Mercy For The Condemned (Houdini x Anjeru)

Audrey kept her eyes screwed shut throughout the act she was performing upon her would be rescuer, fingers holding tightly to his thighs as they began to tense and untense rather sparadically. Though the Queen was the one on her knees, his moans spilling free and his almost helpless thrusting in her mouth, made her feel rather like she still had the control. She knew better than that, of course, but there was something oddly arousing about a man at her mercy. Not that she was aroused by this, quite the contrary in fact. It was merely the idea that seemed a tad pleasing.

Vaguely through the mist of her thoughts, she heard his anti-climactic moan and knew what was to come(no pun intended). She dared not pull away as, in the past, when she had, the King had violently struck her because he had wanted his seed quite literally in her belly. Something about having power over her, she could not recall for sure. A slight gag from the rather saltly taste and cream-like texture, she reflexively swallowed what was in her mouth.

She coughed and used the sleeve of her servant's blouse to wipe the dribbling portion from her lips. Calmly, though still rather disgusted by the whole act and with what she had been required to do, she stood to her feet. Her emerald eyes opened and she looked at him, the once again beautiful pair of orbs tinted with pride and defiance.

"I trust you are satisfied?" she inquired, trying her best not to snap out the words. As Queen, she had never really had to curb her words, except in presence of the King.

Thomas continued to show his completely contented smile as she swallowed his seed before he could even finish telling her she didn't have to. "Yes, it was very good. You've done us both a great favor," he told her with a smile. She was clearly trying to still assert her superiority over him, but he wasn't going to complain for now. Thomas wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth, as he'd no doubt be guilty of by complaining about getting sucked off by the Queen of the greatest empire the world had ever seen.

He looked at her quizzical expression as she wondered, no doubt, how she could have benefited them both. "You see, Audrey, I'm much more focused after I've been... completely satisfied," he explained. "And we'll both need all the focus I can muster." Turning to the cot, he began picking through the clothes. Kicking off his shoes and pants, he pulled on the civilian trousers, before changing his shirt also. He couldn't be seen in the attire of a tower guard of course.

"I don't know what you suggest for yourself. I'll have to help bind your breasts, of course. Why don't we do that now, and then I'll turn while you finish dressing." It certainly wasn't that he didn't want to see the rest of her milky body, but he had two motives here. First, he wanted to give and take a little, lest she start to think death were the better alternative. Second, even having just been pleased, he wasn't sure if he could behold her nakedness and not want to do more with it. There just wasn't time for that now.

"I hope you'll find that arrangement agreeable enough, Audrey," he said. "And I trust you don't find it too forward that I call you Audrey," he thought aloud with a grin. "I'll call you whatever you like."

"Audrey is perfectly acceptable given the circumstances," she said softly, easing up just a bit on her attitude. Despite the part of the agreement she disliked, he was still saving her life when he should have been the very one to take it. "You can also consider calling me by my given name as a gift, for sparing my life," she added a moment later. They both knew it was against the rules set forth by the King and courts to address royalty by just their names, so this too was a little token for the deed of her rescue.

Nodding her head, she moved to the cot as well and pulled the scraps of clothe into her hand that she would use to bind down her generous breasts. Then turned her back to Thomas and used one hand to undo her blouse, sliding it down to rest on her shapely hips(the scraps being passed from hand to hand to do so).

Keeping her back to him, she went about using the scraps to wrap around her chest, her nipples inadvertedly peaking due to the cool tempature of the room. When she did as much as she could manage on her own(at this point, having her breasts covered from his view), she turned her head to peer at him over a milky smooth shoulder and through strands of red. "I need your help to bind them at the back," she admitted softly, her green eyes not moving from his person.

Thomas squinted his eyes a little, trying not to snicker when she told him he could call her Audrey, as if that gift were worth all the finest jewels in the world. But then he remembered how much her title must mean to her. She must have never allowed a non-royal to call her by her given name in the six years she'd been Queen. So from her standpoint, it was quite a gesture to allow it. "Thank you, Audrey. But as I'm sure you've surmised by now, I'm no saint. You don't have to make me out to be one. Just stick with me and what I tell you, and it'll be payment enough for my efforts."

He then looked on as the flickering lights illuminated her milky, blemishless back once her blouse was removed. As shadows danced across it, her white back looked like something from a fine painting of a beautiful, nude woman. Still careful to preserve some modesty, Audrey expertly kept him from seeing any of her nice endowments. He didn't touch her until she called to him from between her flowing strands of fiery hair. At that time, he crept up behind her and took the two ends of the scrap, pulling them tightly over her bare back, exchanging them between his hands in front of her, and making a second pass behind her back, tying a little knot. "You seem like you know what you're doing," he commented. "I can't imagine you've ever bound your chest before. It would seem like a waste to hide the proportions God bestowed upon you, if not for something discreet, such as we attempt now."

Well, he was certianly correct about that last part. He was not a saint. She knew that all too well now, with the faint taste of him on her tongue still. They continued with the scraps until her endowments were bound down to a considerably flat plane. Obviously, she could not be made to be comepletely flat, but this would be enough to conceal her womanly assets.

"This may be true, but when I was no more than a princess, I often liked to sneak from the palace to explore. As you can reasonably assume, it's not hard to pick my person out among even a crowd. I often did as we are doing now, dressing me as no less than a lad." She explained as they finished, pulling the blouse from her seemingly flawless form. She may have seemed to have a girlish figure, but she was well endowed with the shapes and contours of a woman.

Dropping her blouse to the cot, she fished out the pants and slid them on under her ankle-length skirt, tying the drawstrings once they were up just under the waistband of it. Nimble fingers then pulled the skirt off as she shimmied out of it. Next she took the lad's shirt and slid it on over her head, mussing her fiery tresses. "Other than that bit, I have never done so before now. Last was by choice, if I wish to keep my life and even a semblence of what remains of my title, then this is a necessity."

"Ah, I think that'll do," Thomas expressed with a nod of agreement, stealing a look around her front side once the binding was in place. Once she was ready, he tossed all the old clothes into the sack he'd brought, and took it with him to the area of the trap door he'd revealed earlier. "You look quite the common lad," he laughed at her, picking up two candles and handing one to her. He wasn't sure if it was an insult or a compliment to tell her that. "With far nicer features, I have to say," he clarified. "Besides, I know what's underneath."

Pulling open the door, he slid down into the tunnel first with his satchel, holding out his hand to help Audrey down. "Be careful with the candle. If both go out, we're in a bind," he warned, crawling through the stone tunnel filled with cobwebs once she was inside, holding the candle out in front of him. His shoulders brushed against the hard walls on both sides, slowing him down a little. Although he couldn't turn around, he knew at least that Audrey would fit a bit more easily. "Just call out should something happen," he called back to her.

((Short, I know. It's kind of a transition.))

She took it as a compliment to her ability to disguise herself should the need ever arise like it had this night. Nodding, she took the candle from him and carefully descended after him. It appeared as he moved that the tunnel was a tight fit for his form, but she could move through it a bit easier considering she was at least six inches shorter than the man.

"How long do you think we have before they suspect something?" she asked, following along after him, trying not to watch the way his muscles rippled as he moved expertly through the escape tunnel. She was careful to do as he said, protecting the flickering flame of the candle as they moved.

[That's quite alright. =p]

Thomas had started to sweat and grunt a little as the candles and their body heat steamed up the poorly ventilated tunnel. "They'll know once the other guards come to check on us. The three are never supposed to separate, but I told the other two to leave us alone, and that I planned to have intercourse with you for quite a while. It wasn't a complete lie," Thomas explained with a little snicker. He held the candle out and turned a tight corner to the left once the way was illuminated. He'd been stretching the truth by saying he was an expert. He was only through this tunnel once. But, again, that was more knowledge than most possessed.

He continued to crawl for what seemed like ages, although it had only been about twenty minutes. The tunnels led gradually downwards. (it would have been almost impossible to get up to the tower, but who would want to?) Eventually, soaked with perspiration, he reached out and touched a small wooden door in the ceiling of the tunnel. Thomas pressed his ear up to it for a moment, motioning with a hand over his lips for Audrey to stay quiet. Hearing some stirring, he sat down on the floor of the tunnel and began whispering to Audrey. "I'm afraid we still may have to cut your lovely hair eventually. Just try to keep it tucked in tonight. For now, we have to get as far away from here as we can. Do you know how to ride, I wonder, Audrey?"

As the noise overhead disappeared, he popped open the door, poking his head out on the street just outside the tower walls. Seeing the coast was clear, he thrust down his hand into the tunnel for Audrey, nothing around but the dead quiet of a London night.

Audrey flushed red at his response to her inquiry. So his conquest of her body had been his goal from the start and why he had come to her tower prison this night. Somehow, she had hoped it wouldn't be true. She should have known better - all men, as far as was concerned, were the same. Depraved and driven solely for their lust of the flesh.

By the time they came to the door and he motioned for her to be silent, she too was coated in a slight sheen of perspiration. It made her skin gleam deliciously in the light of the candles. At the mention of cutting her hair, she frowned, but nodded softly.

Audrey pulled one hand from her hold on the candle and allowed him to pull her out onto the cold London street. She set her feet down with as much grace as any Queen should have, the cool night's air caressing her delicately.

She did her best to keep her hair tucked in as he asked, emerald hues looking about the deserted street. If anyone were to get a good look at her, they would no doubt recognize her. Her face was famous due to her being married to the most powerful man of the most powerful empire known to the current world.

"Out at last," she murmured. "Felt like we would be in there forever."

"Yes," Thomas agreed. "It certainly wasn't pleasant in there." He looked around, getting his bearings. The Thames was to their right, that couldn't be crossed on one of the ferry boats, it would arouse suspicion. The house of Parliament and Westminster Abbey were behind them. Those places, no doubt well known to the Queen, were too dangerous to frequent. They'd need to head north, away from the river and through the residential areas along the way. It was quite a ways to any wooded area, which would certainly be the only place it might be safe to stop and rest.

"Let's go," he finally said, grabbing her hand and starting off in the direction he'd decided on. "I fathom if anyone sees your face, we're in trouble, but let's have a story nevertheless. You're my son," he suggested with a little snicker. "And... aha, we've just got word that your dear uncle has taken gravely ill. That's why we're on the move in the dark of the night." As the pressed on, a few vagrant souls were seen on the streets, but nobody seemed to pay the two of them any special attention as they put some distance between themselves and the ominous tower behind them. "If we see a horse, we'll need to steal it," he explained as they pressed on.

The Queen's eyes too darted around their surroundings. This was no good. If they were seen in any of these establishments, there was no doubt in her mind that she would be recognized. Thomas took her hand and began pulling her after him, explaining something about a story they were going to use as a cover. "Your son..." she said - the idea sounded utterly ridiculous, but she supposed it could work.

"And my uncle is gravely ill," she repeated softly, making sure to log it into her mind. It wouldn't do any good if their stories did not match. "We cannot take the ferries, or go down main streets. Are we going to make our way out of London using the residential district?" she inquired. It seemed at least that the Queen was not unawares of the layout regarding her city. It made one wonder, from her tale of before, if she had ever snuck out into London on her own.

Looking back at Audrey as they walked through the dark of the night, he could tell she wasn't very familiar with the surroundings. Sure, she'd been to all the castles and estates and churches in the nice part of London. But, she'd never been out among the commoners. It looked like she almost retched as they passed by rotted wooded huts, with moldy, vermin infested roofs. Wretched rags of clothing were visible under the full moon as they hung outside on lines to dry on this cool, clear night.

"We have to use these streets, Audrey," he told her, glancing over at her from time to time as they were no longer holding hands. Until he got to trust her a little more, he couldn't overlook the possibility that she might run. After all, she was a proud woman, she'd made that much clear already, so she wouldn't like much being under his control. "They are the only way." He didn't allow the two of them to stop for some time, reaching a little more sparsely settled area as the first rays of morning's dawn appeared on the horizon. "There are some woods here where we can duck out of the way for a bit. I assume you haven't slept all day and night. You can rest for a few hours if you'd like," he suggested. He was glad, too, to be able to get to the outskirts of town before dawn, when her popular face might be recognized by some citizen. Suddenly, Thomas wondered how he’d sleep. Audrey was quite likely to skulk away while he dozed. But he wasn’t tired yet, so he’d wrangle with that problem when it came around.

[sorry for my short, slightly bleh posts yesterday. I hadn't slept very much the last few days, but I just woke up from a 14-hour slumber not too long ago, so I should be set. =)]

She did her best to keep up with their increased pace, though at times she did falter. The Queen hardly ever traveled on foot in the last six years, having been escorted on horse back, or in ornately decorated coaches or carriages. That would put a damper on the young woman's stamina, but she was proud and refused to let her weakness show in front of him as they hurried through the less than proper parts of London for a lady of her stature. It took the pair a good amount of time to reach the outskirts of the city and by the time they did, dawn was hot on their heels, rays of shimmering light beginning to peak over the horizon.

By the time they stopped, she couldn't hide the fact that she was not only a little out of breath, but also growing weary. Her shoulders, despite the way she wanted to hold them proudly up, began to sag as if the weight of the world lay upon them. This slightly also weighed partially upon the Queen's mind - there wasn't like to be an escape attempt this morning. She would need rest before she could make a break for it and she would much rather have a horse, knowing she was not likely to make it far on foot.

"I fear I may have to take you to your offer," she said, her eyes flashing the pride she couldn't hold in her shoulders. "I am beginning to grow fatigued. I have not had much experience in traveling on foot the last few years," she admitted, with a slight of perspiration gleaming on her smooth skin.

((I didn't think that at all! :3 I was wondering if you ever slept, so it's nice to know you do. You always seemed to be lurking. xD And hope I’m not covering too much here, just wanted to keep everything moving.))

Thomas nodded in approval at her request for some slumber. Neither of them had fared to well for the journey. He'd been on the lookout for a ride, in fact, but hadn't seen anything too promising by night. It would have awakened the residents of those ramshackle dwellings to steal a mount, he thought. "I assume the congregants upon Tower Green will be sorely disappointed, come another hour," he told her with a grin as they entered a more densely wooded section behind some farmhouse. "They won't behold the bloodbath they came to see," he pointed out, as they neared the very hour of her scheduled execution. "Least pleased of all, I presume, will be your loving spouse."

"I can't rest yet," he told her as they came to a grassy spot where one could sit and lean against a tree if desired. "I don't imagine you're used to sleeping quarters of this kind," he observed, motioning down at the grass. He extended his hand and helped her down, sitting down on a log a few yards away once she sat down. He actually could have slept, but that wouldn't have been wise. Not with the escape so fresh. Once Audrey drifted off, he went to the edge of the trees and looked out at the wooden house beyond. A few moments later a father and his boy emerged from the house, heading towards their barn. He sat down and just watched, turning back and keeping an eye on Audrey every few minutes or so.

Not more than an hour has passed before the sun had risen. A boy sprinted up to the house then, and began banging on the door, no doubt a resident of the next farmhouse a quarter mile down the path. A moment later he rushed to the barn. "Peter, Peter," he shouted, out of breath. "Have you heard? Queen Audrey's gone. She's escaped and not beheaded," Thomas heard him say in the distance. No sooner that that news had been divulged, all three men ran back into the main house, no doubt eager to gossip over the big news. Seizing the opportunity, Thomas stalked into the barn, and selected from three horses. He took the strongest looking, a modest-sized brown mare. She wasn't ideal, but it was better than proceeding on foot. The homeowner's attention diverted, he rode back into the woods, where Audrey had been sleeping two hours now. "Audrey," he called out, hopping down from his mount. "Audrey," he repeated, stooping over and touching her smooth, pale cheek. "The news has spread this far already. It isn't safe. We must press on."

[XD Everyone thinks that about me at least once. Hehehe. But, yes, I do sleep. I just...yea, as you put, lurk. =3 Benefits of using a phone, I suppose. X3 and you're posts are just fine, promise. I like them very much!]

The Queen's prideful attitude seemed to disipate more and more the longer they pressed on. She allowed him to help her to the soft bed of grass and even murmured a soft "thank-you" before leaning back against the tree and dozing off fairly quickly when her lashes fell to spill soft shadows on her cheeks. As Thomas went about keeping watch, she seemed to drift in and out, sometimes stirring to make a soft noise, before settling down again. It made one wonder what a Queen would dream about, especially after the last twenty-four hours she had been through.

In the midst of her slumber, of dreams involving blood and gore, she felt a surprisingly gentle touch upon her cheek. Her eyes did not open, but at first clenched tightly shut, a soft incoherent mumble coming from her lusciously pale lips. It took a moment but at last she stirred, her lashes lifting, fluttering more the word, to reveal her emerald eyes.

She was still a slight groggy, so her eyes weren't filled with the normal prideful and egotistical flare that lit them up. They were soft and made one almost want to drown in their depths. The same could be said of her voice when she tiredly mumbled out, "Thomas? What's happening?"

Her 'captor' laughed at her a little when she started awake in confusion, although he was gravely anxious about their situation. True, many of her subjects wouldn't turn Audrey in, but if word spread of their whereabouts, it could be a problem. And, worse still, Thomas wasn't armed except for a small dagger that he always carried about with him. That could have been planned out better, he realized. He knew his way around when it came to use of steel, but this simply hadn't been a planned affair. Looking at her, he realized Audrey was quite the tantalizing beauty, even when just coming awake. Her soft lips, deep eyes and perfect nose all stirred to life at the same time, twitching and fluttering respectively until she was somewhat alert. She almost seemed like a common person (although not of common beauty) as she performed a common task that all, rich or poor, did every day; woke up.

"Did you forget who you were, Audrey? Did you forget who I am?" he asked with a grin. "I'm sure it'd be better than the alternative," he reminded her, grasping her hand and pulling her to her feet. Haste must be made, after all. "Up there with our Lord by now," he said in description of her alternative, letting his eyes roll up towards the heavens. "But there's no time. The word is getting about that you're missing. Do you know how to ride bareback?" he quizzed her, motioning up to the dark mare with no saddle. He hadn't seen one in the barn. Thomas held his hands together like a little stirrup for her to alight the horse first. It was crystal clear that whether she'd ridden before or not in such a manner, she was going to have to now.

When she heard his laughter and his comments, she flushed red in the face, rather annoyed. She didn't dignify any of his rather snip remarks with a response and went about getting up from the ground. Slim hands dusted off her pants and she had to stretch the length of her body, some rather annoying kinks having taken place in her body from the way she had awkwardly napped. Not many queens slept upon the grass, against a tree, but rather large and lush beds with the finest silks.

"I have never ridden bare back, no," she responded, letting her foot place itself into his make shift step stool. Grasping gently onto the horses' neck and mane, she hopped up and staddled the horses' bare back. Normally, she would have ridden side saddle, but considering there was no saddle, she wasn't sure she would have managed to stay on the horse that way. As he swung up onto the horse behind her, she found that his arms had to be around her slim waist and her back had to be flush against his body.

She did her best to not stiffen, but it could be seen that she wasn't exactly pleased to have to share a horse with him. Honestly, she had hoped to ride one on her own. He must be expecting her escape attempts, because he seemed to be thwarting them one by one. Her brows crunched down in irritation and her lips quickly turned into a frown. She was going to have to think of a way to get away from him without either him noticing, or ending up being returned to her husband. They all knew what that would result in; a beheaded corpse among a spectating city.

Thomas swung himself upon the horse once Audrey had done so, holding his hands around her body so that he could secure her on their mount, and also hold the reins at the same time. As he snapped the reins, the mare began to trot along, but not too fast along the wooded trail. "Don't be cross, Audrey," he said into her ear, which wasn't hard to do, since his face was right up behind hers already. "I was just reminding you how fortunate you are to be alive. We all are, really," he reasoned a little cheerily. "Only by God's graces."

Tiring of holding his hands out straight, he rested them on her thighs, imagining there wasn't much need really for pleasantries between them any longer. The riding was quick and bumpy, shaking them about a bit as they made their way through. Eventually, the path led them out to a larger dirt road. It was the main path into London from the North. It would be dangerous to travel there, as they could easily be cornered, but the surrounding woods seemed too think to be passable. He tensed up a little as two man galloped by the other direction, but they were just merchants, it seemed. "I imagine you aren't used to such a rough ride," he said to Audrey as her back pressed against his chest hard during a particularly bumpy stretch. It wasn't the most comfortable position, but there was something that he liked about riding with Audrey like this. They were one in a way. He was both her captor and her protector, all in one.

Her hands tightened as he spoke into her ear, his breath falling against the small shell causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end. Despite the predicament she was in now, he did have a point. The hour of her execution had come and gone; if she hadn't agreed to his proposition, she would very simply be dead. The ride wore on her, rather bumpy and helter skelter, not something she was used to. When his hands came to rest on her thighs, she stiffened slightly, but as the journey progressed, she could not stay so stiff without pain. Eventually, she eased up and even leaned back against him, but she did it more subconsciously.

"I admit I'm not," she said softly. Now that the journey was becoming more than she had expected, more wearing than she had anticipated, the normal snip wasn't in her voice. The pride was still there, of course, but it didn't seem like she was snapping at him any longer.

Audrey didn't seem to realize she was seeking shelter as she leaned back against his body. His heat was almost intoxicating, seeping from his body into her's, and she softly bit her lip. She was going to have to find the oppurtune time to flee and soon because she feared she was beginning to not despise his existance anymore. That couldn't be allowed as far as she was concerned. She didn't want to be at the mercy of a man ever again.

Thomas was getting worn out as well, having now gone over a full day without a wink of rest. But his instincts led him to press on, to get as far away from their pursuers as the daylight would allow. As they rode, he gradually accepted Audrey's body into her own, holding what seemed like her entire petite frame in his chest. By the time they encountered a wide stream, he was holding her as if they were one, warming each other through the close body contact as they rode along. It wasn’t bad, he had to admit. In fact, it quite helped him to ensure the long, wearisome ride.

They slowly crossed the stream on horseback, the water in the center reaching just up to the horse's chest. Once on the other side, he pulled the horse to a halt, releasing his hands from Audrey's midsection for the first time in what seemed like hours, and dismounted. "We need to eat," he said simply as he held his hand out to assist Audrey in dismounting herself. "I'm going to ride off to that farmhouse," he said, pointing to one well off in the distance across a verdant meadow, "and see if I can't procure some provisions. I have a few shillings on myself, if they aren't naturally generous." They both knew Audrey wasn't going to be able to show herself to anyone. But how was he to ensure she wouldn't run? He would have the horse, and they were in quite a secluded area. Where would she go? But still, he had to take precautions.

"Take off your shoes and trousers while you wait here for me. I'm taking them with me," he informed her. "I'm sorry," he said with a smile after pausing for a moment. "But if you were me, would you trust yourself?" He knew it would anger her and make her want to run more. But she was no fool. How far would she get with no horse, shoes, or pants, and a face that anyone in the land couldn’t mistake?

When they finally stopped after what seemed like an eternity, she was tired, hungry, and quite thirsty. She took his hand and let him help him dismount, not entirely sure she could have managed on her own. She had to walk around for a moment, her body painfully stiff but listened to his words. When he told her to take off her shoes and pants, she snapped around and openly glared at him, her emerald eyes shooting daggers at him.

"You have got to be kidding!" she snapped, but when he made no move and said no words to say he was indeed joking, she flushed red in the face. As much as this angered her, she knew he was right. He was no fool. He knew she was going to run, but doubted she would without half her clothes.

Angrily, sat on the grass to yank off her shoes, one at a time. Then stood to shimmy out of her pants. Rolling them up, she threw them at his chest with a huff, before yanking the shirt down to cover her indecency. "Satisified?" she snapped, her long, and elegant pale legs exposed to his eyes.

For a moment, Thomas wasn't sure whether she'd do it. As their eyes locked for a few seconds, he was relieved to see that she gradually gave in when he gave no indication his question was in jest. He thought he caught his first glimpse of her nether region as she obeyed his request, but it was quickly hidden when she tugged the lad's shirt down for some modesty. Her legs were long, smooth, and ladylike, he noticed, leaving nothing whatsoever to be desired. "Indeed, I’m quite satisfied," he answered her as he leaned down, rested a hand on her bare knee, and took her two shoes up into his hand, placing them in the satchel which was all he carried. "You mustn't blame me, though. Should you prove yourself to me, perhaps I won't make you bare your snatch again when I leave you alone," he teased rather lewdly, dancing his hand just a little bit up her thigh before he stood back up.

Hopping back up onto the horse, he galloped off, leaving the partially denuded Queen behind to await his return. Dismounting after a ride of only a few minutes, he tied up his mare and knocked at the modest farmhouse. "Good Afternoon," he said to the older, bald man who answered. "I'm Isaac Cranston," Thomas introduced himself.

"Richard Smythe," the other man said. "A modest farmer."

"I'm terribly sorry to disturb you, Mr. Smythe," Thomas said. "But I'm en route to my uncle's funeral in Ipswich. I prepared terribly. I wonder if you might spare some bread and water. I can pay you, sir."

After a few more exchanges, Thomas turned down an offer to stay and eat inside, and was generously sent away with a loaf of bread, a canteen full of water, and some cake wrapped up in a cloth. Riding back down to Audrey, he found her just where he left her. "A wise choice to stay put," he laughed, tossing her pants right back at her like she'd thrown them to him. "Are you hungry?" he offered, holding up the wrapped food and container of water.

The Queen stewed angrily the entire time he was away seeking provisions, muttering quite unlady like words. "Bloody cur! I hope the damn farm hand shoots him!" she snapped to herself, remaining seated in case someone came upon her. Ever her husband had never made her strip in what could be considered a public domain. At least she was left in a somewhat wooded area. She debated hiding, to make it seem like she had fled, but soon decided that wouldn't do. When Thomas finally rode back, she was still sulking, openely shooting firey daggers at him with her eyes, disappointed he hadn't been shot. To think she had begun to think he wasn't half bad! Hah! A bloody cur, no gentleman, that was for sure.

Audrey took the pants as he threw them back and once she stood, she kept the shirt pulled low as she jerked the pants back onto her luscious legs with her free hand. Once the covered her nether region, she used both hands to jerk them up and tie the drawstring. Let the bastard laugh now. She wasn't about to give him what he wanted, no, she would escape before then. Such lewd treatment of her person was unjustified. Even if she had had her clothes, she still wouldn't have made it with her face so widely known. He was just being sadistic!

It would have been quite foolish to strike him, but her hand itched to slap that smile from his face for this treatment. And once again, she was no fool.

Quite to her shame, her stomach growled upon sight of the food he had returned with. Despite her want to ignore him. "I am," she said, trying to curb the annoyance in her voice, hands resting on her curvy hips.

He knew immediately that Audrey was angry with him. Maybe more than ever, more than when he made her pleasure him. At least then, she was saving her life. She didn't see any reason for what he was doing to her now. He didn't bother watching while she dressed. He'd caught a glimpse before anyway, and he was sure he'd get his chance at her soon enough. "Forgive me, Audrey," he smiled with a very slight bow as he jumped off the mare. He pulled out the bread and broke off a large piece of the warm, crusty bread and handed it to her. "I only needed to assure myself of your... loyalty."

Taking out the canteen, he took a long sip of it himself first. It quenched him deep down to the core after going all night and day without a drop to drink. He handed that over, too, once he had his fill, and began eating his own bread. Thomas sat down on the grass and put his back up against a tree, sighing and enjoying the sight of the vast pastoral field of grass and clean stream. He hadn't planned to stop here, but he didn't feel like it would exactly be east to get back up. "I think this may be a good place to rest for some time," he suggested, the lack of sleep finally catching up with him. Continuing to gnaw the warm bread, he studied Audrey's pleasing form. "Tell me, Audrey, if I let you go now, would you go? Where do you think you'd go?"

Audrey was still too angry to respond without sounding like a complete bitch, so she just took the piece of bread into her small hand and sat back down to eat. Small bites taken inbetween very desirable lips, despite the type of indecent language that escaped them at times. She also took the canteen and drank down some of the water, trying not to devour it like she'd been lost in the desert. It seeped out throughout her body and with some substanance in her body finally, she began to feel a little more friendly. At least, mood wise. She was still angry at Thomas. "I thought I proved my loyalty to you in my tower cell," she snipped as she leaned back with a sigh. After all, that is what he had said it was for.

The Queen contemplated whether or not to answer him honestly. If she did, he would only tighten his reigns on her already strict protection, as he called it. If she didn't, he would probably just as soon assume she was lying to him. He wasn't the normal fools she normally dealt with as Queen - he could see by her attitude and her oftenly angry expressions that she did not want to be here. The only reason she was, was because she hadn't wanted to die. Not yet.

"No, I wouldn't go." She decided to say after a moment. "Not now, nor here. I don't know the land well enough to navigate my way. As to where I'd go? Perhaps home." She looked down to her bare toes, finding that the cool grass felt pretty good against her skin. "I don't believe my family would turn me over...though that in itself may be a foolish option. This could very well start a war, if my husband knew my family was knowingly keeping my existance and whereabouts from him."