Kal landed not too far away in a small town. Allie leaned over his arms to stare at the ground as he dropped lower. "What's that?"

Kal look disinterestedly at what she was pointing at. "Looks like a caravan. Gypsies."

"Oh. Interesting…"

Kal didn't look very interested. "Just a bunch of humans."

"Sorry t be the one to tell you this, but pretty much everyone on Earth is human." She slid out of his arms and opened her bag, putting her boot-dagger in her boot and belting her sword around her shoulder. She held out the other to Kal. "I don't think I'll need all of my weapons. You want this one?"

"Princess, I'm a walking, breathing weapon. I don't need a puny human-made sword," he said contemptuously.

"Fine, be rude." She dropped the remaining sword back into the bag and closed it, then offered that and her clothes to Kal. "I want to go look around town, 'kay?"

"And what am I, your slave?" Kal crossed his arms over his chest, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like "Spoiled girl."

Allie rolled her eyes and ignored him. "Well, at least Death's not so impolite as to make a lady carry around heavy luggage all day…are you, Death?"

The raven ruffled his feathers, perched on Kal's shoulders. Most certainly not, Alison. If I were a demon, I would definitely help you carry your bags.

Kal shot Death a venomous look. "Kiiyen-drose-t're."

"What's that mean?" she asked as Death winced.

You don't want to know, Alison. And now, I believe I will disappear for a while. Hastily. Now. He jumped off of Kal's shoulder and flew off, becoming a black spot in the sky.

"What does it mean?" Allie repeated.

"Nothing for your sensitive ears, I'm sure," Kal mumbled. "Go. Wander around town, meet up with a flock of humans, act like an idiot, get drunk, I don't care." He placed his human-like illusion over himself and limped off. As he passed her bags, he picked them up. "I'll go find you a room in an inn."

"Oh…thanks!" Allie watched, surprised that he took her things, but a happy as well. It's like he's actually trying to be nice! Well…after all the cursing…and death-threats…hm, maybe cursing and death-threats is how he acts nice…this thinking is making my head hurt.

"Bonjour, Mademoiselle." A brightly dressed young man, looking a bit older than her age, walked up to her. He wore odd, brightly-colored clothing: a sleeveless red top under a red-and-yellow shawl-like garment, yellow pants, and soft leather boots. A scarf edged with miniature bells was wrapped around his head. His skin was dusky-brown, a bit darker than hers, and he had auburn hair that fell just past his shoulders, and very clear grey eyes. They seemed to be smiling.

"Bonjour."

He smiled, flashing straight white teeth. "Traveler, are you? I haven't seen you here before."

"Well…yes, I guess you could say that." She held out her hand. "I'm Allie," she said, not giving her last name.

"A pleasure to meet you, Mlle. Allie. I'm Robin." He shook it, and she noticed a shiny, ugly scar, in the shape of a cross, on the back of his left hand, and couldn't help wincing. Robin noticed, and took his hand back.

"Never anger the church, Mademoiselle."

"It looks painful."

He shrugged lightly. "Happened ages ago. No worries, I'm careful to stay far away from churches now." He laughed, and Allie felt hypnotized by it. He looked like the perfect type of person: attractive, polite, a good sense of humor…the exact opposite to Kal, in fact, she thought.

"If you don't mind my asking, Mademoiselle--"

"Allie's just fine."

"Of course, Allie. I couldn't help but notice you have a few weapons about your person. Are you by yourself?"

"No…my, erm, friend went to rent out a room. At an inn." Just after we left one, too. God, I wish I could sleep in a bed that was actually my own!

"Oh, perhaps I've seen him. He's the tall fellow with the long hair and the limp, non?"

"How…how did you--"

"I have an eye for detail," he explained. "I notice little, insignificant things, that usually others people look over." He motioned to her right boot with an airy waved of his scarred hand. "Your boot knife, for instance. Not overly expensive, but of fine make, nonetheless, with a plain, black metal hilt and a polished blade, most likely stainless steel." He shrugged a shoulder apologetically. "Forgive me if I'm disturbing you."

"N-no! That's amazing!" Allie grinned broadly at Robin. "Really, really amazing!"

He returned the smile and tilted his head, the bells making tiny jingling sounds. "Would you like a tour around town, Allie? I've only just arrived the day before yesterday, but I know my way around."

That was an understatement: Allie quickly figured out that Robin knew the small town like the back of his hand (she repressed a shudder at the mental image of the cross), and showed her at what places she could eat, shortcuts through the alleyways, and other useful things. After a while, they reached the outskirts, where a large circle of wagons stood in a field.

"And that would be my family," he said proudly, sweeping his arm in a broad arc. "Not by blood, of course, but you get the meaning."

"Yeah. You're a gypsy?"

"But of course," he said, stooping into a half-bow and thankfully sparing her of any sarcasm.

"That's…that sounds like fun."

Robin gave her a smile that she thought might be either bittersweet or cynical. "It's a glass half-full, one might say. As a traveler, you might understand--well, perhaps not--but it's different at every town and village: sometimes we get our coin, and sometimes, we get a colder welcome than would be preferable, but there's always something different." His eyes took on a dreamy, half-conscious look. "There's thousands of places I've seen, and more I have yet to see." He snapped out of it and smiled. "Anyways, a glass half-full. Or half-empty, if you're on the pessimistic side."

That's Kal alright, except he'd see his "glass" as three-quarters empty…but then, I guess that a quarter full doesn't sound much better. "It sounds like a pretty decent lifestyle."

"You flatter me, Allie." Again, he bowed, obviously joking with her.

"What do you do? In the caravan, I mean."

"Do you mean performing?"

"Yes, that. Performing."

"I throw knives. At a board. Lovely, isn't it? But I'm pretty good at it. Been training since I was five, actually." Almost out of nowhere, a small knife the length of Allie's hand appeared in his palm. He held it by the hilt and threw it at a thin sapling.

"Oh!" The blade struck the tree blade in, perfectly straight. "Only pretty good?"

Robin grinned and retrieved the knife. "I haven't quite gotten the hang of it blindfolded and facing the opposite direction, yet."

"A room for a month," Kal told the desk clerk, not bothering to add a "please." He didn't have much of an idea as to how long they'd be staying, but better to rent a room for longer than shorter.

"We only have a small room available at this time." The clerk, a balding, round-faced man, was trying not to stare at Kal's eyes.

"That's fine. How much?"

"For a month? A thousand francs."

Kal shifted Allie's bags to one hand and dug around in his pockets until he removed the right amount of money. He'd taken it off of a wealthy-looking man one night whilst Allie was at the BlackRose Inn. "Here."

"Merci, Monsieur…?" He trailed off politely and waited for Kal to offer his name.

"Just write it down under Anna Deroi," he said, using the name he'd told Allie to use a while ago.

He didn't question about it, and handed him a small steel key. "Top floor, that's the third, and the first on your left."

Kal took the key and nodded. Then, over his shoulder, he called "Stare at my eyes like that again, and I'll gauge yours out, bastard," in a polite, conversational tone. Before the poor, shocked man could respond, Kal was already limping up the stairs.

Third floor, first on the left. Kal unlocked it and stepped in.

It was a little small, but not enough to make someone claustrophobic. He'd seen much smaller rooms--well, cells, actually, if you were being technical. He tossed her bags on the bed and saw a pen and inkwell sitting on the desk, along with some parchment. Kal scribbled a note that the room was good for a month, and he was leaving for a while a day or so, and there was some money in her weapons bag. Only after he did this did he realize that it was in the language of Raven demons and written in runes. He could only spell and read one word in French and that was his name, Kalendrakk ( he wasn't a stranger to wanted posters here and there). Other than that, he was what the humans would consider to be "illiterate", though only with the alphabet and language the humans used.

It wouldn't be a problem, though: now that the Princess's mind was linked to his, she'd be able to read it. Speaking of the link, he tapped into theirs at that moment, and in a moment, was viewing what she was doing a the moment. He lingered for a moment, observing the human male she was standing next to. Hm. Wonder who the gypsy is. Kal watched them a while longer: they were both laughing at something he'd missed. Then, spontaneously, the gypsy leaned in an kissed Allie on the lips.

Kal severed the link and snapped his mind back to where he was, aware of the sudden flare of pain in his hands. He lifted them to chest level, and unclenched them: his claws had pierced the palms and made deep punctures from which blood welled up, running over the sides of his hands in warm streams and onto the floor. He mentally scolded himself for that old, reflexive habit of clenching his hands when something set him off…then stopped and wondered what it was. Allison and that gypsy? So what? He shelved a feeling that he supposed must be anger, but felt deeper, more cutting. It's just that affection humans insist upon having all the time, infatuation. It just set me off…idiots. Who needs that crap?

Now he was working himself into a worse mood than he had been when he'd threatened the man at the desk.

"Kiiyen-drose-t'res. All of them." He unlatched the window and flew off, in the direction of the nearest lake.

The heat was really getting to him.

Allie flushed so hard she was surprised her head didn't combust into flames. After Robin drew back, all she could say was "..Oh."

He immediately started apologizing. "I'm sorry, really, I just…I--well, you're too cute for your own good, d'you know that?"

"N-no…you don't have to apologize." Allie felt much too embarrassed to tell him that that had been her first kiss; whenever nobles had tried to, she had either made a hasty excuse to leave, or (much to Mel's approval) slapped them across the face. Then left.

"I should, though. I truly am sorry--I shouldn't have kissed you like that…it--no, I can't say it was impolite, because that would just sound plain stupid, but…ah." He tapped his forehead with the heel of his palm. "I'm an idiot, aren't I?"

"No! You--you're actually quite smarter than most of the nobles and dukes I've met--"

"And how did you come across so many people of high status?"

"I--well, I am a traveler, aren't--hey, don't direct the subject at me!"

Robin gave a half-grin and shrugged. "That works most of the time."

Allie noticed that he at least wasn't blushing, Was it only she that did that all of the time? "No, it's fine, really. No hard feelings. I didn't mind." She mentally kicked herself for the last part. "I didn't mind"? Do you realize how stupid that sounds?

"Then you wouldn't break my kneecaps if I did it again?" Almost before she nodded (rather dumbly) he did.

"Why would I break your kneecaps?" she asked after they had broken apart.

"The most painful bone in your body that you can break," he said dryly. "I have people who can honestly testify on that."

Allie, who's face was still quite red (an her mind still mostly on the kiss), said "Who?"

"Why don't you ask him?" Robin said jerking his thumb at the person who was walking somewhat unsteadily towards them. "Oy, Jake!"

The person, Jake, seemed to be a year or so older than Robin, and much thinner. His skin was darker, and he had stringy, tangled brown hair that fell into his large green eyes and over his ears. His nose looked a little lumpy, like it had been broken more than once (and quite badly). He wore brightly colored breeches and was barefoot and topless.

"Robin! When'd you grow those extra eyes?"

Robin smiled and whispered in Allie's eyes, keeping his eyes on Jake. "I swear, when he's sober, he's the nicest guy to be around. Practically my brother." At Jake, he said "This is Allie. Be polite, please."

Jake staggered over to them and held out his hand. " 'M Jake. 'Tis a pleasure to meetcha."

Allie shook his hand after a split hesitation. His left hand had a scar that was the twin of Robin's.

Jake grinned as he saw her notice it. "Yeah, got that from sneakin' candles outta the church, me n' Robin."

Allie shot Robin a reproachful look. "You…stole candles? From a church?"

Now Robin looked embarrassed. Jake laughed at this. "Oh, he barely remembers it, him bein' so drunk at th' time! He didn't tell you, huh? Guess he wanted to impress you. I don't blame him: you're a very pretty girl." Jake smiled lazily. "'N don't hold that against him--Robin's quite th' gentleman, when he's sober."

Allie listened with a kind of horrified interest, until the last bit. Then she had to laugh: Robin had said just about the same thing to her about Jake!

"What did I tell you. Like brothers." Robin said dryly, looking a little annoyed. "C'mon, Jake, let's get you sobered up."

"No, I'm perfectly fine! Really, see?" Jake walked in what he probably thought was a straight line, but in reality was more of a squiggly line, and right into the sapling Robin had thrown his knife at. He lay perfectly still on the ground, grinning at the sky. "See?"

"Course you are, brother-dearest." Robin bent down and slung one of Jake's arms around his neck, and looked apologetically at Allie as he stood up. "I'm sorry, but if I let him wander around, he'll get us all into trouble, or something he'd seriously regret."

"That's fine." Allie gave a half-hearted wave. "Maybe I'll see you later?" she asked hopefully.

"You could come to our performance tonight, if you'd like."

"Love too."

"Au revoir, then." He tuned to walk off, and Jake looked over his shoulder and waved. "Bye, bye!"

Allie giggled and headed back to town.

Er, Kal? Kal, can you hear me?

-what?- he snapped, angered at her voice. He flew over the lake, mist flying up and hitting his face, but doing nothing to cool his temper.

Well, I'm in the center of town..

-so?-

God, don't be so snippy! As I was saying, I don't know what inn I'm staying at!

Kal pulled up and made a circle in the air, plunging into the water. While he was swimming, he allowed her to see on of his memories: the mental picture of the inn. Then, before she could see anything else, he blocked her out. -that one-

Alright, thanks!

Kal surfaced for air and shook his hair out of his face. Oh, I forgot to tell her what name she's under, he thought without any guilt.

Oh, well. So sad.