By Silence_is_golden233
Saint Valen's Day, 14th of Frena (Febuary),1682... 14th year of the Q.E. (Queen's Era)
The gutter rats and cobble children were stirring even before the first light of the sun. The port city of Dys was bustling and fishermen were already casting out nets in the Bay as merchants bartered. However a waif of a girl was awake and for all the wrong reasons. Her mother having hit the drinking houses the night before, was waking up in a foul temper with an even fouler feeling noggin.
"Skye.....SKYE!!" Came an almighty screech of indignation as the addled woman stared up at her skinny daughter.
"Yes Ma?" she asked politely, earning a potent glower from two sunken orbs of ice blue.
"Where is my remedy? The one from Madam Ghut's shop...get it now!" The woman commanded haughtily and Skye inspected her mother for the briefest of moments. Underneath all that grime, drink and prickly attitude was a relatively attractive woman.
But the girl went and got the small pot of cream from a cupboard in the cramped bathroom. Their bathroom consisted of a chamberpot, wash basin and a cupboard for storage.
"Here Ma, the remedy." It was snatched from her grasp within moments by gnarled hands, Skye's mother had gotten them tangled in a fishing net when young. The net had sliced her clean open on several fingers and across the back of her hands. It had left thick silvery pink scars and caused her to have less use of some fingers.
As Skye moved away, her mother's long dark hair fell forwards over her shoulders and the young scuttle bug knew her mother's routine. She just knew that her mother was rubbing tincture into her temples as fast as her scarred fingertips could manage. It was hard living with her mother, though she never raised a hand to any of her four children...she had still taken a toll on them.
Skye went to her corner of the small ramshackle apartment and gathered up her rucksack and other items. A pained groan from her mother was ignored, as was per usual too. The inn had employed her as a messenger, giving her baths and her morning meal on a regular basis. Though this was only if she was the first one to complete all her message deliveries two days in a row. She left the dwelling and closed the crooked door as best she could behind her. Skye hopped down the stairway in a particular pattern and wobbled but never deviated. All residents in this four storey block knew that if you didn't follow the pattern, you would end up crashing through the wooden stairwell into the basement with the rats.
Skye didn't see this sort of life as harsh, she saw it as something only a fancy merchant's son could dream about. She knew vagabonds, tickle pockets and even the tramp whom lived along the Grand Avenue. She knew these living, breathing characters and she had a feeling that even she herself was a character in these better off children's dreams. She was someone who was dedicated to their work. But to work hard one must first find something that they're good at.
Skye's best attributes were her mind and her speed....though her face wasn't too scary to look at. Her nose was a little crooked from a fight with Patti Grady in her twelfth winter, but you should have seen how Patti looked after the scuffle. Her ears had been pierced in several places by a traveling gypsy troupe and they'd magicked her ears into healing perfectly to prevent infections. She knew her hair was short and she never intended to let it grow past her shoulders. She thought herself purpose built for the rougher parts of Dys, despite being young.
She came out into the street and slipped perfectly through gaps in the crowd until she took a right turn. It became a little easier as she was heading north along the Grand Avenue as most residents didn't go near the square until later in the morning. When she got to the town square she simply took her time, she was the only messenger about at present from what she could see. Though as the sun's rays started to illuminate the tops of the several storey buildings, she paid a pretty copper coin for a honey and fig loaf.
She was about to scarf it down before she saw a skinny girl holding the hand of an equally slim little boy. She tore the bread into halves and held them out to the pair. They went to snatch the morsels and she frowned, making them hesitate before taking the food as politely as they could. As they scampered off, she smiled softly before moving on and rapping sharply on the Golden Gate Inn's large wooden door.
The inn wasn't actually gold in colour, it was just one of the markers which would lead you to the brass and iron gates that surrounded the palace. Dys was the capital city of Illia...one of the largest islands in the Isle along the Sapphire Coast of Yanta. Though that was all Skye had really learned about the Magical Realm's geographical features. Her mother had been unable to keep paying for her schooling at nine winters.
The innkeeper's harsh glare melted as he saw her and handed a stack of messages to her for delivery.
"There ye go Skye, ye best be off." his accent always made her smile and she took the stack of parchment from him before looking down at the address to deliver it to. One of the merchant houses, for Rheys Hinkley in particular...she specialised in silks and spices. Now having where she needed to go and whom to deliver the neatly written message, she set off as if on a marathon. Better to save your energy for when you absolutely need it...rather than having a pistol to your noggin and your legs unable to even support you.
| Author Notes | Prologue explains bits and pieces of Skye's past and present. It is fractured on purpose because as all people know, not all of a human's thoughts about their past. Well, not all of the past events are in chronological order |
By Silence_is_golden233
The weaving cobbled streets would have left most others in a tailspin, but Skye knew most of the shortcuts to get where she needed to be. She skirted around the wine houses to the south of the city near the docks. Rheys lived just outside the boundary between the lower dwellings and the middle class. She showed her messenger's seal to the guard in front of the door and he stared at her sullenly.
"Who's the message for?" he asked sharply, Skye staring up at him unflinchingly with grey-green eyes. They usually unsettled people, her eyes...it's like they'd never seen orbs like hers, despite her brothers and sister having them.
"Rheys Hinkley, from someone staying at the Golden Gates Inn." she said without even looking down at the scrawled letters. Her only saving grace was that she'd been taught to read during her time at school. That was rare though, people of her economic background often didn't bother with school or only bothered until their child was around five seasons of age. Her mother had held out longer for Skye as she was the oldest. Her school days had stopped when her younger three siblings went into school and she knew that their mother's inheritance (of what little there was) would not support her education any longer.
The guard finally opened the door and made her wait in the small entrance way to the merchant house. She waited as a maid went to fetch Rheys from wherever she was in the dwelling, the queen had decreed that all messages were to be given directly to the recipient. This lessened the chance of the monarchy's secrets being spread about when no one but the sender and the recipient saw the parchments. The only exceptions to this were when the recipient, sender or messenger were dead or the recipient was blind or unable to read. In the former, the Queen's Guard would investigate...the solution for the latter was that the messenger read the message to the person in a secure location. All legally working messengers were given a small wooden 'seal' to wear around their neck on a leather strap.
These seals protected them and held all of their relevant information on the back with the Queen's crown pressed into the front. If you were to shoot a messenger and somebody found out, you would find yourself tied to one of the dock's support beams at high tide. If you drowned they'd cut you free and let the sea creatures deal with you. If you survived they'd cut you down before securing you at a lower level on the beam.
Rheys was a striking female, Skye acknowledged that much at least. Sea green eyes, a smattering of freckles and a pretty mouth, this woman used her looks to her advantage. They bowed formally and Skye handed over the neatly written letter.
"Thank you little messenger." Rheys honeyed tones were surprisingly pleasant to hear, nothing like the caterwauling of the people who ran the fruit stands. "What do I owe you?" The question was a little surprising considering that most legally working messengers used the same rates.
"Two coppers for just the message, three for me to wait for your reply and deliver it." Skye answered easily enough and Rheys Hinkley looked at her before placing two small copper coins in Skye's outstretched hand.
"Best put those in a safe spot." Rheys advised and Skye smiled politely before bowing and leaving. The woman was kind to give her advice, but Skye had already known to hide her coppers from people. It was impractical to think that for even one moment she could leave her money out in the open. Her family would suffer if she even attempted something that foolhardy, for money was always in short supply.
The rest of her deliveries went as smooth as they could, this was unusual as most often by this stage someone would have tried to speak to her. Though when she got back to the inn something was definitely afoot, a large crowd milling about the town square. Mid-morning rushes were nonexistent in this part of Dys, so she surveyed the people and noted that they were from all walks of life.
Spur of the moment gathering?
No.
As she weaved her way through the crowd she heard the horrified murmurs and after a few moments she saw the red splatters on the cobblestones. She stopped, contemplating whether or not to go further when she found someone gripping her elbow and pulling her back through the crowd. She stared at the back of the person's head for a moment before realising who it was. His hair was a light blond now that he'd started working at the docks...but it was Noah alright.
Her old childhood friend was dragging her away from someone's death, her mind churning over who it could possibly be.
"Noah..." she murmured gently as he dragged her around the corner of Cherry Lane and pulled her into an embrace.
"Skye...you don't want to see who it is." his words were whispered into her ear, loaded with concern and she looked up at the gangly youth.
"Noah please. Is it Ma?" she asked and he made a negative noise and she bit her lip as an uneasy feeling swept over her.
"Skye...don't ask me, please." he put his hands on her shoulders and moved back from her.
"I need to know!" she hissed at him, feeling her heart start to shatter already as she saw the haunted look in his azure eyes.
"Orica...it's Orica. She refused to give up her public bath token to some Dragna tickle pockets. The Queens men believe that she was waiting for you at the inn when the thieves took it by force." Skye felt a revolted shudder run through her as she imagined the scene. Orica...her younger sister. She sank to her knees and let out a heart rending screech as hot tears carved out tortured paths down her pale cheeks.
Orica's bright eyes and cheeky smile...at eight winters she'd been the best thing that had ever happened to Skye. The thought of her little sister's dark brown hair caked with blood was the final straw and the youngling turned, retching and coughing into the gutter. Her stomach had nothing to offer up for evacuation, so after a good few minutes of retching she took in a shuddering breath and looked up at Noah.
"Did she suffer?" her voice came out hoarse and guttural as she stared up at him with reddened eyes.
"No...it was over very quickly." he replied hollowly and she wiped at her face before standing shakily, leaning against the rough stone of a building for support. Noah reached out to her but she swallowed and looked away, clutching at her chest, grasping her messenger's token with it.
"Noah, what do you know about the Tickle Pocket Alliances in the area?" she asked and he looked at her incredulously.
"How in Madam Ghut's name did you-..." he trailed off before she gave him a look and he sighed.
"Noah, you've been a Skeleton for five months, two weeks and four days. Tell me what you know." Others would have thought that she was crazy, infected with revenge and hate. But Noah knew better, he knew that look in her eyes and he was almost horrified by what he saw.
She would mourn the loss of her little sister in private. But in public she was casting about for a lead, like a street mutt searching for a scent to follow. No one knew exactly how determined and intelligent Skye truly was, she never let anyone see anything she didn't want them to.
"The Dragna have broken their pact with the Ragtag Brigade and the Skeletons. They've assassinated a few lower down cobble children in the Ragtags and the Skeletons, both groups are now on edge." Noah saw that incredible mind of hers whir to life and she nodded.
"Which territory was Orica..." she trailed off and he gathered her close to him again, but this time because someone was passing by.
"Ragtag." his answer was simple and she sagged against him for the briefest of moments, Noah's arms tightening around her. She then pushed herself away from him gently, she wasn't ready to commit to him. Especially not until she had dissected the Dragna filth and dragged them all to the Queen's men.
She was not a lowly rat, but she was not above collaring the little scummy bastards and dropping them off at the precinct jail. They'd be all trussed up like a rich family's turkey for the Snow Fall Festivals. At this thought a dark little smile spread across her face before she hid it. She wouldn't fall into the cesspit, she'd throw the Dragna in and drag out the Ragtags and Skeletons.
But first she must join them, luckily she knew where the Ragtags gathered. Unfortunately she'd have to wait for nightfall for them to appear. There was no such thing as 'too far', she'd do it all legally too. No murdering or the like, but she'd make her own little rules for this deadly game of cat and mouse.
"Noah...thank you." With that she kissed his cheek and ran off to prepare herself for what would surely be the ultimate test.
By Silence_is_golden233
Hot plates hissed haughtily and cider barrels gurgled with glee, Skye however was in no mood to indulge her imagination as she wandered amongst the crowd. The Night Markets were finally beginning to come to life, she'd timed her arrival perfectly...not too early and not too late either. She had gone home and informed her mother of their loss, Una had promptly made her way across the apartment to the door...leaving to begin her nightly trip to all the wine houses.
Skye had waited for her siblings to return from school but they had already heard, news traveled fast in this part of the port city. She'd held them while they sobbed and clung to each other. She couldn't bring Orica back, she couldn't just say that she was joking and Orica would jump out of the bathroom. She wished desperately that she could...but that wasn't to be. Jack had cried himself to sleep and her youngest brother Cale soon after. Skye had acted autonomously, placing them both on the thin mattress before tucking them in. Her mother was no use now, especially not with the way she was behaving.
The waif worried her bottom lip for the briefest of moments before she felt someone bump into her. She turned and grabbed onto their wrist with as strong a grip she could manage.
"Ragtag?" she murmured out and all she got in return was a steely stare, casting slightly dulled eyes about, she came to a stop. There. An outline just inside the shadows of the silk shop's entrance.
Her feet moved of their own accord and she made her way through the people milling about. She reached the shadowed figure and was met with a slight snort. The cobble child ignored the sound of derision and stared up at the figure before they stepped into the dim light of a street lamp. She let one corner of her mouth lift up as she regarded him, still holding onto his underling with an unrelenting grip. Everyone knew that Buram wasn't to be messed with and as he regarded her in return they came to an uneasy truce. She watched as the gears started turning in his head and she knew that he'd try and wait her out. But he surprised her by clearing his throat and speaking first.
"You're Skye...right?" his voice was gruff and she nodded before he leaned against the entrance to the alcove.
"What do you want?" her lips thinned into a line as she pulled her decoy coin purse out of the amateur tickle pocket's fingers.
"I want to get rid of the Dragna." she said bluntly and the man laughed for a moment before sobering as he saw the determination in her eyes.
"How are you going to do that exactly?" he scoffed before she looked at him pointedly.
"I wa-...no...I need to join the Ragtags and ally with the Skeletons to push the Dragna into the cesspit." she said lowly and even the tickle pocket stiffened a little at the notion.
"I heard about it...your sister." Buram said shrewdly and she shifted a little, releasing her grip on the other scuttle bug's wrist. He grumbled a little and rubbed at it gingerly before he leaned against the other side of the doorway.
"As I heard about your son. The Dragna will annihilate the other two groups unless something changes, I have a plan and the connections needed to carry it out. All I need from you, is a name to work under." she murmured, stepping into the shadows smoothly. Moments later a loving couple walked past the alcove and as all three of them stood in the shadows, Buram acknowledged the point that she was making.
The Alliance had been broken and they had lost ten cobble children already, five from the Ragtags and the other five from the Skeletons.
"Go with Garret, he'll show you to the Ragtag Queen's hide away. She will give you your working name. Use it with pride and don't get caught, still planning to be a messenger through all this?" he muttered and she gave him a shadowed smile.
"I have to act as normal as possible if this is to work, so I will be continuing my legitimate employment." she responded before the young scuttle bug Garret looked for a group of people coming before he motioned to her. Wordlessly the pair slipped into the back of the group seamlessly before beginning their little adventure.
----
The Thief Queen was hard to get to, or at least that's how it appeared as Skye groaned with effort and heaved herself up out of the drainage pipe. She felt something slimy slip down the back of her tunic and shuddered, pulling it out and wincing before throwing the seaweed back into the round opening for the pipe.
They'd been going for what seemed like an age and the ache of Orica's loss was throbbing just beneath her skin. Finally Garret stopped outside an old lodging house, or at least....the outside appeared old as vines climbed the brickwork. He knocked on the door and the peep hole slid open, beady blue eyes staring at them for a moment before a soft question.
"Who goes?" The crackly masculine tones were answered by Garret.
"The Butterfly only lands on poppies." The answer must have been correct because the elderly gentleman opened the door and hurriedly ushered them in.
He looked down at them through half moon glasses before motioning for them to follow him. Skye had never seen him before, but he cleared his throat and glanced at her for a brief moment.
"Rodney and Una's oldest youngling...coming to see the Butterfly. Never thought I'd see the day." he murmured before rapping sharply on a hardwood door at the end of a scarlet walled hall.
"You may enter." Smooth tones filtered through the dark wood and the silvery haired man opened the door.
"Joker and guest, my lady." he said before bowing and closing the door after them. Skye stared at the woman before her, a slight smile coming to her lips as she recognised the person.
"Welcome Joker..and guest," The greeting was gentle, almost coaxing. "Come...sit." she added after a moment and they did so willingly as she rested her elbows on the wooden desk between her and her guests.
"Thank you Rheys." Skye replied before the older female shot her a halfhearted warning look.
"Now, what is it that you want from me?" The question was loaded and all in the room knew it.
By Silence_is_golden233
The Witching Hour, 15th of Frena (Febuary), 1682. 14th year of the Q.E.
The lanterns snapped softly at each other as the Ragtag Queen stared at her subject and his guest.
"You want me to give you a name....but you want to operate with your own agenda?" she asked pensively, stroking the dark wood of her desk as she thought it over.
"That's right, but I will also do any simple jobs that you ask of me." Skye answered and the other young woman sighed after a few more moments of contemplation. On one hand she knew that she couldn't afford not to give the girl a name, on the other hand it was quite likely that the cobble child's plan could fail.
Rheys leaned back in her leather chair and stared at the hardy young woman in front of her. It wasn't every day that she was given the answer to saving her gang and that of the Skeletons.
"You shall get your name, on the condition that you take no jobs that the Ragtags take part in. You will be a Ragtag in name only until the Dragna are taken down. I am also truly sorry about your sister." Rheys words made a faint smile come to the thin face of the youngling before her. As the Butterfly sent Joker away, she almost thought that she was selling her soul to the devil....almost. As she sent him out she gave him a message for him to pass along the Whisper Lines.
"Your name shall be Alley Cat. Cat for short and no one is to call you otherwise whilst you work for or with us. If we call on you to be at an Alliance meeting you shall wear a mask, as is custom for all gang members. Do you understand?" As Rheys talked, she got up and went to a small ornately carved chest. She opened it and despite its groan of protest she searched through the depths of its contents. She let out a slightly triumphant sound as she pulled a simple black mask which depicted the face of a cat out of the chest.
"It may be old, but you can use this for meetings if necessary. However you must not keep it on your person. If this troubles you I can keep the mask here and send for you when you need to wear it. Is there anything else that you need, Alley Cat?" Skye looked up from the mask and thought for a moment before she nodded and the Thief Queen gave her a pointed glance.
"When is the next Alliance meeting?" At Skye's question Rheys laughed a little and before either of the young women could speak any more there was a sharp knock at the door.
"Jackal and Ace to see the Butterfly and guest." The elderly man's voice made it clear that this was an unofficial visit and without warning Rheys passed the cat mask to Skye. Within a few seconds the door opened and the women were masked...as were the two men that stood behind the old 'butler'.
"Welcome Jackal and Ace, what brings you to my dwelling this late in the night?" The Butterfly asked, but all four of them knew that it was a formality as the door chattered closed behind the visitors.
"You sent for us earlier, we took counter measures to ensure Dragna could not follow." The Jackal spoke first, in low and husky tones as Ace hung back and locked eyes with her for a moment. Butterfly noticed this and cleared her throat politely, gesturing to her companion.
" Ah yes, Joker was incredibly fast with the Whisper Lines I see. This is Alley Cat, my newest advisor...incidentally she is also the reason that I sent for you both. She is proposing an incredibly fun game for us to watch her play." Jackal's razor gaze landed on her for a moment and Skye could almost feel him trying to peel the mask away from her face.
"What sort of game would this be?" Ace spoke up and Skye found it impossible not to glance at him, his mask covering almost all of his face except for his mouth and chin. It was painted white with a spade symbol on the right half of the face.
"A game which the Dragna will be hard pressed to survive." Skye answered of her own accord and her skin tingled from their skeptical stares.
"What makes you think that we want the Dragna gone...Alley Cat?" Jackal growled lowly and she stared back at him before holding up her hand.
"You have five very good reasons to want the Dragna in the cesspit. There are likely to be more younglings killed in the squabbles, are you willing to risk even more cobble children?" she had no time to be diplomatic, her plan was so finely timed that if the Skeletons did not agree tonight then she would have to go back to square one. Skye refused to return to square one without a very good fight.
The men looked each other in the eye for a few seconds before the Jackal let out a slight huff and sat down.
"What is it that you need from us?" His question was easily answered and Skye looked at Butterfly fleetingly.
"You need to ally yourselves firmly with the Ragtags, any whom disagree must be thrown out of either gang. The Dragna have broken off their third of the Alliance but you must give an oath that you will protect one another. This will not be easy and I cannot tell you even half of what I will do, but I need to be given free passage between territories and the borders." her words were stated carefully and each leader stared at the other as they digested the youngling's requests.
"I agree if the Jackal does." Butterfly answered, startling them all out of the uncertain silence as she extended a slender hand out towards the Skeleton's chief.
"Then we both agree to ally ourselves Butterfly." his statement caused Skye to let out a breath that she hadn't realised she'd been holding, the two leaders shaking hands firmly. When the gutter child looked back at Ace, she noticed that his hand was outstretched towards her. After a flicker of hesitation, her small hand slid into his momentarily.
"I'm glad to be your ally." The firm shake almost rattled her before she let go and the corner of his lips quirked upwards.
"Agreed." she answered before the two Skeletons left to use the chamberpot and she slipped out, having left the mask with Butterfly. She wrapped a scarf around her nose and mouth, flipping the end up over her head as she left through the front door.
It took her a while but she managed to reverse engineer her way from the Butterfly's house to the Night Markets, doubling back several times in case she was tailed. By the time she arrived home the lantern lighters were relighting the street lights, grunting and waving the long handled torch about in an effort to do their job. She hopped nimbly up the stairs and managed to make it in and settle down beside her brothers. Moments later her mother teetered in and fell asleep on the small pallet beside them. Skye fell into a fretful sleep moments later as she let exhaustion seduce her into slumber.
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Her sister's blood running down between the cobbles as she watched on in horror. The bigger children were beating and kicking her small curled up form, Skye screamed but she had no voice and they kept going until Orica was no longer recognisable. The group of children looked at each other, slowly morphing into snakes as they started to come for her.
"Ssssssomeone's plotting againsssst ussssss......ssssshould we bite her?" One questioned before one of the others shook their reptilian head as she backed up, its tongue flicking out to taste the scent trail.
She tripped and fell back, hitting her head on the cobbles. She lay there in winded agony as their cold slippery bodies started to overwhelm her. Hisses and murmurs coming from all around her prone form as she tried to fight them off, one finally delivering that final nail in her coffin. The terrifying burn of the toxin coursed through her veins as she realised that they had indeed bitten her. The Dragna were indeed toxic.....would she die from the bite?
----------
She awoke with a sharp choking gasp, panting as she sat up and realised that it was dawn. The birds were already awake...which meant that she was late. Skye washed her face before grabbing her satchel and running out the door. She clutched the decade old leather strap like it was a lifeline as her old boots skidded over the rough slate grey cobbles. Her eyes flicked down to the faded red stain as she got to within a stone's throw of the Golden Gate Inn.
"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you....my darling sister." she whispered to the bloodied cobbles before hurrying on and pounding on the door. It gave a distressed squeal as it was opened and she was ushered inside without a moment to lose.
| Author Notes | I do apologise, life got in the way of me posting this until now. But here it is...if it's confusing just contact me and I'll explain it :) |
By Silence_is_golden233
The warm water gurgled graciously around her form as the Innkeeper's wife added some bubbly goop to the liquid and swished it about with her hand. They'd felt that this was the least they could do after what had happened. She dunked her head under the bubbles and into the water to wash her hair, scrubbing at the short dark locks to release all the dirt and the occasional parasite. That reminded her to save for newer bedding soon, after her brothers were on a seasonal break, courtesy of the Queen and her Guards.
She surfaced as soon as her lungs started to hurt, burning as they reminded her that she needed air rather than water to survive. Skye was never one to take a hand out, but she took a bath and food willingly as this would keep her working longer and more comfortably. She felt along the edge of the copper tub for the wash cloth that had been left there moments earlier as the other woman had vacated the room. Steaming hot fabric touched her hand and she jumped before grasping it and wiping her face, contemplating the web she was about to start constructing.
She'd never felt so determined to avenge anything, was she so sure that she could pull it off without the Dragna attempting to hunt her down? There was always a measure of risk involved with anything even remotely out of one's comfort zone. She returned to bathing herself before getting out and drying off with a soft towel. Skye wasn't going to back down now however, especially not before she found the pawns in the Dragna's front line. But to do that she'd have to do some reconnaissance at the Night Markets after work.
She clumped down the stairs in her old boots, having not tied the laces up as of yet. The friendly chatter dimmed as she came into sight of the Inn's patrons, several reaching out to touch her hands and shoulders as she passed. This was a custom which was done only in the city of Dys, it was to symbolise that people shared your loss and would support you. No one knows when it started up, but the residents of the port city refused to give it up and upheld the tradition steadfastly. She touched as many as she could in response before reaching the entrance and tying her shoes deftly.
She looked up at the Innkeeper, his beard becoming flecked with grey and the wrinkles near the corners of his eyes having gotten deeper every time he smiled. He cleared his throat and ruffled her damp hair before giving her the messages as well as a small date loaf. She gave him a gentle nod before she turned on her heel and left with a clearer head, having the support of the adults had relief momentarily whispering sweet nothings in her ear. But as she set off on her trek around the city she realised that already it was easier to go forward with what she had planned than to back out.
Skye delivered an order request to Madam Ghut's Apothecary before returning to the Inn with the item. As she went up to the room, a Painted Lady was coming down the hallway. She touched Skye's shoulder and smiled politely, only to hurry off a split second after they made eye contact. The girl's face stuck in her mind and as she knocked on the door, her name sprung to mind. Lila Orgood....she hadn't seen Lila in a good year, but then again not many Painted Ladies talked to their friends from a 'previous life'.
She had those same doe eyes, but her vibrant auburn locks had dulled from a lack of sun. These ladies worked all night and slept all day...Skye handed the package to the elderly woman and then made her way down the stairs. A pang in her chest made her realise that she had missed Lila and the fun that they'd had during their formative years. She ran a hand through her still slightly damp hair and got back on with her job.
The city of Dys was exactly like the people whom lived within her houses. She could be crass and jovial near the docks as well as becoming high browed with fancy dresses near the palace. The lady city was multifacited down to her very backbone, architects of every era etching their names into her ribs and fleshing her out. She went from a half hearted skeleton to a sprawling mass of activity in a matter of decades.
The older buildings were dispersed between the more recent structures, other older buildings having long ago fallen and become ruins. One of these ruins was Olin Manor, the late Lady Olin had lost her parents at an early age and once she had come of an age to be married she was snapped up swiftly. However her husband died one particularly hard winter where an incurable lung rot spread through the city until the Crown's mages interviened. Lady Olin survived the lung rot but became barren, dying of heartbreak soon after she buried her husband. The manor fell into disuse for most of the time and no one reclaimed it. But because the imposing stone structures were crumbling, the reason that many cobble children knew of Lady Olin was surprising.
She was said to have let the thieves hold meetings within her manor when the winter months covered Dys in snow. Her reasoning had been that it was better for thieves to be warm when discussing things of great importance than struggling with the cold and their tempers. The treaty that the Alliance had with Lady Olin was that their members were forbidden to steal any item from the Olin Manor even if it became a ruin. Their treaty still stood today and the only structure within the crumbling grey beast was the Great Hall and the covered corridor that lead to it.
Rumours swirled that Lady Olin and the three Thief Leaders magicked them to endure despite the rest of the house falling into neglect. Olin Manor was one of many meeting places the Tickle pockets used intermitently, a lot of them were underground and quite hard to get to without help. The history of many of the places was known to very few and the security of these select locations were often policed with some of the harder hitting fellows in the Alliance. Her mind flew as she tried to sort through rumours that she'd heard as a child, working out possible meeting sites and discarding the ones that were too easily accessible.
In her minds eye she pulled up a hurriedly constructed map of the city, back alleys with access to the underground tunnels. The tunnels all lead out to the sea to prevent flash flooding during autumn, the season in which they got almost a third of their anual rainfall in four short weeks. After a few moments she had pinpointed three useless places, two possible and one definite meeting location. As she was handed a small letter in response to a message from a travelling minstrel, she jerked back to the present and the map vanished from her mind. She'd do this later.
She was paid for her troubles and the last message of her shift was almost upon her, a message to Lady Beverly in the Silk district. She smiled wryly and on her way past the Inn she delivered the reply to the minstrel and went up the slope towards the manor houses behind the Golden Gates. A guard stopped her and she flashed her seal at him before clearing her throat.
"Message for Lady Beverly." she saw his brows furrow for a moment before he opened the gate to her and she slippe through the fabled gates.
The gates weren't actually gold, she didn't know what metal they were but their ornate designs changed for each season due to the magic in them. The sun and fireworks for the summer, flowers and woodland animals for spring, leaves for the harvest months and lastly snow flakes and metal swirls to symbolise wind for Snowfall or winter. Right now the gate was halfway between summer and changing to the harvest display. However she had to hurry before the sun set and the delivery hours closed.
Her boots thudded hollowly against the lighter grey cobbles as she came to the avenue that Lady Beverly lived on. The maple trees lining the well cared for community gardens already starting to turn on their autumn charms before they became leafless for the first breath of snow. The young woman stopped at a hulking cream stone beast and passed through the gate as easily as could be, delivering her last message just in time and being paid as the lanterns were being lit up the street.
She sighed in relief and headed back the way she'd come, slipping back out to the world that she belonged in. The community behind the Golden Gates was beautiful and welcoming to a point, but she'd never be truly able to be at peace within those walls. She enjoyed working hard to give her brothers a good role model to look at. The only way she would ever feel able to stay out of the depths of the city's underbelly however was to ultimately find a post at one of those fancy houses.
But she'd already received a tentative offer from Lord Grayson for both of her brothers to become either stable hands or messengers themselves once their schooling ended. Lord Grayson bred horses just outside the city limits but had a house within the Golden Gates. The reason that he'd set his eyes on her brothers was that he'd seen them in action, helping her during their holidays as that was when the most messages needed to be moved about the city. He had been impressed at their speed of delivery and Skye had sworn her brothers to secrecy about their job offers as soon as they'd left the well off man's stylish home. The last thing she needed was their mother staking a claim on their earnings for her own gain and she had had no doubt whatsoever at the time that their mother would have done exactly that.
She received her pay from the Inn and went home to greet her brothers and help them with work that school had sent them home with, whatever help she could offer that is. The Dragna were never prompt at arriving in the Night Markets so she had time to spare for her siblings. They worked quietly and by the time they were finished she had learned a lot more than she had bargained on, numeracy was seeping in through their willingness to teach her and in turn for her to eplain how to figure it out.
Her brothers loved her help, as had....well, they still had to raise enough money for Orica to have a proper burial. The Queen would provide the headstone, as was custom for murder victims, but they still had to come up with enough to cover her casket and an appropriate burial site. However she had to push this out of her mind as she left their dwelling again to go scope out the individuals working in the Night Markets that night.
| Author Notes | It took a while, but I did try to get it to be longer and include some of what Dys feels like to me. |
By Silence_is_golden233
The sprightly chirp of birds was offset by Skye's mother throwing the chamber pot's contents at them. A screech of surprised mortification from below made it obvious that her mother had missed the birds completely. Instead she'd gotten someone on the street and they were now caught up in a verbal sparring match. Skye opted to use the rear exit rather than face what her mother had done to the cobbles and the unlucky woman.
The urge to give up and stay at home was always there, lingering under the surface every time she heard a little girl laugh or thought that she saw Orica. She didn't have time to properly grieve at this moment however as the Inn was completely full. Her satchel was full to the brim as she set off around the city, it seemed to her that everyone staying at the Inn was intent on running her into the ground with message deliveries and replies. By midday the Innkeeper sent her home and sent out one of his own sons to do the rest of the day's work. Better to keep her comfortable than letting her burn out.
Her work left her feeling tired and a little run down, but nonetheless she carried on. The Harvest Festival would have caught her by surprise if the gaggle of girls from the apartment below, hadn't invited her to dance with them the previous night. The festival celebrated the change in seasons and it also started off the social gatherings for the year...for both rich and poor.
A parade through all of the city districts with horse drawn carriages, gypsy troupes and even acrobats. The parade ended at the Golden Gates and then a procession led down the Grand Avenue to the Night Markets. The last events would take place there. A fan dance, a shawl dance and the Queen's Mages sending sparkles out into the harbour. Why end the events in the poorest parts of the city? It showed all of Dys' many facets and reminded everyone that they needed to work together to make the harvest a success. It also made them remember to help make their city prosper despite the class system.
There was a traditional fan dance from the younger gutter children, the fans having been handed out by the elderly 'Keepers'. To keep the fans intact and from children taking them home, there was old magic in the very strands. They would stay with the child until the end of the dance, then float back to the Keepers to be hidden away for another year. The fans themselves were lovely, covering the spectrum that nature deigned only give to the harvest time. Gallant golds, radiant reds and ornate oranges, with the occasional bold brown.
Skye hadn't really seen too many brown fans in the last few years, perhaps their Keepers had passed away without magical successors. It was a pity really, for the fan that she had used consistently whilst a little girl had been brown. It had depicted a woodland scene with gold threads outlining the silhouettes of deer, foxes and other such animals. She'd always marveled at its shimmering fabric whilst dancing, the gold threads had flashed in the night lights from the Markets.
But now she was older, she needed to do the shawl dance instead. All lower to middle class women took part in this. Only hand knitted or woven shawls in the harvest colours were permitted, many being handed down through the generations. Skye had saved up for a brand new one in her twelfth winter, their mother had burned the original in a fit of rage. Skye's grandmother had refused to lend Una money for drink, the shawl had suffered the rage which had been directed toward it instead of its creator. The piece of gold cloth had been turned into a pile of white ashes within an hour.
Skye's shawl was hand knitted from orange wool and slightly scratchy but she never wore it. The comfort factor was not an issue and its traditional motifs made it come alive. The knitter had chosen ears of wheat and flower patterns, perfect for a harvest shawl. As darkness fell, she pulled it out of her satchel and went down to the apartment below. Her brothers were already out in the Markets watching the procession come down the Avenue.
Condolences were whispered as the girls prepared their shawls for the night, dusting them off and repairing them if necessary. But it was all cut short as the sound of music and celebration started filtering through into the poorer parts of Dys. Despite herself, Skye felt her lips curl up into a faint smile as they jumped down the steps and practically ran to the Night Markets.
The drums were so close that the sound moved through her body and re-tuned the sad song in her heart. Copper clips with maple leaves decorating them were loaned to her as she passed a metal mage's stall. Slipping in between people as they gathered, she was almost breathless as she looked up and even spotted people leaning out of their windows to watch. Realising that she was almost out of time to prepare she hurriedly pushed the clips into her hair, getting another girl to check them over before she smiled genuinely.
The festivities were seeping into her very bones as her orange shawl fluttered alongside her. A small breeze had managed to weave its way through the throng of people and tickle the fabric to life. She loved the season of change and despite it being so close to her sister's death...she knew Orica would let her have this night off to kick up her heels.
Lanterns lit the area in harvest colours, turning her skin red one second and a darling yellow the next. This was the one night apart from Snow Fall and Snow Fall's Eve on which the thieves did not steal from others. Instead they joined in the festivities like regular people. The stalls and carts were all clustered together around the outside of the square to make room for both the crowd and the dancing. Despite this lack of space, the food stands were still mostly operational and selling things faster than they could make them. She pushed her way though to the front, cheeks slightly pink from the effort of simply getting past others.
The young woman watched from the edge as the children filed in from seemingly all directions with their fans in hand. For a moment she imagined Orica was there, twirling her red fan in the front row as she waited for musicians to start playing. Her sister's brown-black hair in a little plat that ran halfway down her back, dressed in a faded orange tunic as she moved out of the starting position. Skye must have been thinking back to last year's image of Orica in her memory, for a little boy leaped through Orica's body and she disintergrated like smoke in a soft breeze.
The change in drum beats made the children freeze in place as Skye felt the other girls push through the crowd so that they were around her and they all started to move into the square. She gripped her shawl high above her head as she ran between two rows of children. The children in question were moving in the opposite direction to her, creating an extremely fun optical illusion. The drums echoed her fast heart beats as she closed her eyes, leaping and twirling. The purpose of the dance was to symbolise that the young were restless, like harvest leaves being carried by the wind to far off places.
She was one of many restless leaves on the square, and yet she felt the sensation that she was being watched. Curiosity overcame common sense as she wondered if she should try to see whom was watching her. Her eyes opened mid-spin and somehow, in all the blur of motion and with so many people in the crowd...Noah stood out. Her cheeks flushed and her heart smacked into her ribs as the shawl dance was about to end. Row by row the young women laid down on the cobbles with their shawls over them. Skye did the same, struggling to keep still and to appear like a leaf, having finally settled in one place.
The applause made her jump, rolling up her shawl and getting to her feet. The moment she had shared with Noah stamping itself in both her heart and her brain. But her body shook as she felt just how much energy the short dance had taken from her. The effort to seem as light as a leaf was excessive, though others would think the girls were letting the movements flow out naturally. Her lungs were still trying to keep up, but she felt alive. Though later it would be bittersweet, she would take advantage of this incredible sensation while it lasted.
Skye half-turned to see Noah pushing through the crowd and she waited for him to reach her.
"How did I do?" her breathless question caused him to grin and wrap his arms around her smaller form.
"You were the best! The leaves in your hair were glowing and everything!" he blurted out before realising that she would think him biased.
"The leaves are on loan from Mina the metal mage, I'll return them before the night is done. But Noah...thank you." she said with a soft smile, only to see him look at the top of her head and laugh.
"What?" she asked, thinking that he'd put something in her hair.
"The leaves are glowing again, you're happy right now...aren't you?" he teased and she felt her cheeks turn bright red.
"Noah......!" she warned before he gave her a wink and took her hand, dragging her into the final procession to the harbour.
"This is your night, so enjoy it." he called out over the noise of other people's conversations.
It took very little time for people to move through the streets and find vantage points. Noah took her to their spot, the remnants of a stone wall that once ran along the harbour front. They were right next to the first pier, which was where one of the five mages would send out coloured sparkles. This had a purpose of course, for out in the bay there was a floating wood pyre. The legend went that whomever was first mage to light the pyre, would have incredibly good fortune until the following harvest celebration.
So as the first sparks shot out from the hands of hooded figures, the young woman was surprised. When she turned her head to see why Noah had tapped her shoulder, she certainly hadn't expected him to kiss her. Even so, the leaves in her short hair lit up the same moment as the pyre, the mage on pier two had managed to set it alight this year. Cheers errupted as Skye found herself pulling away from Noah to look at the flames lighting up the bay.
By Silence_is_golden233
The flames licked at the dark sky long after the city's inhabitants filtered back to their homes, the Queen and her guards staying long enough to congratulate the magician. Skye and Noah had stayed for a while longer and just enjoyed each other's company. But moved on as the sailors and dock workers started sauntering back after a trip to the drink houses. She returned the copper leaves after they began the walk home.
An uneasy shiver raced down her spine as a brief flash of movement caught her attention. Judging by the way Noah's body language tensed up and he looked around a lot more, she assumed that he felt it too. Her mind was racing through all the reasons why they would be on anyone's watch list. It was a possibility that the Dragna were sending out feelers of their own. Though she sincerely doubted that they knew anything they shouldn't, she tucked her hand into the crook of Noah's arm and kept walking with him. The pair maintained friendly conversation until they got back to the square and whomever was following them decided to get their attention. The sound of thick soled boots and the high clink of coin against coin revealed the intruding party regardless.
Skye half turned and found herself face to face with one of the drink house owners. She inwardly sighed but smiled politely as he gave her a cold look and cleared his throat.
"Good evening Mister Hobbs, is anything troubling you?" Noah spoke first, only to be completely ignored by the large man in question.
"Your mother owes me for the drink she's guzzled over the past week. I'd demand my payment from her but she scuttles away as soon as I look at another customer!" Hobbs spat as his cheeks turned red and he thrust his beefy hand out towards Skye.
"How much does my mother owe you?" she asked coolly and looked at the man with a frosty expression.
"By Gilligan's count, as of tonight....four hundred and eighteen coppers." his smug expression revealed itself as soon as Noah let out a cry of outrage. Gilligan was the bookkeeper for many of the drinking houses. However he was a cheat of a man and usually exaggerated amounts to be collected so much it was nearly impossible for people to pay. They were very good at forcing women to become painted ladies to pay off the debts of their relatives.
"I'm afraid that I cannot pay you that much money." she answered, Hobbs' eyes starting to glint with a dangerous light as he pushed Noah away from Skye lightly. He reached for her chin and she allowed him to turn her face from side to side.
"You're not that bad to look at, perhaps we could come to some other arrangeme-..." However his proposition was cut short as she felt another's presence behind her.
"You'd dare suggest something so distasteful in the Queen's streets?!" The power within this person's voice was so strong that she froze to the spot, as did Hobbs and Noah. Metal clinked against metal as the individual stepped forward, causing them to stare in amazement. One of the Queen's Guard, was he lost?
"Is what I heard you propose, anything but an insult to her?" his speech was perfectly articulate, however his body was tensed and his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"No....no no, y-you see her mother owes-...." Hobbs released her and stepped back as his words faltered and failed him.
"Her mother owes you nothing. The Queen will hereby absorb all debts on the condition that you are to blacklist and refuse her mother entry to any and all drinking establishments. Is that understood?" his words were a shock to her system, she was both grateful and irritated. Her mother loved the drinking houses, she would be furious at being blacklisted. She doubted this man knew anything about her mother but Una would just be even more determined to drink. Skye watched as a crowd started to gather and Hobbs began to sweat but still said nothing.
"I asked you a question!" The Guardsman barked out, making Hobbs jump and nod rapidly.
"I understand." Skye raised an eyebrow as the hulking man was released, his tail between his legs. The Guardsman on the other hand didn't leave, instead he turned his attention to her.
"What is your name, child?" she looked at him properly this time and realised his importance almost immediately. His salt and pepper beard aging him, despite this she found his eyes to be kind and his face relatively unwrinkled.
"Skye, daughter of Una and Rodney Turner." her answer was unhurried and she bowed formally, only for him to return the sentiment.
"It seems that I found whom I was looking for in the first place. I am Fenrir Paolini, the Queen sent me to discuss your sister's burial arangements." he put a hand on her shoulder and she nodded, touching his fingertips before stepping back. She looked at Noah and he bowed before murmuring that he'd see her some other time. The young gutter child looked up at the imposing figure with half dimmed eyes as the clock in the palace echoed its sentiments. The streets began to empty almost as if on cue and she felt her heart sink a little in her chest.
"We do not have enough for a casket nor a burial plot." she supplied readily despite the sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach, stepping back as Fenrir's hand fell to his side and he looked thoughtful. She envied him for being able to look thoughtful without being acused of scheming or plotting against others. This thought alone made her shake her head in dismay as now was not the time to think such things.
She must have been without rhyme or reason tonight, for the flashes of Orica's being had left a bittersweet taste in her mouth. The sorrow could not be contained any longer however as her whole body grew warm and tears started to blur the reflection of her face in his armour. Not here, not whilst in a conversation with a stranger. But he'd noticed, his kindness freely given as he outstretched a hand to her. The wobbly silouhette of a handkerchief coming into view as she grasped the soft cloth with dirtied fingertips.
"I'm sorry to make you cry so suddenly, Miss Turner." his concern for her made it worse as she hurried to try and wipe the tears from her cheeks.
"It wasn't you Sir Paolini, my sister's death is still sinking in." she responded shakily as she swallowed thickly and dabbed at her eyes before taking in several slow breaths. Embarrassment stole into the very recesses of her mind as she tried to calm down and find her rational mind again.
"I'm sure the Queen could fund your sister's burial plot and casket, within reason." he offered consolingly and the waif looked up at him with wide eyes.
"I'm sure I could find..." she started before trailing off as he frowned slightly.
"You are the only one employed in your family?" he asked as her cheeks flushed and she nodded her dark head.
"Yes Sir, my mother is as you've heard...I want my brothers to have an education, however the schooling is getting more expensive every year." she admitted before she found a sudden spark of clarity and looked up at him with brightened eyes.
"Miss Turner?" Fenrir felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up as he looked back at her warily. The intelligence was almost unnatural, the cogs grinding a little in his own head as he started to realise that there was more to the Turner girl than first thought.
"There are less and less little ones entering school each year, they are being snatched up by the thief gangs or murdered in the crossfire. That's why the prices are going up!" The pieces were slowly coming together in her head as she felt the cogs start turning faster in her mind.
"But that's extortion!" she nodded at his exclamation and a wide smile stole across her face.
"Extortion for what, that's the question..." she murmured before wiping the grin off her face, looking Fenrir dead in the eye.
"I ask you to speak to no one of this matter yet; I have work to do. Though if the Queen would be so kind, we would be happy with just a plain casket and a small plot. If she would prefer to only do the headstone, we will surely find a way." Skye rattled off and Fenrir looked shocked as he bowed automatically and she curtsied.
"I am sworn to secrecy. However with your sister's case I shall take it straight to the Queen." he responded before they went their separate ways. His to the Golden Gates, hers to bed. However she still planned to work then visit Rheys Hinkley with a message of her own.
By Silence_is_golden233
2nd of Marna (March), 1682. 14th year of Q.E.
Thoughts fought for attention in her mind as she sat beside the Butterfly. Rheys had sent for her moments after her messenger duties had finished for the day. The Dragna had called an Alliance meeting and had specifically requested that 'Alley Cat' be present. Her clothes had been stored in the chest of masks once she'd arrived and a black dress now swung sleepily around her ankles. However they were soon on the move under the cover of night and the Ragtag Queen led her subjects right to the heart of Olin Manor under the cover of thick black cloaks. Skye's mask soon became something she could hide behind and create a whole new persona for. Cats were sly and quick witted; Skye had the feeling that she would have to be the same tonight.
Rheys stopped short as they reached the covered corridor and Skye looked at the other woman's hands. They shook ever so slightly as she smoothed the lines of her cloak and Skye did the only thing she could at the time. She offered her leader an elbow to hold onto and Rheys grasped it gratefully before continuing forward. The shadows whispered and out of the corner of her eye she could see twisted masks appear in the dim light of the lanterns. She tilted her chin up and walked with her back as straight as possible.
Hisses and snippets made it clear that the onlookers were more worried about the fact that Alley Cat was here. But they soon noticed the closeness of the Butterfly to her newest advisor. Could other thieves tongues do nothing but wag this evening? The young woman looked around and committed as many details to her memory as she could before they reached the end of the corridor. As they did reach the large doors to the Great Hall, it seemed that they were the last ones to arrive and this placed Skye on high alert until Butterfly squeezed her arm for the briefest of moments.
"Relax Alley Cat for I have no intention of feeding you to the wolves." Rheys whispered behind her beautifully painted mask as colourful butterflies danced over its cream background.
"Thank you Butterfly." she said simply as Rheys took a hold of one of the large brass ring that served as a door knocker. The deep thud rumbled through Skye's chest before a password was muttered and the doors were pulled inwards. They scraped against dark grey stone as the large round table slowly came into view. It reminded Skye of that tale which was told to every cobble child at one time or another; of how the Queen's Guard decided to hold gatherings around a large round table. The moral of the story was that all are equal in the end but not very many children believed that equality was still there these days. The cog wheels kept moving as the seated few rose as the ladies entered the room. Skye's eyes flicked from mask to mask before she locked onto Ace and Jackal.
Rheys moved to their seats after a brief curtsey and had been forced to let go of Skye's arm in the process. Butterfly slid her gaze over to the chair on her right as another masked Ragtag sat in the left hand chair. Cloak hoods were kept up at all times to help with the air of annonymity. So as Skye took her seat beside Butterfly, she made sure her hood was secured behind the mask's cat ears with small shawl pins. For all intents and purposes this was a friendly Alliance meeting, however Skye knew better as she saw how tightlyRheys clasped her hands in her lap. Skye turned her head to see Ace on her other side but had no time to acknowledge the small trickle of relief. A man had stood up, his face depicting a wolf with bloodied jaws and fangs. Skye immediately felt his gaze on her and she glanced at Butterfly instead, who gave her a minute bob of her head.
"Greetings and apologies for calling you all here so suddenly. However my sources tell me that there is a new face among the Ragtag advisors. I shall formally introduce myself," he paused to judge her reaction and seemed almost disappointed when he detected no change in her body language. "my name is Remus and I currently lead the Dragna." His mock bow did nothing for her and as Butterfly cleared her throat before standing, she could almost see Remus' distaste for the Ragtag Queen.
"Good evening to you Remus and we do indeed have a new advisor. However if this is what you called the Alliance together for then we shall be leaving. Meetings are for serious matters that need discussing; not introductions." There was a general murmur of agreement before Remus let out a short barking laugh.
"Ah but if I hadn't called this meeting, Butterfly, then the Alliance would not have met your pet." his words were deliberately two pronged; both probing and insulting in the same stroke. The murmurs grew before tangling up different opinions until most were a little confused. Remus just sat back and fed off it all before Jackal slammed a rock down on the sturdy table with a loud thunk.
"You know full well that meetings are not called for just this alone Remus. Find another reason or you will be found in breach of the Thieve's Code." Everyone quietened down and Remus laughed it off lightly, waving Jackal's statement away as though it was smoke from a pipe.
"Oh come now Jackal, I was only having a little fun." Skye saw those shrewd dark eyes running over those seated at the table before he stopped at her mask briefly. She tilted her head up a little defiantly and sat up straighter in her high backed chair.
"What's the matter Alley Cat? Another feline run off with your tongue perhaps?" Remus purred out and Skye's stomach churned before she stood.
"I'm sorry to tell you that you're mistaken Remus. I only prefer to speak when I feel I have something vital to add to a discussion." her voice was sickeningly sweet and polite as she realised the danger that Remus truly posed. His eyes narrowed to slits as a titter of laughter ran around the table and he let out an irritated grunt.
"You seem to be wiser than your years Alley Cat, perhaps you have a topic you would like to put up for discussion?" He suggested as Jackal's hand twitched on the rough edges of the rock.
"I would like to discuss the fact that each territory should be entered into by foreign gang members only if they have written permission. The permission should be granted by both the gang member's leader and the territory's leader. This would cut down on the number of marks stolen or harmed by those who entered another gang's territory without reason." The stunned silence was more telling than anything else in that moment as Remus jerked back as though he'd been struck.
"An interesting proposition, though how would it be enforced Alley Cat?" Ace asked and she looked over at him before pausing for a brief moment as if to think.
"I'm sure if we have members with any latent magical ability that could be useful for this idea that could be an option? We could also make checkpoints along the boarders to check written permission and signatures." her suggestions caused more and more to jump on the idea with curiosity and focus that seemed to unnerve the Dragna leader and his bretheren.
"Surely we don't need to be so formal about going between territories?" Remus laughed uneasily before Skye saw her chance right then and there. However Butterfly chose that moment to make her feelings known and Skye was relieved that she wouldn't be the one to drive the message home.
"Surely we do need to be after that poor little girl was murdered on my doorstep no less?" Butterfly pointed out and there were hisses of dismay and sounds of sorrow from all around the room, not just amongst those at the table.
"I move to vote," Jackal stated before sitting up taller in his chair, "those for the proposed border restrictions say aye and raise their hands. Those against say nay and leave their hands down."
Remus watched as many an 'aye' was said and hands went up all over the Great Hall. Skye could tell this already significantly hobbled his operations for the moment and would buy her time in order to figure out the link between the school fees and the Dragna. If there wasn't a link; which she thought was highly unlikely, then no one would be the wiser. After a runner went and counted the votes, they realised that the restriction had narrowly passed. The Dragna were in a right state as Remus and the other two leaders disbanded the meeting for the night. They left bickering and with Remus struggling to find answers to the hard hitting questions they all wanted answered.
| Author Notes |
Characters:
Skye - Main character who is a member of the Ragtag Brigade and answers to Alley Cat for all Ragtag activities. Rheys - Female merchant specialising in silks and spices, she is the leader of the Ragtag Brigade and answers to Butterfly for all Ragtag activities. Is sometimes referred to as the Ragtag Queen. Jackal - Leader of the Skeletons, identity unknown. Ace - Skeleton adviser, reports to Jackal, identity unknown. Remus - Dragna leader, identity unknown. |
By Silence_is_golden233
4th of Marna, 1682. 14th year of Q.E.
The Night Market vendors talked in hushed voices with their customers and the very air crackled around the borders. On opposite sides of the invisible lines rested one or two magically touched tickle pockets from each gang. Their concentration was causing the heavy atmosphere...the weight of someone searching through possible trespassers was not to be waved off. However it had been easy to go about her business during the day as she had simply concentrated on her message deliveries.
One Dragna had stared right at her when she'd needed to get through the borders, they suspected everyone regardless of occupation. But the sensation of something squirming around in her head made her feel sullied somehow. She'd given him a headache though, just continually thinking of what she had to do in the next few hours as a messenger. He'd pinched the bridge of his nose and waved her through after only a few moments of the bombardment.
The young scuttle bug turned on her heel and began to walk the short distance home. However the sea breeze that whispered into the city was wrong, an acrid smell clung to her throat as she breathed in. She stopped and turned, running back the way she'd come. People were a blur as she skidded across the cobble stones. Her heart felt like it would explode in her chest as she beat her fists against the door of the Inn. She had every reason to panic for as some jovial patron opened the door, she let out a strangled cry.
"Fire...at the docks." The reaction was immediate as people flooded into the street around her, the call to arms ringing out all around. The thought of fire sent chills down many a gutter child's spine. Many of the older buildings were wooden and this included drinking houses, lodgings and even the Inn itself. The surge of people urged her on as she lost herself in the determined flow of running people. Others had gone to find water and earth mages.
The plumes of smoke caused Skye to cough as the soot clung to her lungs. A young man passed her a handkerchief and she tied it around her head to cover her nose and mouth. She glanced at him and he had resorted to using the sleeve of his shirt. What they found actually caused a stab of guilt to run her through. The building next to where Rheys ran her business was alight. The fire gnawed and licked at its disintegrating prey, eagerly fanning out and searching for more victims to sate the never ending hunger. The mages arrived just as people had started to throw water on the dying building.
Water and soil raced along the cobbles to rush in and snuff out whatever they could as quickly as possible. The smell of damp earth slowly started to cleanse their airways as they continued to throw well water onto anything the mages had missed. As the ancient city clock struck midnight, the last flame was doused and they cheered. The neighbouring buildings were safe but the fire had gutted its victim and left the building a blackened husk. The owner touched one of the support beams and jerked his hand back just as it made a final ear splitting screech. The roof folded in on itself and threw out ash and soot in its wake. Rheys stood at the edge of the crowd, her face streaked with soot and ash. She wordlessly touched the man's shoulder and he looked at her blankly.
"We can rebuild your livelihood. It is fortunate that no one was working when the fire went through." she said reassuringly as he nodded hollowly. The rest of the people touched his shoulder and offered to help with rebuilding before returning home. Skye slipped away quietly after touching the merchant's shoulder, glancing down the road to see something that would have made her stop dead in her tracks. However seeing a robed figure behind Remus was enough to have her thinking how tired she was. Her grandmother had taught her a valuable skill when she was younger. Mages have to exert a staggering amount of energy to peer into someone's thoughts. Many didn't look beyond the general thoughts and delve deeper simply because the effort was too much.
Yet she still felt the probing sensation as she walked down the street, perhaps this mage was stronger than others. She ducked into an alleyway and came face to face with someone who could help her to stop the mage trying to dig further. Noah. She smiled and took his hand in hers, bombarding the nosy mage with thoughts of her and Noah. Mostly akin to ideas of marriage, children....all the things a normal young girl would think of at her age. Within moments the mage drew back and left her be.
"I enjoy your company...but what are you doing?" Noah questioned and she glanced back at him as they came to the corner near the silk shop.
"A mage decided he wanted to try and sift through my head. I needed to distract him with thoughts that he would find annoying." she saw his frown and tried not to say anything that would cause either of them to want more than they could be at this time.
"So you thought of us?" he asked blandly and she nodded before letting his hand go as he sighed.
"Yes...I thought of what I would have wished for. What I used to wish for when I was younger." Skye elaborated before he smiled and she felt her cheeks heat up just enough to be seen.
"At least you reassured me slightly this time." he responded before they bid each other good night. In the relative safety of her home she contemplated the possibility that Remus had set the fire to prove a point. But he had burned the building next to Rheys' working quarters. Then it clicked, the mage had been there to catch snippets of unprotected thoughts. Thoughts that could potentially lead to the identities of gang members. Who were the only members Remus would want to find out more than cursory information about? Jackal? Ace? Rheys? Then a chilling prospect surfaced in her mind.
What if Remus intended to hunt Alley Cat through the city of Dys? But she was a ghost...a pretend persona. Though if a wolf was dedicated enough, the real persona would most likely have to pay for the perceived sins of the pretender. But she supposed that her safe guards were good enough, only the elderly knew the real story behind her and her family. The elderly didn't participate in gang activities, they were prohibited from doing so. Not that they would want to participate in thief gang 'espionage' of any kind. If she stayed above suspicion she would be able to get along and continue to muddle out the link between the Dragna and the school fees.
She had found out so far, that one of the school masters was Dragna, or at least appeared to socialise with Dragna underlings upon occasion. After lessons he would peruse the Night Markets and talk to some lower end tickle pockets. Were the Dragna skimming money off the top of the school fees? It would make sense theoretically....but what would they need the money for? Skye remembered the very same school master crowing about a farm that he had shared ownership over. That was a possibility at the very least. The farms were needing temporary harvest workers for the next few weeks. Perhaps she would go earn more money with a group of allied scuttle bugs?
By Silence_is_golden233
10th of Marna, 1682. 14th year of Q.E.
The rosters for farm work were up in the Inn already. People had been filtering in all week to add their names to the columns under each farm. There were those for grain and others for meat or dairy farms. She had interest in one in particular however its sign up sheet was already full with a waiting list. Her stomach dropped as she spotted Noah's surprisingly neatly written name on the waiting list. She hurriedly jotted down her name underneath his and asked for the day off. The Innkeeper took one look at her face and gave it to her, the cool mask slipping just enough for him to see the confusion and irritation.
The skinny girl made an effort to saunter to the docks as her skin crawled from the amount of scrutiny her presence garnered. It didn't take long for word to spread among the sailors and boat builders, a girl was milling about. Needless to say, when she spotted Noah repairing the rigging on a vessel...his friends naturally informed him of the admirer on the dock. Wolf whistles and jeers followed the tanned adolescent as he scuttled down the ropes like a spider. He ducked as one older boy tried to ruffle his hair, his boots thumping down the gang plank as he looked at her with a curious expression.
"What brings you down here on a work day?" he scanned her and found a distinct lack of letters on her slender frame.
"Is there a place we could talk alone?" she returned smoothly, arching one dark brow as he frowned and dragged her away from the docks, into Lovers Lane. However she took him further down the lane and into Madam Ghut's Apothecary. Unbeknownst to many, the wily old witch had enchanted her shop and residence. The old woman had let slip when Skye had been helping around the shop one summer, enchantments against listening and mind reading. The wrinkled wise lady just pointed to the storeroom as she looked up from a poultice jar and saw the pair on the back landing.
"Bes' place for conversations, go' a muting spell in there." her raspy voice barely had time to register in their minds before Skye had dragged Noah into the dusty little room. She turned to face him and let the mask fall, a slight smile appearing on his face only rankling her further.
"How did you figure it out?" she asked calmly, only for him to reach out and tousle her hair.
"Apparently you're not the only one with a brain Skye." his enigmatic reply made her frown deepen as she digested this little tidbit.
"What do you intend to do once you're there? Surely you know they'll be intending to kill any workers once the harvest is complete!" her frustration and uneasiness grew as he nodded and then shrugged it all off. She slammed her hand against one of the shelves, causing him to jump in surprise and cautiously put a hand on her shoulder.
"Skye...we have a plan, the Alliance intends to smuggle a sample of whatever it is on that farm, to the Queen's Guard." he tried to reassure her and she covered his hand with hers, looking up at him with such despair that it stole the breath from his lungs.
"I can't lose you too....if I lost you, my world would cease to function." she admitted, her voice raw with fear as he drew her close and rubbed her back.
"The Alliance will take care of this mission...I might not even be called to the harvest." he soothed, struggling to wrap his head around this minute change. They were young enough to understand the finite nature of death, understand the danger of leaving things unsaid. Yet she had retreated and hidden away anything more that she felt for him.
"If you are called to harvest...take me with you." Skye murmured into his chest before looking up and capturing his dark blue gaze. His expression turned into a conflicted mess as she tried to piece it all together, only for it all to change in the time it took for her to close her eyes. Noah's hand slid up to the nape of her neck and then around to the left side. His caloused thumb brushing against her cheek before he lowered his head slightly.
"I promise to take you with me, but only if you promise to stop shutting down your emotions." he offered the trade, knowing full well the amount of conflict that was already underway within her thin frame. Yet she smiled and nodded once before wrapping her arms around him and embracing him. They both pulled back at the same moment, only for her to reach up and touch the nape of his neck in return.
"You are too tall already, lean down so I can kiss you." she grumbled slightly and he laughed as she returned to her old self, if only for a moment. Noah leaned down just enough and the dark haired waif pressed her lips against his clumsily, causing him to chuckle softly and lift her up off the floor. Her startled squeal said it all as she pulled her lips away from his and swatted his shoulder lightly.
"Put me down you string bean!" she commanded and Noah quirked an eyebrow as the corner of her mouth lifted ever so slightly. He gave her a goofy smile in return and released her, the soles of her boots landing on the rough stone floor with a soft thunk.
"As you wish....potato." he teased, only for them to freeze at the sound of footsteps and male tones. They crept closer to the door and hid behind some shelves that jutted out from the wall. Each of them put their hand over their mouth, a habit from when they used to eavesdrop in their younger years. Skye's heart leapt into her throat as the door barely muffled the sound of in depth conversation.
".....mage learned nothing from the fire..." A shiver went down Skye's spine and a chill sunk into her bones as there was some discontented grumbling. Despite the distortions of the magical spells on the voice, she definitely didn't have to guess its owner.
"...the crop?" Another voice rumbled, his accent making his words sound like molasses.
"....growing better than we expected. It will be ready for dispersal soon." A third voice chimed in, only for the familiar voice to add another tidbit.
"....before the rains. The Alliance will be no more once the rats are all dead. We'll be late for the snake fights if we aren't careful." Then the three men left through the rear door, having assumed that Madam Ghut's enchantments would keep their discussion within the shop's walls for all eternity. Snakes were exotic animals and highly treasured by the Queen, snake fighting was illegal as she saw this practice as cruel and shameful. Even more shameful if one was to bet on which snake would win the bout.
The pair waited until Madam Ghut came to the store room and opened the door with a grim smile on her face. Her faded hazel gaze regarded them knowingly before she let them out of the room, ducking in briefly to retrieve some dried herbs and a sprig of fresh lavender.
"Madam...was that-" Skye began only for the old woman to glare at her fiercely and clear her throat as they came to the shop front.
"No names! Be careful no' to say too much o' nothin' to no one, even me." she instructed sharply, causing Noah and Skye to exchange glances.
"Any advice Madam?" Skye asked quietly, earning a considering glance from the wise woman before she coughed and motioned for them to come behind the counter. Her foot was pointed towards a faded imported carpet and the pair ducked behind the counter just before the bells tolled for midday, signalling the start of the noon rush for food or drink.
"Follow the tunnel an' don' forget to hold you breath at the narrowing, should lead you to something interesting. You can both swim....right?" Madam murmured, flicking the corner of the carpet up with her shoe. They lifted it gently and it revealed a trap door underneath, lifting it up revealed a ladder leading down into an inky abyss.
"Light?" Noah piped up, earning a mischievous grin from the wise woman.
"You'll no' need light...nature provides." she laughed, urging them down the ladder one at a time. Skye's mind raced as the square of light above her shrank rapidly. They were hidden underneath the trapdoor and the carpet just in time. The distant sound of the bell on the front door and muffled conversation faded as they continued their blind descent.
By Silence_is_golden233
The stale tang of sea water in the air made Skye wrinkle her nose, the scent had always reminded her of dead sea creatures. The faint scrape of Noah's boots on stone made her sigh in relief, though his warning caught her attention and she tried to look down. The ladder it seemed, was taking her straight down an old blow hole. She could see a ring of black a little bit further down before the shaft of the blow hole widened out.
"Careful, the floor is slippery at first...but nature provides indeed." he called up softly, her eyes adjusting as she climbed down below the lip of the shaft. She breathed in sharply as the walls of the cavern glowed and pulsed with aquamarine light.
"Glow worms?" she whispered, touching down gingerly on the slimy underground tunnel floor. It was several feet wide with slime strings from the glow worms hanging from the ceiling like silvery crystals on chains, some had even joined and become miniature pillars of goo. The tunnel definitely sloped gradually, the water on the floor rising as it went down. They began walking, picking their way between the glow worms' artwork so as to not ruin it too much. The light from these little creatures bouncing off the walls and the water to give off enough light to even see where the tunnel took a right turn towards the ocean.
A creature that looked like a cross between a spider and a centipede galloped across the floor in pursuit of a large cockroach and Skye gave it a wide berth. She reached back and Noah gripped her hand in his, a faint smile coming to her lips as his warmth reassured her. It took them several minutes of concentrated silence to even move a few feet from their starting point. Their boots created soft splashing sounds as they continued, the silvery strands sticking to their clothing and hair upon occasion. The dark haired girl stared up at the glittering strings and wondered for a moment if anyone else would find these creatures as fascinating as she and Noah did. They could glow for goodness sake! Humans hadn't even changed to be able to do that, all they had going for them was their brain power. Though in some humans there was more air or sawdust between their ears than brain matter.
Her inner musings halted as she peeked around the corner and stopped short. Noah bumped into her and grumbled until he peeked around above her scruffy head. Now they knew what the narrowing was, the tunnel shrank into something that looked like only two men could wriggle into and pass through. It was low to the ground and almost entirely full of water.
"You can swim....right?" she asked, half-turning to make sure and all she got was a scoffing sound and an arched eyebrow in response.
"I work on merchant ships and you're asking me if I can swim," Noah faked a dramatic sigh and she frowned, causing him to take her query more seriously, "don't worry Skye...I can swim."
The young woman nodded curtly and continued to pull him towards the narrowing. She picked up a small stone and dropped it into the water, only for the water to glow brightly where she had dropped it in and again where it had landed. She'd heard Madam Ghut talk about this before...it was another type of glowing creature but very very small. All you had to do was touch them and they would light up. It was a blessing really as they would have had to swim through the tunnel blind, which was dangerous considering that they didn't even know if it split off or not later on...or how long they needed to hold their breath.
"Which one of us is the stronger swimmer?" he asked after a moment and she looked at him for a moment.
"I won the Sea Race three years in a row...but you are more likely to be in better physical condition." Skye mused softly, her voice echoing in the cavern as Noah shook his head slightly.
"I might be in better physical condition but you are the faster swimmer, whomever is quicker should go first and then come back. It tells us how long to hold our breath for and what's on the other side." he responded, causing her to nod and let go of his hand. She embraced him tightly and rested her head against his chest, long enough to hear how fast his heartbeat was.
She disliked worrying him but she was as apprehensive as he....she couldn't imagine what would happen next if she didn't come back. No, she would come back, otherwise why would Madam Ghut send them down here if it was impossible? She crouched beside the water and he pulled her up, hugging her swiftly and lifting her off the ground in order to have her as close as could be.
"You must come back....you must." he murmured into her hair before letting her go and standing beside the water nervously.
She took that as her cue to get into the water, sitting on the edge of the waterline. Skye braced her hands on the lip of the narrowing and lowered herself into the pool of water, gasping as the cold seeped through her clothes and nestled in her bones. She took in as deep of a breath as she could and submerged herself, grabbing the stone from the bottom and dragging it along, lighting up the floor of the waterway. She kicked strongly and reached forward, placing the rock in front of her as she moved through the water. It was painful despite the rock being smooth, the water was causing her fingers to move slower and slower.
Yet there seemed to be a very faint current pushing her forward, just enough to help give her renewed energy. In a way if the water had been warm she would have enjoyed the light green glow coming from where the rock touched the floor of the flooded tunnel. But she was running out of air and she didn't know how long it would take to get through. Finally she saw a silvery disc coming closer, indicating the end to her swimming. Her lungs were starting to scream and she couldn't grab onto the smooth walls of the narrowing. But she gave one last kick, reaching up to feel and make sure that the silvery reflective disc was indeed an exit.
Her heart jumped as half of her hand passed through the water and hit no obstacles. She realised the tunnel turned up at the end as she touched the rock to something in front of her. It lit up and she slid it both left and right, the light line making her smile triumphantly in the glow. This meant she could come up relatively quietly and not alert anything to her presence. She swam to the surface and broke through it, letting out her breath of air in a quiet rush. She panted softly and slicked her hair back from her face, this cavern was far from what she had expected.
The dark haired girl took in another deep breath and sank back down into the cold water, kicking off the side as hard as she could. She swam as efficiently as possible, knowing now that there was a small off shoot from the major tunnel but it was only wide enough for the skinniest of children to go through. Despite the slight current pushing against her, she was back on Noah's side of the narrowing within a minute or two. The moment her head broke the surface she heard him let out a soft cry of relief.
"What's it like?" he questioned and she clambered out of the water to tell him quickly.
"The flooded part is small, with one offshoot to the left when you're swimming from this side. Ignore the offshoot I don't think it goes anywhere very safe, you'll never guess where we are though but we need to get there and back before high tide." Skye blurted out before getting back into the water with a grin and submerging herself once more.
Noah hurriedly clambered in after her and as she kicked off the wall, he followed suit. Their swim was quite quick, they were shaving off time due to swimming with the current. They broke the surface together and Skye heaved herself out of the water, helping him out moments later. She shook her head like a wet dog as she stood up, the humid cave making her feel warm after their cold swim.
The glow worms were less plentiful here, but they lit up the cavern enough for the pair to see a roughly hewn set of steps hugging the wall all the way up to a rock shelf. It was what the rock shelf led to that caught their interest. On the far left side of the cavern there was a large storm pipe, tall enough for Skye to stand up in. It's grate was able to be removed to for cleaning...or rather it should have been. Someone had attempted to clamp it to the end of the pipe.
On the right, near where the steps ended and the shelf began; was an old wooden door. They climbed the stairs to inspect it closely and Skye swore softly, wiping the sea salt crust from the door. What she revealed made them both freeze, it was the Olin insignia. They had found a door that led to something within the Olin Manor. Only one area stood out in her memory, Lord Olin's private library and study. They had never been on the main plans for his home and the city had assumed he had a library elsewhere in the house after the plans had been made...as well as a study at his office.
Skye then turned her attention to the storm drain, being careful not to stumble as she picked her way over the roughly hacked out walkway. She inspected the clamps without touching them, obviously just a temporary job until whomever it was came back and permanently attached it to the pipe. What puzzled the young messenger was that the door was physically quite far from Olin Manor, Olin Manor was in the city, not along the coastal fringe where the coves and caverns lay.
Speaking of coves, though it didn't look like it from where the narrowing was, the cavern actually had a tunnel leading off the main chamber. The faint sound of waves whispering over sand caused her to take the stairs two at a time and Noah followed her. They hadn't moved a moment too soon either, for as they got around the corner, which did a hairpin turn to the left...the door handle rattled. The rattles echoed in the cavern and they held hands, hoping that the door wouldn't open. A frustrated yell came from the other side of the door before the person gave up.
The pair breathed a sigh of relief before they looked at each other and smiled. They followed the tunnel around further, only to stop as the rock beneath their feet petered out and became cream coloured sand. They turned another corner and found themselves on a beach. However they weren't alone. A woman in a plum cloak was standing on steps carved into the sea wall of the cove, waves lapping at her skirts. She turned her head and adjusted the hood slightly, beckoning them closer.
"Madam Ghut sent a message....what have you found?" The voice was familiar, as was the mask the woman wore and Skye sighed in relief.
"Something very interesting indeed Butterfly...however I suspect you know what lies in the cavern as we do." Skye responded and the Butterfly smiled wryly.
"A storm drain and a locked door to which no one has the key." she nodded and moved closer to them, only for Skye to frown slightly.
"Butterfly...someone has clamped the grate to the end of the pipe....they likely intend to weld it shut using metal and fire mages, but why?" At Skye's words the Butterfly paused and then urged them to follow her back up the sea wall.
"Come, it isn't safe to discuss this here...especially not now." she murmured as the door handle rattled again, sending them bounding up the steps hidden along the sea wall.
Skye felt the faint probing of a mind reader and she blasted them with how tired she was after going spear fishing with Noah. She sent vivid images of catching nothing and being hungry. The probing stopped and they came back into the city via the merchants quarter. They went their separate ways and Skye ruffled Noah's hair with the remaining sea water on her hands as she went to the Inn for a bath, the extra coin in her pocket would come in handy for that at least.
What a day...to end up with more questions than answers. She sank into the warm water and scrubbed herself clean, letting her freshly washed clothes dry by the fire in the servants' wash room. She sank under the surface of the water but jerked her head back up to the surface and scrambled out, draining the water moments later. A vision of a snake in her bath was never a good sign, especially not now that they were so close to properly figuring everything out.
| Author Notes | Please note that all 2 280 words were written in one go between 2 am and 4 am. Advice, praise and criticism are all welcomed :) Enjoy! |
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