(a/n: Wow, back so soon. This one was supposed to be a part of the previous chapter but it grew into its own thing. Enjoy!)
Part 10: Plans, Preparations and Bargains
The day was fading.
The sky over the city turned orange and the bustling activity of the city streets gradually waned. Jenny returned to her master's home with the basket of assorted items that he ordered her to fetch for him.
She entered through the side entrance, carefully stepping over the big slumbering dogs that rested silently by the door.
In the kitchens, Jenny placed the wicker basket on the long table. A warm fire crackled in the hearth, its flames licking and caressing the hunk of meat that was suspended on the spit. Already it was coated with a beautiful glaze and was ready for seasoning. However, that job belonged to another. She was a little jealous but didn't mind. She had a far better and more important job.
Jenny removed her shawl and dipped into the basket, withdrawing a small box made of a sweet smelling wood and a big bottle filled with a dark, thick liquid. The liquid still bubbled; even hours after the alchemist had poured it into its container.
Jenny left the kitchen, carrying the bottle in one hand and the box under her arm. The House was rather quiet, quieter than usual. Her footsteps echoed off the walls of the long corridors of the house, even though long and skinny carpets of ancient craftsmanship covered the floors. The echoes made Jenny's heart ache.
This was once a place of great renown. People from all over the East, no, from all over the known world, flocked to this House, hoping to get an audience the master and ask for his aid or glimpse his greatness.
Now, the House was nothing more than a tomb, filled with dusty memories, dead names and few to tend it.
Jenny crossed the spacious courtyard by skirting the fountain and following her usual path through the lush gardens. Peach colored sunlight bathed the garden in the last drops of the day's light, some of it filtered in through the branches and leaves above Jenny. She spied one of the others tending to the flowerbed at the edge of the garden.
Orchid looked up at Jenny and waved happily. Jenny returned the greeting and displayed the items in her hands, indicating that she didn't have time to socialize. The young woman nodded and returned to her work.
Jenny brushed aside some of her raven black hair. Orchid seemed to be handling life in the House fairly well for a newcomer. She came to them only a few months ago and now she's acting like an old hand. Jenny was glad. It took her much longer to adjust to life in the House, but luckily she had Jason and Jon to help her adjust.
Jenny worked her way upstairs and decided to cut through the library. Trudging down the aisle that ran between the immense rows of bookcases, Jenny considered some of the rumors that were buzzing about in the market that morning. It was just as the master had feared. War was brewing the Seven Kingdoms. A traitor had murdered the king, either one of his brothers or Eddard Stark was responsible, and now his son sat the throne with House Lannister gaining more power every day.
It was very likely that war would soon follow with the arrest of Eddard Stark. There were other ominous omens that worried her as well. According to some sailors, a Kraken had attacked an Ibbenese whaler ship somewhere in the Jade Sea and pulled it under.
Another man claimed seeing all manner of oddities stirring in the Smoking Sea near Valyria that Jenny could not remember even half of them. Jenny had learned to not put much faith in rumors, however some of the things she were hearing were more outlandish and troubling than the typical gossip that usually passed through Qarth.
But that is why they, Jenny, Orchid and the others, were at the House. All who come to the House are chosen and were gathered for the purpose of aiding the world against the rising dark. Jenny was brought there from the Stormlands in Westeros and Orchid was found in Yi Ti. There was even a man from as far away a place as Asshai, though Jenny couldn't be sure. He wasn't a very talkative person.
Unfortunately, it would seem that there weren't enough of them to do much good or be of much help to Qarth, let alone the world.
A loud snore caught Jenny's attention. She paused and glanced to her right. Slumped over at one of the reading tables nestled between two towering bookcases was none other than Jon. The disheveled man's head was pillowed by a fat old tome, which was left opened at a section about accounts on some city established by the Qartheen of old that was now forgotten and nameless.
The peach light of the setting sun made Jon's haggard and disheveled face seem peaceful and serene. Jenny moved to leave but decided to wake him.
Even though the candles and torches provided a modicum of light, the library is very dark, especially at night. She didn't want Jon to stumble about the library at night, even when sober.
A light pat on the shoulder caused the man to bolt upright. "I'm up! I'm up!" he exclaimed drowsily. He blinked a few times and focused on Jenny.
"Oh, its just you" he murmured, sounding relieved "thought you were him."
" I'm not. I'm on my way to see him, though" Jenny said, gesturing to the items in her hands with a smile. "I didn't know you were back."
"Aye, I got back before dawn" Jon said, smoothing back his blond hair and wiped away some drool from his cheek.
"How are things?"
"In a word, bad."
Jenny's smile faltered. Although he seemed more like a good for nothing lay about who likes to get drunk, Jon was one of the master's brightest pupils. He was often the one who gets called on to deal with a request or run errands for the master that are usually far beyond the walls of Qarth.
Jon, from what Jenny could gather, was the son of a Westerosi merchant and a Qartheen Pureblood. Their marriage and Jon's birth was a big scandal and he ended up on the master's doorstep. Jon's pale features and fair eyes came from his mother while his golden hair came from his father. His mixed parentage brought him some grief from the more affluent and powerful inhabitants of the city but his skills and his deeds made him a hero in the eyes of the downtrodden and the often ignored. Including Jenny, when she first sought out the House.
Jon was strong and had dealt with some nasty things, all with a cool and composed air. But if even Jon was saying things were getting bad, then things were certainly taking a turn for the worse.
"Where did you head off to this time?" Jenny asked, intrigued.
"West" Jon answered, carefully closing the book he used as a pillow "Looking for an old friend and ended up with some bad news."
"Old friend?"
"Aye, an old friend of the master. She was here long before anyone of us and left some time ago. You wouldn't know her. So far, I found no sign of her whereabouts."
This was new. Jenny never heard of this person. Then again, people came and went in the House and not many stayed for very long. The only ones who did stay were the likes of Jon, Jenny and Orchid. The master also had a lot of friends, many of whom Jenny did not know of.
"I also got a letter from Jason" Jon said, flashing her a roll of parchment from one of his cloak's many pockets "He says that he might have a lead and will be returning home soon."
Jenny perked up. Jason was another of the master's students and she was rather fond of him. She wanted to ask more questions but Jon nodded to the items she was carrying. Jenny thanked Jon and scurried away, hoping to get to the master in time.
She reached the master's private chambers at the top of a long, winding staircase. A soft knock on the door and she heard his voice permitting her entrance.
Inside, Jenny found the master sitting in a high backed chair before his hearth, dressed in his typical blue and gold robes. A short man with short dark hair and a dark beard on his face was feeding more logs into the fire. The flames jumped and bloomed, logs crackled and popped.
The man was clad in plain, rough spun clothes with a dark brown cloak around his shoulders. His dark eyes acknowledged Jenny's presence and returned to the master.
"Just consider what I am saying, master" the man said, his voice was low and rough like sandstone "It's not pleasant but it is an option."
"Not a very good one" the master snorted.
The man nodded reluctantly and the master dismissed him. The man bowed his head to Jenny and left, muttering something under his breath.
Once he was gone, the master turned to look at Jenny. The master looked even older than when she last saw him. His face seemed to be adding wrinkles and lines, yet despite this, the old man's sky blue eyes twinkled with the life and vigor of a much younger man.
"Ah, you made it!" he smiled warmly "Right on time."
The young acolyte stepped forward and placed the bottle on the stand by the master's chair and presented him the box.
"Excellent, excellent!" he said, accepting the box. He opened it and studied its contents. The master nodded, satisfied. He closed the box and placed it on the stand next to the bottle. "Thank you for collecting those items Jenny" the master said kindly "Now then, any news to report?"
She related to him all that she had heard down at the markets. The old man's eyes narrowed and he stroked his cloud-white beard thoughtfully.
"I also ran into Jon in the library," Jenny added "He said Jason may have a lead and will be returning home shortly"
"I have heard about that" the master nodded slowly "Which is good, though I would prefer that Jason would return home instead. These are dangerous times." Jenny agreed, motivated by her growing curiosity, asked about Jason's task.
"Ah yes, I suppose Jon may have told you about it?"
"Not that much" Jenny admitted.
The old man smiled "Indeed. It is more of a personal matter for Jason. He intends to locate an old friend who was lost to us, long ago. He hopes to bring her back to me to help her."
Jenny frowned "What's wrong with her?"
"Physically speaking, nothing. However, a long, long time ago, she fell ill"
"What was it? Was it magic?"
The old man's face softened and his voice became almost a whisper "Yes. It was a kind of magic that this world has not seen in a long time. It occurred during an expedition carried out by some of my former pupils, including Jason. At first she seemed normal and continued on as if nothing happened."
The master's eyes turned to the flames and his gaze soon became lost, as if he were watching something from afar. "Unfortunately, we didn't catch it in time. The evil took root in her soul and had slowly eaten away at her until something triggered a change within her. Something happened, some significant change of sorts, and the evil finally showed itself."
Jenny watched her master's face and felt sorry for the old man and for bringing up this topic. Great sadness was painted on his expression and his eyes began to well up. Silence reigned in the master's chambers for what seemed a long time. The logs popped and crackled softly, almost as if they didn't want to disturb them.
Eventually Jenny spoke up.
"I-I'm so sorry Master Nabu" she apologized "I didn't know. I'm sorry for asking, I had no idea about any of this. It-its not my place."
"No, its fine" the old wizard said, his gaze returned to her, a small smile returning to his lips "It is good to talk about this. It is always good to talk." He took her hand and clasped it firmly with both of his "Know this my child: though we are the House of Mystery, there should be no mysteries between us. We shall unravel the secrets and riddles of magic and the universe together, as always."
Jenny felt her spirits lift and pride welled up within her heart.
"Although the world is rife with chaos and despair" Master Nabu continued, patting her hand "Know this, there are always those who will fight for what is right."
"And if there isn't?"
"Well then, the world really will be in peril." He chuckled a little and his acolyte grinned. Jenny then asked about the man who Nabu was speaking to.
"That was Kipling" he replied "It's been many years since he was here last. He's a dear friend to the House. We were discussing a recent development in Westeros. There was a…disagreement about how we should handle it but I have elected to remain optimistic." The wizard nodded to the items she brought him. "These items I asked you to bring to me should prove useful in any event, in regards to this development in Westeros or to our old friend, should she return with Jason. If anything were to happen, we'll be ready."
Jenny nodded. She believed her master's words but strangely felt a slight chill run through her.
Being a student in the House of Mystery, the young woman has learned of the various branches and forms of magic. One of them was the gift far-sight or premonitions. She hasn't had any, nor has anyone else in the House in many centuries. However, having read descriptions about the different forms of premonitions or how one could tell that they're having one, Jenny thought she just had one or was going to have one.
While she felt safe and at home with the master in his study and in the House, Jenny felt that she was being watched.
Looking towards the hearth she saw, sitting on the mantle, a shining golden helm. It was smooth and had only two eyeholes interrupting the flawless, liquid like material. The master's helm, one of his most prized artifacts and a powerful magical item.
Though it looked completely harmless, Jenny felt the empty sockets staring at her rather intently.
Night long since had fallen and King's Landing was still alive and buzzing with activity. Selina held Lyra close to her chest as she limped hurriedly to safety.
The little girl was trembling, trying her best to suppress her sobs though they came out in short, muffled bursts. Hearing shouts ahead of her and the clanking of armor and swords, Selina silently cursed and ducked into a side alley and huddled behind a barrel. She wrapped her dirty shawl around the two of them and did her best to make herself appear like an obscure, dirty vagabond.
The fast rhythm of footfalls passed the alley as a gruff voice yelled "She can't have gotten far! Spread out!"
Selina gritted her teeth and prayed that they move on. Fortunately, the footfalls faded and, after waiting for a rather long period, Selina and Lyra emerged from their hiding place. Their pursuers were gone.
"Come on Lyra, not far now" Selina told the girl. She limped away, heading deeper into Flee Bottom.
A shout made the raven-haired woman freeze but she managed to calm herself and proceeded like normal when she heard more shouts, indicating that the shouts weren't aimed at her. The tired woman carefully navigated the slums of the capital. If she were any other person, Selina would've gotten hopelessly lost and would be dead by morning.
It was fortunate that Selina was not any other person. In her youth, she had been intimately familiar with all the nooks, crannies, side streets and hiding spots that could shield her from unwanted attention. Although it's been many years, the memories came flooding back to her.
While there were some noticeable differences, Flee Bottom's streets and little shady spots were the same.
Selina kept to the shadows and avoided all the more dangerous parts. She kept her head down and made herself look like another lost soul, wandering the muddy backstreets aimlessly. Eventually, Selina reached her destination.
She looked about carefully and, after additional searches for unwanted eyes, quickly limped up to the back door.
A quick, rhythmic knock later, a greying, grizzled man answered the door. Though he was shorter and older, he was still well muscled enough to beat a man far younger than him. The man's blue eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"What do you want?" the man grunted and looked ready to turn her away. However, when he saw her face, the man's expression softened.
"Selina?"
"Hello Grant, may we come in?"
The man stepped aside and allowed Selina in. He hurriedly shut the door and barred it. In the dim, flickering candlelight, Selina could see that nothing much has changed in her father's home.
The inside was somewhat dirty. Some piles of dust and trash were left piled up in a corner, though the house clean of any foul smelling waste and droppings. The main room was sparsely decorated, with only a table and some chairs. Off to another corner was skinny, unkempt bed. A small fire was going in the hearth, providing some needed warmth for the shivering woman and her child.
"What in the name of the Seven are you doing here?" the greying man asked, surprised and confused.
"We need a place to hide" she explained, "The gold cloaks, they-they're looking for us."
"Why?"
Selina shrugged "I don't know. Something about children and the king."
Grant frowned at her and Selina rolled her eyes "No, I did not steal anything from the king and no, I did not lay with him."
"I didn't say anything" he said calmly.
"Yes but I know that look. I am innocent, on my life I promise you."
The man searched Selina's eyes and eventually nodded slowly. "Alright" he said finally "I believe you."
Selina sighed with some relief and set Lyra down. Grant's face softened.
"Hello there!" Grant said gently, kneeling down to meet her "You probably don't remember me, but I'm your uncle. Nice to meet you again" he extended a friendly hand.
The girl hid behind Selina's skirts, making a low frightened sound.
He chuckled "I know, frightening am I?"
"No need to worry" Selina assured the child "He's just a grumpy old man. A big softy"
"Hey now, I wouldn't go that far. In my prime I was like a lion!"
Selina snorted, "Now you're a fat old house cat"
"Hey!"
Lyra smiled for the first time since this perilous day had begun.
The three settled in for the night.
Selina wiped away the grime from the little pale girl's face and she put her to bed. Although she fought to stay awake, sleep overpowered Lyra. After tucking her in, Selina joined Grant on the other side of the room. The aging man handed his daughter a bottle of cheap rum and took a look at her injured leg.
"Some bruises" he noted "A sprain and some cuts, nothing broken, fortunately. A bit of rest and some salve should help."
Selina nodded slowly and gulped down some of the drink, the liquid burned her throat and dulled her senses a little. Grant retrieved a tiny bottle from a wooden chest at the foot of his bed and handed it to Selina. Inside was a foul smelling liquid and he instructed her to apply it to her cuts and bruises. It would keep the cuts clean and would help them heal.
The older man sighed deeply and settled into a chair, rubbing his tired eyes. "So…" he began, slowly "Care to explain why the gold cloaks are after you?"
Selina was silent for a moment and reluctantly explained. "I was out, doing my shopping. I was being followed. I lost them but I ran into this strange man. He wore the bluest cloak I have ever seen, had a chain around his neck. He told me to run, get Lyra and flee. I thought him mad but I soon had more pursuers. I returned home and I found Lyra being the only one there. We barely escaped before the gold cloaks and some pretty boy stormed the house."
"I put my house to the torch and managed to escape. We had a pretty good chase. Damn near broke my leg but I managed to lose them. Spent the better part of the day running and hiding."
Grant nodded, slowly absorbing her story. After a moment, he spoke up. "You said a pretty boy stormed your house?"
Selina nodded "Handsome, roughly my age, has brown hair, ordered the gold cloaks around like some lordling."
"Maxwell" Grant said, putting a name to the face "One of the many eyes and ears in service to the throne"
"Not a very good spy if he's out in the open, giving orders for all to see" "True, but Maxwell is a rather tricky man. Fairly good at hiding in plain sight"
Selina raised an eyebrow "Speaking from experience?"
Grant nodded "Aye, though when I first met him, he was just a boy with high ambitions. Joined the City Watch with high ideals of change and progress, which soured very quickly. Now, he's feeding the Queen with whatever information she desires."
Selina felt vindicated for coming to Grant. He's knowledgeable of the workings of the capital, both the legal side and the its dark underbelly.
All this is due to his time as a gold cloak.
The old man was pretty effective in his time. He knew everyone and everyone knew him. As long as people kept their noses clean and obeyed the law, things would go smoothly for everyone. There were always those who liked to cause trouble or thought that they're above everyone else. Grant would often remind them of the way things worked, usually through his fists, or 'nature's problem solvers' as he usually called them.
In his many years of service, Grant gained a reputation for being tough but fair, embodying what a gold cloak should be. This made him probably one of the most well known gold cloaks of his time, even coming close to being made commander of the City Watch but Grant politely declined.
He preferred to be out on the streets, handling problems himself.
Unfortunately, Grant's promising career came to an end during Robert's Rebellion. When Tywin Lannister and his army arrived in King's Landing, Grant knew in his gut that letting the Lion of Casterly Rock through the gates would mean disaster. He refused to let them through the gates and pleaded for his superiors to heed his warnings.
There was a scuffle and he struck the commander of the City Watch. Grant was eventually removed from his position and was stripped of his gold cloak. The rest became history. Tywin and his men sacked the city, burning, murdering and committed all manner of foul acts.
Grant was furious but felt justified. It goes to show that you cannot trust a Lannister, especially after Tywin's favorite son murdered the king. Though, to be fair to the Kingslayer, Grant heard stories from other gold cloaks about the Mad King that made him sick to his stomach. So his opinion of the golden haired knight was slightly higher than his opinion of Tywin. Just a little.
Selina remembered that day as well, despite being very young. She was just an orphan, living in the gutters and stealing just to get by. She remembered fires consuming houses, the smoke polluted air filled with screams while Lannister men in crimson ravaged the city, killing and taking what they wanted. The gold cloaks did nothing. Some were also victimized by the onslaught of the Lannister forces. Some even joined the chaos. They weren't soldiers and were barely peacekeepers in the first place.
Selina was cornered in an alleyway and tried to fend them off but was too weak and tired. She shuddered to think of what they would have to her had Grant not shown up at that very moment. He broke one man's neck and stabbed the other in the throat with a stolen dirk.
Another Lannister man saw this happen and thought he could handle Grant. The fool was disarmed so quickly he didn't realize what happened until Grant drove the man's own blade through his mouth. The former gold cloak moved with the grace of a cat and fought like a true lion, while those bearing the sigil of the lion were nothing more than a horde of bandits.
The two escaped and took refuge in the sewers. The fires had died down, as did the violence and chaos. The deaths of those Lannister men was noticed, since they're part of the most expensive and well trained army in all of the Seven Kingdoms. A witness remembered someone killing them but was vague on the details, due to all the smoke and mayhem.
For days the two remained hidden in the sewers. They weren't alone. A few others hid themselves in the sewers as well, some of who knew Grant and Selina. During the Lannister's reign of the city, Selina would slip away and fetch some food. Grant offered to go up and find some but the Lannisters were looking for him. Besides, Selina remembered her younger self's reasoning; no one is looking for me.
She would return with food but not much. There was only so much she could carry and things on the surface weren't any better. In fact, those in the sewer were probably better off. Nobody came looking for them and they subsisted off of all the rats and other rodents that fled into the sewers.
Eventually the search for Grant was called off. It was assumed that the three dead Lannisters had killed each other over a woman or a bit of loot. Fortunately, Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon arrived and order was restored.
Grant and Selina had bonded during this time and the two felt that it'd be best if they stuck together and looked after one another. Ever since then, they had been very close. They had been a family. It was a rather nice peaceful life. The two even manage to leave the past behind them. Now, it looks like trouble had found Selina again and this time, she needed Grant's help.
"Why come here?" Grant asked, after a long stretch of silence "For all you know, I could be working with the gold cloaks or they could be watching the house."
"There's no possible way that you would be working for the gold cloaks again, not after the Sacking. I also made doubly sure that nobody followed me or was watching the house."
"Fair enough" the old man conceded, scratching his greying black hair "But what do you want from me? There's not a lot I can do. I don't have money, or many friends who could help."
"I just need a place to stay for the night" Selina explained "Just for tonight. We'll be gone by morning."
"Gone where? I don't know if you haven't noticed but the gates are locked up tight and are being carefully watched."
"I'm not leaving the city. I'm going to give Lyra to some friends for safekeeping and then I'm going to look for Billy. Hopefully I can find him."
"You haven't seen him?"
Selina shook her head. She had sent him off to give food to that northern girl and then to head to the Street of Flour for work. For once, she was silently hoping that Billy disobeyed her and was somewhere safe. He's a smart kid and can handle himself but she needed to find him and they needed to escape.
An idea came to Selina's mind. It was a terrible one but it could very well pay off.
Selina stood and told Grant that she was going out.
When she told him where she was going, the old gold cloak was against the idea but after seeing how determined Selina was, he relented. He fetched a dagger from beneath the pillow Lyra was resting her head on.
He handed it to her "Good luck and try not to get any additional wounds" he asked, a small worried smile on his face "And try to play nice."
"I will father" she promised, smiling back "Look after Lyra while I'm away. I won't be gone long." Grant nodded and she slipped out into the night.
The area around the wharfs was still alive with activity. Sailors and other people of the night fluttered about the taverns, talking about the recent happenings of King's Landing, more specifically their new king and the execution of the Hand.
Whispers and chattering voices filled the air, mingling with pipe smoke and laughter.
Selina made her way down the street, weaving her way through the shadows and carefully avoiding the light and any prying eyes. There were some gold cloaks milling about but their focus was more on some shapely women going in and out of a nearby brothel.
Here, all sorts of goods passed through and deals were struck. In exchange for their "vigilance" the gold cloaks that often patrolled here were compensated. It was a sweet deal and has allowed some unsavory people make a fair bit of coin.
However, Selina knew that even those who worked in the shadows will be having a difficult time, now that the Queen and her wretched son now sit the throne and are lording their power over everyone.
She reached the right tavern, the Sunfire Tavern. A dragon with faded yellow scales adorned the wooden sign that hung by a hook over the door. An inviting orange light poured out from the windows and the smell of food and sounds of laughter were enough to tempt any weary traveler on the street.
Selina slipped inside, her dagger carefully concealed up one of her sleeves.
The tavern was packed to the brim. Sounds clashed, making the raven-haired woman's ears ache. Conversations overlapped, bawdy songs sung out of tune and the drinks flowed. At the bar, Selina asked the maid to see the one in charge in an indirect way. The girl blinked and nodded to a corner table.
She thanked her and went to see perhaps one of the most powerful men in King's Landing, outside of the king, his Small Council and his mother.
Zucco sat at a crowded table, surrounded by beautiful women and thuggish looking men. Although the influential criminal tried not to draw attention to himself, the Dornishman failed no matter how hard he tried. He was handsome with his light brown skin, dark eyes and long black hair tied up in a knot. He was dressed in a shirt of fine Eastern silk and a black coat and trousers.
A faint scent of expensive and exotic oils could be caught under the scent of ale and cooked meat wafting about the tavern. A mug of ale in one hand and a girl another, Zucco looked like a pirate lord from Essos or a prince in exile, but Selina knew the reality.
Zucco was a bastard boy who got his start as a minor cutpurse that robbed from rich merchants and careless sailors that came to King's Landing. Beneath his cheery and friendly façade was a cold and ruthless predator who brooked no fools or rivals. He was a good thief, almost as good as Selina was in her youth.
But now, now he was vastly more successful and twice as dangerous.
Zucco's eyes lit up when he saw her. "Ah Selina!" he said, his voice like oil and tinged with a Dornish accent "It is always a pleasure to see you. But what are you doing here?"
"I came to talk about a little proposition" Selina replied carefully.
His eyebrows rose. After a moment, he dismissed the girls and most of his men, save for a large, muscular man who Selina immediately as recognized as a dangerous thug known only as Great White or the Shark. The man's head was smooth and resembled a pearl due to his chalk white skin. He wore a cloth over his mouth, hiding his pointed, shark-like teeth that he uses to bite and tear the flesh of those who angered him.
Zucco gestured to the chair closest to him and Selina accepted.
"So, what can I do for you on this lovely evening" he asked, raising his mug to his lips "On this, the first night of the reign of good King Joffrey, long may he reign." Sarcasm was heavy in his voice.
Zucco had no love for the king but Selina knew that scum like Zucco preferred Robert. Robert was more lax on criminals and even helped, at times inadvertently, line their pockets with coin thanks to all his feasting and whoring. With a new king, particularly a Lannister boy king and his mother, in charge, the standing of every respectable criminal is now uncertain. They all were holding their breath, making preparations and plans, all the while waiting to receive the answer to the question they were asking themselves: What kind of a king was he?
In Selina's own opinion, the future doesn't hold much promise and the profits of the various criminals she knew are going suffer.
Selina felt her heart beating away at an irregular pace. She took a deep breath and calmly asked, "I came to ask you for help getting out of the city."
"Why?" He looked intrigued, "Did you have anything to do with the recent spate of searches by the gold cloaks?"
"Perhaps" Selina said truthfully.
The Dornishman frowned and sat back in his chair "I don't know" he said, tracing the rim of his mug with a finger "I mean, I could help you but what's to stop me from just, say, turning you over to the Queen myself for a possible reward. I heard that she is quite generous."
"You could do that" Selina said "However-" but before she could give her reason, a familiar face stomped into the tavern.
The tall, lanky, rat faced man looked a little worse for wear. His hair was messier than normal, his face had some nasty purple bruises and dried blood under his nose. The Rat King stumbled to the bar and demanded a drink. He surveyed the tavern and his eyes landed on Selina.
"Oh bugger" the tired woman murmured.
"You!" the haggard man snarled, "You bitch!" he drew a rusty knife and stomped, more limping actually, over to Selina and Zucco's table.
Zucco's man, the tall alabaster skinned thug, moved to intercept but Zucco told him to step aside.
The Rat King reached the table, murder in his eyes, and pounded on it. "You and your damn boy have nearly killed me!" he almost screamed.
Selina said nothing. She glanced past the lanky criminal and observed that the conversations and activity had died down. All eyes were on them.
Zucco cleared his throat and told everyone to go back to their business, even offering a free drink on the house. Cheers and thanks were raised and the lively sounds of the tavern returned. The Dornishman scowled at the Rat King and told him to keep it down. He didn't want to risk losing customers.
The Rat King snarled at him but complied. "How so?" Selina asked calmly, her blue eyes slid back to the man, who was trembling with anger and hunger.
"How so?" the Rat King mimicked. He spat at her, "Your little brat stole a girl from me. She was rightfully mine and he took her from me! I went to pay him back and I end up fighting for my life against some bloody highborn from the East!"
Selina scowled. What was he blathering on about? What Eastern highborn? So she asked just what he meant. The Rat King clarified, albeit angrily and with less curses.
"Me and my boys went looking for Billy and we find him, and the girl, over near Shadowblack Lane with some fancy looking Meereenese man and his servant. Your boy and that oily bastard started to give me cheek and me and the boys decided to teach them a lesson. That bastard killed three of my boys, almost killed me, and your little brat escaped! I barely escaped with my life!"
He took a deep, shuddering breath "I promised myself that I'd find him again. Probably ran home and hid himself behind mummy's skirts, but it looks like it burnt down. Hoped the little shit burnt with it but I'm never that lucky."
Anger boiled within Selina as she slowly slid her dagger from its hiding place. "So, I thought I pop in for a drink to settle my nerves and who should I find!" he laughed bitterly "The whore that half of King's Landing is looking for."
Selina's expression hardened "So, you're going to turn me in? Is that it?"
"Turn you in? Oh no" he said darkly "I think that its time for you and me to have a little chat." He leveled the knife to Selina's throat.
She looked to Zucco, who looked on blankly and silently. The Rat King did likewise, almost as if he were asking for permission.
The two criminals often didn't see eye to eye. They regularly clashed over territory and who got what but Zucco had money and the ear of the City Watch, which meant he could make life way more difficult for the Rat King than the opposite.
Zucco nodded slowly and said softly "Take it outside, in the back." The Rat King nodded quickly and Selina rose to her feet.
"And please" Zucco added "Try not to make too much of a mess"
The Rat King scoffed at Zucco and assured him sarcastically that he'll try not to. The lanky criminal didn't really realize that his rival's plea was not aimed at him. It was for Selina.
The two slipped out the back through the door behind the bar.
They were in a narrow alley that ran between the tavern and a house that also belonged to Zucco. Deep shadows cloaked the alley from prying eyes. The sounds of activity faint on the midnight air, the stars and moon above gazed down at them mutely.
The Rat King grabbed Selina's arm and pushed her up against the wall, his knife against her neck.
"Now then kitty cat, lets get started," he said huskily. Selina did her best not to shudder with revulsion.
"A cat, am I? Well there's something I have to warn you about" the raven-haired woman said coldly "You really shouldn't corner a cat, they have very sharp claws."
As the Rat King was busy fumbling with his clothes, Selina struck. A knee to the groin, followed up with a few quick, precise strikes to the chin, ribs, chest and throat. The lanky man staggered back, breathless. His knife slipped from his hand.
Selina pounced, drawing her dagger and pressed it against his jugular.
"P-please!" the Rat King wheezed, begging pathetically as he tried gasping for air.
The former thief snarled at him "This is a long time coming you pathetic little creature! All those poor children…all those young girls that you preyed upon! Someone should've put you in your place. I should turn you over to the gold cloaks and have the king's justice rain down on you!"
The disarmed criminal nodded rapidly, his eyes pleading for mercy.
Selina's expression became ice "But this is King's Landing after all. Its kill or be killed. You do what you have to do to survive. Perhaps I should do just that."
The Rat King shook his head rapidly and tried to scream for help but Selina clammed a hand over his mouth.
"Shhh, but perhaps I'm being too hasty" she said sweetly "I have some questions of my own that you can probably answer. If I like the answer, then maybe I'll be gentle and show you the Mother's mercy. But if I don't…" Selina pressed the blade hard against the side of the Rat King's head and slowly brought it down. A cut began to open and dark blood dribbled forth.
The lanky man let out a muffled scream and thrashed about but he was too tired and too hungry to resist.
"Shh! Don't worry" Selina cooed, "I'll be very gentle. After all, cats like rats."
She leaned in and whispered her question into the criminal's ear. "Where is my son?"
Some time later, Selina and Zucco sat together at the Dornishman's table in the Sunfire Tavern. The Rat King was sporting fresh bruises. His face was now puffy, purple and red with a long crimson line running down the side of his face. He sat at the bar, downing mug after mug of ale, trying to take the pain away.
Selina and Zucco returned to their discussion from earlier.
"I have given it some thought" Zucco said, setting aside his mug "but I don't think I can help you. There's just too many things that could go wrong, which could lead back to me. Besides, I don't want to see you hurt."
"I understand." Selina nodded slowly. Zucco was no help but he was somewhat right. She didn't like it but at least she wouldn't go home empty handed.
Apparently, if the Rat King was right, there's some foreign noble who was chasing Billy around the city. Billy could still be in King's Landing in hiding but if he was captured, could this man be connected to the Queen? She had to find out. Somehow.
The crowded tavern abruptly went quiet. Selina looked up and froze. A trio of gold cloaks had entered the tavern.
She slid down a little in her seat, trying to make herself smaller.
The lead gold cloak was a portly, stout man built like a keg. There was some grey hair on his balding head, though not much. His squat, toad-like face had a cheerful smile, which made Selina shift uncomfortably. After a few moments of awkward silence, Zucco rose to his feet.
"Janos Slynt!" he greeted with false affability "My old friend! What brings you to our humble establishment?"
"Celebration!" said Janos "For our new king!" Most of the tavern's patrons looked on, though some half-heartedly raised their drinks in toast.
"Of course! Please, have a seat" He gestured to the bar and Janos and his two companions sat at the bar.
The toad-faced man nodded to the Rat King. "What happened to him?" he asked, somewhat curious.
"A woman" the bruised man murmured.
Janos frowned at Zucco, who merely whispered, "The husband found out." The gold cloak nodded with understanding.
The bar maid brought the men their drinks and for a time, they drank in peace and quiet.
Selina remained at Zucco's table, trying to stay hidden behind the Shark, who remained where he stood since she got there, like a marble statue. Eventually, the toad-faced man and his companions finished their drinks and declared that they were off to continue their patrol.
Selina relaxed a little but tensed back up when Janos turned back and began to speak to Zucco. They spoke in low tones but, thanks to the now diminished volume of the other conversations, Selina was able to pick up enough.
"This time, I expect double my usual rate" Janos said, puffing himself up proudly.
"That's not possible" Zucco said with a shrug "Business has been slow lately and I got lots of mouths to feed. I also need to pay for supplies in order to keep things running and lots of other people to pay."
"Its double or nothing" the toad man sniffed "I expect compensation. I have turned a blind eye to your…activities for lo these many years. Perhaps I should inform the Queen of your crimes and extract my compensation then."
Zucco's eyes flashed. "Janos, we've helped each other for years" the Dornishman said in a warning tone "Do not ruin our mutually beneficial relationship. You do not want to walk that path."
Janos's eyes slid over to Zucco's table and were focused on the Shark, who slid the cloth off his face, exposing his lipless mouth and bared his razor sharp teeth.
The gold cloak looked back to Zucco and sneered, "Mind your words, Zucco. You are speaking to the new Commander of the City Watch and the new Lord of Harrenhal. Mind what you say around your betters, or else you'll find yourself clapped in irons."
Zucco scowled but remained silent. The bald man took that as a sign of submission.
"Double my usual rate it is then" Janos said, patting Zucco on the shoulder. He bid the people in the tavern good night and stepped out into the night, a slight spring in his step.
Once the toad-faced man was gone, Zucco's bubbled to the surface. He let out a low growl and cursed in a language that Selina didn't recognize.
It appeared to Selina that her old friend had just learned the new order of things in King's Landing. She sympathized with Zucco. This Janos man seems like an annoying little toad that seemed a little too proud of himself. Normally, a man like that ended up dead if he were to talk to a man like Zucco.
However, this man seemed to be hiding behind his new rank and titles and had the might of the Queen to enforce his will. It made Selina sick. More corrupt lords and officials, doing as they pleased and hiding behind the law and their power.
As Zucco stomped back to his table, nursing a mug of a stronger drink, a new idea formulated in the former thief's head.
"Sorry about that" Zucco grumbled, slamming down his drink on the table. Droplets of rich brown liquid landed scattered across the table's surface. "Just some bad business." He stopped and looked at Selina's face.
A small smile had manifested itself on her lips.
"What is it?" "I believe that I have an idea" Selina began, her voice honeyed "One that would benefit the both of us."
Zucco listened as she began to elaborate her idea to him. And he liked it. He liked it a lot.
(a/n: So, what do you think? Its short but it felt essential for things to move forward. Please let me know what you think.)
New DC Characters appearing in this chapter: Nabu, Great White Shark, Ted Grant (Wildcat), John Constantine and Willoughby Kipling (he's played by Mark Shepherd on Doom Patrol, which is where i saw the character).