| The next morning seemed to come very for Ellie. Groaning she turned over, it felt like only minuits scince she had slumped into bed exahusted. Streaching, she got to her feet before spending almost ten minuits hunting for a clean shirt and breeches. She washed up, scoldeing herself perfusly. What kind of Rouge was she? Any intruder could have snuck in while she snored uslessly. 'Sneaking' would have been unessicary, she doubted she'd have woken if the door had come crashing down. Ellie emerged into the dark alley, wiping her knife with shakey hands.This had been the last in a succession of morining meetings she'd rather not remember. Of all the lowlives and cutthroats she dealt with on a dailey basis, pirates were the worst. Just now she's been forced to use a knife to put one man in his place, it was the part of being Rouge she most detested. As she made her way back towards the Dancing Dove, a display window caught her eye. It featured a dress, soft pink with lots of gathers. It was gorgeous, like something out of a dream. Ellie chided herself. She was no Noble Lady, and she already had one nice dress. What had gotten into her today? Twice she'd had pull herself away from girlish things! Lost in thought Ellie almost walked into a young man. He turned around and she almost jumped with surprise. It was the Queenscove knight she'd met in the stables. The man smiled 'So we meet again, fair Lady.' His tone was serious, but his eyes were teasing. The Knight looked so familliar, she had to know his anme. Somehow, she was fairly sure that simply asking outright was probably not the best was to extract information from this particular man, she changed tacktics "Young Knight" she said, sinking into her deepest curtsy, "This beeth our first proper meeting, pray, what shall I call thee?" The young man jumped, he had obviously not been prepared for her willing reaction. Ellie had the suspicion that few, if any, of his colligues played along with his jests. The man quickly recovered " Aah my Ladyship, I fear that the only name to leave you with is, Sir Nealan of Queenscove -but-I bestow apon you the pivillage of calling me Neal" Ellie smiled coyly, he continued "And what, fair maiden, is your name?" She shrugged "Ellie" she said mysteriously. He raised an eyebrow, as if to inquire about the second half she'd neglected to mention. Ellie winked at him " O creative one, surley you can come up with something fitting." With that she ducked into the crowd, laeving, for the second time, a very baffled Neal. That night Ellie entered the common room in breeches and an over-large tunic. She'd only ventured from her chambers in an attempt to find Merek. She needed his advice in a matter concerning a shipmant of stolen merchendise and pirates. Her senses quickly adapted to the dim light and exessive noise of the small common-room. A pair of arms snaked around her waste, hauling her roughly into someone's lap. Was Blade really that drunk? Hadn't she taught him last night about the common courtesy one theif owed another? This time, she decided, the lesson would stick. In a flash, she had her daggar at his throat. "I'll bet you fight as well as your mother" She said curtly. It was an under hand trick, Blade's mother had been a trollop, and this was only a humorless atempt to humiliate him. "I can hope" he said dryly. Ellie stood, whipping around so fast she almost lost her balance. "Thom" she muttered " I thought ye were...well, never mind." He raised a coopery eyebrow " I guess it doesn't become of Nobles to act in such a fashon" He winked at her. Ellie disregarded this as eyed his clothing, he wore breeches and a tunic as simple as her own. "It also don't become of nobles t' flirt with thieves" she informed him dryly. Thom laughed outright. "Are you always this foreward?" he asked. " It's a talent" she told him flatly. "And you? what, with your father be'n who he is, I thought you 'v all people wouln't much appreciate secrecy." Thom sobered slightly as Ellie wondered what it might be like living with 'The Great Rogue' himself. Or the Lady Lioness for that matter. When she broached the subject, Thom chuckled again, and commented that Pirates Swoop was like no other place he'd ever been. They'd been enjoying each other's company for almost an hour befrore Ellie remebered the original intention of her late-night venture to the common-room. Bidding Thom a good-night, she set off in search of Merek. The thief was in a bad way, having not for the first time, drunk too well. Advice form him in this state would be almost as usefull as the advice her chamber pot could give her. With a resigned sigh, she lifted the old thief to his feet, helping him up the stairs to his chamber. When that was finished she retreated through the highest windows of her own chamber to her favourite pearch. The old roof of the Dancing Dove was in no better shape then rest of the place. It slumped near the center, and thatch shingles were broken or missing in several places, but at least in offered a kind of haven from the mayhem below. Ellie paced silently, watching her own shaddow in the moonlight. Though it was barley autumn, the nights were crisp, and the leaves were begining to turn. The cutting northern winds we at least partially responsible for this. If Ellie chose to believe the court gossips, winds weren't the only thing Tortall had to fear from the north. Wild rumours of the Scanran armies and thier new Warlord Mauggar, had everyone worried. Ellie sighed, let the real King worry himself over this one, Ellie herself had enough headaches. As she turned to return to her chamber, a slight movement from the courtyard below caught her eye. She could make out the silouhette of a man practicing whith his sword. The stranger parried, swerved, and lunged with almost liquid smoothness. Ellie was envious. Long had she dreamed of using a sword. Only when the figure pulled off his cloak did Ellie recoginise him. She scalled down the two storties eaisily, landing like a cat. Thom continued his drill, not noticing the girl who watched him from the shaddows. It was only when he ceased, panting, did Ellie immerge. " Impressive" she commented honestly " Where'n the name 'o the Trickster God d'you learn 'te fence like that?" The young Noble had regained his breath "Surley you know of my mother and her reputation?" She blinked at her own stupidity. Why did being around Thom make her say such idiotic things " Which one?" Ellie quipped. Thom chuckled "Mithros don't let HER hear you say that!" He swung the sword left, in a circular motion. Ellie watched with interest. Belatededly, Thom noticed a whistfull expression cross her face, "Care to try?" he asked softly, passing his blade to her. |