A fallen prince and his princess (Candira and Rage)

She watched him with the stallion and frowned a little as he mentioned the revolution. It wasn't the first time he'd brought it up, but it was the first time she'd seen that look on his face since they'd reunited. "I wondered. The two of you look good together," she said with a smile. Just the right picture--a gallant prince and his stallion. It was odd to her, however, that she would be so recognizable, and he wasn't even a blip on the radar. "I'll do my best. Just don't ride too fast until we're out of town," she said, climbing up onto the horse and arranging herself in the stirrups. Yup. Just like last time.

Gently, she urged the horse on and found that it was very willing to cooperate with her. she kept the hood of the cloak pulled over her face and rode just beside him. "To be fair, I'm a princess. Being kept inside with restricted freedom is kind of my thing," she teased, keeping her voice low as she could so that he could still hear. They were nearing the gates, and she was a little worried herself. Just how much longer could they keep this up?

Axel gave a little chuckle, "Yes indeed, you are right... I remember being locked up in that large old castle... its still there mind you, but its been taken up by a different ruler... " he growled out, obviously disgusted. They were already at the gate, ending the awkward conversation. The gate house was fairly large, and it was no surprise that there were guards posted in front of it, behind it, and on the walls above it. It was made from cold dark stone, and the black metal gate was raised up, allowing entry and leave.

"Okay, " Axel looked around, "Now, where is Ruby... naturally, I can only think of two ways she would get their attention. Either she took a trip to the nearby brothel to enlist in some 'help' or she- " There was a loud boom, and a cart filled with hay exploded into the air, sending wood and burning hay into the streets. The guards were immediately alerted, their attention on the strange phenomenon. The ones on ground level went to check it out while the guards on the walls were too focused on the explosion.

"There we go , " He grinned, trotting over to the gatehouse, "That should do it... Come on, Rosa! Let's ride!" He broke out into a fast trot as soon as he left the gate, charging into the grassy fields while laughing.

The princess wondered at his line of thought. It was clear that he was unhappy about remembering the fact that he was dethroned and that he was disgusted with the new leadership. What she didn't know were the details. Lost in thought, she rode in silence with him until the two of them reached the gate. Unable to stop herself, Rosa yelped in surprise when the wagon exploded. Honestly, she hadn't realized the diversion would be so volatile. But then, it was very effective. He opened the gate and then she slipped through with him, keeping her hood down as she urged her horse on.

She met his pace, riding to the side of him. "It feels good to be out in the open again," she said with a smile. The horse moved exactly the way she wanted it to, and she kept pace quite nicely. It was only when they'd gone a fair distance from the town that she allowed the hood of the cloak to rest back.

Axel nodded, "This field is quite large... the roads are usually busy, but on days like this there is pretty low traffic. We can probably go as fast as we want, and I don't think there will be any guards posted outside the city besides the ones on the walls. Alright, so the horses we have are some of the fastest in the kingdom... we've kept them healthy and strong, so their gallop is going to be pretty quick. So try and keep up with me." He smirked, giving a flick of the reins as he kicked his feet into the horse's sides. His stallion gave a loud whinny, kicking its feet as it let out an incredible burst of speed.

Axel laughed loudly, feeling the wind over his skin and his short hair lightly fluttering. It was moments like this when he appreciated full freedom... although he missed his kingdom dearly, he could do whatever he wanted to out here... he no longer had to answer to his father or to the nobles, and he didn't have to worry about getting poisoned every night and things like that. He could be whatever he wanted to be... especially not a prince. "How you holding up?" He shouted, looking back at her as his horse's hooves thundered away on the ground.

Rosa nodded. It was interesting to know that somehow he'd gotten hold of the fastest horses in the kingdom. Somehow, it felt as though he'd been preparing for something like this for more than just a day or so. Then again, maybe he hadn't. It would have been useful to have fast horses in his new line of work. Whatever the reason, she was going to have to adapt to the speed in a hurry because he was shooting off like an arrow.

The princess urged her horse into a steady gallop and found that she was gaining ground quickly. The wind rushing through her hair, the sense of urgency without the sense of danger, the sense of being connected--not just to her horse, but to the moment--was freeing. The wind whipped at her as she and her mare charged forward, but she kept moving. When he asked how she was hanging in there, she smiled and gave another flick of the reins. The horses were even now and she wasn't having any trouble. "Just fine, thanks!" She laughed and kept the pace, just enjoying herself for once. She'd forgotten how fun it could be to just ride like this.

Axel kept a wide smile on his face, finally pulling the reins back on his horse, "Whoa, boy, " He said to the stallion, "Slow it down a bit... " The horse slowed into a trot before stopping completely on top of a green grassy hill. The wind was blowing the grass around like crazy, the sun beaming up high in the sky. He squinted, using his palm to block the sunlight as he gazed off into the distance silently. The grasslands ended where the forests began, and if one looked hard enough they could see the tall mountains in the far region.

"Hm, " He said to himself, "The mountains... wouldn't be a bad place to hide out at. But getting through the forest would prove very difficult... I've never been a nature person, " He grumbled to himself, looking back at Rosa, "Hey, " He called over to her, "Tomorrow, we're going to head down the road that way... its going to be a little perilous through the forest, but there's an inn somewhere in the heart of it."

When Axel slowed down, Rosa followed suit and stopped a little bit behind him. He made quite a picture on the hill with his stallion. He looked nearly heroic with the wind blowing through his hair, and the sun lighting him up. He had a purpose, it seemed, and she was that purpose. He took her breath away for a moment. And then he spoke and brought her back. She rode up beside him s he called to her. She looked at the road and the direction he was pointing, taking in the words.

It was always going to be dangerous with her around. Especially if that creature was still out and about. But it would probably be worse in the forest. "Axel...do they know about you? Your companions? I mean, do they know who you are?"

Axel frowned slightly, letting a few moments of strange silence pass before answering, "No, they don't... they think I'm just a farm-boy off of my kingdom. You see, my father wasn't exactly nice when he ruled... and they lived in our country when we still existed. Their families have been tormented by him for years, and I know they have much anger towards him... and its not like I lied to them. I just told them I was raised aside the kingdom, which is partially true." He shifted awkwardly at his saddle, "There is no proof of any connection between me and my father... so I'm not worried about them finding out."

"Please keep it a secret, Rosa.... " He stated, I don't want to lose the new friends I've made. There's a lot of hate circulating around still, and if they find out I'm the prince... well, my face is going to be known everywhere. I don't want that kind of treatment..." He shook his head with a sigh, running his hands through his hair, "Anyways, I'm sorry for being a little sissy here, " He chuckled, "Let's ride around a little bit more before heading back."

Rosa could understand his aversion to telling them all the truth. Of course he would be reluctant after being dethroned because of his father's ruling. She hadn't known much when she was little, but when the coup had started, the truth about the way Axel's father ruled had become clear. She frowned a little, wishing that her friend wouldn't have to carry the burden of his father's mistakes on his shoulders. Lying, however, didn't seem like the best policy either. That none of them knew or had guessed that something was strange about him, his sword, or his connection to her was some kind of miracle.

"Of course. I'll keep your secret, Axel. You're not a sissy for not wanting to suffer for what your father did," she said with a frown. "I think you've proven that you're brave. And if they follow you then I'm sure they think you're great, too." She smiled and then nodded at his idea. She spurred her horse on into a gallop and leaned down to cut back on the wind resistance. She made sure that she didn't stray too far from Axel, though. She knew how protection of a princess worked. Besides, she wanted to stay by Axel's side for as long as she could.

Axel smiled, "Thanks Rosa... it really helps for you to be here. It's really going to give me a big confidence boost." He took off again, and they continued to ride for what seemed like hours. The sun slowly began to make its slide across the sky, their horses finally beginning to show light signs of fatigue. Axel finally lead her back to the gate, the guards posted there had already been distracted and gone. Still, not wanting to be overconfident, he made sure they went in as slowly and carefully as they could, not wanting to attract too much attention still.

"Well, this was a good preparation day." Axel smiled, leading her back to the stables, "Dinner should be ready soon... and I think you're going to meet the last member of our little party... " He grumbled lightly, bringing his stallion into the stable. He slowly got off, rubbing his horse affectionately on its head as he tied it back up. He made sure the horse had food and drink, and turned to look at Rosa, "Just as a warning... he's going to be a bit of an asshole. That guy always gets on my nerves... but he's a damn good fighter and a great guy to have on our side."

Rosa smiled at his thanks but wondered just how much he suffered. He'd always been so kind--even when he was being a brat. She wondered if he was in a lot of pain now. Most of all, she wondered what had happened to him. But it seemed as though today was not the day for answers. She'd keep his secret for him as she promised, but the princess wondered if perhaps he wasn't just fooling himself. It seemed extraordinary that no one had thought to ask about the sword--much less knew about it--or actually looked into his origins. Then again, his team seemed very trusting. Perhaps they'd just took him at his word. In any case, he'd chosen to handle things like this, and it wasn't her place to tell his secret to anyone.

When they finally stopped, she was glad. Sure that she'd be at least a little sore, Rosa was confident in her abilities to ride. It was just a question of stamina and endurance at this point. And if she was literally riding for her life, she got the feeling that she would be able to endure quite a lot. She put her hood up when they came closer to the gate and followed his lead. When they were back in he stables, she dismounted gracefully without his help and fed her horse, showing it affection, bonding with it.

She smiled a little at him and the idea of dinner. It had been quite awhile since she'd had anything to eat. The man she'd heard before fighting with Axel was brought up again and it piqued her interest. "I heard the two of you arguing before Ruby and I came in. It seems he wasn't really pleased with your strategy. I can't say I completely disagreed with him, but I can't exactly argue with the results of your plan." She smiled and came to his side, taking his hand in hers.

"Thank you, by the way. I'm not sure I've said it yet, and I know what you risked. So thank you for everything." She smiled and squeezed his hand in hers and kissed his cheek. "I promise that when this is all over I'll find a way to pay you back."

(Sorry for the long wait... I've been a bit busy.)

Axel turned his head so that she couldn't see the blush lighting up on his cheeks, "Erm, it's okay, princess..." He stammered, "You don't have to do that... I'm helping out an important person... that's all... " He said sheepishly, walking ahead of her so that she couldn't see his smiling face. By the time they reached the doorway into the hideout, he made sure that he was calm and collected... with his flustered expression diminished to its normal self, he turned around and gave her a bit of a half smile... he wasn't sure what the next comrade would do when he saw Rosa.

"Right... " He nodded, turning the knob and opening the door. The captain and Annabel were sitting where they were previously with the addition of a man beside Annabel. At a first glance, it appeared that he could be some sort of brother to Axel... his body build was the same, and he had that same look in his eyes. Only difference was his slightly longer pitch black hair and the scowl that was plastered onto his expression.

"You're late, " He grumbled, looking up to see Rosa with Axel.

"I know, mom, " Axel rolled his eyes, "We're all here now. Rosa, take a seat wherever you'd like. Oh, and this is out last companion.... " Axel huffed as he took his place at the head of the table, "This is Zakk."

"I can introduce myself, Axel, " Zakk shot back, "Just get on with things."

"Very well, " Axel growled, "Okay, so we all know the plans. Ruby right now is cooking, The Captain has the supplies ready, Annabel has established an effective chain of communication, and Zakk has sat on his ass and done nothing." Zakk didn't respond, but glared heavily at Axel.

((Aww, that's okay. I understand))

Rosa had never seen him so nervous before. She bit back a little laugh as he stammered and turned away from her. How interesting. Though she knew he had been attracted to her--what with the shameless flirting and lingering gaze in her bathroom--she'd never expected him to react quite like this. It was cute, and a little funny to watch a grown man like him lose focus for just a little bit. She couldn't see his face, but she wondered if he was blushing. The other possibility was, of course, that he just didn't want to look at her. Somehow, she got the impression that wasn't what was happening here.

She followed him back to the hideout with considerably less trouble than she had had earlier in the day, and came in after him, closing the door behind her. She kept her cloak hood up for just a moment as her eyes became used to the lighting in the room and then removed it as Zakk and Axel were having a...conversation. If you could call snarling at each other conversing. She took a seat next to the captain since she was sure Annabel would be too shy. Also, she didn't know anything about Zakk other than his name. Still, she bowed her head politely to the man. "Thank you for your help," she said, sitting up straight in her chair.

Well it seemed they all had a plan, had gotten ready to transfer her to some place new. The needling Axel was giving Zakk may have been deserved, but it hardly seemed appropriate. Still, if none of the others were speaking up, perhaps it would be best to hold her tongue as well. Maybe later when the two of them weren't so mad at each other she would understand better.

She turned to the captain and asked, "Is it always like this? Between the two of them, I mean?"

The Captain gave her a slight smile, "Yeah, and often it comes to blows. Believe it or not, though, they completely trust one another and respect the other in their own ways. You'll get used to the shouting, we all did." Zakk gave her a glance before looking away, his expression unreadable. He sat comfortably close to Annabel, and it appeared that they had some sort of relationship whether it be sibling or some other. Axel was currently looking back through the maps, thinking quietly to himself as he ran through a few more scenarios in his head.

"Okay, " He nodded, "First thing is first... that creature is definitely going to attack again. We don't know where or when, but we do know that it has to be nearby. It's caught Rosa's scent, and its going to follow us until it strikes her. Any ideas?"

"I don't want to use her as bait, " The Captain stated, "It's very dangerous... this beast is also going through strange heat phases as well. It wouldn't be fun for any unsuspecting female, especially Rosa. It's not going to attack when it knows that it's at risk, but there is no other way to draw it out. I'd like to get rid of it as soon as possible so that it doesn't hinder our plans."

"Okay , " Axel nodded, "We would have to go through a lot of precautions to make sure she will be okay.. " He looked over at Rosa, "What about you? Do you have any ideas?"

Rosa frowned. The idea of the monster coming after her again was not a comfortable one. Her memories of it were far from fond. That the Captain hadn't wanted to use her as bait was a comforting, thought, but she could see no way around it. No doubt, once they were a bit more isolated, the thing would return. Still, she didn't know much about the creature, and it bothered her that it was still largely unknown.

"I don't know much about the thing--only that it was somehow in the castle. If someone brought it in, I have to think it was either trained or there's a way to subdue it long enough to move it around. If we could find out more about it, perhaps we could prepare to subdue it before even thinking of battle. It was dangerous enough as it was, but now it wants me," she said, shuddering just a little. "And it's been wounded, so it's probably pretty angry..."

She paused for a moment to think. "I don't relish the idea of being bait for the creature. My first encounter was anything but pleasant. But I don't really see any other way of dealing with it, I'm afraid. It would find me eventually, I'm sure. It's probably best to deal with it first." She looked around her at all of them, wondering what they would have to say.

"I don't think we can learn anything about it until we see it again... " The Captain scratched his chin, "But we're only going to see it again when it's ready to attack. I'm afraid of what's going to happen when it decides to make its move... but we do know that it can be hurt. Killing it may be another thing, however. I'm sure it will try to run away again, and we have to trap it. But animals become even more dangerous when they're hurt and trapped..."

"Agreed, " Axel nodded, "This town isn't the best place to do something like that, though. It would cause a big ruckus, and there's a chance we'll be discovered. We're going to have to take care of it tomorrow in the forest, so we're going to have to build pits or something."

"Little traps, huh?" Zakk smirked, "Easy. Leave it up to me. I know a few things about guerilla warfare. By the way, where's Ruby? I'm starved like hell over here!"

"Right here!" Ruby called, kicking open the door with a frown, "Gee, can't you wait just a little longer? The stew I'm making takes a while, so you have to learn to be a little patient!" With a sigh, Ruby turned and smiled at Rosa, "Now, hun, do you think you could help me a little in the kitchen? I need help cutting up a few things- oh, wait you're a princess... " She slapped herself on the forehead, "I'm not sure if you know how to cook... no offense, but I'm sure you have had your own cooks to attend to your meals."

Though she wasn't particularly pleased with the idea of relying on traps after dealing with something with tentacles like that, these were the people to trust. And she needed to show them she believed in them. Besides, now that they weren't fighting each other, Zakk was getting along well. "I see. Well, then. I put my life in your hands. I'm sure you all know what you're doing. And if you don't...well then at least we're all in the same boat," she said, trying to make light of the situation. That was when Ruby came in. She wasn't wrong about her not knowing how to cook, but she did know a few things--food safety, how to prepare certain things for cooking.

Rosa smiled and stood, happy to be of use. "I do know a few small things. I could help you with some of it. I'd be willing to learn if it would help you." With that she bowed gracefully and hurried over to Ruby, hoping that she could at least learn. She followed the blond into the kitchen and slipped the cloak off, hanging it safely out of harm's way. She went right to wash her hands and then dried them on a clean towel. "Alright then, what can I do to help?"

Ruby closed the door behind her, turning to face the rest of the kitchen. The kitchen itself was decently sized, but it wasn't anything grand. A container of stew sat in the middle of the room, being heated by a fire beneath it. The windows were open to let in more air, but it was still a tad hard to breathe completely. On the table in the corner sat rows of carrots and other vegetables, and it looked like Ruby herself was too occupied with the meat.

"Just cut those, " Ruby nodded, pointing to the table, "It should be too hard... and when you're done, feel free to toss them into the stew. " She turned around, lifting her cleaver to continue to chop the meat down into more edible sizes.

"Hey, " Ruby called after a few more moments, "I heard the whole conversation. Looks like we're going to have to use you to draw out that creature, huh? I don't feel too good about that... " They were able to hear the voices in the other room, but most of the talking was dominated by Axel and Zakk... and it sounded like they were arguing again. Ruby pushed a lock of her hair aside as she grumbled, "What idiots... sorry that you have to work with a mixed up bunch like us."

"I can do that much. They did teach me this. And a few herbal concoctions for emergencies." She happily went for the cutting board with the vegetables and got to work, cutting everything into equally sized chunks. When Ruby started talking, she smiled a little. "It's alright. I didn't really expect that I'd be able to run from it forever. I'm not exactly thrilled, but it seems like the only way." She smiled softly, and dumped the carrots in, knowing they would need a lot of time. Then she got to working on potatoes. She could hear the others fighting, and Ruby looked annoyed. "On the contrary--you all seem to be a good team. Your strengths and weaknesses compliment each other nicely. But it is a shame that the fighting has to be so personal between those two. It hardly seems appropriate. Is there a special reason for it?"

"Hrmmm, " Ruby thought to herself as she tapped the knife onto her chin absentmindedly, "Only reason I can think of is that they're both too much alike. I don't know about Axel, but I know Zakk has definitely lost something important in his life... Poor boy has been with Annabel ever since we've met them. I don't even know if they're siblings or what... we each respect each other so we don't ask about the details of the past. Sometimes we just don't want to dwindle too far back into it... " Ruby then continued to chop the meat.

The rest of the cooking was done rather quickly... she poured the proper spices and everything into the pot, stirring it occasionally. When she finished she wiped her brow and looked over at Ruby, "Although how we don't ask about details of the past, I have to admit that I'm a tad curious as to what it was like to live at the castle as a princess, " She smirked, leaning against the counter as she faced Rosa, "Like any girl, I fantasized about living in a large castle with servants... and a prince to sweep me off my feet." She chuckled, "So, if its okay, could you tell me a little bit about it?"

Potatoes slid into the pot next, and then she got to work on some onions. The two of them worked well together as they talked. Rosa really liked Ruby. She was such a nice person, and she'd been so helpful. As she started to think about the question, she tapped her chin with the knife and Rosa instantly worried that the woman would hurt herself. But she stopped soon after. Rosa sighed softly in relief and focused more on what was being said. "Hmm... Well, I suppose that could be true." She finished her chopping and then slipped all the veggies into the pot to cook. Though she wanted to know more about the two men who seemed to be constantly at odds, Rosa was fascinated with the making of the stew. She asked which spices were being added and how much. It looked and smelled delicious.

When they were finished, Ruby asked her about her past life and the princess smiled. "Well, I had a pretty happy childhood. Perhaps not as free as most, but it was pleasant enough. The castle is large and beautiful, and so confusing. I used to get lost when I was little, so I had to stay close to my mother or her ladies. My mother dressed me until I got to be old enough to learn the etiquette and develop taste of my own." She smiled. "She used to curl my hair in ringlets and dress me in such poofy lacy dresses. I was taught manners and the proper way to interact with diplomats. I was educated and taught to ride--though they emphasized the side-saddle style which is both uncomfortable and impractical.

"I had people taking care of me my whole life so it wasn't a particularly difficult life...but it got to be lonely after awhile. And the stress of meeting everyone's expectations is difficult to live with--especially if you're a peacekeeper. You can't go anywhere without guards, and there are people constantly worrying about whether or not my family is a target, pressure from the nobles. I guess I'm just trying to say it has its own challenges. But most of my life was very happy."