Let them eat ash

Ariel woke up to the screams and the flames. She looked out of the window in horror, quickly rushing to get dressed to go help to put out the flames or the whole town would burn down. She had her back turned to the door as she tried to pull her shoes on.

Thomas busted into Ariel's cabin and locked the door.
When she turned to notice him, he said, "We have to go Ariel."

Ariel blinked when she saw Thomas. She hadn't expected to see him so soon. "Thomas? What? Why?" She put her foot down, turning to face Thomas fully. "The town is on fire I can't leave now." She said pointing out the window. She had no idea what was going on.

Thomas pointed to the door.
"Who do you think you could possibly save out there?"
He had to get Ariel to come with him.
Correction, he wanted her to come with him, willingly.
"I need you to come with me," he repeated, taking a step towards her.

She took a determined face. "Well I can't just sit idely by and watch the whole village burn to the ground now can I?" She placed her hands on her hips in defiance.
Ariel eyed him up as he took a step towards her. "And go where exactly?"

He stopped when she asked where.
"To the nearest kingdom."
As he said this, a deadly stare crossed his face and before she could even react, he dashed forward and pulled her into a deep kiss.

She yelped in surprise when his lips met hers. All reason told her to protest while all instincts told her to give in. She closed her eyes, relaxing as she responded to his kiss.
After a while she pulled away slightly, looking up at Thomas. "And then what?"

While they were kissing, Thomas had back Ariel into a wall.
He placed his hands against the wall on both sides to prevent her escape.
And then she pulled away, unnoticed what he had done.
"I take care of a bounty," he answered calmly, staring into her eyes until she understood what he had meant.

She kept her eyes locked with his. Listening to him as she let the realisation sink in. Her eyes grew darker. How had he even found out there was a bounty on her? He had barely known about the war when she had met him for the first time. Well one thing was for sure, she wouldn't go without a fight. She knee'ed him to the crotch, pushing him away. "And I do hope you excuse me if I won't let you do that."

Thomas moaned and knelt in response to her attack.
"What a cheap move, Ariel."
He stood and studied her.
He had expected her to make some resistance so he wasn't surprised.
He came at her, dodging her attempts to keep him away.
He collided with her, pinning her on her bed.
He leaned close, close enough that he could kiss her again, if he wanted to.
"We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

"Says the man who kisses a woman to get her guard down." She responded to his comment.
When he came at her, and pinned her to the bed she tried struggling, finding it as useful as trying to dig her way to China with a spoon so she stopped. Breathhing heavily as she tried to calm her breath. She tried to ignore the heat radiating from his face on her skin, making her uneasy. "And what would the hard way entail? ... if you don't mind me asking?" She questioned him, looking in his eyes defiantly.

Thomas stared up in mock thought.
"Hmm. That's not really why I kissed you but," he smirked, still keeping a strong hold on her.
"It did provide a nice secondary effect."
He released his grip a little when he noticed she stopped struggling and sighed when she asked her question.
"I don't mind but let's just say: you would. The hard way is more painful than the easy way."
His eyes scanned her body as if to hint what he meant.

She gave him a murderous glare, understanding what would happen. "Then I will stop fighting... for now." She said sighing in defeat.

The glare she sent him almost brought chills to his spine. Almost.
"Good." He said and rose to let her up.
"I know I look like the bad guy right now but you can trust me, Ariel."
I won't leave you to rot, he thought, hesitantly.

She got up, giving him a look. The thought of losing her head soon was not that inspiring. "Can I? I doubt I can keep my head long enough to see it." She said saddly.

He smiled at her reply.
"I doubt you'll even lose your head. But just in case you have any second thoughts..."
He grabbed her hands with one of his.
With the other, he pulled the string from around one of her robes and tied her wrists together tight, making her wince and glare at him.
He sneered, "I didn't say there wasn't going to be any pain going the easy way."

She was surprised, wincing and giving him a glare. He seemed to know her rather well. "You are sneaky." She said looking away from him. "Who are you going to take me to?"

"The nearest kingdom I suppose.
As long as I get that $800,000 I could care less where we go.
Any preferences?" He asked as he nudged her out the cabin.

She winced when he nudged her to move. "Anywhere else bit not Illusia." She said saddly. Meliora was the other kingdom surrounding this place. So she supposed he was going to take her there. She couldn't dare to think what would happen to her in Maleficents clutches. She kept walking with him, trying her best to keep her head held up high.