21: Joining the Rebellion
It's been a hell of a long time, hasn't it? I'm so sorry about the lack of updates, but I hope the new chapters will make up for the huge amount of lost time. Basically my laptop crapped out and it's taken me this long to fix it so I can post this story again. What's happening now is Lily and Reaver looking for the rebel base. There's some good stuff coming, so stay tuned!
Copyrights to Lionhead
Warning : Language and violence. No smut to be found here. (sadly)
-x-
Lily stopped to sit down on a wall after crossing the Bowerstone bridge. Wincing slightly, she bent to rub the leg that had been shot and glanced a peek at it. A dark, but subtle tone of purple had spread beneath the roundish scar, confirming her suspicion that something beneath the skin had begun bleeding. "Fucking hell," she hissed, pulling a gray scarf from her neck and binding it around the bruise tightly.
"How do you believe that that will help in any way?" Reaver snipped. He had forced her to sit, having noticed her limping most of the way through Industrial. "Just keep your weight off of it for a bit, and stop prodding at it, you dimwit. You will make it worse."
Lily glared up at him, marveling again at how different he looked. "Yeah, well your ten-mile hike didn't do it much good either, now did it? I was ready to stop and order a carriage, but we needed the exercise, you said." She loosened the bandage slightly and stood up, stretching. "Anyway, the execution is going to start any minute, and we need to be there to tail Princey and the wonder girl back to their hideout."
Reaver sighed and offered his arm, allowing her to lean on him as much as she would allow herself too. "Proud, stubborn, inane little dodder," he muttered offhand towards a vendor who gave him a very puzzled look. The disguised man just winked at him and kept walking, his eyes flicking over the wares.
In the distance the sound of trumpets began to blare, and announcers began pacing the street and shouting for people to gather in the palace courtyard. Lily's grip tightened around Reaver's arm and she looked up at him grimly. "Ready?"
The tall man just snorted and pulled her towards the castle, keeping a wary eye on the pedestrians. If one person recognized him, there would be troublesome questions to answer, and time would be wasted. His fingers twitched toward his gun, but he mentally bid them to be still. So far no one had given him more than a passing glance. Everyone was more concerned with what the king had to say.
The crowd quietly piled into the court yard, everyone glancing around at the guards and whispering in confused, hushed tones. Lily was surprised at how frightened most of them looked. They were eerily like a dog cowering in front of an abusive owner; always timidly awaiting the inevitable and never finding the courage to run away. She glanced around further, looking for the face of the prince or the dark woman from Reaver's party, but the crowd was too dense.
"Reaver," she hissed. "Do you see them?"
The tall man had his eyes trained on a clump further back in the crowd and nodded. "I've spotted the boy, but he is not with the girl."
"No matter, we will follow him anyway, he should still be able to lead us to his hide-"
"Traitors!"
Lily jolted at the sound of the powerful voice that cut through the crowd's whispers like a poisoned blade. She raised her eyes to spy the king standing on the balcony, staring sternly down at the crowd. "Well hello, you royal ass," she chuckled darkly as the crowd buzzed in fear.
"Yes," the king waved his hand for silence, "traitors walk amongst us. Traitors plot to put an end to us. Traitors would have you believe their cause is noble." He placed both hands on the balcony and leaned forward heavily. "They wear many masks. They may look like your friends, they may even look like your most loyal servants. This-" A man wearing a dirty shirt and torn trousers was roughly jostled onto the stage. "This is the face of a traitor."
Nearby in the crowd, a tattered blond man uttered the word, "Swift..." in a shocked voice.
The king continued, "Major Swift, a respected member of the army and sworn servant of the kingdom has plotted against us all. He was apprehended attempting to turn loyal soldiers against us, and is thus charged with espionage, treason, and conspiracy."
The blond man snorted in outrage, making Lily glance over at him. She was startled at the furious, pained look on the otherwise handsome man's face.
"Yes," King Logan balled his fist in feigned righteous wrath, glaring down at the battered soldier. "There are still others darkening our land with their betrayal. We shall hunt these traitors down, wherever they may be, and they shall suffer the same fate as Major Swift. The fate of all enemies of the crown." The king's voice had risen to an infuriated, rasping yell that was cut off by the sound of the pistol going off into the soldiers head.
Lily grimaced, but didn't look away. Her eyes stayed fixed on the man as he crumpled to the ground, but her ears were turned toward the blonde man from before.
"He has to be stopped, no matter what it takes, he has to be- come on. We need to tell the others."
The girl turned quickly to try and catch a glimpse of the man as he left and suddenly saw a flash of a familiar face. "Reaver," she yanked her companions sleeve and pointed. "It's the prince."
"I know," he growled, pulling her back. "Try not to announce to the world that we are attempting to follow them, if you would please."
Lily nodded and fell back, pulling the hood to her cloak over her head, watching the two towheaded men walk quickly towards Bowerstone Industrial. Mentally, she patted herself on the back on her deducing skills. I knew they would be in Industrial. Now let's see exactly where their hideout is.
Reaver stayed in step close behind her, keeping a wary eye on her limp that was steadily getting worse. He made a mental note to lance the wound so the blood could drain before her leg became useless, then made note of the progress of the two young men and pulled Lily aside for a moment.
"What is it?" she demanded impatiently.
"You look to be in a flurry of a rush, darling," he said in a syrupy voice. "If we make a beeline after them we look much too conspicuous. Now take a look at these pendants, and we are not leaving this stall until you have purchased one."
The girl let out an exasperated sigh, but started perusing the many rows of necklaces laid out. Her eyes landed on a slightly tarnished silver amulet that had a black-filled etching in the shape of an orchid. "This one," she said, picking it up.
"That cheap thing?" Reaver snipped, glancing at it.
"Orchids are my favorite flower, and I like silver jewelry," she quipped back, glancing back to make sure the men weren't out of sight.
The man sighed and took it from her, examining it front and back. After a few long moments he said, "very well," and handed the trinket to the vendor. "This one."
"Thirty gold pieces," the woman said curtly, holding out a filthy hand.
Lily pulled the amulet around her neck as her companion counted out the money, then took his arm and tugged at him. "Shall we move on then, sweetie?" she said in a loud, sweetened voice.
He chuckled and allowed her to pull him away from the stall, back in pursuit of the very distant pair of blondes. "As you wish, my dear."
They skirted through the streets, stopping at the occasional vendor and inconspicuously examining wares in store windows. Eventually the shopping availability ended and the two were left strolling through the streets. Lily huffed and gathered up the satchel of clothing more securely into her arms, trying to readjust the flowers that also burdened her.
"Must you insist on constantly buying me things?" she complained at her companion, hooking the string on the package of clothes more securely around her arm. "I'm practically juggling all of this shit."
Reaver nudged her and winked. "I would rather not hear complaints about the nice things I bought you, if it would please you."
Lily huffed as she finally managed to cram all of her things into the crook of one arm. "I'm not complaining about the stuff, I'm complaining about the timing. I'm gonna look real sneaky, waltzing into their base with a new dress, an arm full of flowers, and all this new jewelry hanging off me."
The tall man snorted and suddenly pulled her into a bar, plucking the flowers from her arms.
"Hey!"
He waved her off, then presented the flowers to the bar-keep, who smiled graciously and dropped them into a wooden vase. "Well thankee sir. Would ye' lahk to buy anything?"
"Gin and tonic please," the tall man said in the low, gravelly voice he had adopted. "And a bottle of wine to take with us."
The girl nodded and pulled out the bottles, watching the odd pair locate themselves near the door.
"Do you see them?" Lily said, he eyes searching the dingy streets for the pair they had been following.
"Not anymore, obviously, but I noticed the back-alley they ducked into, like frightened kittens." He chuckled at the analogy and rested a hand on the nape of Lily's neck. "There is little back there, save for a dead end and an entrance into the sewers. If we follow them back there, I can promise we will learn their location in a matter of minutes."
The bar-keep walked over to them with a tankard of gin and tonic and a bottle of dry, red wine. "Ah hopes diss is to yer lahkin," she slurred, handing over the alcohol. "One gin an' tonic for the good man, and a bottle ah wine ter go."
Lily took the wine and watched as Reaver sipped the mixture in the tankard. His nose wrinkled, but he continued drinking, taking larger drinks every time he raised it to his lips. "A sip, my girl?" he offered, holding the tankard out to her.
She took it and raised it to her lips. It tasted of wood and stale bread, but with a slight sweetness. She gulped her mouthful down and handed it back. "That's awful."
He chuckled and slugged the remaining liquid in the cup, placing it on the table with several gold coins. He flicked one at the bar-keep, landing it in her ample cleavage, and winked. "Thankee for the service, lovey."
She waved a towel at them while digging the coin out of her bodice. "Aye, and be off with ya! I'm likely to get a flurry of customers soon after that nasty execution a bit ago."
The two ducked out and walked into the alleyway the two men had gone down earlier. Reaver's eyes flicked back and forth, then stopped when he located the entrance to the sewers. It was a rusted steel door, right next to the sludgy water that flowed beneath the streets there. "Here we are, love," he whispered, pulling her towards the door.
"It's here?" She asked tentatively, pulling at the door. It slid open slowly, but quietly. Evidence that it was used heavily and someone had recently greased the tracks.
"Seems that way," the tall man hissed as he slipped inside and pulled the girl with him. "Softly as you can, now. This very well may get dangerous."
Lily nodded and rested her hand on the pistol at her hip, adjusting her blade with the arm with her satchel. "Can you fit this into your bag?" she whispered loudly.
He turned and took the clothing package from her and stuffed it into her backpack without a word. He then pressed a finger against her lips, then his lips over the top of those. "Not another word, my pet," he said softly into her mouth, before pulling back and continuing on through the sewers.
The black-haired girl wrinkled her nose at the smell. Usually she wasn't squeamish at all, but the thick, rancid air was particularly foul. It smelled not only of sewage, but also of death and every kind of rotting thing imaginable. She stepped over the body of a dead rat as she rounded a corner with her companion, then bumped into his back when he stopped suddenly.
He pulled her to the front of him and whispered into her ear, "there are lookouts up ahead. They are hiding behind the boxes and barrels. I count about seven in all. Two on the right are injured, and there is one on the left who has no weapon. We may have to fight here, so remember everything I've taught you. Do not use magic, some of those barrels have gun powder in them and I do not feel like being disintegrated today."
Lily nodded rapidly, then took a tentative step forward, Reaver following close behind.
"Stop right there!" A pudgy, middle aged man popped out from behind a box, pointing a gun at the girl's chest.
A grimy, younger man slunk out from behind a barrel, carrying a long, crooked knife and a blunderbuss. "Maybe they're lost. You lost, mates?"
A third popped up to sit on top of one of the boxes, pointing a pistol listlessly at the two. He grinned, revealing blackened teeth, and cackled. "If ye are, ye picked a bad day to get lost, me goodies."
"Maybe they're rich," another voice squeaked.
"Maybe they're spies!" croaked another.
Lily held up her hands, keeping her back close to Reaver. "We are nothing of any of that! We are here to help!"
The first man stepped forward, keeping his gun trained on her chest. "Help? 'Ow do ye 'spect to help us?"
"We too have grown tired of Logan's tyranny," Lily said, a little sharply. Her eyes were hardening into icy orbs and her muscles tightened. "We wish to join the rebellion, in hopes that the prince will take the throne."
The grimy man stepped up to her as she lowered her arms and teased the knife around her throat. "How do we know you're telling the truth? Maybe Logan sent you here to say that."
"If that be the case," the black-toothed man rattled, "then I say we kill the man and keep the girl as a prize. Logan can do with one less shiny toy in his arsenal, and I say we've earned it!"
Lily put her hands on her weapons, her eyes like steel. "Believe us or not, but we would rather discuss this with the prince. If you can prove we are spies, then kill us."
A thin man with dark red hair suddenly grabbed her wrist, pulling her away from Reaver and slid his knife against her chest. As soon as she was pulled, Lily had her pistol out and pushed against the man's head. Behind her Reaver had drawn his pistol and taken a step back, ready to kill every one of them in seven easy shots.
"What's going on?" A loud, familiar voice shouted over the noise.
The first man saluted her. "Trespassers, marm. We think they might be spies from Logan."
The dark woman from Reaver's party stepped forward, her black eyes glaring at the two visitors. "They don't look like spies," she said sternly, pushing one man's weapon down. "You, girl! What is your business here?"
Lily pushed the red-head off of herself and nodded at the woman, hoping feverishly that she wouldn't recognize her from the party. "My companion and I are here to aid you in making the rebel prince king."
Page glared at her for a moment, creating an icy tension for a few moments. "Come with me."
Lily stepped toward Reaver and took his arm, pulling him to follow the dark-skinned woman.
The hideout was filthy and pitifully empty. It looked as though almost all of their force was out front, guarding the entrance. A couple of rebels sat around, reading books or staring at the new comers with glazed eyes. Lily tried to smile at a woman who was sitting with her husband, but the two simply glared blankly at them, then turned away completely.
"Friendly lot," Reaver growled, turning up his nose slightly at the rude dwellers.
"We have no reason to be friendly to strangers," the woman in front of them said bluntly. "Most are either assassins or spies, but you don't look like part of Logan's arsenal. Tell me, where are you from?"
Lily spoke up. "I am from the gypsy camp at Driftwood, and this is my companion, um, Jack." She cringed when the tall man turned his sharp eyes down on her, but continued on. "We were looking for a better life in Bowerstone, but we've found nothing but oppression and hopelessness. We heard about your endeavors to overthrow Logan, and took interest. That's why we're here."
The woman stopped at a great iron door and turned around, perusing them with her keen, dark eyes. "Gypsies? From the same camp?"
"I left my family in Mistpeak to go to Driftwood," Reaver, or "Jack", said quietly.
"That is quite a journey," the woman said, looking at him closely. "You made it to Driftwood, then just decided to leave again, with her?"
He smiled softly, and Lily marveled at how gentle he could look in his disguise. "I had a reason to leave. Maybe you would understand."
Lily smiled when he suddenly tucked her under his arm and kissed her forehead. "Stoppit," she said with a hint of a laugh. "This is serious."
"Yes it is," the woman said suddenly. "So the two of you fell in love and decided to move to Bowerstone? And you were unhappy with what you found?"
"It's a poor way to start a new life," Lily said quietly. Reaver had tensed when the word "love" was mentioned, and his arm was pinching her. "We are strong and able to help in whatever way we can."
"What is your name?"
Lily blinked. "Mine?"
"Yes, yours."
"It's Lily."
The woman nodded and cracked a tiny smile. "Good to meet you, Jack and Lily. My name is Page. I am going to introduce you to the rest of the troupe, including the prince. I would ask that you would hold your tongues in check. We just lost one of our own, as I'm sure you saw," her eyes glittered with hate, "at that carnival that our king put on." She sighed and turned around, opening the big iron door. "Come in."
Lily and Reaver stepped in, moving out of the way as the woman shut the big door behind them. Three pairs of sad eyes turned on the two of them, then Page moved to stand with her friends.
"The woman is called Lily, and that is her partner, Jack," the dark woman explained, waving at the pair. "They said they want to help aid in the rebellion."
The shortest of the three stepped forward. His face was molded into barely concealed fury and sorrow, but he managed a smile. "My name is Ben Finn, a pleasure to meet you." He nodded at Reaver and kissed Lily's hand, smiling charmingly.
"Nice to meet you," Lily said quietly, and Reaver simply nodded.
The tallest, who also sported a full beard and mustache and carried a staggeringly large sword nodded at the two. "My name is Walter. Our apologies for the welcoming party outside, we are a little on edge at the moment."
The prince stepped toward the table and smiled. "I'm sure you heard about the execution. Major Swift was one of our own, his loss is a heavy blow."
"So how do you two plan on helping?" Ben asked, leaning back against the table.
Lily shrugged and put a hand over Reaver's hand as it twitched at his Dragonstomper. "We are capable. What do you need at the moment?"
"Can you work a boat?" the prince asked, looking at Lily in an odd fashion.
Reaver grinned. "I've spent a good deal of time on boats. I could be of use."
"While you were at Driftwood, I imagine," Page clipped. She was frowning at Reaver, examining him.
Lily nodded. "We had a houseboat, for a time. That and Jack used to help as a hand with some of the boats that came around there. It was a way to make extra money."
"You can make it float towards a destination at least, can you?" Ben Finn asked eagerly.
Reaver swallowed, his hand coming to a full rest on his gun. "I can. Quite well, in fact."
The prince straightened. "Can you fight?"
Lily smiled and gestured at their weapons. "We can hold our own."
The boy suddenly drew his gun and fired it at Lily. She ticked to the right as the bullet whizzed past her and tinged off the iron door behind her. Her sword and gun were out before she had even recovered from the maneuver, both pointed meaningfully at the prince. Her smile remained lazily on her face as the rest of the room drew their weapons.
"None of this now," the girl said cheerfully, her eyes glinting with danger. "We're all friends here."
The prince smiled and lowered his gun. "So you're fast, but how well can you handle that sword?" He was up and vaulting over the table, feet aimed at Lily's chest.
She dodged out of the way so his feet connected with nothing but air and swung her sword down at his neck as he landed. His blade snicked at her hilt and knuckles, causing her to hiss and skitter back as he brought the blade towards her feet.
Lily's ear ticked as a hammer clicked into place on a familiar weapon. She turned her head back at Reaver, who had his gun pointed meaningfully at the prince. "No," she said, motioning for him to put it down. His black eyes glittered at her, and his gun remained pointed at the prince.
The boy didn't even seem to notice and took her momentary distraction as a chance to strike. He leapt up and lunged at her unguarded midriff, ready to strike her through. Lily easily parried away, leaping lightly to the top of the map table and striking down at him. He blocked several of her blows, then pulled out his gun and unexpectedly bludgeoned her legs with the handle. She fell back heavily, the mountaintop of Mistpeak bruising her shoulder blade painfully. She hissed, but rolled backwards as the prince's sword cut into the wooden ocean on the table. His blade lodged deeply into the soft, painted wood, and for a moment he struggled to remove it.
That momentary struggle was enough, and Lily had her blade to his throat and her gun to the front of his head, her foot resting on his blade so he could not lift it.
"Well done!" the large, bearded soldier chuckled, clapping his hands. "I taught the boy myself, but it appears I could have taught him better."
Lily jumped down from the table, noticing that Reaver had holstered his pistol and was grinning slightly. She smiled back at him, feeling a little proud. She turned back towards the prince and helped him remove his blade from the wood. "That wasn't easy. You know what you're doing."
"Yeah, but you beat me pretty soundly," the boy said ruefully, sheathing his blade. He grinned at Page. "What do all of you think?"
Ben chuckled. "A girl who fights like a whirlwind and a boy who can properly man a boat? Sounds like we won't be sailing with so few after all."
Lily blinked. "Sailing? Where are you sailing to?"
The prince put a finger down on the wooden map, pointing at the south most part of it. "There. We are sailing to Aurora."
Reaver stepped forward, a frown creasing his face. "Aurora?"
"Aye," the big soldier said. "We have reason to believe that we can find allies in Aurora."
"With what ship?" Reaver asked, brushing his fingers against the map table.
Ben smiled. "A travel ship is sitting in the docks right now, a pretty little sloop. They just finished fixing it up and giving it all her trimmings, so that's the one we will be taking."
Reaver's black eyes turned on the boy. "Who's ship is it?"
"One of Reavers," Page spat, her face twisting with hate. "But he had cost us so much, he cannot begrudge us one sloop. I doubt he will even know it's gone."
"Oh, I think he might," Reaver said quietly, his eyes narrowing at the dark woman.
Walter frowned. "How? He has whole fleets. Why would he notice one sloop missing?"
Lily grabbed Reaver's arm tightly. "Don't they take some sort of inventory for that sort of thing?" she asked loudly, staring at the wooden map. "But you guys are probably right, he probably won't notice. And if he does notice, I doubt he will care." She glared up at Reaver. "Right, Jack, m'dear?"
He flashed a strained smile at her. "Of course, m'pet."
Ben shoved himself off the table and grinned. "Well then, it's settled. We all catch a quick nap, rest up, vittle up, then head out and take that ship, and we'll be on our way to Aurora!"