Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree

Ky smiled a bit. She still felt vaguely uneasy at the thought -- both at the thought of Aleth still being out there, but also a bit distraught by how much she enjoyed the thought of someone finally giving Aleth what he deserved.

"Yes, ma'am... we could maybe even do it before." She shrugged. "I'm the one who writes all of the correspondence, so Hayld knows my handwriting and the tone of my letters... and I doubt Aleth will risk discovery to send any messages to Hayld... we could always just pretend whatever you want me to say came from Aleth." She shrugged again. "Aleth pays all the bribes, but I can do everything else."

"I'll talk this over with Lord Tomhas." Constance scribbled more notes in her book. "It's his war, after all. But thank you, Ky. That's very, very useful stuff you've just told me."

Ky sat a bit straighter, smiling. The information she'd just shared wasn't worth anywhere near the value of her freedom, but it was at least something that she could offer in return. "I'm glad I could be helpful."

Constance nodded, smiling again. "And Tomhas thought he wouldn't care about anything Aleth was trying to protect."

Ky laughed a little, grinning more broadly.

"Aleth has a lot to protect," Ky answered, sobering a bit, but still feeling so liberated to be able to talk about it so freely. "I'm afraid that's about all that I know about the North -- this is the first time he's been up this way -- but I know a lot about the East, and a fair bit about the South... he doesn't have many colleagues in this region... but I expect they'll be showing up before long. The men he knows follow the money... which, wars..."

Ky rubbed the back of her neck. Surely, Constance understood how mercenaries worked -- she didn't need to spell it out for her.

"But, yes! If there's ever anything I can do -- for either of you -- I'd quite like to do it!" Ky said brightly. "It's the least I can do."

"I just might take you up on that offer when the need arises." Constance held out her hand for her to shake. "Lord Ash is a tricky customer; he's likely to try just about anything short of killing the Loquiturs in order to win."

Ky reached out and shook her hand, feeling exhilarated. She was shaking a noble's hand. Not trying to make a good impression for Aleth, or settling one of his deals. This was her.

"I hope that Aleth can help with that aspect. He's very..." She felt her chest constrict, voice getting quieter as she flicked her eyes away. "Very good at getting what he wants."

"So is Gaius," Constance said grimly. "He's a perceptive man, sharp as a blade's edge. Sharper, even. Nothing gets past him, and if it does then Sera will catch it."

Ky nodded, thinking about how narrowly she'd dodged having to go to Serpent's Keep. Loquitur had been insisting on almost an endless stream of food while they recovered, and they'd been gratefully eating as much as they could. She was already almost back up to her pre-diet weight... though her ribs were still a bit thinner than she liked them.

And, she'd avoided the beating. Aleth probably would have thrashed her himself -- she had a proper beating coming for sharing too much with Loquitur, and Aleth would be glad to not have to avoid her face like he usually did. Then her mind's eye flicked back to Tarr standing over Aleth kicking him again and again and again -- she shook the thought away. She hadn't had to take her turn in the sparring ring. That's what mattered.

"I'm glad to not be caught between them," she answered softly.

Constance watched her face thoughtfully for a few moments, then said, "I don't think you would have much reason to be afraid of Gaius. He takes pity on the ill-used. But yes, if Aleth has a habit of raging after suffering indignities then you'd be in plenty of trouble."

Ky cringed, wrapping her arms around her abdomen protectively, subconsciously. She stared at the arm of Constance's chair instead of looking at her directly. "He doesn't like to be embarrassed."

"Too bad he's under the guise of a slave, then," Constance said dismissively. "I won't lose any sleep over it unless Gaius turns him on us."

It was sweet irony -- Aleth pretending to be a slave. Her, an actual slave, sitting here chatting with a noblewoman. She forced herself to take a deep breath. He was far, far away now. And Loquitur had promised he'd never let Aleth hurt her again.

Ky nodded slowly, feeling strangely invested in ensuring Loquitur came out on top. Most of the time she didn't care. She helped whoever Aleth told her to help, even though almost every last one of them were terrible humans. Now, she actually had a reason for wanting someone to win.

"Hopefully not," Ky agreed thoughtfully. "I think... it will be hard for him to betray you, even if he wanted to." She looked back at Constance's face. "I know all of his informants and mercenaries...granted they also know me... but I think he won't be able to plant any useful informants until after he manages to get me killed off."

"And we won't let him do that." Constance's brow furrowed. "I wonder what those mercenaries will do when he's captured. Whether he makes it back here or is found out by Gaius, Aleth is going to pay the price for what he's done to you and Tadaaki. I expect that will disrupt his little empire."

Ky smiled appreciatively. They'd see how it turned out. They could stop Aleth no doubt... but what if he hired an assassin to come after her? Especially if she started actively helping Loquitur and Lady Constance to counter him?

"I imagine it will be rich people who mourn him more than the mercenaries," Ky answered with a half-smile. "He just contracts the mercenaries, the same as anyone else. But he knows a lot of secrets -- about a lot of people and a lot of things -- and he uses that to find pressure points to hurt the people that his clients want hurt. The mercenaries are just his means to an end."