A/N cool lil writer/ assassin/ gohan's twin lil sis, M'cha, Stacey, and
Northern Weathergirl- glad to hear you liked my story and no, Northern
Weathergirl, I'm not getting an A+ in English, last quarter I was a getting
an (shudders and braces self) (takes another deep breath) A-! Heaven
forbid… I think I'm getting an A now though cause of my choice assignment
grades: 100%, 100%, 100%, 100%… the list of those gets longer… Anywho,
without further ado- on with the A/N! M'cha- Yes, eventually I think I will
come up with a name for our pickpocket friend… Aer, I wasn't really
thinking straight- I mean it WAS (I hate that word when I use it in a
sentence like this!) vacation. I wasn't thinking a lot about the sword
killing stuff… I uploaded a better version so tell me if you like the new
version… Vampire Princess and Jacquie happy you liked it too! Alyse how
could she be more surprising? Tell me!
DISCLAIMER: I own any character not found in the books by TP.
Last Chapter: Jocelyn zips back in time, meets the Rogue, he comes on to her, and she finally falls asleep… When she wakes up the Rogue is shaking her to wake her up.
"Jocelyn, lass, wake up, will you? We need to get going!"
"Said the thief," I grumbled as I rolled over and turned my back to him, trying in vain to sleep more. He persisted to shake my shoulder, harder now. "Alright already! I'm up, I'm up!" I mumbled grouchily. He stopped shaking me and grinned at my scowl.
"Nice to see you're a morning person! Now get up and eat, I want to be at Caynn by dinner!"
"You want- what about what I want?"
"What you want doesn't matter, it's what I want."
"No, it's not," I glared at him, "Now go away why I'll dress."
"You better not fall asleep again," he rolled his eyes as he walked out the door.
"Oh, don't worry, I will!" I called to him.
I rolled out of bed and brushed my hair and cleaned my face in a basin of water. Feeling better, I changed into fresh clothes that would be better suited for travel. I packed everything into my packs and left them in my rooms until I had had breakfast. As I was about to leave my room the thief appeared and thrust a roll into my hand. He bent over and selected on of my packs before turning and walking out the door. I grabbed the rest of my packs and followed him. He helped me place all my packs on Flares back and then tack her up before mounting his horse, a six foot tall, all black, and half drought horse beast.
We rode through the streets of Corus and exited through the streets just as the gates were opening. We picked up a trot and trotted down the rode for a few miles. Flare's stamina was the fruit of long trail rides and rigorous training. When we slowed to a walk we walked for a few miles. Then back to a trot, then a canter. Suddenly the thief stopped short. Flare stopped beside his huge horse. I looked around for what he had heard. Suddenly an arrow whizzed between our heads. Flare started and reared until she was nearly straight up. I leaned forward on her neck, petrified. Without a helmet or any protective clothing I was dead. Flare went back down and bucked a huge buck. I jolted forward onto her neck. I focused on staying on Flares back as she bucked and reared her heart out. I drew my dagger when I saw a man running at me. The man slowed and Flare turned her back to him and bucked hard. He gave a yell as Flare's wild hooves connected with his chest. The man fell and as Flare stopped bucking for a moment I sheathed my dagger. The thief was cutting down the three men that had ganged up on him. I watched the determined look on his face as he cut at men, two on one side, and the third on the other. We went to the side with only one man working to undo the girth on the great beast. Flare reared and struck his shoulder. I froze in fear as she reared again to get the man away from her. The man fell under her hoof as it struck his collarbone. The thief ran a man through and cut the other ones throat. He nodded to me and we galloped off quickly. After about half a mile of running at a gallop we slowed to a walk and kept to that pace. The thief was wadding up his shirt against a cut in his arm.
I remembered the Wall of Power I had created the night before and my magic. I pondered this and thought for a moment. "I think I can heal," I said.
"Don't try it unless you know how. Otherwise it could be dangerous," he didn't seem interested in either of us dying because of my magic.
"Fine, bleed to death!" I snapped.
"I didn't know you cared. If you use your magic, and you use it- incorrectly- then we're all dead."
"Well then I guess I'll never use it at all. What if I use a spell?"
"You'd make up a spell? It would drain your magic and probably you. This wound isn't that bad but for someone not in control of their Gift- it could be large enough to kill you." He looked at me and saw that I was willing to try. I hadn't realized that I had feelings for him. Nothing great, but I cared for him and being stuck in this world without him would make it empty and much scarier.
"I'm willing to try."
"Fine, you make a spell and I'll review it."
"Whatever," I set my mind to creating a spell exactly for this purpose. Mend the skin mend the bone. Stop the bleeding end the pain. Heal the muscle heal the vessel. Make the injured well again. That sucked. I knew that it ought to work. It was half an hour later that I decided on using this badly put together spell. "Give me your arm." I ordered. He lifted his arm and held it out to me.
"Mend the skin mend the bone.
Stop the bleeding end the pain.
Heal the muscle heal the vessel.
Make the injured well again!"
My power flowed out of my hands and soothed his skin. The blood vessels in his arm sealed over and the muscle became whole. The bone chips slipped back into place on the bone. And the skin closed over the wound. No scar remained on his skin. He flexed the muscle in his arm and tested its strength. He nodded in approval.
"Not bad," he continued to nod, "pretty formidable work," he shrugged.
"I can reverse that spell you know!" I growled angrily.
"Really? I'm sure you can."
I turned away from him and trotted ahead. I rode as far from him as I could. But I couldn't get rid of him. We reached Caynn later than the thief would've liked, but he took me through the streets of the city and into a large house. There a few thieves greeted us and two led me up the flight of stairs to a room. I found it comfortable and when the door opened and the thief appeared in the doorway I rolled over on the bed. "They put you here? This is where I sleep." He turned to the two snickering thieves behind him. "I could take an ear or two for this, you know that, right?"
"Oh, Aye, boss, we just figured that you was more than friends."
"Well we're less than friends!" I snapped from the bed.
"Silence, lass."
"Why? I'm being dragged from every end of Tortall to the other!"
"Silence," the thief repeated.
I glared at him and rolled over on the bed, away from the thieves. They talked and talked and argued and discussed. Finally I feel asleep and when I woke up I was in a new room, completely alone. The new room was much smaller and less grand. It contained a small bed, which I had been sleeping upon, a small dresser with only three shallow drawers in it and a fireplace with a small chair in front of it. I sat looked for my packs. They sat by the door. I changed quickly and exited my room. The thieves were talking and laughing, enjoying breakfast, no doubt.
I slipped down the stairs and leaned against the doorframe to the Kitchen and waited. After a minute silence fell and everyone was looking at me. I realized what everyone must think of me, a young sorceress with no past to be told, a mystery child. "So kind of you to wake me before you dined." I drawled, "What's for breakfast?"
"Whatever you find," one of the smaller thieves replied, helping himself to some ale. He received a glare from the King of the Thieves.
"Lady Jocelyn, our Sorceress present, meet some of the rogues in Port Caynn. Thieves, Lady Jocelyn," the man introduced.
"Do you charming rogues happen to the ugly ones name?" I asked, a picture of innocence.
"Keeping it a secret, eh, Majesty?" the small thief replied.
"Call it that if you will, Yull," the King replied.
"When will we leave here?" I asked.
"Tomorrow," he replied.
"How nice," I turned and went back up to my room.
After a few hours I had organized all my clothes and everything I had neatly into my packs. I had made my bed and the room was in perfect condition. I was coming back from relieving myself when the King of the Thieves stepped up behind me and grabbed me from behind. I looked up at him, for some reason I wasn't surprised or scared. He smiled and kissed me on the lips.
"So nice to see you again! We thought we'd lost you in your room up there."
"Well you didn't sadly enough." I replied tartly.
"Oh, so sweet? I thought you might like to go shopping in the market…" he let his voice trail off.
"We both know that you steal more than you buy."
"I'm the King of the Thieves, what do you expect?"
"Nothing more than what I've gotten already."
The King shrugged and looked down at me again; I was still in his arms. "Now, about the shopping…" he smiled at me.
"Fine." I said.
He let me go and strolled out the door. Together we walked through the city. The thief stole food for us to eat, a book, some jewelry, and a dagger. After a few hours we had purchased (at my insistence) some clothing for me to wear. When we returned to the house it was mid afternoon, so we organized what had been stolen. The thief kept the dagger, but I got all the jewelry. A few finely beaded and silken headbands, a few necklaces, bracelets, anklets, earrings, and rings. There was some of everything. The book was for me though, he said, it was a book on the history of magic and famed sorcerers and philosophers. I opened it to the first page and began to read it. I couldn't put the book down. I read late into the night by candlelight. When I heard a soft knock at the door I only mumbled "Come in." before returning to my book. The thief entered and closed the book. He smiled wryly at me.
"That good, lass?" he asked.
"I couldn't put it down," I shrugged my shoulders and smiled slightly.
"We're off to an early start tomorrow, you'd better get what sleep you can," he placed the book on the bedside table.
"Whatever." I stood up from the chair and my legs crumpled beneath me. The King caught me before I hit the ground.
"I see your legs no longer work, into bed!" He lifted me up and dropped me onto the bed. I pulled the covers up and fell asleep after no more than a few seconds. I didn't feel his hand brush my hair out of my face.
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I awoke early the next morning after a small breakfast of a butter roll I was set to go. We traveled throughout the entire day without speech, as if he were pondering something. We stopped for nothing except ten-minute rests to eat and drink and refresh our horses. I watched the thief a majority of our journey that day. I had never noticed how strong he was. Those relaxed muscular arms. I had never noticed how handsome he was. His short dark hair, a few shades darker than my own, but narrowly so, his handsome gray eyes that had spots of blue, green, and brown slurred in. His nose- not too large for good looks- like Baron George. His lips were perfect, and his teeth were straight. He was so handsome! Just imagine- I stopped my thoughts. What was I thinking? He was two years older than I was! How could I have thoughts about him? I mean, this man was bending me to his will by forcing me to travel to the Swoop. I considered the fact that I could've run off whenever I wanted, or exposed him. I realized that he wanted something from me- and it wasn't what I had thought. He wanted love. Flare felt my muscles become tense and she stopped short, turning her head to look at me inquisitively. I smiled at my concerned mare and nudged her on. The thief hadn't noticed we'd dropped behind. As the sun set we continued our journey. The Swoop was near, and it would take only another hour or so to arrive there.
We were greeted and ushered inside, and soon we slept. I awoke again and went to find some breakfast. I saw the thief eating silently and sullenly at the corner of the table, as if in a trance. He pondered Mithros knew what while I pondered my feelings for him. I considered everything. He was handsome, a check in the love column- I had always been attracted to handsome men with muscles. He was kind and generous, even for a thief, another check in the love column. He was a thief, a check in the no way column. This man was dangerous and cunning, quick upon his feet and hands and weaned on treachery. At least three checks in the no way column. He had spent money on me rather than steal something for me- that meant something, especially from a thief. The score was three on love and four on no way. The man had protected me and scared me half to death. He'd flirted with me and kissed me, he'd saved my horse and myself, one check in the love column. The man had tried to take me to bed and her had forced me to sleep the night before last. No check to either, they weighed out evenly. He loved me, or so it seemed. I considered this. He was very dangerous, but if he loved me and I had just found feelings for him- shouldn't we at least make it to first base? I asked myself. He stood and left the room, I finished as quickly as I could and I had to trot to catch up. I reached over and touched his arm, he looked at me, startled to realize he was traveling with me.
"What're you thinking about?" I asked softly.
"Nothing," he mumbled.
"You rode in trance all of yesterday, and we both know you're thinking about something!" I told him, trying to wheedle it out of him.
"Nothing," he repeated.
"Do you love me?" I asked him.
This truly startled him, and he stared at me searching my face. After a minute he nodded a few times. "Yes," he whispered, I could hardly here him he spoke in so small a voice. "Do you love me?" he asked, projecting his voice slightly more.
"I think I love you. I've never been in love before, I don't know how it feels." His face, which had risen slightly, fell quadruple that. I hated his pain, "I know something," I comforted, "when I think of you I feel warm inside, I feel protected, I feel something I know I've never felt before. Although it scares me I don't run from it, I embrace it." This got him almost smiling.
"I feel that when I so much as glance in your direction, but I don't feel protected, I feel the need to protect. As though you were the last petal on a flower, that mustn't fall off the flower."
"What happened to the other petals?" I asked; referring to what I thought might be other girls he may have loved.
"Petal." He corrected, becoming more solemn than I had ever seen before. "She played with my heart as she pleased. Some days she loved me profusely, others she thought I was lesser than an insect. I loved her, but every time she withdrew it seemed to tear my heart. After the few times the petals began to fall, and when I left her I hardly broke her heart. My anger allowed me love out of spite for her, but when I see you more flowers grow." He looked me in the eye, "A man of mine heard you ask directions to the Dove, and he knew you weren't from here or anywhere nearby. You could be a Carthaki, from your looks. But you're not; you don't have the accent or the distinct looks of a southerner. He came straight to me and I knew I had to meet you. And now I know why. To teach me love again."
Our eyes caught the others and we suddenly lost control. One moment we were standing on the beech near the sea and the next we were kissing- or rather, making out. We embraced the other and broke apart for small periods of time. After not more than five minutes though, we remember ourselves and stopped. We instantly stepped apart and blushed bright red. We heard a cheer and a whistle.
"Bravo," Lady Alanna strolled down the sandy bank. "I'll say nothing," she vowed. "The King here says you've got magic." She paused looking directly at me. She suddenly broke off her gaze, "Strong, he's right." She nodded to the thief. " Would you like your things moved to his rooms?" she questioned.
I glared at the woman, whom I hardly knew; "Didn't she just say 'I'll say nothing'?" I grumbled.
Alanna grinned and shrugged, "I thought it might be more enjoyable for you."
I now remembered that I would leave him when I went back to my world. I ran back to the castle and hid in my room. The thief said nothing to me as I ran from him.
I let tears flow when I reached my room, I watched the King of the Thieves and Alanna talk, and called wind to me so I could hear their conversation, it bent to my will.
"What's her problem?" I heard Alanna ask.
"She doesn't know who I am and she won't tell me of her past," he answered.
"Why won't you tell her your name?"
"She'll know who I was and who I am," he answered.
"If she loves you it won't make a difference!" Alanna snapped.
The thief stopped, and turned to Alanna, "If she knew who I was than she wouldn't love me as I love her and then where would my heart be? It's like being surrounded by banshees Alanna! I can't take it!" He yelled, I wouldn't have heard him without the wind bringing the conversation to me though.
"You're part immortal- she won't care! You're part human- she won't care! You're probably part god or whatever- she won't care if she really loves you!" Alanna screamed.
The thief didn't reply, and he stood next to Alanna for a minute.
"Do you think so?" he whispered, the wind brought the words to my ears as a shadow.
"I know so- but I'm not saying that she does love you truly, all I'm saying is that if she does she'll still love you." Alanna left him standing there. I turned away from the window and stopped the breeze bringing words to me and I thanked it.
After barely twenty minutes the thief entered without knocking and he sat by my window. "Do you love me?" He ordered.
"I heard the conversation," I stated, "What are you?"
His face showed anger, but softened to understanding as he thought over my action. "I'm human, immortal, and not god at all." He whispered. "Ozorne, the old Emperor of Carthak, slipped over seas a few months before the peace talks. He impregnated a young woman and left her. I'm his son, but it hardly shows. My immortal side, well my mother wasn't any normal woman; it was actually a Stormwing in the shape of a human. The Stormwing remained in that shape until I was born and then left me in the Lower City of Corus, and I became who I am. Tarrien of the Lower City, King of the Thieves of Tortall and the son of a certain Stormwing Queen Barzha and Ozorne, a currently dead human who was a Stormwing during the last year or two of his life." He shrugged and looked me over.
"Are you a Stormwing?" I asked.
"I'm part-" he began.
"No!" I stopped him, "Answer the question; Are you a Stormwing?"
"No, not completely."
"Are you an evil Carthaki Emperor?"
"Far from it."
"I don't think it would be easy for me to love a Stormwing, I don't think I could. I could never love Ozorne, and although you are your parents' son, I still love you! You aren't them; they aren't you! You are you! They are themselves! I love you, not them!" I convinced him with a soft kiss.
"Thank you," he breathed.
"For what?" I implored.
"You've shown me that you can love me for who I am, rather than what I am," he suddenly grinned devilishly, "Take your things and move into my rooms, let's go." He grabbed up my bags. I smiled recklessly and grabbed what was left. We spent the rest of the night doing what we wished in his rooms. We did nothing to endanger my virginity- I didn't know if he was or not-, but we hit second base without a problem. I wore only a breast band and a sort of loin cloth as did he, and we lay in his bed, making out but never even thinking about doing more.
He seemed to know I wasn't ready and that I didn't want to go that far, and he respected it by going only as far as I could go. We spent our time at the Swoop in a happy blur of bliss. I was tested for magic more thoroughly and taught how to use it better. I rarely thought of my home, but when I did I got homesick and scared. Not to mention sick to my stomach. I knew I had to go home, but how- I hadn't the slightest idea.
DISCLAIMER: I own any character not found in the books by TP.
Last Chapter: Jocelyn zips back in time, meets the Rogue, he comes on to her, and she finally falls asleep… When she wakes up the Rogue is shaking her to wake her up.
"Jocelyn, lass, wake up, will you? We need to get going!"
"Said the thief," I grumbled as I rolled over and turned my back to him, trying in vain to sleep more. He persisted to shake my shoulder, harder now. "Alright already! I'm up, I'm up!" I mumbled grouchily. He stopped shaking me and grinned at my scowl.
"Nice to see you're a morning person! Now get up and eat, I want to be at Caynn by dinner!"
"You want- what about what I want?"
"What you want doesn't matter, it's what I want."
"No, it's not," I glared at him, "Now go away why I'll dress."
"You better not fall asleep again," he rolled his eyes as he walked out the door.
"Oh, don't worry, I will!" I called to him.
I rolled out of bed and brushed my hair and cleaned my face in a basin of water. Feeling better, I changed into fresh clothes that would be better suited for travel. I packed everything into my packs and left them in my rooms until I had had breakfast. As I was about to leave my room the thief appeared and thrust a roll into my hand. He bent over and selected on of my packs before turning and walking out the door. I grabbed the rest of my packs and followed him. He helped me place all my packs on Flares back and then tack her up before mounting his horse, a six foot tall, all black, and half drought horse beast.
We rode through the streets of Corus and exited through the streets just as the gates were opening. We picked up a trot and trotted down the rode for a few miles. Flare's stamina was the fruit of long trail rides and rigorous training. When we slowed to a walk we walked for a few miles. Then back to a trot, then a canter. Suddenly the thief stopped short. Flare stopped beside his huge horse. I looked around for what he had heard. Suddenly an arrow whizzed between our heads. Flare started and reared until she was nearly straight up. I leaned forward on her neck, petrified. Without a helmet or any protective clothing I was dead. Flare went back down and bucked a huge buck. I jolted forward onto her neck. I focused on staying on Flares back as she bucked and reared her heart out. I drew my dagger when I saw a man running at me. The man slowed and Flare turned her back to him and bucked hard. He gave a yell as Flare's wild hooves connected with his chest. The man fell and as Flare stopped bucking for a moment I sheathed my dagger. The thief was cutting down the three men that had ganged up on him. I watched the determined look on his face as he cut at men, two on one side, and the third on the other. We went to the side with only one man working to undo the girth on the great beast. Flare reared and struck his shoulder. I froze in fear as she reared again to get the man away from her. The man fell under her hoof as it struck his collarbone. The thief ran a man through and cut the other ones throat. He nodded to me and we galloped off quickly. After about half a mile of running at a gallop we slowed to a walk and kept to that pace. The thief was wadding up his shirt against a cut in his arm.
I remembered the Wall of Power I had created the night before and my magic. I pondered this and thought for a moment. "I think I can heal," I said.
"Don't try it unless you know how. Otherwise it could be dangerous," he didn't seem interested in either of us dying because of my magic.
"Fine, bleed to death!" I snapped.
"I didn't know you cared. If you use your magic, and you use it- incorrectly- then we're all dead."
"Well then I guess I'll never use it at all. What if I use a spell?"
"You'd make up a spell? It would drain your magic and probably you. This wound isn't that bad but for someone not in control of their Gift- it could be large enough to kill you." He looked at me and saw that I was willing to try. I hadn't realized that I had feelings for him. Nothing great, but I cared for him and being stuck in this world without him would make it empty and much scarier.
"I'm willing to try."
"Fine, you make a spell and I'll review it."
"Whatever," I set my mind to creating a spell exactly for this purpose. Mend the skin mend the bone. Stop the bleeding end the pain. Heal the muscle heal the vessel. Make the injured well again. That sucked. I knew that it ought to work. It was half an hour later that I decided on using this badly put together spell. "Give me your arm." I ordered. He lifted his arm and held it out to me.
"Mend the skin mend the bone.
Stop the bleeding end the pain.
Heal the muscle heal the vessel.
Make the injured well again!"
My power flowed out of my hands and soothed his skin. The blood vessels in his arm sealed over and the muscle became whole. The bone chips slipped back into place on the bone. And the skin closed over the wound. No scar remained on his skin. He flexed the muscle in his arm and tested its strength. He nodded in approval.
"Not bad," he continued to nod, "pretty formidable work," he shrugged.
"I can reverse that spell you know!" I growled angrily.
"Really? I'm sure you can."
I turned away from him and trotted ahead. I rode as far from him as I could. But I couldn't get rid of him. We reached Caynn later than the thief would've liked, but he took me through the streets of the city and into a large house. There a few thieves greeted us and two led me up the flight of stairs to a room. I found it comfortable and when the door opened and the thief appeared in the doorway I rolled over on the bed. "They put you here? This is where I sleep." He turned to the two snickering thieves behind him. "I could take an ear or two for this, you know that, right?"
"Oh, Aye, boss, we just figured that you was more than friends."
"Well we're less than friends!" I snapped from the bed.
"Silence, lass."
"Why? I'm being dragged from every end of Tortall to the other!"
"Silence," the thief repeated.
I glared at him and rolled over on the bed, away from the thieves. They talked and talked and argued and discussed. Finally I feel asleep and when I woke up I was in a new room, completely alone. The new room was much smaller and less grand. It contained a small bed, which I had been sleeping upon, a small dresser with only three shallow drawers in it and a fireplace with a small chair in front of it. I sat looked for my packs. They sat by the door. I changed quickly and exited my room. The thieves were talking and laughing, enjoying breakfast, no doubt.
I slipped down the stairs and leaned against the doorframe to the Kitchen and waited. After a minute silence fell and everyone was looking at me. I realized what everyone must think of me, a young sorceress with no past to be told, a mystery child. "So kind of you to wake me before you dined." I drawled, "What's for breakfast?"
"Whatever you find," one of the smaller thieves replied, helping himself to some ale. He received a glare from the King of the Thieves.
"Lady Jocelyn, our Sorceress present, meet some of the rogues in Port Caynn. Thieves, Lady Jocelyn," the man introduced.
"Do you charming rogues happen to the ugly ones name?" I asked, a picture of innocence.
"Keeping it a secret, eh, Majesty?" the small thief replied.
"Call it that if you will, Yull," the King replied.
"When will we leave here?" I asked.
"Tomorrow," he replied.
"How nice," I turned and went back up to my room.
After a few hours I had organized all my clothes and everything I had neatly into my packs. I had made my bed and the room was in perfect condition. I was coming back from relieving myself when the King of the Thieves stepped up behind me and grabbed me from behind. I looked up at him, for some reason I wasn't surprised or scared. He smiled and kissed me on the lips.
"So nice to see you again! We thought we'd lost you in your room up there."
"Well you didn't sadly enough." I replied tartly.
"Oh, so sweet? I thought you might like to go shopping in the market…" he let his voice trail off.
"We both know that you steal more than you buy."
"I'm the King of the Thieves, what do you expect?"
"Nothing more than what I've gotten already."
The King shrugged and looked down at me again; I was still in his arms. "Now, about the shopping…" he smiled at me.
"Fine." I said.
He let me go and strolled out the door. Together we walked through the city. The thief stole food for us to eat, a book, some jewelry, and a dagger. After a few hours we had purchased (at my insistence) some clothing for me to wear. When we returned to the house it was mid afternoon, so we organized what had been stolen. The thief kept the dagger, but I got all the jewelry. A few finely beaded and silken headbands, a few necklaces, bracelets, anklets, earrings, and rings. There was some of everything. The book was for me though, he said, it was a book on the history of magic and famed sorcerers and philosophers. I opened it to the first page and began to read it. I couldn't put the book down. I read late into the night by candlelight. When I heard a soft knock at the door I only mumbled "Come in." before returning to my book. The thief entered and closed the book. He smiled wryly at me.
"That good, lass?" he asked.
"I couldn't put it down," I shrugged my shoulders and smiled slightly.
"We're off to an early start tomorrow, you'd better get what sleep you can," he placed the book on the bedside table.
"Whatever." I stood up from the chair and my legs crumpled beneath me. The King caught me before I hit the ground.
"I see your legs no longer work, into bed!" He lifted me up and dropped me onto the bed. I pulled the covers up and fell asleep after no more than a few seconds. I didn't feel his hand brush my hair out of my face.
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I awoke early the next morning after a small breakfast of a butter roll I was set to go. We traveled throughout the entire day without speech, as if he were pondering something. We stopped for nothing except ten-minute rests to eat and drink and refresh our horses. I watched the thief a majority of our journey that day. I had never noticed how strong he was. Those relaxed muscular arms. I had never noticed how handsome he was. His short dark hair, a few shades darker than my own, but narrowly so, his handsome gray eyes that had spots of blue, green, and brown slurred in. His nose- not too large for good looks- like Baron George. His lips were perfect, and his teeth were straight. He was so handsome! Just imagine- I stopped my thoughts. What was I thinking? He was two years older than I was! How could I have thoughts about him? I mean, this man was bending me to his will by forcing me to travel to the Swoop. I considered the fact that I could've run off whenever I wanted, or exposed him. I realized that he wanted something from me- and it wasn't what I had thought. He wanted love. Flare felt my muscles become tense and she stopped short, turning her head to look at me inquisitively. I smiled at my concerned mare and nudged her on. The thief hadn't noticed we'd dropped behind. As the sun set we continued our journey. The Swoop was near, and it would take only another hour or so to arrive there.
We were greeted and ushered inside, and soon we slept. I awoke again and went to find some breakfast. I saw the thief eating silently and sullenly at the corner of the table, as if in a trance. He pondered Mithros knew what while I pondered my feelings for him. I considered everything. He was handsome, a check in the love column- I had always been attracted to handsome men with muscles. He was kind and generous, even for a thief, another check in the love column. He was a thief, a check in the no way column. This man was dangerous and cunning, quick upon his feet and hands and weaned on treachery. At least three checks in the no way column. He had spent money on me rather than steal something for me- that meant something, especially from a thief. The score was three on love and four on no way. The man had protected me and scared me half to death. He'd flirted with me and kissed me, he'd saved my horse and myself, one check in the love column. The man had tried to take me to bed and her had forced me to sleep the night before last. No check to either, they weighed out evenly. He loved me, or so it seemed. I considered this. He was very dangerous, but if he loved me and I had just found feelings for him- shouldn't we at least make it to first base? I asked myself. He stood and left the room, I finished as quickly as I could and I had to trot to catch up. I reached over and touched his arm, he looked at me, startled to realize he was traveling with me.
"What're you thinking about?" I asked softly.
"Nothing," he mumbled.
"You rode in trance all of yesterday, and we both know you're thinking about something!" I told him, trying to wheedle it out of him.
"Nothing," he repeated.
"Do you love me?" I asked him.
This truly startled him, and he stared at me searching my face. After a minute he nodded a few times. "Yes," he whispered, I could hardly here him he spoke in so small a voice. "Do you love me?" he asked, projecting his voice slightly more.
"I think I love you. I've never been in love before, I don't know how it feels." His face, which had risen slightly, fell quadruple that. I hated his pain, "I know something," I comforted, "when I think of you I feel warm inside, I feel protected, I feel something I know I've never felt before. Although it scares me I don't run from it, I embrace it." This got him almost smiling.
"I feel that when I so much as glance in your direction, but I don't feel protected, I feel the need to protect. As though you were the last petal on a flower, that mustn't fall off the flower."
"What happened to the other petals?" I asked; referring to what I thought might be other girls he may have loved.
"Petal." He corrected, becoming more solemn than I had ever seen before. "She played with my heart as she pleased. Some days she loved me profusely, others she thought I was lesser than an insect. I loved her, but every time she withdrew it seemed to tear my heart. After the few times the petals began to fall, and when I left her I hardly broke her heart. My anger allowed me love out of spite for her, but when I see you more flowers grow." He looked me in the eye, "A man of mine heard you ask directions to the Dove, and he knew you weren't from here or anywhere nearby. You could be a Carthaki, from your looks. But you're not; you don't have the accent or the distinct looks of a southerner. He came straight to me and I knew I had to meet you. And now I know why. To teach me love again."
Our eyes caught the others and we suddenly lost control. One moment we were standing on the beech near the sea and the next we were kissing- or rather, making out. We embraced the other and broke apart for small periods of time. After not more than five minutes though, we remember ourselves and stopped. We instantly stepped apart and blushed bright red. We heard a cheer and a whistle.
"Bravo," Lady Alanna strolled down the sandy bank. "I'll say nothing," she vowed. "The King here says you've got magic." She paused looking directly at me. She suddenly broke off her gaze, "Strong, he's right." She nodded to the thief. " Would you like your things moved to his rooms?" she questioned.
I glared at the woman, whom I hardly knew; "Didn't she just say 'I'll say nothing'?" I grumbled.
Alanna grinned and shrugged, "I thought it might be more enjoyable for you."
I now remembered that I would leave him when I went back to my world. I ran back to the castle and hid in my room. The thief said nothing to me as I ran from him.
I let tears flow when I reached my room, I watched the King of the Thieves and Alanna talk, and called wind to me so I could hear their conversation, it bent to my will.
"What's her problem?" I heard Alanna ask.
"She doesn't know who I am and she won't tell me of her past," he answered.
"Why won't you tell her your name?"
"She'll know who I was and who I am," he answered.
"If she loves you it won't make a difference!" Alanna snapped.
The thief stopped, and turned to Alanna, "If she knew who I was than she wouldn't love me as I love her and then where would my heart be? It's like being surrounded by banshees Alanna! I can't take it!" He yelled, I wouldn't have heard him without the wind bringing the conversation to me though.
"You're part immortal- she won't care! You're part human- she won't care! You're probably part god or whatever- she won't care if she really loves you!" Alanna screamed.
The thief didn't reply, and he stood next to Alanna for a minute.
"Do you think so?" he whispered, the wind brought the words to my ears as a shadow.
"I know so- but I'm not saying that she does love you truly, all I'm saying is that if she does she'll still love you." Alanna left him standing there. I turned away from the window and stopped the breeze bringing words to me and I thanked it.
After barely twenty minutes the thief entered without knocking and he sat by my window. "Do you love me?" He ordered.
"I heard the conversation," I stated, "What are you?"
His face showed anger, but softened to understanding as he thought over my action. "I'm human, immortal, and not god at all." He whispered. "Ozorne, the old Emperor of Carthak, slipped over seas a few months before the peace talks. He impregnated a young woman and left her. I'm his son, but it hardly shows. My immortal side, well my mother wasn't any normal woman; it was actually a Stormwing in the shape of a human. The Stormwing remained in that shape until I was born and then left me in the Lower City of Corus, and I became who I am. Tarrien of the Lower City, King of the Thieves of Tortall and the son of a certain Stormwing Queen Barzha and Ozorne, a currently dead human who was a Stormwing during the last year or two of his life." He shrugged and looked me over.
"Are you a Stormwing?" I asked.
"I'm part-" he began.
"No!" I stopped him, "Answer the question; Are you a Stormwing?"
"No, not completely."
"Are you an evil Carthaki Emperor?"
"Far from it."
"I don't think it would be easy for me to love a Stormwing, I don't think I could. I could never love Ozorne, and although you are your parents' son, I still love you! You aren't them; they aren't you! You are you! They are themselves! I love you, not them!" I convinced him with a soft kiss.
"Thank you," he breathed.
"For what?" I implored.
"You've shown me that you can love me for who I am, rather than what I am," he suddenly grinned devilishly, "Take your things and move into my rooms, let's go." He grabbed up my bags. I smiled recklessly and grabbed what was left. We spent the rest of the night doing what we wished in his rooms. We did nothing to endanger my virginity- I didn't know if he was or not-, but we hit second base without a problem. I wore only a breast band and a sort of loin cloth as did he, and we lay in his bed, making out but never even thinking about doing more.
He seemed to know I wasn't ready and that I didn't want to go that far, and he respected it by going only as far as I could go. We spent our time at the Swoop in a happy blur of bliss. I was tested for magic more thoroughly and taught how to use it better. I rarely thought of my home, but when I did I got homesick and scared. Not to mention sick to my stomach. I knew I had to go home, but how- I hadn't the slightest idea.
