(Disclaimer: I do not of the characters, the major plot and some of the dialogue but most of the subplots belong to me)

Saturday, April 4, 246

The sun was on the verge of rising over the horizon when I woke. I could hear Kora shuffling about in her room. What was she doing up so early? I wondered to myself.

I dragged my sorry self out of bed and was greeted by a faint chill of the morning. I had never woken up so early since my arrival in Corus but it was a good thing I did. There were still some things I needed to get. I looked around my room and saw that there packs stacked near my door.

"Kora!" I exclaimed. In the room beside me, I heard Kora squeak. She was caught. I burst into her room and snarled at her. "You didn't happen to go into my room did you?" She didn't say anything, just rolled her eyes and continued to put her things in to packs and trunks. "Do I not get an answer?"

"Yes," Kora said. "I did go into your room because I knew you weren't going to pack your things until last minute. I don't know about you or Aniki, but I don't want to stay here any longer. I want some place semi-permanent."

"You could have just woken me up!" I said, though I wasn't too angry with her. She had been eager to find a place to settle down. She had always been like that but she never found the perfect spot. "Did you wake Aniki?"

"No need," she said from behind me. "You're bellow could be heard through all of Corus, I'm sure of it." She leaned back on the wall across from Kora's door. "May I ask why we are up so early?"

"Because we are moving!" Kora said. Excitement filled her eyes. I turned to see Aniki's reaction, and just as I suspected she rolled her eyes. "Do you think I would wake up this early for nothing?" Kora asked putting her hands on her hips. She had us there. Aniki and I both knew that Kora wasn't one for early morning adventures. She became pissy and threw fire charms at the person disturbing her peace.

"I'll get my stuff," Aniki said. Within an hour, we were ready to leave. "Rosto, help me with this, will you?" Aniki called from her room. I went in there and saw her standing next to a table. It was loaded with her packs. I didn't ask why she was stealing the table. For the first time, I didn't want to know. I must've been making a face because she then said, "I like the table. It's sturdy and it's better than buying one." I didn't argue with her.

"How are we going to sneak this out?" I asked. I knew of several ways to sneak out the table but I wanted to hear her idea.

"We'll just sneak it out the back, through the kitchens. The cook is asleep still," Aniki said in a matter-of-fact way. "He will be asleep for another two hours."

"How long have you been planning on taking this table?" I asked. She didn't give me a proper answer, only shrugged. "Take off your packs," I told her. "Let's worry about the table first." It didn't take as long as I expected. Apparently, Aniki had been doing some exploring of the inn. She found a set of stairs the led straight to the kitchen, but it was the table that was difficult. It was heavier than it looked. But in the end, we were successful. The table sat in an alleyway, with Aniki guarding it while I returned to get the packs.

"Where have you been?" Kora asked me crossing her arms. I didn't tell her what we were up to, I just told her to bring her things to the back alley; Aniki was waiting. When I finished with the packs and trunks, Kora stood in front of me with laughter in her eyes. "You've been bad, I hear." I looked over at Aniki and she just smiled at me. "This will be a great way to win over a Puppy's trust. 'We brought a stolen table because we liked it so much that we just had to have it.' Nice."

"I'm glad you approve," I told her, giving her my most charming smile. She hit me lightly. "Okay, now we need to put some things on the table so we don't have to make three trips here and back." I looked around. My ladies seemed to have the most packs. "Why did you two bring so much?" I hadn't noticed when we entered Corus. It was probably because we paid some lad to carry them to our rooms. He looked as though he needed the coin and I wasn't willing to give to mumpers, at least not too easily.

We arrived to Nipcopper Close, though the journey was a little difficult. That table was heavier that it seemed. The further we went, the hard it was to carry. Kora took no part in the lifting. Whenever we'd pass food she would go and buy some, saying that she wished to have breakfast with Beka, or that Beka might like them. She's a pleaser, our Kora.

We were just in front of our lodgings when we heard someone shuffling around upstairs where the shutter was open. "It seems as our new neighbor is up," I muttered to myself. Aniki heard me and threw me a crooked smile.

"Kora," Aniki said, slightly struggled. "Open the door to my room. I want the one upstairs." Our room situation was then settled. It didn't matter which one I had. We began to carry up the heavy table to Aniki's room. As we were going up the stairs, a box fell from the table. I reached down to pick it up when Aniki said, "Rosto, leave that box! Kora can get the curst thing. If you try to grab it, you'll dump everything else down the stairs." She looked over her shoulder and said," I think we overloaded it."

I was finally on the landing when I saw who she was talking to. Beka stood in front of her door, wearing but her breeches and breastband. If I am greeted like that every morning, Corus might just be my home forever. Though I know I shouldn't be too hopeful. "Told you I liked the look of the street," I said to her, giving her a long look. At the moment, it wasn't the street I was enjoying. "And here's this place, with three sets of rooms nice and empty, for cheap. I rented 'em last night – me and Kora have the two rooms just down stairs, and you've got Aniki for a neighbor."

She stared at me for a moment then looked down at herself just realizing her lack of clothing. She screamed and slammed her door. I stood there silently laughing at her.

"Come on, Rosto!" Aniki said, pulling the table. I helped her place the table in the room that supplied only a bed, a desk, and a clothespress . All of the rooms looked the same. I went down to my own, carrying my packs with me to unload in my room.

I was starting to unpack and settle into my new home when I heard someone at my door. Quickly I spun around to see Kora, holding a basket. "We are going to ask Beka to breakfast, are you going to join us?"

"I will in a few minutes," I told her. "I'm just going to unpack some things." She nodded at me then left. I laid my things out on the bed before I put them away. I laid on my bed for a few minutes before I heard the sound of trampling feet going up the stairs and shouts from people I had never heard in my life.

"Beka! Beka!" A cove yelled. I stood up and peeked out my door but they trope was already upstairs. "Beka, you are not hiding in your rooms all day! You are having fun with your friends! You know, friends?" With another trope of people in Beka's room, I doubted that we had enough food for everyone so I went out and bought some more near the lodgings.

"You were there when Crookshank pitched his fit?" asked another cove as I was at Beka's doorway. "The word is he tried to kill the Rogue. Some Scanran pretty boy saved ol' Kayfer's life."

That's when I decided to make myself known. "That 'pretty boy' would be me," I said slowly, making sure he heard me. I stood in Beka's doorway looking down at them on the blanket. I heard the purple-eyed cat give a couple of noises that didn't sound rather normal to me but I tried to ignore that fact. When no one said anything, I looked at my ladies and Beka, saying, "I brought fresh food."

I found myself a spot and gave Beka the food. We had just finished introductions when Beka's friend Verene asked me why I was called the Piper. "I play well enough, don't I, girls?" I asked Kora and Aniki. They both nodded. I noticed that Kora kept peering at the boy called Ersken, though her eyes were subtle. I smiled thinly. I just lost a bed buddy, that's for sure.

I took out my flute that I kept in my tunic and played. The pretty gixie, Verene knew the tune and began to sing it while Kora danced for us. Kora was a good dancer but she rarely danced while I played my flute. She must have been trying to impress the new cove that she had her eye on.

Beka just watch, seeming slightly detached from the events. Pigeons kept coming and going and she would care for them like pets. What was really strange was that the cat didn't do anything about it. He just looked at them, tilted his head a little and look away. I think once he pushed a bird bread crumbs but that might have been my imagination.

Phelan, the cove that called me a 'pretty boy' and I discussed a wandering mage that we had both met in different towns. I was rather intrigued nonetheless. Before any of knew it was lunch time. We all chipped in a few coins and had someone run out and buy some sausage, cheese, and spinach tart before everyone, save Kora, went on duty.

To Kora's dismay, Ersken decided that he would go with Beka to get the food. I didn't say anything to Kora about the Pup whom she seemed to take a liking to, we would talk about that later. I flirted with Verene a little, but not too much. I didn't really want her getting such an idea. I flirted with a lot of gixies, there wasn't anything special about her. By the look on Phelan's face, he seemed as though he were interested in Verene. She might actually have a chance with him.

Ersken and Beka were silent when they returned. I could tell that something passed between them, like a silent understanding. Of course, that could have just been me being overly suspicious of the two of them. For a moment, I thought that there might have been something between the two of them, but they seemed too much like good friends. Before Ersken left early; he gave Beka a hug and kissed her on the head, friend-like.

The other two, that arrived with him, left just after him. Aniki, Kora and I helped clean up deciding who was going to hold what for the next breakfast. I returned to my room to finish unpacking my things. Though, I never finished. I became uneasy sitting in the room, trying to put things where they belong. I wanted to go out and take a look around some more before I went on duty in an hour.

I stepped out on the street and was greeted by some woman's child. He beamed up at me with his round eyes and held out a toy whittled out of wood. His mother looked at me with worry as though I were going to kidnap her child. "Good morning there, lad," I say to him bending down. "What is your name?" He mumbles some thing but I can't here. "You should wander too far from your mama, she might get worried." I stood and directed him to his mother. She gave me a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Good morning, is he yours?"

"Yes," she took her son by the arm, "Thank you." She hesitated for a moment then continued. "Are you the cove that is living with Beka Cooper?"

"Why, yes I am," I say looking back at my lodgings. "Why do you ask?"

"It's nothing," she said then turns into her own home. I walked away feeling slightly unnerved by the mot's behavior.

Written When Returned Home

Ulsa was just as impressive as she was everyday. Her silks made her look like a queen as she sat in a tavern in Prettybone. The Prettybone district didn't have many taverns and there was something about this on in particular that made me feel like she had it built here for her liking. It was early in the day when I arrived there. Thieving earlier was highly advised by Ulsa because that's when the folk with heavy purses are about.

I didn't thieve much myself, I spent most of my time as look out. I had to look good for the Puppy…at least for now. I just wanted to stay low until she was used to me. She may have taken a liking to my ladies but I could tell she was still wary of me.

"Rosto!" Ulsa called me as I was going out to look out. "I need to speak with you." I gave the coves an apologetic look then settled next to Ulsa. "I hear that you are living with Goodwin and Tunstall's Puppy."

"You heard right," I told her. "Why? Is there a problem with that?"

"Yes!" Ulsa hissed as she bent closer to me. Her eyes were determined. "Why must you live with a Puppy?"

"It was a cheap rental," I told her with a shrug. "And my ladies seemed to take a liking to the Pup. Now I can't break their hearts and make them move out." Not that I would. I thought I heard her snarl at me. "What are you worried about anyway? I'm a very careful man." I put a flat hand to my chest.

"She's going to bag you," Ulsa said. "She's a ruthless terrier, that Cooper."

I grinned at her. "I like a bit of a challenge, don't you Ulsa?" She glared at me. "If I can slip passed a terrier, then I can slip passed a lot of other common Dogs. Think of it as a practice for me." I stood up, dismissing myself from her. "Now, may I go back to my post?" She nodded. I walked out, shaking my head. I knew I shouldn't be harsh to the chief of the crew but I couldn't help myself. I'm not the type of person who stands there and takes orders. I'm the kind of person who gives the order and organizes a plot.

"Rosto," one of the coves I was looking out for called. "What did she want?"

"Nothing of importance," I told him.

"Is it 'bout living with a Puppy?" another cove asked. I rounded on the lanky cove who had just spoken. I could see that he was just asking a simple question, not mocking me. I relaxed.

"Yes," I told them honestly. "She doesn't want me living with the Puppy."

"It takes a lot of balls to live with someone on the opposite side of the fence, you know?" the first cove said. "She can bag ya while you're sleepin'."

"I doubt that," I mumbled. "Don't you think we should be doing our job instead of talking about my choice of a home?" The coves nodded. Within the hour, we picked ten pockets and stole five purses, without getting caught. I'd have to say, that was the best yet. We returned to the tavern where Ulsa was sitting on her bum, drinking a small mug of ale.

We turned in our takings. She inspected them carefully. When she was finished, she gave us an approving nod and gave us our share of what we had grabbed. That was how the Court of Rogue managed. There were folk who worked under the Rogue, who then hired other to work under them to do the dirty work. Whatever we stole, we only got a small cut from it. Then our chief would get a small cut from it. The rest went back to the Court of Rogue in a special room where the coin was safely kept.

It would have been easier to make coin by doing the thieving ourselves but the cut we didn't get to claim was to look out for the folk of the Lower City. It was supposed to help those who needed it. As I contemplate this, I wonder why are there still so many mumpers? Why is the Cesspool as big as it is? I know the answer. Our Rogue is a greedy, insensitive bastard. He refuses to help those who need it. But I doubt there will be any change soon.

Those two coves and I did a few more snatchings. We turned them in and decided that the rest was up to the others of Ulsa's crew. I got a round of ale for the three of us for a job well done when someone burst through the tavern. "Did you hear? Two Dogs and their Puppy are dancin' with some river dodgers."

"Two silvers say that the Puppy's going to die!" someone yelled. Bets took place on the death of the Puppy.

"What d'ya think?" one of the coves I worked with asked. "Do you think the Pup will live?"

"Who are the Dogs?" I asked loudly enough for the announcer of the fight to hear.

"Goodwin and Tunstall," he said.

I look back at the cove. "Two sliver on the Puppy, living." Beka was a strong-headed gixie. From what I could tell, she could keep her head on her shoulders through any fight. The cove smiled half-heartedly at me. "She's too stubborn to die now," I told him. He laughed.

Sure enough, I had won my two silver nobles later that night. "What do you say to one more outing before we go home?" the cove said, paying me my winnings. "Maybe will have some more luck." The coves and I set out, me again on the look out.

We spotted a wealthy looking man walking by, probably on his way home. Most wealthy folk didn't like walking about in the evening. They knew that there would be trouble once it got darker. It's easier to slip things in our pockets in the dark, that's why most crimes happen at night. Though, the Evening Watch is much tougher than the Day Watch, so I observed.

The younger of the two coves cut the purse from his belt and walked off casually down a near by alleyway. I knew that he was coming my way, as it was part of the plan.

"Hey!" someone yelled, making his way to me. It was a Dog. I can safely say I wasn't doing anything so I didn't try to run. Not that I would. I would be the easiest person to find considering who I lived with. "What are you doing just standing there?"

"I'm waiting for my ladies," I told him with a smile. "She and I are to meet here soon. I decided to stop there. If I continued on then the Dog might catch my lie. I was going to try to divert him from my 'suspicious way' when I heard a scream of a child. I looked at the Dog with a confused look and turned. "What the hell was that?"

"I don't know, but we'll find out," the Dog said. His partner, a mot with short cropped hair began down the alley. I found them to be idiotic for going together down the same alley. There were many escape routes down there. I was about to turn away when I remembered Kora. Kora would be furious if I let a child get hurt when I could have done something. Oh how I hate heroics.

I sprinted down the street where there was another entrance. The coves I was working with saw me and shouted my mine. "Bring it back to Ulsa and make sure I get my cut. I'll be there in a moment." I ran down the garbage riddled alley that reeked of rot and scummer. Prettybone wasn't any different from the Lower City when one went though the back ways.

Then before I could adjust my eyes to the darkness, I heard a someone running at me. The closer he got, the clearer I saw. When he was within reach, I hit him in the stomach. When he doubled over, I kicked his head hard with my heel before I ran off. I didn't want the Dogs to know of my deeds. I didn't want anyone to know of my deeds. I did it only for Kora and Kora alone.

I returned to the tavern and Ulsa handed me my cut. I nodded at her but my mind was drifting else where. I was curious to know what that man really did. I wanted to know if he hurt the child or killed the child. I was going to have to find out. But the happening itself needed to stay secret. I don't want people thinking that I'm soft-hearted.

After getting my cut, I decided on going home. Ulsa dismissed me an hour before but I stayed for one more thieving. As I walked back to Nipcopper Close, I saw rushers beating mumpers, mot and cove alike. It has put me in a fowl mood but it's too late to do anything now.

A/N: Happy New Year. I will try to update soon.