Not Always Second Best [Tag Allan]

[Allan A Dale]

Allan was a little surprised when Kate grabbed hold of his hand and dragged him off in the direction of the barn, but he didn’t mind; he was always pulling her places and he supposed she had every right to do the same.

He whistled, quietly, under his breath as he looked upon the newly constructed Knighton Hall. It looked pretty much the same in terms of structure, and yet it also reeked of something new, something built with care and love but… It didn’t look lived in. It didn’t have that same worn out feeling that comes from housing a caring family for years. The sight of the hall without that familiar sensation was somewhat painful to Allan - he could remember sneaking up to the building with the gang while Robin went to visit his Marian, and the time they’d all brought back the newly-revived woman to her bed and they had all had to hide… He wondered if those bars were still across the window as they had been when he’d last been in the old one. Nevertheless, he could see the people of Knighton had worked themselves to the bone trying to get this place perfect, and the imitation was near spot on.

Kate took him to the stables, and Allan felt a small pang of regret that he’d had to leave his beloved mare behind at Nottingham Castle. He looked around at the horses and wondered just how Scarlet was doing; he hadn’t been able to think up a name for her and so picked the first female name that had popped into his head (and immediately chucked away Djaq because he knew Guy would probably kill him, if Djaq herself didn’t first). He chuckled at Kate’s caressing of one; they weren’t here to play with horses!

Allan happily followed Kate through the door and into what appeared to be the kitchen. The first thing he did was to grab a freshly baked bread roll from the side. Oh, he loved fresh bread and missed it quite a lot; it was always best hot, straight out the oven, even if you did burn your fingers in the process. Munching away, he was amused to find them quickly shooed out of the room, Kate cursing and muttering as they went. They ended up just by a window, and Allan watched as Kate snuck a peak inside and turn to smile at him before peeking in again. He didn’t think them both looking in at the same time would be a good idea so he just leant against the wall.

”Anything interesting happening?” he asked, still munching.

[Kate Miller]

Kate tutted as Allan pilfered a bread roll from the side. He continually munched on it as she looked through the window.

”Anything interesting happening?”[/i] he had asked, a mouth full of bread. She looked round at him and raised an eyebrow. Did his mother never teach him any manners? ”I can’t really see anything.” she whispered, if she was too loud they would be found out. She grabbed a hunk of the bread and ripped it from the roll he had been eating. If he was going to be munching on food she wasn’t going to not.

She grinned at him as she slipped the first piece of bread into her mouth, her eyes twinkling mischievously. She looked back around at Sebastian and frowned. There was something about the man she didn’t like. He was too friendly. For a Noble that it. Edward was allowed to be nice, his reputation receded him. Sebastian however was by all means – or most probably – working for the Sheriff.

She could not see who he was talking to, or here what he was saying. But by the hushed tones, she didn’t like it. She chewed on another piece of the rapidily cooled bread, and looked back at Allan.

”I don’t know what it is this man is up to. But I don’t like it!” she said, probably a little too loudly. She frown some more and turned her back to the window. ”He’s seems way too nice to be nice you know?”

(*zoom* weork time!)

[Sebastian Mannering]

Sebastian was furious, he'd had to retreat to his home for fear the façade of playful amusement dropped and all that was left was a man capable of deeds that were far too brutal for the impression he was trying to give to the people of Knighton. Somebody had tried to stab Lady Daine! At his party no less! And the damn guards had been useless, as usual, no doubt too busy drinking themselves into a stupor to pay attention to the welfare of the guests like they were paid to.

He paced the room and tried to tell himself that he was only so angry about the whole spectacle because it made him appear incapable of providing protection for his guests. It wasn't true though, the rage burning within him was more than that, he felt something akin to a protective streak for Daine. She was his to play with and he would not tolerate her being harmed.

Sebastian spun on his heal and snapped his fingers at the nervous looking serving girl standing near the door. She could obviously tell he wasn't in the best of moods, and if a lowly peasant could tell then he'd made the right choice to withdraw from the hawk-like observation of the other nobles. "Fetch Cumberland and have drinks bought up." He snapped, waving a dismissive hand. He was in no mood for incompetent staff and something needed to be done about the man who had attacked Daine.

The sound of not exactly hushed whispering and a soft tinkling of... bells? Floated over from the window and Sebastian turned to stare at it frowning. He crossed the room and stared out at Knighton square, there was nobody at the edge of the crowd that was even remotely close enough for the sound to have carried. He probably would have let it drop, and gone back to brooding by the fireside until Cumberland arrived, but recent events had made him paranoid, not to mention angry, and so he decided to head out round the side of the house to see what it could have been. If it was nothing he could rest easier and if it turned out to be trespassers... well, then he'd have somebody to vent his frustrations on.

(OOC: Ooooh, angry sebby! *glee*)

[Allan A Dale]

Allan was somewhat amused as Kate took some of the little remaining bread and ate it herself. If she had the munchies, she should have picked something up! But he didn't really mind sharing with her. He wasn't sure why she was raising her eyebrow at him, so he copied the expression and shrugged. Shame they couldn't actually get in there and spy on the man...

He stifled a laugh as she tiptoed to see back through into the room, face creased in concentration, her tongue poking out as she tried to figure out what the noble was saying. It was too funny, and too cute. He shook with silent laughter, the bells on his mask tinkling slightly. Plus she wasn't short enough to need to tiptoe - he didn't understand her logic. He sneaked round to the other side of her and peered through the window in time to see Sebastian approach, and pulled her down beside him, grinning and putting a finger to his mouth in order to remind her to be quiet. After a few moments, he looked up and, unable to see Sebastian there still, he stood up and looked back into the room.

Sebastian was gone.

Crap, Allan thought.

He stood up, mildly panicked. What if the man was coming out here and caught them? Where could they hide, what could they claim to be doing?

"This, I do not like," Allan muttered to himself.

[Kate Miller]

She jumped slightly as she tried to look at Sebastian. On the tips of hr toes she groaned inwardly in frustration. Why couldn’t the man speak up a little. She flap her arms about slightly in her frustration. When he approached towards the window her eyes widened and she panicked slightly. ”Crap!” she thought.

Any sign of thinking was cut short when she was tugged to the floor by the man in the bells. Which tinkled slightly as he moved. She mouthed an over-exaggerated ‘Owh!’ at him as she rubbed her shoulder. Her arm having been near wretched from its socket as he pulled her out of sight. He raised his finger to his lips to tell her to shut up – not say a word. Not that she planned on it.

Looking up, his expression changed from the cheeky one he had worn mere moments before. To the worried, panicked, ‘Uh-oh’ expression Kate didn’t fancy the look of. She copied his action as he stood. Checking through the window and over her shoulders – as to see if Sebastian was around. She couldn’t see him.

”This I do not like.” Allan had muttered, Kate could barely hear him. But replied all the same, ”You’re telling me! It#s never normally a good sign when the enemy disappears!” she hissed under her breath. ”Besides, you’re already an outlaw! When would it look like if on his first proper day he found one of his peasants gallivanting with an outlaw” she kept her tone hushed. Looking around once more when she had finished. She couldn’t see him, or hear his movement.

This could not be good.

[Sebastian Mannering]

Sebastian's trip outside was only hindered by a trip through the kitchen. The staff, who were more than a little surprised to see him out of the living quarters, erupted into a flurry of activity in order to appear dutiful and bustling to their master and employer. He gave them a particularly acidic glare, directing it especially at the head cook who dared to ask him if he was down here for food, as he was not in the mood to be amiable about their failing obvious attempt to impress.

He stepped out into the cool night air and turned in the direction of the window he had been staring out when he'd heard the disturbance. Out of the bustle of the fair it was a lot colder, but it was still far more pleasant than the sweaty heat of the kitchens, he would not be entering the servants quarters again any time soon. He could not see anything out of the ordinary, then again it was too dark to make out anything but the most vague shapes at this distance.

Rubbing at his face Sebastian wondered whether he should call the guards or continue alone. In the end he dismissed the idea of getting aid from the guards, they had already caused enough trouble today with their failure to catch Robin in the archery contest and their ability to be of absolutely no use at all in the matter of Daine being savagely attacked. He was perfectly capable of defending himself and it would no doubt be a couple of peasants in search of somewhere private to do, whatever it was peasants did when they were alone together. Sebastian made a face at the thought, peasants could be so... crude. He would enjoy giving them a fright though and if they weren't entirely repulsive he ay even remain quiet for a while.

[Allan A Dale]

Allan managed to grin, despite the apparently dire situation. "The enemy?" he asked, amused. She already disliked her new lord intensely; he was sure Marian would appreciate such loyalty to her family. Or, to the town. Or where ever her loyalty lay. He shook his head a little to dislodge the fuzzy thoughts.

"I dunno," he replied, a little dizzy. "I mean I don't think I like him but that don't mean he's too bad. I mean he did give away all this free stuff and any man who gives a free drink can't be all bad!" Allan wasn't aware that he was contradicting himself, but then he did it when he was sober too; he'd made changing his opinion an art form.

"Y'know, if we're really that worried we ought to..." he paused, trying to think of the right word, and gnawed on his bottom lip as he thought. He waved his hands about in a pushing manner, trying to suggest they left. He scratched his head, and then grinned in a dopey manner as he remembered the word. "Run!"

Despite his stupor, he did hear a crunching behind him; the fresh grass was crisp, even at this time of the day, and alerted him to the presence of their missing lord. He startled for a moment, froze, but his instincts (hide, hide, HIDE!! Disguise yourself! Blend in!) kicked in quickly. Mind buzzing, frantic, he did the only thing he could think of that might distract, or, at least, disguise their intentions further.

He grabbed Kate round the waist and kissed her.

[Kate Miller]

Kate scoffed slightly when he suggested that Sebastian couldn’t be that bad, giving them food and drink all for free. ’That’s until such times as he sides with the Sheriff and we’re all done for. Buying us over early. Pfft!’ She looked over her shoulder, and around as little, Sebastian still wasn’t there.

You know, if we’re really that worried, we ought to… run!”[/i] Kate had giggled, quite against her sober mind’s wishes at his arm waving. A chill running down the length of her spine when he said the word ‘run’ after a time. If her Lord was already out here, there would be little use in running, he would see them leaving. They were as good as caught.

Her eyes widened slightly as she heard the crunching coming from the direction they had come from, from behind Allan. Behind his clear blue eyes she could see his brain frantically working. His next actions took her by complete surprise, but the feel of his arms around her wasn’t a foreign one. His lips on hers however was. More than foreign from him.

Yes, she’d kissed people, but never drunk, and never in such a situation. Granted. She liked him. In some odd way he was there for her where nobody else was. He knew what he father was capable of, and he’d not breathed a word to Luke or anybody about it, as far as she knew anyway.

It took her the briefest of moments to react, but her arms instinctively found their way onto his shoulders – her eyes shutting after the momentary shock. Resting her forearms on his shoulders, she interlocked her fingers behind his neck. Pulling herself up to him slightly. This was definitely against her father’s rules. Well, she wasn’t exactly talking to him anymore was she? This most definitely wasn’t talking.

[Allan A Dale]

Allan felt her arms lift up, and he had to shift slightly to counteract the change in balance. He hadn't closed his eyes; rather, they were looking to the side, in case Sebastian had come round the corner and gone again, which would be handy for them, but he couldn't see anything due to the blinding nature of his dratted mask. He let go of Kate's waist for a moment to remove it and, keeping hold of the offending item, put it back, slightly lower.

He hoped she wasn't going to slap him after this, but he was quite enjoying it. The kiss itself was quite sloppy and wet; a proper drunken kiss, nothing elegant or romatic about it. As far as anyone watching ought to be concerned, it should just appear to be a drunken fumble away from the masses. Which it kind of was. Except Kate certainly hadn't consented to it, although she seemed to be enjoying it somewhat.

He hoped.

He started edging them towards the wall, and stopped kissing Kate long enough to give her a smile and whisper to her. He hoped she'd go along with it. "Over here, one of us can collapse."

(OOC - sorry short >_>)

[Kate Miller]

When he moved his hand away to get rid of his mask, she couldn’t help but follow suit once he’d gotten a hold of her again. She brought one hand around. Pushing the mask up so not to get Allan, ripping it from the top of her head, and flinging out into the houses grassy courtyard. She’d been itching to get rid of the thing for hours, it was irritating and it irritated her skin. Her hair flew out a little, landing on the side of her face, before replacing her hand, she tucked it roughly behind her ear.

She was waiting for Sebastian to interrupt to say something, but she felt herself being driven backwards, the Lord still not doing anything. She was careful not to trip, she wasn’t exactly the most sober she had ever been. Nor had she ever been quite this drunk. Something niggled in her, she wouldn’t be doing this if she hadn’t been. At the same time, she could have seen this happening at some point. Granted as first kisses went with people, it wasn’t the most romantic, but she doubted she’d remember a whole lot about it in the morning anyway.

When he pulled away, she couldn’t help but feel a little depleted, this was long from over though, she could see that with his smile, and his whispering of something to do with collapsing. What? her brow creased. He was leading this, there was no doubt in that. He was being the man he’d failed on being on so many occasions recently. She laughed in her head and smirked slightly as she went the way she was instructed, keeping as close to him as she could without falling over him, or herself.

Whatever it was he was planning, her mind all a little hazy, he could do it. And she most certainly was not going on the floor without a complete legitimate reason, the dress the most valuable piece of clothing she owned. She was not ruining for anybody, even in her drunken stupor.

[Allan A Dale]

Despite his subtle insistence, it appeared Kate refused to be the one to demean themselves to the unseemly pretence of being unable to hold their liquor, and he giggled slightly. Anyone could tell they'd both had far too much anyway, so he might as well have some fun. He began kissing Kate again, who was now maskless, and kept walking until his back collided with the solid wall of the newly built Knighton hall. He grinned into the kiss, shifted his hands down her hips and let himself slid down solidly to connect with the floor with a loud thump. He smiled up at Kate mischeviously and, without warning, tugged on her now loose hands to bring her firmly down onto his lap.

"We gotta stop meeting like this," he said eventually, words slurred slightly. He looked in the direction he had heard Sebastian approach but couldn't see anyone there any longer. This did, for some reason, seem to put an imp into Allan, who felt quite mischevious now. He figured it was probably because they had been caught, but now he wanted to mess about; with Kate or with someone else, he didn't care, but he fancied a game.

He leaned forward slightly, smiling, and licked Kate's nose quickly. He leaned back against the wall and giggled, face scrunching up slightly. "You taste like squirrel."

[Kate Miller]

She smiled as he leant in to kiss her again, feeling him do the same. She really was drug. If his lips hadn’t been on hers she would be giggling right about now. She felt his hands move, her own making their way to his neck again, the tips of her fingers playing in the ends of his hair. Next thing she knew he was against the side of the newly built house, going down the wall, grinning like an idiot up at her. She couldn’t help but giggle at him.

When he yanked her down she burst out laughing even more. She felt bad for him though, having her land on his lap, at such a force it had to hurt a little. She stopped laughing and was ever so slightly stunned when he licked her. That was definitely something that had never happened before. She’d never been licked by anyone in her eighteen years on Earth. She snorted a laugh when he mentioned squirrel.

”You mean you’ve eaten it?” she asked before deciding on her next movement. Running her tongue gently along an inch of his cheek, she withdrew with a wriggled nose, ”You taste like dirt!” she laughed, biting on her lip and grabbing a hold of his hand.

”You need a wash! Come on!” she said attempting to stand, and minorily failing, tripping over herself. She fell back down landing on the floor next to Allan with a laugh. ”Come on dirty! Be useful! Get up!” she said prodding him on the shoulder.

[Allan A Dale]

"You mean you've eaten it?"[/i] He raised an eyebrow, forgetting that Kate didn't live with the outlaws and wasn't subject to the cooking skills of Much. He laughed a little and nodded.

"Staple food. Only the best for the sovereigns of Sherwood," he quipped, and laughed as she licked him in return on the cheek. He brought a hand up, mildly disgusted by the trail of saliva on his cheek, and wiped it away with the back of his hand. He gave Kate a "so what?" look as she commented on his flavour of dirt, and watched, amused, as she tried to pull him up, walk away, and stumbled over her own feet to land on the floor next to him. He was thankful it wasn't too hard as his reaction time had been a little slow and he hadn't been able to catch her on the way back down to earth.

"'m not having a bloody wash," he whined, wrinkling his nose slightly and sounding very much the petulant child. Truth be told, he disliked washing and often didn't see the point in it; everyone else smelled of sweat and dirt, and their body odour was just as likey to overpower your own, so why bother trying to make yourself cleaner? You were only going to get very dirty and smelly again. Besides, it all fell off eventually.

"An' I'm not being... un-useful!" he added, glaring as she poked him in the shoulder. He took offence to that. "It got rid of your lord didn't it?"

"If anything," he replied, poking her shoulder, "You need a bath. Why'd you taste like squirrel anyway? At least I have a reason!"

[Kate Miller]

”Yes you are!” she whined, much like her sister would, and tugged on his arm to try and make him stand up first. He held his ale much better than she did by the seems of it. He was complaining now about her calling him un-useful. Okay so just now he hadn’t been and she certainly wasn’t complaining. But now he was being un-useful.

”I’m not talking about that silly!” she said, giggling rather too much for what the situation offered. ”That you can do at anytime! And it would always be useful! But you need to wash! So I’m taking you to the well!” she nodded and smile as if to illustrate her point. She could do the little child whining where called for. She tugged on his arm a little more, before giving up.

Kate’s brow knitted, she didn’t really taste like a rodent did she? How odd it would be if she did. She understood the dirt, he lived in the freaking forest, but a rodent, vermin at that? She experimentally licked her own hand, screwing up her face in confusion.

”If that’s what squirrel tastes like you don’t half eat weird meat!” she chuckled as she attempted again to pull him from his seat, ”Besides, I do not taste like Squirrel. I taste like Kate.”

“Come on!” she pulled on the sleeve of his a shirt little more, ”Even if you don’t wash you could still come! What else can we do sat here?”

[Allan A Dale]

Allan just pouted, he didn't want to wash! He was happy being dirty, and besides, there would be people round the well, wouldn't there? He didn't want to wash in front of other people...

Unless...

"You gonna wash me then?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows a little and pushing himself off the ground, stumbling backwards to end up leaning against the wall and wait for the world to stop spinning. Somehow, in the last few minutes, the excess of alcohol had really hit him and he wasn't entirely sure that the world should be moving quite so fast without him.

"Imma bring you some squirrel one day!" he declared, perhaps a little too loudly. He poked her in the shoulder again. "An' then you'll see you taste like squirrel. Besides, I don't eat it 'cause I want to. It's all we get. Much cooks."

Allan frowned. "Much doesn't like squirrels. He thinks they're trying to kill him 'cause they keep throwing nuts at him, so he cooks 'em."

He let himself be tugged at a bit more before allowing himself to wander forward. He could think of plenty of things the pair could do sitting there. Fortunately, he was wise enough not to voice them. "I'm not washing," he insisted. "Can we stop an' get another drink before we go? I'm thirsty."

Apparently he'd forgotten that a well contained water to quench his thirst.