Beka moved one long thin finger down the clear glass of her window following a drop of rain. She couldn't see the Dancing Dove through the dim light and blur of the downpour but she closed her eyes and tried to imagine what Rosto was doing. What did the king of criminals do all day when he didn't have dogs to tease?

The plain walls of Rosto's room in the Dancing Dove quickly came into focus as he blinked sleep from his eyes and sat up briskly. Taking in his surroundings and deciding he was in no immediate danger, he walked over to the the bowl of cold water below the mirror that was the only thing decorating the walls of his rooms and washed his face. He wasn't old. His blond hair, and it was blonde, was charming. That cracknob puppy wouldn't know a handsome cove from a spintry. Someone should really take pity on the poor gixie and teach her something about canoodling. His mouth split into a crooked smile. Not just someone. He passed the door and advanced down the stairs with a graceful lope. He walked past the few coves that had drunk too much to stumble home to their wives and little'ins toward the kitchen where he knew the cook would be waiting with a pastry and a flirt, she was a saucy mot. Kora was sitting at a small round table with cards spread in front of her, the cook leaning over and staring intensely at them.

"Good morning lovey" he said teasingly.

"Rosto, I am with Ersken now, he's no craven mumper, he's a proper dog and he'll beat you if you flirt with me." was Kora's pert reply.

"Rather fond of our self aren't we? I wasn't talking to you." he said and instantly saw the cooks ruddy cheeks turn even redder.

"Oh put a shirt on you cracknob." but she grabbed two honeyed rolls and came with him as he went to dress.

"I think you just like when Editha to stares at you." Kora said teasingly.

"She is my one love" he said wistfully, Kora laughed but suspected he wasn't thinking of the dozie cook that reminded her of Beka's friend Mother Cantwell.

"Let's take Aniki and go to market. No one will be there because of the rain and we can get the good herbs, first pick. Then I can make some money and I won't have to keep betting, even though I always win."

"Oh, you think so? What about that cove the other night that you thought was drunk enough to try and jump of the roof and he didn't?"

"That stupid braggart has to pick one time not to pluck a rat..." she trailed off and Rosto racked his brains for aught he had to do but the only thing he had planned was to beg for Beka's love and he couldn't really picture that going well so he grabbed a pair of high leather boots and sat on the stairs to put them on while Kora woke Aniki. Soon the three of them were walking in a huddle down the uneven stone, Kora using a small spell to keep the rain lighter near them. Rosto fell back a bit to let Kora and Aniki walk side by side on the narrow street. He glanced back at the window that looked in on Beka's room, it was still dark and she'd gotten home so late, he was glad it was her day off. She didn't know it but Rosto always waited until she was safe in her room before he himself drifted off. He wouldn't have done this before he met Beka, waited for a girl to get home, and he knew she could take care of herself but he'd found he couldn't sleep until she was home. His mind would not quiet and allow him to rest until he knew she wasn't out on the streets being stalked by a killer.

"So what do you think Rosto?" Aniki was looking at him having just asked a question that Rosto had no idea how to answer. He looked around and opened his mouth blankly.

"Uhhm... I think... yes." he hoped that was answer they would accept and go back to talking.

"Oh, so you think Beka and I should get together, honeylove like?" she said with a sly grin.

"WHAT? ANIKI WHAT IN THE NAME OF WEIRYN ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!" he yelled startling the pigeons near by as Kora giggled.

"My god Rosto, I was joking! I just noticed you daydreaming and I-"

"I was not daydreaming! I just... I was thinking about someone." he finished lamely.

"Oh we know." Kora laughed out. Rosto glared at the two mots. He walked faster forcing them to jog to keep up. They got to the wider market area and Kora and Aniki immediately split off from him to look at herbs and weaponry. He wandered over to a stall with brightly colored cloth hanging above it and found himself looking at an assortment of jewelry and perfumes. A pretty orangegirl came over to him.

"Something sweet for yeh?" she asked in a sultry rasp.

"I'll make you a deal, you help me with a problem and I'll buy all your wares."

"Depends on what your problem is." she looked a him suspiciously.

"There's this mot, and-"

"Ah, of course there's a mot."

"Not just any mot. She-she is driving me mad. I cannot understand this gixie. She is so stubborn and nothing I do can break her down." he finished feeling foolish.

"I'd go with the silver bracelet with red stones. Give her sommat and it's harder not to think about you."

"Thanks lovey. Can I have that one in the back?" he asked the small gixie in the back hanging on her Ma's skirts. She giggled and handed it to him.

"And your end of the deal?" the doxie asked seductively.

"I'll buy your fruit but that's all I'll be wantin'."

"Of course lad." she smiled showing all her crooked teeth.

Kora and Aniki had each found something to indulge themselves, Aniki a jagged looking copper blade, and Kora a pouch of rare orange spices.

"Oh you have it bad Rosto, used to be the only part of an orangegirl you'd buy was the second part of the word." she said looking at the huge basket of fruit Rosto was now carrying.

"That's not all I got." he pulled out the bracelet and showed it to the two mots.

"Oh Rosto it's beautiful, is it-is it for... Beka?" Aniki asked.

"Because, well I know how you feel about her but Rosto I don't think-"

"I-I know Aniki, I'm a big lad." he smiled sadly at his feet. He is the rogue of Tortall and he should be harsh, impassive, uncaring. But he loves a girl and there is no going back from that. She was too much for him and not enough. She was too good for him, too concerned with helping others to ever love the one hurting them. And of course he had though of giving up his position, becoming a dog even, he could do it. But he knows he is, if not good, at least moral and whatever sarden Rat took his place would not be half so much. Someone had to do it, someone must always be in charge, at least if it was him he could take care of his folk. And of course there was kidnapping. He could sling her over the back of a horse and take her to Scanra where he could marry her without her consent. But he was not that kind of a cove, he saved mots from coves like that. So he flirted, pretended he only wanted her body, what a body, all those years of not having enough food had given her a slim physique and all those years of puppy training had made her near irresistible. He wanted to be with her, more than any other mot. He wanted to kill any other cove she was with. And that's was love isn't it? Wanting to be the only one with someone else. His mind started to drift. She would still be sleeping now, she'd had a long night of chasing down scuts and Rats. He could climb up her wall and through her window so easily he sometimes worried a cove with worse intentions would try. He slips into bed with her, the cool room smells like rain and her sheets are soft. She looks so pretty when she sleeps because she isn't thinking about anything that hurts her. Her eyes flutter and her face looks dreamy as she wakes and looks at him startled.

"Rosto what are you-" for once her voice is not judgmental or accusing, just curious. For once she is not reprimanding or angry, she is just tired and now she is awake last night comes back to her, she lost a mot in a stupid brawl between stupid louts that couldn't keep their mouths shut. He can do this, he can make her happy, she just has to let him. He moves his face very close to her praying to his Scanran gods she doesn't protest. She doesn't. He can't screw this up. He puts his lips on her warm, full ones. He very slowly puts a hand behind her head, as if if he moves too fast she'll realize what's happening and push him back out of her life. He engulfs her mouth in his, a hard knot of tension forms in his stomach and there is so much energy in his body he can't hold still. She laces he fingers through his hair and yanks hard, the mood shifts, she wants comfort in a different way. He pulls her over him until her legs straddle him in a way that makes her gasp. His hands clasp the backs of her thighs and he flips her under him. He likes her this way, after months of rejecting him, he finally has control of her. She seems to like it to because she's panting and making breathy sounds he could only take as pleasure. His lips move to he soft neck. She moans his name in a high pitched barely recognizable voice.

"R-Rosto I-I can-"

"No, Shh. Beka, it's okay, this is okay, this is not wrong" It seems he has said the right thing because she gives in after that. She claws her fingers up his back and wraps her legs tight around him. Rosto decides he still has too much energy to be laying down so he sits up, pulling her on top of him, her legs still on either side of hips. He swings his legs to the floor and stands up his hands supporting her weight . She attacks his lips and uses her legs to move her self up ever so slightly and back down over his annoyingly substantial trousers. This small action makes him throw his head back and groan. She giggles and does it again, liking to see him lose control. She asks if he likes it and he can barely say yes between his animalistic noises. He slams her against the wall forcing her arms above her head and holding them captive with one hand and holding her butt with the other arm. She could see the strength it was taking make him shake, she doesn't care, he can take it. His body is pushed up against hers, her breasts tight against his hard chest, her legs spread against his bony hips. He licks a trail from her collar bone to her ear and kisses his way back to her lips, he bites down hard on her bottom lip and is rewarded with a shrill moan. She is muttering the names of her gods and her perfect stomach is clenched with the effort of keeping her legs wrapped tight against the expanding width of Rosto's waist. She can feel his excitement against her legs and she can't wait any longer. She tries the up and down maneuver again but Rosto is having none of. He pushes her harder against the wall keeping her from moving at all. She whimpers, desperate for friction.

"Oh no, tricky puppy, you're not in control here." his voice is commanding and she knows he's right. She is not the expert. She tries to get a hand between them frantically trying to relieve some of the pressure building just below her stomach, but he is pushed so tight against her she can't. She makes a frustrated noise and he takes some pity on her. He grabs her hand back and uses his amazingly strong arm to hold her up and slowly circles himself into her. She can't concentrate enough to form words but the sounds coming from her make Rosto pant with the effort of not ripping her clothes off. Her breast band slides down over her glistening breasts, revealing small hard nipples. He rips it off altogether and slides her legs to the floor. He drops to his knees, her hands grasp against the wall searching for something to grab. When she can't find anything they go to his "white" hair. He hooks his thumbs into her trousers and pulls them slowly down over her jutting pelvic bones. He kisses her stomach right above her pants before pulling them down to her ankles. She steps out of them and drops to her knees and pushes him onto his back, she edges his own trousers down crawling back toward the wall and taking them with her. His body is slim, toned, and had lean lines of muscle where she'd never seen muscle on a man. She advanced forward and sunk down onto the bulge in his drawers and slowly dragged herself up. Then reaching back she pulled the last article of clothing off. He curled his fingers hard into her hips leaving bruises and dragged her undercloth down roughly over her thighs.

"Rosto... Rosto! What are you daydreaming about now?" it was Anikis sharp voice piercing his thoughts.

"Nothing! My Gods you mots are impatient!" They walzed back into the dancing dove where Rosto swaggered up to his room and glanced across the street where he thought for a second he saw the gixie herself peering out the window.

"He probably steals things, and cheats folk, and flirts with doxies" Beka thought to herself.