|
Post by Vyncent Schwarz on Jan 6, 2009 16:21:28 GMT -5
"Yeah... let's go." Phoenix agreed with a warm smile, "Let's get outta here." he moved to the ladder, his hand slipping from hers as he tugged at the rope experimentally as though testing whether it would still hold a person's weight, the lamp safe in his other hand. When he was satisfied that it wouldn't snap under their weight he moved to clamber up, giving the trap-door at the top a wary shove with one hand, wrinkling his nose when damp earth fell down from the wood. "Here, hold this for a sec...?" he swung out to pass her the lamp, before turning back to the trap-door.
Hooking his feet around the rungs of the rope ladder so he wouldn't topple, the thief shoved hard against the trap-door, the thing shuddering and showering them with dirt for a second before flying open, flooding him with warm air and the soft, natural darkness of night, instead of the pitch blackness of the tunnel. He breathed the fresh air deeply even though it still smelled of earth, unhooking his feet and clambering out of the hole, holding his hand out to her so he could help her up, or at least grab the lantern when she was close enough for him to reach it. He straightened up once he was sure she'd be safe climbing out, shuffling back a little to look around.
They were in a damp cave, the place obviously not having been used in a long while considering that earth had grown over the trap-door. Heck, Phoenix was surprised that the wood of the door hadn't rotted away by this point, but he guessed some kind thief might have charmed it against that, once upon a time. A salty breeze blew through the stone walls, Phoenix smiling softly. Of course; he kept forgetting that Cressa was right next to the ocean. It was so big he barely ever made contact with the river that wound through the city itself. He knew his specific routes, but he didn't really know Cressa at all, did he?
Before he knew it he was wandering out of the shallow cave into long grass, the moon bathing him in pale light as he emerged. They were on a tall hill some distance from the capital city, he realised. He hadn't noticed that they were so close to the fringes of the city, which at least explained how they'd managed to get so far out of Cressa using the tunnels.
Phoenix couldn't help but smile as he looked down on the sleeping city, the Great River just a ribbon of shimmering black that twisted and turned through the colossal, sprawling mass of architecture that was Cressa, spilling out into the endless body of water of the Segaland Sea through the port. He'd never noticed how perfect his city had looked before; so big that most of the things he'd known for all of his life were just insignificant little dots in the distance, indistinguishable from any other little dot that might look practically the same. The slums were barely noticable now compared to the rest of the city, and the twinkling lights of the palace was the only thing that really caught his eye, even though it was at such a distance.
"It's beautiful." he commented lightly, seeming slightly in awe. He'd left the city before, but he'd never really looked at it like this.
And they were dirty, dusty and tired... but they were on the outside of it. They were free. Rory was right... it might look breathtaking and flawless right now, but even the palace was simply the most elaborate of prisons.
"We did it." he glanced over his shoulder, smiling lightly as though he couldn't believe it. "Rory, we did it!" he pushed his hair out of his face, laughing cheerfully, almost giddily. It all suddenly seemed so funny, that they'd beaten all of those odds. Not even the White Knights could look important when you considered the sheer size of the city. They were nothing in comparison.
|
|
|
Post by Angel ♥ on Jan 6, 2009 17:14:29 GMT -5
She reached up to take the lantern as he offered it to her, pretty surprised by how heavy it was. She took a step back as the dirt showered down, watching as he pushed the trap door open. There! They could get out of this tunnel! Rory was wobbly on the string ladder, especially when she only had one hand to hold on with. A look of concentration crept into her eyes as she climbed up slowly, passing the lantern up into Phoenix's out stretched hand as soon as she could reach him. The rest of her climb was much easier now that she could use both hands, the Princess relieved as she scrambled up onto the cave floor, breathing out a soft sigh.
"We did it, we're out." She smiled as she turned to look around for him, tilting her head to the side as she spotted him by the mouth of the cave. What was he doing there? She attempted to brush the dirt and dust from her dress as she rose to her feet, moving over to where he was stood to find out what he was looking at.
She was totaly unprepared for the view that sprawled out infront of them, none of the magnificence of the palace even able to compare to this. Even in the dark the sheer magnitude of the city was apparent, the sky line dominated by the palace in the distance. It was hard to believe that she had lived behind those city walls. It made her feel pretty small really, especially when she attempted to imagine herself just outside the city walls. Stood that close she wouldn't have been much more than a speck against the wall.
"Wow..." She breathed, all of her expensive education doing nothing to give her a more suitable word to express what she felt right now. She had never seen the city looking like this before...she had never realised how big it was...and standing out here made her realise how little she really knew. Well...she would have to recitfy that, wouldn't she? She was bound to see so many new things while travelling...the idea made her feel exicted, all her earlier anxiety vanished.
For anyone looking up at them from the castle it must have been an odd sight. A pair of figures stood on the hill bathed in moonlight, stood looking down at the city they had just escaped. A Princess, dusty and dirty, looking down at the prison that she had finally been freed from. Right then, it felt like the start of a new chapter of her life. She was no longer a Princess, but an average traveller, and she couldn't wait to start traveling.
|
|
|
Post by Vyncent Schwarz on Jan 7, 2009 14:14:02 GMT -5
Phoenix was still looking down at the sleeping city when she joined him, a cheerful and almost triumphant little smile on his face. They were as free as the wind, they could do what they liked... this was as much a new chapter in his life as it was in hers. Phoenix had always sworn that he'd get out of the slums one day and make something of himself (this 'something' involved being renowned as the world's greatest thief, but nevermind that), though he'd never gotten around to it. Even though they'd promised to return, this really was a chance to get out and see Syrunn, care-free with the world at their feet. Well, unless someone found out who Rory was. But unless the pendant got pulled off or broken or something she should be fine. And if they got far enough out of the Cressan areas then the probability of her getting recognised grew ever slimmer.
His attention turned now to the roads leading away from Cressa; the large traders' route stemming out from the central main gates and the other smaller routes dotted around the walls of the city. He could even make out little silhouettes of ships on the glassy black surface of the Segaland, working their way towards the famous port of Cressa... it was an incredibly busy place when you thought about it, wasn't it? He smirked at her after a while, rubbing his eyes and plonking the lantern down in the grass. "I won't be long, just closing up the trap-door." he nodded to her.
He was only gone for a few minutes at most, making sure it looked as though they'd never even been into the cave or along the route the tunnels took them, clambering through the long grass until he was next to her again, kneeling down next to the lantern and watching the fireflies weave through the air around them. "How do you feel?" he asked eventually, tilting his head up to look at her, "Is it what you thought it'd be? Gettin' out of there, I mean..." he murmured, glancing back around them to observe where they were. The fringes of a forest sprung up behind them a little way back from the hill, and the coast-line was dotted with country manors and cottages and the like. One of the traders' routes from the city meandered just past the hill, so they had a road to follow at the very least.
"Anyway... we should try and put some distance between us and this place as soon as we can. You want to sleep under the stars tonight, Rory? Or will you be able to get to the next village, do you think?" he asked, smirking and straightening up, shifting the leather bag on his shoulder.
|
|
|
Post by Angel ♥ on Jan 7, 2009 15:23:33 GMT -5
She nodded to Phoenix absently as he disappeared back into the cave, right now to lost in her thoughts to worry about being alone for a couple of minutes. It was nice stood up on the hill looking down at her old life, smiling as the light breeze lifted the tips of her hair. So this was what it felt like to be free, to be really free. Not to have to worry about being caught or about the White Knights, she felt so...light, as though she didn't have a care in the world. There wasn't anything to worry about but where they were planning on going first. With the whole world at their feet chosing where they wanted to go may be harder than it sounded, maybe they should just focus on getting as far away from Cressa as possible at first, then they could work from there.
She blinked and looked up as Pheonix returned, smiling to him as she brushed her hair back from her face. "I...I don't really know how I feel. I've never felt anything like this before." She told him, seeming rather excitable now. "I guess this is what it is like to be free?" She asked, her eyes glittering with happiness. Everything that they'd been through was worth this, all the worry and fear for this moment stood ontop of the hill. She felt like she was on top of the world right now! Something that started like this, with this good feeling, could only get better, right? She knew that things would be easy, but as long she had Pheonix then she was sure that everything would be fine.
"I don't know. How far away is the next village?" She asked, not sure. She had seen maps of Syrunn and Avalas before, but never really paid much attention to them, back then life outside the palace had always been a distant dream. She wasn't sure how far she would be able to walk, she had never had to walk for any great distance before. "Shall we see how far we get before we get tired?" She suggested, that seeming to be the most sensible plan of action.
|
|
|
Post by Vyncent Schwarz on Jan 7, 2009 16:16:18 GMT -5
He couldn't help but smile at her as she said she'd never felt that way before; he couldn't imagine what it would be like not to feel free. Sure he'd been born in the slums of Cressa and life was hard but... well, he'd always been able to leave, and he'd never had to do anything he didn't want to providing it wasn't too idiotic. "It's a good feelin', huh." he nodded, stretching and rolling his shoulder before blowing the lamp to put it out. It wasn't that dark outside, and the moon was giving them enough light to see on the road. Besides that, they wouldn't be travelling in any enclosed spaces, and a lot of the cottages and manors would be lit up at this time. Phoenix wouldn't even be surprised if they met other travellers on the road. But with travellers came highwaymen and thieves... though he wasn't going to tell Rory about those just yet.
And he was a thief. So there shouldn't be any problems there. No, he'd not think about that. "The next village is a couple of miles down the road, I think." he pointed to very faint lights in the distance where the road snaked around, following the coastline to a few cliff-tops. "It's a sea-side town. If we can get there we'll be able to either catch a ship or head further inland... it depends on where you'd like to go." he shrugged to her, smiling happily as he nodded and began to slowly lead them around the crest of the hill towards the road, smiling over his shoulder at her.
"Walk until we start to get tired sounds good. Let's just get away from Cressa, it doesn't matter how far just yet. I don't wanna end up wearing you out because we walked too far." he chuckled, stepping in little grooves in the hill to pick his way down it, ending up skidding safely to the bottom on the road, dust flying into the air momentarily as he turned to look up at her. He wasn't sure how well she'd be able to clamber down the hill, which explained why he moved to pause and the bottom of it, holding his hand out to her. "If you feel like you're gonna fall, just tell me. I've caught you once, I think I can do it again." he laughed softly, brushing his hair out of his eyes.
|
|
|
Post by Angel ♥ on Jan 7, 2009 17:31:13 GMT -5
It was odd really, before she had met Phoenix she couldn't even imagine how it felt to be free. She had always been couped up inside the castle with everyone else telling her what to do and what to think, having everyone else make decisions for her while she just had to smile and play along. But now...now there was no-one around telling her what to do and she could finally think for herself and make her own decisions. In all truth, she doubted that anyone could understand just how happy she was right now. "It feels great." She agreed with him with a bright smile, letting her gaze drift over the landscape for a moment longer before looking over at Phoenix again. She couldn't stay there and admire the scenery all night, they had to set off sooner or later.
"Hmmm, I think that I might be able to ger that far." She nodded to him slowly before looking bemused. "How far is a mile...I mean...how long would that take?" She asked, unable to translate her knowledge about distances into the real world. In reality, she had no idea how long a mile was. Oh well, she supposed that she would soon find out. With all the walking they would be doing she would soon gain an understanding of distance. "We could go on a ship?" She asked, her eyes widening with wonder. "Really? Hmmm...I don't know about that though...maybe just walking would be safer...and easier...and we should save our money."
She held her arms out to help her keep her balance as she carefully picked her way down the hill, pausing as the path became steeper. She waved her warms to waft away the dust as he slid down the path, biting her lower lip, a calculating look in her eyes. "Alright...but I will fall so you have to catch me..." She told him as she moved to step forward. She was right, after about two steps she started sliding, squeaking as she slid down the rest of the hill, just hoping that Phoenix would catch her.
|
|
|
Post by Vyncent Schwarz on Jan 8, 2009 5:51:58 GMT -5
He chuckled lightly as she slid down the hill towards him, shaking his head at her. "At least you admitted it." he nodded, moving swiftly to catch her as she skidded to the bottom of the hill, preventing her from going flailing across the road and down into the countryside. He doubted that some wealthy land-owner would want to look out of his shutters and see a strange girl lying in the middle of his field looking confused. "Ta da!" he grinned cheerfully and set her on her feet again, looking down at his hands for some place to put the lamp. They didn't need it anymore, but throwing it away might be a bad idea if anyone came looking for them. The White Knights didn't play around like that. So he figured it would look the least suspicious if he put it somewhere obvious. Travellers left things on the roadside all the time, usually to aid other travellers. He even thought that some unlucky person might have use the lamp if they needed it.
Without a word he set off along the road a little ways to an overhanging tree, bathed in the shadows as he hung the lamp on one of its branches and then flashed her a grin. "Now we're really ready to go." he smiled brightly, circling back around to walk with her, starting to lead them along the road. He was careful to keep them to one side of it, just in case there was a horse and carriage that needed to pass them. "A mile?" he smirked at her as they started to walk, resting one hand in his pockets while the other remained on the strap of the leather bag on his shoulder. "At a reasonable pace, a mile wouldn't take more than twenty minutes, usually. But give or take that, 'cause it's not usually accurate. It might look like a mile, but the road twists and bends..." he pointed to the hills and dips the road ahead of them meandered around.
"But we'll not be walking all night, by any means." he assured her, "Just tell me when you start to get tired, okay?" he smiled, casting his gaze out to look at the ocean, which wasn't that far away from them now. The Great River ran through the city, and spilled out into the Segaland, but it was only really obvious when you were outside the city walls. He smirked a little at the idea of saving money, glancing back to her. "We can go anywhere." he confirmed for her, "Don't worry about savin' money, if you got it, use it." he shrugged, "We can always get more."
|
|
|
Post by Angel ♥ on Jan 8, 2009 12:53:10 GMT -5
Her arms closed around him as soon as he caught her, hoping that she wouldn't knock him over and send them both tumbling down into the field, and she would imagine that the land-owner would be doubly shocked to see the pair of them sprawled out in the middle of his field. "Thank you." She smiled to him as she released him, hopping back to put a suitable distance between them. Yes, she trusted Phoenix, but she was rather uncomfortable being that close to someone. Plus, is was just improper! What lady would ever get that close to a man who wasn't her husband? No decent lady, that was for sure.
She watched him curiously as he wandered off to hang the lantern on the tree branch, looking bemused as to why he had done that. She understood that he didn't want to carry it, but while leave it on the tree branch? Phoenix had odd ideas sometimes, didn't he?
"I think that I would prefer to walk, at least for a little while...if you don't mind." She murmured in response to his comment, nodding slowly. After finally finding her freedom she didn't want to be stuck on a ship for weeks. She was sure that the first few days aboard would be exciting, but after that the newness would wear off. Plus, she had never been on a ship before, she had heard that some people got sea sick, and she would hate for that to happen to her. She doubted that Phoenix wanted to hold her hair while she threw up over the side of the ship. No, that would be pretty embarassing. No, she didn't want to put him through that, it would be better if they stuck to dry land.
"About twenty minutes? Alright." She nodded to him, the look in her eyes telling that she was doing some sort of mental calculation. If it was only a couple of miles to the next village then they should get there within an hour or two, shouldn't they? She should be alright walking for that long. As long as they weren't walking all night she should be fine getting to the next village. "I suppose. But, how would we get more money if we weren't wor-...ohhhh..." She murmured, nodding slowly in understanding. He would steal more money...maybe she should just pretend not to realise that. It would leave her with a much clearer conscience. "Do you know what the next village is called?" She asked, deciding to change the subject.
|
|
|
Post by Vyncent Schwarz on Jan 8, 2009 13:39:09 GMT -5
'Ohhh' indeed. He smirked and looked out at the little lights dancing in the distance that signalled the town they were heading towards, only nodding as she caught on. It would be better if she just overlooked that little part of what he did - besides, in Phoenix's mind, he wasn't a thief. He was a treasure hunter, damn it, he just... happened to need a few coins every now and then. And you tended to find a lot of coins in the pockets of other people. What could he do? He glanced back at her as she changed the subject, thinking for a moment before speaking up. "The coastal town nearest to Cressa would be Avangarde." he nodded eventually, "Considerin' where we came out of..." he turned to look at the gates and the walls still a startlingly close distance to them because of the sheer size of the capital, before turning back. "Yeah, that's definitely Avangarde. It's a busy little town, a lot of traders who can't put down anchor in the Cressan ports choose to do it here instead, and ride the distance to the city." he told her.
"I've been there a couple times. It's built onto the edge of a cliff right onto the sea an' the port is right at the bottom, so you have to walk around to get to it. We'll almost be at the sea before we get there." he murmured, brushing his bangs out of his eyes and beginning to sweep the dust off his clothes, "So at least you'll have somethin' to look at while we walk." he grinned to her; he knew what he'd be looking at, but then he'd been out here before... and Rory was prettier than the landscape, anyway.
It was only an hour or two after they'd began to walk away from the city that Avangarde began to become clearer; Phoenix had been right, soon the manors and houses to their right on the countryside had begun to lessen, turning into sprawling grassland for about half a mile, he guessed, before the dark ocean was visible. There was only a little strip of sand before the waves overtook everything, but the contrast could still be seen. The pointed rooftops of Avangarde were visible against the dark sky even then, small lights twinkling away to let them know it was there. It almost seemed to hang over the edge of the cliff, perched there precariously as though it had been dropped carelessly by the gods. Avangarde was a beautiful town, even at a distance, similar to the metropolis of Cressa some distance behind them now, but much smaller in scale.
Even Phoenix was beginning to feel a little tired by now, but he realised that was probably because all of his adrenaline had been spent working their way through the tunnels and preparing for their escape that day, and he had no energy left now, for when they had actually succeeded. "You holdin' up okay, Rory?" he asked softly as they walked from the main road onto the rocky side route that led to the cliff-top town, shifting the leather bag uncomfortably on his shoulder again. He found it had been surprisingly easy to walk with the princess and not have to say anything; if conversation came, then it came naturally. Phoenix enjoyed that.
|
|
|
Post by Angel ♥ on Jan 8, 2009 14:07:33 GMT -5
Yes, Rory had plenty to look at as they walked, and she seemed facinated by everything. Her gaze was constantly flitting about, checking how far away Avangarde was before her eyes swept across the landscape. At one point she had even paused to pluck a little purple flower from the ground, it's petals in the shape of a star. She tucked this behind her ear before moving to talk walking again, a happy bounce to her step. There was one thing, however, that could hold her attention; her gaze just kept drifting back out over the ocean, a smile touching to her features everytime she looked at it. She hadn't really been able to see the ocean very well from the palace, only able to catch the occasional glimpse when she was on the higher floors. But here, where she could see it fully, it seemed to stretch out forever! And the way that the moon light scattered over the inky waters was entrancing. How could she not have noticed this before?
However, as the buildings began to take solid form she noticed just how tired she was. The backs of her legs were already aching, but that was nothing compared to the throbbing of her feet. She had never noticed how uncomfortable those shoes were until now. They rubbed at the back of her heel and squashed her little toe. Plus they were dusty and she doubted that they would last her very long walking. Soon enough she would wear a hole in them, afterall, they weren't make for so much walking. All in all, she couldn't wait to get them off!
She didn't tell Phoenix any of this though. She just smiled to him, brushing her hair back from her face. "I am alright, just a little tired." She admitted, guessing that he was feeling the same way. It seemed like a lifetime ago since they were back in the slums worrying about if this would work, and now they had left the slums and Cressa behind and were almost at Avangarde. She was almost worried that this was a dream, and that when she woke up she would be either back at the palace or back in the slums with the White Knights. It all just seemed...too good to be true.
"Do you know where the inn is? I suppose you do seeing as you've been here before. What's it like? Like Layla's inn?" She asked, bubbling with questions even though she was tired. Oh, she was like a child sometimes, wasn't she?
|
|
|
Post by Vyncent Schwarz on Jan 8, 2009 16:10:39 GMT -5
It was in times like these that Phoenix was glad of the walking boots he wore; they were light and yet sturdy, and he'd broken them in already so walking for miles wasn't a problem at all for him. Though once he noticed Rory was struggling he'd almost definitely try to get her some more suitable travelling shoes. Getting blisters was one thing, but you couldn't have hurt feet when you were, by definition as a traveller, someone who walked a lot. "I know where the inn is, yeah, but I never stayed there." he nodded to her, unable to resist a chuckle at her cheeriness. It seemed that he wasn't the only one glad to put Cressa behind them for a bit, but he guessed that this would be all the more exciting for Rory because it would be the first time she'd left, so he could understand that, even though she was tired, she'd still have a lot of questions.
"The last time I came here it was Summer, and we were down on our luck." he explained to her, the rooftops and buildings around them beginning to get taller and more detailed as they drew closer. There was a gate leading into Avangarde, but no guards because it was such a busy traders' route... that and there were so many guards at Cressa it would be pointless to check who was going in or out at a place only a few miles away. "So we camped outside the inn." he continued, "It was a warm night and nobody seemed to mind that much. Hopefully this time we'll be able to sleep inside." he chuckled to her, spotting the gate now, wide open so any horses and carts could get through without any trouble.
In just a few minutes they were walking through the cobbled streets of Avangarde, the characteristically tall, pointed rooftops rising up around them. It was getting late into the night now so not many people were around anymore, and most of the doorways were darkened, only the lights above them flickering away as their inhabitants turned in for the night. Only one doorway was still lit up, the words 'Inn' carved delicately on the front on a wooden sign, although most people wouldn't be able to read it. Which explained the symbols that ran next to it, informing travellers of the establishment. "There it is." he nodded to her, smiling brightly, "I wouldn't say it was like Layla's inn... It's more well put together, for starters. And there's a couple who run it... it's more... I dunno. You'll see when we get there." he shrugged.
|
|
|
Post by Angel ♥ on Jan 8, 2009 17:00:45 GMT -5
Rory wouldn't let him know that her shoes were hurting her, would she? She didn't want to worry him, so the only way he would find out would be by accident, either he would see her feet when she took her shoes off or he would notice her discomfort. She was enough of a burden on Pheonix without him having to buy her new shoes and wait for her because her feet hurt. She would just have to...grin and bear it...though Rory really wasn't very good at dealing with pain, but right now she wanted to prove to Phoenix that she could do this. It was only walking after all, how hard could that be?
"You slept outside? Weren't you worried about other people...or animals...or rain?" She questioned, tilting her head to the side as she looked over at him. Hmmm, sleeping outside would be testing, how were you supposed to rest when anyone could creep up on you while you slept? Then again, Phoenix would make sure that she was alright...the only problem would be that he probbaly wouldn't sleep in order to make sure that nothing came near them if they ever slept outside. Maybe they should leave that one until she was more used to this whole travelling business?
"Okay." She smiled brightly as she spotted the inn, glad that it was all lit up and welcoming. An unexpected wave of weariness washed over her as she realised how close their goal was, her legs feeling like lead as she walked. Oh, she just wanted to give up now, even though they were so close to the inn...and she couldn't believe how hungry she was! Hmmm, this traveling might be harder than she had first anticipated.
|
|
|
Post by Vyncent Schwarz on Jan 8, 2009 17:39:08 GMT -5
He might not be able to tell right now, but a few days on the road and her discomfort would be rather more obvious... and Phoenix would likely be more annoyed at her because she didn't say anything than because he'd had to get her better walking shoes. "I would've thought twice about sleeping outside if it hadn't been Summer." he shrugged to her, smirking as they approached the door, "As for the other two, animals tend to leave you pretty much alone in towns... and you learn to sleep very lightly when you've been travellin' a while. Or if you've been brought up in a place where people would cut your throat while you slept for a couple bronze pieces." he winked to her, "I'm always awake before they even get close." he murmured. Luckily, when you usually had to sleep outside there weren't many people about, so you weren't waking up every second because someone walked past.
Phoenix was surprisingly tired as they led them into the inn, smiling faintly to himself as the warmth from the fire reached them. It wasn't anything like Layla's; it was welcoming to strangers, inviting and rather quiet, but then it didn't have any of Layla's... spark. But it was an inn, and Phoenix was just thankful for that. "Just a bit longer, Rory, and we'll be asleep." he assured her.
He walked to the counter to talk to the elderly inn-keeper, his daughter (who Phoenix was rather happy to see was quite beautiful) standing behind him to give them a polite, welcoming smile. It would be a silver piece for each of them to stay the night, and three silver for something to eat then, and breakfast in the morning. Phoenix was relieved he'd stolen that guard's money pouch a few days before; the thing had been almost full to bursting with silver coins, and without it they would be sleeping on the streets tonight. And it wasn't Summer anymore.
After paying for their room, the girl behind the counter took a ring of keys from the hook, nodding for them to follow with another polite smile, although the look she gave Phoenix was a little more than for courtesy. Not that the thief minded, he was feeling more like himself since they'd left Cressa. Unfortunately that meant all of his womanising ways came with it. He glanced over his shoulder to smile at Rory as they followed the girl, who began to lead them up the stairs to their room.
|
|
|
Post by Angel ♥ on Jan 8, 2009 18:27:14 GMT -5
The inn felt comfortable and safe, which was always good. No, it wasn't like Layla's inn, it wasn't noisy or rowdy or anything like that, but it seemed like a nice place; closer to what Rory was used to rather than what Phoenix was used to. It wasn't elaborate or fancy, the furniture being plain but well made, the craftmanship that had gone into making them evident. The owner of the inn had gone for quality over mimicking the nobles high fashion, which also helped give the inn a more welcoming feel. Then again, if the inn had been any more luxurious she doubted that they would have been able to pay for a room, which would have meant that they probably would end up sleeping out on the street, which wouldn't have been plesant.
She fiddled with her pendant as they stood by the counter, for some reason feeling rather nervous. Maybe it was because she was tired that she was letting her worries creep up on her. She knew that the pendant protected her identity, yet she was suddenly terrified that the inn keeper of his daughter would recognise her and raise the alarm. They weren't far enough away from Cressa yet to stop her father sending soldiers out to drag her back home. Then again, she doubted that she could ever be far enough from Cressa to stop him doing that. She was the Princess, and her father would probably start a war to get her back if he had to; it stained his reputation having her stolen away, making him look weak.
She shook her head a little to rid herself of those thoughts, moving to follow Phoenix as ha started walking. She glanced up at the girl that was leading them, narrowing her eyes as she spotted the lingering look that she gave Phoenix. Maybe it was the exhaustion, again, but that look made her stomach clench uncomfortably and made her instantly suspicious. She didn't understand this feeling, and right now she didn't even care to hide it, giving the girl a look of utter dislike, which was uncommon for Rory, before moving her gaze back to the ground, subconsiously reaching out to take hold of Phoenic's hand.
|
|
|
Post by Vyncent Schwarz on Jan 9, 2009 15:55:59 GMT -5
If the girl had noticed Rory's look she gave no reaction to it, continuing to lead them up into the upper corridor, which was quaintly decorated and well-lit, a few windows here and there giving a view to the cobblestones below. It was a lot cleaner than the slums, and Phoenix realised they must have looked pretty dusty from both running around in those tunnles and from the road... though he guessed they would be used to that. He looked up as he felt Rory take hold of his hand, looking confused for a second as he glanced back at her, before smiling lightly and glancing back to the top of the stairs. He was more used to her grabbing his wrist than her taking hold of his hand; he put it down to nerves, really. This must have been almost scary at the same time as it was exciting to her, after all.
He gave the girl a bright smile as she stopped outside their room, unlocking the door with their key; his smile, however, was more polite, and even a little relieved that he could finally sit down and have a rest. Not that the girl would take it like that; but Phoenix was, in all honesty, too damn tired to flirt right now. He would do it in the morning, he decided. No, it didn't even enter his mind that Rory would be a little jealous - they were friends, weren't they? And she was still the Princess. And besides that she was far too proper when it came to men. Particularly men like him.
Stepping inside as the door was opened for them, he was glad to find that it was already lit up and ready for them to sleep in, the key for their door on a low side-table next to one of the nights, in case they wanted to lock the room themselves.
"I'll bring you something to eat soon." the girl promised them, flashing them another smile before edging out of the room and clicking the door shut behind her. Phoenix's hand slipped out of her's so he could stretch, the thief taking no time in taking the leather bag from his shoulder (which had become INCREDIBLY heavy, even if there wasn't that much inside), onto the bed. "Finally." he sighed happily.
|
|