Meddling

George had done as Kei had asked and had Stefan keep an eye on the new page. Kei couldn't stop grinning. She thought the page that they called Alan was a wonderful joke. But a secret, she reminded herself sternly. A secret from everyone, that includes George, that includes Asa. They find out when they find out.

Kei's grin began to fade as she went to Asa's home with lunch from Eleni. She knocked on Asa's door, but didn't wait for an answer before entering. Asa's leg had been hurting the last few weeks and she was already using a cane to get around. Kei sighed as she saw Asa sitting with a frown at her little dining table. The young girl began to set the food in front of her mentor and braced herself for a fierce tongue lashing.

Of course Asa already knew about Kei's involvement with the purple eyed page. What didn't Asa know?

"I told you not to meddle in the affairs of God's."

"I'm sorry I didn't listen to you, Asa-"

"You're damn right you're sorry. You'll be really sorry laterl after I set you to chores in punishment for you disobeying me."

Kei's shoulders relaxed slightly, "You aren't mad."

"Of course I'm mad," Asa said. "You didn't heed a word I said."

"I mean, you're mad that I didn't listen. But not that I did it." Asa was silent for a moment. Kei continued. "It's because you feel it too. The rightness of it. The Goddess is protecting Alan of Trebond."

"Just because it worked doesn't mean you should go putting yourself in the way of the God's child!"

Kei laughed and smiled while Asa grumbled and ordered her to do chores. Weeding Asa's garden and cleaning her dishes were worth it, just knowing that it was true. That Asa had confirmed her decision was a good one.

After she had finished with the chores Asa had calmed herself considerably. So Kei decided to press her luck."Asa?" she asked, "Will you tell me a story of the Doi?"

Asa looked away, "Which did you want to hear?"

"One you haven't told me before."

"I think you've heard them all."

Kei huffed out a loud breath. "You're a rotten liar, Asa."

The old woman glowered at her, but Kei straightened her shoulders and stared Asa down. "Oh? Then what story are you referring to, child?" she asked, her voice thick with vehemence.

"The one about the piece of sky falling to earth," Kei said promptly.

The lines in Asa's face deepened. Kei had caught on to the legend far quicker than Asa would have liked. She fought the girl's request. Now was surely not the time.

"No one knows what happens after the sky broke."

"Asa. Don't pretend to me, I know that the stories, the legends of Li and Michi and Lao all lead up to the piece of sky falling to earth. I don't think it means rain, it means more, a lot more. I dream of it, Asa. It may answer some questions I have. Please tell me."

Asa hesitated for a long moment. "No, Kei. It is not yet time. You are young still. I will not tell you. You will learn it in time."

"Asa-"

"No," Asa said, a softness in her voice. "Now come here and I will teach you to throw bones."

Kei sighed and gave in. She trusted Asa, but she thought she was wrong. Patience was what she would need. She had plenty of it. She'd use it.

"Throwing bones?" Kei asked as she sat herself next to her mentor.

"Yes."

"Asa, why do I need to learn so many ways to tell the future?"

"A carpenter doesn't just know how to wield a hammer does he?"

"No."

"And that tricky plodder of a brother of yours doesn't just know how to pick pockets? He has other tricks."

"Alright, Asa," Kei conceded."But I see the future already."

"You don't see everything. Tell me, child, do you see yourself in your visions?"

"No. I'm the observer. I see George or Rispah, but from my eyes."

"So, then this is a way of seeing you. Understand?"

Kei nodded as she bit her lip, she didn't think she needed to see herself, how boring would life be, seeing what was coming next for her? But she knew that she might not be able to see the right thing at the right time. This might help, like the palm reading and the tea leaves. "Teach me about the bone throwing."

***

It took three months of patience on both George's and Kei's part to meet the new page that had already gotten himself some recognition in the eyes of the nobles who mattered most. Stefan's messenger birds told George that the page with the violet eyes, Alan of Trebond, would be coming into the city with another lad. George didn't bother to tell Kei, partially because she would find out on her own and partially because he wanted to study the boy that was going to change the world. George thought that he like his world just the way it was right now, but he also wanted to see a new world. One where maybe the common folk weren't starving and being taxed at the King's whim. Maybe a day when stealing a loaf of bread to feed your family wouldn't get you hung the next morning.

So, George went off in search for the nobles. He found them, the small one gawked with wide eyes at a sword displayed at one of the shops. George tended to be annoyed by such displays of naivete, but found this youngster to be interesting instead.

George turned his gaze to his right and saw Kei standing next to him. "How did I guess?"

"You weren't going to leave me out of this were you, George?" she asked sternly.

George smiled. "Maybe I just knew that something this important would register with you."

"Too smart for your own good, George Cooper," Kei sighed. "Well then, lets go meet them." The two of them made their way through the crowd and stood behind the nobles, George lifted his arm and tapped the young page's shoulder.

As he turned, Kei saw recognition flash in those wide eyes. "So- it's the young sprout with the purple eyes," George said pleasantly, "I was wonderin' if you'd fallen into a well."

Alan of Trebond grinned, "I've been at the palace."

"Who's your friend?" the other boy asked, Kei liked the tall boy's looks, he had brown hair and sharp eyes. Kei felt an edge to him that indicated temper, she vaguely wondered who he was and what sort of noble he was. George would know.

"Allow me to introduce myself, young masters," George said with a bow, "I'm George Cooper of the lower city. And this here is my sister, Kei." Kei curtsied without taking her gaze away from the nobles. "Will you take a cool drink with us? As my guests, of course."

Alan answered him quickly and so the four of them went to the Dancing Dove. Solomon greeted them and the bar maid, Liza gave them their usual and fetched lemonade for the pages. Kei remained quiet while she watched George practice his skills on the boys. She had not seen the page Gareth before in either life or vision and she studied him.

She liked the presence of him. He would be important someday. Kei itched to get a look at his palm, but refrained. She shouldn't overstate herself in unknown company. The Gods might be displeased with her for sharing what she knew, for the Gods were in obvious attendance in this matter, the Goddess certainly. So she refrained from taking a peek at Gary's hand and didn't even consider looking at Alan's.

"You shouldn't be surprised at my looking you up," George was telling Alan. "Truth to tell. I like your looks. We don't see many with eyes like yours. You bein' from the country- you don't look it now, but you did then!- I thought you'd like to be knowin' someone in the city"

Not a lie, Kei thought, so like her brother to make up a story without lying. She also appreciated his forethought on the matter. Don't let them know about the future. Knowing changes things, she had once told him, she was glad he had listened and given her the choice for anonymity.

"Do you always make friends on such short notice?" the sharp voice was Gary's.

George looked at Kei and adopted a wiry grin when he turned to Gary, "I trust my instincts, young master. In my line of work, you learn quick to trust your instincts."

"What is it you do, George?"

George winked at Alan, "I -buy, and I sell."

"You're a thief."

"Thief is a harsh word, Master Gareth," George said, feigning insult. "Why would you be thinkin' that I am? You've still got your purse, and what's in it. Or you had better."

Gary checked and admitted, "I still have my purse. But why do you want to make friends with us? If you think we'll help you in the palace, you're wrong. Don't you know who I am?"

George met Gary's eyes and read them, then relaxed, "I know well you're Gareth of Naxen, the Duke's son. I didn't look you up for professional reasons. Truth to tell, were you not with Alan, I wouldn't have put myself in your way. We're not fond of nobles here." His smile twisted. "But I've the Gift. It helps me see more clearly than most. I knew I must meet Master Alan. In fact, I've kept a close eye on him these three months. I don't ignore my gift when it calls me."

Gary shrugged, "I don't know much about magic, but that makes sense. Still- what can Alan do for you? He's just a little guy." Kei nearly laughed at this, but managed to hold her tongue. "And unless I miss my guess, you're the man the Lord Provost would most love to get his hands on." Kei sobered quickly, she had underestimated Gary's sharpness. She could not afford to do so again.

George nodded respectfully. "You're quick, Master Gary. All right, then, I'm what they call the King of Thieves, the master of the Court of the Rouge. The Court of the Rouge is all of us who make a livin' by our wits," he explained to Alan. "It's ruled by a king- me, right now. Sometimes he's called just 'the Rogue.' But mastery don't last very long here. Who knows when some young buck will do for me what I did for the king before me just six months back? I'll need friends when that comes. Still, it won't happen soon. 'Til then, why look a gift thief in the mouth? I can be a good friend to those who keep faith with me."

Kei was impressed. George's own admission had distracted Gary thoroughly. She doubted that Gary would question her charismatic brother much more.

Gary nodded, "I like you- for all you're a thief."

George laughed, "And I like you, Gary- for all you're a noble. Friends, then?"

"Friends," Gary said firmly. They shook hands across the table.

"And you, Alan?" George asked. Kei turned to focus completely on the page, the silence clutched at her, would Alan befriend George? Kei suddenly had a sinking feeling that she had put her brother in harms way, Alan could easily turn George into the Provost and he would be hanged as soon as he was recognized. Her stomach clenched.

"I'd like some more lemonade," she said, pouring her tankard full. "The Gift must be pretty useful to you." Kei breathed, slightly, the answer was not a yes, nor was it a no.

"It's gotten me out of more than one tight place," George admitted. "It helps me keep tabs on my rogues, so maybe I'll last longer than the king before me." He drained his own tankard and set it down. George didn't seem too anxious about the little pages thoughtful eyes, but he put a lot of faith in Kei's visions, Kei wondered how good an idea that was, her visions were so hazy and so changeable. "You need never worry about your pockets, or those of the friends you bring here," George continued. "But be careful who you bring. One word from them and my Lord Provost gets my head for certain."

"We'll be careful," Gary promised. "Don't worry about Alan. He keeps his mouth shut."

George grinned. "As I can see. Few sprouts- even ones sealed to the Rogue- could listen to all this and say nothing." Kei very nearly glared at George. His statement had brought her unnecessary attention from the pages who looked at her with curiosity. And his timing was rotten to boot, because she felt her eyes filling with inky blackness and her hearing fuzzed out as she viewed a different space.

George noticed Kei's departure and quickly spoke up to divert attention from her oddity. "Kei's an exception if'n you'd ever seen one," he said. "Quiet as a mouse."

Kei sprung herself back into the conversation with all the speed she could muster, "Better to be a silent fool, than a blathering idiot," she said, her voice soft. It seemed to have worked, the pages chuckled and smiled at her, if they noticed that she had sunk away from the conversation they didn't mention it.

"The two of you are related?" Alan asked.

"He's my brother in every way that matters," Kei said, she paused for a moment, considering the vision she had just had. She had seen Alan standing before a man she did not recognize, although he looked a bit like an older Gary.

"He forgets, you see," said the Alan in her vision. "I don't think he's ever been able to tell my brother and I-"

"'My brother and me," the man corrected sternly.

"My brother and me," she repeated obediently, "apart." She crossed her fingers behind her back and tried a guess. "I don't think he even let His Majesty know when we were born."

Kei considered for a moment before asking, "Alan, have you a brother? Or a sister."

"A twin brother," Alan admitted.

Kei glanced at Gary and George who were talking before continuing, "A twin? Do people confuse the two of you?"

"Sometimes," Alan said, a thought seemed to occur to him.

"Well, you'd best be gettin' back," George said. "If you need anything, send word through Stefan- he works in the palace stables. You'll find me here most of the time, and if not, ask old Solom." He jerked a thumb at the innkeeper. "He'll fetch me quick enough."

They rose. "You'll be seeing us, then," Alan promised. "Good day to you."

The two pages strolled out into the street. The King of the Thieves watched them go, smiling. "Well," he asked Kei, "how was that?"

"Good," she said, "Not what I expected, but good."

"Not what you expected?"

Kei sighed, a tinge of fear still edged her thoughts, "I don't see everything, George."

"You see enough, I'd wager."

"No," Kei argued. "I see what is. What can be. I see possibility. But I don't know what's right or wrong, what if I'm doing the wrong thing? Asa says messing with the Gods is dangerous."

"Crazy Asa doesn't know-"

"Asa isn't crazy and she knows plenty."

"Look younglin'," George said, "when it comes down to it all you got to trust is this," he thumped a finger to her chest, "and this," then her thumped his finger on her forehead. "That's all that really matters."

"What happens when my head says one thing and my heart another?"

George smiled at her patiently, "Like how?"

"Well, I know in my heart that Asa knows something that she needs to tell me now. In my head I think it can wait until I'm older."

"What something?"

"A something about my future, my destiny, and what I'm supposed to be doing with my gift."

George frowned, "You are a bit young to have the weight of all that on your shoulders."

"You, too?" Kei asked, "I'm not so young."

He paused for a long moment. "Come on, girlie."

"Where are we going?" she asked, following his lead.

"Where do you think?"

"I don't know."

"You don't?" he asked.

"I told you, I don't know everything," she protested.

"Well, think about it," he suggested, "Ain't no one ever tell you to use yer head? What time is it?"

"Dinner?" she guessed. "Are you taking me home?"

"Right, darling. Mother'll be waiting."

Kei frowned, annoyed at her brother's high handed way, and still hurt that he thought her 'young.' "She won't appreciate you teaching me to be as dishonorable as you, George."

"I'll do no such thing," he said.

"You will," she said, grinning, "That's something I have seen."