Chapter 2
Anfängen

As Rose took the leisurely drive to a bed and breakfast just outside Adorf, where she would meet with the one who sent her the letter, she went over the contents of the letter in her head:

To 'The Shrapnel Fusillade'

Your performance at the Alvarro estate was impressive. I send this letter knowing that I have chosen the right person for the job already. I have another job for you. A job that will not be a simple test of your skills, but the beginning of a prosperous business venture between us should you accept my offer.

I would like to meet in person to arrange this venture. I will be at the Roten Krug at 3:30pm tomorrow, sharp. I look forward to your company.

Regards,
X. Roux

Out of everything in the letter, it was the last line that meant the most to Rose: 'X. Roux'. That could only stand for Xavier Roux, the head of the Roux household, the most powerful Magi family in Europe of the modern day. His influence in European Magi circles was pervasive and ironclad. To be approached by a man of his standing meant her skills were starting to reach some heights loftier than she had imagined.

So that Alvarro was just a test. That certainly sounds like Xavier Roux's methods, Rose thought, finding it hard not to smirk at the thought of being used so easily like that. Normally, it would have been a disturbing thought that she had been played so easily. However, with the power and contacts Xavier Roux had, it was hard to imagine anyone that was not influenced by him in some small way, be it a magi or a normal person.

It was just as Rose was leaving the rustic 19th century facade of Adorf that she found her destination to be an odd one. The Roten Krug, within the magi circles, was a common place to meet, greet and discuss business. However, it was hardly a well-to-do establishment that a figure such as Xavier Roux would patronise.

Must fancy himself a nice Kochwurst.

It wasn't more than a twenty minute drive outside of Adorf that Rose reached the Roten Krug bed and breakfast. While it was primarily a travel stop for many people not willing to spend big on room in Adorf itself, the breakfast side of Roten Krug had become so popular with guests it developed into its own café style restaurant. However, the Roten Krug's history was that of one intertwined with magi. Since its construction by the Ritter family, it had served as a secluded meeting place for when magi had to meet on friendly terms, however rare that was, and remained in Ritter hands throughout its entire two hundred year history.

Pulling into its gravel laid parking lot, Rose noticed a distinct lack of many other cars. Of the cars present, which numbered less than ten, one was an impressive, pitch-black Jaguar that probably costed more than Rose could hope to make in a year, even in a job such as hers.

Three guesses whose car that is.

Parking close to the Roten Krug, she took in its impressive façade. It had the appearance of a traditional Germanic style cottage, with pristine white walls and darks woods giving it an air of homeliness. It was not a large building, only reaching two stories high, but multiple expansions during its lifetime to accommodate its expanding popularity had given it the size of a small manor. Each extension had been designed to keep the rustic feel of the original building, resulting in an authenticity beyond most simple restaurants such as this.

Rose made her way to the entrance, checking the windows as she passed to see if she could spot Xavier ahead of reaching the restaurant. Having little luck, Rose entered the main foyer and made her way to the front desk. Behind the desk was a ginger-haired young man, not much older than eighteen Rose wagered.

Looking up from the register at the sound of her footsteps, the young man beamed Rose a trained, winning smile "Welcome to the Roten Krug! What can I do for you?"

"I'm here for a late lunch with a friend."

"Ah! You're Miss…" The young man took a note from the behind the desk, giving it quick squinted glance. "Rose?"

"That's me. I take it my friend has already arrived?"

"Both of them, in fact," the young man said, quickly navigating around the desk and gesturing for Rose to follow him. Before Rose could ask why it was 'both of them' that were here to meet her, he had already started to make his way to the restaurant. "Right this way!"

The young man proceeded through a dark wood archway with Rose following closely behind. Beyond the archway was the dining area, filled with tables and chairs. It was half-full, most of the patrons at this time of the day being tourists staying at Roten Krug who had returned from a day of sightseeing. As the young man led Rose through the maze of tables deeper into the restaurant, Rose could not help but be linger on the fact that Xavier was not alone. She had expected this to be a one-on-one affair like most of her dealings with other magi. She did not like the idea of being out-matched if things went sour, no matter the circumstances of a meeting.

Rose scanned the patrons as she proceeded towards the back of the restaurant, her eyes finally landing on a table at a far corner of the room.

There were three people at the table, one of which was standing. Seated at the table was a blonde haired man in a dark suit who, from what few photographs of the man Rose had seen, was Xavier Roux himself. Next to him sat a young woman, adorned with long auburn hair, who sipped slowly on a glass of red wine, looking like she did not wish to be there. However, the person standing by Xavier's table stood out the most. It was another young woman, roughly the same age as the one seated, dressed in a vivid red shirt and a long black skirt. Her back was to Rose, revealing only her long black hair which long enough to reach her waist. Xavier was talking with this woman before him. As Rose approached, she concentrated on listening to the discussion.

"…having lunch with my daughter," remarked Xavier, looking frustrated, brow furrowed. "Could we have this talk another time?"

"No, Xavier," the woman in red said, her words sharp and brutal in their delivery. "You're up to something, and I want to know what. Now." Her hands were firmly planted on her hips as she raised her head just enough to look down her nose at the man seated before her.

The young man leading Rose to Xavier stopped short of the table by a large enough margin to leave them in peace but have an ear in the discussion. Rose stood with him, intrigued by the tenacity of the woman in red.

"Whatever do you mean, Miss. Tohsaka?" asked Xavier, a smug grin spreading across his face.

"You know damn well what I mean. The tenuous peace between the European houses is at its weakest it has been for over fifty years thanks to that travesty of a Grail War in Lyon. The War your family was supposed to oversee. Now you are pressuring the Da Rocha? What are you planning?" The woman named Tohsaka continued to pressure Xavier Roux. The woman seated at the table froze, glass of wine halfway to her lips, her eyes turning slowly in their sockets to look at Tohsaka.

"That was a most unfortunate turn of events, but you should know the risks involved with the War. And placing pressure on the Da Rocha?" Xavier turned his head as he spoke, looking straight at Rose. "I have no idea what you are talking about. Melchor Da Rocha and I share a cordial relationship, despite our family's pasts."

"Bu-," Tohsaka started, her voicing beginning to rise in anger. The young man who guided Rose to her host announced his presence with the clearing of his throat. Both Tohsaka and Xavier turned, Xavier sighing in relief at the interruption.

"I am sorry, Rin Tohsaka," Xavier said, cutting off his unwanted guest. "You may have gained somewhat of a reputation at the Clock Tower, but that gives you no right to throw around unsubstantiated claims and hearsay as if it were fact."

"No amount of pathetic showboating can save you from me," Rin Tohsaka replied, her voice now small but its venom more potent. "You're going to answer my questions." Xavier looked once again at Rose, this time out of frustration.

"It seems that this will have to wait until another time," Xavier suddenly said, turning back to face Tohsaka, another smug smile on his face. He gestured to Rose. "My lunch guest is here." Tohsaka turned to face Rose. Her piercing blue eyes gazed upon Rose as if she were a devil in the room.

"You haven't seen the last of me, Xavier," Rin Tohsaka said swiftly turning in place and making to leave. Rose walked to Xavier's table, the young man who escorted her sheepishly backing away and shuffling quickly back to the front desk.

"Haha," chuckled Xavier in contrast with his taught looking expression. "I'm sure I haven't."

Rose and Rin passed each other, sparing each other a glance.

Hmph. So the Shrapnel Fusillade has been called upon, Rin thought, quickly taking in Rose's appearance. An up and coming Magi 'problem solver' and Xavier Roux. 'Cordial relationship' my foot.

Commendable, Rin Tohsaka, Rose restrained the urge to grin. But you fight outside our league. It will take more than fire in the heart to break someone of Xavier Roux's standing.

As Rose reached the table, Xavier stood and swiftly pulled out a chair for her. Rose didn't expect such notions of chivalry from him considering the circumstances of that toxic conversation with Rin, but it was only polite to abide by it for now. Retaking his seat after seeing to it that Rose was comfortable, Xavier heaved a heavy sigh before speaking.

"I am sorry you had to see that," he said, trying to laugh. His still rigid face made it difficult to do so convincingly. He cracked his knuckles, and Rose noticed they were pale as if they were being clenched with all his strength. "She ambushed me, I'm afraid."

"She's a feisty one. Rin Tohsaka, was it?" Rose asked, feeling the need to know more about the woman who had just put her new client in what seemed to be a strop.

"Yes, unfortunately. A young genius who doesn't know her standing yet. Genius counts for naught when you don't have the wisdom to know what to use it for." Xavier gritted his teeth as he spoke. He made a glance to the girl sitting at his side. She was paying little attention to Rose, or Xavier for that matter, but he smiled at her. "Ah, where are my manners? Rose, this is my daughter, Josephine."

"Pleased to meet you, Josephine," Rose said, offering her hand over the table to Josephine. Josephine took it stiffly and made a very obvious forced smile. Their eyes met for an instant and, in that instant, Rose could see a sort of pain behind them. Josephine didn't want to be there – that much was very clear.

Given Xavier's just recent up and down mood that she saw for herself, Rose was left with only one thought. Dysfunctional family alert.

"Pleased to meet you," replied Josephine quietly, quickly taking back her hand. Xavier cleared his throat loudly, bringing attention back to him.

"I, as you no doubt have guessed by now, am Xavier Roux. I'm glad to know my message reached you safely." Xavier took a sip from his own glass of blood red wine, letting the weight of his name sink in. "It is an honour to be in the presence of such a skilled… Problem solver, such as yourself."

"The honour is all mine, I assure you. But what could the head of the Roux household possibly want with me?"

"Straight down to business; I like that." Xavier chuckled. It appeared to Rose that he was loosening up. "But first, I would like to say I'm sorry I had to put you through that little bout with Alvarro. I had to be sure I had chosen the right person for this particular job and he was the unlucky man up for execution by the Mage's Association."

"Not a problem," Rose said, bearing a soft smile. "I would like to think my results spoke for themselves with that little job."

"That they did. Which brings me to the main order of business." Xavier paused. Taking a casual glance around the almost empty restaurant, Xavier seemed to be searching for something.

"I would have thought you'd have locked this place down like a fortress already," Rose mused out loud, taking a glance at the ever silent daughter of the man she was speaking to. Rose couldn't put her finger on it, but Josephine Roux appeared distant. Almost unaware that she was seated at a table with other people. It put Rose at a strange unease, but Xavier's words was where most of her focus lay.

"Oh, I have. But, one cannot be too careful. The Tohsaka girl is lucky I let her in," Xavier grumbled.

Yes, because she was going to walk away without a fight first. Rose thought it best to contain her sarcasm at this point.

"Anyway, enough beating around the bush," Xavier suddenly declared, seemingly satisfied with his visual sweep of the room from the comfort of his chair. "The job is simple – beautifully so, even. I want you to kill the head of the Da Rocha house of Magi, Melchor Da Rocha."

What? Is what Rose immediately thought to bark at the man sitting across from her. However, her cool won out.

"That doesn't sound like a request a person on good terms with the Da Rocha would ever think to make." Rose took Xavier's half-full wine glass and took a sip, Xavier showing no signs of objection. The strong taste of the red wine danced on her tongue as she continued. "So Rin Tohsaka was right after all. It's not nice to lie, Xavier Roux." Xavier gave her a dry smile.

"These are dark times," Xavier said, rising from his seat and proceeding to circle the table. "The families are in disarray and the recently failed Grail War has only made things worse. What the families need is not a pithy peace built on fake pleasantries." Xavier stopped by Rose's side and bent down by the waist, his head level and uncomfortably close to Rose's. While she didn't know what he had for lunch, it had copious amounts of garlic within it, judging from his breath. The stench was enough to wipe the pungent aroma of wine from her nose.

"No, instead, what the families need is a universal leader - someone to guide them all, to mete out order and to eliminate the old rivalries of the past." he continued, his voice low. Rose refused to turn and look at him face-to-face. She did however, offer a sly smile.

"And you think that universal leader should be yourself? By acting on one of those very rivalries you hope to eliminate?" Rose asked, not even glancing at Xavier. He retracted his head and continued his pacing around the table.

"I think it's less important whether I deserve the role and more important that the role is needed to be filled. No one else is putting their hand up and they won't put their hands up. If I have to remove a stubborn old fool from his throne to ensure the rest of us can stop the stagnation of Magecraft in Europe, then so be it." Xavier asked, a hint of playfulness in his voice. It unsuccessfully hid the frustration with Rose's question that was plastered all over his face.

"I suppose I'm in no place to judge," Rose said, backpedalling. "But it seems a rather… simplistic way to remove the dichotomies between the families. But, I have little in the way of investment in the Magi families." Xavier gave a soft chuckle, walking past Josephine and giving her a small pat on the shoulder. She made another forced smile as he sat back down beside her.

"I find that a little hard to believe, Rose," Xavier said, taking back his wine glass and finishing it. "Or, do you prefer Wilhelmina?"

Rose tensed up upon hearing that name –a name that she had cast aside years ago. "How do you…?"

"How do I know that you are Wilhelmina Barbarossa?" Xavier finished Rose's thought, smugness oozing from his voice. "Did you really think that I wouldn't do just a little background work on someone I saw fit to carry out work for me? But, like I said, I find it hard to believe that the current heir to the Barbarossa family has absolutely no investment in the wellbeing of the families."

Rose sat shocked, grasping at something to say and coming up with nothing. It had been at least eight years since she had left the Barbarossa family. Not one person since had known who she was and she had liked it that way. She left the family to make it herself for herself; being known as an heir to a minor Magus family when trying to lead a life of personal success was foolhardy. Instead, she had opted to simply disappear, perhaps for good, from her family.

"Oh, don't fret." Xavier leaned back in his chair, all too content at Rose's reaction. "Your identity is safe with me. I have no idea why you are concerned with the secrecy of who you are, but you have nothing to fear from me. I simply like to know just who I'm employing."

Rose made a small nod. She'd be lying if she said she had her doubts about Xavier Roux's capacity to tell the truth given his exchange with Rin just minutes ago. However, something told her that he could be trusted. Perhaps it was the fact that if she were in his position, with all his power, she would do exactly the same.

"In any case, I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that, since you so readily jumped at the chance to disconnect your fate from that of the families, you would still take this job?" Xavier asked, eyebrow raised.

"That would be correct." Rose tried to regain what composure she had lost. She shuffled uncomfortably in her seat. "What happens to the Da Rocha is no skin off my nose. I take it the Barbarossa are below your line-of-sight, so to speak?"

"Indeed." Rose perceived Xavier's unwavering gaze as an honest one, even if she had her reservations.

Rose sighed, slightly shaken, but not disheartened. "Then consider me still interested."

"In that case, let me continue. Surely you know about the Da Rocha family?" Xavier asked.

"Of course. They are a Spanish house of esteemed Magi, proficient in the use of flames and, often place, practitioners of various martial art styles that are left to the choice of family members. The residence of the family head is in the mountainous north of Spain." Rose listed off the facts she knew.

"Very good. The job is simple. In fact, it's much like Alvarro. I simply need you to infiltrate the Da Rocha estate and assassinate Melchor Da Rocha," Xavier explained, taking back his glass of wine. "There is no need to conceal your identities, save for your own purposes. The logistics of the infiltration, however, you must plan with your partner." Rose's mouth almost dropped.

"Uh, excuse me? 'Partner'?" she blurted out. "I'm not working solo?"

"Unfortunately, this job is a little too much for one person. Not to imply you are not skilled enough to handle yourself, but to launch an attack, covert or not, against the Da Rocha family alone would be suicide." Xavier reclined slightly in his chair. His words were final.

Tch. I knew there would be a catch, Rose lamented to herself. "Who is this partner then?"

"The Fleur de Sang," Xavier said bluntly. Rose felt the colour drain from her face. She knew that name. Anyone within 'problem solving' circles of Magi knew that moniker.

Fleur de Sang… The Blood Flower…

Also known simply as 'Lily' or 'Iris', the Fleur de Sang was a legend within the Magi underground. A brutally efficient wetworker, no target had escaped her once she had taken the job of purging them from existence. However, the mysteries that surrounded her were many and obscured the fact from the fiction.

It was hard for Rose to maintain her façade of levelheadedness. She made an audible gulp out of instinct. "You employed the Fleur de Sang?"

"Indeed. While I have yet to have worked with her personally, her reputation is one that speaks for itself, no? She knows she is working with someone else, and she has had experience with partners before." The frankness with which Xavier spoke only served to increase her unease. Xavier noticed her change in demeanour quickly. "Is there something the matter?"

Rose cleared her throat, nervous laughter slipping out. "I don't work with others. Not that I can't work with them, but I prefer the solitary element that this job entails."

"Ah yes, 'the lone wolf, hunting her prey'? An admirable trait, to be able to hunt alone, but the simple fact of the matter is no one person can assassinate the head of any of the Magi families. It's just not possible. Well, not practical at least. It would be foolhardy to send even the Fleur de Sang in by herself. She would be one of the first to admit that." Xavier had a playful smirk on his face, as if challenging Rose to push the issue further.

Rose matched the man across from her in her demeanour, unable to resist. "And you think that two people will be enough?"

"So you doubt the skills of the Fleur de Sang? Perhaps you doubt your own skills in comparison?" Xavier fired back his retort immediately.

"I-" Rose began before being quickly cut off.

"Maybe if you met with your partner before you made your decision, you would feel more comfortable about taking on a job such as this?" Xavier sounded strangely emphatic, as he knew the result of such a meeting before it would come to pass. "Even better, the pair of you could spar, perhaps, to test each other's mettle?" Rose withheld the urge to simply drop open her jaw.

He can't be serious. He isn't serious, is he?

"I think it's a grand idea, don't you, Josephine?" Xavier turned to his daughter who gave a small nod out of habit more than anything else, distant as ever from the conversation.

Rose struggled to hide a grimace. Well, she's a great help.

"What do you think? Would it make you feel more comfortable if you knew the extent of your partner's power firsthand before you accepted the job?" the esteemed Magus raised an eyebrow and leaned forward expectantly.

"I…" Rose stumbled over her words. To work for the Roux household in a job such as this is not only a great honour, but also a massive leg up in her industry. To take down the head of one of the great European Magi houses? Her services would most definitely be in high demand. Not to mention the allure of money. Xavier Roux had not given her a price estimate for this job, but she was sure it would pay handsomely.

If I give up the opportunity… There won't be another. There just won't be. I can count myself dead in the water, career barely started. Rose closed her mouth and put a delicate hand to her face, index finger lying gently on her forehead as she thought. To hell with the families, I don't need to be concerned with his harebrained schemes when I have this juicy carrot dangling in from of my face. I'll just have to prove myself.

"You…?" Xavier baited for the rest of Rose's answer. She took away her hand from her face and gave a small sigh before looking Xavier straight in the eye.

"Alright. I'll participate in this little sparring match and you'll have my answer concerning the job on a whole afterwards." Rose's confidence was not lost on Xavier who, bearing what appeared to be a signature smug grin, extended a hand across the table. Rose took it, grasping it firmly as she shook it.

"Marvellous! I look forward to seeing you in action in person." As the pair shook hands, Rose could not help but notice that Josephine was now paying attention. However, she looked distinctly forlorn; she observed their handshake with what Rose could only deduce was dread.

The rest of Rose's lunch with Xavier barely even counted as such. After ordering a single round of more wine for the three of them, Xavier abruptly announced that he and his daughter had to leave as soon as he had emptied his glass. With hurried goodbyes, Xavier had insisted that Rose could order whatever she liked before she left. She made sure to finish the entire tenderloin steak she put on his tab before taking her leave.

Standing from her chair, she heard footsteps from behind followed by a familiar voice. "Judging by that bastard's smug face when he left here, I take it you took him up on whatever scheme he has up his sleeve?"

"You've been here this entire time," Rose said, turning to face Rin Tohsaka, who looked almost as frustrated as when she was talking with Xavier. "My, aren't you determined. What can I do for you, Rin Tohsaka?"

"You can start by showing me a little respect." Rin folded her arms and blocked Rose's escape from the conversation. Sighing, Rose knew resistance was futile.

"I can't say I've shown you much disrespect so far," she argued, motioning for Rin to walk with her instead of standing like a pair of fools on the restaurant floor. Rin moved to one side, seemingly content that Rose was talking. "But continue."

Rose noticed the icy glare shot her way before Rin started speaking again. "I don't know what exactly Xavier met you for, but judging by your profession it can't be good – for anyone."

The pair reached the foyer of the Roten Krug, the young man at the main desk giving them a nervous smile as they exited the establishment. Rose made a beeline for her car. "I can't say I'm disappointed that my reputation precedes me. Regardless, that's a bold statement. Bolder than I would be willing to make if I were in your position."

"I don't have the time or the patience to deal with your egocentric banter." Rin lowered her voice as she spoke.

"Fine," Rose sighed, hitting the unlock button on her car keys. "But you're kidding yourself if you think I'm going to divulge anything regarding Xavier Roux."

The pair reached Rose's car, Rin positioning herself in front of it as Rose opened the driver side door. Looks like I'm not escaping…

"You must know about the tensions between all the families right now. There's been non-stop chatter at the Clock Tower about it for one, but I'm willing to bet whatever shady business partners you have, have mentioned it?" As Rin spoke, Rose leaned on her car door, trying to simple will the young woman to stop talking. "No one is safe if the families begin another struggle for power between each other."

"I beg to differ. You, of all people, should know the problems the families cause." Rin looked puzzled, but Rose obliged with an explanation. "Yes. I've heard of the Tohsakas. Most every Magus has now, thanks to that bungled mess of a Grail War in Japan. It may have been years ago, but after the mess in France last year, it all came flooding back into the spotlight." Rose could see Rin's knuckles whiten as she gripped the sleeves of her jumper in her hands. "And last year's fiasco? The fault of the Rouxs. Hell, they started the problems with the Da Rocha in the first place. Their only heir is dead, slain in the War."

"What does this have to do with anything?" Rin managed through gritted teeth.

"Everything. The families are causing problems for each other, more than any outsider is making effort to do." Rose looked away from Rin's withering gaze as she continued. Despite the age difference, Rin wasn't showing any signs of cracking. "Maybe it would be best if they all took orders"

For a second there was silence as Rin processed what Rose had just said.

"You can't be serious," Rin scoffed, thinking she was being made a fool.

"Do I look like I'm kidding?"

Rin gulped. "What have you got against the families? You know they are the only pure lines of Magi left. Without them, the integrity of magecraft is put in jeopardy!"

"I've had enough of this." Rose swung into her car, closing the door behind her. Starting the car, Rin moved to one side without being asked or motioned to.

Starting the engine and rolling forward, Rose pulled down the driver side window. "You can't stop him. I'd give up whatever dream you have for opposing Xavier Roux right now if you value your life; and your lineage, for that matter. Consider yourself lucky – you still have your line to care for. You are you're the current head, are you not? If you value lineage so much, run and hide until Xavier has had his way."

Rolling up the car window, Rose took off, leaving a slightly bewildered Rin Tohsaka behind. By the time Rose checked her rear-view mirror before leaving the parking lot, she was too far away to notice the sly smile creep across Rin's face.

The stench of the dried blood on the walls filled the Xavier Roux's nose as he waited for his host to ready herself. Her abode was filthy, his Armani shoes already coated in a film of something he would rather not know the specifics of and he had taken but a few steps into her home. As he ran a hand through his short blonde hair, he couldn't help but observe the foul mess that the Fleur de Sang lived in. There were blood stains on the walls and the perpetual feeling of dampness underfoot. Discarded trash lay everywhere, much of which was empty bottles and cans of beer, and the furniture, of which there was little, was ragged and rotten.

He grimaced at the thought of spending much more time in the hellhole he stood in; trying to pace as little as possible around what he could only guess was the lounge room. Having had to furiously bang against the door of his host's apartment to awaken her, at 2pm no less, Xavier was already behind schedule. Since then, and after a mumbled assurance she would be ready in two minutes, ten minutes had already passed according to his Rolex.

It does not take that long to dress oneself! After weighing up having to move through the disgusting apartment once more, he decided to approach the door to where the Fleur de Sang had retreated once he had intruded upon her sleep. Giving a swift rap upon the door, he called out.

"Are you going to take much longer? I have a schedule to keep." There was no reply from behind the door, prompting more banging from Xavier. "What in the hell are you doing back there?" There was another moment of silence, in which no answer could be heard. Frustration reaching a peak, he inhaled and exhaled to calm himself.

"Fine. I'm coming in then!" Xavier opened the door swiftly, letting it slam open. He looked inside to find his host, wearing only a loose tank top, underwear and a pair of jeans that seemed to be in the process of being pulled up around her thighs when she collapsed on the bed. The room stank of alcohol and there were cans and bottles lying everywhere. For a split second, Xavier stood stunned.

That was, until he heard a loud, grinding snore reverberate around the room. Could feel his own face going bright red as his frustrations reached a peak.

"What the hell are you doing, Lily?" he barked, using the Fleur de Sang's preferred moniker. He took a step into the room, stepping over strewn clothes and mess to gain solid footing. His host stirred, albeit slowly.

"Just… five… ten more minutes…" she mumbled, trying to pull up the jeans around her legs and achieve sleep at the same time.

"No. You're getting up now. I thought I was meeting with a professional here, not some drunk!" Xavier remained in place, hoping he would not have to venture further into the room.

"Fine, fine…" Forcing herself around and upright on the bed, the woman pulled up her jeans, not bothering to do them up. Rubbing at her face to awaken herself, she yawned long and loud. Finally she turned to the man standing in her room. His creased brow and white knuckles gave her incentive enough to stand up off of the bed.

"Finally!" Xavier exclaimed, exasperated. His host walked towards the door, stopping dead five inches from him. She was shorter than Xavier, standing at about five foot eight. Her short and messy black hair was roughly styled into a peak at the front that slowly downwards from the front of her head to the back. Two red streaks ran the sides of her head; this gave her a garish appearance that Xavier felt looked ostentatious.

"Well? Are we going to talk or not, Mr. Rolex?" the woman groaned, sounding half asleep. Xavier's eyes narrowed at her impoliteness. He turned and left the bedroom for the living room with Lily in tow.

Xavier rolled his eyes. And I though Rose's attitude was infuriating.

"We had this organised for months. That we would contact each other in person? At this time and on this day? In your apartment?" Xavier, patience tried, fought back his urge to simply explode once more. He knew better than to incite her. She had a reputation for turning on clients that got on her bad side.

"Shit… I knew I forgot something," Lily groaned, sleepily rubbing her temples.

"I need to know you're ready for the job. I've already made contact with your partner. The initial offer has been sent to her and we met only hours ago. We've come to an interesting arrangement." Xavier paced back forth as he spoke. Having to follow his moving figure with her eyes aggravated Lily's hangover, so she just flung her head back and stared at the ceiling. "It seems she's not convinced by your reputation alone. She wants a little… sparring first." He stopped in his tracks and looked at the dishevelled figure before him. She looked bemused.

"So the new girl wants to fight me?" Lily replied, noting that he gave her an 'up and down' look. She was messier than usual this morning even for her, but it's not like she actually cared about her presentation. Only new clients seemed to care. "Is she fuckin' serious? She wants to die before we even do the job?" She flashed her teeth in a sick smile.

"Judging from your state right now, it seems to me that your reputation fails you. I wouldn't be so hasty to build myself up." Xavier backed his dubious look with an equally dubious and condescending reply. Lily suddenly disappeared from his view and, before he knew what had happened, he was falling backwards with a sharp pain in his ankle. He fell roughly to the ground, his head landing on top of a discarded beer can. Lily's figured reappeared, above him, swinging a fist down at his face that stopped a mere centimetre from his nose. Xavier's eyes switched from the fist looming above his nose to Lily's face to see her confident grin.

"And it seems to me, you can only spout bullshit," she said with a laugh.

Xavier flung out a hand and grasped the wrist above his head. A glow could be seen from under his suit's sleeve, and then faint sparks around the fingers that gripped Lily's limb. She pulled away quickly, shaking her hand as she stood to one side.

"You've got some nice sparks there, Mr. Rolex. I think you fried your watch though," Lily said as Xavier stood. He took his watch off, barely looking at it. He brushed himself off, his face calm, taking a slip of paper from his pocket and handing it to Lily.

"The first meeting's location and time is here. Be there and on time. Don't forget to come prepared. She's no pushover. Don't forget to burn this once you have it memorised."

"Yeah, yeah, I fuckin' got it alright? Stickler for punctuality. It's not like she can beat me anyway," dismissed Lily, snatching the paper from him. Xavier turned and proceeded to head for the door out of the apartment. "What? No goodbye kiss?" He stopped and turned back to face Lily, his face resplendent with a beaming, but hollow, smile.

"Two things before I leave your… lovely home." Xavier motioned to the filth laden room. "One: touch me again, and you'll lose whatever appendage is the offender. Two: my name is Xavier Roux – and nothing else – to you. Don't ever forget that." With that, he turned and swiftly left the apartment, slamming the door shut behind him.

"What a fucking stiff." Lily made her way back to her bed and fell limply onto it once again.

Author's Note:

Figured I post another teaser-esque section of F/G's sequel, Thorns! This has been sitting completed for months so why not let everyone check it out?

Fate/Gallica is almost 100% complete, so this will takeover as my main writing project soon. Hopefully people find it a bit of a fun and distinct from it's predecessor despite the link between the two.

I hope you enjoy!