(Disclaimer: I own none of the characters, the major plot, and some of the dialogue but most of the subplots belong to me)

Friday, April 3, 246

Daymarket wasn't as lively as Nightmarket but it sure had some activity about. I strolled among the people, receiving several interested glances from mots I didn't know. It was too early to get friendly with them anyway. I had just woken not but an hour before and I had something to do. I need to find that Puppy.

I decided on some breakfast and found Mistress Noll's stall. Last night, I had heard people say she was the best with spice rolls and such. I leaned up against the stall so I was half turned to the rest of the market. "Good to see you again," the old woman greeted. I was impressed that she remembered me. She had to have hundreds of customers a day. Could she remember me by face? "I hope those fritters were to your liking," she said to me. She remembered me and she remembered me well. For an old mot, her memory was more impressive than some of the rushers at court…then again, half of the rogues there were scuts.

"What would you like today?" I looked at the variety set before my eyes. They were all warm and delicious looking. I settled on a turnover and a cinnamon raison patty. They both looked good to me and I like to have a couple of choices in my meals.

She handed me my food in a handkerchief I had given her. It was one of my extras I carried. "Thank you," I said to her. I was about to leave, but decided against it. "Excuse me," I said politely. Mistress Noll looked up at me with raised eyebrows. "I was wondering if you could point me to where a gixie named Beka Cooper lives."

"Beka?" the baker said. The tone in her voice made it obvious that she knew her. "She lives on Nipcopper Close," she told me as though everyone knew. Maybe everyone did. It didn't seem as though a lot of people lived here. "I'm not entirely sure which place but I do know Nipcopper Close." I thanked her again and was about to leave. "Wait," she told me, taking a hold of my wrist with a strong hand. "She had a bit of a chase last night. I don't know how well she'll be to visitors if the poor gixie is well enough to stand. She had a pretty tough chase."

"Really?" That was news I hadn't heard the full detail of. I heard a vague telling but not in as much detail at the old baker was telling me. "Did she bag 'em?"

"Of course she did," she said waving her hand at some passersby. "Beka chased her all around the Cesspool until they was near the North Gate. Then she dragged the drunken mot to the Jane Street Kennel." I might have been new in the City, but I knew how long of a distance it was from the North Gate to the Kennel. "That mot was drunk on hotblood wine; it gave her quite a bout of energy." Just then, more customers came by to get breakfast for themselves. I decided that I should leave.

Along the way, I heard more about Beka's chase. I had even heard more about the mot that she took down. I had shortened it to a more simpler version:

The woman beat her husband and three children often. She made a lot of ruckus doing so, causing the neighbors to be disturbed. Then Beka and her Dogs came about and the mot Dog was struck – hard. I couldn't imagine. That Goodwin mot looked tough. The woman, Orva, jumped out of her window, Beka followed and continued to follow until she caught her.

With the help of a few coves and mots, I found my way to Nipcopper Close. I didn't have to look hard to find the Pup. She was standing before her lodgings glaring at two little gixies, draped in ragged clothes. They glared at each other. Then one of the gixies threw a cabbages at Beka; she dodged it easily.

"Y' took our mama!" cried the oldest of the gixies. I assumed it was the children of Orva Ashmiller. "Giver 'er back, Y' stinkin' puttock." The gixie's sister began to cry. I decided to approach the area slowly. People pretended not to watch as they passed by.

Beka made a face. It was a mixture of feelings. I couldn't tell what she was thinking. Her nob wasn't as simple as Kora or Aniki's. Her expressions were much more difficult to translate. "Your mama did a bad thing when she struck a Dog with a knife," she told the sickly thin children. "There is no forgiving that under the King's law. You draw a blade on a Dog, the Magistrate sends you to prison. If your mama behaves, she'll come home one day. But she was going to prison the moment she attacked Guardswoman Goodwin with steel."

I sighed. I had enough of Beka's preaching about the law. As a rogue, I didn't usually follow the law. It tends to get in the way of my morals. I stepped in unnoticed until I said, "Here, you beggars – you've done enough damage! Scat!" I slipped two coppers into my fingers. I would pay them to leave so I could go about my business with Beka. "Be grateful you're still alive alive to cry for your ma. Be gratefuller still your da has two eyes in his head yet." Oh yes, I heard about the damage that Cesspool mot had done to her husband.

I flipped them their coppers and they were off, chasing the money. I put my hands in my pockets. I could see that Beka was observing me carefully. I was positive that she saw the prints of my weapons. She was a keen gixie. I noticed her eyes pass over my clothes. They were clean from muck of the sort. Kora made me a charm to keep it off after what happened yesterday.

There was a stain on the front of her tunic. Pity, the children must have hit her the first time. "Here," I said, taking Kora's charm from around my neck. It was the least I could do and it was my secret congratulations on bagging that drunken mot. "Kora made it for me, to get stains out of my clothes. She dose very good charms, our Kora." I looked at the around neighborhood as though I didn't take a good look at it before. "Nice neighborhood, this. Handy to the markets and the riverfront."

Beka looked about her street with a bit of a hesitant gleam. I didn't know if she were wary of me or of my charm. Whatever the case, she used the charm on her stains. The muck from her shirt fell as though it were just meant to last for those few moments.

"Thanks," she said as she returned the charm to me. There was a bit of relief in her eyes. "Appreciate it. I don't owe you anything, though."

That caught me a bit off guard but I said naught. I didn't even let my expression change on my face. I just waved her words aside with my next words. "Look, Cooper, I insulted you, offering a noble last night – I see that now. I was naughty." Wow, that slipped. I was interested in hearing her bit of information – truthfully, my curiosity was hungry for the knowledge of what was in the wrapping.

The gixie gave me a sidelong glance. It was interesting how she still had the air of a Dog around her – hell, she was just a Pup but had a Dog-like air. I can't say better for other Dogs. Something drew my eyes downward as it touched my thigh. It was that cat with the purples eyes. He stretched and drew his claws into my leggings.

"Look here," I say to the cat, "whoever you are, I am not a scratching post." I bent low and pet the odd cat. There was something about him that made me want to pet him sometimes. I even forgot about my ripped clothes. It was then I decided to strike a deal with the Pup. "A noble and a half."

She nibbled her lip. I stared, watching her lips just for a moment longer than I would have originally. "You don't want to know bad enough, I suppose. Pity." A thought passed in my mind. What could have possibly been in that wrap?

I made a face. If upped the bribe to see how far she could go, then I would have to withdraw my deal. "Two silver nobles. It had better be worth it," I told her.

There was something in her eyes that made me want to take back all of my interesting in the Puppy but then she held out her palm at me. "Pay up." There was something wicked being her blue-gray eyes that I liked. As I paid her, her cat quickly jumped for her shoulder.

I took a step forward, slipping the money in her hand as I said, "Interesting cat, he is." I scratched his chin.

"Rough, sparkling stones, very colorful, tucked in reddish rock like the kind you find all over the Lower City." Her voice was soft. "My Dogs have never seen any like them. We had another stone like these. Crookshank's grandson gave it to his wife, who's a friend of mine." For a Pup, she had friends in strange places. "My Dogs will find a mage to see what they are." She hesitated to tell me something else, but then remained silent.

"Stones that two experienced Dogs can't name? That's a curiosity." I was thinking more out loud than I was speaking to her. "This Lower City of yours is all tied in knots, you know." I looked down at her. She was just a few inches shorter than me. "You take care, Cooper, before you get strangled." It was a good bit of advice and encouragement for her. She might need it as a Puppy.

I was already walking away when I heard her voice echo across the buildings with her retort. "I'm not a cove who's a bit too interesting and a bit to fast at Kayfer's Court," she said. I looked around the neighborhood, whistling, in a strangely good mood. I got the information out of her, though it wasn't too hard of a push to get it out of her.

I knew for a fact that I would be seeing more of the Puppy and I liked that idea. She was a witty gixie and I knew that Kora and Aniki really like her. Maybe a few visits were in order. Then a better idea jumped into my nob. I began to ask around for the owner of the buildings. I found myself directed to her within minutes. She was an aging mot but still a kind looking one.

"Excuse me," I said to the woman. She looked up at me with sheer surprise. She set down her sewing and stood up to greet me properly. "I was wondering if you have any other lodgings opened? I need three rooms if that means anything."

"The rent is four silver nobles a month," she told me. Four silver nobles? That wasn't too bad compared to the other places I had looked into before. "Any place specific?" I knew then she saw me talking to Beka. She must have known I was interested.

"I just need three rooms," I told her. I knew Beka would be suspicious if we moved in with her.

"Then I have the perfect place for you," she said giving me a smile. "There is one tenant there so far. Her name is Beka Cooper." Oh good, she was going to douse me in my sleep. "There are two rooms downstairs and one room up." I nodded. "If you want the rooms you best pay up now. It's five silver nobles a room."

"Can we settle the rest of this later tonight?" I asked her. "I will have the payment by tonight." I already had it but I needed to buy a few things. "But before I go, I need to know; are there only rooms." The landlady shook her head. She told me what the lodging entailed. "I'll come back again tonight with the payment. Don't let anyone get those rooms."

"Oh, I doubt that they will," the landlady said. "Not many people want to live with a Puppy. Especially since what happened last night."

I smiled at her and nodded. Turning around, I see Ulsa strolling down the street. What was she doing there? Shouldn't she be with her Rogue at about this time? I was just going to ignore her, but she was already making her way to me.

"Good morning," she said as though we were old friends. "Rosto, right?"

"Yes," I said hiding my wariness with fake cheer. "How are you this fine morning?"

"Excellent," she told me. "But I'm not here to talk about weather. I have sommat to ask you." I waited with raised eyebrows. "I want you as part of my court."

"That wasn't a question," I told her. My remark took her by surprise. Apparently, she thinks I'm an idiot. "If you have a proper question, I may have a proper answer." Sometimes, I can't help but give people a hard time, especially the ones that I don't really enjoy.

"Do you need work?" she prompted. I nodded. Who didn't nowadays? "Would you like to work with me?"

"We'll talk about it again tonight," I told her, taking my leave. "At the Court of Rogue." Of course I was going to say yes. I needed the coin but from experience, I knew that accepting an offer seemed too eager. I was going tell her may answer tonight.

Kora and Aniki were waiting for me by the inn. Aniki looked as bored as she ever. She lacked excitement in her life. That's why she wanted to come to Corus with me. Kora wanted to come because she didn't like scrounging for food and we all wanted a good bit of entertainment. But the only source of amusement I found was with the Dogs. They were so different compared to those in Scanra. The Court still had yet to catch my interest, though last night wasn't too bad. Oh, that's right, because two Dogs and their Puppy were there to amuse us.

"Where have you been?" Kora asked like a worried mother. "You took a long time."

"I was just taking a look," I told them with a shrug. They didn't need to know every thing I was up to.

"Taking a look? At a certain Puppy?" Aniki asked. I glared at her. This mot always read me like an open book. "Oh, Rosto, you sly spintry. Do you honestly need a third?"

"I'm not interested," I told her. "Though, I did find us some nice lodgings, if you are interested. It's cheap and affordable for the three of us. All we need to do is buy a few things before we move in." I told them the price of the rent and other things that the landlady told me.

"You said there was another tenant there," Kora said. I was hoping that they wouldn't ask who it was. "Who is it?"

I hesitated with an answer. Aniki laughed. She knew. "Beka," I said. "It was the only one that the landlady would really tell me about because she saw me talking to Beka this morning." Kora nodded looking at me with a smile in her eyes. "Either that, or she knows that I'm a rusher and she wants me to live with a Dog-to-be."

"I think choice two," Aniki said. "Did you hear about what Beka did last night?"

"Yeah, Mistress Noll told me when I was getting a quick morning meal," I told them. "She's a terrier, I hear."

From Fishpuppy to Terrier," Aniki said. "This gixie is going to get places fast." Kora and I agreed with her. "I can see why you find her so appealing," Aniki told me.

"What?" I asked. "I only went to see her today because she knew what was in the wrap I took last night. Oh," I said beckoning them closer. "She told me some interesting things today." I told them of the mystery stone.

"The Dogs don't even know what it is?" Kora said. "That's interesting. It must be rare."

"Why would Crookshank be carrying it to the Court of Rogue?" Aniki asked. "And what is the Shadow Snake? Since the moment we got into the city all I have are questions."

"With easy answers," Kora said. "The Shadow Snake is a tale that parents would tell their children to keep them mannered or behaved. In the tale the Snake would kidnap children and sometimes kill them."

"Folk would actually tell that story to their children?" Aniki asked before I could. It was a bit of a dark story for the younger children. It probably scared them – which was probably the point. "That's a bit harsh don't you think?" I shrugged at her.

"I need to go find those herbs," Kora said. "I need to start making ointments and creams so I can sell them."

"Are you going to see the Rogue with us tonight?" Aniki asked.

"No," she said in her soft voice. "I am going to ask some laundresses if they are hiring. I would rather work on being a hedgewitch than a rogue if we are going to be livin' with a Puppy. She'll need to have at least one honest person to live with."

"Are you saying that we aren't honest folk," I asked feeling offended by her comment.

"No," she said. "I'm just saying, if you don't want her to bag you you're going to have to keep your yap shut about what you do on your nights. Beka doesn't seem like the kind of gixie to defend a friend if they did wrong. She knows that they need to be thrown out." Kora was right. Beka had to be kept in the dark about a lot of our work. I was sure she wouldn't enjoy hearing them.

Written After Midnight

The court wasn't as interesting tonight as it was the night before. I should have expected it to be as such. The lazy man Kayfer sat on his ass like he usually did and ordered people about. I placed myself against the wall where I could see the goings on in the room. There was more games of dice about than before. People were getting desperate for coin nowadays; they would do anything for it. More and more puttocks are appearing around the Cesspool.

"So have you decided," Ulsa asked. She wore clothes to impress and impress is what she did for most of the coves about the court. I could tell that she was a bit annoyed with my response this morning so I decided to make it easy for her.

"Yes," I told her. "I'll take you up on your offer." I gave her one of my sharp smiles and looked her straight in the eyes. "When do I begin trailing behind you?"

"Tonight," the chief of Prettybone told me. "We will be leaving soon. Aniki is wanted by someone else." Aniki waved at the sound of her name. She was only half listening to the conversation. Most of her attention was on the game of dice before her.

A moment later, Dawull approached her, offering her a job. She shrugged and said a simple "sure." Dawull laughed at her rather simple answer but her shook her hand. He led her over to meet the rest of his crew.

"Come," Ulsa said. "I'm going to have to explain how I run things in my district." I pushed myself off of the wall and made my way out. Honestly, the way she ran things was what I considered active. I spent most of the night thieving things from the folk in Prettybone. The Dogs there were easy to slip past. Often times, Ulsa would compliment me on my quickness. We returned to a tavern where she seemed to set up her own court and had a few drinks. I didn't want to have too many. I needed my senses for the walk back.

"You're extra careful about the Dogs," she said in my ear. I was being a little wary. If I was going to live with a Puppy, then the Dogs would know where to "sniff" me out. And Beka wouldn't let me slip by so easily, I was sure of it. There was something in her eyes that said she didn't trust me. Mayhap it was because I was a rusher.

After Ulsa decided that she wanted to rest, I went to the landlady. I knocked on her door softly. She opened it, expecting me. "Hello, mistress," I greeted her. "I have the money," I told her. I handed her twelve silver nobles. She nodded. "Is that it?"

"When will you be moving in?" she asked.

"In the morning, mistress," I told her. She nodded. We finished our business and she let me out. Returning to the inn, where Kora was already in bed sleeping, I slipped into my room. Aniki was sitting in the chair waiting for me, looking rather tired. "What's wrong with you?" It looked as though she were in the midst of getting undressed.

"Just thinking," she said. "I owe Beka's Dog two silver nobles." She stood and kissed my cheek. "I'm going to bed. Dawull's crew was a bit rowdy tonight." Rowdy? They must've been very rowdy in to make Aniki tired.

I sat on my bed, thinking. Then I suddenly had the urge to bathe. I had one this morning, but I still wanted to sit in the warm water. And I liked to stay clean. I might not be able to wash up tomorrow if I'm moving in most of the morning.

No one was in the bathhouse, only those who worked at night. I decided to make it a quick bath. The folk working looked tired. When I finished I tipped them and went on my way back to the inn.

My writing is getting sloppy with my weariness. Tomorrow I'm moving in with a Puppy. I am going to need my strength.

A/N: Sorry for the wait. Things came up and I was delayed. I kind of rushed through this chapter. Sorry about that too. I'll fix it later. I have to fix my first two as well.