"Beg to differ," she muttered under her breath. That thing was a prison. It was more than a little infuriating to hear anyone insinuate differently, but both the King and Gareth always seemed she ought to be happy to be there.
"Grilka and I don't talk," Ren said, unable to keep the irritation out of her voice. "One o' eir snakes killed one o' my rats. A special one." She had felt it. "I killed it back, and Grilka took strong exception." She was probably lucky to be alive, but the whole situation hadn't done anything to engender trust and affection in either direction.
She didn't want to think about Grilka, and she didn't want to think about prison and she didn't want to even think about Gareth, but found she couldn't help it. He was lifting an entire table with a dancing woman on top of it now.
Gareth was assigned all the worst cases. Like her, declared all but hopeless by the King. Hopeless, despite the little tastes of hope he kept taunting her with, telling her she could have been a spy, taking her on field trips to see the mountains or the woods or who Gareth was when he wasn't around her.
The reason she hadn't hung was that Gareth refused to let her, but she knew better, and the rest of the King's Guard knew better, and she only had until the King knew better, or tired of his games. He tousled her hair--he seemed to like doing that--and she disliked how good it felt, but leaned into it anyway.
"I think it's against the law if ya drag me out here and don't feed me," Ren said, mostly because she wanted to change the subject too, but also because from here she could see someone dipping what looked like entire turkey legs, battered, into hot oil. "I worked hard on yer disguise. We can mingle if Gareth don't see us."
Bridget laughed as Gareth spun her under a table, louder as he picked it up. She danced from one side of it to the other, feet shuffling and kicking; she even jumped. She knew he would hold it steady regardless. She was strong, but compared to him, she weighed barely anything.
This was the Gareth she knew outside of the halls of the castle, fun and careless and the type to hold up a table for her to dance on because they both knew there was no other way she would be dancing him under one. She would make it up for him later by making a loud noise when she climbed into his trebuchet, so he would be sure to find her and not accidentally launch her into the sky. Back in the castle, they'd both be serious, and neither would ask why. It was a great system, really.
Gareth spun one direction beneath her and Bridget spun the other, creating a little tower of conflicting turns. It was a great deal of fun, and she was enjoyably dizzy from that and the alcohol when he began to lower the table. Gleefully, she jumped onto his shoulders just as he suspected she would, but rather than leapfrog off, she stayed, wrapping strong legs against his chest. She kept her arms in the air, showing off and also making sure not to touch his horns, same way he'd never grab her by the tail.
"Maybe I'll stay up here the whole fair," she announced playfully. "Best seat, and second most popular," she reached around to boop his nose as she said this, because she too listened to gossip. "Or maybe third?"
"Grilka and I don't talk," Ren said, unable to keep the irritation out of her voice. "One o' eir snakes killed one o' my rats. A special one." She had felt it. "I killed it back, and Grilka took strong exception." She was probably lucky to be alive, but the whole situation hadn't done anything to engender trust and affection in either direction.
She didn't want to think about Grilka, and she didn't want to think about prison and she didn't want to even think about Gareth, but found she couldn't help it. He was lifting an entire table with a dancing woman on top of it now.
Gareth was assigned all the worst cases. Like her, declared all but hopeless by the King. Hopeless, despite the little tastes of hope he kept taunting her with, telling her she could have been a spy, taking her on field trips to see the mountains or the woods or who Gareth was when he wasn't around her.
The reason she hadn't hung was that Gareth refused to let her, but she knew better, and the rest of the King's Guard knew better, and she only had until the King knew better, or tired of his games. He tousled her hair--he seemed to like doing that--and she disliked how good it felt, but leaned into it anyway.
"I think it's against the law if ya drag me out here and don't feed me," Ren said, mostly because she wanted to change the subject too, but also because from here she could see someone dipping what looked like entire turkey legs, battered, into hot oil. "I worked hard on yer disguise. We can mingle if Gareth don't see us."
Bridget laughed as Gareth spun her under a table, louder as he picked it up. She danced from one side of it to the other, feet shuffling and kicking; she even jumped. She knew he would hold it steady regardless. She was strong, but compared to him, she weighed barely anything.
This was the Gareth she knew outside of the halls of the castle, fun and careless and the type to hold up a table for her to dance on because they both knew there was no other way she would be dancing him under one. She would make it up for him later by making a loud noise when she climbed into his trebuchet, so he would be sure to find her and not accidentally launch her into the sky. Back in the castle, they'd both be serious, and neither would ask why. It was a great system, really.
Gareth spun one direction beneath her and Bridget spun the other, creating a little tower of conflicting turns. It was a great deal of fun, and she was enjoyably dizzy from that and the alcohol when he began to lower the table. Gleefully, she jumped onto his shoulders just as he suspected she would, but rather than leapfrog off, she stayed, wrapping strong legs against his chest. She kept her arms in the air, showing off and also making sure not to touch his horns, same way he'd never grab her by the tail.
"Maybe I'll stay up here the whole fair," she announced playfully. "Best seat, and second most popular," she reached around to boop his nose as she said this, because she too listened to gossip. "Or maybe third?"
The following 1 user Likes SolitareLee's post: Tindome
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Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-05-2019, 06:20 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-05-2019, 06:41 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-05-2019, 07:11 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-05-2019, 07:37 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-05-2019, 07:59 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-06-2019, 03:30 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-06-2019, 04:36 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-06-2019, 07:10 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-06-2019, 08:24 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-06-2019, 09:27 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-06-2019, 09:58 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-06-2019, 10:42 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-06-2019, 11:19 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-06-2019, 12:00 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-06-2019, 12:39 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-06-2019, 01:37 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-06-2019, 02:31 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-06-2019, 03:32 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-06-2019, 04:13 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-06-2019, 11:22 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-07-2019, 05:25 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-07-2019, 08:51 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-07-2019, 09:48 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-07-2019, 12:11 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-07-2019, 01:03 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-08-2019, 02:11 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-08-2019, 03:29 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-08-2019, 04:52 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-08-2019, 05:21 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-09-2019, 03:53 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-09-2019, 04:29 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-10-2019, 11:08 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-10-2019, 11:32 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-10-2019, 04:34 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-10-2019, 05:19 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-11-2019, 01:09 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-11-2019, 03:49 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-11-2019, 06:07 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-11-2019, 07:35 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-11-2019, 10:08 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-11-2019, 11:03 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-11-2019, 04:17 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-11-2019, 04:56 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-12-2019, 04:23 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-12-2019, 06:42 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-12-2019, 11:02 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-12-2019, 11:42 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-22-2019, 02:14 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-22-2019, 03:07 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-22-2019, 10:42 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-22-2019, 11:50 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-22-2019, 02:16 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-22-2019, 02:52 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-22-2019, 03:59 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-22-2019, 05:02 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-23-2019, 01:59 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-23-2019, 02:37 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-23-2019, 03:42 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-23-2019, 05:47 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-23-2019, 10:50 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-23-2019, 11:42 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-23-2019, 01:37 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-23-2019, 02:09 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-23-2019, 03:02 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-23-2019, 03:24 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-23-2019, 04:58 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-23-2019, 05:31 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-24-2019, 11:10 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-24-2019, 11:59 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-24-2019, 01:44 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-24-2019, 02:26 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-24-2019, 11:39 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-25-2019, 12:24 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-25-2019, 09:09 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-25-2019, 09:41 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-25-2019, 12:02 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-25-2019, 12:33 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-25-2019, 03:11 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-25-2019, 03:39 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-25-2019, 11:43 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-26-2019, 06:35 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-26-2019, 01:02 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-26-2019, 01:50 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-26-2019, 03:39 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-26-2019, 04:09 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-27-2019, 04:17 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-27-2019, 07:50 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-27-2019, 03:40 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-27-2019, 04:27 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-28-2019, 10:20 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-28-2019, 10:57 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-28-2019, 01:45 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-28-2019, 02:20 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-29-2019, 06:33 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-29-2019, 07:42 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-29-2019, 08:30 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-29-2019, 08:41 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-29-2019, 09:54 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-29-2019, 10:38 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-29-2019, 12:01 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-29-2019, 12:21 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-29-2019, 01:10 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-29-2019, 01:29 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-29-2019, 01:47 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-29-2019, 02:17 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-29-2019, 02:35 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-29-2019, 02:54 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-29-2019, 04:07 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-29-2019, 04:33 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-29-2019, 04:59 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-29-2019, 05:14 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-29-2019, 11:46 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-30-2019, 12:19 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-30-2019, 04:25 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-30-2019, 05:05 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-30-2019, 09:59 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-30-2019, 10:12 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-30-2019, 10:29 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-30-2019, 10:54 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 12-01-2019, 06:15 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 12-01-2019, 06:47 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 12-01-2019, 08:10 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 12-01-2019, 08:27 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 12-01-2019, 09:11 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 12-01-2019, 09:25 AM