Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 6)

"Well, I'm staying with you too, then," Ky said.

"Okay." Zander nodded, smiling. "Sounds great to me."

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"You said you liked Emery, did you not?" Zander said.

"I mean... yeah," she scoffed.

"Then it sounds like we'll have a nice evening getting to know each other better," he said, trying to stay positive. It was annoying that the last night he had with Ky was being supervised, but perhaps they'd let the babysitter stay in the hall so that Zander and Ky could say a proper goodbye without witnesses.

Ky sighed. "Fine... maybe I can talk to him. I'll convince him you're trustworthy."

"Emery has to do what Gaius--"

"That's who I was talking about," Ky interrupted. "He'll see you're not a threat and then he'll let you be free, too. It'll only take a few days."

Zander had a prick of conscience at that. Perhaps he should have told her before now. Perhaps he should tell her now. It felt like the longer he waited, the worse it would go. And yet she already had so many emotions right now that he didn't want to add even more on top, until she'd had a chance to process these.

Emery made quicker work of the stairs than Gaius had. He was younger and had two working legs; he was upstairs in just three minutes and on his way to Zander's room.

"Very well, then." Gaius nodded. "I have a proposition for you, but I want to talk to Pratik about negotiation first. I promised you thirty thousand clappers in exchange for your assistance; I'm prepared to make it forty thousand for the trouble you went to to get to Wolf Keep and what you endured there, and I'd like to hire you again in light of the recent events regarding Tarr's new war. The pay would be steady--twenty thousand for every six months you're under my employ, plus what I already owe you."

Pratik nodded. He liked the sound of that. Gaius was a bit of a dick, but a fair one, and it didn't make him feel gross to work for him. Overall. Okay, well, he still hated the work as much as he always did. But at least he hadn't been asked to kill anyone since he'd proved himself all those months ago in an audition of sorts, and that was refreshing. He strongly preferred spying to killing. But that ship had already sailed, so, "Doing what?"


"Let's just focus on the now, mm?" Zander suggested. "No point in getting worked up about what may or may not happen next week, or tomorrow, or even an hour from now. Let's just enjoy each others' company while we can."

Ky sighed, deflating a bit. "I am sorry for sulking."

"I told you I don't need an apology," he said gently. "You're going through a lot, and I love you no matter what. And I know you love me, too. It's okay."

(I'm ready for Emery to show up whenever, but no rush ^^)

"Recon, perhaps assassination if it comes to it. Mostly gathering intelligence, but not in the way you had to do it before."

Emery knocked briskly on the door a few seconds later.

(I planned on having him come in anyway!)

(perf!)

"Sounds good to me," Pratik said with a nod. It was a fair rate. "I'm happy to help however I can."


Ky sighed at the knock. Great. The babysitter was here.

Zander smirked at her a bit, amused that Ky was even more annoyed at him having a tail than he was. He walked over to the door and pulled it open, still grinning.

"That's settled, then. Excellent." Gaius had set up a piece of parchment in front of him and he wrote this down. "I'll draw up a proper contract later. Now, Ada. How often do you dream?"
"It comes and goes."
"Would you consider remaining here in the North during the war against Tarr, to offer assistance via your dreams and your affinity for telling liars from truth tellers? You'd be paid a thousand eagles every six months you remained in employment."
"I don't want money," Ada said stiffly. "What I want is Tarr dead, and then I want to go home. I'd really rather go home before anything else." She gave Gaius a hard look. "I don't trust you. I don't trust most men. But you took in Ua, Imali, Ivar, and May. For that I'm grateful, so you have one month to convince me to stick around for free. Is that reasonable?"
Gaius hesitated, then nodded. "That will do, yes. I'm glad you're willing to negotiate."

"Hullo!" Emery offered his hand cheerily. "Zander, I presume? My name's Emery Rand; I'll be escorting you through the Keep during your stay."

"Nice to meet you, Emery Rand!" Zander shook his hand heartily, grinning at him. "I hear you're quite likable."

Ky flushed and narrowed her eyes at him, annoyed that he'd embarrassed her in front of Emery. The last thing they needed was Emery thinking she was even stupider than he already did.

"I'm supposed to be," Emery replied with a chuckle. "How are you? And--Ky, isn't it? How are you, too?"

There was a knock at the door.
"It's Sera," came a voice.
"Enter," Gaius called. Sera stepped inside and, close behind her, Rickard followed. He had his head ducked down and his eyes on the floor, and even from here Ada could see him trembling. He looked as if he might faint at any moment.

"Doing well!" Zander said, stepping back to make room as Ky sheepishly walked over to join them.

"I'm well, thank you," she murmured, not quite making eye contact. He must be imagining the sobbing wretch he'd left at the camp. "And you?"


Pratik cringed ever so slightly at seeing what a disaster Rickard had reverted into, then glanced at Gaius, hoping to the gods, once again, that he knew how to be light handed every now and again.

"Fantastic." Emery offered her a bejeweled hand to shake. "Sorry I couldn't come along with the procession but glad that everybody's back safe and sound. What brings you back here when you've only just gotten yourself a new dad?"

Sera gave Gaius a look. Be gentle. Gaius dipped his head and gestured for them to approach. Sera came forward and Rickard shuffled after her.
"You have nothing to fear from me," Gaius told him, seeing immediately that this man was absolutely nothing if not completely and utterly crushed by his own life. He posed no threat at all; it was obvious from his posture, his energy, the way he clung to Sera without even touching her, that Pratik had done the right thing by bringing him here.
Rickard took a shuddering breath. "Yes, sir."
"I hear you've got skill with languages," Gaius pressed, keeping his voice nonconfrontational. "How many do you know?"
"Twenty-seven, sir," Rickard replied softly. "Plus dialects."
"Off-continent knowledge, then." That was increasingly rare; this fellow had remarkable value on that front.

Ky shook his hand, flushing an even deeper shade of crimson at the question and continuing to not make eye contact. "I got attacked... again."

"Ahh. Pesky assassins, no doubt. Never liked those types. Though Pratik's an alright chap." Emery threw himself down in an armchair. "So you're here now? How long?"

Ky stopped herself from saying 'hopefully not very'

She was trying to be grateful.

She was trying.

"Until we -- they -- can make sure no others are coming, I guess," Ky said with a shrug. "Maybe a few months. I don't know."

"Ahh, in for the long haul. Are there a lot of people after you, then?"

"Ada, gentlemen, may I have a word with Sera in private?" Gaius looked to Pratik, Ada, and Rickard. Ada rose immediately.
Rickard stiffened, and Sera looked reluctant to leave him there. She stood beside him, glancing over at Pratik.

"I don't know," Ky muttered, reverting back into the sulky teenager that she was trying so hard not to be. "We hope it's over now but Gaius and Tomhas are gonna try to check to see if there are more before I'm allowed to go..." She hesitated, realizing she didn't know how she planned to finish that sentence. Her subconscious was about to say 'go home' -- but that was, it was Tomhas's home -- could she... claim it? "Back."


"Of course." Pratik also stood and nodded to him, glancing at Rickard and trying to think of how to help. He seemed miserable. But Gaius had asked for Sera alone, so it's not like he was planning a one-on-one interrogation. Still. Rickard seemed more content to be told what to do than to have to make his own decisions, so, "C'mon." Pratik offered a smile, nodding towards the hall.