Spirits of the Earth

OOC: Lion! Don't read this yet until I edit it DX
*punts him away*
OK you can look BUT I KNOW YOU READ IT TOO EARLY, YOU CHEATER

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Renna Cartiste was doing quite well for herself by now. She had many correspondence and patrons, and thusly, a lot of money flowing in. A lot of men, very stressed from the war, needed to focus their efforts elsewhere, and a kindred spirit like Renna was the perfect remedy for the war time woes. She had dukes and soldiers all ready to pay her handsomely, and she only smiled sweetly in reply and obliged.

In truth, she felt bad for a lot of them, and was happy to be their supporting figure. She didn't even necessarily have to have sex with them. Just her sweetness was enough for a lot of them-
but then again, almost all of her patrons were men. And well..
Men mostly thought with their dicks.

"Well, they do," Jinai agreed, and Renna had to laugh.

"Well, yeah, they do," Renna said with a roll of her eyes. "But it's interesting to be seen as a symbol of comfort, not just sex."

Jinai thought it over before giving a shrug.
"I'm just glad that whole ordeal with the Christy's is over."

Renna's eyes lit up at that as she looked over at Jinai with a playfully, pretend leer.
"Ah, but I think he still pines for Lady Thames," Renna said with a waggle of her brows.

Jinai rolled her eyes.
"He just needed a good fuck."

"And you gave it to him."

"Yeah, good thing it was enough to impact him so that he changed his focus away from you. He seems to have all but dropped any suspicions...." and as she was thinking over it, she looked Renna over. "You know you have to be more careful."

Renna paused, her smile beginning to fade as she set down the cookie she had been biting into and nodded slowly towards Jinia.
"I know..."

"You've got a lot of information for us that we can use to help protect a lot of mages... and also to skirt around future attacks. You can't just use your powers openly. You have to ensure you're one hundred percent alone."

Renna, growing nervous, wrung her handa nd began to pace. "I know I know but..."

"If you get caught... think of the consequences. Not only on yourself.. but I know you've got that young duke's boy you've been pining over." Renna whirled around, her face falling at Jinai's words. "And if you want to protect him and yourself, you really need to redouble your efforts to remain discrete."

Renna nodded before turning back to Jinai.

"Well, what about you?"

Jinai raised a single brow.
"What about me?"

"Your face... it's plastered all over the cities now."

Jinai rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that was one big mistake I'll never make again," she grumbled. "But I've been fine. It's been years since those were placed up. I think most have forgotten about me."

Renna kicked her feet idly from where she sat as she sucked in on her lower lip, chewing on it.

"You know that thing with you and Lord Christy?"

"Yeah?"

Renna went silent a moment.
"I think you've made an impression on Jude Armand."

"Jude?" she made a face, then laughed. "Yeah, we fooled around a lot. I think he enjoyed the sex."

Renna laughed lightly. "I think he enjoyed more than that."

And Jinai caught the look Renna was giving her, but she turned away and shrugged it off and rubbed lightly at her shoulder.

"He's... a nice guy."

"And?" Renna said, flopping down onto her belly upon her bed as she kicked her legs up behind her. "Just nice?"

Jinai caught the look in Renna's too blue of eyes and rolled her own green ones.

"Nice, a good lay, and  I'll admit it.. we had some fun." Renna's grin grew and Jinai cut her a look. "But it's not like that, Renna."

"Oh, sure it isn't," the girl said, wrinkling her nose. "After you left, he confronted me you know."

Jinai went quiet at that.

"Yeah?"

Renna nodded her head. "Yeah." And then there was silence again.

"What for?"

Renna shrugged, resting her hands against her cheeks as she looked over at Jinai. "To warn me about Lord Christy, though I told him you had gotten to me first."

Jinai smirked at that. "Oh, is that so?"

"Yep, and then he proceeded to go into great detail about your time together..."

"Oh really.. and what did he say?" Jinai, by now, had gotten to her feet and was looking around Renna's room. This was her second house, for she loved her garden apartment here in Uthlyn and her town home in Reajh was just a bit too... close to the danger zone for her own comfort, so for the past few months, Renna had remained here. It also gave her a bit more freedom and time to see a certain Oakley Brennick on the side....

"Quite a lot actually..." Renna said with a playfully mean grin, but before Jinai had a chance to inquire further, there was a knock at the door.

Renna peeked her head up, and when her servant came by to tell her who was there, she gasped and slapped a hand over her lips.

"Jude Armand is here!" And then judging by the look on Jinai's face, she suddenly reached out and snatched onto her wrist. "And just where do you think you're going!?" she asked.

Jinai gave a pull at her wrist.
"Anywhere but here."

"Oh?" Renna laughed evilly and held on more tightly to Jinai's wrist. "I don't think so. When was the last time you saw him, anyway? He'd probably love to see you again!"

Jinai continued to pull on her wrist, growing irritated.
"Since the last time we fucked," she growled. "Let go for my wrist, Renna. I doubt he'd want to see me when I left him high and dry.."

But before she had a chance to protest, Renna called after her servant, "Let him in, Leesta! Let Mr. Armand in! ANd tell him to come right on up to my room! I've got a present for him!"

And as she laughed, Jinai's eyes went wild as she yanked her wrist away and made a line for the window. Gasping, Renna dashed after her.

"No! Don't leave! Come on, Jinai! At least say hello! I think he could use it-"

"LOOK, RENNA!" Jinai turned around, growling right into her face as she yanked her arm, once again from Renna's grip. "You might think this is cute, but let me tell you, Jude Armand and I.."
But she didn't get a chance to finish her thought as the door creaked open...

and there he was.

Business was good as usual, and Reajh like always had been a lively city with a bustling nightlife.  Jude, as much as he enjoyed the attention, hadn't felt much like getting caught up in it as much as he used to.  He entertained the usual clients, and a few unusual ones, but in the time that had passed since he'd last seen the ghost woman who'd called herself Jinai, the world was little more than a vague haze.  Everything moved by quickly: people on the street, the horses pulling carriages, and he just watched from the balcony of his townhouse, standing still amidst it all.

He still remembered the final day she stayed with him, how they'd played and made love.  If one could call it that.  That was always an unusual phrase, one he never thought would roll off his lips, but he didn't know what else to call it.  The moment he'd awaken, when afternoon fell through the curtains of his window, he felt the coldness beside him, and could have sworn he felt some of that seep into him.  "So that's what that feels like," he'd said to himself, even laughing a little, recalling the number of times, he'd left the sides of lovers who hurried him to vacate the house at the risk of discovery.

But it was a distant memory, one that Jude had shipped into the back of his mind and he went on with his life, certain he'd never see that ghost woman again.  But sometimes, very rarely, when he walking down the street, he thought he saw her image from the corner of his eye.  Sometimes, it was just a crumpled dirty poster, sometimes it was just another strange ghost of a woman, yellow hair and green eyes.  He would just laugh and keep on walking.

It was just a mirage after all, an illusion, must like the confusion that persisted every time he even thought about it.   And so Jude Armand lived on for the time being, lost in that haze, momentarily caught up in the uselessness of city life.  War pressed on, but the richest denizens of Reajh rarely felt it, so they went on in their blindness, which they didn't hesitate to share with those of like interests, or those that wished to bask in their influence, and provide a little something extra on their part.

But even Jude Armand needed a vacation from it all.  He took time away from his house in Reajh, packed up a private carriage and decided to drop in on an old friend that had settled into her new life in the life of a courtesan.  Renna Cartriste.  That and the fact that he had since intercepted another letter regarding the unusual nature of her gift, but he supposed it was just as good an excuse as any to turn into a social call.

Arriving in Uthlyn, Jude had found the city to be somewhat quieter than Reajh, if only because of the presence of greater intellectual sites than any other city in the country.  Travel had been a bitch, but it was worth it, and this was just the kind of peace he was looking for.  He found Renna's house all right, and when the servant, Leesta, had let him in, he'd given her his coat and thanked the servant before being shown upstairs.

He found it unusual Renna called for him to meet her upstairs instead of showing him into the drawing room as was customary, but with no way to question it, he obliged and carefully opened the door.  "Good evening, Re-," but his voice was caught short.  He didn't know what happened.  He was smiling congenially and peered at Renna, then at the stranger her hand was wrapped around.  He blinked and his smile softened, but did not disappear.

"Good evening, ladies," he greeted simply, bowing his head.  "Jinai.  You look like you just got a devil in you!"

At his words, Renna's hand went over her lips to conceal her smile and giggle; all the while Jinai's face burned into a flush.
"The devil to get the hell out of here," Jinai said flatly, then turned to Renna and noted her childish expression. "I was just leaving.." and she headed for the door.

She was just leaving but that left Jude promptly in her way and though he did not move aside he bowed his head to her and frowned a little.  "So soon?" he inquired.  "Well, at least this time, I get to say hello and goodbye.  It was nice to see you again."  He gave her a once over and a small grin.

Jinai, hoping Jude would just let her have her exit, stiffened when he stood in her way and mentioned a certain missing goodbye.  It was awkward enough to find herself back in his presence, let alone back beneath his smile. But instead of returning it, she continued on in her suddenly soured mood.

"Yes, you ought to stay, at least until dinner!" Renna said, suddenly hooking her arm around Jinai's. Jinai looked down at the girl angrily as Renna gave her a pout. "You promised. And besides, you were supposed to stay the night!" ANd she bat her pretty lashes at her as Jinai grimaced.

"No.. I think I've already over stayed my welcome," she said coldly as she shot Jude a glare.

Jude observed Jinai's facial expressions and his expression turned wry.  He had to intensely resist the urge not to laugh in amusement and instead he just exchanged glances with Renna and then turned his gaze back to Jinai.  "Perhaps I came at a bad time, Renna?  Clearly you were preoccupied before I showed up."

"Oh, never too preoccupied for you!" She spoke, all.smiles. "Just ignore Jinai's grumpiness. She's just upset how rotten her luck is that we were just talking about you when the devil showed up!"

Renna was too perky for her own good, and even Jinai was smiling as she sighed and shook her head.
"Yes, and even.more flustered my.exit has.been thwarted by two pesky.courtesans." Sighing again, she finally addressed Jude more.appropriately. "You look.well..Any good fucks laltely?"

Renna's jaw dropped at Jinai' words before she laughed.
"J-Jinai! That's NO way to.talk to a guy you like! And here I thought you'd gone to.charm school!"

Jinai bit her cheek.at.Renna's statement.
"No, that's just how I talk to all my.acquaintances," she said, folding her arms.over her chest.

"But.you.don't treat me that way!" Renna said with a pout. Really... Renna was just so..... Renna!!

"Naturally. That's because you're better looking." And as Jinai smirked, Renna giggled.

"Sorry Jude, I tried," Renna said with a playful grin. "I think she's stuck on her role of playing hard to get."

"You mean never to.get," Jinai corrected. "You courtesans forget I'm not.for.sale."

Jude quirked a brow at Jinai's presumptuous question.  "Wouldn't you like to know."  But his words were drowned out between them.

Jude smirked all the more at their conversation and interrupted it with a laugh.  "Oh, I don't mind, Renna, please.  Don't get so flustered over me," he replied and moved aside, toward Renna reaching for her hand and kissing it regardless.  His eyes smiled when he peered over to Jinai, unsure if he ought to give her the same greeting considering their level.

"You shouldn't sell yourself so short, Jinai," Jude remarked.  "You're stunning as always."  He turned to Renna and nodded to her.  "You mentioned dinner.  If your offer is still open, I'd love to attend."

Renna rolled her eyes, but clung onto Jinai's arm possessively.
"Then it's settled! We'll all enjoy the table together. Tonight's meal is pheasant and quail."

Jinai, shaking her head, stole a glance to Jude before remarking, "You upperclassman sure now how to live."

Renna sighed dramatically, "Yes, my life is so hard." She said, snapping out her fan and fanning off her face. She bat her eyes at Jude before pulling Jinai along.
"Come, let's go into the study. We can play parlor games before the meal." And she yanked Jinai away until both she and her friend were in her study.

Jinai, giving up her escape for now, found herself a nice chilled glass of wine and a chaise lounge and just enjoyed a relaxing moment while Renna began to dig through her things for a game to play.

"We could play cards, or 'guess that noble', or the blind fold game, though... really, there's too little of us for that, so hrm.." she shook it off and continued to rummage through her things, all the while Jinai enjoyed a long sip of her wine, and her green eyes curiously moving over towards Jude.

He seemed to be doing well for himself, his clothing as pristine as usual, and he, never more handsome. But then again.. he was a courtesan, she reminded herself as she took another long drink of her dark wine.

Jude's ass had found it's home in the comfort of an archair.  It was plush and comfortable with a velvet material over the cushions.  As Renna rummaged through her things for a game, Jude had poured himself a small glass or whiskey, just a sip of it to whet his throat when he felt Jinai's eyes on him.  He turned to face her and gave her a smirk, taking another drink of his own.

"How about a treasure hunt, dear Renna?" Jude said, not taking his eyes off of Jinai.  "Hide some items around the house and you give us clues on how to find it and whoever finds the most, or all of them, win?"  Jude then looked at Renna.

"Or maybe just a simple game of darts would be fun!" he suggested.  "I know Jinai would probably like to throw sharp objects."

Jinai's smile crept wider across her face at Jude's sense of humor. Perhaps that's why she had liked his company during their little rendez-vous. She swished her wine around in her goblet at the suggestion while Renna popped her head up for a laugh.

"Well, I do have darts!" she said with a grin.

Jinai kept her eyes upon Jude.
"Then why don't we throw darts?" She crossed her legs, one over the other as she settled back in her lounge. "I'd be game."

"Alright! Let me go fetch the dart set. Don't you two go anywhere," Renna said with a grin before rushing towards the back of the study to unlock the chest that held the darts and board within.

Renna's departure to the back, Jude turned his gaze to Jinai and he raised a brow at her.  "You look good," he commented, taking another drink before laying the whiskey in his lap.  "It's nice to see you again.  How have you been?"

Jinai gave Jude a once over as she shrugged.
"You look good yourself, but it comes with the territory."
She wasn't about to let him know the horrors of some of her more 'recent' spy work. After all, the little rendez-vous she attempted in gathering information from the famous soldier known as the 'God of War' went rather... south...
Thankfully she was able to seek some comfort in her companion, Branwen. But he didn't need to know that, either.

"Were you able to return Lord Christy's papers alright?" she asked, knowing there was no sense in skirting around the issue, but before he'd have a chance to reply, Renna came back and exclaimed with enthusiasm, "It's here!"
And the young, spunky courtesan went about attempting to hang up the board.. though she was a bit short nad huffed and turned to Jude.

"Hey, tall-man, mind helping a lady out?" Renna asked, pointing up to the nail she just wasn't able to reach. "The board's supposed to go up there."

Jude would have answered had it not been for Renna.  But he immediately stood and set his drink on the table beside him.  "Don't look at my ass," he muttered with a grin.  He took the board from her and hung it up from the hook on the wall where it was supposed to go.  "There you go!  Did you look at my ass?"

Knowing full well Jude meant that comment for Jinai, Renna could not help herself but respond.
"But of course!" she said, giving his ass a good smack. Then she winked up at him as she gave a playful laugh. "All of us courtesans have to make sure each other's asses are perfect. Yours.. I dunno, it's looking rather round today," she told him playfully.

And that was the only word Jinai needed to hear as she choked on her wine, some of it coming out of her nose.

Actually the comment had been meant for either of him, but it pleased him to know he had Renna's attention.  He rubbed his bottom and glanced at Jinai when she choked on her wine.  Grinning he moved back to take a drink.  "Thank you, Renna.  I was hoping to get compliments on it.  I've been exercising a lot more.  All that's muscle I assure you," Jude said, laughing a little.

Jinai couldn't help herself but comment, "So you've taken on more male clients I see..."
And she stared at his ass appreciatively.

Jude gave a shrug of his shoulders.  "Male or female, those with good taste appreciate a fine example of the human form."  He grinned at her.  "But if you really want to know, no I haven't."  He looked up at Renna.  "Where are those darts then?"

While Jude approached Renna, Jinai had already gotten her hands into the box and scooped up a few darts for herself. So when she approached Jude from behind, she jabbed a sharp finger into his ass and said, "The darts are right here."

"Hey!! Jude yelped and stepped away from her.  He scowled at her and shook his head.  "Glad to see you haven't lost your pep."  He gave Jinai a sly smirk before taking some darts for himself.  "I'll have you know I'm fairly good at this game."  He kept his eyes on her as his left hand threw a dart and only looked at it when the dart hit the board, seeing it was in the circle beside the bull's eye.

Jinai couldn't help but be impressed, and well..
she kind of liked that he wanted to impress her. Drawing up her own dart, she threw it lazily at the board.
"Most men think they have such good aim," she said, her eyes never leaving his, not caring as to where her dart even landed.  But Renna did.

"Jinai! Be careful when you throw your darts! You almost hit me!"

It was the girl's voice that tore Jinai's gaze from Jude's and whens he turned to look, she couldn't stifle the chuckle- for she missed the board entirely and her dart had sunk into the books in the shelf nearby.

Shaking her head, Renna stepped forward to grin playfully at the quarreling 'love birds'.
"It's my turn next!" And she threw the dart at the board, then cursed herself as it bounced off of Jude's dart and tumbled to the floor. "Rats!"

Jude laughed at Renna's miss.  "It's all in the elbow, Renna.  People say the wrist, but it's only because they masturbate more than they should.  Here let me help you."  Jude moved around Jinai and stood behind Renna.  He grabbed her forearm and  held it up.  "Here, see!  Easy."  He carefully pulled her arm back and instructed her to release at it's peak.  "Ready, go!"

Renna laughed and tried again, but it seemed her aim was doomed, for it hit off the board and didn't stick.
"I'm not normally this bad!" she protested with a shake of her head. "Here, let me try again. How was it that it goes from the elbow and not the wrist?"

Jude laughed at the dart that bounced off.  "You've got to look at your target then send the dart on home!  Keep your wrist stiff and just use your elbow to launch it!"  Jude trained her arm once more and loosened it up before he used her arm to throw the next dart.  "Here, Jinai, let me demonstrate on you."  He moved behind her instead and was gentle in his touch as he grabbed her arm and did the same.  "Nice form."

Jinai had been watching with mild jealousy, though she knew she hadn't much to fear in terms of Renna.. but she couldn't help herself from feeling what she did. So when Jude turned his attentions to her, she stiffened beneath his touch, no matter how nice and warm and gentle it was, before smirking and releasing a sigh through her nose.

"You would say that.." she commented, throwing the dart as he instructed as it landed but an inch away from his.

Jude smelled her subtly and couldn't help his grin when he did so.  As her dart struck the board however, he frowned.  He quirked a brow at her challenge.  "I certainly did," he growled at her.  He turned to take another drink before focusing his hands back on the board.  He took a dart and launched the dart, watching it sink home closer to the bull's eye than the previous one.  He smirked at her.  "Your turn Renna. But if you still need help, you know I won't think twice," he grinned at the young courtesan.

Renna was all giggles as she tried her hand at the darts again,a nd her dart merely sunk into the board on the outter most side.
"Rats!" she said again, but then grinned towards the others. "Your turn, Jinai."

Giving Jude a quick glance, she stepped away from him and towards the board. And recalling the form he had instructed, threw her dart...

which landed right smack in the middle of the bull's eye.

"Son of a whore," Jude cursed.  He smirked at her in good humor, though it was obviously forced and he bit his lip as he threw his dart, smacking it right beside Jinai's dart.  He gave her another challenging smug grin and moved back to Renna.  "Here, let me help you," he said moving behind her.  He trained her arm and focused on the  bull's eye and launched Renna's dart.

Jinai studied them from the corner of her eyes. Was.. he doing that on purpose? His hands seemed to be in.. some rather 'comfortable' locations on Renna..

And then...

SMACK!

"I GOT THE BULL'S EYE! I GOT IT!" Renna squealed excitedly as she jumped inside Jude's embrace before turning around and hugging him tightly, kissing him powerfully upon the cheek.

Jinai only stared for a long while, a subtle smile on her lips as she looked at the dart on the ground. It seemed Renna's bull's eye cost her to lose her own.

Jude laughed in the heat of the moment and wrapped her in his embrace as he kissed her cheek in return.  "That was bloody fantastic," he remarked.  He kissed it again and peered at Jinai.  "You dropped your dart."  He smirked at her and and took it upon himself to return it to her before taking his own shot again.  "Shit!  Close but no dice."

He kept his attention on Renna and only peered at Jinai out from the corner of his eye. "Steady now.  You can do it."

Taking the dart, she smiled hollowly. The fun felt like a ghost around her as she was beginning to realize things she'd rather not. SHe wasn't exactly jealous of Renna...
but she still didn't feel as if... she necessarily belonged. Even as she was yearning for it.

Once it was her turn, she half-assed a try and got it on the board, but not in a circle. Shrugging, she took up her wine.
"Maybe I'll have better luck next time."

Renna's next shot faired just as badly as the young courtesan stuck her tongue out. "Pfft! Well.. who says darts are a woman's game anyways?" she said with a laugh and took up her own wine to fuel her 'giddies'.

Jude shook his head.  "A poor excuse to keep from partaking," he remarked and walked over to collect the darts from the board.  "Your accuracy is determined by your arm not by what resides betwen your legs."  He turned to look at Jinai and took her in like a fine wine, appreciating her every curve until his eyes met to hers. His smile was warm and welcoming, and he kept looking at her though he spoke to Renna.  "Renna will dinner be ready soon?"

Renna shrugged at Jude's ever so rude comment!
"As if you understand what it's like being a lady!" she said, sticking out her tongue. Then at his question, she turned to the door to call Leesta, but then paused when she noticed the way Jude was taking in Jinai and her lips curled into a smirk like that of a cat's.

"Let me go check..." she said coyly, and before either could stop her, she slipped out of the study anad closed the door.

Jinai, who only noticed Renna's escape last moment, cursed beneath her breath that she was now left alone... with him.

Jude smiled shyly at Jinai when he realized he was now alone with her.  He gave a soft chuckle and threw another dart at the board, hitting the middle circle.  Instead, he just peered at her and raised a brow at her.  "You're a very good shot.  Do you launch darts at objects quite often?  People too?" he asked, laughing.

Jinai didn't hesitate to launch a dart at Jude's ass. She assumed he'd move out of the way..
if not..
He'd get a dart in his ass.

"All the time."

Jude cursed loudly when the dart suddenly landed in his ass.  Luckily it mostly bounced off, but it didn't stop it from pricking him in its trajectory.  He must have jumped about three feet in the air and promptly grabbed his cheek and he turned on her.  "Woman!" he growled and threatened to throw a dart at her, but bid back his rage.  He rubbed his ass with his free hand.  "What was that for!?"

"What?" she said, giving him a playful smirk. "You were asking for it."

Jude sat down and threw another dart at the board, purposefully missing Jinai's head as it struck the inner circle.  "I most certainly was not!" he said hotly.  He took a drink of his whiskey and glared up at her.  "Am I to safely assume the dart in the ass is what you think of seeing me again?"

Jinai's smile grew larger at his statement.
"Not at all, but you were parading your ass earlier- I just thought it'dbe fun to strike it with a dart." She lifted up her own wine glass and drank a bit more before setting it down and looking him over.
"BUt I will admit.. I wasn't expecting to ever see you again." And it pained her to add, cuase, for some reason, she did not want to hurt his feelings (just yet) as she added, "It's.... nice to see you again. You look well. Glad to see the Christy's haven't framed you for anything."

His expression grew coy as she spoke and he looked at her with speculative eyes.  He quirked a brow at her and he grinned, just a little.  "Really?  You're happy?" he gave her a skeptical chuckle and his smile only grew.  "I'll drink to that I suppose."  He took another sip.  "Though I will admit as well, I was quite sure I was never going to see you again.  But...I'm glad I did.  I hope you've been doing well.  You're certainly more...fit than when I last saw you."

This time she aimed a dart for his shoe.
"What do you mean.. fit?"

The dart landed just past his sole and landed in the rug at his feet.  He grinned smugly at her.  "Fit, you know.  Healthy.  Firm.  Athletic.  I should tear you right out of your clothes and you'd see what I mean," he commented, looking at her as if he could see right through her clothing.

Jinai, not entirely sure if she should condone his statement, merely smirked.
"And the way you look at me makes me wonder if that's all you've been thinking about these last few years... how long has it been anyways?" She turned away from him and waltzed over towards the window. "Maybe it quite hasn't been two years..."
Though secretly, she counted the days.. just a little, since their last fateful rendez-vous...

"I thought about your face too," Jude commented and laughed a little.  Watching her move toward the window, his eyes lingered down along her body and he grinned in appreciation.  He laughed and downed the rest of his whiskey and cleared his throat.  "I didn't count the days I'm afraid," he said softly.  "But I do know that it was too long.  I'm sure you made use of those letters you took from me.  And I hope...those jewels you nicked too."

At the mention of jewels, she lightly touched the hidden pocket in her clothing were she kept them. She hadn't the gall to.sell them, and after thinking about it, she merely shrugged.
"I'm pretty creative, so you never have to worry about me."

Jude laughed again and stood, standing behind her, stepping softly until he was close enough.  "That's good to know."  He smirked and peered down at her.  "But I know better than to worry about you.  You were resourceful enough to fool me.  So I imagine you were up to all sorts of trouble while you were away..."

Shit. He just had to step up beside her... Now she couldnt try to escape out the window. Giving him a half hearted smile, her attention was soon focused on the door.

"Looks like the quail is done. Come on you two," And Renna gestured for them the follow. Smirking, Jinai swept her arm forward and said, "After you."

"Why don't we go on together," said Jude, and locked arms with Jinai before she could protest.  He led them after Renna downstairs to the dining hall and when they were there, only then did he release her.  He pulled out a chair for Jinai and then one for Renna before seating himself at the side of the table, across from Renna's most desperate guest.

He grinned at her, then his hostess and watched with coy eyes as the main course was set out on the table.  "My that smells most lovely, Renna.  My stomach is growling all ready.  Or maybe that was our mutual friend here.  Sometimes it's hard to tell," he said, grinning.

There would be no reprieve, as Jinai inwardly (and somewhat) outwardly, sulked. Jude knew her far too well, and now she was beginning to feel the woes of.social entrapment. Once seated, she cut Jude a stare, and so at.his comment, she gave a darker smirk.

"Really, Jude, behave!" Renna chastised. "And here I thought you'd be thrilled Jinai was back in your life." She added with a playful pout.

Not even giving Jude time to.taste his food, Jinai suddenly launched a wad of potatoes at his face, and when it splattered and stuck to his cheek, Renna's eyes went wide as she gasped through a laugh.

"J-Jinai!" She.stammered. She couldnt believe her! And her eyes.remained wide as.she took in the goopy, seasoned potatoes as they slipped down Jude's face, a portion of which landed on the table clothe with a squishy 'plop'.

[8D Aw, the potatoes of love!  Shakespeare couldn't have written it better!]

When the potatoes came flying at his face, getting in his hair and on his clothes, Jude spat out the ones that made it into his mouth and he used his fingers to scrape away what potato remained on his face.  He glared at Jinai, and licked his lips, tasting the food.  "Delicious," he smirked knowingly at her and sucked on his fingers.  He sufficiently cleaned off his face and made no move toward retribution.  "Nice shot.  You've got better aim than you let on, Ms. Rinstgate."

Splat.
She didn't let him fully finish that statement as a piece of seasoned quail came next as it burst into a thousand, juicy pieces off his nose.
"Really?" She hummed curiously. "How's the quail?"

Jude rolled his eyes at her sarcasm and took a bite out of the quail regardless.  "Delicious!" he said again.  He took his wine and drank it deeply.  He smirked at Jinai and still focused on eating his food, as if nothing ever happened.

Ooc: between YOUR typo of 'eating his foot' and the vision of the quail exploding off his nose... I'll never get back to bed. XD too many giggles.
-------

Ignore her would he? So she did the only.logical thing, and launched her ENTIRE quail at his head. It was enough to bust a laugh from her as she pointed at him and held onto her gut. Gods! There was pieces of quail meat and little bones everywhere.

Jude felt the bird bounce and explode off his face and the laughter resounding from the walls of the room.  He drank from his wine and enjoyed his meal, even as he saw Renna laughing as well.  He pursed his lips and cleaned his face off once more.  He took what remained of the bones of his own bird and stood up took two small bones, promptly walked over and stuck them up Jinai's nose.

[Good.  My evil plan is working!  8D]

Well, that was uncomfortable! Immediately tearing the quail bones from her nose she shoved Jude far.enough back she could knee him in the balls... The. Ran like hell.

Renna gasped.through her.giggles.
"After her, Jude!" She laughed. "She's getting away!"

The blow was something Jude had learned to expect from someone like Jinai and thankfully, he only grunted and got out of breath for a few seconds after steeling himself.  Immediately at Renna's instigation, Jude bolted after the woman and reached out to catch her by the arm, he promptly yanked her back and pressed his lips to hers, holding her in a vice grip, and at an angle that would make it difficult to kick him in the nuts again.

She was strangely surprised she hadn't gotten further. She made it about half way down the grand table when she felt a pull on her arm and.as she was spun around, her hair fell across her.face as his lips crashed into hers. Tasting quail and smelling his musk, she melted into the kiss and held onto him fierce, surprised to find herself kissing him back.

He gave a soft subtle moan when her lips returned force against his.  He breathed against her, chewing on her lips a little and tilting his head.  When nearly a full minute was up, he pulled his head back, a loud lip-smack resounding from it and he licked his lips.  His hand came around and smacked her ass.  "That's for not writing," he said with a smirk on his face and walked back to the dining table.

Jinai stood there, stunned. After a moment, she suddenly dashed for.the door.

Jude sighed and watched her leave yet again.  He turned to Renna.  "Does she always leave without a goodbye?" he asked.

Renna promptly stepped on his foot.
"Why are.you asking me?" And she shoved him.from his chair.  "Go after her!"

"OUCH!" he scowled at Renna.  "Why should I!?  She's just gonna kick me in the balls again!"  But after a few seconds and another sip of wine, he looked down at Renna.  Rolling his eyes, he sighed and began walking to the door.  "All RIGHT!"

He stepped down from her front door, but couldn't see Jinai anywhere in sight.  Damn was she fast.  He wasn't sure he wanted to ruin his suit running after her, when he saw a figure gunning it down the street.  Instead he just stood there, watching her.

Too bad the figure was someone else. Jinai scared the shit out of Leetsa and put her on the run, so when Jude stood there watching, a bucket of water spilled over his head, and Jinai smirked from where she leaned over the balcony above him.

Too bad his suit was ruined anyway, and Jude stood there in a sopping wet suit and his hair now plastered to his face.  He looked up at Jinai and quirked a brow at her.  "I really hope that was water," he grumbled, before slowly stepping back inside.  "Renna!  Your guest just soaked me!  Do you have some other clothes I can change into?!  Damn woman!"

Jinai smirked and gave a shrug. Was he expecting piss? And once Renna got a good luck at him she gasped, then instead of being able to help him, she laughed and laughed all the while.Jinai now.admired her handy work from.whereshe stood at the top of the steps.

"I could ask Leetsa to see what we've got," the girl chuckled.

Jude saw Jinai from the top of the steps and glared at her, but it was accompanied by a good humored grin and he pushed his hair back out of his face.  He immediately removed his jacket from his shoulders and shook his head at Renna.  "I wouldn't count on it, she left!  She was running down the street."  He smiled at Jinai and gave her a wink.

After laughing he laid his jacket down on a chair.  "It's all right, just show me to a room where I can change and I'll look myself."

Renna just shook her head at Jinai,hands on her hips.
"If I lose my.only servant because you terrified her... So help me, Jinai!" And she then gestured towards the stairs at Jude's inquiry. "The door right behind Jinai. That's the room I keep most of the men's extra clothing."

And Jinai's smirk dared him, as if saying 'Come on up!'

Jude smirked at Jinai, but his eyes showed he wasn't afraid of her.  He did come up the stairs, one at a time, eyes on her at all times.  And when he was at her level, his foot promptly came up backwards and gave her a strong nudge, pushing her down a couple of steps before he retreated the rest of the way upstairs and going in the indicated room.

Renna giggled at their antics and moved to.make herself 'scarce' (she had to find Leetsa anyway!), leaving her home momentarily 'vacant'. Jinai onlyssmirked and followed after Jude, lazily leaning against the bed frame to watch him undress.

Jude had found a towel from the washroom and used that to help dry him off.  He was certain Jinai had had enough of the antics when he had his back to her, finding a clean and dry shirt from the armoire and pulling his wet one over his head and turning to hang it on a chair.  "ANSGAR'S BALLS!" he cried out, jumping when he saw her in front of him.

"Jinai!  Can't I have a little privacy?" Jude huffed, rolling his eyes.  He threw the towel over his head and began drying his hair.

Smirking, Jinai simply.reclined back onto the bed.
"Since when were courtesans ever shy?"

Jude rolled his eyes at her.  "I guess even I have a sense of decency," he sighed, but proceeded to change with her in the room anyway.  It wasn't like he had anything she hadn't seen before anyway.  And it was a little exciting having her linger on the bed the way she did.  Still, however, he turned around and was far enough away to sit down and take his boots off, and unbutton the clasps on his trousers.

"But I guess, really, I'm just hard for you to resist," he countered, smirking at her.

Jinai said nothing,her smirk never growing or.changing as she stated simply, "Well... We are both sitting on top of a large bed..."

"Indeed we are," Jude said, nodding to her, shortly before standing and dropping his trousers.  "And it's a miracle, I don't have you screaming your lungs out."  He smirked at her and raised a brow.  "But we are both guests in our friend's house.  It would be rude to even entertain the idea of such a thing."  He slowly pulled his clothes back up and sat back down on the bed.

Jinai tossed her head.back in a dry laugh.
"Rude for who?" Really... Was Jude Armand such a prude? The sparkle in her eyes was.a.challenging one.. but was his statement for real? Perhaps she had been wrong about him, or did he forget she loved this sort of thing?

"Rude for Renna of course," Jude remarked, his voice rife with humor, as she clearly wasn't getting his joke.  He rolled his eyes and stood once more, slipping the clean shirt over his head and turning around, ticking it into the hem of his trousers.  "Well, you've had your show.  Happy now?"  It was a rhetorical statement, before he moved toward the bed and laid down.  "Though...you may be on to something.  This bed is quite comfortable.  Maybe even more comfortable than mine."

Jinai only.smirked at.him but.said.nothing as she gave a shrug. "A good bed for Renna and I to practice," she stated with a slight challenging rise of her chin. "She did, after all, have to learn her secrets from someone."

"Hm, sure, sure," Jude said, eyes looking up and out to the décor.  "Lovely design, though could use a few touch ups here and there.  It's nice.  It's quaint."  He leaned back and put his arms up behind his head.  He stared up at the ceiling.  "You took the dress too didn't you?  I put all your things away, but I couldn't find that dress in particular."

Jinai went silent at his question before she shrugged.
"So I thought it.was.nice... Not that Ive worn it again..."

Jude turned his head to look at her.  He turned body so that he was pointed opposite of her but laid beside her regardless.  "You liked being Lady Thames didn't you?" he chuckled, peering at her head from the side of his head.  "Admit it!"

"What wasn't to like? Besides, it afforded me.a.few.good fucks," she informed him with a smirk.

Jude laughed, quite giddily in his own right, and turned to look at her once more.  "I would hope so.  Those dresses were very expensive.  But like I said, Sal's the best," he chuckled.  He didn't think much more about it, watching her from the side the way he did, and just leaned in and kissed her cheek softly.  "You still smell like that perfume.  I imagine you took that too."

Jinai was all smiles until his lips met to her cheek and he brought up her perfume.
"You slept.like a log, so I had plenty of time to take what I wanted..." She said, avoiding his gaze.

His voice was soft and speculative.  "Is that what it was?" he said softly.  "Taking what you wanted?"  He still smiled, but it was only slightly less sweet. 

Jinai grew quiet, her eyes hollow as they focused on the wall, her.smirk frozen in place, though more stiff and cold.

"Well well well, didn't take YOU two too long to find a bed!" Renna said cheerfully from where she stood at the door. "But good news, Leesta's back so I won't have to kill you." And she tossed Jinai a playful wink. "So shall I leave you two alone? Or have you settled down enough for us to.try.eating dinner again?"

Jude looked at Jinai. He knew cold smiles well enough to feel its eyes solely from appearance.  It was not an uncommon method of communication between nobles and he only kept his eyes on Jinai for a time.  "I believe that would be up to Jinai," he replied.  "But I would love to continue dinner if she wants to.  I don't think she ate a bite."

Jinai, finally warming to his comment, merely stated, "This is true. Most of it landed on your face."
Standing up from the bed, she approached Renna and took her by the arm. "Perhaps we can try this dinner eating again?" And as she said it, she spared but a single, playful glance back to Jude as Renna giggled.

Renna rolled her eyes. "Alright, my lady. Let's go eat cake!"

Jude smirked at Jinai as he watched the pair of them through glistening eyes.  He sat up and followed the pair, adjusting the hem of his new trousers, for they were a bit tighter than his own fitted clothes.  Jude waved his arms.  "Ladies first," he smiled at Jinai and closed the door behind them.  As they made it back down to the dining table, he had folded up the sleeves of the clean shirt and resumed his old seat, when the cake and more food was presented before them.

THis time it appeared as if the meal was to be more civilized. Jinai ate her tea and cake with care, almost seeming to mimic her alter ego Lady Thames just a bit. Too bad she was still in her street clothes. Renna, naturally, enjoyed her cake and had a second piece, and when she inquired to Jinai if she wanted more, Jinai shook her head.

"No, I think I've had enough for one day. If you bring me out another piece of cake, I'll just make Jude wear it." ANd through a subtle glance, she looked at the part of him she imagined she'd make him wear it on before lifting her gaze from his crotch and grinned at Renna.

Jude too quietly enjoyed his cake while he made light conversation.  It was good, chocolate and when he heard Jinai's comment, his eyes smiled at her and his expression was wry.  He turned to Renna and grinned.  "This is fantastic.  You should give me the recipe.  Though the only thing that would make this better would have to be strawberries."  He smirked at Jinai and ate a second piece.

"I don't know, strawberries might be too... excessive," she said, and as Renna watched their exchanged, she rolled her eyes.

"You two have only been together for what, an hour, and already I know your sex life." Renna said with a roll of her eyes. "But.. it just so happens we have strawberries," Renna said with a giggle. "Too bad it's not for you."
And she took up her tea and gingerly gave a sip.

Jude laughed at the insinuation and promptly took a fork and piece of cake and launched it at Renna, splatting it on her cheek.  "That was for you!"  He drank what was left of his wine and poured the final drops into his tea.

Renna froze, not BELIEVING he had just don't that. Even Jinai's expression made her brows raise as she lifted her wine glass to her lips and said, "Nice shot."

Renna, gasping, gave  shake of her head and a devilish smile as she rolled back her sleeves ad said, "Oh, the fight is ON."
Not wasting another minute, she tried to launch some cake at him, only to have it land on his crotch.

Jinai snorted her wine through her nose and fell back in her chair with a laugh.
"I'm not cleaning that!" she said after a moment, which even made REnna laugh.

"Good thing these aren't my pants," Jude snorted and jumped out of his chair.  He pulled the cake from his pants and launched it at Jinai.  The grabbed more cake and used his other hand to throw it at Renna.

Jinai was no fool and ducked beneath the.table before the cake could hit her, all the while Renna tried to launche more cake at Jude while his second cake bomb exploded into her.hair.

Jude was laughing until he was red in the face and his stomach was quickly growing tense from the laughter.  He took punches of his cake, each ready for fire and launched one at Leesta too as she walked by the hallway.  The poor woman was merely doing her job when the cake came splattering across her face.  She yelped and ran from the door way.

Cake landed on his shirt and face, before he could duck.  But he threw more cake at Renna, regardless.

As the 'cake storm' raged on above her, Jinai sat pensively beneath the table, smirking when Leetsa  got hit. She had a bit of cake on her own self, but not much, and what she did have on her, she took off with her finger and licked that off with her tongue. It tasted pretty good, or so she thought.

Up above in the 'cake wars', Renna was ready with another fistful of cake, but paused before realizing-
"Hey-.. where's Jinai?" ANd by then, Jinai took the cue and was crawling her way towards the door beneath the long table.

Upon seeing her ass visible, Jude took the opportunity and smashed cake on it, and threw the rest of it on her.  "Don't think you're getting away so easily!" Jude was on her in a manner of moments, holding her from behind her and tickling her savagely, smearing cake all over her.

Thinking she had evaded the worst, Jinai groaned when her ass was smeared with cake...  But that wasn't the end of it. Now she was wrangled and attacked savagely with more cake and tickles. That bastard! If she could fight against him she would, but she was howling with laughter. And when Renna showed up, she was even less help as she dumped wine on her chest.

"Throw more cake and wine on her so she can't escape!" Renna said, howling with laughter herself. "And keep tickling her Jude until she caves!"

"W-what?!" Jinai squealed. "Cave for what?"

Renna's.grin was pure evil.

"To.stay here all week with me while Jude is visiting," she said as she jut out her chin.

Jude had been startled by Renna's response and paused long enough to  look at her, but kept his hold on Jinai.  So that was her plan all along.  He grinned at the woman captive in his embrace and enjoyed her momentary torment.  "Well!?" he cried. "Do you cave?" He grinned evilly and continued to smeak cake all over her with relentless hands.

"What?!" Jinai barked. She knew Renna loved playing match maker,but.was the girl really so.cruel? Stubborn as she was, Jinai wriggled violently in Jude's grasp and shouted, "Never!" But she was already doomed as Renna came.along to help.

"Keep her still! If we keep tickling her she'll eventually cave!"

Jude clutched her close and smeared cake all over her hair and face.  "Surrender!  Surrender or perish," he laughed.  "You're all ready a mess you may as well do so!"

"Ahhh!.Jude!" She screamed, bucking her head beneath his grasp as she attempted to get away. But Renna helped keep her.down, and no matter how much she squealed, the two were merciless.
"Alright!" She yelled. "I cave!" She.shouted. "So long as one of.you plans to.clean me OFF!"

Jude ceased but still did not let her go.  "I will do it!  I will volunteer and sacrifice myself for the service of my country and clean off the wild and untamed Jinai Rinstgate!  Like my life depends on it!"  She was slippery in his grasp and he moved to  pluck her up anyway from the ground.  "Renna do you have a bathing facililty of some kind?  I realize the risk of asking you this, but it is for her own good I assure you!  And some clean attire to squeeze her into!?"

"Wh-what!?" Jinai was barely able to bark through the chaos as Renna's giggling amplified.
"But of course! And you know where my bathing room is located on the second floor!" Renna said, clapping her hands as Leetsa moved swift to open the double doors of the dining room. Pointing at the stair case, she grinned over at the pair, and once Jude walked past her, Renna gave Jinai a smug grin and waggle of her brows.

"Don't worry, Jude, she's in good hands. I'll find a nice dress for her to wear."

"Dress? Renna, I'd never be able to fit into any of the things you'd wear!"

But at that exclamation, Renna simply shrugged.
"We'll just have to be.. creative?" she said, then gave Jinai's ass a playful smack as she followed the group up the stairs, and back to Leetsa she barked her orders, "Quick! Fill the tub with hot water and suds.." Then she was quick to pause, as she added.. "The larger tub." She said with a grin.

Jude didn't even bother undressing her by the time the water was filled in the tub and promtply ducked Jinai in it, water water spilling everywhere.  "Hold still!"  And began to scrub her hair with a soap bar and brush.

Floundering, Jinai gagged on the soapy waters.
"JUDE!" she finally managed to cough out, arms clinging to the sides desperately like a cat fighting a bath, but then her eyes shot over to Renna's laughing as the girl indicated to Leetsa,

"Here, put the fresh towels over there. And the robe.." she said, giving the pair of them a coy grin. She couldn't help but laugh some more as Jinai fought against Jude.

"You two.." she growled. "If we weren't on the same side, I'd kill you!" But Jinai's threats would go on deaf ears, especially as Renna scooped up a tiny mouse scurrying in the room and pet it.

"Really, Jinai, that is no way to speak to your friends," seh said, and gave Jinai a playful wink.

"I think you need a little cooling off!" Jude snapped and wasted no time in rmoving his boots and climbing into the tub with her, grabbing her roughly and scrubbing her clean. All ready the water was filthy and Jude was red in the face from laughter.  "You should be more grateful. Cake doesn't come off so easy!"

Jinai was also red in the face, but for different reasons, and after hearing the door squeak shut and REnna's giggles disappearing behind it, she knew they were suddenly alone.
She shook her head beneath him, half-smirking, but half not at him as he held her back.
"You're a cruel man.." she stated, finally relaxing beneath him. "But since you're at it, you'd better get all that cake off."
It was his fault she was dirtied by it, after all.

"Sly little thing," Jude remarked as he heard the door closing behind Renna.  He chuckled and continued scrubbing Jinai clean. "Well, I'm afraid you won't get very far with those heavy clothes on you.  What is that?  Wool and leather?"  He pausedaa moment to help her pull it off.  "I'll get it all off I promise."

Jinai gave him an unamused glare. All off.. really, just as he was stripping her. A very tactless phrase. She shrugged her shoulders and helped him get it off of her. It's not like he hadn't seen it all, and it was hardly like her body was any figure of perfection. Sure her shape was right, but the skin, marred and tanned in only certain places from her days out scouttng in the shadow and sun. And someone in her profession wasn't without pock marks or scars from her more dangerous rendez-vous; and each mark, an untold story.
But since the year or more they had been apart, she had only accumulated just a few more scrapes and nicks on her person, but the deeper wounds were still unseen, buried and unspoken, within her heart.

With her clothing now discarded, she shivered lightly in the bath before asking him, smartly, "So you missed me that badly?"
She wasn't about to let him think she had been, too-
After all, she had hoped to never, ever see him again. But it seemed fate always liked to jerk her around. And though that year was spent back in unsung depression, she wasn't about to tell him that.

Jude chuckled amusedly at her question and did not answer it just yet as he sat on the rim of the tub, hanging the clothes on the edge of it.  He smiled at her and sat behind her.  He reached down and took her hair in his hands and began to gently scrub it.  "You ask like you didn't want me too," he smied at her.  "Would you think I might be lying if I said I did?"  He dodged the question for a moment, his attention for detail, spotting the few new scars here and there.  His hands lingered on them, thumb rubbing along them. 

Still a bit disgruntled over this whole situation, she stiffened beneath his touch, and flinched when his hands went over her new scars, as if they were still open wounds. She peered back over at him, her hands masking over the marks before she peered up at him.

"You seem to have enough to notice a few new details.."

Jude grinned at her warmly and he let them alone for now, resuming washing her hair.  "Honestly?" he muttered.  "I did.  I...I thought about you quite often...  Sometimes I think I saw you in the street, but it was always someone else.  Funny thing."  He laughed amusedly again and took his hands from her to pull his shirt from his torso and drap that over the tub's edge too.

Jinai kept quiet, feeling an unusual tighteness In her gut. Was it.guilt? Perhaps so, but she knew she shouldnt feel that way about anyone. Especially Jude... Even if they were on the same side. So she remained quiet, staring down at.the water.

"What?  You didn't miss me?" Jude remarked, jesting.  He frowned a little at the lack or response and he laughed, forcibly.  He still washed her nonetheless and even went so far as to sit behind her in the tub, still half clothed. "It's all right.  You don't have to miss me.  I'm just glad to see you again.  I am, really," he grinned at the back of her head.  "Cat got your tongue now?  ...Are you all right?"

Jinai remained quiet, his words biting into her. But could he know? And at his inquiry, she tried to shrug it off. It was hard for her to admit that, the hollow void that kept her away from truly immersing herself in life, in love... could easily be remedied by someone like the man sitting behind her. But she was too stubborn, scared, or perhaps stupid to realize it as she coolly replied, "Only for the sex."

Jude took his legs and wrapped them around her.  "Really?" he murmured, chuckling softly.  His arms wrapped around her waist and he held her against him.  She smelled like cake and wine and fresh soap and he relished in having her so close.  "Just the sex?  Not even the kissing too?"

Damn him for feeling good against her, for making her feel warm and awkward and... nice.
She grit her teeth, and smiled, but only a little.
"Perhaps some of the kissing," she replied quietly. But she was not much in the mood for his antics. It had been several years since the death of her brother, and the anniversary, but a few month's earlier, had not gone unnoticed in her, but rather, held in reserve. She didn't understand why, now of all times, her emotions from that were bubbling to the surface, but at least she was good at stopping them before the tears began to form.

He noticed the quiet of her voice and his smile faded a little.  He said nothing for a time and just went about washing her gently.  "Most of it's coming off now," he murmured.  "That's good.  Good as new."

New was an understatement, but it was just enough to bring her back to the present. Peering over her shoulder, she afforded him a half-smirk.
"So am I off the hook now?" she asked. "From being your prisoner?" Prisoner.. from an epic cake war!

Jude laughed again and started cleaning her legs.  "You're not my prisoner!  You're Renna's.  Would you break your word to someone who trusted you?  Besides I think you should stay.  It's better than sleeping on the road isn't it? "

Jinai shrugged at his suggestion.
"I suppose. Courtesan beds are a lot more comfortable than a whore's."

"That is very true!" Jude chuckled beside her head.  "And it's better than some hotel, where I'm staying.  Not that it isn't nice, but I do miss my own bed.  And...not that you're not more than welcome to join me if you ever feel like dropping in.  Hotel Kinnaid."  He smiled at her and moved onto the next leg.

Jinai smirked. Hotels, or their lesser half, was normally her sort of place. But it begged the question..
"So you're not staying here?"
Renna had asked him to be a guest.. after all, even before he asked.

[Renna asked him?  I didn't even see the question. D:]

"Well just as a small getaway," Jude remarked.  "I have a favorite I always book when I come to Uthlyn.  But I'll bring something to stay with Renna as well.  I just  arrived in town yesterday anyway.  I didn't want to wake Renna in the middle of the night.  But I didn't hear her invite me to stay.  I must have not been paying attention.  You're quite distracting you know.  Did she ask me?"

OOC: It was insinuated here: http://www.spiritsoftheearth.net/smf/index.php?topic=15505.msg154761#msg154761
X3

Quote from: visualspice on October 24, 2013, 11:54:27 PM
"Throw more cake and wine on her so she can't escape!" Renna said, howling with laughter herself. "And keep tickling her Jude until she caves!"

"W-what?!" Jinai squealed. "Cave for what?"

Renna's.grin was pure evil.

"To.stay here all week with me while Jude is visiting," she said as she jut out her chin.

--------


Jinai genuinely grinned at his comment. It was .. cute he missed Renna inviting him over.
"She didn't out right say it," Jinai said, looking Jude over. "Though then again, most women never do."
And her eyes met to his, and her meaning meant quite another thing all together, her eyes almost begging for something more-
but as it was indicated, it was words she would never say.

[In my mind visiting insinuated just that, visiting every day, but not like "staying as a guest" in her home. Lol]

Jude chuckled and met her eyes.  "Well in that case, how stupid of me to have missed it.  I'll have to remedy that by taking my things in immediately," he smiled at Jinai.  His eyes lingered on her for a moment before leaning in slowly and taking her lips with his sensuously, tasting her slowly but sweetly.

OOC: IT's ok XD *pats*
Back then, 'visiting' someone normally implied staying as a guest. Though today the term is handled much differently XD
--------

Jinai perked up when he finally got it. Seems she should have kept her big mouth shut, though his lips sealing to hers helped keep them that way, and in that moment, all she could do, was kiss back while her fingers tangled into his hair.

A soft moan escaped him, at the sensation of her lips, gently massaging his.  She took his breath away, almost literally.  His arms wrapped around her, hands playing across her arms and holding her tightly to him.  "So are going to stay then?" Jude remarked, whispering against her lips, turning his head to kiss her at another angle.

There wasn't much between them that didn't show her she'd get what she wanted. Jude was ready for her, heart and body; but was she? Though in that moment, it didn't matter as she kissed him back.
"At least for the night..."
She might as well. Last time she recalled, the sex was good.
And hey..
there was cake.

[He's still wearing pants, just fyi]

"Then I guess we'll play it by ear then," Jude replied, grinning at her.  "You should stay though...  It would be nice...to see you more than one night."  He leaned in and kissed her softly, moaning all the more, relishing in her feel, her taste, even the cake he'd smeared there.  "You know before you left I wanted to say something.  And I thought to myself, whenever I saw you again - if I saw you again - I wanted you to know that...if you were ever in town - Reajh that is - and you needed a place to...well, stay, that...you could stay with me.  No questions asked.  It's just an offer of course."

OOC: We both know those pants won't stay there for long 8D

-------

Jinai's eyes hung heavily at his words and attentions, his hands and lips sending thrills through her. Though at his words, she wasn't sure what to say as she leaned more into him and only grinned.
"We'll take this one day at a time. I'm not making any promises I can't keep..."
Even ones she wanted to- but she tucked that bit of information away for now, as her hands slipped back in the waters, and worked at unbuttoning his pants.

[I was just sayin'!]

Jude's breath hitched when her hands ducked beneath the waters to unbutton his trousers.  The tension of his groin was considerably diminished because of it.  "You're awfully exploratory.  I'm glad to see that hasn't changed," he murmured, his own eyes warm and half-lidded.  He smiled and dipped a hand in to help her along, pushing off his trousers from his hips and wiggling out of them the rest of the way.

OOC: Just a warning- some adult content! A thread not for childrens!

----

By now JInai had turned around in the bath tub so she was facing Jude, and once his pants were removed, her body leaned forward, legs curling around his as she pinned him against the back. BUbbles pillowed over the side and swished around them as she moved, wasting no time in sitting exactly where she wanted. She said nothing, just moved her hips, taking what she wanted-

when suddenly the door creaked open-

"Hey, you guys I found-" And Renna paused just at the door, her mouth falling open in a slight smirk.

Jinai paused nad looked over at Renna.
"RENNA!" she shouted, but the other girl only laughed and closed the door behind her, but not before calling back,

"I knew it!" And then promptly she added through the door, "And you two are horrible! I'll just leave Jinai's night shirt onthe other side of the door!" And after a moment, Renna's foot steps were gone.

Growling, Jinai paused a moment to consider what she was doing, and contemplated continuing their little bath time fun.

Jude was focusing on the sensation she inspired in him, admiring her dominance.  He just held onto her hips, enjoying the ride, leaning his head back on the rim of the tub.  He'd been moaning, loudly, though he hadn't realized it when the door suddenly propped open.  It was Renna of course, trying to spy on them.  He couldn't help a smirk when Jinai grew angry, and his free hand took a bar of soap from the side and chucked it at the door!

"This ain't a peep show!" he grumbled himself, and sat up a bit more, wrapping his arms around Jinai's waist.  "Oh, she didn't mean anything by it."  He was taking more enjoyment out of it than he had any right too and turned his head back to Jinai.  His lips brushed against her neck.  "Don't stop on her account, darling."

[LOL!]

OOC: Renna's too cute XD

ALSO STILL MATURE CONTENT WARNINGS D;

--------

Jinai, although frustrated, wasn't about to give up her position, and at his suggestion, her grin returned as she continued to move her hips.
"You'll have to forgive Renna... I think she forgets a man and woman can have sex just for a fuck," she said, almost challenging him as she hitched her body in just the right position that she knew he'd love.

Jude laughed a little, but it was a laugh shortly interrupted with a deep-throated groan.  He bit his lip and his eyes grew hazy as she began to move once more.  He was completely at her mercy as his back arched immediately in response to her motion.  "Gods!" he yelped.  "Hmmm... Well, men and women can fuck for all sorts of....of reasons!"

Jinai grinned, enjoying him being completely at her mercy.
"Oh?" she said, lips and teeth taken to his throat. "What sorts of reasons?" she asked, breath hot against his skin as her tongue and lips dragged across the other side of his throat, but this time, running up.

Jude trembled and writhed, panting underneath her.  If she was trying to make him squirm - well, she didn't really have to try.  He ached, gripping her hard, fighting back moans, almost missing her question altogether.  "Like...pleasure....or pain...consummation of....Jinai! "  He couldn't even finish that thought as his nails dug into her skin.

Her grin was wore coolly as she worked her magic, not about to let Jude off the hook. She wasn't going to give up until he was screaming her name. After all.. if she were to tire him now... maybe she wouldn't have to later? And well... ok, so she promise one night...
Did this part count?

It didn't take much more for him to cum, and he came hard, crying out her name until his throat was hoarse and he was peering at Jinai with wide wild eyes, breathing hard.

Content she had him as a ball of putty, Jinai simply smirked at him and cocked her head to one side.
"Feel better?"

Jude only grinned smugly at her.  "Not even close," he growled when he felt he was ready once more.  He grabbed her hard and reversed positions in the tub, water sloshing all around them, pinning her on the opposite end of the tub and quickly went to work.

Surprised he had the energy left to pull that off, Jinai couldn't erase the surprise, nor smile, on her face. After a moment, the pleasure caught up to her as she arched beneath him, holding him tight.
"I should have known better," she growled, finger nails digging into his skin. "You are a courtesan, after all."
And a man..
Men tend to believe they had alot to prove...

"I'm also Jude Armand," Jude panted in her ear.  "And if there's anything I might do...to convince you to stay longer...then it's worth a try."  He read her body well, or as well as he rememered, watching her expressions, feeling the warmth and softness of her sex all around, just as his lips pressed themselves to her neck, lapping at what cake remained.

She couldn't help it, in spite of herself, and trying to believe she did not want it, she grew hot at his words, her sex like molten lava as she moaned beneath him, dragging her fingers down his back and half drowning herself just to get the right angle, just the right side, just the right way before her lips found his in a feeble attempt to suffocate her moans, except, after just a five minutes, she was prying her lips away, panting and gasping and kicking the soap waters as she sang out his name, her world a mountain of ecstasy.

"Will you stay?" he panted in her ear, driving mad in an esctasy of his own.  "Say Yes!  Say YES!"  He moved like a maddened dog as he struck her sweet spots, again and again.

Gods! Just when she thought she had a reprieve, Jude Armand played her like a piano, and the song was pure and sweet and drove her crazy. Arching her back, she clung to him and writhed in ecstasy.
"GODS! JUDE!" she shouted, panting and squirming beneath him, and doing all in her power to keep herself from falling victim to him, but with each thrust she lost herself more and more to the powers that connected them, the powers of sweet, pure, unrelenting bliss.

He didn't get his, "Yes," but he was satisfied with her all the same and he positioned his hands on the rim of the tub on either side of her head when at last she peaked.  Still, he smiled down at her and he kissed her neck.  He had come as well at some point bit his focus had been on her and he panted and smiled down at her with no small amount of victory.

Her finger nails had dug marks into his back which would sting him for days. Little did she care as she lay beneath him in a puddle of ecstasy. Jude was too good of a lay, and after a while she lamented over his words and sighed, "Alright." And she closed her eyes, still trying to catch her breath. "But I only promise to stay this night."

That's when the door propped open and a little tiny, silk dress was shaken at the end of Renna's hand.
"Good!" The voice was Renna's. "But be sure to wear this!" and with another giggle, the door was closed, and the tiny silk garment- laid in a crumpled heap upon the floor.

Only partially opening her eyes, Jinai raked a hand through her hair from where she laid beneath him.
"Sometimes I wonder about her..."
And how long WAS she listening?

"I think she looks up you.  In a manner of speaking," Jude remaked as he moved off of her and proceeded to clean himself from their combined sex.  "She enjoys seeing you...happy.  Satisfied, I suppose would serve as a generous substitute."  He sat up from the water and washed off his member and took a towel before laying it out.  "Now I'll need another set of clothes and to send for my things.  But first, let's get you cleaned and dry.  Again."  He smirked at her and helped wash her clean from their sex.

Though he tried to help her, when she began to come around, she stuffed a hand over his face to push him away.
"Ok, ok, I can do that myself."
No sense in him getting her ticklish again.
Once she was cleaned and dry, she peered over towards the satin piece of clothing on the floor, and when she picked it up, she stared at it and asked..
"So.. where's the rest of it?"
Or was Renna serious that this was all?

He dried off his hair, slipping into one of the robes provided by Renna as he watched Jinai search for the rest of the small satin gown that just barely would cover her ass.  He smirked in amusement.  "I imagine that's in," he muttered, grinning.  He took the dirty clothes from the tub and walked toward the door, patting her ass on the way.  "Renna is serving some drinks downstairs in the foyer, get dressed."  But he paused before opening the door, leaning in quickly to steal a nibble on her earlobe.  "Hmmm, I  think I'll stay instead.  You might try for the window  again."

Jude was right, the garment barely covered her ass, and her face went red at his statement.
"What- jump out the window in this? I might as well throw myself to the dogs. I wouldn't get very far in the streets, even in Uthlyn!"
The nerd town!
Shaking her head, she snatched up a robe and tied it tightly around her and eyed Jude over suspiciously.
Somehow this was all his fault.. she just knew it. He had some evil plan to get her to stay..
and she contemplated what he might try tomorrow..
after all, the first night together they already had sex...

well..
cake..


Cake and sex.

Jude just smirked at her antics and just opened the door, letting her go out first.  "If Renna was right about you, she told me you'd get out of a tight situation, no matter what you were wearing," Jude chuckled, and closed the door behind them.  He gave Leesta their dirty garments, and he gave the girl a gold coin to ease the pain of her hard work before returning to the parlor for evening drinks.  "You're a devil, Renna, really," Jude snapped at the red-haired courtesan as soon as he saw her.

Renna was beaming, and leaning back in a chaise lounge, already helpnig herself to a drink by the fire when the two entered. She had slipped into something less formal, a simple blue night dress and robe as she gave the pair a once over, and wrinkled her nose playfully at Jinai.

"Aww, I see you're a bit chilly.. perhaps I should have chose another night dress?"

Jinai cut her a look, but simply tossed her robe tie aside and took a seat and goblet.
"It'll.. suffice for now.."s he said, giving Jude a sharp glare. "I think someone in this company likes it."

Renna's grin widened. "Make that two. I think I'd love to see you in such a piece," Renna teased.

Jude grinned at the pair while he poured himself a nightcap.  "Not me," he remarked to both of them.  He sat down on the armchair opposite of Renna. "I like her in anything she wears."  He gave a soft smile to Jinai and turned his eyes to the fireplace.  "Oh and Renna, what room did you have in mind for me to occupy?  I don't want to impose."

Renna idly sipped her drink and remarked off the cupse, "Oh, you can just share one with Jinai. The purple room up the stairs, second door to the left."

Jinai shot Renna a look and Renna's grin only grew wider behind her wine glass.


Ooc: ugh! Typos!

Jude raised a brow at Renna and sipped his drink.  "I don't think Jinai likes that very much," he muttered. "Not that I'm opposed to it.  But I think Jinai would probably like her space."  He took another drink of this whiskey and offered Jinai a look of understanding and a nod.

"Then again, far be it from me to question the generosity of my hostess and I wouldn't mind sharing a room with Jinai.  If she is not opposed to it that is," he added with a sinister grin.

Jinai raised a brow. She should have known, and at Jude's remark, she replied, "Yes, but.these days I sleep with a.knife."
And Jinai's more 'serious' threat made Renna giggle.

"And just WHERE do you expect.to.hide it in what you're wearing?"

Jinai only grinned.
"I have my.ways..."

Jude gave a cough and grinned approvingly.  "Good.  It'd be nice to have a bodyguard while I sleep," Jude smiled at Jinai, widely and innocently, sipping his drink.  "Even as one as scantily clad as you.  Also, Renna, would it be too much to ask to send Leesta for my bags at the hotel in the morning.  Well, I suppose I could just get them myself.  But it's worth an ask."

Renna nodded in approval.
"Then it's settled?"

Jinai rolled her eyes.
"Yes.. if Jude gets his own bed." As nice as it was to share one.. she wasn't about to lead him on...
considering he was already... a bit too taken with her.

&ude gave a sigh and a roll of his eyes.  "If it bothers you that much, Jinai, I'll sleep in an armchair or something.  Or stay on the sheets and you stay underneath them.  On my honor, I'll keep my hands to myself,"Jude said with a nod and a warm smile.  "Is that acceptable?"

"It's.. not that," Jinai spoke through her teeth when Renna perked up.

"Alright, alright, she can sleep with me." and Renna gave a bored fanning of her face. "But I'm about ready to pass out here by the fire if we don't come up with another game to play.." and she afforded Jude a playful wink. "Anyone up for some hide and seek? My garden apartment has a lot of floors,a nd I've never had a chance to play the game in the dark.. We could have it be played that the women hide and the men.. have to find us." ANd her grin grew wider at the prospect.

At the prospect of another game, Jude gave Renna a tired smile and took a last sip of his nightcap.  While he was ready to retire, he gave her a shrug.  "All right, one last game," he muttered.  "But just one."  He closed his eyes.  "Okay go. Ten, nine, eight...."

"What? We only get ten seconds?" Jinai protested, but Renna stifled a giggle and snatched onto her night skirt and her friend's hand.

"Come on!" she hissed, yanked her along as they took off down the hall. "We can't let Jude get us!"

But as they ran, Jinai began to wonder, "Wouldn't it be more prudent if we were to split up? Then again.. I don't know every nook and cranny inside your apartment..."

Renna gave a quick stare back to Jinai.
"Maybe! How about one of us goes up stairs, the other hides in the basement?"

Jinai shrugged.
"I can take the basement- " and before Renna could protest, Jinai was already running down the stairs.

Shit.. she was hoping to trick Jinai into another bed time capture with Jude, but oh! She thought she heard Jude coming and quickly hid behind a curtain. Too bad Jude would have no idea where to find Jinai.. maybe she could help coax him in the right.. direction?

OOC: Would be cruel for him to think he finds Jinai and has his hands all over Renna XD might be awkward funs *random*

or you know, find Jinai in the dirty basement
(after being dirty with Renna loool)

He kept counting out loud until he was down to one, but he didn't bother saying it when at last he found the gone, just a few stray footsteps echoing through the apartment.  He smiled to himself, but remained reclined in his chair.  He took his time, perusing the shelves with various titles on them and pulled one or two out to read while they hid.  "Finally, some peace and quiet," Jude remarked, as he settled down to read a few pages.

When approximately  half hour had passed and his eyes were tired of peering at letters, he closed the books and put them back in their proper places before considering it was a good a time as any to start looking for the girls.  Jude had heard noises upstairs and decided what better place to look than there first.  He grinned mischievously and slowly climbed, the stairs creaking to his weight anyway, even as he tried to step lightly.

"Oh, where, oh, where are you?" he said softly.  He crept into the room, where Renna was hiding behind the curtain, and the light had been all but snuffed out there.  He saw nothing more than shadow and what soft light lingered through the window, moonlight.  He heard a noise, what almost sounded like a giggle, but he couldn't be sure.

"Renna?" he smirked.  He stepped softly, walking further into the room, looking under a desk, the bed, in the armoire and finding nothing.  When the floor creaked in a step not caused by him, he walked over toward the curtains.  "Or JINAI!?" he growled as his arms enveloped a form hidden behind the curtains.  He turned them around and blindly set his lips upon the woman underneath. 

Renna had been growing bored since she was waiting for Jude, and was almost ready to clock him for taking his sweet old time, but upon hearing the creaking noise up the stairs, she kept herself in reserve and held her breath. Maybe he just took a while at hide and seek? Or.. perhaps he found Jinai first?

Peering out, she gasped and hid back behind the curtain and watched as a shadowed form moved through the room. He called out to her, and she had to slap a hand across her lips in order not to be heard. She giggled a lot, after all.

As her eyes watched Jude, she stole a glance towards the door. If Jude was up here, did it mean he had already found Jinai...
But at his words, she realized he had not, and was shocked when suddenly his large hands were upon her, and as she turned into him with a gasp to protest and inform him she was not who she thought he was, his hands were hungry and all over her, feeling her up from hip to breasts and his lips, keeping her silence.

OH! But wasn't he a good kisser, and it sent a thrill through her-
But oh! She was not Jinai and oh! He was holding her a bit too tight for her to escape his embrace! ANd kissing her so fiercely, she couldn't get a word in. Wow, he must've really wanted to kiss Jinai!

OOC: lol

Jude's lips were run raw from kissing the woman he was sure was Jinai.  Except for one thing - the giggles that were escaping her between kisses, where most of her breath was taken away.  Jude still grabbed her close and tore his face away, staring at the figure in the dark.  "Jinai?" he breathed.

Renna tucked her lips in to stave off a smile before she giggled again and shook her head.

"I'd like to think my body type feels hrm... different then hers.." Renna pointed out with a smirk. "But sorry to disappoint but.."s he said, licking her lips. "I'd like to say um.. she might have really been heated by those kisses?"

Jude felt stupid.  He blinked at Renna for a moment before letting her go.  He chuckled and moved the curtains away from her.  "Oh, Ansgar's balls, I'm sorry, Renna," Jude remarked.  "Though, lip-wise, you're not half bad yourself.  Use it as a lesson to kiss that boy off yours, Brennick.  If you need a refresher..."

Renna giggled then suddenly patted his pants.
"No worries, I get enough practice,"s he said, giving him a once over. "But looks like you found me. Seems like it's time to look for Jinai."

"Then point me in the right direction and her eyes are as good as rolled back,"  Jude laughed.  He stepped from the curtains and toward the door.

Renna shook her head as she laughed.
"As a hint,"s he said, hooking arms with him as the two stepped out into the hallway. "She's hiding in the basement." And although she was whispering, she wasn't doing a good job at keeping any secrets as he hugged onto his arm and giggled all the more, cuddling against him affectionately.

Jude took his arm around Renna's shoulder and smashed her against his chest.  "Little rat," he chuckled.  "I'll get her!"  He kissed Renna's forehead and immediately headed back downstairs toward the basement.  He saw the door was slightly ajar and put a finger up to his lips to  keep Renna quiet, before creeping inside.

Renna took him by the arm and hesitated, "I.. should let you go by yourself..' she whispered, and her giggle was the last thing he'd hear before she slipped away.
Might as well let those two have more time to play catch up! All the while she went to get comfy in Jude's abandoned chair, and enjoyed some of his left over drink, as well.

Jude stepped down into the darkness, and took a lamp from the side, igniting it after a few more tries and raising of the oil gauge.  Soon the room brightened and Jude turned? looking between the shadows for Jinai's familiar form.   "You can't hide for long," he murmured and turned to look beneath the stairs.

And that's when a rat scurried out, squeaking as it ran over his foot and disappeared into the darkness. But still, despite where his light stretched out towards, there was no sign of Jinai.

Jude could not see much with the lamp as he stared out in the darkness.  The air was damp out here and it reeked a little.  There was a dripping sound that echoed through the basement and Jude set the lamp down and strayed out into shadow.  He listened intently, moving through shadow, reaching for his surroundings.  If Jinai could hide in darkness, there was no  reason he couldn't either.

The basement wasn't too large, but large enough that there were ample places a woman like Jinai could hide, though ironically, when Jude would round a bend...
He'd find her, asleep on the floor, with another familiar vial in hand. Though this time she hardly over dosed, it was just enough to pass the time. It had been nearly an hour after all, and she was asleep because...
It was late and it had been an hour, and the drug had lulled her into it.

Now, with her head resting against a rusty and cobwebbed pipe, she breathed softly as the lamp light revealed her form, nestled behind two barrels.

Jude gave a soured grin and set the lamp beside her.  "All right, eggbrains," Jude murmured as he bent down and pulled her out of the corner she was huddled in.  "Let's get you to bed."  He shook her a little and adjusted her in his arms before ascending the stairs.

Jinai instantly awoke in his arms, and without notice, shot her hand out and socked him hard across the face-
not realizing what was going on as she fellt from his arms and landed painfully on the steps and then proceeded to tumble tot he bottom.


Groaning, she lay there a moment before glaring up at Jude.
"JUDE!?"
She grabbed onto her head and shook it.
"What's the big idea!? What's going on I.."
and then she recalled the game and draped her hand over her face.
"Ugh, I feel asleep..."

Never mind him she got a little high, too!
"I guess the game is over.." she said, wiping some blood from her nose.

Jude rubbed his sore jaw as Jinai gave a tumble down the steps.  He stepped down and stood beside her.  "Yeah!  Game's over and I won!" he grumbled.  "You didn't have to hit me.  And yeah you got high.  I was just gonna put you to bed, egghead!"  He rolled his eyes at her and took a napkin he found in the robe pocket and wiped the blood from her nose for her.  "Where'd you get that anyway?"

Jinai just made a face at him.
"From my ass, where do you think?" she said, shaking her head as she raked a hand through her hair and used his arm to help get herself back to her feet. But she felt dizzy and needed a moment as she groaned.
ANd when he tried to fuss over her, she pushed his hand away. She could handle a bloody nose herself!

Instead, Jude shoved her own hand away and wiped away the blood himself.  "Just let me, dammit!  It's not like I'm trying to beat you up or anything! Can't you just let me wipe off a little blood?  Are you that against someone helping you?" Jude laughed and finished, putting the cloth awaY.  "Geeze."

Jinai glared up at him as she planted her hands firmly on her hips, her robe openly slightly since her fall down the stairs.
"If you must know, yes, I am against someone helping me, especially when I don't need it."

He gave her another roll of his eyes and he crossed his arms across his chest.  "You can't tell me you don't like a little care," Jude said with a raised brow.  His eyes lingered on her for a moment.  "I was...just trying to help.  Sorry."

"Well maybe you should have thought about that before trying to carry me up the stairs?" And at his earlier question she remarked, " Not everyone needs to be cared for. I've still got two arms, don't I?" But a crash from upstairs drew her attention away. "What was that?" And then a click was heard and Jinai became more cross.
"Did Renna just lock us in the basement?"

Jude only smirked at her and gave her a nonchalane shrug.  "Whatever you say."  But just as he was about to head upstairs, he heard the crash too.  He ran for the door and tried to open it.  He banged on the door when it failed to yield.  "Renna!  Renna!  Open the door!  The game is over!"  He banged once more and still nothing.  "Renna!"

Jinai remained quite angry at the bottom of the steps, arms folded across her.chest.
"I.think Renna and I are.going to need a heart to heart after.all of.this." And she climbed up the stairs. "Move it, Armand. Let the pro work at the lock." And she pulled a pin from her hair, but as she bent over the lock, she paused to observe,..."Shit!!" And yanked her hand away. "The handle is fucking hot!" And a moment later she could smell it.  Fire.

Jude leapt from the stairs and yanked Jinai away from the door.  He could smell it too and he did the only thing he could think to do and made for the small window up by the street and immediately broke it with a pipe from the floor.  "Jinai!  Get up there," he said, promptly grabbing her up and shoving her by her ass.

As she stared at the door in disbelief, she was suddenly ripped from her thoughts as Jude dragged her along, and though he prodded her out the window, she paused a moment to grab oto him, forcing him to look at her as she shook his shoulders.
"JUDE! JUST WAIT!" she said, growling in his face. "If there's a fire, Renna's still up there in trouble!"
Then again, what good would it do for the two of them to remain beneath a burning house? Jinai's mind was going a mile a minute, and she was still coming off of her high. She shook her head. "We can't just run away from this- we have to see if she's alright."

"We're not running!" Jude remarked as he tried to pull her toward the window once more.  "But if we open that door, a fucking fireball is going to be coming down on us!  We'll be incinerated. We gotta get inside from a window or the door from the street!" Jude took the pipe from one handaand threw it outside the window before pulling her toward it once more.  "Jinai, I'm not leaving Renna! But we can't do anything for her if we burn alive!"

It took some time for reason to catch up to her. Baring her teeth, she finally accepted what he said with a "Shit." Before she, with his aid, crawled up and out the window. From the street, she peered up at the house and to the windows that were glowing orange with flames.
"Shit."Another swear as she contemplated a way to get inside. But she didn't have to get far, for pinned to the door was a note.
"Jude.. look!" she said, grabbing onto his arm roughly nad pointing. "Though if the arsonist was smarter.. he wouldn't have pinned a piece of paper to a burning door.." she growled.

But Jude was already at the door and he snatched the note from it, snapping off the arrow and pulling it before it burned too.  The top part was largely illegible, blackened from the heat, but what Jude had, read stepping away from the door made him feel light-headed and he nearly stumbled to the ground. "She's gone," Jude stammered.  "They took her!  Somebody!  Look!"  He smashed the note into Jinai's hand.

At his proclamation it didn't sink in. not at first, but as he smashed the note into her hand she peered down at it. Fire and ash rained down from above, flittering around the pair like snow. She stared down at the note for a good long while before she sobered up and realized what this meant.

But then the sudden jarring motion of a black carriage and horse tearing down the street caught her attention as Jinai's eyes went wide.
"That has to be the culprit!" Jinai spat, pointing at the carriage as it jerked around the corner. "Those bastards! Let's get after them!" But what means did they have? It seemed they had stolen Renna's own carriage to make their great escape...

Jude's head was spinning on it's top as he reeled around andsaw the carriage tearing around the corner.  He could have sworn he heard screaming and as he peered up at the carriage.  "The stables!" he growled.  He nudged Jinai.  "A shortcut!  We can get there quickly through the alley I think.  Oh gods...a rescue in undergarments!"

As they rushed back towards the stables, Jinai pinched his arm.
"Who cares what we're wearing!? We need to rescue Renna and do it quick!"

Jude held his arm as the tore through alleyway.  "I care," he growled.  But there was no point in arguing the matter as they rounded the corridor and the were hit with a sudden smell and the neighing of horses.  "There!  Quickly!"  Jude was sweating hard by the time they made it to the horses, but he didn't know how long it would take to catch up with the carriage if they could at all.

Not caring for prudency, Jinai didn't waste a moment to throw open one of the stalls and unrein one of the horses. Her robe was half falling off, her legs fully exposed and well, quite a lot of cleavage too-
Too bad this was hardly the time to worry or be taken advantage of as Jinia hoisted herself up onto a saddle, sitting just like a man as she put a hand down towards Jude and shouted, "COME ON!"

SHe'd leave his sorry ass behind if he didn't get a move on it!

She didn't have to tell him twice and after appreciating the view for a split second, Jude grabbed her hand used the momentum to vault him up on the saddle behind her.  He dug his heels on the rear of the horse and the animal cried out and bolted forward.  Jude wrapped his arms around Jinai in a jerked motion and closed his eye for a moment when the wind tossed his hair back.

Seconds later the horse's hooves were clattering heavily across the cobblestone; and all the while Jinai was fighting for control of hte horse.
"Let go of the reins, Jude!" she growled through her teeth. "I know how to steer one of these things!"

[He has his arms around her!]

Jude rested his arms around her waist and held on for dear life.  "I'm not!" he griped.  "Steer the damn horse!  They're getting away!"

OOC: HE WOULD
|8*
but shhh
SHHHH
*pets lion*
Shhhhhhh

---------------------

Jinai swore a million times, but the damn horse was a ball of nerves. It didn't like running past the flaming house,a nd what was worse was the damn carriage was going to get away! Thankfully he had managed to get the horse in order by the time they left the house and she pressed the horse to move quickly through the city streets.
"Keep your eyes peeled for that carriage!" she shouted. Damn Uthlyn and it's windy streets!

"Already on it," Jude growled at her as the carriage came tearing through an alley toward the edge of the city.  The horse was nervous and having difficulty gripping on the wet cobblestone and went as fast as it could muster.  "Down there!  Cut through the street and catch it on the other side!"

Trusting Jude, Jinai gave a sharp pull on the reins and they made haste and nearly ran into the carriage on the other side, and while the carriage horse reared up as it became spooked, Jinai leaped from the horse and onto the side of the carriage, and not even a second later, the carriage was tearing away.

An ugly man poked his head out, and swore at noting the woman on the side of his get away ride. He tried to throw her off by jerking the carriage and slamming it into a building, but Jinai had a tight grip on it and would not be shaken as she crawled inside the carriage to.confront the man. And she was surprised to see Renna's still body on the carriage bench when suddenly a knife glinted and struck her across the cheek. The man had one hand on the reins, the other on a knife, and the second Jinai recovered from.the shock of it, noticed the man looking back at her had two.mismatching sized eyes.... Right before he moved to cut her again.

This.time she was prepared, and landed a heavy kick to his chest, which nearly knocked the man from the carriage.

Jude took the reins of the horse when Jinai jumped from the saddle to the carriage.  It had been years since he last rode a horse, but all the memories of his childhood came flooding back to him and he gripped the leather cords tightly in his hand as he sat more forward in the saddle, ducking low and nudging the horse to go faster as it passed up the carriage.

He could not focus on Jinai or what was happening inside the carriage, except to trust that Jinai knew what she was doing.  He could only hope.  In the meantime, he looked up head and had to find a way to stop the carriage - anything!  He rode on through the street, the darkness of the night concealing most of everything and thankfully there was a lack of people in the street as Jude rode on ahead.  He controlled the horse masterfully beneath him and used the pipe he'd held onto as he saw a pile of barrels stacked in an alleyway, crossing the main road the carriage was heading on.  It was the quickest way out of Uthlyn and Jude knew this was the way the carriage was headed.

Swiftly, Jude moved toward the ropes holding the barrels, striking their pins until the barrels came crashing through the alley, rolling on their sides and covering the street.  He pulled the horse up against a building just as the carriage came to a crashing halt against the barrels, one horse staggering and falling over and the other skidding to a halt.

A second later the carriage came to a crashing halt. Literally. Jinai was dazed, and lay across the carriage bench as she tried to figure out what just happened. But the man was desperate and moved fast. Tearing open the carriage door, he wasted little time. He had to kill the witness! And to.do so fast. And a moment later, Jinai felt a knife in her back.

Jude immediately dismounted from the horse at the sound of the voices within the carriage as the wheels skidded on the cobblestone and nearly turned it over.  Thankfully it didn't, but Jude moved while adrenaline was still fresh in his blood.  He leapt up on the buckboard as he saw the man coming up from the carriage door.  He immediately leapt for him with a blood-coated knife and Jude stepped back.  He was a lover, not a fighter, but he knew enough to defend himself and when the knife came slashing down on him, Jude raised his arms to block against his forearm and immediately thrust his fist forward to strike the man in his armpit.

Striking the nerve, the man dropped his knife and cried out.  Jude turned his arm around his back and shoved a knee into his lower spine, pinning him against the carriage.  He slammed his head repeatedly until the man was sufficiently unconscious, throwing him to the ground.  He bound him with a tear from his robe and moved into the carriage.

"Jinai...?  OH, JINAI!" Jude cried out upon finding her on the ground, with Renna undisturbed on the bench.

Blood was everywhere as the wound was deep. It also hurt like hell as Jinai groaned and pushed herself to her knees.
"Fuck!" And the wound hurt doubly so when she tried to move.

Though Renna had yet to move, Jinai was in Jude's most immediate concern.  He wasn't wearing much underneath his robe, but it was the least of his concerns as he took it off his shoulders and ripped off the top part of the feeble cloth and stretched it out enough to wrap around her waist.  He didn't bother fussing with her own fussiness and knotted it to keep the blood from spreading for the wound was deep and bleeding profusely.  "No, Jinai, stay calm.  Here, drink-drink this!"  Jude did his best to remain calm as he pulled something from the pocket robe that remained around his waist and shoved it into her mouth - the vial of the drug he'd taken from her those years ago.

But he'd mixed it with something else, to take her mind from the pain, while he figured out what to do with the both of them.  And the only thing was to take them to his hotel room, but seven blocks away.  "Hold on.  Hold on!"  Jude leapt from the carriage and trained the horse back before taking the it to the carriage rails and securing it until he started moving the cart back down the road.

Jinai didn't need to be told twice when downing a drug, and groaned once she was a able to sit up.
"Jude? Where are we going?" They were in a precarious position and unfortunately couldnt call for a guard.

"The Kinnaid," Jude answered simply as the horses were moving quickly down the street.  It seemed like forever, but eventually they made it to the rear entrance of the building.  It was a servants entrance, but they were well tipped enough - by him at least - to keep their mouths shut as Jude first moved to the back and shook Renna fiercely.  "Renna!  Wake up!  Renna!  I'm going to take you inside, sweetie.  You're safe, okay.  Come and put your arm around me.  There ya go."  He signaled for Jinai to follow and carefully pulled her down from the carriage before going up the servant stairwell.

Renna was barely coming around by the time they made it to the hotel. Jinai frowned, and, ignoring the pain in her back, she moved to help Jude get her up the steps and into his room. Once the door was locked and Renna placed on the bed, Jinai frowned over at the girl. She had already slipped back into the unconscious, and Jinai sighed as she observed this.

"Looks like she got a bump to her head, but nothing more than that.." ANd then after noting a sxent, she leaned forward towards Renna's lips.
"And they choked her off with chloroform." She frowned and looked up at Jude. "They must know what they're doing to mess with that shit." She peered back down at Renna again before swearing through her thumb's finger nail, which she had been chewing on before she turned over to Jude.

"To think, I didn't notice anything suspicious and we thought we were in the clear..." Jinai shook her head. "Whoever done this believed Renna was a mage. That much was clear in the letter."
Shaking her head again, she grew frustrated. If only they knew who. It couldn't still be Mr. Christy, or one of his associates, could it? THough right now...
It was hard to say.

Jude shook his head.  "We will cross that bridge when I tend to her and you first," He didn't know it, but he'd been sweating.  He took a breath and steadied himself as Jude carried Renna up the service stairwell and up to his floor - which was quite high up - and opened the door to his room.  "I don't have much in here.  But we can clean that nasty gash and dress it better."  He laid Renna across the lounge and peered at Jinai.  "How are you feeling?  Please lie down.  Let me look at it," he asked softly.

Jinai shot Jude a look, her lips quivering as she forced a half-assed smile.
"Stiff and miserable, but you can look at it all you want." She said, and sighed irritably before turning away from him and slipped off her robe, then gown, and let their sheer fabric crumple to the floor. By now, she was naked, and peering over her shoulder at the wound before actually obliging him and moving to lay on her belly upon the bed.

Jude had secured Renna on the bed and covered her, knowing it was better to let it wear off than to wake her.  He gathered what supplies he could and set them on  a tray before moving beside Jinai and setting the cold tray on the side.  "Well,I'm no doctor.  We would only be so lucky, but it seems the blade missed most of your vital organs.  But of course the blood isn't helping any."  Jude took a clean cloth and wiped it down before splitting the wound open a little and cleansing it out with water.  "Now this is gonna sting.  Brace yourself." 

Jinai seethed as he touched the wound and swore between her teeth.
"It already does," she hissed and gripped her hands tightly onto the bedding. "Just get this fucking over with, will ya!?"

"Good.  Stay angry.  Get it out while the gettin's good," Jude remarked, unfazed by her anger.  He worked quickly to close up her wound, sewing it with needle and thread  after cleaning it with a salve.  It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.

Jinai seethed at his words, but said nothing. She wasn't trying to start a fight with him- she was just frustrated over the whole situation. ANd once he was done, all she could think to say was "FUCK" as she punched a fist into the bed.

Jude didn't read too much into her words, but he knew the wound must be killing her once he was done.  He was surprised she wasn't crying, but he couldn't say that was what he expected.  He took the tray away and set it aside before taking a blanket and setting it over her. 

The second the blanket touched her back, she winced and hissed between her teeth and threw it off of her. Shaking he rhead, she sat up now and peered over at Jude.
"So what else do you know that could link us to what happened tonight?" For some reason, she wanted to believe Jude might have SOME sort of answers...
And she- at that moment, was still too frustrated to believe other wise.

Jude rolled his eyes and took the blanket from her that she didn't want.  Since she'd already had the liberty of seeing him naked once, he thought little of it as he plucked the remaining robe from his form and let it slip to the floor and promptly covered himself with the blanket before moving toward his luggage in the closet.  "I can't be sure.  But it could be any number of possibilities," Jude said from the room as he redressed into something more comfortable.  "But the man had strange eyes.  Mismatched.  One blue one green, and a strange tattoo on his hand, between his thumb and index finger.  It was like a swirled tattoo.  Looked like a relic, maybe something religious.  Or maybe nothing at all."

Jinai rolled her eyes.
"It WOULD be some loon from the church," Jinai grumbled. "I've heard a lot of nasty stories and rumors coming from there-  not even I want to touch that shit." She shook her head, then frowned down at Renna. "Though it still begs the question, if the church is after her... why?"

Jude emerged from the closet and shook his head, tucking his shirt in his pants.  "I don't know.  But while it may seem likely the Chuch would send in a lone operative to take Renna," Jude began, "You'd think they'd make him better armed than with just a knife.  Something tells me it may be some loon acting under the guise of the Church.  If it was the church, wouldn't it have been a little more - organized?"

Jinai rolled her eyes.
"What would I know about the church?"

Jude rolled his eyes and grinned wryly at Jinai.  "I mean in terms of a kidnapping.  But no, I'd wager you'd know as much about the church as I do.  Which isn't much.  I've never really been church-going myself.  Considering my profession, it would kind of defeat the purpose wouldn't it?."

Jinai gave Jude a dead pan stare.
"But you could fuck the preachers. I'm sure there' a lot of money in that."

But more seriously... she frowned.
"Are you implying the church might ACTUALLY have it's paws in on this war as well? ANd I don't know, I can't see a church being... I just don't know." And she dropped her gaze to the bed.

At that, Jude laughed out loud and shook his head.  "And be condemned for it shortly afterward?  No thanks.  Besides, nobles pay much better and a priest wouldn't be able to afford me."  He sighed and sat down on an armchair and opened a drink cabinet, pulling out hard liquor.  After a night like this, he needed a hard drink.  He offered one to Jinai and took  one for himself.  "Honestly, I don't know.  I can't be sure.  But I think we'd be pretty stupid if we denied the possibility that it could be.  I'm sure the Church has plenty of well-kept secrets."

Jinai took a few swigs of the drink before wiping her mouth and handing the bottle back to him. He liked his liquor hard. Figured.

"Yeah, I'm sure it does, but even I'm not stupid enough to traipse around that shit."
That,a nd she always got the chills when she saw a priest. Never thought too much good about them- and just kept that little fear to herself.
"But I don't know- why the fuck this is happening now.." Jinai said, raking a hand through her hair and shaking her head. "Well.." she said with a sigh, "At least Renna is safe for now. But it begs the question of .. for how long? We don't know who the real enemy is, and the church might just be a deterrent." She shook her head. "I'll haev to see if I can't dig up any dirt about some disfigured man with mismatching eyes. That man was down right fucking ugly." ANd hse shuddered at the thought befroe yanking the bottle back from him. "Here, give me that.I need the rest of that drink."

Jude smirked at her when she snatched the bottle from him.  "Careful with that whiskey," he quipped.  "I'm not sure either but it does beg the question, if if is the Church - and I'm not saying it is - what would they want with Renna?  Ansgar's balls!" He set his glass on the table and immediately stood.  Striding over to the desk, he pulled out a piece of parchment, ink and a quill pen.  He set it down on the table and immediately began to draw the symbol he recalled seeing on the ugly man's hand as best he could.  It was a circle with four squares inside and a diamond shape as well.  Intersecting all of that was a trident symbol, curved at the points and the handle.  "This is what I saw, here look."  He handed it to her.

"Now I don't much in the way of religion, but I know the Church has a lot of Orders within it, many of them following patron Saints.  I've studied a little, more for art and literary appreciation than any belief on my part, but I'm pretty sure that symbol is the sign of St. Argeirneau.  The saint of knowledge and learning, or something of that nature."

Jinai gave a lazy sip of the whisky as she peered over Jude's shoulder. Then she snorted and returned to the bed.
"You're asking me about church nonsense. I'm not the person you should be asking.."

"But I am-"

Jinai could have leaped out of her skin as she stared over at Renna, who was now, apparently awake.

"I... know a lot about the church, actually. I go there often," Renna said, giving her temple a good rub.

Jude turned wild eyed at Renna and he grinned at the young courtesan. "Then what do you make of this?" he asked as he turned the drawning he'd rendered roughly over to Renna.  "How are you feeling though...before you look at the paper."

Before Renna had a chance to respond, a dizzy spell over came her and she held two fingers to her temple and groaned.
Jinai cut Jude a look and nudged him hard with her elbow before she stepped forward and took a seat beside Renna.

"Look, don't worry about it. You've been through a lot in the past half an hour. I'm not sure how much you'd remember but..." Jinai began to say when she was suddenly cut off by the girl.

"No.. I .. am starting to remember now. There was someone in the house. They startled me, then came after me and.." she winced. "I think they hit me pretty good on the head. But I didn't go unconscious, and they saw me still awake, and then stuffed something smelly over my mouth- and I thought for sure I was dead... and then I must've passed out."
She hadn't realized she had been crying, Renna was trying to be strong, but a few tears slipped out from her eyes at the memory, which was enough for Jinai to give Jude a second glare.

"It's alright, just rest up. We can go over this nice and slow. Your head is probably killing you." Ad she snapped her finger's at Jude. "Do you got any pain killers for her? Come on, be quick about it if you do."

It was Jude's turn to give Jinai a glare and rolled his eyes at her.  He stood up and took some whiskey and a bottle of wine from the bar and poured her a glass, pouring a dash of whiskey in it to give it a kick.  "Here, this is about all I can do for you.  I don't have pain killers, I'm afraid.  I don't carry drugs on me.  I'm sorry, I hope it's enough."  He gave Renna the drink and sat on the armrest opposite Renna and took the paper he'd given her, folding it gently and putting it aside.

"Just rest, dear, there's no immediate rush.  If you would like the bed, please, be my guest.  Oh and here," Jude produced a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to the young courtesan to wipe her eyes and blow her nose.

Renna accepted the kerchief with a soft smile and "Thanks," before dabbing away her tears, then the water from her nose. Drawing in a careful breath, she tried to collect herself a moment before glancing over at Jude.
"Let me see that paper. Maybe I could be of some use while I'm still too awake to sleep from shock."
She wasn't sure how well she'd sleep after this, finding herself shaking, just ever so lightly, after that ordeal.

"But you shouldn't push yourself.." Jinai began, but Renna shook her head.

"No.. I want to help. Besides.. this affects not just me, but us all"

Jude leaned over Renna and produced the paper once more.  He gently opened it and held it out to her, to take if she wanted to.  "Jinai, please just let her see it if she wants too.  You should be resting yourself after getting a stabwound like that.  You're moving around like an athlete, when you ought to be lying down...  But you don't see me pinning you to a bed, to keep you still.  It's your choice if you want to stand and move around, upsetting those stitches."

Jude turned back to Renna. "Just take your time, Renna.  There's no rush, like I said."

Renna smiled, just a little, at the bickering couple and as she tried to focus on the paper,s he over heard a part about a stab wound and gasped.
"Stab wound!?" Her eyes went wide as she shot a worried glance over at Jinai, who was rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, well, the guy was trying to make off with you. I didn't know he was armed." ANd she shrugged as Renna clutched a hand to her chest. "Well, it wasn't like he had a gun.."
And Renna pouted over at Jude.

"Don't worry about Jinai," Jude smirked at Renna and shook his head.  "I took care of her as best I could considering we didn't have much available.  Just some thread a needle, and lots of whiskey.  And I took care of him too before he could get away."

Renna still looked worried, but accepted what he said with a nod before glancing down at the paper and the symbol. Furrowing her brow, she shook her head. "This symbol doesn't look familiar. At least not for any of the Saints I'm familiar with."

"Renna, have you been to any social gatherings recently where you think priests of some kind may have been in attendance?" Jude asked softly.  His eyes shot to Jinai for a moment and then back to her.  "Though you say you attend church quite often.  Have you noticed anyone unusual the last time you went?  Someone who didn't quite fit in the crowd?"

"Well.." Renna said, wringing her hands as she thought it over. "I hate to say this, because I don't like to judge others by their looks, but there was this strange man who I felt was watching me and had, only in the past few months, joined the church I attend most frequently. He's.. a rather strange looking gentleman. A bit older, with poor posture, he kind of slumps like this," ANd she demonstrated by hunching over, " And well, his eyes were not only uneven in size, but by color as well." Then her eyes widened as she added, "Oh! And I do hate to say it, but he had a rat's nest for hair, too! Though sometimes I wonder if it was a hair piece... why?"

"The man that took you was an ugly bastard, possibly an invalid from birth with strange eyes.  Jinai could vouch for that.  He was the one that was driving the carriage.  I didn't see anyone else with him, but I don't doubt he wasn't working alone.  He could just as well have someone on the other side waiting for him to take you away.  That mark was on his hand between his thumb and index finger.  It's the sign of St. Argierneau, the patron saint of knowledge and learning from what I understand.  But do you think he was watching you?  From when you saw him, I mean," Jude explained.

Jinai gave a nudge to Jude's arm.
"She already answered that."

But Renna still proceeded to answer the question as she mulled it over. "Yes."
And she blinked curiously and looked at the pair of them. "And come to think of it, I thought it was quite odd that I had run into him at the market last week. I said my polite hello's and that was that."
Or so she thought...
"But you siad... St. Argierneau? Yes, I do recall some sort of interest that man had in that saint... Though one would think, based on his devotion to the church, that he was just.. being, um, patronly."

He shot Jinai a glare.  "Well, I am tired woman!  Excuse me for being thorough," Jude sighed and turned back to Renna.  "Well, that's a start.  He was stalking you obviously, watching your movements until the opportunity came.  Did you see him with anyone else? Talking to anyone?"

He needed another drink and he took the bottle of whiskey where Jinai had left it and he took a generous swig before corking it and putting it aside.  Turning back to the pair, he gave a sigh and said, "It's quite late and we can resume this come morning.  Perhaps it might be a good idea to get some rest.  Renna you can have the bed."

Renna wrung her hands fitfully.
"Oh, but I don't know if I could sleep! And oh!" her eyes widened when she realized.. "And tomorrow, I was expecting a guest!" Oakley, to be exact! Oh, what would he think when he found her house had been burned!?
Biting nervously into her lips she shook her head.
"No, we can talk about it now," she said, smoothing down her night garments. "Though I might need some of that whiskey, too."

Jude rolled his eyes at her words.  "Great, a guest," he muttered, figuring it to be Oakley Brennick.  At least the fires would be dying low by the time morning came.  Or so he hoped.  It would be a shame for the entire city to burn down in one night.  And what a beautiful night it was too.

"You have to try and sleep.  At least lie down," he pressed, handing her the bottle of whiskey, which was now getting low from all the sips Jinai had taken.  "Well, I guess the least you can do is relax.  I'm sure your 'guest' would want you to be in good condition when next he sees you."

"Oh! But you don't understand!" Renna pressed, clutching the bottle after taking a hearty swig. "It's not one of my clients! But a friend! He might worry!"

And Jinai smirked from the other side of the room,but for once, held her tongue. Instead, she simply observed.

"I'm sure he will," Jude added, feeling tired beyond all reason and taking a swig of the whiskey for himself.  He gave an exasperated sigh and slumped on the bed.  "But Oakley has nothing to fear.  I'll send him news as soon as I can."

Renna gasped when Jude revealed her 'guest'.
"Jude!" she said, leaning over the bed as she hit him lightly with a pillow. "Why did you say that?"

"Cause you don't need dto hide that relationship from us," Jinai remained with a roll of her eyes. She stood up now, arms folded across her chest. "We're friends, Renna. Allies."
Renna stared up at her questionably before sighing.

"I know it's just.." she sighed again. "Oakley wants us to be as secretive as possible... he doesn't even know anyone else really knows about .. well... us." she said, continuing to wring her hands. "And if he sees my house like that, he'll worry!"

Jude peered at Jinai at her choice of words.  Friends? He thought someone like her didn't have any friends.  And certainly not friends like him.  She stated so plainly at that day at the market, and she wanted to take care of herself.  What a sad idea...and here she was, using that word.  But what meaning did it really have to her.

"Don't worry about Oakley.  I'll send him news soon enough, Renna.  Please, you've been through much this night.  We all have.  Oakley will worry only for a moment.  And then you can see him.  For now this is the safest place any of us can be."

Renna drew in a careful breath and steeled herself before nodding.
"I.. I guess you're right." And she looked from Jude to Jinai before sighing, and smiling warmly at them both. "I'm just glad."

"Glad for what?" Jinai wondered.

"Glad you finally admitted to our alliance," Renna said, beaming proudly. "I don't think I've ever heard you actually use the term friend before." nd her eyes sparkled as they met to Jinai's, befre Jinai averted her gaze. "And I'm glad. It's nice to know you consider me that way. I never liked knowing you were homeless. Even with 'Home'..." and she grew quiet at that. "Torri tells me things.." Renna replied, noting Jinai's look. "And I... I know it must be hard for you with this whole war going on, with your family fighting to support the case that killed your brother."

Jude perked up at the sudden change in conversation and said nothing, just turning his gaze between Jinai and Renna, smiling just a little, until it faded at the mention of her brother.  So she did lose someone to this dreadful war.  That would explain the cold shoulders and bad attitude.  He leaned across the bed, just watching the exchange before his eyes turned to Jinai.

"It's good to have friends," he budded in quietly, though he knew it wasn't his conversation.  "Friends help each other out, make sure you're okay.  We can't always do it by ourselves."

Jinai tensed and looked away from them. Both of them. She didn't like that either of them felt the need to corner her over 'friendship'. Though she only just finally admitted to herself Renna was a 'friend'.. an 'ally' Jude...
she still wasn't sure.

And before anyone had a chance to say anything, there was a knock at the door.

"Mister Armand? There is someone here that wishes to speak with you. A certain man by the name of Lord Christy? I told him you were in but not feeling up for guests this evening, but he insisted." And then after a long silence, the female servant than informed them through the door, "He read your name in the guest book. That's how he knew you were here."

Jude immediately sat up and went to the door, speaking through it.  "It's all right, send him up," Jude answered and turned to Jinai.  "We've got to put you away.  Last thing he needs is a blast from the past coming to haunt him.  At least not right now."  Jude moved to help Jinai hide somewhere, and the only place he could think of was the closet.  "Renna.  Make yourself scarce."

Before Renna could protest, she was yanked inside the closet suddenly with Jinai, and once they were alone, both women were holding their breath.

A moment later, Lady Christy opened the door. He looked worse for wear, his clothing disheveled and his hair a bit unkempt.
"Oh, Jude, it's so good to run into you here! You have no idea how long I've been trying to contact you! The matter is quite urgent, desperately so, and I... I'm ashamed to have to come to you at such an hour to inquire but- I must ask you before it tears me up any further-"
And he was wringing his hand and pacing all about, and then noticed the nearly empty bottle of whisky and gestured towards it, "May I?" It seemed he needed a drink before saying what he was about to reveal...

Jude was surprised to find Lord Christy here before him, but he welcomed the man into the room regardless.  "Please, sir, help yourself," Jude said, handing him the whiskey bottle.  "I'm startled to find you here as well.  What brings you to my door?"

Taking a swig of whisky, then another, he finally looked Jude clean in the eyes.
"Jude... do you remember that ball we hosted and you attended with a woman by the name of Thames?"
And his eyes saw the registry within Jude's expression as he placed his hands upon his shoulder, all the while Renna nad Jinai watched from a crack in the closet, Renna then peering up at the other woman.

"Jude.. I have to find her. I've been searching for her ever since, but it's as if she just disappeared. And I hesitated to contact you I... I figured one of your associates might be able to help, lest Lady Christy were to know but... Gods man,  have to find her! That woman.." and he stared back into Jude's green eyes, his eyes wild and desperate. "She awakened a part of me I thought long forgotten, a part of me that wanted to live again. Angsar curse these old bones, but I must have her! I must find her! I at least must know if she feels the same way. Gods.. we... you.. you wouldn't understand, for you have many women yourself... but Lady Christy and I.. well... oh, it does not matter. The thing is, Lady Thames.. Do you know anything about her? Or where she might be now?"

And upon seeing Jude's hesitation, he quickly added, "And I can pay you. Lots of money, too. I just need to find her." And he gave Jude's shoulders a squeeze. "Please, I implore you. What do you know about Lady Thames and where I might find her now?"

If Jude didn't know any better, he could swear Arthur made it sound as if he were in love with the woman that had become Jinai's alter-ego at the ball.  Jude laughed a little at his claims and poured himself a glass of wine from the bottle he'd opened for Renna and smirked at the baron, after shrugging his hand from his shoulder.  "Your guess is as good as mine, I'm afraid, Mr. Christy," he murmured.  "I haven't seen nor heard from her in the last six months.  Last I heard she was going to back east with what new clientele she mustered during her trip west.

"But what's the big deal?  You seem so obsessed.  She seems to have made quite an impression," Jude chuckled and took a sip.  Though he appeared cool and collected outside, the very confession that another man wanted the 'Lady Thames' made Jude's skin crawl.  He'd made her after all, helped Jinai become the woman that Arthur was suddenly obsessed over.  But though he did not own her, the very prospect irked him.

The man's face fell.
"Are you sure? Are you certain that's what has become of her and you, nor any one else you can think of, might be able to point me in a general direction so I can atleast begin... begin to look?"
He loosened the collar of his attire and leaned forward, his eyes hopeful and tired.

Jude furrowed his brow in mild sympathy for the man.  Really it was mock sympathy but his cool face didn't show it.  "Why are you urgent to find her?  What happened to your wife?  I haven't heard much from her either.  Surely you're not looking to replace one with the other.  Are you?" he asked softly.

Lord Christy paled at his statement.
"I.." he said, his voice wavering, as he looked around the room. "I... well... it's... complicated." He said, setting his jaw. "And I'm not here to discuss... that." He said, clearing his throat and hardening his facade. "I just... I felt a connection and thought it was something to pursue, lest I regret it for the rest of my life." And the he observed Jude and inquired, "Have you never had such a feeling yourself? That something got away and.. you wish you had a second chance?"

Jude blinked at him for a few seconds, using a slow wine sip to bide him some time before responding.  "I have, actually," he admitted, feeling strange even to say the words.  "Felt that same kind of thing.  But such moments are rare in my line of work, and one often cannot afford it."  He blinked at Lord Christy for a moment before setting the glass down.  "Rumor has it that the Grand Duke is preparing a masquerade ball in the capitol not long from now.  I think I might be able to convince Lady Thames to attend.  Would that be acceptable to you?"

At this news, Lord Christy perked up.
"Why y-yes.. the ball but... but how? You.. you honestly think she'd come? You.. you might have connections? Is she here? In Uthlyn? Or Matron's Hallow?" He sat up now at the news, eyes sparkling as he stared back at Jude, thirsty for more news.

Jude laughed nonchalantly and took another drink of his wine.  "I think I could pull some strings.  But it's not going to be easy that's for sure.  She's quite elusive, isn't she?  Even in the short time I've known her.  But don't jump to any conclusions, Mr. Christy. I'm not making any promises, understand?  Besides, one can never really tell where she is.  She could be as far as the moon, or closer than we think.  She's a busy woman and never stays for long in one place.  But I'll see what I can do."

Jinai rolled her eyes at the comment,and Renna was keeping a hand over her mouth in order to stifle any giggles. Once Lord Christy was done with Jude, he shook on it, and even offered him some money on the spot.

"I can send the rest to your manor, but do remember to keep this little meeting between us." And he left out the door. And even still, Jinai and Renna remained silent in the closet, waiting for the 'all clear!'

Jude shook the man's hand and wiped it on a towel, after closing the door behind him.  He examined the whiskey bottle and tossed it aside, empty as it were.  "All right, you can come out now," he murmured as he approached the doors.  He opened it and stared at Renna who looked like she was about to burst with laughter.  "What's so funny?"

Renna dropped her hand away from her lips.
And out of the thousands of smart comments she could have made from that conversation, the first one she blurts out was, "So.. who's your second chance wish girl?"

Jinai rolled her eyes and shoved Renna over, and then proceeded to step over and around her.
"Stop fooling around Renna. I want the hell out of this closet!"

Jude just smirked at Renna as she was giggling like a maniac when Jinai pushed her way out of the closet.  Her wound looked like it was starting to bleed and he turned to help  Renna out of the closet despite her laughter.  "Wouldn't you like to know, you nosey little mouse," Jude laughed with her before setting her on the lounge.

"Oh, it doesn't matter!" she said, kicking her feet playfully off the side of the lounge as he tended t her. "I already know!" And she gave Jude a sweet as pie, innocent look as she batted her long lashes at him. "I think you're forgetting, no one can keep secrets from me!"

"Oh, yes, I'm aware," Jude smirked at Renna and suddenly leapt over her, jabbing fingers into her ribs lightly and neck.  "You nosy little mouse!  Why do you ask only to try make me spill the words from my lips? PFFFFFT!  Not happening darling!"  He ceased soon enough and smiled over to Jinai.  "Well, it seems you've made quite an impression on Lord Christy.  He's practically in love with you."  He sat up and gestured to her wound.  "Mind if I tend to it?"

Jinai had been purposely ignoring their antics and making herself at home on the settee. So when the questions came to her, she simply rolled her eyes at the comment about Lord Christy.
"Men are too easy," and then she added to his last question..
"My injury isn't that bad. I think I'll live."
And then proceeded to mke herself more comfortably int he chair.
"But there's been too much excitement for one night. We ought to all think about getting some rest..."

"But who can sleep after all of that!" Renna said excitedly "Besides, Jude was just about to admit he loves you!"

Jude nearly blushed at the comment and just laughed it off.  "I was not," he added.  "Besides, Jinai is right, we all should get some sleep.  I've got some extra blankets in the closet."  He pulled them out and took extra pillows from the bed and offered one to Renna and Jinai, blankets included.  Jude turned his gaze to Renna and gave her a playful glare.

And one he turned to Jinai, though his gaze softened, his thoughts still on Lord Christy's proclamations.  Of course Lady Thames had made quite an impression.  Jinai herself was impressionistic even on a simple courtesan like him.  He kept his eyes on her as he fixed his bed, almost as if he could see right through her.

As they settled in for the night Jude on his settee, and Renna and Jinai in the bed, Jinai couldn't help but stare over at Jude and after a moment asked, "So there's a ball?" she inquired, clearing her throat. "What kind of a ball?"

[They WOULD make Jude give up the bed!]

Jude fluffed the pillow underneath him, having dressed down into little more than undergarments to sleep comfortably.  He laid down, turning down the oil lamp beside him, the liquor swirling in his brain and summoning his tired eyes to grow heavy.  At Jinai's voice, he opened them tiredly and blinked at her though the dark.  "Yes, a ball to be thrown by the Grand Duke himself.  A masquerade to be more precise.  Could be fun.  You think you might want to go?"

Jinai went quiet as she thought it over.
"A masked ball?"
She made a face, and stared at him through the darkness before stating, "And didn't you already promise I'd be there?"

"I did not, actually.  I told Christy I would try, but that is no guarantee," Jude chuckled.  "But I suppose what I'd really like to ask you is: Would you like to go - with me?"

Renna, who had been pretending to be asleep, giggled beneath the covers. Jinai kicked her with her bare foot before glancing over at Jude and settling back into the bed near Renna.

"I'll think about it." She said, and shot Renna another glare when she began to giggle again. Thinking it over she murmured out loud...
"So the Grand Duke is really dumb enough to think he's safe in hosting that sort of event? That takes a lot of balls, don't it?"

Jude heard the giggles and that must made him grin wider himself.  He chuckled and leered at Jinai through the dark, though he could barely make out her face as he did so.  "I doubt he's doing it because he wants to feel safe.  Quite the opposite don't you think," Jude replied softly.  "I'm sure it's more to flaunt his new position, because he can, and because the nobility always likes to have a good time.  And you would be awfully brave to attend.

"That's kinda hot if you think about it."  He laughed little and rested up on his elbow.

Jinai laid back against her pillow, chewing over what he said as she chewed on the inside of her cheek.  Then, after a long moment of quiet, her foot found Jude's before she kicked his leg.
"Good night." She said, sighing as she pressed her face into the pillow. "We can talk more about this later. This day has already been too damn long as it is."

Renna, stifling another giggle, called out, "Goodnight!" Before she too, settled in for a sleep.

Jinai's eventually drifted open as she thought over Jude's words.
Hot.. heh.
Maybe they could light the place on fire...

Damn nobles.

She reached quite a distance to kick his leg, but Jude reaction was only laughter as he laid back on the lounge, trying to get comfortable.  It was much smaller than he was used to, but Jude would make the best of it since the girls took the bed from him.  "Good night," he muttered.  "Don't let me bite...hard, anyway," smirking as he closed is eyes.

At his comment, a pillow came flying at his head from the dark.
A giggle later, and Renna's pillow joined it.

"Good night, male whore," Jinai said, and nestled back into the bed, closing her eyes and finding sleep. The next morning, Renna was up early, quickly dressing in whatever Jude could afford her before the group found its way back to Renna's place. By then, a report was made by the guard, the man noted and promised his description would be drawn up on wanted posters. Naturally, Jinai made herself scarce for this and remained in a nearby alleyway as Jude remained with Renna to give her report.

Though she was growing bored of it and eventually snuck into the house, seeing what remained after the fire.

The house was not as bad as Jude had expected.  Though it was feeble charred remains, it still stood, weakly so as little more than a frame and some bricks that withstood the flame, but for the most part was a shadow of its former glory.  When the guard was gone, Jude gestured to the house and carefully pushed open the door, which just fell as a result of the force.

"Maybe there's something we can salvage."

Renna followed in after him, looking around curiously to see where Jinai had gone (considering she was distracted earlier and hadn't seen the woman slip inside) So as the pair of htem walked through, she clung to Jude's arm and peered worriedly up at her charred, Uthlyn home.

"So much for my second retreat.."s he said with a sigh. "But it seems not much here can be saved. Even the silver tea pots are ruined." She siad, picking one up and then gasped and dropped it when she saw a figure come out from the shadows-

and Jinai came up behind Jude and poked him in the rib.
"Guess this is one thing we can't salvage. His ass is too big. We'll have to put it out with the debris."

Jude jumped at the poke and nearly drew a hand to Jinai.  But when he saw it was her, he visibly relaxed and actually blushed at her comment.  He grinned coolly afterward and slipped a hand along her own behind, shortly before slapping her ass.  "You could talk.  I could bounce a coin off that thing!" Jude snapped and turned back to Renna. "Among other things."

"I think I might be able to give you a proper getaway, Renna.  Maybe somewhere you could get away with your 'special friend' for a weekend.  Maybe a hotel somewhere south in the valley?  Though maybe it's too soon to say.  There'll be lots of apartments, lots more."

Jinai just rolled her eyes, but Renna actually blushed.

"Juuuuuude," she said between her teeth, and stepped on his boot. She looked around to make sure no one could hear them. Her house was pretty much one giant gaping hole of charred remains.

Jinai only smirks.
"Sounds like it might be fun." It was cute making Renna so red faced- considering normally Renna is the one doing all the teasing.

"Ouch!" Jude seethed and wiped his boot off the back of his pant leg before turning to Renna more seriously.  "I mean it, Renna.  You should get away for a while, at least before the ball.  And once you're in better company, me and Jinai could do some scouting around, try and find out why that asshole kidnapped you in the first place.  Well, maybe, she might have to...think about it first."

"I dunno.." Renna began with a frown, but Jinai quickly interjected.

"You and I.. scout around?" Jinai asked as she walked past the two of them. She folded her arms over her chest. "You know, you did one scouting mission with me and you think you can handle them all. You should probably leave this one to me. I could check around with my resources. See what information I might be able to find on that rat."

Jude quirked a brow at Jinai when she intercepted Renna's response and he just smirked at her.  He would not rebuke her, he simply took a step back and bowed to her.  "By all means, please!" he replied, smiling still.  "Forgive me for forgetting that you can do everything yourself.  I'll be your assistant should you need it, but please, be my guest, and take the lead.  Certainly didn't stop you in the tub."  He winked at her and chuckled.

It was Renna's turn to pinch Jude Armand as she gave him a playful glare.
"Really, Jude Armand!" she began, nose to air. "Ladies are present! You should be mindful of what you speak!"

"Yeah, talking about us fucking in the bath tub is not something meant for a lady's ears."

And it took every ounce of Renna not to giggle at the pair of them.
"Oh, you two!" She said, moving forward to hug them all in a nice, group hug. "Just invite me when you get married. And I expect your first born girl to be named after me! That's all I'm saying." And she gave the pair of them a wink.

It was Jude's turn to feel awkward at the group hug as Renna's arms wrapped around both of them.  And he just gave a chuckle and smiled at Jinai and Renna and hugged them back, though he didn't feel into it.  Particularly at the mention of first born and marriage.  "Right, Renna, because courtesans marry every day and all that," he muttered, clearing his throat.

"Though that does raise a question.  Jinai...you do have more of that serum, right?  Right!?"

Jinai was pushing away from the hug, and just a few steps awy when she paused and raised her head. Her eyes went wide and her skin paled. And something that resemebled a curse spat out from her lips before she turned away from them and headed for the half-burned stairs.

"I'll... be right back."


Blinking, Renna looked up at Jude.
"You mean you didn't... you know, at the end?" Then she gasped when she read his expression. "JUDE! I thought all courtesans were smarter than that! Oh!" and her eyes were so wide as she stared after Jinai. "And all of my serums were in this house!"


And Jinai could hear that remark as she was climbing her way up the trecherous stairs like a monkey, growling beneath her breath, "Yeah, so were mine."

"Yeah, blame me!  She attacked me first!  And then we just lost track from there!  It happens!  But-but don't worry!  I'm sure we'll figure something out.  There are lots of brothels and courtesans here in the city.  I do have friends when you need them, you know," Jude argued defensively. 

Renna frowned and looked a bit worried before she elbowed him in the gut.
"You should at least help her look! Or you might really have a baby, Jude!"

But they might not have to worry about that, as Jinai's foot suddenly caught on a loose piece of wood, and she fell right through the steps..
or rather in them, as she managed to latch onto what was left of the stair infront of her, her legs dangling through the new hole as she growled.

"A little help here?"

Renna looked up at Jude.
"Go tend to your woman!" she said with a push.

She didn't have to tell him twice when Jude came over to where Jinai was hanging.  He guessed little Miss Do-It-All-Herself, couldn't really do it all herself.  But he said nothing of the matter, just had another look of victory in his eyes when his hand reached down, and grabbed her wrist, pulling her up and through the hole as best he could.

"You should be more careful.  This isn't a place to be looking for spare bottles of that stuff.  This whole building will cave in on us," he grunted with effort before pulling her through, nearly falling in himself. 

"Come on you two, stop fooling around. This house is too dangerous to play in. I'll just have to wait outside until... my guest shows up."

Jinai shot Jude a look before pushing him lightly.
"You heard the woman. Let's get out of her home and figure out what we ought to do with ourselves. Though stopping at a brothel might not be a bad idea."A nd she said the last part under her breath.

Jude pulled Jinai in against him.  He was close enough to at least hear the last part of her response.  He looked at her knowingly, as if he could read her mind, but he just frowned at her a little.  "A brothel would be a good place to get a batch of that serum.  I can hear carriage wheels approaching as we speak.  Let's make ourselves scarce," he smiled to her just a little before letting her go.

He stepped out from the building after Renna and held a hand out for Jinai to help her down from the steps.  Of course, he mostly expected her to do it herself.

Once they were outside of the house, goodbyes were spared as Jinai slipped into a nearby alley. She could hear the carriage, and peered around the bend with a smirk. As expected, it was Oakley Brennick.

"Come on. Maybe if we get to a brothel early enough, we can get a free ride." Though it was hard to tell if her comment was a jest or not.

"I don't know.  Free isn't always as good as it sounds."  Jude remarked, fixing the lapels on his jacket, peering at Jinai out the corner of his eye.  "Why do you like brothels so much?  I mean, are they just to get your kicks?  Or do you get something out of it too?  Like help them out when they're too busy."

Jinai didn't look over her shoulder as she took the lead down the narrow street.
"A lot of the whores are my customers," she stated simply. "I make a lot of my own opiates and well.. "she shrugged. "A lot of my business comes from those girls. Either they're the patrons, or the men. It's the only way I get money. It's not much, but enough to live on." She didn't need much anyways. If she was at a brothel, she could find a room easily- but whoring herself out, being a whore with a whore, or jsut calling in a favor.
She could also call in favors elsewhere, but she could also camp out, or take homage just about anywhere. Most men didn't pass up a free lay.

"I see," Jude said with a nod.  It didn't take much understanding to know what she meant.  He himself had been through such a thing back when he first started in the business.  But his mistress had been different and saw potential in him where most would not, he could do better than being stuck in a disease-infested bordello.  It took practice, to develop the right clientele, meet the right people, and look the right part.  But in the end nobody owned him, and that was what mattered most.  They were on their way soon enough.

Because prostitution was such a high priced industry in Uthlyn, many brothels sought to maintain a standard of cleanliness and gentility - in a manner of speaking.  "Lead on, my lady," Jude smirked to Jinai and he kept his eyes open, for more reasons than one.

Little Red Bell was one of the busier brothels in Uthlyn. Located in the center of the city, but just enough out of the way not to tar Uthlyn's appearance, Jinai strolled right in through the front door and was greeted by a few familiar faces.

"Jinai, what brings you in today? Pleasure or business?" And the woman's eyes took in Jude appreciatively.

"Both? Though I'd like to speak to Windy, if she's in."

The woman nodded.

"She's booked with a man, but if you would like to wait for her, I can find the pair of you a room until then."

Jude bowed his head a little at the woman who greeted them.  He let Jinai take care of the speaking and he just stood as a pretty ornament beside her, eyes checking her out from behind for the moment and reaching a hand down the small of her back where she'd been stabbed.  It was a ghostly touch and he didn't actually make contact with it.

"A room would be suitable, thank you," Jude remarked, nodding to the woman and winking at her.  They were led upstairs and the woman handed Jinai the key, dropping it into her hand and laughing as she turned.

"Have fun."

It was as the key dropped into her hand that she noticed the tattoo on Isabella's hand. Jinai's eyes went wide for a moment before they cooled.
"Thanks. We will." ANd she lead Jude into the room with her before closing hte door and looking him in the eyes.
"Isabella is one of them. She has the same mark on her hand."

Jude cursed quietly at Jinai's words, hating that he hadn't noticed first.  "Damn Ansgar," Jude whispered and looked to the door as if the woman could see right through it and was listening to their very word.  "Then perhaps fate has put us here at the right moment."  He straightened and took the key from her, examining it carefully, but finding nothing of note.  "How long does she stay here?  All night?  Does she frequent anywhere else?  Maybe we should follow her and see where she goes."

Jinai raised a brow and dropped onto the bed, swearing when she recalled the damn stab wound.
"How the hell should I know? It's not like I'm here that often. Maybe once a month. So I don't know all the ins and outs of the girls." Moving to th eback of the room, she gave a knock to the wooden head board, and when a small wooden panel open, she grinned.

"Looks like we're in business." Ands he drew out a vial.
"Care for a little spin before business?"
It's been a while since she had a good drug, and this stuff was the good stuff. The whores only wanted the best.

"Gods what good are you then if you say you're going to scout out for answers but you're just going to laze about all morning?" Jude said cursedly.  "You were making such a big deal about it back at the house.  Why do you waste time with that junk anyway?  I get the need to get away once in a while, but - ah well, you don't care for anything I have to say anyway.  What's the use in arguing?"  He just sighed and shook his head, sitting down on a chair and taking a cigar out from his coat pocket, clipping it and lighting it. 

Jinai sat there for a moment, his words sinking in heavier than he'd know. She let the vial move between her fingers before she shrugged.
"Suit yourself." ANd knocked it all back herself.

Lazy? Sure. But she was the one always risking her neck.
Always looking for the dangerous route.
Always seekign the most dangerous loot.
The most dangerous answers.

Being lazy 'one morning' would hardly kill her....

Yet.
Besides,t he whore wasn't goign anywhere.


As the drugs settled in, she sighed, feeling hte warmth rush over her and her mind numb to it. It felt good to be carried away, to feel light as a feather, and have no cares in the world.

Jude was idly smoking, watching Jinai out of the corner of his eye, the drug taking her, and he leaned back in the chair.  The room was remarkably well-insulated and he could barely hear the creaking of mattresses and cries of pleasure that were always prevalent in a house of sin.  He watched Jinai again and narrowed his eyes in curiosity as the drug numbed her deeper and deeper.

Jude nearly fell asleep himself waiting for the prostitute named Windy to make her way to them, and he sat up a little when he heard the door knob jiggle, slowly opening.  But nothing prepared him for the surprise that laid behind it.  Three men came bursting through the door, masked with various animal faces as two struck Jude in the face and gut, making him both loose his breath and nearly black out, while the third tended to Jinai, socking her hard in the face to knock her out and throwing a black bag on her head.

Jude had dropped his cigar in the struggle, as he tried to fight with them, tossing a punch at one, but getting struck over the head by the other.  A bag was thrown over his head and soon he felt his consciousness fading, his voice ringing out a croaked call for Jinai as they were dragged toward the window and dropped out of the room toward men waiting for them in the alleyway.

Drugs or no drugs, Jinai wasn't going down without a fight. And while her head was swimming and her vision was starry eyed, and then blacked from the bag, she jerked around within her captures arms like a mule, and managed to nail one in the crotch while tearing away from the other.

They had already dragged her half into the alleyway, Jude's body not too far behind when she ripped off the bag and spotted the men in masks before they contained her again, slamming her up againt the walla nd pressing a knife to her throat.

"Alive!" One of them spoke. It was a woman's voice. Glancing into the masses, sehe couldn't see who it was, and her head was swimming too fast for her to focus. The animal faces were tripping her out, and her heart was beating heavily within her chest. "We need them both alive, don't forget that. Now quickly, knock them out. We don't need them to see anything."

She recognized that voice. Damn whore, and before she knew it, a fist was slugged into her stomach and she doubled over, before a kick nialed her temple and the lights went out.

So much for that.

Where they were being taken, no one could know, not even Jude.  All he could tell were the faint scents that surrounded him, some of his cigar, some of a mildew scent, another of fire, when they were thrown into the wagon.  Already, Jude was coming to and he could feel the wagon lurching and squeaking as he leaned left then right, feeling the turns as they came.  He said nothing, and heard only brief dialogue between their assailants.

"You flash a blade one more time, I'm taking your hand.  You violate note only orders, but the Master as well," said the female voice.

"No, it was just a reaction, honest!  Don't tell him -" a male voice muttered.

"I won't," she replied.  "But take that as a warning."

She finished with a growl and soon moved from the rear of the wagon up to the front, stepping around the bound forms of Jinai and Jude.  They were at least together for that moment and when the jostling stopped, Jude hade a feeling they'd reached their destination, or so he thought.  There was some shuffling and soon their forms were lifted from the back of the wagon and threw in the back of another wagon, quickly and discreetly as far as he knew and soon they were rolling down a calmer street.

Jude was breathing hard in order to remain calm, or at least give the illusion he was under distress.  He supposed it was easier for Jinai with her head swirling with that damn drug.  And only then did he regret not taking a swig of it himself.  He took deep breaths and soon he felt himself pass out once more.  Only when the sack on his head was abruptly taken off in somewhere dark and dank did he wake up.

He felt his nose had been bleeding and the blood dried on his lip and he was tied to a chair, with Jinai behind him, much in the same position.  Their captors kept their masks on, but vacated the dimly lit room.  Jude coughed hard and turned his head to Jinai behind him, who had been positioned facing the opposite wall.  "Jinai, are you all right?"

It was a bumpy ride, that was for sure, and the moment Jinai awoke, she had a splitting head ache and struggled against the ropes. Nope. Definitely was tied to tight. Sighing irritably, her ears perked up at his question as she tried to peer back at Jude from over her shoulder.

"About as good as I can be. The damn drugs are already wearing off and my head feels like they took a shovel to it." And for all she knew.. they did.

Jude sighed and felt his limbs throbbing at the ropes that bound them, blood trying to seep through.  "Gods, this place smells like a fucking pig pen.  I knew I knew that shit smell before.  And before you make any snide remarks, I grew up on a farm, remember!?  Tch, what the hell do they want with us anyway?"  It was not a question directed at her as he looked around them and then down to his suit.  "Shit, that stain will never come out."

Jinai rolled her eyes. "I think the last think we ought to worry about is your suit. Now look around to see if you can find any clues. But damn is this place ever smelly." She wrinkled her nose and after a moment, had to say, "I bet you smelled like this all the time." She smirked. "Miss your home since we're here?" Where ever here was.

"Nonsense, I smelled like junipers and raspberries," Jude added sarcastically.  "There's not much to see on my side how bout yours?  The room's brick obviously with a small water grate in the corner.  Maybe big enough for a small child to wiggle through though."

"Guess your fat ass won't fit. Looks like we're stuck here then cause all I can see are bricks, bricks and more bricks," she said, sighing and really wishing she had something to drink to knock this head ache away. That, and she kind of had to pee . She wriggled against the ropes and swore.
"Well, got any bright ideas?"

"Yeah, stop talking.  You're draining all the air in the room,"  Jude wiggled his hands a little and nearly pried a hand free when the door suddenly opened and a hooded man followed by three acolytes behind him entered the room.  Jude stared up at them for a moment blinking.  "Can I help you gentleman?" he asked cooly.  But the only response was a prompt slug to the face.

"Youwill speak when the Master addresses you!" the hooded man declared.

Jinai craned her neck to get a good look as to what was going on. SHe would have commented smartly at the men herself, but he rhead was pounding and she'd rather not get a second head ache to contend wiht the first, so she simply stared at the group that approached, expectantly.

Another uninstigated slug slammed across Jude's face and he felt his jaw nearly crack from the force of it.  His chair almost tipped, but the ropes kept him in place.  "All right!  What do you want?!  Who the hell are you guys?"

"You should know well enough," answered the hooded man.  "But we are the ones asking the questions.  You know the one we seek.  We have seen you in her presence.  And you will tell us where to find her.  You will tell us everything we want to know."

Jude spat blood at the man, which promptly landed on the robe.  "Like hell I will," he snapped, grinning through bloody teeth.  He closed an eye, wincing, half expecting retribution, but was surprised when the man merely brushed the spit off his robe and smiled beneath the hood.

"Please, Isabella, give our guests here a warm introduction," the hooded man smiled, one that gave Jude an unpleasant shiver, before exiting the room with the other behind him, leaving the woman behind.  She grinned and pulled a match out from her side, striking it against the wall and moving toward the water grate.  Or what Jude had thought was water and dropped it into the liquid.  immediately the room was surrounded in leaping flames and the woman made a hasty exit for the door, locking it behind her.

At the sight of hte fire, Jinai jumped with the chair.
"Shit!"
Glancing all around, she tried to look for something... anything that they could use for a hasty escape.
"We need a knife or something sharp!"
And if she believed it, a prayer or two! "Maybe if we can get out of these ropes we can at least find some sort of escape." Or so she could only wish!

Jude didn't waste anytime, trying to wiggle his way out of the ropes, and soon, the sweat from his hand and palm allowed his hand to be freed.  Unfortunately, Jude didn't have much in the way of a blade on him, but the removal of his hand allowed the ropes to be loosened significantly and he quickly worked to loosen the knot on his belly.  "WIGGLE!  WIIIIGLE!"

OOC: IT took me some time to reply to this because like-...
"WIGGLE! WIGGLE!" makes me.. GIGGLE GIGGLE

--------

Her head shot up.
"What? Do you think I'm a damn worm? Wriggling in these ropes is only making it tighter!" she growled and gave a heavy kick to the ground- and hta'ts when she realized... with another kick, "JUDE!" she kicked it again. "This floor board is loose!"

Where wiggling was doing nothing for Jinai, it was working wonders for Jude.  Or so he hoped.  He managed to undo the knot around his waist but struggled to loosen his feet.  When she called attention to the floor boards, Jude thought quickly.  "Jump on three.  One two three!" He forced his chair upward, gaining some air and the floorboards creaked some more from their combined weight.  "Again!"  If the chair wouldn't break the floorboards would.  He just hoped it was before the fire engulfed them both.

Jumping on three like an idiot, Jinai was begging to panic, the flames quickly smoldeirng around the, and making it almost too hot to breath. Her body, already slick and hot with sweat, was strained from their actions- and on the final three she let out a gasp as her boot wnet through th efloor board, and her chair- broke in two.

Once the chair had broken, Judes splintering beneath his weight which was more than hers, he landed with a grunt of effort and quikly removed the loosened rops around his ankles, coughing and taking off his jacket to wrap around Jinai's face and mouth to keep her from inhaling too much smoke.  He wasted no time, pulling up the floorboards and throwing Jinai into the darkness, jumping down after her, as fire finally consumed the room above them.

Had she more time to prepare, she would have landed better, but naturally, she landed with a .. "Shit." She twisted her ankle and buckled forward, catching onto the rotten walls below. Thankfully, these were made of stone, not just wood. She took a moment to heft Jude's jacket above her nose and peered over at him, before looking around and trying to see her way through the dark.
"There. A door!" and she moved over towards it, but cursed when she realized it was locked. Or worst yet.. jammed.

The rare momens where having a man around was advantageous to a woman rather than hindering, Jude, after a severe coughing stint, rammed his shoulder into the wood, once, twice, to no avail.  The smoke had gotten the better of him, but he wouldn't let it slow him down.  So he backed up and heaved his foot against the lock, bashing it through, the door swinging ajar.

Hobbling over to his side, she grinned beneath his jacket and patted him on the shoulder.
"Shoulda used that ass, it woulda gone quicker. Now come on, let's get the fuck out of here."

Jude just smirked at her then went through the door that lead through a long subterranean tunnel.  The air was dank and cold, but at least the smoke was gone.  And when the hooded man and his acolytes broke through the door into the flaming room, and was surprised to find their prisoners gone.  "Find them.  NOW!  We cannot let them escape!"

"Ugh, where do you think this place leads?" Jinai said, now using his jacket to keep his scent by her nose, rather than the dank, putrid smell of the tunnel. "I hope not the sewer..." and just as luck would have it.. the tunnel opened up into the sewer. "Damn it." she hissed, looking down at hte mucky waters hen back at him. "Gentleman, first."

Jude rolled his eyes and just moved the grate and shoved her inside before moving the heavy lid over them.  Darkness completely surrounded them as they ventured further down; but, it seemed like this was the outward tunnel with a draft that came and gusted the stench at them.  "God!  Share that jacket would ya!?" Jude complained as they trudged through the muck.

"But you gave it to me," Jinai said, jerking her arm away as she kept the jacket stuffed over her nose. "And besides, watch your step! OUCH! That was my foot! Ick.. and now there's shit all over my boots." Literally. "I'm goign to need a bath after this."

"BAH!  Fine!  Keep it then!"  Jude made a face and took his own shirt off and stuffed the inside of it against his mouth and nose, but it did little to help him since it was pretty much soaked.  Instead he just held it underneath his arm and pressed onward until they reached what felt like a ladder up on a wall.  "Here, we can try here!" he said, nudging her to go first.  He waited and listened to see if they were being followed and with it seemed the coast was clear, he followed her up.

As she climbed up the ladder, she felt the need to tell him, "I know we're going up a ladder Jude.. but, do you really have to look up my skirts?" She loved being a sarcastic ass, and smirked beneath his jacket and continued up the way. Once she got t the top, it lead them to a city street, but she wasn't sure which section. She'd have to get her barings. Turning back, she offered a hand down to Jude to help him onto the street.
"Come on, big boy, let's get you out of that shit hole."

Jude just smirked at her, faced blackened from the dirt, grime, and muck they had just crawled through.  "Yeah, yeah, don't get your knickers in a twist," he griped and climbed up the greasy ladder until they were up on the street level.  He slid the grate back into place and quickly ducked into an alley, trying to clean his face off on what part of the shirt wasn't covered in.  "Gods be damned!  it's like eleven blocks from here to the hotel," he grumbled. 

Jinai just elbowed him.
"Yeah, and I get to stare at you while you're half dressed the whole way," she quipped, and placed her hands behind her head and simply.. watched him- even doing it in such a way she had to walk backwards.
Ah, it was just too much fun to troll the stinky courtesan but he had some nice muscles, what could she say?

"Oh, quit it, would ya!" he gouched and hacked.  Jude felt like he was going to be sick and when he thought his stomach was going to empty out of that morning's breakfast, he was disappointed when it was little more than a dry-heave in the corner, behind a crate and barrel.  "Gods."  He wiped his mouth and tossed the shirt over one shoulder.  He looked up at her with reddened eyes from the dry-heaving.  "You're enjoying yourself aren't you?"

And despite him being sick, se leaned casually against a building and just took in his form.
"What? I might as well enjoy the view. By the way, thanks for the jacket. I'll make it up to you later, now come on."

Just when he thought he was finally gonna puke, they were on the move again.  He only saw the street, "Corvin," he grumbled and hated the fact that he looked like he just lost a fight with a mud bath as he walked.  He stayed beside Jinai and did his best to stay casual.  "God, people are looking at me," he groaned to himself.  "And not in a good way.  Thank god I'm on vacation."

"No, you need a bath," she stated, pinching her nose as they approached the hotel. "But you know, if any of those people knew who you were.. we'd best be careful. I don't think we ought to stay in this hotel, and we might want to make sure Renna gets out of this city, too."

"Hm, you do have a point.  While I don't think they know me, I'm not about to take that chance," he sighed as they reached the back entrance.  "Let's just get cleaned up first.  Then we'll get to Renna."  Once they were up the servant stairwell, when the coast was clear, Jude opened the door to his room and immediately threw the shirt in the garbage.  "No use keeping that.  Same with the pants.  I like that suit too," he grumbled and reached for the buckets of water in the washroom and placed one in the fire place to warm up, fumbling with the wood.

Jinai didn't waste a minute before throwing her own dress off, though she was more casual with it, just letting it drop into the fire.
"Yeah, no sense in keeping something that smells like shit." ANd hse peered over at him and smirked at his form. "Too bad having sex right now would be gross." she said, taking in his body before she moved over to idly poke the waters as they began to heat up.

Jude smirked and snorted a little from laughter.  "You've got a point there," he muttered, with a smirk, slipping off his belt before throwing it into the fire place.  The pants went with it and he danced around like he had ants crawling up his butt, feeling icky from all the grime.  "Gah!  This is horrible!"

Jinai rolled her eyes.
"The water's warm enough. Let's just get bathed nad be done with it." And she looked around. "Where are the soaps?" ANd hse began to rummage around through the room.

"Yeah, yeah," Jude muttered and winced a little as he pulled the water out of the fireplace and walked over to the tub.  He filled it and pointed to the small vials and bottles across the tub.  "There.  You go on ahead.  I'll go after you."

Jinai gave a smug grin. "How gentlemanly." And she wasted no time in slipping into the waters- and she indulged, taking her sweet time lathering up in slick oils and letting herself soak.
"I could probably die like this and I'd be ok with it," she murmured with her eyes closed.

But thankfully Jude wouldn't let her and sat in front of the fire place, warming up the next bucket of water.  He moved toward the door knocked on it.  "You finished yet?" he called out.  "Do I have to pull you out of there?"

Jinai groaned and leaned back in the tub.
"Give me fifty more minutes."
She could use a nap..
The tub was rather comfy, after all.

"Hey!  It doesn't take long to scrap grime off you!  Get out, or I'll scrap it off you myself!" he called through the door.  "The water's getting really hot!  C'mon!"

Jinai naturally took her time, and when she DID leave the bath, she slipped a towel around her body and stepped out of the room, working at wringing out her hair.
"It's all yours, stinky." She said, and made sure to avoid stepping near him.

"Hm, right!" Jude grumbled, and quirked a brow, watching the towel hug her wet form and he grinned.  He grabbed a cloth and then pulled the handle of the water pail out of the fire and took the empty bucket as well.  But before he went into the wash room, he looked at her slyly and reached forward, snatching the towel from her behind and snapping her butt cheeks with it before slamming the door behind him.

He cleared the tub of the filthy water and refilled it with the clean hot water, and soon slipped inside, eagerly scrubbing the muck from his body.

How rude of him! Well, she had nothign better to do except wait..
and now that hse was towelless, she simply sat on the edge of his bed, naked, adn brushed out her hair.

Jude was physically exhausted and nearly fell asleep in the warmth of the water, but when he finally scraped and washed away the last bit of grime, he stepped out of the water, sopping wet and shook off what remained, before taking a dry towel and stepping out, as nude as Jinai was, running the towel over his head.  "Gods that's much better.  Much."

Reclining back on his bed, she took in his form and smirked.
"I agree."

Jude peered at her with one eye through a fold in the towel and removed it from his head.  He eyed her, and a small smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth.  He brushed his hair back and peered at her own form, admiring her curves.  Though she was partially wet, it only served to make her all the more alluring, as he eyed beads of water slowly coming down her belly.

"You clean up nice," he smirked at her, setting the towel on a settee and striding toward the other side of the bed, throwing himself down, landing on his belly, his body tired beyond all reason.  "You're not too singed are you?" he asked, eyeing her from the side.  "How is your back wound?  Do you need me to look at it?"

Smirking, Jinai simply admired his form on the bed and only shrugged at his words.
"I don't know.." and her eyes lingered down the muscle of his back. Damn.. and she was banging this? Maybe this relationship wasn't all that bad....

"Maybe I should take a look.  Would you mind very much?" Jude grinned at her.  He propped a pillow up under his chin and he motioned her to roll over.  "Just a quick peek.  I won't touch it if you don't want me too."

Touch what? Jinai grinned at her dirty thoughts before shrugging and rolling over. Might as well...
Though as he looked at it, she flinched. "Damn knives."
And if he'd look closely, he'd be able to note a lot more marks from scars than just the fresh wound from the knife.

Jude turned his body a little to get a better look at her wound.  The stitches seemed to hold up, thankfully, and it was surprisingly clean after all the muck they went through.  Jude leaned over her, though didn't touch it and spied the other scars all across her back.  Those, his free hand ghosted over, lightly tracing them along her spine and shoulder blades.  "You're quite the outdoorsy type I take it.  It's written all over you," Jude guessed, peering at her from the corner of his eye.

Jinai shrugged.
"I get around." And she idly itched her fingers across the bed.
"I try to be stealthy, but some situations you just get.. stuck."
Or stabbed.

He chuckled and laid his hand softly against her back.  "I can imagine.  I bet you have some stories to tell.  Um...not that you'd tell me, I guess."  His face gave her a soft blush and he gently massaged the muscles of her back.  His hands were large and strong and gentle along her upper back, away from her wound.  "Good new is your wound hasn't opened up, despite those lunatics.  You're very lucky."  He smiled at her and soon his other hand joined in massaging her back and shoulders.

Jude's hands felt like heaven on her back, and she was a puddle of goo within seconds of his ministrations. Sighing, she let herself just melt into the bed, closing her eyes lightly as her entire body warmed at the touch. THen, after a while of being silent and stirring over many thoughts inside her head, she whispered, "Fuck me." And she turned to peer over her shoulder at him from on the bed, her wet hair half covering one eye.

OOC: they have such a special relationship XD

[That's one classy gal. xD]

But it was a whisper Jude had missed as he turned to sit beside her, the pillow over his lap, leaning over the side and gently kept massaging his fingers into her back until he reached low enough toward the small of her back.  "Gods, you're so tense.  Relax, dear," he muttered and pressed his palms against the muscles around her hips.

Jinai sunk her teeth more deeply into her lower lip as he ignored her. Her eyelids hung low, her body, still tense, felt good to his touch, and after a time, she simply turned around and looked up into his face and commanded, with one hand to his waist. "Kiss me." And her eyes were unyielding an dbold as they bore into his. "I want to fuck."

OOC: yeeep- classy >_>'

Jude's smile gently faded when she turned to him with her demand, an unusual proposal, but one he wasn't sure he could deny her.  "Ookay," he breathed.  He laid down beside her, unsure which direction to start with.  But hesitation was short lived as he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, in growing hunger, kissing her fully on the mouth.  "Are you sure you won't upset your back wound?" he smiled at her, feeling along her side, taking a breath and kissing her at a different angle.

"I don't care," she said, almost growling as she held onto his face, kissing him back and letting her hands smooth down to grip to his shoulders. "Just kiss me, get me heated, I'm all riled up over the day and I just want to scream."
Clearly, sex was the best way, and she moved to kiss him, harder now as her hand smoothed down his back. "Besides.." she said, after digging her teeth into his lips, finger nails now digging into his back. "I like it rough."

"I like the way you think," Jude chuckled and kissed her hungrily, tasting every part of her mouth as he could.  His hands ran all across her body and he grunted over the wounds she had just caused in his back just the day before in the tub.  "Fresh scratches," he whispered against her lips, his hands reaching up the sides of her stomach and he grabbed her breasts, pressing his palms against them, leaning his body over her and covering her with his body.

Jude Armand was a god, his hands warm, his body rock solid and his dick- well... it was hard to describe a man's dick without going into too much detail about length of thickness or even girth, but his? Well.. he was well endowed in every respect, and to feel his sex prodding at her drove her crazy when their bodies met. Curling her legs around his waist, she gasped and groaned over her wound, but was quickly moaning as her hands raked through his hair and her body bucked slightly, feeling and letting his sex smooth against hers. She was already hot, and soon, was beginning to moisten as she breathed, and moved and kissed him.

Her breath, her moans, her touch was just enough to drive any man crazy with desire.  But she drove him insane.  He wanted her then more than he wanted any other woman and he pressed is body over hers, carved and exquisitely built.  She was warm and well-built, so unlike the other women that constantly threw themselves at him.  But all those thoughts were forgotten and all that mattered was them in that room. 

Though his sex could feel her warmth hunger for his, and he for hers, he refused entry at least until he had as sufficient feel, to make her quiver with an unshakeable fever.  His hands moved down toward her hips, gripping her flesh, pressing his own fingers into her skin, when one explorative reached down to feel her softness, to gently massage her while the other pulled her legs tighter around his hips.  "Gods," he breathed against her skin.  "Jinai..."

Jude Armand- what a tease, but what a tease it was. She loved it and reveled in the sensation, dragging her leg down along his as her lips met to his with hasty, lustful need. As his fingers worked into her, she angled herself so he could find just the right spots-
and when he did, her lips pulled away from his as she released a breathless gasp.

Oh, yes, he loved to tease her, loved to feel her body, loved to hear her shiver and quiver underneath his touch.  He loved making her feel good, making her feel wanted, and needed and boy did he need her.  He worked his hand deeper into her until she was slicker than the wash room floor after both of their baths.  He breathed against her lips as she gasped, moving his mouth toward her neck and sucking on the soft skin there.  "Oh, Jinai, you taste so good.  You smell wonderful" - especially after the bath.  When his hand had ignited enough, he fitted his sex slowly into hers, teasingly and enjoying every second of it.

By the time Jude was done fingering her, she had just about coaxed his entire fist in there. And Gods had it felt good. She had whimpered when he finally left, her sex soaked, sore and eager. And when he pulled himself more closely upon her, she breathed softly, melted into the bed and easily spread her legs.

The best part of sex was always the initial contact- and the thrust and pull- the height of each end. So when his tip pressed into her, her gasp was so light, but when his full swollen erection was cramed inside, she was already releasing a deep throaed moan. Finger nails dug into his skin, teeth int his shoulder as she tensed her inner walls around him and felt him pound into her and move through her body like hot velvet. The sensation was so intense, and her body, tensing and aching as she moaned nd groaned and breathed his name.

And she was so riled up, she needed more and more as he fucked her, adn eventually, she coaxed his fingers to slip inside her along with his cock.
"See if you can't fit your dick and hand in there," she growled. "Just see what all you can fit."

He was already on a roll and unsure he wanted to even to pause to breathe, but her request set him into a frenzy and he obeyed, fitting his hand in beside his member, in an awkward position.  There was little room with what space his massive member had taken up, but he slipped in as much as he could, gently pushing his fingers against the softness of her walls.

"Oh, Jinai!" he moaned.  He didn't want to hurt her, but he had a feeling whatever pain might come of it, would easily just melt away into pleasure.

Jude was right- the initial pain had come and gone, and her body burned for it and hungered for more. Eventually, she was helping coax his fingers, and a few o fher own, as she smiled with her eyes closed as he fucked.
"Gods.. Jude..."
She needed all the wild sex she could get. The day had been terrible and well-
Jude knew just every angle to make her scream.

Thankfully it wasn't the only position Jude could coax her in as they moved in union with one another.  He turned her around, guided her like he had on the first night and the many nights afterward they'd made love, and though he was out of breath and tired in his own right, he wanted her to call his name, to hear her cry out, and to fall in a satisfied heap against the bed.

Somehow, unsure exactly, he ended up underneath her and he was holding her hips flush to his, moaning her name, lost to her sensations.

What position hadn't they tried? Missionary, submissionary, cautionary, who knew! She would do him like a dog if she had a dick, and let him take her all the same. Eventually she was all over him, back arching as he lay beneath her and she rode him hard.
"Gods, JUDE!" she cried out, bucking her hips and gripping onto his shoulders. As she leaned back at just a small enough angle- his dick was hittin gjust baout all of her sweet spots-
and she rode him wild, thrusting him into her as her body devoured him, again and again. Eventually, her sex had become so swollen, her actions so sharp that the burning sensaton of pleasure pooling inside her began to intensify until it was over the top.
And seh tossed her head back- ad screamed until her throat was sore, rode him until her sex was s0re and eventually, collapsed into a sweaty heap.
Her breath was haggard, herhair a mess all over the place and she, just lay all over him, enjoying the smell of his musk and the hot temperature of his flesh.

She rode him hard enough to make his own body rock and roll to the very force of her violent rhythm, but it was the only thing that could momentarily stop the insanity of his own desire.  He'd been taken before, but not like this, and he nearly bit his lip through in trying to stifle a moan to no avail.  She made him scream just as she did, writhing underneath her and cumming hard when it was all done.  So much for the baths, he thought with a satisfied smirk when at last she lay on him, their sexes still interlocked, as he spread his limbs out exhaustedly.

"J-jinai," he managed to breathe.  "Maybe I should ask where you learned to do that, but maybe I shouldn't.  I'm just glad you did it."  He laughed humorously and his arm latched around her, holding her to him, as he worked to catch his breath.  "Gods be damned woman, you nearly killed me."

Jinai gave an appreciatively smirk as he gazed up at him through a mess of hair.
"I've fucked way too many men, women and boys." she said with a shake of her head. "It kidn of helps when I started pretty young at this." After all, her brother's friends were horny bastards but hey- she had to learn somewhere. And the sex at the time, albeit sloppy- felt good, so she couldn't complain. She liked sex. It's just how it was, and with the righ tpartner... it was easy to find a way to make it the best thing in the world.

And for her...
with all the men she's ever had, all of the kinky twists she had done...
he and her sex was always, always, great.
She never had to fake it, and they just moved in tune with one another..
It was.. great..
and a silent way for her to connect with him for th eother ways she lacked.

"And I can't believe I've really impressed a courtesan," she said wiht a roll of her tired eyes.

"Oh, really?  Me too.  Well, not the boys part.  Men get too messy too fast.  Women are always the harder challenge.  But worth it in the end.  I think you know well by now, I like challenges," Jude laughed again and peered down at her, brushing her hair from her face.  His eyes took her in like a fine wine and he smiled sweetly at her, in a way he never really smiled at anyone else.  "You're beautiful you know that?  And don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise," Jude said and leaned his face up enough to kiss her softly on the lips.  "And yeah, you impressed me.  I never shy away from a proper learning experience."  He smiled and slumped his tired body back against the bed, chuckling a little.

"I think we might have to burn these sheets.  The hotel won't want them back."

The look Jude was giving her stirred butterflies in her belly, and some sort of sensation through her veins. She remained laying over top o fhim fo ra moment, too stunned and tense to move. Eventually, she blinked nad looked overa t him, smiling a bit more genuinely, but still the normal, classic, Jinai little smirk.

"Well, I guess that's good for me. I could use a fuck buddy," she teased, her eyes sparkling back before she cast them away- lest he see something she'd rather he not.

Her comment set in a fit of giggles and Jude peered at her through sparkling eyes.  "Oh, is that so?  Then I guess that would perfectly define our relationship.  Not that I mind so much."  He smirked at her.  "I don't want to be tooting your own horn too much, but if you can make my own eyes roll in the back of my head, then yes, I've say you've garnered a fuck buddy.  Congratulations.  You should be proud!  Jude Armand never gives it away for free.  But for you, darling, I'd give it away in a heartbeat."

Jinai rolled her eyes.
"So is that your game? Just getting your jollies becuase you can finally fuck a girl for free?"

"They should be your jollies," he muttered.  "That dick don't come cheap!  And the fact that you make me feel like I don't have to worry about money...I...I kinda like it.  Like...maybe it's just us for a while.  It's nice."  He paused for a moment, feeling like it was gonna get real serious real fast and set himself to laugh a little, his laughter vibrating from his belly.  "I'm just saying, I like having sex with you.  I like you as a person, you make me laugh.  That's a good thing.  Few people can really make me laugh.  Do you think having jollies over getting me for free is really so bad?"

Jinai smirked and answered simply, "I never said it was a bad thing. I like to fuck." and she lazily rolled onto her side nad stared up at the ceiling, a hand draped across her fore head tiredly.

Jude hadn't expected an in depth reply and frankly was thankful he didn't recieve one.  Yet even so, her answer still left a lot to be desired, wondering if she ever thought about him on occasion, even in just a passing fleeting thought.  Acknowledgment at all, or was she just like the other women who came and went, to forget about him and move on with their lives.  But he found himself smiling at her anyway and laid on his belly, bunching the pillow underneath him.  He felt his tired eyes grow heavy.  But before he closed them, he peered at her and grinned.  "Good, so do I.  One more thing we have in common," he said.

In truth, Jinai had a lot on her mind but as.usual, kept her lips sealed. And for a while she lay there, nearly fallling asleep until finally she.reacted to hislast comment with a tired kick and smile.

Jude yelped and jumped up at the kick, turnin to her. "You gonna kick me!  Huh!?"  And his fingers furiously jabbed up and all over her sides and ribs. 

She made a face, wrinkling her nose before burying her whole body into the bed.
"Stop that." She said, swatting at him before giving him a heftier, less tired kick.

"Oh fine," he grumbled.  Jude still smiled and he leaned down beside her, kissing her cheek softly.  "You kick awfully hard.  Keep those pretty legs to yourself.  I'm tired."  He gave her one last smirk before closing his own eyes.

Jinai smirked, though it.was hidden as she got comfortable in the bed. It wasn't until she was almost asleep did she suddenly spring up and exclaimed, "We forgot about Renna!"

Jude peered up at her and sat up a little.  "Isn't she with that Oakley boy?  I'm sure she's fine," he said.  "But maybe we should check on her anyway." He slapped his face lightly to get the sleep out of him before getting up to get dressed.  "We can't stay in town for long, like you said."

"She is, but if those men were able to get us, I'm sure they could find a way to get to them. Come on," she said, and rolled out of the bed, looking for her clothes, or some semblance of clothes.

"You can pick something out of my bag if you want," Jude said, gesturing to it in the corner.  "I think you've worn all the dresses.  I only take two emergency dresses at any one time.  Renna has the other.  Or you can wear some pants if you'd like.  easier on the move."  He quickly dressed himself and was tucking his shirt into his trousers and looking around for a spare pair of boots.

Thinking to the offer of trousers, she nodded. "Alright." And moved to slip a pair on. They were kind of big,a nd she had to fasten it onto herself rather tightly with a belt, but once she had some semblance of an outfit together, she looked up at Jude and nodded, "Let's go."

Jude was ready as he every would by the time they left the room, and he locked the door behind him.  "Where did they say they were going again?  We can't hurry if we don't know where we're going."

"It's Renna and Oakley," she said with a shrug. "Probably to one of the gardens in town. And I know just the one, come on," and she gave a tug to his arm before making her way down to his carriage. Once inside, she instructed the coachman to head over to the Uthlyn Rose Gardens. And as expected, the moment they pulled out front and Jinai stepped outside, Renna was stepping outside, a bit flushed and doey eyed, as she grinned over at Oakley and didn't even notice Jude and Jinai approaching.

"Oh, Oakley, how I've missed you. I'm so glad you've come to stay with me for the week. But we'll have to get a room at the hotel. As you know, my place it well-"
And then she stopped dead in the middle of her sentence and gasped over at the sight of Jude and Jinai. As much as she love to tease others about their relationships, she was still a bit timid and over protective of her own. After all, it had to be kept a secret.

By the time Jude and Jinai reached where Oakley was hiding with Renna, Jude's mind was dizzy with thoughts, of where to take them, where they'd be safe from those men lurking all through out the city.  When he saw the young Oakley, the young slight boy with his curls almost too big for his face, he nearly wanted to laugh.  Thankfully he didn't.

Oakley gasped when he saw the pair and blushed a little.  But he smiled friendly-like, and gestured to Renna.  "Are these your friends?"

"Yes, and we can't stay long.  We should get moving as soon as we can," Jude answered in a swift breath, peering across to Jinai.  "There are more of them.  We just got away from one of their hideouts, I'm guessing is what it was."

Renna's eyes went wide as she gasped again,  a hand going to her lips.
"What happened?"

"It's a long story, but the pair of you are getting into our carriage. Come on." And she gave both of the kids a shove.

[How old would Renna be by this point in the time line?]

Jude followed behind them and closed the door beside them.  Oakely sat beside Renna and entwined his fingers into hers and held her hand tightly.  His face was confused, taut with apprehension but he just peered between the two of them and said nothing.

"I think I know a farm, on the outskirts of town, that I sometimes frequent to be away from the city.  I own it, but I haven't been to it in the last few years.  It seems like as good a place as any.  That seems like a good destination," Jude suggested.  "Unless Jinai has a better idea."

OOC: THis thread is about 2-3 years after the one where Renna and Oakely hook up, so just assume add maybe two and a half years to their profile ages? So they'd be about 20-21ish

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Renna felt her heart racing. She never thought men would truly be after her. With all of this talk about war, her powers seem minimal and hardly that terrifying...
Except.. for a woman who could see through animals, it meant she was very good at gathering secrets. But how does one explain such a thing? Oakley, and well, just a few others from the Free Folk, actually know about her powers- and Jinai and Jude were included although the revealing of this information was never by her choice- except to Oakley. And Jinai. Jude, naturally, had found out during his time with Jinai when the cat slipped out of the bag- but she was ok with that. She actually liked Jude,a nd it was rather nice to have another courtesan friend who was not out to get you. All courtesans were cut throats, or so it seemed.

So turning her attention to Jinai, who was silent, Renna perked up. "Jinai?"


Jinia had been lost in her thoughts, thinking about where to take the pair before she frowned.
"We could go there, but Torri will want to know what's been going on... and you can't hide from society. Then the rumors will be true."

Renna stared down at her lap. She knew Jinai was right but...
Oh! What was she to do?

"It's the best idea for right now, until we can move you safely back to the city, Renna.  We don't really know what we're dealing with.  So it'd be a good idea to lay low for awhile," Jude remarked.  But then he turned to Jinai.  "Who's Torri?"

At Jude's comment, she grit her teeth.
"Er.. a friend. Don't worry about it."

And Renna kept her lips sealed as well, squeezing Oakley's hand, seeking comfort in his presence.
"Let's just get to that place Jude suggested and we can make a plan from there. Reajh isn't too far away, so we'd just have to bide our time before you can properly return."

Though Jude's expression didn't show it, it felt awkward to be left out of the loop, but he supposed it was for the better.  Jinai had known Renna and had been her accomplice longer than he had, so he supposed he hadn't earned the right yet.  But his curiosity had been ignited.  And curiosity was a dangerous thing.

But he said nothing as the carriage was instruct to go to the edge of the city, as far as it could go before Jude rented a wagon from another man, and took that out into the country and farms surrounding the city.  Uthlyn was remarkably large, even as a center of learning and arts, but it had no shortage of small settlements in the surrounding areas, perfect for them to hide in for a while.

Oakley had grown antsy a little, and said nothing to the others, only whispering small questions to Renna that would likely lead to only more questions and squeezed her hand for his own comfort as much as his.  "Who are these people?" he asked in her ear, one last time.  "I think I know the girl.  Jinai, I think, and the man?"

Renna leaned over to whisper in Oakley's ear, "That's Jude Armand. He's a courtesan as well. And you're right, that's Jinai. You've met her once before but it was.. "and here, she giggled, "quite brief..."
After all, Jinai more or less walked into Oakley and Renna making love. But that was a year ago! Oh, how time had passed! Smiling towards him, she glanced over to Jude.

"Thank you for helping me. I know you two are taking a great risk in doing this." And she smiled a bit more. "Thanks."

[LOL! Jude Arrant?]

Jude turned his gaze over to the young couple and gave Oakley a knowing wink.  "That's all right, Renna.  It's all in a day's work really.  Though...I suppose now would be as good a time to tell you Oakley that I apologize."

"Uh...what?  For what?" the young boy stammered and peered quizzically to Renna.

"For kissing Renna."

"What?!"

"It was an accident I swear.  We were playing a game and I mistook her for someone else.  I just thought I'd do the honorable thing and tell you, man-to-man."

Oakley was stunned and looked at Renna with wide eyes.  "Is that true?"

OOC: OMG LOL
I fixed it 8D
TOO MANY CHARACTERS *shakes fist*

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Renna paled, then blushed and smiled over at Oakley as she shrugged.
"He thought I was Jinai and .. kind of felt me up too."

Jinai raised a brow beneath her heavy bangs and peered over at Jude.
"He would try to grope me in the dark..."

Jude quirked a brow at Jinai and he grinned at her, drinking her in with his eyes appreciatively, even in a time like this.  "Can you blame me?"

Oakley blushed furiously as their conversation and he wiped his sweaty palms on his pants.  The carriage went over a bump and he felt like he wanted to puke.  "Can't we stop for a minute!?  I think I'm gonna be sick!"  He groaned and leaned over the door of the carriage.

Gasping, Renna noted Oakley's pale complexion.
"Yes! Stop the carriage, please!" and she held onto Oakley's hand in hopes to support him.
Jinai only tossed Jude a look. She supposed, as she gave him a soured smile, in his head, he could not.
"If we stop it'll have to be brief, so be sure to puke quickly." Jinai said, arms folded across her chest.

Leave it to a boy, to interrupt the work of men.  But Jude reared back and pulled the wagon to a halt and Oakley fumbled with the latch of the door before he finally opened it up.  He stumbled out of the door and into the grass nearby the dirt road and puked hard, both from frustration and anxiety.

Meanwhile Jude turned in his seat and pulled a cigar from his boot, clipping it in half and lighting it with a match from his pocket. It seemed like as good a time to smoke as any.

Renna jumped outof the carriage right after him, supporting her lover and also, apologizing to him for al lthat was going on. She did feel dreadful, after all.

Jinai only reclined back to look at Jude, and snaked his cigar from him to take a drag herself.
"Might as well. Who knows the next time I can get high." she said, playing with the cigar between her fingers and admiring it with some idle interest.

"Speaking of which, I might have to pull a few favors to get you some of that elixir you need," Jude remarked and took the cigar back from her, taking a long drag and savoring the taste her mouth left on it.  He grinned and handed it back to her.

Meanwhile Oakley, dry-heaved and puked what was rest in his stomach before cleaning his mouth.  "Oh, Renna I'm sorry!  Maybe I should just go home.  I'll just slow the rest of you down."

Jinai stiffened at his words and kept her eyes avoiding his. She... didn't know what to say to that, considering...
The clock was now ticking from when she had taken Jude's seed. Instead, she played it off with a nonchalant shrug as she cigar smoke rolled between them.

"Yeah. Sounds good." She took another drag before exhaling. "But be sure to pull those strings fast."


Out on the road, Renna frowned.
"Oh Oakley, don't be sorry." And at his words, she felt her heart drop. "If.. if that's what you want, Oakley." Her voice was soft, crestfallen. "I... well, I don't like seeing you be so unwell."

He paled again at her words and Oakley turned to Renna, shaking his head.  "N-no...I don't feel good, but...I-I won't leave you alone," he muttered, nodding to her.  He took her hand and smiled at her.  "Though...you probably shouldn't kiss me until I've cleaned my mouth out."

Jude knew the consequences of unprotected sex, and knew it probably would be a good idea to start carrying around those elixirs for himself.  He knew  he shouldn't have mentioned it, but he couldn't afford to let himself forget either.  He looked across, seeing that Oakley and Renna were ready once more and Oakley climbed back into the carriage.  He plucked the cigar from Jinai's lips and chewed on the end of the cigar.  "Bout time we got back underway.  There's no time to lose."  And whipped the reins once more.

While Jude was distracted with the horses, she stole back his cigar and stared over at Renna and Oakley, who were silent. She saw them nestled together and considered how their relationship was...
Then thinking back to the man at the buck board... she began to wonder what he'd do if she were... pregnant.

Fuck.

Jude had kept his eyes on the road until he felt Jinai looking at him.  She took his cigar, and he protested it no longer.  And though he reconsidered it for a moment, he placed both reins in one hand as he used the other to put around her shoulders and pull her in against him, even if she didn't want him to.  To hold her close at least for a few moments.

Jinai visibly bristled at his attentions, but then even that slacked when she managed to push away, but remained close, about an inch from his body. Renna noticed it and whispered something to Oakley, something Jinai managed to catch since Renna was so terrible at whispers and gossip...

"Too bad we can't give them some alone time. I think Jude really likes her, but Jinai... she's just... well..." but the rest she couldn't hear.

Despite her awkwardness and clear irritation of his actions, Jude merely laughed it off in good humor.  His ears pricked up at hearing a whisper behind him, but he didn't catch all the words.  He smirked a little before trying again, a little more subtly, putting his arm across her waist and holding her close.

This time when she tried to push away, his hand, like a hook, caught her and she felt her breath forced out of her lightly before she was reeled in. This had her right up against Jude's side, in whcih she took this moment to glare at him, before taking out the cigar from her lips and shoving it back into his. Damn his smile. And arms.
And warmth.
And smell.


ANd Renna's giggling. It made her bristle, but instead of fighting him again, she just elbowed him none to gently in the ribs and remained at his side.

Jude coughed and nearly dropped the cigar from his lips when she nudged him in the side.  But he only chewed on the end of it with his teeth and flashed her a grin, before sucking on the end of it, and puffing out a small cloud of smoke.  Now that he had her in his grasp, he took full advantage of it and pulled his arm up by her shoulders and rubbed her arm a little, at least in a small effort to keep her warm, and keep her close by.

"Don't bother about her.  We're up here and she's back there," Jude hummed mostly to himself.

"Oh?" she cut Jude a look.  "What's that suppose to me?"

"I mean, I can feel you flinch and bristle at her giggles.  She's just Renna being Renna," he murmured to her, his voice low, almost a purr.  "Let it be.  No harm can come to you by it.  At least not with me."

"I don't think you understand why I'm irked by it. She'll keep it up, claiming we're an item."
And with Renna.. it would NEVER cease.
Never.

"I think I understand.  She'll keep it up, because she knows it bothers you.  Stop letting it bother you."  Jude turned to peer at her and put his cigar in his index and middle finger and offered her a drag.

Jinai glared at him.
"But it does bother me. And Renna can sniff that out a mile away.." Though it seemed the giggling had ceased, but only since Renna was cuddling with Oakley. Sighing, Jinai put her eyes back to the road and waved off his cigar. "No thanks." She had enough of his things.

"Well, that's just it.  Don't you control how you feel?  Are you in charge of your life and your mind?  You decide what you let bother you, what you want to not let bother you," Jude said, taking back his cigar and taking another long drag on it before dashing it off to the side.

Jinia was agitated as she looked away from him. She stared off down the road. She knew full well what he meant, what he wanted..
but she just didn't want to give it back. This.. this thing, whatever it was, it was not meant to be. SHe was Jinai Rinstgate, and her fate was left to the winds. And her heart? Well... even she didn't know where that was. Good luck to Jude Armand to find a place to begin...

But this place was as good as any to start and Jude was content to have her beside him.  He didn't want to chain her down, to hold her back, to have her round with child, or tied by marriage.  He wanted her to be free and happy, and lovely and smiling as she was after making love.  He peered at her from the corner of his eye, and smirked at her.  He chewed on his cigar and removed his arm from her shoulder.

He turned to her surreptitiously and made it obvious he was looking at her.  He bumped her shoulder playfully, nudging her in the seat.  He did it again shortly after ward, testing her reactions.

A fist suddenly slugged into his stomach.
"What the hell are you doing, Jude!? Cut that out!"

Jude spat out his cigar and nearly dropped it into the field when she hit him in the gut.  He singed his hands a little and dropped it on the buckboard dashing out the ashes.  He coughed and held his gut with his good arm, but could only laugh.  He said nothing and kept steering the horses along.  And just nudged her again with his shoulder.

Jinai felt prideful when she made Jude singe himself.  Ok.. a little guilty, but mostly amused. Though after he settled in and they were on the move more properly again, he nudged her.
So she nudged back.

Jude bit his lips, trying to hold back his laughter and for the most part was successful, except for the few giggles that got through.  He waited a few minutes and then nudged her a little harder, grinning at her from the corner of his mouth.

At his snerk and giggle, she tried to stifle her own, but damn him if it wasn't infectious! So after a moment, she was able to compose herself, resisting the urge to nudge him and...

WHAM. She suddenly slammed her boot ontop of his grinding in with her heel.

Jude howled and pulled hard on the reins, slowing them down when Jinai stepped on his foot.  He yelped and held his foot.  "Damn you!" he growled.  But again he brushed it off like it was nothing and he  resumed their path along the road.  He sighed and just smirked again, and resumed his nudgings.

Jinai, rolling her eyes when his nudgings continued, finally caved and just leaned into him.
His shoulder was comfortable, and his body warm, but after a time when the moment was perfect, and the two were just enjoying a moment's peace-
She pinched his butt.

Thankfully the carriage was slow enough.  And thankfully he expected some kind of retaliation, and when she pinched his ass, he shoved her hard, nearly throwing her off the buckboard and he roared with laughter, after all the crap she had done to him.  He pulled her back beside him and kissed her cheek.

"God damn it, JUDE!" Jinai hissed, scrambling to keep herself from not falling 'over board'. But when he grabbed her suddenly and yanked her close and gave a kiss, she growled through it and slapped his cheek before turning sorely away.

"Pfft," Jude smirked at her, paying attention to the horses once more.  "Take a joke, Jinai.  I know you dig your claws in me enough as it is."  He laughed anyway and smacked the horses to move a little faster.

Jinai continued to ignore him. That was his idea, was it not? Not to give him the satisfaction. But there was Renna's giggles again, and she felt herself blanch from it.
Really, why did everyone want to shove her into a relationship with Jude? She wasn't the sort to chain herself to a man...
Even if he was ridiculously good looking, a good fuck...
and an even better lay...

Ok, so it had its perks.. even still...

This fucker might have gotten her pregnant. She was allowed to be pissed.

Well, he guess she didn't take the joke so well, so Jude just shrugged it off and went on down the road.  The horses were tired by the time they reached a fork in the road.  Jude took the road to the left, that went into thicker, deeper brush, and it wasn't long then until they came upon a small two-story cabin overlooking a pond just on the outskirts of town.  A small grove resided beside it, a garden that hadn't been tended to in a while.  Thankfully nothing would grow this time of year.

Jude stopped the carriage just outside it.  "We're here," he said, gesturing to the guests in the back.  "I know it's not much, but it's better than sitting in a burning room.  Just trust me on that."

Jinai had taken int he scene. It reminded her a little bit of home, and memories from long ago began to stir,- like ashen pictures fading before her eyes. She remember the romps in the fields with the boys, making love for the first time, even her first 'kiss', and talkign to her brother Retkin all night by the stars.

But Jinai's thoughts were broken by the enthusiasm of another, as Renna stepped out onto the dirt word in wonder.
"Oh wow, Jude.. you own all of this?" she said, amazed. "Why.. it's beautiful!"

"It's nothing to shake a stick at really.  It hasn't been properly cared for in a long time.  I wouldn't be surprised if a few animals had taken their home here," Jude commented with a shrug.  He moved them toward the door and felt for the key under the step beside the porch, and carefully unlocked the door.  The house was dark, particularly now that light waned in the sky.

Jude allowed them to enter first and lit what oil lamps weren't dried out, revealing a homely - thankfully uninhabitated by animals - living room, that had just fallen to quite a bit of dust.  "Just needs a bit of cleaning up.  I hope you know how to use a broom, Oakley." Jude smirked at the boy and he just paled a little at the remark.

Turning to Renna he furrowed his brow.  "We have to stay here?"

Jinai, who's had been silent this whole time, observing the place with some interest, finally showed another smirk again at Oakley's words.
Though Renna did not, as she frowned and took his hand. "Oh, Oakley, jsut for a short time. It's not safe anywhere for me to go." Here, of all places, at least looked promising as she peered over worriedly at Jude.

Jinai just ignored the others, letting herself walk ahead from the rest.
"Looks cozy.' she said, peerig into a dusty and spiderwebbed room. And the second she turned around, a mouse scurried acrosst he floor.

"Just don't have stray pieces of food lying around," Jude remarked, haring the soft pitter-patter of nails across the wood floor.  He could hear Oakley settling down and nodding to her stepping forward and would allow himself to grow accustomed to this place.

Jude motioned for them to follow him upstairs and he showed them the three bedrooms that resided here.  "Just beat the mattress a little.  Pick whichever ones you want, and I'll take whatever's left.  There's a water pump outside and a tub just down the hall.  A fireplace in the master bedroom, I don't know if you guys want that one, Renna.  But please be my guest."

Renna turned to Oakley, but then back to Jude. "Oh! But I couldn't impose!"

And Jinai only smirked. "Just take the bed. Jude and I will probably just sleep in the hay..." If she caught her drift. And Renna gasped at the statement, then laughed at her freinds remark.

"See! I told you you liked Jude! Even YOU are joking about it now!" Renna said victoriously. Jinai only rolled her eyes, keeping her back towards Jude, her arms still folded over her chest.

Jude just laughed, like he always did and merely shrugged at the remark.  "You can have that room on the end there.  It's got a liquor cabinet, I think you like those, right?  Renna, take the master bedroom, I insist.  I'll take the small room in the middle.  I think now that that's in order, I should start cleaning up this place."  He bowed his head to his guests before heading back down stairs.

Liquor cabinet? She felt her smile twitch a bit and went hollow. Though she knew it was true. Saying nothing more, she decided she might as well check it out. Might as well get drunk.

And if anyone asked-
Jude started it.


Shaking her head, Renna approached Jude and kissed his cheek as she hugged him.
"You're too kind, Jude. ANd a good friend." And as she looked into his eyes, she found herself giving him another smile. Then to Oakley, she eagerly took his hand. "Come on! Let's check the room out!"

Hourse passed before Jude managed to make most of the living room and even upstairs presentable.  The fresh sheets weren't exactly fresh, but they were dry and free of critters and he placed the blankets in each of their rooms, starting with his and being sure to knock on Renna's and Oakley's before entering their room.

He did the same with Jinai's carefully opening the door and giving her a thicker blanket than the one in room already.  He smiled at her, in whatever present state she was in and nodded.  "Have a good night, Jinai.  Sleep well."

His words would fall on deaf ears- for in the hours it took him to clean, it took her that long to get black out drunk. And she slept it off, rising with a terrible hang over, and puking off to one side of her bed...

Renna had been walking down the halls and noted the noise and peered in on her friend.
"Jinai? Ar you ok?" But JInai only waved her off and puked away. Frowning, Renna went back to her room carrying a candle. The sun hand't quite reason yet, but she had a bad habit of rising early, even if she went to bed late. She was heading back to her room when she noted Jude and frowned a little at him.

"Can't sleep?" she asked, peering into his room.

OOC: Hope it's ok to assume XD if not, I cna fix

[Apparently Renna has your sleeping habits.]

"Hm?" Jude asked, perking up at Renna.  "Hm, well, no.  Though I can hear through the wall that Jinai is having a fantastic time with the liquor cabinet."  He'd lain across the bed and had relaxed enough that he could sink away his tired body, but his mind raced and he could find no solace in staring at the black ceiling.  "You wake up too early for your own good, Renna."

At this last statement, Renna smiled at him.
"I tend to rise early every day," she said, setting the candle to her other hand as she leaned against his door frame. "A bad habit, I suppose."
And she looked around the smaller room he was in with some interest, and when Jinai's puking quieted she looked back to him.

"You know, I almost feel bad for her..." Renna began, though even as she was teasing, she was trying to be serious. "She's helped me out a lot, and I feel like I can't do anything for her in return." ANd to Jude, she lifted her gaze now instead of staring at the flame of the candle. "At least with you, I could send a gift or something, or I know how I'd pay you back for your assistance but..."
She frowned a bit. " I guess all I'm trying to say is.. thanks Jude." And she tightened the knot on her robe. "I know I'd be lost without you two. Not many would risk their necks, especially during a war." She studied Jude a bit more in the darkness as she lifted her candle abit more into his room.
"You know... I never knew you to be someone like that." she said, with a giggle."Playing the hero I mean. I always just saw you as someone that wanted to sweep women off their feet,... and that was the extent of your ability." And she smiled warmly at him for that. "I'm glad I've got to know you, Jude. It's... difficult for a courtesan to actually make friends. And I feel blessed. I mean, I've got you, Oakely.. and Jinai." Her smile broadened. "I don't think I've ever had so many true friends in all my life."

At her words Jude smiled at Renna through the dark.  "Thank you Renna.  That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me," he replied, his voice soft and genuine.  He sat up in bed and swung his legs over the edge of it.  "I suppose now is as good a time to get up as any," he shrugged and pointed across the halls.  "Well, I suppose I can see if I can't help out ailing guest."  He moved past Renna and down toward the kitchen, finding a particular bottle of what he sought and moved back up to the second floor.  He gently knocked on Jinai's room door, opening it a little.  "Drink this, it'll help settle your stomach."

Jinai, who was now laying on her back upon the bed with one hand dangling over the side of it, and a foot, too, she was looking rather green and groaned when Jude came in and covered her face witha pillow before rolling over onto her belly.
But hwen he mentioned some sort of drink to help her, she tried to wave him away, keeping her face now buried in the bed
"No more drinks.." she groaned.

"It's just water.  Well, a special water.  But it'll make your headache numb some and settle your stomach," he grinned at Jinai and came in anyway.  He was hit with the odor of puke and moved across, avoiding the puddles, cracking the window.  "I'll clean these, don't worry about that."  He set the rugs aside and moved back to her, sitting beside her and holding the bottle out to her.  "Cmon," he prodded.  "Just a sip."

WHen Jinai rolled over, he'd be able to see her grit her teeth at him from beneath the pillow, the only part of her face exposed. Then peering out from beneath it to show mor eof her face, which was half covered in he runruly hair by now, she noticed the bottle and sat up. Her hair, now a static mess, was everywhere as she reached for the bottle but before she could take a sip, her eyes went  wide and she doubled over, puking on poor Jude's shoe.

Good thing he wasn't wearing shoes, but it had been the boots she'd borrowed from him during their stay in the hotel.  "Gods woman!  What did you eat?" he jumped up on the bed.  "Any more and you'll be dead.  Here!  Drink this dammit!"

"I didn't eat anything," she groaned, and snatched the bottle, stifling back a belch before knocking the entire bottle back. She made a face, almost spit it out before forcing herself to swallow it and then doubled over. She shook a moment and exclaimed, "GODS! What the FUCK Jude?! What did you put in there!?" Whatever else was in the water most certainly tasted like shit!

And if it was...
she'd kill him.

"Oh relax!  It's just a bit of spruce water from an apothecary back in  the city.  He sold it to me years back and all your puking brought it back to memory.  Said it's good to relieve a nasty hang over.  Except, you're not really supposed to down t all at once," Jud  laughed at her for a long time before recorking the bottle.  "I'm going to cook.  Some food will do you good."

Jinai blanched, then slapped a hand over her lips so as to stifle back another vomit, then... shuddering, she managed to stave off the vomit for just this moment, before she shook her head at Jude.
"Fuck Jude, I don't want food. I just want to sleep this damn hang over off!" And she turned from him and threw herself back onto the bed, groaning and covering her face beneath the pillow. Ugh! Her head was pounding!

"As you please," Jude resigned with a shrug and began to clean up the mess she had made.  He threw the rugs out the window and swept and mopped up what hadn't made it on them and threw his boot out from the sill as well, leaving her be.

Thankful to be alone, Jinai now lay on her belly, trying to find sleep- but it would not come. Her head was pounding, but at least her stomach was settling. At this, she restlessly flopped about the bed until she grew too frustrated and threw the covers off and made her way towards the smells coming in the kitchen, but paused to observe Renna and Jude's back to her as they conversed.

"Do you think she'll be ok?" Renna asked, munching on some bread. "Jinai, I mean."

If there was anything Jude had learned how to do well, it was cook, especially since he'd started at such a young age.  He flipped those sweet cakes in the pan and caught them mid-air as he piled them high.  He make fried potatoes too and the smells filled the kitchen.  He was setting up the plates when Renna posed her question and he gave her a chuckle and a nod.  "I'm sure she'll be fine.  Just a hangover.  She puked most of her guts out, so I'm sure she'll be hungry.  I just hope she comes down in time to eat while these cakes are hot.  Gods, don't they smell good?"

Renna beamed.
"They sure do!" she said, and broke off a piece for herself to sample it with a giggle. "You're a good cook, Jude! Maybe I should hire you out to be my breakfast maid!"

"I might just have to take you up on that some time," Jude laughed.  He turned around and saw a shape on the steps.  "If that's a Jinai I spy, come down!  The food's hot and I'm brewing some fresh tea, come on.  I know you want some."

But instead of listening, Jinai just sat on the steps.
Yeah...
she was that stubborn, and also sick, as she leaned her groggy head against the wall.

Jude set the pile of sweetcakes down on the table and the other dishes he prepared for breakfast and moved toward the steps.  He didn't bother asking her.  He merely reached for her hand and tugged her along with him to the breakfast table.  "Look what I found!'

She was stubborn, but apparently, Jude was persistent (or liked a challenge); groaning, she just let Jude help her to her feet, but yanked her arm away before walking intot he kitchen. B ut she caught the look Renna was giving her before she sat down at the table and raised her brows.
"Hot cakes?"
At least they smelled good. It had been ages since she had ever eaten any of those.

Jude smirked when Jinai refused to be led to the table like a child.  And instead yanked her hand away like a child.  It was an ironic thought, but to be expected after nearly shoving her off the wagon.  "Yes, hot cakes, with some honey to pour on them if you like," he answered as he set a plate in front of her with a small pile.  The honey was at the middle and Jude poured tea for everyone just as Oakley stumbled down the steps, in wrinkled clothes with his curls lopsided and stuck on one side of his head.

Renna, adoring Oakley's bed head, cuddled in beside him and whispered a few sweet words to him while Jinai grumpily drowned her hot cakes in as much honey as she could. SHe'd need all that sweetness. She felt shitty... and sour.

Jude peered at her from the corner of his eye while Oakley blushed and leaned into Renna, giggling at her words.  Jude had his own bed head, but he was sure Jinai wouldn't appreciate something like that.  And while she ate her hot cakes with a bad case of grumps, he quickly leaned in and stole a kiss to her cheek, smiling at her and focusing back on his own plate.

WIth his kiss, came a snicker from Renna, and then-
a hot cake laced with honey from Jinai, who grinned very wildly as she smashed it into Jude's cheek.
Running her fingers across the sticky honey that dripped down from it along Jude's chin, she grinned and sucked that sweet stuff off her fingers.

Then to his hair,s he idly commented, "Nice cowlick," and was half tempted to dose some honey in his honey colored locks. But he was lucky. She was behaving..
For now!

"And that's how Jinai says good morning everyone," Jude laughed, wiping the hot cake from  his cheek and ate it.  He gave her a nod of thanks and took a sip of his tea, even using his napkin to clean it off from is cheek and laughed again.  But it wasn't long before he cut a piece of his own hot cake and slapped it against Jinai's forehead.

And that's when the food fight began.

Peeling off the sticky hot cake from her forehead, she crammed it back onto Jude's chest. Too bad, becuase most of the honey was now on Jinai, it didnt really stick and plopped onto the table.

Jude hadn't bathed in a full day and a half and so it didn't really matter when Jinai began to show pieces of food back on him.  Oakley merely sat back and watched with wonderment at the pair as Jude ripped up what was left of his hot cake and began smashing it all over Jinai's boobs and neck and throat.

And Jinai wasn't the only one now lathered in crumpling, soft hot cakes and honey, as Jinai laughed and smeared her whole plate down Jude's face, chest and.. then some! And Oakley wasn't the only one just staring at the pair as her blue eyes went wide and her small hand touched her lips.
"Oh my!"

"I SURRENDER!  I SURRENDER!  YOU WIN!" Jude said when she practically had her hands shoved down his pants.  He was laughing so hard he was red in the face and could hardly breathe.

"Good, then I can lick it all off,"s he said, taking him by the hand and letting her tongue lap up his skin.

And it was then Renna nudged Oakley and whispered, "Er.. we should probably go."

Oakley gave a pause and then glanced back and the nodded to Renna.  He stumbled back upstairs as he heard Jude laughing hysterically.

"DON'T YOU DARE!" He growled, growing red in the face once more.

Before Jude could stop her, he was already on the floor- and she? She had the entire jar of honey, and was opening his pants, and just letting it pour right in.
"Don't worry,"s he told him with a grin. "We can clean it up later." And then as she pinned him down she suddenly threw a towel at his face
"And you can start by using this." She said wiht a grin,and moved to get off of him.

"BLAH!  What a waste of honey!" Jude spat from that dirty towel and promptly undressed to wipe himself off when she finally freed him.  "At least you enjoyed breakfast!"  He grabbed a piece of hot cake off the ground and threw it at the back of her head, the honey making it stick to her hair.

Jinai grinned and sat back on the bench by the table, and grinned over at Jude.
"Enjoyed.. maybe, but i'm still hungry." she said, licking at her fingers. "What else you got?"

"There's still plenty left on the plate, help yourself," Jude remarked, wiping off the honey that slipped down on his ass.  Jude laughed and peered back at her and licked what honey slipped off his hands.  "You just look for any excuse to get me to take off my pants, don't you?"

ANd so Jinai ate was on the plate, though with little honey left, it was kind of bland. She was trying to clean out the honey jar with one piece as she thought over Jude's suggestion with a smirk.
Then she gestured to him with a roll of her wrists.
"Yep. Now drop 'em." she said with a smirk. "At least let me have a show while I'm dealing with this trailing hang over." SHe said, after swallowing down her honey-soaked food.

Jude was already pulling his pants off when she instructed him.  "Well, you can look but don't touch.  You've sunk you teeth into enough don't you think?" he teased, looking over his shoulder with a wink.  He pulled them out from under his legs and finished cleaning where she doused him with honey.  "Bleh! I'm all sticky!"

"You know..." she said, looking him over. "There are ways to get you unsticky." And she popped a piece of honeyed-cake into her mouth.

"Oh really?" Jude remarked with a smirk as he took his pants walked over to the basin.  "I don't suppose you wouldn't have anything in mind...would you?"

"Is there a hog pit out back? We could take you out there and throw you into the mud." And at that, she grinned and just appreciated the view. But ugh, her head ache. Lucky for him,s he wouldn't try anything on him..
well..
yet.

"No," Jude said with a grin.  "Just a pond and an untilled field."  He chuckled and glanced nonchalantly at her.  He could feel her eyes looking up and down at him and he smiled at her, washing his pants.  "I'll wash up in the tub, don't you worry.  How's your head?  Have some tea, please."  He had since removed his shirt and wrapped it around his waist to give him some small decency and knotted it at his hip.  He brought her some and sat down across from her, leering her over. "I'm sorry for pushing you, if you're still upset about that."

Popping another honey cake into her mouth, she grinned at him and told him simply, "No."

"Drink the tea, you'll enjoy it," Jude said, nudging the cup in front of her.  He then go up and began collecting the plates and dishes and taking them to the wash bin, still wearing only his shirt covering his waist.

Jinia just admired that ass from where she sat, eating another few bites of her meal before pushing her plate away and staring at the tea. She wrinkled her nose. "I never really fancied tea." But she drank it anyways, and continued to smirk at the mess he had become- not seeming to care about her own.

Jude smirked at her.  Once he was done with the dishes he moved back to her and placed a hand on either side of her chair.  "So you just gonna stare or are you gonna make a move?" he asked softly.  "I can stand around sticky all day.  Though you had a proper clean up plan."

"Maybe I did, but maybe I didn't," she gave a casual shrug as she peered at nothing in particular. "Or maybe I just like seeing you suffer.." and she spotted some honey on her  own hand and gave it a slow, sultry lick.

He smiled at her, grin growing wider.  "Oh please, allow me," he replied and took her hand mid-lick and licked it off her hand himself, sucked her flesh until it was thoroughly clean.  "There.  Now if you nothing else in mind then, I'm going to fill the buckets from the water pump and take a bath."

But before he could get anywhere, she grabbed onto his hand nad grinned, hair hiding her eyes as she got to her knees before him.. and began to kiss and lick at the honey on his lower belly, near where the hem of his pants should have been.

He shivered, but he wouldn't give her the satisfaction of making it obvious and he just grinned down at her.  "I thought you didn't have anymore ideas," Jude smirked cleverly at her.  He hands reached for her face however and his fingers weaved through her hair, brushing it from her eyes, his touch gentle, almost sweet.  "I hope my skin is not to bitter."

She lifted her lips from his skin only to remark to him, "It's sweet now that it's laced in honey." ANd not bothering to look up int his eyes, she lowered her lips down to his erection, and let a long, hot tongue glide across it, parting the honey that was stuck there as she went. And after doing this a few more times and seeing his member stiffen even more with excitement, she then parted her lips and swallowed it into her mouth whole.

Well damn if he thought she was good with her tongue before, his eyes were as good as rolled back.  He groaned and shivered and when she swallowed him whole, his knees gave way and Jude fell backwards on the ground, hitting his head on the floor.  "Ouch..."

Jinai looked, giving him an appreciative smirk as she licked her lips and moved over top of his body, leaning down over top of him and just letting her tongue lap all across his chest.
"Careful.." she purred between licks. "The floors slippery."

Jude nursed his head.  Despite his pounding skull, he laughed anyway and shivered beneath her lips.  "Anything to get pinned underneath you," he muttered with a feigned frown.  "You would take advantage me after making me hit my head!  Hmm, a little further up please....  I got some syrup pooled on my well sculpted chest!"

Jinai smirked.
"You should know how it works by now.." she told him, and moved forward, her tongue lapping acrss his skin, higher and higher until she was lapping at the part where his shoulder met to his neck.
"So dirty.." she breathed hotly across his skin.

Jude chuckled and his breath hitched, moaning softly at the feeling of her tongue on his skin.  "Then I can expect to make you scream in the next few minutes."  Though he didn't remember if she was still largely dressed or not, Jude's hands reached down her back and slipped down against her body, forcing her down on his erection, and grinding her hips against his, so that she could feel him as much as possible.  "Hey, I have an idea.  Why don't we go for a dip in the pond?  We can bathe in there."

Jinai smirked as Jude tried to have sex with her through her clothes. It felt pretty good, too bad they were both sticky.
"A bath?" she said, continuing to kiss up his neck. "What for?"

"So we can get dirty and clean at the same time, duh!" Jude smiled at her.  "Besides I haven't got swimming in a long time and we deserve a well-earned break, don't we?  But if you don't want to, I understand."  It was his turn to lean his head in toward her neck and begin licking and sucking on her skin where she was covered in honey.  "Or we could just stay here and fuck on the kitchen floor.  Your call."

Jinai grinned. Both ideas sounded appealing except..
"Let's fuck on the kitchen floor."
Sounded better...
Grinning, she sealed her lips over his before he could protest, as her legs spread over top of his and she rocked her hips against him, trying to fuck him- even though her clothes were still on.

The grinding was enough to make him whimper underneath her.  Jude bit and sucked on her lips, kissing her hard and letting her rock his hips as they went.  "Damn you woman," he growled, grinning through their kisses.  "You feel good even with your clothes on."

As she continued to rock her hips, she growled at his words and dragged her teeth now along his neck, then moved up to nibble at his ear and used her tongue to lick off some of the honey there.
"You would say that. Now rip my damn clothes off," she growled, and sunk her teeth into his ear.

"Don't you mean MY clothes?" Jude laughed.  He figured her wound was feeling much better now and Jude did exactly as she commanded and he didn't bother to go easy on her.  His hands were stuck with honey and pieces of hot cake and lint as he pulled the shirt over her head.  His face was buried against her chest, sucking and licking at the honey that was slathered along her breasts.

His hands expertly slipped her pants over her ass and she was riding him, his member deep inside her, using his hands on her hips to guide her.  Not that she needed much guiding.

"OH GOD!" came a cry that wasn't from Jude and he heard stumbling back up the stairs, as Oakley had mistakenly thought it was safe to come down.  "RENNA!  YOU WERE RIGHT!  I DIDN'T BELIEVE YOU!  YOU TRICKED ME, DAMMIT!"

At Oakley's cry, Jinai laughed and fucked Jude freely.
"God, I love this." she said, her breasts bouncing and shining with honey while moving over top of him like an animal. "All of this, " she growled. "Why don't we have sex on the floor more often?"
And the thrill of being caught sent her over the edge as she smashed her lips over his and fucked him like crazy.

Jude could feel her grinding down on him and it drove him insane once more.  His back arched and his hands guided her hips, well gripping onto them for dear life was more like it, but it all he could do to keep from being thrown over the edge of ecstasy so early.  "Well, beds are slightly more comfortable.  Gods, don't feel the need to take a breath whatever you do," he grumbled through pants, moans, and breaths.

Jinai kept him pinned down and grinned.
"Just shut up and let's fuck." And that was all there was to it.
Her tongue was all over his neck and chest, her hips moving possessively, his cock buried deep inside her and slamming into her like a piston as they fucked over and over again.
They did it on the floor, across the table, on top of the table, against the cupboards that banged as Jinai bent over them like a dog, her knees hitting into them as she felt Jude thrust into her, his balls slapping into her ass he went into her so deep- and she was crying out in ecstasy, and begging him for more and more.

Jude's breath was haggard and he was covered in a slather of sweat and honey and giving it to her as much as he could.  He held her from behind and felt himself coming here and there with each change of position.  At long last he leaned over her back, panting hard, breathing hard.  "Okay okay," he breathed at her demand.  "I just...need...to...catch...my breath."

Next round she was on his lap, sitting on it as he sat on the counter top, then on the chair, ontop of the chair, back ont eh floor, up against the wall, and eventually she was back on the table, laying beneath him with her legs spread.
"Gods, Jude!" she called out. "I love this! I love this! I love this!" and then a whimpering scream and shudder, and she belted out one more, "I love you!" and at the words she sang, her voice went hoarse in her throat as she came harder than she ever had, her sex pulsated with madness, her body shaking in bliss untils he collasped beneath him, nearly passing out from the bliss. And with a hand lying across her forehead, half hiding her face from his.. her smile slowly began to fade as she realized what she had said as her chest heaved as she was recovering from labored breaths.

Jude was sweating, dripping with it, his body burning and yearning when at last they were done.  He'd lost his voice, or it came out in haggard, broken breaths and he laid atop her, his head on her chest as they warmed in the aftermath of their love making.  He was smiling, though he had heard the word she had said to him.  He kept his eyes looking toward the wall, catching his breath and he peered up at her smiling sweetly.  He wasn't sure what to make of it, but he didn't exactly abhor her words.  He grinned and leaned down toward her face and softly kissed her on the cheek.  "We should take a bath in the pond," he suggested.  "More room, and I can hear Oakely and Renna sloshing the waters upstairs.  And don't worry, your secret's safe with me."

Jinai just lay there, like a stone. Her hand, remaining draped over her eyes was not lifted. Nor did her smile come back. She merely breathed, her chest still rising and falling as she turned away from him and whispered, "Fuck."

Unfortunately for her, she couldn't just slip away from him. He was ontop of her, and she- awkwardly on the table. So she did all she could do in attempts to get away- and gave his shoulders a shove to push him back.

"Er... get off of me," she commanded, hoarsely. "I think my backs all fucked up."
And maybe her head!

Jude did as she told him, after a heavy sigh and droop of his head.  He rolled off of her and reached for his soggy wet clothes and grumbled to himself.  "Geeze, I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have said anything, I shouldn't have kissed you.  I'm sorry.  'Cause not that I mind those words, not that I want you to leave, or disappear, or get hurt, or lose yourself in a high, or runaway because you're not wanted, because that just isn't true.  You are wanted.  Dammit, you are wanted.  You might even be needed," he said in a low voice, mostly just musings to himself as he opened the back door and walked out toward the pond alone.

Jinai remained, naked and sitting on the table alone. After catching all of his remarks, she just sat there, staring off to space, thinking about all that had happened, what he said, what's been done, before slipping back into her clothing and making her way out the front door....
and down the road...

Jude heard the door slam and before he knew it himself, he was rushing after her down the dirt road in soaking wet pants, at least scrubbed clean from the honey, but now had a cloud of dirt over them.  He saw her in the distance and ran after her as fast as he could.  He had a strong body with long legs and he caught up with her, catching her by the arm.  "Don't go, Jinai.  Please don't go," he said, eyes imploring her.

She couldn't walk fast enough, but she sure as shit felt numb by the time he reached her. She didn't want to look at him, she just wanted to go, and when he caught her by the arm she felt herself snap whenshe was forced to look at him.
"Get the fuck off me, Jude!" she siad, trying to pry her arms away.

He let her go and frowned at her.  "I'm sorry for what I said.  I don't want you to leave.  Please stay," he said softly to her.

Glaring at him, she wanted to hit him. She wanted to scream.
"This isn't my life, Jude," she reminded him with a glare. "And why are you fucking apologizing? You can say whatever the fuck you want. It makes no difference to me." ANd she was dizzy for it.
"It's just time for me to go, Jude." And she paused to finally look into his eyes more directly. "This is not my place to stay." And this time he wasn't going to stop her. Turning away from him, she made her way back down the path- and it was one of the hardest times in her life to walk away- and one of the hardest time to fight off tears.

Jude was angry and he clenched his fists, but still he said nothing as he watched her walk away from him.  He turned around and walked back toward the farmhouse.  At least Renna and Oakley still needed his help for the short time they would stay here.  And he would force himself to focus on that.  He didn't know what he expected to hear from her, he didn't know what she wanted him to say in return, but he felt an apology was the only thing he could muster.  It was never enough.