Private Tales Stealing All That Which Cannot Be Stolen

[Otto von Geist]

Well, he thought, at least she thinks I'm funny.

Her smile was infectious however, and he found himself feeling cheery as well despite the predicament they had been in the previous day. In her defense, this was always the fun part of any type of theft--the act of stealing itself. It didn't leave a warm and fuzzy feeling in his chest for him to think of the farmer's loss, however.

"How to drive? You uh... ah..."

It dawned on Otto that he didn't really know what to do with a horse either. He would have whistled, but that would have been too noisy. He laughed as she tried to reason with the horse, but then he noticed Livvy flick her wrist with the reins, which was enough to spur the beast onward. He followed in suit, marveling as the beast began to move forward at a gentle pace.

"I think we might want to leave the liberation talks for after our stomachs are full again," Otto said. "Because right now, 'liberating' a chicken or two sounds delightful, and after all, we've already got our getaway set and ready to go. We'll abscond with a chicken each, find a place to make a fire, and then relieve our aching stomachs at last. Unless..."

He nodded. They should have run--stealing a horse really was a wretched crime, and they shouldn't be lingering here on account of the issues it might cause with the local law, or even the Regisfords. But he was thinking with his stomach, which, like with other parts of the body, caused all reason to be abandoned in favor of pursuing immediate needs. And in a situation like this, with no guarantee of food for some time even if they left right now with the horses... it had to be done. It simply had to be done.

"...No, we'll do it. We'll pay the farmer back someday when we're wealthy beyond our wildest dreams. For now, two horse-and-chicken-thieves we shall be." He nodded, giving her a tentative smile as he gestured towards the barn. "After you."

 

[Liviana]

Livvy flashed him a grin and nodded firmly in agreement. Her hips bucked as she urged the horse forward.. "We'd like to go to the chicken coop.. please.." she whispered to the beast, surprised that it seemed to conform without resistance. Once there, finally, Livvy scanned once more for any sign of people and slipped from her mount when it was apparent that their presence was still unnoticed.

"Keep the look out." she whispered loudly to Otto as she lifted the latch on the gate, and slipped into the pen. Two dozen or more chickens of all varieties milled around, pecking at the ground for grain, until she edged closer to them and they rushed out of her way. She whispered to them, beckoning them to come to her, even clucking like they did, but none of them listened. She tried to take one of them by surprise, but they were quicker than she'd anticipated and she planted her hands on her hips with a huff.

"Bloody chickens." she murmured, keeping an peripheral eye on a white hen with black speckles that edged around the side of her. In an instant she dove to the ground, arms opening and closing around the bird which shrieked and struggled as it was captured. The entire chicken house erupted with panic, every single one of them screaming and flapping their wings as they leapt and ran around, loose feathers falling like snow around her. The chicken in her arms was flapping until Livvy managed to close her arms around its wings and she pulled herself to her feet in time to hear a male voice yelling from nearby.

"What the FUCK!?!"

Shit.

 

[Otto von Geist]

Watching Liviana attempt to coerce the horse into moving, while greatly amusing, was also accompanied by a sense of dread. Stealing horses was a serious offense, not one they would want to add to their already considerable list of respective crimes (more so an issue for him, of course) when they were already on the run, too. But they had to eat, and horses made that easier, albeit in a roundabout way.

Of course, if her trying to move the horse was amusing, then Otto was unprepared for the sheer spectacle of the little spy chasing chickens around in a pen. Not that he would have fared much better, but that didn't stop him from snickering a bit at the sight of it, as each time it seemed she had one, it would slip out of her arms with surprising agility. The noise had gotten rather loud, however, and just as she caught one... it seemed the commotion had drawn the worst possible attention: that of the farmer himself.

"Livvy, I think we better get going," he said. There wasn't time for her to remount, so he urged his horse forward, offering his hand to her. He looked back at the farmer, who was starting to grab a pitchfork. "Just drop the chicken! We need to go!"

It was unfortunate, but it had to be done, and he only prayed his extended hand would be enough for her to get up fast enough that they could beat a hasty retreat. They were both disarmed but for Otto's knife, at least to his knowledge, and that pitchfork would be more than adequate to skewer them both...

 

[Liviana]

She was not dropping this damned squirmy chicken. The brazen little hen was still putting up one hell of a fight as Liviana stumbled her way out of the pen. She grimaced as her horse was dancing out of reach, the farmer's angry gaze set upon her as she stepped backwards from him.

"We're sorry.. We'll pay you back!" she assured, as though that would halt his approach. It didn't. In fact his choice of words and threats were far more suited to that of a pirate than a humble farmer. Her arms tightened around the hen, its struggling finally subsiding.

Livvy turned to the sound of hooves from behind her, and she winced at Otto's offered hand. Oh Gods, she was too damned old for this, but she didn't have much choice. She took two quick strides to meet him and reached to grip his hand, using momentum to help him pull her up onto the horse with a bleat of dread. The hen warbled in protest, its wings flapping at all the commotion until Livvy had herself upright and the bird tucked safely between her arm and chest.

"Hahaholyshite." she blurted, her head whipping around to see the farmer attempt to give chase, but he gave up quickly and bellowed after the pair. Livvy grinned and turned to Otto, a laugh laced with adrenaline forcing its way past her lips, her eyes dancing with a few flecks of light at the excitement of it all.

"Definitely not boring.." she giggled.

 

[Otto von Geist]

Nonono what are you doing—he thought as Liviana clambered back onto the horse, chicken in arms, the little avian beast squawking and squirming as she mounted. Then, Otto kicked the palfrey into a sudden gallop, hopefully evading the farmer's capture as the two quickly made their way across the farm, as grass became road and the two seemed like they were going to be in the clear.

"Oh, oh gods," Otto said, laughing and catching his breath alongside Liviana, although it seemed the chicken wasn't quite done fighting yet. "Good call on catching that, I'm starving! Worth a horse in the long run, I suppose..."

Then, he laughed again, looking around her to make sure the road was clear, before taking a deep breath and calming himself, relieved to be away from the farmer.

"I think he meant to skewer you with that pitchfork," he said. "It would seem your insanity at least bore some fruit, though! The first heist of Otto and Livvy, the most dangerous chicken-thieves the world has ever seen!"

As he said this, the palfrey hit a patch of uneven ground, causing the horse to stumble slightly; not enough to knock them out of the saddle, but enough that Otto quickly wrapped one arm around Liviana's waist and pulled her tight to keep her from falling, the other holding the reins tight as he corrected their spotted steed's course back to the road again. She felt good like this, he thought, his arm betraying this sensation as he lingered with his hold around her for a moment too long, relinquishing it at last.

"Roads in the country," he said, thankful she likely couldn't see the flushing of his face as the palfrey slowed to a reasonable cantor. "Never thought I'd miss cobbled stone so dearly! Now, about that chicken..."

 

[Liviana]

She laughed so hard that her sides ached and tears streamed from her eyes. Livvy had to hold on for dear life, between the squirming bird and how unexpectedly difficult it appeared it was to stay seated. She let out a bleat of a sound as the horse stumbled, certain she was about to fall before she felt the arm around her waist and his chest against her back.

Brown eyes lowered to the arm before she cast him a quick glance over her shoulder, her lips twisted in awkward amusement as he released his grip and she chuckled again. "Hm.. Ever my hero, Otto von Geist." she grinned to herself.

Her adrenaline-fuelled heart still raced ahead as the horse slowed, and she breathed deep to rein it back in whilst wiping at her tear streaked cheeks with the cuff of her sleeve. "Yes, let's eat shall we? I think we've earned a decent meal.." she smiled, and her stomach growled its approval.

They found a small clearing, the copse of trees they wove through thick enough to shield them from view should any others ride through the valley. There, she carefully slipped from the saddle and into the lush grass to walk a few paces before she turned back to him, holding out the speckled hen.

"Alright, here you go.. Do what you have to do." she said with a slight grimace.

 

[Otto von Geist]

As he caught her, and she replied, Otto spoke back quickly. "Well, at least I'm someone's hero. We'll have to have a talk about the name, though..."

Of course, he was too focused on getting a meal to pursue or elaborate on his point, figuring that they would do so after they had eaten. Otto was all too eager to burst through the tree line and into the small clearing where it seemed that they would be setting up to finally consume a meal. He slipped off the horse shortly after Livvy, nodding as she held out the chicken. He reached for the knife he had hidden away in his clothes, then taking the chicken in his hands.

His eyes met one side-eye of the little bird, which returned his gaze with a curious look, and some slight head-twitching. It was clear it didn't know the violence that was about to be inflicted upon it, but when Otto raised the knife to strike, he stopped midair as he made a realization.

"...We don't have a fire," he said. "Well, we can't cook the chicken without a fire. Can you light one?"

He then looked at the chicken quizzically.

"How do I... I mean, do I just take the knife and... Oh heavens, Liviana, I don't know a blasted thing I'm doing right now! We shall go hungry from my ignorance!"

As if to punctuate his point, the chicken suddenly flapped out of his hand, fleeing into the brush before he had a chance to pursue it. Their horse snorted seemingly in a mocking retort, as Otto just stared into the brush where the chicken had fled through.

"Next time... I think we shall steal some carrots instead..." he added, quietly, his stomach rumbling once more.

 

[Liviana]

Livvy couldn't watch. She tensed up, her hands on her face and her shoulders bunched to her ears as she turned away, waiting to hear something terrible.

"...We don't have a fire,"

Was he stalling? She turned to peek at him through her fingers, and amusement simmered in her stomach, but she wouldn't further dent his pride by laughing at his lack of experience with such things. In fact, she was rather glad of it.

She let out a bleat of fright as the bird started flapping and freed itself from Otto's grip, her hands over her mouth now as she watched it run off. She stood that way for a long moment, her eyes wide as they shifted back to Otto, and laughter of the wild, contagious and uncontrollable sort burst free, so much so that she had to fall to her knees and hug her aching ribs to claw back a little control.

Tears wet her cheeks and she didn't bother to dry them. She flopped onto her back with a huff and a few more dying chuckles as she stared up at the sky. "If laughter were sustenance, I'm certain I'd never starve by your side Otto Von Geist." she mused, glancing up at his upside down form with a grin.

 

[Otto von Geist]

Otto turned his eyes upward as his cheeks flushed in embarrassment at the fact that he had lost potentially their only source of food for some time, after the initial shock of the chicken's flight had subsided, anyway.

"I suppose I should be glad I can provide such entertainment, then," he said, attempting to retain his charm even though he was still somewhat sour by the loss of food and, perhaps more pressingly, his pride. "That said, if I find a relic capable of converting chuckles to cheeses, I'll be sure to let you know..."

He turned one last look back to where the chicken had fled; now that the commotion was over, he noticed that there was actually a small trail there through the bushes by the water's edge, marked by a surprising amount of bare earth winding its way through the bushes. He raised an eyebrow, knowing he shouldn't say anything, but his curiosity got the better of him, and he suspected it would do the same to Liviana as well.

"Hey, Livvy, do you see that?" he said, pointing to the trail. "Looks like this leads somewhere. Maybe it's a secret path leading to some valuables no one wants found... we could use a little luck like that, I think. What do you say? Shall we see where the mystery trail goes?"

 

[Liviana]

When was the last time she'd laughed like this, until her sides ached and her face was wet with tears?

Her smile had long since fallen into disuse, but she found herself getting used to the sensation quite quickly. She watched him in distant thought from where she lay, whilst he stared after their lost dinner. She realised then that she was rather comfortable in his presence; that despite their circumstances, both separate and entwined, that it was easy company to keep. Still, trusting him with the knowledge of what she was, would most likely be a very foolish thing to do...

She followed his pointed finger toward the trail he'd spotted, and rolled onto her stomach to narrow her gaze in consideration. Her lips twitched and she looked up at him with a quick nod.

When was the last time she had felt mischievous and carefree, just as her nature intended.. When was she last herself?

"Come, Phantom. Our treasure awaits us." she flashed a smile and reached for his hand to lead him along the mystery path..

 

[Otto von Geist]

In truth, the trail probably led nowhere. In reality, the two of them were likely to starve to death at this point, or die of poisoning from foraging strange berries or mushrooms. For all their collective pluck, they could only do so much against their traitorous stomachs, and Otto suspected that wherever this trail went, it might be the last happy memory he'd have in his short, tumultuous life. But, at least he was spending it with Liviana, someone who perhaps at least had an inkling of that suffering...

"Treasure? Coins or cakes, we'd be lucky to find either! Yes, let's steal along this little path and see what designs fate yet has for we little thieves."

He took her hand, beginning to notice that this was becoming a pattern for them, but there was a comfort in her touch and an excitement with each new run the two of them made that made it impossible for him to not smile and even laugh slightly as they made their way down the little trail that wended its way on the riverside under treetops and past patches of brush here and there. In truth, the path wasn't all that particularly well-hidden other than it likely existed in an area where people were unlikely to travel, which Otto supposed made it hidden enough, anyway.

The present activities had made it difficult to think about such, but he found himself thinking about the future during their little run, which he found strange in itself since it wasn't something he had done for a long time, at least not since things with Marjorie had gone quite so horribly wrong those many months ago and he started spending every waking moment plotting his revenge. Instead, he saw a life after that revenge, making it big somehow as a noble in his own right, or even just finding a place to dwell, relax, and rest for a while in a small home near the marketplace, spending time bartering with the merchants every morning and going to rest in the tavern in the evening. Strangest of all was that he thought of such a future with the woman who now was leading him down this winding path to nowhere...

It was a fleeting thought. But it was the kind of thought that would persist whenever he had a spare moment, the kind of thought one had when meeting a stranger and feeling that impossibly human connection that only people who share such experiences can feel. For now, however, such thoughts had to be shelved, for a sudden sight greeted them at the end of the trail: two large, swarthy men of an unseemly sort flanked on all sides by boxes, sitting by a fire and supping upon stew, who blessedly hadn't noticed them yet.

Not leaving it to chance whether or not Liviana saw the sight, he quickly wrapped his arm around her waist to quickly pull her to a stop, covering her mouth as well in case she squeaked, squealed, or made any of the other noises one made when suddenly taken as such. Otto quickly spoke in harsh whisper:

"There! Up ahead!" he said. He pulled the two of them into the brush slightly, crouching down and taking a moment to assess the situation. He could have said anything about the situation: something witty or intelligent, a piercing observation or tactical plan, yet only three tenuous words escaped instead as his eyes watched the two men sharply:

"They've got stew," he said.

 

[Liviana]

She almost squealed into his hand as she was tugged back into his hold, her eyes widened and found sight of the men up ahead, causing the sudden rigid tension in her muscles to loosen and a shuddered breath to tumble free across his knuckles. Slowly, he fingers curled around his wrist to lower his hand from her mouth, and she kept hold of it as she too, assessed the situation ahead.

The obvious thing to do would be to turn about - to leave, right this instant, before either man spotted the pair of escapees and hauled them back into a terrible cell with terrible iron bars. But Otto's words caused her jaws to ache and her mouth to salivate. Gods, she was hungry.

Liviana grimaced at the thought that crossed her mind. She could get them food, but in doing so, it would reveal that she was far less ordinary than she appeared with her sallow skin and mousy features.

"Do you trust me?" she asked in a low whisper... "And can I trust you?" she asked more carefully as she studied his face so closely.

 

[Otto von Geist]

There was naught but a whisper between them now; Otto looked into the almost-gleaming eyes of his new companion, stunned now that he was getting such a close look at them, as well as the rest of her features. She appeared almost as if sculpted into a form, lacking any of the craftsman's imperfections, of course. In fact, there was an oddity to her beauty that nonetheless enraptured him, almost like magic. But Liviana was just a woman, and he realized he'd stared too long into those windows of hers that he'd almost missed her questions. Almost.

"Trust? Oh dear..." he said, not understanding the gravity of her questioning. "Is this where I find out you're an assassin or some such? Well, I'm no killer, but whatever it takes to dispatch those thugs and steal every last edible and vittle in their little camp, I shan't breathe a word of it to anyone until my dying day."

He smiled mischievously, unable to help but try to lighten the situation.

"Perhaps I should make a knight's code of it. Would that please you, Liviana?" He then spoke with a jokingly deeper voice, "My word is my bond. I swear on the king's honor and the graves of my forefathers that you can most definitely trust me, the most honorable of knightly thieves."

He looked into her eyes again, noting the sincerity.

"No, I suppose you desire a more sincere gesture," he said, frowning slightly. "You must really be worried, then. I've no one left in this world who cares for my existence more than you at this moment I think, my dear, so if there's anyone I ought to trust..."

He took her hand in his, smiling confidently as he pulled it close, intertwining their fingers.

"...then it should be you. Besides... when has trusting a pretty woman ever gone wrong for a man like myself?"

 

[Liviana]

She had never in all of her long years met a man like Otto Von Geist. It was difficult to be wary, to remind herself that she should be frightened of humans and what they did to creatures like her - when all he did was make her smile. She covered her mouth with her free hand to stifle a quiet laugh at his ever-wonderful theatrics, but she did appreciate the sincerity there too.. and the way that he held her hand now.

"I am glad." she answered him, and drew a steadying breath as her stomach fluttered with nerves. "Try not to startle.." she breathed and slipped her hand free of his before she stood. As she did, she stepped back, her form shifting with a brief ripple in the air around her, but it was otherwise seamless. She looked down at him, now no longer the meek serving girl she had been seconds ago, but now from the form of a man aptly monikered The Butcher. He had been the largest man that Liviana had ever seen, and he carried a blade that likely weighed more than she did. A hired executioner who killed people for the joy rather than the coin, and a face that she was certain haunted many a man's mind.

The Butcher turned and thumped into the little encampment, watched by the widening eyes of the two men who quickly stood.

"Run. Fast." the monstrous man grunted with a growing grin of too-few teeth.

 

[Otto von Geist]

As Liviana was looking in his eyes, asking for his trust, Otto remembered something: a memory, of a rainy day spent with Marjorie upon a parlor balcony, overlooking the streets below while protected from the downpour by a lovely blue awning. His paramour looked at him with devilish eyes as they shared crepes and croissants, and tea in delicate cups which little wisps of steam arose from.

"Sometimes I worry what others might think if they knew the real me, you know?" she said.

"The real you?" Otto asked.

"Yeah..." Marjorie said, looking down at a passerby. Without a second thought, she took some of the dirt from a nearby bed of flowers in her white-gloved hand, tossing it on the random stranger, who yelped in surprise, but kept walking despite the sudden mess of brown upon a green dress, audibly cursing through the droning of the rain.

"Oh Marjorie!" Otto said. "That's the real you? A mud-flinger?"

"Oh yes," she said, her voice dripping with venom. "It's just who I am. I love flinging mud. Almost as much as insults..." she trailed off, wistfully looking out past the rooftops of the Allirian cityscape. "Do you remember the other day when that Cecilia girl came to luncheon with us and I let her have it about her frilly dress? I loved that. But you understand me, Otto. You know the satisfaction that comes with so completely flaying someone with words..."

"Of course I do," Otto said. "I can't think of anything that brings me more joy than listening to you rip someone to shreds like that."

He was lying.

Back in the present, Liviana was still talking to him. And when she said Try not to startle, he felt himself shiver. Not just out of anticipation, but out of a sudden, surprising want that had his cheeks flush a brilliant red. Thankfully, Liviana wouldn't stick around to see it. No, his new companion had a much more deadly, mysterious purpose, as her form shifted to one that was both unrecognizable and terrifying. He'd seen the like before: a big man, with a big weapon, and a thirst for blood in his eyes. And for just a moment, Otto backed up, his eyes wide with terror. Yet in a moment, this new man turned and went to the camp, leaving Otto in the bush to contemplate what his eyes were failing—at least immediately—to comprehend.

Meanwhile, her disguise had worked perfectly. The two guards of the camp ran, leaving behind their weapons, food, and anything that wasn't on their immediate person. The scene only lasted a minute, which had been just long enough for Otto to blink, then draw a conclusion: this was why she had been so valued by the Regisfords. A spy who could change shape must have been the ultimate tool... He didn't know her circumstances, but he surmised that there must have been some way they were keeping her in their service based on their interactions thus far. Some kind of blackmail, perhaps...

He stood, eyes forward and filled with a new determination. His mind understood, yet he remained cautious at the sight of the huge man. He called for Liviana, almost as a child might call out for their parent in the dead of night.

"Livvy?" he asked. He took another tentative step forward. "Why... that is still you, isn't it? Well... while that's incredibly handy... how? Why?..."

 

[Liviana]

She waited in her guise for as long as it took to be certain that the men had done precisely as they'd been told. Her hearing was just as keen in any form, and she reminded herself to be more careful. She'd been so wrapped up in the fun of it all that, had it not been for Otto, she'd have run straight into trouble.

The questions were expected, and the large man rolled his shoulders as he turned to set his black eyes upon Otto with a rather disturbing grin, but the chuckle that tumbled free was her own, and the illusion shimmered and dissipated, leaving the Liviana that he knew; the mousy young woman, now smiling at him with a shy shrug.

"Of course it's still me.." she curled a lock of drab, brown hair around her rounded ear and sighed quietly. "At least I think so." she mused with a mischievous squint.. "Perhaps I'll tell you the hows and why's over some stew?" her brow quirked, and she spun on her heels to skip toward the meal so conveniently cooked for them, and took up a seat and a bowl.

 

[Otto von Geist]

The pit in his stomach he suddenly felt as Liviana transformed from the imposing form of a brutish thug back into the form he'd come to recognize was a strangely familiar feeling. Only moments after he'd witnessed it and she'd spoken to him, charming as she ever was, did he recognize where he'd felt it before: Marjorie, at least earlier on in their relationship. There was a slight terror, but mostly awe and wonder as he witnessed the power of the woman before him, and he found himself entranced once again. He felt two ways about it: enticed, yet terrified.

His rumbling stomach broke his line of questioning as she responded to him, however.

"Yes, stew," he stammered. "I think we both have need of it at this point. Fortuitous for us to have found this campsite, but I think we deserve a little luck by now."

Otto walked over to the stewpot, emptying the bowls shortly before rinsing them in the nearby stream. Then, he returned them, filling a bowl for each of them.

"Pottage is hardly an elegant meal compared to what we're used to, but it's something, at least," he said. He took a seat on one of the crates next, his eyes fixating on his companion. "I suppose there's no avoiding it now though," he said, taking a spoonful of stew. "In fact, I can hardly keep myself from asking any longer, for I seem to be under a spell of sorts, and I don't mean that you've enchanted me, except in another manner of speaking..."

His cheeks grew hot as he found himself stumbling over what was, in reality, a rather simple question.

"Apologies... but who exactly are you, Liviana? Or rather... what did I just witness...?"

 

[Liviana]

Surprisingly, he had taken it rather well, so far at least. Regardless, her stomach twisted with nerves at the explanation she knew that he would not only want, but deserved. How well would he take it then? Any human who had ever known what she was or was capable of saw her as a thing of value, a tool with which to play their games when they required her and lock her away for safe keeping when they did not.. She supposed, time would tell.

Liviana said a quiet thank you as Otto handed her the bowl, and she gave a tight smile as he frolicked around the question, until he spoke of spells and her head shook quickly, her eyes wide with worry.. "I haven't, I'm not.. Well I have, sort of but not really, I just...." she stopped, her mind catching up with what he had said. He wasn't accusing her, which was a relief, though her head tilted as she considered what the other manner of speaking was exactly..

"I.." she started, setting the bowl down beside her to turn to him with a deep breath and a nod. "I'm not, as human as I may have lead you to believe. But, you've no reason to be afraid of me." she assured, reaching a hand to settle on his so long as he didn't recoil from her. She couldn't blame him if he did.

"What you witnessed was something called a glamour, it's illusionary magic that allows me to change my form. The Regisfords have been using me to do their spying for a very long time.. They barely had two coins to rub together when they found me. You can see why they're rather reluctant to let me go..." she laughed awkwardly under her breath.

"I'm, one of the fae." she told him, her brown eyes fixed on his expression as she held her breath..

 

[Otto von Geist]

Otto's eyes were scanning Liviana as she prepared to answer him, as though he could somehow decipher even an inkling of the machinations of her mind if he gazed deeply enough. Though that look yielded no answers, he was taken aback when she took his hand in hers; compared to before, there was something different in this touch than the grasp they had exchanged before, usually when running. Gentle, and soothing, Otto pursed his lips as he felt something stir in him he wished desperately to repress. It was no wonder, he thought, that Marjorie's voice echoed in his head, as it became clear to him at last that he was so eager to work with Liviana because that same infatuation had struck him a second time, and he felt even more foolish than the last time it had hit him.

Otto was no longer the fool, or so he told himself, as they sat in a camp where they had driven brigands, speaking with a magical shapeshifter...

He clasped her hand in his, firmly and reassuringly. "One of... the Fae..." he echoed. "Yes, it all makes sense now. They must have been using you, although I still don't quite understand why you have to stay with them if you can change your face. But... oh, Liv, you're so clever. I know they must have you spellbound or some such. It must be refreshing to be out here away from their clutches. Even so..."

His cheeks turned red, as their eyes locked.

"I know you haven't enchanted me, but I..."

He was distracted by the sudden sight of a familiar crest: the perched falcon of the Regisfords, upon the crates that rested around the campfire. Otto looked around, seeing that all the crates were marked as such.

"Livvy, look," he said, pointing to a crate. "That seal!..."

 

[Liviana]

She was certain that he couldn't truly understand the relief she felt when he accepted the revelation without a spike of anger or greed. That he did not immediately seek self gain through use of her magick was assuring, and she smiled softly at him as he spoke.

"I promised myself to a man named Ernest Regisford and to his family. He would have taken my younger sister had I not. He died many years ago, but I could not leave.. Until I was taken.." she smirked. Fae rather enjoyed loopholes in their contracts.

It was indeed, refreshing to be out here. To be seen and heard, to feel the natural energies around her, to laugh. Her head had titled as his skin seemed to flush, a brow lifting quizzically before he cut himself off and drew her attention to the crates.

"Oh..." Liviana grimaced. "I.. Suppose we shouldn't linger.. Though, perhaps we should just.. Have a tiny peek at what those men were guarding before we leave..." she grinned.

 

[Otto von Geist]

Otto stood, walking past Liviana as he focused on the crates. They were relatively large, wood, and Otto noticed holes in the top of the crate: neatly-carved, and intentional. Past the smell of stew, he thought he smelled something stranger, but he couldn't put his finger on what exactly it was. He attempted to lift the top of the crate off, but found it was tightly sealed. Looking around, he spotted a pry bar, darting over to pick it up, then walking back to the specific crate he had been eyeing before. He latched the metal teeth of the pry bar into the seam of the crate, lifting heavily, but it would not budge despite his best efforts.

Otto scratched his head, holding the pry bar at his side. "I'm not sure how the hell to open this," he admitted, at last. "And if I can't, how do the Regisfords? Maybe it's just a technique problem..."

He inserted the pry bar again, straining as he pulled with all his might on the crate. Even so, it was no good. It seemed to defy reason itself.

He looked back to Liviana. "Any ideas?" he asked, wiping off his forehead after the effort.

 

[Liviana]

"Unfortunately, physical strength is not... well, a strength of mine.." she huffed, but the smile she wore dwindled as she took a closer look at the crates he spoke of. A memory shuddered through her, and her heart felt like it sank into the pit of her stomach.

"Be careful.." she urged him, uncertain of what exactly was in those crates, but it had only just occurred to her that whatever it was may be alive, and may have also been dangerous.. Liviana stood, rushing to the box that he'd been trying to open. She pressed her hands to it and knelt to peer into the little holes. Light cast small circles of light inside, onto skin and white hair, and as she listened closely she could hear the soft breaths of deep sleep.

"There's someone in here." she whispered and looked up at him with worry in her dark eyes. "We have to get them out.." she frowned, casting a quick glance over the several other boxes of the same size. "What are they doing?" she breathed out in a quiet whine.

"H-hello?.." she said with a gentle knock on the wood.. "You have to wake up. We're going to get you out." she promised and stood, attempting to pry the nailed down lid with her bare hands.

 

[Otto von Geist]

Otto watched with concern as Liviana stepped forward, preparing herself for her own attempt at uncovering what lay inside of the large wooden crate he'd just exerted himself greatly attempting to open. His stomach tightened as dread loomed inside him, the crate seeming less like an object of wood and more like some arcane object of unknown origin, protecting some great and terrible secret that neither he nor Liviana were ever meant to uncover. Even as Liviana knelt down to examine the contents of the box, he felt an urge to place his hand upon her shoulder and beg her not to look any further, and when at last the truth was revealed, it seemed his every fear had been justified, or worse.

"There's... someone... inside the crate?!" he dared to utter, his eyes widened, his pulse quickening. "Wait... you don't think..."

He scratched his head, then tapped his foot impatiently. Then, his eyes rapidly shifted between the crate and Liviana herself.

"If a pry bar isn't working, there's got to be some other way... Wait, Livvy! Can you, I don't know, disenchant the crate somehow? Maybe it's magically sealed!"

 

[Liviana]

Of course it was magically sealed. "I can't.. I, haven't.." she stuttered in panic. Aside her glamour, she hadn't been permitted to use any other magic, and it had been so long since she had performed even the simplest of cantrips. Now back amongst the trees and grass, she could feel her energy grow, but she doubted very much that she'd have enough power to break the spell of another.

"Perhaps.." she murmured to herself, her gaze dropping to her hands in thought. "Might I borrow a blade for just a moment?.." she asked, hopefully. If anything could work, it was a sacrifice of Fae blood..

 

[Otto von Geist]

Otto frowned when Liviana began to become distressed at the prospect of opening the crate; he felt guilty, knowing that it had been his assumption that she could open it which led her to feel that way in the first place. Her request for a blade seemed a sensible one, though, and with a person trapped within the crate, it hardly seemed like a time to question anything.

"No, not as such; they confiscated my sword when we were captured..."

He looked around, eventually noticing the unconscious thugs. He walked over to them, rummaging through their clothes until eventually he found a sheathed dagger tucked away in one of their pants, taking the weapon over to Liviana, where he drew it before offering it to her.

"Wow," he said, looking down at it. "Steel. I guess the Regisfords don't pinch pennies even when it comes to their hirelings..."