Recent Posts

Vaughn was bored. The men were taking far too long to do what they pleased. He wanted to press forward. Not just stand here. But fortunately, it was as if someone had read his thoughts and decided to remedy the situation. For out of no where, he heard a woman's voice. Vaughn looked up from having intently been staring at his dagger to see a young woman. But not just any woman. He recognized her, though he never met her. Vaughn had traveled about various cities, kingdoms even. The Princess of Thieves herself. This brought a smirk to his lips, as did her words. How utterly delightful! That this young woman decided to grant them with her presence. Or more specifically, grant Vaughn with her presence. And he was going to take full advantage.

Was that a challenge? Vaughn put his dagger back in its holder and leaned against the tree a bit more, folding his arms across his chest. This was going to be interesting. The men froze, stopping whatever they were doing. Instead, they focused all their attention on the woman. They did not need an invitation. The way they were clearly leering at her raised their amusement as they laughed over her remark of 'picking on someone their own size'. Clearly, they believed her outmatched. But Vaughn knew better than to underestimate a person in that sense. So he did not join in on the 'fun. He would just stand and watch how the scene would unfold. Whether it be favorable to the men, or whether this would be their last fight...had yet to be determined.

"You want us to pick on you love?" One of them asked tauntingly. They released their hold on the other woman who's eyes were wide with fear, and hope. Hope. Such a dangerous thing to have. The men began to form an almost circle, planning to surround her and then, attack. "Well looks like you got what you wanted. Get her!" And with that, the men charged towards her, their weapons in the air. Vaughn stood there, silently, chuckling. Idiots. They were all idiots. It seemed the day was going to turn out to be a bit more interesting than he had expected.

Vaughn noticed the way he was decided to return the tease. It only made Vaughn smirk even more. So the duke had patience. Some would not stand for this. Many who held the same job as him, would have walked out by now. Well, if the man was a duke, he was raised with good manners and proper etiquette. Then again, Vaughn was raised as a 'knight' and he lacked all the traits associated with this supposedly honorable title. "Perhaps it is," he said casually. Obviously, it was not. "Is that is how you have built your reputation with though," he said, going back to understanding how the hell people trusted a duke to get what they needed. "Or am I one of the few privy to the knowledge of your true status." He doubted he was, as the information had come so swiftly. But, he was still trying to determine the man's discretion. So far, he gathered he was a man of few words. Yet, held good manners.

Which meant so far, he knew nothing of the man's discretion. When he questioned that it was desirable or him, Vaughn leaned back a bit, as if inspecting the man in front of him, a gleam of amusement still in his eyes. "Nothing about you is desirable," he said jokingly, purposely phrasing it in such a way to suggest he took his comment in an inappropriate way. At least this time, the joke was not made to insult him. Well, sort of. "There are many men who are in your field of work. What is it about you, a duke that makes others trust you." Had no one else found a problem with this? Were they caught for their shady actions because of it? Or, had Richard just never had a customer who was a criminal.

Would he enjoy such a thing? He was a man after all. "Depends," he said casually, slightly cocking his head to the side, continuing to leer at her. "The less that is visible, the more is left up to the imagination." And really, no one should want to get inside Vaughn's head. Especially in the presence of a young beautiful woman. "And that can be more, intriguing." Increase the temptation. Make things more interesting. He did not miss the fact that she had not lowered her arm from that position. Was she purposely ding that because he had suggested otherwise. Or was it because it actually made her feel more comfortable. Maybe a bit of both. But Vaughn did not ask. Surely, ones arm would tire. Eventually.

And it seemed to come sooner than predicted. "Certainly not armed with a metal weapon," he said, his eyes scanning over her once more as he just smirked to himself. Women had their own forms of weapons. Strong enough to bring a man to his knees. Pathetic. Yet, somehow they managed to do it. "Well if all you need is a dagger," he began. He reached to his side where he had a dagger tucked in a holder, pulling it out. "I have one to offer," he said, slowly waving it in the air back and forth. He did not yet extend it to her, but just kept his distance. "Tell my My Lady, have you ever killed a man before?" He asked, his voice a bit taunting.

Her next words, and question, brought back a strongly amused laughter. Did he have any suggestions? Oh what a question. There were so many ways he could answer this. "I have a couple," he said, taking a step towards her. "And it looks like the work is already half done for me." Referring to her state of dress, or undress.

Duke? Did that man just say duke? Vaughn was going to murder Boris. The imbecile sent him to a Duke. Did he know? Probably not. The man was not the most perceptive person out there, but still. If Richard offered this information of position so easily to Vaughn; then surely he was not the only who knew. Though Vaughn was surprised to hear this most unexpected revelation, he kept an amused smile on his lips. It was a bit humorous. To think that a duke, managed to obtain such a reputation. As a dealer. And now, he was sitting in a tavern dealing with a stranger to acquire what he needed. It was almost as humorous as a knight sitting in a tavern, trying to gather items for the kidnapping of a princess. The world was a funny place.

So the man had debt. Interesting. Did he actually find that his, business helped relieve those debts? At least put a dent in them? Family truly was a nuisance. Only causing more harm than good. Vaughn did not bother asking any of these particular questions. Nor was he as willing to explain what he needed. The items of necessity were ones that could lead one to think that something, illegal was to take place. Vaughn could not compromise this plan by asking a Duke for these things. "A Duke," Vaughn said, chuckling as he shook his head. "Do people actually trust your discretion?" He asked. The words were on the verge of an insult really, questioning his ability to be private in his dealings. He must have some level of discretion if he gained such a reputation. But regardless, Vaughn had to question it.

And there it was. The slight color to her cheeks. Yet, it was not quite what he had been aiming for. But it was a start. He had hours to keep provoking her, and trying to determine what her reactions would be. So far, he was being pleasantly surprised. People were often so predictable. But not this young woman here. She kept a brave face and sure tone when she spoke to him. Would she eventually break? Or would this be the nature of their interactions for the whole night? Only one way to find out, and yes; Vaughn was rather anxious to find this out indeed. He watched her cover herself with her hand, knowing it was useless unless she planned on keeping it there the whole night. When she pushed him back he allowed her, this time not having kept his feet firmly grounded. He chuckled though, the reality of this whole situation becoming more and more humorous. "Your arm will tire if you intend to stand like that for the whole night." It was more of a way to urge her to lower it, so that he could once again, let his gaze linger. But oh well. Again, plenty of time for that.

Speaking of her unpredictability, when she explained her reason for not cutting out the key, he laughed once more. He took a few more steps back, keeping an eye on her as his deep laughter filled the small room. He stopped pacing backwards when he reached the table. "That's alright," he began to answer, holding up a few sheets of paper. He did not care if they were important, of if it was too intrusive of him to look through them. He had broken in with the intent to steal. What did he care about privacy. "You have plenty of paper to clean up the blood." Though he still did not think this was a likely scenario. While Vaughn did not fear death, he was certainly not going to die in this way.

He tossed the handful of papers carelessly to the side, preparing to answer her next question. Leaning against the table, he spoke. "As long as you do," he said with a smirk. When she was let out, he would be forced out to. Probably to the dungeon. Especially after the others heard of his reason for being here. And then of course, locking her in a room with him. Yes. Such crimes would warrant an arrest. Or worse. But Vaughn was not concerned. He was not planning anything. When the time came, and the opportunity presented itself, he would find a way out. He always did. "So now since neither of us are going anywhere anytime soon...whatever will we do to pass the long hours of the night." He asked in such a tone, in such a manner, with such an expression, that all led to but one conclusion. And it was not the most decent one.

What an excellent question. One that held so many possibilities to respond with. "I have very convincing methods of persuasion." He said with a small wink. Whether she could see or not, even an innocent mind would understand what he was insinuating. But he may as well deal with the facts. The first one being , they were not actually in her room. The second being, he needed to stop her before she bolted. The third, even if he did stop her, he needed to find a way out of here. Then again, maybe not. He could just sit here and see what happens. How his future unfolds. It was far more interesting that way. The moment to act was fast approaching. It was building. Becoming more obvious with the way she stepped back and how he advanced forward. Until finally, she made a run for it. Vaughn was not directly in front of her, so had to lunge forward to grab her before she got out.

He quickly lurched forward, first grabbing her wrist to turn her around so that she was facing him once again. He then placed his hand on her mouth, so that his palm was covering her lips, as he pushed her back. As he was pushing her, he released her wrist and used his hand to push the door shut. It was done just in the nick of time for her back was now pressed against the closed door. He used his free hand to turn the lock and pull out the key, as he continued to press his hand on her mouth. While he knew the area surrounding the room was fairly vacant, he did not want to take any chances. He leaned forward, so that their faces were merely inches apart, as he waved the key in front of her eyes. "Are you going to behave?" He asked, in a far too pleased way.

Vaughn was still waiting for her to get off that horse. Fortunately, he did not have to be waiting long. Excellent. The rumors and whispers he heard of Princess Luciana's kindness had not proven faulty. She gracefully, and without hesitation, dismounted and approached him. Pity. That it was so easy to take advantage of ones compassion. Maybe this experience would serve as a lesson; that helping people would only land yourself in trouble. Getting a closer look at her was a delightful feast of the eyes. Light eyes. Fair skin. Soft voice. Yes. She had everything that screamed royalty. It was perfect. This was all too perfect. And Vaughn knew, that he was going to have fun with this entire little ransom plan.

Her words held so much concern, her expression remaining consistent with this fact. Now, it was time to allow everything to reveal itself. When she was close to him, her arms out near him, Vaughn changed the game. He swiftly pulled out a dagger from his sleeve and put his arm around he princess. The dagger was positioned at a horizontal angle across her throat. He used his free hand to grab onto her wrist, twisting her arm behind her back. Leaning his head down a bit, so that his lips were right near her ear, he spoke in a low register. "You'll only make this more fun for me if you struggle," he said in an amused voice as a sadistic smile formed on his lips. He looked around, making sure there were no witnesses. He began to drag her back a bit, expecting full compliance, though would not be surprised if she struggled.

One of his minions came into sight, out of breath for he'd been trying to keep up with the princess. "Take the horse," Vaughn told him. He did not want to leave any evidence out right now. "What'll I do with it?" He asked, clueless. Vaughn didn't care. It would make for good coin though. Or they could use it to deliver the ransom note. Right now, it was just proving to be a nuisance. "Take it to where we are set up." It was not where he was taking Luciana right now, but where he would eventually take her. He just had to get a few things clear first. "Do you like horse meat My Lady?" Vaughn asked, not actually planning to kill the horse. It would be a waste. But sometimes, people were just so attached to their animals. "As you are our royal guest, we have it as a special on tonight's menu." Another lie. But Vaughn found it amusing. Any playfulness on the subject of death entertained Vaughn.

Vaughn just stared at the man. Even when the bar maid came to deliver his drink, the nomad's eyes were fixated on Richard. After an undetermined passage of time, a few moments perhaps, Vaughn chuckled. He did not answer his question, but rather, released a deep chuckle regarding it. The man seemed far too polite. Too polite to be a shady dealer of sorts. Could he actually ask him for random items, expecting that they would be given. With minimal inquisition as to why that is. There was just something about this Richard. He heard praise of him from Boris, yet Vaughn never trusted the words of others. He often had to assess the situation, or person, for himself.

"Now how is it a man like you, got into a business such as this." he did not know if Richard would answer his question. Or maybe it was a statement. His words of good nature, politeness, and proper phrasing had just, not been what Vaughn was expecting. He was expecting a shifty figure. To demand what he wanted, and sort out payment right away. Seems this Richard stood out a bit more than the general stereotype of men in his trade.

The city of Camelot. Much could be said for such a place, but Vaughn was not here for the pure interest of it. No. For once, he had purpose here. At first, it had been to just casually attend the five day festivity, his seal granting him entrance in the castle. But it had been who he'd met, and what plans they had come up with, that kept him here. Just for the time being. Who would have though that Alistair would have come to him, with a plot, initiated by anger. The druid was certainly learning. For usually it was Vaughn who came up with the 'evil' plots to wreak havoc. But this time, it was the other way around. And that was what would make it rather interesting. They had a goal, to kidnap the princess of Gwent. A random person, but they had their reasons. Alistair had selected her and Vaughn had agreed to make the preparations.

While searching for imbeciles to be part of this, more so as a diversion while Vaughn took the ransom money and ran, he had come across one who offered some information. Apparently, a man by the name of Richard. It was explained to him that he could find him whatever he needed. This would certainly be a time saver, for then Vaughn would not have to scour the city, searching for people and supplies. Maybe this one man could help him with it all. And give him a decent price for it. Hopefully. But of course, Vaughn would not rely on a person's generosity. Everyone had greed and selfishness in their hearts, even if they denied it. There was no such thing as a selfless good deed. But Vaughn did not require generosity; only necessities to get the job done. So, based on the information, Vaughn found himself in one of the main taverns in the city: the Rising Sun. To make himself look more inconspicuous, he wore a dark cloak over his black clothing and armor.

Though he seldom did so, he also removed his two swords from his back, and put them at his side, concealed under his cloak. He was not stupid enough to go anywhere unarmed. He just needed to get as little attention as possible right now. For once. He hoped to find this Richard person in here. As soon as he entered, his eyes searched the crowd for a man who fit the description. Unfortunately, the physical description given to Vaughn had been 'medium height, light hair, and nice clothing'. Everyone here looked as if they could fit this description. There looked to be some men here who could be nobles, some dressed in armor, others in better quality clothing than an average citizen. Yes. Certainly not easy to narrow down. That is, not until he saw someone of familiarity. It had been the man who had told him about Richard, who was sitting with someone else, who could very well be this infamous man.

Vaughn decided to inquire about it and approached the two men who were seated in a corner table. The man, who went by the name Boris apparently, looked at Vaughn when he was standing right near the table. "You! I was just telling Richard about you." Now most would not like being referred to as 'you'. But Vaughn had purposely withheld his name from Boris. Especially in the city where he was about to commit a grand crime. Vaughn's gaze went to Richard, barley acknowledging Boris' words. "I told Richard that I knew a man, who was looking for, things." 'Things' because Vaughn had also not told Boris what he needed. That information was only for Richard's ears. Vaughn looked at Boris very briefly so that he knew his next words would be meant for him. "Good bye," he said in a nonchalant, but serious tone. Boris seemed to take the hint. He awkwardly stood up, yet lingered.

"I'll just take me leave then," he said. There was an expectant tone in his voice. Vaughn understood. Had no one else been around, he would have just gotten rid of the idiot. But with so many people present, he needed to be smart. Vaughn took out a couple of coins from his pocket and tossed them to the man. With that done, Boris was gone and Vaughn took his seat across from Richard on the small circular table. "Seems everything has a price these days," Vaughn began, with a slight smirk. He was not surprised about having to pay the man for his information. Nor did he care. Nor did he like people enough to want to care. Awaiting any words Richard had to offer, Vaughn raised his hand to the bar maid to bring him a tankard of mead. Since he was here, my as well have a drink. Or look like he was having one.

[[ Tag Richard ]]