Kidnapping The Princess

[Alistair]

Alistair gave a nod of his head while the fish cooked. It would not be much but it would do until he could find something later for them. He sat there, ready to let her do what she must to nurse him. He wondered why he was healing quickly, then assumed that if she made use of everything else in his bag she would have used the pouch Marc gave him. Whatever Marc have given him must be enhanced by an spell.

How would she feel about that, he wondered. "A wound like mine, should have put me out for good long while. It should have taken days to be able to have enough strength to sit up." He watched her face, "How does it feel to know you used your first bit of magic? The heal a druid of all people?"

He did not ask coldly, but there was something lacking in his tone. It as as if he was trying to hide whatever he was thinking or feeling at the moment. He did not know for sure, Marc had used magic to make it more powerful, or work quicker but how else would you explain it?

[isadora]

Once the fish was cooking over the fire, she knelt down next to him, unwinding the bandages from his chest and wrapping them around her arm to keep them neat; she hadn't seen anymore bandages in the bag, so she'd have to reuse these. As she was working, he started speaking again...and she stopped for a few seconds at his words. Magic...? She hadn't even thought about it...she resumed working quickly, hoping he didn't notice her brief pause. She didn't know how long it usually took someone to recover from something like this, so she hadn't thought about it, but the salve she was using was magic...did that mean she was evil, too?

But she hadn't meant to do anything wrong! She'd been trying to heal Alistair, it hadn't occurred to her that a Druid's salve would have magic in it, although she supposed she should have guessed. But if she'd known, would she still have used it? Yes, of course she would have. Alistair hadn't looked good last night when she'd been treating him, even if she had suspected it was magic, she still would have used it to heal him. She didn't answer him, but her discomfort showed on her face. She still didn't like thinking that Alistair was a druid. She avoided his eyes.

"This might sting a bit." She warned as she began cleaning the wound again, glad when it seemed far less severe than last time. The redness had decreased, and it looked like it was closing up. Definitely magic. She considered for a moment, then used more of the salve on it. She'd already used it, so she was already damned, right? When she finished, she started wrapping the wound up again, still not answering his question about magic, because she didn't know what she could say.

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((Congrats on 200 posts!!))

[Alistair]

He noticed her avoiding his gaze and her pause. She could have been doing something that made her pause but it was to timed to be something else. He looked away and gave a small shake of his head. She would forever hate druids, and he would be forever a druid. It was almost disheartening.

"I don't know much about region but I don't think you get damned for saving a life. Only for taking one." He said, in a slightly annoyed tone. She had seen how magic hurt a few people, and so it was all evil. Seeing how it healed her, and saved him however made their act of saving them damning.

he didn't say more, just sat there in silence trying to ignore that she was behind him helping him. He embarrassed the good in magic, and the natural side of life. She hated everything he loved. How did knowing that, still make him want her around?

((DUDE! I did not even notice! Ok, my goal will be to get you to 200 with me - TONIGHT!!))

[isadora]

She sighed at his annoyance, she knew why he was annoyed, but it bothered her that he got so easily frustrated with her. Was magic evil? She had thought so her entire life, but her time with him made her think maybe she had been wrong. But he wanted her to suddenly declare that everything she'd ever been taught or believed was wrong in just a few days, with just his word to believe. She'd never been one to be easily swayed by others, she needed time to consider and to look into things for herself, without his influence. Because she already felt he had far too much influence over her heart, and it scared her.

She wondered if he would understand...she could try. "I...thought magic was evil. My whole life. I don't know much about it, but everything I've ever learned said that. But now...well, you've shown me something I'd never even thought of before. But I need time to consider it, while you're not around to...cloud my judgment." That was as well as she could try to explain it, and she hoped he would understand. Pushing her on the issue wouldn't make her decide sooner, it would only aggravate her.

She finished bandaging him up, and then got up to check on the fish. It didn't take as long to cook as the venison had, so she fetched a metal plate from his bag, using the knife to messily cut the fish in half. She took the smaller portion, eating it with her fingers, and handed the bigger portion, still on the plate, to her injured patient.

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((LOL, okay, it's on!))

[Alistair]

Her answer gave him pause. He clouded her judgment? He was considering things? Once she was done he sat there thinking for a moment. She she offered the fish to him, he shook his head. She caught it, she killed it, she cooked it. She could eat it. "Is that what I do? Cloud your judgment?" He asked, finding the idea slightly appealing.

If he had just opened her eyes, made her think, gave her pause, then this would be worth it. This whole experience would be worth it. He knew his emotions were not easily controlled and judging by her sigh she was getting tired of them. However when you never had to hide them from anyone (as there was never anyone around) you did not learn to hold them close to you.

If she rethought her ideals of magic she could save so many people. Gwent could be a safe place for Druids. Not for him, he had just invited trouble by kidnapping her, but for others. They could live with out fear that the knights were coming to kill their children. He did not doubt she would control her husband (if Alistair let the man live that lone), so she could become the hope from his kind.

[isadora]

He wasn't eating the fish. That was what she forced herself to think about, rather than the fact that he seemed to be pleased that he clouded her judgment. She hadn't thought about admitting it to him before she'd said it, but now it seemed like a horrible idea to tell him that. But it was too late to take it back now. He wouldn't get any stronger until he ate, and as excited as she was to have caught a fish in the first place, she wasn't sure she could do it again. So if they wanted a proper meal, he'd have to get well enough to catch it, so she wanted him to eat.

"Shut up and eat your damn fish before I force feed it to you." It was harsher than she'd meant to be, or even knew she could be, but apparently she could be quite coarse when she didn't want to admit something she'd already accidentally admitted to. She never would have made such a slip-up with a foreign ambassador or another king, why was it so easy to let slip things she should keep hidden with him? Because he clouded her judgment. Dammit. Damn him! If he didn't think she was above forcing an injured man to eat, he had another thing coming. Yeah, she would still rather think about the fish than her foolish slip-up. Stupid, stupid princess.

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[Alistair]

When she turned into him, he only chuckled. Shut up and head his damn fish. Yeah, she was getting bossy. She would control that husband of her's. She'd have him on such a tight rope that it would make what he was doing to her look tame. Poor bastard.

He used his good hand to take life the fish and take a bite before putting it down again. "It's only fair." He admitted, knowing this was just another mistake. This whole set up was another plot to get him to do something; it had to be. Still, his guard was up. "Had I been thinking clear last night, none of this would have happened."

It was as close as she was getting to him admitting he was not thinking with a clear head here. When she was around, all he saw was her. All he knew was her. He had made it over 30 years with out a woman complicating things for him. Then all in the same week, he declared a personal war ageist the king, kidnapped the princess and got distracted off the first goal he'd ever made just for him.

[isadora]

She was pleased when he started eating his fish, figuring she'd have a bit of time to think about what she could say, but after only one bite, he was talking again. She scowled; what part of 'shut up' was he having difficulty with? He just had to be difficult, didn't he. Then he surprised her by admitting that she had the same effect on him, and that made her heart beat faster, though she wished it wouldn't. She liked that he was as messed up about her as she was about him.

He was right; if the two of them were able to think clearly, they would never have gotten as involved with one another, and she never would have had her chance to run off, and he never would've gotten stabbed. And yet, she still wanted to be around him, and since last night, the logical part of her couldn't convince the emotional that she ought to run away if she got the chance. She knew this wasn't what either of them had planned...but how could they change it now?

She busied herself with eating her fish, not sure how to respond to his revelation. It made her happy, but she was hesitant at the same time. There couldn't be anything between them, right? But there already was. If she didn't feel this way about him, she might've left him here to die when he got sick. She didn't even like thinking about that possibility.

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[Alistair]

They had traded places. Now he was talking and she was telling him to shut up and then ignoring him. No, not ironic at all. After a long moment be picked up the fish and finished eating it. He had sort of, unofficially decided to forgive her for running away but not forget, and to not trust completely. She was NOT leaving his side again, and there would be NO kissing.

He finished his fish and then used his good arm to push off the rock so he could stand. It hurt when the muscles moved and stretched but one he was standing the pain was slipping away. As long as he was not moving his shoulder, and most of his back he would be ok. By tomorrow he could try hunting for something more then fish.

He walked to the water's edge and stood there for a moment, looking out over the water. Tomorrow they would also have to cover allot of ground. With him injured it might take longer, she might get home almost a day late. Half a day maybe. Depends on how long it took them.

[isadora]

She finished eating shortly after him, purposely taking longer so she wouldn't be expected to speak. Then he got up and went to the river's edge, leaving her unwatched. She wondered if he realized just how much trust he was putting in her now; even now that he was better, he didn't watch her as much, gave her freedom to roam around, she didn't feel very much like a prisoner anymore.

She wasn't sure where what happened net came from, because it occurred to her that it was absolutely insane, and yet somehow she found herself getting up, making her way over to the deep, glossy pool of water under the waterfall. She knelt down, skimming her finger over the water's surface, and smiling, she pulled off her boots, putting her tired feet into the water. It made her realize that it had been days since she had washed...and especially after working hard the last two days, she needed a bath. She bit her lip, looking up at Alistair...he wasn't paying any attention to her right now.

It was a bad idea. She knew it was a bad idea. And yet...somehow she just kept going through with those anyways these last few days. "Close your eyes. I feel like taking a bath." She kept her back to him, just in case he turned around despite her warning, and she stood up, not giving herself anymore time to think about it, pulling out the knot Alistair had tied yesterday and letting her dress fall around her, she stepped into the water quickly. The pool was deep, so she was submerged to her shoulders almost immediately, which was a good thing. She dunked her head under the water, letting the water run through her hair.

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[Alistair]

She was out of her bloody mind.

That was the only reason she would do this to him.

Out. Of. Her. Mind.

Had she not just betrayed him with a kiss, hours before he might had taken the bait and dived right in with her. As it was he was NOT stupid enough to make the same mistake twice. At lest not this close together. When he heard her speak, he had looked over and opened his mouth to tell her, No; No you will not. However buy the time his eyes saw her and his mind caught up with his . . . . interested parts, it was to late. She was naked in the water just yards away!

He turned his back to her, and shot an annoyed glare at anything in his sight. Who the hell did he kill in another life to earn this? He needed to tell her to put her damn clothing back on. Right now! Yes, that is what he was going to do! He turned around, to tell her. He wasn't sure why he needed to walk closer to tell her, but he did. He wasn't even sure why he had to get into the water to tell her, but he did. Before he knew it, he was there. In the pool. With her. So much for his rules.

[isadora]

She was out of her bloody mind.

That was the only reason why she'd do this, why she'd do something so stupid. Because it was stupid, and she knew it was stupid, but it was too late to turn back now. She was in the water already, she couldn't just take it back now. She surfaced, taking a deep breath with her eyes closed and pushing her wet hair back out of her face, feeling refreshed. She blinked her eyes open, brushing water droplets out of her line of vision, looking out over the water. It was only then that she heard splashing behind her, and she turned around...to see Alistair getting into the water.

"Didn't I tell you to close your eyes?" She raised her eyebrows at him, but she couldn't bring herself to sound angry. She was tempting him, even if she kept telling herself it wasn't on purpose...she just wanted to get clean. And yet, with him in the water with her, cleanliness seemed like the furthest thing from her mind. She swam backwards a little ways, increasing the distance between them in the water, not sure what exactly was going on between them, but certain that getting too close was going to be a bad idea. A very bad idea. She was having a lot of those lately.

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[Alistair]

They were both out of their bloody minds.

When she started to move away he reached out under the water and grabbed her leg, not letting her get far. She started this, she wasn't allowed to back out. Not this time. It was time to stop dancing out this. Either way they were damned.

He pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her, being her flush ageist him in the water. he did not look down, just into her eyes. He wasn't ready to let her back out but still. . . . he wasn't Vaughn. "Either tell me to stop now and run to shore, damn us both and kiss me." Either way the maddness had to end.

[PMing you]

[isadora]

Her eyes widened when she felt his hand on her, and then she was pressed against him, her face a few inches away from his, looking full into his eyes. She was scared, but excited at the same time, and hesitantly, she put her hands on his chest, keeping her eyes locked on his. Madness, he had said earlier, complete madness, and she had to agree. She couldn't...they couldn't...this could never possibly be. And when he gave her a choice, she swallowed the lump in her throat, telling her body to push him away.

And then instead, she damned them. She leaned up to kiss him, wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him closer, completely forgetting whatever inhibitions she should have for this moment. "I guess we're going to hell," she murmured against his lips, pulling back slightly from the kiss to breath.

It wasn't until hours later that she started listening to her senses again. At some point, they'd found their way back onto dry land, and the two of them were wrapped up in the single blanket. Isadora was resting her head on his chest, staring up at the stars and trying to remember why she'd thought this was a bad idea.

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[Alistair]

Don't think. That was the plan. If he did not think then he did not have to remind him self that he did not break every rule he had made. (again). Really, how had he gone from no more kissing to naked under the stars with her? What were the rules for deflowering princesses? That was a big thing for nobles, wasn't? Their bride's purity when wedded? What would happen now?

No! don't think, damn it. Thinking was bad. Where was his pants? Alistair closed his eyes and took a deep breath to still his thoughts. The passion from moments ago that had lasted all afternoon and into the night was wearing off. Tomorrow he would have to began taking her back. He didn't want to, he wanted to drag her deeper into the woods but he could not do that to her. He had to take her home, had to let her go. He had to fight this war he started. he'd known this would not end well. One day, she'd attend his beheading. That was how druids died. "I like the stars." he spoke softly, while he looked up at them. "I like the stories they tell."

[isadora]

She closed her eyes, having decided that she'd figure out how to deal with the consequences of what had just happened in the morning, and for now, she'd just let tonight be what it was. She knew that it wouldn't last, but right now, she felt warm and even happy. She smiled when he spoke of the stars, opening her eyes and looking up at him, then she followed his gaze up to the sky, watching the stars overhead.

"I've never slept under the stars before." She admitted, snuggling in under his arm. "Tell me about them?" Isadora asked, it was so beautiful, staring up at the stars, everything dark around them. She felt peaceful, even though she knew she had no right to...in the morning, she'd freak out about this. But she didn't want to worry about that right now.

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[Alistair]

He looked up at the stars while thinking over the stories. "According to one legend they are fallen warriors. If you are faithful to your heart, and fight with honor in your life then you will join your brethren there. There is peace and no wars to to be fought." It was the one he hoped for in times where he'd seen enough killing.

"Another story says they are love ones who have yet to pass into the Avalon. They stay there, wait for their lovers or families to join them so they all travel together." All the stories he had began with the death of someone. The bright stars, were signs of peace. It was why he was drawn to looking at them. There were times when he wondered why he was here, he had no one in his life and nothing to bid him to here. He had felt like he was just waiting to die and move on. Then he had decided to do something, find something to live for. Fighting for the druids in Camelot had been that thing. "Only rarely to they touch each other;" He spoke as his hand trailed up her arm to cup her shoulder and hold her close. "That how you know the lovers from the ones waiting."

[isadora]

She listened to him tell her the stories of the stars, noticing that they all seemed to be stories of the afterlife; stories about the dead. They were comforting, far better than believing that if you weren't good enough, you were going to burn for all eternity. Which seemed to be her lot now, she thought, tracing circles on Alistair's abdomen with her finger absently. She knew she'd probably regret it later, but for the moment, she was happier than she could remember being.

She smiled at the story about lovers waiting for each other, and their families. She didn't like the idea that her mother was looking down on her right now, what would she say? Unmarried and with a man like Alistair...she doubted the Lady Isobel would approve. She turned her head down to look at him when she felt his hand on her arm, and then leaned over to kiss him tenderly. No one would approve; not her family, or her people, and certainly not his people. So all they had was tonight. It broke her heart to think of it, so she put it out of her mind. Thinking about it wouldn't make her feel better, and she'd decided to deal with the consequences in the morning.

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[Alistair]

Alistair wondered what she was thinking about, but wasn't going to ask. Tonight wasn't the night for questions. He was not going to waste it on asking about things to come, or telling her about the stars. When she leaned down to kiss him, he rolled them both over and kept them from thinking about anything until well past dawn.

By morning the pain in his shoulder was still sharp but not enough to make him feel weak. As long as he was careful and did use it, he would be fine. Silently he went back to where they had left their clothing, dressed and brought her dress back to her. Today was the day that he would start bring her home. It was their last day together.

He however, had one last thing to give her before he left her go. "Princess, I am going hunting; we will need food before we travel and it will give you some privacy. Don't leave this spot." He watched her for a moment, waiting for her promise before walking away.

He knew he needed to make sure she was going to be ok, but he was not sure how to do that with words. There was another thing. If last night had resulted in a child that would complicate everything more. He needed to make sure she knew, that any child that might come from this would be well taken care of. The druid way. Not the noble 'put them with nuns' way.

[isadora]

Isadora woke when she felt Alistair stir next to her, blinking blurrily as her mind slowly woke. The events of the previous night came back to her in a rush, and with them came the panic she knew she'd feel. What in God's name was wrong with her?! She sat up, clutching the blanket to her chest as Alistair returned, bringing her dress with him, trying not to hyperventilate. She had...they had...how could she be so stupid? It wasn't like this could go anywhere, and now, she was ruined. She looked up at him when he spoke to her, trying to listen and keep the anxiety off her face at the same time. She nodded numbly when he ordered her to stay here, where else did she have to go?

After he'd gone, she took a deep breath, getting dressed. She'd need his help to do up the laces, again, but she didn't have the nerve to remain unclothed until he returned. With the weight of the responsibilities she'd opted to forget last night pressing down on her again, she didn't know how to feel. Last night felt like a dream in her memory; a really, really wonderful dream, but that was all it was. Nothing could ever come of it, and the sooner she could accept that, the better it would be for everyone. As long as she wasn't pregnant, she could walk away. It would tear her heart apart, but she could do it.

She forced herself to calm down. No matter how stupid she may have been, she couldn't change what had happened now, she just had to carry on. Busying herself, she folded up the blanket and placed it back in the bag, trying not to dwell too much on the possibility that she might be with child. It wasn't possible, right? No, it couldn't be. She sat back on her heels...who knew taking a bath would leave her feeling so dirty?

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