Outlawed 2

[VanWen]

Arowin's thoughts drifted to the night that Chris had left. She had regreated it every moment since, she should have gone after him. For all she knew he could be in another country, married now or even dead. She shook her head to chase away the dark thoughts and instead softly sang a lullaby. She stood, unable to bare with herself in this spot and started walking aimlessly through the silver moonlit woods. After a while she reached the cave that still help a few dark cells. She glanced at the patch which hid the enterance to the tombs of the fallen members of The Hood. She sat down alongside it in the long lush grass and plucked a white flower from the grass. Moon Flowers was what she called them for she didn't know their true name and they always and only blossemed during the night. She smiled and continued the lullaby.

Rebecca felt greatly comforted by Stephan and even smiled up at him for she was a head or two shorter than him. It often annoyed her when people pointed out how short she was. She walked gladly with him back to the castle and its dimly lit courtyard.

Kyle nodded and hurried on alongside Stephan and Rebecca, his little pony trotted along behind him faithfully and untroubled.

[intriguing]

Matthew nodded, he didn't feel the need to disagree, she already had the dagger in her hand, whilst his weapons were safely stowed upon his back. He walked a pace or so behind her, matchign her pace. "What is this about?" he asked, "If you have something against me please just tell me," he said. Matthew sighed, he wondered where they were headed in the complex of The Hood. Dallas followed behind him, horse trotting obediently behind owner. "Is there anywhere for him?" he asked Emearld, vaguely gesturing to his horse at the same time. Dalas kept nudging him with his muzzle, "No," said Matt calmly to his stallion, the circus antics he and his horse got up to were unthinkable. He could do all the same tricks on the horse as his brother.

[~Thor's Gurl<3~]

Emerald turned her head over her shoulder to talk, her emerald eyes glowing in the night. "I don't have anything against you yet." she replied. "Just be sure you don't say something stupid." Her voice was rough and almost at a growl, the way she always talked to strangers. She walked into the courtyard and found Envy already pawing at his stall door. She nodded. "Right this way. We can stay in the stables and talk." She turned and headed towards the stables, giggling at Envy as he nudged her and nipped at her pockets for treats. She quickly regained her composure and let him in his stall, guiding Matthew and Dallas to the next one. "Here." she said nodding to the stall. She then walked over to a tack box outside Envy's stall and sat down, pulling over two small stools. One to put her feet on and the other for Matt to sit on. She looked up at him and waited, her dagger twirling in circles between her fingers.

[intriguing]

"Ay ay, shhh" said Matthew to Dallas, he put his hand out in front of the horses nose and he slowly, reluctantly backed into the stall. he took the saddle off him and laid the tack down. "Stay there okay?" he said, and shut the small gate door. Going over to where Emerald was seated. he sat on the stool which was apprantly designated for him, he ran a hand through his hair and sighed, then looked up at emerald, "So what's the deal, give it to me straight," he said, looking at her with his murky, browny green eyes.

[~Thor's Gurl<3~]

Emerald looked up at Matt, her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked him over. "You look so much like him."she whispered to herself. She stopped twirling her dagger and stabbed it into the wood before sitting up a little taller. "Where are you from? Who are you? What were you doing at the treasury?" she asked simply. "And do you know a Casper?" she added, her tone lighter and not so threatening as before.

[GoldenStateOfMind]

There was no hesitation as Chris followed Arowin silently through the forest. First, careful not to loose her tracks, he doubled back and mounted Panic, shushing the mare as she whinnied curiously. He tangled his hands in her mane and sent her on a canter, keeping a safe distance from Arowin. He had hated leaving her, but it was necessary. He had been racked with guilt and horror and confusion, wounds only time could heal. He stopped in the shadows of the trees and watched her, admiring her, reveling in her beauty. His eyes traced her auburn hair as it flickered in the wind, and then flitted to the oak that was across the wide clearing. That was the oak, the same one, the start of it all. He remembered the sheepishness he felt when he saw the muffled, burning envy in Casper's eyes. He remembered the taste of her lips for the first time, full of promise and possibility. He had felt hope then, held it with him as long as he could, through all the battles and deaths. It was a little over five years ago that that hope had vanished completely, left him hollow and full of pain. He had worked hard to rekindle a small flame of hope in his process of healing, but it still needed someone to feed it, to help it grow into a raging fire. Was it time to return to the Hood, the only place he really belonged? Chris's eyes adjusted to the darkness of the deepening night and he saw the small entrance to the tomb where his friends were buried, pictured in his mind the stiff body of Casper surrounded by pine needles on the forest floor. He dismounted and left Panic tied to a tree, stepping closer to the clearing. Arowin's back was to him, silhouetted against the very faint light of the sky, dark against dark. Yes, he thought, this is both a place of beginnings and ends. I have come a long way for this moment. Chris strode quietly out of the woods and crossed the long grass to Arowin, waiting a moment more, just watching. The Moon Flower in her hands seemed to glow slightly, illuminating her face. Chris took the last step between them and whispered her name. The sound rolled off his tongue easily, for he had whispered it much to himself, many times before.

Prince Stephan was glad Rebecca didn't pull away, and escorted them gratefully to the small separate chamber of the castle he lived in. It was part of the same building, but it couldn't be accessed except from the outside. He supposed it used to be a servant's quarters. He stepped through the stone arch of the entrance way and opened the wooden door for Rebecca and Kyle. First things first, he shut the door securely and left Rebecca in front of the already-going fire for a moment, taking Kyle's hand. "It's time for you to get to bed," he told the boy. "You can sleep in one of the extra bedrooms until Arowin gets back. You'll be safe here." He pointed up the narrow staircase. A small oil lamp lit the hall dimly. "It's the one on the right. I'll be up in just a moment," he promised. When the boy was out of hearing range he turned to Rebecca, about to tell her something, but got lost in her eyes and ended up faltering.

[VanWen]

Arowin froze, so startled was she. Her heart ached as it recalled the voice and slowly Arowin rose to her feet. Terrified that her own mind was betraying her. She turned around and slowly walked forward. "Chris?" she called out softly before finally her pure joy grew too much and she ran the short distance between them. She hugged him and gave him a kiss of the cheek, unsure of how things where between them now. "I can't belive its you." she said and a small tear ran down her face.

Kyle nodded, usually he would have protested at having a set bed time but he was tired and didn't argue. "Thank you." he said stiffling a yawn and then moving out of the room and to the room that had been pointed out to him. He shut the door behind him and flopped down on the bed, a second later he was fast asleep.

Rebecca had been watching the flames completely enthralled. Flames always had a way of doing that to her. She turned around after a while, just as Kyle left the room and Stephan had turned to her. She saw him falter and giggled tilting her head slightly to the one side. "What is it?" she asked smothering her laughter.

[intriguing]

Matthew stared straight back, "You don't like me," he said simply, as he had been following the cast of her eyes, they were narrowed as they looked over him, full of some hatred yet a degree of sadness too. It was if she was lost, not knowing how to treat him yet falling into her own way of dealing with things. He answered her questions, for some reason he trusted her, the way Casper had done, just believed her face and never denied her the truth. It was not his weakness like it had been his brother's, it was just he felt he should not lie to the woman, five years of hiding could tear anyone up and Emerald looked like she had suffered a deal more than many women. He sighed then responded, not catching her small comment to herself, "I don't honestly know where I'm from," he said then paused, looking at her instead od his lap, "And that isn't a lie," then he continued properly, "My name is Matthew Williams, I am an 'outlaw'" he hated the term but he used it for simplicity, "And no, I have never heard of Casper," he said, rasiing an eyebrow. It was the honest truth. He hadn't made the connection between Casper and Percy, he was assuming in looking for his brother, he was looking for a Percival. In this moment nothing occured to him. He didn't understand how the last question was relevant to him, he didn't understand that he looked so like his brother.

[~Thor's Gurl<3~]

Emerald looked him over once more, a bit of disappointment in her expression as she soaked up his words. "Hm." she said, moving her feet off the stool so she could sit better. "Well Matthew," she said putting emphasis on his name. "I don't hate you. You just remind me of somebody I used to know." she said. She swallowed hard and tried not let her voice waver. She has a sudden longing for Frank to be here. He could always keep her steady.

[intriguing]

"Matt, call me Matt please," he said, hating his name of Matthew, he longed to change it, he longed to have no ties to his mother, who abandoned him before he could even speak a word. He hated her for that, and longed to be away from her, yet he wanted to find his brother so badly. At that thought he got up, "I have to go, there's someone I have to find," said Matthew, seeming distant for a moment, his eyes seemed to glaze over, then he focused back on Emerald, but said nothing. He merely nodded then got on his horse, muttering the word Percy to himself. He had to find his brother if it killed him.