Bandit Run

Sophia digs the toe of her dirty slipper in the dirt somewhat self-consciously, "Uhm...no." she says quietly. At the other teen's likely questioning expression, Sophia goes on to explain, sighing slightly, "I don't want to get married. Not to him, anyway. So...I am going to the convent at St. Thomas. Beau will be taking me here." she says. Sophia's chest tightens as she reveals this, and she swallows hard. "It is not all like it is...in the ballads. Romance is...not for the likes of me." she murmurs. Goodness knows that Sophia had had her fair share of romantic dreams when she had been younger. Not so much these past few months.

"I see." Cecilia finally said after a shocked silence. She wasn't one to judge, and tried her best to keep an open mind about most things, "I'd suggest not to give up hope just yet though, Sophia. Calm me childish but, I like to think there's truth in the ballads. Even for us not lucky enough to be Princesses swept away by their knights in shinin' armor!" At that Cecilia giggled, not realizing how her farfetched fantasy was a near reality to her newest friend.

"Come on," she said, already undoing her dress, "the river's just up ahead!"

Sophia watches as Cecilia moves away, and then follows with a sigh, "There's no knight in shining armor for /this/ princess." she murmurs, and meets Cecilia at the bank's edge. She gingerly undresses, first the outer gown, which is ruined, so hides the fine workmanship in the dirty and rough wear, then to the undergarments, which are in much better shape, and since more common folk don't even wear them, that's unusual enough to maybe garner some curiosity. She sets all these aside, and then shyly covers herself as she moves to the water's edge, dipping a toe in and shivering. "You bathe out there?" she confirms with Cecilia, "Wouldn't it make more sense to fill a tub and warm it up?"

"We could but..." Cecilia paused, trying to find the right words as to not offend, "seems like a waste'a time wouldn't you think? There's a whole river right here, so why haul the water in doors when nature's made it for us already?" Of course the explanation was said with a smile, with no real judgement in her tone. It was then the girl dove into to the cool water, surfacing with a loud giggle at the temperature and shivering away the cold.

"Hurry up! The longer ya wait the colder it'll seem!"

Sophia has another problem, and she finally admits it, "I don't know how to swim." she says quietly. If asked to repeat, she'll admit a bit louder and with some exasperation, "I don't know how to swim!" she repeats, using her hands to scoop up water and gingerly spread it on her skin, making only minor advances in cleanliness. To these girls, Sophia must seem rather simple to them, unable to do the most basic of girlhood tasks.

Cecilia silently thanked the heavens that they were alone together, knowing full well that if any of her other sisters had been present poor Sophia would be taunted. But Cecilia was known for her empathy above all else, and swam closer to the shore to watch the mysterious girl scoop water all over.

"Come," she said softly, holding a hand out, "just move up to your waist, then you can squat down. No swimming required." Though the water where she stood was only a few feet deep, she kept her hand out for Sophia's sake alone, hoping the gesture would speak to how she wouldn't let her newest friend drown. "I would hope there are no rivers at this convent." she did whisper with a small chuckle, delighting in getting just one jab in.

Sophia is touched by the gesture, and reaches out, taking Cecilia's hand. Sophia's hand is soft and unmarred by any hard work, and she clings to her new friend's hand as she steps in to the water carefully, to her waist, but no further, shivering in the cold. "What ab-b-bout s-s-s-soap...?" she asks through chattering teeth, slowly lowering herself slightly in the still waters. She slowly is getting more used to the cold, but not enough to be truly comfortable.

"Soap?" the girl mimicked, before letting out a single note of defiant laughter, "You really are funny, Sophia!" Cecilia then dove under once more, only to come up in a giant splash, leaving what little of Sophia that was dry completely soaked.

Marigold was chewing away happily at her grain and oats as Beau walked back towards their home. He sat down to wait patiently for Sophia to arrive back, taking the rare moment of peace to rest his eyes.

Eventually, Sophia will get bathed, although she admits to Cecilia, that while this is the cleanest she's been in days, she doesn't really feel as clean because there wasn't any soap. Said as if soap were the most common thing to find. She'll have to put back on her clothes, although since she is damp, her thin gown will cling to her, showing off a willowy, but feminine shape, brought on by a constantly good diet.

They'll walk back towards the cottage with Sophia still trying to sell her idea of the indoor bath, "...but you are just all sweaty again by the time you return. And what do you do in the winter?" she argues.

When she sees Beau relaxing, she sucks in a breath, and wonders at the fluttering in her stomach. Her hands go to her neat braids that she did to keep her wet hair from tangling, and blushes a bit. Then she glances at Cecilia, hoping the girl didn't notice.

If Cecilia did notice she held her tongue, instead, jostling her brother rather roughly on the shoulder. "Only a small trip and tired already? Lazy." she goaded, which Beau waved off with a small scoff. Still he rubbed at his face tiredly, neither denying or admitting to the claims.

"I-If you want to rest the r-rooms are ready." he said to Sophia, only opening his eyes to speak to her.

Sophia gives a nod, and follows Cecilia inside. The cottage is warm and welcoming after the cold bath in the stream. Fortunately, Cecilia doesn't seem to be inclined to say anything about Sophia's unfamiliarity with bathing in a river to the other girls, so she just sits down on a chair and watches as they go about whatever duties they have to do. It doesn't occur to her to offer to help, mainly because she doesn't have any idea what to do.

However, when the youngest picks up a shirt from a basket and appears to start to do some repairs, she brightens and offers, "Agnes? Do you mind if I help you with that?" She can work a needle and thread! Finally, she can feel useful. Cooking and housework are beyond her scope of knowledge, at least for now. At least while sewing she can watch and hopefully learn. Of course, she assumes she'll be taught such duties in the convent. With a needle in hand and a shirt in the other, she begins to work on the tear. The shirt would appear to be Beau's, a realization that makes her smile for some unknown reason. She makes delicate little stitches to bring the tear together, taking her time with the repair.

While the girls tended to the house Beau was off in town bartering his newfound riches for currency. With the rings and coins snatched from the fallen soldier in the forest, the family had enough food to last for at least a week. He rode home later on Marigold, placing her near the house as always while walking in with bags of treats.

"Looks like a good turn out." Piper commented to her twin, as they both went to unwrap the burlap sacks. Beau took that time to walk over to Sophia, only to see his shirt nestled on her lap.

"My -- M-My si-sisters are t-t-treating you well I hope?" he asked awkwardly, pretending not to notice such an intimate gesture from the Princess.

"Yes, yes, very well." she tells him with a smile. "I've even found something to do so I am not completely useless." she tells him, holding up his shirt so he can see the patch work that she's done on it. She's needlepointed a 'B' on the chest, and she seems quite proud of the work. "Your initial will hide the spot where the tear was." she proclaims. It is likely that at least Piper might be snickering at the work done.

Piper was in deed snickering, but was soon quieted by a light swat on the arm by Cecilia. Beau, stunned by the flattering -- albeit coddling gesture -- could only nod and smile. "It, uh, it-it looks lovely. Th-Thank you." A loud cry erupted from the youngest, causing her siblings along with Sophia to swivel their heads toward the table just in time to see the child grab a handful of bread.

"We had enough for rolls?" she screamed in delight, her smile like a ray of sunshine over the home. Beau let out a quick chuckle, before nodding again, "A-And m-meat as well."

"My favorite~" the girl sighed, hugging the food close to her chest before wrapping it back into the cloth. Even at such a yougn age she knew to wait until all was ready before she dove into a meal, not knowing when the next one would be.

Sophia can only look on in stunned silence. Such excitement over mere bread and meat. It was hard for her to comprehend. "Don't you get meat and bread all the time?" she asks, still a bit confused by the excitement. Maybe there was something special about it. She gets up to take a look, to see. In doing so, she sets the sewing back down in the basket, fully intending to get back to it once the mystery was settled.

"Where are you from?" Piper demanded at once, quelling the happy atmosphere of the home at once. She hadn't heard even a quarter of the strange questions Cecilia had by the creek, but the twin was prided on her sharp mind -- and even sharper tongue. Things weren't adding up, especially in regards to Sophia's confusion towards basic practices.

"Mi-mind your manners." Beau said suddenly, earning him a glare from the brunette. But she didn't back down, instead turning her metaphorical talons onto her brother. "Where did you rescue her from? She may not be from our land, but with such apparent ineptitude she's probably not even from our kingdom."

Sophia looks a bit uncomfortable at this line of questioning, and backs away from the group, "Does it matter?" she argues weakly. "As soon as we've rested, he'll be taking me away." She suddenly looks a bit sad, "I'll be out of your way." she says, her tears starting to well up in her pretty eyes. She looks at Beau pleadingly, "Tomorrow? Can we leave tomorrow?" she asks him.

At Sophia's glossy eyes Piper let out a small scoff, her mouth quirking upwards ever so slightly. "Is she crying, now?" she taunted, only to cease immediately at the stony look her brother through her way. He only uttered one word, but his voice no longer held the patience to stomach his sister's rudeness any longer.

"Outside."

Despite her brazen personality Piper knew to pick her battles, and retreated without a word to the shed of her home, knownig she'd upset her brother past the breaking point. Out of sheer tension the other sisters followed, quietly closing the front door behind them.

"I apol-plogize, my s-sister doesn't know when to hold her tongue." His brows furrowed at the tears welling up within Sophia, unsure of how to handle such a display of emotion. "She won't bother you agai-again, I -- I-I am sorry."

The girl shakes her head, quickly wiping at her tears. "I've disturbed the peace of your home." she murmurs, and then sighs, sinking back into the chair, picking up the shirt she had been working on and worrying it in her hands. "I am so selfish." she says softly. "I shouldn't have forced you to take me with you. "I just...I was just so scared of what lay ahead of me." she reasons, talking as much to herself as to him. "But I never thought past...getting away when I had the chance. I'm useless for anything else but...but just what I was raised for." She balls up the poor shirt in her hands and looks up at him, "How long will it take you to deliver me to the convent?" she asks quietly.

There was so much more Beau wanted to say. His heart ached at the sight of how defeated the Princess was, curled into herself. But he couldn't keep her beyond her will, and really had only the responsibility of making sure she got to wherever she needed safely.

"It is a dangerous j-j-j-journey." Beau said, wanting to kick himself for sounding as pleading as he did -- no matter how vague. "But, n-no more than a fe-few days. You are welcomed to stay for longer, Sophia. N-No one is dis-d-dismissing you."