"Dang it, did it have to be tonight?"

Lightning and thunder crackled above Silver, as the rain mercilessly drenched him. The fact that it was close to midnight and that he had forgotten to bring any rain gear did nothing to improve his mood.

But then Wallace had insisted that they meet at night, and this night, no less. And of course, to win his new master's trust, there were some things he had to put up with.

Though Silver couldn't help admitting that Lance, a hard taskmaster, had at least never demanded that his subordinates sacrifice their health or sleep. But now, there was no going back – and besides, he wanted to see Shadow…

The girl in question drifted to his side mere seconds after his last thought. Seeing her fully protected with her hooded cloak, he couldn't help a rueful smile.

Without warning, Shadow lifted the edge of her cloak and draped it around Silver.

Silver was taken aback by the kind gesture. Shadow was not known to be kind, or fond of giving gestures.

Several moments passed in mutual silence as rain thrummed the empty streets around them. Then Shadow said, quietly, devoid of emotion, "Interesting thing, about Lance."

Silver couldn't suppress the jolt of jealousy that surged through him. Even though Shadow had always been introverted and antisocial as far as he had known her, she always seemed to show genuine concern - or at least interest - towards Lance. But no one else.

"I mean, I'm merely curious what you think about why he would support Red."

Silver raised an eyebrow. "Am I to analyze my master's personal reasons?"

"I suspect you would very much like to."

Regretfully, Silver shook his head. "No idea. No one really knows – I doubt that even Red knows why. Anyway," he added in a moment's sharpness, "I thought you would have a better idea, seeing as you shared Lance's bed for a few years, and you're always hovering around him."

"It wasn't the same thing. It's just unusual that Lance would do such a risky thing. He likes to play it cautious and safe." Although her voice was calm, Silver's intuition told him she wasn't telling all that she knew. "Though, I suppose, you played it risky too. Because of Blue?" Shadow added.

Silver sighed. Shadow was very good at reading people, and having eked out a living together in Lance's camp for several years, he couldn't really hide his motives from her.

"Yes, it's Blue." As a child, Blue's parents, the late King and Queen of Egypt, had adopted him. However, civil unrest in his teens meant he had had to flee to Rome with Blue, and while the crown princess had been welcomed back to Egypt some time later, being only an adopted child, and considering his induction into the elderly politician Pryce's faction, Silver had never returned to Egypt since. Still, he always thought of Blue as his own sister, and he could never forgive Red for having affairs – and even a wife, no less – whilst courting the beautiful Queen at the same time.

"And your role in this is?" he questioned her.

"An informer, spy, traitor, whatever you would like to call it."

"And your reason for this?" he persisted.

"Lance is headed for disaster," she replied distantly.

"Rats desert a sinking ship," he smiled self-disparagingly.

"Only this time we might even drown the crew," she murmured.

"Ah, there you are."

"Haven't transmogrified on the spot," Shadow returned flatly.

Wallace emerged, smiling disarmingly. Silver imagined he was faintly amused at watching the two young people huddle under a rain-slicked cloak.

"To get down to business. First, we must convince Steven that he must take part and lead us to dispose Red. A wave of support from the public would be encouraging."

"And how are we to get this?"

A pause.

"Fine then, I'll rephrase the question. And how are we to forge this?"

Wallace looked troubled. "I would avoid any dishonest means if possible – "

"Except that it's now impossible to avoid that," Shadow said.

"You do realize how risky this is. We have plenty of support and strength, but it may not be enough. Especially against Lance."

Silver noticed that Wallace had looked straight at him during the last comment. Of course, being the most recent and notable deserter of Lance's, he was expected to know the most about the current situation.

"The actual party is divided. Though the plebs support Red mostly – he's good at running a campaign."

"Then secondly, we need to prepare for all eventualities – war, even. If you have – greetings, Winona," Wallace broke off as the lavender-hair woman appeared out of the gloom.

Winona returned his greetings. "I brought Brawly as well," she added.

The stoic hard-fighting general nodded at the assembly. Wallace was pleased - not just because Brawly would provide military backup, but because Winona had found someone else to cling to. Emotionally. At least she had seemed to have gotten over him breaking the news to her about the fact that would never be able to love her. Not because of her, but rather himself.

"Very well, then," Wallace went on, "Silver, I trust your pen to be sharp. Write any amount - preferably as many as possible - of letters supposedly from members of the public to Steven. But let me see them first - we'll handle the process of giving them to Steven together. Shadow, stay close to Lance and Red and find out as much as possible. Winona, try to canvass support from the masses. Brawly - well, it would be helpful to have some military backup.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen? You may leave."

And, as quietly as they had appeared, the conspirators disappeared into the night.