Harlequin

Chapter 2: A Inn-lesss Performance.

"damn wind, I cant get the fire to stay sometimes I wish I was an elemental." Fae grumbled slumping back on the floor beside Kane.

"are you Cold My dear?" Kane asked charmingly.

He plastered on his most charming and endearing smile as she looked at him shivering even as she shook her head.

Without any warning Kane shifted close to Fae and pulled her into his chest, his blanket engulfed her and her own, shifting for a moment they shared their rough blankets with each other and huddled close for warmth, neither of them slept.

Their eyes were peeled for any attack that could happen, each on edge and more aware than they would of liked to of been so close to each other. Their eyes scanned the dark wilderness, the snow specked darkness revealed nothing, but they still stared into its abyss.

Kane felt the winds change, the cold bite of the nights air subtly changed to the nip of morning, his neck ached from the hard rock that had been prodding him, the arm he had draped over Fae had deadened and become difficult to move.

Before the sun rose they both packed away their roughly woven wool blankets into small pouches, and strode off once more. Their strides stiff as they made their way down a jagged slope, the decent proved as difficult, if not more than the ascent.

Kane surveyed everything around him, taking in the bright snow capped peaks and the valley below but he skimmed over their beauty. The itchy feeling of eyes on his back made him turn his head to look back several times as they slowly made their way out of the snowy region of the mountains.

"Yalestone is just at the bottom of this range, we should see it soon, and we can resupply and gather intelligence on the troupe." Fae told Kane, she spoke simply to make conversation rather than to inform Kane of what they were going to do. They had barely uttered more than several words to each other since the morning, the sun and risen and arced it's way halfway across the sky without a word.

"hmm. I need a smith." Kane muttered absently.

"uh, why? We're running low on funds, what could you possibly need. I better get a room tonight

Kane I swear I will-"

"never Fear Lady Fae, I will do my up most to ensure you have a luxurious room tonight." Kane interrupted.

"you better after that stunt in Gaida." Fae grumbled.

"I thought we weren't going to mention Gaida again!" Kane said with slight embarrassment.

"why the hell did you think that pair of bimbo's would know the duke? Seriously you are a sucker for a pretty face a nice rack. They completely conned you, If I weren't around then we would of lost all out Sterling." Fae burst out.

"i know."

Kane mumbled something under his breath In a huff.

"what was that ?"

"they had a nice arse too." Kane grudgingly told Fae.

A look of in-credulousness turn into anger as she turned and swiftly stormed towards Yalestone, Kane rubbed his eyes in frustration, it had always been like that with Fae, any other girl he could charm and twist around his finger except the girl he wanted most. He knew she liked him too but there was a gap between them, his reputation and her position. And their fathers, their mothers wanted them to make a union but their fathers were set against it.

Kane caught up with Fae as they neared the outskirts of Yalestone, a small mountain enclosed village. Snow fell gently to the ground and layered the wooden houses, the villagers walked in Ox skin coats with furry hoods. Kane and fae garnered stares from the villagers as they made their way to the smiths, Kane had insisted on visiting it first. Kane didn't take off his mask or move it to the side so people could see his face, it was forbidden for a banished to remove his mask, it was the punishment for donning it. Fae kept hers on the side of her head, letting the world bask in her brilliant eyes and her rueful smiles. The smiths forge was the only building relatively free of snow as the roar of its fires melted before it laid.