A/N: Here's chapter five! Not as quick as an update as the last chapter, but still not too long :D. And now for the first conversation between Beka and Rosto…drumroll please!

Chapter Five: Gambling and the Rogue

…When he straightened, he leaned against the wall opposite Beka and turned those black eyes on her for the first time. She was growing uncomfortable, when finally he said, "So. How was Port Caynn?"

How was Port Caynn?

What was he getting at? Rosto more than likely knew more of what had happened while she had been away than she did. Everyone knew about Pearl being taken in by the Dogs, and even though she had been there, it all seemed like a big, exhausting blur through sewer after sewer. Beka had no doubt that everyone, especially Rosto, knew more of the details than she did.

As for the thing with Dale, if what Ersken had told her was true- and there was no reason for him to lie- than Rosto knew about their relationship. To what extent she did not know, but he was plenty sore about it. He couldn't fool her with that casual question and relaxed stance. The tight-eyed look he regarded her with said it all.

Mirroring the tone of his seemingly nonchalant question, Beka replied simply, "It's not much different than Corus- if you take away the corruption, nasty sewers, and bawdy sailors of course."

"I warned you about them."

"And I heeded that warning soon enough." She chuckled slightly, indeed remembering the friendly sailors.

Rosto's grin was razor-sharp and devoid of any humor. "Then mayhap I should have also warned you about gamblers as well." It was little more than a murmur, but Beka heard it clearly. He watched her steadily.

Beka was the first to look away, blushing. "Yes, well," she said, looking anywhere but at him, "Port Caynn seemed to be a big gaming town. To warn me off gamblers would have allowed me little or no contact with any person in the city at all."

"Just as well," he said in that same quiet voice. His eyes were unwavering.

"I was part of a hunt, Rosto," she told him sternly, meeting his eyes again. "I wouldn't have been doing my job if I holed myself up in my lodgings, you know that."

"Yes," he said, looking out at the others gathered in the rooms, his eyes veiled in thought. Then he glanced back at her, his eyes intent, "So the coals were being passed through the gambling dens?"

She nodded. "Mostly, yes. Especially at the start. By the time Goodwin and I arrived in Port Caynn, however, most gamblers were already checking their silvers."

Rosto was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "And you saw this firsthand."

He didn't state it as a question. Beka matched his steady gaze. "Yes," she told him. "Goodwin and I saw many games played while in the city. She even joined in a few."

"And you didn't?"

"No, but I saw plenty being played. Most coves in the city favor the gambling dens."

"Indeed," said Rosto. "No doubt they favor the company of pretty mots as well."

Though he said it casually, Beka could see the hard look in his eyes. She wanted to tell him it was none of his business, but she kept her mouth shut. She knew he was not speaking in general terms, and she'd be a looby to fall into the trap his comment set. Instead, she remained silent, meeting his gaze steadily.

It was after a long silence in which they looked at each other until Rosto finally looked away, pushing himself off the wall he had been leaning against. She wasn't going to talk about it, and her eyes told him he'd better not try. Rosto held his tongue, fighting the urge to tell her what a looby she was getting herself involved with. "If you'll excuse me," he said instead, "it looks like some Dogs are setting up a card game on the other side of the room. If it's the game I think it is, I wish to learn it." He glanced back at Beka. "It's the biggest game out of Port Caynn, I hear. Mayhap you've heard of it. Gambler's Chance?"

When she didn't speak, he continued, "Perhaps you can teach me sometime. I'm sure you picked it up, hanging around the crowd you did while in Port Caynn and all. Mayhap you could even bring me luck."

He turned to walk away, but stopped. Then, leaning in, he told her softly, "By the way, nice baubles."

Then he walked off.

Beka stared after him. It was obvious he knew more about her and Dale than she had thought, and it stung him to the core. She could tell easily by his tight comments and the even tighter look in his dark eyes.

And what was he up to, mentioning he wanted to learn Gambler's Chance? She knew he was no more interested in learning the game than she was. Was it another way of letting her know that he knew about her and Dale? That much was obvious without words.

In training, it had been pounded into Beka's head that it was important to size up one's adversary, to know their tactics and study them before making a move. Was this Rosto's way of saying he would not give her up to Dale Rowan?

Beka almost laughed aloud. That was the craziest, silliest thing she had ever thought in her life, and here she thought only being in skirts made her think such silly things! She shook her head at such nonsense.

But still, she couldn't help but watch curiously as Rosto went and found a seat among the men playing Gambler's Chance. For all he was a rusher, and the king of them at that, Rosto rarely gambled. His whole life was based on gambling, but with lives, not coin. Why start now? She'd once heard him remark that it was foolish to waste good coin on mere games. At the time, Beka had said that the same could be said for his life, but Rosto had only grinned. Then he had said, "I don't mind gamblin' with that, as long as it gets me what I want." The words had no sooner left his mouth before he had pressed his lips to hers. Gambling, indeed. He gambled his life every time he stole a kiss from her, and one of these times- one of these times!- Beka swore to herself that he'd get what he had coming to him, taking advantage as he did!

If only his lips weren't so soft, or his kisses so sweet…

Pox and murrain! What was the matter with her? Only days ago she was curled up in Dale Rowan's arms, and here she was thinking about Rosto's kisses. Again, she didn't even have the excuse of wearing skirts to explain such silly thoughts!

"You don't last long being the Rogue with only good looks and fast blades. If that were so, you'd soon end up with a dead blade-wielding pretty boy decorating the street gutter."

Beka turned to see Kora, Ersken, and Aniki beside her. "What?" she asked Kora, who had spoken.

"We thought for sure that you'd be bagging your second Rogue tonight," she explained with a smile. "He's been wound up as tight as a coil these last few days."

"Well what does he expect me to do? Stop living?" Beka replied with frustration, more annoyed by her previous thoughts of Rosto's soft kisses.

"No, just stop having relationships with strange coves," Aniki answered with a grin.

"And has he not been doin' the same thing with mots and doxies?" demanded Beka, slipping slightly into her Lower City talk.

Aniki shrugged. "That's only happened since he got news of your…friend. Before that, he's stayed rather…chaste. For a Rogue, that is."

Beka studied Aniki for a moment, calming down. She knew for certain that Rosto and Kora had stopped being bedmates ever since she had gotten with Ersken, but with Aniki she was not certain…

She must have seen the question in Beka's eyes, because Aniki laughed and said, "Don't worry, Beka. I have a new cove now that won't stomp around and snap like a turtle if I seek out another. I have a feeling our relationship will work out well." She gave a wicked smile.

Ersken looked at Beka. "Give him time. His feathers are just a bit ruffled, that's all."

"If that's what you consider as angry as a mob in the hot summer sun, then you're right," said Kora, her voice laced with sarcasm.

"I was just trying to help," he told his sweetheart quietly. To Beka he said, "But ever since he heard of your return, he's not sought out a mot's company, I'm told. I told you he'd be happy when he heard you were alive."

Beka sighed with frustration. "As far as I'm concerned, he can have all the doxies in Corus and Port Caynn if he wants! It's not my fault that he can't get it through his thick skull that I'll not be another one of his mots to warm his bed."

They watched as she trudged off. Then Kora looked at the other two. "Is that really what she thinks he only wants? I've never seen Rosto chase a mot that doesn't take to him right away."

"Then he really does care for her. At least, it looks that way to me. You two know him better than I do," said Ersken with a shrug.

Kora nodded. "And I've never seen him act this way over a mot, so of course he was as mad as a bull when Beka went with that gambling cove. For over a year Rosto's been biding his time, waiting for Beka to change her mind. Then she runs into that Dale Rowan's arms instead. Surely we can understand his frustration." She sighed. "I just wish Beka would stop fighting. I'd bet all my magic that she cares more for Rosto than she lets on. Her pigheadedness just doesn't allow her to see it."

"How are you so sure?" Ersken asked her skeptically.

She smiled, "Call it my woman's intuition."

"Either that or she's trying to read crystal balls again," remarked Aniki with a grin.

Kora gave her a look. "Don't be a looby. Only crackbrains see things in crystal balls." By the accusing tone in her voice, Ersken wondered if she had tried before with no success.

"True, you'd thought that I would end up marrying that sarden scut back in Scanra when you tried crystal ball reading. Oh, how wrong that was," Aniki grinned, showing all her teeth. "Little did that crystal ball know that his future was looking awfully short." She laughed. "I trusted my woman's intuition on that one, the lyin' spintry. It's much more reliable."

Ersken eyed Aniki and her dangerous smile. By that hint alone, he knew better than to ask about what had happened to the poor cove…

A/N: Well there it is! Aren't they both so mule headed? *shakes head*. I'll post the next chapter soon so we can get some more interactions going on! :D