Hoping to Catch One Another, Tag: Reigan, Gideon (poss. Lieth, Rami)

[Janus Raghnall]

Janus found that, despite everything, he could not stop himself from pouting somewhat. Reigan had remained out of his reach for over a day now, a fact that soured the elf's usual impassive nature, all because her blasted, touchy-feely tutor refused to let her ride with him. He was not a man who dealt kindly with those who took away his toys, but there was little that he could do about it...for now.
He was still a little tired from eluding and/or killing assassins after he raided the Belwen's barn, riding like hell to lose any that remained, AND getting only a few minutes of shut-eye before they were on their way north. Even if he wanted to bludgeon Gideon with a branch, he was far too lazy to actually do so. Instead, he slumped in his saddle, sword tethered in arms reach.


Perhaps, if Gideon decided to be especially impudent, he'd send a swing his way. If he felt like it.

[Gideon Avery]

SO I totally got a mental image of Gideon and Janus as small children fighting over toys...thought I'd share.

~*~

Reigan sat slumped, her head leaning back against Gideons chest. She'd been drifting in and out of awareness the whole day, and still the riding was starting to wear her out. "How much farther is it?" She muttered with a sigh. She hoped they'd be somewhere with a warm bed soon, she felt like she had the flu because of that stupid dart.

"We'll be there soon Reigan." Gideon said. The ride had been hard on him as well, it wasn't easy to ride and hold someone else on the horse at the same time. Thankfully Janus had been quite and oddly passive most of the ride. He was getting angry vibes from him, but as long as he wasn't acting on his anger or frustration then it didn't really matter to Gideon what was wrong. He wasn't about to ask, as he suspected he allready knew the answer, and wouldn't be getting the truth from janus anyway.

"Will Leithry be here?" Reigan asked quitely, still upset about having to have left her sister with the likes of Ramiel.

"I don't know Reigan. I hope so. if they're not then we'll move on as quickly as we can. We'll find them eventually. Ramiel is a smart man Reigan, no matter how much you happen to dislike him." Gideon said with a slight sigh.

Gideon could see the town approaching in the distance. Letting go of Reigan for a moment he tugged the hood of his cloak up, to be sure and cover most of his face. If the assassins were still on their trail, he didn't want anyone in the town to recognize him. Reigan was fairly well concealed where she sat, as her face was mostly pressed into his chest. "We'll have to be careful in the town. I don't want anyone to see us if they don't have to. Try not to draw any attention our way okay?" he said, more for Reigan then for Janus. He didn't think Janus was the type to stir up any attention if it didn't benefit him in any way.

[Janus Raghnall]

(...I might have to draw that now, lol! It could be a little Reigan doll! XD)

~*~

As the buildings began to take shape in the distance, the lines of wood and stone etching across the walls and rooftops, Janus let go of his venom for Gideon for the time being. He made a point of flipping up the broad collar of his coat, doing his best to appear inconspicuous despite his lack of a hood. Granted, he was quite a step up from most of the locals in the appearance department, as were his better-hidden companions...even with his eyes to the ground, he could feel the stares of the village people as they passed.
Shifting soundlessly in his saddle, the elf leaned over until he could speak to Gideon without worrying about eavesdroppers, maintaining his balance easily as they plodded along. "Perhaps we should try to find lodging on the outskirts of town?" he suggested, his voice quiet as an exhaled breath. "The fewer people we encounter, the better. Plus, we've a better chance of making a quick escape if the situation calls for it." He knew that Gideon would most likely be opposed to the idea. Inns outside of the city's heart were typically places where the rowdier, less civilized patrons tended to stay...there were fewer guards patrolling the perimeter, which meant more fun for them. Still, such a move may come as unexpected by their pursuers.

Without waiting for a response, Janus righted himself and clucked his horse along, moving to take the lead ahead of the noble pair as he navigated the street. He kept his eyes open for anything that may aid them tonight, any possible advantage he could find. Luckily, it wasn't long before they came across an inn centered between a large store and an open marketplace. The store was a story lower than the inn and stood close, giving them the option of escaping across the rooftop if needed. Likewise, the marketplace provided a great deal of concealment with its many tents and awnings. Further up the street lay an opening in the city's walls, providing them with a way out into the protection of the trees. All in all, it was the best option he'd seen so far.

"Why don't we try this one up here? It doesn't look too terribly shabby." the dark-haired elf remarked, swiveling in his seat to glance back at Gideon. "I can check to see if they have room for us."

[Gideon Avery]

Gideon sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Yes, this is fine." He said, his temper becoming a little bit short. He would have preferred they stay some place else entirely, but the inn didn't look entirely irreputeble. They did rather need somewhere to stay, and they needed to find it fast. Reigan was barely awake as it was, and she was fading rather quickly. She needed to be out of the open as soon as possible, for both her health and her safety.

"Fine, go see if they have a room." He said, trying to hold his temper back. Biting his lip he looked at Janus for a moment. "Wait. Janus...why don't you ask if they have two rooms we can use. Just in case. You never know when extra space will be needed." He said, giving Janus a slight glare. He wouldn't be sleeping in the same room with them, and in the even he had to then he wouldn't be sleeping anywhere near Reigan.

"Are we stopping?" Reigan muttered, shifting slightly in front of Gideon. "Yes, we are. We'll be in a room shortly Reigan, just hold on for a little bit longer okay?" he said, giving her a reassuring squeeze.

"Mkay.." She muttered. "Thats my girl..." he said, biting his lip again. He did wish he could make things easier for her, but that was impossible. Hopefully she would sleep for awhile, it would make things easier for everyone.

[Janus Raghnall]

Janus returned the older man's glare with one of his own, his eyes ablaze in contrast to his placid expression. Without a word, he gracefully dismounted from his horse, handing the reins off to the first stable-boy to scurry forward before striding aggressively into the inn.
To say that the tutor's attitude had rubbed him the wrong way would be a terrible understatement.

He was met by a smiling woman just past the door, her round face pleasant despite the hoots and hollering from the bar on the other side of the room. "Might you be staying with us tonight, sir?" she questioned, tucking her washrag into the pocket of her skirt. Janus managed a pleasant smile in return, inclining his head. "If you would, ma'am, I'd appreciate two rooms." The woman nodded in understanding, turning to fetch the room keys needed when Janus suddenly reached out and took her gently by the elbow. She turned back to peer at him quizzically, a blush spreading across her face when he gave her a roguish grin.

"On second thought...we only need one room." Leaning closer to the girl, the elf tilted his head ever so slightly to the side, his gaze intense with unhindered seduction. "Though I'd gladly pay you for both if you'd only keep the status of your vacancies from my travelmate."
The woman was weak against his alluring persuasion. She could only manage a feeble nod and a shy smile before she pressed the room key into his hand. "Room 27, sir...our last of the evening. Please enjoy your stay."

With a final wink and a grin, Janus turned on his heel and headed back out into the street, muffling his improved mood as he set his eyes on Gideon and Reigan still waiting nearby.
"There was only one room left." he explained stoically, though, inside, he was laughing. "I suppose we'll just have to make do for tonight. Follow me, and I'll show you to the room."

[Gideon Avery]

Gideon frowned at him for a moment. "Very well." He said. Dismounting from the horse he helped Reigan down. Hoisting her into his arms he looked at Janus. "Lead the way." He followed Janus to the room after a moment.

There was only one bed in the room, and a chair off sitting in the corner. Reigan had allready passed out in his arms, so he set her down on the bed. "I'm going to sit with Reigan until I know that she's okay. You can sleep in there chair if you'd like, I'll move to the floor later." He said, not really planning on moving to the floor. He sat down on the bed next to Reigan, who was firmly asleep already.

"Do try and get some sleep. We have several long days ahead of us." Gideon said, holding back a yawn. Leaning back against the wall the bed was pushed against he closed his eyes. He'd wake up if Reigan needed him. Closing his eyes he was out after several seconds. He had had a rather long day after all.

~*~

Reigans eyes fluttered open several hours later. Sitting up in bed she looked around for a moment, without really taking anything in. It would have been very obvious to anyone watching her that she was sleep walking, but it wasn't anything she'd have been able to stop. Getting up she stood for a moment, still rather wobbly on her feet. After a moment she shuffelled to the door, running into a few things on her way, but not feeling any of it. She paused for a moment at the door, and then grabbed the door knob. Opening it swiftly she walked out, not knowing where she was going, but not really caring either.

[Janus Raghnall]

Janus plopped down in the chair without complaint, dropping his things beside him as he eyed Gideon knowingly. "How very kind of you, teacher." he replied, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. Though he would have liked to further provoke the Belwen's tutor, he reasoned that sleep was a much preferable alternative. He hadn't slept well for days now, and it was beginning to show in his shortened patience.
Crossing his arms over his chest, the elf sighed quietly. If he were lucky, fate would grant them at least one night of peace.


~*~


At the sound of shuffling, Janus cracked an eyelid warily. He'd managed to doze on and off for the past few hours, waking every so often to ensure that their situation had not changed.

To his surprise, he noticed that Reigan has somehow woken and was now bumping clumsily towards the door. "Milady Reigan?" he called softly, watching as she paused. Perhaps she needed to use the restroom?
When she didn't reply, Janus got to his feet, his movements hurried when he realized that she had opened the door and was heading out into the hall. "Milady?" he called again, this time a little louder. He cast a quick glance at Gideon, still asleep in bed, and frowned in annoyance. So much for help.

Trotting unhesitatingly into the hallway after the silent girl, Janus watched as she wobbled further away from him, heading towards the common area- and the bar. 'She's...thirsty?' he pondered, his expression doubtful. Something wasn't right. He had to catch up with her before she got too far ahead.
Jogging easily to her side, the ravenesque man reached out to carefully grab Reigan's arm, halting her in her steady progress into the open space of the common area. Moving around so that he could see her face, Janus furrowed his brow in concern. "Milady, what are you doing so late at night? Is there something I can help you with?" he asked, watching her face for any signs of change. Her expression was unusually blank...as if she weren't aware of her surroundings.

[Gideon Avery]

"Everything is fine." She said, looking at him, but not really looking at him. She could see everything around her, but it was like she didn't really have control over anything that was happening around her, she was just letting herself float along, whatever happened, happened. She felt like she was dreaming, so thats how she was going to react.

"What are ye doing up so late?" A random man at the bar asked, looking over at her. "A pretty thing like you needs her beauty sleep." He said, giving her a slight smile.

Reigan looked in his direction, but didn't say anything. She wasn't really aware of what was going on anyway. "Did you not like your room? You could always come back to mine." He said rather drunkenly.

Reigan looked at him for a moment and then looked back at the table in front of her, she really couldn't figure out what the hell was going on. She would have probably gone with him, simply because she'd give into most suggestions at the moment, but she couldn't move of her own will for some reason.

The man looked at her for a moment and then frowned. "Quiet little thing aren't you." He said, reaching over to touch her arm. "Be a good girl and speak when your spoken to..."

[Janus Raghnall]

Janus felt himself bristle as the man at the bar turned his attention on Reigan, trying to steal her for his own pleasure. The fact that he was doing so right in front of his very eyes only further fueled his immense distaste for the him. What could this drunk possibly be thinking, flirting while he, her companion, held her back?
However, what puzzled him more was the fact that Reigan was saying absolutely nothing in her defense. Instead, she seemed confused or disoriented...like she knew no direction. And yet nothing had exploded into flames. Perturbing.

The elven man, in all his musings, was brought back to reality as the drunk suddenly overstepped his bounds by reaching out for Reigan's free arm. Without a thought behind it, Janus brought his own arm down upon the drunk's with a sickening crack, his lips pulled back in a vicious snarl. "You, swine, are not fit to touch her!" he snapped, wrenching Reigan back and away from the bar before anyone else could try to grab her. The drunken man's howls of pain shattered the amiable chatter that had previously filled the common room, drawing the attention of everyone in earshot. Some looked utterly dumbfounded, while others glared daggers at the cause of the commotion.
Not wanting to start a brawl, though he ached to break the drunken offender's bones beneath his hands, Janus continued to back away, carefully pulling Reigan along with him. "Come now, Milady...you needn't be wandering this place at this time of night." he murmured close to her ear. Soon, Janus found that they had finally reached the hallway, a relatively safer place to retreat than the open air they'd been in only moments earlier.

Making sure that they were not being followed, the elf glanced agitatedly down the hall before turning to face Reigan once again, his hands on either of her shoulders and he shook her gently. "Lady Reigan, what on earth were you thinking? Do you know what kind of trouble you nearly got yourself into?" The concern on his face was partially true, stemming from his outrage that he had almost lost his prize to a slobbering fool, but it still made his pale features beautiful in the dim lamplight.

[Gideon Avery]

Reigan looked at him for a moment "Everything is fine." She said, repeating her previous statement. She could see Janus in front of her, but she couldn't figure out for the life of her what she was doing in the hallway, everything seemed like it was in some sort of fog. She kept having past memories run through her head, and couldn't sort out which ones were real, and what was happening at the moment.

"Janus?" She asked, having a random moment of clarity, and then slipping right back into her dream-like state. Reaching out she grabbed his shirt, if only to keep upright. Swaying a little bit she looked up at him. "Everything is fine..." She repeated herself again.

Leaning forward she placed her head on his chest, she didn't really know what she was doing, but he felt safe and that was all that really mattered to her. She stepped in closer to him and pressed her body against his. "Everything is fine..."

[Janus Raghnall]

At hearing his name, Janus smiled. There was definitely something peculiar going on with Reigan, but at least she had been able to recognize him above anything else. It tickled his ego, feeding his desire to win the game he had started in the Belwen mansion.
"That's right, milady." he breathed, squeezing her shoulders lightly. To his unending surprise, the girl before him suddenly swayed with uncertainty, her fists bunched in his shirt as she tried not to fall. He let his hands move from her shoulders, enveloping her in his arms even as she herself decided to lean against him for support. "Don't worry, Reigan..." he whispered into her hair, his mouth finding her temple and fluttering lightly over it. "You're exactly right. Everything is fine...I'm here. I've got you." Inclining his head forward, the dark-haired elf nuzzled the captive noble's cheek, gently urging her face towards his before pressing his lips against the corner of her mouth. He waited, testing and teasing to see how Reigan would respond to his affections in her current state.

[Gideon Avery]

Reigan pulled back for a second and then looked at Janus, her eyes shifting in and out of focus. Looking at him for a moment she blinked. "Janus?" She asked again, pausing for a moment longer before falling back into her sleep walking state a moment later.

Grabbing onto his shirt, she kissed him hard on the mouth, her mind going back to when they had been at the cabin. She wasn't even sure what had been going on then either, everything lately seemed like it had been in some sort of a dream-state as opposed to having been real.

Leaning in closer she pushed herself up so she was standing on her tip-toes and leaning fully into him. Wrapping her arms around the back of his neck she kissed him again, unaware of what she was doing, and really not caring. As far as she was concerned the whole thing was a dream anyway.

[Janus Raghnall]

Fire raced to his core as Reigan's behavior became aggressive, warming him. He felt the corner of his mouth lift into a smirk as he kissed her back, enjoying the feeling of the elven girl pressing herself against him. He had known that she would respond to his subtle prodding eventually, offering her body to him in a moment of desire...he simply didn't think it would happen this soon.

Easing her shoulders against the wall with slow, even movements, Janus left one hand to trail leisurely up Reigan's side while the other nestled itself against her cheek, stroking over her skin with the pad of his thumb. He savored the luxurious softness of her lips, never hesitating to taste them with his own even when he itched to send them exploring someplace much more interesting.
He was aware of eyes on them despite not paying attention to their surroundings, but the elf was far from caring at this point. Gideon was still sound asleep; he'd have known if the Belwen's bumbling tutor had woken up. Anyone else was simply not worth his time, especially not when he had such a delicious opportunity sandwiched between himself and the wall.

Eventually, the onlookers moved about their business, and Janus was free to try bolder maneuvers as he continued to lavish his attentions on Reigan's eager mouth. The hand at her cheek slid slowly down her neck, continuing its quest along her side, brushing gently past her breast and onward to her hips before climbing back up to repeat the process. Every little reaction served to feed his swelling ego, bringing him immense satisfaction at being able to illicit such a response.

[Gideon Avery]

Reigan suddenly took a sharp breath and yanked her head back. "What the hell..." She asked, looking at Janus for a moment. "Oh my god, what's going on?" She asked, wondering how the hell she got from the bed to...where ever she was. "Where AM I? GIDEON?" She yelped. Moments later a vase full of flowers burst into flames.

Reigan looked at the now steadily burning flowers and then back at Janus. Holding his gaze for a moment her eyes rolled up into the back of her head and quickly passed out.

~*~

Gideon woke with a start upon hearing his name yelped. Sitting up so quickly he saw spots before his eyes, he was moving and out the door before he could blink. "REIGAN?" He yelped smelling smoke before he ever saw it.

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?"

[Janus Raghnall]

Janus brought his arms to a screeching halt when Reigan pulled away from him, his hands planted safely upon her waist. He opened his mouth to explain the close proximity of his body to hers, ready to use her unusual sleepwalking state as an excuse for him to be this close to her, but was silenced when she spoke first.
She sounded confused at first, and then increasingly alarmed as she glanced at their surroundings. Warning bells thundered in his head when she suddenly called for Gideon. "Milady, please calm down..." he began, hoping to subdue her before Gideon could be roused. Unfortunately for the ravenesque elf, the distinct 'thunk' of Gideon's shoes hitting the floor drifted from under the nearby door, and he knew he had mere seconds to think of an excuse before they were caught. It didn't help that things were beginning to catch ablaze around them.

Locking his eyes on Reigan's, Janus was surprised to see her returning his gaze intently. Again, he opened his mouth to speak, but the words died on his tongue as the girl in his arms suddenly slumped in his embrace. He quickly adjusted his hold on her in order to better support her, one hand moving to the small of her back while the other maneuvered its way to her shoulder.
The elf was lifting Reigan into his arms when Gideon came skidding into the hallway like it was he who was on fire. Once he was sure she wasn't going to topple from his hold, Janus quickly swept his hand in the burning vase's direction, moisture gathering at his fingertips before bursting forward in a rush. The draw of magic lifted through him, tingling its way from his core in a familiar sensation. Once sure that the fire had been extinguished, he then turned to calm Gideon before the man had a heart attack.

"Relax, teacher." he began, completely composed despite the confusion only seconds ago. "Her ladyship is fine...I woke to find her missing, and when I went to look for her, she was stumbling about in the hallway and muttering to herself. I believe she was sleepwalking." he explained coolly, brushing past the Belwen's tutor and into the room once again. He laid Reigan onto the bed without waiting for Gideon's instruction, sitting beside her as he lowered her head to the pillow. "You'll be fine in the morning once you stop dreaming and actually get some sleep." he murmured quietly, smoothing her hair back from her face. Reigan was beginning to turn into quite a handful for one little girl...and yet, he was still intrigued by the thought of having her. Janus was sure that he would never fully understand why.

[Reigan Belwen]

Gideon blinked as Janus walked past him. "Sleep walking?" He asked, following Janus with his eyes, but unable to get his legs to move. "She's never done that before. Why didn't I wake up? He asked aloud, more for himself then anything. "She could have been hurt, for gods sake she could have even burnt down the building...' He muttered, finally kicking himself into gear.

Walking into the room after Janus he quickly looked Reigan over, he got the sense that Janus wasn't telling him the whole truth, but he couldn't exactly force anything out of him either. He sat on the bed next to her and quickly checked to make sure she hadn't done any further damage to herself, now was not a good time for set backs. All he could see were a few bumps and bruises "She must've run into something... He muttered with a sigh. "I'll stay awake this time, I couldn't forgive myself if she was hurt...'

[Janus Raghnall]

"Perhaps this was a side-effect from the poison..?" he mused aloud, lightly drumming his fingers over his lips while his other hand remained discreetly at Reigan's wrist. Her pulse was quickly returning to normal, and he could tell by the subtle relaxation of her muscles that she was fast asleep yet again.

Deciding that the bed was beginning to become a tad too crowded for his liking now that Gideon had joined him at Reigan's other side, Janus pushed himself to his feet and moved back to the chair by the window. Drawing the curtain back with a crooked finger, the elf observed the darkened street below with a new-found watchfulness, replying quietly, "Whatever makes you feel useful. I'd encourage that you tie her down, however, if you don't want her stumbling into the room's oh-so-lovely interior. I can't say for certain whether or not this will be a one time thing, so taking precautions might be the best solution for now."

[Gideon Avery]

"I pray it was merely a side affect." Gideon sighed, looking Reigan up and down once more. She was very troubled lately, he didn't want anything else piled onto her head of ever growing problems. With everything going on, who knew what kind of effect it would have on the poor girl. Gideon knew she wasn't defenseless, but he viewed her as fragile nevertheless.

"And tie her down?" Gideon asked, looking over at Janus with a frown. "You cannot be serious."" He sighed, shaking his head. Running a hand through his hair he grumbled something to himself, wondering how things had ever gotten this difficult. "She would kill the both of us when she woke up. Not to mention the fact that she may injure herself further if we restrain her like that."

"No. We can watch her." Gideon said, considering all of their options. He still didn't trust Janus in the slightest, but he hadn't killed either of them yet, despite ample opportunity, so he supposed he should at least have faith Janus wouldn't harm Reigan. "She's a small girl, we can take care of her. If need be we can take shifts." Gideon said, not entirely liking the idea of shifts, but unsure of what else to propose. He sighed, looking over at Reigan, who was still fast asleep. Running his hands over her hair, and smoothing it away from her face he frowned despite himself. "How much more trouble can she cause?" He asked, unwilling to tear his eyes away from her again. If she moved again, he would know it. No more slipping by him.

"Her sister and Ramiel should appear soon." he said, glancing quickly over at Janus. "We can work something out then if its still a problem."

~*~

((Where in gods name where we going with this? I don't remember...Ahh!!))

[Janus Raghnall]

(I believe it was rather open-ended at this point. We could have them get attacked again and need to run, or we could have them go to sleep and wake up the next morning to either a ) meet up with Ramiel and Liethry, or B ) continue on their way. Whatever works for me!)

"Whatever's best for her ladyship." was all Janus managed to say, his attentions too focused on other things to really take in all that Gideon had said. Honestly, the man whined more than anything if Reigan was involved...it was ridiculous.

Still, he understood the important parts of Gideon's response, those being that a ) Reigan would burn them alive if they tied her down, whether she was conscious of it or not, and B ) Reigan's nagging sister and their suspicious acquaintance would be coming to meet them sooner than he expected. It was the second part that perturbed him the most, as he would (hopefully) be competent enough to extinguish himself if set ablaze. Trying to woo Reigan while also avoiding the attention of three additional persons, all of them of relative closeness, would be difficult.

Perhaps a diversion would be more welcome then not at this point. The elf was hardly scared of a couple of ragtag mercenaries, confident that he could fend them off or kill them AND defend Reigan...as long as she was reasonably nearby.

He continued to stare out into the dark streets, watching and hoping for the flicker of shadows.