Young Writers Society

Jack focused on nothing other than riding. He could have been thinking about how he had wound up being with this half clothed girl, riding towards the scumiest part of Draynor, and trying to find a criminal that gave him his assingments. But he wasn't thinking about that. He didn't care about what the situation was because that's what made him Jack Smith. Jack hadn't learned much in that torture prison, but the things he did had shaped his reputation. He was known for being cold, cruel, uncompassionate. For being ruthless, a scoundrel, and being a all around shady man.
"Jack...I'm queasy." Althea moaned. She had gripped her arms around his waist the entire time.
"That's nice."
"Can we stop?"
"In a little while. Patience. I know where I'm going."
"Well I think we can rest for just a little while because you said I couldn't get dressed. Fair enough?" She paused waiting for a response.
"Fine. We'll make camp over there." Jack said pointing to a field in the far distance. "Just don't ask me to do anything else."

Jack brought the horse around a bend and pulled on the reings, bring them to a sudden stop.

"We'll stay here for the night. But after that, no more stopping."

Jack hopped off the horse, giving a hand to Althea.

"Well, thank you sir." Althea smiled. She could never tell anything with Jack. At times he could be very charming, and at others, almost unbearable to be around.

Once Althea had climbed down of the horse, her feet immediately engulfed in mud. "Well this is lovely," she mumbled to herself.

Jack began walking towards the trees. She figured he was going to find some firewood.

"Do you need anything Jack?"

"No."

"Well, where are you--"

Jack stopped walking and whipped around to face Althea. "Just stop asking so many questions. Just--just trust me, alright?"

Althea sighed. She didn't like not knowing what was going on. "Fine. But if and when you do go to get some fire wood, could you please take me with you? I don't want to be out here by myself."

Jack nodded. "Fine." Then he continued on his path to the woods.

To Althea, it looked like he knew exactly where he was going, almost as if he had something waiting for him in those woods. She had to keep an eye on him. She decided that she was going to follow him.

After he had vanished past the end of the woods, she began to follow his same path into the woods.

"What is wrong with you?" Althea screamed at Jack. The two had been walking for what seemed like hours now.
"What do you mean? You tired?" Jack mockingly whined.
"Yes. And I'm hungry. And I'm not decently dressed. And I'm walking through some god forsaken woods with a bounty hunter that could be leading me to my death! Why are you so cruel?" Jack's face suddenly twisted in agony. He stalked over to her, seemingly doubling in size.
"I'll tell you what's cruel. Living half of your life in a horrible torture prison, your body being twisted in agony, your very mind being warped by cruel sick individuals like you who only want knowledge. That's cruel." He lifted his long black pant legs to reveal horribly scared legs, so twisted and torn they looked like that of a dead man."And those are the nice ones. So are you gonna keep walking, or do I have to make you?"

I'm stuck. Help?

*okay, it was dead, don't just go find a storybook that no ones been posting on and say "I'm stuck." That's just weak. And I can be saying this because this my storybook.*

Inactivity for two weeks does not mean that it's dead, trust me. Why not have your character come meet mine, Jasmine? He's currently at the castle disguised as a knight but I see no reason he couldn't go out riding or something.

Actually, I think it shows interest rather than weakness, but each to his/her own I guess. *shrugs*. Thanks Kit. I'll just do a post to get her out of where she is. Then she'll be out on the road, so you can have your character meet her if you like.

Keturah

He leaned forward and snatched the coins back before I could stop him. I scowled.

"You haven't agreed to anything yet, girl." He reminded me. "Besides, I pay only for a job well done, you know that."

"Fine." I told him smoothly. "You know I'm listening, get on with it."

He grinned. "Alright. Listen closely now. In the palace there is a maid. Pretty little thing, Almaya they call her, if my memory serves me."

I nodded impatitently, wanting him to get to the point. The sooner the job was done, the sooner I'd have coins jinggeling in my pocket, and the happier I'd be.

"Almaya," he went on, "has stolen something from me."

I raised an eyebrow, and sighed, then eyed the door. He got the message, and spoke more quickly. "A ring." He explained. "Plain gold band. Not worth much, but it has sentimental value, see? I want you to retrieve it for me."

The man was losing his marbles. Maids with rings? And how had he even afforded one in the first place? Cheap it may well have been, but it still seemed like a luxury which he'd be hard pressed to afford. Still, I knew very little about him, and cared little, for that matter, just as long as he was paying me.

"Alright." I told him. "I'll get your little ring back. But..."

He sat up a bit straighter, though this seemed to cause him great pain.

"I'll be taking three coins for my troubles, before I bring the ring back to you."

He opened his mouth to protest. I locked my eyes on him. "Maybe I won't do this little job for you afterall."

"You need the money, girl." He growled. "And you're not the only desperate soul around."

"True. But I am the best." And I reached forward and was walking out the door with three coins in my pocket before the old fool was even out of his chair.

Coal

I spent a single night in the castle as Sir William, sleeping beneath the thick, scratchy blanket and washing with icicles the next morning. I did not stay for breakfast the next day but bade a fond farewell to 'my' squire before heading out. It was an hour later that I stopped by a neighbouring stables to collect one of my horses and, by then, I was a man of medium height and build with pale, green eyes and curly red hair.

"You'll be wanting Phoenix, will you Danny?" The Stable hand greeted me, already saddling a chestnut stallion.

"That do be right," I answered. "I do be wanting phoenix." The stable hand chuckled and passed me the reigns, his bruised, coarse hands drawing my attention and I allowed Daniel's eyes to trace the scars and bumps for a moment.

"You take care of yourself Danny, alright?" I jerked my head up at his words and nodded with a friendly smile.

"And the same to you. Take care of yourself Rob," I replied in a cheery tone. Daniel Fawkes was a care free if repetetive young man and it was time I took a ride along the road to pick up a few more scraps of information. Danny was good at that. He was good at making friends. In fact, if he was a real person, I think I might actually like him.

Keturah

As jobs went, I could think of easier ones. Gaining access to the palace was no joke. I knew that there were some guards who could have been swayed, that was just how the times were, but I didn't have time to watch them to see how they acted, knowing that they may well give nothing away.

And so I took a chance.If I didn't get the ring, I wouldn't get the rest of the payment. Starvation was always a risk. I needed to combat it. Besides, pompous, pretentious guards who no doubt enjoyed warm baths and three decent meals a day could have little to feed on save for loyalty alone. And loyalty was easily clouded. I knew that well by now.

If I could just corner one of them, I'd have a better way of manipulating my way into the palace. I hadn't decided on a course of action, but that would very much depend on the reaction which I won.

Bracing myself for the task ahead, I set out on the road towards the palace.

Coal

Riding along the road, I soon came across a young woman. She wasn't particularly pretty with hard, blue eyes and a sickly complexion but she had that look of experience about her, its hard grooves worn into her skin.

"Hello there!" I hailed her, slowing my horse to a walk. My words were met with an icy silence as she proceeded with her determined stride.

"A pleasant day for a walk," I commented cheerily. Again she didn't reply and I found myself intrigued. Surely a shell as hard as this one concealed some valueable information.

"And where are you heading?" I asked. Again, no reply. This truly was perplexing.

"Would you like some company along the way?"

"No I would not," She said at last. "I'm very busy."

"Ah well I'm not busy at all and a journey would do me good. Do you have time to tell me your name, by chance?"

Keturah

"I do if we keep walking." I told him coldly, "though,whether or not I want to tell you is a different question altogether."

I fully expected this to cause him to leave my side. I was so obviously unkeen on his company. However, if he got my not-so-subtle hint, he chose not to take it. He was clearly a fool and I had little patience for fools unless I felt that they could be used to my advantage.

To my intense irritation, he merely laughed good-naturedly. I glared at him. but failed to silence him. Intensely irritated, I picked up my pace, but he was, afterall, the one on horseback, and managed to stay by my side with ease. I couldn't run without attracting suspicion.

"You're not going my way." I pointed out bluntly, when I realised that he seemed intent on following me.

Coal

"That depends," I replied with just a touch of hesitation. She ignored this but the slight shifting of her shoulders told me she was at least a little curious. We proceeded down the mud path that constituted a road and I made a point of looking out at the scenery whilst humming to myself.

"On what?" she demanded sullenly after the prolonged silence.

"Well you didn't tell me where you was going," I answered cheerily.

"If I tell you, will you leave?" The woman asked.

"Depends," I replied with a grin. "I will leave if our two destinations don't coincide." She took a moment to think about this and then nodded to herself.

"I'm going to the palace," she informaed me.

"The palace?" I repeated. "What a coincidence! That's where I'm going too." I grinned across at her and she frowned heavily.

"I'm Fawkes by the way. Daniel Fawkes but my friends call be Danny."

Keturah


"So Fawkes it is then." I muttered, picking up my pace in the hope that he would fall behind. I'd never get anything done if he insisted on gluing himself to my side. I couldn't tell whether he was an idiot, or simply annoying me for his own perverse amusement.

He laughed, as if I'd been joking. I scowled to show him that I hadn't been, but he was undettered. "And your name is?"

"None of your business." I retorted crisply. I hadn't told him when he'd first asked, and I wasn't about to trade my name for his, especially when I hadn't even wanted his in the first place. He smiled. Why was he smiling? I'd have rid myself of him if I wasn't in such a hurry. If I wasn't back within three days, I was sure that Alf would assume that I'd been caught, and find someone else to do the job for him, someone else to give his money to.

"I need to make a stop off." I improvised quickly, knowing that Oliver's base wasn't far.

He shrugged. "I'm in no hurry."

Shaking my head, I moved on, soon drawing to a halt outside Oliver's. As I had hoped, Michael and Slit were outside, watching for someone no doubt.

"Hi Ket." Michael smiled as I approached. Slit gave a slight nod in my direction, words not being his skill.

"I need to see Oliver." I told him.

Michael nodded. "He's in the back. Come on through."

Slit, on the other hand, glanced warily at my "companion".

"One of yours, Ket?" Michael asked.

I shook my head. "Not at all. He followed me here."

Slit's eyes flashed. Smiling to myself, I followed Michael inside. Yes, I had been delayed, but I knew that my little problem wouldn't last long now. Oliver was very private, and, like his son Slit, would act rashly in order to preserve his secrets.

[i]Hope this is ok. I just didn't feel that she'd let Coal go along with her without trying to do something about it.I can edit this if you can't work with it.

No that's great. Will give Coal a chance to show he's a fighter.

Coal

The first man led my new acquaintance inside and as soon as the door closed, the other sauntered over, drawing a sword from his belt.

"Nice to meet you," I grinned at him and nodded.

"Nice to have met you," he agreed with a quiet chuckle. He lunged forward, his sword arching towards my neck but before the blade reached my flesh, it struck the metal of my own weapon.

"Pleasant weather," I noted as he sprang back, his hand ringing with the force of the impact.

"Damn you're fast!" he noted, "but no matter, you just caught me off-guard."

"Lovely place you have here," I complimented him as I stepped forward. What followed next was a series of lunges and blocks before I finally was able to hit him over the head with the flat of my blade and he crumpled to the floor. I dragged the body around the side of the building before changing my appearance. Then I spent a minute or two admiring the man's strong, youthful figure and smooth, handsome jaw. I liked this body.

"Hey Slit!" The man from earlier called. "You done yet? Oliver wants you in here."

"Coming," I responded.

Keturah

"What can I do for you, Keturah?" Oliver asked, smiling. His smile lacked warmth, but most smiles did.

"You've done all you can for me already." I replied. "I just needed to deposit some excess baggage."

He nodded. "And has it been deposited?"

"Outside with Slit." I replied.

"Michael, see if he's done and tell him to come in here." Oliver ordered. Michael obliged, and Slit entered moments later.

"Now, Keturah." Oliver said, leaning forward. "What payment does our service warrant?"

I scowled. I didn't want to spend money I didn't have, especially when it hadn't been my fault that that man had needed to be gotten rid of. Still, I was in Oliver's territory now, and the service, judging from the blood on Slit's shirt, had been done.

"I'll be coming into some money in three days." I told him. "You can expect your pay then."

He frowned. 'Nothing up front then?" He got to his feet and circled me. I stood rigidly, trying not to give so much as a flicker of movement.

"Can't give you what I don't have." I replied crisply.

"Pity." He murmered. And then his hand was in my pocket. I drew my blade, but he already had my three coins in his fist.

"You're a liar, Keturah." He hissed. "And we don't take kindly to liars, do we Slit?"

Keeping my knife in my hand, I told him that his three coins would be tripled it he allowed me the time to aquire them, and said I couldn't very well do what I had set out to do if I died of starvation along the way.

"Well see that you don't starve, Keturah." He smiled. "Michael, go fix up a pack for the girl."

"Oliver, I'll be damned if I'm just gonna let you..."

He laughed. "You think you're not damned already?" His voice dropped to a whisper. "No one knows you're here, Keturah. You know no one would notice, much less care, if you were never seen again."

I poised my knife.

"Be senisible, girl." He hissed. "Do you really think you can kill all three of us?"

I glanced half heartedely at Michael, who had retured clutching a parcel wrapped in cloth and tied with a length of rope, but Oliver was his protection and his sustainer and I couldn't expect him to act in my defence. He put the parcel into my hands. I returned my knife to my belt.

"There's a good girl." Oliver smiled.

I scowled. "I should go."

Oliver spread his arms. "Be my guest. But remember, you owe me six more coins, which I want before sundown on Wednesday."

"You'll have them." I assured him.

"I know I will." He replied. "Because I'm not letting you leave here alone."

"How can I do my job if I have someone tagging along after me?" I growled.

"You know my boys are known for their stealth." He replied.

I was in no position to argue.