Bound By Madness

17. Changing Colors

While the Jester Assassin slept, I brought out my needle and threads, picking out the new red I had found. I didn't have enough time to get very much done, but it would never be finished if I didn't start somewhere. I spent the next hour adding careful stitches as I began covering the scars that still marked my skin with a series of delicate flowers. Perhaps this time I would add in some thorns on the vines that would eventually wrap around my arms.

Ellery, should I make the thorns red, too? Would you like that?

"Why bother? It'll just get ruined again next time that fool decides to have some 'fun' with you. You'll never find time to make me the cap you promised me, not with him distracting you and forcing you to recreate your stitches every time he decides to play around," his harshly voiced comments would have hurt more if I hadn't already been expecting them.

It's only happened once. You know I didn't mean for the last pattern to get ruined. And neither did he! He just didn't know... I don't think he will cut the stitches again, as he seemed sorry when he found out. I'll just make sure he knows to be careful if he wants to dance that dance with us again.

"And what if he kills you next time? Did you think of that?! Then who will make me a cap to replace my lost one? Hmm? And what of Amicus? Who will speak with him about his treasures? If that Cicero kills you, who will there be to acknowledge we ever even existed? You're the only one who doesn't ignore us! The only one who remembers!" Ellery sounded truly upset and I was unsure how to answer, not able to make any promises that the Jester Assassin wouldn't grow bored of me and end my life in another dance.

I can't be sure that he won't kill me, Ellery. I'm sorry, I wish I could. Even if I ran from him while he slept, I can't promise he wouldn't hunt me and kill me for leaving him. All I can do is stay with him and try to survive somehow until either he finds a reason to let me go or... I don't know. Maybe his family he mentions once in a while will make him let me go? If not, if I die instead, maybe the Jester Assassin will learn how to see you and you could travel with him instead. Just so you wouldn't become lonely. Although, I'm not sure if he would make you a new hat. But perhaps, if you asked him to, he would try?

"It wouldn't be the same," he whispered before turning away and walking toward the wagon, shoulders slumped as he peered at the oiled cloth that still covered the cargo, even though there was no longer a threat of rain.

Sighing softly, I took a look around to make sure nothing was trying to creep up on us, not wanting to rely too much on Amicus to keep watch. I know he got distracted sometimes when I was stitching, enjoying his chance to watch new patterns take form upon my skin. Nothing was in the area, but I could see the jester shifting in his sleep and tied off the flower I had been working on. It would have to wait for the next chance I could find to spend time working on the pattern.

Climbing to my feet, I moved back towards the wagon as I placed my sewing kit back into my belt pouch. Best to make sure my Ellery wasn't trying to make trouble for the Jester Assassin out of anger.

Ellery, don't mess with his stuff. I don't need him getting upset with us. What are you doing over there? What... what is that?

At first, I thought that Ellery had done something to the cloth, but looking closer, I could see the rope that hung loosely from the corner of the wagon. It must have come undone at some point during the trip. I hoped that was all because if it was Ellery who'd done this, Cicero would be so upset with us. Either way, both of us were left peering curiously at the corner of a huge box that had been revealed. With part of the cloth out of the way, I understood clearly that whatever the box was, it hung a fair bit past the end of the wagon, something I hadn't even really paid attention to before this.

As tempted as I was to reach out and touch the box, I turned instead towards the rope and pulled the cloth back over the corner, carefully tying it back down. The Jester Assassin had left it covered for a reason, whatever that reason was. Even if just to keep us from knowing what he had in the wagon.

"Cicero is glad curious Faith did not try to peek at that which she does not have permission to see," came a deadly quiet whisper from behind me as a hand reached out and grabbed my own, pulling me away from the wagon as an arm came around from the other side and pressed me back against a velvet-covered chest. "Cicero doesn't want to have to continue his trip alone. He is enjoying having Faith keep him company far too much to have to stop now."

Slowly raising an arm up, I placed my hand over his as it rested just below my chest. Turning in place, my fingers curling against his own, I looked up at him with a hopefully playful smile. I had to fight to keep my hands from trembling, something that was luckily helped from years of practice keeping a steady hand while stitching so many patterns.

Sweet Cicero, I might be a thief, but even I know not to sneak peeks at that which belongs to an assassin. I have far too much left to do to risk my life ending so quickly. Besides, I still need to find out the answer to why you haven't killed me yet, right? You haven't told me and it would be a shame if I did something to make our little game end before it must.

"Our game? Ah, yes! Our game! A game to see how long playful Faith shall survive, yes? To see if she will live long enough to find her treasures and keep them for her own. Cicero looks forward to finding out the answer to that," the man said as he slowly leaned forward, pressing his forehead against mine for a moment before pulling back and dancing away to collect his bedroll.

I had no idea what to make of things anymore. If felt almost like the whole world was slightly off-balance since I met the Jester Assassin and each day it tilted a bit further. But at the same time, it felt like I was putting together pieces of a puzzle I hadn't even known existed and had no clue what it would look like when I was done.

"Pretty Faith should get on the wagon now. We must make haste if we are to get anywhere before nightfall and have to slow our pace down again. Cicero is eager to see what happens next, but also begins to wonder what his Family might make of Faith if she makes it that far!"