A/N - Sorry this chapter is short...I think? Anyways i have cousins visiting, so the chapters may come a little late. The story is almost finishd...i'm so sad, i think i'm going to cry! But here's the next chapter.
Chapter 24
Ryan turned to Candle and John, who stood in front of the bench watching the conversation between Rovin and everyone else. They both shrugged, not knowing how to respond to Rovin outburst. "Uh…er…well I…" Ryan stuttered turning back to Rovin and trying to find the right words to say.
"Is that suppose to be a compliment?' he asked cocking his head at her.
"I'm sorry. I'm really tired and not in the mood for surprises." Rovin replied rubbing her head from exhaustion.
"I've heard you've had a long day. So as soon as we get you back to the Rogue, and in your bed, you can relax and have a good days sleep." Ryan said with a grin.
"Shit," Candle muttered to John turning away from where Ryan and Rovin sat.
"What?" John asked
"He shouldn't of said that." Candle replied. He and Noah had agreed on the way over there that they wouldn't mention anything to Rovin about coming back to the Rogue, for they both knew that it was a touchy subject.
"Excuse me?" Rovin hissed standing up from the bench and staring at Ryan as if he were a disease of some sort.
"Told 'ya" Candle muttered one last time to John
"What did I say?" Ryan asked confused standing up as well.
"Who do you think you are?" Rovin asked
"At the moment a very confused person" Ryan replied scratching his head
"You think you can just waltz right in here and take me away? You think just because you're my brother, you can order me around and take me back to the Rogue when I'm obviously happy here!" Rovin hollered at him.
"Yes…No! No! No, definitely not!" Ryan replied trying to calm Rovin down.
"Get out!" Rovin screamed
"What?" Ryan asked
"Leave the palace now! Go, or I'll get the guards!" Rovin screamed
Neither of the three wanted to spend the night, or longer, in prison, so they all quietly walked into the rain and left. Candle was the last to leave, he took a final glance at Rovin, wishing it wouldn't be the last time he ever sees her, before stepping into the wall of rain, and leaving.
"Well that was interesting." Noah commented from behind Rovin. Turning she stared at him, having forgotten he was there.
"I mean you as well." she replied
"Oh I have no doubt I wasn't included in that, lovely little scream." Noah replied starting to walk towards her.
"Then leave." Rovin said inching backwards as he came near her.
"I just wanted to make sure you know what you're getting yourself into." Noah replied.
"I know what I'm getting myself into, thank you very much" Rovin hissed through her clenched teeth. She had to walk backwards in a circle in order to not step into the rain, and not knowing where she was going, started backing towards the tree trunk.
"Are you sure?" Noah asked
"Positive,"
"You're sure you can handle the clothes, the food, the palace, the gossip, the lifestyle? Being told how to talk, walk, eat, sit, stand, who your allowed to talk to and who to avoid, what to wear when, and what not to wear?"
"And how would you know about all that stuff?"
"You're not the only one with friends in high places Rovin."
"Do you have people spying on me here?"
"Why would I need people to do that? My father has enough of them here already!"
"Tell Heith to call them off!"
"I can't tell my father what to do, never have been able to and I'm not about to start! But you can gladly come and tell him yourself!" Noah now had Rovin pinned against the trunk of the tree.
"I'm not going back Noah, you and I both know that. Stop trying to convince me to return." Rovin replied her voice shaking
"I know that. But what I don't know is why you won't return? Why you would even leave in the first place? You're bound to the Rogue for life, you can't wake up one morning and decide you don't want to live as we do anymore, and you can't just fall in love and leave. It's not allowed, we both know that."
"I left, because for once in my life I don't have anyone following me around and protecting me. How am I ever suppose to learn to live on my own, if I have men watching every step I take, making sure I don't mess up in life!"
"You can't mess up if you're a thief. There are consequences."
"Consequences my ass, Noah! I know what consequences there are, and I'm ready to take them. I've always been ready to take them, but no one would let me! I've spent one week in prison my entire life, because father and Heith always had someone come in and take me out of there."
"You think its nice in prison or something?" Noah asked backing away from her. "You've always been a favorite of my father, and you're not even his daughter! He never had anyone come and get me out of prison! I've spent half my life there! The only reason he did send someone, was because I was to be executed, but even then he waited until my head was in the loop to save me. You've always gotten everything you ever wanted, why would you give all that up, for a stuck up life?"
Rovin stared at Noah with her mouth open. She had known something dangerous had happened to Noah when they were fourteen, but she never imagined he had been close to death. The thing that hurt her the most, was the fact that she knew no one had ever been sent to help Noah. Noah was certainly not Heith's favorite son, Bobby had always been, and Heith had long ago decided that if Noah was stupid enough to get caught, he could take his time in prison as a learning experience, and either figure out how to escape himself, or wait it out.
"You're wrong." she replied
"About what?" Noah asked walking towards her again.
"I didn't have everything I wanted in the Rogue."
"Of course you did," Noah told her changing his mind, and turning to leave. "and you knew it. See ya Rovin," he disappeared into the rain. She watched him leave until she couldn't see his dark figure anymore. Rovin crossed her arms over her chest and rubbed her arms from the cold rain. She shivered against it and soon made her way back to her room. Instead of climbing back up the tree, she went inside and took the dry way back, not carrying if she woke anyone up. When she returned to her room, she fell asleep on the soft bed and didn't wake all day.
*~*~*~*~*
Daniel walked down the hall, reading the top piece of paper, out of the stack he held. Not noticing where he was going, most of the servants moved out of his way as he passed. Daniel didn't stop until he ran into a person.
"Sorry," he automatically replied after he had run into a person and not cared to take a glance at him or her. He started to walk around the person, but an arm was shot out that stopped him in his tracks. He turned his head sideways and looked at the man that had stopped him. He wasn't surprised to be looking into the face of Noah, one of Rovin's thief friends. "Can I help you?"
"Yeah," Noah replied settling his hand at his side with the other, clenched in fists. "We need to have a little chat."
"Later," Daniel replied taking a step forward to leave. He was stopped again, this time staring at a sword that was in front of his face. He became fearful, but wouldn't let the thief see that.
"Nice isn't it," Noah answered nodding to the sword. "Borrowed it from my brother, well I took it without asking anyways. Your lot call it stealing, don't you?"
"Follow me," Daniel hissed, not wanting to make a scene in the middle of the hall, in case anyone was to pass by. He had a feeling this conversation was not to be a cheerful one.
"Just to let you know, if you take me towards any guards this sword will be sticking out of your back." Noah replied grinning as he started following Daniel.
Daniel made a face at Noah, feeling as if he was a little kid again, being bullied by the older boys. He led Noah towards the suite that had been given to him in the palace. Upon entering he saw his little sister Emily sitting on one of the couches reading a book.
"Please leave us Emily," he instructed her. She stood when she heard his voice and looked between him and Noah.
"Why?" she asked confused
"Just leave." Daniel replied
"You better be careful," she whispered to Noah when she passed him, seeing as he had his sword out. She shut the door quietly behind her, as Daniel went and stood by the fireplace.
"Now, thief, what do you have to say?" Daniel asked wanting to get the conversation over with as quickly as possible.
"I'm here to pass on a message from the Rogue." Noah started "We all know she's here with you, and we know we can't make her return if she doesn't want to. So I'm here to tell you that you had better take care of her. If she is harmed in any way, or unhappy and wants to return, you had best let her do what she wants. Or you'll have me to answer too."
Daniel stood staring at Noah, shocked, for a moment before he spoke. "Is that all?"
"Umm…yes?" Noah replied not sure if he was suppose to talk longer or not
"You made me come all the way up here for that short speech!" Daniel asked
"You were the one who wanted to come up here, I was perfectly fine down in the hallway!" Noah replied having preferred it better. In the hallway there had been more ways of escape in case Daniel decided to call the guards upon him, here in the room, there was only a few means of escape.
"And did you come here of your own free will to deliver this message? Or did the Rogue really send you?" Daniel asked
"Neither of that is any of your business." Noah replied pointing the sword at Daniel
"I'm not finished!" Daniel said not liking to be interrupted. "The last time you were here, you came on your own as well. Coinscedence? Then when I was at the Rogue, you didn't like seeing Rovin run off with me into the woods, and know that she's here with me, you happen to show up, telling me to take care of her, which by the way I had already figured out. Rovin has free reign of whatever she wants. She can make her own decisions!"
"Now she can," Noah commented interrupting him on purpose
"What's that suppose to mean?" Daniel asked
"Will she still have free reign of whatever she wants after she marries you? Or will she be restricted?"
"There will be some restrictions, but that's nothing I can change. It's part of being a noble, not something someone as low as you would know of."
"I'm sure."
"Listen, why don't you just leave now, and I'll agree to never mention this conversation to Rovin."
"Or not,"
"Why? You came, you delivered your message, and now you need to leave."
"I think I'll stick around for a while. See as low as I am, I haven't learned everything. Besides there are some lovely things in this room that my fingers are just itching to steal!"Noah replied grinning from ear to ear as he surveyed the room, taking in the luscious belongings.
"You've delivered your message, I suggest you leave now, or I'll call the guards. I'm very busy and I don't have time to argue with a--"
"A what?" Noah interrupted pissing Daniel off even more. "A thief. A piece of filth. A scum on your foot?"
"Yes, all those things and more. Now leave!"
"You know, that's the second time in two days I've been threatened. If it continues it may become something that happens on a regular basis. But I've been threatened too much in my lifetime to count, or care anymore. Therefore, just to save us both the time and vocal chords, I'll be leaving. But trust me when I say you're being watched. One wrong move, and…" Noah demonstrated various ways of being killed, from hanging, to being shot, or being poisoned, etc. He grinned at the somewhat scared look on Daniel's face and left the room. Leaving Daniel stroking his neck.
Chapter 24
Ryan turned to Candle and John, who stood in front of the bench watching the conversation between Rovin and everyone else. They both shrugged, not knowing how to respond to Rovin outburst. "Uh…er…well I…" Ryan stuttered turning back to Rovin and trying to find the right words to say.
"Is that suppose to be a compliment?' he asked cocking his head at her.
"I'm sorry. I'm really tired and not in the mood for surprises." Rovin replied rubbing her head from exhaustion.
"I've heard you've had a long day. So as soon as we get you back to the Rogue, and in your bed, you can relax and have a good days sleep." Ryan said with a grin.
"Shit," Candle muttered to John turning away from where Ryan and Rovin sat.
"What?" John asked
"He shouldn't of said that." Candle replied. He and Noah had agreed on the way over there that they wouldn't mention anything to Rovin about coming back to the Rogue, for they both knew that it was a touchy subject.
"Excuse me?" Rovin hissed standing up from the bench and staring at Ryan as if he were a disease of some sort.
"Told 'ya" Candle muttered one last time to John
"What did I say?" Ryan asked confused standing up as well.
"Who do you think you are?" Rovin asked
"At the moment a very confused person" Ryan replied scratching his head
"You think you can just waltz right in here and take me away? You think just because you're my brother, you can order me around and take me back to the Rogue when I'm obviously happy here!" Rovin hollered at him.
"Yes…No! No! No, definitely not!" Ryan replied trying to calm Rovin down.
"Get out!" Rovin screamed
"What?" Ryan asked
"Leave the palace now! Go, or I'll get the guards!" Rovin screamed
Neither of the three wanted to spend the night, or longer, in prison, so they all quietly walked into the rain and left. Candle was the last to leave, he took a final glance at Rovin, wishing it wouldn't be the last time he ever sees her, before stepping into the wall of rain, and leaving.
"Well that was interesting." Noah commented from behind Rovin. Turning she stared at him, having forgotten he was there.
"I mean you as well." she replied
"Oh I have no doubt I wasn't included in that, lovely little scream." Noah replied starting to walk towards her.
"Then leave." Rovin said inching backwards as he came near her.
"I just wanted to make sure you know what you're getting yourself into." Noah replied.
"I know what I'm getting myself into, thank you very much" Rovin hissed through her clenched teeth. She had to walk backwards in a circle in order to not step into the rain, and not knowing where she was going, started backing towards the tree trunk.
"Are you sure?" Noah asked
"Positive,"
"You're sure you can handle the clothes, the food, the palace, the gossip, the lifestyle? Being told how to talk, walk, eat, sit, stand, who your allowed to talk to and who to avoid, what to wear when, and what not to wear?"
"And how would you know about all that stuff?"
"You're not the only one with friends in high places Rovin."
"Do you have people spying on me here?"
"Why would I need people to do that? My father has enough of them here already!"
"Tell Heith to call them off!"
"I can't tell my father what to do, never have been able to and I'm not about to start! But you can gladly come and tell him yourself!" Noah now had Rovin pinned against the trunk of the tree.
"I'm not going back Noah, you and I both know that. Stop trying to convince me to return." Rovin replied her voice shaking
"I know that. But what I don't know is why you won't return? Why you would even leave in the first place? You're bound to the Rogue for life, you can't wake up one morning and decide you don't want to live as we do anymore, and you can't just fall in love and leave. It's not allowed, we both know that."
"I left, because for once in my life I don't have anyone following me around and protecting me. How am I ever suppose to learn to live on my own, if I have men watching every step I take, making sure I don't mess up in life!"
"You can't mess up if you're a thief. There are consequences."
"Consequences my ass, Noah! I know what consequences there are, and I'm ready to take them. I've always been ready to take them, but no one would let me! I've spent one week in prison my entire life, because father and Heith always had someone come in and take me out of there."
"You think its nice in prison or something?" Noah asked backing away from her. "You've always been a favorite of my father, and you're not even his daughter! He never had anyone come and get me out of prison! I've spent half my life there! The only reason he did send someone, was because I was to be executed, but even then he waited until my head was in the loop to save me. You've always gotten everything you ever wanted, why would you give all that up, for a stuck up life?"
Rovin stared at Noah with her mouth open. She had known something dangerous had happened to Noah when they were fourteen, but she never imagined he had been close to death. The thing that hurt her the most, was the fact that she knew no one had ever been sent to help Noah. Noah was certainly not Heith's favorite son, Bobby had always been, and Heith had long ago decided that if Noah was stupid enough to get caught, he could take his time in prison as a learning experience, and either figure out how to escape himself, or wait it out.
"You're wrong." she replied
"About what?" Noah asked walking towards her again.
"I didn't have everything I wanted in the Rogue."
"Of course you did," Noah told her changing his mind, and turning to leave. "and you knew it. See ya Rovin," he disappeared into the rain. She watched him leave until she couldn't see his dark figure anymore. Rovin crossed her arms over her chest and rubbed her arms from the cold rain. She shivered against it and soon made her way back to her room. Instead of climbing back up the tree, she went inside and took the dry way back, not carrying if she woke anyone up. When she returned to her room, she fell asleep on the soft bed and didn't wake all day.
*~*~*~*~*
Daniel walked down the hall, reading the top piece of paper, out of the stack he held. Not noticing where he was going, most of the servants moved out of his way as he passed. Daniel didn't stop until he ran into a person.
"Sorry," he automatically replied after he had run into a person and not cared to take a glance at him or her. He started to walk around the person, but an arm was shot out that stopped him in his tracks. He turned his head sideways and looked at the man that had stopped him. He wasn't surprised to be looking into the face of Noah, one of Rovin's thief friends. "Can I help you?"
"Yeah," Noah replied settling his hand at his side with the other, clenched in fists. "We need to have a little chat."
"Later," Daniel replied taking a step forward to leave. He was stopped again, this time staring at a sword that was in front of his face. He became fearful, but wouldn't let the thief see that.
"Nice isn't it," Noah answered nodding to the sword. "Borrowed it from my brother, well I took it without asking anyways. Your lot call it stealing, don't you?"
"Follow me," Daniel hissed, not wanting to make a scene in the middle of the hall, in case anyone was to pass by. He had a feeling this conversation was not to be a cheerful one.
"Just to let you know, if you take me towards any guards this sword will be sticking out of your back." Noah replied grinning as he started following Daniel.
Daniel made a face at Noah, feeling as if he was a little kid again, being bullied by the older boys. He led Noah towards the suite that had been given to him in the palace. Upon entering he saw his little sister Emily sitting on one of the couches reading a book.
"Please leave us Emily," he instructed her. She stood when she heard his voice and looked between him and Noah.
"Why?" she asked confused
"Just leave." Daniel replied
"You better be careful," she whispered to Noah when she passed him, seeing as he had his sword out. She shut the door quietly behind her, as Daniel went and stood by the fireplace.
"Now, thief, what do you have to say?" Daniel asked wanting to get the conversation over with as quickly as possible.
"I'm here to pass on a message from the Rogue." Noah started "We all know she's here with you, and we know we can't make her return if she doesn't want to. So I'm here to tell you that you had better take care of her. If she is harmed in any way, or unhappy and wants to return, you had best let her do what she wants. Or you'll have me to answer too."
Daniel stood staring at Noah, shocked, for a moment before he spoke. "Is that all?"
"Umm…yes?" Noah replied not sure if he was suppose to talk longer or not
"You made me come all the way up here for that short speech!" Daniel asked
"You were the one who wanted to come up here, I was perfectly fine down in the hallway!" Noah replied having preferred it better. In the hallway there had been more ways of escape in case Daniel decided to call the guards upon him, here in the room, there was only a few means of escape.
"And did you come here of your own free will to deliver this message? Or did the Rogue really send you?" Daniel asked
"Neither of that is any of your business." Noah replied pointing the sword at Daniel
"I'm not finished!" Daniel said not liking to be interrupted. "The last time you were here, you came on your own as well. Coinscedence? Then when I was at the Rogue, you didn't like seeing Rovin run off with me into the woods, and know that she's here with me, you happen to show up, telling me to take care of her, which by the way I had already figured out. Rovin has free reign of whatever she wants. She can make her own decisions!"
"Now she can," Noah commented interrupting him on purpose
"What's that suppose to mean?" Daniel asked
"Will she still have free reign of whatever she wants after she marries you? Or will she be restricted?"
"There will be some restrictions, but that's nothing I can change. It's part of being a noble, not something someone as low as you would know of."
"I'm sure."
"Listen, why don't you just leave now, and I'll agree to never mention this conversation to Rovin."
"Or not,"
"Why? You came, you delivered your message, and now you need to leave."
"I think I'll stick around for a while. See as low as I am, I haven't learned everything. Besides there are some lovely things in this room that my fingers are just itching to steal!"Noah replied grinning from ear to ear as he surveyed the room, taking in the luscious belongings.
"You've delivered your message, I suggest you leave now, or I'll call the guards. I'm very busy and I don't have time to argue with a--"
"A what?" Noah interrupted pissing Daniel off even more. "A thief. A piece of filth. A scum on your foot?"
"Yes, all those things and more. Now leave!"
"You know, that's the second time in two days I've been threatened. If it continues it may become something that happens on a regular basis. But I've been threatened too much in my lifetime to count, or care anymore. Therefore, just to save us both the time and vocal chords, I'll be leaving. But trust me when I say you're being watched. One wrong move, and…" Noah demonstrated various ways of being killed, from hanging, to being shot, or being poisoned, etc. He grinned at the somewhat scared look on Daniel's face and left the room. Leaving Daniel stroking his neck.