Ok, well... I guess I should be beginning for forgiveness because I didn't update. My excuse is that I was trying to tweak the story and this particular chapter is hard because it's a bit of a filler, but yet, still important. I'm not very pleased with it but there are some new and returning characters. Also, I've just recently gotten over my writier's block on my own novel and I needed to write it down before I forgot. Enjoy and please leave me a review. Criticism is welcome as are spelling corrections. I want to make this as good as possible for all of you.
Friday, October 17th, 247
This morning, I awoke not to the sound of voices, or pigeons, but to the meows of cats. I picked myself out of bed and looked at the ground. Somehow Fuzzball and Laddybuck had let themselves into my room, chasing what looked like a ball of yarn. As it rolled to a stop, they jumped, attacking the offender. Behind them Kora held a big basket of weaving.
"Come away from there you silly animals!" she cried, trying to shoo them with her boot. After a few moments of pointless struggling Pounce leaped off my bed and sauntered over to the kittens. He hit both of them on the head with his paw. His children froze when he hissed.
Bending down, Kora picked up her yarn and scratched my cat under his ear. "Sorry Beka. This is a big basket. Are you coming for breakfast?" she asked. Rumpling my hair, I got out and walked to my clothes press.
"Sure, I'll be there in five minutes." She nodded, satisfied as I changed as quickly as possible. From the window I could see my friends heading to the Dancing Dove. Finishing my spike strap, I bolted after them.
I burst in the room apologizing, "Sorry I'm late; I actually did over sleep this time." Without paying attention I plopped onto the floor in the spot closest to the window. A girl with creamy hands passed me a plate. I looked at her smiling, open face. Her lips were covered in rouge, and her eyes were smeared with eye paint.
"It happens to all us." She told me sweetly. I gave her a smile back, trying to be as genuine as possible. It wasn't that I didn't want her to be here, I was just surprised. Rosto never brought her here because she was temporary and he didn't want her getting involved.
Regardless, she was tucked snuggly in the crook of the Rogue's arm. He looked at me absently and returned to eating a pastry from the Dove's fluttering hands. I think she must be Gallan.
It was an ordinary breakfast, but every now and then the Dove would giggle. Her laugh sounds like a bell, but after a while I wish I could clamp her mouth closed. This was why she wasn't exactly welcomed at our morning gatherings; it didn't work out the first time either.
"Where's your boyfriend?" Rosto asked me halfway through. I almost blushed but resisted the bait. He wasn't my boyfriend and the Piper knew it.
"No idea, probably working." Our friends watched us, a bit uneasy. Rosto and I fight all the time, but they still hate being stuck in crossfire. I took pity on them and shut up. The rest of the meal went on peacefully and we departed our separate ways.
"Beka, I'm going to go see Tansy's new baby, would you like to come?" Kora asked me. I shook my head.
"I can't sorry. The provost wants us at his house. Say hello to them for me." As I left, Erksen caught up to me.
"What's this about the provost?" he asked. I shrugged, telling him it was a mystery to me as well. "Do a dog a favor and let me know what's going on, alright?" I consented before I began my trudge up to Patten district.
When I reached my lord's home I was ushered directly to his office, I didn't have time to say hello to anyone. Stepping inside the room, I was faced my old friends.
"Young Cooper! It's been a while hasn't it?" Said a tall woman as she grasped my hand firmly shook it. Sabine of Macayhill stood leaning on the provost's desk chatting to my dogs. Nearby a young man with a fringe of brown hair was looking at the bookshelves. At my entrance he gave me a friendly smile and went to stand by the lady knight.
"Very true. How are things in his majesty's realm?" I asked, grinning. She was almost near home. It seemed like the lady knight was always rushing forward towards a mission that took her far from Corus. I don't think she'd ever come back if it weren't for Tunstall.
"What do you think squire?" She asked the youth.
"A good as we can get. Or at least it better be, with you working me so hard." He told her, I laughed. I didn't know she had a squire.
"Beka, this is my squire, Kenneth of Liora, down south near Tyra." The noble gave me a half bow just as my Lord Provost entered.
"Oh good you're all here," he told us as we greeted him. He motioned for us to sit own. My lord was not an old man, but silver hairs peppered his scalp. "Tunstall, Goodwin, I think Sabine might have some information to interest you. If you please lady knight."
"We were docked in Port Caynn when I decided to explore. We stumbled across some ducknobs hauling a giant chest of coles around. We wouldn't have found them out if Kenneth hadn't noticed a break in the case and the shine coming off the coins." She told us, all business. My ears perked up as I started paying strict attention.
"Did you catch them?"
"Of course, it wasn't hard."
"Are they back in Corus? We can interrogate them and see if they have any information for us!" I said, planning it all out in my head. From the corner of my eye I could see Goodwin agree.
"They're dead. We tried to ask them what they were doing with a load of coles but they hemorrhaged. Before they died a light flashed from pierce marks on their necks. They were silence spells on them." Sabine looked at us carefully, "I heard that you've connected the case to nobles, but you should watch your step. Someone powerful is trying to sabotage the realm."
"Death spells. We should've expected it. We brought the fake coins here though, in case it would be of any help. Anyway I—" She stopped. Someone had entered the room.
"So sorry to barge in like this, but the stable hands told me you rode out here this morning my Lady Knight. The king's been wondering why you haven't greeted him yet." The newest arrival was a tall man who seemed to be in his early twenties with a splattering of bronzed curl and deep set eyes.
"I volunteered to come get you for tonight's ball since I haven't been to our provost's house. I hope you don't mind the intrusion Lord Gershom." I'm sure the ladies at court bend themselves over for him.
"Not at all Davis, would you like to join me for lunch? We were just finishing up our business with my dogs. Sabine, if you don't mind." It seemed to me that the woman did in fact mind, but she was smart enough to hold her tongue. As for us, we knew a dismissal when we heard it.
"Kenneth, you can take the rest of the day off. I'll see you back at the palace."
"Thanks, but can I grab a bite to eat?" he asked.
"Very well then. Beka, if you aren't in a hurry can you show him to the kitchens?" my lord asked me. I nodded as everyone left the room. I might be late for duty.
As we walked I carefully watched my feet, feeling a bit shy. I wonder if I'll ever get over it. Determined, I tried to talk to him even if I couldn't look at him.
"I didn't know Sabine had a squire."
"Yeah, I was pretty surprised when she asked me. I mean, most of the nights take up squires but she tends to wander a bit. I guess I lucked out because we're pretty alike."
"Was that other man a knight, too?"
"Barely, I have no idea why he even bothered for knighthood. He's always up to trouble with the rest of his friends." I stumbled little, startled. Nobles don't' talk about each other that way, or at least not in front of girls like me.
"Well, here's the kitchen. Hello Mya," I said as the cook turned and saw us in the doorway. She bustled over and hugged me.
"This is Kenneth, lady Sabine's squire. He's hoping for a bite to eat."
"Alright, sit yourselves down. Joseph!" She called to one of her hands. "Go call down the boys, and Beka' sisters too if they aren't busy."
"No. Don't do that Mya, I can't stay for long. I'll say hello next time." She looked at me for a second before understanding the bottom-line; I didn't want to meet Diona.
"You must be busy, being a Terrier and all." I half choked on the cheese in my mouth as I looked over to Kenneth as he calmly drank out of his cup. I looked at my hands while Mya laughed.
"That's our Beka. There isn't a rat in the city she can't catch. Just you wait; they'll be songs about you sweet."
"Hardly, I'm just like every other dog in the lower city. Asides, I didn't do it alone."
"Don't be so modest. My knight mistress told me about what you did as a puppy. You're just as brave as any knight in Tortall."
"And you're nothing like a noble. No wonder Lady Sabine picked you." I told him, too interested to be shy. He was a curious character.
"My family's newly en-nobled. Most of my family members are townsfolk. Have you ever heard of the Assassin's ridge Scandal?" He asked. I shook my head. "Back when the king was still a prince, the royal family went on their last procession. Down south near Tyra, there was a band of bandits so the king and his men went after them. It was all a diversion though.
Diversion? Interesting... I hope you liked this. Tell me if you liked my characterizations. I think my grip of Beka is slipping a bit. As always:
Review, Review, Review!!!
~Vine
Oh yeah, did I tell you all I moved again? Back in Europe.
