Ladykylin

He didn’t come out until they had passed, doing otherwise just wasn’t in his nature. “I hope it’s a big room, there are quite afew of us.” Galis said after he’d come out from hideing, it was amzeing hte nook and crannies old houses had.

“Most of the boy’ll scatter soon as it’s safe, can’t have to many of us in one place anymore.” Shelly said, “It’s all quite exciteing.”

“I’m glad pain death and destruction meet your fancy.” Galis said sharply, Greg had just almost died and had been tortured, this was far beyond the realms of exciteing, exciteing was pulling a good heist, this, this was terrifing.

“Well someone needs ot have a sense of humor if your not feeling up to it.” Shelly retorted.

“I’m going to check out the rest of the house.”

“Don’t steal anything ,were guests.” Shelly told him as he retreated.

“And try not to leave a mess with the ash you’ve got all over you.” The launderer added.

Galis didn’t dignify either of them with a response, he’d steal what he wanted if he wanted to, he didn’t really see how being a guest changed anything. That the doctor who owned the place was supposed to help Greg was far more a reason not to. You didn’t steal from your neighbors, and you didn’t steal from the poor, and you didn’t steal from people you owed favors to. That’s just the way of things. Every thief worth the name knew that.

He went up the stairs the maid had been comeing down, his ears aware for any sound as he crep up the narrow steps of a servant’s passageway. He guessed there would be at least 3 or 4 hidden passage ways in this house. Takeing the first door he ran into he turned left, easeing the door slowly and cautiously, he doubted it’d be trapped but one never knew. Somewhere further down the hall he’d left a bell chime calling for a servant. Probably the lady of the house, somehow the idea of Elrick haveing a mother seemed wrong, out of some dangrous curisoity Galis decided he wanted to meet the women that had brought that monster into the world.

The bell kept chimeing, he guessed that perhaps the maid that was off with shelly was also responsible for tending to the matron. Which meant she’d be alone. Excellent. Changeing directions he followed the chimeing bells path, passing out of the servants cooridor into a sitting room of sorts, he heard her muttering in the next room, something about a dress not being properly cleaned. He eased to the adjcent wall peering into the room, but he coudln’t see her from the limited opening of the ajar door. The bell contiutned to prattle on impatiently.

A fiendish grin came to Galis as he climbed to where the rope that pulled the bell was exposed and cut it. The bell fell silent no matter how much she pulled. And she pulled the line once more, and when the decrotive rope didn’t spring back as it should have she pushed the door open.

Galis was struck first by how similiar their eyes were, the same cold blue, and the same straight dark hair. She walked into the room with an air of pompus indignity, a guady dress of green silk trailing behind her on the richly colored rug.

“oh and it’s quite a mess in here to, what did that foolish girl do, leave a window open dureing the storm. I’ll have to have that incomptent tart beaten perhaps then she would learn how to clean a house properly. " She said her tone manageing to be both frustrateing and conversational. Galis quickly decided he hated her.

Stepping out from behind a silk screen one of his blades in hand he didn’t need to fake his ill intentions. “If you make a singal sound it will be the last you ever make.” Galis said, he didn’t even know if he was bluffing. “Yes their are guards outside, but how quickly would they be able to get in, the front door is locked, and it’s a very heavy door Ma’am, by the time they opened it you would be dead and I’d be gone.”

She nooded her cruel eyed head, she seemed to belive him. Good. “So here’s what going to happen, your going to go back into your bedchamber, find a chair and I’m going to tie you to it, then if you’ve behaved I’ll gag you and leave you alone.” The fear that had flared at his appreance faded into indignance. “Do you understand.” She nodded.

“Then turn around.” She obliged, her slippered feet makeing far more noise then they had before. Galis didn’t care, no one was going to come.

The room was opulant, a massive bed stood at it’s center, a dressing tabel with a full height mirror took up one corner, and a old and dark wooded chest of drawers took up the far wall, a partly opened pocketing door led to a massive closet. Galis was fairly certain his and Greg’s old place could have fit in the closet with room to spare. “Sit.” He command gestering to the cushioned arm chair infront of the dresseing table. “Faceing me.”

She shifted the chair akwardly due to the restrictive movement of her dress. But she manged. “You do belive me when I say that I will kill you?” He asked, he didn’t need both hands to tie a good knot. Pulling a length of rope from around his waist(Of course Galis has rope, what theif deosn’t keep rope on them at all times. It’s to thieves what towels are to hitchkiers) His left hand moved daftling tieing her in place without the supervision of his eyes.

“Now your going to answer a question of mine.”

“And why would I do that?” She asked in voice far to much like her son’s in tone.

“Becuase your vain, and you value your beatuy far more then your loyalty. " The dressing table along with the absurd amount of creams and powders on it gave that away, and the fact that she was trying to look so much younger then she was. But those cruel eyes would always make her look unwholesome. “And if marring your painted face deosn’t work I’ll find something else.”

Even beneath the layers of makeup her complexion paled.

“What do you want to know?” Her voice shook.

“Hello Galroy,” Alten said entering his library, he knew the ace was in there long before the other knew he was. Seeing with more then eyes made things such as walls barely an obsoticle.

“My Lord,” Galroy said stepping out and then bowing low. “I fear things have not gone as we planned, your men moved to soon.”

“They moved when I told them to, based on far more…relibable information.” Alten said, takeing a seat in the cushioned chair, “Please do sit.”

“Of course My Lord.” Galroy aggreed, sitting in the chair farthest from Alten, a sign of fear. Alten smiled, he knew how precarious his suition was, good. His ace did hover between a very painfull brink and complete succes.

“After haveing so much false information come from you and your contacts I acted on on other informats and have made a plan of my own.” Alten said, he rarely explained himself, but in this suitation he didn’t mind, if it would make Galroy understand.

“My contacts have been far from co-operative, they knew from the start they could not trust me, even disgraced I’m still to much a noble, and now the one amoung the rabble that trusted me has been arrested and slated to be hung.” Galroy said, not even looking at the wine as Alten poured himself some, the thought of posion surely running through his mind. “If I were to show up there I’d be a bad man. That plan wasn’t supposed to fail, I sent messages in regards to that.”

“Oh I am aware, but you see I’m not entirely certain you are really my man Galroy. For this job, or in loyalty.” Alten said, watching theo thers face carefully, the lack of even a show of sudden dread or outrage at the accusation, rather impressed him.

“Well, that is a problem isn’t it.” Galroy said, he seemed to ahve been expecting this. Alten rather hoped so, he’d proved himself vital in other matters, but he could not have someone with an ace’s ablities who was less then loyal. That only brewed problems.

“Fortunately for you I have a solution.” Alten said, “One for your theatrical skills, I’m told you handel a mob like a trick horse.”

“I’ve disperared a few, and drawn up a few my lord.” Garloy agreed.

“You should know there is no need t obe so formal, we’ve talked on a first name basis plenty of times before Galroy, I do hope you aren’t foolish enough to think that title mongering woudl work on me.”

“A habit Alten, that is all.” Galroy said, almost succding in looking completely relaxed in the tense silence that followed.

“Fortunately for you I have a plan, one which will clear up the issue entirely.” Alten said, watching the slight twitch of Galroy’s lips.

“I implore you share this.” Galroy said, sounding entirely eager, but Alten could sense the reluctance. Yes indeed he was teetering between loyalites, a shame if he chose the wrong side.

“In three days the Goodmin’s luietnent will be hung publicly, from what information I’ve gleaned this event will not only bring out the thief that has alluded you, but most likely Goodmin himself and the rebles that might survive the fire that will rage through most of the docks tommrow.” He paused takeing a deep drink from the wine glass. “You will be my spokesmen here, and apprehend both the crow and anchor(lol Goodmin just got a silly nickname) and insite the crowd agasint the rebels as much as you can.”

“You are quite gracous to trust me so much.” Galroy said.

“There will of course be two black cloaks assisting you in this effort.”

“And if this plan should fail?” He tried to make it sound like he was just curious, as far as Alten could tell he failed.

“Your carrer will end in a very..unpleasant manner.” At least for Moloney it would be unpleasant, “I would hate to see someone with so much promise have their carrer end in such a messy manner.”

" I understand."

“Good, I suggest you use the baths then, you smell like fish.” Alten said entirely dismissevly.

“I’m going with you, I’ll make sure the wife isnt’ around.” Galis said, “Where would he be.”

“I don’t know, he’s probably at the clinic right now.”

“Someone’s comeing” Galis hissed as he heard footsteps comeing down the stair at the end of the hall way. This whole thing seemed like a bad idea. “It’ll have to be one of the servants, that’s part of the servants coridors, and she would never be there.” Shelly said.

“Were fugitives, three of the most wanted fugitives in the city, I don’t care who it is, they can’t see us here.” Galis whispered harshely as he cast about for somewhere to hide. He could hear them humming some tune as they came down, he didn’t recognize it, but it was close to something he did.

“It’s got ot be miranda,” Shelly said, a smile on her pretty face as she recognized the tune that Galis didn’t, “She never could get it right.” Galis watched in something akin to horror as Shelly walked toward the saircase, he found somewhere out of sight and listened. REady to move at less then a momments notice. Of course all it would take would be the shrill scream of a terrified chamber maid to bring the entire watch on thier heads. And he felt all but ot of heroics for the day. The humming stopped, and Galis tensed, but relaxed as the women that had been humming obviously recognized Shelly, and apprently knew her from her much younger days. The women did the laundry apprently, and was about to do some ironing, this dind’t much matter to Galis what did was weather or not she would keep them a secret. She had agreed readily enough.

“Galis you can come out from hideing, she’s safe, and can make sure no one else comes to the laundry as well, "Shelly said walking past all but arm in arm wiht the older but not quite elderly head of staff.

He didn’t come out until they had passed, doing otherwise just wasn’t in his nature. “I hope it’s a big room, there are quite afew of us.” Galis said after he’d come out from hideing, it was amzeing hte nook and crannies old houses had.

He peeked out from below to the other side, seeing Greg’s bare and bloodied feet and the frantically paceing Galroy as well as the skirts of the two black cloaks.

From the angle of the feet he knew they both looked outwards, Galis had no clue why, but he guessed Selken had something to do with it. He ducked back beneat hthe saffolding, pulling out one of his now plentifull daggers and shoveing it into the trap door mechnism, he doubted it stop it from being pulled, but it’d slow it and that was a good enough reason, and maybe the hangman would strain something if things got that far.

Manuvering through the braces that made up the lower portion he came back to the back, the black cloacks were still looking out, and Galroy was oblivious, hauling himself up wiht a speed that had helped him allude so many guards he was on his feet on the stage before anyone in the distracted crowd even knew he was there. A quick motion cut the rope binding Greg’s wrists, and another the noose around his neck.

The crowd gasped with a similtiousness that couldn’t have been better. The black cloacks turned, “Get out of here now!” Galis all but yelled to Greg shoveing him as best he could towards the crowd, which was currently to shocked to do anything but gape, except for the ever ready rebles, and royals. (yeah alliteration)

“You shouldn’t have come crow.” Galroy said, his tone malevolent, as he drew the slender blade of rapiar. But he didn’t charge, he didn’t even take a step closer, in fact he took one back, closer to the black cloacks.

“What you need ugly men in dresses to protect you?” Galis taunted, still urging Greg towards the edge of the stage, where he really did hope someone could get him out ofhere and to safety. He didn’t seem to have a lot of energy, and Galis couldn’t really help him move. He just plain wasn’t strong enough.

Instead of a reply something Galis hadn’t expected happened, pivoteing and with a swish of the wrist Galroy struck the nearest black claock, the blades razor fine(such a cliche razor fine, or sharp. bah) tip cut though the nearest Black cloacks neck, it’s blood dampening the cloacks material.

“Traitor!” The other yelled in the same horrible voice as Galis had heard before.

“Were even now.” Galroy said, as the other black cloack turned his attention from Galis and Greg to the Ace.

Galis didn’t see what happeend next, didn’t question waht had just happend he just lead and pulled Greg all the faster, he didn’t have time ot look back. A sharp crow like cackle brought his gaze ot the left, that was something he and Greg had used as a signal, apprently he had told Goodmin since that was who was makeing it from amdist a group of his rebels.

The wind blew faster and harder, the ash makeing visablity almost zero, which didn’t hinder Galis’ mental map of the square. But for the guards and royals it certainly did, but they were looking for moveing targets, the street Galis was looking for the one Goodmin had been at the mouth of a few momments ago.

“I knew you’d come.” Greg said, sounding like someone in a fever dream. “And I knew you wouldn’t get caught.”

“We ain’t outta that particuler fish fry yet.” Galis said, hearing Greg talk, and saying what he had brought him more relief that he could realize. “But we will be, I don’t get caught unlike some oafs.”

“It was a trap the whole thing was a trap, everything. The plan was stupid, how did we not see how stupid that plan was.” Greg muttered.

“Becuase Galroy was a conniceinveing bastard.” Galis asnwered, though the fog he could barely make out the outlines of Goodmin and co. He mimiced the crow sound with far more accuracy to let them know where the were.

“Well that was fun,” Goodmin said as the duo came to the relative shelter of the street. They were still buffeted with ash, but they could see.

“Yes loads of fun,” Galis aggreed, “Can someone help me with him. We need to get somewhere safe.” He didn’t know where, he coudln’t exactly take Greg with him to some unused attic, he could barely walk let alone climb a wall. Goodmin and another one of the rebles obliged, either going on one side or the other of Greg and half carried him so he really wouldn’t have to do much to walk. Which was good.

“I know a place,” Shelly volunteered, “Long as we can stay quite, and his wife deosn’t see me. It’s real close so it’s better then our other bet.”

“LEad the way.” Galis said, " The strom won’t last for much longer."

The walked, Greg hobbling between his two supports with Galis feeling entirely akward off to the side, feeling guilt for every bit of damage that he could see on his friend.

“Here it is, Vankelten manor.” Shelly said.

“We can’t go in there.” Galis said.

“Why not? Their just doctors, and we can trust him, his wife less so, and their doctors they can help him.”

“Becuase Elrick Vankelten is Alten’s inquisator, and probably the one who did that to him.” Galis said, she had to be mad.

“He disowned his son when he became an inquistor, he is a good man. He just deosn’t love his wife.” Shelly said, and so few men did. “He’s appaled by his son. They haven’t talked for almost 15 years. And they aren’t nobel. They aren’t lities, and we don’t have a choice.”

“Fine,” Galis aggreed before he even knew what he was saying. “Bloody fine.”

Their poosie shambled down the side street towards the severvant quaters, where Shelly found a key hidden amount the ivy and let them in. “Go downstairs, I’ll go find him, and warn him.”

“I’m going with you, I’ll make sure the wife isnt’ around.” Galis said, “Where would he be.”

“I don’t know, he’s probably at the clinic right now.”

And that’s all becuase I need to figure out what kind of wierd people could get a vote of confidence from Shelly and have a son as messed up as Elrick. I was not expecting this.

He had no idea what he was going to do if he was in that bad of a state. He didn’t have a clue really what he was going to do after he cut him loose. He’d come up with something. Plans were something he found were good when there wasn’t a horrible amount of things that could and would go wrong. He kept low on the roof, from the ground he doubted anyone could see him without looking very closely, and given that looking up all that long would gain you an eye full of ash he doubted anyone would be. He waited, watching the crowd and thePalance gates from his vantage point, his mind still raceing in desperate search for a plan, something. “Can you make some kind of wind storm or something?” He remembered Cornell doing something of the sort in dream scape, this wasn’t dreamscape but maybe that wouldn’t matter. “Or go gaint and scary, or make it look like you are, anything that would be a distraction?” Galis asked, hateing the desperation in his voice. There had to be a way, there was always a way. But what if there wasn’t? That thought he pushed away with a violent denial. Selken inttruped his small siloquey with a demanding meow.

“Why can’t you ever talk when it woudl be helpfull?” Galis asked, this whole once and a while thing was really frustrateing. And he didn’t carefor it at all. Right now a little more information could go a long waise.

:Becuase the black cloacks might hear: Selken answered, his eyes looking at him sharply, almost in reprimand, like he shouldn’t have even asked.

“Fine, then, can you do something tht will help?” Galis asked again, this time stopping himself from elborateing as he had before. Selken mewoed in a way that coudl only be taken as an of course.

“Wind storm?” Galis asked, they did seem to be all about wind for some reason. He gave a non commital sound, and any furter questioning was brought short by a murmering of the crowds as the gates opened and Galis’ attention was brought to the line marching up and hten through it. He could feel his temper rise when he picked out Galroy in all his nobel finery walking at it’s head. “Bastard.” But his attention did not stay there, as much as his hate for hte lity had reached a soaring new height he wasn’t his concern right now, maybe later, maybe he’d go as far as finding out where the bastard slept, but right now that wasn’t his concern. Greg was. Bound and walking, half supported, half being hauled by the guards beside him he looked fine, but that coudln’t be right. He’d spent three days in Alten’s prison most likely with Elrick, there was no way he was fine. It wasn’t until the the Colum had come to the gates that he noticed that he was almost seeing double. Only in the same place.

He seemed to flicker, one version was the one that looked alirght, like he was no worse for wear after three days in the prison, like that never did anyone any harm, but the other spoke the truth of the matter, and it was messy. Somehow despite how little he thought it was possible his his hate grew worse, and was flavoured with disgust, how could anyone spend that much time wiht someone and then let that happen to them. It was one thing to double cross a stranger for a better cut, he could understand that, but to send someone into tha tkind of state. That was beyond low. His guilt rose, if he’d been there, if he’d just dealt with Galroy, if he’d stuck around instead of getting so invovled he could have stopped this. Selken meowed disaproveinly. “It’s my fault.” Selken contiuned to sound entirely in disagreemnt.

The crowd was quite, everyone knew you didn’t cheer at an excuation until after the person was dead. That was just common sense. that way no one could hear the people screaming in anguish.

Greg was brought up to the scaffolding, that looked entirely to much like a stage to Galis, to the side the hangman was cheerily reading the noose while Galroy took center stage, and he looked entirely comfortable there.

“What bull shit are you going to spew now lity.” Galis muttered, wondering if he could slit a thorat while he cut Greg free. ((okay to many Gs, though it kind of funny that they are all in that particular story arch)

“Good people, I have the honor to be with you today as the spokesmen of our Good empoerer. " Galroy began, his voice projecting in the amphidere the buildings made. The crowd was silent. Not entirely out of respoect for any officla spokesmen, but more for the military presence that was so very present around them. “Three days ago, a meer three days ago on the information of one good citizen a horrible tradgedy was averted. In thier ever more extreme movements the gang known as the Good fist attempted to plant a large amount of explosives in the collosum, wiht the intent of detonteing them dureing the harvest festivel.” There were murmers in the crowd, everyone knew something had happened, rumours had spread. Now the imperail version of the truth came out, only so far as Galis knew it was for once quite accurate. “When questioned this man revelaed all, their plot for a coup,” Galis knew from watching Greg that was a complete lie, Greg hand’t said a thing. " and how this gang with it’s disregard for life had the entire docks rigged in case our brave guards ever found where the ywere loacated nad tried to act on it. That horrible tragic fire was the result of a failed attempt at systematically removeing the charges. " The crowd murmured more at this.

Galis hoped, but doubted it was becuase they knew it was as complete a lie as he did.

“Do you people really belive this, this imperail bullshit.” A voice from the crowd yelled with none of the silk but far more brashness then Galis though was possible. He recognized it as Goodmin. Something akin to hope dared flare in Galis’ mind.
“The docks were burnt to the water line by Black cloack fire.” The crowd muttered louder as Goodmin came to the fore front. "Black cloacks led there by a theiveing cowardly traitor that triggered an explosive fire at the hull makers. " Which was right where thier hide out was, had been.

“What the hell are you doing Goodmin?” Galis asked far to quitely for the once sailor to hear down there. Guards were already moveing towards him. The Hangman was getting a second noose. He looked absolutely juilelent. Then it hit Galis, Goodmin was still going with the orginal plan, the one where he come down out of no where while he and a few others mada a distraction and then got Greg the hell out of there.

That meant there were more of them there, that meant maybe they had some hope after all. He double checked ot make sure Greg was tied and not shakled, rope could be cut in a fraction of a momment, shakles took longer to pick, and in his shape moveing quickly was going to be a lot of work any way.

“That explosin was the same explosive powerder your people tried to plant in the coolousm, at the same time more of your people tried to light fire to a nearby buisness in order to have enough of distraction.” Galroy countered, Galis knew that had been his plan, he’d been planning this all along, right from the start. He woundered if he’d ever said a single truth, yes, maybe when he’d had been beaten to the ground with a knife at his throat. (Galis stop giveing him so much credit he’s makeing this up as he goes along.)

Galis moved, climbing down the side of the building to the wide alley way, hardly a narro suspcaious alley, but around here it was an alley, an alley you could fit an oxen cart down, but due to the lack of a view no one was there.

“A plan you came up with, a plan you helped carry out, and one you encouraged, you wanted to use the orphange, becuase no one would let that burn.” Goodmin said loudly and with a disgust Galis fully approved of. The crowd murmered more loudly.

“Now would be a good time to do whatever you want to do.” Galis said, before Goodmin got himself arrested and hung right along with Greg. The crowd had two people to watch, and the guards had the rebles that were no doubt being as manaceing as could be in a protective circle around their leader.

“Are you people so gulliable that you will listen to a man found guility of illage slave trade and smuggleing before he became the head of the most violent gang that resided in the docks?” Galroy asked, “I spent weeks under the guise of disgrace and disownment to find my way into his insidulous orginization for the good of every citizen of this empire and this city.” And your own god dammaned good. Galis thought loudly.

The wind picked up, Galis narrowed his eyes as the ash that had seetled was stirred up again, he wondered if Black actully had eyes. He hoped so. He woudln’t be surprised if the ydidn’t.

Galis eased a look around the corner, no one was looking his way, the blue and royals were distracted by the riot Goodmin was doing a good job at starting, he couldn’t tell as far as the blak cloacks on the scaffolding went. Waiting as the wind picked up, wipping anything loose about, and sending several hats flying, Galis contuned ot watch. :They shouldn’t see you now, but act quickly.: Selken said, dashing out in front of him, the wind seeming to come from him. Galis didn’t hesitate, darting the short flat distance he found himself beneath the scaffolding. Outside of it he could hear the sound of a almost riot, of yells and cheers and jeers. He peeked out from below to the other side, seeing Greg’s bare and bloodied feet and the frantically paceing Galroy as well as the skirts of the two black cloaks.

And I am evil becuase I’m leaveing you here. I almost hope you don’t get on until tomorrow, actully wensday since I’ve got V and V tommrow, After I’ve written the next part.

Also I’m not sure if Galroy is purposefully helping with the riot or not. I just can’t get a real solid reading on the guy and he’s my character. wtf man.