(A/N I decided to start this story on a whim, because I don't think there are enough Aly stories, and she's one of my favorite characters. It is going somewhere, and I have it planned out, and partly written, so just bear with me here...)
If the Duke is to be buried on Wednesday, and we are going to Pohon on Thursday, when does her Grace expect me to report to her? Aly wondered as she sat beside a fire, listening to the raka conspiracy reminisce about Lokeji. It's not as if I see her everyday! You're too tired for this, her mind replied. Take a break from being a spy and be a normal servant for once. But I don't want to be normal she argued with herself, I want to be me, and to do what I want, to be different.
"You are different, my dear, that's why YOU are the one I chose, and not, for example, your brother Alan" a voice said, startling everyone around the fire. Cries of "Who's there?" and "Show yourself!" resounded through the silent night as the raka grabbed weapons lying nearby and armed themselves.
"Shh, it's alright" Aly said, making motions with her hands to quiet everyone. She got up and walked around the stable buildings, reassuring others as she passed that it wasn't the enemy who'd called out, and the gods were still in their favor. If they ever were in our favor, anyway. She walked up to a lean, wiry man with a short beard, dressed as the raka did in a sarong. "What do you want, messing around like that and scaring them all out of their wits?" Aly hissed at the man, now revealed to be her patron god, Kyprioth, upon closer inspection.
"I was merely replying to a thought that I felt was worth replying to" he idly said, turning a ring around and around his finger. What does fiddling with things mean? I'm so out of practice with reading complex people, there aren't enough people here that are as complex as, say, Da.
"Well, don't do it! My thoughts are private, and mine alone!" Aly savagely said, turning away to walk back to the fire, where there was food, and the chills of night on Lombyn weren't so obvious.
"Darling, with me as your patron, you are never alone" Kyprioth smoothly said, still twisting his ring. What does it mean?
Aly remembered. "You're nervous about something, and probably scared because of the same thing" she accused. "What is it?"
"A trickster doesn't give up his secrets easily, but yes, I am nervous about something: you."
"Why would you be nervous about me? I just have to sit here and play the pretty servant girl until spring, when I really have to get to work" she said, fidgeting around so her sarong showed a little more skin than was necessary.
"Stop that" Kyprioth ordered, reaching toward her and pulling up the sarong to a level that was more decent. "If you don't want anyone to kill you before spring, you'll…." he drifted off, looking thoughtful. "You'll have to work harder to blend in."
"Fat chance of that!" Aly said, readjusting the sarong again. "Now why are you nervous?"
"You make me nervous, little one" Kyprioth said, pulling her sarong up again, then disappearing. What was that about? Aly walked back to the fire, and was pleased to see that Nawat had joined the gathered members.
"Aly!" Chenaol said, patting her on the back as she sat down. "Glad to see you came back from your tryst unscathed!" She handed Aly a jar of water, knowing that the girl would just throw any arak back at her.
"Tryst?" Aly said, after a moment. "I haven't met with anyone in that way since before I left home." She drank deeply from the jar of water, than stood up. "If that is all you wish to ask of me, I believe I will go to sleep."
"Aly, girl, we all know that you know that we had a reason for meeting tonight. You sneaking off with a lover was not part of it" Fesgao wryly said.
"I did not sneak off with a lover! I have no lover!" Aly said, annoyed.
"Then what were the noises we heard coming from the side of stable?" Junai asked, grinning. She didn't often sit in on these gatherings, but she usually had a knack for picking days that had interesting discussions.
"What noise…." Aly trailed off. KYPRIOTH! She silently screamed. What did you do to their ears?
He, of course, didn't reply. Gods! They think they can do whatever they want! "You were just hearing things."
"Are you sure we were just hearing things?" Chenaol said, grinning. Behind her, Nawat listened closely, as if this were an important discussion about the conspiracy.
"Positive."
(A/N So, was it any good? Kind of short, I know. I'm a really bad judge of my own stories, so...please review!)
