WatchingCloud
Weather Voyeur
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2005
- Posts
- 4,936
"Well?"
Kitts sat on a smooth log in the clearing before the cave, scooping the dinner stew with a hunk of dry bread while Zee did likewise beside him. Their guest had become the kids' favorite new play partner and, surprisingly, she'd quickly warmed up to their incessant attention. If only all kidnappings could be so easy. A little more dirt under her nails and Chloe could be mistaken for one of them.
"She's got a great body," Zee said, keeping her voice low enough that their conversation remained private. "And totally has a thing for you, no matter how much she doesn't want to."
Kitts rolled his eyes. "That's not what I was asking."
"But it is what you wanted to know."
Kitts ignored her and shoved more food in his mouth.
"Fine," Zee said. "She's one of Ranna's Ladies-in-Waiting. Says she was escorting some of the princess's stuff back to Weston Castle ahead of a visit. I think there's a grain of truth to that, but probably something else. I also suspect she was close to one of the guards, but she was pretty good at denying it."
"The one we left alive," Kitts said, sure of it. He'd seen it in her eyes when Miggs had knocked the guy out in front of her.
"Speaking of which, I'm heading back to town in the morning. The Count will no doubt be needing me for some stress relief after you torched his barn, and I'll have a chance to see what the response will be and how much you might be able to fetch for her."
Kitts had never been comfortable with his sister availing herself to the Count, especially after all that vile man had done to each of their band in a myriad of different ways. Yes, it got them access to excellent information, but he feared one day she'd be found out. Death would be the least of her concerns should that happen.
They ate in silence, watching the bustling activity and play before them. Chloe was a beautiful woman, one who would no doubt end up the wife of some lord or other. It was difficult to picture, though, seeing her here playing with the children and smiling. A lucky lord. The memory of her warm body pressed against his, the smell of her hair blowing in his face...
"You're falling for her," Zee said, nudging his arm with her elbow. "That's not good for business."
Kitts gave her a look, then rose. "Maybe you should be in charge, then."
#
Just after sun set, Silas broke out his pipes and began playing a lively tune of his own creation. Many of the kids began dancing in the clearing, circling the older man whose music seemed completely opposite to his appearance and demeanor. Before long, they'd dragged Zee and Chloe out to join them.
Kitts lurked from the cave entrance, watching and lost in his thoughts about how best to handle the ransom. How much? How to handle the transaction? This was why he didn't care for kidnapping. Unfortunately, they were lean on supplies and autumn was already upon them. Without funds, they couldn't afford the foodstuffs they'd need to make it through the winter. He wouldn't raid the farmers taking their wares to market and even most of the merchants weren't the sort who deserved to be raided. Ethical highwaymen rarely survived long.
"Uncle Kitts! Come!" One of Miggs' little girls was trying to drag him out into the dance circle and, at a humored look from his sister across the way, he gave up resistance and came along. Soon, he was following the line around their musician and before long he'd been maneuvered next to Chloe. Hand in hand, they followed the line, which then dissolved with the end of the song.
"Maiden's Song! Maiden's Song!" Several of the girls began to chant. Kitts rolled his eyes, but Silas simply grinned and launched into the popular folk song that was commonly known for allowing the ladies at a gathering to ask any man they chose for a dance. It was very clear the little girls expected he and Chloe to dance and both seemed willing to give in to demands.
The steps were simple and both knew them well. Chloe was as graceful as she was beautiful and her hands felt warm and soft in his. Her smile lit up the growing darkness.
"Not the captivity you expected?" he asked when their bodies drew close together. She conceded that nothing here was what she'd expected. He detected a sense of relief, too.
After the dance, the young girls adorned Chloe's head with a wreath of wildflowers, declaring her Princess of the Thicket. Chloe curtseyed gratefully and, in turn, named them all her Ladies-in-Waiting. Kitts couldn't help but smile, even after catching a knowing look from his sister.
The children were gathered up for bed, an ordeal in itself. Granny had already turned in for the night and it wasn't long before most of the rest were as well.
Kitts led Chloe by candle light back to his little partition of the cave - a short, steep climb up to a wide shelf with a low ceiling. It was dry and private, if cozy. Rugs adorned the floor and a bedroll was covered with blankets and quilts. He had a few boxes for his other meager belongings and one of Chloe's had been hauled up as well.
"You'll sleep here," Kitts said. "I'll leave the candle in case you need to get out in the night. I'll sleep down by the fire, if you need me."
He gathered a couple blankets for himself and, as he was about to leave, he added, "I'm sorry about what we put you through today. It's not your fault and I give you my personal assurance that you'll come out of this unharmed."
Kitts wanted to tell her other things, but figured it best to leave it at that. He bade her good night and went back to the cave's entrance and settled in near the dying fire. Before long, the wolves began howling at a moon poking out from between the clouds. A little after that, the banshee's shriek - a freakish, high-pitched screech - occasionally interrupted.
The weight of their little band's needs weighed heavily on him and sleep was a long ways off.
Kitts sat on a smooth log in the clearing before the cave, scooping the dinner stew with a hunk of dry bread while Zee did likewise beside him. Their guest had become the kids' favorite new play partner and, surprisingly, she'd quickly warmed up to their incessant attention. If only all kidnappings could be so easy. A little more dirt under her nails and Chloe could be mistaken for one of them.
"She's got a great body," Zee said, keeping her voice low enough that their conversation remained private. "And totally has a thing for you, no matter how much she doesn't want to."
Kitts rolled his eyes. "That's not what I was asking."
"But it is what you wanted to know."
Kitts ignored her and shoved more food in his mouth.
"Fine," Zee said. "She's one of Ranna's Ladies-in-Waiting. Says she was escorting some of the princess's stuff back to Weston Castle ahead of a visit. I think there's a grain of truth to that, but probably something else. I also suspect she was close to one of the guards, but she was pretty good at denying it."
"The one we left alive," Kitts said, sure of it. He'd seen it in her eyes when Miggs had knocked the guy out in front of her.
"Speaking of which, I'm heading back to town in the morning. The Count will no doubt be needing me for some stress relief after you torched his barn, and I'll have a chance to see what the response will be and how much you might be able to fetch for her."
Kitts had never been comfortable with his sister availing herself to the Count, especially after all that vile man had done to each of their band in a myriad of different ways. Yes, it got them access to excellent information, but he feared one day she'd be found out. Death would be the least of her concerns should that happen.
They ate in silence, watching the bustling activity and play before them. Chloe was a beautiful woman, one who would no doubt end up the wife of some lord or other. It was difficult to picture, though, seeing her here playing with the children and smiling. A lucky lord. The memory of her warm body pressed against his, the smell of her hair blowing in his face...
"You're falling for her," Zee said, nudging his arm with her elbow. "That's not good for business."
Kitts gave her a look, then rose. "Maybe you should be in charge, then."
#
Just after sun set, Silas broke out his pipes and began playing a lively tune of his own creation. Many of the kids began dancing in the clearing, circling the older man whose music seemed completely opposite to his appearance and demeanor. Before long, they'd dragged Zee and Chloe out to join them.
Kitts lurked from the cave entrance, watching and lost in his thoughts about how best to handle the ransom. How much? How to handle the transaction? This was why he didn't care for kidnapping. Unfortunately, they were lean on supplies and autumn was already upon them. Without funds, they couldn't afford the foodstuffs they'd need to make it through the winter. He wouldn't raid the farmers taking their wares to market and even most of the merchants weren't the sort who deserved to be raided. Ethical highwaymen rarely survived long.
"Uncle Kitts! Come!" One of Miggs' little girls was trying to drag him out into the dance circle and, at a humored look from his sister across the way, he gave up resistance and came along. Soon, he was following the line around their musician and before long he'd been maneuvered next to Chloe. Hand in hand, they followed the line, which then dissolved with the end of the song.
"Maiden's Song! Maiden's Song!" Several of the girls began to chant. Kitts rolled his eyes, but Silas simply grinned and launched into the popular folk song that was commonly known for allowing the ladies at a gathering to ask any man they chose for a dance. It was very clear the little girls expected he and Chloe to dance and both seemed willing to give in to demands.
The steps were simple and both knew them well. Chloe was as graceful as she was beautiful and her hands felt warm and soft in his. Her smile lit up the growing darkness.
"Not the captivity you expected?" he asked when their bodies drew close together. She conceded that nothing here was what she'd expected. He detected a sense of relief, too.
After the dance, the young girls adorned Chloe's head with a wreath of wildflowers, declaring her Princess of the Thicket. Chloe curtseyed gratefully and, in turn, named them all her Ladies-in-Waiting. Kitts couldn't help but smile, even after catching a knowing look from his sister.
The children were gathered up for bed, an ordeal in itself. Granny had already turned in for the night and it wasn't long before most of the rest were as well.
Kitts led Chloe by candle light back to his little partition of the cave - a short, steep climb up to a wide shelf with a low ceiling. It was dry and private, if cozy. Rugs adorned the floor and a bedroll was covered with blankets and quilts. He had a few boxes for his other meager belongings and one of Chloe's had been hauled up as well.
"You'll sleep here," Kitts said. "I'll leave the candle in case you need to get out in the night. I'll sleep down by the fire, if you need me."
He gathered a couple blankets for himself and, as he was about to leave, he added, "I'm sorry about what we put you through today. It's not your fault and I give you my personal assurance that you'll come out of this unharmed."
Kitts wanted to tell her other things, but figured it best to leave it at that. He bade her good night and went back to the cave's entrance and settled in near the dying fire. Before long, the wolves began howling at a moon poking out from between the clouds. A little after that, the banshee's shriek - a freakish, high-pitched screech - occasionally interrupted.
The weight of their little band's needs weighed heavily on him and sleep was a long ways off.