As Hollow As A Mannequins Grin (Keveridge)

13 - I Can Only Smile To Pretend, That I Don't Care

I was getting restless now.

Yesterday we'd spoke about taking down the Cardinal and getting the plans together to do exactly that, but Kier and Cyrus wouldn't let any of us go without a hard plan of what we were going to do. Drew had pretty much sat in silence the whole time, occasionally throwing his ideas of what we could do in there but he hadn't said much. Luke had been resting ever since he'd told us what was going on. It seemed as though just talking about it drained him physically. That was another reason as to why we didn't head straight for the palace: Luke didn't want to be left out of the action. He said he had a bone to pick with the Cardinal, and who were we to deny him that after all he went through.

Me and Kier had agreed to take up the basement as our room, so that's where I currently was: sitting on the edge of the bed, tapping my foot and wringing out my hands. I had to get out of here, not even to back into Grandomina itself, but just out and go for a walk, no be trapped in here like some kind of caged animal. 

I groaned and fell back onto the bed, pressing the heels of my hand into my eyes. Being stuck inside was driving me insane. I heard footsteps coming down the stairs and moved one hand away to see Kier walking down.

He smiled at me and jumped onto the bed, climbing onto my lap, "What's up Bevers?"

"I'm bored... very, very bored..." I mumbled, moving my hands away completely so they dropped by my side. Kier had his head tilted slightly to the side as he looked down at me, "I want to go outside..."

At this the smile on Kier's face totally disappeared, "It's not safe, not yet at least and you know that Laurence." I groaned again and grabbed a pillow, shoving it on my face. I don't even know what I said, it was totally incoherent even to me, so god knows what Kier heard from that.

After a moments hesitation I felt the pillow being lifted and his face came into view, "How about we go out into the forest for a little wander? Just the two of us. But you can't go running away on me Princey," he smirked a little at that.

I felt my face light up and I sat up, quickly dropping a kiss onto his cheek. When I pulled away I saw his cheeks starting to match the colour of his fringe, and when I pointed that out to him I earned a playful punch on shoulder.

Moments later he'd grabbed my hand and we were outside, walking into the trees hand in hand. Everything was quiet and just seemed perfect for the two of us, but I didn't share my feelings out loud.

"I'm kinda glad I brought you back here..." Kier murmured quietly, looking down and biting his lip.

I stopped and pulled him back, wrapping my arms round his waist and letting him drape his round my neck, "I have to say I'm fairly glad you brought me back as well...even if it was by hitting me with a rock," I chuckled more as his cheeks darkened slightly at that, but I never let him say anything against that before I pressed my lips back onto his and felt him respond near enough immediately to me.

We stayed that like for a little while and in each others arms before I pulled back, seeing a cute smile spread across his face, "C'mon, you're the one that wanted to be outside," his smile spread more and he skipped off further into the trees. I rolled my eyes and followed after him, stuffing my hands into my pockets.

Just before I turned round to catch up with Kier someone's voice made me freeze, "Hello there Princey."

I slowly spun round to see a man with a yellow scarf wrapped round his neck grinning at me, "We've been looking a long time for you." As though it was their cue, Kier and another man with a green scarf came round from the other side of the tree, Kier with his head bent down slightly.

"What's going on here?" I said, looking between the three figures around me.

"Well, me and my friends have been looking for you for a very  long time, and it seems that our good friend Kier here just happened to deliver you straight to us," yellow scarf smirked and winked at Kier.