How much for her? Sophia thinks to herself, feeling insulted. Then she has a momentary sharp stab of worry -- what if the young man actually named a price and sold her? After all, he had just been looking for money or jewels from her -- this way he is rid of her and his some money. Well, she isn't going without a fight!
Sophia has noted the weapons on the harness. She steps forward and draws the sword there, holding it with both hands, and says defiantly, "I'm not going anywhere with you..." she declares, looking at the two men, and also including Beau in the glance, in case he has decided to turn her over.
Sophia has noted the weapons on the harness. She steps forward and draws the sword there, holding it with both hands, and says defiantly, "I'm not going anywhere with you..." she declares, looking at the two men, and also including Beau in the glance, in case he has decided to turn her over.
To say Beau was taken aback was an understatement, a very small part of him even shocked that Sophia had enough strength to hold up the sword without toppling over. But by the strangers' crude laughter, he was thrown back into reality -- back into the gravity of the situation.
"Your concubine must learn her manners." the first man said with mirth, going as far as to jump from his horse to meet the two head-on. Whatever 'manners' the man had planned on teaching Sophia ended there, and Beau blocked him from continuing his path -- weapon or no. If need be he could grab his sword from Sophia; something about the men before him told the blonde they were all bark and no bite. Hopefully.
"Your concubine must learn her manners." the first man said with mirth, going as far as to jump from his horse to meet the two head-on. Whatever 'manners' the man had planned on teaching Sophia ended there, and Beau blocked him from continuing his path -- weapon or no. If need be he could grab his sword from Sophia; something about the men before him told the blonde they were all bark and no bite. Hopefully.
It was taking all of her strength to hold up the sword, and of course, she really had no idea what to do with it. "I'm no one's concubine!" she protests, apparently not staying focused on why the men were there. She tries to take a step forward, but the sword is awkward in her hands, and she almost loses it, stumbling forward with it, letting out a soft cry of surprise. It should put her close enough and off-balance enough for Beau to take it from her. And probably safer, before she skewers him or Marigold by accident.
Ignoring more of the taunting laughter of the men, Beau swooped the sword away from Sophia's hands with grace. With a flick of the wrist it was in his own, trained to point towards the ground in his right hand. Battling, and potentially killing, wasn't the first thing on Beau's mind so early in the day -- and yet, he had very little qualms. All thoughts of empathy were temporarily pushed aside as the cold steel from the sword racked in his hand, reminding him of the seriousness of the situation.
"Leave. Sh-She's not to be s-sold to you." 'Or anyone' Beau added inwardly, his hand gripping an inch tighter to his weapon as he noticed the second horseman reached behind for his dagger. That was the only cue Beau needed, and he wouldn't wait for another. The man in front of him laughed once more, even turning back to face his comrade for a split second. During that brief exchange Beau turned to Sophia, and only had time to utter one word, hoping she'd act in time.
"Turn."
He didn't want her to see the bloodshed, but it was either kill or be killed, and though Beau had grown rather accustomed to such acts he knew the Princess was less aware. Once both parties turned, with Sophia facing Marigold and the first man turning back with a smirk to face the blonde, Beau's strike sent a sound of carnage through the forest. The assailant hadn't even enough time to scream before the blade ruptured through the center of his gut, with Beau ruthlessly pressing a foot onto the barely alive man's chest to kick him off of the dirtied blade.
A bellowed scream from the second man atop the horse, who went as far as to flee. Disgusting. He hadn't even the courage to face down the person who'd taken the life of his comrade. Beau gave it little mind, and surely wouldn't be chasing after him. After making one more pierce into the dying man's neck, more to put him out of his misery than anything, he turned back to Sophia once they were alone once more. There wasn't much to say -- she'd witnessed the worst. But, they still had to move on.
"Leave. Sh-She's not to be s-sold to you." 'Or anyone' Beau added inwardly, his hand gripping an inch tighter to his weapon as he noticed the second horseman reached behind for his dagger. That was the only cue Beau needed, and he wouldn't wait for another. The man in front of him laughed once more, even turning back to face his comrade for a split second. During that brief exchange Beau turned to Sophia, and only had time to utter one word, hoping she'd act in time.
"Turn."
He didn't want her to see the bloodshed, but it was either kill or be killed, and though Beau had grown rather accustomed to such acts he knew the Princess was less aware. Once both parties turned, with Sophia facing Marigold and the first man turning back with a smirk to face the blonde, Beau's strike sent a sound of carnage through the forest. The assailant hadn't even enough time to scream before the blade ruptured through the center of his gut, with Beau ruthlessly pressing a foot onto the barely alive man's chest to kick him off of the dirtied blade.
A bellowed scream from the second man atop the horse, who went as far as to flee. Disgusting. He hadn't even the courage to face down the person who'd taken the life of his comrade. Beau gave it little mind, and surely wouldn't be chasing after him. After making one more pierce into the dying man's neck, more to put him out of his misery than anything, he turned back to Sophia once they were alone once more. There wasn't much to say -- she'd witnessed the worst. But, they still had to move on.
Sophia had turned towards Marigold, placing her face against the soft coat of the mare. However, her curiosity got the better of her, and at that first sound, she had turned, and unfortunately witnessed the killed. The quick efficiency and brutality of it stunned her, and when he stabbed the man in the throat for the final kill, she was wide-eyed. What had she done? Just what sort of monster had she thrown her lot in with?
When he turned to her, she began to back away, those eyes wide with fear. She shakes her head, "Stay back..." she murmurs, perhaps not quite putting together that he had killed a man to save her life.
When he turned to her, she began to back away, those eyes wide with fear. She shakes her head, "Stay back..." she murmurs, perhaps not quite putting together that he had killed a man to save her life.
Sophia's reaction wasn't out of the ordinary, so Beau made sure to carefully place the weapon onto the ground to show the Princess he meant no danger. He stayed where he was at, and made no sudden movements for fear of setting the woman off even worse than she already was.
"I ap-apoligize, but," Beau started, turning to face the now lifeless body behind him, "I n-need to check his p-p-pockets." A rather undignified thing to do, and at the very least the action could be seen as selfish when a shell-shocked woman was right in front of him -- but he'd be damned if he let a few coins go unsnatched through all of his labor. The man had no more use for such currency, anyway.
So with that Beau turned his back to kneel beside the body, giving Sophia even more space and time to collect herself.
"I ap-apoligize, but," Beau started, turning to face the now lifeless body behind him, "I n-need to check his p-p-pockets." A rather undignified thing to do, and at the very least the action could be seen as selfish when a shell-shocked woman was right in front of him -- but he'd be damned if he let a few coins go unsnatched through all of his labor. The man had no more use for such currency, anyway.
So with that Beau turned his back to kneel beside the body, giving Sophia even more space and time to collect herself.
It takes Sophia several heartbeats to realize that she had been holding back a scream. She suddenly gasps for breath and turns around, leaning against Marigold. Her heart is pounding and she feels like she could throw up. He...he'd just killed that man in a single blow, and now was rooting through his pockets? Suddenly, this impromptu adventure feels like a mistake, and she is very scared. Not that where she had been heading had been any better. She hugs herself, feeling quite alone and lost in this world. She just...she had no idea what she was doing. "I want to go to St. Timothy's Abbey in Lockwood." she suddenly says. "Can you take me there?" She's only heard of the place, and truly has no idea where it is from where they are. But maybe there, she can get away from the confusion she was feeling.
Five coins and a nice ring, taboot! He'd struck the goldmine on this one. Pocketing the treasures, Beau turned at the sound of Sophia's question. "I-I've only heard of that place in pa-passing. It'd be a f-few days j-..f-few day's journey to get there." He studied Sophia's face, wanting to see if that alone would change her mind but it seemed to have very little effect.
"We can gather su-supplies at my home. The-Then I can take you. And, a-again -- I'm sorry you had to witn-ness that."
"We can gather su-supplies at my home. The-Then I can take you. And, a-again -- I'm sorry you had to witn-ness that."
Three days or three weeks journey made no difference to Sophia at the moment. She just nods quietly at his words, and remarks, "I...I will need something better than this to travel in." she points out. It helps to calm her mind if she tries to think of something other than what she witnessed. His apology did have a soothing effect, although not one she feels fully at the moment. But at least the desire to scream was gone. "Perhaps there I can convince the Mother Superior to find a way to compensate you for your trouble." Since that was what he was wanting in the first place.
Confusion was evident in Beau's eyes as Sophia mentioned a 'Mother' and 'compensation'. But he kept all questions to himself, not wanting to overwhelm the still shaken heir. He wiped the still fresh blood from his sword, careful to do so with his back turned to Sophia. Latching it back onto Marigold, along with the quilt, he helped Sophia up as well and began to race towards his home.
Being so close to the man now was unsettling to Sophia. Yesterday, he had been a bold bandit, but with a soft side. Now he was a capable killer, and she was having trouble reconciling the two. She is stiff against him as they ride, not wanting to get to close. Of course, if the ride takes a while, she will eventually relax a bit, trying to remind herself that he did likely save her from a fate worse than death...and he was still a nice guy. He certainly hadn't made any untoward actions towards her.
The next time they take a rest, she sits down on a log next to him and clears her throat, "I'm sorry...that you had to do that...thing back there. It was because of me. I want to thank you for...standing up for me. For saving me from what was likely a rather unsavory outcome for me."
The next time they take a rest, she sits down on a log next to him and clears her throat, "I'm sorry...that you had to do that...thing back there. It was because of me. I want to thank you for...standing up for me. For saving me from what was likely a rather unsavory outcome for me."
They were close to the edge of the town to where Beau lived, but he decided on one last peaceful rest. His home would be abuzz with chaos and noise, and it was nice to relish in silence for as long as he could. He turned to look at Sophia, grateful to hear she was no longer disturbed by his actions.
He nodded at the apology before speaking, opting to choose his next words wisely, "Having as m-many sisters as I do, you become accustomed to those s-s-sort of -- advances. I have no s-stomach for it." He swatted lazily at a mosquito there, as he stared off towards the horizon, "Those men c-circle like flies to a carcass. It's why I've had to-to t-train the twins to protect thems-selves -- I go off for a few days at the most, but, if-if they weren't proficient with battling I w-wouldn't be able to leave them alone at all."
Beau was rambling now and knew it, and grinned awkwardly at his uncharacteristically long-winded explanation. He doubted much of it even made sense, what with it being so vague. "We're not t-too f-far now."
He nodded at the apology before speaking, opting to choose his next words wisely, "Having as m-many sisters as I do, you become accustomed to those s-s-sort of -- advances. I have no s-stomach for it." He swatted lazily at a mosquito there, as he stared off towards the horizon, "Those men c-circle like flies to a carcass. It's why I've had to-to t-train the twins to protect thems-selves -- I go off for a few days at the most, but, if-if they weren't proficient with battling I w-wouldn't be able to leave them alone at all."
Beau was rambling now and knew it, and grinned awkwardly at his uncharacteristically long-winded explanation. He doubted much of it even made sense, what with it being so vague. "We're not t-too f-far now."