The Lead Crown: Ch 2c, Revelations (pt 2)
Tranquil Waters: The Lead Crown Ch 2-2, Revelations
Sleep was one of many things that could not elude Alarice, but it wasn't something she was always after. Far into the night she remained awake by choice rather than by restlessness, listening to the near-silent house as she contemplated her next course of action. It had been a long time since the woman had suffered from lack of sleep-- even three hours a night served her well enough, and she used the extra time to great effect.
As she contemplated on the events of the week, Alarice took the time to reflect on what her newest contract had cost her. What she found the most frustrating, however, was the fact that she hadn't been able to discover the identity of her employer... and it was occupying more and more of her thoughts. When she heard the sound of a door open and close quietly in the room next to hers, it was actually a welcome reprieve.
"How's your head?" it was the soft, fluid voice of Sada the otter, and it was far more pleasant when not filled with challenge and accusation.
"Fine..." Alvis' voice responded blearily, "...I guess."
Alarice heard the sound of the otter settling down into an old, creaky chair, "I saw the candlelight from under your door and I realized that you were either still awake, or else you didn't snuff it before you went to bed."
"Yea..." the mongrel replied, "I'm still alive."
Sada's laughter was musical, "I meant snuff the candle, you silly pup."
"Don't call me a cub." Alvis' response was almost aggressive in tone.
"I didn't... I mean... oh bother." Alarice could tell that the otter's sudden falter was less surprise and far more acting, but, the human woman realized, Sada did it quite convincingly, "I'm sorry... we really DID get off to a bad start."
"By you hitting me in the head with a pan, or by calling me a pup?" his tone was decidedly not welcoming.
Sada's sigh was audible even through the wall, "Both."
"Yea... I agree."
"For what it's worth, I really AM sorry, Sir." The otter went from very casual to very formal... a nice touch, Alarice realized... and it had the desired effect.
"Oh... uh... okay." the mutt obviously had trouble figuring out how to respond, "And... uh... I guess you don't have to call me sir."
"You have very handsome eyes." Sada was laying it on thick, though Alarice could imagine it likely had a very positive effect on the young mixed breed dog.
"My uncle said they were a sign that I would never be able to commit to anything." Alvis' voice was a tone lower, hinting at displeasure over the memory, "At least, that's what he said the Tribals think."
Sada responded with her musical laugh, "I take it you and your uncle didn't get along?"
"He got mad that I wasn't willing to support Prince Thaddius's claim on the throne." Alvis announced darkly, "And got madder when I told him I didn't think the Princess should be Queen either."
"Well, just so you know, I heard that the Tribals think that eyes of different color are a sign of great importance and significance." the otter woman responded.
"You're joking." the mongrel's response revealed that he was not quite as gullible as Alarice had first suspected, and she silently thanked Sada for discovering it so she wouldn't have to.
"I have no idea what it means, to be honest." the otter woman recovered quite smoothly for having been caught in a lie, and she suddenly changed the topic, "I have never been in a room with a man this long without him commenting on my robe's neckline."
"Your what?"
"This." she responded in what could not have been mistaken for any tone other than what it was, and Alarice had an idea of what was happening.
"I... uh... yes... that's very nice, Miss."
"Hmmm..." the otter chuckled, "I take it I'm not your type."
"Uh... no... no thank you." the mogrel was obviously off balance, "But you're... uh... very pretty."
Sada's voice gained a hint of playful provocation to it, "So... what IS your type then? Would it be.... tall dark and handsome?"
"I... uh--"
"I've heard that the University often has a certain... appeal." she continued, unabated, "...to those who are otherwise shunned by the Church, I mean."
"I'm just an apprentice." Alvis blurted, "I mean... I'm still in training... I don't have anything to do with--" there was a pause, "Just because I don't want--" followed by another pause, "What do you want from me?"
"I already said, my dear... I just wanted to apologize for the first impression I made." her voice was all sugar.
"The impression you made on my head?"
The otter's next laugh was much less theatrical and much more genuine, "Ah... you DO have a little bite to you yet." and Alarice could feel the tension lower in the next room, "Which means there's still hope for you."
"What's that supposed to mean?" the mogrel challenged.
"If you're going to attract a man there are certain things you need..." Sada responded, "...and a certain amount of confidence about you doesn't hurt either."
"Who says I'm trying to attra--"
"You are going to need help in that regard..." she spoke over him, "Your eyes are an excellent attention-getter, but there's a lot more we're going to have to work on."
"We?"
Sada's next words would probably have been too much for anyone to bear, "You, my dear, are my new project." Her light-hearted tone made it all the worse. Thankfully, their continued discussion lowered in volume, and Alarice found something else to occupy her attention: the other wall to her room was shared with Roland's room, and the sound of a challenging shout was more than enough to perk her interest.
"Who's there?" Roland hailed.
At first, she thought that he might have heard something from outside, but a response came after only the faintest of delays, "Me."
The wolf-dog's reply was not exactly welcoming, "What do you want, Joshew?"
"Relax." the human scholar countered, "I just came to check on your wound."
"Why now?" Roland questioned, "You just redressed it a few hours ago."
"I also came to apologize." Joshew noted, and quickly, before Roland could reply, added, "You still feel quite firm... haven't lost that country-wolf muscle after all this time at the UPU, apparently."
"Metallurgy does that." the wolf-dog replied in a guarded manner, "Moving heavy stuff around all day..." then, after a pause, he questioned, "What's your angle?"
"No angle." Joshew responded, and Alarice heard a heavy sigh through the wall, "You know as much as I do that I'm not the easiest person to get along with."
"Took you this long to figure that out?"
"You're not really making this easy, you know." the human stated flatly.
"I think that's fair, because you haven't made my LIFE easy." there was a strong hint of frustration to Roland's tone, followed by a yelp, "HEY!" he added.
"Don't insult a man while he's working on your 'owies'." Joshew replied, "Anyway, how else do you expect me to act around someone who betrayed me? Should I pretend like nothing's wrong?"
"How did -I- betray YOU?" the wolf-dog demanded.
"I seem to remember a little incident regarding Dragon's Coal and White Sand..." Joshew stated flatly, "You know... the one that almost killed me."
"And I told you I had nothing to do with that." Roland growled.
"You never apologized for that." the human continued.
"Because I didn't do it!" the exclamation was followed by the loud thump of a paw on some piece of wooden furniture. Suddenly, as if remembering that there were others about, the wolf-dog lowered his voice and repeated, "I didn't do it."
"That's convenient and all, especially since you were seen entering and leaving my lab." Joshew responded.
"Yea?" there was a distinctive challenging tone in his counter, "By Eric, wasn't it?"
There was a long pause in the discussion and Alarice could just manage to make out the quiet sound of bandages being wrapped. When someone next spoke up, it was Joshew, and the words came out softly, "I thought he was... well... maybe not a friend... but--"
"You thought you could trust him." Roland replied, his voice likewise softer.
"He didn't have the same motives as the scholars there... as my peers and my superiors--"
"The Grand Joshew has superiors?" Roland questioned, "You must be mistaken... there is nobody greater than Joshew the Magnificent... he's all but said so on numerous occasions."
"I'm sorry." the human replied, "I thought I could trust him."
"And you didn't think you could trust me?" there was a hint of pain in the wolf-dog's response.
"I'm sorry." Joshew repeated.
"You blew up my lab." Roland announced.
"I thought you sabotaged me." Alarice couldn't fault the scholar his retaliation, but, from the way he announced it, she had a feeling that Joshew didn't consider it a good defense for himself once it was spoken aloud.
"So..." the wolf-dog cleared his throat, "You didn't trust me when I said I didn't sabotage you... you took Eric's word over mine... and you also admit that you blew up my lab."
"I'm sorry." the human repeated yet again.
"I'm not sure I can accept your apology, Shew." Roland stated, "We're talking about more than just some stupid argument or a little fight... you weren't willing to believe me... and then you BLEW. UP. MY. LAB."
"I saved your life on the street... I used the last of my lunar caustic to make sure your injuries didn't turn sour... and I've bandaged your wounds-- three times now." Joshew sighed, "Doesn't that account for SOMETHING? Urgh... you're so thick headed!"
"Insulting me isn't exactly a good follow up to an apology, you petty flask-tosser." Roland objected.
"I know... and I'm so--" there was a pause as Joshew's words were cut off, but he continued a moment later, "... did you just kiss me?"
"You might be blind, but I didn't know your lips were numb too." the mongrel replied.
"Does..." Joshew paused again, "...this mean you accepted my apology?"
Roland's reply came hesitantly, "I... suppose I wanted to know if there... was still something... you know... between us..."
"... is there?" the human questioned softly.
Alarice didn't bother listening to the rest of their conversation, feeling, strangely, that it simply wasn't right for her to continue spying on the two. It was a very odd sensation-- willingly granting people a degree of privacy... but it was only then that she realized how tired she truly was. Her body could continue on for several more hours if she willed it to, but her mind was ready to fall into the quiet oblivion of sleep.
She glanced back to her bed with a curled up bundle of sleeping bat beneath the covers. Inigo had been the newest member of her team... but, as far as she knew, he was now the only member. The bat had been loyal to her ever since she had purchased his contract from the brothel that kept him as an indentured servant, and what she had seen in him had turned out to be accurate: he learned quickly and followed every one of her directions... sometimes to a fault.
Unlike anyone else in the world, Inigo seemed to always have her best interests at heart. He was often dulpicitous, but he never lied... not to her. She moved to the side of the bed, gazing down at the sleeping bat, admiring the peace with which he was resting. He had suffered from the loss of the team but, moreover, his sense of stability had been shattered. Alarice knew what that was like-- it was something she thought she would be able to avoid if she planned well enough... if she prepared well enough... and if she had amassed enough. One thing, she had not counted on, however: there was never such thing as enough.
She slid effortlessly into bed, the feel of silken sheets caressing her in a comforting embrace... though it wasn't the specific embrace she most desired. Pulling the linens up over her bare body, she slipped an arm around the sleeping bat who, blearily, rolled over so he could pull her against him. Alarice closed her eyes, resting her head against his furry form as she felt the slow, even breathing of Inigio. If only for the next few hours, she knew that she hoped she could finally be at peace.