Daggerhorn

Thesus stared at her father, his face a mixture of anger and hurt. "I was just leaving anyway," he muttered and stalked out of her father's office and back into the tavern. His movements were rigid and he stopped at the table, grabbing his things.


Methias chuckled as he watched her, his hands in his pockets. "Perhaps you should go through the vendors first, then see the dancers?"


Toby watched the people carefully, looking for Aaron.

Aaron --

As soon as I'd finished the amount of orders I deemed necessary I cleaned up and started out the door. Finding no one in the way of old ladies to lecture me I easily made my way to the gypsy camp. Letting my eyes study each of the people in turn I eventually spotted her, smiling a little when I did.
"Hello there..." I muttered, doing my best to come up behind Toby, hoping to surprise.


Anna Lee --

I spotted him the moment he came out, grabbing a tray walking over to him with a smile.
"So, how'd it go?" I asked, his breakfast in hand. "Ready for this...?"
I then realized it looked like he was leaving instead of sitting down.
"Oh, unless you're busy.."


Katherine --

I nodded with wide eyes, starting towards the nearest one.
"Good idea!"
That decideed I proceeded too look over jewelry and other items as I came across them.

Toby jumped, her eyes wide as she turned to face him and blushed. "Hello," she said, her voice thick with her French accent. "I. .. . you came." Her lips pulled up into a bright smile as she attempted to fix her hair in a casual way, all of the sudden self-conscious about how she looked.


Methias chuckled and followed after her, keeping her from spending all her money in one place. It was like seeing a child in a candy shop.


Thesus stared at Anna Lee with pain in his eyes, his gaze then falling to the table. "I've actually got work to do," he said after a moment and looked back up at her, eyes searching her face. He then glanced around the tavern before his eyes met hers again and he kissed her quickly before anyone could see them. "I'll find a way," he murmured in her ear, then left the tavern determined.

Aaron --

I chuckled, stepping back a little so she would not feel crowded as I looked her over myself. I hadn't gotten that good of a look at her the evening before when I escorted her and I had to say, she certainly was stunning.
"Of course, I said I would, didn't I?" I replied, glancing around a little.
This was certainly a world away from the village, or at least that's how it appeared.


Katherine --

All the vendors shops were so amazing. I would go from one to another, Methias keeping watch over how much I drained my pocketbook. It would be too easy to just spend everything at one store.


Anna Lee --

My hand fluttered to my lips as I watched him leave, realizing that last night was definitely more than just the talkings of a drunk man. Swallowing slowly I sat his tray down and perched on the edge of a chair for just a moment, deciding that perhaps his reaction to the talk with my father didn't spell out good for his request. Then his words...
Could it mean..?
He couldn't...
I wasn't sure what to think now. What to do. If he didn't get permission...

Toby smiled up at him and gave a slight nod. "I suppose you did...but lots of people say that and never do," she pointed out. She watched him look around and she grinned. "Want me to show you around?"

Aaron --

I gave a small smile, nodding as well.
"Yes, that sounds like a nice idea." I told her. "I haven't been to one of these since I was a kid... I'm sure much has changed."
There was a truth in what I said. I hadn't gone out much at all since Katherine had become my responsibility, never had the chance.

Toby smiled and gave a small nod. "Alright, come. I'll show you." With that she took his hand and lead him all around the camp, introducing him to people and showing him how things were made and what it was they made, and showed him the various performers, everything from fire eaters to belly dancers to acrobats.

Aaron --

I followed without issue, looking in amazement at the things I hadn't seen since I was a child and Katherine and I's parents were still alive. It sure was a sight. I made a mental note to try and take her to something like this again sometime, and have it be the two of us. We didn't do nearly enough together.

It also helped that I was spending the time with a pretty girl. As we reached the dancers I found myself watching her as she showed me the things, marveling over how she held my attention. No other girls had done that before.

"Do you dance?"

Toby looked over at him and blushed slightly as she turned to face him. Her eyes seemed to spark and she gave a small laugh. "I do, but my dancing is better in a tent for two," she said with a wink, though her voice still held that shyness to it she'd been exhibiting the whole time she'd known him. Perhaps, if she could hook this one, she'd never have to travel again. . .she'd be able to stay put.. ..She was desperate enough she'd give her body if it meant not having to keep traveling.

Aaron --

I blushed, unable to help myself. I couldn't help the picture that came to my mind then even though I attempted to push it away to the best of my abilities, it just kept coming back.

"Oh... erm... I... um..."

Words having failed I turned my attention back to the dancers, trying to pull together some since of the sure of himself man I must have seemed to be.

"I was... erhm. Thinking more of the ... normal type of dancing... "

Toby watched him, her smile not seeming to falter though inside she cursed herself. "I do that too," she said with a small nod. She looked away and to the dancers in front of her. "My dancing clothes are back in the tent though," she said softly. "And mama doesn't let me usually dance..there's far to much to be done."

Aaron

A mischievous smile seemed to find its way to my lips without my own accord at her words, putting a flippant tone in my voice.

"Well, you're with me, aren't you? What if we went and got you dancing clothes, I could guard the tent, and perhaps we'd be able to sneak away without her even noticing that you'd done it."

Sounded simple enough...

Toby glanced at him and blushed slightly, a smile coming back to her face. She nodded vigorously and giggled as she slipped her hand into his and lead him off to the tent where her things were kept.

Aaron

I blushed when she took my hand, cursing myself inside my head. It was silly to blush at these little things, but then again, I didn't exactly hang around the girls normally. To busy taking care of Katherine by working, or attempting to keep track of her. She was the only girl in my life, and now...

I wasn't quite sure what to make of this.

"Alright," I said when we were close. "I'll keep watch as I said, make sure no one sneaks up on you."



Anna Lee --


I didn't have very much time to think about that though, soon the tavern began to fill up with all the men wanting their meals. Slipping back up I soon began to distract myself from my thoughts by focusing on my work, traveling here and there from the kitchen and the main room.
Work didn't give me time for anything else.

Thesus came back to the tavern hours later, and began his usual drinking when he was down. He barely noticed anyone in there that night, to busy trying to drown out his failures for the day. After about the fifth one, he was having trouble sitting in his chair, so he had leaned over the table to keep himself up.


Toby's excitement had gotten the better of her by the time they reached the tent. "Merci beaucoup Aaron, vous êtes incroyable, Je t'aime," she said in quick French, forgetting he didn't understand. She kissed his cheek and dashed into the tent happily and began to find and put on her clothes.

Anna Lee --

It didn't take me long to realize that for the second night in a row Thesus had drank too much. Sighing a little I looked around, making sure that I had enough time to do as I found myself doing too often recently. When I was sure I walked over and started to help him up, muttering to him so no one else would hear.
"Thesus, come on, its time for you to go home. You've had enough."


Aaron --

I blinked, then laughed again as the blush grew even more across my cheeks. Taking my place at the tent entrance I watched for anyone that may have been prepared to stop us from dancing.

Toby poked her head out of the tent after a while and looked at him. "Mon ami, aidez-moi," she said as she motioned for him to come into the tent. "Je ne peux pas lier cela sur mon propre," she said as she turned her back to him and held the strings for her top piece out to him. Her skirt was long and sheer with a small skirt beneath it, the fabric an array of fiery colors. The top also had the same look, a sheer vale hanging from it to cover her stomach yet still show it. She blushed slightly, feeling silly, but couldn't help the happy smile on her face.



Thesus grunted as she helped him stand and he swayed slightly. "I have not," he said a little to loudly as he began to stumble towards the entrance.

Aaron--

I hesitated, but then moved in to help her.
"You know, I'd have an easier time if you spoke English," I told her, not being rude about it really though. "I don't know French."


Anna Lee--

I sighed, moving to take his arm and lead him out, towards his house.
"You have, just as you had enough the night before. This is becoming too regular a habit for my liking, Thesus..."
To be honest he'd started to worry her, surely the fact that she was to be wed wasn't the cause of that... was it? He couldn't care for her that much...

Toby blushed slightly and gave a small smile. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice thick with her accent. "I'm just so excited. ..I haven't danced in a while. My mother. ..is very strict."

Thesus leaned into her and followed her drunkenly, stumbling over his feet. "It's not a habit, I have only done it twice," he slurred.

Anna Lee --

"Fine, only twice. Best not make it a third time or I'll have to do something..."
What she wasn't quite sure. She didn't have the authority to cut him off, after all her mother might not like that. Business was business after all...
When they neared his house she let out a small breath, glad that there didn't seem to be any troubles around here at night. At least that was a good thing.


Aaron --

"Ah, I see." he said, smiling in return. "I can understand being nervous then. My father was very strict as well... " Once upon a time. he added in his head.

Toby smiled, glancing over her shoulder at him. "Oh? He is no more strict?" She asked curiously.


Thesus grunted in reply and went into his house, taking her with him. He collapsed on the floor, by his bedroom, bringing her down on top of him, and kissed her roughly. "I love you, damnit," he muttered.

Aaron --

He hesitated for a moment, lowering his eyes as his hand found its way to his neck. After a moment he figured it wasn't much of a secret really.
"No, he and my mother died a year ago. Traveling to a near by town to visit family, the cart was attacked by bandits."


Anna Lee --

She gasped in surprise, then surprised herself even further by kissing him back. She knew this wasn't a very good place to be, or position to be in, when they were alone, but she didn't quite care. His words had caused a thrill of excitement to flood through her as she searched for a reply. Finally she settled on the only one that made sense.
"I love you, too..."

Thesus smiled slightly and continued to kiss her, pulling her close to him as he deepened the kiss. She loved him back, so surely there would be no protests.

Toby turned to face him, her lips pulling into a frown. "I am so sorry . ..that is no good," she said shaking her head. "My father was taken by zee wolves when we came last...zat is why we have not come for so long.. .my father was head of zee camp."

Aaron --

He slowly nodded, raising his eyes up to meet hers once more.
"I'm sorry for your loss... what made your camp come back, now?"

Anna Lee --

Kissing him back she relaxed, trying to wrap her mind around what was going on. Never in her dreams could she have imagined being here right now, but she didn't really want to be anywhere else. She knew she should pull away before anything happened, yet... she didn't want to.

Thesus continued to kiss her, rolling so he was over her after a while, his hands sliding beneath her shirt and across her skin. Oh how he wanted this to move forward, to be more than just a kiss.


Toby stared at him and sighed. "For zee money. .. traveling elsewhere. .. we are not welcome.. .most of us girls get sold because zee camp gets desperate. Many become bed slaves. .. I begged my mother to come here, because I knew zhere would be no man to by bed slaves. Your village is very well settled, with few single men and women."