their vastly different upbringings. “Of course,” he smirked at her. “But if you’d stuck around a little longer, you would have heard him tell you that I’m going back to the outer villages for a week before I formally take the title.”
“What?” Naida frowned. “Why would you do that?”
Crow glanced at Penelope before giving a shrug. “I’ve got my reasons,” he answered vaguely. “But right now, I need to go back to my room to wait for the supplies that Father is having prepared for us.” He gestured at Penelope. “She’s coming too, because he wanted me to have a guard while I’m near the battlefront.”
“Oh,” Naida seemed to deflate a little at the knowledge that both her new brother and close friend would be leaving soon.
Crow thought for a moment before an idea came to him. “Why don’t you walk with me?” He suggested. “Penelope needs to speak with her father anyway, and I don’t think I’m allowed to walk around this place without accompaniment yet.” He turned to Penelope with a smile. “You could come and meet me in my room once you’re ready. How does that sound?”
Crow is super excited about getting to travel with Penelope without a chaperone again xD
With the meeting over, Crow said a quick goodbye to his father before turning to head down the corridor that led to the room where Penelope said she would reunite with him. All in all, he was feeling quite good about everything that had happened during their conversation. Not only had the king been pleased about his decision to accept the job, but he had also granted him permission to tie up matters with his companions in the outer villages before he formally accepted the title. He had gotten everything he’d wanted with little to no resistance from Albin.
Despite all the negative things he had heard about his father, he was starting to find it harder and harder to believe that the man was as heartless as his mother and John claimed him to be. After all, why would he be so willing to let his son, a known thief and liar, to travel away from the castle for a week if he didn’t trust him to return? From every angle, it looked like Albin really was trying to make things right between them. A small smile crossed his lips at the thought. It was still strange to him to think that he had a family, since he’d been alone after his mother’s death long ago, but between his father’s welcoming attitude and Naida’s sisterly warmth, he was beginning to feel a little more at home in the inner kingdom than he had before.
After a bit of walking, Crow reached the door to the room where Penelope had told him to go. His heartbeat sped up with excitement at the prospect of telling her how well the meeting with his father had gone. He was sure she would be happy to find out that they could go to the outer villages one more time together before his viceroy training began. It would be the first trip they took on their own since their journey to the Younisian castle two years ago. He couldn’t wait.
Opening the door, he saw that she was already inside the room waiting for him. He casted her an eager grin as he closed the door behind him and made his way over to sit beside her on the bench. “Well, it’s official,” he shrugged, wasting no time in relaying the news of his meeting to her. “I’m going to be my father’s ambassador. He’s already making preparations for a titling ceremony that will happen next week.” His smile broadened slightly as he went on. “Until then, he gave me permission to go back to the outer villages to say goodbye to my companions, and you’re going to be my guard.”
Feeling a burst of affection for the knight, Crow leaned in to meet her lips in a quick kiss. “We can leave as soon as he finishes arranging our money and supplies for the trip,” he said when he pulled back again, resting one hand fondly on her leg. “The sooner the better, I think. It will give us more time to get everything done on the border… and we’ll have more time to ourselves.” He casted her a flirtatious wink.
Despite all the negative things he had heard about his father, he was starting to find it harder and harder to believe that the man was as heartless as his mother and John claimed him to be. After all, why would he be so willing to let his son, a known thief and liar, to travel away from the castle for a week if he didn’t trust him to return? From every angle, it looked like Albin really was trying to make things right between them. A small smile crossed his lips at the thought. It was still strange to him to think that he had a family, since he’d been alone after his mother’s death long ago, but between his father’s welcoming attitude and Naida’s sisterly warmth, he was beginning to feel a little more at home in the inner kingdom than he had before.
After a bit of walking, Crow reached the door to the room where Penelope had told him to go. His heartbeat sped up with excitement at the prospect of telling her how well the meeting with his father had gone. He was sure she would be happy to find out that they could go to the outer villages one more time together before his viceroy training began. It would be the first trip they took on their own since their journey to the Younisian castle two years ago. He couldn’t wait.
Opening the door, he saw that she was already inside the room waiting for him. He casted her an eager grin as he closed the door behind him and made his way over to sit beside her on the bench. “Well, it’s official,” he shrugged, wasting no time in relaying the news of his meeting to her. “I’m going to be my father’s ambassador. He’s already making preparations for a titling ceremony that will happen next week.” His smile broadened slightly as he went on. “Until then, he gave me permission to go back to the outer villages to say goodbye to my companions, and you’re going to be my guard.”
Feeling a burst of affection for the knight, Crow leaned in to meet her lips in a quick kiss. “We can leave as soon as he finishes arranging our money and supplies for the trip,” he said when he pulled back again, resting one hand fondly on her leg. “The sooner the better, I think. It will give us more time to get everything done on the border… and we’ll have more time to ourselves.” He casted her a flirtatious wink.
That would be an interesting way to develop the relationship between Crow and Gavin for sure, haha. I like it
Albin knows how to play Crow like a fiddle
Albin knows how to play Crow like a fiddle
“Alright,” Crow nodded with a faint smile when Penelope said she would meet him in the room near the council chamber. When she turned to walk away, he trailed after Hunter, falling silent as they headed through the long halls of the castle. He was too busy running through what he was going to tell his father to make small talk with the attendant. Already, his heart was beginning to race with nervousness as he thought about the weight of what he was about to do. Once he told the king that he was going to take the job as ambassador, everything would change, and his life would take a turn he never thought it ever would: He was going to advance in status from criminal to nobleman. Just the idea of it made him feel lightheaded.
After a while of walking through the winding corridors, Crow and Hunter arrived at the door to the council room. To the thief’s surprise, his father wasn’t waiting for him inside the chamber as he had been the last time. Instead, the king was standing in the hallway with John on his right side and another, unfamiliar knight on his left. The sight made Crow slow his pace slightly. Aside from the fact that he still wasn’t used to being around his father in person, the additional security made him wary. His eyes flickered between the two knights as he wondered why they had shown up to a meeting that was supposed to just be between himself and the king.
Albin seemed to notice his discomfort. “Crow,” he smiled warmly, stepping away from the guards to meet his son halfway. “It’s good to see you again so soon. I take it you’ve been enjoying your stay in the castle?”
The thief eyed the knights for a moment longer before turning to his father with a nod. “It’s… different than what I’m used to,” he shrugged. “But it’s not bad.”
“Good, good,” the king said. He gestured toward the council chamber door. “Why don’t we go inside? I believe we have much to discuss.”
Crow’s eyes flicked back towards the guards, and he cleared his throat, “Is there a reason why you brought security?”
Albin blinked and glanced over his shoulder, as if he’d forgotten the knights were there. “Oh, don’t mind them,” he waved his hand dismissively. “We were just having a discussion about something pertaining to the war when my attendant came and told me you wanted to speak with me. Of course, I had to meet with you right away, so they came along.”
“I see,” Crow frowned, still unsettled by the knights’ presence.
“If it will make you feel better, they don’t have to come in with us,” Albin assured him. He signaled something to John and the other knight, who both dipped their heads respectfully to their ruler and took up positions on either side of the council room door. Turning back to the thief, he smiled again. “Does that help?”
“I suppose,” Crow gave a one-shouldered shrug, still not fully convinced that the knights were harmless. However, it seemed like his father was intent on keeping them around, so he decided it wasn’t worth the effort to argue over it. Instead, he followed the king compliantly into the council room, catching John’s eye as he passed. The older man gave a curt nod that the thief took to be a reassuring gesture. Even though it wasn’t much, it still helped ease his nerves slightly as Albin closed the door behind them.
“So,” his father led the way over to the table, where they both sat down across from each other. He rested his forearms on the table, lacing his jewelry-adorned fingers together as he leaned forward in his chair. “What did you want to speak to me about, Crow?”
The thief wavered, averting his gaze. Even though he’d made up his mind and knew he wasn’t going to go back on it, it was still difficult for him to voice his decision out loud. Once he told his father that he was going to take the job, there really would be no going back. He would seal his fate. Taking a calming breath to slow his pounding heartbeat, he looked up again, “I’ve… made a decision about the offer you gave me two days ago.”
“Oh?” Albin sat up a bit straighter with interest. “And what have you decided?”
Crow bit his lip, feeling a surge of reluctance as he worked up the nerve to just say what he had come to say. He took a moment to push past the barrier before he answered in a low voice: “I’ve decided that I’m going to take your offer… I’ll be your viceroy.”
“That’s fantastic news,” his father beamed happily. “I’ll make arrangements for the formal ceremony tomorrow, and then we can begin your training.”
Crow shifted in his chair, “Actually… I was hoping I could accept the title next week.”
“Next week?” Albin knitted his brow.
“Yes,” Crow nodded, building resolve as he went on. “I’ve decided to be your viceroy, but now I’ve got loose ends that need to be tied up in the outer villages. I was hoping that I could take a week to travel back home and resolve them before I get wrapped up in training and whatever else you may have planned for me here.”
The king leaned back in his chair with a contemplative look. “Son, there’s a war going on in the outer villages,” he said slowly. “It’s dangerous to go back right now. Are these ‘loose ends’ so important that you should be risking your life to deal with them?”
“They are,” Crow answered without hesitation. “Besides, I’ve been living in the outer villages my whole life. I know how to take care of myself even with the war going on.”
Albin tapped his index finger on the table, “The court physician told me about your injury.” He held the thief’s gaze concernedly. “You may have survived this long, but you certainly haven’t come away unharmed. I’m sorry, but I cannot allow you to go on a trip that could put your safety at risk.”
Crow frowned. It seemed it was going to be harder than he thought to convince his father to listen to him. But that didn’t mean he was going to give up. “What if I took a guard?” he suggested, deciding to use the excuse Penelope had come up with. “I can’t just leave things unfinished in my homeland.” He paused, folding his arms over his chest as if thinking hard to come up with a person to take with him. “What about the knight who’s been watching me—the Vermillion girl? She just came from the battlefront, so surely you don’t have any need for her here. If she comes with me, will you let me go then?”
Albin pursed his lips, studying the thief with an expression that was difficult to read. “These ‘loose ends’ of yours… would they hinder your ability to perform as my viceroy?”
Crow felt his heartbeat quicken as he realized he might be getting through to his father. “Well, not in the sense that I would be unable to do the job, but yes. If I don’t deal with them now, I’m certain it will be more difficult for me to focus on my duties here.”
“Fine,” the king sighed. “I suppose that as long as you take a guard with you, I can allow you to make the trip. However, there will be some conditions I need you to agree to.”
Crow eyed his father apprehensively, “And what would those be?”
“The first,” Albin held up his index finger. “You may not go anywhere near the battlefront, nor any fighting that you may come across while you’re there.” He held up another finger. “And the second: When you return, you may not leave the inner kingdom again unless I send you out, myself. I need you to put all of your time and energy into your training, and I can’t have you distracted by making continuous trips back and forth. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Crow nodded. The terms were easy enough for him to comply with. After all, he had no intention of going anywhere other than his companions’ hideout, which was in the middle of the woods far from any battalions; and once he finished speaking with them, he intended to cut all ties with the other thieves. He would have no reason to leave the inner kingdom again.
“Good,” Albin stood up from the table, his kind smile returning. “I will provide you with gold for the inns and whatever supplies you need to make the journey. When you return, we will have the ceremony to grant you your new title.”
“Thank you,” Crow dipped his head courteously, feeling relieved that the king had been willing to compromise with him. Now he could visit his companions and give them the explanation they deserved.
When the two reached the door that led back into the corridor, Albin embraced him in a familial gesture. “It will be good to have you around, Crow. I just know you’re going to make a talented ambassador.”
The thief blinked, caught a little off guard, though his father’s praise made him feel warm in spite of himself. “I’ll try my best,” he said, returning the hug briefly before pulling back and looking away in mild discomfort as the king opened the door, and they both headed back into the hallway.
After a while of walking through the winding corridors, Crow and Hunter arrived at the door to the council room. To the thief’s surprise, his father wasn’t waiting for him inside the chamber as he had been the last time. Instead, the king was standing in the hallway with John on his right side and another, unfamiliar knight on his left. The sight made Crow slow his pace slightly. Aside from the fact that he still wasn’t used to being around his father in person, the additional security made him wary. His eyes flickered between the two knights as he wondered why they had shown up to a meeting that was supposed to just be between himself and the king.
Albin seemed to notice his discomfort. “Crow,” he smiled warmly, stepping away from the guards to meet his son halfway. “It’s good to see you again so soon. I take it you’ve been enjoying your stay in the castle?”
The thief eyed the knights for a moment longer before turning to his father with a nod. “It’s… different than what I’m used to,” he shrugged. “But it’s not bad.”
“Good, good,” the king said. He gestured toward the council chamber door. “Why don’t we go inside? I believe we have much to discuss.”
Crow’s eyes flicked back towards the guards, and he cleared his throat, “Is there a reason why you brought security?”
Albin blinked and glanced over his shoulder, as if he’d forgotten the knights were there. “Oh, don’t mind them,” he waved his hand dismissively. “We were just having a discussion about something pertaining to the war when my attendant came and told me you wanted to speak with me. Of course, I had to meet with you right away, so they came along.”
“I see,” Crow frowned, still unsettled by the knights’ presence.
“If it will make you feel better, they don’t have to come in with us,” Albin assured him. He signaled something to John and the other knight, who both dipped their heads respectfully to their ruler and took up positions on either side of the council room door. Turning back to the thief, he smiled again. “Does that help?”
“I suppose,” Crow gave a one-shouldered shrug, still not fully convinced that the knights were harmless. However, it seemed like his father was intent on keeping them around, so he decided it wasn’t worth the effort to argue over it. Instead, he followed the king compliantly into the council room, catching John’s eye as he passed. The older man gave a curt nod that the thief took to be a reassuring gesture. Even though it wasn’t much, it still helped ease his nerves slightly as Albin closed the door behind them.
“So,” his father led the way over to the table, where they both sat down across from each other. He rested his forearms on the table, lacing his jewelry-adorned fingers together as he leaned forward in his chair. “What did you want to speak to me about, Crow?”
The thief wavered, averting his gaze. Even though he’d made up his mind and knew he wasn’t going to go back on it, it was still difficult for him to voice his decision out loud. Once he told his father that he was going to take the job, there really would be no going back. He would seal his fate. Taking a calming breath to slow his pounding heartbeat, he looked up again, “I’ve… made a decision about the offer you gave me two days ago.”
“Oh?” Albin sat up a bit straighter with interest. “And what have you decided?”
Crow bit his lip, feeling a surge of reluctance as he worked up the nerve to just say what he had come to say. He took a moment to push past the barrier before he answered in a low voice: “I’ve decided that I’m going to take your offer… I’ll be your viceroy.”
“That’s fantastic news,” his father beamed happily. “I’ll make arrangements for the formal ceremony tomorrow, and then we can begin your training.”
Crow shifted in his chair, “Actually… I was hoping I could accept the title next week.”
“Next week?” Albin knitted his brow.
“Yes,” Crow nodded, building resolve as he went on. “I’ve decided to be your viceroy, but now I’ve got loose ends that need to be tied up in the outer villages. I was hoping that I could take a week to travel back home and resolve them before I get wrapped up in training and whatever else you may have planned for me here.”
The king leaned back in his chair with a contemplative look. “Son, there’s a war going on in the outer villages,” he said slowly. “It’s dangerous to go back right now. Are these ‘loose ends’ so important that you should be risking your life to deal with them?”
“They are,” Crow answered without hesitation. “Besides, I’ve been living in the outer villages my whole life. I know how to take care of myself even with the war going on.”
Albin tapped his index finger on the table, “The court physician told me about your injury.” He held the thief’s gaze concernedly. “You may have survived this long, but you certainly haven’t come away unharmed. I’m sorry, but I cannot allow you to go on a trip that could put your safety at risk.”
Crow frowned. It seemed it was going to be harder than he thought to convince his father to listen to him. But that didn’t mean he was going to give up. “What if I took a guard?” he suggested, deciding to use the excuse Penelope had come up with. “I can’t just leave things unfinished in my homeland.” He paused, folding his arms over his chest as if thinking hard to come up with a person to take with him. “What about the knight who’s been watching me—the Vermillion girl? She just came from the battlefront, so surely you don’t have any need for her here. If she comes with me, will you let me go then?”
Albin pursed his lips, studying the thief with an expression that was difficult to read. “These ‘loose ends’ of yours… would they hinder your ability to perform as my viceroy?”
Crow felt his heartbeat quicken as he realized he might be getting through to his father. “Well, not in the sense that I would be unable to do the job, but yes. If I don’t deal with them now, I’m certain it will be more difficult for me to focus on my duties here.”
“Fine,” the king sighed. “I suppose that as long as you take a guard with you, I can allow you to make the trip. However, there will be some conditions I need you to agree to.”
Crow eyed his father apprehensively, “And what would those be?”
“The first,” Albin held up his index finger. “You may not go anywhere near the battlefront, nor any fighting that you may come across while you’re there.” He held up another finger. “And the second: When you return, you may not leave the inner kingdom again unless I send you out, myself. I need you to put all of your time and energy into your training, and I can’t have you distracted by making continuous trips back and forth. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Crow nodded. The terms were easy enough for him to comply with. After all, he had no intention of going anywhere other than his companions’ hideout, which was in the middle of the woods far from any battalions; and once he finished speaking with them, he intended to cut all ties with the other thieves. He would have no reason to leave the inner kingdom again.
“Good,” Albin stood up from the table, his kind smile returning. “I will provide you with gold for the inns and whatever supplies you need to make the journey. When you return, we will have the ceremony to grant you your new title.”
“Thank you,” Crow dipped his head courteously, feeling relieved that the king had been willing to compromise with him. Now he could visit his companions and give them the explanation they deserved.
When the two reached the door that led back into the corridor, Albin embraced him in a familial gesture. “It will be good to have you around, Crow. I just know you’re going to make a talented ambassador.”
The thief blinked, caught a little off guard, though his father’s praise made him feel warm in spite of himself. “I’ll try my best,” he said, returning the hug briefly before pulling back and looking away in mild discomfort as the king opened the door, and they both headed back into the hallway.
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