Disclaimer: I don't own DB, DBZ or DBGT
Chapter 2
The seventeen-year-old marchioness smiled as Lord Goten entered the Castle Library, looking around with a rather lost expression in his eyes. Holding her skirts so they would not rustle, she tiptoed up to him, placing her hands in front of his eyes. "Guess who?"
"Bra?" Goten spun around, his hands grabbing hers, and attempted to bow, his feet tangling with her silk skirts and bringing himself down upon her. They lay there, gazing into each other's eyes for a split second before Goten realised what had happened and hurriedly rolled off, reaching out a hand to help the young marchioness up.
Red with embarrassment, he bowed, trying to hide his face. "My lady."
"My lord." Bra's giggle made him look up in surprise. She stood there, shoulders shaking in barely controlled laughter. "Do you always greet the ladies so? It is no wonder that any lady here who is not swooning over my brother is fantasying about you."
"It was but an accident, my lady. I do apologise if you find offence." Goten mumbled. At least she hasn't slapped me…
"Offence? No, no my good lord." Bra grinned. "I was my fault for surprising you so." She giggled again and winked. "Just don't do this too often in public, Lord Goten. People will get ideas."
"They won't be far from the truth…" Goten trailed off, returning her grin. She wasn't mad at him! Smiling, he cupped his hands on his love's cheeks; bring her into a long…passionate kiss…
~
The wind howled at the invisible moon swirling ferociously around the city slums, bringing with it a surge of blanketing rain.
In their flat at the back of their landlord's home, Marron and Rei sat huddled upon a straw mattress. Rei, with saucer-wide eyes cringing every time lightning pierced briefly through the dirty windowpane and was followed by a growl of thunder. Marron, hugging Rei, whispering words of comfort in the ten year old's ear, while her eyes scanned the room's leaks with worry. They had already used all the pans in the flat…what if another leak sprung…? As if on cue, she felt a cold trickle of water down her neck.
Cursing obscenities under her breath, Marron gently picked up the whimpering Rei and put her in a dry corner by the fire before dragging the mattress out of the dripping water. She had learnt the hard way what happens to the sweet smelling straw mattresses when they get wet and she'd be damned if it happened again.
Scanning her eyes around the room, she picked up a wooded model of a sailing ship. Uncle Yamcha had made it for her when he saw her curiosity of the many ships that docked at the city's port. The water would ruin the wood… Shaking her head, she angrily wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye. Don't mourn him, you don't deserve to… Pushing her thoughts to the back of her mind, she shoved the tiny vessel under the running water droplets, before turning to Rei…
~
Trunks paced the floor of his study, mumbling the clues to the mystery of 'The Cat' to himself. Who the hell was this character? And why the hell could they never catch him? Even the Lord Provost had run out of ideas. And if he didn't catch this culprit soon… Trunks paused and shook his head There was no use going down that line of thought. Any individual might be a pleasant, sane person, but People was different. People was an animal, so fickle and insane, it could turn on you just because of a change in the wind… Huffing out a breath, Trunks made a face. They would catch him…he would catch him…
~
"Marron…Marron…" She felt water dripping on her face and wondered momentarily if the roof was leaking again. Didn't the storm finish? Opening one bleary blue orb she saw Rei's hazel eyes gaze back at her mischievously, a damp cloth was squeezing the droplets of water upon her face. Groaning she pushed Rei's hand away.
"Alright, alright, I'm awake."
"It's about time." Rie pouted. "I've been trying to wake you up for ages!"
"Uh-huh…" Marron sat up, rolling the kinks out of her neck. She looked at Rei warily. It had been past midnight before the fear-stricken en year old had been convinced to sleep…and yet Rei was already up and bouncing with energy. "Any reason for waking me up at this unholy hour of the morning?"
"Oh come on Marron! It's already midday!" Rei sighed, shaking her head. "And besides, I've found another job."
"Oh?"
"You
know Johnny Krindle? Rinverr Goldwinde's raising his family's rent by fifty
silvers a month! They're never gonna afford that!"
"And you want me to 'borrow' a bit of money off Goldwinde and five it to them as a gift?" Marron raised an eyebrow, splashig the water she had ladled into a wooden bowl on her face. "Don't you think that if I do that, Goldwinde'll raise their rent to compensate his loss?"
"But Marron! Riverr's gonna get the watchmen to kick their family out in three days if they don't cough up the money for the rent…and with Johnny's chest condition…"
Marron's face hardened. Damn Bags…why can't you all just mind you own business and leave us little people alone? With a sigh, she nodded. "Tonight."
~
The quarter moon's rays illuminated the rooftops, making them glow a wan silver light. Somewhere, someone coughs and then all is silent. Her body gluing to the pockets darkness, Marron crept over the silvern roofs with light-footed expertise.
Reaching the side of the Goldwinde mansion that faced an alleyway, she slid down, wrapping her legs around a gutter pipe, her hand feeling for the windowsill she knew would be there. The personal maid's quarters. The window no merchant would think of barring. One hand gripping the ledge, she oiled the hinges of the shutters before opening them soundlessly and slipping inside.
Making sure she had closed the shutters behind her, she didn't want the poor overworked thing who slept here to get the blame for her theft, Marron walked calmly through the dark corridor and into Goldwinde's room.
Her hand first emptying two fat purses into her own, she moved to the chest at the side of the room. She took out a thin wire and with practiced skill, picked the chest's lock, before flipping open the lid and bit back a gasp. The miser had been storing small fortune in jewels! A diamond the size of a small egg and a handful emeralds and rubies disappeared into the pouches at her belt. With a small flourish, she signed the Cat's Paw onto a piece of paper upon his writing desk and placed the two empty purses beside it before slipping back out through the valet's room – another shadow in the night.
~
Trunks gritted his teeth as he walked the city streets, talk of the newest Cat escapade in every whisper around him. Who was this damned person? And how did he come in and out leaving behind no clue except his 'sign'?
"Flower, mister?" The voice pierced through his thoughts. Trunks looked down to see a small, hazel-eyed imp holding out a basket of cream roses to him.
"Sorry miss, not today." Shrugging the little girl off, he continued on his way, before a tiny tug at his belt stopped him. Grabbing the brown hand that had enclosed itself upon his purse, he spun around to see the hazel eyed flower girl, squirming to get out of his grip. A pick pocket…
Pulling her hand off his purse, Trunks dragged her into the nearest alley.
"And just what do you think you were doing?"
"I…I…" Rei stammered, looking out the man that had caught her at her art. There was no use doing the innocent act…he had caught her with her hand at his purse…it was far to late for that…
Widening her eyes to look as pitiful as possible, Rei stammered out a few words, lying between her teeth. "I…I…I'm sorry sir. It's just that my mama told me that I had to bring home fifty coppers or she'll beat me, starve me, and lock me in the cupboard!" Seeing the man's eyes soften, Rei smirked inwardly. This was working… She widened her eyes even more, two fat teardrops spilling down her cheeks. "Please sir, help me…half the day's gone and I haven't got a single copper…mama's gonna get really mad…I don't want another beating mister! I'm still healing from the last time." She rolled up a lemon shirtsleeve to reveal the ugly yellowing bruise she had received from falling off the stairs.
Trunks sighed in defeat. The poor little mite… Perhaps he should go and talk to her mother…he didn't want her to receive another beating and she definitely didn't deserve to be sent to the mines for pocket picking just this once…
Dropping down to one knee so they were at the same eye level, Trunks smiled gently. "Don't worry." He opened his purse and pressed fifty silvers into her hand. "This is for you. Take me to your home. I'd like to have a talk with your mother. Make sure this never happens to you again."
~
Smiling and nodding to keep up her act, Rei was panicking inside. Uh-oh… Marron's not gonna like this…