9 comments/ 8621 views/ 8 favorites Chopin Ch. 01 By: Arraiga *Author's note-- This is a sideproject I threw together. I hope you like it, and let me know if I should keep it going or not. Thanks a ton for reading it in the first place, it means a lot to me. Feel free to leave comments critiquing, or just general thoughts, I love to read them. Thanks again -Arraiga* She had noticed him almost as soon as he had entered the Grand Ballroom. Something about him had caught her eye, and he had stayed in the corner of it the whole night. He was not immensely tall, but he seemed larger than he was, an easy smile coming across his face as he socialized with various nameless Lords and Ladies. She had noticed his eyes right away of course. The green-gray of the outer part of the pupil was unusual enough in Hiper, but the inner rim of yellow was what really caught her attention. She gazed at him, both hoping to meet his gaze, and yet hoping he didn't notice her staring either. "-Princess Natalia, may I have this dance?" "What?" she asked, blinking back to reality. "May I have the pleasure of being your partner for this dance?" the man repeated. She hadn't even noticed him there, lost in her observation of the strange-eyed man. "Oh, yes of course Baron, it would be my honor," she replied, looking at him with a dazzling smile. She had guessed at his title, and he had not reacted, so she must have been right. Or he had noticed she was distracted. Regardless, he took her hand and led her to the dance floor. She went through the motions, not really paying attention to her partner. She had been drilled by her mother on the basics of ballroom dancing since she was a child, and it was second nature for her. After a flawless performance, she and the nameless Baron parted ways. She glanced around, looking for the strange-eyed man again. "Now where could he have gone?" she muttered to herself as she made her way through the crowd. "Well, I don't know who 'he' is, but I would love to be your next dance partner," said a voice somewhere beside her. She turned, intending to lightly let the man down. As she turned, however, her eyes caught on a peculiar yellow halo surrounding his pupils. It was him. There was no way she could let him know she was talking about him, she had never even met him before. "Is that how they ask royalty to dance where you're from?" Great, come off as a haughty, spoiled princess. "No, but I've always thought improvising was more fun than stuffy old men and their rules and regulations," the man replied, not missing a beat. He was grinning roguishly, doubtless aware of what she was thinking. She chuckled a little, despite herself. "That must be why you've neglected to introduce yourself as well," she said, regaining her composure. "Oh yes, how thoughtless of me. I'm Edward, it's wonderful to meet you," he said, standing up to kiss her hand. She reluctantly gave it to him. Still, she was intrigued by his casual, almost laidback demeanor. Certainly not the typical attitude of someone talking to the Princess of Hiper. Nor was it customary to withhold one's last name. "Well Edward-" "Please, call me Ed," "Alright Ed," she continued, placing extra emphasis on "Ed" to show her slight irritation, "I will allow you to dance with me." "That's oh so gracious of you Your Highness. I promise to be more entertaining that Baron 'I-wasn't-paying-attention-to-his-name'," Ed teased, making her blush slightly. So he had been watching her too. "It isn't gentlemanly to eavesdrop. If you are so in need of my attention, all you needed to do was ask," she replied, trying to shame him as well. He merely laughed and took her into his arms to begin the dance. She hated to admit it, but she felt comfortable in his arms, his confidence and infectious smile worming their way into her. He matched her steps with an easy grace and a charming smile, and more than a few of the other partners backed away to observe them. "Oh myy, where is HE from?" "I've never seen him in the court before, have you?" "He's quite charming, and look how easily he matches the Princess!" "Two minutes." She blushed, trying to ignore them, yet proud she had the center of attention with her. He noticed and smiled down at her. "It seems we've attracted quite the crowd." "Yes, it does seem that way doesn't it?" she replied as he spun her. It felt so natural, so, so right! She craved to feel more of his touch. The thought of his fingers tracing her skin sent shivers up her spine. "Well, I for one, am not used to so much attention. They're going to make me blush!" he exclaimed. "Perhaps a change of scenery would be best then?" she whispered into his ear as the song stopped. He raised his brow slightly, but consented as she led them from the opulent ballroom and onto a vacant stone balcony. Her eyes were on him, looking him over, and she failed to notice the doorway to the balcony being shut. "Oh man, the princess has kidnapped me and forced me onto an abandoned balcony. I fear for my life," Ed said sarcastically, looking over the railing, pretending to look for an escape route. "Hush, I've done no such thing! I merely pulled you along to a secluded place so that we may... get to know each other. You came willingly," she said, joining him by the rail. It was a rather chilly night, which gave her an excuse to pull his arms around her. "You're quite direct Princess, I like that in a woman," he said, obliging her. He held her against his chest, looking down into her deep purple eyes. "And you are the first person to speak to me so frankly. I kind of like it," she replied, winking at him and smiling. She was no stranger to men's advances, but this was the first time she was initiating it herself, and she wanted to make sure she did it right. But then again, she was the princess, and he should be begging her for his attention, not the other way around. "Is that so? Well, the night is young Natalia, what pleasures do you want to explore first?" Ed asked. He was pushing his luck, they both knew that. Only her immediate family called her by only her given name, and anyone else who had tried had been punished severely for disrespect. But here, alone on the balcony, wrapped in his embrace, she found it soothing, rather than offensive. Afterall, she had been calling him by a nickname this whole time as well, its only fair he gets to use her name as well, right? Instead of answering, she pushed up onto her toes, pressing her soft red lips against his. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of her lips coming together with his, closing around one of them, releasing it, then repeating the whole delightful process again. Soon she felt the craving for more, and she slowly slid her tongue out to join her lips in their delicate assault. He replied eagerly, opening his mouth to her, and letting their tongues wrestle. She felt him bite down on something, and a slow trickle of liquid seeped into her mouth. Her vision hazed, and she felt faint. As she fell away from him, she thought she heard him say "I apologize for this princess," but her vision faded to black before she had the chance to ask why he was apologizing. __________________________________________________________________ "I'd dare say that you were enjoying that," a hooded man said as he emerged through the balcony door, careful to relock it behind him. Someone had drawn the curtains, restricting vision onto the balcony. Any extra time that might gain him was a welcome addition. Ed chuckled, holding Natalia's limp form still. He lifted her onto his shoulder with a grunt, then turned to face him. "She's a damn good kisser, I was impressed. Its really too bad about this whole kidnapping thing," he replied. "Yes well, you don't get any money until she's back at the base, so I hope your newfound fondness for her won't be an issue," the man said, not even trying to be discreet as he pushed his robe aside to reveal a flintlock pistol. "Yeah yeah, it won't be an issue. So long as you get your part done," he warned, not phased in the least by the obvious threat. The man snorted and tossed him a bundle of rope with a hook attached on one end. "Don't doubt me boy, or I will put a bullet through your head," he said menacingly. Edward just laughed and affixed the hook securely to the railing. He pulled the rope through his belt loops. Princess over his shoulder, he stepped up on the railing, pulled the rope taut, and with a final mocking salute to the hooded man, lowered himself the 15 feet from the balcony to the courtyard. as soon as he hit the ground, an expensive looking cloak came sailing after him. Ed lowered the princess onto the ground long enough for him to catch the cloak. He worked quickly, propping her up on his shoulder, and wrapping the cloak around her. He pulled the hood up, obscuring her face from view so that any passersby wouldn't be able to guess who she was. Slowly, he walked them toward the front gates of the Grand Ballroom, appearing to any casual observer to be a couple out for a stroll. Ed knew the disguise wouldn't pass anything more than a rudimentary inspection though, which was why he had chosen this exact route for the escape. The guards were changing shifts, and too busy dealing with demands of lesser nobles to pay him any mind. He was at the gates, when he heard someone call out behind him. "You there! Where are you going?" "Shit," he thought to himself. He turned and smiled at the guard that was now within ten feet of him. Run? or lie? "I apologize my good sir, but my lady friend here has had a bit too much to drink I'm afraid," "Is that so? That's too bad, the princess is expected to announce her engagement in just a few minutes, an event no one wants to miss," he said, eyeing her suspiciously. Ed fingered a small dagger hidden in his sleeve, ready to strike if the need arose. "Is that right? She's never been able to handle her liquor though, and it's not good for her to be passed out on a bench somewhere, there are all sorts of miscreants willing to take advantage of an unconscious girl lurking about," he exclaimed. He winced inwardly at the irony of his words. "Well good on you citizen, be on your way," he replied, seemingly impressed with Ed's act of "goodwill". He nodded his goodbye, and Ed carried on his way, significantly less optimistic than he had been moments before. Suddenly he had only minutes to make the escape, rather than the hour or two he had expected. "She was supposed to announce an engagement tonight huh? Shit, that means the guards will realize she's gone much sooner than we planned for. How the hell did those idiots miss that detail?" he muttered to himself. He quickened his pace, hoping to be well on his way to the dropoff point in Henden before the guards caught onto the scheme. _________________________________________________________________ "Where. Is. She?" a woman exclaimed, causing several armored heads to quake in fear. She was tall, exceedingly tall, and even though she was wearing a light party dress to match the occasion, it is clear practicality played a major role in its design as well. The dress was short, allowing her legs a wider range of motion, and form-fitting to ease in rapid movement. Of course, to the untrained eye, it appeared as if she was wearing a tight dress that accentuated her natural curves nicely, and showed a teasing amount of her long, toned legs. More than a dew eyes had been drawn to her over the course of the night, and all eyes were on her now, albeit for a different reason. "We have checked everywhere Lady Lydia, but the princess is nowhere to be found," a guard replied. He had the misfortune of being the first one to reply, and she let into him. "Then clearly it is your incompetence that has misplaced her, because she did not simply wander off. She knows how important tonight is, regardless of how she feels about it!" she seethed. The targeted guard shrank a little, and she was about to resume when another guard walked briskly into the small antechamber. "My Lady, I have just heard a report by a Patrol Guard that he saw a man and a less-than-conscious woman leave the premises about twenty minutes ago. He couldn't say for certain if it was the Princess, but she was of similar stature," he stated. He stood, waiting for orders. "You're certain you checked everywhere?" she asked, turning to the first guard. He nodded, hoping to avoid another scolding. She put her hand on her forehead, "The princess was most likely the woman the guard saw. It is too soon to be sure, but we may have a kidnapping on our hands." "Shall we organize a search party?" the second guard asked, trying to be helpful. "No you idiot, it will take much too long. No, we will go after them ourselves, we may be able to catch them before they make it out of Cinturon. You!" she barked, pointing at the second guard. "Yes ma'am!" he replied. "Assemble a small squad of five men and meet me at the train station. You!" she pointed at the beleaguered first guard, "Alert the city gates that they are to keep an eye out for anyone who fits the description, and to have them pulled aside. Anyone who resists is to be treated with extreme prejudice. We can't allow them out of the city, people!" she ordered. They both hopped to attention and hurried off to carry out their orders. "Damn, and I was finally gonna be able to relax a little," she sighed, bemoaning her fate. She sped out of the antechamber, colliding with several unlucky servingmen and women. She hit the door to the grounds at a full sprint, and made it from the door to the gate faster than one would think possible. The guard on duty barely had time to register her arrival and give a quick salute before she was past him, running through the well-lit streets of Cinturon. The city was vibrant at night, with streetlights that illuminated every street and a populace that carried on doing its business well into the night. Many a backdoor deal was being sealed, and the taverns would be reaching their peak of business soon as well. The constant noise of the Merchant Quarter, could be heard from most parts of the city, and gave the city a feeling of being a living, breathing, gargantuan beast. The Grand Ballroom was located in the Noble Quarter, far away from the hustle and bustle of the Merchant Quarter, which occupied the area a traveller would encounter first if they were to come through one of the massive gates that guarded the city's four entrances. There were two on each side of the Surin River, which bisected the city, and each had a figure carved into it. On the north side of the city stood the King's Gate, and the Hero's Gate, named for the distinctively massive statues of a king and a hero, respectively, that were carved into the stone gates. The south side was guarded by the Queen's Gate and the Trader's Gate, also named for their statues. The Merchant Quarter formed a ring just inside of the city's walls on both sides of the city. Moving progressively inward, a traveller would pass through the Citizen Quarter, then the Noble Quarter, and finally, the true marvel of Cinturon: the Royal Palace. It straddled both sides, a massive work of stone and metal that rose above the placid tides of the Surin and connected to both the north and the south sides by means of the Twin Grand Ballrooms. Below the Palace, a connector for the city's trains ran mere feet above the water, hauling materials from one side to the other. It was this train that Lydia expected the kidnapper to attempt to use to escape. She had grown up in the city, and knew many back routes and to and from most places in the city. Given that the kidnapper must be moving slowly, and was most likely not a native, he would be forced to take the main roads, and that would cost him valuable time. The only place he might be able to reach before her with a twenty minute headstart was the Astarte Bridge, which was still a solid ten minutes from the Northside train station. No, she would catch him, and she would eliminate him in the most painful way she could think of for even thinking of harming her princess. _________________________________________________________________ Ed realized very quickly that he was coming extremely close to running out of time. He had been forced to hide in abandoned alleyways several times as groups of rushing guards had bustled past. None had said anything about looking for the princess, but armed soldiers to rush around in their uniforms for fun, and he wasn't about to take chances. He was in the midst of crossing a bridge that had seemed a lot closer to the train station on the map than it did now when he heard the sound of rushing feet again. He froze. There was nowhere to hide on the middle of the bridge. He acted quickly, positioning himself with Natalia so that they appeared to be a pair of lovers enjoying the moonlight. A pair of awkwardly close lovers, one of which needed a lot of help standing up. The footsteps--he breathed a sigh of relief when he determined it was just one person--slowed as they crossed the bridge. "I really hope this bridge has a reputation of being a favorite lovers' spot to the locals," he thought to himself, clenching his fists. He readied his dagger in his sleeve anyway as he heard the footsteps come to a stop behind him. __________________________________________________________________ Lydia had spotted the pair standing huddled close together long before she had set foot on the bridge. Normally, she would have ignored the sight: seeing couples reminded her of her self-inflicted loneliness. But tonight, they fit the description she was looking for perfectly. Her hunch was reaffirmed when she noticed how stiff the woman looked as she approached. She stopped as she crested the bridge. She smiled as she heard a train blow its horn in the distance. "And you were so close too," she sneered at his back, drawing a dagger hidden along her the inside of her thigh. "Yeah, I was this close to getting laid, until you interrupted!" the man replied, sounding angry. He didn't turn around. "Cut the crap, I know that woman beside you is the Princess. Hand her over now and I'll kill you," she warned. "...Alright alright, you got me!" the man said, turning. He lifted Princess Natalia onto his shoulder easily, and lifted his arm in mock surrender, "But usually when you try and bargain, you promise NOT to take the kidnapper's life, right?" "I am not bargaining, I am ordering. Drop her, and then I will kill you. Fail to do so, and I will kill you PAINFULLY," she said, anger rising. He smiled, even chuckled a little, as if she wasn't even holding a dagger. "Really, you're awful at this. Let me tell you how to bargain. You see, you start by going low. Say, for instance, that you will kill me if I don't lower the price. But then I say, 'no no no, that isn't acceptable' and we work toward the middle. In the end, if you did well, You will end up with the item, and I will have lowered the price. If I did well, I would have kept my life and a high price. Simple, no?" the man explained in an alluringly teasing tone. He talked easily, despite the situation, and something about his eyes drew her to him. But he was holding the princess on his shoulders, and therefore, no matter how attractive he may be, he was going to die. "I did not come here to receive a lecture, I came to retrieve my princess. This is your LAST warning," she replied. She heard the train rumble, it was coming close. "Surely he must realize that his escape route is gone," she thought. "Such a dedicated guard, she has done well for herself. However, once I get paid to steal something, not even death itself can keep it in the hands of its rightful owner," he said, his boyish grin never leaving his face. She stepped in, closing the distance between them, and forcing him up onto the railing. Chopin Ch. 01 "You must see you have nowhere to go! Give her back now, and I may contemplate sparing your life," Lydia said, holding her dagger up. She was mere feet from him now, close enough to lunge and pierce him through. The train rumbled, louder this time. It would be passing under the bridge any second. "You're getting better at bargaining already! Well, I'm afraid that's my cue," he replied. Suddenly she realized his plan. She lunged forward, desperately hoping to impale him on her blade, but he was too quick. His hand flew out, and a smaller dagger crashed into hers with incredible force, deflecting her blow wide of her mark. He used the motion of his arm to spin off the bridge, and he landed with a dull thud on the top of a boxcar, the front of the train having poked its huge metallic nose out from under the bridge mere seconds before. He looked up at Lydia's incredulous face, beaming. The princess was still on his shoulders. A few seconds more and he was happily riding out of her throwing range. "Shit!" she exclaimed. She stooped to pick up his knife, examining it briefly. "This has the Seal of the Chopin family, where did he get something like that?" She didn't waste her time with the question, and sprinted the final stretch to the train station. There, she saw a Palace Guard. She pulled out his walkie-talky and began to bark orders into it. Within minutes, every stop on Hiper end of the line would be aware of his profile, and be on the lookout for him. He may have escaped for now, but they would find him eventually. And when they did, oh, her wrath would be terrifying. ____________________________________________________________________ "Phew, that was much closer than I would have liked," Ed said as he settled into a freight car near the back of the train, hidden behind stacks of crates. He bound Natalia's hands, more as a precaution than out of fear, and set her down in as close to a comfortable position he could manage, given the cramped space. He was kidnapping her, but it wasn't anything personal against her per se, and no reason to prevent her from being comfortable. He clambered atop one of the piles of crates, and leaned his back against the wall of the boxcar. "It's just a job, keep emotional attachment out of it. C'mon Ed, you're a pro, don't let her get to you," Ed mumbled to himself, gazing on Natalia's unconscious form. She was unbearably attractive, and it was taking no small measure of his willpower to keep focused on anything other than her. Hendon was a rural town, deep into the neighboring country of Surin, and far enough away that Hiper's troops wouldn't be able to actively follow them without risking an international incident. Especially since the tensions between Surin and Hiper had been running high as of late. Every few years little arguments flare up into bigger arguments, and occasionally militaristic cock-waving between the two nations leads to a few skirmishes, nothing more. But it means that, even for a brief period, anti-Hiper feelings would be running high for a while, and the chances of Ed's employers being extradited to Hiper for trial was low. Ed assumed there was some fall man set up just in case anyway. The only thing that worried him was that that woman that had attacked him had seen his face. Wanted posters with his likeness would severely limit his ability to operate in Hiper. Which wasn't that difficult to deal with: just never go back to Hiper in any official way. But a warrant out for your arrest is never a good thing to have, and after the dust settled on the most recent border conflict ended, Surin might join the search for him, and the thought of being restrained to doing business in the ultra-religious Scion Empire wasn't the most appealing thought. "There are always the Chaco Islands I suppose," he shrugged, "Well, this is gonna be a long train ride, and I have a few hours until the next city, may as well get some sleep." And with that he settled into as comfortable a position as he could manage on top of the crates, and closed his eyes, letting his mind drift off into sleep __________________________________________________________________ Her eyes snapped open, scanning the darkness. Her eyes took a few seconds to adjust, and she immediately noticed that she was surrounded by crates. And there was a rumbling sound that indicated a train. "So, I'm on a train, surrounded by boxes, with no idea where I am. Either its a really flashy first date, or I'm being kidnapped," she thought. She tried to stand, but quickly realized it was futile, her legs and arms weren't responding to anything she told them to do, "must've drugged me too." She slowly worked her muscles, trying to regain feeling. Soon she was able to move her feet, but she was still having trouble with her arms. She sat up, and looked over her shoulder. "Damn, bastards tied my wrists," she mumbled. She heard something above her rustle. "So you're finally up huh?" came Ed's voice from somewhere above her. "Yesh," her tongue was still asleep it seemed, "Pleashe tell me you weren't the one that did this," she said, sincerely hoping he was bound as well, that this was all some sort of mistake. "Unfortunately princess, I am," he replied. She caught the hint of sadness in his voice, and observed that he wasn't using her name. "Why?" she asked, looking up, trying to find him. She had felt that it was real when she had kissed him at the Ball, and maybe she could play on it to make him let her go. As cruel as it was, she decided, it was her best option. "Everyone has to make ends meet somehow," he replied simply, somewhere up to her left. It was extremely dark, darker than it would have been if he had simply closed the doors to the car, meaning that it was most likely night outside. "Kidnapping a princess is a flashy way to make money. And an ultimately futile one," she said, her strength coming back to her. She was able to shift her legs slightly now. "Is that so?" he asked, sounding disinterested. She suspected it was just an act, but it didn't matter, she had to keep a conversation going so that he wouldn't hear her rustling around as feeling came back to her limbs. "Yes. There is no way you made it all the way to the train station without anyone noticing you. I'd bet there will be posters out with your face on it, and police at every stop, waiting to catch you and take me home," she said confidently. It was an act of course, she had no idea how anything had happened after she had passed out. He could have been picked up right out of the front entrance, then driven to a train station and boarded there for all she knew. "You're right, a woman in a rather revealing red dress managed to find us before I got on the train. She was a very bad bargainer, I must say," he replied, laughing a little. "Lydia saw you? Well, its settled then, you're going to get caught at the next stop," she said, certain she was going to be rescued any minute. "She did seem like the ferociously loyal type, its true," he remarked. Something was wrong. She had just expressed her certainty that she would be found, and he was agreeing? No, something was very very wrong. "...Did...did you kill her?" she asked, shaking a little with anger. "Ha! No, of course not, fighting her would have taken too much time. I would have missed my jump," he replied, chuckling. "Missed your jump?" she asked, confused. Not only was he laughing about something, he seemed at ease. What was wrong with him?! Didn't he know that leaving her alive was going to spell his doom? "Yes. I carried you on my shoulders and we jumped off of a bridge onto the top of the train. And voila, now we're here," he said. She heard him shift, and her eyes darted to where the sound had come from. Her eyes had finally adjusted, and she noticed he was sitting atop two precariously placed crates. "How can you be so confident? You left a loose end, and she will come back to bite you, trust me. When this train stops you may as well just turn yourself in," she said, sincerely suggesting it. So far, no harm had been done to her, and she liked him, odd as it sounded, enough to try and lessen his sentence from death to a long time in the dungeon. "I think you're underestimating me Princess. Its not like I just decided, I'm going to kidnap the princess today. I was hired as the finishing touch of a rather elaborate plan. I'm so confident because the train isn't going to be making any stops inside Hiper," he explained. She stood shakily as he was talking, careful to make as little sound as possible. He may have thought he had the advantage, putting her in the dark and taking a higher position, but the darkness could work to her advantage as well. It was hers now, and even if she couldn't escape, she wasn't going to go down without a fight. "I think you're underestimating me as well Ed!" she exclaimed, throwing herself into the crates. They toppled easily, and there was a small yelp of surprise as Ed was thrown out of his perch. She quickly turned and felt her way along the wall, looking for a door to the next car. Her knees buckled a few times, but she clawed her way back to her feet, relying heavily on the wall for support. She pressed on for what seemed like forever, until she hit the corner of the car. Literally. Her head smacked against the wall, albeit lightly, as she wasn't moving too fast. She smiled, however, and slid along the wall, only a few feet from the door. She could vaguely see stars and the shadows of passing trees fly past in what she assumed was the door's window. "Oh, please may this not be the end of the train," she muttered. She reached forward to grab the handle of the door, to make her way into the next car, and hopefully to some form of safety. Her hand touched something soft, like flesh, and definitely not a metal handle. Before she realized what it was, two pale yellow orbs appeared in front of her. It took her a second to realize what they were. When she did, she recoiled in terror, falling back onto the ground. "God damn princess, that was uncalled for, I was rather comfortable on my crates, there was no need to go and do all that," he said. He caught her wrists with unnatural accuracy, given the dark, and pulled her up. "But--but--but how?" she stuttered as he picked her up. "I was born in the dark, you merely adopted it," he replied, his eyes flashing again. "I can see more clearly in the dark, because my eyes reflect more light." "But, how did you not get caught under the crates? I heard you fall!" she exclaimed, returning to her senses a little. She wanted to fight and get away from him, but she felt safe in his arms, as if even though he had kidnapped her, nothing bad was going to happen to her. "Hmm? Oh that? I saw you moving the whole time. When you pushed the crates, I hopped off. I was walking next to you the whole time," he explained, still holding her firmly. It was a good thing it was dark, because she was blushing fiercely, everything about what she felt seemed so wrong. How could she feel comfortable in the arms of a man that had stolen her from everything she knew. "Then why? Why let me make it to the door?" she asked, her voice soft, tears welling up in her eyes. "Because, I wanted you to see something," he explained. He shifted her so that she could look out of the window. Outside she could see the clearly lit interior of another car. Inside, there were rows of seats, many occupied. "I don't get it, what does he want me to see?" she thought. Then she saw him. He was a huge man, standing maybe 7 feet, and he looked massive. There were several smaller men around him as well. All were armed to the teeth, pistols on hips, as well as knives strapped to limbs. "Imagine if you had stumbled into there, barely able to walk? They don't know you're the princess; to them you look like a beautiful girl that can't protect herself, and they would not hesitate to rape you," he said, pulling her away from the window, back into the darkness. "You wouldn't stop them?" she asked, her voice quivering. "These guys were hired specifically hijack this train. They don't know anything about you, or me. All they've been told is that there is something my employer wants on this train, and they were paid handsomely to insure its arrival in Henden. they don't know what it is, and they're nervous. If they saw me, they'd blow my head off," Ed explained. He was moving confidently through the dark, apparently not hindered by it at all. Soon they were back, she assumed, where she had started. She stared blankly, waiting for her eyes to readjust, but she heard him push a few more boxes, making more space for them. "Alright, I see that it's pointless, may you please remove the bindings from my wrists? They are uncomfortable," she replied. She realized that she was much safer here with him than she was out there, but it was pointless to try and secure her escape through him. He was as much a captive on this train as she was. "Can you promise not to try and choke me? Or push anymore crates on me?" he asked sarcastically. He sat down next to her, taking a hold of her hands before she even replied. "If I must," she mumbled, embarrassed. He chuckled, and the cloth binding her wrist fell away. "Good, we've still got a ways to go, and I'd rather not have to live in fear of being killed by my hostage. That would be quite embarrassing, and I doubt I'd ever get hired for this sort of deal again," he replied cheerfully. She rolled her eyes. She was glad to have at least a few hours of relative safety, though she wasn't so sure about what would happen after he handed her off to his employers. "What are you going to do with the money you get from kidnapping me?" she asked, curiosity returning. I'm going to get the hell away from Hiper. I've heard the Chaco Islands are nice, warm, friendly," he replied. "Aren't they a terrorized by a huge network of pirates?" she asked, laughing at his use of the word friendly. "Sure, but I think I'd make a damn fine pirate, don't you?" he answered, laughing. "You? A pirate? Hahaha and I'm going to become a prison warden," she joked, laughing with him. They carried on through most of the night, joking lightheartedly, trading stories, and such. __________________________________________________________________ Ed awoke the next morning with a start. He bolted upright, eyes darting wildly, searching for Natalia. He hadn't meant to fall asleep. Regardless of the obvious danger of going into the next car, she may have done so anyway, in despair, hoping to die. "Good morning sleepyhead," she said, poking her head out from around a crate, she noticed the look on his face, "Something the matter?" "Just a bad dream is all. You shouldn't act so familiar with me, I'm kidnapping you remember?" he said, standing up and stretching. "Right right. I don't think that makes you a bad person though," she said, shuffling back behind the crates. "Don't come over here." "I'm forcibly taking you away from everything you know, how does that not make me a bad person," he asked, amused. "Yeah, but you kept me from getting into trouble with those other guys. If you were a bad person you would have let me go, right?" she asked. Something that sounded like cloth rustled near where Ed thought she was. "I suppose. It would make my job a lot easier if you would hate me though," he sighed. "What are you doing?" "I'm prying off a floorboard so I can escape," she replied, teasingly. "Can you do me a favor and quit it princess?" Ed replied. " I'm joking, I found clothes in one of these crates, so I'm changing into something more comfortable," she replied. Ed swore under his breath, and focused his willpower into not peeking. "This is definitely not how a kidnapping is supposed to go," he said, resigned. "If its any consolation to you, I much prefer your version," she replied. The rustling stopped, and she stood up, revealing that she had chosen an baggy pair of grey sweatpants and a black tank top, then put on a slightly transparent cream-colored top that flowed down to just above her belly button. She looked like every man's vision of the beautiful girl-next-door. She spun a little when she noticed Ed staring, showing off. "You like it?" "I'm not even going to answer that. We're almost there, I have to bind your hands again," he replied. He produced a pair of steel cuffs seemingly from nowhere, and walked over to her. She consented, and her hands were soon inseparable again. "That was quite clever, how did you make them appear like that?" she asked. Ed sighed, she really didn't get the situation she was in. She was being kidnapped for Pete's sake, and she was concerning herself with his sleight of hand. "You must not have gotten out much as a child, seeing as you clearly don't understand the concept of danger," he replied, leaning against a crate. She leaned on it as well, facing away from him. "Yeah, I never really got to do things with other kids. I was a princess, and no one else could match my rank, so they weren't allowed near me. So yes, I don't know much about the world outside my castle, but that's not entirely my own doing," she replied, an edge of sadness creeping into her voice. Ed just chuckled. "So you see this whole kidnapping thing as an adventure, huh?" Ed asked, reading her mind. She looked at him, startled. "H--how did you do that?" she asked, curiosity getting the better of her. "I was once a sheltered child as well. I would have thought this was incredibly fun," Ed replied. She looked at him, and she thought she saw a tiny glimpse of loneliness in his eyes, but he turned away. "Was once? What happened?" she asked, standing and shifting around him, trying to make him look at her again. "My family died when I was young, and I was cast out onto the streets. I learned to fend for myself, and now here I am, kidnapping princesses," he replied. She was about to inquire further, but the train began to slow, signaling their arrival in Henden. He grabbed her by the handcuffs, and made his way to the door on the side of the boxcar. He threw it open, and light flooded into the boxcar. The wind whipped at his face, but he ignored it, and the train continued to slow. Finally, it slowed to a halt, and he hopped out, then turned around to offer assistance to Natalia. She took it, jumping gracefully into his arms. He turned and set her down on the ground then slammed the boxcar door shut. "If you try to run, you're dead, got it?" Ed whispered to her as they walked toward the station. Something about him seemed a little different. He was less focused on her, and he seemed much colder than he had been only minutes before. "No more time to screw around with the princess, its time for business," he thought to himself. The train wasn't very long, so the walk to the station was brief. Using a set of stairs built into the platform, they ascended and Ed scanned the platform. He spotted who he was looking for quickly. A conspicuous man in a navy blue jacket and black aviators stood at the exit, and two more similarly-dressed men were lurking nearby. He pulled Natalia's cuffs lightly, and she followed him. The man in the blue suit turned and walked with Ed, and the other two fell in behind them. "We have a car ready for transport back to headquarters," he said, his voice a flat tone, showing little emotion. "Then I guess this is where we part ways, isn't it gentlemen?" Ed said, beginning to turn. One of the men behind placed a menacing hand on his shoulder. "I'm afraid its not that simple. The Madam wishes to speak with you," the lead man said in a tone that suggested that it was an invitation he should take. Ed laughed. "Alright, lets see what the old hag wants," he replied, intentionally referring to their matriarch as a hag to get them riled up. He had a feeling that it wasn't going to be a particularly fun meeting for him, so may as well have what fun he could in the meantime. Chopin Ch. 01 "Be respectful! You're lucky enough she chose you to do the job, but she even personally invited you to speak with her. If you don't want me to kill you right here, I suggest you shut up and come with us," the man with a hand on his shoulder threatened. "Easy cue ball, I'll go with you guys. I've heard she serves fabulous tea," he replied. By then they had reached the car, a hideous contraption of steel and cloth that was powered by some form of oil that exploded inside it. An altogether unsafe mode of transportation that Ed usually avoided, especially with the modifications made to every Deep Water vehicle. But it didn't seem like he had too much of a choice, so he climbed aboard. The lead man sat in the driver's seat, and they were soon whisking through the countryside toward Henden. It was a much smaller town than Cinturon, and was mostly agricultural, though a few factories could be found here and there. As with many rural towns, it felt sleepy, even as they sped over the hills. The most important thing about the town is that it was in Surin, and far enough away from the border that Hiper couldn't justify a raid without risking serious repercussions. Not that any of that mattered, as the Madam of Deep Water had a notorious reputation for killing unnecessary pieces of the puzzle after they had served their purpose. And having delivered the princess, and then invited to "speak" with her, Ed figured his odds weren't too great. "Not that I'm just going to lay down and die, if it comes to that. I could be overthinking this. Maybe she just wants to say hi," Ed thought. He laughed slightly. "Yeah, right. The head of a notorious terrorist organization just wants to say 'hi'. Maybe she'll give me some cookies while she's at it," They rolled to a stop in front of a decidedly bland building in downtown Henden. It was officially a bar and nightclub, though that was only a front for the Deep Water. The unusual group made their way to the back of the establishment, and they pressed through a cleverly hidden door into the Deep Water Headquarters. Immediately on the left was a staircase that led down to holding cells, Ed assumed. "Come with me," one of the men grunted at Natalia. "Can you three give me a second with her?" Ed asked. They shrugged and stepped down the hallway a ways. "What are they going to do to me?" she asked, fear finally coming into her eyes. "I don't know. I'm sorry, but business is business," he said. Tears welled up in her eyes. "It's funny, I'm only just getting scared now. You must think I'm so strange," she said, beginning to sob. "Shh, it'll be alright," Ed lied, hugging her and stroking her hair. It was an odd feeling, to feel sorry for someone you had kidnapped, but Ed was feeling it now. She calmed down, and two of the men returned. They grabbed her forearms and pulled her away from him and down the stairs. "You seem to be quite close with her. I hope that won't cause a problem?" the last man said. Ed turned, working hard to restrain himself from punching the man's lights out. "No, it won't be an issue. A job is a job," he replied, more for himself than the other man. He smirked, and led him through a maze of passages until they came upon a grandiose door. "Go in, she will be expecting you," he said. Ed ignored him and entered. He was immediately buffeted by an intoxicating barrage of perfumes and scents. Lavender, incense, and sex were the most prevalent. he glanced around, taking stock of his surroundings. He appeared to have walked into a orgy. There were men and women rolling in moans of ecstasy, and guttural growls coming in waves. "Well damn, this is awkward," he thought, his own cock rising to attention in his suit pants. He decided it was best to ignore them, and worked his way through the room, careful not to step on any rolling bodies. There was a desk at the very back of the room, and behind it sat an attractive woman in her late 30's to early 40's. Nude. "I suppose you're the Madam?" he asked. As he got closer, she became more clear. She was busty, maybe a D-cup, and she had long brown hair. She wore a pair of horned-rim glasses. He couldn't see her eyes, because they were closed, as she was leaning back and moaning loudly. Ed didn't see what was making her feel so good until he reached the edge of the desk. There was a girl sitting between her legs licking at her clit furiously. "...oh, excuse mmmmme," she moaned. She tapped the head of the girl, and she stopped with a quick "Yes Madam". "Yeah, hey, I'm Ed, you sent for me?" Ed asked again. He had been with his fair share of girls before, but he had never walked in on an orgy, and he was rather uncomfortable with the fact that. "Oh yes, young Edward, our kidnapper. I wanted to thank you on behalf of Deep Water," she said. Ed waited, there must be more. "I mean, you are paying me, so I was just doing what I was paid to do. Of course I expect that the second part of my contract will be paid as well?" he asked. Something was going to go wrong, he could tell. "Yes, about that. You see, as much as we value your contribution to our cause, I do not want to fulfill the second part of the contract," she said apologetically. She had moved her finger to between her legs in place of the girl's tongue. "Yeah, but I don't really care what you want. We had a written contract, and you're going to pay me the additional 10% of the ransom money for Natal--I mean, the princess," Ed replied angrily. He knew he was moving into dangerous territory. After all, Deep Water is a terrorist organization, what do they care about written contracts. But he had fought hard the first time for that extra bit, and he wasn't letting go easily. 10% of her ransom would easily quintuple the measly sum he was getting paid for the actual kidnapping. "See, I was afraid that you were going to say that, and I really hoped you would just agree, but honestly, what are you going to do if I don't pay? Complain to the King of Hiper?" she taunted. He knew he had no leverage now that they had Natalia. "I might. I'm not someone you want to make an enemy of Madam," Ed replied politely, but with menace just underneath the surface. "Are you threatening me?" she asked, a bemused look on her face. "It seems that way, doesn't it?" he asked sarcastically, dropping a knife from his sleeve into his hand, and into her view. "Mmm, thats not very smart. The original payment has already been wired to your account, I suggest you take it," she replied, throwing her head back as she pinched her clit. A little of her pussy juice rolled down the edge of the chair, and into the girl's waiting mouth. She turned, watching Ed like a bus about to crash. He caught her eye, and winked. He stood, knife in hand. It was a ploy of course, he obviously wasn't going to try and kill her, he suspected many of the orgy's participants doubled as body guards. It got their attention though, and he heard more than a few pistols being cocked in the ready position. "Well, I seem to have bitten off more than I can chew here," he said, sliding the knife back into its holster in his sleeve, "I suppose there isn't much I can do about the 10%. But if I may ask one thing?" "Smart boy, go ahead and ask," she replied, grinning in her victory. "Can I stay the night here before I head out in the morning? The train ride has wrecked my back," he said. She contemplated it for a second, then nodded. "You are welcome here for the night. In fact, take anyone you want to help "soothe" your pain," she replied. "May I have the pleasure Madam?" the girl between her legs asked. "Why of course Myrra, go ahead," the Madam replied, petting Myrra's head. She cooed and stood up, allowing Ed to get a good look at her. She looked much closer to his age, maybe 23, and had beautiful red curls that fell just over her small brown nipples. Her eyes were a piercing green, and she had a dash of freckles on her cheeks. Her breasts were smaller, but hadn't yet been pulled down by gravity and age, and she walked with a sprightly step. "So she wants to keep an eye on me huh?" he thought to himself. He smirked, then looked at the Madam one more time, "You are too kind." "I will have a room prepared for your use," she said, smiling. They made their way back through the maze of flesh and carnal pleasure to the front door. She grabbed a robe hanging on a hook by the door, and wrapped it around herself tightly, but still revealed ample cleavage. He opened the door, allowing her to exit first, then shut the door behind him. "Wow, that was fun," he remarked as she guided him down the hall. "You're crazy, trying to play games with Madam like that. Normally she'd just have you killed right then and there," she replied, a hint of amazement in her airy voice. "Yeah well, I just completed a rather difficult job, and I'm 19, I'm allowed to act a little cocky sometimes," he said, laughing a little. She turned and looked at him, still amazed by his incredibly reckless behaviour. "Not with Madam. I don't know what you did for her, nor do I care, but no one points a knife at her. Ever. It's unheard of," she said. "We get it, I'm walking on thin ice, where is this room, I'm actually going to pass out in a second," Ed complained. Without another word, she took a few more turns, then opened a door on the right, revealing a medium sized room with a large bed in the middle, and a bathroom off to the side. "Is this to your liking?" she asked. "Honestly, anything is fine at this point," he replied, walking in the door and getting undressed immediately. "Would you like me to service you?" she asked, closing the door behind her. She locked the door, and shrugged off the robe, standing in front of him, totally nude. At any other time, he would have taken her, but he was so dead tired, he couldn't even think straight. "You can drop the formality. And no, thats alright. Instead, is there anything more comfortable I can wear?" he asked. She looked taken aback. "Am I not to your liking?" she asked, looking stunned. "You're stunning, really. Pajama pants, track suit pants, even sweat pants, anything?" he asked. Having finished removing his shirt and pants, he crawled onto the bed. "I will have some ordered for you in a minute," she said, quickly crawling into bed with him. "A t-shirt would be nice too," he said as he fell asleep. _________________________________________________________________ Ed woke up some time later, to find that a fresh t-shirt, pair of warmup pants, and a jacket had been placed on a chair next to his bed. He felt an unfamiliar weight on his chest, and lifted it up to find Myrra asleep, nuzzled into his chest. "If you weren't going to try and kill me later, this would be incredibly arousing," he muttered. His member came to attention anyway. "Myrra." "Hmm..? Oh, did I fall asleep? I apologize," she said, rubbing her eyes and lifting her head off his chest. Her nipples were just visible as she lifted herself up, exciting Ed even more. He looked at a clock: it was 11 PM. "That's alright," he replied, stroking her head as the Madam had done. She purred a little, grinning in pleasure. "Oooh, I like that. Do you want to play with me now Edward?" she asked, her eyes becoming little pools of lust. "I do, but first I need you to run an errand," he replied. "What is it?" she asked. "I haven't had anything to drink all day, and I'm really thirsty. And, well, we've slept so late, I'm going to have trouble falling asleep again tonight. So if its not too much trouble, could you go get a bottle of your favorite alcohol, and some sleeping pills for later?" he asked, patting her head again. "Mmm, yeah, no problem," she replied. She hopped out of the bed, and found her discarded robe. She tightened it, and made her way out of the room. "Now, how to go about this...?" he mumbled, grinning his roguish smile. __________________________________________________________________ Natalia sat, alone, in the back of her cold, dark cell. It was a rather humble cell as far as she could tell, although she had no experience with other cells, so she could only assume. "I'll have to have father improve our dungeon when I get back," she noted mentally, "If I get back." She was huddled into a ball in the back corner, on the small mattress that amounted to her bed. The entire place smelled damp, and she had already stepped in two such sources of the damp smell. There was a small sink, and a bowl she assumed was to be her toilet for the next however long she was going to be here. She had asked the guard hours earlier, and he had said that it would depend on how long it took for the demands to reach Cinturon, and how quickly he responded. She knew her father would send the money immediately of course, after all, she was his only daughter, and the only heir to the throne other than her 4 year old cousin. But how long would that be? A day? Two? Maybe a week? She hoped not, as she doubted she would survive such miserable conditions for that long. And oh, how she missed Ed already! Compared to this, her time spent with him in the boxcar was heaven, and she hoped against all odds, that she might see him again eventually. Though, after her release, the only time she was likely to see him was in a cell very much like her own, except in Hiper palace. It wouldn't be so bad for him, as she would try and get him little things here and there that would brighten his spirits. She missed his smile, if only she could see it again. Especially now that his whole kidnapping business was finished. Maybe she could convince the guard to have their leader ask that Ed be given the mission to escort her home. Of course, all of that was just wishful thinking. He had probably turned around and left right after he had gotten his money. She desperately wanted to believe that there had been something between them, some chemistry, something! He was the first man who had walked into her life and had seen her as Natalia, not Princess, not Your Highness. Although, he was making money off of the fact that she was the princess. But he had opened up to her, and he had been genuinely sad when she those two brutes had dragged her down to this miserable cell hours ago. "Don't get so hung up on him, Natalia! He's not coming back. He told you didn't he? Business is business! But you definitely bonded with him. He wouldn't tell just anyone about his family would he? Maybe he lied? Ughhhh this is just all too confusing," she mumbled to herself. "Hey! Be quiet in there!" the guard at the desk near the stairs yelled. She made a rude gesture in his general direction. "Hello, warden, we're here to "inspect" the newest prisoner," came a voice from down the hall. It sounded like one of the men who had put her down here. "Inspect? What does that mean?" she thought. There was a mumbled response, and a candle light crept down the hall. It stopped in front of her cell, the bright making it difficult to see what was going on. Then there was a brief jingling of keys, and her door slid open. "Has my father paid the ransom already?" she asked, confused. There was a chorus of laughter, then one man answered. The light cut out suddenly, and she saw three men standing in her cell, and a fourth, the warden, moving away, back toward his desk. "The ransom hasn't even been sent yet sweetheart. No, we're just here to make sure you're okay," he said. There was another laugh shared in the group. Then there was another jingling sound that she doubted very much was the door. "We're going to have some fun tonight sweetheart," they said, pants dropping to the floor. _________________________________________________________________ We're going to have some fun tonight Myrra," Ed remarked, handing her another glass of the whiskey she had brought back. She had already downed two, and showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. Ed just smiled and refilled her glass every time she handed it back to him. "...Its tiring ya know, constantly eating her out. Like she never turns around and fingers me! What's up with that, right?" Myrra complained. Her chest was heaving slightly, and her nipples were clearly hard. Her face was just starting to get flushed, and judging from the way she kept shifting her legs, she was getting hot and bothered. "I know beautiful, she just doesn't appreciate the way you make her feel does she?" Ed replied, egging her on. "Yeah! Like, I need to get off sometimes too! ...I'm really horny, do you want to fuck me? Please?" she blurted out. She wasn't taking no for an answer it seemed, as she fell off her chair and began to crawl toward him. Ed saw his opportunity. He took his first swig of his own glass, and pushed a few sleeping pills in between his lips. He leaned down as she got close and kissed her, letting the whiskey run into her mouth. "Mmmm, do that again," she purred, crawling up into his lap. She straddled him, squeezing his cock in between her thighs, right next to her cleanly-shaven pussy, and opened her mouth. When he hesitated, she grabbed at his wrist and guided his glass to his mouth. She was a bit overzealous, however, and a good bit spilled down his neck and chest. But no matter, she had what she wanted. She opened her mouth again, and he kissed her, then let the whiskey run into her mouth. She swallowed it with a satisfied "Ah" then looked at him expectantly. "You want more?" he asked, looking at her incredulously. "Yeashh, give me shome moreee," she begged, looking at him with lust-filled eyes. "I think I have a drink you'd like more, but you're gonna have to work to get it," he teased. "Reallyyy, what ishh it?" she asked, bouncing her legs on his cock in excitement. "It's right here," he said, spreading her thighs so she could see his throbbing cock. "Oooo, you're right, I do like the tashte of that drink," she slurred. She hopped off his lap and in between his legs, then began kissing the tip. "Wait a sec Myrra," he said, running his hand through her hair. "Whattt? I want iiitt," she moaned, slipping a finger into her pussy. "Didn't you just say you wanted to get off too? Why don't we get on the bed and you let me play with you a little too?" he suggested. She thought for a second, then bolted upright and skipped to the bed with glee. He followed her, and laid down. "Get on top of me Myrra," he said. She did as he said, swinging her leg over his face so that he got a nice view of her pussy, and then clamping her mouth onto the tip of his cock. "She'll be out cold in about 6 minutes, may as well have some fun," he thought. She proved to be an able cocksucker, swirling her tongue around the tip, then taking him to the base. She lifted off completely and kissed her way down the shaft to his balls, which she licked and kissed enthusiastically. Ed was equally talented on his end, teasing her engorged clit with light flicks, then pressing down on her love button, eliciting a squeal of pleasure. He pushed two fingers into her soaking wet pussy easily, and managed to get a third in. The mixture of clit and penetration pushed her close to the brink, but Ed pulled her back, switching his tongue and his fingers, pressing in as deep as he could go, tasting her wetness. He played with her clit mercilessly, pinching it, poking it, rubbing it, until she couldn't stop moaning onto his cock. She screamed as he finally let her cum, and she coated his face in her juices. She was visibly tired, and still shaking after her massive orgasm, but she was intent on tasting his cum as well. She ran her tongue over the tip, flicking it gently, then sucking on it. She felt him get close, and she began stroking him vigorously, her mouth open and ready to receive him. With one last kiss on the head of his cock, he erupted on her face, coating her cheeks and almost filling her mouth.