Always On The Run

[Devon]

Darin ignored Ace for now and went over to Pandora and slipped his hands in between the bars to hold hers. "Listen, we have a chance to get you out of here without going to trial, but it is going to require us to go after the Thieves guild. We just need to take him to one of the hideouts and let he and his guards do the work."

[Kender Bard]

Pandora's eyes widened at his admission. "Darin!" she hissed, deeply frightened. "Darin, don't, please. Look what happened to me. It will seem tame by comparison to what they'll do to you and the children if they find out you had any hand in this!"

[Devon]

"What else can I do Pandora?" Darin asked. "If it goes to trial I don't know if you'll be able to get off. Either I take them to the thieves guild in exchange for your freedom or I'm out of ideas. I doubt meeting with the leader of the guild will change anything."

[Kender Bard]

Pandora ran a hand down her face as she struggled between despair and anger. "If you do this, Darin, we can't stay in Ronduin. Hell, I don't know if there's anywhere that would be safe on Naruta - Sensatia maybe. Khelek. The far reaches of the world."

[Devon]

"What else can I do Pandora?" Darin stared at her desperate to find the answer that would keep them safe on all fronts. "If you go to trial I don't know if you'll get out, if I do something here we'll be chased forever and if I mess with the Thieves it will be the same. I don't want to lose you or what we have here, something is going to have to work. What about the current leader of the guild?"

[Kender Bard]

Pandora glanced at Ace, but didn't reveal her name yet. "Maybe you could talk to her," she muttered.

"You're not going to make a deal with thieves behind my back," Ace growled. Pandora glared at him.

"Are you sure?" she mocked him.

"Yes!" he growled, Pandora repeating him in the same mocking tone. "You're trying my patience, Hayes."

"There an.. echo around here?" Pandora muttered, looking pointedly at Darin. "Well, whatever. Darin - either we run or you let me take my chances with the people of Ronduin. That's the only choice that I can see."

[Devon]

"Don't make it harder for yourself in here Pandora," Darin warned. "Give me her name. I'll have no problem finding her." Darin squeezed the bars in his hands and sighed. "Other than that, we'll have to do as you said and take your chances with Ronduin." Leaning in a bit closer to her he whispered, "You should be able to convince them it wasn't you even if it was. I know there is no way you were caught by anybody until you met me."

[Kender Bard]

Pandora was irritated that her attempt to drop Echo's name subtly failed. She gave Darin an annoyed look.

"No whispering," Ace growled.

"Then I guess I'll stay in here until the trial day," she sighed, gazing at Darin.

[Devon]

Darin sighed and gave Pandora an irritated glare. Turning around he faced Ace," She doesn't want to go along with it. She believes the guild will always come after us if we tell, so she wants to prove she is innocent in court. Sorry." Darin took two steps away from the cell and looked back over his shoulder. "And no, I don't hear an echo. Must be your imagination."

[Kender Bard]

Pandora scooted away from the bars and hugged her knees to her chest, watching Darin. She betrayed no emotion - except, perhaps... hope.