Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 5)

Oooh Gaius did not like that. This was going to need to be a careful game.

"I have no doubt of your ability and motivation to protect her," he answered carefully. There was no need to fight about this. "But at the very least I'd like to make the journey with you -- you don't have to let me in the Keep if you don't want. I can take my leave at the gate. But I'd prefer to accompany you until then." Zander hesitated, then added, "Besides, that'd given me two more weeks with Ky. I don't think she'll be thrilled with us parting ways after a week, when it's been three years since we've seen each other."

He'd absolutely pull the niece card.

Gaius studied Zander in silence. It wasn't that he disliked Zander--he found him a bit hotheaded, but he had a good heart. But Zander in his Keep was another story entirely. The man obviously had experience with recon, and their connection through Ky might not be strong enough to protect Gaius against Zander trading information. But perhaps having him along on the journey wouldn't hurt anyone.
"You may accompany us on the journey, and on the journey only," he said at last. "You will spend one night at the Keep and then be on your way."

"Deal," Zander said with a nod.

He supposed the paranoia wasn't entirely unwarranted; Zander had killed two men the very same day he'd met this family. And he'd already shown his hand at being well-connected. Still, he at least had motivation not to rat out Gaius since they were the same as brothers-in-law now -- why would Gaius possibly trust Pratik more than him? That part didn't make sense to him. But he wasn't going to push it. He'd be more comfortable getting to verify for himself that Gaius's walls were as tall and well-guarded as claimed. And it'd set his mind to ease to have proof of Ky being safe and secure behind those walls before he was on his way again.

"That's settled, then!" Tomhas clapped his hands and leaned forward. "Glad we could figure that out. Now, what'd you find in my books, Zander? Anything of use?"

"I was mostly reading up on the region, since I've not spent much time up this way," Zander said with a shrug. "So I don't know what you already know. But I once took an abandoned path through the mountains between Ess and Rein. Tough journey, but you're invisible. I found records of three more paths up this way that aren't in current use -- at least, not by most people. One between Attra and Arna; another straight from Akaratara to village in southeastern Saol; and the impression I get from the records is there are some caves between Rhaebaki and Tre that let you make the journey partially underground rather than over the mountains. I expect people who want to make the journey unnoticed already know about them."

It was certainly how he knew how to get to Rein unseen.

Gaius had made note of that path a few years ago. "Interesting," he mused. "That could be how some of these assassins entered unnoticed, then?"

"Certainly," Zander said with a nod. "Although, with how fast they got here, they may have just been banking on no one recognizing them this far North and made the journey directly. Hard to say."

"Have none of them operated in the North, then?" That was odd; most assassins Gaius employed operated in all areas. Sometimes exceptions were made for the East; that was a region that often required specialization.

"I mean, I'd be seriously surprised if they haven't made it up this way before," Zander said. "But I'm not tuned into the chatter up this way enough to know for certain what kind of reputation they may or may not have in these parts... but given that they primarily operate in the South and East, I expect it'd be less likely that they'd be recognized than they would have been by any of the people that regularly overlap with them."

Zander shrugged, leaning back in his chair.

"I don't have the knowledge to speculate either way," Zander said after a moment. "I had no need to keep my eye on them, so I didn't. For all I know, they may have already been up here. I hadn't had trouble with any of them in well over a year, before this."

"We'll find out eventually." Gaius glanced at his books; most of them had been for entertainment purposes but a couple were atlases, which he'd been studying this morning to refresh himself on common paths assassins and spies might take to go unnoticed.

(Any suggestions for my Tomhas playlist? This one is harder than Gaius's was)

(Ooh, I'll think about it! The first one that came to mind was "Numb Little Bug" by Em Beihold but dunno for sure if those are his vibes?)

"We will," Zander agreed with a nod. "It'll be helpful to pick Pratik's brain on it, too. He's a smart kid." And Zander had very little doubt that he'd made it back. He may not be in a single piece, but he had a way of getting by -- like the street cat he was. Always clawed his way out of a corner. "I'd heard he was up this way, so I assume that means others have, too, which means he's hopefully got his ear up to a few walls up this way."

(That's not so much a Tomhas song as it is very much a Cecily and/or Gaius song)

"Let's hope so. He proved to be quite efficient on the first mission I assigned him to." Gaius's gaze flickered to Tomhas, who was looking fixedly at the wall.

(haha that's very true!)

Zander's gaze flicked between them. How awkward it must be -- for them to have to admit Aleth and Pratik to one another, now that they'd finally kissed and made up. "I'm sure."

"Is that all we have to discuss then?" Gaius asked. "Do you have further questions, Zander?"

"Don't think so," Zander said, thinking about it for a moment. His next order of business was to go talk this over with Ky to be sure she actually did want this, and wasn't just getting railroaded into a path she didn't want.