It's All in a Day's Work

[SapphireIceDragon]

Rose's mind was so fuzzy...was she seeing things? No, Garreth was definitely there...teasing attitude and all...She tried to smile, but she was frozen in place. Her every muscle ached.

"This isn't my way of getting girls." The man grinned. "If I wanted this damsel, she'd already be wrapped around my finger. No, my purposes are much different...You see, my sister and I want all the rare magic in the world. This girl has elemental archery..." As he explained himself (which is never a good thing for a villain to do), Rose got sleepier and sleepier. She fought to keep her eyes open.

"G-Garreth..." She couldn't stay awake anymore, and she quickly lost consciousness.

[Dansen]

The enemy continued to make comment on how his reasons for taking Rose hostage, the mook seemed to want to steal the magic that she apparently hid within. "Really? You two are magic thieves? Gods who knew that the other half of the spectrum were so loud and unfortunately misguided." Another arrow flew from the opposite location as the last had flown outwards from. The enemy would most likely know such a thing to happen but was likely unexpected was the black shadow that moved quickly in front of him. The magic powers that be within them made these two quick, the man was able to grab the arrow before it could hit him and place himself in defense as the thief grabbed hold of his arms looking to prevent an attack.

The mage grinned. "You didn't expect that to be so easy did you?" His taunting nature aside as he held both of Garreth's arms aside the thief looked with little hint of interest. "You know, as a thief I've learned that a professional does not take a life on the job... But this little break I'm taking isn't my profession so..." A click could be heard from the buckles on the armor of the thief and suddenly a shot would blow outwards, knocking back to the man quite a few meters, leaving Garreth to check if the girl was okay. "You go ahead and sleep on me... Honestly how am I suppose to get the last word now..." He seemingly did not focus on the girl but he expected she would be sure to move soon.

[SapphireIceDragon]

Rose was in an odd dream-like state. She could hear and sense everything around her, but her eyes were forced shut, her limbs as heavy as boulders. The sound of the two men talking reached her ears. I have to get up... She strained, forcing her eyes open. She sat up, ignoring the immense pain that flared through her body. She tried to make a fire bow again. However, all the magic she once had was gone.

"What..." She mumbled. "I-It's gone...my magic..." Every time she tried to use magic, she cried out in pain. Both her hands and her head throbbed.

"You'll be lucky if you can hold onto your life." The man and his sister were back-to-back. "We have what we want. And lass, you'll most likely die before sundown." They shimmered before fading.

"My mother..." Rose croaked. "They killed her...and I wasn't even able to avenge her death..."

[Dansen]

The enemies ghosted once more, seemed that they got what they wanted from Rose and was now willing to let her loose, was certainly a show of how much those two cared about other people when it came to dealing with them, Garreth may have been a thief but at least he wasn't one that looked to kill and harm those in the way. In any case a disregard of professionalism aside the two seemed focused on the girl who had looked to her magic and noticed it had suddenly gone, taken by the two thieves for the sake of their own greed.

Rose seemed distraught, the two seemed to tell her that they were the ones who had killed her mother, a feeling that the man could understand but being an orphan he found the sentiment falling a bit lack on himself. "Avenging anyone as you are now wouldn't put you in any better position than what you look like now, a victim..." Going over to the girl, Garreth pulled her up into his arms with quite a bit of strength. "You can call out bloody murder all you want, unless you learn to do something about it then those two will be out of your reach... For now..." Adjusting the girl he began to walk and talk. "Lets go find someone to aid with that magic crisis you've got going on..."

[SapphireIceDragon]

Rose was pulled into the warm embrace of the man who had saved her three times now. When he talked to her, all she could do was nod in agreement. I shouldn't have gotten up. I think that just made the pain worse. Her breathing slowed, and her heartbeat as well. I'm just glad that Garreth was there to help me. If he wasn't, I might be dead right now. She got more and more unsteady. He'll probably be gone in a few days. As she drifted into sleep, her last thoughts passed her lips in a small whisper. "What am I going to do when he's gone?"

[Dansen]

Staring at the girl in his arms Garreth sighed at the last words that seemed to pass through her lips with her last bit of energy, she was concerned with him leaving her. It was a bit nice to be needed in that kind of way but he didn't want to be a savior, he was a thief not a hero. Though he was saving this damsel it was not due to some sort of moral compass simply he found her more entertaining for the company and now that she was entering this world of magic he was unsure of the way that he could participate with her, especially if she was to enter into a vendetta against the two twins they had met moments ago.

Holding her all the way back to the hotel he was met by a distraught owner. "M-my daughter! What happened!? Who did this?!" Garreth was quick to make an excuse to quiet the man down. "She simply fainted in the market, I'm leaving her to you for the moment, I need to go get something for her recovery, I should be back by the sundown... If I'm not then be sure to take care of her till I get back... This may take a lot of doing..." Walking towards the exit and hopefully the owner walking towards with his daughter in hands to her bedroom Garreth began to make his journey to those that he felt could aid the girl in recovering something she'd lost, though he knew his price would be steep...

[SapphireIceDragon]

Rose opened her eyes. She sat up and looked around, seeing that she was back in her room. Did that even happen? She was answered with a shock of pain in the back of her head. I suppose it did happen, after all. So, does that mean that my magic is gone forever? A wave of sadness crashed over her. For some reason, she had felt that her magic was her last connection to her mother. She had had elemental archery as well.

"Are you feeling better, dear?" Her father entered the room, carrying a bowl of soup. "That young man told me that you had fainted in the marketplace." Garreth didn't tell him the truth? Well, I guess I can let my father believe that.

"I'm doing a lot better." While this was true, Rose still felt groggy and queasy. She hoped that it didn't get worse. Her father handed her the bowl. "Thank you for taking care of me."

[Dansen]

The day would soon turn to night, the darkness gathering as the sun began to fall into the small parts of the city. Garreth had yet to return from his previous venture, it was now beginning to be a wonder where he had gone that would keep him out of the inn for so long. Sten had returned with the item that he was suppose to fence, no one was willing to take any dangerous goods now that there was a death in the marketplace... If selling stolen items was only so easy it could be a good old honest profession. "Ahhhhh Garreth my man how am I suppose to give this back to you if you aren't here.... I suppose I could take it for my own....

With his greedy beady little eyes staring deeply into his new prize it seemed that almost on instinct the front doors opened to reveal the current owner of the stolen property, wearing a black cloak as he did when he first set eyes on the place yet wobbly in his movement, as if he had been in battle and was weary from the time taken as well as the travel back there. "I'm not your man... And that's not your prize..." Walking past the scared half to death fence, the thief climbed to the door that he was hoping would house the girl he had saved.

Entering the room unannounced he would see the owner and the girl now seemingly healthier but not much better than when he left her. Looking to the other man he simply stated. "Get out, I have something that will make her feel better but it is not of the faint of heart, and I need privacy to get it done..." The seriousness of his voice seemed to compel the older man to the door and out of the room trusting the other man with her safety. "Now then..... Do you want to regain the magic you lost..." His voice seemed hurried and slightly disheveled, it was clear that he was not joking when he seemed to have found an answer. 

[SapphireIceDragon]

Rose was definitely not expecting to see Garreth come through her window. He had instructed her father to leave. What does he want? He stated that he had the cure, and proceeded to ask if she wanted it. She looked up at him in surprise. Could he have found the cure that fast? If that's the case, we might as well get on with it.

"Yes," was her simple answer to his question. But what if it's risky? I'd rather lose my magic than my life! She decided to ask him about it. "Well, it depends on what the cure is. I've gotten a bit tired of having my life in danger, and you're probably tired from saving me all of those times."

[Dansen]

Looking at the girl Garreth was at least glad to see that she wasn't in any sort of danger from having her power stripped from her. Now it seemed that his solution would be able to work with her, but the problem was that he would be more weakened than he had been previously... It took most of his energy to get this item from one of its owners, but having to use it would cause more hassle than the thief would like, but when the girl confirmed that she'd want to get it back he knew that was all the reasoning he needed to start performing.

Taking out what seemed to be a shining ball about the size of an apple that glowed with what seemed to be a glow of blue pulsing energy. "This is the solution to your issue, and it won't put your life in danger...." Sighing loudly he looked to the girl and passed the ball over to her. "All you have to do is focus on it and then put it to my chest then hopefully you could have whatever you have back..."

[SapphireIceDragon]

Rose furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Really? That's all I have to do? She reluctantly took the ball, its blue light pulsing a steady beat. She took a deep breath.

"If this hurts you in any way, shape, or form, I'm not going to be happy. Got it?" She asked before focusing on the item in front of her. Her mind didn't wander. For once, it wasn't filled with paranoid or confused thoughts. All she did was focus. She felt an odd sensation pulse through her veins. Then, she put the ball to Garreth's chest. I really hope this doesn't hurt him...I'd feel terrible if it did.

[Dansen]

She seemed to be rather demanding at the end with her comment on when she would not be happy about the item hurting him, though he smiled slyly at the notion. "Don't worry its not going to hurt this body you seem to like so much..." As she focused on the orb it seemed she was ready to start and he already accepted that he was going to help so he had to provide the next part of the issue now.

She placed the ball to his chest as she did she would feel a rush of energy not really from the orb itself but something that seemed to concentrate itself on Garreth. If she noted what he was like now the man's sapphire eyes would be glowing rather wildly, he looked towards her as she held onto the orb. "Now this gets hard, but I can see that the energy around you isn't gone, just mostly drifted away and stolen by the two wizard twins..." The energy pulsing through her would get stronger, making her probably feel a mix of oddness but adulation. "When its not going to hurt my body, it does drain it for a.... bit...." With that done Garreth's eyes could see the makeshift aura of a bow along the girl's form. "Seems we hit a winner... Though it might take a while to get back to what it was...." With that he put her hand away from his chest... The thief breathed heavily as he still held her hand and took the orb from it, looking to the window he threw it to the ground below...

Looking over to the girl's bed he laid down upon it breathing rather deeply. "Ahhhhh That feels a bit better.... You mind keeping me warm? That kinda ritual can really put a person down..." Still teasing even while he would now seem the ill one, Garreth waited for the girl to hopefully get back to the way she had been before.

[SapphireIceDragon]

"K-Keep you warm?" Rose was surprised at the man's words. What am I supposed to do? She lay back down on the bed, not daring to move a muscle. Hopefully he falls asleep soon, so I don't have to deal with this game of 'chicken'  less than a foot away from him. "O-Okay, but y-you better not try anything!" She forced her eyes shut, her face burning. She knew she could never sleep like this. Maybe I could try to fluster him for a change...I suppose it couldn't hurt, right? She took a deep breath and prepared herself for the unexpected(if that's even possible). "You can sleep here. You probably couldn't bear to stay away, anyways." She almost forgot to breathe as she waited for his response.

[Dansen]

Looking over to her, she seemed rather flustered as usual with his words. "I solemnly swear I will be good... I guess." A smile reached his lips as he closed his eyes he could feel her enter the bed, his energy was rather drained for sure but he still felt that he could make fun of her as some sort of compensation. She breathed in heavily as she then seemed to accept the position and then invited him as if she was truly willing to have him be in her bed. Though her comments seemed rather strong willed it wasn't the way she said it that made him feel compelled to be even more daring but the fact that the pause beforehand and the previous speech she gave was so much more unexpected that he knew he could go a bit further.

As she seemingly waited on him to respond, with her eyes closed she would feel a hand on her face. If she were to open her eyes to see the man that had saved her staring at her from above only a bit of space in between them. His sapphire eyes were looking at her intensely, he didn't seem to make a sound or change the movement of the bed by getting there but as he stared above her he chuckled dryly. "Maybe that's true, wouldn't you like to know?" He waited for the girl as he expected the bright red face of hers to grow brighter with direct contact in her bed....

[SapphireIceDragon]

When Rose heard the man's voice directly above her, her eyes shot open. Garreth's sapphire eyes stared into her emerald ones. She immediately closed them, willing her heartbeat to slow. This isn't real...I probably fell asleep, and-wait, why would I be dreaming about this? She felt the man's breath on her face, and she realized that she wasn't asleep. She reluctantly opened her eyes once more. This is just a game of chicken, right? Just a game...I haven't been able to play one of those before Garreth showed up. She forced herself to breathe evenly; it wouldn't help if she looked like she was having a panic attack on the inside. She smirked, and for the first time in this dreadful game, she felt as though she might win.

"Would I like to know? Oh, I'm sure I already do." She pressed her forehead against his. "But if you'd like to enlighten me, go ahead." Now, she wasn't sure if that fell under the category of flustering or flirting. I guess I'll find out...

[Dansen]

It seemed that the girl understood more the point of the game they were playing, though as she looked up to him and then tried to closer her eyes in seemed disbelief he guessed she was hoping this to be a dream, though obviously it wasn't. Her breathing seemed then to calm itself and she had a smirk on her face that seemed to scream an almost smugness that she believed self-confidently she would make him blush or pull away as she move to push her forehead against his, the heat that hers produced mixing with his own cooler skin. She claimed that she would like to be enlighten what exactly he was thinking to do with her. "You know if you could take the lead then it would be a good idea, but when you give a man the advantage..."

He made a move and he knew that she wouldn't be prepared for it, the kiss was quick but he was sure to make sure those lips of hers were doing more than just smiling now. After he released her he smiled again and finished off his sentence. "Its a lot easier for him to go the extra mile..." Moving back down he closed his eyes once again to wonder what exactly the girl would do now...

[SapphireIceDragon]

When Rose felt lips against hers, she let out a squeak of protest. Wha...? She pulled herself out of her dazed thoughts as the man lowered himself back next to her. She sat up, sure that the heat in her face could fry an egg if she just so happened to be hungry for breakfast. She had to admit, though, she wasn't necessarily angry.

"T-That was my f-first k-kiss!" She stuttered. She made her point by giving him a good flick on the nose. She laughed, letting out a sigh. "I-I suppose I had that coming, though...I technically asked for it. But I have to wonder..." Am I really going to ask this? I'm sure I don't want the answer...It's probably going to be 'no'. Even so, the words left her lips. "Did you mean it?" This is not going to end well... She groaned inwardly as she waited for the man to respond.

[Dansen]

It seemed that the expression on her face was priceless, she let out a squeak that seemed to be to protesting it but it seemed she was more embarrassed by his candor than he expected as she seemed to be as red as a tomato once more seemingly as if she had been born the color. She let him know that it was her first kiss, to admit it was fun for him to see her rather flustered after something like that but then of course it would, he expected it to be and in most cases his instincts were never wrong. "Well then I guess that is a steal that I can live with..."

Seemingly giving away his own occupation with a subtle drop she flicked him for his efforts before sighing over her position and her aim to beat him away with embarrassment. She then asked a follow-up, whether or not that kiss had meaning... Opening his eyes but not sitting up as she was he simply groaned out his words. "I feel that there's never a kiss that doesn't have some sort of meaning, though if you'd like you can always try again I'd be happy to take your second kiss as well..."

[SapphireIceDragon]

"Ah, I can definitely go without another," Rose replied. It's been a long day. I should probably sleep... She tiredly lay back down in her bed and tried yet again to fall asleep. Her eyelids felt heavy, and she sighed. "Good...." Her mind was foggy as she drifted into what would soon be a nightmare.

Rose found herself at her old home. Everything seemed normal, except for the terrified, sinking feeling in her gut. She walked through the hallway, her heart beating staccato in her chest. She wondered why she was so on edge. Her breathing was quick and uneven. She felt something drip on her head. Blood pooled on the ground around her. She looked up and screamed. Everyone she cared about hung from the ceiling, their throats slit. Her mother, father, Garreth, even Drake, her childhood friend.

Rose woke with a start. It's okay...it was just a nightmare...However, she couldn't seem to calm her nerves. It was dark in her room, too dark for comfort after waking up from such a dream.

[Dansen]

She turned him down for another kiss as he expected, it had been long for her so he hoped that she could  get some good rest after having gone through getting her magic stolen only for him to try and give it back... His own body felt tired as he was laying down with his eyes getting heavier and heavier... He heard the girl say something but his mind drifted off till he couldn't tell from the darkness anymore...

Give back what you took from us!!! A voice rung out in his head as he was still within the dreamscape of his mind... "If you want it then you might find it being eaten by a dog or some animal, I don't have it anymore..." You took it! Stole it! It seemed to be a legion of voices crying out in his head at the fact. "I borrowed it... Perhaps under threat of violence but still not my fault you didn't take care of it better.... And besides that why can you talk to me in my dreams... Honestly personal space is not an big deal with you guys is it..."

As he seemed to converse with the voices he was jumped awake by his bedfellow seemingly being shocked awake as she jumped up. Not opening his eyes he could tell it was still dark, he looked over to her with his eyes now opened. "Bad dreams then?" He rubbed his eyelids as he wonder what forced her awake. "I guess I'm not use to someone sleeping next to me with nightmares of their own...."