Chapter 17: A New Day

We galloped home for as long as we could, but eventually the rain got so heavy that I had trouble seeing and had to slow Spirit. He snorted indignantly and tossed his head in annoyance. It was obvious he didn't like the storm.

I was acutely aware of Rosto's every move behind me. His arms stayed locked securely around my waist, and sometimes I felt his fingers rub circles through the fabric against my stomach. I was sure my heart would break out of my chest. He was making it beat so hard.

Oh gods, please don't let him be able to feel it! I begged silently, stifling another gasp as he rested his head in the crook of my neck again. There was no skin exposed with my hood pulled up. He'd tugged it down once but my firm elbow to his ribs had convinced him to leave it where it was.

We were silent, though I doubt we would have heard each other clearly over the down pour anyway. I could barely hear the beat of Spirit's hooves as we cantered closer to home. With the rain came one consolation, however. No one in their right minds would be out to see the Rogue on the back of a hooded figure's horse. It could probably create quite the rumour.

We finally rode up to the front of the house, I didn't want Rosto knowing one of the back entrances, and waited for him to dismount so I could. His arms released me, a chill finding its way to where the warmth of his embrace had been, and made me shiver at the unexpected coolness.

His boots made a splash as they hit the watery ground and he looked back up at me with a grin and held up his arms to lift me down. "Milady,"

"I'm perfectly capable to get off the normal way, thank you." I replied, swinging my right leg over Spirit's back then squeaked a little as hands gripped my hips and lifted me the rest of the way to the ground.

Rosto turned me and snaked one arm around my waist. With his other hand he pushed back my hood and swept the hair plastered to my face behind my ear. He smirked and ducked his head to press a kiss to the tip of my nose. "The normal way doesn't require me to touch you, my lady."

I wrinkled my nose at him but didn't bother to try and escape his hold. "Will you stop calling me that?"

"Why, it's your title isn't it?" He said, still smirking.

I shook my head. "I have not lived the life of a lady, Piper. I wouldn't know what to do with it."

"You answer to Mistress well enough." He said nonchalantly. "I don't see why Lady Rekakah is so different."

"Do you have a point that I'm supposed to be getting?" I muttered in annoyance. I didn't like this topic.

Rosto gave me one of his looks that seemed to bore right into my soul, where he thought he could read my thoughts and find all of the answers he was seeking. "It's who you are, who you were born as. Are you afraid of it?"

"Look who I was born to, Rosto!" I snapped, disentangling myself from him and stepping back. "I don't know who I am." I added in the softest whisper. I doubted he could have heard me. I grabbed Spirit's reins and trudged through the mud and water to the front door, knocking loudly three times.

I heard shuffling and the muffled sound of voices far beyond the wooden barrier that swung open to revel Rosie. Her eyes swept over my appearance, flicked between Spirit and Rosto then back to me afore she turned her head and shouted. "Domain! Come and get the Mistress's horse, this instance!" She turned back to me and pulled me inside, the wet reins slipping from my hand but my stallion merely remained where he was. "Oh goodness me, child! Just look at you, hurry inside afore you catch your death! You, young man-oh, greetings your majesty, come here quickly. You didn't say you'd be returning with the Rogue of Corus, Mistress."

Dom poked his head around the corner as Rosto stepped inside. "Beks! You took your sweet time…you look like a drowned sewer rat."

Raising my eyebrows as I undid the ties of my cloak, I pulled the sopping material from my shoulders and threw it at him. It landed with a 'splat' and soaked through his tunic while I smirked. "And now, so do you. Have someone see to Spirit and find our guest a change of clothes. I am going for a bath."

My brother glared at me as he held the dripping garment at arms length and tried to blow his damp hair out of his eyes. "Make it snappy, you have other guests here to."

"Don't be such a sour sop." Rosie scolded, making me smirk. "Take those boots off before you go trudging around the house, you two. Mistress, I'll have Anna come and aid you. Master Rogue, I'm sure Domain here will have clothes that will fit you. He'll be glad to show you were you can clean up, won't you, Domain?"

Rosto and I exchanged an amused glance as Dom spluttered and gaped at Rosie. "Ah!" She raised the dreaded feather duster in one of her plump fists and silently dared the second in command to argue further. Much to our amusement, he nodded meekly and gestured for Rosto to follow him with a glare in the Rogue's direction.

I laughed softly and shook my head as I started towards my room, my foot steps leaving little puddles in my wake.

oOo

The bath was the most welcomed feeling I'd felt in what felt like days. The warmth relaxed my muscles and washed away the cold of the rain. There was little blood left, thanks to the storm, but when I finally lifted myself from the bath the water was still tinged pink.

I sighed and dried off with the heavy cloth that had been laid out for me. I'd just wrapped it around my body when there was a soft knock at the door and Anna slipped inside. She smiled at me and placed the bundle of clothing in her arms on my bed. "How do you fair, Beka?"

I returned her smile with a tired one and nodded. "I'm fine, I feel as if I could sleep forever but other then that…I'm fine."

She chuckled and pulled the cloth from me and slipped the shift over my head. I still wasn't used to this and it still made my cheeks flush. "You will get plenty of rest soon. But first, your friends are insistent on seeing you, and you should eat."

I sighed but nodded my consent, silently promising my bed that I would return to it soon. Anna slid the creamy coloured dress over my head and did up the ties at the back. The sleeves went to my elbows and flowed loosely. The edges were embroidered prettily with a yellow flower design and the skirt fell all the way to the floor. I could have been several inches taller and it still would have touched the ground.

She brushed my hair and twisted most of it up into a bun, leaving a few strands both sides of my face, and secured it there with my hair pin. Next she tied a string of pearls around my neck and handed me a pair of pale slippers to put on. I raised my eyebrow at her as I did so. "Why the extra work, Anna? It's only breakfast."

She smiled at me and held open the door. "You'll see." I looked at her cautiously and she laughed and waved me forward. "Come, you'll like it, I promise."

Nodding with slight apprehension, I aloud myself to be lead away from my room and towards the dinning hall.

The noise from within grew louder as we approached and I felt the familiar feeling of nerves gripping my insides as Anna opened the door. The laughter and delicious smells of Cook's best work bombarded me at once and instantly made me smile.

I took a moment to look at all the faces seated around the table, eating, smiling, genuinely happy and enjoying themselves. I blinked in surprise as my brothers and sister looked up and grinned widely, leaping out of their chairs and ran to me. They hit me with such force that I had to take a step back to steady myself.

"Beka!" Will grinned so widely I thought it must have hurt his cheeks. "We missed you!"

I smiled. "I missed you to, how are you? Hello, Lorine." I said softly, pulling my little sister into a tight hug.

She wrapped her arms around me and buried her head in my shoulder. "Where have you been? Why weren't you with us? You missed Diona's burial." Her voice was muffled, but I couldn't find any accusing tone to it.

"I know, I'm sorry, but I had to take care of some things first. It's alright now, everything's fine."

"'Bout time you got your backside here, Cooper." Goodwin said, clasping her hands together and leaning back in her chair. "Where, pray tell, have you been all morning? Master Domain here says you've been absent for hours."

I kissed Lorine's forehead and ruffled the boy's hair. "I went for a ride, to clear my head."

"Leave the poor lass be, Clary." Tom said from beside her, taking one of her hands and kissing the back of it. "Hello, Beka. Or should I say Lady Beka?"

I groaned and led my siblings back to their seats, thumping the back of Dom's head as I passed him for good measure. "Not you to."

A familiar laugh swung my eyes to the far end of the table, where Giles sat in his usual seat, only with my Lord Provost seated on his right. "It's your title, Beka. And you're soon to be the owner of Layston house, with its current owner's up coming execution."

I bowed my head respectively. "My Lord, I don't think I'm deserving of that title yet." I met Rosto's eyes across the table. He gave me a small, meaningful smile and raised his goblet slightly before taking a sip.

My godfather grunted. "Nonsense, silly girl, sit down and eat sommat before you pass out from exhaustion."

I rolled my eyes but sat between Will and Nilo anyway. "I'm hardly likely to do that, Uncle. I'd like to think I'm tougher."

"Beka, stop protesting and just take what we're telling you as sound advice and do it." Mary advised with an amused smile. "I'm glad your home, my dear."

"So am I. Kurt, remind me to organise a party to go through Layston house as soon as he's met his date with the executioner and Dom…stop being such a pig." I scrunched my nose as he glared at me over his mountain of food and the table laughed.

He swallowed and shot back. "Should you be discussing our business with a room full of children, dogs and rogues present?"

I shrugged, looking around at my friends who were all listening intently. "They always seem to be able to find out anyway, might as well save them the trouble of prying the information out of you later. Their knowing now won't affect anything more then what it usually does." I stated plainly.

"Do you think there are still conspirators acting with him in the city?" My Lord asked curiously. Him was obviously code for the miserable scum locked in the cages. I was glad he wasn't being referred to ask anything else. I don't know if my siblings know that our sister was killed by my father, but I wouldn't be the one to tell them.

Again, I shrugged. "I don't know yet. I doubt it would have been that easy-" Dom scoffed but I ignored him. "-to defeat his entire empire, that has been in the making for longer then I have lived. I suspect he will have allies left. If not then I may have underestimated his position-but I doubt that. A raid on the house will hopefully give me some idea of where to look next."

He nodded and smiled at me. "You have an interesting point, perhaps later you and I could discuss some sort of allegiance in finding out?"

I blinked. "Uh…I'll, yes, alright. But I'll have to talk to my commanders about it before we agree on anything. And I won't have dogs hunting anyone who has anything to do with the Hangman. If I was going to allow that, I would've aloud Goodwin and the others to come with us last time."

Goodwin looked ready to protest but My Lord held up a hand to stop her. "I think I can agree to your terms, if you could deliver those at fault to be punished by the law."

Kurt laughed. "Looks like we'll have to learn how to take prisoners, lads."

"Oi!" Myra snapped at him. "Do I look like one of the lads to you?"

"Certainly not, lady commander, especially not this morning when you were drenched to the bone!" Kurt declared, sending the rest of my men into snickers and whistles.

"Calm down you lot." I ordered. "Find your manners while we have guests, will you? And if I were you, I'd remember that Myra is your senior and it wouldn't be wise to upset someone who can control your duty roster for the rest of your life." Myra and I exchanged a smirk and the men quietened down compliantly. "Very wise, you might live to see old age yet."

"Not if you keep sending us off to war, we won't." Tyron joked, bouncing Carissa on his knee.

"Once! It's only happened once! And if I recall correctly, it was you who came and got me." I protested and out of the corner of my eye I saw Giles lean in closer to My Lord and say. "Don't worry, their always like this, can't beat the rot out of them."

"Thanks, Giles." I said dryly. "Your support is overwhelming."

He waved me off. "Just eat, girl."

It was silent as we ate, though the silence didn't last long before Dom had to defend his pride and resumed Tryon's topic. "We've got nothing to worry about; we're too good to die."

"Unless I kill you first," I said casually, smirking.

He leaned back so he could look at me around the people separating us. "You wouldn't, I'm far too valuable to you. Plus you love me."

"Would you like to bet on that?" I asked cheekily. It felt so good to be jesting with him, talking and laughing again. With everyone I loved around me. I forgot to be quiet.

"Ten gold pieces on Beka!" Tryon piped up immediately.

"Twenty," Myra said, grinning.

"Thirty-five," Adrian chuckled, raising his drink in a salute to me.

"The King's entire treasury," Kurt laughed. "Put it this way, anyone stupid enough to bet that Dom will win?"

I just smiled sweetly at my second in command as he scowled at everyone else.

oOo

After breakfast was done we traditionally broke into two groups, the men disappearing off to where ever and the rest of us followed Mary into her favourite sitting room. I fell, very unladylike, into the space next to her with a groan. The women chuckled and Mary wrapped an arm around my shoulders and bent to kiss the side of my forehead.

"How are you, my darling?" She asked softly, tucking a wayward strand behind my ear.

"Like I could sleep forever," I chuckled. "But I doubt that is likely to happen." I patted the space next to me for Lorine to sit, which she did with a shy smile to Mary.

"So, is it over now?" Kora asked. "Are you finished with your disappearances?"

"For the time being," I said, shifting to make myself comfortable and hugging my sister to me. "There will be time for us to rest, and then like I said before, I'll start the search for any others."

"You won't be returning to the dogs, then?" Goodwin asked, her knowing eyes latching onto mine. She was just as intimidating as the first day I met her.

"I don't know." I replied honestly. "I can't allow the Hangman's influence to continue, anywhere. I loved my time with the dogs, you know I do, but…I'm needed here." I looked down at my lap, watching as Lorine laced her fingers with mine and squeezed comfortingly. I think I am sure of this decision. I have made another life here, have found my place protecting the people from threats beyond the dogs' reach.

Besides, could I abandon the people I had fought with, protected and entrusted with my life, to the mercy of Dom's command? I may have a mean streak, but I certainly wasn't that cruel.

The thought made me smile and I looked up to meet Goodwin's eyes. "I'm sor…"

She held up her hand to stop me. "Don't be sorry, Cooper. I thought that you'd choose this. You're still doing a good job, no matter what I say, and I'm sure this won't end our partnership."

'Of course she'd choose these buffoons.' Pounce declared, matter-of-factly as he leapt up onto my lap. 'She was born into this life; this is what she was meant to do. Never mind what that other blithering idiot says. This is her purpose, her calling, her destiny.'

My smile turned into a grin and again I had the urge to hug Goodwin. But I didn't and settled on hugging my walking oracle instead, much to his protest "It won't be. In fact, I think the new arrangement will prove very…successful."

"So, you and the Piper," Goodwin began and I swallowed a groan. "Were together this morning, while you were off 'clearing your head'?"

"Kind of," I muttered. "He found me, so you'll have to ask him about his stalking tendencies." I might as well give her the whole report-minus the bits like the body and the kissing….yes, better leave those parts out. "When it started to rain I invited him back here for breakfast, not that it would have mattered-since he was already coming."

Kora clasped her hands together happily and Myra and Aniki were exchanging glances while Goodwin stared me down and Anna and Mary were thankfully quiet. Lorine's face, I couldn't see.

"You're so perfect for each other!" Kora squealed excitedly.

I blinked. We were? Didn't I hit him not long ago? How is that 'prefect for each other'? Besides, he's the King of the Rogue, and I'm…not a dog anymore…I frowned in thought.

"Ah, ah, Cooper," Goodwin shook a finger at me. "I know that look, and you'll not be moving until we've had ourselves a nice, long, talk."

"Oh, Clary," Mary chuckled. "Your awful protective of her, aren't you?"

"She's my puppy." She said firmly. "She won't be courted by anyone-let alone that white haired looby-until I say so."

Mary smiled knowingly. "She's not a puppy anymore. She's a big girl. I know she's capable of making her own decisions."

"Thank you, Aunt Mary. I…what decision am I making?" I stumbled, confused.

The women laughed, their smiles lighting up their eyes. "Coves, Beka." Anna explained, smiling lovingly at Carissa as the little girl played on the floor.

My eyes widened. "Wait, wait, isn't it a little early for that? Goodwin's right…"

"Oh, Beka!" Kora cried. "You like him, its stating the obvious!" She stated.

"We know, and we know that you know that you like him." Aniki added, grinning like a looby herself.

I sighed and rubbed a hand over my face. "Yes I know, I..." I paused. Did I just…."No! I mean yes…I mean no…..I mean…pox and murrain!"

They all grinned with smug satisfaction. Even Goodwin looked amused as she folded her arms and lent back in her chair.

"What are you lot looking at?" I snapped.

AN: Hellooo all, I'm still alive….I'm so, so, SO sorry it's taken so long to update. Routine has completely disappeared from my life. My parents took us on holidays during school so then I had double the work load when we got home. I've had almost three weeks of preparation for exams and then the actual exams. I got writers block then distracted more with my best friends party and now harvest is going on…and…urgh, I'm sorry. Please don't hate me.

My holidays have officially started today (WOOHOO!) lol, and I might be going away for maybe a month or there abouts for work. So, I won't have any internet for then. Just warning you, it's not decided yet, but it's a possibility. So I won't have died, lol, just no internet. I will update again as soon as I can though. I can't aplolgise enough, but that's just life for me.

I'm not sure if I'm happy with this one or not, but, it's up anyways. I just wanted to give you something, you guys deserve it. I might end up editing and changing it yet so...don't know lol. I was originally going to make this the last chapter but, now that I might be going away I didn't want to risk getting caught up in work etc, again and not be able to post anything. So, next chapter will be the last. And I hope for everyone's sake that it won't be so far away.

Thank you all so much for reading, and super thank you's to everyone who review. It honestly means a lot to me :). It's really a wonderful feeling to know that people like what I write, so please, please, please review and let me know what you think! I'm really, truly, sorry for the wait. You're the best. :)

Have a wonderful day, till next time,

~Angel xoxo