Dark Yearnings

The Ruse

    Crowley stood quietly outside of Katherine and Caroline's cell watching Katherine as they slept. He hadn't realized how much he still had some kind of feelings for her. She was still so beautiful. He grinned to himself remembering the night they hustled a group of men who almost took his life, until Katherine stepped in.

Calais, France 1721

   Crowley was arm wrestling while Katherine stood close by posing as his mistress, although it wasn't really much of a ruse at this point in their relationship. She giggled and pretended to be impressed by his strength as she continued to fill his whiskey glass. After drinking to excess he would throw a few games and then Katherine would tell him he's had enough, he would argue and then dare Katherine to have a go. She would sit across from him and beat him. Fergus would then blame it on the whiskey in which she would laugh and he would offer others for a small wager to compete against his "bossy" wife. She would of course win and they would take home the winnings, drink some more, and end the night in obscene displays of passion. This one night the ruse went on as usual. Crowley lost to Katherine and kicked out his stool.

    "Aye it's the bloody whiskey, done taken ma wits cheri." He smiles and stumbles side to side. Katherine gives an exaggerated laugh.

    "Oui mon amour, you aven't had your wits about you long before ye had whiskey." She imitated his accent as to not give away her Bulgarian roots. The men around the table laughed, as did Fergus.

    "Alright love." He leaned across the table smirking at her. She smiled gleefully back. "I'll wager five pounds to the man who can beat my wife!" He shouted half stuttering and tossing coins on the table. As usual the men were hesitant to wrestle a woman. Then there were the drunken sailor types with no morality, and suckers for a gamble. A man stepped out of the crowd and picked up Fergus's stool.

    "I'll take that wager." He grunted tossing his coins on the table along Fergus's. Katherine gave him a flirty grin and pulled up her drooping dress sleeve. He grinned back and clasped her hand. She put up a slight struggle then let him pin her hand. "Sorry cheri." He winked collecting the coins.

    "Care to press your luck?" She flirted exposing her cleavage and giving him a wink." The man paused a moment. "Double or nothing." She whispered and bit her lip. Fergus laughed and patted the man on the back.

    "Aye run whilst you can mate." He laughed. The man ignored Fergus an maintained lustful eye contact with Katherine.

    "Alright lovely." He narrowed his brow with a devilish grin and grasped her hand again. This time she played weak but eventually beat the sailor. He slammed his fist down and cursed loudly. Katherine backed up pretending to be frightened by the behavior. The man tossed the coins at her and stomped off to the table where his friends sat. Fergus and Katherine quickly collected the coins into a satchel. They had a few drinks, as Katherine competed against other drunk sailors. The bar was closing as they stumbled out into the street like they did most evenings. Katherine stopped suddenly.

    "My shawl, I left it inside. I'll be right back." She smiled and gave him a light kiss before running back inside. Fergus smiled and stumbled to the side of the building to relieve himself. He was interrupted by 3 drunk men entering the alley.

    "Well what do we have here?" Replied the man Fergus recognized as the angry sailor Katherine beat at arm wrestling. "You know, I don't like being hustled mate." He pulled a blade from his jacket.

    "Now gents, I think we have a misunderstanding." Fergus argued. His heart sank briefly when he saw one of them pull Katherine into the alley struggling. His arm was wrapped across the front of her and she was flailing and kicking.