Vendetta?
Bunny woke up on a thick pad of cushions and blankets, all three of the serving girls curled around her with happy smiles on their faces. She closed her eyes and sighed as she noticed none of them wore a stitch of clothing. The sunlight through the curtain cut into her eyes and forced it's way into her brain. "Morning," she whispered and tried to untangle herself from the warm pile of smooth limbs.
The curly brunette opened her eyes and smiled at Bunny, wrapping her arm around the ranger and snuggling close. "We have some time before we have to be downstairs," she whispered.
"Moxi," Bunny whispered, secretly pleased she remembered her name. "I have to go to the market today."
Her smile lit her eyes. "One of us could go with you. You don't speak Rune, after all, and someone could try to take advantage of that."
"Uh..." Bunny tried to think but the haze of alcohol had muddled her brain.
Moxi kissed her shoulder. "Besides, after last night I doubt you could form a solid thought." Her smile faded and she lifted herself up on an elbow. "Bunny English, do you think I'm after more than what I've been given already?"
"What?"
At this, the other two woke and sat up. Moxi poked Bunny with her finger for empahsis. "I am a serving girl at this inn. I've no dream of someone sweeping me off my feet and taking me away from all this." She winked. "I admit to being a romantic but I doubt you can carry me. If I leave here, it would be on my own feet." She kissed Bunny. "We had a wonderful time with someone who doesn't treat us like meat or a pretty toy they can shove under the bed. You didn't throw us out after and was a complete gentleman. Now let me come to market with you, please? Did you think for a moment that maybe I had some business in the market, too?" She giggled. "I'll buy lunch."
Bunny sighed and hugged her. "I'm sorry, Moxi, but there is someone-"
"Amy is a lucky woman," Moxi said gently and smiled. "Puck, Ara, can you cover me? You can keep my tips."
The one with leaves in her hair, Puck, gave her a very unsisterly-like kiss. "Keep you tips, sweetheart. I"ll see you at home." She rose, kissed Bunny on the cheek and started gathering her clothes.
Ara kissed the top of Moxi's head. "Bring me something from the market and we'll call it even. I know we're out of something, damned if I remember what." She accepted her clothes from Puck.
Bunny and Moxi followed their example, pausing to recieve parting embraces from them before they left. "We share a house," Moxi said to Bunny's unspoken question. "And Puck is my Amy, only sprites don't pair bond." She sighed. "So I am stuck loving someone who can never love me back."
"What do you mean?" Bunny sat on the floor to put on her boots.
"Puck loves the way small children and butterflies do: randomly and with nothing deeper than affection." Moxi smoothed her skirts and straightened her blouse. "She'll always be with me until I pass but she holds me in no higher regard than she has for you or Ara. No one can catch her heart because she hasn't one the way we would think. She cares for me, sure, but doesn't love me." Her smile was sad. "Which is why I say Amy is lucky to have you."
Bunny hugged her. "Maybe your knight will come."
Moxi hugged her back. "She'd better know how to cook!"
It was near noon by the time the cart had been loaded with the fruits of Bunny's market trip. Moxi had gone as far as to include a basket of sweets and a bolt of some cloth in the mix, Wilson adding a crate of hops. They left after a round of hugs and promises to return. "It'll be dark by the time we get to Robin's Wood," Bunny grumbled as they walked the horses across town square. "We may be camping in the woods."
Anthony shrugged and mounted his horse. "It's been quite awhile since I camped. Change of pace may do us good."
"I'll remember you said that when we have to hear you complain about your back the next day," Kiva said and climbed on the cart.
Bunny giggled, urging Apple into a light trot and put Border Town behind her. They rode in silence, Anthony occasionally humming something under his breath and whisting a few bars then returning to staring into space. Kiva seemed lost in her own thoughts. "Where did you say you were attacked?" she asked Bunny, jarring them out of their individual contemplations.
Bunny gestured up the road. "The half way point. I was too far from either place to get any sort of help so I guess that means it was the best place for an ambush."
"You were alone," Anthony reminded her. "Now you've companions. Maybe they'll leave you alone."
"Either way we need to be ready in case they do get bold." Kiva patted the throwing daggers tucked in her boots.
He nodded. "Good point, my dear." He started playing his lute. "I'll aim to look unconcerned."
She rolled her eyes at Bunny. "Yes, dear. that'll show them you're not a man to be taken lightly."
"Sarcasm, honey? Really?" He stuck out his tongue.
"We could set a trap for them," Kiva suggested. "Camp in the woods and wait for them to try something. Wilson and Moxi made sure we had enough food like they were expecting us to take a month to make it home so we have dinner. There's really no rush."
Bunny scanned the trees and the sky. "Then I guess we can start setting up camp soon. We're nearing the half way mark."
"Not sure we'll have to wait for them," Anthony said slowly, hands still playing his lute. "I thought I saw something."
With one hand on a dagger and the other holding the reins, Bunny searched the trees. Black shadows flitted in and out of sight. "They're a bit more skilled than the last time..." she muttered.
"No matter." Kiva pretended to scratch her leg and reached for her dagger.
Bunny frowned, relaxing. "They're gone." She squinted at the trees. "This doesn't make sense... before they were clumsy and now they looked smoother... as if they had been practicing or something..."
"Curious." Anthony put away his lute.
"Yeah, isn't it," Bunny said dryly. "Maybe we should push on to Robin's Wood."
Kiva nodded. "Agreed. We push on."
They rode the rest of the way in relative silence, Bunny's hand straying not far from her sword.
Robin's Wood was as hospitable as when Bunny had passed through before. The Duck, Duck Goose was full of patrons, the barmaids nearly running to keep up with the demands of the patrons. Belinda managed to pass by, giving Bunny a quick kiss on the cheek. "Devon is behind the bar. You'll have to grab him yourself, my hands are full!"
"What's going on?" Kiva asked.
"It's a tasting party gone mad," she laughed. "Devon had a new beer he was trying out and was giving out samples. It kinda got a bit out of hand."
"Interesting," Anthony grinned. "Do you need a bard?"
The barmaid blinked. "Always! How-"
Anthony needed no further encouragement. He jumped on a table, ignoring the protests of the men gathered around it and started playing, the sound amplified by his magic. He sang at the top of his lungs, the words to the song being picked up around the room until everyone with a voice was singing. Bunny shook her head. "I'll take care of the cart and horses!" she shouted in Kiva's ear.
"I'm coming with you!" she shouted back.
The door closed behind them, sealing the racket inside and making the night quiet by comparison. Bunny took the horses' reins and Kiva led the cart horse, the two walking together toward the stables behind the inn. The street was uncommonly empty and unsettlingly silent. Without looking at her aunt, Bunny drew her sword and knew that Kiva had a dagger at the ready.
The footfalls were silent to the untrained ear but to Bunny they were as loud as a horse's hooves. She let them get closer, within range and spun around, sword at the ready. Not a soul was on the street except them. Kiva frowned and sheathed her dagger. "Child, someone or something seriously has it in for you. Are you sure you haven't crossed anyone?"
"No one that I can think of." Bunny put away her sword. "There was this jewel thief but she's more after our alchemist. I can't think of anyone who's been..." She sighed. "Oh, NO."
"What?"
"There was this guy who got his behind handed to him by Amy..." Bunny shrugged. "His woman may be after me because I was a bit rude to her." They entered the stables.
"Define 'rude'." Kiva unhitched the cart.
"Um, kicked her and punched her in the face?" Bunny tried to look innocent.
Kiva shook her head. "We have to teach you some tact. But first we need to get home in one piece."
The horses settled, Bunny and Kiva returned to the inn to find Anthony handing a bouquet of roses to a blushing woman and singing a love song despite catcalls and whistles. Bunny found Devon behind the bar. Without a word, he gave her a mug and gestured directions to a room upstairs. She accepted the mug and smiled.
Kiva followed her up the stairs. Bunny turned the door knob and was thrown backwards into Kiva, the shock of the blast knocking both of them into the wall. The dust settled, the explosion not affecting the crowd below them. "Seems you owe our host a door." Kiva picked herself up and entered the room.
"Yeah." Bunny followed her with sword in hand. The room was the same one she had the last time, same bed and dresser. The window was open, curtains caught in the breeze outside. "Aunt Kiva!" she shouted as Kiva moved to investigate the window.
Kiva threw herself on the floor as crossbow bolts flew through the window and buried themselves into the wall near Bunny's head. "Maybe you should start listing people you've pissed off," she suggested.
"That may be a good idea," Bunny admitted, helping her stand. "First, we should let our innkeeper know these quarters are not up to our very high standards."
"Yeah," Kiva sniffed. "I like doors."