Yeah, one of them has to do it xD
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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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Just discovered Dog TV. My pitbull and I have a new shared hobby.
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Barbenheimer 2023
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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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Bio
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
Hobbies: Writing, fitness, driving/exploring, hiking, camping, traveling, tabletop games, anything NEW (I love trying things I've never done before)
Roleplayer Profile
Format: 1x1s only. Maybe I'll try a group RP again someday, but I've never had one last longer than a few months
Posting Speed: Depending on my schedule, I can usually post at least once per week
Favorite Genres: Modern, Historical, Romance, Action/Adventure, Horror/Dark, Fantasy, Slice of Life, Dystopian, can be convinced to write some Sci-Fi
Hard 'no's: Fandoms. Sorry, but I can't maintain interest in characters/worlds I didn't build with my partner
Template: Public threads or PMs. I prefer to keep all my RPs in one place, so no emails or G-docs or the like
Rating: Comfortable with 18+ content, but it's not a necessity and I prefer not to center a plot around explicit scenes
Level: Advanced. Will consistently provide around 400-700 words per post, but can occasionally leap to 2000+
Character preference: One main character, but large side casts are greatly enjoyed. Because I write long posts, I prefer not to double
Gender preference: Male. You'll be hard pressed to convince me to play a female that isn't a background character. It's just not my forte
Romantic Relationships: MxF or MxM (currently prefer MxM)
Character Images: Faceclaims or detailed descriptions only. I envision the characters like real people in my mind, so I can't take anime seriously
OOC chat: Yes please! I'm a total extrovert who loves to get to know the amazing minds behind my partners' characters
Most Recent Posts
As soon as the door opened and Penelope peeked out at him, Crow’s mind went blank. He met her gaze, half of him wanting to spill out all the things he had to say to her right then and there, and half of him too tongue-tied to speak at all. When she didn’t move, he tensed, momentarily worried that she might have taken after her father in his propensity to slam doors in others’ faces. However, his fear was laid to rest when she stepped aside to let him come in.
The viceroy lingered in the hallway for a second longer before he walked into the room, letting his gaze wander over the small space. Like John’s bedchamber, there wasn’t anything special about it. The castle guards probably all had the same kind of rooms, since they weren’t as high up in rank as himself or his sister. His lip twitched at the thought. Having been one of the lowest members of Brerratic society just weeks before, it still felt strange for him to consider himself an upper-class citizen.
Crow didn’t dwell on the thought for long though as he turned back to face Penelope, who seemed to be waiting for him to break the silence between them. He shifted his weight slightly, unsure where to begin. While he was upset that she hadn’t trusted him enough to believe he would remain faithful in her absence, he didn’t want to start the conversation by pointing fingers. The most important thing was to make sure she knew he hadn’t strayed and slept with another woman.
Deciding that was what he wanted to address first, the viceroy took a steeling breath, leaning back against the edge of her desk and resting his hands in his pockets to keep from defensively crossing his arms over his chest. “First, I just want to ask that you hear me out,” he said, keeping his voice down as he held her gaze. It was harder to do in the midst of the conflict, but he wanted her to know he was being honest with her, so he forced himself not to look away.
He went on, “I know what the rumors about me have been saying, and I will admit that they are true in part. The night guards did see Liz leave my room two nights ago, and she was wearing a bedsheet. However,” he held up his hands, just in case the knight might try to interrupt him. “Everything else they’ve been saying is a lie.”
He shifted his weight, uncomfortable as the memory of his encounter with the noblewoman came back to him. “Two nights ago after supper, I went back to my bedchamber to get some sleep and found that Liz had gone there ahead of me. She—” He faltered, reddening slightly in spite of himself. “She was undressed and waiting on my bed with the expectation that we would sleep together. When I saw her, I had no idea what to do, since I hadn’t planned to deal with a situation like that after a long day, so I sort of… Well, let’s just say I didn’t handle it gracefully.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “She had me flustered, so I-I threw a bedsheet at her and told her to get out.”
The blush on his cheeks refused to fade as he admitted to the mistake, “In hindsight I know it wasn’t the best way I could have handled her, but in the moment, I didn’t think it through. I just wanted her to leave because having her there was too overwhelming for me. She reminded me of Rikki, and I was afraid of losing you.” He frowned, studying her face with a hint of worry. “Penelope, I would never break your trust by sleeping with someone else. Please believe me. I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone, and I’m not going to give you up for a meaningless fling.”
The viceroy lingered in the hallway for a second longer before he walked into the room, letting his gaze wander over the small space. Like John’s bedchamber, there wasn’t anything special about it. The castle guards probably all had the same kind of rooms, since they weren’t as high up in rank as himself or his sister. His lip twitched at the thought. Having been one of the lowest members of Brerratic society just weeks before, it still felt strange for him to consider himself an upper-class citizen.
Crow didn’t dwell on the thought for long though as he turned back to face Penelope, who seemed to be waiting for him to break the silence between them. He shifted his weight slightly, unsure where to begin. While he was upset that she hadn’t trusted him enough to believe he would remain faithful in her absence, he didn’t want to start the conversation by pointing fingers. The most important thing was to make sure she knew he hadn’t strayed and slept with another woman.
Deciding that was what he wanted to address first, the viceroy took a steeling breath, leaning back against the edge of her desk and resting his hands in his pockets to keep from defensively crossing his arms over his chest. “First, I just want to ask that you hear me out,” he said, keeping his voice down as he held her gaze. It was harder to do in the midst of the conflict, but he wanted her to know he was being honest with her, so he forced himself not to look away.
He went on, “I know what the rumors about me have been saying, and I will admit that they are true in part. The night guards did see Liz leave my room two nights ago, and she was wearing a bedsheet. However,” he held up his hands, just in case the knight might try to interrupt him. “Everything else they’ve been saying is a lie.”
He shifted his weight, uncomfortable as the memory of his encounter with the noblewoman came back to him. “Two nights ago after supper, I went back to my bedchamber to get some sleep and found that Liz had gone there ahead of me. She—” He faltered, reddening slightly in spite of himself. “She was undressed and waiting on my bed with the expectation that we would sleep together. When I saw her, I had no idea what to do, since I hadn’t planned to deal with a situation like that after a long day, so I sort of… Well, let’s just say I didn’t handle it gracefully.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “She had me flustered, so I-I threw a bedsheet at her and told her to get out.”
The blush on his cheeks refused to fade as he admitted to the mistake, “In hindsight I know it wasn’t the best way I could have handled her, but in the moment, I didn’t think it through. I just wanted her to leave because having her there was too overwhelming for me. She reminded me of Rikki, and I was afraid of losing you.” He frowned, studying her face with a hint of worry. “Penelope, I would never break your trust by sleeping with someone else. Please believe me. I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone, and I’m not going to give you up for a meaningless fling.”
Crow decided to get the talk over with sooner rather than later cx
The next morning, Crow woke up in a panic as usual, but found that he was able to calm himself down with less effort than it took him before. As soon as he sat upright, he remembered that the visions were all just a product of his imagination, and he forced himself to breathe through them until they faded from his mind. The exercise with tiring, but he felt proud of himself for the accomplishment and laid back down, intending to get more rest, since it was still quite early. However, he had barely closed his eyes when he realized something was off.
Sitting up again, the viceroy knitted his brow and looked over the room. Preston was nowhere to be seen. Strange, he mused concernedly. Come to think of it, the attendant had been gone since breakfast the previous day. He hadn’t thought too much of his absence at supper, since there had been other, more pressing things on his mind, but now that the boy had been missing for a full day, he was starting to worry that something was wrong. Unfortunately, he didn’t have much time to dwell on it.
As his thoughts wandered back to the previous night, Penelope’s hurt face flashed through his mind, and he winced. He still couldn’t believe just how much damage Elizabeth had managed to do in the span of a day. Rumors were probably already flying around the castle about the two of them, and the woman he actually loved believed the word of her peers over him. He felt a stab of pain. After everything they had been through together, he’d thought he had earned more of her trust than this, but apparently she still saw him as nothing more than a lying criminal who would betray her at the first opportunity.
Crow’s gaze shifted to the door as he considered going to breakfast early to avoid Penelope. After all, he wasn’t sure what he would do if he faced her while he was still feeling so slighted. He didn’t want to say or do anything he would regret. However, the thought of running didn’t sit well with him either. If he stayed away from her, he couldn’t tell her what had actually happened, and he didn’t want her to keep thinking he had chosen Liz over her while she’d been gone. He’d been too upset to deal with the situation last night, but now that he was a little more level-headed, he wanted to resolve the conflict.
Coming to a decision, he slid his legs over the edge of the bed and climbed down from the mattress to get ready for the day. Once he was dressed and slightly more put-together than he was before, the viceroy headed out of his room, walking toward the Great Hall at a quickened pace in his eagerness to talk to Penelope. But, when he made it about halfway down the corridor, he slowed down as another thought crossed his mind: Even if he found and spoke with the knight in the crowded room, they wouldn’t have the privacy they needed to get anywhere with the discussion. He didn’t want to have such a private conversation in front of an audience, where they couldn’t speak honestly with each other or say what was on their minds. It would have to be done somewhere else.
Swallowing nervously, he picked up his pace again as he decided to go somewhere else first.
--
Crow stood skittishly in front of John Vermillion’s door, shuffling his feet with anxious energy as he waited for the older knight to answer his knocking. He could hear the sound of movement on the other side, telling him that Penelope’s father was inside. It was only a matter of time before he appeared.
The viceroy didn’t have to wait long.
After a pause, the door creaked open as John pulled it from the other side. As soon as his jade eyes landed on the former thief, they narrowed, telling him that the knight had already heard the rumors, just as he’d feared.
“What do you want, Lockton?” John growled, glaring at the viceroy with the hostility of a protective father.
Crow grimaced and lowered his gaze, feeling guilty even though he knew he’d done nothing wrong. “I was hoping you could tell me where Penelope’s room is,” he requested tentatively. “I have something I wish to speak with her about in private.”
“And just why would I do that?” the knight spat, crossing his arms over his chest. “I know what you did. You have nothing to say to my daughter, cur.”
Crow had to fight the urge to shrink beneath the older man’s cold gaze. He forced himself to look up, trying to hold his ground and show the sincerity in his eyes, “I know what you heard, and it isn’t true. Err… I mean a piece of it is, but the rest was just gossip spread by the night guards. I swear, I never broke Penelope’s trust.”
“Please,” John scoffed. “You’ve spent your whole life lying to protect yourself. I know better than to believe the word of a thief.”
“I’m telling you the truth,” Crow raised his voice slightly in frustration and then took a breath to reign in his temper. “I didn’t even touch that woman when she came to my bedchamber. I know you think I’m no better than my father, and I know you don’t think I’m a decent man because I have the standards of a peasant, but I would never stray from your daughter. I love her too much to even think of it. So, please, tell me where she is so I can clear this up.”
John fell quiet for a moment, nearly giving the viceroy hope that he’d gotten through to him, but in the next moment, his gaze hardened again. “Go back to bed, Lockton,” he muttered, moving to close the door between them.
Crow stared after him with wide eyes. If Penelope’s father didn’t tell him where she was, there was no way he would be able to find her before breakfast, and there was no telling if or when they would have a chance to speak alone.
Before he had a chance to think it through, he shoved his foot in the door, barring the knight from closing him out. “Please,” he tried again. “Wait. I’m not lying to you.”
“Step back,” John growled at him.
“No,” Crow said firmly. “I’m not going to stand aside and let some woman I barely even know ruin my name with these rumors.” He held the knight’s gaze with new determination. “I gave up everything I knew in the outer villages to be with Penelope. Do you really think I would throw her aside as easily as the gossips in this castle would have you believe? I swear, I’ve always been faithful to her. That other woman tried to sleep with me, that much is true, but I turned her away. I don’t want to be with anyone beside your daughter.” He took a breath, going on in a tired voice. “Please. You have to believe me. I don’t want to lose her over this.”
John seemed to waver at that. He remained silent for a long moment before he let out a sigh. “Fine,” he said resignedly. “I still don’t know if I believe you, but I trust Penelope to make that decision for herself. Her room is down this hallway on the left side, two doors down in the adjacent wing.”
“Thank you,” Crow’s shoulder’s fell with relief. He dipped his head to the knight gratefully and hurried off to find Penelope.
Her room was easy enough to locate, but when he reached it, the viceroy hesitated. Knowing that she believed he’d been unfaithful to her, he wasn’t sure what to expect when she opened the door. No matter what, she was going to be upset with him. He shifted his weight from his left foot to his right. He’d come this far already, so there was no point in turning back. She needed to know the truth.
He lifted his hand and knocked on the door.
Sitting up again, the viceroy knitted his brow and looked over the room. Preston was nowhere to be seen. Strange, he mused concernedly. Come to think of it, the attendant had been gone since breakfast the previous day. He hadn’t thought too much of his absence at supper, since there had been other, more pressing things on his mind, but now that the boy had been missing for a full day, he was starting to worry that something was wrong. Unfortunately, he didn’t have much time to dwell on it.
As his thoughts wandered back to the previous night, Penelope’s hurt face flashed through his mind, and he winced. He still couldn’t believe just how much damage Elizabeth had managed to do in the span of a day. Rumors were probably already flying around the castle about the two of them, and the woman he actually loved believed the word of her peers over him. He felt a stab of pain. After everything they had been through together, he’d thought he had earned more of her trust than this, but apparently she still saw him as nothing more than a lying criminal who would betray her at the first opportunity.
Crow’s gaze shifted to the door as he considered going to breakfast early to avoid Penelope. After all, he wasn’t sure what he would do if he faced her while he was still feeling so slighted. He didn’t want to say or do anything he would regret. However, the thought of running didn’t sit well with him either. If he stayed away from her, he couldn’t tell her what had actually happened, and he didn’t want her to keep thinking he had chosen Liz over her while she’d been gone. He’d been too upset to deal with the situation last night, but now that he was a little more level-headed, he wanted to resolve the conflict.
Coming to a decision, he slid his legs over the edge of the bed and climbed down from the mattress to get ready for the day. Once he was dressed and slightly more put-together than he was before, the viceroy headed out of his room, walking toward the Great Hall at a quickened pace in his eagerness to talk to Penelope. But, when he made it about halfway down the corridor, he slowed down as another thought crossed his mind: Even if he found and spoke with the knight in the crowded room, they wouldn’t have the privacy they needed to get anywhere with the discussion. He didn’t want to have such a private conversation in front of an audience, where they couldn’t speak honestly with each other or say what was on their minds. It would have to be done somewhere else.
Swallowing nervously, he picked up his pace again as he decided to go somewhere else first.
--
Crow stood skittishly in front of John Vermillion’s door, shuffling his feet with anxious energy as he waited for the older knight to answer his knocking. He could hear the sound of movement on the other side, telling him that Penelope’s father was inside. It was only a matter of time before he appeared.
The viceroy didn’t have to wait long.
After a pause, the door creaked open as John pulled it from the other side. As soon as his jade eyes landed on the former thief, they narrowed, telling him that the knight had already heard the rumors, just as he’d feared.
“What do you want, Lockton?” John growled, glaring at the viceroy with the hostility of a protective father.
Crow grimaced and lowered his gaze, feeling guilty even though he knew he’d done nothing wrong. “I was hoping you could tell me where Penelope’s room is,” he requested tentatively. “I have something I wish to speak with her about in private.”
“And just why would I do that?” the knight spat, crossing his arms over his chest. “I know what you did. You have nothing to say to my daughter, cur.”
Crow had to fight the urge to shrink beneath the older man’s cold gaze. He forced himself to look up, trying to hold his ground and show the sincerity in his eyes, “I know what you heard, and it isn’t true. Err… I mean a piece of it is, but the rest was just gossip spread by the night guards. I swear, I never broke Penelope’s trust.”
“Please,” John scoffed. “You’ve spent your whole life lying to protect yourself. I know better than to believe the word of a thief.”
“I’m telling you the truth,” Crow raised his voice slightly in frustration and then took a breath to reign in his temper. “I didn’t even touch that woman when she came to my bedchamber. I know you think I’m no better than my father, and I know you don’t think I’m a decent man because I have the standards of a peasant, but I would never stray from your daughter. I love her too much to even think of it. So, please, tell me where she is so I can clear this up.”
John fell quiet for a moment, nearly giving the viceroy hope that he’d gotten through to him, but in the next moment, his gaze hardened again. “Go back to bed, Lockton,” he muttered, moving to close the door between them.
Crow stared after him with wide eyes. If Penelope’s father didn’t tell him where she was, there was no way he would be able to find her before breakfast, and there was no telling if or when they would have a chance to speak alone.
Before he had a chance to think it through, he shoved his foot in the door, barring the knight from closing him out. “Please,” he tried again. “Wait. I’m not lying to you.”
“Step back,” John growled at him.
“No,” Crow said firmly. “I’m not going to stand aside and let some woman I barely even know ruin my name with these rumors.” He held the knight’s gaze with new determination. “I gave up everything I knew in the outer villages to be with Penelope. Do you really think I would throw her aside as easily as the gossips in this castle would have you believe? I swear, I’ve always been faithful to her. That other woman tried to sleep with me, that much is true, but I turned her away. I don’t want to be with anyone beside your daughter.” He took a breath, going on in a tired voice. “Please. You have to believe me. I don’t want to lose her over this.”
John seemed to waver at that. He remained silent for a long moment before he let out a sigh. “Fine,” he said resignedly. “I still don’t know if I believe you, but I trust Penelope to make that decision for herself. Her room is down this hallway on the left side, two doors down in the adjacent wing.”
“Thank you,” Crow’s shoulder’s fell with relief. He dipped his head to the knight gratefully and hurried off to find Penelope.
Her room was easy enough to locate, but when he reached it, the viceroy hesitated. Knowing that she believed he’d been unfaithful to her, he wasn’t sure what to expect when she opened the door. No matter what, she was going to be upset with him. He shifted his weight from his left foot to his right. He’d come this far already, so there was no point in turning back. She needed to know the truth.
He lifted his hand and knocked on the door.
This is definitely the worst misunderstanding they've had so far ^^;
Crow ground his teeth as Elizabeth insisted that they had slept together the night before. The thought of it was completely ridiculous to him. What was she even trying to do, get revenge on him after he’d made her leave his room without any clothes on? He couldn’t see what she had to gain by lying to everyone that they had been intimate with each other besides that. After all, she would have to be delusional to still be holding onto the hope that he would want to court her after everything she’d done to him and Penelope. He didn’t want anything more to do with her after she’d snuck into his bedchamber to seduce him.
He was just about to remind Elizabeth that the guards who’d seen her leave his bedchamber hadn’t seen them sleep together, but he didn’t get the chance before Cedric spoke up. The viceroy turned to the nobleman in unbridled surprise as he confirmed that rumors had indeed been spreading. Even though he’d heard that nobles liked to gossip, he hadn’t expected word to travel so quickly. Still, even if someone as dense as Cedric believed it, that didn’t mean everyone else did too… right? He closed his mouth, suddenly unsure what was going to happen now that the wildfire had begun.
To his further astonishment, Penelope even seemed to side with the other nobles. He turned to her in shock as she muttered a quiet “right” in support of what her former suitor had said. The simple word stung him quite a bit. Did she really believe he would have slept with Elizabeth while she was gone? He may not have had the best track record when it came to being honest about other things, but he’d been nothing less than faithful to her, even when Rikki—someone who had been much closer to him than Liz—had tried to bed him. He thought he’d earned more of her trust than this, so to hear her fall for the other woman’s lies so easily wrenched his stomach.
The viceroy dropped his gaze to his lap as Penelope announced that she had to go, too overwhelmed to even think about chasing after her. Part of him was desperate to reconcile the situation by explaining that nothing had actually happened between him and Elizabeth, but another part of him was hurt that she had believed the gossip in the first place. So, he stayed where he was, torn in two, while she hurried out of the Great Hall.
As soon as she was gone, Liz settled down in the now-empty seat at Crow’s side. “Wow,” she mused, glancing over her shoulder at the door. “I’ve never seen anyone so excited to write letters in my entire life. She really doesn’t know how to stop working, does she?”
“She’s just dedicated,” Cedric spoke up in the knight’s defense. “Without people like her, nothing would ever get done around here.”
You’re both wrong, Crow thought dismally to himself, lifting a bite of chicken to his mouth. The meat was tasteless to him as his stomach continued to turn with a tangle of negative emotions. Penelope hadn’t left because she was eager to write; she had run because she hadn’t trusted him enough to keep his hands off other women when she wasn’t around. The thought sent a knife through his heart, and he fought the urge to grimace outwardly, not wanting the others to pick up on how upset he was over the knight’s disappearance.
Elizabeth and Cedric continued to speak casually for a little while longer while Crow ate in silence. It took him longer than usual to finish his food, but once his plate had been cleared, he stood up from the table. “I’m going to bed,” he muttered, hoping the other nobles would mistake the faint irritation in his voice for weariness.
“I’ll walk you to your room,” Liz offered with a smile, standing up as well.
“Don’t,” Crow shot her a warning look. “I want to be alone.”
The noblewoman wavered for a moment before she sank back down in her seat. She’d seen the harsh side of his temper enough now to know that she didn’t want to see it again. “Alright,” she shrugged. “I’ll see you later then. Goodnight, Collin.”
Still mad at her for encouraging the lie that they’d slept together, the viceroy didn’t bother responding as he turned around to head back to his bedchamber.
When he stepped into the hallway, he stopped for a moment, glancing in the direction that led toward the knights’ quarters in the castle. He shifted his weight, debating if he should look for Penelope to clear things up with her now. However, he brushed the thought aside and continued walking to the stairs. Even if he managed to find her, he wasn’t sure what he would say. He was hurt that she would be so quick to believe that he would betray her trust, and he didn’t know if she would believe the truth if he told it to her. If she continued to think he was lying to save face, he didn’t know if he could handle it.
So, with a heavy heart, he trudged up to his room, deciding there was nothing more that he could do to fix the mess he’d landed in that night.
He was just about to remind Elizabeth that the guards who’d seen her leave his bedchamber hadn’t seen them sleep together, but he didn’t get the chance before Cedric spoke up. The viceroy turned to the nobleman in unbridled surprise as he confirmed that rumors had indeed been spreading. Even though he’d heard that nobles liked to gossip, he hadn’t expected word to travel so quickly. Still, even if someone as dense as Cedric believed it, that didn’t mean everyone else did too… right? He closed his mouth, suddenly unsure what was going to happen now that the wildfire had begun.
To his further astonishment, Penelope even seemed to side with the other nobles. He turned to her in shock as she muttered a quiet “right” in support of what her former suitor had said. The simple word stung him quite a bit. Did she really believe he would have slept with Elizabeth while she was gone? He may not have had the best track record when it came to being honest about other things, but he’d been nothing less than faithful to her, even when Rikki—someone who had been much closer to him than Liz—had tried to bed him. He thought he’d earned more of her trust than this, so to hear her fall for the other woman’s lies so easily wrenched his stomach.
The viceroy dropped his gaze to his lap as Penelope announced that she had to go, too overwhelmed to even think about chasing after her. Part of him was desperate to reconcile the situation by explaining that nothing had actually happened between him and Elizabeth, but another part of him was hurt that she had believed the gossip in the first place. So, he stayed where he was, torn in two, while she hurried out of the Great Hall.
As soon as she was gone, Liz settled down in the now-empty seat at Crow’s side. “Wow,” she mused, glancing over her shoulder at the door. “I’ve never seen anyone so excited to write letters in my entire life. She really doesn’t know how to stop working, does she?”
“She’s just dedicated,” Cedric spoke up in the knight’s defense. “Without people like her, nothing would ever get done around here.”
You’re both wrong, Crow thought dismally to himself, lifting a bite of chicken to his mouth. The meat was tasteless to him as his stomach continued to turn with a tangle of negative emotions. Penelope hadn’t left because she was eager to write; she had run because she hadn’t trusted him enough to keep his hands off other women when she wasn’t around. The thought sent a knife through his heart, and he fought the urge to grimace outwardly, not wanting the others to pick up on how upset he was over the knight’s disappearance.
Elizabeth and Cedric continued to speak casually for a little while longer while Crow ate in silence. It took him longer than usual to finish his food, but once his plate had been cleared, he stood up from the table. “I’m going to bed,” he muttered, hoping the other nobles would mistake the faint irritation in his voice for weariness.
“I’ll walk you to your room,” Liz offered with a smile, standing up as well.
“Don’t,” Crow shot her a warning look. “I want to be alone.”
The noblewoman wavered for a moment before she sank back down in her seat. She’d seen the harsh side of his temper enough now to know that she didn’t want to see it again. “Alright,” she shrugged. “I’ll see you later then. Goodnight, Collin.”
Still mad at her for encouraging the lie that they’d slept together, the viceroy didn’t bother responding as he turned around to head back to his bedchamber.
When he stepped into the hallway, he stopped for a moment, glancing in the direction that led toward the knights’ quarters in the castle. He shifted his weight, debating if he should look for Penelope to clear things up with her now. However, he brushed the thought aside and continued walking to the stairs. Even if he managed to find her, he wasn’t sure what he would say. He was hurt that she would be so quick to believe that he would betray her trust, and he didn’t know if she would believe the truth if he told it to her. If she continued to think he was lying to save face, he didn’t know if he could handle it.
So, with a heavy heart, he trudged up to his room, deciding there was nothing more that he could do to fix the mess he’d landed in that night.
So did Elizabeth cx
SUCH a bitch
SUCH a bitch
Something was definitely off about Penelope. Crow could tell that much for sure. He studied her quietly, wondering if she was more than just tired as she stared at him absently instead of answering his question. Maybe she hadn’t gotten everything done that she’d wanted to, or maybe the Lenz’s had given her a hard time about something. He vaguely remembered her telling him that Gavin’s relatives weren’t very fond of her after all. It wouldn’t have been surprising to find out that they had fought on the trip.
Whatever the case, he watched her a little more closely as she finally spoke up in a weak voice, concerned that there was something she was withholding from him. He wished he could just ask her what happened, but with Cedric around, the most he could get away with was reaching underneath the table to rest his hand on hers in a comforting gesture.
As the two knights began to speak, Crow looked away, noticing that a servant had come to bring him his food for supper. He raised a brow, surprised to find that it wasn’t Preston, but another boy he didn’t recognize. It had taken him until now to realize it, but he hadn’t seen Preston since breakfast that morning. He frowned as he watched the unfamiliar boy bow politely and test his food for poison. He hoped everything was alright. Preston may not have taken all his duties seriously as a personal attendant, but this was the first time he’d abandoned his job completely. Of course, the viceroy didn’t care if he was waited on or not, but he did want to make sure that something hadn’t happened to him.
Crow was so caught up in his thoughts that he was startled when a pair of slender arms wrapped around his chest from behind.
“Hey, Collin,” Elizabeth greeted him with a wide grin. “I missed you at breakfast. Where have you been all day?”
The viceroy stiffened at the sound of her voice, still on edge after the stunt she’d pulled last night. “Why are you still lingering around me?” he asked hotly, shooting the noblewoman a glare and pushing her away from him. “I thought I made it clear that I don’t want anything more to do with you.”
“I know you said that,” Liz frowned. “But I thought things changed… after last night, and all…” Her sly blue eyes flicked toward Penelope, and she smirked. “I mean, I’m not usually one to kiss and tell, but I didn’t take you for the kind of man who would sleep with a girl and throw her away afterwards.”
“I’m not,” Crow spat, curling his hands into fists at his sides. “But that’s because we didn’t sleep together. You know that.” He couldn’t believe Liz was bold enough to bring up the previous night in front of Penelope. Since she had just gotten back to the castle, he’d wanted to wait until tomorrow morning to tell her what had happened, so she wouldn’t be made upset so soon after her trip, but it looked like that wasn’t going to happen anymore.
“I don’t know why you’re trying to hide it,” Elizabeth frowned at him as if she was upset. “Collin, the night guards saw me leave your room wearing your bedsheet.” Her mischievous eyes dance to Penelope briefly before returning to his face, and she giggled. “It was a fun game at the time, but I think you should have let me get dressed if you really didn’t want anyone to find out about us.”
Whatever the case, he watched her a little more closely as she finally spoke up in a weak voice, concerned that there was something she was withholding from him. He wished he could just ask her what happened, but with Cedric around, the most he could get away with was reaching underneath the table to rest his hand on hers in a comforting gesture.
As the two knights began to speak, Crow looked away, noticing that a servant had come to bring him his food for supper. He raised a brow, surprised to find that it wasn’t Preston, but another boy he didn’t recognize. It had taken him until now to realize it, but he hadn’t seen Preston since breakfast that morning. He frowned as he watched the unfamiliar boy bow politely and test his food for poison. He hoped everything was alright. Preston may not have taken all his duties seriously as a personal attendant, but this was the first time he’d abandoned his job completely. Of course, the viceroy didn’t care if he was waited on or not, but he did want to make sure that something hadn’t happened to him.
Crow was so caught up in his thoughts that he was startled when a pair of slender arms wrapped around his chest from behind.
“Hey, Collin,” Elizabeth greeted him with a wide grin. “I missed you at breakfast. Where have you been all day?”
The viceroy stiffened at the sound of her voice, still on edge after the stunt she’d pulled last night. “Why are you still lingering around me?” he asked hotly, shooting the noblewoman a glare and pushing her away from him. “I thought I made it clear that I don’t want anything more to do with you.”
“I know you said that,” Liz frowned. “But I thought things changed… after last night, and all…” Her sly blue eyes flicked toward Penelope, and she smirked. “I mean, I’m not usually one to kiss and tell, but I didn’t take you for the kind of man who would sleep with a girl and throw her away afterwards.”
“I’m not,” Crow spat, curling his hands into fists at his sides. “But that’s because we didn’t sleep together. You know that.” He couldn’t believe Liz was bold enough to bring up the previous night in front of Penelope. Since she had just gotten back to the castle, he’d wanted to wait until tomorrow morning to tell her what had happened, so she wouldn’t be made upset so soon after her trip, but it looked like that wasn’t going to happen anymore.
“I don’t know why you’re trying to hide it,” Elizabeth frowned at him as if she was upset. “Collin, the night guards saw me leave your room wearing your bedsheet.” Her mischievous eyes dance to Penelope briefly before returning to his face, and she giggled. “It was a fun game at the time, but I think you should have let me get dressed if you really didn’t want anyone to find out about us.”
Crow thinks Penelope is just tired ^^;
After a moment of looking, Crow spotted Penelope at a table near the back of the Great Hall, eating supper with someone else. He narrowed his eyes slightly, quick to recognize Cedric. Though the nobleman hadn’t done anything suspicious yet, the viceroy still didn’t like seeing them eat together, especially after what Liz had pulled the night before. He was on edge around anyone who might be trying to get something from either of them, and the other man certainly seemed like the type to do that. Given his less than noble history with the knight, the former thief wasn’t about to believe he was just trying to be friends with her now. There had to be another reason why he had approached her years after their relationship had ended.
When Penelope gestured for him to come and join them at their table, Crow eagerly complied. He wove his way through the crowd, excited to see her again after spending a day apart and desirous to stay nearby just in case his guess about Cedric was right. Additionally, he craved to be close to the knight after Elizabeth had attempted to seduce him in his bedchamber. Even though nothing had happened between them, he disliked the fact that the image of her bare body was embedded so recently in his mind. Hopefully with Penelope at his side again, he could move on more quickly from the uncomfortable encounter.
Sitting down beside her, Crow noticed that the knight seemed more subdued than usual. It wasn’t too surprising though. From what he knew, she’d just gotten back from a long trip to one of the other cities in the inner kingdom. She was probably tired from the journey. “Evening,” he greeted her in return, offering a curt nod to Cedric with forced politeness. He didn’t want his hostility toward the other man to cause any more stress for Penelope if she was already feeling worn out, so he would be civil with her ex suitor if he had to.
“How was your trip?” he asked, turning back to the knight now that he’d made his gesture to her company. “Did you accomplish everything you wanted to?”
When Penelope gestured for him to come and join them at their table, Crow eagerly complied. He wove his way through the crowd, excited to see her again after spending a day apart and desirous to stay nearby just in case his guess about Cedric was right. Additionally, he craved to be close to the knight after Elizabeth had attempted to seduce him in his bedchamber. Even though nothing had happened between them, he disliked the fact that the image of her bare body was embedded so recently in his mind. Hopefully with Penelope at his side again, he could move on more quickly from the uncomfortable encounter.
Sitting down beside her, Crow noticed that the knight seemed more subdued than usual. It wasn’t too surprising though. From what he knew, she’d just gotten back from a long trip to one of the other cities in the inner kingdom. She was probably tired from the journey. “Evening,” he greeted her in return, offering a curt nod to Cedric with forced politeness. He didn’t want his hostility toward the other man to cause any more stress for Penelope if she was already feeling worn out, so he would be civil with her ex suitor if he had to.
“How was your trip?” he asked, turning back to the knight now that he’d made his gesture to her company. “Did you accomplish everything you wanted to?”
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