A Most Charming Prince

Seventeen: Change of Heart

But what of our thief Nigel? Where has our highway robber man turned peon, turned pickpocket gone off to during all the chasing and sailing? To bring you lovely people up to speed, here be a quick resumé of his cowardly actions:

Upon hearing Julia cry thief!, he dropped Madame, ran up the servants' stairs, down the hall, and descended the main staircase, where he was only too happy to see a young lady being accused of thievery in his place, he snuck into the kitchen amidst the confusion, retrieved his satchel with the precious golden jewels and ran out the back door, through the inner courtyard and to the river below.

The cad. The turn-coat. The loathsome snake. May boils explode on both his buttcheeks.

However, his devilry didn't stop there. As he followed the river downstream towards the ocean and port, a pirate's ship came sailing upstream. Wrong direction, but right idea. He could catch a ride, make some new friends, and loll about in luxury soon...

Holding the satchel above his head, he swam out, caught ahold of the ship in a feat of coordination that left him breathlessly impressed with himself, and climbed up to the bare-chested figure head knight to hide there on the wooden lance.

So when riders were spotted on the nearby highway, Nigel had a front row ticket to the show.

First, Il Répoute and the poor girl from the dining room. Then Nigel's former employer and rightful owner of the contents of the satchel, and last, Madame and her girls racing after them all.

Now, at last, his heart twinged with guilt.

That innocent lamb of a lad what obviously needed a father in his life to guide and mold him—to explain you don't run from brothel ladies. And Madame—the lusty, loving wench he'd left cold in the stairwell, now putting herself in danger by going after the knight who was going after the lord of the land who was carrying off an innocent girl to be married to his weasel son—never before had such a despotic, Machiavellian profiteer managed to seize control of peaceful, happy Darndiddle. The land was topsy-turvy.

Nigel shook his head. They needed him. He understood the inner workings of a devious mind. Madame, especially needed him. Nigel might not be the hero she deserved, but by the holes in his stockings, he would be the hero she needed.

When the voices above shouted, "Full sail to Répoute's summer palace!" a stern determination settled on his expression.

Full sail!

*** Oh, we knew he wasn't really a cad, 'twas all an act to impress the ladies! And no, the picture has nothing to do with the text, but it seemed like a while since I posted a scantily clad male being manly. ***