"I win again," Penelope said, pulling her earnings toward her.
"He's a cheat," Damon, the man Penelope lost to three times, slammed his hand down on the table.
Something was amiss with the young lad.
"I'm not a cheater. You are just predictable with your plays. I will do you a favour and leave now, so you have a chance to beat the others. I will just take this," Penelope said, moving fast to pick up the gold coins.
It was becoming too dangerous with all the attention on her, and the man seated opposite her didn't know how to be a good loser.
Damon grabbed Penelope's hand, stopping her from taking the money he wanted. "We'll play one more time, and this time, we will have someone standing behind you."
"So you can try to cheat? No," Penelope shook her head. "I will just leave."
"Your voice has become soft like a woman's. A man like you has no place here. Play one more round, and then you can leave," Damon said, motioning for two of his peers to come toward him.
Penelope pulled her hand out of his hold. She then slipped some of the coins inside her pocket and started to back away from the table. Why did her time-out always need to be spoiled like this?
"I don't want to play anymore," Penelope said as she walked away from the table.
Penelope stopped when her back hit something, and looking up, she was greeted by another unhappy fellow.
Damon stood up, revealing a knife. "You're going to play another game, and this one is going to be for all the money you won tonight. Sit," he ordered Penelope.
"Okay," Penelope replied, stepping toward her chair.
When Damon sat down, Penelope changed her direction for the door. She knew Damon was going to do whatever he could to win all that she had, so she didn't want to stick around to know what he came up with.
Penelope ran out, followed by Damon and the two men he was calling over to help him.
Penelope kept her eyes on the path she used when she needed to shake off anyone after her. It was dangerous, yet Penelope smiled as she ran. It was silly, and one day it might catch up to her, but for now, she enjoyed the thrill.
Penelope headed toward the road where carts and carriages used to get in and out of the market. She could lose sight of the men chasing her as long as the timing was right.
"Get back here!" Damon yelled, reaching out for the young lad in front of him. He managed to get a hold of the hat the boy wore, only to be surprised by the length of hair that fell. "It's a woman."
Damon smiled since he had a better way to punish the little cheater.
Penelope wasn't concerned with her hair being revealed since all she needed to do was keep her face hidden.
Penelope was happy to see a carriage coming down the road just in time for her to make it to the other side of the carriage. Or so she thought.
Her foot collided with the passing carriage, causing her to fall.
"Wonderful," Penelope muttered, looking up at the men she was so close to getting away from. "I didn't cheat."
Damon reached for her hand before she could try to run. "A woman doesn't have any place in my game as well. I'll teach you a lesson."
"Damon," one of the other men stuttered, his panic heard in his voice. "She hit a royal carriage."
Damon looked away from the young woman to the carriage. The two colours which decorated the carriage frightened him. He released Penelope's hand since she had someone more important to answer to.
A palace guard was the first one to approach the group.
Penelope wished she had her hat to cover her face. If the carriage had gone on instead of stopping, she would have used the gun she carried with her to kill the men chasing her if she could not shake them off.
Her father's rule was always to never use the gun where anyone could see you. It helped to avoid being visited by the town guards.
Penelope stood up and unfortunately met the eyes of the guard who without a doubt recognised her. She knew she was screwed when the guard walked back to the carriage.
Damon thought the carriage would continue on its way, so he grabbed Penelope's left hand. "I'm going to teach you why pretty little things need to stay inside this late," he grinned, revealing his coloured teeth.
Penelope reached for her gun with her right hand, but before she could pull it out, the carriage doors opened. She looked down at the ground, though it was useless.
Damon couldn't believe his eyes. "Crown prince." he bowed his head.
Tryion exited the carriage with his sword in his right hand. He stopped and tilted his head to get a good look at the woman the stranger was holding onto.
It was Penelope.
Tyrion then stared at the stranger's hold on Penelope's hand.
"Prince Tyrion," Damon smiled, seeing this encounter as his lucky day. He then noticed Tyrion's interest in the young woman and said, "This one cheated on a game and ran from me. I will teach her a lesson. She's the one who hit your carriage."
Penelope wished it was the king instead of Tyrion. Tyrion would never let her forget this moment.
"Release her," Tyrion ordered the stranger. "She's free to go."
Damon frowned, confused as to why the cheater should be allowed to get off so easy. "She cheated at a game, ran off with my money, and hit a royal carriage. I should own her now. She needs to be taught a good lesson, and I have a brothel I could put her to use in."
Tyrion sighed. He looked down at his sword, which was sharpened hours ago. After the events of the ball, he wanted to enjoy a quiet ride around the town, but that wasn't going to happen now.
Tyrion swung the sword, aiming for the hand which would not let go of Penelope.
A blood-curdling scream rippled through the air.
Penelope was startled by the sight of Tyrion's sword slicing through the stranger's hand. She pulled her hand away before she could be injured as well.
Damon yelled, letting out the pain he felt. He held his severed right hand with his left. "You bastard-"
Tyrion silenced Damon by aiming for his neck, separating the head from the body. "Kill the others and dispose of them," he ordered the palace guards.
Tyrion kept his gaze on Penelope as his guards finished off the others.
Tryion dropped the blood stained sword so he could touch her hands.
Tyrion inspected her hands for any bruises. He was used to the Collins siblings sneaking out as he once used to meet with them here in town, but he thought they had stopped doing it.
"I am not injured," Penelope said to calm him. "I was the one in the bad position, but your hands are shaking," she said, looking up at Tyrion. Now that he was closer, she saw how angry he was. "Can you give me a ride home?"