The Stolen Child V
No one could tell how long they were asleep, Conner opened his eyes and saw Vex laying nearby along with several sailors. Xeph was again missing, "Vex, are you awake? Does anyone see my nephew?" He noticed that no one had any weapons, most didn't even have boots on any longer. "Damn." he said realizing something was amiss. He rolled onto his stomach and crawled over to Vex and shook her, "Vex, wake up." When she didn't immediately wake he put his ear to her chest to make sure she was still alive.
Vex groggily came to, and when she did she felt a heavy pressure on her chest. When she opened her eyes lo and behold but the Ravenwood heir's head was betwixt her breasts. The first thing she did... was instinct. She punched him in the face. Hand balled into a fist faster than the thought of moving him even moved through her mind. Her face went red with rage. She didn't make a noise and her breath was silent. The only thing she could think of even wanting to do was throttle the boy on top of her.
He was just about to move his head when she punched him, Conner pulled away and his hand went to his face. "I was making sure you were breathing you ingrate." he chastised her as he held his nose. "If I was going to molest you don't you think I'd open your top!?" Several men around the cell chuckled and a couple murmured that the man was right a naked woman was better to touch then one that was dressed. Conner glared at them and they grew silent and most went back to keeping watch.
Vex sat up and realized she had no shoe's on. Which was weird. She ignored the men. She looked at Conner for half a second before slapping him hard in the face. "Next time, either assume I'm a corpse and don't touch me or just wait to see if I wake on my own!" She hissed at him. She stood then and began to take a good look at where they were and who was and wasn't with them any longer.
Conner fired back, "Why let you die if I could cast a healing spell and save your ungrateful hide. Besides if you were dead you would have failed your mission then?" WHile he hated to admit she was there to protect him, he figured she'd have to admit if she was dying then he would have been justified in helping her. From the cell they could see a large cavernous area with a great many other cells and all the way at the bottom was water and several ships. It was obvious wherever they were was huge.
"Then I died doing my job with honor." Vex shrugged her shoulders. While she didn't want to die, it was a part of the job she had accepted. Part of being a body guard is putting the other persons life above your own. She was calming down a great amount. She was trying to judge just what was going on. "Keeping me alive would benefit the both of us... but you mostly." Vex said as an after thought, as she gentle reached out to touch the bars. She had heard of some nasty things, she was testing the limits and what was being done to them. Was there someone or something on watch? could she perhaps squeeze through the bars?
The bars were hot to the touch and she barely made contact with them. One of the men called out, "The bars over here are cold enough to injury as well." Counting heads, less than half of the crew was here and all of them were missing boots and weapons. The captain was sitting nearby, recovering from the wound that Conner had healed before they turned to Vex being unconscious. "There are only three other ships here, so either not all these cells are full or not all the taken ships are below.
"Have you seen any type of guard?" Vex asked as she again took everything in. If she could see something... anything that might give them clue's to what was going on or why someone would take their shoe's for example. She didn't like being without a weapon, and she certainly didn't like being caged. She had to think about what was going on and how best to get them free. Who in the world controlled that huge sea monster as well? Was it a pet or a summoned thing?
"Nay, no guards yet and we haven't heard anything from the adjoining cells." The sailor at the other set of bars volunteered. Some time later they could hear several people approaching, and three guards appeared in front of the cell. "Conner Ravenwood, step forward and come with us." the one in the lead said eyeing the group.
"Not without me." Vex said standing in front of Conner, blocking their view of him with her own body. She was a body guard, it was her job to always take the first, slash or bolt, or arrow even. Her arms were folded and she was scowling, she would be intimidating if she had shoes and weapons and wasn't behind bars.
"If Ravenwood will not step forward before the count of three we will harm the infant and everyone in this cell until he does." was her response. Even before she could say or do anything Conner piped up, "No need, I'm Conner Ravenwood and I will go with you. Vex stand down." He walked forward and placed his hand on her shoulder and whispered, "Better we know our enemy than fight a losing war here in cells."
"Or kill them all and take everyone by surprise." Vex growled out softly. It was her job to keep him safe. If she failed she would never get another job again, her reputation would be ruined and no one would hire her again. Might as well die for all the good letting him die would gain her. That and the child they had attempted to rescue was another life she was in charge of. Who would be behind a scheme so large or attacks so largely elaborate that they could afford to pull it all off.
The guards waited until everyone moved back, Conner seemed calm as they began to open the door. "Vex, I will be fine. If they went to all this trouble to capture us then they won't kill me very quickly." He then stepped out into the hallway and waited patiently as the guard re-locked the door then they left. "He seems confident, much like his father I reckon." stated the captain.
"On the inside perhaps." Vex stated leaning against the wall her mood very sour indeed. She could think of plenty of things one didn't have to kill to accomplish. The only reason she hadn't moved was because if they were to take a boat home they needed the crew mostly intact and alive because she knew nothing of sailing. Killing quickly... no killing slowly that was still the big problem. Vex crossed her arms and scowled. She could do nothing but wait.
An hour later the boots returned, "Nursemaid, step forward. The rest stand back or we kill you all." It seemed as if this was her chance to see who was behind all this.
Vex would have snarled a comeback but, she had become a nursemaid to the other Ravenwood child. Thank to Conner. Because of Conner. She schooled her features and stepped forward. As close as she really dared to the bars, and the guards themselves. She had no weapons but she knew how to kill without any weapons. She had no shoes but again dead men didn't need shoes. She did hope that they didn't kill the sailors once she was gone.
Her hands were bound and she was led through several hallways, her training gave her a map back to the sailors however. Finally, they stopped in front of a set of double doors where the first guard knocked and waited for admittance. The room was amazing even by nobility standards, the wood shone and the walls were adorned with beautiful tapestries, it was hard to believe they were inside a living creature underwater. At the far end was a raised area one would see a lord sitting holding court. In front of the angled sigil was a table where Conner sat on one side and a man in a half mask sat across. Off to one side was Xeph and his elven kidnapper, now it seemed the child wanted nothing to do with the woman. "Ah, I see your woman has come to join us as I had told my men. Come, sit beside your master woman." he commanded. Obviously Conner had managed to concoct some story in which she was not his protector, but his servant.
With some effort Vex managed not to snarl in rage or throw the table at Conner. With greater effort she kept her face relatively calm. Seeing as they were outnumbered and out powered she complied and slowly made her way to Conner's side to sit. There was something nagging her about this place. Like something she should have remembered or had forgotten. Vex stayed silent and contained, but it was all an act, for whatever story Conner had made up.
The Stolen Child VII
Stumble!