A/N: Okay, so the last chapter was REALLY short. This one's pretty short,
too. But hey, you were warned. Thanks for your reviews! Please R&R!
*** *** *** *** *** *** Mary POV
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Piper and I were headed for the fields, where Bo awaited us. I had tiny, warm Lumpkins in my arms, and he was bleating happily, cuddling against my chest. I squeezed him tight, smiling foolishly.
And then Vermin and Piper crashed into each other. She hit the earth square on her tailbone, and he was thrown into a stable wall. Piper, to no one's surprise, was on her feet first. She grabbed Vermin by his hair and dragged him to his feet. "Look at my costume!" she screamed, "You oaf! I won't be able to perform in this mockery!" She pinned him roughly to the stable's outer wall, still by his hair. "What do you have to say?"
"You were moving. I was stationary. You crashed into me."
Piper's eyes lost their vicious fire. "Oh," was all she said as she dropped him to the ground. He stood up, appearing quite angered. "I apologize for your clumsiness, my lady," he snapped, and bent over in a quick bow.
Piper peered curiously at him, raising an eloquent eyebrow, and then she smiled. "That was dangerously cheeky of you, churl."
"I am a dethroned king. Breathing is a danger."
"True. But I could have you flogged for rude behavior towards a lady."
Vermin shrugged docilely. "As you wish, milady," he replied aloud, bowing his head politely. But under the mess of hair hiding his face, he smirked wickedly. "You do not appear the typical lady," he muttered to himself. Piper caught the snide remark, and Vermin knew it as soon as the phrase left his lips. "I - I - I am sorry, my lady." He lifted his head again and then bowed it reluctantly.
Piper laughed loudly. "You are most certainly not, pig boy." Vermin smiled slightly. "I prefer rat boy," he replied. I smiled at him. Finally, someone else for him to pay attention to. Now he could bother Piper.
But Piper seemed to be truly enjoying herself. She grinned. "What's your name?"
"I am called Vermin."
"I did not ask what you were called."
"My actual name is Jocelyn. But that is irrelevant, considering my current position." He gestured helplessly at his swineherd attire.
"Not to me, Jocelyn. I belong to no land, and follow no dim-witted king's rules."
Jocelyn's mouth dropped open. "Where do you live?" he asked, eyes dancing with fantastic ideas. Piper shrugged. "I live on the roads, traveling from land to land and performing for anyone who will see me - and occasionally for those who won't."
Vermin/Jocelyn grinned. "That sounds brilliant," he murmured. Piper beamed at him. "Then mayhap you will come with me when I leave here."
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*** *** *** *** *** *** Mary POV
*** *** *** *** *** ***
Piper and I were headed for the fields, where Bo awaited us. I had tiny, warm Lumpkins in my arms, and he was bleating happily, cuddling against my chest. I squeezed him tight, smiling foolishly.
And then Vermin and Piper crashed into each other. She hit the earth square on her tailbone, and he was thrown into a stable wall. Piper, to no one's surprise, was on her feet first. She grabbed Vermin by his hair and dragged him to his feet. "Look at my costume!" she screamed, "You oaf! I won't be able to perform in this mockery!" She pinned him roughly to the stable's outer wall, still by his hair. "What do you have to say?"
"You were moving. I was stationary. You crashed into me."
Piper's eyes lost their vicious fire. "Oh," was all she said as she dropped him to the ground. He stood up, appearing quite angered. "I apologize for your clumsiness, my lady," he snapped, and bent over in a quick bow.
Piper peered curiously at him, raising an eloquent eyebrow, and then she smiled. "That was dangerously cheeky of you, churl."
"I am a dethroned king. Breathing is a danger."
"True. But I could have you flogged for rude behavior towards a lady."
Vermin shrugged docilely. "As you wish, milady," he replied aloud, bowing his head politely. But under the mess of hair hiding his face, he smirked wickedly. "You do not appear the typical lady," he muttered to himself. Piper caught the snide remark, and Vermin knew it as soon as the phrase left his lips. "I - I - I am sorry, my lady." He lifted his head again and then bowed it reluctantly.
Piper laughed loudly. "You are most certainly not, pig boy." Vermin smiled slightly. "I prefer rat boy," he replied. I smiled at him. Finally, someone else for him to pay attention to. Now he could bother Piper.
But Piper seemed to be truly enjoying herself. She grinned. "What's your name?"
"I am called Vermin."
"I did not ask what you were called."
"My actual name is Jocelyn. But that is irrelevant, considering my current position." He gestured helplessly at his swineherd attire.
"Not to me, Jocelyn. I belong to no land, and follow no dim-witted king's rules."
Jocelyn's mouth dropped open. "Where do you live?" he asked, eyes dancing with fantastic ideas. Piper shrugged. "I live on the roads, traveling from land to land and performing for anyone who will see me - and occasionally for those who won't."
Vermin/Jocelyn grinned. "That sounds brilliant," he murmured. Piper beamed at him. "Then mayhap you will come with me when I leave here."
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