Recent Posts

With great relief Yassia realised Merlin was calming down to a certain extent. He fidgeted less and she observed him actually gritting his teeth, as if rather trying to fight the pain down than acting on it. That was a good sign. It could mean he was slowly coming out of his delirious state, reason instead of instincts taking over. It really had been better not to give him any pain drugs, however severe and horrifying the pain must have been for him.
Her trembling fingers finally finished doing the knot on the bandage, setting it in place. If he made no hasty move with the shoulder or the arm, Merlin should be alright. Arthur and her might need to carry him upstairs, he couldn’t keep lying on that makeshift operation table forever. What he needed now was a good night’s sleep or even two days of rest.
“Very good, Merlin”, she crooned, squeezing his hand. “You’ve done great, you’ve been very brave. Rest now!”

But the stars were not in their favour as it seemed. Rest was not an option at the moment, as the bandits had finally made it past the door. Arthur had told her not to worry, but the reassurance trick didn’t work for Yassia right now. How could anyone NOT be worried when he faced a situation such as this? She was worried for her own safety alright, as she hardly was a fighting person. The only weapon she possessed had just been used to cut up Merlin, and it still was covered in blood and glowing orange. There was that one little dagger tugged away in her right boot, but for the moment Yassia didn’t want to make any hasty movements.
Merlin whispered something about Arthur rather stopping those bandits, and the princess was inclined to agree. There would be no more pain coming for Merlin, she could handle him alone.
“He’s right”, she muttered, lightly touching Arthur’s shoulder to get his attention. “Deal with them if you can, don’t mind Merlin. I’ll watch over him!”

Brave words those were, as Yassia wasn’t sure at all if she could actually defend Merlin that well. She might be good with casting daggers, and a had a good aim, but she was by no means to be called a warrior.
The first three bandits squeazed through the burst door, immediately fanning out, leaving space for three others to enter. All were armed to the teeth, one carrying the fateful crossbow Merlin had been injured with. A smirk was on all their faces as they seemed to be sure to have their victims trapped. Finally, the seventh and last man was entering with a wide and confident swagger. Yassia guessed him to be the leader immediately.

“Well, well, well, look who’s been hiding out like rats in a sewer”, he said in a low, raspy voice that made a shiver run down Yassia’s spine. “And now you’re trapped like rats, eh?” The other six joined in his mirthless, menacing laugh. The leaders eyes wandered slowly from Arthur to the still all but unconscious Merlin, his eyes lighting up for a split second as he probably counted one man out of the fight – and then Yassia could feel his eyes on her, and she had to surpress another wince and forced herself to raise her chin defiantly. She was an odd sight right now, her hands all covered in blood and a streak of it smeared across her right temple and cheek where she had put a strand of hair behind her ear. Still, the man’s look and that of the others was not so much amused… rather… hungry?
“And you got yourself company!” he continued, whistling lowly. “Now that’s what I call a bonus, eh lads?” They gave another laugh, dirty this time. Yassia felt for the dagger.

It really felt good to vent anger in such kind of way, Yassia found it to be a good stress relief. Everything that had piled up during the last few months, all tension, anger and helplessness now flowed into her sentences and actions, and so instead of diminished the fire inside her was only fuelled. It would take a great deal to calm her down now, either something very drastic, or totally unexpected, or both combined for that matter.
A tiny section of Yassia’s mind actually started to wonder how this could possibly work out. Most likely Gwaine would walk away soon, leaving her only with trees and laundry to vent her anger on. She would in his place. Or she would strike back, and obviously that was what Gwaine had in mind as well.

“What do you care about my means of payment?! As long as you get food and a bed, you should be thankful! It's not like it's your soul I'm trying to sell!”

Wasn’t it? Wasn’t it?! It surely felt like that! Yassia might have lived overly sheltered and her views of the world maybe didn’t count as a measure of normal, but nevertheless she already felt polluted by what she had seen. It might not be Gwaine’s fault that she had lead a princess’ life, but that didn’t stop Yassia from blaming him.
“I did ask for food and shelter yes, but not for this kind of… entertainment!” she hissed, her eyes still looking daggers. “Tell me honestly, would YOU like to watch something like that? Oh, scratch that, I bet you would!”

Yassia saw Gwaine’s mood change, saw what she interpreted as danger rise in his eyes, and realised with sudden clarity that she had made her worst mistake ever. Here, posing as a commoner girl, she had no credit to spend. Here, far from Ailantha, no one was afraid of her status. She would not get away this time, as she was regarded as an equal, and equals were prone to retaliate tit for tat. She had crossed a dangerous line, and was sure there would be hell to pay now.
There was nowhere left to turn, she was cornered, trapped between Gwaine and a solid tree trunk. When he moved forward, closing the distance between their two bodies, she knew there was no escape.

“I think YOU want me to be YOUR rent boy.” “Don’t deny it now,”

Did he still get it all wrong?! Glorious grace, what was this guy’s problem?! He should not invade her personal space like that, how dare - -
He kissed her, pressing her against the trunk with his hard muscular body and every thought just vanished from her mind. There was no time to think, it all happened so quickly, and for a moment Yassia was even too shocked to move, to protest, to do anything. This was the first real kiss she ever had in all her life and she surely hadn’t imagined it to be like… like that! Her body reacted on its own accord and she felt herself melting away in the obvious passion Gwaine displayed … until finally reason kicked back in.

No, this was wrong! She brought her forearms between him and her, pushing him away forcefully. Her eyes wide with shock and something else she didn’t want to linger on, Yassia then raised her hand and slapped Gwaine.
But this slap was born more out of confusion and shock than of real anger, as somehow during this searing kiss, Gwaine had managed to miraculously melt her anger away. There was hardly anything left of it now, and that’s why her voice sounded almost soft, when she stated:
“Like I said. It’s not about THAT.”

The revellation about Romily’s brother truly was a shocking one, and Yassia didn’t blame the girl for voicing it all in an angry huff, the words nearly tumbling over each other. What had her father been thinking?! That he could just keep a secret like that, but not well enough so the servants would know, but he still would lie to his own daughter? The princess was glad her father had never been doing that. He hadn’t even hidden his desire to marry again from his daughter, though she had picked on the vibes between the Contesa de Fremente and King Diodore long before he had come to her chamber, all solemn and calling her a “grown up girl who can bear the truth”. Apparently not all fathers were as trusting with their daughters, though it surely fit into the picture Romily had drawn earlier.

“All the more am I honored you shared this with me!”, she replied softly, moving her hand over the tabletop impulsively, squeezing Romily’s for a moment. “Have you ever thought about finding this brother? Maybe talk to him, see if he knows about everything? Though”, she corrected herself with a little laugh. “That of course proves to be moot if you really want to leave your past behind. However, sometimes it might be better to unravel a few threads of life first before you cut them…” she laughed again. “And now I sound like an old woman babbling cryptic gibberish. Forgive me!”
As if she could be considered an expert in solving problems… far from it! “What I meant before was that no matter what hardship you’ve been through, ranting is all you do. Many would break!”

Yassia grinned good-humoredly, taking the light teasing about her overboarding imagination with good grace. It had been a silly thought after all, she couldn’t imagine something like that to happen either. Life was no fairytale after all, if it was the princesses would stay in their castles getting bailed out by a knight in shining armor, who would take it upon him to defeat the vile uncle and his son in personal heroic combat … and because life was no fairytale the princesses had to look out for themselves, wandering on foreign soil like a pauper. Also fairytale material to a certain extent, she probably had still to wait for the testings where she would have to prove her good heart, strong will and courage… yeah, she definitely had listened to too many tales.
“Me? Uh… now you ask me something.” Yassia heaved a sigh. “Most men I came across ever since wandering alone were either overly interested in something I was not willing to give or they ignored me. Of course, I hoped that maybe somewhere along the line I would have met someone who would solve all my problems… but I guess it’s never that easy.”

Yassia followed after Romily with a thankful smile, and after they had reached the room, she lingered in the doorway, examining it briefly, then turning around.
“It’s perfect! No, really, I mean it. I’ve been lodging in horrible shebeens where you could spend a whole night counting the lice and fleas and meeting them on first name basis. This is looks nice and clean. And don’t worry, I will not disturb your well-earned rest”, she winked. “Unless of course you’d want someone to talk to even after work.”

“He’s a catch, and I’m just ecstatic to have this gorgeous man under my roof tonight,” “Of course, I don’t like sharing him with others, but you really forget all these things once Gwaine pins you down to the bed and pleasures you to the heavens—“

I shouldn’t have said anything… nooo, not anything at all… now I just opened it up for her… Yassia listened with growing dismay. That was really pushing it… far too much information! At leasr Gwaine seemed a little shocked about this blatant display of shameless talk as well, but it was of little consquence for Yassia. How was she supposed to live through that any longer, even another minute?! She already needed all self-control she could muster to keep where she was.
Why on earth couldn’t Linda keep her hands of Gwaine for only just a second??!! That wasn’t so hard, now was it?! It was not the fact that this was Gwaine she was touching as Yassia was by no means jealous, it was just such a chavvy behaviour, brazen even! In moments like this the princess really felt she didn’t belong with this kind of people, however rude that might sound even in her mind. This was not her world and she did not even want it to be.

To make it all worse, now Gwaine seemed to throw over board every ounce of bashfulness he might have left and responded to Linda’s advances, totally forgetting Yassia was still there and probably didn’t want to see any of this. How rude! What a lust-driven lech he was! He probably had had this in mind the minute he had set eyes on her! Just fortunate she had turned him down when she still had the chance! As if she ever would stoop to show lust so openly, like she was a harlot… unthinkable! This was supposed to be something private, not something all the world should know! Yassia actually balled her fists under the table, the only half-eaten stew forgotten, as those two really had spoilt her appetite.

“Take me now, Gwaine!”—
CLONK! The stool crashed down on the floor with might as Yassia got up in a huff, both hands balled into fists at her side. Only her royal upbringing which had included sermos over sermons about self-discipline and composure, kept her from lashing out at them both. It was all she could do to mutter a nearly unintelligible “forgive me, I need some air!” and rush out of the door into the cold, not minding to take her cloak or her bag with her, rounding the house. She reached a little backyard where a few trees grew wild, and two little vegetable patches were situated. Laundry was hanging from ropes wound around the trees, giving off a ghostly glow in the moonlight.
Yassia leaned against one of the tree trunks, breathing heavily and recoling, her whole body trembling. A maelstrom of different and very contrarious sentiments was trying to pull her under, tossing her back and forth like a lifeless puppet. There was contempt… revulsion even… anger above all… and then there was shame.

Shame… because whenever Yassia had been forced to look Gwaine’s and Linda’s way she had not only felt disgust… there had been a hot sting of some very unsettling emotion reaching all the way down into her lower abdomen. She had been fascinated in a sick kind of way, actually had WANTED to see it… and that was unbelievably direful and obscene! What was happening with her?!
She hit her the back of her head repeatedly against the trunk, looking up at the sparse stars she could make out and taking a few shaky deep breaths, trying unsuccesfully to get rid of the pictures that would now probably be forever branded into her mind.

Of course he would now tease her, she had expected nothing less, but that didn’t help her in the slightest to not get worked up by his words. Mircea never meant any harm, but the worst thing was his words were actually true. It was stupid to yell at things that couldn’t respond and also would not obey her, because they simply weren’t able to.
“Angh!!” A mostly inarticulate exasperated sound escaped her lips and she clenched her right hand into a claw, not knowing what else to say or do to express the utmost annoyance she was feeling at him. She felt highly tempted to now throw either flint or tinder at HIM, if she still was that young girl of twelve she might have even thrown herself at him to bring him down – but for neither she wanted to give him the satisfaction! Her pride was still greater than her annoyance for the moment.

But then, just like that and to Yassia’s greatest surprise, Mircea changed his tune. Gone was the teasing, he seemed so very serious, as if he wanted her to take every word to heart. In complete wonder she just sat there and looked at him, wanting to believe him, wanting to feel like that with all her might. Someone of grace and admiration… oh if only!
Still, his words warmed her soul – and they put her to shame! He was right, what was she thinking?! She had only tried for her first time, she couldn’t expect to master such skills inside a day. Even Mircea might have needed a while to learn it!
“Forgive me”, she muttered and gently took the tools from his hand. “I am being ridiculous, and still you are bearing with me. I’ll promise I’ll be better… more patient or whatever.” The Princess shrugged with a smile. “I cannot very well give up just now, you are right. I know someone who might like that far too much!” She glared at the flint as if it beared an all too familiar face.

“Watch me close and correct me, please!” she asked Mircea and then tried once more, hitting the flintstones against each other, trying to produce a spark that would fall down and inflame the tinder. Three times still brought no other outcome than a mingy flicker close to the stones themselves that didn’t last long enough to become a spark. Yassia was about to get frustrated again, but she forced it down and sighed, trying once more… a spark soared into the air, but it wasn’t well placed enough to reach the tinder and so expired while still falling to the ground.
“Uh-huh!” Yassia looked at Mircea. “Was this the ‘sort of angle’ you talked about? Seems I don’t get it after all.”

Gwaine’s laugh was so contagious Yassia couldn’t help but join into it, finally clearing the air of all tension that might have been there still from her previous outburst. Really, she did like Gwaine in her own way, he was so open, so totally sure of himself in a non-arrogant way and he was blessed with some kind of humor similar to her own. All the flirtation and come ons aside, Yassia believed her and Gwaine could maybe even become friends.
to give rather than receive… she couldn’t help but wonder though how she was supposed to take that. Another come on or just a friendly remark? Maybe she was just getting too oversensitive around him… she was not used to this subtle kind of toeing the line… most men she had come across had made it pretty clear from the start what they wanted and so her answer had been as clear. This was an entirely different matter.
“Not a bad philosophy to live by” she joked and grinned, adjusting her steps to his confident stride. “Just make sure luck carries on to shine down on you, or develop a plan B just in case. Wouldn’t want anyone to shut the door in your face, right?” Yassia knew what she was talking about. Inside a day luck had turned its back on her and from that moment on it had all gone downhill very fast.

For a moment Yassia closed her eyes in unfathomable relief when Gwaine’s words reached her mind. Two days! Only two days left! It seemed like a whole weight of maybe twenty pounds was lifted off her shoulder when she heard this absolution. After all this time, after all she’d been through, now the destination was within reach! What did they say again? 'Midnight is when day begins'... the darkest hour was also the beginning of something new. That was almost too good to be true, and yet she trusted Gwaine to know the true estimation of time. Now… should she agree to his offer?
“Well, that remains to be seen”[/color], she concluded with an earnest nod, but her eyes belied the mirth hidden behind it. “I will not jump to premature conclusions, so that I have to take my words back… let’s say, you’re on probation for a guarded ‘yes, you’re permitted’”

Yassia then subconsciously held her breath when the door opened. How would this Linda look like? Well, whatever she had imagined, probably not this!! Not this firey redhead storming out the house like a natural force, engulfing Gwaine in a so very unsubtle hug and then she even KISSED him! On the mouth, not caring if anyone watched! This sent a hot sting of unease through Yassia’s body, reaching down all the way into her guts and she quickly avered her gaze. In the royal surroundings she had grown up no one would have ever dreamt of showing affection so openly, and even if she had come across many things that had took time to get used to, this was another matter… some might have even called it outrageous! In Yassia’s world only women working in certain facilities would even think of showing feelings so openly… not that a lady of her status should even know such things existed!
So all Yassia could do for the moment was clear her throat akwardly and mutter. “I … I am Yassia, it’s nice to meet you Linda. And thank you so very much for your hospitality.”

Her unease though was crowded out a little by the anewed flaming up of hunger, when a very appealing scent passed her nostrils. Dinner… she never would have thought this word might one day seem to her like a miracle, brightening her mood in an instant. Before her journey had started eating had been a matter of course, maybe even an annoying interruption to whatever game or task she had been up. But now her life depended on it, and she was long since past turning up her nose at any meal.
“That smells absolutley delicious already!” she commented and took in a deep breath. “Once again, thank you!”

Whatever Yassia had imagined to follow her outburst, not that. Not him coming back like a beaten dog, actually FEELING sorry for what he had said and not just saying it. Cause she could tell he was genuinely shaken, words may lie, even faces may, but eyes never. No one was such a good master of deception to even mask his eyes – at least Yassia had never happened upon anyone and she doubted Gwaine was the first one to show this notion was wrong. He just had too honest a face.

And Yassia knew a peace offering when she saw one, and she also knew she could not afford to be too proud to accept it. What did they say: Pride will have a fall… and she just had reached the bottom of her fall. She was lucky she even could count on some kindness still. So, who was she to defy him?
“It is forgiven”, she said softly, shrugging. “And also, forgive me for what I said. I didn’t want to… make it sound like you’re a knave or something! And you know what, that cottage with the lovely lady sounds wonderful!”

Hestitantly Yassia extended a hand with an equally tentative smile. “Gwaine is it then. How about we start over with a “it’s nice to meet you”? And oh, no please, don’t let me cause any inconvenience! I mean, I don’t want you to sleep under the brushes just because I am too afraid you might try anything. If you give me your word you won’t I will take it at face value!”
To show him her goodwill and trust – however misplaced it might be, but Yassia felt sorry enough to take that chance and give Gwaine some credit – she followed him down the street. “After all, we’re battle buddies now, aren’t we?” she teased him with a little amused laugh.

Impatiently and very edgy Yassia waited for Sir Leon’s reaction. This was were it all was supposed to pay off: the long arduous journey, the supposed loss of her beloved stepbrother Mircea, the humilations and the setbacks, the failures even and the often enough hopeless prospects. Now, if she only could convince her uncle to help her, that he needed to care for the problems of his niece he had never met in his whole life, hadn’t even known she existed until this very moment.
Now that she thought about it, what had come over her?! How could she readily assume that he would literally spring at the chance to help her? It was like she had ben hit with a bucket of ice water, a shocking and heart freezing revellation. What was she thinking? He possibly had all he could wish for in his life, a reputation, people who looked up to him and a purpose to serve. Who was she to ask him to give it all up, if only for a short time, to travel with her in a faraway land to reclaim something that he couldn’t care less of? All this hope that had kept her strong the past months… it was clearly built on pillars of sand.

Though, however much her hopes were shattered right now, this was a family reunion still, one she also had been waiting for regardless the political aspect of it all.
“It IS right… uncle”, she added hestitantly, savouring the taste of this title on her tongue, filled not with the usual hatred and scorn she normally connected with it. “In case you need it, I have proof. This…” she fumbled with a delicate chain around her neck and revealed an intricate silver ring pending from it, showing it to him. “This she told me you gave her for her 13th birthday. Do you recognize it?” A weary smile crossed Yassia’s face as memories stung like bees in her mind. “She gave it to me on MY 13th birthday, the day when she told me all about her backstory… and of you!”

Oh yes, Yassia remembered this day as it had only been yesterday. Her family, still united and happy sitting in the comfortable fireplace room, while Rhiannon told her children about her adventuresome past. It had been nothing but a tale for the little princess back then, she would have never dreamt of this story becoming her lifesaver once. Just that even back then she had realised her mother had skipped some details. Until this very day Yassia had only an inkling of what had happened to her mother on this troublesome journey down south. Initially she had been taken by bandits. The princess who had come across a few bandits herself in the course of her own journey, realised she probably didn’t want to know what her mother had been through until Diodore had proven to be her saviour in times of need.

Hestitantly Yassia took a step forward, examining her uncle. He looked still very fighting fit, only supported by the fact that he seemed to be in charge of the knight’s training. And there was this uncanny resemblance to his sister that before had made Yassia’s heart ache. Now it was filled with joy.
“So do you, Uncle Leon”, she replied softly, her eyes gleaming. “Goodness gracious I feel like I’m dreaming!” She felt she was opening herself up to him with every second that passed – and hoped her high expectations wouldn’t be misplaced. “My mother imagined you to have a powerful position at the court of Camelot, and now look at you. Her prediction was right for all I see!”

It didn’t look like the brawl was anywhere near ending, as the fighting men still found tankards enough to smash on each other’s heads and where there wasn’t any left, bare fists did do the trick as well. Watching such a scenario actually was oddly fascinating to Yassia, as it also did distract her from her rumbling stomach. That wonderful stew she had missed! Not even one single spoonful she had seen of it! Oh why did the landlord have to demand payment in advance? Without that tiny fact she might still be none the wiser but at least not hungry like a wolf! And it didn’t look like she would get a meal from anywhere else soon. Well, count your blessings, Princesa Yassia, she thought. At least you’re away from this drunkard!

So surprised was she as the man grabbed her hand and pulled her through the tavern and out into the street that she didn’t even protest much. She hardly had time to grab for her precious bag en passant, then the door of the tavern closed behind them with a dull thud, muffling the still ongoing shouts and screams from the inside.
But as soon as Yassia breathed the fresh cold nightair, her common sense started to kick back in. What was she doing?! Quickly she freed her hand from his grasp and stopped, turning to face her saviour.
“You have quite some nerve, Sir!” she sounded more amused than angry. “I don’t even know you and yet you drag me out into the street, expecting me to play along to whatever scheme you have come up with.”

She took a look around the place where they had stopped, the village center apparently, though at this time of day it was deserted. She might be in worse trouble yet than she had been inside, she didn’t know anything about this man’s intentions. And yet… there was something about him that oddly enough made her trust him – to a certain extent. Maybe it was this air of happy-go-luckiness that marked him the carefree youngster, even though he must be some years older than she herself. His laugh was genuine, open, as if he couldn’t lie if his life depended on it, and yet he had lied without a second thought – to save her. No, this man was someone she couldn’t define or judge at all. And that made him confusingly intriguing…

“I didn’t pretend!” she insisted firmly and let go a weary sigh. “Believe me if I wanted to bilk I would have found a way to get at least a bit to eat beforehand. No, someone stole my purse and I, mind you, can even tell the exact moment in hindsight. Alas, that doesn’t help me now, I’ll end up starving.” Her face puckered up in disgust. “But I rather starve than…ugh!” She didn't finish the sentence as she had a feeling she didn't need to.