Being and Excerpt from the Journal of Matthias Tunstall
Provost's Guardsman, The Lower City, Corus

Describing the Events on June 2nd 247 H.E.

After receiving Westover's note that Beka and Clary had arrived in Port Caynn I meandered over to the Rogue's Tavern. It will need a proper name or else it will be permanently known as the Rogue's Tavern and that my not bode so well for business. I was greeted by the sound of a feral scream and watched as a golden-skinned mot ran out the gate. Ah, the Swan. The Rogue's plaything. In her defense, she runs quite gracefully: hair fanning out behind her, like it was out of some bard's tale.

Today had seemed a perfect chance to interview the Rogue. I admit, this was rather exciting to me as interviewing the Rogue is something most Dog's never get to do. Mostly the Rogue just lies to cover his tracks, but this Rogue, Rosto the Piper, well he seemed like a decent enough Cove. Beka's said as much, though she don't like admitting she has breakfast regularly with the King of the Court of the Rogue. Many a Dog would give their teeth to live on the same street as the Rogue, much less under the same roof. Silly little gixie don't realize the power in her own connections.

Where was I? Ah yes. Interviewing the Rogue. Well, I asked just some simple questions. He told me what he had told me a bit more than he had told Beka. He told me about how he test's silver. I'd have never though of licking it, but he had bitten a coin (near broke his tooth doing so) and figured it was real. Only until after, when he was chewing on a pendant he wore did her realize that the money tasted off. Well, that test has become pretty standard in Corus. From what Beka's said, it's true in Port Caynn as well.

I was most interested in what he thought of the falsies and how much of it was moving around in the Lower City. Mainly, he let tell that he's being paid false silver by his own people and it's upsetting him, to put it delicately. Rosto's young for a Rogue. Kayfer was certainly older when he took the title. People like Rosto. He's a handsome Cove, with charm and he's good to the people that come to him for help. I imagine Rosto's had to be harsh, which is something I figure this smiling spintry is loathe to do.

His two biggest industries (gambling and doxies) are bringing him worthless money. He also complained about having to raise the Rogue's Cut (the percentage he gets of people's money) because he won't move around false money. What he said next had me fairly surprised. "I've several bags of it stashed up in my room. I keep them there acos if people steal them they'll only end up flooding the common markets. And I'm not one so bold as to pay the Dog's with falsies." Rosto's dark eyes flash like heat-lightning and for a moment, even I'm unnerved. Such dark eyes can be even more frightening than Pounce's purple ones.

His mots are an interesting pair. The blonde mot with the sword is certainly the more showy one. "Yeah, and Beka'd slaughter you if you dared!" She's laughing raucously. The mage-mot hides a snicker behind her hand. Aniki and Kora, well he couldn't have found himself a better pair of mot's to watch his back, than if he'd hired Clary and myself.

"Aye," I say to Aniki, who's giving me a bold look, "and Clary would be right there with the stuffing to serve you like a midwinter turkey." They all take the moment to laugh at their King's indignation. I can see why Beka staying around as long as she can: these are good people. Real people. Them as know how to laugh and smile while the times are still good, and willing to work when times are tough.

"What are ye' planning to do with that money?" I ask Rosto. He goes silent for a moment and pulls his pipe from his boot. It's a decent thing, made of wood. Pretty, sanded so it's close to silk smooth, and treated so it won't show age.

"I don't know. Maybe there's a way to separate the metals, so I can get the silver due to me." He's finished the interview for now. He's started to blow notes on the pipe and he's a fair hand at it. We chat some more and listen to Rosto play.

"How did you and Beka do that last night?" Ersken asks Rosto. Well, that's piqued my interest. Beka and Rosto have jobs that are as different as night and day. And yet? Once you are deemed worthy enough to know them. From what I could glean from my interview, and from watching him here at breakfast, Rosto and Beka aren't so different. Their off-duty characters are so very similar. The same quiet intensity, the same dry humor, the same sharp wit.

From what I could understand of Rosto's reply to Ersken's question, Beka and he had put someone to sleep with Beka's magic. I was rather confused. I could see Rosto drawing into himself. He'd be the Rogue if I kept up with any questions. No more Guardsman Tunstall. I bid Rosto play something livelier while I danced with the graceful cat of a mot, Kora.

Later, westover explained what had happened the night before in the Tavern. Beka had sung the entire room to sleep. Ersken couldn't remember much, except that the lullaby on Rosto's pipe and Beka's song put him right off to sleep. His story is short acos no one quite knows what happened. While Ersken's reading me Beka's note I notice Rosto and Kora having a heated discussion in whispers. In a minute, he's not whispering.

""I'm not blind. I can very well see that she's a grown mot. But she's a friend and I'd like to help her. Maybe feed her information about those Dogs that will keep her informed. I'm not going to muddy up her investigation." His eyes are that same heat-lightning as before.

Kora says sommat quietly and I just barely catch it. "Just friendly-like?" and she's got an eyebrow cocked. Rosto's seething. Faster than blinking, Rosto's lifted himself out of his seat and walked away in a huff.

"Well?" I ask Ersken. He's shuffling the papers in front of him. He knows but won't answer my inquiry. "I've a good idea what that was all about" I say indicating the direction Rosto left in. "But I'd rather my partner gave me some insight." Ersken's stuck and he knows it: as a first year Dog, he has to listen to his senior partner.

"Rosto's and Beka are friends." He's understating the matter. True, but not everything. And I'm giving him a look that demands that little bit more. "Well, Rosto's a flirt, he's always trying his skills on Beka." Half true and I give him the look that tells him to spill. "And, he's a bit of a soft-spot where Beka's concerned."That's a lad.

"Care to explain?" I ask Ersken. In a moment I see his predicament: he doesn't want Beka in trouble. Kora comes to his rescue.

"Well," she says carefully, helping Aniki clear up. "Rosto threw Bold Brian straight into the Olorun for calling him a spintry." She's inside the kitchen and Aniki comes out to finish the tale. I'm listening carefully because this tells me something about Rosto, something about Beka, and something about Aniki and Kora.

"Beka must call him a spintry a dozen-odd times a day, and he's only laughed and smiled at her." She sits down next to Phelan, the Dog-turned-Rusher.

"Don't forget what happened at Midwinter," Phelan nudges her in the ribs. Aniki gives a soft laugh.

"I would've sworn she'd punch him for that," adds Kora, walking out of the kitchen. She sees me looking at her and swallows. "Rosto was a little liberal with bestowing Midwinter's Luck to Beka. He kissed her full on. Beka promised to slug him last time he did it, only she didn't keep her promise."

Ersken's standing up for Beka, "She was tired, you know that. And she'd had a miserable day what with getting her arm broken on watch and Midwinter being so bad. It was nice having something normal." He's a loyal friend.

Kora smiles at this. "Aye, Rosto's kisses made her feel right better. I was still surprised when she thanked him with that pat on the cheek. She even smiled for him." With that comment the whole lot falls silent and all I hear is the rumbling of the pigeons. The silence is getting uncomfortable and I'm suddenly reminded of how much older I am than these young things.

"Westover. You'll write up a preliminary report to send Guardswoman Goodwin, and I'll give you my own note for her tonight after Watch and you can send that bird off." Ersken nods, his Dog-face on. I make my goodbye's and head out.

I'm walking through the Daymarket and head out toward Ahuda's. I want to fill her in on as much as I can before Muster. As I walk, I'm pondering what I know, my eye cracked for mischief and my hand reaching for the baton that I know isn't there. I see a young boy reaching for the purse of a woman I can tell isn't his ma. I tap his shoulder and he's gives me a smile and scampers. Clary is right: the only Dog's worth bothering with work the NightWatch like we do. Daywatch should have had their eyes peeled for minnows and foists. There was a riot not a week ago, and here's this minnow just about to nab a ladies purse. They know the King's Own is a joke, crowds in the LowerCity reach bigger than 10-15 persons easy. Disgusting. One day, someone'll come around and whip those lazy scuts into shape.

Falsies are slowly trickling into Corus. The trickle is small because they're coming from Port Caynn. Elsewise, there'd be a flood of these Coles. They aren't being made in Corus, yet, which is a blessing. The good thing about Port Caynn is that its city is smaller, though the shipyards are a mess to deal with. The coins are coming to Rosto from inside the Court of the Rogue. People with contacts with outsiders, apparently rich outsiders, are bringing in Coles and spreading them around.

I was perusing a stall when I saw a nobleman ride past on his horse, headed toward Palace Way. The Nobility? Or those serving them? The counter-mot said a nobleman's servant brought the big bag of falsies. The nobility and their staff come into the Lower City all the time: they gamble, visit the occasional doxy. Where else can they feed their vices without the glares of the prudish court?

Rosto mentioned the money coming from his bigger sources of income. This mess just got a tangle trickier. Nobleman's servants. Are they the servants of one nobleman and they get the coin from their master. Or maybe the servants of several nobles, all who get the coin from their masters, and their masters have formed a conspiracy. Or are they the servants of one noble who is being slandered or blackmailed or both? Or just a random group of servants, being fed coin by some completely third party. Or is it just the nobility? Or does the nobility have nothing to do with it?

My musings were getting so deliciously messy, that I didn't realize I had passed Ahuda's until I heard her call out to me. I back tracked and said my good-afternoon's. We exchanged pleasantries and she invited me in so I could hand off Beka's and Clary's report.

Ahuda was most pleased with Beka's report. "Succint. Her personal letter no doubt gave more details, but this will be fine as a formal report. She's doing good work for a first year Dog."

"She had excellent training Dogs." I beamed, proud of my former-Puppy. Ahuda gives me a wry look.

"Well, it was your job to teach her to talk in front of the magistrate. Nicely done." She's being sarcastic as a way to swat me down a peg. She's a point. Beka's still no good presenting a case before the magistrate. All tongue and no tale. Ahuda changes the topic and asks to know what were my thoughts on the whole mess. When I mentioned the nobility, she swore.

"I hate messing with the nobility. Their titles protect them. One wayward sniff, and they run off to their fiefdoms and they we can't do any sniffing and will need a King's writ just to toe their property. Pox." Ahuda's got an even deeper hatred of the nobles who do great wrongs and leave the fault to their people: she was a slave once. She'll not forget those injustices any time soon.

"We'll just need to sniff carefully. Now aren't you glad you have Clary and Me on this case. Imagine if Verene got it. Or Yoav. Why they'd bungle it right up." I'm trying to pull her out of her mood. She's right sour if someone mentions a noble other than My Lord Provost.

"Don't be impertinent," she says giving me a glare. "Get all the evidence and sniff the people around the nobles. And for Gods sake, please be careful." She moves to let me out, "Good hunting." Meeting with Ahuda. Check.

I still had all afternoon before my watch so I decided to go and visit one of my birdies. Marga Aniceta was a Doxy (well known as the Rose Bride for her love of the flowers and wearing white while she's working) over above the Riverside docks. Docks have ships, ships that maybe come from busy coastal cities like Port Caynn. There could be a link of the common folk of Port Caynn bringing their own personal money, and paying the locals with it.

She was busy when I got there, her sister was visiting, but I put some tidbits out before the both of them. Had they heard of anyone bringing 'em the Coles, doxies being visited by nobles, or noble servants, or getting a large bag of coin.

"We haven't heard nothing of the sort," says Rose Bride, her voice husky. "But I promise, if either of us do," she's cooing in my ear, "I'll deliver the message personally." She purrs and moves her hand to my shirt collar. "I'm fond of my big, strong, handsome, Dog friend." She's got her lips parted and I know she wants a kiss.

"There now," I whisper back to her, "Be a good kitten, and we'll see." She lets me out with a pout on her face. I walk out her door to run into a great horse's right side. The animal gives a snort and moves its head to bite me just as I skirt out of its way.

"That's alright Thug, you'll catch the bad Doggie next time" Says the voice of the Lady Knight, Sabine of Macayhill. She's cooing to her horse, like he's a child. She spots Rose Bride at the door. Rose Bride gives her one look, gives me a wink, and closes the door with a snap. It'd be too much to hope that Sabine doesn't know what Rose Bride's profession is.

"Mattes, she's not your usual fare," teases Sabine as she dismounts from the Beast she calls a horse. "I thought you like tiny Yamani roses?" I can count on one hand how many people know about that flower box and I wouldn't need all my fingers either. Sabine only knows because she was there once. She liked the yellow ones I think.

"I do." I say stepping forward to walk next to her as she heads towards Rovers Street. "Who's to say this Rose wasn't a pretty little flower?" I tease her.

"I take it she's one of your birdies." Sabine nods with her head in the direction of Rose Bride's residence. I shrug. Sabine continues, "You don't like human flowers. They need more attention than the one's you have in pots."

"I like you, don't I?" I'm teasing her. She's right about the flowers though. Pretty mots want to keep things pretty. They don't like mess. Dog's just bring in mess.

"I'm no delicate flower, Mattes, and you know that." She's arguing with me. Sabine is very aware of the fact that she's no dainty court lady. She's a knight and a tougher mot I've never seen. She's also sense in her head. I'm well aware of all of this.

"According to whom?" I ask, grabbing a spare piece of lumber, "I'll run him through for your honor!" She's laughing and I return the stick to its pile. "I see an entire rosebush, my dear Sabine" I'm trying to sound as dignified as possible, but it's only making her laugh more.

She stops laughing and her soft eyes go dark. "Yes, thorns and all." There is pain in her voice and I know I've poked at an old wound.

"The battle through the thorns / is worth every scratch / when you see the Robust Blossom." I quote a well-known Yamani poem at her. She gives me a smile.

"Are you a Bard now, as well as a Dog?" She's teasing to avoid the subject.

"A man can't enjoy beauty?" I say, stopping her. We've reached Rover's Street. She looks at me and I can feel her examining me. She's trying to read me.

"Why do I feel like you aren't talking about poetry and flowers?" She's still examining my expression. I don't give anything away. Sorry, lass, not many can read Matthias Tunstall and get it right. Clary's probably the only one to try it, and it even gives her migraines.

"Just one specific flower," I give Sabine a wink. She's giving me a smirk which turns into a warm smile.

"Goose," she says to me, shaking her head, but still smiling. I pat Thug on the nose. He moves to bite me.

"Hmph." I scoff, gesturing towards her horse, "there's gratitude for you. "I bid you good day" I say turning to Sabine and I give her a bow, "Oh sweet lady, thou art the fairest flower!" I give Sabine a wink and head off towards NorthGate bridge.

I can hear Sabine talking to her horse. "Don't you be mean to Tunstall anymore, you hear me Thug? I'll not have you biting one of the few men who callme a flower. You hear me?" There's a loud whinny and I imagine Thug has agreed.

I still need to write up a report for Clary. Ox's Eggs. Very well. Rosto's information. My thoughts on the Nobles involvement. Ahuda's warnings (that's for Beka's sake). What else? Clary will like to know about Beka's singing gift. And Rosto's penchant for stealing Kisses from pretty Dogs. That will make Goodwin cackle.


Author's Note: Sorry this one took a little longer to get up. I didn't realize Tunstall would be so hard to write! How'd I do? Does it sound too much like Beka? Leave a review!