"Hey partner, you're not dead! Glad to see that you're sturdier than the last person who wielded me!"

Georgius chuckled as he took the blade from Agnès's hands. It hadn't taken him too long to navigate the palace grounds till he found someone that directed him towards the Captain, and after a brief chiding for getting out of bed she lead him to the armory where they had kept his gear under lock and key. His sword in particular seemed to be happy to be let out of the trunk they were keeping him in. "I'm glad about that too, Derflinger. It would be a shame if my life here was cut short. Also, I have the feeling Agnès would be disappointed in me. "

The woman snorted at that. "Honestly, I'm glad I don't have to decide if I wanted to carry around that blasted sword or not. It might be magic, but if the damn thing started telling one more dirty joke…"

"Oh, that reminds me that I never finished the one about the Shepard's daughter!" The sword said excitedly. "Well, it turns out she took the stool and-Mmrgmg!"

Deflinger found his quillion slammed shut as Georgius rammed the hilt into its scabbard. "I find a firm hand helps." He remarked as he affixed the weapon to his belt. He moved past her and started pulling out pieces of his armor as he asked "How have things been during my incapacitation? No other disastrous events, I hope."

"Thankfully no. We've mostly been trying to hold on to some semblance order since then. The princess's trial has also been postponed, but I suspect that won't be for much longer." The woman paused for a moment before she made a face like she was sucking on something sour. "The princess… may need a little encouragement from you in that regard."

"Why?" Geogius asked as he slipped on his greaves. It felt a little strange to him as he was wearing a tunic/trousers combination rather than his usual robes, but he imagined that those had been thrown out by now. "She barely even knows me, and she seemed fine going to the trial before."

"That was before the assassination attempt. Now though she too nervous to even leave the palace. I've tried to… well, let's say that I'm not very good at motivating people if I'm not allowed to threaten them or force them to run around the barracks. Right now she needs someone capable of a softer, almost feminine touch. Like you."

Georgius paused and looked over at her, not failing to notice how the Captain was fighting to keep a smirk off her face. He merely rolled his eyes before responding "Though I am not sure what I could say that would help, I shall do my best to aid you, seeing as you have insufficient femininity for the task." He reached back down into the chest to retrieve the largest piece of his armor, but to his surprise it wasn't there. "On another note, just where is my breastplate?"

The woman waved her hand. "It's gone, don't worry about it..."

Georgius blinked before he looked at her and scowled, his arms folding across his chest. "Are you saying I can't have the main piece of my armor back?"

Agnès rolled her eyes. "I'm saying you shouldn't have it back. The breastplate has a hole in it."

"Well, yes, but I would prefer that the armor be fixed rather than simply getting a new one."

"…You don't know much about armoring do you? You can't just patch a hole in a breastplate and expect it to be good as new."

Georgius rubbed the back of his head as he looked off to the side. "It… has some sentimental value…"

"I'll bet it does, considering that thing has to be a relic. How old even is it? I wouldn't be surprised if the thing had been forged before proper folding technique was invented. Look, just get another one in the same style. I'm sure it can't be hard to find and will probably be sturdier than the original."

The man didn't respond at first, and Agnès thought he was going to be obstinate about the issue. Eventually though Georgius just sighed. "Fine. In any case, just where is my master? I would have thought that she would have come the moment she learned that I was awake."

Agnès paused before she replied "Miss Vallière is currently out on assignment from the Crown somewhere in the city. Ideally, she should be finished in a day or two."

Georgius stilled at that, and his eyes narrowed at the Captain. "This assignment wouldn't happen to be potentially dangerous to her wellbeing, would it?" Agnès started to answer, but the man didn't give her the chance. "Tell me where she is, now."

The woman was not cowed by his tone however, and scowled back at him. "No, for two reasons. The first is that I actually don't know where she is beyond 'in the city'. And the second is that your presence would actively hinder her at her given task."

Georgius had to resist the urge to simple leave and start looking for Louise that instant, instead simply getting out the word "Explain."

"She and some others from her school are performing a covert investigation into the assassination attempt. Due to… political reasons, I am unable you use my own women for the task, so I had to tap them instead. You stick out like a sore thumb, especially after your very public involvement in the assassination attempt, and I suspect that you're not particularly talented at skullduggery and deception."

"It's my job to protect Louise. I can't do that if you send her off on dangerous missions without me."

"She knew the risks and willingly chose to do this without you." Agnès said firmly before her scowl deepened. "I decided that the girl has enough sense and skill to do this, and that should be enough. Unless you think that both of our judgment is wrong."

Georgius's mouth pressed into a thin line, knowing that any answer to the affirmative would not end well for him. Instead he replied. "You said that she had companions. Who?"

"The same ones that invited themselves to the merchant convoy, Kirche and Tabitha. Oh, and a maid they brought with them."

He relaxed a little at that. Though he still didn't care for the idea of sending girls their age into a dangerous situation, he acknowledged that those two had proven to be competent and able to keep their wits in the midst of combat. I also suppose it's good that Louise is spending more time with her classmates, he thought ruefully to himself. Regardless, the three of them together could probably handle- "Wait, what was that about a maid?"

Agnès paused for a moment. "The redhead apparently brought her along. Not smart in my opinion, but the girl claimed she could help. Her name was… Siesta."

"And you let her go along too?" He said, his suddenly growing concern causing him to raise his voice more than he intended. "She's just a maid! She doesn't even have magic to protect herself!"

"I'm sure that she's not going to follow the other directly into danger, she just said that she knew where to get some information." Agnès replied. "Honestly, there's nothing you can do till they get back, so just let it go."

After a long moment the man relented, though his frustration at the situation did not abate. "I still don't like. I'm not used to knowing someone could be in trouble and not doing anything about it."

Agnès huffed. "I'll see if I can rustle up some damsels for you to save in the meantime if it's bothering you that much. Or maybe you could try doing something else for a change?"

He was about to inquire about the men they had captured before a voice interrupted him. "Perhaps I can be of assistance with that." They turned towards the voice emanating from the doorway of the armory, and Georgius was greeted with the sight of a man in a curious garb. The grey tunic and darker overcoat were of the fine material he had seen many nobles wear, but the multi-layered cloak over his shoulders had signs of wear on it. The same could also be said of the large, wide brimmed hat on his head, covering his long grey hair. Georgius could also tell that there was something odd about the sword he carried at his hip (aside from the disc-like cross guard), but he couldn't pin down what it was.

The man's bearded face formed into a small smile as he approached Georgius. "Are you the famous Georgius I've been hearing so much about? I have been looking forward to meeting you for some time."

The knight nodded. "I am, though I am afraid that you have me at a disadvantage…"

"Of course," the newcomer said with a wave of his hand. "I am the Viscount of Wardes, Captain of the Order of Gryphon Knights. Everyone in the capital is talking about the man who threw himself in harm's way for our princess, and I simply couldn't let a man of such valor go without giving him my thanks. Had you a Gryphon and no other obligations I would recruit you into the Gryphon Knights at once."

Georgius bowed his head. "Thank you, though I like to think that anyone in my position would have done the same. Besides which, Captain Agnès's part as well as that of her Musketeers in the protection of the princess cannot be understated."

"Valiant and modest. A combination you do not see often these days." The Viscount commented with amusement. "But, and no offense meant to you Musketeer, protecting the princess is Captain Agnès's job. You were under no such obligation."

Agnès's mouth twitched a little at the comment, but Georgius decided not to draw attention to it. "No, although my master did command me to protect her."

For some reason, this caused the other man to smile. "And that is another thing I wished to talk to you about. You are the familiar of Louise Françoise de La Vallière, are you not?"

Georgius tilted his head at that. "I prefer to think of myself as in the role of her protector, but this is true… though I am curious how you know this. I didn't think it was a commonly known fact."

"Indeed it isn't, I just happen to be in a bit of a unique position with regards the Vallière family and like to keep myself informed." He paused as he smile widened. "You see, I am Louise's fiancé."

Georgius blinked owlish at that, taken completely off guard by the statement. "Oh." He finally said. "She never mentioned that she was engaged."

Rather than be offended, Wardes merely chuckled. "Oh, it was arranged many years ago, I doubt it had reason to come up in the time you've known my dear Louise. Our marriage was loosely set to be after she graduated from the academy. Or didn't find it to be to her liking." That last sentence was said more softly, and Georgius didn't miss what the other man was implying. Before he could comment on it though, Wardes carried on. "But clearly her studies are going well. Imagine my surprise when I hear from her sister that my betrothed has summoned a human of all things to be her familiar!"

Georgius smiled at that as he said "She is a very special girl indeed.", but the expression was somewhat forced. The man couldn't quite put his finger on it but something about Wardes was… off. His pleasant attitude and tone felt almost rehearsed to Georgius. The knight had never indulged in the game of politics that so consumed the attention of his fellow knights back in Rome, but he got the sense that Wardes was trying to get something out of him. And the flat expression that Agnès was giving the grey haired man wasn't helping Georgius's perception of him either.

After a moment, he decided that it was probably just unease at learning the man before him was engaged to Louise. This arrangement between Wardes and his master was clearly a political affair, something he did not care for one bit. Oh, it was common among the nobles of his homeland for marriage to be strictly about procreation and the propagation of one's bloodline, but marriage not founded on love seemed so… pointless. He would definitely speak with her on it later, but for now… "I have to ask, what will Louise's status be after you are wed? Will she become a member of your family while being removed from her own?"

"Concerned about where your position will be in the future, are you?" Wardes said with a small grin before he put on a more serious expression. "Yes, the original terms of our engagement were that she would become Louise Françoise de la Wardes, and normally anyone in her employ would return to the Vallière or be placed under my family's authority. However, you are a familiar, and as such your loyalty would always remain to Louise first. I wouldn't dare try to lay claim to my precious Louise's familiar like that."

Georgius had been more concerned about his master's legacy and inheritance when he had asked, but that bit of information was good to know. "I see. It seems odd to me that such an arrangement would be so one side for one family, especially among nobility. In my homeland when those of noble families wed, their arrangements were usually more free and negotiable, with each party retaining their own inheritance rights."

The other man was intrigued. "Fascinating, and I should love to speak to you of it more, but for the moment I have a request." Wardes said as his hand came to rest on the hilt of his sword. "You say to have settled into the role of protector of your master, and you certainly have shown your prowess in combat. However, when it comes to the matter of my Louise, I must be personally certain of the strength of anyone who would protect her." The man drew himself up. "So, would you do me the honor of facing me in a duel?"

Georgius felt every muscle in his body tense at those words, and a sensation of dread filled him. Guiche's challenge over a month ago had been ridiculous and easily dismissed, but the man in front of him was apparently Captain of a Knight company; it was a safe bet that he had accumulated plenty of honor in his career. By all rights he could not refuse… though he sincerely wished he could.

"Sir Wardes," Georgius said tightly. "If you insist then I will accept, but I implore you to reconsider. No matter which of us wins, Louise will be the one to lose, whether she loses a familiar or a fiancé."

The other man arched an eyebrow at that. "Come now, I am sure that we can be civil about this afterwards regardless of who wins. It's not like this is to the death or anything of the sort, just a friendly physical competition."

Georgius drew back in confusion. "Not to the- wait, are duels between knights not fought to the death here?"

Agnès seemed almost affronted by the idea. "Good Lord, no! That sounds like a good way to lose skilled solders over petty squabbles and inflated egos. If two of my knights tried that I would slap the shit out of them before putting them on guard duty."

The Viscount was not quite as vocal as the Musketeer but just as surprised as he said "While that is technically allowed, it is seldom done and very much frowned unless you have a very good reason. Duels can be fought with a number of different conditions for victory, and most do not result in permanent harm to either party."

"Oh. Well now I feel foolish…" Georigus said with no small amount of embarrassment. In hindsight, this made Guiche's challenge make a lot more sense. "Back in the Roman Empire, duels between knights were very serious, and used to advance one's honor and status at the expense of their comrade."

"Well, I never meant to imply that." Wardes insisted. "In light of this new knowledge, how about I instead ask you to a friendly spar. Is that acceptable?"

Georgius hesitated for only a moment before he replied "Yes, it is."

A short while later, Agnès found herself standing near the training arena just outside the palace barracks, a frown on her face as she looked around. The arena itself was little more than a 10 meter circle of dirt and sand, the area open to allow for multiple people to train at the same time. At the moment it was cleared out, but she noticed with some annoyance that a few soldiers were starting to loiter, and more seemed to be showing up ever minute. I swear that magic has nothing on the speed of gossip, she thought to herself. News of Georgius's spar with Wardes had spread far too quickly for her liking, but she'd have to deal with that later. For the moment, she returned her attention to the man in question. "You're an idiot." Agnès told him.

Georgius paused as he was putting on a simple leather curuais, a piece which covered his torso with an attached skirt piece. It wasn't anywhere as good as his old armor, but for the purpose of the nonsense he was about to get into it would be serviceable. "If you could perhaps elaborate…" he said after a moment.

"You just woke up after a two day coma after being shot in the gut. You should at least take a few more days to recuperate."

The man shrugged and continued to don the protective wear. "I am feeling fit enough to do this. Though if I lose you may say 'I told you so'."

She rolled her eyes. "Shouldn't you want to fight him at your best? He is using this to judge if you're a suitable familiar for your master. What of he thinks you're not good enough?"

"Then it is a good thing that it is not his decision to make." Georgius commented as he checked the gauntlets on his hands. "I swore an oath to Louise. Only she can see fit to release me." He paused for moment, and a frown crossed his lips. "As well, I… feel the need to gain his measure. What do you know about Wardes?"

She arched an eyebrow at the change in topics, but she said "Not much more than most. He's a highly competent wind mage and effective leader. Been a while since I've seen him not fight on Gryphonback, but if I remember correctly he focuses on speed and precision, and he knows how to use that wandsword of his."

"Wandsword?"

"The weapon at his hip, basically what it sounds like. It doesn't have an actual blade, but magic can be conducted along its length, and it's trivial for a wind mage of his caliber to surround it with cutting air. For you that's probably not going to be much of an issue, but it's still sturdy enough that it can be used as a club."

The man paused for a moment as he adjusted his belt. "Would you say that he is a skilled swordsman?"

"Yes, and he knows how to incorporate magic into his style."

Georgius frowned, but he said "Thank you," before drawing his sword and walking out towards the sparing arena. Agnès let out a huff but she could see that she wasn't going to change his mind. To be honest she was more surprised that Georgius was doing this at all. She hadn't known him for long, but she could tell that he wasn't the kind of man to fight just to prove himself to someone. That he decided he needed to 'gain Wardes's measure'…

Agnès glanced at the Captain of the Gryphon Knights standing near the center of the arena, the man giving a few practice swings of his wandsword. Truthfully she had never really cared for him. He had never been anything but polite in her presence, but he had always come off as fake. There was no denying the man's skills, but Agnès couldn't really say she ever knew what Wardes was actually thinking.

Well, maybe the two of them will be able to talk to each other through their swords, or however that romantic crap is supposed to go, she thought glibly to herself as she moved towards the center of the ring. She stopped well short of it, standing equidistant from the two men now facing each other. "Alright, since you decided to make me officiate, here's how this is going to work." Agnès said. "This is a simple match, no stakes. It ends when one of you yields or is rendered unable to fight. Or if I stop it because I think you two are being idiots. You have any problems with that?"

The two men were silent as they stood opposite each other, separated by about 5 meters. Both held their weapons out in front of them, their stances marking them as ready to move in an instant. Agnès let a few more moments pass before she said "Begin."

Georgius shot forward in a blur as he tried to clear the distance before Wardes could react, but you don't become a Captain with poor reflexes. Wardes rapidly recited an aria under his breath and the wind kicked up around his feet just in time to barely dodge the diagonal slash from the other man, slipping to the side. Georgius attempted to follow up but Wardes jumped back to gain some distance, almost drifting through the air before he came to a stop. "You really are as fast as they say," He let out with a breath. "I knew opening with Zephyr Swiftness was the right move."

Agnès hummed under her breath at that. While not a mage herself she was aware of most of the more common battle spells as a matter of tactical knowledge, so she knew that Zephyr Swiftness was a Triangle class wind spell that wrapped the user in a cloak of wind meant to increase mobility and speed. It was a difficult spell to properly use as you could easily apply too little or too much force to yourself at the wrong time, but Wardes was a master at it. Any normal swordsman would be completely out matched by the sheer difference in speed.

Of course, the term 'normal' had become less and less applicable to Georgius since the moment she met him.

Georgius skirted to the side before he came back in slashing at the legs. Wardes danced back on gust of wind as he tried to gain distance, but to his surprise he could never quite get away. The other knight constantly dogged his steps, several slashes missing narrowly each time Wardes tried to stop and cast magic. Before long Wardes found himself at the edge of the ring, his back almost touching the stone wall of the barracks as Georgius bared down on him.

Instead of stopping though, Wardes planted his feet on the wall and kicked off, launching himself clear over Georgius head. As he arced through the air he twisted around and lashed out with his wand sword, lightning lancing down towards the other man. However, Georgius brought his own sword up to block, and like the last time Agnès had seen it happen the bolt hit the metal before simply fizzling out. For not the first time Agnès found herself wondering just what the connection between Georgius and his talking sword was; because she refused to believe that someone that could resist magic happened to find a sword that resist magic by pure chance.

If Wardes was surprised by this though, he did not show it. As he landed he lashed out with his sword wand, and several thin blades of air streaked across the arena towards the other knight. Rather than trying to avoid them though, Georgius simply charged straight through them towards the mage, blocking what he could and absorbing the rest. This time Wardes could not move fast enough due to his casting and was forced to block an overhead slash, and as the two weapons pressed against each other Wardes could see the tears in Georgius's clothes, but no sign of blood. "So it is true," Wardes managed to get out through grit teeth. "You do resist magic."

The two broke apart and again Wardes backed away, but this time he did so much slower, opting to bock and parry the other knight's assault. While his 'sword' may have been a blunt cylinder, it was solid enough that it could knock another weapon aside, and Wardes did just that. Georgius frowned and tried to press the assault harder, but the other man redirected the blows before slipping past, his wandsword smashing into Georgius's thigh as he did so. Georgius barely flinched though and he spun with a horizontal slash which his opponent ducked under.

Dirt and wind kicked up as the two moved around each other at a speed that was difficult to follow. "Come now, surely your swordplay is stronger than this." Wardes commented as he continued to dance around the other knight, his wandsword lashing out to strike Georgius where he couldn't protect himself. Georgius defended as best he could, but it was clear he didn't know how to handle an opponent like this. He was denied the ability to attack directly and Wardes was fast enough to box him in and keep him from getting his footing; a turnabout Agnès didn't fail to miss. If it was anyone else Wardes would have torn them apart with windy blades and cyclones, but for the moment he was limited to pure physical skill. And that seemed to be enough. Come on Georgius, watch his movements and setup for a counter attack, Agnès thought in frustration at the situation.

Unfortunately, the situation changed when Georgius missed with a thrust and overextended. Wardes immediately lashed out at the limb and stuck the hand, causing Georgius to cry out in pain as his weapon was knocked from his grasp. Agnès let out a breath of disappointment at the rookie error, watching as Georgius stumbled back and Wardes moved in for a vicious blow to the side.

However, the moment before it landed, Georgius's footing corrected itself and he planted his feet, catching and stopping the wandsword with his 'injured' hand. He was faking! Agnès thought in surprise, and emotion which Wardes apparently shared as he now found himself off balance. As such, when Georgius yanked on the weapon Wardes didn't have the presence of mind to let go, and was pulled forward as a gauntleted fist buried itself in his gut. Wardes's suit was armored with chain, but it still knocked the wind out of him, making it easy for the follow up blow to disarm him.

Georgius pushed forward in something like a boxing stance, a series jabs hammering at any open spot he could find. The other man was unprepared for the sudden shift in combat, and it was only a few second before he stumbled. Georgius immediately surged forward and tackled Wardes to the ground, wrestling till he ended up on top with his fist cocked back.

"Enough!" Wardes called out, and Georgius's hand froze midway. Wardes breathed heavily for several moments before he continued. "I… I yield."

The other man nodded before he got to his feet, his fist opening as he offered his hand to the downed Wardes. "You showed impressive skill. Had you an appropriate weapon, you might have won."

Wardes let out a weary laugh as he took the hand and got to his feet. "I appreciate your confidence, even if I don't feel it myself. Your style was far more… straightforward than I had expected."

Agnès caught Georgius blush a little at the comment. "I never trained in the more advanced uses of the sword. I did not see it to be useful on the front lines, and many of the opponents I have faced were not human. This resulted in a… pragmatic approach to combat."

"Spoken like a true soldier." Wardes remarked with a weak smile. "In any case, I am impressed. Though part of me wishes to have you tested more thoroughly for Louise's sake, I am willing to admit that you are strong enough to protect her."

Georgius bowed his head slightly. "Thank you."

Wardes's smile grew wider as he continued. "As well, while you will never be one of 'my' men, I do hope that we can work together in the future. A man with skills and conviction like yourself will find great rewards in my household."

Georgius paused before he replied "Conviction, Sir Wardes?"

"Oh, I've heard the rumors floating about the city. A soldier willing to take a bullet for a commoner they don't know, surely that is someone of firm principles." The Viscount commented. "I can tell from the way you fought, you will face anyone for the sake of justice, whether they be criminal, monster… or even a noble. If you would let me, I believe we can discuss how I may help you achieve any goals you seek."

Agnès saw Georgius's mouth twitch slightly before he said "I am afraid that I don't have time at the moment. There are some things I need to take care of before my master returns from her current errand."

Wardes's face fell, but it was only for a moment before his expression went back to normal. "I see. Well then, I shall not hold you. Thank you for the match, and I expect we'll be finishing this conversation later."

Georgius gave another small nod before he turned and left. Agnès cast one last glance at Wardes before she followed after him. "That was… interesting."

"And you said I wasn't capable of deception." The knight comment somewhat glibly.

Agnès snorted. "Bit of a different skill, but at least it let you win."

"No," he said, before he glanced down at his left hand for some reason. "Neither of us were fighting a full during that match, and the end wasn't what was important. I'm… not entirely sure which of us won."

"Really? Well, did you at least 'take his measure', then? What did you learn?"

Georgius's eyes narrowed slightly. "That we will be fighting again someday."

After the boy's words had been translated into something comprehensible, it was a rather straight forward affair for the academy mages and Scarron to extract something useful out of him. Or it had been for Tabitha and Scarron, in any case. Louise and Kirche had both gone first, and of course the boy rebuffed the both Louise's threats and Kirche's advances. Neither of them really knew how to talk to someone who had lived most of this life on the streets, what drove them, what they actually feared. Scarron knew though, and after what had just happened the boy knew that the older man had plenty of motivation to make him suffer. And Tabitha had made it clear just what she was capable off as well. After that, the boy told them the spot they were operating out of, a spot that was surprisingly in the eastern part of the city.

This led to Tabitha standing in an alley across the street from an old theater in one of the poorer districts of the capital, the building large but clearly run down from years of neglect. She doubted the front entrance was unlocked, but if Stone's gang was using the place as a discrete hideout, they wouldn't be using the front door anyway. There was bound to be another entrance somewhere, they just had to find it. And the best way to do that would be to wait until someone from Stone's gang showed up to let themselves in.

She doubted her two companions had the patience for that, though. "Did we have to put these on?" Kirche complained as she tugged at the wool cloaks they had borrowed from the inn. "Dull grey is not my color."

"And they're so itchy." Louise complained as she fidgeted. "I didn't even know that wool could be this rough!"

Tabitha had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. She silently wished the maid could have been there to deal with the other two, but Siesta had been in shock when Tabitha last saw her. As such, she had been left back that the inn with her relatives to recover. "Academy cloaks are too distinctive. Needed something more common."

Though she didn't turn to look, the blue haired girl could almost feel the face Louise was making. "We shouldn't even have to skulk around like this. We should just bust in and arrest all of those villainous swine!"

Kirche sighed at that. "We have no idea what's in there, and I don't care to have a repeat of the inn. I am willing to attempt a little subtly to achieve this. But as usual, you have all the subtly of a rampaging boar."

Fortunately, before Louise could lay into the other girl, Tabitha spied a carriage moving down the street, the vehicle slowing as it passed in front of the theater before turning down the alley next to the building. Tabitha made a sharp gestured for the other two to be silent before carefully manipulating the air in front of her to form a magnifying lens to get a better look. The two alleys were not directly across from one another, so she could only see a little ways past the mouth of the pathway. She could have used multiple lenses to peer around the corner if she wished, but that would have been far easier to spot, so she settled for what she had. Still, even with that limitation she caught a glimpse of a pair of men stepping out of the cab… all but dragging a man in fine purple robes after them, a rough sack covering his head.

Tabitha's brow furrowed slightly at that. This could complicate things… but it's also an opportunity, she thought to herself. "Two men and a captive." She announced to the other two.

"Really? Who?" Louise asked.

"Don't know, bagged." The blue haired girl replied as she watched the carriage pull back into the street and move out of sight. Tabitha collapsed the air lens before throwing her hood over her head and looking back her companions. "Follow my lead." She then started to walk across the street towards the other alley. She thought she heard Louise start to say something, but Kirche silenced her quickly. Say what you will about the red head, but she had been Tabitha's friend long enough to know she was being serious and do what she said.

The three made it to the other alleyway without fuss. At first glance it was little different than the one they had just left, with small bits of refuse scattered about the ground and the wooden sides of the adjacent buildings looming close enough together that the space was dark and claustrophobic. After a few moments of glancing around Tabitha pulled her staff from underneath her cloak and muttered an incantation. Wisps of mist flowed from her staff and moved to line the walls and floor of the alley, giving the whole area a pale and otherworldly look.

"Uh, Tabitha?" Kirche said after a moment. "We're trying to find a secret entrance, remember? This just makes it harder to find anything."

The blue haired girl spared her friend a look before she shook her head a pointed at a section of wall. When the other two looked, they noticed a crack in the blanket of mist. More accurately, the saw the crack in the wooden paneling which the mist was flowing into. Tabitha dismissed the spell and moved to the wall, and a few seconds later she found the latch which pulled the concealed door open. A few seconds after that the three were in the building proper.

The inside of the theater was about as run down as the outside, or at least the foyer was. Everything save for a narrow path leading down the side of the main seating area was covered in a fine layer of dust, and the seats themselves were ratted. Tabitha gave a quick glance at the various viewing booths that lined the walls before she focused her attention on the stage. The platform had been repurposed as a storage area, with a number of crates and barrels taking up space where actors once worked their craft. It was also where the two thugs were holding down their struggling prisoner. To her surprise though they weren't doing anything other than that; no roughing him up or interrogation. Means their waiting for someone.

She wasn't at the best angle to see though, so she made a gesture and moved to the stairs on the other side of the theater. Her two companions weren't as good at stealth as she was, but the theater had been constructed such that the stage would get the most light during the day, and the two thugs were distracted by the struggling man in their grasp. They encountered no one else as the crept up to the second floor, moving into a booth above and to the right of the stage. Crouched under the booth railing, Tabitha carefully peered over the lip and down onto the stage.

From that angle she had a much clearer view of the three men as the two thugs forced the prisoner down to his knees, and she didn't fail to notice the tarp underneath them. The small barrels and crates on the stage were sealed, but given their size and shapes she had a fair guess as to what was inside them. Before she could think on it, one of the men called out "Stone! We've got him but he's gettin' a little antsy!" A few moments later the curtains in the back parted and three more men walked out, all dressed in commoner work clothes. However, it was clear from the way he held himself that the one in the middle was the one in charge.

He was… bland. He was of average height and dark hair, with early signs of age on his face, but other than that the man wasn't particularly remarkable. Most people wouldn't give him a second glance on the street, a fact which Tabitha suspected he used to his advantage. At the moment though the man was twirling a knife between his fingers as he looked down on the hooded prisoner, his expression flat and unamused. "So…" he eventually drawled out, a hint of an Albionese accent in his voice. "I'm guessing you thought you could avoid this part back when we made that deal."

"You're out of your fucking mind if you think you can get away with this!" The other man's voice was a bit muffled due to the bag, but the vehemence in his tone was clear. "Besides which, I fulfilled my end of the bargain perfectly! What do you have to complain about?!"

"The part where I'm suddenly linked to a conspiracy to assassinate the princess." Stone replied, his tone unchanging as he reached forward and ripped the hood of the prisoner's head. From her position it was hard for Tabitha to get a good view, but she made out a large wrinkled face and short white hair, topped with a crumpled skullcap. While Tabitha assumed she was looking at Stone's contact in the Tristanian government, she didn't know who he was on sight. "Do you really think I would have gotten in bed with you had I known this is what you meant by 'a shift in power'?"

"I thought that you would stick to your filthy back alleys where you belonged." The man spat back. "You're and thugs are rats. Nothing but specks of dirt that should be happy for whatever scraps they get from their betters."

"Nooo, I wish I was just a speck of dirt." Stone corrected. "Instead, I am now an unwitting accomplice to treason. And while I do think highly of myself that's just a little too much heat for me to deal with." The knife in his hands stopped spinning and he grasped the handle. "Which mean I have to start killing everyone who knows I was involved."

The prisoner started to struggle as he finally started to realize where this was going, but the two men holding him down just tightened their grip. "W-Wait! Think about this! I am a powerful man who would lose just as much as you if the secret got out! We all have our secrets to keep! I can help you!"

However, Stone simply tisked as he waved his knife back and forth. "Come now, we're both past the point of lies, aren't we? What little trust I might have had in you is gone, and I'm sure a powerful man like you can understand the value of trust. Especially traitors like yourself who betray that trust for even more power. No, I think you need to learn that no matter how much power you have, betrayers always get what's coming to them." He stopped playing with the knife and gripped it firmly. "Even a man as powerful as you Richemont."

Louise let out a soft gasp at that (thankfully no one below seemed to notice) and whispered "The head of the Ministry of Finance himself?"

Sensing that this was his last chance, Richemont tried to play one more card. "You don't know who I'm working with. Who set this up. What do you think is going to happen to you if my backer learns you killed me?"

Stone paused, and Tabitha tensed. Depending on what Richemont said next, she might have to act.

But after several long moments, Stone simply grunted. "Oh, I have a guess. I while I may be a criminal, I want nothing to do with that lunatic." And then without hesitation, he grabbed Richemont's head with one hand and sliced the man's throat open with the other.

The man gurgled for a moment before he collapsed onto the ground, his life blood spilling out onto the tarp before the two thugs moved to wrap up the body. Tabitha relaxed a little even as she felt Louise and Kirche flinch next to her. One of the thugs looked up at his boss. "Where do you want us to put it?"

"I was thinking out behind the tannery. Skivers tend to dump their trash in the area. We call the guard and they find a high ranking noble's corpse…" Stone gave a humorless chuckle. "Might as well get one more useful thing out of the bastard." His expression fell a bit. "Make it quick. As soon as the others are done with that queer at the inn we need to move all of these firearms somewhere else. We all meet here and hour before dusk." He glanced at the two men flanking him. "You two stay here and watch the place. I have some other business to take care of."

Stone moved to leave, but as he did so Louise started to stand. Fast as she could Tabitha grabbed her and forced her back down, clamping her hand over the other girl's mouth before she protested. Louise struggled a bit, but a cold glare from Tabitha caused her to still. After a few second Tabitha put her finger to her lips and released Louise's mouth.

Annoyingly the girl still spoke, but at least she did it in a hushed whisper. "What are you doing, he's going to get away!"

"Too few of us. We move now he could escape." Tabitha coolly replied. "He's coming back later. We secure the two, we bring the Musketeers, set a trap and capture him then."

Louise scowled and shifted anxiously, but she eventually nodded. Tabitha relaxed a little at that. In truth she felt she probably could secure Stone if it really came down to it, but she had her own reasons for wanting to wait. A few minutes passed before the shuffling below them settled down, and Tabitha risked another look. She was rewarded by the sight of the two remaining men playing cards.

A few minutes later the three girls moved back down to the theater proper, splitting up to either side of the stage after Tabitha outlined a quick plan. She and Louise managed to get in position behind a set of crates and waited.

A few seconds later Kirche stepped out of the shadows into full view of the men, her cloak open and blouse pulled down. "Hello, boys. Your boss thought you earned a bonus for you hard work, so he sent me."

The two men jumped to their feet in alarm, hands on their weapons but they didn't draw them. In that moment of hesitation when they wondered if she was telling the truth, the other two girls struck. Icey chains wrapped around one of the men while a blast of pure force knocked the other's legs out from under him and sent the thug crashing to the ground. In a few moments both were subdued and secured in ropes and gags.

With things more or less wrapped up, Tabitha turned and headed backstage. She didn't get far before she heard Kirche call out "Tabitha, where are you going? Shouldn't we be getting these guys to the Muskeeters?"

"Investigate. Find any hard evidence lying around we can bring. Will help if something goes wrong." She replied without turning.

She heard a hum from behind her before Kirche continued. "Good idea. We'll see if we can find anything more obvious out here. "

Tabitha continued past the curtains and into the hallway in the back, quickly glancing through each room she passed to see if there was anything obvious. She paused when she looked into what she guessed had been a dressing room and found it more opulently decorated than the others she had passed. An ornate desk took up one corner of the room, with a number of ledgers lining the wall behind it. Fine carpets were on the floor, and there was even a well-crafted brazier in the center of the room.

Tabitha quickly searched the room as she had been taught, going through the desk for hidden latches, tapping the walls with her staff to hear for hollow points. It was only a few minutes before she tapped her staff on a section of the floor in the corner and heard a different sound than she had been expecting. She bent down and ran her hands over the floorboards until she found the seam and pulled open the panels revealing a safe in the floor. Romalian make, sturdy, but non-magical, she thought to herself as she eyes the grey metal door and brass tumblers. Normally she would be annoyed by how much something like this would slow her down… but at the moment she didn't have time to take it slow.

Tabitha started to chant and a ball of water condensed out of the air before her, just a little smaller than her own head. She guided the ball down towards the safe and caused it to thin and spread, forcibly seeping into the cracks between the door and the rest of the safe. Once it had all settled in place, Tabitha snapped out a sharp command and the water flash froze into ice. The door warped and buckled a bit at the sudden expansion of material around it, popping slightly out of its frame. Tabitha melted the ice back to water and shifted it around a little before doing it again. This time the safe door completely popped out of place. With a grunt the girl pulled the now useless door up and to the side before she reached down and pulled out the safe's contents: a stack of documents.

Tabitha flipped through the papers, quickly scanning each one to see if it was the evidence she was looking for. And it was. It was a series of letters and instructions to Stone detailing which gates the firearms and gunpowder would be entering the city from at which times. There were also instructions that involved giving a portion of those supply to a certain group of men a few days later. This in itself was good, if not enough… but that wasn't all. More documents were written in what she was coming to recognizing as Stone's handwriting, detailing certain contingencies in case of a double cross. These one specifically mentioned Richemont by name, and other officials in the Ministry of Finance.

On the same page there was also a note about the men Stone had met and given the gunpowder bomb to. How he felt the one he spoke with had put on a terrible Germanian accent. How he could tell from the way they stood to the way the moved they were military. And from how familiar it was to him, how they were Albionese military.

"Tabitha," She heard Kirche call from outside the room. "We picked a few pistols out of the crates and we need to get going. Find anything good in there?"

"No." She called back. She moved to the brazier and tossed the documents onto the cold ashes. She muttered quick incantation under her breath and the pages burst into flames.

She stared at flames for a few moments before she turned and left. They all had their secrets to keep.

A/N: Really meant to put this out sooner, but life and other interests got in the way. This arc was also going to be longer, but I realized that there wasn't much more plot or character development planned for it than I have already done, so I'm compressing things a bit.

Side note, Agnes is underestimating the quality of George's armor here. The Roman we picky about using good steel for their military.

Till next time.