Chapter 3
Aurora and Marius parted ways at midnight, but only for a few hours. The party was looking like it would continue well into the morning, and more than a few distinguished nobles were drunk and making fools of themselves. They weren't noticed as they went to their rooms.
Aurora was practically giddy with excitement. It wasn't like she had never thought of running away before… she had thought of it every day. But now she had someone to be with, and besides, with the excitement of the wedding bound to last for days and days, no one would notice for easily over a week. By that time, they'd either be so far away or so well hidden that not even the royal knights could find them.
She changed out of her dress and into her usual attire, strapping on her boots with a smile. She threw some extra clothes into her bag, along with some jewels to sell and any gold that she had. The sky was lightening a bit as she braided her hair. She looked around the room one last time; she had never particularly liked it, what with its pompous architecture and heavy, rich fabrics. She had never made any attempt to make it her own, because the only time she spent in it was to sleep. She shrugged and left, closing the door with a satisfying bang.
The halls were empty and quiet, save for the distant sounds of merriment that continued to persist. She snaked through the hallways to the door that led to her stable. She could see the partiers still having a good time on the ballroom's balcony, the orchestra still playing waltzes and spirited gavottes. She turned her eyes away to see Marius standing near the stable, his horse by his side. He smiled as she approached.
"Will you miss your home?" he asked as she led her horse out of the stable, after leaving a note for Thomas. She looked at the palace, pondering the question. No matter how many times she looked at it, the palace still seemed foreign and strange. It had never been her home.
"No," she said simply with a smile.
He returned the smile, shifting the quiver of arrows on his shoulder. He, too, had a sword at his hip.
"Will you miss yours?" she inquired, mounting her horse.
He thought for a moment, and then mounted his as well.
"No," he answered pensively. "Besides, my parents will simply think I either stayed in Kyrria to court some maiden or have begun scouring the countryside for a bride," he said, his voice joking yet scornful. He then chuckled. "Well," he said, "take one last look at the past."
She looked at the palace and at the party on the balcony. She sighed, a tiny part of her sorry that she could not stay and be happy. But the rest of her was fighting to leave, so with a final nod, she turned her horse around and headed for the forest, Marius following.
They paused at midday, somewhere deep in the forest. The trees casted cooling shadows to deflect the scorching sun, and they were able to find a small stream to take a quick drink. Marius was wiping his brow as Aurora fitted an arrow to her bow.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"I just realized I'm starving," she said. "I thought I might go try to find some food."
He nodded. "I'll come with you," he said, reaching for an arrow as well.
"No, you stay here with the horses. I'll be fine," she said with a smile, amused by his concern.
He bit his lip, but sighed. "Alright. But if you're not back in an hour, I'm coming for you."
Aurora left their little dell and headed off the path, where the growth was thick and wild. Her going was slow, and for awhile she didn't see or hear anything. After half an hour, she saw another path, with deeply embedded wheel tracks. She stood on it for a moment, searching the other side for any sign of deer.
Something caught her eye, and she loosened her grip on her bow. She crossed the path and quietly walked over the untamed brush and into this darker part of the forest. A small vale, much like the one where she had left Marius, was visible a few score feet away in a spot of sunlight. It wasn't empty, though; a dozen or more people were huddling in its light. As she crept closer, unnoticed, she saw they were all crowded around a dead deer, each person seemingly desperate to get a morsel of meat. They were clothed in shabby rags that hung limp on their thin frames, and their hair was straggly and frail. Aurora's heart fell, and her mind flickered to the wedding, where food had been in such abundance that the chef had been talking of throwing it away once the party was over. She quickly grew angry, and was about to speak to the people when a clattering noise resounded throughout the forest. The people seemed to panic, and before Aurora could say anything, they had taken the deer and vanished.
The noise continued, and Aurora left her spot and went back to the road. The sound was that of a carriage rattling down the path, and it was coming her way. She stayed to the side and hid behind a tree, her arrow still ready. The carriage came closer, and she could hear voices talking. Carefully, she turned around and laid her stomach close to the tree, and just barely peeped her eyes around the trunk.
She couldn't believe it. It was as if it was fate; the carriage that was trotting closer and closer was piled high with food, lots and lots of food in wicker baskets. She smirked to herself, and fingered her bow. She stepped back a bit, into the dark shadow of the tree.
The carriage was closer, and the voices were clear.
"Can you believe the princess wanted all of this food to go to those disgraceful poor hoodlums?" one man said, cracking his whip.
"It's going to much better use at the wedding," the other agreed. "Those begging ruffians don't deserve it."
Biting her cheek to keep herself from getting angry, Aurora withdrew her dagger and sliced a strip of fabric from her britches. Cutting two holes in it, she put down her bow for only a moment and tied the fabric around her head. If these two men were headed to Kyrria, the last thing she wanted was to be seen.
The carriage finally came by the tree. Aurora let it clatter on a few feet, and then – whoosh – her arrow landed right between the wheel and the carriage. The carriage struggled for a few moments, shuddering with great intensity, and then it fell with a great thud onto its side. The men rolled from their seat off the path, landing in the thick underbrush by the side of the road. Aurora leapt from her place.
She scooped up as many baskets as she could, and then noticed the men coming to their senses and staring at her. She swept a grand bow.
"Thank you gentlemen," she said, pitching her voice much lower than usual. With one last look toward the empty vale, she left the men to fend for themselves and walked back through the forest to Marius.
She reached their little valley, nearly laughing aloud. She found Marius pacing the small area with furious anxiety.
"Would you like to have a picnic?" she said, leaning against a tree and holding up the baskets. His mouth fell open.
"Aurora! I was so worried – how did you – what are these-" he stammered.
She chuckled. "I ran into a carriage headed for Kyrria," she explained. "Their wheel… just happened to break and the baskets went everywhere."
He smiled. "Well, that's a bit of bad luck for them, isn't it?" he said with a grin. "But how do you explain the mask?" he asked, indicating Aurora's makeshift disguise.
She chuckled. "Well, I wouldn't want my dear old dad to know that his precious daughter is going around breaking people's carriages," she said, laughing.
He took a basket from her and they sat down, spreading the little quilts that were neatly folded inside the baskets.
"Is this how it's to be, then?" he asked as she removed her mask. "We'll live off of other people's misfortune?"
"Why, is that a problem?" she asked, smiling as she ate a chicken leg.
He shrugged, but she could see he wasn't thrilled with the idea.
"Marius, the men were taking this food to Kyrria even though their princess had asked them to give it to the poor," she said. "It doesn't have to be just us who live off of others' misfortune. We can… we can steal from the rich and give it to the poor," she said with a flourish, and then told him about the people she had seen in the vale.
He scowled. "They were desperate because their rulers won't spare them a passing glance. The rich think they carry some sort of plague that spreads poverty," he said, his voice rough with anger.
"Exactly. Think what we could give to them," she said. "The rich always carry around gold in their fancy-pants carriages. Do they really need that gold? I mean, honestly."
"And they always dress in clothing that's probably worth twice as much as the poor have ever earned in their whole life. And for what purpose? Do you really need to wear a silk doublet to check on your orchard?"
Aurora smiled as he continued to rant. He had such passion; more than once she had thought that he may only be a spoiled prince who was craving adventure. But he had proven to her that he genuinely cared about the poorest of the poor, the weakest of the weak. And she admired him for it.
"You're absolutely right," he finally finished, pouring some wine into two goblets. He lifted his up, and Aurora followed suit. "Once you're an outlaw, you'll always be an outlaw. To sticking it to the rich!"
"Here, here!" Aurora chimed in, and they clinked the goblets and drank.
"Do you think we'll get caught?" Marius asked.
Aurora smiled. "Does it matter?"
He chuckled, but didn't answer, and they fell into silence.
They had been eating for a few minutes when Aurora said, "You know, you should probably make a mask, too."
He nodded, and took out his dagger. Instead of tearing the black britches he had on, however, he reached into his satchel and took out a navy doublet. He cut a long strip of its lush fabric and then took a moment to measure where his eye holes should go.
Aurora laughed at him as he carefully cut the holes. "You're not performing surgery, Marius."
He gave a 'hmph.' "Well, I don't want to be attacking some noble and not be able to see," he argued. He finished and tried it on.
"Oh, very nice," Aurora said. "It brings out your eyes," she said jokingly.
"It will be the height of fashion," he said. "Soon everyone will be wearing a mask."
"Perhaps I shall add some rubies to mine, glam it up a bit," she said, putting hers back on. "What do you think?"
"Oh yes… maybe I could find some gold thread and embroider mine," he replied, and they laughed, but it wore off.
"Do you think we'll be wanted men?" Marius asked thoughtfully.
She raised an eyebrow. "Men?"
"You know what I mean," he said.
She smiled. "Of course. We'll be famous… everyone will fear us," she said with a laugh, but then sobered. "We should think of some plans," she said. "In case we do get known, we want to keep them surprised."
He nodded, and reached into his satchel again and drew out some paper, pen, and ink. They spent the afternoon sitting in the secluded grove, scheming skillful and crafty plans of attack. By the time night fell, any worry that either of them had had about being found out was gone as they reviewed their strategies.
The morning dawned, fresh and encouraging. Marius and Aurora needed to only take one look at each other, and their plan was set into motion. They packed up their belongings and parted.
Marius headed back to the road from whence they had originally came, and paused for a moment to watch Aurora walk the other way, toward the path she had been to yesterday. He chuckled softly to himself; she was unlike anyone he had ever met before. He thought about her as he made his way through the tall grass. As they had talked of their plans yesterday, she had had such enthusiasm that she was almost inhuman. This is going to work, he thought. He could finally lift the guilt that had weighted so heavily on his conscious every time he had attended a feast, or a ball, or an extravagant coronation. He was no longer a prince. He was a servant to the poor, an aide to the weak, a server to the helpless. And man, did it feel good.
He reached his destination, a tall tree by the side of the road. He tied his horse to a low branch, and then climbed to the very top of the tree. He stood on the strongest branch he could find, and held on tight. He smiled; he had a perfect view of the road. He got comfortable and waited. And waited. And waited. And waited…
It was just after midday, and Marius was jerked out of his stupor by the sound of a bird call. It was Aurora's call! Finally, he thought, and quickly returned the call. He excitedly, yet carefully, climbed down from the tree and leapt from a low branch onto his horse's back. Untying his horse quickly, he set off at a gallop. His horse nimbly leapt over roots and fallen branches, and in a few minutes, he could hear the clatter of a carriage coming down the road. Grinning, he stayed hidden in the thickness of the edge of the forest, but galloped alongside the decadent and elaborate carriage, the driver of which wore heavy purple velvet and had a thin, curled mustache. Pulling ahead for a moment, he saw Aurora doing the same as him on the other side of the path. He immediately knew which plan they were going to use, and waited for the signal.
Sure enough, in just a few moments, he heard the bird call again, and he sprang into action. He pulled his horse from out of the forest and galloped beside the carriage on the road. The driver noticed the two riders flanking his carriage, but before he could do anything, Marius heard another bird call. He pulled his horse forward to the driver's seat, and urging his horse to continue galloping, reached out and grabbed a decorative centaur that sat perched on the corner of the carriage. Swinging himself off his horse, he landed quite nicely next to the driver, whose face had gone white but was putting up a fight. Marius grabbed the reins with one hand and punched the driver square in the nose with the other. The man was knocked out and slumped to the side. Marius took the reins with both hands, and thrilled with his success, prayed that Aurora was doing as well as he was.
She was. Aurora had been galloping along the right side of the carriage, and after giving the bird call, grasped two centaurs that were lining the top of the coach. She, too, urged her horse to continue galloping, and swinging herself back, crashed through the door and landed with a clunk on the floor of the carriage. She shook off the small pangs of pain and saw two ridiculously overdressed men staring at her, sitting on opposite sides of the carriage. Laughing from how easy it was, she stayed on her back but kicked her legs out to either side with great strength, sending a terrible blow to each man's groin. The men gave out a scream of pain, and they fell forward, hitting their heads together and knocking each other out.
Aurora took a moment to breathe and smiled to find a chest sitting nicely on one of the seats. It wasn't even locked… she laughed again. Opening it, she found small pouches tied with silk ribbon. She took out her dagger and sliced one open; a shower of glittering gold coins poured out. She grinned, and closed the chest again. Then, sensing that this may be the easiest steal they would ever have, stripped the unconscious men of their fancy clothing, leaving them in their equally fancy skivvies. Clutching the clothes and the chest firmly under her right arm, she held onto the edge of the broken door and once more gave the bird call. The stagecoach slowed down to a halt, and Aurora whistled for her horse to slow down as well. He trotted beside the carriage, and when it stopped, she slid onto its back and went around the carriage to the front.
Marius had done the same, and they grinned at each other.
"Well done," he said.
"You, too," she replied, but then her smile faltered. "I think that may have been a little too easy, though."
He nodded. "It was probably the easiest we'll ever have."
"Well, I took full advantage of it," she said, her smile returning as she held out the clothes. Marius laughed.
"You didn't," he said, taking a pair of velvet pants from her.
She laughed as well. "I had to, I just couldn't resist."
They laughed and talked of their first successful escapade as they trotted toward the valley where Aurora had seen the group of impoverished people. It was empty, but Aurora had the feeling they were being watched.
She came down from her horse and took the chest in both hands. Marius followed with the clothes. They walked down into the small valley and laid down their finds. Aurora kneeled and opened the chest, untying a few of the pouches, not bothering to tie back her glimmering red hair which had escaped from its ribbon.
"This is for you," she said, looking around as she noticed pairs of eyes shining out from the darkness. She then glanced at Marius, who smiled at her encouragingly.
A few moments of odd silence ensued, and Marius gestured to Aurora that they should leave. They were about to mount their horses when a woman stepped out of the darkness.
"We are very grateful to you," she said, her voice husky but polite. Aurora and Marius paused, and then nodded to her.
"We saw the whole thing," came another voice, and a man stepped out as well. "You are very brave, to steal from the rich and give it to us, the poor. We thank you." At this, the entire group emerged from the trees, including gaunt little children with bright, wide eyes. Marius suddenly bowed to them.
"It was our honor," he said.
"We shall remember you," the first woman said. "We shall tell of your valiant deeds… Flaming Red and the Sundance Kid."
Aurora and Marius looked at each other, and grinned as they silently agreed that they loved their newly christened names.
"Well, this is only the beginning," Aurora said with a smile, and then mounted her horse. Marius did the same, taking in the grateful faces of the group once more. With one last nod of the head, the newly minted outlaws rode away.
That night, they ate what was left from the baskets and talked of their victory.
"You were amazing," Marius said as he sat leaned against a tree. He gazed at Aurora through the flames of their small fire; he'd had a bit too much wine, and Aurora, who hadn't had much at all, just laughed at him.
"You're drunk," she informed him, drinking instead from her canteen of water.
"I am not," he said thickly, leaving his place and moving toward her. Without much warning, he let his head fall on her shoulder.
"I'm glad I'm out here with you," he said, his voice childish as he took her hand in his.
"Next time I'll leave the wine for the nobles," Aurora said callously; she was irritated that he had drank so much, and knew that this conversation was heading somewhere she didn't like.
"No… I like wine," Marius said in a whiny voice. "Just like I like you."
"Are you comparing me to alcohol?" Aurora said, her irritability ebbing as she realized how humorous the situation was. He would forget everything in the morning anyways.
"No," he said, picking his head up and looking her in the face. She refused to look at him and instead concentrated on the fire. A few moments later, however, Marius suddenly reached up and pulled her face toward his, placing his lips on hers. He broke away after only a few seconds, and with a fleeting look of happiness on his face, he fell onto his side and fell dead asleep.
Aurora, however, breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't felt a thing… well, except for his dry lips and wine-tasting breath. Somewhere inside of her she had been worried that she may actually feel something other than kinship with Marius, but that kiss had just proven that there was not one part of her that was attracted to him. She smiled and leaned back on her elbows.
Nothing could stand in their way now.
A/N: Ack! I am SO SORRY! I can't believe how long it's been! First there was school, and then there was this period where I couldn't decide where to go next with this story, and then I wanted to concentrate on my other story. So I am dreadfully sorry!
But now school is out and I have more time! And I feel much more inspired for this story. But you know what makes me even more inspired? Reviews! So please review!
Emma the NazgulQueen