The amazing duo of Lioness's Heart and Lady Wolf, bring you another installment from the Beka Cooper books. Set after "Bloodhound" and "In My Eyes" Beka and Rosto deal with an Old Flame and general chaos ensues. The general disclaimer: We're not Tammy, and we don't own the characters, etc. Oki!
Being an Excerpt from the Journal of Rebakah Cooper
Provosts Guardswoman, The Lower City, Corus.
August 5, 247
Ye Gods! Has it been a long night!
I'll start with Watch. Goodwin and I started out, after Muster at the Kennel, and we were on our merry way, stopping foists, picking out counterfeiters (we're experts at it by now) and the usual chasing of Rats. We were halfway through our rounds, right at the point where we swapped off with Tunstall and Ersken, and decided to wend our way towards the Mantel and Pullet. Goodwin was hungry and I was feeling famished myself. Just as we're about to cross the street for supper, a man a-horse calls out to us.
"Insufferable," grumbles Goodwin, looking longingly at the door to the Mantel and Pullet. "Don't they know better than to stand between a Dog and her dinner?" She looks at the man who called out to us. As I he rides over, I realize that I recognize him. I've seen him before at my Lord Provosts house, though I've never spoken to him before.
"Governor Edgan." I whisper to Goodwin, "he's a right, pompous ass most of the time. Seems to think the Provost's Dogs are his own personal army. He's usually shocked at the amount of sass Dogs give him and complains about it heavily to my Lord." Goodwin snorts her disgust. She only really respects a few people in this City, and most of them are Dogs. I shush her complaint as the Governor draws near.
"Evening Governor Edgan," I tell him, letting my Dog-voice carry a bit. He's still a-horse, which is rude. I figure, if we be nice to him, he'll save my Lord some misery. "How do you fare this fine summers evening?" Goodwin grumbles her greeting and leaves me to do the talking.Guardswoman Cooper, what will be your disguise today? You've been Goodwin, Sabine, a common market girl missing her man, a doxy. Let's see. A mot with sass. Like Verene. Oh, Verene, I'll sass him just for you!
"Well, my good Guardswomen, I'm afraid I'm a bit miffed." He huffs and makes himself look important. "Do either of you know Rogue Rosto the Piper?" Goodwin coughs a bit and looks at me. He's daft if he thinks a Lower City Dog don't know Rosto the Piper, and we know him better than most. Me more than Goodwin, but still.
Goodwin can't stand stupid people, and this man is annoyingly stupid. "You talk with the mumper" Goodwin hisses in my ear as she looks around, pretending to be standing lookout.
"Aye. We know him. What's he done now?" I says to the governor. Really, when I thought of becoming a Dog, I thought I wouldn't have to deal with blisteringly boring and pompous nobility.
"Well!" begins the governor, and I know this is going to be a long story. "Firstly! The Rogue is a cheeky scoundrel! Stealing money from good hard-working citizens! And those gambling dens! And those Doxies! Hmmm!" He's leaning over his horses flank as he gesticulates wildly into the air, getting more and more excitable as he talks. I take a firm hold on the horse's bridle and stroke his soft brown nose. "Why! They are breeding grounds for sin!"
I tune out most of the Governors tirade after that. Everyone knows he's a hypocrite. He can't hold onto his coin to save his life. He's a compulsive gambler, and the horrible part is, he always loses. Heavily. More times than I care to remember, his wife comes in to haul his losing bum from the tables. I feign proper attention, being as I'm a good Dog, and he goes on listing the evils of gambling. I cannot help but think two things. 1) Who is he to talk. And 2) why is he telling this to me? Guardswoman Rebakah Cooper, Terrier and Bloodhound, she who helped close the Cole's case. Who is he to lecture me about the evils of gambling. I know all this.
"And then there's that DOG!" says the Governor, "You folk should really let the little trollop go: she's sleeping right at the heart of the Rogue and not arresting a single one of those scum. She's bought for sure!" At that moment, I decide I'm ready to forget being nice to this pig of a man, and I don't care if he tells my behavior to the King. "Why! I hear she's the Rogue's own Doxy."
With that comment Goodwin's hackles go up. Mainly because the man is right stupid, to be insulting a Lady-Dog, to another Lady-Dog. Second, because he's stupid enough to think that he knows how to run the Dogs better than the Dogs do. And third, because that little 'trollop' is me. Her partner. I don't realize it at first, but my hackles are way up. The horse snorts as he senses our discomfort.
Goodwin steps in and delivers a sound tongue-lashing, which I won't transcribe here because it would take up far too much space, and because, well, she says some nasty things to the Governor, ending with a healthy, "Go jump in the Olorun and stay there. The Lady Dog that's in the Rogue is as hardworking as I am, and let me be honest with you." Well, really, like her insults weren't honest enough, NOW she's going to be honest. Oh goodness, Goodwin! "Let me tell you!" Her imitation is rude and it makes the Governor jump, "You're a sore loser, Governor Edgan. Everyone in the Lower City knows you couldn't hold onto your coin if it was glued to your hands. I hear that when you go in a gambling house, they give a small cheer, because the house will certainly be paid well that night."
He really chose a bad time to annoy Goodwin. I can literally hear her stomach rumble. Governor Edgan looks insulted and can barely keep the indignation out of his voice. He gives her a leer, "I'll have you know I am good friends with your Lord Provost! He will hear of your deplorable behavior!" He says it hoping that it will terrify Goodwin and me into behaving like Puppies. It won't. If he'd threatened to tell Ahuda, I might behave. But Goodwin, well, depending.
"You do that!" Snarls Goodwin, "Tell him Corporal Guardswoman Goodwin gives her regards. And tell him my husband and I enjoyed having dinner with them last week." She's right growling at him. I let the horse go, and make a small cough to get their attention. For you Verene.
"You've gone and made Goodwin cross." I chastise the fool Governor, "You don't have to walk the Watch with her tonight, or be her partner for the rest of the evening. Get your bum on home, so your good wife doesn't have to face the shame of coming down to the Kennel to get you out of the Cages, acos you was harassing hungry Dogs. Scat." I make a shoo-shoo at him, like I would a small child, using the tone I learned from Tansy and Maya.
"Come on lass, lets get supper. I'm so hungry, I'll eat his horse." Goodwin turns on her heel, and walks away from the Governor. We stalk into the Mantel and Pullet, and Tunstall and Ersken are in a corner, having already ordered for us as well.
"Luckily!" I tell her, as we meander through tables, "It's Ersken who gets to finish out the Watch with you, and not me." This makes Goodwin emit an evil cackle and ruffle Ersken's hair as we approach.
Poor Ersken. He always looks like he's about to be sick when he goes on watch with Goodwin. Tunstall and I have to cajole him to eat sommat, acos he's just that nervous. Anything he (or any of us for that matter) don't eat, goes straight to that sweet mutt, Achoo. Or to Pounce. But more likely to Achoo, because Pounce always gets freebies. Achoo is a sweetling, she follows Ersken everywhere!
"Cooper, it's you and me collecting the Happy Bag tonight." Says Tunstall, clapping me roughly on the back as I eat my spinach. "You know, Rogue Rosto is always a bit more generous when you're sitting at the table." This makes me look up. I wish he could have said it a wee bit quieter.
"Must be my smile" I grunt at him, focusing on my food. I'm not one to waste a meal, especially if Tunstall is paying. "It sure ain't anything else." I give Tunstall a pointed look, and he gives me a sheepish grin. Then I glare at Ersken.
"Why are you turning them ice eyed glims on me?!" he squeals as I cuff him on the head.
"Because you're a nosy snoop who don't know how to keep his mouth shut about business that ain't his." He looks like he's about to argue with me, cheeky little thing that he is, and I play my own card before he can even start. "You don't hear me chatting about yours and Kora's interesting Conversation from this morning."
"You didn't hear that?" He asks, face going from healthy to oatmeal colored in about a second, when I give him a fierce grin he blanches so he's whiter than Rosto. "You wouldn't?"
"I would if you don't learn to stop gossiping about my business. If I want to tell Tunstall who I've been bedding, I'll tell him myself. Elsewise, its only my business. Got it?" I finish my food and hand Ersken my plate. He takes it with a steady nod. He scrapes everyone's leftovers onto his plate and puts it in front of Achoo who gobbles it greedily, but gives a few small mouthfuls to my cat. Ersken goes to hand the plates back to the serving woman, and pay the check with the money Tunstall gives him.
When he's gone, Tunstall pounces on me. "What did he and Kora talk about? Go on, tell us, Beka. We won't tease him. Not much anyways." That makes me and Goodwin laugh. Tunstall would tease him until the stormwings came home or Ersken begged a different partner. Pounce meows that I should tell them, since it would take the attention off of me. If Pounce says it's okay.
"Kora wants to settle." I tell them as I pull Pounce into my lap. He purrs contentedly as I tell them how "Kora wants to Marry and Have Children. Though it don't necessarily have to be in that order. She wouldn't mind the children first, if you catch my meaning." Tunstall practically squeals his delight, but composes his face as Ersken comes back with the change. Goodwin grabs Ersken by the cuff, before Tunstall can start on him, Achoo walking faithfully at their heals.
Tunstall drains his jack, motions for me to get up, then plucks Pounce from my arms, draping my cat across his broad shoulders, that are six feet off the ground mind you, and we leave. Pounce is purring happily and meowing into Tunstalls ear. He enjoys the height. We stroll around the Nightmarket together and then head towards the Dancing Dove.
When we walk in, my eyes zoom straight to the Rogue's Dais, where Rosto is sitting at his throne, looking quite fine in a Cerulean shirt that I picked out for him. He looks very good in it. He's talking to some fellow with greasy black hair and looks like he strolled right out of a swamp. "Wonder who's the Tyran?" mutters Tunstall as we stroll around to chat with the Barkeep.
The Barkeep, is a new addition to the Dancing Dove. He's a good man, from the coast, by the name of Corcoran. I'm the only one that don't call him by his last name. I call him Cookie. Yes. Cookie. He's not just the barkeep. When Rosto found out the man could make Yamani Rolls and Peach Cobbler along with the usual fare, and knew several Scanran recipes like meat pies, well, he was hired on the spot. During the day and the dinner rush, he was a Cook, and at nights during Court, he was the Barkeep. Rosto couldn't let him go. He's a good man, with ties to some vendors who are his family here in Corus. He stays on the first floor of the Dancing Dove, one of the guest rooms has been turned into his personal, private residence. He keeps his kitchen spotless, which makes all of us happy, because a clean kitchen is a good kitchen. Like most cooks, he's got a bit of weight around the belly, but not in a way that is unpleasing and he's not fat. Just chubby. It's actually a bit cute, in a house full of hard muscled folk like Rosto, Phelan, Aniki, and me. Cookie's got wide brown eyes and a friendly smile which make him likeable. He works hard and loves to cook and boss the two kitchen girls around. He says he'll turn them into proper Chefs in no time and they grumble about dishpans and washing rags. But they love him and dote on him constantly.
"Evening Cookie." I say, leaning on the counter. A man who was leaning there turns and is about to flirt with the pretty gixie which is me, when he realizes I'm a Dog, and scampers. "Tunstall, this is Corcoran, the Dancing Dove's resident Cook and Barman." The two men nod to each other. They've seen each other before, no doubt. Folk don't miss men like Tunstall.
"Hello." Says Tunstall, all friendly smiles. He's already looking at the chalkboard which has tonights food listed on it. I tap his shoulder.
"You just ate." I remind him and he sighs heartily. Cookie places a jack of barley water in front of me.
"Oh, but you get service without a word? I'll have a barley water." He says nicely, and Cookie has it out before the words are even done. "What can you tell us about the Tyran." I shake my head. He don't even know Cookie, and he's already asking him questions. Cookie gives me a wry grin. That's another reason Rosto hired him: Cookie is smart. Smarter than most Dogs and Rats. He observes people and can easily tell you what a person's like. He don't say nothing 'less he's asked, and he knows when to talk and what to say. Which works in a house full of Rats and Dogs.
"Well," starts off Cookie, picking up a freshly washed mug, and wiping it with a clean cloth. "As far as I was told, he's an envoy from the Tyran Rogue. Gossips around here say there's a war between Rogue's in Tyra and Tusaine and Galla's getting involved. Tyra wants the Tortallan Rogue's aid."
"How's Rosto treating it?" I ask Cookie as I sip my barley water. He knows about me and Rosto and about Cooper and the Rogue. He figured it out in no time and promised to keep his mouth shut.
"Well. He's bored for one. See how he's just barely paying attention?" he points with his eyes and I chance a glance at Rosto. He is bored. "He's also probably not keen on allying himself with Tyra. Slippery lot." When he sees my intrigued look, he goes, "Well, he ain't offered the man a drink. Not really keen on friendship if he won't be hospitable. But that's just my way of looking at it."
"Mithros, my good man, you should be a Dog." Murmurs Tunstall, obviously pleased with the information Cookie got from just listening. Cookie shakes his head 'no.' He limps out from behind the bar and picks up two mugs left on a nearby table with a copper noble. That's Cookie's flaw, though it don't stop him from being sweet: he's got a bum leg from an accident with a carriage. His leg never healed right and, though it don't hurt him no more, he can't run on it. But walking and bustling around a kitchen he does and does well, and enjoys it.
"Cookie. You think we could push the docket. It's the Happy Bag tonight, and much as I love you and your food, I dinna feel like sitting around here while that Tyran slimes his way into a Rogue war."
"I'll see what I can do," he says bringing up a glass for wine. Rosto always has a glass. Just the one, and only the nice stuff. He's about to signal Rosto when the door opens with a bang. Standing just inside the doorway, looking around curiously was a young woman, about twenty-three or so. Her hair was long, glossy, and a beautiful shade of brown. Eyes of molten gold searched the room, like she was looking for someone. Her face was delicate, her skin a dark shade of ivory. She was pretty and slender, with a dancer's physique. With that skin, I'd say Scanran, but southern Scanra, because of that hair.
She run's forward, and happily squeals ( I kid you not, she squealed like a piggie) she squeals, "ROSTO!" But before she can throw herself into his arms, Bold Brian is there to block her way, and with a firm hold on the mot, looks at Rosto.
"I'm busy now Kashana. No, Brian, take her aside and Aniki, be a dear and explain to her how things are done in Corus. Katie, if you could send someone to 'escort' our Tyran friend to his residences in Corus," he's all Rogue and all business. Cookie gives a cough, and comes over with Rosto's wine. He's the only one allowed to just walk onto the platform without permission. Cookie whispers in his ear and Rosto sees me and Tunstall by the bar. "Excellent idea. Lets deal with the Dogs first. Please, Guardsman Tunstall, Guardswoman Cooper. Come up and sit. We've a bit to discuss."
He and Tunstall discuss the Happy Bag, and while I'm listening I'm not really paying attention to the discussion. My eyes flit over the room and I find myself glancing back to Aniki and other ladies of the Rogue who are quite pointedly discussing 'how things are done in Corus.' Aniki's hand is on her sword and I imagine she is ready to chop someone into a bunch of pieces. When Rosto give and good strong, "EXCELLENT!" I know the happy bag discussions are over and Tunstall and I leave. I'm intrigued about who is the new mot and will be asking Rosto about her later. Extensively.
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Lioness's Heart and Lady Wolf.