A/N: And thus comes to end a five-parter story that I enjoyed writing immensely. Thank you to everyone who gave some time of their day to read this and I hope it was as enjoyable to read as it was for me to write and plan in my head. If there's any feedback you'd like to leave feel free to PM over the mail system. The next story is either something concerning my Elf or takes place a decade back into Alex's past.
Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V
“Ye’d make a good puppe’ at least.” She said with an air of superiority. Alex rolled his eyes, catching the darkness of the sky from the corner of his gaze. He looked up and noted that the stars were almost gone completely now. There would be rain soon.
He glanced behind him again, and to his great dismay, found that almost half the people sitting outside were now blatantly staring at him and Penny with disapproval, looks of judgement that proclaimed them both guilty of being far too carefree and reckless. He admitted that discretion was probably a better idea in the long run, but at the same time he couldn’t help but glare, hoping that their staring could be directed elsewhere through the sheer defiance in his gaze.
Of course, they had to factor in that their wild behaviour was going to have half the village peg them as fools and reckless idiots, especially in light of Alex being the father of a mouthy seven year old who often had to be restrained with tempered words and warnings whenever she began to get rowdy. His mood began to drop with the first hints of rain droplets touching his cheeks and he abruptly cleared his throat, “Ah well, y’wanna head home?”
Penny seemed to pick up on his change in disposition, nodding. The tiredness returned to her eyes as she spoke her agreement, and once more the illusion of solace shattered, leaving the bitter reminder of the harsh realities waiting out there, “Aye, li'ly should. Worked twelve hours t'day.”
Twelve hours? Alex raised a brow, “Good heavens Penny, don' kill yourself with work.”
She shrugged, expressionless, and Alex’s heart sank in further dismay as she replied, “Dun' go' a choice.”
He sighed. There was always going to be that one catch, the anchor that would keep them from drifting too far off the road of life. He reluctantly nodded and felt a pang of empathy for her predicament – he also had work and angry parents to tend to later, “Y'know you can ask me, right? Fer help, I mean.” He added quickly.
“Aye I kna, bu' tha' ain' 'ow I live life.” Penny said. Naturally, growing up in a harsh household had made her less privy to offers of help and self-reliant. Alex wondered if she knew that it would likely become a moot point anyhow, seeing as they were to be married soon.
“A'righ'. But y'know if somethin's botherin' you you can talk to me? Wouldn't do if me future wife ends up collapsin' from exhaustion.” Alex pointed out, smiling wryly. He wasn’t really expecting a straight-up yes.
“I'll be foine! Been livin' li' this for years.”
“I kno'. Doesn't mean I can't offer help if there's ever a need fer it.” He replied, then added rather cockily, in an attempt to lighten the mood “I’m generally a nice man y’know.”
He glanced over his shoulder at the tavern again. Half the tables were deserted now, owing to the fact that they were now beginning to get soaked with droplets, but the other half remained filled to the brim with people, laughing without a care in the world and banging their tankards on the hard wooden surface as they exchanged tales and jokes, shielded by the pillar-supported second floor providing a ceiling above them.
A grin began to grow on his features.
Seized by some mad form of desire, he wordlessly scooped Penny up in his arms and lifted her up, barely leaving her time to scoop up her precious lute and purse. She peered at him in surprise but did nothing to resist, and he could hear a few disjointed gasps of shock (And a few stray cheers) behind him, obviously scandalized by this latest inappropriate act. He ignored the looks of disbelief he was given as he turned around, smiling viciously. He had half a mind to loudly proclaim that he was taking Penny to his bed, but as he looked down to see her looking at him with a raised brow he decided that he would not chance making even more of a fool out of himself than he already had.
Ah Pa, forgive me.
“I'm tempted t'yell tha' I'd be takin' you to me bed but I think tha' would make things worse.” He murmured, making his way over to the steps before realizing the steepness and rain would likely result in more than a few broken bones. He turned to take the safer route, which was behind and to his right, stepping off a platform and walking downhill towards the town square.
Penny smirked, “...Aye tha'd make i' qui' a bi' worse.”
He resisted the urge to heave a sigh, defeated, “Oh well, would'da been hilarious.”
Note: Hypocrisy can be such a sweet, sweet thing. Especially when both sides indulge in it. :D
