A/N - Hey. This chapter's not as long as i'd like it to be, but i wanted to post it anyway. Hope you like it! We're getting closer to the end!
Chapter 21
Ace pushed open the door to the inn "Who here is Aaron of Cliff's Creek?" his voice echoing through the room as worried heads turned in his direction. Every person in the inn stopped what they were doing and turned to see the four young men standing in the doorway praying they weren't guards come to turn them in. They were all very grateful to see four young men who looked no different than anyone else there. Nobody responded to Ace's question but rather mumbled under their breath as they slowly returned to their own lives.
The three cousins, Sebastien, Xavier and Philip, had reunited after ten years of going their own ways and living their own lives, with the one exception of escorting their cousin there. But now they were together again searching through-out the city for their cousin who disappeared. After many nights of bad news Eliza had confessed some things to Xavier that gave the four boys a small light of hope. Ace had arrived in the city two days before Leopold disappeared but once she was gone he too disappeared and the three decided he had gone home to mourn instead of helping the three search. But alas he had returned with news that he would not tell any of them but insisted on talking to Eliza personally about the news she had told. Repeating everything that she had done with Leopold up until the night she disappeared Ace led the three others to the inn.
"Tis nobody here by the name `o Aaron `o Cliff's Crick" a woman said placing three mugs of ale on the table in front of her before turning back to her work. Ace weaved his way through the tables before grabbing the woman by her arm.
"Then where is Aaron the thief?" he hissed becoming angry.
"He'll be over by the fire. Talking to his highness." the woman muttered before pulling her arm out of his grasp and continuing through the room.
"I highly doubt that." Xavier muttered keeping a sharp eye of the room with one hand placed on his sword that hung at this waist.
Ace rolled his eyes at his younger cousin and led the way to the large table by the fire where four men sat with two woman as well as two young children. They all turned their heads as the four approached and seemed to tense up while making slow grabs for their weapons.
"There will be no need for that we don't mean to harm anyone." Ace spoke in his deep commanding voice. The man who sat at the end of the table stared Ace in the eye as if daring him to make a move. The man had to be no older than thirty, yet looked like he was still in his early twenties as did the woman sitting next to him. He had wild sea green eyes with a tame mane of dark hair that was cut short. Ace stared back at him with an emotionless face, something he had learned while being a page, and waited for the man to try to challenge him. Instead the man grinned sheepishly and nodded his head towards the people sitting around him.
"Put away your weapons Candle" the man chuckled "Save them for when you really need them."
Ace nodded before stepping up to the table and looking at the people sitting around it. A woman sat on the lap of the man named Candle cradling a baby in her arms and laughing at something the man was saying in her ear, while another woman sat to the right of the head man. She was young and beautiful with light brown hair. She placed a hand on the table before the man covered it with his own and they smiled at each other, obviously a couple. The woman held the man's gaze before she had to break up a fight that the young girl and boy were getting into beside her. Their were two other men, boys rather, sitting at the table. One of them had his hands clenched on top of the table and was chewing on his finger nails as his bowed his head and avoided any gaze Ace gave him, whilst the other was playing a card game of his own and not really paying attention to anything anyone was saying.
"And who might you be?" the head man inquired taking the woman's hand and lighting kissing it before she grabbed it out of his grasp in order to scold her daughter. The man chuckled before turning back to the four and waiting for a reply.
"I'm the future Duke of Wessex and these are my cousins." Ace announced giving no further introduction as he didn't trust the men sitting there in the least. "And you would be…"
"I'm am the King of the Rogue." the man grinned "That's all `ye need to know!"
"I believe I should know more than that." Ace said grinning in reply
"As should I!"
"Ace," he said with a small frown seeing the man had him in a corner
"Noah," the man grinned loving the fact that he won. "What brings `ye to my humble abode?"
"I have reason to speak to Aaron of Cliff's Creek." Ace replied. Noah shot a glance at the boy sitting two places to his left. The one chewing on his fingernails and avoiding every ones eyes before frowning and looking away. "And I believe I have just found him."
Before anyone could say anything else Aaron bolted from his seat and ran for the door, sliding out of Sebastiens grasp and stumbling in between the chairs of men and servant girls.
"Halt! Or I shall kill you!" Philip yelled in his harsh voice that he developed while being a member of the king's guard as he pulled an arrow from his back and cocked it in his bow, aiming it at Aaron's back. The bow had always been his best weapon and he carried it with him everywhere as it was useful in the King's guard. Aaron froze in his mad escape from the inn and balanced on one leg while flailing his arms as he tried not to move a muscle for fear of dying. His scramble had caused quite a commotion in the inn as the thieves all grabbed for their daggers and other weapons and started yelling at each other. When Philip aimed his bow the commotion stopped and everyone froze like Aaron, not quite sure who he was aiming at.
"I suggest you put your weapon away before one of my men kill you." Noah reported standing from his seat and taking a hard grasp of the arm of the woman next to him and speaking low so only she could hear. Her face showed anger as he spoke before she calmed down, glared in Ace's direction and sat down again, pulling her daughter along with her who immediately started complaining. Ace then took a glance around the table and room where every man held some sort of weapon that was all aimed at Ace and his cousins who in turn held their own swords in their hands. He turned back to Noah before scowling and replying.
"I suggest you control the actions of your people before they end up dead." Ace commanded glancing at his cousin who was too focused on his target to listen to what anyone was saying. "My cousin happens to be the best bows man in the king's guard." which was the truth.
Noah nodded once again and everyone groaned as they eased their weapons and returned to their own business. Philip commanded Aaron to slowly turn around and walk back to the table. He did so and Ace ordered a room for them to speak privately in. Noah led the four, with Aaron in tow to his own personal room that he knew no one would be able to hear from outside.
"What is this about?" Aaron hissed as the six men along with the woman who had sat by Noah gathered in the room.
"We've heard that you knew the Lady Leopold of Wessex." Xavier spoke first wanting to get to the bottom of things as quickly as possible. Suddenly Aaron's angry face froze. He stopped pacing the room and stood staring out the window which faced the East and he watched as the sun slowly rose to fill the room with it's warm glow. Ace could have sworn there were tears in his eyes but it was nothing he was going to mention to the boy now. Not when he needed the information so badly that he might save his cousin.
"I need to know Aaron." Ace said calmly advancing on the boy. He was getting older in his years and though he wasn't as young as he once knew he could tell when someone had feelings for another person a mile away. That was one way he knew Noah and the woman were married, from the way they acted towards each other and the way the acted in general. It gave all the signs of love. Though the boy was a special case seeing as Ace's hadn't seen his cousin in a few months and he wasn't quite sure of her actions she was almost certain that something had happened between the two that the boy wasn't telling them. "Aaron what happened between you two. Please tell us if there is anything you know so we may save her. I'm not going to beg so tell me. It's either that or death."
The boy remained silent with his arms crossed over his chest as he continued to stare at the sun before slowly and softly responding. "Death would be far better than facing her again."
Ace growled in his throat before advancing fully on the boy and grabbing him by his shoulders while giving him a few hard shakes. "What do you know!" He continued to yell at the boy before Xavier came forward and pried his cousin away. Aaron fell back stunned as he realized how much both he and the man were hurting because of Leopold, for different reasons but for the same cause. The man in front of her was crying because he loved his cousin so deeply that he was risking everything to find her and all Aaron was doing to find her was drinking away his love. A love that might just save her if he'd get his act together. He needed Leopold just as much as her cousin needed her. It took a few beatings and many drunk nights before Aaron finally figured out how much he couldn't live without her, but he finally did. And he needed to help, no matter what.
"I don't know where she is" Aaron spoke breaking the man from his breakdown. "The last time I saw her was four nights ago. She had come at sundown and we had a fight before she left again. I don't know where she might be, but I'll do all I can to help."
"That's all I wanted from you." Ace replied his tears fully gone as his pretend breakdown seemed to finally knock some sense into the boy. "Because I know where she is!"
Chapter 21
Ace pushed open the door to the inn "Who here is Aaron of Cliff's Creek?" his voice echoing through the room as worried heads turned in his direction. Every person in the inn stopped what they were doing and turned to see the four young men standing in the doorway praying they weren't guards come to turn them in. They were all very grateful to see four young men who looked no different than anyone else there. Nobody responded to Ace's question but rather mumbled under their breath as they slowly returned to their own lives.
The three cousins, Sebastien, Xavier and Philip, had reunited after ten years of going their own ways and living their own lives, with the one exception of escorting their cousin there. But now they were together again searching through-out the city for their cousin who disappeared. After many nights of bad news Eliza had confessed some things to Xavier that gave the four boys a small light of hope. Ace had arrived in the city two days before Leopold disappeared but once she was gone he too disappeared and the three decided he had gone home to mourn instead of helping the three search. But alas he had returned with news that he would not tell any of them but insisted on talking to Eliza personally about the news she had told. Repeating everything that she had done with Leopold up until the night she disappeared Ace led the three others to the inn.
"Tis nobody here by the name `o Aaron `o Cliff's Crick" a woman said placing three mugs of ale on the table in front of her before turning back to her work. Ace weaved his way through the tables before grabbing the woman by her arm.
"Then where is Aaron the thief?" he hissed becoming angry.
"He'll be over by the fire. Talking to his highness." the woman muttered before pulling her arm out of his grasp and continuing through the room.
"I highly doubt that." Xavier muttered keeping a sharp eye of the room with one hand placed on his sword that hung at this waist.
Ace rolled his eyes at his younger cousin and led the way to the large table by the fire where four men sat with two woman as well as two young children. They all turned their heads as the four approached and seemed to tense up while making slow grabs for their weapons.
"There will be no need for that we don't mean to harm anyone." Ace spoke in his deep commanding voice. The man who sat at the end of the table stared Ace in the eye as if daring him to make a move. The man had to be no older than thirty, yet looked like he was still in his early twenties as did the woman sitting next to him. He had wild sea green eyes with a tame mane of dark hair that was cut short. Ace stared back at him with an emotionless face, something he had learned while being a page, and waited for the man to try to challenge him. Instead the man grinned sheepishly and nodded his head towards the people sitting around him.
"Put away your weapons Candle" the man chuckled "Save them for when you really need them."
Ace nodded before stepping up to the table and looking at the people sitting around it. A woman sat on the lap of the man named Candle cradling a baby in her arms and laughing at something the man was saying in her ear, while another woman sat to the right of the head man. She was young and beautiful with light brown hair. She placed a hand on the table before the man covered it with his own and they smiled at each other, obviously a couple. The woman held the man's gaze before she had to break up a fight that the young girl and boy were getting into beside her. Their were two other men, boys rather, sitting at the table. One of them had his hands clenched on top of the table and was chewing on his finger nails as his bowed his head and avoided any gaze Ace gave him, whilst the other was playing a card game of his own and not really paying attention to anything anyone was saying.
"And who might you be?" the head man inquired taking the woman's hand and lighting kissing it before she grabbed it out of his grasp in order to scold her daughter. The man chuckled before turning back to the four and waiting for a reply.
"I'm the future Duke of Wessex and these are my cousins." Ace announced giving no further introduction as he didn't trust the men sitting there in the least. "And you would be…"
"I'm am the King of the Rogue." the man grinned "That's all `ye need to know!"
"I believe I should know more than that." Ace said grinning in reply
"As should I!"
"Ace," he said with a small frown seeing the man had him in a corner
"Noah," the man grinned loving the fact that he won. "What brings `ye to my humble abode?"
"I have reason to speak to Aaron of Cliff's Creek." Ace replied. Noah shot a glance at the boy sitting two places to his left. The one chewing on his fingernails and avoiding every ones eyes before frowning and looking away. "And I believe I have just found him."
Before anyone could say anything else Aaron bolted from his seat and ran for the door, sliding out of Sebastiens grasp and stumbling in between the chairs of men and servant girls.
"Halt! Or I shall kill you!" Philip yelled in his harsh voice that he developed while being a member of the king's guard as he pulled an arrow from his back and cocked it in his bow, aiming it at Aaron's back. The bow had always been his best weapon and he carried it with him everywhere as it was useful in the King's guard. Aaron froze in his mad escape from the inn and balanced on one leg while flailing his arms as he tried not to move a muscle for fear of dying. His scramble had caused quite a commotion in the inn as the thieves all grabbed for their daggers and other weapons and started yelling at each other. When Philip aimed his bow the commotion stopped and everyone froze like Aaron, not quite sure who he was aiming at.
"I suggest you put your weapon away before one of my men kill you." Noah reported standing from his seat and taking a hard grasp of the arm of the woman next to him and speaking low so only she could hear. Her face showed anger as he spoke before she calmed down, glared in Ace's direction and sat down again, pulling her daughter along with her who immediately started complaining. Ace then took a glance around the table and room where every man held some sort of weapon that was all aimed at Ace and his cousins who in turn held their own swords in their hands. He turned back to Noah before scowling and replying.
"I suggest you control the actions of your people before they end up dead." Ace commanded glancing at his cousin who was too focused on his target to listen to what anyone was saying. "My cousin happens to be the best bows man in the king's guard." which was the truth.
Noah nodded once again and everyone groaned as they eased their weapons and returned to their own business. Philip commanded Aaron to slowly turn around and walk back to the table. He did so and Ace ordered a room for them to speak privately in. Noah led the four, with Aaron in tow to his own personal room that he knew no one would be able to hear from outside.
"What is this about?" Aaron hissed as the six men along with the woman who had sat by Noah gathered in the room.
"We've heard that you knew the Lady Leopold of Wessex." Xavier spoke first wanting to get to the bottom of things as quickly as possible. Suddenly Aaron's angry face froze. He stopped pacing the room and stood staring out the window which faced the East and he watched as the sun slowly rose to fill the room with it's warm glow. Ace could have sworn there were tears in his eyes but it was nothing he was going to mention to the boy now. Not when he needed the information so badly that he might save his cousin.
"I need to know Aaron." Ace said calmly advancing on the boy. He was getting older in his years and though he wasn't as young as he once knew he could tell when someone had feelings for another person a mile away. That was one way he knew Noah and the woman were married, from the way they acted towards each other and the way the acted in general. It gave all the signs of love. Though the boy was a special case seeing as Ace's hadn't seen his cousin in a few months and he wasn't quite sure of her actions she was almost certain that something had happened between the two that the boy wasn't telling them. "Aaron what happened between you two. Please tell us if there is anything you know so we may save her. I'm not going to beg so tell me. It's either that or death."
The boy remained silent with his arms crossed over his chest as he continued to stare at the sun before slowly and softly responding. "Death would be far better than facing her again."
Ace growled in his throat before advancing fully on the boy and grabbing him by his shoulders while giving him a few hard shakes. "What do you know!" He continued to yell at the boy before Xavier came forward and pried his cousin away. Aaron fell back stunned as he realized how much both he and the man were hurting because of Leopold, for different reasons but for the same cause. The man in front of her was crying because he loved his cousin so deeply that he was risking everything to find her and all Aaron was doing to find her was drinking away his love. A love that might just save her if he'd get his act together. He needed Leopold just as much as her cousin needed her. It took a few beatings and many drunk nights before Aaron finally figured out how much he couldn't live without her, but he finally did. And he needed to help, no matter what.
"I don't know where she is" Aaron spoke breaking the man from his breakdown. "The last time I saw her was four nights ago. She had come at sundown and we had a fight before she left again. I don't know where she might be, but I'll do all I can to help."
"That's all I wanted from you." Ace replied his tears fully gone as his pretend breakdown seemed to finally knock some sense into the boy. "Because I know where she is!"