Spirits of the Earth

Most of the Southroad Bandits were too...blunt...for this sort of work.  They were much better at setting the ambushes, at murder, or at plain old theft.  These sorts ofmissions were better left to Eliana, whose smiles and charm could ferret the most hard-to-find information out of the unsuspecting.

Today, she was fishing for information about travellers -- those who were going through the area throwing around money.  The Southroad Bandits were rather well known, and so they sometimes had to be a bit more creative with their approach.  A traveller with a good sum of money -- or, even, a caravan -- might be easily steered towards a waiting ambush by a pretty face like Eliana's.

In the five years she had been back in Serendipity, Eliana had made a lot of friends -- and the barkeep at the Purple Sage Inn & Tavern was one of them.  For a little coin, he helped narrow her search considerably...and looked the other way in regards to her methods.

Her blue hair had been coiled in a series of braids that seemed to have no end and no beginning, circling in graceful loops about her head and falling in lovely coils about her shoulders.  A triangular pendant hung between her breasts, dangling from a chain set with alternating diamonds and sapphires.  The sparkle and shape helped draw the eye to her assets, the tops of which seemed ready to burst from the form-fitting green top she wore.

"You look like you're in need of a drink," she said, addressing the back of the head of a man clad in fine silks.  Her tone was honeyed -- and if the ensemble she wore wouldn't convince the stranger to invite her to sit, the pair of drinks in her hands certainly would.  "I happen to have an extra here if you don't mind some company while you eat."

Things had become increasingly crazy, and more difficult for a man like Gherrick to remain in a war-torn Connlaoth. He did what he could, but the sea called him out again at the height of tensions. And it was the lull of the tides and the rock of the boat that brought him back in to land. He wasn't sure why, exactly, only being a month out at sea again that he returned, but here he was, 'Seven of the Sea' traipsing about on land.

A lot of refugees from the war were same to reside here, and with the money he had 'recieved' from his recent pillage; it would due well for this folks trying to start a new life elsewhere, away from all the persecution. So on his travels, it would be no surprise if there were whispers of a man in blue silks who was rich...

And it was the man in blue silks she had approached at the Purple Sage Inn & Tavern; a familiar face from many years ago, who turned with a simple glance over his shoulder to the woman witht he jewels glittering ontop of her breasts, those of which were hard to ignore, even for a man like Gherrick, who afforded a playful grin and smile, one where his eyes were closed so he hadn't quite caught her face when he replied, "No, thanks. I don't drink much of that stuff. Water is fine for me."

And really, it was. One savored such a thing after being onboard the ocean, for pure water was a scarce commodity. But he raised his glass to her and said, "But thanks anyway!" and went back to his meal; roast pig, a simple salad, and some soup.
And he was starving, for his fingers were well greased from where he had dug into his meal and as he turned back, he began to quickly lick the grease from those fingers, for he felt a bit 'caught off guard' when a woman approached him in such a state.

He may have been too preoccupied to recognize her...but she was not too preoccupied to recognize him!  Only one man had ever fled from her charms -- although she liked to think she had eventually won him over in the end.

With any other man, she would have been insulted -- but she remembered Gherrick fondly and all too well.

Her drinks were set down on the table, and she leaned in at an angle so that even the chaste Gherrick couldn't help but stare down her top.  Anyway, old habits died hard...and she still had something to prove.

"You missed a little, my dear, lost husband."  Without any further preamble, her painted lips closed around one of his fingers!

(OOC: lol...)

The lips upon his finger were about as unexpected as the (mostly) familiar face that came with it. And the voice, and the story and the-
With a gasp, Gherrick jerked back and away, slamming himself back into the chair and offsetting it-
whcih knocked the chair clean over, taking Gherrick with it to the ground.
And the entire place was looking at them.

OOC: YES, lol indeed XD

Eliana's laugh was heartfelt.  It was easy for her to come up with a story, and she told it with a simple, natural flourish and tone of dismissal that satiated most of the curiosity.  "He's just had one too many, I'm sure!"

Crouching down beside him (and, in the process, revealing a long length of leg through the slit in her dress to him and another glimpse of her breasts, which truly looked about to burst free now), she said, "I see you haven't changed, Gherrick.  I have to say," she added, flashing him a grin.  "I'm rather glad.  Now, would you like a hand up, or are you just going to lie there all day?"

She made no secret of looking him over...like a piece of meat.

Gherrick lay there for a while in a daze, groaning as the wind returned to him.
"E-Eliana!?" He blinked a few times, face going red, and, quite naturally, his eyes followed her legs, crawling over her skirts to where her breasts were about to pop clean out of her garment. Gods, what was she trying to-
and then at the tone of her face, his blue eyes shot to hers, and he saw the look she was giving him.
"Yes!" he squeaked, then paled at how unmasculine his voice suddenly sounded. "Just a bit too many drinks." And then, pinching the front of his clothes, he tried to fan himself off. "Is it hot in here, or is it just me?" ANd he moved to sit up, though awkwardly enough, as he tried to do so,.. Eliana was sort of right... there. Ad it seemed no matter which way he was moving, he would accidently bump into her with a nervous laugh, and each time skin touched to skin, his eyes would go to her bulging breasts,  to those painted lips and...

Now was NOT the time for his pants to make a tent, though sadly, they were. But thankfully, he was in a position that well...
hopefully no one could see. Dim lighting was great for things like that.
And damn the fashion of tight pants!

Eliana laughed cheerfully.  Well, at least she knew he wasn't dead down there!

"Here, let me help you up," she offered sweetly, batting her eyelashes in his direction.  She almost looked innocent -- except for that coy twist of her lips and sparkle in her eye.

"It is a little bit warm," she agreed with a pretty pout.  Once he had straightened, she pressed herself against him, under the guise of straightening out his chair and moving it back to the table.  "I think I'd like nothing more," she murmured softly, "Than to pour some ice cold water over my shoulders...  Let it trickle down my chest..."

With the chair perfectly placed, she gave him a little shove to make sure he got into it before he fainted dead away.  Only then did she settle down in a chair beside him, as proud as a peacock.

Gherrick's lips fell open as he stared over at her with a reddening face. Then once he was plopped down into the chair, he remembered to breath with an 'oomf'. Sitting down abruptly wasn't anticipated, and it kind of hurt, yet since he was still shivering over the after effects of Eliana's forwardness, he was able to forget about the small bout of pain.

Gritting his teeth, he forced a nervous smile.
"So you look well..."
Yes, changing the subject might do well, considering, he didn't know what was wrong with him. His eyes needed to stop staring down at her chest. Lest the bulge in his pants become more... prominent.  Oh, wait. Too late.

And non chalance had him placing an arm across his lap as he righted himself, closing his gaping lips as he tried to smile, his cheeks burning like hell.
OOC: Just.. lol

"As do you," she answered, smile growing at his attempts to hide his, er, attraction to her.  "And there's no need to be so shy.  You've seen me with my clothes off, remember?"

Oh, she was certain he would.  He just needed the little reminder to send his mind in that direction...

"Are you still traveling all alone?"  By which, of course, she meant, was he still a virgin?  He was certainly reacting like one...  "Or is there another girl I ought to be jealous of?"

Well, if he wasn't going to drink, she was certainly going to help herself!

Gherrick was beyond exasperated, his mind in a whirl at her questions all bombarding him at once.
"Yes, I mean no, I mean... wait, what?" and he found himself whimpering at her look. He sighed, laughing at himself as he shook his head.
"I've traveled here by myself, yes, but I've taken back to pirating..." of which he realized she probably knew not that he was away from teh sea so long, so he cleared his throat and added, "Since I've been away too long and there's a war brewing in Connlaoth."

"I've heard," Eliana answered with a solemn nod.  "A lot of refugees have come through the region.  Most poor.  Some rather rich."  Her lips quirked upwards in a smirk.  "Until we got to them, anyway.  You're lucky -- you were almost our next victim."

And, she imagined, Gherrick would have fought.

"I'm with a group called the Southroad Bandits these days.  Pretty reliable crew."  She sighed heavily.  "But, most of them aren't very bright, sadly, or interesting in the least."  Blunt instruments indeed.  But they got the job done, and she got her pay...

"What are you doing in Serendipity?"

Gherrick nodded, settling more easily in the chair as the conversation turned to something more... well, normal?

"I was following the tails of some refugees. Like yourself, I ran into a few unfortunate fellows with coin tryign to aid the war. Their goods were easy enough to steal, and now I aim to use the money I've procured to aid those refugees." And he thought over what she said a bit more before stating, "So you've escaped from Connlaoth yourself to become a bandit, did you? You know, pirates are more dashing," he informed her with a boyish  grin.

"Always with the good deeds..."  She preferred to buy pretty things for herself...and horde the rest of her ill-gotten gains!

She brightened considerably, however, at the chance to tease Gherrick some more.  "Why, are you offering me a place amongst your crew?" she asked, batting her eyes prettily at him.  "You aren't afraid I'll corner you and keep you too busy in your chambers for you to do any proper work?"

She laughed, taking a sip of her alcohol once again.

"Honestly, though, I don't mind the work.  I like the surprises it brings me...  Like you, for example.  If it were up to some of my comrades, you'd be dead before they ever learned your name."

Seven looked her over rather quickly before giving an easy laugh and light sip of his drink.

"I would never want a lady to risk herself as a member of my crew, though I wouldn't say no to those willing to help the cause. There is little gain on my ship." Though he paused to study her. "And is that all you seem to think about these days?" he put on, realizing that so far, all she's done is flirt with him and insinuate what could be done behind closed doors.

"So you're a thief now?" he began, realizing his statement might have been rude after he cleared his throat. "With cut throats? And I erm... I guess you enjoy it, or so it seems. But I'm a little surprised, though I suppose we choose our own fates as we see fit."A nd he lifted his glass of water to hers. "So I'm not really here to judge." and he smiled, adding, "Though we've already established that." He looked her over again before his eyes met to hers. "So I guess you're happy? Happier than you were in Connlaoth? It's been... how many years since you've run across the boarder?"

That poor, poor man!  Eliana laughed at him outright, nodding her head a little when he asked if that was all she thought about.

"It's how I make my living, Gherrick.  It's always been how I make my living.  I was born in a whorehouse and started serving men as soon as I came of age."  She flashed him a grin, knowing, of course, how he felt about whores.  "But there are more entertaining and profitable ways for a woman to use her body to survive.  And that's what I do."

In fact, she had been doing it a lot longer than she had been a whore -- although some would argue they were one and the same.

"That's what I was doing in Connlaoth to begin with, actually.  Things just...turned sour."  Falling in love...  Yes, that had been sour indeed.  "I think it's been...five years, hasn't it?  Or near enough."  About that, she imagined!  It had been some time, anyway... "And, I am happy.  Don't get me wrong, Gherrick.  I would like nothing more than to have enough money to live out the rest of my life in peace, but..."  She shrugged her thin shoulders and laughed softly.  "It's something to work towards.  What about you?  Happy?"

Gherrick nodded, finding more sympathy growing for the woman. It seemed she was stuck in the cycle of her trade. Most were, and then at the question of happiness, he actually had to really think about it.

"I just do what I can," he admitted. It was hard to find a true direction when clues to his past life were so few and far between, and having become a criminal... dare he admit he was ashamed at himself it had come to it, but part of it kept him alive; and what kept him going was knowing he was doing the right thing. And he had to start over, to make peace with this life outside of Windevhr.
"I can find happiness in just about any place I go." Though that was a feat in itself, and made life a bit exhausting. But Gherrick was ever the optimist.

"I don't understand why you don't settle down with a nice girl," Eliana said, smiling cheekily at him.  And by "nice girl", she meant someone entirely the opposite of herself.  There were such girls out there, if you looked hard enough!

"I think you would make a fine farmer or tradesman.  And with the right girl at your side, you would never miss the pirating life, I'm sure."  She chuckled at the thought.  "Since you are so bent on keeping us girls safe and away from trouble, you would have to give that up, of course."

Yes, she was stuck in this life, but she had no other trade to speak of.  Gherrick at least could become a sailor a merchant or something to do with the water...

"I had honestly expected to hear you were married with fifteen children when I next heard of you!"

At the mention of love, Gherrick's eyes grew grim. To recall Serrah set a pang of pain into his heart. He looked away, growing quiet.

"No, I'm not the type to marry."
THough that was a blatant lie, and was more than evident on his face and in his blush that he would love to live such a life...

Reading him was like reading an open book.  Even someone lacking Eliana's skill would have seen the pain in his eyes.

Reaching out, she found his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, a wordless comfort and statement of understanding.  That was precisely what Connlaoth had taught her: she wasn't the marrying type herself.  Once upon a time, perhaps, she had dreamed of the romance and marriage the storytellers talked about; now, she knew better.

They sat that way in silence for a moment, soaking up one another's pain, and then Eliana scooped some of the leftover heavy cream from his dessert place with her fingertip...and deposited on his nose with a smug smile and a laugh.  "Well, it seems it's my turn to rescue you this time!  I'll travel with you until you're out of the Jackal's territory -- we wouldn't want anything happening to you, now would we?"

Gherrick looked at his nose cross eyed where she placed the cream, then laughed as she peered over at her at her last statement.
"Jackals? You think I'm afraid of a bunch of dogs?"

Eliana grinned broadly at his misunderstanding.  "You might be afraid of this one.  He leads the Southroad Bandits."  It gave her pause, then, and she added, "I somehow doubt he would make it his personal mission to come after you, especially with my protection, but..."

As much as it pained her to admit this...

"Our group has grown over the past year or so.  We don't always know where everyone is anymore...and thieves will be thieves, after all.  They're emboldened by Jackal's protection."  She paused, then laughed a little.  "Or so they think.  But he's a thief, the same as any of us, and he won't stick his neck out for anyone."

Stupid kids...  It gave the Bandits as a whole a bad name!

"Ah, what's in a name?" Gherrick said with a smirk. "So you've joined a pack of thieves named after dogs?" He shrugged at the idea. "I suppose it isn't entirely uncommon. Gangs tend to live for their names. But I er, suppose the work is good?"

Eliana chuckled.  "No.  The leader is named after a dog."  She assumed it wasn't his real name, but who could say?  "The gang is named for our territory -- the Southroad Bandits.  See?"  Easy!

There was a more serious undercurrent to her words and expression, however, as she lifted up her beer to her lips.

"I think we may be coming to the end very soon.  We've gotten too big.  People know about us and how to guard against us.  And we're fast becoming a military target.  The thugs might be able to survive that, but for those of us with skills that require delicacy..."  She shrugged slightly.  "I don't intend to stick around to find out."

"Ah," Gherrick nodded sagely at her words, digesting them. "So it seems you might be on the road again, seeking purpose and a home." Though he then added promptly, with a soft laugh. "I hope my saying that does not bring offense. I didn't want to assume you lived in that sort of life, but I've seen enough organized thieves to know they try to make their entire life of it. And call it
home', if you will...."
He turned away from her just then, blue eyes going distant before they returned to her after a while.

"So if the Jackals fall through, or, 'The Southbroad Bandits', what would you do then, Eliana? It seems you might have to make another choice." He smiled at that, wondering if she'd give up her ways, though the hope was evidently snuffed out the more he thought into it. She would have given that up ages ago if she had intended to.

"Are you planning to see more of the world? I heard there are a lot of exotic lands to the South."

"You saw what happened the last time I tried to see the world," the thief answered with a smile.  "If not for you, I would have died in Connlaoth.  I'm rather attached to my life, such as it is."  No, she wouldn't be risking her life again on such a whim...

"And there's no offense taken.  I don't mind people -- you, least of all -- knowing."  She didn't answer the rest of his inquiry for a moment, instead looking down at her painted nails and studying their curves.  It was hard for her to admit this; at 17, she had assumed she would be settled somewhere comfortable, prepared to live out the rest of her life in luxury.  What she had managed to save wouldn't last five years -- and that was only for a simple room, not the lifestyle she had always imagined retiring to.

Finally, she allowed, "In a few years, I'll be too old for this."  She was still smiling, but it was sad now.  "Beauty doesn't last forever.  Neither does luck.  I haven't decided what I want to do yet, but I have a few options in mind."

He hadn't meant to upset her, and although she was smiling, he easily saw through it, especially at the gesture of her looking down to her nails. He grew quiet a moment before clearing his throat.

"You might make a lovely baker," he said, smirking boyishly, hoping his jest might lighten the mood.

"Oh, I'd make a lovely anything," she agreed readily, perking up with a genuine laugh and, as usual, falling back into her routine.  "Can you imagine me, Gherrick?  A pink apron on that goes down to here...and nothing else?"

Yes, that probably wasn't the "lovely" he had meant...

Eliana flashed him a grin and, with gusto, finished off the first of her beers.

"What do pirates do when they retire, anyway?"

His face was about as pink as her imaginary apron.
So when the question was posed, his lips fell open a moment before he could respond. And when he did, he made a noise at first when air returned to his lungs, a bit of a wheezing sound... when he gave a soft laugh.

"I don't think pirates retire," he admitted, his smile growing. "I'm pretty sure most get killed or die."

"That's sobering," she complained, shooting a pout in his direction.  Really!  Of all the things to say!

Instead of lingering on that thought, though, she grinned.  "You can come find me when you're ready for a change.  You aren't allowed to be killed, understood?"  Because that was sure to keep it from happening!  "I could give you a job," she said, giving him a coy look.  "You can work as a bouncer in my cathouse."

She grinned at him broadly, picturing Gherrick trying to work around professional whores...  He couldn't even handle her -- what would he do if he were surrounded by them?

Gherrick's mouth fell open as he smiled, then he let out a full bellied laugh, a beautiful sound that rang like a bell, echoing around them. SHaking his head, he calmed himself and looked over at her.
"I doubt I'm the type of man you're looking for for such a job!"

"Why not?" she pursued, giving him a friendly little caress on the calf with her toes...just to remind him who he was dealing with!

Eliana grinned broadly as she began to tick items off on her fingers.  "You can take care of the bad guys.  You wouldn't be asking for private sessions on the side.  And you honestly care about the girls.  Or boys.  I haven't made up my mind which I'd like yet."

That made her giggle.  "You'd fit in very well with the boys, I'd wager.  You'd be very popular, Gherrick.  If you ever decide to change your career!"

Gherrick only stared at Eliana with a blush before giving a boyish laugh.
"You're still not used to a man being prude, are you?" he said, placing a hand on her foot to stop her stroking.But the gesture was gentle,a nd not meant to be rude, considering, he didn't NOT like it. He just... well,t hey were having a conversation. Such things were best reserved for elsewhere.

"They're not popular in my line of work," Eliana quipped, not fighting his interruption at all.  She didn't mind; she just liked to get under his skin a little bit!

Or a lot bit!

"What's the deal with you being prudish anyway?"  It was his word -- she could use it if she wanted to!  "And don't give me that bull about women and how you're supposed to treat them.  You can treat a woman well and still have sex!"

Blushing more, Gherrick gave another laugh.
"Let's just say I haven't found the right woman yet. Nor, I suppose, the time to find her."

And considering his luck with women... the last one was now ten feet under the ground...

"Ah!" Eliana exclaimed brightly, sitting up and pulling her foot away from him in the process.  "So that's it!"

The exclamation drew a few odd looks from some of the folks around them, but she paid them no mind.

"You aren't a prude at all.  You're a romantic!"  It sounded a bit like an accusation, even if it was announced with a smile.  "And that's so much worse!  Poetry, flowers, proclamations of love..."  She gave him a look of distaste.  "There's nothing good about it!"

"And here I thought women liked flowers," Gherrick said with a playful shake of his head. "I'm sure you'd like flowers. All women deserve to be treated in a way that's special by the man who adores them." And he paused to consider, then moved forward, taking the clothe napkin on the table and proceded to fuss over it before handing it over to her in a squishy looking, pillowy flower.

"Here, for you. Since every woman deserves a bouquet..." though after he said it, he blushed and corrected, "Er, but in this case, it's just one flower." And then he added, "And.. folded from a clothe napkin."

But it was the thought that counted.

Eliana giggled softly as her fingers ran over the petals in a caress.  She'd almost forgotten that bouquet of straw flowers he had bestowed upon her once upon a time!

"Maybe I would, and maybe I wouldn't," she answered smugly.  "But what I do like is for a man to spend his money on me.  Jewels, expensive clothing, gold or silver..."  With a laugh, she added, "I'd even take straight coin."

Money was money, after all!

"So, perhaps an expensive bouquet...  Or petals scattered all over my room..."

"So you're saying you don't like it?" he inquired with a playful pout. It was a difficult feat to fold paper, or straw, let alone a soft clothe to keep it in any sort of shape,a nd by now, it was already starting to pull apart.

A smirk touched her painted lips, and she scooted forward in her chair to murmur, "I'm saying, Gherrick, that if you were to buy me a pretty necklace, I'd take you upstairs."  Although her eyes never left his, her hands rose to his shirt.  Lightly, they began to fiddle with his collar, crumpling and soothing it back out again. 

"I would take off all of my other jewels.  I would let down my hair.  And I would slowly take off my dress, letting you see my shoulders...my breasts...my stomach...my hips...and, then..."  She trailed off with a knowing and naughty smile.  "...And I would sit on your lap -- just like this."  Somehow, and some point, she had left her chair and settled in his lap, sitting astride his legs in order to face him.  It bared all of one leg, going quite beyond indecent.  "So you could see me...and feel me...wearing only your necklace..."  It was powerful imagery, even if she hadn't seated herself in his lap... 

The hands that had been playing with his collar moved downwards, beginning to undo the buttons they found there.  "And as I took off your shirt..."  Her voice dropped, and she leaned forward to nuzzle his ear with her nose.  Naturally, the posture pressed her breasts against his chest, giving him full frontal contact with the woman.

Role-playing was fun!

Unfortunately, this time, there was an ulterior motive...

"There's a group of men.  Mean-looking.  Connlaothian armor."  Her voice was soft and sweet, no doubt delivered with a pretty smile as she spoke directly into his ear.  "At the door.  Don't make a fuss.  I know the bartender.  He won't sell us out.  The stairs are to the left."  She chuckled softly, adding a playful nip to his earlobe that was, entirely, unnecessary.  "Guess where the key to my room is."

Looking towards the bartender, she caught his eye and gestured to the group.  Understanding, the man at once went into Distraction Mode...which would, hopefully, give the pair time enough to slip upstairs.

(OOC: Sometimes, I just can't help myself.)

Distraction, yes, her words, and that intonation, was quite the distraction, and by the time she settled herself within his lap, his face was red, his mind- a puddle of goo, and the tent in his pants had flared up again. Yes, if Eliana hadn't made it clear before, she was really very good at what she did, and had he been any other man, he'd probably take advantage. The Gods knew his body could use the release, and the moment of pleasure and fun....

Though the lips and teeth to his ear was enough to make him naturally buck up, just once into her- but quickly his heat died down momentarily for him to readjust himself, playing it off that he wasn't trying to do anything ungentlymanly through his clothing, just you know....
readjusting the way he sat with her on the chair!

And oh how her words brought shivers to his skin, and the warmth of her breasts against his chest..
Yes, if he were any other man....

With a husky breath, he nodded to her rigidly and let his blue eyes slide over towards the stairs. A hand smoothed up her back as he leaned forward, lips to her ears, "So where's your room?" he said, hesitating. "And shall I just, erm, carry you up there just like this?"
Which migh tbe helpful, if a bit difficult, if only because he was not accustomed to such things- but it would help to hide that certain thing that was erm.. tenting.

Ah, lovely Eliana, such a horrible influence on him! But even still, he smirked playfully at the interaction, his ears red as his cheeks and he, only beginning to get used to such things,( but still timid and awkward as before); though this time he had to play this out if they didn't want to get caught...
and something about that drove him crazy, and his mind was in a whirl of all the sorts of things Eliana could do to him....

Yeah, they should probably get to her room and quick. After all, they didn't want the 'evil' Connlaothians to find them! And with his blue silken shirt... he'd be a direct target for those who knew who he was....
and where ever Seven of the Sea was, a heft bounty of possibilities was to follow.

So scooting awkwardly off the chair, he kept Eliana pressed against him as he rose to his feet with a grunt. "Just direct me towards it," then after he shifted a bit to ensure he could carry her weight stably, he inquired in a lower voice, "And erm, just where is the key?" he asked, still a bit to shy to just dive in for it, though his eyes suddenly went down to peek at her cleavage that was so tantalizingly pressed against his own, now half exposed, chest.

Eliana's legs slipped around his waist, and her arms went around his neck, though she had no fear of being dropped.  They weren't going to that far, after all...and, whether he wanted her to know it or not, the tent between his legs fit so snugly between hers that, had she a mind, she could have undone his belt, and they might have been done with this entire game!

Fortunately for Gherrick, she didn't have a mind to do that at all...well, maybe she thought about it in passing, but she had priorities!

"Upstairs," she murmured sweetly.  "First door on the left.  When we get up there, I'll let you look for it, if you like."  She was teasing now; once they were upstairs, there were no reason to play anymore!  And although that made her sad, Gherrick was a unique sort of case...

Gherrick laughed softly against her, his breath fluttering through her hair as he kept his grip upon her and began to make his way up the stairs, but once they were infront of her room, he grew more red faced.
"I.. I think I'll need that key now..."
And he hoped she had been joking about making him fish for it.

"You really know how to show a girl a good time," Eliana murmured with a laugh and a kiss upon his cheek.  A quick glance down the hall proved that they were alone.  "You can put me down, I think," she added with a smile.  "Unless you're enjoying yourself."

It made her laugh a little to think of it, even as she leaned away from him to pluck the key from between her breasts.  She held it up for him to see between her fingers with a smirk, then turned to put the key in the lock.

"I'm, ah, sorry about that," she murmured, indicating his pants with a pretty giggle and a sparkle in her eye.  "I could take care of it for you...to make up for being so naughty..."

Gherrick sighed, shaking his head as he crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head while his shoulders hunched a little as he waited at the door, as if a child waiting to use the moon house to relieve themselves.
"Unless you have a hat, or an extra baggy pair of pants, I don't think you could help me, Eliana.." and at the click of the key inside the hole, he cleared his throat, his brows raising. "So, aren't you going to show me in?" he asked with a half-cocked and uncertain, but still pleasantly playful grin.

"You really have no imagination, do you?" Eliana asked coyly as she stepped inside, pulling the door open all the way to allow Gherrick entry.  It was a bit frustrating...but, then, she supposed, he was purposefully blind to it all!

"After all, I have hands...and a mouth..."  She chortled as the door closed behind him.

The room itself was neatly made but seemed comfortable.  Eliana clearly hadn't been intending to make a home here; there was only a small set of saddle bags, from which, no doubt, her clothes had come.

"I could also send for some cold water."  She grinned devilishly at that.  Poor Gherrick!

At the click of the door closing, he could have jumped, then at her first suggestion, he only laughed nervously. He didn't participate in such acts, but he obviously knew of them and silently shook his head, that was, until the cold water remark came and he laughed.

"You know, you're quite the cruel woman," he said with another shake of his head. Then he drew in a breath and looked around, idly buttoning back up his shirt. "The place seems cozy. Did you just arrive?"

"I was here for work," she replied, answering his accusations only with a grin.  Moving past him, she picked up her saddle bags and disappeared behind the screen set, conveniently, in the corner of the room.  Gherrick would hear the rattle of jewelry and the rustle of clothes, and then her dress was thrown over the top of the screen.

A moment more, and she emerged clad in a simple white silken sleeping gown.  It was almost decent, even, long enough so that it reached her ankles.  The spaghetti strap top bared her shoulders and a modest hint of cleavage, but it was certainly nothing compared to her previous outfit.

She settled down on the bed, looking elegant and poised in the ensemble as she regarded him.  "Do you have a ship waiting for you?"

Gherrick hadn't realized how he had been staring, or giving her a dopey grin in admiration for how the gown fit over her body until a question was presented to her; for until she had come out from behind the screen, he had looked away like any decent man would do to give her the utmost privacy. Though at her question, he simply replied, "Well, yes," and he smiled through a breath as he took a seat on the edge of the bed. "But she's all the way in Cerenis."

"That's quite a long way," Eliana murmured sympathetically, seemingly immune to his admiration.  Naturally, she wasn't; she was aware that he was looking, and she knew just how to position herself to complement the gown.

"Where will you go once you reach her?  Or do you have no plans yet?"

He was a pirate; surely, he must have ideas!

"Well, for now, I'm just sort of winging it," he said with a boyish grin as he reclined back a little on the bed, trying to appear nonchalant as he crossed one leg over his lap, and clasped his hand behind his head as he stared at the ceiling.
"Money to help the refugees from the Connlaothian war has to come from some overly arrogant and  scandalous nobleman's pocket. It's well, sort of what brought me in land," he added with a soft laugh then light scratch tot he side of his nose, and his eyes slipped down to look at her in her gown, then away.

"You must have made a nuisance of yourself in Connlaoth," the thief answered him with a smile.  "For them to send armed men so far away from their own borders in search of you.  There would be a scandal if you were caught, I'm sure..."

Eliana scooted closer to him, then settled down on the bed beside him with her cheek on his shoulder and body nestled nicely against his.

"How will your money help the refugees?  And how will you even find the refugees to help?"

Gherrick stared down at her, trying to appear nonchalant as her rolled his eyes away with a shrug.
"I don't know. Perhaps they have nothing better to do with their time than to hunt down an old pirate like me."
Then at her last question, he kept his eyes to the ceiling and was idly tapping his foot into the air. "I have my ways. It's not hard when you know what to look for..." And it was then his blue eyes slipped down to hers.

"Oh?  And what is that?"  She was teasing a bit; after all, she had once had to cross the Connlaothian borders, and it was no easy thing.  With the sudden renewal of anti-mage sentiment, it was sure to be more difficult.

The beauty's smile became a little more serious.  "Promise me you'll be careful while you're there, Gherrick.  I won't be there to pull your bacon out of the fire should something happen."  Because, really, he relied on her.  She poked his side to playfully drive her point home.

Gherrick raised his brows at her concern.
"I do this for a living," he told her, the boyish grin there, though a more serious tone had come out from his lips. "But I'll try to keep myself in one piece so we can possibly meet again one day." Then his eyes slipped to her dress again before he looked back up into her eyes. "When I see you retired and spoiled rotten, probably married to some nobleman who wouldn't be able to keep his hands off of you- but also, respect you in the same light,a nd maybe even make you a bouquet of straw flowers?" and his lips twitched more widely into a grin, something else then showing in his eyes, something plainly that was his concern for her.

That made her laugh quietly.  "I'm pretty sure you're the only man who will ever make me straw flowers, Gherrick.  I have one pressed in one of my books somewhere to remember you by."

With a pretty smile, she added, "And it's not so easy to find such a perfect man, you know!  If it were, I would have retired a long time ago."

It was true!

"Anyway, don't look at me like that.  I have other options.  Perhaps I will have to settle for a merchant or a tradesman.  Can you imagine me milking cows and fetching eggs?"  That made her laugh out loud.  By the Gods, she hoped she was never condemned to that!

Gherrick's smile became more lopsided, and his expression, more soft and he, more handsome for it.
"I think you'd look beautiful by it, all sweaty and frumpled in the confines of a plain dress."
Though his words were mockery, they were playful as his eyes danced at her.
"But what's wrong with being the wife of a merchant?" and he asked, almost as if it offended him she would dismiss such a profession. "Or a farmer?"

Eliana laughed again, a melodic and genuine sound of amusement that few had the chance to hear.  "Me?  Really?  What about my fine silks and my jewels, Gherrick?  You don't often see milk maids wearing diamonds!"

Her laughter faded, then, and then she turned over onto her stomach to peer down at him.  "I guess," she allowed, "With the right man, it wouldn't be so bad.  And we're back to that conundrum again, aren't we?"

The never-ending cycle of how hard her life was!

"You may just have to find someone for me, because I've had no luck at all!"

Gherrick smiled, and crawled down onto the bed across from her, laying on his belly so that his feet kicked up behind him, much like hers and his hands rested against his chin.
"Are you proposing we go husband hunting? I don't think I've ever been."

"Wouldn't that interfere with your duty to help the helpless, and to screw with the fine folk of Connlaoth?"  The girl wondered with a skeptical look and a laugh.  "Maybe, you could just keep an eye open for me...  Send one my way?"

Of course, it was all just a fancy... She knew, by and large, what she had to do to survive, and finding the perfect husband likely wouldn't be it!

"In the meantime, I suppose I'll find some way to make ends meet."  She sighed dramatically.

Gherrick nodded.
"You seem like a resourceful type. I'm sure you will survive," and he gave a playfully patronizing pat to her hand before he sat up.
"Do you think those men are gone yet?" and he rose to his feet, wondering over towards the window, thgouh he spotted their horses still tethered outside before letting the curtain drop from his fingers.

"Would you like me to go find out?"  It was asked kindly, a genuine attempt to help.  Pulling herself to her feet, she moved towards the door at a languid, unhurried pace.  "I could also ask someone to bring up your things, if you're planning on spending the night."

Pointedly, she turned to regard him with a grin and a shrug.  "I wouldn't mind.  The bed's big enough for two."

Gherrick gave a nervous laugh.
"It's not like we havne't done that before!" then he cleared his throat, blushing that he had made such a joke before softly apologizing.

"Why are you apologizing?"  She blinked at him, blue eyes growing larger dramatically before narrowing much more playfully.  "After the things I've done to you tonight, I'm surprised you can still be embarrassed at all."  Silly man!

Although she did feel slightly bad about being such a tease!

"I'll be right back, alright?  Anything else you want from downstairs?"

"I'd say a kiss, but I know what sort of games you play!" he flirted, then gave a boyish laugh. "But keep safe. I'd hate to have to rescue you again." Though his smile indicated other wise.

The thief blew him a kiss -- just to be cheeky! -- then disappeared through the door.

It took but a minute for her to disappear downstairs, and then moments more for her to return.  She came back to him after nearly five minutes, slipping back into the room with an apologetic expression.

"It seems they're settling in for the night next door, Gherrick.  The stableboy will bring up your things.  And a barmaid is bringing up some water."  Settling back down on the bed, she added, "Guess you're stuck with me for a while longer!"

Gherrick felt a bit of a flutter when she blew a kiss,a nd shook his head, even well after she had left. He took this moment to recompose himself, hunched over now at the end of the bed as he raked a hand through his hair.

Whens he returned, he perked up, staring over at her as he nodded.
"Figures my luck."
Then at her mention of water, he inquired, "Water for what?"

"Water?"

Eliana stared at him, as if he had gone mad!

"For drinking.  I would have ordered wine, but you seemed rather against it earlier...but I'm sure they would let us change our mind and spend a little money on something decent."

What an odd fellow!

Hefting up the pillow, she used it to playfully strike his shoulder.  "Unless you need it for something else, still..."

Gherrick lifted up his hands, as if caught by the guards.
"No, no, I assure you, that condition has been settled."
For now.
Thankfully, what little still was stirring was hardly noticeable. But cold water would definitely keep him cool!

Eliana's grin looked somehow catlike.  "I can't say I'm not disappointed."

Poor, poor Gherrick!

She blew out a soft sigh and reclined backwards on the bed, looking up at him (and the rest of the world) so that he appeared upside down.  "I can't believe it's been five years, and we're repeating the same steps...and hiding from the same people."  Stupid Connlaoth and their stupid military!  "Nothing's changed at all, has it?  Are we going to do this all over again in another five years?  And again after that?"

Apparently, they were just born trouble-makers!

Gherrick though it over and gave a shrug.
"Perhaps, though maybe one of these times, I could buy you a real bouquet, and we could make a real date out of it."

"No, no.  I don't think so," she answered, peering up at him.  "You're not going to get off that easy.  You can't offer to make a girl a bouquet, then settle for buying one.  Besides..."  Her blue eyes sparkled as she laughed at the thought.  "You aren't like most men, Gherrick.  It wouldn't suit you to try to buy my affection.  Not when you've already won it."

She smirked, then.  "But you would have to drink something stronger than water.  Some wine with your meal won't make you lose your head.  And if you did, I'd behave myself.  As much as you wanted me to, anyway."  Her expression was all sweet and sugary innocence...which did not bode well for Gherrick at all!

My, what would a date with Gherrick be like?  Sweet, probably...  And hopefully uninterrupted by Connlaoth!

Gherrick laughed heartily at her response and he lifted his hands up in guilty surrender.
"Very well, very well, you've figured me out." and he rested a hand over his heart. "I'll pick you the largest bouquet imaginable, and then afterwards.." and here he grinned ear from ear before informing her, "We'll drink tea!"

It was at least stronger than water.

Eliana laughed as well, spinning around and sitting up to face him fully.  "The largest bouquet?  Really?  Let's see.  I imagine that would be an entire garden, and the largest garden belongs to Lady Trebeaux.  How, exactly, are you going to pull that off?"

Ah, but imagine if he did!

"Really, Gherrick!" she exclaimed playfully in protest over the tea.  "Just how am I supposed to get you into bed with me if you won't do anything to help me?"

Gherrick stared at her a moment, red faced before he laughed.
"But we already shared a bed, and here I am, sitting in one!" He gave her a grin, his eyes sparkling as he knew he had her cornered on that one; though he also knew what her rebuttal would be, too.

"You are a smart-ass!" she exclaimed, laughing even as she threw the pillow at his head!

There was a knock on the door, then, and she half-turned to glance at it a moment before making a wide, sweeping gesture in its direction.  "I believe that is for you, sir!  Unless you'd like me to wait on you?  I have a maid outfit somewhere..."  Eliana grinned broadly at him, only teasing!

"Oh, you think my ass is smart?" Gherrick said playfully as he stood upa nd looked at it. "I don't know, I think it could be smarter if it read more books." And his grin broadened, then at her sweeping gestured, he sweeped a bow towards her.
"As the lady wishes." And he tidied himself up and opened the door, only to yelp and slam it shut suddenly, his pallor paling.

"So... how fast are you at running? Because the Connlaothians are on the other side."
It seemed the ruse was up, and a heavy banging came at the door.
"Open up, Seven of the Sea. We know you're in there. Don't make us tear this door down!"

He didn't wait for Eliana to respond as he opened the window and gestured, "After you?" And then he added, a bit hastily, but still playful, "I propose a romantic run by moonlight. Sound good? Then perhaps later, we'll get those flowers and tea and maybe another bed?"

Eliana had been admiring a chip on her fingernail...until Gherrick's yelp made her jump about three feet off the bed.

That goddamned man downstairs.  If he had anything left to procreate with when she was done with him, he'd be lucky.

"I'm hardly dressed for it," she complained -- but there wasn't any time to change.  She'd just have to be sure she came back for her things...and her revenge.

She did, however, take a moment to scoop up her whip...because she had a feeling she might need it.

Stepping out onto the room, the wind gave a sudden gale, as if to show just how delicate her gown truly was.  A flicker of color on the ground caught her attention, then, and she swore.

"The damned townguards are out here too, Gherrick.  How much did you steal??"

Alright, so the townguards might be after her.  But their timing could not be a coincidence!

Gherrick paused at the window and thought over her question,t he wind blowing epiclly through his hair.
"I stole an entire caravan of money from a certain Lord Bartsmith." Then he grinned with a shrug. "He was going to use it to buy slaves. Connlaothian mage slaves. It only seemed appropriate to steal the money and use it for Connlaothian refugees, instead. But there was quite an impressive amount of money that you'd think there would be more than just the towns-"

SHHHNTK- and an arrow sank into the wooden window frame.
"Ah, there's Lord Bartsmith's archers! Well," he clapped his hands and rubbed them firmly together. "How shall we make our epic escape? Down the side railing or just find ourselves climbing onto the roof top? It's a beautiful night. Might be fun to jump roof tops."

"Oh, is that all?  I can't imagine what the fuss is about..."  Being a bit snarky helped to calm her nerves.  Glancing around, Eliana made a grab for Gherrick's hand.

"Come on.  We're going to have put something between us and the archers."  She was one herself, after all; she knew just how deadly they could be.  Hopefully, they weren't aiming to kill...

"I wonder if they think the Southroad Bandits are involved," she posed aloud, grinning at the thought.  Just something else to add to their infamy!  And it explained the town guard, too.  "With any luck, they'll assume we're headed for the Towers."  Boy, would they get a surprise...she should probably give them a heads up to expect trouble.

"Bandits and pirates, who would have thought?" Gherrick said, grinning from ear to ear with his proudness, those blue eyes shinning when suddenly..

SHNNNTK- Another arrow sunk in but an inch from his boot.
"Yeah.. let's get the hell out of here then." And he took her hand and without a second thought, jumped with her off the balcony.

An array of clothes lines met them below,a nd a quick motion and Gherrick was sliding and swinging through them- Eliana in arms. He hadn't even given her fair warning, so when he reached the last sloping clothes line that the pair were gliding through- collecting linens int he face as they went, they dropped off ont he other side, landing in a semi- ceremonious landing, the pile of laundry at their fronts breaking the fall.

A moment later, Gherrick's head popped out fromthe fray.
"You think we lost them?"
But another arrow sunk five feet to their rear. Gherrick grit his teeth. "I guess that means we ought to keep running." he said with a shrug, moving quickly out of the pile of clothes and offering his hand down to her to help her to her feet.

By the time they landed, Eliana had only just started to breathe again.  It was a wonder the grasp she had on the pirate hadn't choked off all of his air as well.  She stared back at the way they had come, momentarily dazed, although Gherrick's hand snapped her out of it.

"Is it like this all the time for you?" she wondered, blinking her blue eyes in an uncharacteristically alarmed manner.  She accepted his hand, though, allowing him to haul her up off the ground.  She was a thief, true, but there were many, many different varieties of thief...and, typically, most of the action she saw was on her back.

And if not on her back, she preferred to keep the enemies at a considerable distance...for her own protection.

Running, therefore, was entirely their best bet, as she saw it!

"This way," she directed, pulling on the man's arm to direct him towards a narrow alley.  This was her turf, after all...  "We need to head south, towards the poor side of town.  Do you have a knife?"  This last bit was uttered as she came to a stop on the otherside of the alley, which, she assumed, would gain them a precious few seconds.

Releasing his hand, she held out her skirt at the thigh and looked at him expectantly.  "Well?"

Gherrick followed after, and at the mention of a knife,he shook his head.
"I tend to with hold from carrying any blades. I'd rather not mar my enemies," he pointed out. Probably not what she wanted to hear,but it was the truth.

"Damn."  Another curse!  She had picked up some bad habits from those bandits!  "Then you'll have to rip it.  I can't run very well in this thing, and they're going to catch up to one or both of us."  In spite of Eliana's frustration, she shot him a grin.  "This is the last time I dress is something nice for you."

Survival always trumped even the prettiest of clothes!

"If we can make it to the slummy side of town, we should be able to cause enough of a distraction to find some horses and escape.  The people there care much for the guards...and they like Connlaoth even less."

Gherrick was smiling, that was, until she mentioned something about ripping and clothes.
"Wait- what!?" He shook his head in protest, blue eyes widening."I-I-I couldn't!" But another arrow over head that nearly struck his ear made him wince and jump on his feet.
"Well, alright, but just this once," he said with a sigh, smiling at her through a blush before moving down to...
"Sorry about this.."
And quickly, both sides of the seams on her night dress were ripped well to her thighs. Quickly righting himself, he inspected his work before looking at her.
"Come on, let's go."

They needed to run, and fast, as he snatched onto her hand and began to drag her deeper into the alley way.

That would do!

Next time, he would have to pay dearly for the pleasure of ripping her dress apart!

"Those are some talented archers," Eliana observed as they made their way down the streets, trying to weave to avoid the arrows.  "Left there," she added quickly, directing him into a seedy tavern that looked like it served rats more-so than men.  She pushed inside, Gherrick beside her, and scarcely paused before diving into the crowd.

People near the door stopped what they were doing to stare, but the crowd, overall, barely seemed to notice a little additional ruckus.  This time, the stairs Eliana led Gherrick towards were behind the bar, and they went down instead of up.

"You can't go down there!" a wench called with a frown.

Eliana made a rude gesture with her hand in response, then vanished into the darkened wine cellar.

"Uh.. E-E-Elaina?" Gherrick began as he was pulled along into the dark. "Just where are we going?" Though he supposed he should he thankful, this place seemed as safe as any (disease aside)

"Just taking a moment to catch our breath," the thief answered back smartly, her smirk carrying to him in her tone.  "I've never met a pirate afraid to go into a bar before..."

And the fact it was a dive should have been an added bonus!

"I told you, these guys don't like the guards.  Or Connlaothians."  She paused a moment.  "Especially Connlaothians."

Darkness closed around them as she moved further into the cellar, moving quickly from a twilight to nearly total darkness.  Her hand left his as she stopped, and she glanced upwards at the ceiling above.  The general murmur was already beginning to erupt into shouts.

"If we're lucky, we won't have to use Plan B."

Gherrick hunched over to avoid hitting his head on the ceiling and kept close to Eliana, though he paused when she didas he.glanced at the ceiling, then to her.
"What's plan B?"

"I guess I should have told you," she answered, her voice carrying back to him in the darkness.  "You're in charge of Plan B."  Eliana's laugh was light, but it seemed a little strained as she listened to the sounds upstairs.  The general ruckus, which was, no doubt, normal for a place like this, was beginning to escalate a little bit, but it wasn't until she heard a metallic-sounding crashing that Eliana truly allowed herself to breathe.

"Sounds like there may be a bar fight...  Hopefully, it's with your Connlaothians, Gherrick.  Let's give them a few minutes to really add some oomph to our distraction, and then we'll go."

Gherrick gave a laugh.
"You have quite a lot of faith in me. What if you don't like my version of plan B?" He asked, his eyes flickering towards the ceiling at all the noise while his heart was racing inside his chest.

"It's not really faith," the whore replied cheerfully, "So much as it is desperation."  Sure, that was bound to keep his ego in check for another minute or two!

She waited in silence, listening to the sounds above.  A smile curled her lips, then, and she stepped forward to press her hands against the wall.  "Sounds like someone brought in reinforcements.  That's our cue."

A part of the wall moved in beneath her fingertips, sliding open with a hiss to reveal a hidden passage!  "Hope you don't mind the dark!"

She giggled as she moved into the narrow passageway -- big enough, only, for them to walk in single-file.  If Gherrick's shoulders had been broader, he would have had to sidestep the length of it.

Once Gherrick, too, had passed through the entrance, the door hissed shut, leaving the pair in complete and total darkness.  "Just follow the walls," Eliana suggested.  "Apparently, this used to be an escape route for slaves, back when this town had such things."

(OOC: I forgot about this thread somehow.  Bad Vries!  Bad!)

Gherrick held a breath before breathing out a sigh through his lips.
"You're just full of surprises!" he told her cheerfully, then nodded and followed along- though Gherrick was hardly a large fellow, it was more comfortable for him to shift and move with his back against hte wall rather than the vanishing door-
then again, most everything vanished here in the dark.

"So where does this lead?" he inquired softly, and then, after bumping into her, he laughed shortly before apologizing, "Er- sorry! It's hard to see my boots in the dark." Or anything...

"Secrets," she corrected him with a soft laugh.  "Girls have to have their secrets."  She paused, then, a note of smug triumph in her tone.  "Though if you learn any more of mine, I might have to kill you."

The collision was more her fault than his own.  She had paused as the walls opened up into an intersection.  Being this was the first time she was down here, she wasn't entirely sure which way to go, and so she had paused to think about it.

"Unfortunately, they don't go very far.  That's why we needed the distraction.  Let's go this way."  Of course, he would have no idea which way "this way" was...  "Right, that is."

Before she moved, however, there was just one thing she had to note...  "You know what I find interesting, Gherrick?"  She was, practically, purring...  "You do get pretty handsy in the dark, don't you?"

(OOC: I have NO idea where any of this is going.  Feel free to jump in, lady!)

Gherrick kept feeling around in the darkness, and paused a moment when his hand touched something soft-
and then his face heated red at her comment as he jerked his hand away, smacking it off the wall.
He laughed nervously, "Not intentionally, I assure you!" he said with a laugh. "Though if I were any other man, I might make a crude comment about our predicament, but seeing as we're running for our life, it hardly seems appropriate!" and he rubbed at his poor aching hand.

"And I think we've all got secrets, Eliana." For he himself, had secrets he just couldn't tell..
Not that anyone would believe them, anyways. And sometimes, as a joke- he'd tell the story. It normally was something nice to put children to bed at night...
Or, you know, to use during shameless moments of flirtation.

Eliana glanced over her shoulder -- but, of course, it was impossible to see anything at all.  "Why so serious all of a sudden, Gherrick?  Your secrets can't be so bad!"

Moving forward again, she began to blindly feel her way towards, what she hoped, would be the end of the tunnel.  She liked dark, cramped tunnels as much as the next thief, but this was a little ridiculous!  Well, at least she wasn't down here alone!

"Let me guess your secret!" she volunteered cheerfully.  "I'm guessing...you can't tie even the simplest sailor's knot...and that's why you're always on la--"

She would have gone on, no doubt, with a laugh -- but she walked, instead, headlong into a low-hanging beam.  She bounced backwards a bit, landing in the dirt on her bottom with an owlish blink as she attempted to determine, what, exactly, had happened.

It took her a moment to process, but she finally realized what it was.  "Gherrick!  There's a low beam!"

"You can guess all day if you want, but I doubt you'll get real close.."
And at her inquiries, he gave a laugh. "Do you think so lowly of me?"
And then at the sudden quiet 'bump'-...

"What's wrong, Elai-?"

WHACK

And the second victim fell prey to the low beam, as Gherrick was seeing stars, and unbeknowest to him, he had his face first in her chest. It was her smell and soft flesh that gave it away as he sat up suddenly, both arms supporting his way as she remarked, "That was definitely a low beam!"
And totally not his fault!
"But thanks for the attempt at a warning!" he called over to her, rubbing at his smarting head.

And thanks for the cushioned landing?

Eliana quirked a grin at him.  Her hands found his elbow and shoulder, then left him to touch the wall gently.

"I was never made for all this running around..."  She sighed heavily and touched her own head, intaking a sharp breath as her fingers found the already-forming bruising.

"My poor face," she complained bitterly.  "As soon as we get out of here, we need to find some ice. If it bruises..."  Well, she just didn't know what she would do!

Keeping her hands out in front of her face, now, she felt for the low beam and stopped there, half-turned back towards where she assumed Gherrick was.  Before she could speak, however, there was a sort of rumbling coming from the beam beside her head.

"...What is that?"

Gherrick was rubbing at his own smarting head when she lamented over her own.
"I feel you on that one!" But then the rumbling caught him off guard as he braced himself against the wall. He attempted to look around, but it was.too dark. Releasing a held breath once the rumbling stopped he informed her, "Either the party upstairs is getting intense, or the earth is shaking. Either way, I suggest we get out of here!"
But then he paused to consider... "You do know the way out of.here.... Don't you?"

"We don't have a lot of choice!" she answered as she ducked beneath the low-hanging beam.  "Let's go, Gherrick!"

Whatever the source of the rumbling was, logically, it was probably something this place experienced all the time...and it had held up for this long, right?  Logic, however, didn't keep the rumbling from scaring her half out of her mind, as thoughts of collapse and dying beneath all this rubble immediately came to the forefront of her mind.

It didn't take long before they were off again, and the rumbling was left behind.  Her outstretched hands found a dead end before them, and she pressed gently at the boards until one of them finally gave, and popped open to reveal the moonlight and stars above.  Dirt and grass poured into the opening the hidden door left, and Eliana stepped into the night to survey their surroundings a moment before turning to help her comrade up out of the ground.

"You know," the beauty began as she extended a hand down to the pirate, "I think that worked out rather well.  Don't you?"

A pretty little stream ran nearby, its waves a melodious tinkle.  Somewhere, an owl hooted to its mate, and the wind softly blew through the trees.  It was a beautiful night...

"Though some would say it's bad luck to be disturbing the dirt of a cemetery at this time of night."

Gherrick shimmied his way out of the little make shift door, and being his shoulders were a bit wider than hers, and his body, taller, he had to do some creative angling as he made his way through.
Once outside, however, he caught his breath and took in the twinkling of the stars with some admiration,a nd enjoyed the cool feeling of the night's airs.

And that's when her words caught his ear and he looked around to the ghostly silhouettes of the tombstones, who were dancing beneath the shadows of the trees.

"Yeah, there's a lot of legends and curses behind cemeteries at night.." Gherrick stated thoughtfully as he approached her and sighed, staring off down the valley towards the stream. "Though I doubt even the dead would haunt us over a moment's reprieve." And his lips tugged into a soft smile. "The night is beautiful..."
And his companion faired the same. It was just a shame what her fate was and what she chose to be, but not everyone could be a wanted pirate, after all. Nor a forgotten prince from an island swallowed beneath the sea.

Life could be so hard sometimes.
Leaning against his bow staff, he continued to admire her before inquiring, "So.. shall we?"
The night wasn't getting any younger.

She was filthy now, she was sure, and probably looked just about as bad as she had the day she and Gherrick had first met.  The sleeping gown was ruined, of course, and its white cloth stained with dirt.  A similar smudge darkened one of her cheeks as well, and her hair had become loose and a bit frizzy.

But her eyes were alight with the adventure, and her face glowed with a pleased pinkish hue.

"I figured we would avoid the Towers, but it's beginning to look like we have no choice."  All of her things had been at that inn, and she didn't dare try to go back to town to make contact with any of the other bandits...

It didn't leave them much choice!

She looked down at her toes, wiggling them in the grass and sighing softly.  "My poor feet..."

Glancing down to her wiggling toes, Gherrick found himself staring for a while before he took a seat and proceeded to slip off his own pair of boots-
then tossed them on over to her.
"Here. The least I can do to help a fair lady."

Both of Eliana's eyebrows had gone up as he tore his boots off and presented them to her.  "Are you serious?" she asked skeptically, looking from the boots to him, finally.  "You're going to give me your boots?"

She crossed her arms beneath her breasts and shook her head slightly.  "I appreciate the offer, but...  You really should keep those."  Just because her dainty little feet weren't meant for traipsing through the woods and valleys...

With a more playful pout, she crouched down in front of him to poke his chest.  "I was expecting an offer of a piggy back ride or something.  And what do I get?  A pair of stinky boots."

Gherrick stared after her before tossing his head back in a laugh.
"You expect me to carry you around? Did I miss something?" he said, mirth flavoring his voice and shining his eyes. "Are you the Queen of Serendipity?" Shaking his head, he picked up the boots and dropped them once again before her feet.
"Now, no more arguments. Get those dainty hooves of yours into my stinky boots."
And wasn't the smile he was wearing ever so charming? Needless to say, a lot f woman could not refuse a man with eyes so blue!

Then again, most women weren't asked to wear his shoes. She should consider herself lucky!

Eliana's grin was easy as she turned her nose up snootily.  "Of course not.  Men treat me much better than that!" she answered smugly.

Though, to be fair, she hadn't expected him to give her a piggy back ride either -- not really.  That would be a long ride, indeed!

Turning her eyes back to the boots, she frowned at them, then up at Gherrick.  "I am going to look completely ridiculous in those."  That, more than anything, was reason enough not to wear them!

Gherrick looked to his left, then looked to his right before he pause dto rub his chin.
"Yes.. last time I checked, we were going to a grand ball. It would seem rather ridiculous to wear boots instead of getting your feet all cut up from the ground. BUt if you don't want them.."
and he planted his ass back onto the dirt and moved forward as if to pull his boots back onto his feet. "Maybe we can just make do by tying your feet up with bags."
Cause you know, that wouldn't look more ridiculous.
"I have a few handsome bags on my person. We could be creative." And as he pulled one of the boots back on, he grinned up at her before offering out th eother to her.
"Come on, " and he tossed it at her. "At least try it on to humor me. Let me see how ridiculous it looks."

"You just want to laugh at me," Eliana accused, good-naturedly enough.

But she would look ridiculous.

Rather than sit on the ground, she took a seat on one of the nearby gravestones.  The cool marble bit through her thin nightgown, producing a shiver and goosebumps along her arms.  Oh, she wasn't afraid of the ghosts that haunted the cemetery -- but what she wouldn't give for a little hot tea or warm brandy just now!

Obligingly, she crossed one slender leg over the other (revealing, inch by inch, more of her leg, all the way up to her thigh...and, from his angle, if he turned his head just right...) to pull the large boot over her foot.  "Well," she amended.  "It isn't as stinky as I thought it would be."

"Of course," Gherrick replied, catching an eyeful too much as he looked away with red on his cheeks. "Those boots are only worn by those of worthy and noble of blood; so dare we think a prince could ever possess a smelly foot? Dare it ever be uttered, it could be considered treason! So watch who you accuse of having smelly feet, my lady," he said with humbled humor, before peeking over at her to see if she had those boots finally on. "After all, have you forgotten I'm royalty?" And here he flashed her a grin of far too perfect a set of white teeth...

"Royalty?" Eliana answered with a quirked grin, as if she didn't believe him.  "What, Prince of Pirates?  And I suppose that makes me Princess of Courtesans?"

Rising to her feet, she moved slowly a few steps away from him, almost tottering a bit.  They were just a bit big, but as long as they didn't have to move too fast...

"I'm not going to be able to run in these," she said carefully, turning around with a grin and arms outstretched.  "So if we run into trouble, you really will have to carry me."

Her eyes lifted slightly to his, then, detecting a subtle change in her companion's expression, and it wiped the smile from her face.  She tottered carefully over to him, reaching up to touch his cheek gently with her fingertips.  "I've offended you," she said, looking quizzical.  Her eyes widened slightly as she realized.  "You really are a prince, aren't you?"

And now she looked like she'd been slapped -- and little wonder!

Gherrick, ever the one not to let his own 'downs' get others so, tried to laugh it off when she approached.

"We are all kings in our own right," he told her, a quote so eloquently given by his father. "Here.." he siad, wrapping an arm around her. "I'll help you walk for a time. Your foot is a bit clumsy, Princess." Then he shivered as he felt her cold skin and looked down at her as he gasped, "And my goodness! How cold you are! Just stay close to your prince and we can share one another's heat during this moonlit stroll!"

Though he was trying to sound chivalrous.. he had no idea how awful it could be interpreted.

Eliana frowned up at him -- but she was grateful, she found, to snuggle into his side and steal even a bit of that warmth.  She'd let the subject go for now -- but she knew what she had seen.  She was a con artist, after all, and a whore -- and both jobs required the ability to read a man to do them well.

But, later, perhaps...

"Don't you ever get cold?" she instead pursued, looking down at his bare feet.  Some women would have basked in such attentions, and, indeed, in any other circumstance, she would have -- but she was a self-sufficient woman, and she was used to having no one to rely on but herself.  To be smothered in such attention felt..mis-leading.  And dangerous.

"Once we reach the shelter of the woods, we should stop and light a fire..."  Her smile quirked upwards.  "I would hate for my prince charming to catch his death before he can complete his quest."

Gherrick's lips curled into a playful smile.
"Sounds like a solid plan!" he informed her with a laugh. "Your prince charming approves." And he tossed her a.wink and helped her along, "Come on now, Eliana, just because you are wearing stinky boots in no means gives you the right to drag those feet!"

And eventually the pair made camp in the woods, the graveyard just off in the distance as Gherrick sat before the fire he built and. Rubbed his hands.. then his feet.
"What a frightfully chilly night!" He exclaimed. "Thankfully we were able to find dry wood!" And sticking his bare feet near the fire, he turned to her and inquired, " So how is my stinky booted princess fairing?"

"I miss our bed," she answered with a pout, angling her body to press against his as much as possible.  The fire seemed to be doing little to keep the chill at bay; his warmth was much more welcome.  Besides, he didn't blow smoke in her eyes!  "And our blanket.  And warmed brandy..."

Oh, there was plenty she missed that would help keep them warm!

"I wasn't made for camping outside and freezing, with soldiers searching for me!"  No, she rather preferred comfort, thank you!  "How are your feet?" she added, sounding a little pensive, suddenly.  "Not going to turn black and fall off, are they?"

Gherrick laughed musically at her concern and shook his head, some red hair falling into his face.
"Hardly!" he said, and lifted up his foot and wiggled a few toes at her. "See? They're not black- well, a bit dirty.." he said, brushing off some loose dirt and stones. "But they wiggle just fine!"

"Good," the woman proclaimed, apparently satisfied with his response.  "Because I'm not going to massage your feet if your toes have all fallen off.  That's disgusting."

It made her feel a little warmer to think of their eventual destination...  There would be a roaring fire in the fireplace...which, although sometimes drafty, her room would heat up to a toasty temperature...  And she certainly wouldn't be wearing this flimsy, torn nightgown...

"I have these fragrant oils back in my room...  You'll be absolutely catatonic by the time I'm done with you, I promise."  She smirked smugly.  She had some experience, after all!  "See, Gherrick?  Not all of my techniques need be naughty."

"Catatonic?" Gherrick quirked a brow. "And whose to say what you won't try on me won't be naughty once you have me all melted across your bed." Shaking his head, he smiled good naturedly at her. "Don't worry." he tossed her a wink. "I'll probably just sleep like babe whenever we get back to a bed. But for now..." he sighed and peered skyward, curling his toes against the crackling warmth of the fire.
"For now.. you should try to rest. I'll keep the first watch. Just stay close to me and you can keep warm. I know it's not the best place for a nap, but we might be here fo ra while so we might as well make do. Unless, of course, you know of any camp fire games." he added with a good humored chuckle.

"I'm offended, sir!" she protested with a laugh of her own.  Still, even if they couldn't keep warm doing...well, what she normally did...at least he was easy to cuddle up to.  And warm indeed.

"I don't know any games you'd approve of, I'm afraid," she answered him sleepily, trying to hold a yawn at bay.  "But I think I will take you up on that offer..."

She poked his thigh gently, that being the most accessible part of him at the moment that she didn't have to move to touch.  "Promise me you'll keep all the bad dreams away 'til morning?"

Gherrick gave her a whimsical grin and brushed her dark hair from her face.
"Now, now, Lady Eliana, or rather, Princess Eliana, what sort of magic weilding, prince and thief would you take me for if I couldn't? Granted, my abilities only work int he day time, and if you're awake, and well, if you hold onto me tightly. You know, a hug sort of thing." He said with a grin.

"Would you like to hear a story? Maybe that'll help us pass the time. No harm ever came from story telling, now did it?"

But he's been wrong before!

"You're giving me ideas again," she tsked good-naturedly.  It wasn't her fault her mind was always in the gutter!

Her eyes closed lightly as she leaned her cheek against his chest, snuggled in just about as tightly as she could be -- decently or otherwise.  There was a sort of softness to the moment, though, something about Gherrick's companionship that she was unwilling to do away with entirely.  Who'd have ever believed she would find a gentleman in a pirate?

"I do like stories," she confirmed, smiling.  "What kind of a story is it?"

"About a lost prince from the ocean. Not many know the tale." He peered down at her curiously as she got comfortable. He wouldn't admit it, but it felt nice to have her close. ANd hse was warm.
"Care to hear it?"

"Only if it has a happy ending," she answered with a quiet laugh.  "If he gets, I don't know, eaten by a whale or something, I'm not so sure I want to hear it."  She opened one eye to peer at him, her expression one of amusement.

She...actually sort of would like to hear a story!  It was probably different than anything she'd ever heard -- at least, in a very long while...

"Is this lost prince handsome?"

Gherrick laughed.
"Only if you want him to be. But this story takes place long ago. Long before you and me were born, out in the ocean, to where a chain of islands used to exsist, before the seas swallowed them whole."

Glancing back down at Eliana he smirked again, his lips tugging a bit leftward this time.
"And I can't give away the ending... but I'll do my best not to butcher the story. It's been a while since I've told it. But out in the ocean, where the waters were deeper than you could imagine, a string of island chains were born from magics deep within the earth. It's said this chain of island were much different than the larger masses of land used to create the great continents the large kingdoms now exist on today.

This island nation had not only magics, but technologies blessed to them over the years, which helped them become prosperous in their trade. But when word got out about this kingdom's greatness, those with dark magics wanted to seek it out- and find a way to exploit this for themselves.

Now, the great king never feared an invasion, no one would be foolish enough to bring a big enough fleet to attack the nation by sea- for there were massive rockst hat jutted out from the ocean, and made landing in the docks difficult. It could be done, though one boat at a time, so an entire fleet seemed impossible. But one man, with a dark purpose, and a dark name, spent all fo the years of his life seeking out the secret paths in this rocks, and mapped it out for a fleet of men.

Upon the eve of the prince's first ball, the party was just coming to a close when the prince found himself out on the sands. Off on the horizon, he noted something peculiar, and before he knew it, the entire island nation was attacked."

Eliana listened in silence.  This certainly didn't seem like a very happy story -- but there were no prince-eating whales yet, so she couldn't complain too much!

Her comfortable, sleepy expression turned into a bit of a frown as she listened, even going so far as to open up her eyes to look up at him.

"What did he do?" she prompted softly.

A call to arms?  A battle?

Leave it to a man to prattle on about boring things and skip all the details a lady liked to hear -- about the ball, about how handsome the prince was...  Well, obviously, she was raised by whores, so her story-telling priorities were probably a little skewed!

Gherrick smiled at her warmly before looking away.
And very far away he looked, reaching back into his memory as his smile faded.

"The entire kingdom held a unique magic. They were connected with the earth, by a child goddess who blessed their wishes of power. If she felt they were worthy, she would grant them the right to use her abilities. IN order to protect his Goddess, the King had to put the island nation asleep. He called to arms all of his people to join him and pray, while he rushed to the center of the island and made his way deep inside.


There, a massive crystal, bigger than you can imagine slept. And inside, the seed of the Goddess. It is said the goddess herself lives there, and when the king came to her- she felt his tears, felt his calls, and felt the urgency in his heart.

When the king touched the crystal, the entire kingdom errupted with light, and this light swallowed the entire nation whole. Down, down into the ocean it was taken, down below the sea, until no one could see it, no one could hear it, no one could try to taint it's pure magic ever again.

It is said the dark man without a name still lurks the waters, waiting for the kingdom to return again. It is also said, that when the king's tear fell ont he crystal, the Goddess heard his call to spare his sons life the imprisonment his people were about to face beneath the ocean. So, some believe that the prince is still out there, guarding the seas and keeping the dark figures at bay."

Turning to Eliana he smirked.
"It's said sometime you can still see the prince if you got out into the waters far enough. But.." he shrugged his shoulders. "It's just a story." He looked her over. "Are you tired at all? Or did my story keep you awake?"

Eliana watched his profile as he spoke.  She watched the way his expression first softened, then tightened again, as though he had reached back into his memories and found only pain.  She heard, too, the way his voice changed and even felt, for just a moment, the way his body tensed against her's, and she wondered: just how much of that was a story?

It would be senseless to bring up her thoughts just to watch him squirm.  So, instead, she took a different path.

When he glanced to her, however, she answered him with a sweet smile that was almost entirely foreign to her face.  Leaning forward, she kissed his cheek softly before reclaiming her place at his side.

"I think he sounds handsome.  Handsome enough to be in my dreams and dashing enough to keep the nightmares away."

Gherrick laughed nad reclined a little from where they say.
"Well, some do say the prince could be disguised as a pirate! You konw, to trick his enemies from figuring out who he really is."

"Mmm, that's quite clever, actually," the beauty agreed with a sleepy-sounding chuckle.  "Misdirection.  That's something I can appreciate."

Especially when she could see right through it...

"Tell me more about the islands.  What they looked like.  What people wore.  How they celebrated..."

She was already beginning to nod off...  She wouldn't remain awake to learn much more than she already knew.

Gherrick chuckled.
"They were a handsome race of people, I assure you. They also enjoyed fine silks, so that they could always feel the ocean breeze on their skin and never be over burdened by their clothes. They were also a wise group of people that were humbled by their island goddess, and never did anything without her blessing. The island's themselves were tall, the largest island being the tallest, and that was also the island that cradled the giant crystal that was nestled within the very earth itself. You know, they say the royals were known to have red hair..."
But by the time his last little quip was given, he noticed Eliana was already asleep.

"Sweet dreams, princess." he said, leaning forward and kissing her forehead, then glancing out into the forest where his blue eyes watched, and his ears kept listen. He was glad she was able to find comfort in him and get some rest> Though part of him was jealous> He wished he could sleep. But stay awake he did, lest the dark prince find them.... and catch them unwares.

The sun was only just beginning to peek over the horizon when Eliana began to stir.  She was an early-riser by nature -- or, perhaps, because she had awakened so early for so many years to sneak away from an unsuspecting mark...

She snuggled against the warm body beside her, wishing to prolong her comfort -- but, it was not to be.  Her eyes fluttered open, and she found herself staring directly into a pair of very familiar, very open eyes.

"Gherrick?" she blinked, coming more awake as she stared at him.  "Didn't you sleep?"  There was an expression of mounting horror on her face.  Imagine -- to go without sleep!

Gherrick stifled a yawn as he stretched his limbs.
"Nope."
And not only did he got without sleep, he went without barely moving. She was kept warm, after all. But man, did his back ever hurt, as he cracked it while he stretched.
"Sleep well?"

"Yes, but..."  She was all-but gaping at him.  "Why didn't you sleep?  You're mad!"

Sleep was an important thing!  You couldn't function without sleep!  And you looked like crap without it too!

"Gherrick," she began crossly.  "We're not going anywhere until you take a nap!"

Gherrick paused in the middle of stretching.
"Eh? Oh, come on Eliana." he said with a laugh. "You and I both know it was safer than way. Besides, we've got to keep moving. Come on now," and he moved to get his things.

"Rest is important!"  So important!  It was one of her favorite things, in fact!  "You haven't slept, we haven't eaten...  You can't possibly expect to go on like this!"

She stared at him, obviously exasperated.

"And you're barefoot!"

Really, from the way she was carrying on, she was the victim here!

Gherrick blinked, and waved it off with a laugh, continuing to pick up what little possessions they had. But once his bo staff was tightened to his back, he turned to her with a shrug.
"I've done it lots of time. Come on. We should get going. Maybe I'll consider that nap in the next town! But for now, Princess, we walk."

It left her little choice...but Eliana certainly did not look happy about it.

"Gherrick," she began as she caught up to him.  It was no easy feat in his over-sized boots!  "You know, you don't have to treat me like I'm made of glass.  I'm tougher than I look.  And, you have to let someone take care of you, too."

Stupid heroes and their hero-y ways!

Gherrick laughed.
"No one is treating you like glass, Eliana." He turned to glance down at her. "Besides, I just happen to know every woman needs her beauty sleep. So come on then. Put those boots to good use and I'll get you your own pair once we get to the next town." Though the more he thought about it, he frowned.
"Although.. I'm not sure it's wise for you to walk around in.. erm.. that," he said with a cough. "And my silks are hardly keeping you any more decent over that night gown of yours. Well, I suppose I'll have to figure something out before we stroll in. Don't need the men folk getting the wrong idea..."

Then again, he had no idea she'd probably love that sort of attention!

"I'll bet you anything that if we had food, you'd be refusing to eat it."  She frowned at him stubbornly.  Just wait...  She'd show him!  "You are definitely letting me make this up to you, Gherrick!"

And that was her final word on that!

She looked down at her outfit, then, seeing something entirely different than Gherrick...but agreeing with him, nonetheless.  She thought it was decent enough -- the problem was its condition.  "Tell them you rescued me from some would-be rapists," she answered with a light shrug.  "Bet we'll get free clothes out of it."

Gherrick blushed at that.
"Yes, I suppose we could." And he idly wiped beneath is nose as they walked, finding the back of his throat tickling just a little, before he coughed.
Well, one cough couldn't hurt him. But as they walked, he coughed a few more times. Damn pesky cold night air! Yeah.. it was just that.

Eliana frowned at him as he began to cough, and her frown only deepened as they walked and his cough came again.  She was no healer, however, nor was she accustomed to dealing with others who had the sniffles.  At least, not in a helpful way...

The scene of sulfur, suddenly, caught her nose, and she stopped.  That was right.  There were hot springs in this area...  "Gherrick..."

Yes, if she remembered right, the hot springs were just outside of town...

"I think it's this way.  Do you smell that?  There's a hot springs nearby.  They say it has magical healing properties."  She smirked at him.

Gherrick wiped beneath his nose as he peered over at her curiously.
"What do we need a hot spring for?" he gave a general sniff towards his arm pit. "Well, I suppose I could use a bath..."

"Everyone knows a hot spring is a good remedy for a cold," she answered matter-of-factly.

Without waiting for his consent, she headed in the direction her nose told her to go, and it wasn't long at all before they came upon the hot springs.

Spouting forth from a rock face, a steam of water poured out into a steaming pool below.  Here, the scent of sulfur was so strong that it was almost dizzying, and she wrinkled her nose ever-so-slightly.  That scent would fade soon enough, though, as their senses became accustomed to it.

"Oh, look how pretty it is, Gherrick!" she gushed, turning her head slightly to follow the flow of the stream.  "I think the town is that way..."

"But I don't have a cold," Gherrick said, right before he sneezed.
"Maybe just a bit of a runny nose from a cold night but.." He sighed when he realized she couldn't be reasoned with and followed after without question.

Like her, he wrinkled his nose at the smell, but admired the pool for what they were.
"It is rather something." Though his eyes were on her when he spoke it.

The thief's face was flushed prettily and eyes alight as she studied the pool.  She slipped out of the boots and stepped forward to stick a toe delicately into the water.  "It's perfect," she announced decidedly.

Turning around, she tucked her arms beneath her breasts and regarded him sternly.  This was going to be the part that would be difficult to accomplish...

"Strip."

She held out a hand expectantly for his clothing.  "I'll go hang up your clothes so they don't get wet while you're soaking."

Gherrick's face twisted at her question, then went long whenshe put out her hand as the answer.
"You're... joking, right?" he said, smirking a bit. "Come on now, we could just erm.. you know... do this behind a rock or something."

Why was she staring at him asking him to take off his clothes!?
And his face heated the more he thought about it.
ANd maybe a bit in his pants.
Maybe.


|:

Eliana smirked at him.  She didn't respond to him verbally.  Instead, with her arm still out, she simply closed her eyes and continued to wait expectantly.

Gherrick looked at her face, then down lower, then to her face again before crossing his arms over his chest.
"You.. know you can just peek like that, right?" He shook his head. "Nope. Not going to buy it. THink I'lljust go find myself a rock..."

"Gherrick, you either undress and leave your clothes here, or I will follow you over to those rocks and peek from here!" she told him sternly.  "You can't leave your clothes over there anyway -- the mist will make them damp, and then you'll just get more sick than you already are!"

Her eyes were still closed -- remarkably, perhaps!

"And, I promise you I won't peek.  This is for your health, not for my entertainment."

Gherrick stared at her skeptically before he sighed and began to unlace his shirt.
"You know, somehow I doubt that."
And a few grunts later confirmed he was obliging before he stuffed his clothing into her hand.

"Just let me know when it's safe to look," Eliana answered pertly, keeping her eyes closed as he undressed in front of her.

And she kept her word, walking in the opposite direction to hang his clothes on a low-hanging branch as he splashed in the water behind her.

"How's it feel?" she called over her shoulder as she began to slide the straps of her gown down.

She said she'd behave until he got in the water.  That was as far as her promise went!

Not realizing she was going to join him, Gherrick slipped down into the waters with a sigh.
"Like heaven." and he stuck his little toes out and wiggled them..
That was..
until he caught the intimate silhouette of a woman without a dress through the steamy fog...
and all he could do- was stare.

As the fog parted to reveal him staring, Eliana grinned at him wolfishly.  "And here I kept my word and didn't peek at you..."

Not that she was bothered, at all.  In fact, she was rather pleased she had gained his attention!

Sinking down into the water beside him, she gave a sigh of her own.  It really was heavenly...

"Turn around," she said, lifting an arm to make a spinning motion with her hand.

At her request, his entire face went as red as his hair.
And so, he obeyed.

"Er, sorry for staring. You caught me off guard!" he hoped that reason would suffice..
and you know, have her keep her word..
"Though you didn't tell me you would be joining me int he same spring, Eliana..."
How naughty of her not to!
And now she got other things stirring besides the water!

"I thought you knew me better than that," she scolded lightly.  Really, he should have seen this coming...

Her hands fell to his shoulders without warning, beginning to work at the muscles there.

"And there's nothing to apologize for," she added, her voice a soft, soothing sound in his ear.  "You may not think so, but it's a compliment."

Her eyes fell to his shoulders, and she frowned slightly.  "You really are all knotted up.  How is it you're even able to move?"

Gherrick tensed at her hands suddenly beingon him, and something else tensed as well. Well, something had to be up! Ignoring that feeling, as he usually did, he shivered as she worked at his muscles. She was a bit too talented at this as he grit his teeth.

"Y-yeah but, it comes with the territory? You try swinging from ropes and chandeliers and leaping from roof tops and don't get a crick or two in your neck!"

"Mmhmm, I'll believe it when I see it," she answered smugly.  "I haven't seen you swing on a single thing yet.  But I bet you're positively dashing.  Now, close your eyes and just relax, Gherrick.  I promise I won't take advantage of you if you fall asleep."  She paused.  "Although, if you fall asleep, you just might get all wrinkly..."

Gherrick laughed through his nose and tried to relax. But it was hard, despite it feeling good. Since, well, other things kind of wanted to feel good. And Eliana was a very attractive woman. He couldn't deny that. But he could deny his loins. They would just have to wait for the real 'princess' to come along some day...
Or a love just like those fairy tales...

"You should have someone do this for you more often," she murmured.  Her hands moved down his back, working with practiced ease at the muscles she found there.  "Once we get to town, I'd really like to get in a bed to do this properly..."  But, this would do in a fix!

As she worked out the kinks, she began to hum softly, something of a lullaby she had been sung while still a babe.  The words were long gone, but the tune remained.

Her hands and voice were heavenly. He could have lulled off right there if it weren't for the fact that, well, if he weren't a gentleman, he'd be one of those sorts to take advantage. but he never would! Sighing, he just let her do her work, turning into a puddle beneath her hands.

Soon enough, there was nothing more that could be done in their limited capacity.  "Better?" she inquired softly, so as not to disturb his gooeyness.  She reclined backwards against the ledge herself, sinking down into the water with a happy smile herself.

"You let me know when you want to go," she added.  "Town should be just a short walk from here, so there's no real hurry."

Gherrick just gave another sigh, then a nod. Yes.. to town...
He'd have to wait for something to calm down first before leaving the waters. Finding his own side of the spring, he leaned against one of the warm walls and looked up at the sky.

"You ever think of another profession, Eliana?" he knew he wouldn't get anywhere with it. But he figured it wouldn't hurt to ask again.

The question surprised her -- though, it really shouldn't.  "Does becoming the wife of some handsome prince count?" she wondered playfully.

"I've thought about it.  More and more as the years pass."  She, however, simply watched the handsome redhead in front of her rather than look up at the sky.  "But I'm not really cut out for much else."

Gherrick thought over her words... all of them, as his fingers swished around in the water.
"I dunno. YOu might make a very handsome throw rug."
He grinned at her, but tried to keep his eyes averted, remembering- she wasn't quite dressed.

"But hey- I'm sure there's another craft out there with your name on it." he shrugged and idly thought over it. "And you never know... there are a lot of lonely princes out there.. Maybe you're just not looking hard enough?"

"Gherrick!" she exclaimed, drawing a hand back to splash water in his direction.  She was laughing, however.  "A throw rug!  Are you picturing throwing me down on the floor?"

He walked into that one.

"I've done this my entire life, Gherrick.  I wouldn't know where to begin looking for another trade, honestly."

Gherrick forced himself to smile and whispered, "Neither did I."

Clearing his throat (ad assuming she didn't hear that..) he went on with a shrug.
"Really. You'd look dashing on the floor. What with your pretty hair and all. I'm sure there'd be lots of nobles to pay oodles of money fo rsuhc a fancy rug!"

He didn't get it. But he liked is joke!

"And what else would I be wearing, Gherrick?" Eliana wondered, eyes sparkling merrily.  "With me on the floor, all spread out and open..."

She paused then, smirk only growing.

"Perhaps, if you ever tire of the pirate trade, you could come start a brothel with me.  I had no idea you had such an imagination..."

Gherrick then choked on his own spit.
Oh, Evra, help him! He'd never calm down after this.

"Eliana!" he scolded back. "Really- such an imagination." ANd he flicked some water at her. "I'll have you know I'd never have anything to do with such a place."

Ever.
Unless.. of course, he had to save a girl...
or loot treasure.

Eliana's laugh was heartfelt, and she suddenly, without warning Gherrick, rose to her feet.  Water cascaded, steaming down her body.

"I like this side of you..."

With a laugh, she strode away from him to retrieve her clothing.  Her voice carried back to him from the mist, cheerful, certainly.

"Take your time, Gherrick.  I've got to do something about my hair!"

Yep. Gherrick's face was now as red as a tomato. Evra help him! If he were a worse man..
or rather.. if Eliana ever his wife. Oh! The pay back he could do (though he had an idea she could do it back to him ten time worse!)

Shaking his head, he splashed water on his face, and groaned when he recalled it was hot water, and not cold, and fo ra moment, just sank beneath the water's surface, air bubbles churning around at the top.

Poor Gherrick!  Eliana just could not understand his position!

From somewhere in the mists came a rustling sound, and then Eliana returned wearing considerably more than she had a moment before...not that one could tell.  Now as wet as the girl wearing it, the white, silken gown left even less to the imagination than before.

She perched upon a rock nearby with her legs tucked underneath her, looking a bit like a mermaid as she began to gently comb out her hair with her fingers.

"Wouldn't you just love to lose yourself here forever?" she asked, then returned to her humming.  She watched the waterfall -- the way the water trickled down the rock face, eating away at the hard surface of the rock -- to ultimately fall into the pool below.  There was a rainbow hidden in the spray, and it made her smile to see it.

Not a bad place to build a brothel...  Take advantage of the natural beauty, the seclusion, the hot spring...

Gherrick resurface and spit out some water, then wiped a hand down his face. He spotted Eliana not too far off, and thankfully the steamy mists shrouded her from. He did catch her words and stared around at the pool before glancing back her way.

"I suppose it is rather nice. But as you stated, if we stay here, we could become wrinkled." Giving a wipe to his nose, he then asked, "So.. where'd you put my clothes?"
It was about time to get going.

"On a branch behind me," she directed, beginning to wrap her hair into a tight braid that coiled over her shoulder.  It was much more simplistic than she was accustomed to -- but it would keep most of the knots out of her hair, anyway, on this little adventure.

"Do you want me to bring them to you?"

What a helper she could be!

Gherrick stared at her for a while before he blinked.
"Well, I wouldn't want to inconvenience you," he said, leaning forward, his arms folded over a rock, as he rested his chin against them. "But if you were to turn around, I could procure them myself."

"If I turn around," she answered with a knowing grin, "Wouldn't that just defeat the purpose?  Instead of seeing you naked in the water, I'll get to watch you get dressed..."

It was, she thought, a pretty good point, although she'd been tempted to play that game!

"I can braid my hair with my eyes closed.  It isn't as if I have a mirror anyway."  And it was only braiding!  So saying, she closed her eyes neatly.  "See?  All set.  Just let me know when you're decent again, Gherrick!"

Besides, it was no fun peeking at him -- it was much more entertaining letting him peek at her!

Gherrick stared at her for a moment, only smiling as he scratched at the back of his head.
Evra help him! This woman was a tease!
Shaking his head, he muttered playfully, "Alright," and stood up onto the shore. Waters gushed down his body as she gave a shake of his head and legs, before letting himself drip dry as he wiped a hand across the water on his face, then took hi shands to wring out his hair, before mussing it up, then combing a hand neatly through it.


Keeping a steady eye on her, he then moved past her towards his clothing as he began to slip them on.
"I wonder how far we're from town.." he wondered out loud as he pulled his pants on and then sat on a nearby log, working at fastening the string to close up his white shirt. He watched her as he did so ad smirked.
"Ok, I'm decent." Before he began to tie his blue band around his forehead and then fussed over his own hair. He momentarily took i tout of it's pony tale to rake a fwe fingers through it wiht a wince-
Knots, great..
But he worked at it sitll until they were gone, then retired his hair back, fluffed a set of bangs out from beneath the blue silk fabric along his forehead, then glanced over at Eliana with a sigh.

"So.. ready to be off?"

"We shouldn't be far," Eliana assured him brightly.  "If I remember right, this town is named for this spring, and it should be, I assume, just that way."

Once he was decent, she left her perch and stretched out slightly, feeling much more refreshed after their little bath...in spite of the hunger quickly forming a pit in her belly.

"So," she announced as she looked him over.  Yes, he certainly did look better himself...  "What's our plan?"

He peered up at her as he did one final comb trough of his hair.
"I suppose looking into the next town for a bit of grub makes the most sense, don't you agree?"
And his stomach growled to make his point as he laughed. He patted his belly and looked over at her with a grin. "Food, and some clothes. I've still got coin to spare, so we can at least get you a simple dress and boots." He did promise her that, after all!

Eliana nodded.  "Even if its the ugliest dress in all of Serendipity, I don't care as long as it's warm.  And comfortable.  Warm and comfortable."  That, certainly, was not how she usually cared to dress, but, as they were obviously doing a bit of walking, it seemed reasonable...

Besides, it wasn't like she needed to dress to impress Gherrick...

"That sounds wonderful," she answered with a soft sigh.  And food!

"Well, I won't be able to afford a king's meal or queen's dress, anything sounds good about now."
He peered her over before smiling and taking her by the arm. "Shall we?" And with a nod of his head, he guided her back down the path to the road, which was mostly deserted, minus a few scattered travelers.

The town was small, and it didn't take long to find a small pub to get some food.
"The Owl's Light," Gherrick said, reading the Inn's title as he stood before it, rubbing his chin. "I like it. Sounds different than some of the rat nests of places I've been to." Looking over to Eliana, he grinned. "Well, come on. Let's see to it we get somethign to eat, and we can inquire about a tailor shop, or a dressmakers. I'm sure they've got to have one of thse in town."

As the sun rose above the trees, it warmed the land a bit, so that by the time they got to the town of Spring Rock, she was no longer shivering like a leaf.  She, however, frowned at the name of the tavern and shook her head.

"Hasn't anyone told you, Gherrick, that you should never trust an owl?" she asked him with a wayward grin before pushing her way inside.

It was mid-morning by this time.  The breakfast crowd had gone, and the lunch crowd had yet to arrive, leaving the pair with the place, largely, to themselves.

"This is kind of homey," she murmured in approval as she glanced around the comfortably-furnished room.  And after so long on the road, she wanted nothing more than to sit down and never, ever move!  An elderly woman appeared suddenly from a back room, stopping dead in her tracks with a look of horror.

"My word, child!  What happened?  Come in, come in!  Here, let me light the fire for you...  Ean!  Ean, bring a quilt!"  She bustled over, practically dragging Eliana over to a seat by the fire and ignoring the man beside her!

Gherrick let the older woman usher Eliana to the fire side, giving a soft, whimiscal smile at the scene.

"Yes, we had quite the journey to get here. You wouldn't happen to have anything besides a spare quilt, now? If not that's alright if-"
But his words were cut off when the woman suddenly began berating him, hitting him on the chest with her towel.

"You! Calling yourself a gentleman or some sort of an escort do you? What nerve you have to bring a lady around in such a condition!"

"But we were just!"

"Boulder dasha nd rotten apples! Men these days need to learn the proper concept of handling a lady! Has the whole world now become as mad as Connlaoth!?"

"But that's why we're here, ma'am! To get around from all that craziness!"

And it was only then she finally stopped hitting him. She looked him over with a sniff.
"Well, good. THough truly, you should have seen the dress maker first! Landsakesa nd oil spills! Really!"

Eliana hid her smile beneath a hand, but her eyes were shining in delighted amusement as the woman attacked Gherrick.  Oh, that poor, poor man!

"Please, don't blame him, ma'am.  We've been lost in the forest all night.  He gave me his boots to protect my feet.  And, when I could no longer walk, he built me a fire, then stood guard over me all night to ensure I was safe as I slept."  She smiled past the woman at Gherrick, a warm, genuine smile.  "It was I who insisted we come here first.  I honestly do not know how he is still standing after such a night..."

The woman gave Gherrick a scrutinizing look.
"Even still! Wait by the fire side here and warm up. I'll go check on the stew!" And as she waddled off she shouted, "EAN! Where's that quilt!?"

Shaking his head, Gherrick took a seat beside her as he grinned.
"Thanks. I think you just saved my life!"

"So, I guess we're even," the thief answered smugly.  Leaning forward, she slipped out of the boots and set them nearer to their owner, then stretched out her feet towards the fire.

Before they could say anything else, a man even older than the woman shuffled into the room with the requested quilt.  "Land sakes, Greta, what do you want the quilt for?"  Greta, naturally, had already vanished back into the kitchen, so the old man found only the pair of visitors in the fire's glow.  He waddled over to them with a shake of his grizzled gray head.  "This must be for the two of you.  You look like you've had a rough day..."

Eliana nodded softly, her smile just about lighting up the whole room when he handed her the blanket.  "We'll be alright after we rest by the fire awhile."

Eliana flinched, then, when the man raised his voice.  "Greta!  Greta, where are you, woman?  Where's that stew?"  And he, too, began to shuffle towards the door.

She stared after them, then snickered softly.  "Well, they seem nice."  So saying, she scooted over to Gherrick to spread the blanket out over them.  There was no sense in hogging it!

Gherrick afforded her a lop sided grin, and leaned into her when she did it to him. Might as well!
And gave a more whimsical smile at her claims.
"Yeah, who knows.." he nudged her playfully. "Maybe we'll become that cute and old someday!"

"And own an inn too, I suppose?" she inquired good-naturedly.  "Maybe something overlooking the sea, so you could watch all the boats come and go, and tell everyone your stories of high adventure."

The thought made her chuckle.

"We'd have to hire a cook, unless you're handy around a stove..."

"Well, I can cook," he began to say. "Some." He gave  chuckle and looked her over, feet curling before the fire. "Though if we had any children, they would do well for free labor." ANd he gave her a grin t let her know he was joking... for the most part!

Her eyes were fairly sparkling with mischief.  "That's not a bad idea...  If you ever want to have little Gherrick's running around..."  She nudged his side good-naturedly.  "I could find something for them to do."

The older woman had returned with a tray, two bowls of soup, some bread, and a horrified look on her face.  "Don't tell me the pair of you have given up on having children!" she exclaimed as she set the tray down on a table nearby.  "Such handsome children they would be, too!  Is that why you've come to the spring?  To ask the Goddess to bless your womb?  Oh, don't look so shocked, dearie!  It's a common enough tale!"

Eliana couldn't help it; she either had to look shocked -- or she would erupt into laughter.

Eliana might have had to pretend, but Gherrick did not, as he stared in wide eyed shock at the woman's comment.
"Er, that's not exactly why we're here..."
But the women went on about it anyway.
"They say the hot waters do wonder for the spirits and many other things. You two should visit it."
Gherrick turned to Eliana before sighing through a smile, then he glanced back towards the woman.
"Yeah.. maybe we will." ANd once the woman was gone, Gherrick shook his head.
"Womb magic, I'm sure that's all we need!" he said, breaking off a piece of bread and having a bite. "Though I think I've heard worse tales.."

Eliana could only keep her laughter at bay for so long; as soon as the woman had gone, she laughed out loud.  In part, because of who they were -- and the woman could never hope to find it half so amusing.

"Now, now," she scolded lightly.  "There's no harm in giving people a little hope, is there?"  He, of all people, should appreciate that!

Sitting up fully, she pulled the warm bowl into her lap, her smile widening in appreciation for the warmth that crept into her limbs, then leaned over to gently blow off the steam rising from the bowl.  It smelled delicious...

"I don't think I've ever smelled anything half as good..."

"I dunno, I've smelled some pretty good roast pigs," Gherrick mentioned idly as he sipped away at his own bowl. "But after a night like last night, this is truly heavenly!" It didn't take him long to finish his own drink when the old woman appeared again to inquire, "Will you two lovelies be needin' anything else? A room or a bath?"

"Oh- but we just had a bath."

"Oh, visited the springs already did you? Then I suppose I'll go fetch you pair a room key..."

"Thank you," the thief replied with a beautiful smile, cutting Gherrick off before he could protest.  She continued to smile at the woman until she had gone, then turned to her companion.

"I don't want to hear one word from you.  You are going to go to sleep while I go dress-shopping."  It seemed so simple!  "I can probably find us a horse, too, so when you wake up, we can get out of here."

Gherrick opened his mouth to protest, but quickly closed it as he sighed through his nose when he smiled.
"Alright then, princess." And he bowed to her. "Your wish is my command."

"You're a smart man," she complimented with an impertinent smile and a light peck upon his cheek.  She spun in time to catch the key, extended out to them by the elderly woman.  "Thank you," she told her warmly as she passed it on to Gherrick.

"I'll be down here when you're ready to go," she added brightly.

"Alright, alright," he said with a shake of his head and turned from her, sparing her just one boyishly curious glance from over his shoulder before disappearing up the stairs. Once there, he found the bed was quite nice- a bit lumpy, but it would suffice. Laying down, he hadn't considered how tired he was, even as he fretted over the lady's safety and eventually, sleep claimed him and he slept a good few hours until the sun was already beginning to set.

The room, now cast in darkness, except the violet of the sky out the window, Gherrick sat up with a jerk and realized-
"Oh no.." how long had he been asleep!?

Eliana never made it to the dress shop.  When he finally stumbled downstairs, he would find something unusual indeed.

Dinner was in full swing down below.  Set in the corner, a handful of musicians played a lively tune, and the tables themselves were full of people.  Some had plates before them, but many more held only mugs.  They chatted amongst themselves and called in friendly tones to the innkeepers...

But there was no sign of Eliana, not until one of the men yelled her name, anyway.

The kitchen door burst open, and the woman herself appeared.  Her hair had been wound up into a braided bun, and she wore the simple cotton dress -- and not an indecent thing about it -- and apron, as any peasant woman would wear.  There was a tray in her arms, and she set a drink in front of the man with a cheerful laugh and flirty wink, ignorant to Gherrick's eyes upon her.

To say he was stunned was an understatement. To see the place so lively, and Eliana put to work, made him gape awkwardly for quite a long time. It wasn't until his wits returned that he found himself stumbling over to where Eliana was, and he waited a moment to try to steal a moment from her.
"E.. Eliana?" he said, taking her gently by the arm and giving her a once over. "Is that really you?"

Eliana grinned at him, lifting her tray up and out of the way to give Gherrick the full image.

"Yes, it is.  I almost look respectable, don't I?" she inquired with a smirk and a twirl.  "Why, you'd never imagine how I usually make my living..."

Still, she couldn't help wanting to play a bit with Gherrick -- that was, after all, the best thing about him!

"Now, Mr. Gherrick, is there something I can get for you?  Our special tonight is a shepherd's pie -- the perfect compliment to a tall beer."

Blinking, Gherrick found himself broken from his daze and just shook his head of it, but the smile could not be erased. He gave her a look over.
"Yes, now you're right up my ally. Is it ok if I start to lay on the charms? Perhaps a few flirts and beers to share?" he teased. Though more seriously, he finally answered,
"But I couldn't make you wait on me. Really, Eliana, why are you in that dress? Did the old folks who own this place run out of helpers?"
Though even he found it strange she'd simply volunteer to help!

Eliana smirked at him.  "I'd like to see you try to charm me without turning red and stumbling over your words like you usually do."  The poor man did claim to be rather suave -- although she wasn't so sure she believed it!

"Anyway, for tonight, it's my job.  They offered to let us have the food, the room, and this outfit at no cost if we would help them out tonight.  I'm sure I could have found some sucker to take the money from, but I know you don't approve of such things."  She poomed his nose lightly with a grin.  "So I thought, well, why not make an effort?  And here we stand."

Gherrick gave a shake of his head.
"It seems I'm rubbing off on you. Who knew!" he teased. "But really, you shouldn't have to do all of this work yourself. Last time I recalled, we were in this together."

"So glad you feel that way," the whore-turned-waitress answered with a grin and a mischievous glint in her eye.  "Because I volunteered you to help out too."

Smugly, she grabbed her hand in his and began leading him towards the swinging doors in back.

"You don't mind washing the dishes, do you?" she purred.  "Otherwise, I think, the stable could use a thorough cleaning...  You aren't afraid of a little hard work, are you?"

Gherrick couldn't believe this but gave a playful laugh none the less.
"You certainly are full of surprises, Eliana! Simply full of them!" And as he was lead away, his blue eyes sparkled. "But a little hard work never hurt anyone! So where are those villainous dishes I might slay? Or the stables that might need cleaned of their manure? Let it be known that this 'prince' dare not back down from such a challenge as menial labor, especially for the affections of his princess of choice." And at that, he playfully bowed unto her, even kissing lightly the top of her hand.

"I like your enthusiasm," Eliana returned with a coy sparkle in her eye.  "I think I could get used to this...  Perhaps I need to find more work for you to do while we're here.  I'm sure I could find some wood to chop.  Or a roof to mend? Something to get you to take off your shirt so a girl can admire you properly."

The old innkeeper looked about ready to swoon over the girl.  Rather than risk his wife's wrath by asking to keep her (although she did make a fine waitress -- nothing had been dropped into someone's lap yet), he murmured only to her with a laugh, "You know, you used to talk to me like that..."

"Dishes for now, my fair lady. We can worry about shirtless ventures later," he told her, his blue eyes sparkling as he held onto her hand and smiled up at her face. "Though I dare say you have given away your ploy, so if I wanted to thwart it, all I'd have to do is be clever in coming up with ways to avoid it."

Eliana laughed out loud.  "Is that a challenge, Gherrick?" she asked.  Stepping nearer to him, she leaned forward to inform him in a murmur, filled with mischief and confidence, "Would you rather have me try to get you out of your pants?"

That was about all that was needed to get Gherrick quiet and red faced.
'Miss Eliana, you speak of such scandal. Surely someone as royally sweet as you are would never seek to be so devious."

With a cheerful laugh, she shoved an apron into his waiting arms.  "That's what I thought.  Dishes are that way, I think!"  Her grin stretched from ear to ear as she picked up a few plates to put onto her tray.  "Now, I have customers to keep fed and drunk, so stop harassing the help and get to work!"

She had to wonder if he acted that way every time some girl made a reference like that to him, or if he knew better than to tempt her...

Accepting the apron with a salute, he watched her form disappear before setting to work, scrubbing away at the dishes and making them spotless. It wasn't long before he was nearly swimming in the bubbles and lightly humming as he worked and from time to Time he'd look up to see if Eliana were wondering by.

Waitressing, actually, wasn't as bad as Eliana had assumed it would be.  Oh, she would much rather be sitting in someone's lap -- or, perhaps, entertaining a few gentleman -- but she got to stretch her social skills, and so she was happy enough.  Besides, she liked the attention it was giving her.

As the night began to wind down, however, she found herself back in the kitchen with little better to do than to help Gherrick finish his own duties.  "You're not half-bad at this," she announced as she brought another pile of dishes over to the sink.  She bumped hips with him deliberately, with a grin, then teased, "Let me guess.  You're the dishwasher aboard your ship?"

Gherrick laughed and replied simply, "I'm a man of many talents. But yes, on occasion it has been known that  I can be quite the talented dishwasher." And it was here that he turned to her and wiped at his brow, smearing soap suds as he did and giving her a charming leftward grin. "You look lovely, though I'm.sure most of the patrons have told you so. That blush on you looks nice. So does that smile."

"Oh?" she asked, with a note of triumph in her tone and with an equally pleased grin.  Between his compliments and the bubbles, there was no small shortage of things to grin about.  "I'm rather fond of your bubbles."

Sliding her hand into the suds, she lifted up her hand and blew a few more in his face, just for fun and games!

"I think they make you look quite dashing!"

Gherrick laughed and rubbed away some of.the suds on his sleeves.
"I suppose you're right. What woman could resist a man wearing suds?" He gave her a playful grin and shrug and despite having rubbed some bubbles off, he still had some bubbly suds sparkling now in his red hair.

"One as handsome as you?  No one, to be sure?"  She could have made a crack about how she'd like to see him in suds -- and that was it.  Rather than pursue that line of logic, however, she only smirked and reached up to wipe away the suds that remained in his hair.  "There.  No more soap bubble hat either."

Looking over the remaining dishes, honestly surprised to see there was so few, she said, "Why don't you get something to eat?  I'll take over for you, and, when you come back, you can help me dry?"

Teamwork!  It seemed like a logical solution!

"I couldn't accept. You've been working much harder than I, but if you wish to help me now we could make a date out.of dinner afterwards, then I just might oblige!"

"I'm not the one covered head to toe in bubbles, now am I?" Eliana asked dubiously.  She would rather wait on people than do dishes like this...  At least, while waitressing, she could practice her flirting skills...

...Which, in no small part, could contribute towards a horse.

Reaching into her cleavage, she pulled out a handful of bills.  "They let me keep all of my tips.  We should have more than enough to buy a horse now."

Gherrick's eyes nearly went cross to see such money produced from such cleavage as he lightly blushed then found himself unable to keep back a laugh as he looked at it.
"You are quite the charmer now aren't you? Though that seems to be rather kindly of them to be so generous. But yes, I'd say such a mountain of money better offer up a horse, or else what sort of world are we leaving in!" he said, trying to feign dramatics as he gave her a leftward grin while leaning against the pile of nearly complete dishes.

"Though I suppose the only thing we're waiting on now is me?" he said, taking a moment to brush off a few loose bubbles that had gotten latched onto his chin.

"It would be more impressive it weren't all small bills," Eliana answered with a shake of her head.  Tucking the bills back into their hiding place, she looked up at him with a smirk.  "Unless you were talking about a different set of mountains entirely, hm?"

She gave her chest a bit of a shake, just to emphasize the point, then snatched a drying cloth from where it was draped over the cupboard.

"Well, since your hands are already soggy, I may as well keep mine dry."

"By all means, don't feel you need to wait on me. If you'd prefer to wait in our room than in this small kitchen, I wouldn't.take offense." And though he suggested it, he had a feeling Eliana was the sort to prefer to watch as he continued on with his.work, making sure each dish was spotless.

"Without my help, this will take twice as long.  You don't want me to starve to death waiting for you to finish up, do you?"  The girl's eyes shone with mischief as she began to dry off a plate.  "Or, perhaps you do.  Perhaps you want to steal my money and use it for yourself?" she teased good-naturedly.  "You are a pirate, after all!"

Gherrick gave a laugh.
"And it seems you have me figured.out! Which means my clever plans have been thwarted and I shall have to find some other means to steal your fortune! Perhaps when you are asleep and not suspecting? Or, even more cowardly, I could steal the whole lot by a clever diversion in which I tell you stories to make you laugh and gain your trust!" And he jut out his chin playfully. "You would never see it.coming!"

"There's still the question of how you're going to get to the money," she answered, just as playfully as he.  "Unless you're a better actor than I've given you credit for, you're still going to have to take the money..."  She beamed at him and jutted out her chest, using her forearms to squeeze her breasts together for him...just in case he'd forgotten where she hid her money.  "What are you going to do about that, exactly?"

Gherrick blushed and laughed again.
"Then maybe I'll just have to steal your entire person! I could use a cook on my crew." And at that, he gave her a.toothy and playful.grin.

"I knew you were just trying to get me aboard that ship," Eliana answered brightly.  "Now, quit admiring my breasts and imagining all the clever ways of getting that money and start washing those dishes.  I'm hungry!"  And she splashed him lightly with some dishwater for emphasis!

Gherrick blushed.
"You accuse me of things I am not! And I am washing these as quickly as I can!"
And at the splash, he flinched and smirked back at her.
"My lady, are you trying to start a water battle with me, for I can assure you, if you are, I wouldn't recommend challenging a pirate on water."

"Oh?" Eliana asked, giving him another splash.  "Well, you aren't on water, Gherrick.  And I wouldn't recommend challenging a whore by telling her you aren't looking at her assets.  You do think they're admirable at least, don't you?" she asked with a pout, just barely keeping the smirk off her face.

"Well, I- uh," Gherrick stuttered before laughing it off. "Really, Miss Eliana, to ask such things of a gentleman.." he shook his head. "I will not comment, for you are a fine woman and it would do us both a disservice for me to become a pig as so many other men of my specie have done before me. But alas, do not wear such a pout," And he took her hand wiht one soapy one of his and kissed the top of it lightly.

"But let us just say your skin, is extra radiant." And he grinned up at her, and found, well- at this angle... perhaps she was right. Not that he had a bad view before and well- he would kick himself later for the thought! It seemed some of Eliana's playfulness was rubbing off of him! But he'd never tell.

Oh, there was that charm that he was rumored to possess!  Eliana grinned at him.  "Well," she answered languidly, "I suppose I'll let you off the hook this time."

And, quite without warning, she deposited the towel over his head and slipped by him to prepare plates for them both.

"I hope you're hungry, Gherrick.  They've left plenty of food for us."

Gherrick blinked behind the towel and blew at it so that a piece draped away from his eyes as he peered over at her disappearing form.
"Hungry? I'm famished!" he said with a grin that was even felt in his voice. "And that's awfully kind of them. You must have made quite an impression, and even though I've said it before, I'll say it again and again." And he returned his focus back to the dishes, but couldn't help but smile and smile.

"I do hope you didn't doubt that I could," she answered cheerfully as she began to prepare dishes for the pair of them.  "I'm sure they think I'm some poor, innocent girl whose husband pays her too little attention."  Her eyes sparkled at the thought -- after all, she had never bothered to correct the couple's assumption that Gherrick was her husband.

The sound of a heavy fist, clearly armored by the ring of metal against wood, fell against the door of the inn.  It must have been loud, for even back in the kitchen, they could hear it.  Eliana's eyes went to the door, but she didn't move.  Maybe it was just a local drunk...

The sound of a raised voice drifted back to them, then, and she winced slightly at the crash that followed.  Well, that didn't sound good.

At the noise, Gherrick looked up from the dishes with a frown. If this was trouble, he was inwardly cursing since his only true weapon (his red bo staff) was upstairs in their room, nestled neatly beneath the bed. He turned to Eliana.

"I wonder if I should check that out," and he moved to wipe at the suds on his face and took a step towards the front of the tavern, but paused a moment to turn to Eliana, a hand falling on her arm. "It might be wise to use the steps out back to get into our room through the balcony window- just in case."

After all, you never knew what sort of guests were to show up, in this tavern or any.

Eliana gave her head a slight shake.  "Gherrick, that mi--"

The kitchen door burst open, then, and was just as quickly closed by the elderly woman who ran the inn.  She was pale, but she smiled brightly upon seeing the pair.  "I'm glad you're both in here!  Just pay no mind to all that banging outside.  Just some of the local boys stirring up a bit of trouble, but nothing my Ean hasn't dealt with before."  A glass, or, perhaps a bottle shattered with some force outside the door.  The woman winced, and, although her smile faltered, it soon returned.  "Now, why don't you two sit down and have something to eat?"  But it was forced...and, obviously, very frightened.

"Are you sure he doesn't need a hand?" Gherrick pressed, not missing the woman's frantic expression. "I wouldn't mind helping out, if it means less glasses broken at your expense."

There was a cry from the main room of the inn, following, "Where's the money, old man??"

For a moment, Eliana almost looked relieved; it wasn't the guard of Connlaothian military after all.  But then the sound of breaking glass interrupted her thoughts, followed by a heavy thud.

"Wait," the old man's frail voice pleaded, barely a whisper through the door.  "I'll get it for you.  It's there.  In that chest."

Gherrick didn't need to be told he had to intervene. He could hear it plainly enough that things were going south, and going south fast. Picking up the nearby mop, which was mostly dry, he turned to the old woman and Eliana and gave them both a shrug.
"Stay back here, and if things get ugly, I wouldn't hesitate to make a run for it out the back door." ANd he gestured with the mop, "I'm just going to do some clean up out front." And without another word, he pushed through the door. ANd before the man knew what was coming, Seven had approached him in just a few strides and as the man lifted his gaze towards the red head- the soggy end of the mop suddenly cracked across his face.

"So Sorry about that, I just heard there was a mess to clean up and saw the dirt on your teeth and just assumed..." And here, he feigned a bit of a pouty shrug as the man growled at Seven's playful words and nursed his face. "Oh well, seems I missed a spot!" And before the man had a chance to get back on his feet to attack Gherrick, the dish-scrubbing pirate whacked him over the head again with the mop, sending him back to the floor.

Turning to the old man he gestured, "YOu might want to go in the back with your wife. I'd hate to see you get hurt if things get more messy and I actually have to use this mop to clean things up."

OOC: Mature themes!

Obviously, nothing Eliana could say would persuade the pirate otherwise; he was going to rescue this couple, and that was all there was to it.  She gave her head a mute shake but otherwise did not try to stop him as he stepped out into the fray.

The old man shot Gherrick a grateful look as he scrambled to his feet and limped into the back room with the ladies.  "That boy's going to hurt himself," he panted, torn between his fear for the boy and his fear for his own life.  He knew there was nothing he could do to help...

"Don't worry about Gherrick," Eliana answered with a slightly wayward smile.  "He's tougher than he looks."  Which was a good thing, because he looked as though a strong wind might blow him over!

~+~

The man Gherrick had chosen to pick on -- who was obviously the leader of the group of ruffians -- landed on his bottom for the second time in only a minute's time.  He growled and fished a pair of wicked-looking daggers from his pockets.  "Just who the hell do you think you are!" he bellowed.  "I'll make you show me the respect I deserve!"

And, unfortunately for Gherrick, the man wasn't alone.  A pair of thugs stepped forward at his whiny cry for respect.  Both were armed with billy clubs, which, on their own weren't that frightening...but there seemed to be a willingness about the pair of men to beat the tar out of Gherrick.

~+~

"He's out-numbered," the old man answered worriedly.

Eliana, who had been peeking through the door, shrugged slightly.  "There's only three of them, and Gherrick has...well..."  'A mop' didn't exactly inspire fear...  "As long as he doesn't lose the mop, none of them will be able to get in even a single hit."

"No," the old man protested.  "There's five.  The other two brothers are upstairs.  And they aren't just brutes."

Five against one?  Those odds gave Eliana pause.  "Right.  Then I guess I'd better help him.  Stay put."  Without a word of explanation more and, over the sound of the protests, she slipped out the back door and hurried up the back steps.  Gherrick might be able to improvise -- but she was the sort of girl who liked to have her favorite weapon on her hip.

Once upstairs, it was easy to find the pair of thieves; they were pushing into the rooms of the inn's patrons to strip them of their wealth.  And, hopefully, that was all.  Normally, Eliana didn't get involved in these sorts of situations -- even if their technique was crass and amateurish at best.

In the room she shared with Gherrick, she picked up her whip off the dresser...and turned to find a slender man with narrow, ratlike eyes staring at her from the doorway.  Well, so much for being sneaky...

"Well, well," he began, licking his lips hungrily as his eyes traveled over her curves.  "Looks like I've found myself quite the prize..."

Eliana's smile was dazzling as she clasped the whip in her hands behind her back and jutted out her chest at the man.  "A prize should we won, wouldn't you say?  Do you think you're a big enough man for the job?"  Her eyes dropped to his trousers boldly, only lifting back to his once she was sure he had taken notice.  She sucked her lower lip into her mouth enticingly as he stepped further into the room.

"Now, this wouldn't be a trick so you can hit me over the head with whatever you have behind your back, would it?"

So he wasn't dumb...  She had to give him credit for that.  Instead of answering, she lifted her hand to the strings that held together her corset.  As the knot came free, the device loosened, allowing her to wiggle out of it in a way she knew men found hypnotic.  "I'm sure you would kill me if I tried," she said at last as she raised the shirt above her head, using the shirt, then, to cover the coil of whip on her hand.

The man wasn't fooled for an instant...but his confidence was misplaced.  His belt joined her corset on the floor as he strode over to claim  his lips with hers.  With his hand, he caught both of her wrists until she was forced to let go of the weapon -- but that was of little enough concern.  She returned his kiss with twice the passion he put into it and allowed him to toss her like a rag doll onto the bed.  She shimmied out of her skirt, as if every bit overcome by her desires as the bandit himself and reached forward into his pants.  He exhaled in appreciation as she stroked him and led him between her parted legs...then cried out in alarm as her hand squeezed tightly.  With a twist, her arm rose and elbow crashed into his temple.  He was dazed now, but angry, and she brought the bedside lamp down on top of his head to finish the job.  He sagged against her, unconscious for the time being, but she had no time to rest.  Pushing him away from her, she rolled to her feet and scooped her weapon up off of the floor just in time for the man's partner to walk in.

Before the man could do more than gape at the naked woman, her whip was uncoiled, and it took but a second to lash it around the man's throat.  "Don't worry.  I won't kill you," she stated coolly as he struggled to free himself.  "I'll leave that to the Jackal.  He doesn't take kindly to those who hunt in his territory."  A look of fear crossed the man's face, and he reached for her desperately.  Impassively, she brought the heavy end of her whip down on the man's head with a satisfying crunch, and he fell over heavily.  She flicked her wrist to reclaim her weapon, true to her word -- he was alive, although he'd have one helluva headache when he woke up.

~+~

Downstairs, the crash of the shattered lamp and pair of resounding thuds echoed eerily down the stairs to the common room.  The old man pushed through the kitchen door frantically just as Gherrick was finishing with the trio with which he was faced.

"Young man!  Your wife is upstairs with the other bandits!  She must be in trouble!"

~+~

By the time Gherrick would reach their shared room, Eliana had already redressed.  There was scarcely a hair out of place -- just a pair of bandits unconscious on the floor and the pieces of a lamp on the coverlet and floor.  She looked up at him from where she was crouched, gently picking the pieces of the lamp up and depositing them into a cupped hand.  "Looks like we'll have to use that tip money to buy them a new lamp," she uttered with a dramatic sigh.  "Watch where you step."

Little did she know that breaking the lamp had released something else.  It was a small object that had, along with other pieces of glass, been thrown across the floor to land at Gherrick's feet -- something which only he would recognize the significance of.

Eliana turned back to her task in cleaning up the mess she had made, glad for the distraction...and very relieved, for some reason, that she had managed to get back into her clothing before Gherrick walked through the door.  She didn't buy into his whole pedestal thing for a second, of course, but some part of her never wanted him to catch her on her back...and that annoyed her a little bit, because she had never been made to feel that way before.  Ever.

OOC: Less mature themes in 'Seven's' portion of the thread 8D

---------

Seeing daggers and clubs, Gherrick only gave a shrug, taking a few steps back to ensure enough distance was kept between him and the knew blades.
"You know, I'm more of a lover than a fighter, and I'd hate to mop up any blood..." ANd he gave a playful twirl to his mop as the dagger-man and leader growled. Like a wolf, the man lunged at Gherrick, blades seeking to tear into his belly. Unfortunately for him, the blades fell too short and the mop, much longer, now smacked the man over the head, then across the teeth and sent him stumbling before Gherrick danced his way around him and found the dagger man now to his left, and the clubsmen- to the right.

Seeing how the men with clubs were quickly advancing after their boss was knocked aside, Gherrick tried to protest, however, it seems they'd hear nothing of it.

"Arent we all but men? Shouldn't we all sit down to converse over this like civilized people instead of making a fuss here in such a fine establishment?"

"Civilize this!" The taller, more burly looking one of the pair said as he thrust the club out and found Gherrick's mop handle getting in the way of it, but the club struck hard and Gherrick found himself dancing out of the way, and was soon reunited with the dagger-fellow and was soon dancing between both clubs and knives.


Though he was quickly cornered, Gherrick was not without his cleverness in means of escape, and though the mop was nice and quick to use, it was quickly getting notched and dented from club and knife- and so when he was against the walla nd contemplating his next move, his foot found a bucket and..
he kicked it up just in time to catch the blade within and deter the club, and with a hearty yank, the dagger slipped from the man's hand- leaving him with one of two, and then the bucket then came around again, and Gherrick moved forward, using his new bucket shield and weapon to smack across both the men's faces.

Dazed, the men fell back and Gherrick, forward as he gave a laugh and twirl of his mop and proceeded to  smack the club man, not once, but twice, then about four times until he was nothing more than a smarting heap on the floor. It was hard to say if he was still conscious, but the daggered fellow was pissed, and it was time for the second, more gangily clubsman to step in and take a turn at him.

But Gherrick was ready for them, so when the dagger came swinging, Gherrick leaped away and tumbled, then somersaulted up and over and landed elegantly upon one of the tables in a dance-like crouch. Though the men would hardly see the prettiness in his dance like steps, Gherrick was now in a position to use not only mop and bucket, but his boots as well, as leather met to faces and the dagger man went back stumbling. And when the second club man was smacked over the head, he grabbed onto the end of the mop and managed to yank it clean out of Gherrick's hand- leaving him with just his bucket, and stance upon the table.

Though when the club man tossed the cleaning equipment to the floor, Gherrick found himself dancing to get away from the club, and when he was nearly falling off the edge of the table, he made a leap for it- or rather, a clever jump up- fo ra low hanging, rustic, wooden chandelier that hung over head and was now in arm's reach from where Gherrick was now stationed upon one of the dining tables, and he used the man's ugly face to kick off and jump up- and soon Gherrick was clinging to the wax slickened mass and was sailing with it across the room-
but not before his boot met to both the faces of the remaining club man and his accomplice.
And after hearing hte dagger fall, as did the club, Gherrick landed quick on the floor, taking up his mop, but using the bucket to silence the dagger man  and then his boot to kick down the club man, who he finished off with a few brisk smacks of his mop. He then stood, rubbing at his sweaty forehead from within the middle of the now messy dining room of the inn.


The table he had danced upon now had shattered plates and mugs all over it and upon the floor- and the chandelier was still shaking- one or two candles having fallen out of it, and three men- now lay unconscious, not even saying a peep. Though if one were to look close enough, a few of them might be missing their teeth. Though those teeth might be lost (or found) within the broken plates that now littered the ground.
But that was hardly any of his concern, for despite his apologies for the mess and his elegant bow to  the innkeeper, the moment he heard about his 'wife'- he went running, wasting no time to go up the steps and finding, to his surprise, despite the room being in dissaray, his 'wife' was completely alright.

Smirking a leftward grin at her, his eyes shine with appreciation for what she had done as he moved across the room to embrace her- or at least he would have done so had his boots not trampled over the mess of lamp sharps.
"Oops," he said sheepishly, that having stopped him dead in his tracks- or maybe it was what he found beneath his boots, for when he lifted i tup, his face scrunched in a most peculiar manner as he picked up a dusty, crystal- eye drop shaped necklace from the ground and held it up to the scarce light coming in from the veiled window.

Eliana sat back on her heels once it dawned on her that he wasn't helping -- in either picking up the glass or picking up the bandits.  "You haven't cut yourself already, have you?" she began, then paused when she finally looked at him.

"What is that?"  It didn't look like a piece of the lamp.  In fact, it looked like a very pretty crystal...and Eliana, naturally, was quite the fan of pretty things.  She deposited the glass shards in the waste basket as she passed it, then leaned her head against his shoulder to peer at it alongside him rather than snatch it away.

"It isn't mine.  I wonder how long that's been hiding away in this room?"

"So it isn't yours?" he asked, with some solemnity to his tone. His expression, very serious, and very un-Gherrick like. And he turned from her to look back at the necklace, reaching into his shirt and then pulling out an identical necklace to the one found on the floor. And all Gherrick could do was look at both of them, completed astounded, and utterly, utterly shocked!

Eliana cast him a slightly exasperated look.  "Really, Gherrick.  I would hardly keep my jewelry in that condition."  Obviously!  The piece was so dusty...  With some polish and care, however, it would probably shine!

She blinked at him in mute confusion as he took out a second piece -- identical to the first -- and her own face scrunched up into a curious look.  "Is it yours, then?"

Although, really, why should he need two?

There was a groan, then, as one of the men she had knocked out came to.  "You whore," he spat, beginning to stand unsteadily -- which may have worked until his unbuttoned pants fell down around his ankles and caused him to fall flat on his face.

Eliana looked down at him, utterly unimpressed.  "Guess his skull's pretty thick...  What are we going to do with these guys, anyway?"

Blinkingly, Gherrick finally turned away from the necklace and shoved the new one into his pocket before glancing down at the men on the floor. Giving a sheepish rub to the side of his head, he gave a laugh and shrug of his shoulders.

"Seems you've handled these men quite well.." THough his brows quirked at her in the recollection of whore, as if wagging a finger at her, but the look in his blue eyes was enough to convey that. Shaking his head again, he laughed softly and said, "Well, let's go see if we can borrow some rope. I'm sure the local authorities would love to get their hands on a great big group of bandits. And to think, we'll make their job all the more easier by keeping them confined to one little location. Come on," and when the man who fell over groaned again, Gherrick kicked hte side of his head to ensure he wouldn't wake up as he took Eliana's hand and dragged her off with him down the hall.

Once he was downstairs, he smiled as the observed the poor old lady and old man of the place (who in the moment, their name's escaped him) as he bowed his head in apology before the old woman shook.

"Land sake's! I'm glad the pair of you are alright."

"Yes, it seems my er, wife," he said, clearing his throat in order to get the words out just right. "Was able to handle herself upstairs." Probably not the best choice of words, but he gestured now, with one free arm (as the other still held Eliana's) towards the heap of men upon the floor.

"Oh, I don't know how to thank you two. But honestly, to think they'd come here and cause such a fuss.."

Gherrick shook his head.
"No need to apologize, really. I feel bad enough I've made a mess of the place. But you don't, by chance, got any rope do ya?"

And when the old woman looked up at him with a curious gaze, her husband seemed to get the drift as he nodded and waved at the group.
"I'll go see what can be done." ANd Gherrick gave a shining smile at that, then cast his dancing eyes over to his wife. Seems they were going to be able to get through this good deed, after all!

Eliana's smile was somehow shy and apologetic when Gherrick reacted to the man's name-calling, but it only made her all the more eager to escape the room.

She grinned readily when Gherrick kicked the man in the head.  "Aw, my hero," she said with a laugh and followed in his wake.

His praise brought about another of those grins.  "I'm not as helpless as I pretend to be," she confessed slyly to the woman, and, although she said it behind her hand as though it were a secret, she didn't bother lowering her voice to keep it one.  "I did break a lamp, though," she confessed with a much more serious expression.  "I'm sorry about that."

"Oh, no, honey," the woman answered with a shake of her head.  "We're just glad the two of you are alright!  You missed quite the show down here...  I've never actually seen a man swing on the chandelier before, although, Heaven knows, it's in all the stories."

Eliana glanced at Gherrick with a smirk.  "He did?  I am sorry I missed that."

"He's quite the catch, honey.  And you make quite the handsome couple together!  Now, let's see what we can do about that rope...  And then I'll leave the two of you alone to make some beautiful babies!"  She tottered away, calling to her husband to help her in her search.

At the attentions, Gherrick lightly blushed and laughed while giving a shrug of his shoulder.
"Don't forget the bucket and mop. Which, now that things have calmed down, are good to have out and ready. Easier for us to clean up," he said, tossing a wink to his 'wife'. But as the old woman went on about babies and things, Gherrick's face turned a deeper shade of red as his lips fell open in a gape.

"I hope she doesn't mean we'll make beautiful babies with a rope," Gherrick jested, the only thing he could think of to say in a moment like that!

"Someday, you're going to be all out of blushes," Eliana answered with a broad grin, although, most surprisingly, a light blush had touched her own cheeks.  She seemed unaware of it, however, as she went on.  "I rather like her.  She's a dear, don't you think?"

Turning her attention fully to her "husband", she asked dubiously, "Did you really swing from the chandelier?"

Turning back to his 'wife', he shrugged and simply nodded, "Yes." To the inquiry of the chandelier, and only grinned sheepishly about her comment on his blush.

Turning to pick up the mop and bucket, he began to move towards the kitchen. "Though sadly, now that the fun is over, we'll ahve to clean up." And settng the bucket onto a table, he set the mop against the wall and turned to Eliana. "How about you fill the bucket with some fresh, sudsy water and I'll bind these men up with the rope. Though I'll have to ask if I can borrow er.. a dagger of yours. I seem to be all out!"

"I'm hardly surprised," Eliana answered with a grin.  No, Gherrick was not a man who enjoyed sharp toys!

Fishing into her cleavage, she withdrew a small dagger with a heart-shaped handle, which had clearly been designed to secure the dagger into that very place.  Smugly, she extended it out to him.  "Be careful.  It's quite sharp, Gherrick."

Still blushing as he smiled, he accepted the dagger with a polite bow.
"My wife is too good to me," he said, a twinkle in his eye, stealing a quick kiss to her cheek before he moved away, and worked at binding up the men. He lugged the two from downstairs as well, and now all five of them were dumped into a pile on the floor.  The inn keeper's wife returned them, informing them she had notified the guards and a prison cart would be by to pick up the men soon.

Nodding to the woman, he peered over at Eliana. "I suppose it's time we help clean up the rest of this mess, eh?" And his grin twitched a bit right word, recalling how versatile the mop and bucket had truly become.

"I suppose you deserve it," Eliana answered with playful reluctance.  The thought of having to pick up after herself was somewhat of a new concept, however...but tonight seemed to be a night of firsts, and so she only sighed.  "I'll start upstairs."

It didn't take long for the inn to be put back in order.  The innkeeper and his wife insisted they help, which shortened the time considerably, even in spite of their ages.  When everything was put back into its place, the pair were hustled upstairs to their room, with several more hints about what the pair should be doing once they got to their room...

Contrary to the old lady's wishes, however, Eliana replaced her clothes with a simple white shift.  It was courser material than what she was used to, but it was warm, and that, she supposed, was more important, since nothing would happen between herself and her so-called husband tonight anyway.  She settled down on the edge of the bed to loosen her hair, eyes watching Gherrick most curiously.

"How are you feeling?  With all that swinging and fighting...  It would be a shame to have your shoulders and neck knot up again after all that work to soothe the muscles..."

After all the mopping and the sweeping and the dusting, Gherrick was a mess. Dropping down onto a stool, he reclined back and let out a sigh.
"Nothing like a day of hard work, eh?" And as he leaned back, he gave his shoulders a roll and his neck, a crack, and peered over at her after her last comment before his grin grew sheepish.

"Perhaps, though I'm not as young as I used to be. Swinging from chandeliers and knocking men out with brooms takes a lot of effort. And this old 'husband' is beat!" and he patted his belly and sghed again, raking a hand through his red hair and laughing as he noticed he had a few pieces of wax (from the candles of the chandelier) and dust entangled within it. Not to mention, the ends were pointed and slicked with sweat.

"If anything, I think I need a bath again." And with a subtle sniff he laughed again. "Yeah, I'm definitely due for a bath!"

"Why, Gherrick, you aren't suggesting a moonlit swim, are you?" she teased with a smirk.  "Or I could ask for a cloth and a bucket, and I could bathe you right here."

Poor Gherrick.  It was too easy to tease him!

"Anyway, that can wait until tomorrow.  It will be nice to able to sleep in, don't you think?  You are coming to bed, aren't you?"  She shot him a bit of a pout, as if concerned she might have to convince him otherwise.

Gherrick continued to wipe at his sweaty brow before peering over at Eliana. Lucky for her, he was already flushed, or she'd notice the new blush forming for sure.

"I dunno, I could pass out here. And it'd be a shame for me to get that bed all dirty. I smell like a pig, after all. No, no. It would be better to let the lady have the bed, anyway."

"Why do you always try to put up a fight?" she wondered, regarding him with an expression of renewed curiosity.  "You played the hero last night, and we have some time together before we reach the edge of the Jackal's territory.  You may as well just give in and have a nice night for a change...  I always get what I want, after all..."  Eliana's eyes caught the flicker of the nearby lamp and positively shone.  "Just imagine the things I might have to do to get you over here, Gherrick..."

Gherrick laughed, good naturedly so.
"Fight? Hardly, my lady. I only am thinking of what's best for you. And don't give me that look. You wouldn't want a stinky man in our bed, let alone a stinky, dirty man." Even though, he was sure enough after he said it, she'd probably had plenty of those before. But it was ok to pretend and think- maybe she had not. "Besides, I have had a nice night. The day was positively thrilling, to think.. I got to take out a band of thugs with my unofficial wife." And at that, it was his turn to give her a sparkly eyed smile.
"This is, after all, the first time I've been presumed to be married."
And it tickled him to think so, especially since the 'bride' was Eliana Kazmi.

"Oh, please," Eliana answered with a laugh and a shake of her head.  "Do I look like a delicate lady to you?  Let me tell you a secret..."

She swung the braid she had been forming over her shoulder and rose to sashay across the room to her husband's side.  The poor man scarcely stood a chance to flee as her hands fell to his shoulders to ease away the remaining tension from the earlier fight.

"First of all," she said with a laugh, "You aren't that smelly.  And, second..."  Her hands were still working to soothe away the evening's activities as she leaned forward to inhale deeply, allowing her nose to, for just a moment, brush against his throat.  Very softly, she said, "I don't mind.  You smell like the sea.  And like a man.  I happen to like those things."

Gherrick blinked. He should have known better than to challenge Miss Eliana to anything, for before he had a chance to protest, she was already on his lap, hands to his shoulders and working at the kinks. But as her nose nestled into his neck, he gave a subtle laugh, one she would feel as his entire body went warm and a thrill washed through him.

And then his wits returned to him as he laughed more Gherrickly.
"Well, I suppose I'm lucky in that respect- though those fingers of yours.. can you move them a bit to the left? Yes, ahh.. like that.." Though even as he tried to charm his way out of it, it was hard for him to try to hide his reaction from her. She was quite attractive, and to have her body all over his and her skilled fingers at work- it wasn't quite fair. Gherrick really stood no choice as he let out a few grunted moans, most of which he tried to repress, and only made him sound all the stranger for it.

(OOC: Matureish things are a foot!  *giggle-snort*)

Eliana looked quite satisfied with her work.  He was obviously enjoying himself -- immensely! -- and that was just the way she wanted it.

"There, now," she murmured smugly.  "Is there anywhere else you'd like me to rub?  Perhaps there's somewhere else that's hard and begging for attention..."

It wasn't quite so innocent a question as she made it sound...

Ah, but she had promised, hadn't she?

The thief slid down to the ground before him, slowly and angled ever-so-slightly, so that if she had wanted to, she could have just leaned forward an inch to make good on her implication...

"You'd better hold onto something," she warned coyly...and the next thing he would feel would be her hands against his feet, working out the calluses and knots that had formed thanks to his insistence she wear his boots!

OOC: You would slap a warning on a foot rub 8D
-----

Eliana's wicked grin was not lost on him as one blue eye peered up at her beneath a layer of red, whispy bangs. "E-Eliana!" he tried to protest, when she finally moved away. Though his reaction was sluggish and slow, and when her body moved south and she along with it- he tensed and felt himself come to late-
that was, until her hands moved around his foot and began to touch them-
and that's when he lost it.

"E-E-E-.. ELIANA!" he cried, tears in his eyes as he began to kick and wiggle in protest. "My-my FEET! They're.. you.. you shouldn't have done that!" And as he laughed again, it was only evident she had found one of his most sensitive and ticklish spots! ANd Gherrick, for the life of him, had to stop her by grabbing onto her wrists, lest he pee his pants from all of this laughing!

"B-but really, Eliana!" he cried through a laugh. "If you were to be so cruel to me, you could have simply stayed on my lap!" And what a jest it was! Inviting more awkward situations over tickles- heck yeah, even a prude like him would take that any day!
"Just please! Mercy! Spare my feet! I don't think my ribs can take this sort of abuse!" For he laughed so hard as his cries it hurt!

(OOC: It was necessary!  It had to be done!)

The whore looked first shocked, then, somehow, delighted to have found a weakness.

"Does that mean you'll come to bed?" she asked, batting her eyes at him.  "Because, if you don't..."

Well, now she had a very effective weapon indeed!  And one that wouldn't compromise is unbending ideas of sexuality!

"What?" Gherrick couldn't believe her inquiry. And that smug grin! It only made him grin in return. "Hardly. I'm still a gentleman. Though you've tried to convince me before, I still feel it is my duty to allow you full access to the bed. Besides, the inn keepers have very lovely... crates for me to sit on while I sleep."
And crates that were anything but comfortable.

Eliana gave him a flat look, then reached down to tickle the bottom of his foot -- deliberately, this time.

"You can end this torture whenever you want," she said, matter-of-factly.  "All you have to do is agree to sleep somewhere warm and comfortable for the night."

Gherrick laughed and tried to kick her away.
"N-never! A gentleman wo-ou-ould rather suffer, than le-et a lady suffer!"

Oh, really?

It seemed, suddenly, like night and day had switched places as Eliana discarded his foot in disgust.  "Fine!" she declared venomously as she turned away from him.  Her usual warm, cheerful disposition cooled considerably, seeming to bring the temperature in the room down with it.  "You're obviously determined to be the world's biggest jerk, no matter what I do or say."

She threw herself down on the mattress, facing the wall and not Gherrick.

With his foot finally free, he wilted with some relief in his chair, but at her sudden out burst, he found himself blinking and turning towards Eliana with a smile.
"Really, Eliana, is it so difficult for you to allow me to treat you like a woman? And as much fun as it's been, we truly aren't man and wife, and I would not feel it my place to keep taking the place in the bed beside you. Sure, it's warm and nice, but I'm not doing it to be cruel, Eliana. Call me a man of old habits and tradition, but it's because I like you and respect you that I'd select the chair, not because I'm trying to be mean of it."

ANd watching her carefully, he then inquired, "So are you truly angry with me?"

OOC: He's so not helping XD

OOC: Clearly not!

Instead of answering with a direct yes or no, Eliana gave a soft sniff in response.

"You aren't treating me like a woman, Gherrick.  You're treating me like an unwanted piece of trash!"  It wasn't as if she had misbehaved...much.  She had respected his wishes rather than take advantage of him...

"You don't have the right to decide how a woman should or should not be treated.  That's something that should be up to her!"  Another sniff escaped.  "Well, maybe I'll just treat you like a pirate from now on -- like any other pirate instead of somebody special!"

Basically, you know, assume the worst!

"Treat me like a pirate?" Gherrick was taken back and made a face. "Eliana, really..." he said, finally moving his butt from the chair as she approached the bed. "You can't be that angry with me.." However, catching the anger on the side of her face made him re-think what she said as he sighed softly and took a seat.

"I'm not treating you as unwanted, Eliana," he said, reaching for her hand. "At least that's not why I refused. I know you're not like the others," he said, giving her a leftward grin in hopes to coax some sort of response from her. "I know you can handle yourself well, you're a strong woman. So why the face now? I mean, we just mopped up the floor together with some men. If anything, you should be as jittery and a ball of nerves as myself, or were my feet so repulsive?" he teased.

"Oh, come on-please don't be angry-" he pressed, realizing he probably wasn't going to get very far with it before he threatened.
"And if you start calling me a pirate, I'll start acting like one."
Or worse yet..
"Ok, ok, fine.. if you don't accept my sincerest apologies for making you upset, I'll have to get on my knees and start begging! I'm sure you don't want to see that!"

Hah, that was a laugh.  Gherrick acting like a pirate...  She doubted he could bring himself to pretend to be a pirate like those with which she was accustomed!

The thief didn't pull away when his hand touched hers.  In fact, she sat up and turned to look at him.  The flickering candelight reflected some of the moisture forming in her eyes as she glared at him.

"Then why are you treating me like I'm just a paper doll?  I'm not asking you to throw me down and make love to me all night.  I'm just asking you to lie beside me and to keep me warm.  Is it really so much to ask?  Does wanting a little comfort or a sense of protection make me so indecent?"

Catching the forming tears, his expression instantly changed.
"Eliana?"
At her word, he inwardly cringed at her reprimand, and felt the tightening knot of guilt within his belly.
"I never meant it like that, Eliana. It's just.." and here he fumbled over his thoughts and words. "Even a gesture as innocent as sharing a bed, means something differently to me than it does to you. I know you're not asking me for much, but I don't protest to harm you. It's just... tradition runs in my veins, and even after all of these years, I'm still unaccustomed to this."

Though as he listened to his own self explain this, he felt a bit awkward, though still guilty as he knew his words probably did not help comfort her.
"But it's still rude of me not to offer comfort if a lady is in dire need." ANd he reached a hand forward hesitantly, brushing some of her hair down away from her shoulder. "But if you scoot over,  I'll cave in to your request. That is, if you're not too upset at me for it. I've been told I have a very hard head, so I'm not sure how comfortable us sleeping together can be, but if it'll help ward off tears, fine then- I am at your disposal, my lady."

Eliana snuffled softly and glanced away, studying the quilt as though unsure if she should allow him to join her.  After a moment, she seemed to relent, however, as she scooted to the side.  Still glancing away from him, embarrassed at her weakness, she ran a fingertip lightly beneath her eye to remove any tears.

"I'm sorry, Gherrick.  It's just that I'm not that perfect princess you have built up in your mind.  I know what I like.  And what I don't.  And I don't like sleeping alone.  It makes me feel...vulnerable.  And unwanted."

At her words, Gherrick laughed.
"Perfect Princess? Whoever said I thought you were perfect?" And he moved a finger forward to help her remove those tears. "Eliana, really, if you were a princess, you'd be worse off! Since I'd most certainly would be bringing you back to your castle and not let such a delicate flower become worn down by these mean old streets! But.. turns out since you're not a princess..." he continued, smirking at he observed her, "You and I can remain on the streets as a team, battling villainous men with mops."

And he made a face at her last choice of phrasing, shaking his head.
"And I doubt you could ever feel unwanted, Eliana. You're too charismatic for that. And you'll hardly be unwanted. You're too pretty for that, too. No, no, if anything, it's that sweet personality of yours tht will get you into trouble. And reasons a man like me must take careful watch of a such a lady. After all, I might get jealous if another mop-fighting hero comes to sweep you away. We are married now, after all, and I can be quite the jealous husband!"

A smile flashed briefly across her face.  She glanced up at him, peeking at him through tears and eyelashes.  "Really?"

Pulling away from him slightly, she ran the backs of her hands over her cheeks to take away the tears.  "I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to put this all on you.  It's just been really stressful, and I'm tired."

She glanced towards the mirror pensively, then sighed.  "And now I'm a mess..."

Gherrick laughed then moved to ruffle up her hair.
"There, now you're a mess!" and he flashed her a toothy grin as he stared at her reflection. He thought she looked rather cute that way- it made her seem vulnerable, something he was sure she certainly was not!

A light blush spread across Eliana's cheeks, and she laughed softly even as she averted her eyes from her own reflection.  "You're a terrible friend!" she accused, although it was said with obvious fondness for the pirate.

"How would you like it if I messed up your hair?" she demanded, suddenly whirling on him and doing so with enthusiasm.

Gherrick's smile merely stretched across his face quite happily as she did so, and he closed his eyes.
"I'd like it very much! And I probably still look just as dashing, even with my hair askew." And he opened his eyes and waggled his brows at her. "At least I'd like to think I do."

She threw up her hands, as if nothing could be done with him!

"Yes, yes," she answered with a shake of her head.  "Your messed up hair and your mop.  Very dash--!"

She would have gone on, but, in her efforts to untangle herself from the sheets to rise, something suddenly happened!  She had thrown back the sheets and scooted forward -- though who knew whether it was the sheets or her long nightgown that caused it as she was suddenly flung forward against Gherrick, tackling him, moreorless, to the bed beneath her.

Gherrick suddenly found himself on his backside, staring up at the ceiling and dizzily taking in the scent of her hair. Not entirely sure what to say or know what just happened, he blinked and breathed a few times when air returned to his lungs. Sitting up, he peered down at her.

"Er.. Eliana, are you alright?" ANd one arm cradled around her as she was laying over his form.

Eliana blinked down at him, then breathed out another laugh and pulled away from him.  "Sorry," she murmured, reaching up with both hands to pull her hair back.  It provided him with a shapely silhouette, in spite of the thick nightgown.

"We should probably go to bed," she said lightly, eyes on the mirror across the room as an embarrassed smile touched her lips.  "Before I humiliate myself even further."

"Yes," he replied with a good humored laugh. "I suppose that's one way to get me in bed!" And noticing her blush, his eyes narrowed with mirth. "Are you... blushing, Eliana?"

Eliana cast him a sideways look and turned up her nose...although a wayward grin flashed over her lips.

"Good night, Gherrick."

Pursing her lips, she leaned forward and, with a soft blow, extinguished the candle.

Well, it seemed Eliana had gotten her wish. And when Gherrick awoke, several hours later, he couldn't help himself but smirk as he realized her arms were sealed around his, hugging to him close. He hooked his arm around her- heck, why not and played with her hair.

It seemed they had slept in pretty late. Daylight was already breaking in through the window.
"Hey, wake up, sleepy head. I doubt keeping your face nestled into my armpit is the best way to keep sleeping. Maybe we can wash up and get some food. I think I smell pancakes."

Eliana blinked a few times, a bit surprised to find that it was morning already.  Rather than get up, however, she snuggled in against his side lazily.  "No, I think this is good."

And it was.  She was comfortable -- he couldn't blame her for not wanting to go!  Pancakes were over-rated anyway!

Her eyes closed lightly, eyelashes just resting against her cheeks, and for a moment it looked as though she might go back to sleep.  Instead, however, she shifted in order to glance up at him...though not much more.

"Sharing wasn't so terrible, was it?"

Gherrick sighed at her statement and patted her upon the shoulder.
"No, of course not. It kept us pretty warm, I dare admit, but I suppose we can keep this sleeping together thing a secret between you and I. Though if we keep up the rouse as husband and wife, I suppose it wouldn't seem so harmful to either of our reputations," he told her playfully. "Though I think we might grow too comfortable if we do! And then who knows, a real marriage might come out of it and I think that could be just too scandalous, imagine a real married couple actually having such grand adventures and sharing a nice warm bed! People might start labeling us as 'The mop and broom fighting team'.. or.. hrm.." she gave a thoughtful scratch to his head. "I'm sure there might be something else more clever used.."

"I think we'd have to keep it more of a secret if we weren't sleeping together," Eliana answered with a sparkle in her eye.  "Especially, since, we're actually not..."

And what a shame!

"Speaking of secrets..."  She shifted, and brought her fist out to hover above his chest.  Opening her hand a bit, the crystal plunged out to dangle on its cord six inches from his face.  "What's the story with this?"

Gherrick's blue eyes reflected the tear-dropped shaped crystal perfectly. Though it might not have looked like anything significant, and if one were to describe it, they might say it appeared as it were a droplet of ice, for the jewel was so clear... there was something evidently special behind it, which was given away by Gherrick's expression. He sat up suddenly and stared at the jewel before glancing up at Eliana.

"It's just a piece of jewelry," he said, trying to force the same laugh and smile as he always did, but it was evidently forced-a nd Gherrick was really never good at hiding emotions- or truths.

Eliana watched him for a moment, expertly studying the range of emotions in his face and the strain in his voice.  It was obviously quite a bit more to him than 'just a piece of jewelry.'  But there was the question of why...  She could only assume it had something to do with that grave she had once found him standing over...

After a moment of consideration, she reached for his hand and gently sat the pendant in his palm.

"If it causes you such pain, why do you wear one of these?"

Gherrick tensed and looked up at her, but after a moment, he gave a gentle laugh that was genuine. Pulling out the matching necklace from within his shirt, he let her see it before he raised the other matching one beside it.

"No, these don't cause me pain," he said and as he held them. "The crystals aren't meant to harm." And he gave her a grin as the crystals began to gently glow.

"Magic?" Eliana inquired hesitantly, looking away from the glowing crystals to the pirate curiously.  There were all sorts of legends about brash thieves losing their lives and worse to stolen magical items...  As a rule, she generally avoided the troublesome things, preferring, instead, to steal coins and jewels instead.  Although there was one magic item that always with her, one that she very much appreciated...so obviously not all magic was terrible!

Still, it was a bit disconcerting to see something she had taken to be mundane glow so prettily...

"And I didn't mean physically.  You just looked so sad for a moment..."

Gherrick stared past the glowing necklaces towards her face, and in that instance, the glow was snuffed out.
"Sad?" Perhaps so, he always wore his expressions openly and to see such an item from such memories he though the world had forgotten so long ago...
He shook his head, but the smile he wore was indeed, a sad one, as he peered down at the two jewels.

"I guess I'm more surprised than anything." It was really difficult to take in, but even still, he gave a curious look her way. "Why, are you worried about me, my wife?" he teased, hooking an arm around her. "If anything, you should be more worried about how I smell! Perhaps we can find those hot springs again. I think my armpits need a good scrub. ANd maybe my feet. Yeah, probably them too," he added thoughtfully.

"Of course I am," the whore answered with a laugh of her own, content, just for a moment, to simply lean against him.  "After all, you were there for me, once, when I needed someone.  I want to make sure I repay the favor.  Even if all I can really do is lend a friendly ear."

She shot him a smile, then rose to search for the clothes she had worn the previous day.  From the other side of the screen, a bit self-deprecatingly, she added, "You're important to me, Gherrick.  So it's selfish of me, really, to want to help you..."

Gherrick went quiet as he digested what she said, keeping his back to the privacy screen to give her that extra privacy a lady deserved. So when he spoke, it was over his shoulder.

"Well, no one can really blame you for wanting to help people," he said, most cheerfully. "Though I assure you, I am quite alright. After all, what man wouldn't be happy to be married to such a charming woman?"

Though at her last comment, it did make him blush, but he still covered up her compliment with one of his own.
"And I don't think it's selfish at all>" And he flashed her a smile, htough realized- he could see her abit through the privacy screen and promptly turned away.

Eliana's laughter was quiet but genuine, filled with an honest amusement.

"I don't want to help people, Gherrick.  I want to help you."

He might notice the pause in rustling cloth as the thought gave her pause.  If Gherrick hadn't been here and, possibly, in trouble, Eliana never would have become involved in the scuffle the previous night.  She would have left the couple to their own troubles -- and the rest of the customers too.  No, she definitely wasn't a good person...

And, why, suddenly, did that make her feel so inadequate and sad?

Shaking off the feeling, she slid the corset on over her shirt and began to work on the laces.  There was a definite trick to this -- but one she had down.  Fortunately, she was quite flexible...

"Speaking of which, I think we should be pretty close to the border.  If we left today, we would make it by nightfall."  Her words were punctuated by the slight hesitations and sighs that came with attempting to tie a corset up without aid.

"Call it what you will!" Gherrick responded in a chipper tone. "If you hang out with me long enough, you'll be helping people even long after I'm gone! Just you wait," he said with a sheepish laugh and scratch to his nose. "You'll become the second 'Seven' this world has been searching for!"

Hearing her struggle, he still kept his back to her, not wanting to sneak a peak (as he was a gentle man, after all!)
"Having some trouble? I could call for the Innkeeper's wife to help you with those strings."

After a small delay, Eliana breathed out a laugh.  "I wouldn't count on it."  No, she had never been meant to help people...  She had better things to do with her time and others' money!

"What excuse would you give her, Gherrick, for not helping your own wife to dress?" she teased.  She could think of several -- but Gherrick lacked her knack for telling falsehoods!

Gherrick grew quiet, though if hse could see his expression, she'd see quite a red face and a lot of opening and closing his lips and sheepish expressions.

"Well, I could offer to help a lady. Though I do not think it proper..."
Though he honestly could never say no to someone in need!

"It's hardly improper, Gherrick," Eliana answered, sounding bemused.  "I have most of it tightened.  It's just the top laces.  So, unless you're opposed to seeing a girl's back and shoulders..."  All of which were quite decent!  "...I'd appreciate the help."  She shot the screen a wicked grin, then, adding, "Besides, I hear sailors are good with knots."

Gherrick was about to agree, when the last part had him exhaling, and his face, turning bright red. He leaned against the partition, only half looking at her silhouette.
"Really, whatever gave you that idea?" he said, trying to laugh off the joke. "And here I thought you'd try to be nice to me, not tease me into helping you out of those laces."

"Oh?" Eliana replied, grin widening.  She sounded a bit like the cat that had caught the canary -- smug and quite satisfied.  "Now you want to help me out of my corset?"  Oh, poor Gherrick!  "Just when I thought I knew what to expect from you."

Unaware of his gaze on her form, she turned her attention to the mirror set behind the screen and, quite naturally, began to adjust her breasts within the confines of the tight material to position them just right to display the ideal amount of cleavage.

Her breast adjustments happened at just the right moment for him to catch a glimpse-
and well, coupled with his tongue slip from earlier, he knew not what to say!
So he simply laughed and laughed.

"Yes, well, I have to keep you on your toes!"

But oh Gods, why did his tongue slip that way!? WHY!?

Lifting her leg up onto the conveniently-placed chair, she began to carefully roll up her stockings.  "And I'm grateful to you for it.  It isn't often I meet a man like you.  Most men are boring and predictable -- give them a glimpse of a leg or a breast or your ass -- and their brains leap into their penis.  But, you..."  She smirked as she straightened.  "I'm always trying to come up with ways to impress you.  I'd forgotten what fun seduction could be."

Of course, if that were truly her intent, she would have had her way long ago...or so she liked to think!

Gherrick's face was about as red as his hair. And boyishly, he laughed at her words.
"You don't have to impress me, my lady. You are my wife, after all!"
Though still, he hung back- his fingers a bit sweaty at the prospect of actually helping her, and to get a glimpse of her leg didn't help matters either. Perhaps it was just the little things and the big things that were adding up here, but he was perhaps, a little more than just charmed by Eliana Kazmi.

That made her laugh.  "If I stopped trying to impress you, Gherrick, I'd become lazy and fat."  Like all of those housewives!  She gathered her hair up into a high ponytail atop her head, holding it there a moment before letting it fall back down.  She gathered it up again, then, with a little twist, tossed it over her shoulder.

"Now, are you going to help, or am I going to have to do it on my own?"

Gherrick more or less waited for her to ask that question as he gave a small laugh.
"Alright, alright, but shall you come out here or I back there...?"
Really, he was just dragging his feet!

Oh, that would have been clever, wouldn't it, if she had managed to lure him back there to lace up her corset, only to find her wearing nothing at all?  Shame she hadn't thought of it earlier, really!

Leaning around the corner of the partition, she said, "I'm perfectly decent, Gherrick.  See?"

Oh, yes, that would have been a terrific ambush!

Turning, she pulled her hair aside again and waited expectantly.  "Don't be afraid to lace it up tight.  That's what these things were made for, after all."

Gherrick simply laughed at her. He couldn't believe this, or where his fingers were going as he stepped in behind her behind the dressing screen. But his fingers worked skillfully, and despite the sweat on his palms, he was able to string her up surprisingly tight, though as he did so, a few of his heated grunts would hit her exposed shoulder and neck before finally, he gave a more satisfied sigh and began t wokr at the last few holes, and then bound the rest in a pretty little knot.

"There, I think that ought to do it," he said, beaming as he admired his work- and maybe a little bit.. her form.

"You're quite good at this," the whore murmured in contentment.  "I should put you to work back there more often.  Are you sure you haven't done this before?"

Using her hands, she gave a little tug here or a little press there to ensure the garment was in place, then lifted her eyes to meet his in the mirror.  "Of course, if your knot is too tight, you really might have to help me out."  She was smirking, her eyes glittering like pretty little gems.

Gherrick laughed.
"Don't worry, I know my way around a knot," he said, and rested his hand agains the partition, only to realize it wasn't as sturdy as it looked- and DOWN the thing went, crashing into a loud heap on the floor. Gherrick only stared, and was jarred from the moment when there was a knock at the door. I twas the inn keeper's wife.

"Are you two alright in there?"

Gherrick blanked.

"Yes, fine! We're just getting undressed!"
Oh, shoot, that's not what he meant! But a soft laugh on the other side came promptly afterwards.

"If you need anything, just call for us, dearies!" And then she disappeared down the hall - leaving the embarassed theifly number staring at the closed door.

He the gave a sheepish scratch to the back of his head
"I'm not doing good with my words tonight, and I'd say my hands are failing as well- so you'd best be wary of that corset!"
Good heavens, if she were to fall out of it- so help him!

Eliana managed to hold it in until the woman left -- but, then, she began to giggle.

Stepping up to him, she put her arms gently around his neck in an intimate embrace.  Looking up into his face, still grinning, she said, "Why, Gherrick.  Is there something you would like to tell me?  Or, maybe, something you'd like to do to me?  We could have breakfast in bed...  I'm told I taste delicious with syrup."

"M-m-Miss Kazmi!" he stuttered, and try as he might, laughing off such a notion wasn't working! His chest felt real tight, so did his pants! He put his arms on her and took a step back, giving her a playfully admonishing look. "Really now, perhaps if you were my wife, but as friends, Eliana.." she shook his head with a few attempted 'tsks'. "You should know better."

Eliana looked absolutely smug, striding away from him like a conquering hero.  She paused to pick up her shoes, then glanced at him over her shoulder with a soft laugh.  "I'll let you get dressed."

Poor Gherrick.  She was wearing him down -- somewhere, hidden away beneath propriety, there was a red-blooded male after all.  If she wanted to, she could have pushed that button and had her way with him...but she didn't want to do that.

But she was a creature of habit -- and, habitually, she had done all she could to protect herself by hiding behind this mask...

With only a smirk more, she stepped out into the hall and quietly closed the door behind her.

After Eliana left, Gherrick dropped onto the bed, landing like a plank of wood with his face hitting into the bedding. Eliana, Eliana, Eliana...
With his 'wife' already gone, he eventually peeled himself off the bed and got dressed, and went to seek her out on the lower level of the inn.

He supposed their day had to begin sometime- but who knew what new adventures awaited them!


OOC: This thread and it's shenanigans continue here (http://www.spiritsoftheearth.net/smf/index.php?topic=16167.0)!

Gherrick would see the scene from above well before stepping into the chaos and the carnage.  There were over-turned chairs and one over-turned table, as well as a suspicious trail of red liquid moving towards the kitchen doors.

The men they had vanquished only the night before were present there.  One stood over a lifeless body.  Another -- the one Gherrick had defeated -- held Eliana against the wall, his meaty hand pressed roughly over her mouth to keep her silent while a dagger traced an intricate pattern against her skin.  He hadn't drawn blood from her yet, however; he was looming over her, as smug as a cat in the cream.  "Smiley says you work for the Jackal.  What do you think he'll do when you two come back to him in pieces?"

The girl glared fiercely at him.

"I think he'll think twice about coming here.  It's like carving out our territory.  Just like I'm going to carve up your pretty face."

"Boss..."  One of the men had noticed the pirate's presence on the steps.  "Is that the guy?"

A dangerous glint reached the man's eye, and he smirked cruelly at Gherrick.  "Good."  His knife moved slowly down Eliana's lovely bosom in an almost gentle caress.  "Then I can begin."  His eyes never left Gherrick's as he rammed the blade, suddenly, into Eliana's stomach.  "What do you think?  I think your wife will look good in red..."

There was an expression of surprise in the woman's face, then pain and fear.  Was this really how she was going to die?  Killed by a two-bit thug like this because she had spared his life?

It was surreal- like walking through a nightmare, walking through a dream. And the further he sunk down into it, the more colder and more nightmarish it became. Blue eye took in the upturned tables, the trail of blood, and the menacing men that were far too familiar from the day before. And just as he felt his stomach turn cold, a knot sealed into it and it froze over at the very sight of Eliana with a blade to her throat.

He missed no details, no words; but before he had a chance to try to reason with them- to try to even fight back to rescue his presumed wife- he watched in horror as the knife was thrust into her belly and his entire reality snapped.

Two men to his right suffered a heavy blow- one that came from his staff and cracked skulls. Before they dropped the bo staff snapped forward and came hurling towards the two men on the opposing sides of the man that now held Eliana captive. He made quick work of them to, dodging low, sweeping low, then bashing at their faces until they were seeing stars. And then in one swift motion, the red staff came up and pointed at the man holding the knife- and Gherrick's eyes were as cold as the sea.

"Let her go."

The man seemed a little alarmed to have his allies done in so quickly...but, looking down the length of Gherrick's staff, some confidence, it seemed, came back to him.  "Done," he agreed.

Eliana made a soft sound of complaint as the curved blade was just as harshly removed from her stomach, leaving red blooming in its wake.  The man held out both hands, one still holding the weapon red with Eliana's blood, and he took a step back.

Without the man keeping her in place, the thief collapsed.  To her, everything seemed to be happening in slow motion around her as her life left her slender body.  Instinctively, she put a hand over the wound, and the feeling of warm blood -- and knowing it was her own -- made her want to vomit.  All she could manage, however, was a weak choking sound as she looked up at Gherrick.

"Gherrick," she started, eyes moving from the pirate to the man who had killed her.  "Don't."  For a crazy second, she thought that water would help with the sudden weakness that had crept into her voice.  She licked her lips and began again.  "Don't let him get behind you."

Surely, he must have heard...  Gherrick was the man's real target.  Her life was only incidental.

"How many other men are there?" Gherrick demanded, his eyes narrowed, blue eyes- dark.
The tone of his voice implied he was not here to play, like he had with the men before- no, there would be no grand chandelier fighting, or downing men with mops-

No, Eliana had been injured, and something deeper inside Gherrick stirred.
"Answer the question and I might only break your teeth."

"Just us," the man answered evenly, although there was a peculiar glint in his eye when he said it.  "Hey, look, I thought five of us would be enough to take out two bandits...now that we're immune to your wife's charms."  He added the last bit nastily, squinty eyes glancing towards Eliana.  "Smiley says she sucks cock like a professional whore, and Greg said she's as tight as a virgin.  Maybe I'll have a go at her yet..."  His smile stretched even further.  "But I wouldn't want to embarrass you.  I'll give you a minute to say your goodbyes."

If Gherrick's eyes were simmering before, they were raging now as his grip tightened on his red staff. He dared to take a step closer toward Eliana as he growled.
"You're trying my patience. Step away from her now," he commanded, his voice a roar of authority. He was not about to play nice when Eliana's life was in very real danger.

The man held up both hands, as if begging for his patience, and he moved carefully aside.  "Of course.  I am a romantic, after all."  Keeping an eye on Gherrick, he kept drifting further away and sideways, angling to get behind the pirate.  "I would hate for her to have to die alone."

The glint of metal in the man's hands caught Eliana's eye.  Even if the rest of the room was fuzzy, somehow, she recognized the weapons with a startling clarity.  "Gherrick!  Knives!"

Indeed they were.  A pair of throwing knives slid into the man's hands, and he raised his arms back to throw them at the unfortunate pirate.

Gherrick was wary of the man, but he cared more for Eliana's safety than his own. He could only move so much, keep his back at one such angle- so when the throwing knives were launched, he whipped the staff up to catch all but  two-
One sunk into his leg as he grunted, and the second, into his shoulder as Gherrick bared his teeth as blood began to seep out, staining his brilliant silk blue clothing, red.

"Oh, I like her," the bandit said with a grin and a gesture towards Eliana.  "I really do.  Maybe I shouldn't have been so hasty to kill her..."  He tsked softly.  "Well, too late now, isn't it?  You're not so tough at a distance, you know.  If I had a dozen more of those little knives, all I'd have to do is stand back and let you bleed to death...  Sadly, that was all I had."

At a near-leisurely pace, he unsheathed a sword from his belt.

"Don't think I'll make the mistake of underestimating you again!" he announced as he charged at the pirate.

(OOC: Feel free to make this totally anti-climatic, lawls!!)

Injured and pissed, the former prince did not take easily to the comments, and blindly, but deftly, swung the weapon he had clung to for so many years. Though the other man might have had a sharp sword, it took a lot more effort to wield it and- Gherrick's bostaff could be used as a weapon on both ends. So with a twirl na da crack, then another smack and thrust to the man's gut- Gherrick had successfully bashed the man across the mouth, thensword arm (rendering him unarmed in seconds) and then staggered him by the hit to the gut before the blunt end of his staff came forward again and smashed into his face, sending him to the ground.

ANd now the man was bleeding on his face, and Gherrick never once drew a sharpened weapon.
"I think you already have." Gherrick finally replied to the man's statement, before using this moment to inch even closer to Eliana. His blue eyes peered at her.
"Hey... how are you feeling?" But then his eyes dropped to the wound. It looked bad.

The man was dazed and down...but only for a moment.  As Gherrick turned away, the man scrambled to his feet -- but not to attack.  In fact, he seemed interested in going in the other direction altogether.  "You're crazy, man!" he half-shouted, half-whined as he stumbled towards the door.

Eliana blinked up at Gherrick, trying to bring him into focus.  It got a bit easier as he came closer, and she relaxed back against the wall with a sigh.  "Sleepy.  I didn't know you were such a bad ass."

Gherrick tried to smile for her, but it was hard.
"Here, do you think I could carry you? I mean, if you think it'd be ok for your husband to do so," he said, offering another forced smile as his eyes prickled with tears. " I can get you back to the room. This wound- it needs looked at before it gets worse."
Though he saw it now, up close and personal- and well..
the wound was already bad. He wasn't sure she could go without his help- and he could only pray to the goddess she would hear him, grant his prayer and heal Eliana, lest she lose anymore blood.

The woman gave her head a little shake, sounding, when she spoke, more admonishing than anything else.  "You're hurt.  Patch yourself up.  Might come back."

There was nothing he could do for her -- she knew that.  She had seen enough death to know these sorts of wounds were always fatal.

It was better to focus on him, because if she stopped to think about that -- about how much blood had slipped through her fingers and how badly it all hurt -- she would start to cry...because she didn't want to die.

"Then go," she added, finding that it took some effort to talk.  "Guards crooked.  Could be bad for you."

"Go?" Gherrick's face twisted, his lips drawing into a thin line as he furrowed his brow.
"I will not go." He told her. "I will not leave you." And he wasted no time, no effort in leaving his bostaff and scooping her up into his arms. She was far more important now- he had to lay her down- he had to try his magics-

Lest he lose Eliana, and that was something he could never allow.


Storming up the stairs to their room, he laid her gently upon the bed and took te bedding.
"Here, press this to your wound. I need to remove your blouse." And he took some time, his fingers shaking before he just ended up ripping the thing open, then he moved to sit over top of her, his eyes catching hers for a moment.

"Eliana... I need you to remain calm. Can you do that for me?" he asked, a hand cradling her head as he peered into her dark eyes.

Even though he was trying to be gentle, being shifted, suddenly, jolted her momentarily back to the present, and she cried out in pain as he hurried her upstairs.

By the time he set her down on the bed, tears had fallen from her eyes.  She wasn't a brave woman -- never had been -- but she wanted to be brave now for him.  She didn't want his last memory of her to be a sobbing, frightened girl facing death...  So if he was going to stay, she would have to smile, have to help him let her go.

It was just another show.

She closed her eyes lightly, gathering the remains of her courage, then peered up at him with a smile.  Speaking, however, came hard, and she could only breathe out a few words before having to pause to take a deliberate breath.  "If I'd known what it would take to get you to tear off my clothes, I would have done it sooner."  It felt like a whole speech to her, and she had to struggle a moment with her fading voice to answer him.

"I am calm," she answered him serenely.  "You're the hysterical one."

It was hard for Gherrick not to smile, but that was because he didn't know what to do with himself. His mind was frantic, he was in a panic, but trying to remain calm-
Perhaps as calm as her. She seemed a bit too relaxed and that frightened him. He had seen others, in their last moments, seemed to be in such a state as she.

Tears prickled in his blue eyes as he fussed over her and gave a breathy laugh.
"But Eliana, you know I'd be upset if you tried it," he said, brushing away some hair that had fallen over her face."Are you comfortable?" he asked, in a voice barely above a whisper.

"No, don't cry," she murmured softly, finding the strength to lift a hand to his cheek.  Her hand felt like lead, but she couldn't bear to look at those tears.  His cheeks felt warm against her cool fingertips as she brushed away a tear.  "If you cry, I'll cry."

The Gods knew she wanted to...  Tears sparkled in her own eyes now in reflection to Gherrick's grief.

"Gherrick..."  There were a thousand things she wanted to say to him, but the words would not come.  It seemed that, even on her deathbed, she was still a coward...  Besides, what good would it do?  What good would it do either of them?

Instead, she exhaled softly and reached for his hand.  "Will you tell me one more story?  Your voice is nice to fall asleep to."

At her plea for him not to cry, his lips wavered into a smile as more tears fell down his cheeks.
"You ask a man not to grieve over his wife," he said, breathing the words as he took her hand. "But you won't have to cry, Eliana. Not if you don't want to." But he saw the tears forming and one threatening to fall down her cheeks as his hand cupped her cheek and a thumb brushed that tear away.

"Eliana..."
A few fresh tears slid down his cheeks.
"I only have a few stories that I can tell." ANd it was here his eyes rested to the gem embedded into his wrist-t he very same hand that held onto hers. Then his blue eyes returned to her. "I don't think we have time for a story, Eliana.." and he used his other free hand to brush her dark hair from her face while giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"That's okay," she murmured softly.  It was getting harder and harder to keep her eyes open, to focus on the man hovering over her.  She lapsed into silence a brief moment -- but the silence felt as though it was trying to smother her.  Even though mere seconds had passed, it felt like an eternity...and it was too much for her to bear.

She imagined she could feel death stealing over her body, as cool as marble...and even if she could will her eyes to remain open, part of her feared that she would spy a dark figure lurking in the corner, preparing to escort her away from this world once she had breathed her last breath...even if she didn't believe in all that nonsense.

"Sing something.  Anything."  Just so she didn't have to listen to the silence...  Just so she knew he was still there.

Gherrick stared at her for a good long moment, tears running down his face as he continued to hold her hand.
"I'll sing for you," he told her, taking her hand and kissing it softly. She was becoming so cold...
"But let me pray for you, first" he whispered, and leaned over her, her form cradled within one arm. It might have seen he had begun a song, the words were nothing she would recognize, nor would she know the tune. It was soothing, but the strain in his voice, in the tone- beckoned the sadness of their situation as the room seemed to grow darker.

But as his lips moved, speaking, talking, singing- soft orbs glowed beneath his flesh. Even his vibrant blue eyes seemed to subtly become a-light, and the moment he felt the powers coursing through his veins, runes began to glow across his flesh as his one hand- hte one not holding onto her hand, pressed against the wound in her belly and she'd be able to feel the warmth of his magics pass through her.

The sensation would have felt like the warmth from the after glow of mead- and for a moment- her entire body could feel weightless and her vision would go to white.



"Eliana?" he took her hand, shaking it lightly. "Eliana!" The voice grew more frantic. Oh no, was he too late?

There was only the sound of his voice, something comforting to hold onto as the rest of the world began to fade around her.  Her eyes had long-since closed, and although her hand remained in his, it had lost its grip and she her sense of touch.

There were worse ways, she thought, to die.

Warmth spread over her, replacing the ache, like a sharp hunger, that had been all that remained of her pain.  Peace replaced the cold acceptance and fear, and, had she been capable of coherent thought, she might have thought that, by some strange twist of fate, she was ascending to heaven...but thought was beyond her; there was only sensation and, distantly, the sound of Gherrick's voice...

...Until even that, too, stopped, and there was nothing but the warmth and the peace it brought with it.

She could still feel that warmth, like little tingles in her fingertips and toes, when Gherrick's voice calling for her brought her back.  Her eyes opened slowly, reluctantly, heavy still but no longer with death.

"Gherrick?"

The woman peered up at him, trying to bring him into focus with her sleepy eyes.  She felt as though he had just interrupted a nap and a strange, but beautiful dream -- the kind poets wrote about.

"Eliana!" The words were breathed as he threw his arms around her, hugging her tightly against him as his scent and warmth washed over her from where she lay on the bed.
"By the Goddess, you're ok."
She was going to be ok, and she'd feel the warm, wet tears of his sincerity on her shoulder as he cried and cried.

Eliana's arms flailed a little in response to his sudden and tight hug before finally settling around him in return.

"Gherrick..."

Was she okay?  Was she really okay?  Hadn't she been on the brink of death just a moment ago?  That wasn't really something you just...got over...

But, then...

Instead of letting that thought interrupt the moment, however, she simply tightened her own embrace, reveling in the senses she never thought she would experience again.  By the Gods, she was alive...

Gherrick's embrace only tightened before he finally loosened it as he pulled away to peer into her eyes.
"By the Goddess, I thought I lost you." He raked a hand though her hair and sought her eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"Well, I'm not dead, so...  Pretty good, actually," she answered with a laugh that sounded light and girlish in its pure joy.  Better than pretty good, really...but how did you put something like this into words?

"Gherrick, what happened?  Not that I'm complaining, but..."

She looked down to where the wound should have been, covering the healed skin with her hand.  There was no pain, of course...

Gherrick practically choked on his laugh as he smiled at her, blue eyes still glistening.
"Well, I'm glad you're not dead."
And when she gestured to her wound- to the spot that should still be bleeding, his eyes returned to hers as they wavered with a thousand different emotions- though one beckoned through them all.

"Just a little bit of magic," he whispered.

"I didn't know you knew magic," she confessed with a grin, her eyes searching his before looking down to his shoulder with an expression of interested concern.  "What about you?  You're still bleeding."

Although, it was clearly slowing now.  Still, his entire shoulder was drenched in blood...

"That reminds me...  What you did was stupid.  If he'd had more men waiting to ambush you..."  Well, Gherrick would be dead.  That's what she would have done; position a big group there, with an archer or two some distance back...  He wouldn't have stood a chance!

"Yes, well," he tried to laugh it off. "I've had worse."
And he faired about the same in the outcome. He gave a sheepish scratch to his nose befre finally glancing down towards the daggers still sunk inside his body.
"Well, best to get these over and done with.." he said, sucking ina breath as he let out a small sharp cry each time a small blade was removed, and the blood soaked daggers were then tossed tot he ground as he clutched onto his arm and bowed his head in prayer.

The same soft light emitted from a hidden gem within the flesh of his wrist, and then a soft light warmed from his fingers and across his skin. Ad as he was healed over, he shivered at the sensation. And when he opened his blue eyes again, the wound was healed and the magic was gone.

"That's some trick," Eliana offered with an expression of awe.  Magic was common enough in Serendipity, but it was something a girl like her rarely glimpsed.  Besides, she had spent too much time in Connlaoth...and, since her return, she had been working with a Mordecai...

"But it was stupid," she added, a bit more firmly.  "If you do that again, I'll kick your ass."

Gherrick smiled at her, and before she could protest, he threw his arms around her and hugged her tight.
"You can kick my ass, or rather, try. I'm just glad you're ok- But Eliana, please known that if it were to ever happen again, I'd gladly become stupid some more."

Eliana's stern look softened as she returned the hug, relieved and grateful, in spite of her threat.

"Well," she said, "I hope it doesn't happen again.  Ever.  I think I'd like to be quite old before I experience dying again."

This was...nice.  A bit strange, yes, but it was nice.

"I am worried about the guards, though...  If he brings them back..."

Bandits were one thing.  Trained, armored guards seemed quite another...

"Don't worry, one step ahead of you. I already considered leaving. So let's get cleaned up, gather our things and get the heck out of here."

That gave Eliana pause, and she looked down at her clothes with a small frown.  "You know, Gherrick, this was the only outfit I had.  And it wasn't even mine."  Her fingers rolled a piece of the ruined fabric between her fingers a moment, and then she looked at him with a smirk.  "This is the second outfit you've ruined in almost as many days.  I'll have to start carrying around an entire trunk of clothing when I travel with you."

The first one technically hadn't been his fault, but...  She could blame it on him, anyway!

It was here Gherrick remembered she was half naked before him as his face turned red to his ears. But he still laughed about it, a soft, musical sound that came from his throat. He shook his head but gave her a shrug.

"I don't know, maybe the torn clothes look looks good on you?" he told her, his face heating into a deeper blush. "But you don't need any clothing to make yourself beautiful."
And he wasn't talking about her face as his blue eyes sought within hers.

"Eliana.." A hand moved to brush hair from her face, though he had meant to cup it, but hesitated- even his words hung at the tip of his tongue, yet he said nothing.

(OOC: If he's not talking about her face...)

The thief was about to laugh, to tell him that, of course she didn't need clothes to make herself beautiful -- that was, after all, what her business was built on!

But the atmosphere in the room shifted suddenly, moving so suddenly from playful relief to something much, much heavier with a speed that took her breath away.  She felt suddenly as though she was leaning over the edge of a cliff...and she couldn't remember if she should let herself fall or if she should back away.

"Yes, Gherrick?" she prompted as her eyes searched his.

OOC: He's talking about her boobs
I mean her heart

---------

He didn't know what to say. Words were lost to him in the intensity of the moment. So many emotions weighed upon him, bogging him down and threatening to suffocate his heart. But he yearned for freedom in his hesitation, and the very real fear that they were mortals was enough for the flood gates to be opened. With hesitation lost, nothing stood in the way of his feelings now as he acted on impulse and cupped her face as he leaned in to give her a powerful and deep kiss.

OOC: Well, we know that...  I think he's the one who is confused!

Eliana's heart stopped in her chest -- this time, however, only metaphorically.  Her eyes fluttered closed gently as she leaned into the kiss.

Oh, she had known Gherrick was an attractive man, and she certainly would not have minded a roll in the hay with him, but, until that moment, she hadn't realized just how much she longed for a kiss.  It felt like the world snapped into place with a click!, like she was finally seeing things how they were meant to be seen...

What little modesty she had fell away as her fingers lifted, of their own accord, to his jaw.

Feeling the encouragement of her lips and touch, Gherrick continued to kiss her, again and again- the power behind it as intense as the sun and before long he was pulling away, breathing heavy and peering down at her through half-lids. Red bangs of hair dangled between them as he looked into her eyes, brushing dark hair from her face.

"Eliana..." But the words caught in his throat as his heart hammered intensely within his breast.

Words?  Who needed words?  Who wanted words?  Certainly not Eliana!  Her fingers dipped down to catch the collar of his shirt, and she tugged him forward to meet his lips with hers once again.  Part of her was afraid of what he might say; part of her had forgotten how to express anything without a physical component.

Her kiss met his in heat and intensity.  Where his had been sweeter with its heat fueled by his heart, the heat her returning kiss generated was much different.  The same tender emotions ran through it, but there was no gentle exploration of a first kiss; it was a kiss of need and abandon, of encouragement and surrender...and of all the emotions in between.

And slowly, so slowly it might take him a moment to notice, she leaned backwards against the pillows and pulled him along with her.

Maybe words didn't need to be said. Maybe their bodies had to do all of the talking and lips did not hesitate under hers, but he simply let them guide him, not aware how his body was reacting to hers, melting against her form, but focusing on the love call of their lips as he ravenously worked at her lips with a new kind of hunger unknown to even him.

New lovers were so wonderfully awkward...  Eliana had sampled plenty -- some, like Gherrick, in way over their heads and others who had never had an education.  But Eliana wasn't offended -- she liked the exploration and teaching, because she wasn't afraid of their attentions, nor of showing them how to shower her with affection.

Without missing a beat, her hands slipped down his arms, guiding his hands to the smooth, exposed skin of her stomach and hips, encouraging them to explore where he had never dared before...but at his pace, showing him where to find the soft, sensitive skin of her curves first before encouraging him to move his hands further north.

That's all it took to get Gherrick to shiver, bumps prickling across his skin as his lips pulled away as he lightly closed his eyes, feeling the warmth and softness of her skin along her stomach and hips.
"Eliana..." he spoke her name again, though this time his voice more husky, more strained as his lips remained slightly parted as he hesitated over the right words as his eyes opened into thin slits as he peered down at her.
"I... I think I'm forgetting this was all pretend. You as my wife..."
And now, it seemed, as if the playing pretend was turning into some sort of surreal fantasy- and as he gazed down at her, hungrily and adoringly, his groin burned as it pressed into hers, that of which he made no reaction to- even if by the God's he had wanted to.
For as fun as this was.. he would still remain virtuous until he could claim the woman truly as his wife.

"Is that so bad?" she wondered, her own hands smoothly rising over the silken fabric of his shirt to rest on his back.  Eliana could feel the muscles beneath the thin fabric, all-but quivering beneath her fingers.  She peered up into his eyes, searching...although, she couldn't say for what.

And as much as she could use an energetic bout of sex to calm her nerves, well, she wouldn't force herself on Gherrick...although, there was no doubt in her mind, that she could if she wanted to.

Gherrick released a breathy laugh, body tense and flush.
"No," he murmured, his smile growing across his lips. "I suppose it's not." And something that might have surprised her happened, as he leaned forward to scoop his arms around her and kissed her again, more powerfully and eager than before.

"But just know I'm a lousy lover," he told her through a breathy laugh. "Fancying kisses and things sweet before marriage," and as he spoke, kisses trailed down from her lips to her neck where he kissed her softly before pausing at her ear. "Eliana.."
The words came out hot against her ear. "Is that what we've come to be?" he asked her. "Lovers?"

Lousy?  There was nothing lousy about his kisses.  They brought a healthy, eager flush to her skin as she exposed her throat to him for further attentions.  If that was all the further he went, she might just have to kick him out so she could have a little alone time...

He would, no doubt, hear the way her breathing deepened in response -- an encouraging result as she lightly nuzzled his cheek.

"That's the point, Gherrick.  We can be whatever you like."

Although, well, she'd be disappointed if he wanted to stop now!

Gherrick hesitated, his lips quivering as they tickled against her throat where he had been kissing.
"That's not what I mean." ANd he moved to peer into her dark eyes.
"Eliana... I don't want to pretend this with you."

"Then let's not pretend," the thief answered as her fingers slid up his neck to glide over his braid.  "I hate pretending, anyway."  What an odd thing for him to say!  "I think, in spite of your reservations, it would be fun.  And good for both of us."

Because there was nothing that could make Eliana feel quite alive like sex.  And they deserved a celebration!

"And it's me, so there's no reason to worry.  I'm already impressed."  She really was...  His lack of experience was easily made up in instinct and enthusiasm!

Gherrick whimpered at her words and leaned into the touch of her fingers.
"But it was rather fun.." he told her softly, through a breath. About pretending.
And at her admittance, to her want to love him, he couldn't contain it anymore as his lips devoured her's lovingly.
"By the Goddess, Eliana," he breathed against her lips. "Then let me hold no more reservations. I think I'm falling in love."

Eliana was almost so caught up in returning his kisses with her own, grateful that, at last, they could drop all pretenses and get down to business, that she almost missed the last part.

Wait.  What?!

Oh, why did he have to go and say that?  Didn't he know that love tended to muddle up sex?  Maybe he was just saying that to convince himself it would be okay to carry on...  Yes, that seemed perfectly reasonable.  After all, he was new to this whole thing, and...

Love.  Plenty of men had said that word to her...so, why was it when Gherrick said it, it made her feel as though she were having a panic attack?

His lips did not hesitate as they hungrily moved over hers, hands exploring her body more boldly as he did so. He surprised himself even, hands moving over her chest, but not touching, gently moving to cup the skin beneath them, as if hesitating to take even that next step.

Eliana had been on auto-pilot as she considered the words he had just said...but the erotic tingle from the way his hands moved over her skin brought her back, and she arched up slightly into his touch.

Oh, what the hell?  That was a problem to be solved later!

She met his kisses with growing enthusiasm for a moment, then pulled back a bit to regard him with an expression of delight -- not amusement at his expense, but happiness at the thrill of exploring his body...and helping him to explore hers.

"Here," she breathed out as she twisted slightly beneath him, contorting a way that was familiar enough to her that she made it look easy.  She slid the remains of the ruined blouse off of her slender shoulders and dropped it off to the side of the bed.  There was nothing now but skin, and she let him take it in a moment before taking his hands and guiding them up the sides of her breasts and over her nipples the way she enjoyed.

Gherrick flushed, but let her guide him, feeling the pain in his pants now more than ever as his body ached for hers. Though he had fooled around like this before, it had been ages and it seemed more than obviously it was what he now desired. Taking the lead from her gesture, he took his own hands and groped her chest, thumb fondling lightly over her soft nipples and shivering at the sensation of feeling them become erect at his touch before he moved forward to softly bury his lips against the soft skin of her breasts.

"Eliana.." he breathed her name, find himself unable to contain pressing his groin into hers and grinding softly. "Would it be silly to ask in such a moment that we remain together?"

Eliana's eyes closed lightly as he set her on fire.  Her lips were parted slightly, and color darkened her cheeks as she simply enjoyed the sensations of his hands and his body and his lips, and oh! he was either a natural, or he'd been lying about being a virgin...

And, frankly, she didn't care either way as her knees rose to either side of him, thighs spreading so that their bodies, though still clothed, could make as much contact as possible.

Good Gods!  What was with all the chatter?  At that moment, if it got him to shut up, she would have promised him the moon and the stars!  "Whatever you like," she repeated as she leaned up to capture his lips with her own, just to shut him up as she began to deftly work at his buttons with her nimble fingers.

"On the roads, through the mountains.."
His words were spoken through kisses, which were soft and lovingly pressed against her body. Though need made him eager, his will was strong not to over do it, and to let it become love over lust in the moment as he kissed down her body along her belly, before lips trailed back up again and he found his own lips devouring hers once again.

"Stay with me always, Eliana," he told her, blue eyes seeking hers, even as they became half lidded as she began to undress him. "Let me discover a new love with you. Let me find a way to claim you rightfully as mine."

"Find a way?" Eliana echoed, then laughed.  "Gherrick, that's pretty simple, wouldn't you say?"

As the last button came undone, she pressed her body against his as her lips brushed against his, then moved lower to taste his throat and collar bone.

"This is just about us."  Gods, how complicated could it be?  "And I'll let you claim me anyway you want."  Just, you know, as long as he stopped teasing and actually did it!

A thrill rushed through him and tickled up his spine, coursing through his veins and sending a shiver throughout his entire body.
"Then you'd love me back? Become my real wife? Wed me out at sea?" he told her, confessing his dreams as lips devoured hers again while hands moved across soft warm skin as the heat in his loins and heart burned fiercely.

"Anything," she answered as her kisses settled in the hollow of his throat.  If it would shut him up...

Her hands explored his body, then moved down over his abs and stomach to begin deftly undoing his belt.  "Just let me show you..."

Gherrick whimpered, and for the moment- just let her seduce him. He was too blinded by his need that he wanted nothing more than to sample what true love was.
"Oh, Eliana," and his lips met to her's passionately, in a kiss that could rock a mountain.

Oh, thank the Gods...  She had been afraid he  would stop her.  As soon as his belt was off, she squirmed out of her skirt as well.  Clothes were strewn all over the room by now...

Taking his hand, she slipped it down between her legs.  "Press here," she whispered encouragingly into his ear.  "Just like that..."

He had no idea what he was doing. Sure he had done a little dry humping before, some kissing all over. But nothing like this.
"Eliana.." Though his voice came out hardly sounding as protesting as he'd like, when her hand guided his between her legs. He could feel her heat as he hesitated, just at the entrance of her sex. But even then, realizing they weren't quite there, he rationalized this play was harmless, something he needed, she needed. So he obeyed. Gently his hand moved forward, pressing against her body as he felt a thrill rush through him as his exposed erection twitched and hardened like a rock. He was already so eager for her, the tip was glistening and leaking precum and it was already blushed on the tip as it throbbed. But he ignored the pain in his groin, the aching for release as he let his fingers gently explore the outside folds of her womanhood in awe.

Eliana breathed out softly in utter pleasure and arched slightly into his touch as her lips returned to his body, leaving a little trail of kisses back down his throat to his lips once more.  "Take your time," she encouraged softly, occasionally pulling away from his lips to instruct.  "You can rub here.  Feel that?"

Gods, she sure did!  There was nothing more she wanted than to pin him to the bed and ride him until she was exhausted -- but she was patient, and she wouldn't scare him off...  "Oh, yes," she purred out, "Like that."

And what a good student he was!

His fingers found her clit, and in awe, he gently rubbed it and played with it carefully between his fingers, not realizing how much pleasure it could elicit as he continued to look and touch.
"How.. how does it feel?"
And as he swallowed the knot in his throat, his hard on continued to throb, hungering for her.

Her laugh sounded a little breathless, the air brushing against his lips.  "Like this," she answered.

And without any further preamble, her own hands moved to caress his penis with featherlight, enticing strokes.  The poor thing...

And this was what the dolt had been denying himself all these years!

And, expertly, she began to guide his length down between her thighs, encouragingly moving him towards where she wanted him most.

Though hot and bothered and completely melting beneath her touch, the moment his sex moved for hers, he gasped.
"Eliana, I!" And those words were breathy and protesty, however, the second the tip of his cock touched her soaking pussy, he whimpered and trembled against her hot folds.
"Eliana we..." but instincts had his cock slipping across it, tasting it out of curiosity as he moaned.
"Gods, you feel like hot silk," he moaned, eyes fluttering closed.

But even still, at this moment, so close to unifying himself with Eliana, he found himself pausing as he braced overtop of her.

"We... we can't go.. go any farther than this, Eliana I.... I made a vow, long ago. If.. if we are to get married, I'll take you. But I can't.. not now. Not like this.." and his eyes begged her to understand, even if a part of them sparkled with the desire to fuck her right here and now.

Disappointment, not anger, flashed over her face.  She looked up at him a moment, but she released him obligingly.  Ah, there was that refusal...

Really, they were that close!

"But your vows do not prevent you from kissing or touching?" she inquired, a worringly coy look in her eyes.  Well, it wouldn't be the same, and he certainly didn't deserve it, but...  Well, there were other games they could play...

"I..." he flushed and breathed through a hot sigh. "No." But his face was sure pink of it. "But it might gave me a heart attack. By the Goddess, Eliana!" he moaned. "I don't know what you're doing to me, but once we're married, I'll make you the happiest woman ever."

"You should lead with that next time," she suggested, then pressed her lips against his again, sampling him for a moment before putting gentle pressure on his chest.  "Roll over," she murmured, giving him a dangerous look.

Oh, he had certainly done it now...

It was a good thing she was so benevolent!

"Roll over?" Gherrick quirked a brow and smiled as he looked at her skeptically. "I don't know.... are you sure it will be safe?"

"Roll over, Gherrick," she told him sternly.  "Or you're going to have nothing to do but watch while I get myself off.  And you'll have no one to blame but yourself."

And wouldn't that just be too bad?

If he were more experienced, she might make him do it for her -- but by the time he fumbled his way to the right places, she could have probably done it ten times over!

"Now, over.  I promise, we won't actually be having sex."  Baby.

Gherrick flushed, laughing even before he sheepishly obeyed. ANd awkwardly, he rolled over onto his back like a dog for her, his face going redder as his hard on- slightly moistened from touching her sex, jutted out into the air like a post.

"Er... I suppose apologies for that one standing at attention are unneeded?"

Eliana didn't answer him; instead, she gave him another kiss -- a bit of a reward, as she reached between his legs to stroke him gently.

And before he would quite know what was happening, her lips would be around it as she took up a slow, steady rhythm, her own hand between her legs matching speed.

Well, in her imagination, anyway...  Compromises had to be made.  Luckily, she had a healthy imagination, and no one really knew how she liked it as much as she did, anyway!

Gherrick let out a yelp as her mouth went around his member. Having not expected it he shot up suddenly, but seeing what she did- and feeling it made him melt.

"E..E... E... Eliana!" he barked, quivering. "By the Goddess... what are you doing to me?"

"Kissing," she answered with a smirk, then descended on him again.  Fortunately, she was almost as wound up as he was...and she could pretend that the fingers working into her body was his penis, driving her to that wonderful high she so enjoyed...

Just thinking about it made her moan softly around his member as her bobbing head began to pick up speed.

She sure hoped his vow was never to come, because...she was pretty certain he was about to break it.

"K-k-kissing?" he yelped, and moaned all the more as she continued. He couldn't take it, she was pushing him towards heaven and he was completely at her mercy. His eyes rolled back so he was seeing the inside of his head as he gripped onto whatever he could and began to fuck her mouth lightly. Her tongue, the hotness of her mouth all sent him into a frenzy. He didn't know what to do- but he was close enough to peak.

"E.. E.. Eliana!" he cried. "I'm.. you.. I.. this... oh boy.. Gods... I'm going to.."

It wasn't difficult for her to transfer his thrusts to her hand, so that when he came at last, she was not far behind.  Her mouth engulfed his member, so that even as she swallowed his seed down, her insides were constricting around her own fingers.

And she stayed like that for a moment, then fell against him with her head on his stomach with a contented sigh.  No, not as satisfying as it could be, but it was better than having to put up with needing sex for the rest of the day...

"That wasn't bad at all, was it?" she asked him with a knowing chuckle.  Oh, poor, poor Gherrick...  Poor boy probably didn't know which way was up or down anymore.

Gherrick panted, and panted... and panted some more as he released a shivering sigh.
"By the Goddess.. Eliana! What did you do to me?"

What had she done?  She looked up at him with a smirk.  "It's called a blow job, Gherrick.  But don't get too used to it.  I prefer sex, frankly.  I just didn't want to play with myself all alone, and I've teased you enough that I owe you one."

Rising, she gave a stretch and wandered, languidly, across the room -- unashamedly naked and beautiful with the flush from their most recent adventure still hanging on her skin.  She picked up the nightgown from where she had left it earlier and turned towards Gherrick.

"I'm going to see if I can find us some clothes that aren't blood-stained.  You just lay there and rest up."

Gherrick turned pink at the crudeness of it all. Though he felt embarassed now, he surely did not while it was in play. And he opened his mouth, as if to protest what she said, but snapped his lips closed and shook his head before collapsing back onto the bed.

"Eliana.." he groaned. But siad nothing more as he lay there, sprawled out much like a star fish as he peered at the ceiling. He was still mostly naked. And still partially erected, but after Eliana had already gone, thankfully, so did  the last bits of his erection. Sitting up, he slipped into his old clothing. He didn't have the hear to tell her he only felt suitable for his style of clothing, but as she sat at the edge of hte bed, his fingers rolled over the holes and blood stains. Well, looks like he'd have to wash this before the stain set.

Before vanishing, Eliana had turned with a twinkle in her eye.  "Oh, Gherrick...  Whatever you hear, just make sure you stay put."

The door closed quietly behind her, then, and silence fell...

...For a little while.  Soon enough, there was the sound of footsteps running down the hallway, then the sounds of someone banging on a door.  Eliana's voice, high-pitched and frantic, though the words were indistinguishable.  Then more footsteps.

Less than five minutes later, Eliana reappeared in their doorway.  She gave him a once over, then smirked slightly.  "And here I thought I'd have to pull you out of bed...  We'll have to explore that endurance of yours later..."

And, from her tone, there was little doubt as to what she meant...

"You can't wear that."  She gave him a flat look, then tossed a shirt at his head, even as she set a second bundle down on the mattress.  "You'll draw too much attention to us."  The nightgown was tossed haphazardly aside as she began to change into the new outfit she had procured for herself.  "Hurry up and get changed.  We'll have to go out the back way.  Your staff is already waiting outside the kitchen door.  We want to be gone before the guard gets here...just in case."

Well, as enjoyable as their little tryst had been, it had cost them some time...  Not that she regretted it for an instant!

Gherrick looked up from clothing.
"Why not?" But at her statement, he laughed. "But you expect me to wear that?" He reared his head back and made a face of disgust. "A prince does not wear such unrefined things!"

"But a thief, and a murderer, does."  It was here that he would notice the coin purse dangling between her breasts.  "So, unless you would like to spend the rest of your short life in prison..."

Both her breasts and the purse disappeared as she pulled her own freshly-acquired blouse over her head.

"Then you'll wear it -- at least until we get out of town."

"Murder?" Gherrick's lips fell open, his eyes studying her. "Eliana...." He moved to stand with a frown, torn between chastizing her, and removing his clothes. But with a grim frown, he did the latter, and soon was pulling on a new set of breeches and shirt, much to his chagrin. The clothe felt awkward on his skin- he, normally used to silk as he turned from her and began to delicately fold the blue clothe upon the bed. He was still angry with her. Did she really kill to get that money? Or mybe he was thinking too much into it....

Too much happened today.
And to think, he nearly lost himself to her. What had become of him? When had he become so weak?

But if what he said to her was true, he'd have to be more careful. For if he loved her as he confessed, he had to figure out a way to digest the fact of..
what she truly was. And people, he hd come to realize, were hard to change.

Could he live with that side of her? Could he relieve himself of any guilt or doubt?
The frown on his lips answered that for him. He had never been so torn in all of his life. And had no idea he was just standing there, staring at his folded silk clothes.

Well, at least he was following her lead...even if he seemed to disapprove of her methods...

"Everyone's downstairs already," she murmured as she opened the door.  Except the ones who had gone to get the guards...  "The guards will be here soon."

Without a word more, she pressed her finger against her lips to silence him, then grabbed his hand and made, lightly for the back door.  Being only on the second floor, in a matter of moments she had shimmied down the ladder and was on the ground.  When he joined her, she held out his bo staff to him -- can't leave that behind! -- and vanished into the stables.

"Our ride," she murmured as she petted the beast's neck and swung up into the saddle.  She extended a hand down to him to help him up, and then, in a heartbeat, the pair were trotting their way out of town, virtually unnoticed by those they passed.  Eliana offered them a friendly nod, but she said nothing until the town had fallen behind them some ways.  Only then did she seem to relax, even being so bold as to lean back against him.

"Sorry, Gherrick.  I didn't want you to raise a fuss back there.  You didn't actually kill anyone, you know.  But there was so much blood..."  Her blood...  "I was afraid they would draw their own conclusions.  And then there would be questions and guards -- corrupt guards, I might add, in the pocket of that egomaniac -- and...  It would not have ended well for either of us.  It was better to take what we needed and sneak out while we could."

Gherrick had been silent the whole time, but when she finally spoke, he released a breath that he seemed to be holding this entire time.
"So.. you didn't kill someone for my clothes and that money?" he asked, daring to be playful, but his voice held some reserve.

El blinked once, then laughed out loud.

"Really, Gherrick!  I may be many things, but I have never enjoyed killing!"  Except, she would enjoy killing the bastard that had nearly killed her...  "All I did was distract our neighbors, then steal a little money and some clothes.  It isn't as though I robbed a poor man of his last copper and the coat off his back."  Of course not!  "No wonder you've been so quiet...  I thought you were maybe thinking about how wonderful it feels to get a blow job."

She was teasing.  Mostly just to see him blush.

Gherrick did blush, but he also gave another wilting sigh.
"Well that's a relief," and at her joke, he pulled her closer to him as he held onto her and leaned forward to rest his cheek against hers.
"But I was thinking over many things," he told her, his hands finding hers and threading them together. "And no, not just about the blow job. But before that..."

El sniffed softly, indignant but playful.  "Spoil sport."

Because that had been one of the best parts!

"What were you thinking about?"

"If you loved me," he told her, keeping his cheek still to hers as he hugged her and moved to kiss her shoulder. "And if it was true you'd want to marry me someday." ANd he smiled against her shoulder. "That is.. not the pretend kind, I mean."

...Oh, yeah.  She'd almost forgotten entirely about that...  She would have made a face, if she didn't think he might see...

"Why would someone like you want to marry someone like me?" she asked, deciding to try a gentler route.  "I'm a thief -- a real, honest-to-the-Gods thief.  I steal, not to survive or to give to the poor, but because I'm greedy.  If things would have been different back there, I would have killed that guy -- all of them, actually -- and if I ever see him again, I will kill him...and not sleep any worse for it.  And you're...pretty much the opposite of all that."

Pretty much.

Oh, and she liked sex.  A lot.  And he refused to find out what he was missing!

"Yes but... in that moment you were saying.... promising me the world," he went on, his eyes going distant as the world became out of focus as he frowned.
"I know we're not the same, Eliana... we come from different world entirely." Like, his kingdom that was now under the ocean different... and he was a prince, besides! "But I thought... what we had together, when we're together, could mean great change for us both."
And despite what she believed, he did want to make love to her. That is, after she promised him her own hand in marriage.

"What life?" she pursued, sounding a bit morose at the idea.  "Gherrick, the only time we ever see each other is when our lives are in danger.  It's exciting, but..."

She stared out at the road ahead of them.

"But this isn't the life I want.  I want to stay in one place -- somewhere safe, where I'm not being hunted by guards or brigands or bounty hunters.  I want to be legitimate -- even if that means running a brothel for the rest of my life or marry some stuffy, old guy with lots of money."

But those were the things she'd been saying all along.

It was here he wrapped his arms more tightly around her and nestled his face into her shoulder.
"I want nothing more than that. To settle somewhere, start a real life on my own. Eliana.." he paused to consider, but didn't hold back. "Why couldn't that be us? Getting married, buying a house, taming the land, making trade, making kids.."
He chuckled softly at the idea, but it was a bit dry as he kept his eyes focused on the road before them and let his mind drift in and out of focus over her smells.

"You're serious," she murmured, realizing, suddenly, just how uncomfortable that made her.  Because happiness...  It was just never in her reach.  Her life was a series of lies -- and happiness was just another of those lies.

"What makes you think we could do any of those things?  We're wanted criminals, Gherrick -- both of us."  You couldn't just settle down somewhere and become farmers...

"Yes, but do you honestly think that's a life we're meant to live forever?" Her shook his head and hugged her as they moved forward on the path,t he horse lightly walking as it bounced them along. "Eliana.. it's our lives. We have a choice. We can always choose another path when we like... I would gladly give up what I do if it means I can settle down and make you happy."

"No one can live that life forever," she answered softly.  Her life should have ended tonight -- and it would have been a fitting end.  She didn't want to die -- not really -- but dying now was, in some ways, better than living an uncertain life...where one might die, alone and poor, in the gutters like trash.

Eliana's eyes remained on the path ahead as they moved forwards.  More quietly yet, afraid to hear the answer, she asked, "Do you think you could?  Make me happy?"  Pulling away a bit, she half-turned to look at him.  "Gherrick, you don't know anything about me..."

"Eliana.." he leaned in, keeping his arms around her in a gentle embrace. His forehead rested against her cheek. "I know enough about you.." he whispered. "And I think we could. I've seen the way you smile. You try to act tough but... Eliana, I see something else in you. Something I'd like to make a claim as my own. Do you not see it? Or do just I seem so naive?"

He really was naive...  And a fool to boot.

She exhaled softly, deliberately turning away to study the passing landscape.

"I'm a con artist, Gherrick.  Whatever you think you saw...  You didn't.  Just like last night.  Those tears were no more real than the jewels a miller's wife wears.  I was playing you to get a rise out of you.  Because that's what I do."

Gherrick went silent moment.
"You know I don't believe you." THough his voice was trying to be jesting, there was the distinct strain of something else in his words.

Oh, good.  Maybe she'd get through to him...

Steeling herself, she met his eyes, hoping he would see the truth there.

"Gherrick, you're sweet.  You deserve someone sweet.  Not someone like me...  I'll just rip out your heart and stomp on it."

How could she ever do anything else?  Even if...  Even if it was a nice daydream...

Gherrick laughed softly at her words.
"I don't think you could break my heart, Eliana." And he leaned forward, their faces but an inch apart. "Especially since I already gave it to you."
ANd she has been taking care of it pretty well thus far!

Nope.

"Can't you see I'm trying to help you?"  Keep him from future heartbreak?  Not to mention, save herself...  "We aren't the settling down and marrying types, Gherrick.  Didn't we talk about that?"  They had -- she swore they had!  "As much as we might want it...  We just aren't."

"Then why not get married and remain on the road? See the world. Nothing would stand in our way!"

Usually, when men fell in love with her, it was an easy situation to resolve: play them for all they were worth, then destroy them when she left with their things.  This was usually what she wanted, except, as much as she was loathe to admit it, she might actually care about him.

Besides, even if she wanted to take everything from him, he had nothing to take.

"Gherrick..."  She murmured, the sadness and disbelief apparent in her expression and in the tone of her voice.  Reaching up, hesitantly, she touched his cheek with her fingertips.  "I don't want to hurt you.  This is all a nice dream, but it can't work.  You can't trust me not to steal everything you own and leave you without a penny.  I don't trust me."

Gherrick smiled for her, even as a knot was forming in his throat.
"But I do trust you, Eliana. I would trust my life with you. That's why I'd want to share it with you. You're not a bad person. Why do you keep thinking that way?"

Oh, no, not the puppy eyes...

Eliana glanced away, but not before, perhaps, he would see the reflection of tears beginning to shine in their depths.

"Because, Gherrick, if it had been you on the floor, dying...  I would have left you.  I would have run, and I would have never looked back."  Her eyes lifted to meet his, and, although she had steeled herself, the shame was apparent.  "I have no illusions about the type of person I am.  I'm not a hero.  I'll sleep with and lie to anyone if I have something to gain from it.  And my loyalty always, always come with a price tag.  And when someone else can afford me, I'll go.  You don't need a wife like that."

"You say that but I'd have to see it to believe it." He shook his head, affording her a smile when he noticed the tears in her eyes. "Besides, you wouldn't warn me about it if you didn't care." And he moved a hand forward to gently brush away a tear that threatened to fall from her face.

"Whether I care or not is irrelevant.  I've cared about others.  I've had fun -- lots of fun -- with some of them.  But it always ends the same way.  Picking up and running is the only life I know.  It's the only thing I'm good at."

And it was everything Gherrick was not.

"But don't you yearn for something more?" he asked her, voice trying. "I'm used to running to, but it's not something I wouldn't mind leaving behind." Especially for her.

"Of course I do," the thief answered, a bit surprised, somehow, that he would ask.  "But I don't think I know how anymore."

And there were a lot of reasons not to quit running!  When she decided to stop...  That was when she was hurt the most.

"Then let's find a place away from this world. Let's settle down, if not briefly- and just enjoy what we have." ANd his hands lightly traced up his arms. "Do you not feel for me, Eliana?" And though he feared asking such a question, he felt he needed to determine how foolish his quest was here. For if she hadn't really felt the same way as he-
perhaps he really was acting a fool, blinded by what he was believing was love. Though he would not force himself on her if she did not love him back. No, he would not and could not be that horrible of a man.

That was, actually, a good question.  How did she feel about him?

She knew she liked him -- he was, after all, an attractive man, and they had fun together.  More, she trusted him...almost implicitly...and her trust was usually hard-won.  And if it had been him at knife-point, surrounded by bandits...  If she had lost him today, rather than the other way around...

She would have shown no mercy.

If they built a life together -- a real life, with a house and word and, even, kids -- could he make her happy?  Would that be enough?

It might be.  It truly might be.

And that was terrifying to her.

"If I tell you I don't love you, would you even believe it?"

Gherrick went quiet a moment as he held her, and lowered his gaze as he whispered, "Yes."

(OOC: My Yahoo crashed, so I need to express this here.  *clears throat*

askjasklasjafahlf  Gherrick!!!  That's the wrong answer!)

El looked surprised, then crestfallen as she turned her gaze away from him, eyes back on the road ahead.  Somehow, she hadn't thought that would be his answer.  Somehow, she thought he would have called her a liar and sworn to go on loving her...

Not that she wanted that.  It's just, well...  She did.

She knew she should lie to him, to tell him she would never feel that way about him, and send him on his way, but...  She didn't want to hurt him.  She really, truly, didn't.  So, she would choose to say nothing at all...

OOC: Yeah, I couldn't stop him ;_;

---------

At her silence, he smiled.
"But even if you don't care for me that way, Eliana. Just know I'll always care that way for you. ANd I wouldn't hold it against you. You've warned me before. But maybe, I don't know, I always fancied our chemistry was real. You never treated me the way you said you treated other men. And I don't know, I always just assumed that made me... special. To you."

Even if he couldn't see her expression, he would, no doubt, feel the way the thief exhaled softly in the wake of his confession, and he would hear the smile in her voice as she answered, "You're a fool, Gherrick."

Because he was.  Gods help them both, he was, and it was something she adored in him.

"I've never met another man like you, you know."  That was putting it mildly.

Gherrick's smile grew, albeit, lop-sidedly at her claim.
"Good!" he said with a laugh and stole a chaste kiss to her cheek. "I'm glad to have made an impression!"

And, perhaps, she was as well...

Rather than pursue this topic -- which was, clearly, going nowhere -- she decided to pretend...just for a while.  What harm would it do?

"So, tell me about this ceremony of yours...  The one out at sea."  She was pretty sure there had been some mention of that...  She pulled his arms around her snugly, lacing his fingers through hers as she leaned back against his chest.

Yes, all pretend.  Harmless, right?

Gherrick gave a smirk and squeezed her fingers that threaded his.
"What's there to know? Inside my head it's really just some sort of marriage upon a ship. My ship to be exact." And he leaned forward to steal another kiss, this one closer to her lips.
"Why? Are you actually considering my offer?"

Eliana laughed softly.  No, not really.  But pretending to consider it?  Yes.

"I was just thinking.  We wouldn't be able to leave the harbor.  Not with my stomach, unless you want me to be too sick to say my vows."  And do other things, of course...

"Unless you have some sort of magical remedy for sea sickness?"

Gherrick made a face.
"You get sea sick?" he laughed at the idea. "Well, perhaps a river boat then?" And his eyes gleamed with affection and mirth as he leaned in to nuzzle against her cheek. "Eliana, I'd go anywhere for you," he told her, and kissed her cheek softy. "But if this is truly not what you want, please... let me know, Eliana. The last thing I'd want to do is to force you to do anything you don't want to. Especially acts if they are against your own heart."

"I doubt you could force me to do anything," El replied with a smile.  There wasn't a single man yet who could, after all.  And it wasn't her heart that cried out in protest...  It was something much more primal: fear.

"Tell me about this vow of chastity of yours."  Which was, she thought, awful silly, considering!  But, then, she thought that way from the start!

Gherrick blushed and gave a sheepish smile at her inquiry and let his eyes drift to the road. The horse they were on was taking a steady, slow pace now as they rocked back and forth on it's saddle.
"It's just something my people believe in," he commented softly. "To wholly give yourself to the one you are blessed with in marriage."

Except for blow jobs, apparently.  One would think it should be an all or nothing deal...but, perhaps, that's how they got through it without going insane?

"I'll respect that.  I don't get it, Gherrick, but I respect it.  No means no, doesn't it?"

No matter how disappointing that no was!

"Were all of your people as religious as you are, or are you the exception?"

Gherrick gave a soft laugh.
"I would like to think all of my people were devout, but I know not everyone can be. It is not in our nature as people to abide by the same laws." ANd he paused for a moment to consider....
"What about you? Do you believe in anything? I mean, in the sense of religion and Gods."

What an odd question!  Well, perhaps not, considering...

"Not really.  I mean, I do believe in them.  I believe they're out there, because there's a lot of things we don't know...and it seems like it would make sense if there are these...greater beings than us out there."

Her eyes turned skyward as she spoke, staring up into the soft blue thoughtfully as fat clouds tumbled by.

"But I don't practice any religion, no.  Never had a reason to.  Churches tend to frown on whoring and stealing.  Which is a bit funny, considering."

"Yes, I suppose you're right," he murmured. "It is a wonder- to think about those who pull the strings of fate- to contemplate the reasons behind those who had made the world, made our lives."

She sniffs indignantly at his statement.  "Yeah, right.  More than likely, they're a bunch of sadists who could use an ass-kicking."

Embittered, much?

El sighs softly and half-turns to look at him again.  "Sorry, Gherrick.  The only kind thing the Gods ever did was give me a pair of nice breasts, a shapely posterior, and a pretty face.  I would have starved to death as a child if I'd been born ugly."

Gherrick tried to smile for her, but her ideas pained him.
"Surely the Gods would hear your prayers if you sought it," he murmured.

"I think they have better things to do than deal with me," El answered dismissively, watching the way the light seemed to trickle out of his face.  More gently, she added, "But that's just one opinion.  I told you, Gherrick.  The Gods aren't popular in my line of work.  I know they're out there -- Gods of Whoring, Gods of Thieving, Gods of Whatever -- but it always seemed strange to me to pray to beings that, if they exist, are exactly like us.  We aren't the nicest bunch of people, after all."

Gherrick gave her a warmer smile for this.
"It's about faith and keeping that faith despite all obstacles." Though at that, he smiled at her as pride filled his chest. He was a creature that had no doubt in his goddess. Perhaps that was one key factor that kept their words seemingly so far apart.

"Though there are many beliefs out there, I see them like stars. The stars may seem different to each person, but that faith, that belief, is always the same. And like the stars, they are always watching, even if we think they can not hear our calls. We all have some sort of destiny, some sort of purpose  in life, whether we fall into it, or make it ourselves."

"Faith, huh?  That's the problem then.  I learned young that the only person you can have that much faith in is yourself."  Her eyes went back to the road ahead.  "Other people just hurt you eventually."

They always hurt you eventually.  It was better to remember that, because if you ever forgot...

She exhaled softly, relieved to see a roof up ahead.  "I think there's an inn up there...  Are you hungry?"

Gherrick nodded.
"Yes, so hungry I could get a whole horse! Well, not that I could eat a horse!" he said, and added a sheepish giggle after that. And soon the pair were in another city, another town- but what of the dangers here? Where they really in the clear? And if not... what was the duo to do now?

"Two bowls of your soup of the day, Annie!" Gherrick said, his smile cheerful as they had been seated down by a lovely young tavern maid who had already brought back their drinks and was ready to take their order of food. "And any fresh bread you may have."

"Is yesterday's bread okay, love?" the maid asked.

"I don't see why not!" And the maid smirked at GHerrick before moving off to retrieve their food, and as she did so, he made himself more comfortable in his chair. "So what are your plans now?" He asked, knowing full well it was on both of their minds.

"Home," Eliana answered softly.  Her eyes studied the contours of the table as she spoke, studying a particularly interesting chip in its wooden surface.  "That's where all my money and my things are, Gherrick."

The Towers were just another stop in the long line of temporary homes El had had over the years.  It didn't matter how long she planned to be somewhere; if it had a bed and was safe, she thought of it as a home.

Gherrick gave a nod in her direction.
"And are you looking for an escort? I know these roads can be dangerous."

That brought a smile to her lips, a leftward, lop-sided expression that soon vanished with her laugh.  "But, Gherrick, these roads are my home.  And I won't have anyone left to protect me when you go back to the sea."

For there was no doubt in her mind that that was precisely what fate had in store for them...  She would return to her thievery and whoring, and he would return to, in his own way, helping those in need.

More seriously, she studied his face for a moment before asking, "Are you okay?"

Gherrick had grown quiet- not quite sure how to respond to her. So he simply shrugged.
"Who's to say I won't be around to protect you?" And he flashed her a grin just as the soup arrived. "Ah, marvelous. I'm completely famished!" And he lifted up his spoon and declared, "Bon Apetite!"

El's expression melted into a smile at his declaration.  "I wouldn't mind the occasional rescue," she answered softly as she reached out to squeeze his free hand.

The soup was rather good -- hearty enough to make a decent meal, and the establishment was free with their bread and butter as well.  She watched him subtlely through her long eyelashes, reviewing, in her mind's eye, all that had happened between them that morning.

And how it had put her into something of a panic.

About three-quarters of the way into her soup, Eliana rose gracefully from the table.  She dabbed her lips lightly with her napkin, then leaned forward to place a tender kiss on Gherrick's cheek.  It was no mere peck; it was a soft, slow kiss, intimate in the way her cheek brushed against his and her hand touched his chest.

She thought about saying something witty or endearing...but, ultimately, she left without a word, scarcely giving him time to react as she left.  Outside, she quickly negotiated a lift with a passing caravan -- and then she was gone.

And Gherrick would find the stolen gold tucked away into his breast pocket as a parting gift.

(OOC: Because this needed to happen, Spice!)