You Really Shouldn't Be Here

[Astrid Brynn]

A sigh of relief fell from the blonde's lips; he looked at her, studied her, but she couldn't find any signs of recognition within his eyes. Perhaps the young princess put too much faith in her status. Perhaps it was all a hoax and that her so-called position didn't weigh as much on her shoulders as she had feared it would. She supposed it was a good thing, yet she couldn't help but feeling slightly more worried.

"Don't flatter me," she replied with a smile. "That won't get you anywhere, I'm afraid." Yet, it felt nice. Knowing that her secret was thus far, safe. She wondered then if there was more people around the city of Goldcrest that wouldn't at all recognize her. Perhaps Severn and she was being too careful. Maybe she didn't have to hide. "Though, I suppose I can't blame you. It is nice to put a face upon the voice that has been taking up your time."

[Ethan Black]

She sighed. It sounded as if with relief. He arched a brow. He had a feeling she didn't want to be recognized. Why was unknown. Yet he wasn't going to question it too much. They all had their secrets. A fact he knew quite well. Instead he moved on. She didn't want flattery, it would get him nowhere. Yet the smile on her face spoke differently. She was pleased. So he grinned. "If it won't get me anywhere, then why does that smile look so pleased?"

She couldn't blame him. It was nice to put a face to the one taking up all your time. Ethan scoffed and shook his head. "That is nice, but even if you hadn't shone your face I still would have much preferred your company over this drunken lout that I'm supposed to find." He hadn't forgotten. Merely held it off. Although much longer and he worried Erika would wonder what happened to him. Yet he wasn't ready to leave just yet.

[Astrid Brynn]

"I smile because that's what normal, happy people do - not because some random man I met in an alley flattered me," she replied with stubborn playfulness. She supposed his words had gotten to her in perhaps small ways, but she was in no way near ready to fully admit that just yet - not even to herself. No, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"Ah yes," she chuckled softly, hands folding in front of her. "I do make quite the excellent conservationist," she said, agreeing with her own point by nodding. She couldn't quite keep the smug smile from appearing on her lips either. "So, that's why you're here," she then mused. "Out on a rescue mission to save the drunken fools of the night. How noble!"

[Ethan Black]

She was smiling because that was what happy normal people did, and not from flattery. Ethan rolled his eyes. The playfulness in her tone was not lost on him. He had a feeling she was lying. Not completely, but a little. Or just trying to win whatever this was between them. "You sound like you're trying to convince yourself more than anyone else here." Came the smooth reply without missing a beat. Although he had to admit she appeared to have an easy time smiling.

She did make quite the excellent conversationalist. He snickered. "And you're so humble about it too." Another tease. But then there was the smile. Smug and barely restrained. So that's why he was out here? On a noble rescue mission. Ethan laughed and shook his head. "There's nothing 'noble' about it, especially when my reward is likely to be him throwing up on me the moment I find him." It was an unpleasant but probable reality. "If I had my way, I'd leave him to face his headache the next morning alone, and probably try to find out what happened to his trousers. Knowing him, he'll lose them one way or another."

[Astrid Brynn]

"Maybe I only sound that way because that's what you're hoping for," she countered with ease. He might have been witty, but she was fairly sure that she could match his wit with her own. At least to some point. She supposed having the finest scholars had helped with something in her life.

Raising her eyebrows, she spread her arms as if saying 'what can you do'. She had to gather her points where they could be picked. The blonde's head tilted then as she regarded his words. She pursed her lips. "But isn't that noble? Helping out a friend even though you know it might not be in your best interest?" To her, it sounded rather noble. And the word noble seemed to have a lot of different definitions these days. Though, to Astrid, she supposed this was as good as it would ever get.

[Ethan Black]

Maybe she sounded that way because that's what he was hoping for. Ethan scoffed and rolled his eyes. He was hardly hoping for anything coming into this conversation. He'd already gotten her name and seen her face. There wasn't anything else he'd expect to get. Although an extended conversation would be nice. "Don't get your hopes up." It was a playful tease.

She spread her arms in a gesture. Wasn't that noble? Helping a friend even if it wasn't in his best interest. Ethan paused. Considered. In a way it made sense. Everyone's idea of noble could be different. "I guess so, in a way." He offered. It made sense. He could understand it. Yet he was grinning again. A light in his eyes. "So how about you come with me to help drag this lout back? Since it's such a noble thing to do." It was teasing, yet serious. They could talk for longer. Ethan didn't have any desire to part just yet.

[Astrid Brynn]

Putting her hand to her chin she rubbed it as if in deep thought. Condidering. "Alright," she began. "But if he's cute and we run off together, don't be jealous," she continued, teasing. With that, the blonde stepped up and put her arm around his shoulders. "I don't much care for drama."

She let her arm drop then and peered up at the man she'd only just met. "Lead the way then, oh noble one." She couldn't help the grin that emerged on her lips. She only then noticed that he actually smelled rather nice - all things considered. It was a shame he'd soon be covered in vomit.

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[Ethan Black]

She rubbed her chin. As if in deep thought. She would come. But if he was cute they ran off together, he shouldn't get jealous. Ethan laughed as she put an arm around him. She didn't care much for drama. Ethan friend and mirrored the gestured. Pat her on the back. "Well then you've nothing to fear. Especially if the drunk and disorderly is your type." The reply came smooth and taunting. Playful again. Then he dropped his arm.

Lead the way. It came with a grin. One he mirrored. "Oh but of course. Would you want me to offer you an arm to take as we go forth on our noble quest?" Another tease. He offered the arm. Whether or not she took it, Ethan soon led the way. Never had he imagined he'd be walking with a stranger he'd met in the alleys. Especially for a task like this. Yet he surprisingly didn't mind it. That shocked him most of all.

Finally they reached the place. Ethan halted and glanced back at Astrid. "You can wait here and I can fetch him. I imagine a face like yours will get you no shortage of leers and grabby hands."

[Astrid Brynn]

She took his arm, caring little about how it would look. Caring little about whom saw. It was strange, she supposed. But if he had not recognized her, who would? Perhaps her mere existence didn't matter to other than Severn and her family.

As they arrived and he asked her to stay outside, Astrid snorted. "Please," she said with a roll to her eyes. Then she pulled the hood back on and stepped forward, making her intentions very clear; she too, was going inside.

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[Ethan Black]

To his slight surprise, she took his arm. It earned a smile. She was an odd one. Yet he found himself liking it. Then they were off. And his request for her to stay outside was met as expected. She scoffed. Rolled her eyes. Ethan only smirked and headed inside. No doubt she was following. Not that he minded. Besides, he had a man to collect. One among the numerous faces in the dingy little hole. Ethan had to wonder why he'd picked here of all places. Yet if he hadn't, he wouldn't have met her. A fair trade.

faces leered and jeered. Some sober. Most not. And most eyes on his companion other than him. He ignored the eyes. Searched for his man. And found him. "Over there." He moved towards the figure he recognized. He expected Astrid to follow. Yet if she didn't he wouldn't care. His top priority was getting out of there fast. So he simply told the man it was time to go. When he received a few slurred protests, he smiled before knocking him unconscious. Which did not exactly make his drinking companions happy. Not that they could do much when Ethan flipped the table on them.

"Time to go!" He'd slung the passed out sailor over his shoulder and was dashing through the relatively thick crowd of alley scum. A grin was one his face even though angry shouts sounded behind him. No doubt a bar brawl was about to start. And Ethan had been the cause. But he wasn't sticking around to end it. "Come along!" It was directed to Astrid as he headed for the entrance.

[Astrid Brynn]

Astrid watched curiously at the scene before her. A lot of people stared. Whether or not it was because she was a woman or because of who she was, she didn't know. Instead, she tucked the hood further down her face and stayed as far away from any peering eyes.

She heard the shouting then, green eyes going wide as Ethan hurried past her with a man slumped over his shoulders. "This is your version of nobility?" She called after him as she followed. "I can name plenty of ways that could have been handled better!" she continued, though could still feel the piercing eyes as she moved towards the exit.

She could only hope no one recognized her.

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[Ethan Black]

This was his vision of nobility? She could've thought of plenty of better ways to do this! Ethan only laughed and grabbed her hand as he passed. "Well then we can do it your way next time!" It was a promise, but a playful one. He had no clue if there would ever be a next time. But for now he was focused on surviving this time.

He ran through the alleys. Footsteps came from behind him. Some of the group had obviously followed them. They didn't sound too close. Far enough to lose in the winding alleys. He pulled Astrid behind him. Made a number of twists, turns, and loops. Finally he stopped. Abruptly shoved open a random door and pulled Astrid inside. Then shut it behind them. Before she could speak he put a finger to her lips. Listened. The footsteps came. Grew louder and louder. He tensed. Yet he needn't have. They faded, and he let himself breath.

"Well now wasn't that exhilarating?" It came with a grin, even if his breathing was heavy. He couldn't see very well, the only light coming dimly from a window. The rest of the place was dark. Abandoned? Most likely. "Aren't you glad you came?" Mischief shone in his eyes.

[Astrid Brynn]

The blonde barely had any chance to react before she was pulled through the opening of a door. She opened her mouth to object, though was silenced by Ethan putting a finger to her lips. She peered up at him, green eyes studying his features; well, what little she could see in the darkness, anyways. She listened, likely hearing the same things he did. She felt her muscles tense, then relax as the sound grew more distant.

Narrowing her eyes, Astrid wasn't quite sure this was what she'd call fun. Not because she couldn't see the appeal, but because if either of them had gotten caught, Ethan likely would have gotten hanged and she'd be shipped off back home. She wasn't quite sure which fate sounded the worse.

"Oh, yes, thrilled," she replied dryly. "You couldn't think of a way to make that go a little bit smoother, could you? Oh, I don't know... Not knocking your friend out?" She wasn't mad by any stretch. She supposed she found all of this endearing, simply because it wasn't what she was used to.

[Ethan Black]

She peered up at him in the dark. Narrowed her eyes. He could feel rather than see her tense. Then relax. They were out of danger. For now. Yet she seemed unamused. There hadn't been a different way to make that go smoother? Perhaps not knocking out the man currently on his shoulders? There was. There were many different things he could've done. Yet they would've taken more time. More talk. And he wasn't in the mood for it. At least not with him.

"Oh there's plenty of other ways that could've worked." He kept his voice quiet. Something about their hiding spot made him. He couldn't put his finger on it. "But almost all of them involved talking, and this fellow is not nearly as entertaining to talk to as you." It was an easily admitted fact. A shrug soon followed. "Besides, you can't deny that got your blood pumping. There's something about a chase I can't help but love." It was evident in the grin he wore.

[Astrid Brynn]

"You're right. I can't deny that, but that doesn't mean it was the right thing to do," she chastised him. It was purely selfish, really. She wasn't mad at him for what he'd done. In fact, in hindsight, it was rather fun. But she couldn't very well go around blowing her cover. She had noticed the way people had stared at her. It didn't matter if they didn't know who she was - she wasn't supposed to be seen.

Sighing, Astrid looked around; in the darkness, there was little to be seen. "So," she continued, turning to look at the much taller man once more. "What now?" With men chasing them outside, she wondered what his plans were.