"I thank you for receiving me, Lady of the Frail." Artemus stated cordially as he offered the Queen of Beggars a low bow, his arm crossed over his chest, hand at his heart, his hood removed out of respect.
"I have not heard that title in some years." The Queen hummed gently as she stirred a weak cup of tea with a broken spoon. Her gaze, blind as it may have been, did not so much as pass over the man standing before her.
"Though I suppose your kind would be largely out of the loop in terms of our kin." She continued, a withering smile gracing her features as she gestured for the two men before her to join her at the table.
"I suppose that is true enough." Artemus replied as approached, scuffing his steps to allow the blind women some inkling of his whereabouts as he pulled out both his and Garrett's seat, arranging them to sit closer than strictly necessary, Garrett didn't comment, if anything, once Artemus had taken his seat, the thief scooched his chair even closer.
Artemus made no comment, though he did turn his head to brush his lips against the crown of Garrett's head when the younger man leaned over to rest against his side, basking in the familiarity of comfort he had denied himself for so long.
"I must say however… I found it surprising that it took you so long to find this place." The Queen mused aloud, her pale eyes pinned on the two men before her, sightless yet knowing; "Keepers I thought were known for their knack of finding things." The Queen sighed, her voice light and teasing.
"I do believe you are mistaking me for a thief Madame." Artemus replied smoothly, indulging the old woman's word play as he took Garrett's hand in his own, Garrett was quick to slot his fingers between Artemus', offering his father's hand a gentle squeeze as a silent, exhausted sigh escaped him.
"But I doubt you asked to see us for mere pleasantries." Artemus replied to the old woman across from him. Truly, the Queen and her beggars had graced the many tomes the Keepers treasured, but never had the Haven and the Queen of Beggars interacted beyond brief run-ins and a vague sense of awareness.
"Indeed, I have not." The old Queen sighed as she set her teacup down on a chipped saucer, she folded her hands in her lap, her skin pale and thin, ancient. For a brief moment Artemus wondered, in all of his Keeper inquisitive nature, if the woman before him, the Queen of Beggars, truly was the Eternal City given flesh.
"I take it your kind has been made aware of the recent developments regarding the Primal?" She asked softly, looking at the Keeper despite the deep fog clouding her eyes.
"Quite." Artemus snipped, not cruelly, but not kindly either. Truthfully, before he managed to slip away from the Haven to search for his missing children, all anyone could talk about was the disruption of the Primal, what happened, why, how to mend it.
Artemus was nearly sick of hearing about the Primal. But for the old woman, he would listen once more.
"The Outsider has severed the ties between the Void and waking reality." The Queen explained gently as she reached out to the table, her hands sure and steady as she took hold of the teapot with the broken handle, pouring another cup of tea for herself, and the another for her company.
"Oh, believe me, the Keepers are well aware." Artemus huffed as he watched the water pour and steam rise, some small part of Artemus was aware that he had never caught sight of a fire to warm the water, nor any rain barrels or catches to store water. But the larger part of Artemus couldn't be bothered to care as he took the cup offered to him; "It's the dark ages all over again." He murmured in lieu of a thankyou.
"Not quite." The old woman murmured, pausing to sip her scalding tea to wet her throat and warm herself with a sigh.
"You can feel it, can you not?" She asked softly, "The Primal? It is still here… But it has grown sickly and unkempt. Uncontrollable. But intact… Your Glyphs remain, but you cannot use them, correct?"
Her words shocked Artemus into a stunned silence, though he did manage to nod. The Haven was very selective when it came to unveiling the hidden architecture which the city was built upon, and now to know that someone could so easily whisper such secrets freely had Artemus on high alert.
"The Outsider was the one to sever the ties between the Void and the waking world this time… And should the Outsider see it fit to reestablish the ties between once again, They will…" The Queen murmured just against the rim of her teacup
"The Leviathan severed the anchors?" Artemus repeated numbly.
"They did." The Queen replied as lowered her cup into her lap.
"Something… Blasphemous occurred, the night the ties were severed… Something so foul that the Outsider had no other choice but to disconnect Themselves from our world… And now the Primal runs rampant and untamed…" A shudder ran through her spine, and briefly, Artemus feared she would crumble away before his very eyes.
"Do you know what occurred exactly?" Artemus asked, chest tight and anxious, desperate to know, know more. Orland was so set in his ways to close off the Haven, yet here, here in the middle of the city, in some derelict ruins of some church, lived a legend, the Eternal City made flesh.
"I do not…" The Queen replied solemnly… Casting her gaze to the tea in her lap, had she not been blind, Artemus would have expected her to read her tea leaves for an answer.
"My beggars tend to stay well away from the noble district as you can understand, it was only fate that your son was found alive…" The old woman murmured softly, lifting her head to look at the boy beside the Keeper at her table.
Likewise, Artemus followed her gaze, looking over to his son, his son who had so easily fallen asleep against his shoulder, his hand still tucked into Artemus'
"As far as I know… Your children are the sole witness of the eve." The Queen of Beggars stated quietly.
Artemus shuddered as he choked down a frail sob, pressing his cheek to the top of Garrett's head as his shoulders began to tremble, he looked over to the old woman before him.
"And… You're sure there was no sign of my daughter?"
The Queen sighed sadly and shook her head.
"The moment my Beggar brought Garrett to us, I asked them to scour the site where they found him… I can assure you that there was not a trace of your daughter among the rubble."
Artemus nodded slowly as he ignored the bitterness of grief clawing at the back of his throat.
He still had Garrett, he had found Garrett, he was still a father…
But somehow, that only made him feel worse...