The Princess and the Thief (Lord Dakol and Seraphine Light)

The evening and night she spent with Lucius was by far one of the most pleasurable experiences of her life. She had no worries, and no fears, just pure happiness at the thoughts of being in his arms, and at the thoughts of what would be to come in the future. Her moans and whimpers filled the evening, begs and pleads for what she knew she couldn't have. But despite all that, she ended up snugly fitted against him while they slept.

Her slumber had been peaceful for the most part, but as morning drifted in she felt herself slip into a nightmare. Everything was dark, and she couldn't see anything, nor hear anything. It was as if all her senses had been cut off from her. Suddenly hands flew out at her, grabbing at her, tearing at her clothes, and she screamed and cried, but it was all useless.

She awoke with a start, her chest rising and falling rapidly. She looked around frantically for a moment, and didn't see Lucius, but she calmed herself, knowing he'd be back shortly. As if on cue she heard the door creak open and he entered the room. She was sliding from the bed, moving to her satchel to find the black dress from the day before. "Good...Morning..." she said softly, trying to restore her heartbeat to its usual rhythm. "What's that?" she questioned as she pulled the black dress against her, holding it lightly in her arm. She lifted a hand, smoothing down her hair as she tried to rustle sleep from her features. She hoped there was no sign of her waking distress, and in an attempt to hide it she smiled cheerfully at Lucius.

"My new clothes, and a cloak for you," Lucius answered, setting his clothes on the bed and handing the black cloak to her. He knew most likely that his old clothes were essentially useless to him now, and didn't hesitate as he gripped the collar of his shirt and tore it down the middle, revealing the muscled flesh of his torso. He threw the tattered cloth with his old armor, and slipped off his boots and pants, hiding himself for a moment while he pulled on the new pair of white pants. They were soft, baggy, and had plenty of movement.

Standing back up, he noticed the subtle change in her expression and body movement, and narrowed his eyes worriedly. "What's happened?" he asked, pulling the white linen shirt that had a hood stitched onto the shoulders. He tested the feel and quickness of it, satisfied that it rested on his head and hid most of his face, dimming the color of his red eyes and hiding the marks on his neck and cheek, but still left space for him to turn his head and look.

Talia watched Lucius with eyes filled to the brim with desire, but when he looked at her she shook her head. "N-Nothing!" she said hurriedly. She walked across the room with her dress, sliding behind the changing screen before she slipped her clothes off, sliding into the black dress, its length falling to her knees comfortably. She ran her hands down the soft fabric and bit her lip. "I like your new clothes.." she called as she came out from behind the screen. She set the other dress down and tied the bow for the back of the simple dress. She looked at the cloak and smiled at it.

She made sure the other dress was folded neatly before sliding it into her bag. "So...whats todays agenda? Are we headed out?" she said quietly, not wanting to talk about her nightmare. Her skin still crawled with the memory of it, and she just wanted to forget it. "Before we go...do you think Daka could spare me an apple?" she said curiously, grabbing the cloak and pulling it around her. She tested it out, wrapped it around herself comfortably for a moment before she took it off, holding it in her arms like it was precious.

Talia looked Lucius up and down, really getting an look at his new clothes, and it made her smile, though she was a little sad to see so much of him hidden by the hood. She rubbed her arm absently, and waited in silence for Lucius to tell her what they were going to be doing.

Lucius reached around his head and grabbed the tip of the hood, yanking it down softly to reveal his sculpted face and godlike eyes and birthmark, the hood falling perfectly on his shoulders. "Of course he could!" he replied with a smile.

He quirked an eyebrow at her quick dismissal, not believing her for a minute. He turned towards her and frowned. "It definitely was something. Tell me, Talia..." he pleaded softly, wrapping her in his arms as he looked at her.

She let him wrap her up in his arms, her body relaxing at the warmth his body provided her, but she shook her head. "Do not worry, my dear Lucius..." she whispered, lifting her lips to his in a soft and gentle kiss before pulling away from him. "Silly dreams..nothing more..." she waved a hand at him in dismissal. "Would you like anything from Daka? Or shall we grab something from him and depart?" she asked with a small smile.

Talia's eyes still looked guarded, and a bit dark around the edges, but otherwise she looked normal, her tanned skin warm and her smile bright as ever. She wondered if the dream was just brought on by the experience with the men in the alley, or if something else was haunting her dreams. She really didn't want to think about it.

Of course, Lucius knew better than to believe her, but for the moment, he decided not to press. In time, she would tell him of what was wrong. With a flickering, almost faltering smile, he nodded. "Just a few supplies, and we can get on our way," he said, then turned to equip his armor. Once again he needed help with the pauldron and chest guard, and when he was done, he tried out the flexibility one more time. It was still perfect. With both hands he pulled the white hood up, making sure it wasn't caught under the armor plating, and pulled it back down. The colors of silver and white blended in almost perfectly, and would allow him to walk freely, tricking any enemies into thinking he didn't have armor. Wrapping his dagger sheath across his back and hooking it at his chest, he slid the weapon neatly into the covering, placing the messenger bag on the opposite shoulder. He was ready.

"Let's go," he said, feeling a bit anxious to leave now that the moment had come. Taking her hand, Lucius and Talia walked out of their room, taking care to pick up her sword and handing it to her, sheath and all.

Daka looked up from the counter and smiled as patrons began to enter, greeting him with loud shouts. Even the man from the time before saw Talia and waved at her. "Hello my friends. I'm sad to see you leave," he admitted truthfully, smiling sadly.

"Do not worry, Daka. We will return..." Lucius paused, glancing at Talia, "When the time is right."

The men stepped in close and hugged each other tightly in a strong bear grip as if they were brothers, and when they let go, Daka turned to Talia. "I am honored to have your presence here, ma'am. Truly," he inclined his head a little, "Do you need anything else before you leave?"

Afterwards, they soon left, walking out onto the street and heading towards the southern gate.

Talia had put the cloak back on, mostly because it was comfortable, but she assumed it would not have been given to her if not for her to wear. As they left the Inn, leaving Daka behind, she tossed an apple up and down in her hand. Occasionally she would take a bite, and smile at the delicious juice that filled her mouth while she chewed it. They walked the streets comfortably, her eyes wandering through the crowds as they headed south. She smiled. "So Daka knew who I was...So..." she laughed quietly,"He'd known you were going back to the castle for me...What had your original plans been? When you came back?" she laughed quietly. "Steal me out from under everyone's noses?" she teased him as they approached the gates. "Who knew...that I'd end up wanting to leave with out...What crazy things fate does to us..." she leaned over and kissed his cheek with a soft laugh.

There were guards at the southern gate and she grasped Lucius' hand as they approached. She still got nervous around guards, for all she knew Marcus could have alerted the guard and her father of her escape, and most certainly the guards would have been told to keep an eye out for anyone that might hold her description.

She took her spare hand and held the cloak tightly around herself, the apple long since discarded after being finished. Her stomach felt sick suddenly, nervousness taking over her body. The Princess bit her lip, looking at Lucius, wondering if he knew the guards on duty at the particular time in which they reached the gates.

Her grip on his hand tightened, and her eyes were wavering as she looked around the gate. It looked like there were four guards total, two were controlling the gate itself, and two stood alert in front of it.

As they walked towards their destination, Lucius laughed to himself: there was a Princess and a demi-god among them and they didn't even realize it! Perhaps things would change in the time to come. Perhaps...

Lucius coughed nervously when he heard Talia's question about coming back to the castle. "In truth, yes. When I told Daka, I remember him asking me if I was going to risk everything for a girl. He couldn't believe it," he answered with a grin, sighing as he was pleased when he felt her lips on his cheek.

Soon, they arrived at the gates. And unfortunately, Lucius did not know of them personally. Pulling up his hood, his visage was mostly hidden as they walked up to the guards. "We would like to get through, gentlemen," he said calmly, his entire body cool and even, unlike Talia's.

"On what business?" one of them asked, a large, burly guard with a broadsword.

"Cartography. My wife and I are mapmakers. We are heading to Loiov to provide with updated maps of the region," Lucius answered without missing a beat. Luckily for them, he had already thought of an excuse and it was forming the entire way they had gone.

"Ah, I see. Let them through," the other guard said, a man old with bright blond hair. The gates then creaked open to reveal the long road ahead them, and a horse stable directly outside the gates. "Thank you, gentlemen. Good day," Lucius said with a smile, moving past the guards and through the gates to stop at the horse stable. A young girl was watching over the horses and, seeing the couple, excitedly ran up to them.

"We need two horses," Lucius explained, then looked at Talia, "Pick out a horse, darling."

A blush flooded her cheeks at being called Lucius' wife, but she quickly hid it and just smiled. Relief washed through her as they got through the gate without any problems, and when she saw the stables she felt excited. She'd always loved horses, and the fact that she now got to ride one after what felt like an eternity certainly made her happy. She instantly started to look through the horses until she found one in particular that seemed to call to her. It was completely black, all except for one spot on its chest, which was a pure white hue, she lifted a hand out and the horse instantly nudged her hand affectionately.

"This one..." she smiled and looked towards Lucius and the stable girl. "Does she have a name?" she asked the stable girl. She knew not all horses from stables were given names, but some on the rare occasion were, and if the lovely creature already had a name, she would surely use it. The stable girl smiled," Her name is Shadowmere..." and with that Talia snuggled against the creature, whose eyes seemed to sparkle in response.

"She's perfect..." murmured Talia as she readied the animal for travel. After several minutes she pulled the horse from the stable and dug into her satchel until she found her gold, which she then adequately paid for the horses. She smiled at Lucius and laughed. "This will be so fun.." then she turned to the horse and kissed its nose lightly. "I'll take good care of you on our journey..." she said softly.

Lucius simply observed Talia for the moment, leaning against a plank, his arms crossed and a smile on his lips. She certainly had a way with animals like he did, only that her ability was natural and not a power. As she found the horse she wanted, Lucius was sure that Talia also knew how to ride a horse. That was good.

Next up was the Thief. Pulling down his hood, he walked among the horses, his hands gliding on their noses and tails, trying to find the perfect one. Unfortunately, no other horse would do. Then, when his fingertips touched the nose of a dark brown steed, he stepped back in surprise. Upon closer inspection, he could see that the horse had several red scar below its left eye and around its neck. "Woah..." he whispered. Fate once more intervened. "He doesn't have a name, does he?" he asked the little girl. When she told him no, Lucius smiled.

"Good . . . Ka'Rowa," he whispered, linking their foreheads together. Quickly he felt the thoughts of the steed mix with his own, and smirked. Turning to the little girl, he took the small pouch on his waist and dropped it into the girl's hands. It was more than the horse was worth, but Lucius didn't care.

Tightening its saddle, he waited for Talia to be done with hers and quickly jumped onto the horse, and glanced at the little girl. "Thank you, meddma uha. Have a good day," he said, then looked at Talia before they spurred their horses into motion.

Oh it was a joy to once again feel the strong muscles of the animal beneath her. She wasn't wearing her riding pants, but that wasn't very bad considering the dress she wore was the one she'd planned for less lady-like adventures, so the shorter length of it allowed her to ride the horse comfortably with a leg on each side, instead of with two legs thrown over one side. She held the reigns loosely in her hands as they headed over and she looked over at Lucius' horse, curious as to what happened to the lovely thing. She pulled her own horse closer to Lucius', and smiled when the two animals didn't seem to get upset at each others presence. She'd seen many a horse get upset over being ridden close to another, but these two seemed comfortable with each other. She reached over, running a small hand over the male horse.

"So beautiful...they are...both of them..." she returned her hand to her own lovely animal, stroking her lovingly. "Lead the way Lucius!" she laughed joyously.

The sound of a bird made her look up and soaring above them was a small song bird. The bird flew down towards Lucius and Talia and she smiled at it. It wasn't until it had moved to fly beside Talia's head that she noticed where it was from. "Lucius! This is the bird you healed!" she cried out, surprise and delight in her voice. She held out her hand and the bird happily landed atop it, singing softly at them. "She found us...how wonderful!" She couldn't believe it. The bird had actually come to them of its own accord.

It walked up Talia's arm until it lightly sat on her shoulder, its eyes peering over at Lucius as it got comfortable. "I've never heard of such a thing..." she said, still laughing.

Ka'Rowa looked up at Lucius at they galloped, his eyes gazing into the man's own for a moment before gazing ahead.

The Thief smiled slightly at Talia, just looking at her while she stroked her mare. The sun was shining, wind was cool, and the countryside was peaceful. It was all so... perfect. Lucius' gaze flickered to the small bird that he had saved not so long ago. He looked at it in surprise, not able to say anything just yet.

"Very interesting..." he muttered, cocking his head for a moment.

The bird settled in nicely on her shoulder and she smiled happily at it. She had yet another friend to be by her side, and nothing made her happier then being surrounded by people or animals she could care for. The Princess smiled over at Lucius. "Have you ever seen such a thing? Perhaps it is because you healed it, Lucius..." she nodded slightly.

It still seemed strange, but before she met Lucius she didn't think a lot of things for possible, so she certainly wasn't going to throw out the bird as impossible. "Do we know where we are headed?" she asked after several more minutes of riding. She wasn't sure where they were going, but since they had horses now, she assumed it'd be a bit of a trip.

"Once or twice," was his answer, and neglected to say much more, mainly because he didn't know anymore than she did. A long time ago, he vaguely remembered someone healing a dog, and it just so happened that the canine never left the person's side from then on. However, now he wasn't going to question it. If the bird's presence made Talia happy, he was too.

Then, he smiled. A subject he could explain. "Yes. A city named Loiov, near the southern edge of the country. My friend is rumored to be there," he said, then looked at her quizzically, "How much do you know about the country?" Lucius asked. It wasn't often that people knew very much about the cities other than their own, it was most likely that she had no idea what lay beyond.

She looked embarrassed suddenly and looked away from him. "I...I don't know...anything?" she laughed quietly. "I barely knew anything about what laid out in my own Kingdom..." she frowned, her eyes sad. It wasn't that she didn't want to know, it was that nobody would let her listen in on such topics. Talia had even snuck into a meeting about the bordering countries, but it had ended with her locked in her room. When she thought about it, much of Talia's time was spent locked in her bedroom.

She gritted her teeth in irritation as her eyes narrowed. A Princess was suppose to be able to know about the world around her, to know what she could do for her people, but Talia had never know anything, all she was to her father was an image for the Kingdom to hear about. Tell them of the beautiful Princess, of her kind actions, and sweet voice, but never let them see her, never could they know who she really was. She was an image they were only allowed to dream of. Her hands gripped the reigns on her horse tightly, her anger building.

"Imagine...I know nothing about anything..." she mumbled sadly.

Lucius had figured. In comparison to her father, she was supposed to be shown as someone they should not fear, but love. Ironically, Talia was more talked about than her own father.

"I see . . . very well then. That is one more thing I must teach you, then," the Thief assured her, straightening his back as he patted Ka'Rowa. "Long ago, there were four kingdoms here in the country of Xanion. The tribe to the north that roamed the forests and plains; the naval clan that lived south, ruling over the water."

"My people were Delusians. As they used to say, we were quick on our feet and had tongues of silver, and one day our entire race was forged to the gods. The final, much more enigmatic of them all was a kingdom just called "The Empire". Their tactics are reminiscent of shadows and thieves, as the family that ruled were highly classified to the point of no one even knowing their names. Thus, the husband and his family who ruled were only known as the "Family". But relations were surprisingly friendly between all of us; I remember going to frequent feasts and banquets with one another. But it wouldn't last forever..." he explained, his voice faltering, closing his eyes as they slowed to a steady trot.

"Your father had decided that the power that the Delusians held were far too dangerous. And so . . . he obtained the support of the forest tribe and water clan, through either blackmail or coercion. We were massacred during a "friendly" diplomatic meeting. Blood ran through the streets . . . and with his number one threat out of the way, the King took over all of Xanion, uniting it under one banner. His." Lucius growled, attempting to control his anger before pausing, allowing Talia to process this all.

Talia hated hearing about her father and the horrible things he did to people. It made her hatred for him grow more and more with every passing moment. She knew she had to know about him, and about the things he did, but knowing didn't make her life any easier. She nodded slowly as she listened to Lucius' words, hearing about the different Kingdoms that once lived in the country. Occasionally her mouth would open in surprise or awe, but her final facial expression was just dismay. She just didn't understand why her father was so cruel!

Talia sighed and nodded. "I see..." she pulled the bird from her shoulder and it crawled down her leg and sat on the saddle in front of her, its musical melody easing her tense shoulders. She could tell Lucius was getting a bit angry and thinking of the past and so she nudged the bird lightly with her thumb and it flew over to Lucius, settling on his own shoulder quietly. Just a gentle gesture, to comfort and console.

"Will we make it to Loiov before sundown?" she asked. Would she get her first experience with sleeping outside? Or were there small villages on the way there? She was slightly curious as to what sleeping outdoors was like.

Lucius barely registered the bird that flew onto his shoulder, but his expression eased as it began to sing. His response was to softly whistle in tune, a small smile on his face.

"No. It will take about a day and a half. We'll find somewhere to camp later, but we should get as much ground as we can," he said, anxious to get to Loiov. Not just for finding the one who can help, but that meant it would be safe for them to show how much they cared about each other.

"And if you haven't heard of Loiov, then you'll be in for a surprise. Just a hint: it's not on land," he said, smirking deviously. He honestly couldn't wait to see the expression on her face when they reached the city.

She paused for a minute, and the horse, seeming to sense her confusion and distress stopped walking. "W-Wait! What?!" she stammered, eyes wide. "What...is it like...underwater? In the air?!" she said in a rush of words, but then she shook her head. "No...don't tell me..." she shook her head again and the horse started to walk again, rushing past Lucius in a sprint. Talia looked over her shoulder and stuck out her tongue, teasing the man playfully.

Talia was still pondering where a city could be if not on land, but she tried to push away the thought. She didn't want to know until they got there. Surprising were always fun...weren't they? She slowed down so she was once again beside Lucius and smiled warmly at him. "Day and a half..." she nodded slowly and laughed. "Oh this will be fun and full of adventure!" she cried out in a fit of spirit.

Lucius, per her request, stayed silent about the details of Loiov. He only knew that she would like it. Perhaps - since he did not have a calender or any other way to tell time - they would be preparing the festival when they arrived. Now that would be something they could both enjoy.

But already Talia was enjoying the ride, as was Lucius, and didn't like to interrupt that sort of merriment. But he needed to. "Loiov is the capital of the region. It's not quite as big as the Empire (which he didn't know the actual name of), and it doesn't have a king or queen. But they do have a senator. I just hope they haven't changed anything from when I was there last..." he said quietly, then smiled.

"A senator? How does he rule?" she questioned curiously. She had no idea how anything was run without a king or queen to lead. Her brow furrowed in confusion. "What would have changed, Lucius?" she said softly. "And some change is good!" she nodded. "Like this.." she motioned between them. "I like being changed from a pampered Princess to a traveling...person..." she shrugged, not sure what to call herself anymore. Sure, she was still the Princess, but she didn't feel like one.

What could she consider herself? Rogue Royalty? She giggled quietly at that thought.

Her eyes turned back to Lucius and she sighed. "Will it be beautiful?" she asked.

"It is very different from the Empire. Though the senator makes many of the decisions, the people have a voice that is heard. It is . . . a democracy," Lucius explained with a smile, obviously fond of the place and its people. But his face darkened at the question. "I do not know. It changes from each senator. Many times the person that governs is a good person and the city is great, but a few times..." he shuddered.

The Thief looked at Talia and exhaled, "It is an opinion, but . . . yes, I think it is. Close to paradise under the right person." he answered.

She listened with interest as he explained a place where the people had a voice. It made her eager to see it. Why would anyone live elsewhere if they could live somewhere where they had a voice? She became even more excited when he spoke of it being a paradise if run by the right person. "Oh I cannot wait Lucius!" she cried out. "It will be marvelous to see! I just know it!!" she smiled.

"Maybe..." she trailed off,"No nevermind..." she turned away, focusing on the tress around them instead of her idea. It was a silly idea, a romantic and foolish dream that she knew they wouldn't be able to do. Besides, they didn't even know how far their feelings stretched for one another, so it would be silly to suggest something like she was thinking, at least so early in their relationship.

"We need to name our bird friend, Lucius..."

Lucius quirked an eyebrow and cocked his head. He was intrigued on what she was about to say. "What? You can tell me?" he said with a soft smile of assurance.

"It's up to you. By all rights, it is yours," he answered, gesturing to the bird.

Soon enough, night fell, and the pair was forced to stop for the night. Lucius had prepared a nice campfire, and positioned their blankets by a large oak tree. He hitched Ka-Rowa and lent him some feed before he looked at Talia with a smile.

She was still stumped over what to call the bird by the time night had fallen, and she had yet to tell him what she was going to ask him earlier. She just didn't know. While Lucius got them set up she spent time with her lovely horse, she would pet her and feed her while whispering lovely things into her ear. "Such a pretty girl..." she purred, placing a kiss on her nose before she turned to go to the fire. The Princess sat down, pulling her legs up to her chest as she looked into the fire.

The bird was asleep on Ka-Rowa, Lucius' horse. When Lucius approached her she looked up, smiling. "I've never slept outside before..." she said quietly. "You'll protect me..." she teased," Riiight?" she giggled quietly and patted the spot next to her, urging him to relax by her.

She was yearning to lay in his arms for a little while, and it seemed no better a time.