Bandit's Nest

[Toneh]

“Lies, Must you fill the air with your noble woman lies! You were staring at it.” He said picking on her. She was quickly learning how he earned the name “The Jester”

“Have you ever been with a man my lady? That is something I have been wondering, It must have gotten awfully boring hanging around the palace, I could only assume you got with some lucky guard or a stable boy in those late night hours.

“Even now I wonder how you can resist me.” He laughed as he antagonized her. “It is ok Ari, all you need to do is ask, id be more then happy to do you that favor.” He said winking and starting to walk ahead of her.

“And stop staring at my ass, I can feel it.”

[diabolicalxdamsel]

"Ugh...I am no liar, sir! You are just wishfully thinking!"

She thought for a while a small smile playing at her lips. "Just one...indeed he was a stable boy. I think I was around eighteen years old and thought I was in love. Then he moved to care for his sick mother and I realized it was just infatuation. We had fun though." She went quiet the small grin growing a bit, but then his antics brought her back down to Earth.

She gave him another hard punch in the arm. "It's a miracle I guess." she said rolling her eyes. She snorted at his cheekish comment "I'm afraid that's rather hard to do since you are all ass."

[Toneh]

“All ass? You’d figure that would make it easier.” He retorted sharply. “But this stable boy tell me more.” He said calmly As the strolled through the ruined streets of what was once a city of many names. “What kind of fun and nasty things did you do to him? How old are you any way? He said not reacting to the punch to his arm. She would find his skin to be moist but the flesh on his body was rock hard. His muscle structure was not building nor was it bulky. His muscles were very finally toned, more akin to a dancer then a warrior.

But then again she had seen The Jester use his wiry body to produce some impressive bouts of physical strength and agility. “I mean I could drone on all day about my first time, but then again I really do not remember, I was probably like 11 or twelve….maybe 13...ah what ever, yours is far more interesting.

“The classic love story, a rich noble lady in waiting meets a humble poop scooping stable boy! Oh the scandal!”

[diabolicalxdamsel]

"That is none of your business, sir!" she gasped face a deep red "...and I am twenty two."

She gasped. "A child! You were a child! And how old was she? Nevermind...I don't think I want to know."

She smiled wryly "I was a lady-in-waiting, mind you. Like a higher up servant, made to chase the heels of that snooty queen. Oh, if she only knew what her husband did...course then again there would be nothing she could do about it. He as in charge and he was quite aware of what he could get away with with his position. Quite glad I am out of that mess."

"Now the stable boy was a gentle soul named Tobin. Lovley tasseled curls and the greenest eyes I'd ever seen. I think he was the first person to see me for who I was and we were great friends before we fell in "love"

She looked to him "Tell me, friend. What about you? Have you ever been in love...or perhaps thought you were a one time?"

[Toneh]

“Love? Sure.” He said casually as he kept moving through the city and heading into a ramshackle bazaar. “I fall in love every day.” He responded as he stopped in front of a mirror and smiled lustfully at it. “Oh you meant with a woman, nope can’t say that I have fallen in love with one.”

“I have never really met one that would be worth that kind of attention to me, but I guess it just goes against my nature. Plus I have cared about them before, but then again people all end up the same in the end, dead or trying to kill you. Really you are the closet thing to a friend I have right now, well I just met you!” he said turning and looking around the Bazaar.

“Plus Love, I think it is just an excuse rich people have to marry rich wives and husbands, kind of foolish to me. With enough money one can buy almost anything, including companion ship.”

[diabolicalxdamsel]

She shook her head rather amusedly.

"I'd like to think myself as a good friend even though I haven't had many. Belive it or not, castle residents can be very shallow."

She looked ahead thoughtfully "I like to think there is real love out there...the only thing is some settle and some decide money is more important....then there are cases like mine when you decide it's not really worth looking for anymore. There are too many terribly wrong ones to sort through."

She patted him on the back "Can't promise I won't die, but I don't think I'll try to kill you unless I catch you knicking coins off a little boy again...or trying any funny stuff with me."

[Toneh]

“Well, don’t kill me just yet, I’d hate to have to sell you to a brothel or something for trying it.” He said with a wink and a smile to Ari. “But enough of that lets find you a nice dress, I have to keep my chief investment looking nice or else I would not be a very good “Bodyguard” now would I?”

He said as he moved over to a clothing stand and began going through the tattered assortment of linens and gowns and tunics.. “I just want to know what made you decide to come out here with me? Rich Girl felt like roughing it for a change?”

[diabolicalxdamsel]

"Certainly not." She replied. She was actually looking forward to having a new dress (well sort of). She'd never had a brand new dress of her own. She normally received the princess's discarded garments (after they were modified to more befit a servant of course). Even if it was gently used, it was going to be hers and not the hand-me-downs of some spoiled bitch.

She began going through the dresses pausing on a garment of deep red. "To be honest? I had no where else to go. Surely you would know I wouldn't have lasted long on my own and there was NO WAY I was going back. I've grown up in a castle. I may be clever and I am a fast learner, but I'd be defenseless against thieves.

[Toneh]

“Indeed.” came a distracted reply to her statement, as he aided her in looking through garments. The broken city began to get louder as more people began waking up and hitting the streets for what ever. “You know I could teach you how to not be defenseless, that away you do not end up having to flee if somebody who ends up proving themselves better then my self manages to run me through. It is up to you though.”

Their was no joke in his voice, Ari would figure that he was pretty much serious when he made that statement. But it was a hard fact, you can be good all you want, somebody is always going to be better. She was so naïve in a way, but that was something The Jester enjoyed seeing. Innocence was a thing of the past, a rare treasure you did not pass up.

[diabolicalxdamsel]

"I'd like that." She really wanted to learn to defend "Otherwise, my mouth may be the death of me. It's getting rather used to not having to be shut."

She went into a tent to try about ten different dresses on settling with a cream colored long sleeved number to keep her cool. The materiel was like canvas, but lighter and softer and it had a rich brown trim. It seemed to fit her quite nicely, but unfortunately there was no mirror. She stepped out.

"I think this one could work" she said doing a slow rotation. "What do you think? Does it fit properly?"

Perhaps he would be the typical male who would say she looked fine regardless. "Be honest, please. I don't want to walk around with a lump on my bum or anything."

[Toneh]

The Jester would be absolutely honest. “It look horrible.” He said noting that it defiantly made her look like she gained twenty pounds in two minuets. “You should try something less…gaudy.” He said pointing to something more befitting the local culture.” He then pointed out several women who were walking around. They wore gowns that covered their arms and came down to their ankles. They also sported head dresses, that protected their hair from the harsh climate of this region. It was desert, now it is jungle.. It would also protect her against prying eyes.

Her pale Coranian skin would still stand out, but if she chose to blend in, she would look more anonymous. “I suppose when we get back I can show you some basic fighting principals…well some to befit a woman, we don’t need people thinking you LOVE women if you catch my drift.”

[diabolicalxdamsel]

She sighed picking out the red dress she saw earlier and a headpiece. She wasn't keen in the idea of wearing her hair in something but she wanted to blend in. She put everything on, struggling a little trying to get all of her hair into the headpiece. She thought she looked terrible and she could already feel her body getting hot.

She stepped out once again looking irritable. "Is this better?" she grumbled.


I will learn to fight by whatever means will protect me the best. Do you think I'm going to care what I look like while I'm trying to survive? Perhaps fighting like a man would throw the enemy off.

[Toneh]

Looking at Ari as she switched into a more traditional Garment found in Xexoria, he smiled and nodded with his approval. “They will never see you coming.” He said winking. “Just remember you are no longer a lady of the court, you are now, a specter, a shadow. We have to blind in for right now, so that we don’t get any unwanted attention.”

“Plus those garments will help keep you cool. Any way do you feel like getting something to eat or are you ready to head back to the lair?”

[diabolicalxdamsel]

"I don't feel cool." she complained.

She nodded. "Food! Yes! Let's buy enough to hold us over and get back to that nice cool cave of yours."

She really couldn't belive that she was actually wanting to go back to that cave. She was already missing simple home luxuries...like doors...and a real mattress.

"That place needs some fixing up after sometime if you wish to have a cook and cleaner. After you try my leek and mutton soup I think you'll want to keep me around."

She hooked her arm around his once again and marched forward. "So where do we get some quality meat and produce?"

[Toneh]

He walked several feet before responding to her. “Leek and mutton, I don’t eat that filth!” He said sneering slightly. He came to a food vendor and halted. Their options were a little limited but he began going through what little food their was. The Vendor a sickly old man seemed desperate. “AH here we go…Lamb.” He said grabbing a side of a dead animal that had been sitting out all mourning. Flies ere buzzing around the flesh.

He then grabbed enough flat wheat and eastern beans t o last a year and began stuffing them in a filthy satchel. “Pay the man Ari.”

“And don’t snub this food, this may be the last little bit we are gonna find on this island short of hunting it our selves.