Midnight Run {open

[Alexander]

A single hawk’s song sounded overhead, as it sailed across the overcast sky. The sun glared from behind its vale of clouds that threatened to bust with precipitation at any moment, its hazy glow illuminating the small, past its prime, village below. Streets were littered with the passing man or woman, returning to their humble little shacks they called home after a long day’s work. A woman’s voice was shrill against the evening air as she called after her child, who ran amuck down the street with friends, that it was time to return home for supper. Simultaneously, small homely glows from home hearths or a stoves could be seen through the small windows or from underneath the doors that didn’t fit properly in their frames. Smoke could be seen drifting from chimneys in the castle from the many chambers and mainly the kitchens, as everyone began to bed down for the night, all except one.

Muddy brown gaze swept over the scene that lay out before the young male, who sat in a perched like fashion on a barrel in the middle of an empty alley. His tunic were rumpled and his skin filthy from not having a bath in over two weeks, but who could think about hygiene when one had something to watch over carefully so to ensure no one would steal it from its rightful owner.
A single gold ring with silver detailing laid in the center of his dirty palm, as he barely rotated from the wrist catching the last of the ruddy light as the sun began to drift slowly down into its chamber below the horizon, on the glittering piece of excellent craftsmanship. Nothing could break his gaze as he stared contently down at the gold ringlet, not a loud clatter or the simple nudge of someone passing by; he was simple enchanted. Something about a fine piece of jewelry or silver wear, or anything that sparkled for the matter was his drug, his addictive substance he could not get enough of . Something about the way light could bounce off the smooth or detailed surfaces, held his attentions for hours at times, or until something better happened to pass by.

Sighing softly, the young lad dropped from his perch like position, onto his rump letting his legs dangle on either side of the wooden cylinder filled with old apple gone rotten. He slipped the ring from one hand to the other, letting the cold metal glide across his calloused skin before very carefully and delicately placing the ringlet back into the small velvet pouch that hung from his belt. In the pouch he kept his smaller, more valuable treasures, the items that could hold his gaze the longest before he was forced to hide it from wandering eyes.
Once more he sighed as he slid from his seat and began to slink down the alley toward the main road. No matter where he was or what he was doing he always slinked from shadow to shadow. A nervous habit one must guess or just something he does without consult from his mind for he had been doing it for so long. His gaze jumped from one object to another as he glided from one dark shadow to another, never crossing the paths of light from a window, in fear of casting a shadow that may signal to someone he was there. A lanky featured hand wound itself through his hair as he made it past the majority of close nit houses and shops to the area where they occasionally dotted alongside the road. He padded along the dirt road for a few silent moment before he halted in front of a fenced pasture where a few sorry excuses for cows grazed amongst the most magnificent horse.
The mare’s coat was a rich, creamy grey that dappled over her flank and up her shoulders. Her hind legs had two white socks that reached past her hocks and up her gaskins to blend into the grey hairs above. For weeks he had been visiting the equine, slowly gaining her trust for when the night came, she would go quickly and silently without alarming the farmer.
Grinning wildly, he softly patted the mare’s neck as she stood by the wooded fence, leaning over to nibbled at his shirt sleeve. After a few quick moments of caressing the mare he turned to silently pad toward the small shed of a barn to find the old bridle he spotted earlier that week. Quietly he rummaged through the piles of junk before his fingers grasped the leather of the bridle in the bottom of a pile of old harnessing.

Retuning to the equine he scaled over the fence and walked toward her, quickly bridled her then stood, stock still, listening to see if the farmer had awakened by any remote chance. When everything checked out to his likings he led the mare toward and out the gate before leaping onto her warm back. She pranced underneath him, not used to being ridden bareback before settling down, accepting the new idea of comfort riding. Alexander ran a hand across her rump before softly clucking, cueing the mare to walk forward, away from the village and the farm.

[Evelyn Groust]

Evelyn sighed and got down on her hands on knees for the 5th time in a row, when she had pushed her way into the wild bush that surrounded Terulla she had no idea just how wild it would be. She had scratches all up her arms and she’d torn her dress right down the side…she just hoped nobody came along, because the dress was basically ruined. She put her hand down, so not to scratch her face, and wriggled through the tiny gap in the bushes that Evelyn assumed was made by rabbits. A cold fern slapped her in the face, its icy coldness sending Evelyn’s skin into goose bumps. “Damn fern…” She mumbled to herself, pushing it out of the way, but at the same time noticing the delicious smell of wet earth that rose from its jade green leaves. Stopping for a moment, she picked up the discarded fern branch and bought it to her nose, she breathed in deeply, her elven blood tingling at the scent of such rich earth. Letting the branch fall to the ground the continued on praying that the tunnel would soon open up a bit and she would be able to stand again. Growling in frustration she turned around and sat on her rump, bent over in the tiny tunnel. A creeper had managed to entangle itself around her foot and she pulled at it, extremely frustrated and wondering whether she should turn back or not.

When she had been pulling at the creeper for a while and it still clung mercilessly to her ankle, she reached into one of her pockets and with drew a simple pocket knife, she hacked at the creeper until it relinquished her ankle. She was about the throw it away when her eyes picked up a white liquid that oozed from the cut end of the creeper. She stopped and bought the end closer to her face, and watched fascinated as the creeper ‘bled’ from its new wound. “Well that’s great Evelyn, but we really should be getting off if we want to be out of here by dark.” Evelyn often did this, talked to herself, she hated silence, so when she was all by herself she would often fill the silent void with words of her own. And again she caught herself hoping no woodsman would hear her.

Evelyn’s face broke into a wide smile when in the distance she caught the last remnants of the day’s sunlight streaming into the tunnel opening. Crawling forward with much more enthusiasm she reached the end in what seemed like only seconds. She stuck her head out of the opening and twisted it from left to right, from what she could see, she was alone. Making sure one last time that she indeed alone, the grasped the ripped sides of her dress so they would not fall open and pulled herself out of the bushes and onto a cold dirt road. When she was upright Evelyn looked around to take in her surroundings. Behind her the sun slipped down slowly behind the clouds that were building on the horizon. Chewing her lip Evelyn pondered on which way to go. Deciding that she might as well continue in the general direction in which she had been heading, she turned her lithe form south and stared walking. Evelyn’s feet kicked up tiny clouds of dust, and she let her eyes wander on the path ahead of where she was walking. The path turned suddenly, veering away to the right and Evelyn hurried her steps, knowing she must be close to the town and keen to find a warm place to sleep for a night. She grinned to herself, she should have no trouble conning some man into letting her share is bed for the night.

As she turned, the path continued on, but the bush didn’t, it ended abruptly and the world opened up into a few acres of pasture before being halted by the ugly ramshackle buildings of the town itself. Sighing in relief at having finally found the town, she set off about finding a pub, she reached into her pockets to check that the coins she had, hadn’t fallen out of her pocket. And her ears gratefully heard the clink of silver coins as her fingers brushed against them. Suddenly out of the corner of her eye a dark frame caught her attention. She stood there from the shadows of the trees watching it, unsure of what it was. Gasping she pulled herself into the curve of the tree trunk, it was a boy! Eyes wide she hugged the tree and tried to hold her dress together at the same time. What is he doing out so late? She though to herself, shrugging she figured he must have been a herder, out late to check one last time on his mob. But hang on; he didn’t look like someone who was innocently checking on his cows, he was skulking rather quietly across the road and over to a fenced pasture where a few skinny cows and one rather pretty looking mare stood. The mare looked up, and as if recognizing the boy, walked happily towards him. Evelyn was a fair way away, and in the lessening light she couldn’t make out what the boy was doing, but a few moments later the boy disappeared into a shed. Evelyn took the opportunity and sprinted across the path to a tree which was a bit larger, and might conceal her a little bit better. The boy returned almost only a second later, bridle in hand. Evelyn shrugged, it must be his horse if he was riding it…but why all the secrecy?

Evelyn bit her bottom lip in thought, maybe he just didn’t want anyone to know he was riding? Evelyn rested her back against the sturdy trunk of the tree and planned on waiting until the boy had ridden off before she slipped into the town. Next to her a black shape caught her eye, Evelyn squinted trying to make out what it was, she figured it must just be a bush…that was until it moved. Evelyn screamed and threw herself away from the shape and out onto the path. She was terrified of snakes, and in her mind she thought it must have been a snake curled up. Clutching at her dress she stared into the bushes seeing if the snake would pursue her, to her embarrassment a small brown rabbit sprinted off into the bushes. Blushing she looked around, not there was much chance that the whole town hadn’t heard her scream, but had this mysterious silent boy seen her whole exposed side? Or had she been able to hold the dress on enough.

[Alexander]

‘So far so good’ he kept repeating mentally, as the mare’s hoofs hit rhythmically in a smooth gaited trot. A sharp grin crossed his facial region as the mare broke into a very comfortable lope of a snail’s pace. “Your just like the Royal Advisor’s gelding” he murmured softly, running a hand down the middle of her crest to her withers as he lapsed into thought, remembering the day he had spotted the grand bay. His gaits had been animated and very eye catching, yet any man could easily walk alongside at the trot, walk and canter. The advisor ‘s seat in the saddle never once bounced, giving proof to how smooth his mount truly was, convincing the biggest nonbeliever.
The night air was beginning to turn frigid but it didn’t seem to bother neither equine nor boy for they shared their body heat as they traveled. The grey pelt underneath him glowed with warmth as he hummed softly to the mare, slowing her pace to a gentle walk, letting her catch her air and so he could more easily lapse into thought on the price he would sell her too. ‘300 gold coins? Maybe silver or copper… But your worth a thousand but I doubt I’ll get that for her from the carpet merchant.’ ‘Yet I bet I could get 300 silver and 200 gold for her from the man with the boy in Bawleil. No he specifically said he wanted a gelding for his son.’ He sighed heavily then gasped with the perfect idea ‘The lady back in Dulnount wanted a mare! I’m brilliant”
As he mentally discussed the price to sell the equine for and the right one, a glass shattering scream broke through his mental barrier and startled the mare. In one swift and unexpected movement the mare jump in the air then to the side, throwing the young thief to the ground. He landed flat on his back, knocking the wind from his lungs, causing him to lay in the road for a few moments wondering what had just happened. He hazily rose to his feet and stared after the mare who was galloping wildly down the road then toward the edge of the bushes where the most defiantly feminine scream had came from. What stood before him nearly scared the living day light from him. A female dressed in rags. Why it scared him he wasn’t sure but he stumbled back and fell onto his rear. Once he hit the ground he stared stupidly at the female then at the small speck of a horse still galloping down the road. “Just great” he muttered angrily rising to his feet. ‘Forget chivalry she made me loose my horse’ he thought angrily

[Evelyn Groust]

Evelyn's eyes should have really been paying attention to the boy and the horse, but she couldn't help but keep than fixed on the bushes, although her last fright had proved wrongly done. The thought of the slimy body of a snake getting anywhere near her, gave her the chills. She tried to direct her attention to the boy, but her eyes kept darting back to the bushes. However between her darting glances she noticed the horse getting more and more agitated. Finally her slightly pointed ears caught the dull thud of his body hitting the ground. Startled she looked up eyes quickly running over the ground until it caught the now faint shape of the boy, he was on the ground, apparently having been dismounted. Evelyn bit her lip guilty knowing that it was probably her unwarranted scream that had startled the horse and resulted in the boys dumping.

The boy picked himself and dusted himself off, looking up he seemed to only just become aware of her presence, and startled he moved backwards and promptly fell over his own feet and returned to his spot in the dirt. “Oh my! Evelyn bought one hand to her mouth and stood there, not really sure of what to do. She wasn’t sure whether this boy was going to treat her all that kindly now she had caused him to fall off his horse, and now the horse it appeared was on a mad dash away from the scene. Deciding that it was her responsibility to now make it up to this boy, she reluctantly moved away from the safety of the shadowy trees and onto the path, she strode towards the boy trying to look the picture of confidence. But really very unsure of this boy, who Evelyn had decided judging from his behaviour that he was most likely stealing this horse. But she still couldn’t be sure, for all she knew he could have just been an innocent farmer, and Evelyn could have just cost him his best animal.

Tentatively she reached him and stretched her hand out in an offer of a lift. “I’m so sorry, I really didn’t mean to startle you…” She said, her voice wavering ever so slightly. “Or your horse.” She added on. She looked the boy over, her eyes not picking up any large scratches or cuts, which was a relief as it would have made her guilt only worse if he had been hurt. She tried a smile out on him, hoping maybe it might wipe away the nasty look off his face, Evelyn realized he had every right to be terribly angry at her, she just hoped he wouldn’t ask her to pay him back. But if it came to that, Evelyn was sure the boys human legs would be no match for her elven speed.

[valkyth]

"...and that's when I saw he had my chickens!"

"They aint your chickens! I bred 'em and I raised 'em! yer a thieving toad."

"THIEVING?! I'll have your head Calahan!!!"

Once again the two men went to grapple each other. Both were peasants garbed in what could have been clothing at some point, but now appeared to be collected rags. Each of them held a cage of unhappy looking, filth-ridden creatures that could turn out to be chickens if they had a good wash and were allowed to stretch out.

They had been arguing on the street for a few hours now, each accusing the other of stealing a chicken, or multiple chickens, from one another. Law or not, Valkyth felt that he could do very little to uphold justice in this situation. There was always the solution of charging both with thievery, but that effort itself was worth more than the measely fowl they vied over.

Sensing the third fight of the hour coming along, Valkyth finally decided enough was enough. He had listened to both sides of the story, neither of which made sense, and such matters were not worth keepign the peasantry awake for at this ungodly hour.

"Silence!" he barked sharply. The shabbier of the two peasants cowered back but the other seemed to have something else to add. Before his complaint could be uttered, Valkyth shot him a very cold glare. It was times like these that he was once again glad that he had bought Trident. Sat atop the great steed in his usual mixture of chainmail, plate, and leather armour, he was the figure of doom for many of the subserviant peasantry that attracted his attention. The second man appeared to be sufficiently cowed and so Valkyth continued to speak in much lowered tone.

"Insolence and foolishness. I'll not stand for such audacity. This bitter feud ends now or i'll have the pair of you in chains and flogged."

Neither of the peasants made a move but they did not appear heartened by his verdict.

"Away with you," Valkyth continued, dismissing them. He touched the reins slightly and the great bay rolled into a slow walk beneath him further signalling the end of the discussion.

He had gone no further than perhaps 20 meters when the piercing scream of a woman ripped through the air. He called Trident to a halt in order to get his bearings and was thankful that he was on the edge of the village. The scream had come from further away, out towards where the land started to give way to open farms. Grazing areas for cattle and fields of wheat and other cereals to support both village and Castle.

He barely whispered a soft curse under his breath before urging his horse back into motion. The sound could easily have been teens out to test their mettle, but there was always the chance of bandits, however unlikely this close to the village.

Trident was surging forward now in great strides along the winding road. Despite the failing light, the going was smooth, until Valkyth noticed a rider heading towards him. Or was it a rider? Valkyth slowed his steed to a rumbling trot, expecting to see more horses chasing this lone pale one. To his confusion, the pale mare shot past without rider, leaving the road behind her clear save for the raised dust.

Strange indeed, had the bandits or highwaymen dragged some poor traveller from her horse as she made her way to the village for safety? He continued on in the direction that the mare had come from, wary of any foes he may encounter.

[Alexander]

The thief stared at the female before him with such malice and anger, most would of thought of him trying to melt her face of with the gaze. Ignoring her out stretched hand, he scooted back a foot or so then rose to his feet and set about dusting himself off, again. Her posture made him want to laugh in amusement as she clearly attempted to be confident when in close distance to him when she truthfully looked like a startled deer to him. She more afraid of me then I of her, he mentally mused with a inner chuckle.
The thief’s gaze scanned her appearance quickly, taking note that she was not of his similar breeding. ‘What is she’ he questioned himself with a quick, moments view frown.
His mind was torn between questioning the maiden on the subject, why in the name of Chava had she screamed, and the matter on how he was going to find the mare who more then likely half way to Bawleil by now along with who she was. His mind whirred and continued to do so, driving him to shake his head slightly and slowly, ridding himself of the obnoxious thoughts. His mouth was deep frown that let his feelings on the situation be known.

Taking another step backward and away from the mysterious female, Alexander kept glancing over his shoulder toward town, hoping her scream hadn’t awaken anyone, before settling his gaze on the maiden before him. His expression was now similar to a stone statue; nonchalant and seemingly knowing something important that she did not. At her apology he simply shook his head, his gaze trailing the ground where he had spotted a glittery rock. Clenching and unclenching, his fists, the thief struggled to not to pick up the object of choice attention. ‘Must resist the shiny’ he kept repeating over and over in his head before raising his gaze back toward the other being. “Save your apologies for someone who cares” he muttered, turning on his heel and walking in the general direction of the mare. ‘That was harsh’ the little annoying voice in his mind, yelled at him causing him to frown deeply. ‘true’ he mentally answered back, ‘but she deserved it.’
His footsteps were hollow echoes in his mind as he continued to trudge along the dirt road, hoping the mare was near and not to far from his location of dumping.
“To think I was going to be able to buy myself a new coin bag” he muttered under his breath, his eyes trailing the road ahead, searching desperately for any sign of the equine, “but no some stupid female had to ruin it…” ‘Stop being so hard on her’ the inner voice of reason scolded him as he continued to place one weary boot in front of the other. The far echo of distant hoof beats made the youth freeze in his tracks and silenced the inner voice. His already frayed nerves began to slap him in the face, yelling at him to run for it’s the guards after you, coming to hang you for thieving.
His hands began to shake nervously and his slender frame quake, like a young aspen in the spring breeze. ‘What do I do, what do I do’ he thought with a frightened expression plastered onto his face he turned his gaze from the path the mare had taken, to the bushes. ‘I can’t be caught again, I just can’t be’ his mind screamed as basically leapt into the safety of the under brush and the lone oak that hid mostly everything into shadows. Memories of his first flogging flooded his one track and easily distracted mind, the pain of the leather biting into his flesh, the unruly threats of the guard who did so, repeating to the nearly dead boy if he was ever caught again he would be hung. As if reliving his terror, the faint scars on his back burnt making him wince at everything, including the air that touched the skin.

{ooc: heh heh chickens.....

[Evelyn Groust]

Evelyn quickly snatched her own hand back as the boy refused, trying to keep the slightly hurt expression off her face. She stepped back a little as the boy righted himself once more. She felt the need to say something, but was entirely unsure of what to say. So she stood there biting her lower lip and let her gaze follow the boy and trying her best to ignore the venom his eyes shot at her. "Would you like me to help you..."
Evelyn stopped in mid-sentence as she heard him mummbling to himself and decided it was probably best for the moment if she stayed quiet and let him rant, if he left she would leave too and then everything would be forgotten and she could return to her original problem of finding somewhere to stay. But the guilt of knowing she had caused the boys sudden dismount gnawed at her, and glued her to the spot.

Evelyn tossed around the question of whether or not to ask him if he required help. She frowed and tilted her head watching the boy as he walked slowly away from her. Finally making up her mind she sighed and jumped forward, running a short distance to catch up. "Hey wait, are you sure you don't want help finding your horse?" She caught up and placed herself in front of the boy to prevent him from going any further. But she realized only a split second later that this movement would not be required. The boy froze...froze to the spot just like he'd seen a ghost. Evelyn whipped around scared out of her mind that it would be some unholy creature standing there with teeth bared and claws drawn...but there was nothing. Evelyn squinted in the distance and thought she could make out a slight shape in the distance but her mind automatically assumed it was the rouge horse. She turned slowly back around to face the boy, now he was shaking, his eyes wide with fear. Evelyn turned again and this time she shape seemed slightly larger, and Evelyn could make out the distant thrum of hoofbeats. Now she too started to get a little worried, had her scream drawn the guards? She turned back around to face the boy...but he was gone! A slight rustle in the bushes alerted her and she turned her head to see the legs of the boy disappearing into the undergrowth.

Now it was Evelyn's turn to freeze, should she hide? Although she had done nothing wrong an intense fear of the guards, mostly due by the boys own reaction, gripped her body. She looked around her and tried to gauge the distance between herself and the shelter of the trees. She risked a quick glance back and noted that if she did choose to run now the horseman was sure to spot her. And she had no doubt that she could outrun him, she had the trees to help her but by her doing that it may put the boy at risk. However if she stayed and lied, which she was rather good at, she might be able to get herself and the boy off the hook PLUS find herself a bed for the night, which was just an added bonus. She chewed her nail in frustration, but by now her mind had been made up for her, the horseman was only a few metres from her, the could hear the horse puffing and blowing in the frigid night air. Putting on her best damsel in distress act she turned and ran towards the man. "Did you see my horse!" She turned upwards looking at the mounted person, her eyes wide with feigned grief. "He spooked at something in the bushes and I fell!"

Evelyn couldn't help but risk a quick glance in the direction of where the boy was hiding and she prayed that if he hadn't been well hidden by now then he was half way to Bawliel.

[valkyth]

[[ I appear to have travelled at the speed of sound to reach you I was going to give you both another post each before i came reining in my horse, but no matter, i'll roll with this ]]

Valkyth's speed continued and gradually some vague shape, or perhaps shapes, could be made out on the road. The black blob in the middle of the road slowly grew into something more humanoid in shape. A human, by the look of things, and female. He gradually slowed as he reached the bedraggled young lass in the road. Her dress was in a great state of disrepair and seemed to be ripped down one side.

He reined in his horse, giving the beast a short chance to regain its breath. The beast responded by snorting loudly and giving a short shake of its head. Pleased with his quick chance at a snack, he settled to quickly nibble the toughened weeds poking through the road. Valkyth allowed him freedom to do so, his attention elsewhere. He would also have asked what a girl such as herself was doing out so far from town if she hadn't cut of his questions with her own. He could see her more closely now, and she seemed to be in need of a good wash and perhaps a tad of ointment to deal with what small scratches he could see on one of her arms.
At least her question answered the riddle of the riderless horse, and perhaps the fall could explain the marks he could see on one of her arms. Unfortunately, there were other unanswered questions remaining.

"I saw a horse Young Lady. Whether it was yours is yet to be seen. What i'm more curious about is why a lone lass like you is out here on her own," he said before casting a quick glance about, "... especially in times like these."

The words were spoken quietly and calmly, indicated the unasked question. He cocked his head slightly to one side, adjusting the sit of the swordshort on his belt. The small round buckler he used as a shield was firmly attached to the saddle on the horses side facing away from the girl. To further press his question, he raised an eyebrow slightly.

A knight's question was always to be answered and though the lass seemed upset by the leaving of her horse, it still didn't account for the terrible scream he had heard. Not just that, but how had the poor girl's clothing been so terribly ripped by simply falling from her horse. From what little he had seen, the horse had been without saddle as it passed. He had not seen anything similar to a lost saddle on his way here and so he assumed that she must have been riding bareback. Without saddle nor stirrup to catch the cloth upon, she'd be hard pressed to rip her dress simply by falling from her horse along this road.

[Evelyn Groust]

OOC- Oh whoops, I didn't think the town was all that far away lol...anyways...

Evelyn was taken by back his questions, although she was not overly suprised, some small part of her had been hoping that he would believe her excuse and ask no more questions. She hadn't realized that her being her alone would raise suspicion...maybe it was because she was so accustomed to being alone and on the road it had just become second nature for her. But most people thought it rather unusual for a woman to be out alone on the roads. She hesitated for a second her mind running over drive to come up for an excuse. She decided that the truth without the admittance of a few minor details was the less likeliest thing for her to stumble over and get caught lying. "Well I usually travel alone, I prefer my own company, feeling it much more intelligent then most males." This was true and Evelyn had no trouble saying it, no to skip the part of crawling through the bushes and seeing the boy. "I was riding along, bareback as usual, I find saddles extremely uncomfortable." Again all this was true...except for the riding part.

It was now that Evelyn had to start lying...although again it wasn't truly lying just the truth with a few fabrications here and there. "So I was riding along and something rustled in the bushes, I thought it was a snake so I screamed...I have a deathly fear of snakes. But it was actually only a rabbit but the horse spooked and I fell off into a patch of bushes, and then my horse galloped off!" At this last sentence Evelyn applied a tone of panic giving it that desperate sound that was required for the situation.

Evelyn stepped back slightly from the knight, praying hard that he would buy her slightly see through excuse. Again her eyes unwillingly darted to the bushes where she assumed the boy was hiding. She thought she could make out a dark shape in the bushes and just hoped it was her imagination now that she had lied to a guard they were both in trouble if he was caught. Again Evelyn toyed with the idea of running, she knew she could easily make her lean frame disappear amongst the thick scrub that bordered the road, but now that the guard had been here for so long, he would have had a chance to get a clear view of her face and the last thing Evelyn wanted was a sign for arrest at every town gate with her face on them! So she quickly discarded that idea and focused her energy on looking like a helpless woman who had just fallen off and lost her horse.

[Alexander]

His leap into the bushes knocked the wind from his lungs as he had landed on a small hidden rock that lay in the shadows of the bushes, seemingly to be visualized as a large shadow. He clutched his side as he skidded back farther from the road and hopefully out of harm’s way. “Damned stupid rock” he muttered bringing his knees to his chest in an attempt to make himself smaller and less noticeable and to numb the pain, as he set about trying not to do anything stupid to alert everyone of him being there.

As the approaching hoof beats grew louder with each passing moment, the young lad in the brushes began to quake more and more, his fear running away with his imagination. He visualized himself, hanging from the gallows dancing the jig of the dead man, the rope suffocating him for his neck didn’t properly snap like most who are lucky enough to meet the hangman’s noose. Or kneeling before a largely muscled man, dressed in black except where the edges of his boots are dyed scarlet from the blood he has spilt, his head resting on a stone waiting for the sword to be brought down, ending his life. But the one that made him tremble to the core was the thought of being ripped apart by horses charging in separate directions. He had seen it once happen when he was smaller and it wasn’t a pretty sight to see or hear/
A shuddering breath rippled through his small frame as he attempted to shake the thoughts from his mind, attempting to clear his brain of anything that might actually happen if he were to be caught. ‘I will not, I can not be caught’ he told himself in the most stern voice he could possibly manage as the man on horse back approached.

Alex’s eyes grew large in fear as the man rode up, dressed in garb that he had only seen guards of high rank in or the rare knight who roamed the lands. His jumbled thoughts couldn’t quite decided on which he was but he knew both where law followers and would show no mercy for a thieving boy.
He began to bite his lower lip in attempt of not moving a muscle to alert the horseman on his presence in the bushes or direct any sort of attention his way for it looked as of the female was acting as if he had never been there, claiming the mare to be her own. ‘Ha, who would believe that’ he thought releasing his teeth from his lip that began to bleed from the sharp pressure of his incisors. But then again who would believe that he, a scraggly youth would be taking his horse out for a midnight stroll around the countryside.

As the maiden began to tell her tale on what had happened, he glint of the bay who stood majestically in the road. Spell bound the thief was as he resisted the great temptation of walking to the stallion of great beauty. He wasn’t like most horses he had stolen, not the light, airy breeds many nobles owned but he thicker more muscled war mount. His fingers began to itch with the thought of running his fingers through the russet coat, his mind wandered of the thought of how much he could sell the horse for and then back to the realization it would be literally impossible to steal a horse with the owner right there..
A low sigh escaped his lips as he continued to gaze at the wonderful beast, completely forgetting everything else, including at one point in time his life may be in danger.

[valkyth]

Valkyth listened in silence as the young girl recounted her story. It seemed rushed and not a little untruthful, her voice edged with panic or perhaps fear.
Could be nothing more than my presence or indeed fright from the fall,he thought to himself as he watched her take a step back. He continued to sit in silence for a few moments more, puzzling over the situation.
The horse could easily have been mid theft when it took off into the night. Such action would also explain the lack of saddle, but it was unlikely that a lone girl would attempt such a feat, wasn't it?
Decision made, Valkyth cleared his throat, not quite delighting in the way that the sound carried much louder and further than he'd expected.
"It's unlikely we'll find your horse young lady. It's either on a plate or sold by now. But you can't be left out here," he told the girl softly, though his lowered tone couldn't disguise the gruff harshness of his voice. Shouting at far too many young recruits had done him that service.
Valkyth tugged lightly on the reins,both bringing up Trident's head and earning the girl an unhappy glare from the beast. He then leaned slightly over in the saddle to offer the girl his hand so that he could help her up. "I'll ride you to the village," he offered, though should she refuse, he'd take her there anyway.
Though there may not be an active curfew in place around there village, he certainly didn't want to be woken early the next morning to find the girl ravaged and dumped on some piss-poor excuse of a farmer's land. If many more farmers were accused of stealing or kidnapping (whether it be people, animals or items alike) there'd likely be yet another food shortage to contend with. Not that lack of food would b a problem for a man of his rank, but dealing with a starving, more petulant and angry crowd than usual didn't inspire many good feelings within his breast.
One last thought occurred to him as he awaited the girl's response. He thought back to days of her youth, before her ill fate, and the worry she caused his mother in the day of night when it was discovered that she was missing.
"You are sure that you are alone out here aren't you? No other youngsters out here waiting for you? No young men whom your parents don't favor?"
The questions were not quite casually asked, more forceful than curious, but it mattered little. She should understand his meaning. He hoped that if his suspicions were true, her body language would tell him so. That or she'd dare admit the truth should it turn out that there were others around.

[Evelyn Groust]

Evelyn shifted from foot to foot as the Knight watched her, and his comment about the horse sent a pang of guilt through her chest, she hated to think she might have caused the beautiful beats undoing. When the knight mentioned her not staying out her alone, she cursed inwardly. She had hoping like buggery that the man would simply except her excuse and ride away, leaving her and the boy alone. But it appeared that this knight was into 'chivalry' and just couldn't in good conscience leave her, a damsel in distress, to the hungry wolves. Evelyn bit her lip, wondering how on earth she was going to wriggle her way out of this one. She had just began to formulate some complicated lie when she noticed the man gesturing to her, with an outstretched hand. At the word 'ride' her heart pounded, sure she was not scared of horses by themselves, but the idea of climbing on the back of that beast who only a second earlier had been galloping madly across the countryside, frightened the living daylights out of her.

Evelyn realized that after all her careful lying this was going to be her undoing, the fact that she didn't actually know how to ride. "You want me to...ride back?" She realized with a sick feeling that if she going to lie her way out of this one she was going to HAVE to get aboard the beast. Groaning to herself the sifted through her mind for a last minute excuse, but found nothing. Just as she was prepared to take the guards hand he threw another question at her and she relaxed, if she could drag out the answer to this question she could at least delay boarding the horse for a few more seconds.To his question of the boy waiting for her. She easily shook her head, this boy definatly was not her lover, she had only known him for 15minutes and that was too short a period even for her, and Evelyn had been known to climb into someones bed at the drop of a hat. But when he asked if she was alone, Evelyn found her neck a little less willing to move her head from side to side to answer no. Her eyes darted to the bushes for just a fraction of a second and then they were back again, keeping a steady eye contact with the guard.

"No m'lord I am definatly not waiting for anyone, like I said I was riding alone...I always ride alone." Again she assured her conscience that this statment was in fact true, the one time she had attempted to get on a horse she was alone...which turned out to be a mistake as within 3 seconds flat she found herself face first in the dirt with the rotten creature galloping with hell on its heels in the opposite direction. "But I would prefer to walk back, I am rather bruised from my fall, I fear I would not be able to get back on the steed." For these words she tried to keep her words playful and confident, like she had been riding all her life and had just had a bit of a tumble, hopefully the guard would assume her confidence was a bit dented and leave it at that. But this guard had already proved a little too nosy for Evelyn's liking and she had a feeling he would insist on her riding, a thought that sent Evelyn's stomach into somersaults.

[Alexander]

Alex’s gaze skittered back and forth from the magnificent mount to the other beings, as his mind once again was torn into several different frames of thought. He so desperately wanted to steal the stallion and be gone with the maiden, who caused him in the first place to loose the mare and more than likely lure the older man with her scream to the scene. And yet another part of him wanted to sit in the bushes, watching and listening what the other two had to say to each other and hopefully sneak away all the same without his presence being noted. The young lad nearly gave himself with a snort when the older male made the comment of the mare either being sold or someone’s supper. His front teeth dug into his lower lip as he fought a desperate urge to run wildly after the mare, fearing the truth the other’s words may hold, in that some around here truthfully did eat horses. A hard sigh was released past his lips from his lungs as he struggled still not to run. ‘You would surely be caught’ the little nagging voice in the back of his mind warned, calming his nerves as the maiden began to speak again.
‘Riding alone, Ha what a lie’ he thought shaking his head in amusement knowing really he was the one riding alone and she was merely hiding in the bushes, ‘Like I am now.’ He chewed on the inside of his cheek, waiting for something to be said between the two.

Brows furrowed slightly as he shifted his position in the bushes once he began to loose feeling in his legs. A twig snapped underneath his hand causing him to stop breathing and sit stick still. His heart began to bounce around in his rib cage, forcing him to gasp for air. He went from shaking slightly to quaking again like he had before he dove madly into the bushes for something told him his time of hiding was up. His nerves began to flip flop in the pit of his belly as he tightened the grip on his legs, praying to the gods that the snap of the twig wasn’t really as loud as it had seemed. ‘Blasted night air has to be so damned quiet’ he cried mentally tucking his face into his knees.
A shuddering breath ran through his thin frame, as he continued to mutter prayer after prayer. Alexander has never been one to pray often in his view, he was making up for the last decade. ‘I know my deeds have been frowned upon but please show mercy for a toad like myself’ he kept repeating mentally, still shaking like a whipped dog who had just piddled on his master’s favorite boots.

‘Relax’ a small voice scolded him, its tone soothing like the morning wind yet commanding like an army General. He sighed softly, attempting to clear his thoughts and settle his nerves. The calm voice kept echoing throughout his mind as he struggled to lift his gaze from his knees to the other two.

[Evelyn Groust]

OOC: I was going to wait and see if valkyth was going to reply. But I don't think he will, so we'll just runaway haha.

Evelyns gaze flickered nervously between the guard and the bushes, and Evelyn was positive that the guard knew that all was not as it appeared. She stuttered and stammered, surprised at her own inability to lie, as she could usually do so easily. She was still unsure of what to do about the guard, but all she knew was that after going to all the trobule of lying to a guard to try and keep this boy safe, there was no way she was letting him get captured. She was just too proud for that. Her mind whirred faster than it had ever done so before, and finally it clicked and she knew excatly what she had to do. The forest was much to tight for a horse to weave in and out of; and she was sure her and the boy could outrun the guard any day. And with her secret ability she was sure she could convince a few tree roots to uproot themselves and trip the guard.

Evelyn braced her body, tensed every muscle ready for the spring that was too come. Raising her voice a few octaves she threw her arm in the opposite direction of what she planned to run, "Whats that!!" At the same time, she used her other arm and flapped it around the horses face, hoping she could upset it enough to delay the guards dismount by a few seconds. Her plan succeded, the horse, which had previously settled from its earlier run, instantly started. It flared its nostrils and took a few quick steps back in surprise. Evelyn took this tiny chance, and sprung. Her eyes instantly locked ont the bush that she was certain they boy was hiding in. One thin arm reached into the bush and felt around for a body shaped lump. Her fingers closed around something that she suspected was the boys hair and yanked-hard. "You better get moving if you want to stay alive, follow me, I can help hide us."

She didn't wait to see if the boy followed, she just prayed he would and ran as fast as her legs would carry into the shrubs. She thought she could hear the thunder of someone following, but she couldn't be sure. She just kept running, tree branches whipped her face, and fresh cuts stung as the leaves cut her skin. But she didn't pause for even a moment, she knew the guards job was to catch and persecute criminals. And now she had lied to a Guard, he would probably connect the dots and realize that either SHE herself was connected to the horse, or that she was WITH someone who was connected with the horse. He would pursue them, and Evelyn didn't plan on being caught.

Just as quickly as she had ran, she ducked behind the broad back of a silver oak. She quickly stilled her breathing, until even she could barely hear herself. She prayed the boy had been near enough to see her hide, and she hoped he was in the middle of hiding, or he had already hid. Evelyn grinned to herself, for someone who didn't consider herself religious she sure was doing a lot of praying.

[Alexander]

ooc: I think he dissapeared.... O.O




The small willowy frame, had tucked his knee’s closer to his chest as his gaze rose from the ground before his feet to the two figures beyond the safety of the bushes. His heart continued to thump loudly in his ears, echoing in an annoying fashion for it was no longer out of fear it thumped but out of the compression of his ribs from his legs. Sighing softly, as he struggled to gain a little more room for his lungs to expand with his heart to beat in a more rhythmic pattern, he studied the female as he continued to talk to the guard. His brows furrowed slightly as the thought of the strange maiden trying to ensure his safety form the guards struck him. How odd it was, the thought of a complete stranger reaching out to help some one she had just met.

He lowered his gaze form the sight before him back to his knees, causing him to miss the plan of distraction the maiden had just laid out. The startled snort of the horse brought his attention up from his knees just quick enough for him to see the guard and horse struggling to realize what had just happened but not quick enough to realize she was running toward him and yanked his hair in attempt to get him to his feet. The yank startled him, resulting in a yelp to escape from his lips as he lept to his feet as he heard something being said about follow her if he wished to keep his life. Little persuasion was needed as he began sprinting after the fleeing figure.

His thin frame struggled slightly to keep up with her speed, but the adrenaline of the situation powered him on, giving him that extra little boost he needed not to collapse from the exhaustion of trying to keep up with his savior. His heart began to pound against his chest in atempt to keep blood circulating through his veins and oxygen in his lungs that began to burn. One would think a thief would be in shape and have the stamina to run marathons but how wrong they could be, for most thieves are accomplished light weights who need no muscle or stamina to creep around silently in a room.

In the blink of an eye the figure he had been following disappeared, causing a slight sense of panic to overcome Alexander, resulting him not watching where he placed a foot in the terrain of the forest. As quickly as she had disappeared he fell flat on his face, a root catching his foot. He scrambled to the safety of a grouping of fern, that offered much need shelter from prying eyes.
His breaths came in sort gasps as he, struggled to calm himself and exam his tingeing ankle and his scraped palms. “Bloody forest” he muttered in between wheezes, crouching behind a larger fern plant.