Forbidden Love [Midnightdaystar & iTerrrruhfied]

[MidnightDaystar]

Zane laughed softly, "You just did, but you can ask whatever you like." He took a bite of his fruit and smiled at Tillie, the glow from the fire casting some very beautiful shadows across her face.  

[terrahbyte]

Tillie giggled, as her cheeks flushed, "I'm sorry." she said between her giggles. "Zane, you know what my parents are like, but I don't know anything of your childhood. What were your parents like? Did they raise you to be a thief?" she asked.  

[MidnightDaystar]

Zane's face almost immediately changed from a smile to a darker expression, he looked into the fire and held his fruit loosely. "My parents died when I was about five, I began roaming the streets, scavenging and begging for food. I would sometimes steal to live." He laughed softly, a slight dark tinge in his echo-less laugh, "Then one day I picked the wrong pocket, I was caught by the man I had picked from. I was sure that I was going to loose my hand, but the man let go of my hand and knelt before me and said, "I have seen what you have been doing here young one, if you do not wish to be caught by someone that will not spare you, then come with me. I have somewhere you can learn to improve your ways of the shadow.'" Zane shrugged and glanced at Tillie, "So I went with him and he taught me almost everything I know about being a thief. He was the grandmaster of a thief's guild, and a was the nonofficial grandmaster's shadow. When he died, only a few years ago, I quietly slipped away from the guild, and have been on my own ever sense." He smiled at Tillie softly, "Well, until now."  

[terrahbyte]

Tillie's usual happiness drained from her face as Zane spoke of his childhood. She sat silently for several moments after he finished speaking, absorbing it all. Then she looked up into his eyes, "I am sorry that you had to endure such hardships. I am thankful that someone took you under their wing though." she said, her voice dull.  

[MidnightDaystar]

Zane laughed softly, "It wasn't so hard, I spent most of my time in an orphanage, they kept me alive but the food was terrible. I used what I picked to line the coiffures to help pay for better food."  

[terrahbyte]

Tillie's face lightened up, and she sat up, interested. "Well that is a very admirable thing to do!." she said. She then asked, "Could you tell me a story of your travels?"  

[MidnightDaystar]

Zane laughed slightly, "Well I could tell you of a time that I lived above a tavern..."  

[terrahbyte]

Tillie switched her position from sitting cross legged to sitting with her arms wrapped around her knees, and propped her head on her knees. She smiled, "Tavern... that is like a restaurant." she said, vaguely remembering passing one in her kingdom. "People live above them?" she asked, her expression incredulous.  

[MidnightDaystar]

Zane shrugged "Well I had made an agreement with the owner to let me use one of the rooms long term. It was more of a bar then a restaurant. Anyway, would you like to hear the story, I was a bit mischievous when i was younger."  

[terrahbyte]

Tillie was quiet as she made a mental note of what a tavern was. She smiled realizing how little she knew about the world. Then she nodded her head, "Yes, I want to hear your story, Zane." she said.  

[MidnightDaystar]

Zane closed his eyes as he remembered the details, "All right, I was living above the front door of this tavern, and at times a single person, drunk out of his mind, would stand outside, I'm guessing to clear his head, anyway, I would make some sounds like someone was fighting, then throw a stuffed dummy out the window. I had it set up so that it had a rope attaching it's head to the rest of it, and from it's body back to my room. The person would panic and run inside, then I pulled the dummy back up to my room and watch what happened. It usually ended with the drunk man going home. After awhile, I started hearing a rumor around town that the tavern was haunted, and more people started showing up to see the phantom fighters, as they had come to be known. I stopped after people were taking turns standing outside, keeping watch."  

[terrahbyte]

Tillie's eyes were wide as she listened to the story, and they sparkled with excitement. When he was finished Tillie was overcome with laughter for a while. Then she looked at Zane, her face questioning, "Zane, are you saying that you can drink your mind out of your head?" she asked, her tone very serious, and worried.  

[MidnightDaystar]

Zane laughed aloud, trying not to laugh too hard, "No Tillie, it means that the person has drank so much that they can't think right, their mind doesn't actually fall out."  

[terrahbyte]

Tillie twirled a strand of hair and considered some of the ways people had behaved at parties that her parents had hosted. She could understand why someone would use that saying. She laughed along with Zane, but her laugh was cut short with a yawn. She covered her mouth with her hand until it was finished. Then she smiled at Zane, "I am exhausted, Zane." she said, leaning her head on his shoulder.  

[MidnightDaystar]

Zane smiled warmly down at Tillie and pushed a few strands of hair out of her face, "Lets go to sleep then." He stood up careful to not let her drop to the ground and put out the fire by scooping dirt onto it, then helped Tillie to the blanket, "You're sure you don't mind sharing this with me? I could sleep without if you want..."