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 Post subject: Re: One Good Reason (Private RP)
PostPosted: December 21st, 2011, 8:35 am 
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[ No, I don't mind at all! It was really a lovely post! :) And Rosalind is so mean.. :P
Anyway, here's my post. I was really inspired and I can recommend Damien Rice's 9 crimes as a beautiful song while reading the post! :happy: ]

The bright sun shone on his cold limbs as Liam walked with slumped shoulders away from the house. The fight he had with Cairbre had been the last straw for the master of the house who had forced him to leave. Without saying goodbye to Guinevere, Liam had immediately left, hoping with all his heart that he would forget these past few days as quick as he had left the love of his life and his rival behind. Out in the gardens, he realised how exhausted he was, after days of tending to Guin, almost without eating or sleeping himself. On a good distance from the house, he fell down beside a group of trees, intending to rest for a while and making up his mind about that he was going to do. Having nowhere really to go, the decision of what to do right now was easily made: he was going to leave England, as soon as possible. He doubted that his bag with belongings was still lying somewhere on the cliffs, but that didn’t really bothered him. His life of piracy had learnt him to carry all his dear belongings on him anyway.

As he sat there slowly the grief, which he had supressed as soon as he entered Devonshire, overwhelmed him once again. It hurt, with every breath he took. The pain had been unbearable and was perhaps even worse than Guinevere’s rejection. One thought haunted him and almost seemed to become the irony of his life: had he only come sooner. Had he only told Guin sooner how he felt about her, had he only sooner returned to Port Royal. Perhaps.. this all would not have happened.

The funeral had been beautiful with lots of colours, dancing and music. Her ashes had been scattered over those perfect green fields filled with exotic flowers near the bay, where they always used to play and where their mother’s ashes had also been put to rest. It had been perfect, exactly like she’d wanted it, except that she had never wanted this to happen. Her life had been too short and never been lived to the fullest. The expression of joy on her face had been unforgettable, when he had told her that he had sworn off his life of piracy and returned for good, to take care of her. Aileen had already been sick, although she had not showed it. Later, when the doctor had said there was nothing more he could do, she had told him that she did not regret hiding her illness from him, only so she could experience the most wonderful few weeks with her brother.. The part of the house they’d lived, and she alone after their mother had died, had been given away as the living had been given to another. This was Lady Gray’s last act to ban him from her life..

Liam startled and looked around him, bewildered. He realised that he had dozed off in the warmth of the sun, against the comfortable tree and that a strange sound had woke him up. The sound of hoofsteps, many hoofsteps. Liam peered from between the bushes to the house and watching how group of soldiers, who’d just left the house, now rode off, taking a shackled Guinevere and Cairbre with them..

As the group of soldiers passed by, Liam quickly hid in the bushes. His journey in England had been difficult. Although he was not a man of colour, he was still distinctively foreign and already he had several times been accused of being a runway slave. If those soldiers would see him, he could surely join Guin and Cairbre in prison. As soon as the sound of hoofsteps faded away, Liam jumped to his feet and started to run back to the house. The front door had been left open and he noted the sobbing figure of Rosalind in the drawing room.

“What.. “ he asked out of breath. “What happened?”

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 Post subject: Re: One Good Reason (Private RP)
PostPosted: December 21st, 2011, 9:23 am 
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(I love your post! <3 It’s brilliant! I’m very curious about the flashback now! When was it exactly that Liam went to look after his sister? =) I assume that it was after Guin left him? I’m just getting a little confused with timelines :lol:
Anyway, here’s my reply… eeek! This is so fun! And hehe, I know, Rosa can be quite mean when she wants to be ;) But she’s got a heart of gold really!)

Rosalind fiercely wiped her face as Liam rushed into the room, her cheeks stained a painful pink and her eyes rimmed red with grief. She didn’t like anyone to see her crying, least of all people she hated. “Isn’t it apparent to you?” she demanded, her hands clenching into tight fists. “They’ve taken them. They’ve taken them to the town jails to await trial.” She drifted back towards the windows, even though the soldiers had long disappeared. She appeared to be doing her very best to recover her composure, even though she was a quivering wreck of nerves and anger. Slowly, she turned back towards Liam and walked towards him. Her eyes were alit with a savage fortitude; she resembled some kind of wild animal, out for blood.

“Right,” she said, finally, with a blustered air, “this isn’t the alliance I would wish for, but in times of war needs must. This is a war.” She raised one hand, pointing a finger at him in a manner similar to a strict, pontificating teacher. “I’m not letting my brother and my best friend die by the hangman’s noose. It will not happen. Never. We are going to help them; we’re going to save them.” She almost visibly cringed upon using the word “we”, but nonetheless she continued resolutely. “Cairbre and Guin would do the same for any of their comrades. They will not be abandoned.” She tapped Liam’s shoulder. “Understand?”

With those words she hurried away across the room, appearing to scout for something. She rifled through a desk and opened a liquor cabinet with clumsy fingers, her jaw clenched. “For God’s sake...” she searched high and low, before finally finding what she was looking for: a map of the local area. She spread it across the desk. Rosalind hardly knew how exactly they were going to save them; she only knew that it had to be done. Her loyalty and love for Cairbre and Guinevere were so strong that she was prepared to do anything.

“So… what do you think of her?”

Rosalind grinned at Cairbre, finding her older brother’s awkwardness funny. She’d never seen him behave like this before, so it was somewhat of a novelty to see him head over heels in love. “I like her,” she said agreeably, and picked up her mug of ale to take a hearty sip. Getting drunk, too, was something new for Rosalind, and now that they had been free for one year from their’s father’s ruthless tyranny, she was taking advantage of her freedom more and more – much to Cairbre’s disapproval. “She’s very pretty. Her red hair… she looks like a, I don’t know what! As if she’s stepped straight out of the pages of a fable. I can see why you like her.” She winked merrily.

Cairbre reached out, gently removing the ale from Rosalind’s grasp. “Go easy, Rosa. We don’t want a repeat performance of last night.”

Rosa grinned guiltily, remembering clearly how she’d serenaded the entire tavern. It didn’t matter so much, since she had a beautiful singing voice. She observed Cairbre, on tenterhooks to know what he would say next about Guinevere. Cairbre gave his little sister a small smile, and took a deep breath. “Anyway…”

“Isn’t this wonderful?” Influenced by drink, but more predominately happiness, Rosalind leaned over and wrapped her arms around Cairbre’s shoulders. “My brother. In love. With a girl named Guinevere! Don’t you worry, I’ll keep your secret. For now. Until you tell her. I very much approve, you know that, don’t you? I quite adore her. She is perfection. I think we’ll be very good friends.”


Blinking away the memories, which stung just like her hot tears, Rosa looked towards Liam. “We’ll both prove our courage today,” she said, hoarsely. “For either we save them or we die with them.”

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 Post subject: Re: One Good Reason (Private RP)
PostPosted: December 21st, 2011, 11:21 am 
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[ The flashback happened some time after Guin and Cairbre left and after Liam had some misfortunate meetings with other pirates. This is also the reason why he went looking for Guin. ;) ]

Liam watched the sobbing Rosalind and ignored how she vented her frustration on him. His exhausted mind could hardly process this new turn of events. And new questions immediately arose: How did they find out that Guinevere and Cairbre had been pirates? How had they found them? Where had they taken them?
As Rosalind addressed him once more, he still did not speak. The brunette’s blue eyes shot fire and she looked fierce and determined, not resembling her brother at all, but looking a lot like Guin, now she was angry.

Spare me your judgements and spare me your dreams,
Cause recently mine have been tearing my seams.


“I perfectly understand and I agree with you” Liam answered courtly. “But now you must understand that I will not work together with anyone, who harbours hateful feelings towards me. This cooperation must be based on trust and I don’t trust anyone who hates me.” Liam gazed into Rosalind’s icy blue eyes, his own gaze not unfriendly, but unyielding. “You have been wrong about many things since I arrived here, one of them is the motive of my visit to Devonshire. So you better think long and hard if you can come to terms with this before anything is going to happen.”

I sit alone in this winter clarity which clouds my mind,
Alone in the wind and the rain you left me,
It's getting dark darling, too dark to see.


Liam fell down on the sofa, as Rosalind was searching for a map, and thought of how on earth they were ever going to pull this off. The prison, wherever it was, was surely guarded by many of the King’s men and a few canons. And not only would it be very well guarded, but there would also be a maze of corridors and there would be dozens of cells, without a map of the place were the chances of finding them slim. Infiltrating such a stronghold of soldiers and smuggling both Cairbre and Guinevere out, without being caught, seemed almost impossible.

And I'm on my knees, and your faith in shreds, it seems.


“You better give a pair of clean clothes, otherwise I do not even have the opportunity to die with you all, because I’ll be arrested for having escaped servitude or the colonies..”

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Children, rejoice, rejoice..

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 Post subject: Re: One Good Reason (Private RP)
PostPosted: December 21st, 2011, 3:50 pm 
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(Aha, I see! =D Thank you! :happy: )

Rosalind leaned over the map, tracing the location of the town, which sat miles away from the cliff tops. Her hands still shook, and as Liam spoke, a dreadful, half-hysterical laugh escaped from her lips. She tipped her head back before slowly kneeling down and leaning her head on the desk, almost as if in prayer. It took a few moments before she finally got up. She went near the sofa where Liam sat, before throwing herself down on the cushions next to him with such force that she rocked the upholstery.

“I’m sorry.” She spoke in a strange tone. She curled up her legs like a child and looked straight at Liam. “But the vanity of men never ceases to make me laugh. Shall we just sit here, then, while I think out a nice way to say sorry? While we wait for Cairbre and Guin to go to the scaffold? I tell you what, let’s wait while they put the nooses about their necks. Only then shall we stir ourselves into action.”

With alarming speed, she leapt back up again and seized the map up from the table, accidentally crumpling it in her haste. “I don’t have time to make the apology you’re looking for,” she said, harshly. “The fact is, I don’t like you and that’s not going to change – you could be anybody in this world, Liam, and I wouldn’t like you. The reason is that you were once with Guin. That’s it. Get over it and get up onto your feet or I swear by all that’s unholy I’ll leave right now by myself and rescue them without you.”

She took a deep breath, knowing that she was being unforgivably cruel, but being unable to help it. She raised an eyebrow, pondering over Liam’s remark about his clothes. “You’ll have to borrow something of Cairbre’s. I’ll hunt around for something, although he’s a fair bit taller than you so they might look a bit odd.” Suddenly, she clicked her fingers as she thought more on the matter of clothes. “Hmm… I know! I’ll get changed too. We can make ourselves look distinguished, and therefore more trustworthy. Not to mention the guards might get distracted by a woman in a pretty dress.”

She picked up her skirts and ran from the room, the sound of her footsteps pounding noisily on the stairs.

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Last edited by ~Goldleaf~ on April 9th, 2015, 1:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: One Good Reason (Private RP)
PostPosted: December 22nd, 2011, 4:42 pm 
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"And the myopia of women never ceases to amaze me," Liam retorted, his anger spiked by this hateful woman. "Both Guinevere and Cairbre are from titled families, they will not be hanged this hour or this day. They will get a trial, not a fair one of course, but they will still get one. I believe that England is not so fond of spilling noble blood." Those last words were said with a sort of sarcasm, but this was probably lost on Rosalind, who was looking both hysterical and impatient, and who seemed not interested in listening to him.
"Lets not lose our head now," he continued coldly as the woman already jumped to her feet again. "We should make a sensible plan and not be rash, or your head will end up in a noose.."

He jumped to his feet and grabbed Rosalind's arm, when she intended to walk away and threatened to go after Guin and Cairbre alone. Liam's eyes flickered dangerously and his face was pale with anger. "You hate me because I was with Guin?" he asked. Despite his anger his voice was still calm and did not tremble. "Yes, I was with Guin.. She liked me, loved me, at least I thought she loved me. But it turned out she couldn't make up her mind and for a long time she was never clear about her true feelings. Until she left.." Liam let go of Rosalind's arm and stared at that place in the drawing room near the window where he'd been confronted by both Guinevere and Cairbre, only a few days ago. "I didn't return to win her back.." he mumbled, now more to himself. For a moment he seemed lost in thought before remembering that Rosalind was still there. "So why don't you get over your silly idea that I intend to break up Guinevere's relationship and just behave nicely because you need me. After we've helped them break out, she or you will never see me again."

"So.. what is the plan?"

[Hey Goldy.. I know this is a kind of awkward post, since I wanted Liam to react Rosalind's words, but she already ran up the stairs. So just interpret it as you want, or just pretend that this is happening right after Rosalind returns.. :P ]

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Children, rejoice, rejoice..

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 Post subject: Re: One Good Reason (Private RP)
PostPosted: December 22nd, 2011, 6:38 pm 
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(Here we go! :happy: btw, I'm sorry Rosalind's being so hateful :lol: She's just really got a bee in her bonnet because Liam was once with Guin. She's actually kinda like a crazed shipper of Cairevere, going nuts at the thought that Guin was ever part of any other ship XD Anyway, it does make for some nice drama at least!)

Rosalind dumped the armful of clothes she’d brought from upstairs onto the couch, refusing to look at Liam. She shifted through them before throwing a set of clean clothes at Liam, not caring if he caught them or not. Her anger had been well and truly kindled; being forced to cooperate with Liam made her furious. “Are you quite finished?” she enquired bitterly. “I know my place. I’ll be a good little girl. As you say, I need you.” She spoke sardonically, holding one of Guinevere’s gowns up against herself. “This one will do,” she muttered to herself.

For a moment she held the gown in her arms, just able to catch a trace of Guinevere’s perfume on it. She blinked, tears filling her eyes. She loved Guinevere as if she was her own sister; she always had. Rosa felt a great responsibility weighing down on her shoulders. She owed so much to Guin and Cairbre. They’d always been there for her, always helped her the best they could, no matter what. It was time for her to repay that debt.

She looked up at Liam, her anger mingled with grief. She wanted to shout at him, punish him for ever having been her brother's rival, but now wasn’t the time. “Right,” she said, finally, “the plan is this. I’m sure you’ll find some flaw in it, but I’d like to see you come up with a better one. We’re going to get changed and make ourselves look presentable, then we’re going to get two horses from the stables and ride down to the town. We’ll find somewhere to stay, and we’ll try and find out when Guin and Cairbre’s trial will be held – our best bet is to try and rescue them as they’re being brought to the court. We have to come up with some kind of a distraction. I know that sounds impossible, but trying to break them out of a cell would be even more difficult.”

Rosa walked towards the drawing room door, pushing her way past Liam in case he decided to grab her arm again and make an objection. “I’m going to get changed. I suggest you do the same. Whilst upstairs I’ll try and find some weapons – I’ll try and hide as many as I can beneath this.” She shook the dress slightly, the skirts fluttering, making the garment appear alive. She then proceeded to clutch it tightly as she made her way upstairs, as if she didn’t want Liam touching it. It was a fierce possessiveness indeed that made the mere thought of Liam even being near one of Guin’s dresses unbearable, but she simply couldn’t help it. For years she had played matchmaker between Guinevere and Cairbre, a role she’d always treasured, and the thought that Liam had ever been close to Guin made her want to hit him.

She took a long time upstairs; when she eventually returned she was arrayed as a lady, her hair piled and arranged on top of her head, dressed in Guin’s gown instead of the old worn one she’d been wearing previously. It was green, a color that suited Guin more than it did Rosa, as Rosa knew herself. She tapped on the drawing room door, examining a pistol as she spoke, outstretching it towards an invisible target, trying to test how far it would fire. “Are you ready yet?” she called. In her free arm she carried a bundle of different weapons, most of which she recognized. It was like looking at old friends.

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 Post subject: Re: One Good Reason (Private RP)
PostPosted: December 28th, 2011, 9:35 am 
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Liam caught the bundle of clothes which Rosalind tossed into his arms and chuckled: “That’s right.. you need me.” The clock was ticking, minutes were slipping through his fingers and Rosalind had decided to take the difficult route. To remain hateful instead of finding a basis of trust and to fight him instead of their common enemy together. He was her enemy, the cause of many of these horrible events. But Liam would not spend time and energy in changing her mind, which had, without doubt, been poisoned by her pernicious brother.

He looked up at Rosalind again as she explained what her plan was. Not only anger, but also kind of sadness and perhaps even fear was visible on her face. Liam then fully realised how she must feel: her brother and the woman whom she loved like a sister were in mortal danger and the chances were that they might die. He had felt and still felt, what Rosalind was experiencing now. The petrifying fear of losing that person she most loved, the anger because their fates seemed sealed, the powerlessness.. It made them equals, although Rosalind didn’t know this.

“No, actually it sounds like a good plan..” Liam slowly answered when Rosa finished. “It of course needs some perfectioning, but that’s not a matter of urgency.”

He quickly changed his own worn clothes for the spare ones of Cairbre and he felt remarkably refreshed when wearing the clean clothes. Rosalind had been right that they didn’t quite fit, but it would have to do. He displayed a few possessions, which could be of use when executing their plan, on the sofa, before folding his own clothes in a bundle. “Dagger, money, clothes, tinderbox,” he mumbled to himself. The only thing he still needed was-

“Are you ready yet?”

Liam stuffed everything in his pockets and walked over to the hall, where a very pretty-looking Rosalind was standing with a variety of guns. “No, I still need a gun,” Liam said. “Coming here to England was already dangerous enough, taking a gun was too risky,” he added to answer her unspoken question.
He took Cairbre’s long coat, which was hanging over the staircase banister and put it on. “I will take this as well. I’d rather not be recognised when going to town.. Yes. I’m ready to go now.”

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Children, rejoice, rejoice..

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 Post subject: Re: One Good Reason (Private RP)
PostPosted: December 28th, 2011, 10:29 am 
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Rosalind nodded as Liam walked out into the hall. She handed him one of the guns wordlessly after he shrugged on Cairbre’s coat, selecting a pair of twin pistols for herself. She was relieved that he’d actually agreed to her outlined plan, and that she wouldn’t have to fight him on this. Frankly, remaining so aggressive and hostile was tiring, especially given the current situation, but she had no intention of behaving friendlily towards Liam. She’d rather die than show such a form of disloyalty to her brother.

“Very well,” she said, crisply, throwing on a cloak over her attire, “we’ll head to the stables.” She led the way down the hallway and out of the house, tucking the map of the local area into her cloak pocket and making sure that the front door was properly secured and locked before they departed. Her footsteps were as swift as a man’s as she marched across the gardens towards the small, pretty stable block. Looking around at the gorgeous, idyllic surroundings, she couldn’t help feeling yet more angry. Guinevere and Cairbre had found the perfect home, the perfect place to be happy together, and what happened? They were snatched away from it. It was too unfair, too awful to grasp properly. If Rosalind ever discovered who had betrayed them to the authorities… well, she wouldn’t pass over any opportunity for revenge.

She glanced over her shoulder at Liam as they approached the stables, suddenly feeling quite resentful that he was wearing her brother’s clothes. Her eyes skimmed over Cairbre’s coat, and she settled on a chance to be unnecessarily cruel. “That’s Guinevere’s favorite, you know,” she said, in a helpful, or rather unhelpful tone, unbolting the stable doors. “She thinks Cairbre looks so handsome in it.” She smiled. Taunting Liam distracted her from how afraid she was for her brother and her friend’s lives. It was true about the coat anyway. It emphasized Cairbre’s dark, dashing aura, so naturally Guin loved it. “We’ve always confided in each other, Guin and me. I’ve known her since she was twenty-one and I eighteen.” Her gaze narrowed and her smile widened. She knew that Liam would probably shrug all this off, act sarcastic, careless, act like he didn’t care what she said, but she was enjoying it all the same. “And Cairbre was twenty-two. We know everything about each other, us three. As thick as thieves. From the very beginning Guin told us everything about her past, about her life before piracy. I bet she never told you anything about it when you were with her, did she? She would never have. She’d never have told you. Some matters are reserved for those you trust. Those you love.”

She was being plain smug now and she really, really didn’t care. It felt good. As long as she was in control of hurting others, of making herself feel good, then her terror of losing Cairbre and Guinevere to the hangman’s noose wasn’t so overwhelming. She kept envisaging it, the thick loop of rope, in her mind. She needed to get rid of the ghastly image.

Rosalind chose her horse, securing it’s saddle, bit and bridle carefully. It was Guinevere’s horse, a beautiful gray stallion. Rosalind threw her foot into the stirrup and hauled herself into the saddle, arranging her skirts. She was not going to ride side-saddle, for that would only slow her down. “Anyway,” she continued, “take no notice of me. It’s really none of your business at any rate, is it?” Her eyes gleamed with wild tears, her smile savage. She needed to stop thinking about the noose. She had to stop thinking about it. Hurting people was easier than letting yourself be afraid, far easier.

Tears rolled down her face, and she laughed immoderately, bringing out the map and scanning it quickly as the horse shifted impatiently.

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 Post subject: Re: One Good Reason (Private RP)
PostPosted: December 28th, 2011, 8:22 pm 
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[ Oh my! Rosalind did overstep right now.. :P ]

Liam took the pistol and weighed it in his hands before putting it in his belt. Silently he followed Rosalind outside and breathed in the fresh air. It was a beautiful summer day, although it was not as hot as the summer days in Port Royal, the sky was deep blue and the air smelled of grass and the salt sea. Had he this morning just walked away from the Eagle manor, then he could have been well underway to Plymouth by now. But he was still here, aiding a woman that hated him to save the woman he loved and her fiancé so that they could continue their happily ever after. The irony of it didn't escape Liam, but there he was, still doing it anyway.. for what?

Rosalind’s voice ringed in the air and it was hard to ignore her cruel provocations as she opened the stable doors. Liam marched over to an already saddled brown mare and quickly mounted the horse. He tried not to let Rosalind’s words get to him, but that seemed impossible. He recalled Guin’s detached expression on her face when she first saw him as Rosalind’s triumphant sneers echoed in his ears. We know everything about each other, us three… I bet she never told you anything about it when you were with her… for those you trust.. those you love..

Liam was seized by fury and could hear the blood pounding in his ears he manoeuvred his horse alongside that of Rosalind. He grabbed the brunette by the throat and felt a strange sort of satisfaction when he noticed her smug disappeared and was replaced by shock. “One more poisonous word woman,” he hissed dangerously “and I swear to God that I will leave so you can save your precious friends alone.” He abruptly let go of Rosalind and threw her a look full of contempt.

“Tell me,” he demanded coldly. “Why should I even consider helping you? You three were thick as thieves.. the closest friends. I am nothing to you, a stranger. Hated by both you and your brother and not loved or even trusted by Guinevere..” Liam urged his mare towards the stable doors. How he longed just to ride away, far away and to pretend like nothing of this ever happened.. that he never came here.

“Why should I help you? Why should I risk my life for any of you..?”

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O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..

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 Post subject: Re: One Good Reason (Private RP)
PostPosted: December 28th, 2011, 9:04 pm 
Maia
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(Oh dear me, I think Liam’s gone too far for Rosa now too! btw, I hope I've portrayed her feelings well enough in this post; I really want to put across why she's behaving the way she is - I'm such a perfectionist! Anyway, I have no idea what’s gonna happen now O_o Dramaaaa! :-o What shall we do next? *plots* Do you want a flashforward to the town, or should we carry on with this bit? =))

Rosalind was left gasping in shock in the aftermath of Liam’s unexpected reaction, shuddering and shivering as she clasped at her throat, which only a moment ago he’d had within his grasp. In that moment she was unable to do anything but shake, overcome with bad memories, terrifying memories of a childhood filled with fear and violence. But then she remembered herself: who she was and what it meant when a person crossed her; she wasn't a frightened child anymore. She fiercely pushed her horse forwards into a gallop, riding past Liam and reaching the stable doors before he did. Leaning down in her saddle, she slammed shut then bolted the door, then proceeding to point one of her pistols at Liam, keeping her free hand on the reins. Her expression was one of mingled fury and disgust.

“I’m right to hate you,” she breathed, her voice hissing softly. “I know full well what you are now. I know what kind of man you are now. You've shown your true colors with your despicable display. You’re violent, cruel.” She looked him up and down, directing the pistol towards his forehead. “Just like my father. Just like my dear father.” She pronounced the word “dear” with extreme sarcasm. “Yes, Cairbre, Guin and I shared many secrets. And do you know what one of them was? Our father used to hit us, Cairbre and me. He hit our mother too, he drove her to her grave with his cruelty.” Her tone was trembling with memory. “And you know what? Guin’s parents weren’t exactly shining examples of parenthood either.” She knew that she shouldn’t be divulging Guin’s secrets, but she wanted to make Liam ashamed, thoroughly ashamed. She was no longer using Liam's lack of knowledge about Guin's past to mock him; this wasn't about scoring points. However, Rosa knew she should never have brought the subject up in the first place, but she could not prevent the words pouring out of her lips in a shock of agonized pain. “You have no idea what it was like for her, what her parents were like... They threatened to whip her if she didn’t marry a brute of a man named Raleigh who would have made her life a living hell. She would rather have died, rather have taken her own life! Those are our pasts, filled with hurt and pain and violence. Those were the lives we came from.” She glared at Liam, her breath coming out short and ragged as she turned her horse very slightly, never altering her aim.

“You know nothing about us,” she continued, “so maybe it’s best you don’t help me. Maybe it’s best you stay behind. No; I know it’s best that you do so. For you’re not only vicious, but you’re selfish too. You’d leave Guinevere to die simply because you have no place in her life anymore? You don’t care what happens to her if she isn’t with you? I hate you! I hate you.” She shook her head, amazement in her tearful blue eyes. “I don’t need you. Guinevere doesn’t need you, she never did and she never will. Do you hear me? You’re undeserving to have ever known her. I make for the town by myself, and you will stay away. You're just like father, just like Raleigh and I don't want you near, anywhere near.”

With a deep intake of breath and a sniff, she unbolted the door before her horse bolted forwards at her command, thundering out of the stable yard and across the countryside. She was obviously still severely shaken and in deep shock, but she saw her actions as the right thing to do. In her eyes Liam had gone too far to ever be redeemed or forgiven, even though she had pushed him to the limit with her taunting and biting words. She would do this by herself. Alone.

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 Post subject: Re: One Good Reason (Private RP)
PostPosted: December 30th, 2011, 2:36 pm 
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Dark was the night and the streets of Exeter were completely abandoned, except for a single drunkard that roamed about the streets and a stranger who walked stealthily through the city centre with much darker intentions. He had turned up his collar in order to remain unrecognizable as he carefully explored the city.

Liam had immediately left after Rosa’s furious departure, his own anger reaching a dangerous level. The injustice, with which Rosalind had treated him, infuriated him and he was not sure if he could ever forgive her for the false accusations she so easily made. Violent.. cruel...vicious.. selfish.. Those words repeated over and over again in his head. She didn’t know anything about him, never had she heard his tale. That his only family had dumped him somewhere, after his father died, because of the blood of his mother that ran through his veins, because the color of his skin, because the b-astard mulatto child would ruin the reputation of the Gray family. His chances on a good future had from then on be ruined.He had sworn never to show anyone such cruelty or heartlessness as had been shown to him.. Violent.. cruel...vicious.. selfish..
For some time he had been riding on the cliffs, enjoying the silence and the smell of the salt sea and his anger had slowly subsided. It felt like the world he knew began to fade and that he was slowly losing everything he cared about. Then he thought about Rosalind, who would now alone attempt to save Cairbre and Guinevere. She would surely fail.. Would he leave them to their fates? Would he leave England in the full awareness that if he would not come to Rosalind’s aid that they all would die? That would make him selfish and vicious. He had then quickly turned his horse and set off in a gallop to the town Rosalind had pointed out on the map. Violent.. cruel...vicious.. selfish..

The clock of the cathedral struck five, dawn would soon approach. Liam had left his horse near the inn, where he’d quickly had a meal and then set out to explore the city after dusk. He was told that the Guildhall served as the court of justice and the prison was soon found. He walked the route, which Cairbre and Guinevere would travel next day by carriage, a dozen of times, taking in every turn and corner, inspecting every house and alley. When the sky started to colour purple, Liam returned to the inn, exhausted, only to get a few hours of rest. He couldn’t sleep, as the events of the passed day were still vivid in his mind. Rosalind’s words haunted him. Violent.. cruel...vicious.. selfish.. He stared at the wooden ceiling of his crammed room and repeated every step of his plan in his mind. The fact that he did not know where Rosalind was or what she would do made his plan even more difficult. It meant that he had to be flexible and inventive.

After what seemed ages, the clock of the cathedral struck seven and Liam got up, took the pistol from the nightstand before leaving the room.

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 Post subject: Re: One Good Reason (Private RP)
PostPosted: December 30th, 2011, 6:49 pm 
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(Brilliant post, I love it! :-D Here's my reply; I'm afraid it might look rather long once I've posted it :lol: But since this is an intro for such a dramatic storyline, I wanted to write in depth about what my charries are feeling right now =) My next post will be much shorter, I'm sure! =))

As the carriage rattled along down the street towards the Guildhall, Guinevere counted the seven chimes of the cathedral clock. Each chime felt like a harbinger of doom, striking her deep and deadly in her heart. She and Cairbre were being taken to their trial, if one could even call it such. There was no one to speak for them, and their verdict was inevitable: guilty. She could almost feel the skeletal hand of death reaching out to rest on her shoulder.

No, no. I mustn’t think like this… Guinevere was loath to give in to despair, but what was there to be done? There was no one to save them from this, to rescue them; nor was there anything she herself could do. She’d desperately tried to formulate some sort of escape plan during the long, sleepless hours of last night, but when faced with the impossibility of the situation, her mind had drawn a miserable blank. Her own failure was abhorrent to her, for she’d always told herself that there was nothing she could not overcome.

Slowly, her gaze moved from her shackled hands, where they sat bunched on her lap. Cairbre was sitting next to her; this morning they’d been taken from their separate cells and bundled into the carriage. It was the first time they’d seen each other since yesterday, and being near Cairbre was Guinevere’s only comfort, although she desperately wished that he was not here, that he was not doomed as she was. She longed for his freedom even more than her own.

She met his eyes, and he held her eyes steadily, smiling at her sadly. There were dark circles under his eyes, indicating that like her, he had not slept. Guinevere felt pain pierce her like a dagger, and she outstretched her fettered hands towards Cairbre’s, managing to brush her fingers against his. Immediately, the bewigged man sitting opposite them, the same man who’d arrested them, spoke out in disapproval.

“No touching,” he said sharply. Cairbre answered him without ever looking away from Guinevere.

“I don’t believe even you, sir, can prevent us holding hands,” he said evenly. His gaze moved tenderly over Guinevere’s face, which was filled with emotion. Her lips were trembling, and fresh teardrops clung to the tips of her eyelashes. He badly wanted to brush those tears away, but their captor was speaking again, his tone taking on even more condemnation.

“Mr. Eagle, the two of you disgust me - I will not try to conceal my opinion. For not only are you vile pirates and traitors against the crown, you have also lived together unwed in blatant disregard of God’s law. You make no attempt to hide the fact that you are lovers.” At this, Guinevere turned her head, tilting her chin, her eyes shining.

“Why should we hide it?” she demanded. “I’m proud of it. I care nothing for your disgust or your rules. So I’d be grateful if you’d keep silent and allow us a moment’s peace before we’re brought to meet your so-called ‘justice’.”

“You’ll be facing the king’s justice sooner than you think, madam. The Guildhall is only one street away.”

Guinevere turned back towards Cairbre. They could scarcely believe what was about to happen in only a few moments' time. How on earth had their lives come to this? “Guinevere…” Cairbre’s voice was so softly pitched that it was audible only to her. He wanted to say something, something that mattered, before it was too late, but his throat felt far too choked up. Unbearable grief was written on his face, and it tortured Guinevere to see it; in half a moment she was leaning towards him, completely disregarding the third presence in the carriage. She touched her lips to his, and they shared a loving, heartrending kiss before the carriage suddenly came to a halt. The doors were flung open, and bony pairs of hands dug into their shoulders to haul them out into the open air.

It looked as if that was the last intimate moment they’d ever share. The soldiers kept them well apart as they shoved them none too gently towards the doors of the Guildhall. It was then that Cairbre noticed something very strange indeed; for a moment, he thought that he was hallucinating. But no; standing utterly alone near the doors was none other than Rosalind, as pale as a sheet – and in one shaking hand she was holding a pistol.

~~~

This was it: quite possibly the worst plan ever to be carried out by any pirate in living memory, but it was what it was. Rosalind had chosen to do this by herself, and so she had no choice left. Surrounded by a retinue of redcoats, Guinevere and Cairbre were marched towards the doors, from where she stepped forward. The hysterical fear pounding in Rosalind’s veins made it slightly easier for her to pretend that she was a madwoman as she approached the soldiers, raising the gun. She saw her brother and her friend staring at her in complete astonishment and horror. She was unable to meet their eyes, almost certain that she would probably fail them. How could this “distraction” possibly work?

Instead of directing the gun towards the redcoats, she pressed it against the side of her own head, crying out in a shrill voice that she hoped sounded insane, “I swear I shall shoot! I’ll pull this trigger and I shall be buried at a crossroads… is that what you want? Do you want my soul to suffer? Are you not going to stop me?”

The bewigged man stepped forward, raising a hand. “Madam, step back and lower your weapon. Cease your lunacy. We are about important business…”

With a cry that tore through the very air, before anyone could stop her Rosalind launched herself like a wild animal at the man, toppling him over to the ground. At once, a cluster of soldiers pointed their guns at her. But Rosa had already pressed her pistol to their leader’s brow. He lay pinned to the ground, unable to move.

“Shoot and I will kill this piece of filth you call an enforcer of England’s laws,” Rosa announced. “I have my finger against the trigger. I’m a madwoman you see, recently escaped from an asylum. Capable of anything. Hungry for blood. I’ll kill whoever I see fit.”

There was fear in the man’s eyes: real, raw fear. It was obvious that he believed her. But this situation could go any way now; Rosalind was almost certain that she would lose. However, if this was all she could do, then she would do it. It was all too clear to her now that she could have had help if she hadn't pushed it away; she could have had Liam's help, they might have constructed an efficient plan instead of this... this recklessness, which was the best she had been able to come up with under intense stress. But there was no time for "what-ifs" anymore, and in any case, Liam was now firmly fixed in her mind as a man she could never trust. She felt the guilt all the same, though, felt it grievously - she saw now that she had been foolish ever to think she could accomplish this mission alone. And for the crime of letting those she loved down, she felt that she truly deserved to die.

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 Post subject: Re: One Good Reason (Private RP)
PostPosted: January 2nd, 2012, 8:22 pm 
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[No worries Goldy, my post is also a bit longer as well. But I loved the Caivere bit. :happy: ]

Liam watched in horror how Rosalind enacted her plan. It was bold, yet reckless and foolish and bound to fail. He watched how it all happened, from the rooftop of the building opposite to the Guildhall. Yesterday he had found that the roof was easily accessible and also lower than the other buildings by which it was surrounded and therefore proved to be the perfect place to ambush the King’s men. Liam had installed himself there, only a few moments before the carriage, guarded by a troop of soldiers, came in sight.

There was no time to waste now, Rosalind’s plan was nowhere near succeeding and the only thing she would achieve, was getting shot in front of Guinevere and Cairbre. Although he couldn’t see them, as they were standing still too close to the carriage, he could envision the look of utter shock on Cairbre’s face and that of despair on Guinevere’s. Liam jumped to his feet, leaving Cairbre’s long coat on the rooftop as he needed to move freely, and quickly checked the large purse of gunpowder, which he’d bought last night of the last of his money, that was attached to his belt. He lowered himself on the roof of the building’s bay window. Although Rosalind would not achieve much with her improvised scheme, she did accomplish one thing and that was distraction. All the soldiers attention was focused on the madwoman, who’d attacked their superior, and even those who were guarding Guinevere and Cairbre seemed distracted. No one seemed to notice the man who was climbing down the rooftop and now took his gun from his belt.

Liam didn’t feel any doubt, only adrenaline, as he took a deep breath and jumped. He landed on the empty driver’s perch, his knees trembling from the fall, but his mind was focused. Instantly, he shot the two guards next to Cairbre and Guinevere, before he leapt to the ground. With one swift movement, Liam took the purse of gunpowder and emptied it near the group of soldiers who had surrounded Rosalind, and quickly fired his pistol for the third time. The gunpowder immediately ignited, the flames rose high and there was now only chaos among the redcoats.

“Rosalind!” Liam shouted over the noise of yelling soldiers, who now also fired their arms. "Rosalind!" He turned to Cairbre and tossed him his dagger, while he blindly continued to shoot at the redcoats. “The carriage!” he shouted to Cairbre. “Get in the carriage, quick!”

Suddenly it seemed like all the air was pressed from his lungs as an agonizing pain spread through his shoulder. For a moment everything slowed down in slow-motion: the blood that staining his perfectly white shirt, Cairbre and Guinevere moving towards the carriage, the realisation that he had no bullets left. The feeling of triumph he had only felt a few moment before, made place for fear. Liam fell on his knees, blindly touching his shoulder. Rosa’s words flashed through his mind. Violent.. cruel...vicious.. selfish... He tried to get to his feet again and stumbled a few paces, but the pain seemed to have clouded his mind and vision in that moment. He didn't know whether Cairbre or Guinevere had managed to get into the carriage, he only hoped that Rosalind would have the wits to get onto the driver's perch and to leave. He only hoped that they would leave, that they all would leave.

"Go" he exclaimed, but his voice didn't have the same volume as before. "Just go.."

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 Post subject: Re: One Good Reason (Private RP)
PostPosted: January 3rd, 2012, 12:20 pm 
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(Here is my post, finally! I really hope you like it - I feel really anxious to get this right since it's such a drama-packed plot :pirate: )

Rosalind slid one arm beneath Liam’s shoulders and hauled him up as best she could, her hands shaking with shock. He had come here to Exeter to help them, even after all of the awful things she’d said to him and all she’d accused him of. With great effort, she helped him towards and into the carriage. He had saved them. Rosa acted on instinct, hurriedly pushing Liam onto one of the carriage seats as he clutched his bleeding shoulder. There was a small pause before she finally uttered the words, “thank you.” They were quiet enough for him possibly not to hear them. Wasting no more time, Rosa clambered out of the carriage and helped Cairbre and Guinevere climb inside beside Liam.

Guinevere was first, her face as pale as snow as she collapsed against the seat. “Oh my God… oh my God…” She was aware of Rosa slamming the carriage door shut on them, and in a few short moments, the vehicle hurtled off along the street, leaving the scene of carnage behind. The carriage rocked violently from side to side with enough force to make even the most seasoned of travelers feel sick. “Did that just happen?” Her voice was threaded with utter astonishment; indeed, it all had occurred so suddenly that it was difficult to believe this was even happening. Her breath came short with alarm as she tried to look at Liam’s wound, which proved somewhat difficult due to the fact that her hands were still fettered. But she could see that it wasn’t just a surface wound; the bullet could yet prove deadly.

“Liam, can you hear me?” She glimpsed at the man’s face, wondering if he would lapse into unconsciousness. “Can you hear me, are you awake?” A small, helpless pause. “Hang on a moment. You’ll be alright, I promise… just lie yourself down… don’t move…” Not knowing what to do, she turned towards Cairbre for assistance, and her cheeks immediately flooded with the warmth of relief – the knowledge that they were not going to die, that she would not have to see Cairbre, the man she loved, die, filled her with ecstatic joy, hitting her like a sudden wave of sunshine. It was like being pushed off of a tall building and then landing on your feet. The emotion she felt in that moment was overwhelming.

And yet their rescuer could, for all they knew, be dying, and they needed to act quickly. “We need to get rid of these chains to be able to help him,” Cairbre said, seizing up the dagger Liam had thrown to him. With luck, the dagger had sharp, jagged edges, and the shackles their wrists had been fitted with were old and rusty, therefore easier to cut through. He freed Guinevere’s hands first, and she stared at her slender wrists in disbelief as the restraints clattered down to the carriage floor. They felt extremely painful, and were encircled with sore red marks.

“My God, I feel as if I wore those chains for an age…” Quickly, Guinevere kissed Cairbre’s cheek, her heart drumming madly. She never wanted to be that close to death again; she never wanted them to be parted again after such an agonizing, terrifying ordeal. And now they were free, all thanks to Liam’s bravery. He’d taken a bullet, endeavoring to rescue them.

She turned back towards Liam as Cairbre worked at freeing his own wrists. The blood on Liam’s shirt, which was quickly spreading, made her stomach churn. She touched his shoulder lightly, not wanting to cause him greater pain, but knowing that she had to check the wound and not just go by sight. She sucked in her breath; it was deep alright. She’d seen wounds like these before and they didn’t always end well. Quickly, she shrugged off the coat she’d thrown on yesterday morning and set about ripping a long length of material from it to use as a bandage. As she wound it carefully several times around Liam’s shoulder, she couldn’t help noticing that the blood-stained shirt he wore was in fact one of Cairbre’s. “Here…. nearly finished,” she reassured him whilst tying the ends of the makeshift dressing into a tight knot. Guinevere hoped that her work would stem the rapidity of the bleeding, at least until they reached someplace safe where they could stop.

But there could be no chance of a safe place for them for miles around. They would be hunted down like animals as long as they stayed in England. There was only one place that suddenly seemed safe: the open seas. First things first though; they had to get away from the city. They had to put as much distance between them and the redcoats they could.

She let Liam rest against her shoulder as the carriage swayed; Rosa was obviously driving those poor horses as if the devil himself was at their heels. Having rid himself of his shackles, Cairbre moved towards nurse and patient, checking over the bandage before nodding in approval. “That’s all that can be done for now,” he said. “We will need to stop for help at some point – the bullet can’t stay in there.” He paused, feeling that he needed to say something. The truth of the matter was that if not for Liam, they’d all be dead, or sentenced to death. He wanted to thank him, despite the indubitable fact that the two of them would never get along or be friends. Their mutual hostility didn’t change what Liam had done for them. But before he could speak, the carriage suddenly jolted brutally as it turned a corner and he was knocked against one of the sides. “Christ almighty… I don’t believe Rosa’s ever driven a carriage before.”

Guinevere outstretched her hand as Cairbre hauled himself up, helping him back into his seat. She kept her hand in his, holding it as tightly as humanly possible. At the same time, she had to keep her other arm around Liam so as to keep him steady whilst he was still so limp with pain. The carriage was beginning to rock very wildly as it prepared itself for another turn, and Guinevere lurched forward in her seat, a curse of surprise escaping her lips. The carriage then tipped slightly to one side. “Rosalind!” Guinevere yelled, hoping that the woman could hear her. “Calm down!”

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 Post subject: Re: One Good Reason (Private RP)
PostPosted: January 4th, 2012, 1:13 pm 
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[It was such a lovely post Goldy! Absolutely beautiful! And Cairbre wants to thank Liam? Will these two finally make peace then..? ;) ]

Liam suddenly felt how someone hauled him to his feet, dragging him to the carriage. The soldiers were still continuously firing their weapons and as none of their enemies attacked them anymore, they would soon charge. Liam looked to his side as he stumbled along and realised that it was Rosalind who was bringing him to safety. She looked utterly shocked, but seemed unhurt. Intense relief overwhelmed him, even relieving his pain for a moment, but as she pushed him into the carriage he cringed with pain and therefore did not hear her words. “Lucky me, that you were around,” Liam said out of breath, pressing his hand immediately against his shoulder. “You didn’t want me near.. but I needed you anyway..”

He closed his eyes and leaned back in the carriage, hearing how the others rushed in and how they finally left the scene of combat. He sighed deeply, but he regretted that instantly for every breath he took a sharp pang of pain struck through his shoulder as a knife.
“I’m alright.. I’m fine..” he said vaguely, in reply to Guinevere’s worried questions. “Don’t worry about me.. you’re safe now.”

Liam only heard bits of the conversation between Cairbre and Guinevere as he now and then lost consciousness. He could vaguely distinguish the rural landscape that rushed by, but his vision was faint. He had no sense of time, but he knew that it wouldn’t be long before an entire cavalry would set out to chase them. They would hunt them down and catch up with them. A carriage couldn't outrun a troop of horses. Liam suddenly flinched when Guinevere made an attempt to examine his wound and made a bandage. His breathing was ragged as she fastened the strips of cloth tightly but no whimper escaped his lips.
“Aileen told me not to come.. she told me not to come,” he mumbled. “Wish I didn’t come..”

The carriage shook violently and Liam was thrown sideways, but just braced himself in time to not hit his head hard. He let out a cry of pain when his shoulder smashed into the wall of the carriage. “Is your sister trying to kill us..?” he flashed a weak smile at Cairbre, before falling against Guinevere’s shoulder. He rested limply against her frail shoulder, breathing in her sweet scent. He had not been so close to her since their goodbye years ago. He just wanted to lay there and forget about the world..

Guinevere was launched forward as the carriage wildly took another turn and Liam could hardly keep himself seated. “This doesn’t work..” he said, gasping for breath. “We’re too slow. We need to dump the carriage...continue on horseback.. It’s a perfect distraction..”

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 Post subject: Re: One Good Reason (Private RP)
PostPosted: January 4th, 2012, 2:33 pm 
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(Thank you so much Will! :hug: I'm really glad you liked it <3 Your post is beautiful too! <333 And I'm not sure about making complete peace, but I think it's a truce for now! :lol: )

Cairbre nodded to Liam’s suggestion as the carriage continued to rock dangerously. “We can’t continue like this,” he agreed, before reaching up to knock as loudly as he could on the ceiling of the carriage. They had entered the countryside now, and they only had a small amount of time before the redcoats would surely catch up with them. He continued knocking until finally Rosalind seemed to get the message, and the carriage began to slow down.

Rosa pulled up on a small dirt road, her shoulders heaving with exhaustion; the horses, too, seemed beyond weariness, for she’d driven them to their limit in her haste to get away. She jumped down from the driver’s perch, pushing back her mane of black hair, which had been torn from it’s elegant arrangement by the wind. She approached the doors as Cairbre opened one of them from the inside, her face twisting itself up with anxiety. She worried that he might be disappointed with her for even trying to pull off such a slapdash rescue plan back by the Guildhall – if not for Liam stepping in, they’d all have hanged. But her fear was silenced when her elder brother stepped out of the carriage and enveloped her in a tight hug. Tears blurred Rosa’s eyes as she hugged him back with all of her strength.

“I thought I would lose you and Guin both,” she whispered. “I thought that I would have no one left.”

“That’ll never happen,” Cairbre reassured her, before gently releasing her from his arms. “Now, we’re going to continue the journey on horseback. You’re just about killing us back there, but the carriage still isn't going fast enough. Is that alright with you?” Rosa instantly nodded. Appearing relieved that she wasn’t going to argue, Cairbre smiled at her and turned back towards the carriage, leaving her feeling extremely glad that he was taking control of the situation. If there was one thing she never wanted to do ever again, it was driving a carriage.

Cairbre aided Guinevere in helping Liam out of the carriage. The man was very weak, and wouldn’t be able to keep control of a horse; he’d have to sit behind one of them. “Rosa, can you set loose three of the horses?” Guinevere asked her as she and Cairbre tried to keep Liam upright. “I have no idea where we’re going but we’ve got to get there fast.” She glanced at Liam, concerned about his lack of strength as he leaned against her, doing her best to keep her shoulders squared so that she could support him properly. This was such an unlikely situation, the four of them working together without so much as a sign of a quarrel. It felt so surreal that neither Cairbre or Liam were getting at each other, and Rosa hadn’t offered so much as a glare in Liam’s direction.

On the contrary; Rosa now came forward to help Liam up onto one of the horses. Guinevere hung back for a moment, watching Cairbre as he looked around at the wild landscape, as if expecting to see a company of redcoats ambush them at any moment. He caught her gaze, and his expression immediately softened as she walked towards him.

Guinevere slid her arms around Cairbre’s waist, her smile tremulous with emotion as he touched her red hair. There were so many things she wanted to tell him: how much she loved him, how she wanted to marry him right this moment. It didn’t seem to matter that they’d lost their house and were now on the run; they were alive, and they had each other. Nothing could alter how exultant that made her. She observed Cairbre as his blue eyes scanned her face; she could tell that he felt the same. “I was so scared,” she told him, her voice quiet but brimming with feeling. “I never want to feel that scared again.”

“Nor I.” Cairbre took her hand and gently kissed the palm. “Now… we’ve got to go, Guin.” He paused, wanting them to stay here like this forever despite how urgently they had to leave. But there was plenty of time for them to be together when they were no longer in such terrible danger. They walked towards the horses, and Cairbre helped Guinevere up into the saddle in front of Liam, who was looking no better, his condition only seeming to grow worse.

Guinevere reached out and squeezed Cairbre’s hand, before he threw himself into the saddle of one of the other horses. They were all ready to go; but go where? That was the question.

“Hold onto my waist. Don’t let go or you’ll fall,” Guinevere told Liam, before spurring her horse on into a gallop as the others did so. The three horses thundered across the countryside, a fierce breeze rushing past them as they left the abandoned carriage behind. Over the sound of the thundering hooves, Guinevere spoke again, hoping that Liam could hear her. “I forgot to say thank you to you, by the way. Thank you, for coming to help us. I mean it; we’re so grateful.” She knew that he was very unwell and might not hear her properly, but she couldn’t not say it.

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