Madelaine: 250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmCZlV3ErIQ
“Ah, weapon makers.” Both Tomas and I said in unison, looking at each other in surprise.
“Small but like a terrier, can root out bears. Formidable, if small.” Tomas said, scratching his chin. I wondered how much his curiosity must be burning him now, wanting to know what I had shown Dagger. He was concealing it well, but the quick side glances in my direction made me sure he wasn’t as poised as he outwardly claimed.
“I know his son was one of the top three candidates for my betrothal.” I said slowly, “it could be a petty reason.”
“He is a petty man.” Tomas agreed, “I have had the pleasure of knowing him.” The sarcasm dripped from his tone, “Long features, like the nose of a hawk. Strategic man, if a tad misguided.”
“We cannot outright confront him; it would put quite a few folks in trouble.” I said, thinking.
“Not to mention my pack.” Dagger added, looking down when I looked at her. The instant respect and fear from the mark of my people had made her demure. An interesting fact which was merited, if slightly irritating.
“True.” I agreed, sending her a smile. She smiled timidly back, watching me for sudden moves. The rumour mill had mixed truth with lie, enough so that she was not sure what skills I possessed. “This is a discussion best discussed later. For now.” I looked at Tomas, meeting his steadfast gaze. I believed the rumour of loyalty; he had the aura of a man worth trusting.
I pulled out the folded parchment in one of my pockets, taking the quill from the jailer’s table. The jailer used it to mark attendance with strokes, but I knew accomplished thieves could read and write.
“Write down everything you know. Start from the beginning and work down.”
She took the parchment and quill, leaning it against the wall of her cell. We waited, leaving her to write.
“Good idea,” Tomas said, taking my hands. He lifted them to his lips, looking me in the eyes, “you still have secrets.”
“Most women do.”
“What did you show her?”
I smiled, considering. I lifted one of my fingers from his grasp and gently patted my pocket, checking for the bottles. “Well,” I said, “I showed her the mark of my people. I am part of the Black Swans – an assassination and knowledge merchant’s guild run by one of the oldest families in all of Aseaviel. Ladies in waiting are not what you see them to be. And I am Madelaine Ann Elwood, heir to the Matriarch of the Black Swans. Though... still treated like a prized horse to sell. I could kill you right where you stand in a myriad of ways
He instinctively stepped back just as Dagger brandished her finished work, the ink dry. Tomas eyed me, looking over me with something akin to fear in his eyes.
“And Sarah is… I have heard stories of…”
“Oh yes,” I smiled smugly, “she is the bodyguard to the heir, imagine how accomplished she is to have that position.”
He frowned, shook his head and then came forward, meeting my eyes. “I still want to marry you.” He said determinedly, “I think… I think I’m falling in love with you.” The admission shocked him as well, but he stood by it, waiting for my reply.
I reached behind him for the cell keys, Tomas not stopping me from unlocking Dagger’s cage. Steadfast fool. She handed me the parchment just as I handed her two of the bottles.
Tomas looked at the bottles, one filled with sky blue liquid and the other cloudy grey. Dagger only smiled. “I vow on my life, your will be.” She murmured. Next, she threw the second at her feet, the thick cloud of smoke filling the room. Tomas moved to stop her just as I kicked his feet from under him. I unstoppered a bottle from my pocket, pinning him to the ground with Dagger holding his legs.
“Wait!” Tomas said, “what is-”
“It’s just a forget potion – so you forget the last ten minutes. You’ll be fine.” I said, smiling down at him.
“Does… does Hamish know?” He asked, watching me lean in with trepidation in his eyes.
“Yes,” I whispered, “and proven his loyalty to me.” Then I poured the contents down his throat.
We let him go as he want slack, Dagger looking at me from across the smoky area. We both knew he would begin to stir in moments, Dagger moving towards the door.
“You know – you’ll have to tell him one day,” she said, “He loves you – you can see it in his eyes. Don’t make yourself the bad guy when you don’t have to be.”
Before I could reply she unstoppered the other bottle I had given her and downed the contents, nodding at me.
“Allow yourself happiness.” She said and closed her eyes. Like most thieves, she knew the forget-me-not potion was quick if you allowed it. In moments she had opened her eyes, looked at me, and then the door.
“Run!” I said, just as she had scampered from the jailhouse.
Tomas groaned from the floor, looking up at me. “What… what.”
“She escaped, but not before she wrote down this,” I said, showing him the parchment.
He scowled, taking it from me.
“Is this one of those you’ll tell me when I’m older moments?” He asked me over the parchment.
I sat down next to him, nodding my head. “sometimes safety and fear pretend to be each other.” I sighed. He looked at me, putting down the parchment.
“You know,” he said, moving to lean against the cold wall of the jailhouse. “I don’t care what you are. I care about who you are. If you tell me – I promise I will listen. We are getting married Madelaine; I just want to know you.”
He held out his hand, and I hesitated, not knowing what I was agreeing to. But it looked warm, so I took it, feeling the rough edges of his calluses.
“My family is crazy.” I shrugged.
“Whose isn’t?” He said with a smile.
The smoke began to clear, and a loud clatter of running feet filled our ears.
“We’re not going to find Dagger again, are we?” Tomas asked me as first Sarah appeared, and then the doors were slammed open and his men poured in.
“If she’s from the Wolf Pack – I doubt it.” I said as I was helped to my feet, Sarah looking me over with a practised eye. We faded into the smoke together, letting men crowd in front of us.
“Now, what would a lady know of gangs?” Tomas asked, turning around to try and find me. His men searched the area for Dagger, William calmly walking into the commotion.
“We saw the smoke,” he said as introduction, “The men waiting outside have no memory of being outside – or of being sent there.”
I could see Tomas turning this way and that, before turning back to William, “I am unhurt.” He said, handing William the parchment.
“I will be in the reading room.” He said to the air, his men surrounding him and as he walked out of the room.
The men filed back, missing the two servants cleaning out Dagger’s cell. The last of them left and I looked up, pushing my hood back.
“Well, that was an adventure,” Sarah sighed, standing to lean on the wall.
“Your intuition got us the information we needed.” I said, “maybe we can use our connections to remind Lord Mickal of who’s watching him.”
Sarah bowed her head at the praise, smiling darkly, “by your will.”
“Now, I suppose I should write a report…”
“Leave that to me,” Sarah said, “your duty is to the lord.”
“Dagger thought I should tell him – before she forgot.”
“It is an option. You have a spare bottle, if the conversation doesn’t go your way you can rub it out.”
“I have already sent a question of request, asking for guidance.”
Sarah opened the door, taking my hand, “the answer is already on your desk.” She said quietly.
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