May 26, 247

Writ just after watch.

I was just on my way to my Daily beatings with Ahuda: I still have three years more to go. I walked right past Shiaa, the dust spinner, when I figured, I'd take a step inside, just to see what news she had. She wasn't too big, just about to boot height, and she usually picked up talk from the markets. I let go some of the wood shavings I'd picked up from the first floor. She gave my knee's a squeeze and let go some talk. Mainly it was people talking about Bread prices being rather high. The last conversation she gave to me was one between two voices I knew: Tunstall and Lady Sabine.

Tunstall seemed to be telling Sabine about what happened to me in the yard. I probably should have ignored the conversation, being as I didn't want to relive it, when I heard the Tunstall voice say "I care about her like she was my own sister, seeing her fighting that noble, I was both terrified and proud. He must've done sommat awful to get her to raise her voice at him, but the way she was walloping him, it was a thing of beauty." It got me to grinning, acos Tunstall is just as good in a fight, and so is Lady Sabine, so to hear him say it made me right proud. Even though the reason I had to wallop Lord Ralon made me quiver in my boots.

Tunstall continued, "But I just heard from Goodwin and she's seething. They told her off in court. Acos Beka's a Dog, her bruises could have come from any street scummer, and that this is just slander against the nobility." Sabine splutters, "Slander?" She's practically screeching it. Tunstall gives her a shush sound, "Let me finish Sabine. Beka's my partner now, as much as Clary is, seeing her treated like that, and knowing Goodwin can't do anything, well it makes me want to hunt him down and give him a walloping from me." Tunstall sounds so broken in that moment that it's wrenching out my heart to stay inside Shiaa and keep listening.

Sabine's voice is soothing now, and I can imagine that she's brought her head close to his. Them being near the same height making it more than easy. "I can only imagine how you feel Mattes. But Beka gave him a good walloping and that will have to suffice for now. I'll do what I can, send some whispers through the maids and other ladies of the court. But, he's a knight, he's got just as much an excuse for bruises as Beka does." Mattes? Since when does she call him by his first name? "Now, toughen up a bit, you great softy. Next you'll be sad you struck a pickpocket. Beka's a lass grown, she can more than take care of herself. No go on, you have Watch."

And with that, Shiaa goes back to a happy breeze at my feet. I've got a weight on my heart. I probably shouldn't have heard that conversation, and I don't know what to make of it now that I have. Goodwin can't get a warrant for arrest. That thought haunts me while I make my way to Jane Street Kennel.

I'm given my usual beating with Ahuda. Just after I'm done cleaning up, I see Tunstall walk in with Nyler Jewel. They take to standing near a wall and keep up their conversation. As I'm looking at Tunstall I remembers what he said. "She's my partner now, as much as Clary is" and "I care about her like she was my own sister." Erskrens looking at me, worry etched into every line on his face. I'm near to tears, just standing there.

I walk over to where Jewel and Tunstall are standing and I give a great hug, like the ones I save for Mya, or my brothers. I hug Tunstall like he's family. He's flustered, but after a heartbeat, he's giving me a hug in return. "Whats this all about?" he's whispering in my ear. I hold on tighter for a moment, than let him go. "I visited Shiaa the dustspinner, she picked up your conversation with Sabine." I give him another hug, only this one not as intense. "Thanks Tunstall" I whisper quietly into his shirt.

He puts a kiss on my hair just like my Lord Gershom did, just like mama used to do, and holds me out in front of him. He gives me a smile, "Glad I could tell you somehow. But we's got Rats to bag, and we can't be all sentimental on Watch." He's trying to be stern with me, but I can tell his eyes are smiling. He gives me a wink. I go back to Erskren and take a look back at Tunstall: Nyler Jewel is completely confused, but Tunstall's smiling.

On watch, we stopped by the court of the Rogue where we see Rosto sitting at his "throne" and there's a beautiful woman dancing for him in front of the court. I've never seen her before, so I asks a cove watching "Who's the dancer?"

"Ay, that graceful thing is the Golden Swan. See how she's got that Copper Isle gold in her skin, and she dances like she's floating." He sighs as he falls into a chair. The crowd breaks up as the dance ends and the Swan goes over to Rosto's throne. She perches herself in his lap and gives him a sensual kiss.

I didn't look at either of them much while my Dogs…..nay they're my Partners for now. While my Partners worked out the Happy Bag. I tried to pay attention, but my mind just kept floating right back to the Swan seated on Rosto's knee. Idiot. Our Happy Bag conversation is between Dogs and Rogue, not that little bed warmer. Figuring I might as well find out who she is, I spoke with her while Tunstall and Goodwin handed off the Happy-Bag. They still had some sniffing to do in the court of the Rogue, so they left me there.

The Swans nice. She's a bit simple, and there ain't a cruel bone her body, as far as I can tell. That's my Dog-opinion. My personal opinion is that she's dimmer than an unlit candle and shallower than a wet napkin. She's even afraid of Pounce. "Oh, black cats are unlucky," she says when he comes to sniff her. He sneezes when he gets a whiff of her perfumes. "I'm told that unusual animals like Pounce are God's-blessed." I tell her, insult me all you want, but no one insults Master Pounce.

The Swan looks at me and says, in a wispy voice, like she's been sitting in a weed-lounge for a few hours. "Oh that's what everyone says, but they're actually really unlucky. Take a look at yourself: you have bruises and hand-marks all over your face. That's probably from the evil spirits he attracts." She gives me a sweet smile.

I wanted to throttle her. My Cat is a constellation at the feet of the Mother, and you have the nerve to tell me he's UNLUCKY?! You should be kissing his paws you simple-minded grass-huffing, air-for-brains doxy!

Pounce gives a loud meow to tell me my Dogs are back and I make my excuses to leave the Swan's presence. Pounce jumps to my shoulder, That little chit. She knows nothing and don't you dare let her words get under your skin. What does she know of God's or the God-blessed? I'll show her what it means to be "unlucky." I went looking for Aniki as he jumped off my shoulders.

She was in a corner speaking with Phelan. They were holding hands. I came up and sat down near them, they looked at me and gave a nod in the direction of the Swan. "I don't mind her," I says to them, "Let Rosto know if I see her at breakfast, Pounce and I won't be joining in. She say's we're unlucky" I spat the word out. Aniki grinned.

"I told you Beka wouldn't like that simpering bird-brain" muttered Phelan. "That's all of us. We intend to let Rosto know that if he brings her to breakfast, they're eating alone. None of us like her. We'll mention it, but it'd be nice if you tell him something similar."

After watch.

I'm bone tired. Even though Tunstall, Goodwin, and I are partners now, I'm still the youngest so I still do all the hard work. Goodwin was itching, absolutely itching to say "Puppy, Fetch!"

On my way up the stairs I stumble into Rosto and the Swan. Excellent. More of these two mumpers. The Swan gives Pounce a dirty look, then whispers something in the Rosto's ear. He gives her a charming smile and she heads up the stairs. Rosto's still standing there.

"Exotic little thing isn't she. I've never seen a mot with such Golden skin." He says to me looking after her. I keep my mouth closed being as I don't wish to share my feelings. Rosto continues, "She's got a beautiful name, maybe I could name the Tavern after her." The Golden Swan? I thinks to myself, and I shiver.

"It sounds like a Prettybone name for a Tavern and Inn. You need something that relates you to the Lower City, any mention of Gold, and people will think you're arrogant or sommat." He ponders it, than agrees with me. He's been doing that a lot lately. Agreeing with me. "You might also want to consider visiting her quarters instead of bringing her 'round here. She and I don't get along to well, on the fact that she thinks that I'm cursed because I carry around an Unlucky Cat." His face goes slack for a moment at my boldness, or maybe at hers. " I'll eat breakfast with pigeons afore I sit at the same table as the Swan." I warn just for extra measure. Something about Rosto loosens my tongue in a way that I can't seem to do when I'm in front of the Magistrate.

Rosto grimaces "Aniki, Kora, and Phelan mentioned sommat similar. Have I chosen so badly?" I'm wondering where that came from and I mutter the safest thing I can "Tha's not for me to say. You obviously deemed her worthy enough of the Rogue."

"I'll drop her faster than blinking if I could find a mot worthy enough to replace her." He gives me a look. I know he's thinking me and I feel a shiver go up my spine. Why in the name of Mithros does he want me?

"You don't want me in your bed" I say, glaring at him, hoping to make him uncomfortable. It's not working. In a moment of boldness I give him a smirk, "I bite." He gives me a soft laugh, and I feel that shiver work its way right up my spine one more time.

"Well I knew that Lady Terrier," he snakes his hand around my wrist and I pull back. "Never a Rusher," I tell him quietly, my voice iron-hard. The moment is gone. Rosto let's go and he walks up the stairs. I wait till I've heard the door close afore I continue to my room.

I still can't shake my dislike of the Swan. She's well enough. And it's not like I ever meant to claim Rosto for myself, though he just made it clear as sunlight that he'd put me in her place if I showed any interest. I never will.

Rosto is a rusher clean through. He's never raised a hand to any of his women though. Of course, Aniki and Kora would have cut the hand off if he raised it to them. But still, he's not done so to any of the women he's been with since he came here. It doesn't matter. My mother took two rushers to her bed when I was little, both of them brutes. A cove as makes a living by violence will end up living all his life by it, that's my fear. It's no help that Rosto's the Rogue and I'm a Dog.

Curse him for being all tight muscle, with ivory skin and a mouth as soft as rose petals. Curse him for having hair as fair as the sun, and eyes as black as night. Curse him for having the grace of a snake and hands as deft as a monkey. Curse him for playing a flute so beautiful, it threatens to make my heart ache.

And here I am, having the same argument on paper that I have in my own head, or with Pounce, in the dark hours of the night. I know my choice is sensible: Stay out of Rosto's bed. But it isn't my sense I've thought with, those times Rosto's stolen a kiss from me, like he did at mid-winter. Why didn't I punch him? I should have punched him, but with my arm broken and mid-winter being so horrible, it was nice to have sommat normal happen. A kiss for midwinters luck. I let it slide. And then there's the way he runs his hand down my back. It gives me goosebumps all over. The mumper! He thinks he can change my mind, while he parades around with beauties like the Swan.

Maybe there is a reason to keep the Swan around after all. She'll keep Rosto's attention off of me. But at this moment, I can't tell you if that's a good thing. Or a bad one.

Pounce is scratching at my door. How did I lock him out? He's a grin under his whiskers that tells me he's done sommat and that's making me nervous. I'll worry about it in the morning. I'm off to bed.