[Mature] Joining the Family [Completed]

[Ksenia]

Ksenia had heard the lunch rush come and go by the next time she left the room. She’d almost finished the work on the front of the pouch; it had gone quickly. Walking into the relatively quiet kitchen, she spotted bread and meat at one end of the prep table and quickly filled a plate. She turned to leave and Robert spotted her. He came over toward her, but Ksenia held up her hand. “I did hear, Robert, but I made a deal, and I’ll keep my end. I have one question for you though; what are Marcy’s favorite colors?”

“Is this a trap?” Robert gave her a quizzical expression.

“No. I want to know what her favorite colors are.”

Robert counted them off on his fingers, listing them like ingredients. “Pink, pink, mint green. Sky blue. And pink.”

“Thanks.” Ksenia left and ascended the stairs to her room. She’d have to make sure to get more embroidery silks the next time she had an opportunity. Marcy had seen Ksenia’s work pocket and wished she had one for herself; Ksenia would make her one for if - no, when - Marcy was able to come home. The bubbly girl had been welcome, undemanding companionship and Ksenia missed her coming to visit the workroom. There might even be some scraps of the blue silk Marcy had liked so much to applique. She’d need to get some plain, uncolored linen though; anything dark might show through a thin dress or skirt.

Sighing, she realized her best option would be to ask Artemis if she could get some fabric for personal use on whatever line of credit had been set up with Mr. O’Dell. She needed a new underdress soon anyway; the fabric was ripping at the seams from stress. An extra quarter yard wouldn’t add much to the cost. At the moment, though, there wasn’t anything she could do for those two problems; she set her plate on an upturned crate to eat while sitting on her bedroll.

[Artemis Black]

Artemis felt a tightness in his chest when she simply ignored his offered hand. He tried to force the feeling down by caressing some of the wonderfully soft, and horribly expensive, fabrics but it did little to quell the ache. He sighed to himself before moving to follow her out of the shop. "It will take some time for Mr. O'Dell to assess the prices he can offer. Then balance how much risk he's willing to take, for holding the item, versus the guaranteed quick sale," he offered to her as a way of explanation.

"I was hoping to maybe take you by a place I visit here. If you've got places to be," he trailed off and slowed his pace ever so slightly. Artemis wasn't sure what to do with the pulsing bit of pain in his chest. It wasn't like he needed her constant attentions. He wasn't some puppy to be coddled and smothered. It still hurt just the same, to have someone act so callously towards you. "I think I can make my way back through the east district if you've got something to get to in the west," he said after several steps of distance had grown between them.

"No reason for-" he stopped and simply shrugged at her, not knowing what he was supposed to be doing. Trying to make her understand all the things she needed to understand without having to say each and every one. There were so many dangers, things she hadn't given a second thought, and she still acted as if she could just walk back to her store and close up for the evening.

[Katarya Frost]

Kat didn't turn to look at Artemis right away. She too felt wounded; his warning to her. He seemed hesitant to speak his mind, something she could relate to, as she wasn't the best at expressing herself without offending at least two or three other people all at once. When he slowed, down, so did she. She took his hand in hers, and pulled him into a steady walk. "I'm a proud woman," she began. Proud to a fault; I always have been, and I'll probably still be stubborn and wilful when I am a cantankerous old woman." She glanced at him, then back to the road. "Also, I do not understand your world; I don't know the rules, I don't know what is the right thing to say, or the wrong thing to say ... should you ever sit in what was my world, you might also feel like a fish out of water. The rules of polite society, the way to sit, to eat, what to call people, how to dress for what occasion ..."

She sighed. "And I am scared, Artemis." The words were even difficult to say. "If I were to wear a day frock instead of an evening gown to dinner with a neighbour, I wouldn't have my throat cut. Yet in your world, if I mess up ..." She shrugged. "No one has offered me a guide-book, no one has told me anything about the Goose; you, yourself have barely told me anything about you. And yet, I am admonished, shouted at, shunned and threatened at every turn."

Katarya stopped in the street and turned to him. "How am I to exist in that world, Artemis?" she asked, heedless of the people around her. "And how can I sleep at night next to a man who might put a dagger in me if I make a mistake that breaks his code ... a code I know nothing of?" She looked right at him. It had probably been the most open she had ever been with a man. "Tell me."

[Artemis Black]

He felt the cold terror in his gut. The exact words faded to a hum as she spoke. It wasn't like it really mattered. This had happened so many times before. She was recoiling in fear at the glimpse of his life. There would be some shouting, some tears, and then he'd be alone again. He wondered if Deb was feeling hungry today. He'd rather not be a meal if possible. It always ached for a few days afterward. Then his thoughts ground to a halt. "Tell me." 'That's not how this goes,' he thought as he snapped back to the present.

He stared at her, blinking slowly for several seconds before his mind caught up to what was going on. "Right-" he coughed and had to clear his throat as his mouth went dry. "Right," he tried again. "We'll do this in your way. No threats, no danger, just some food, some drink, and some words." He looked around them trying to identify the nearest street. "We're only a short walk from Fenn's. Come with me, and I'll try to explain," he said before looking back to her. "Can I- can I hold your hand while we walk. That's what boys do right? When they take a girl on dates?" he asked her weakly.

⁂

Fenn's would have been a nice cafe in the west district. In the north, it served as a bastion of comfort for house servants, shop workers, and couriers. The muted dark colored walls accented a worn but polished wood floor that peeked between thick patterned rugs. The ceiling was draped with hanging fabrics and the booths were high backed. All of these things lent a sense of comfort and privacy to the patrons. Soft music added a touch of class and further limited the range of wandering ears.

As the lunch rush was still some time off, they were seated promptly. The act of being seated was a ritual that seemed exclusive to the north district, and it made Artemis painfully aware of his glaring sense of oddness. Despite this, the few other patrons paid them no mind. From experience Artemis one it would be several minutes before a server arrived.

He settled into the booth across from Katarya and gave her a wane smile. “So, this is Fenn’s. They have good wine, and the lamb has some really nice seasoning,” he said before sighing and giving himself a small shake. “You’re too smart. It’s hard, people don’t usually show up out of the blue. There’s usually months of time, a slow feeling out on both sides, small deals, trades, exchanges of more and more trust.” He waved his hand at her as he started to pick up momentum. “You come in, like a runaway wagon team, and I just sort of lept on and tried to grab the reins.” He gave her a smile, but only with half his mouth. “I forget you don’t know things, because you seem to know so many things. It’s like you’re a lost child, but all I see is the fierce woman.”

Artemis leaned back into the booth and rubbed his face in his hand for a moment. “The rules are simple, but the biggest one you ignore, the most dangerous one, is that you never leave your back to an unknown who’s holding a knife. You’re that unknown to a lot of people. If some street toughs try to rough you up, you use your strengths, and the guard comes. They’re suddenly in a fight for their lives. It’s not just a night in the jail or a bribe. Even being around a captured-” he motioned at her to get his point across without saying the word. “It means going in chains to the black ship and disappearing into the mists. So no matter how you stay your hand, every time you show your power, it’s a life or death fight.” He went quiet and reached his hand out to take hers as he spotted a server approaching.

[Katarya Frost]

When he offered her hand, she just looked away. "Let's just get out of the cold." She said, not unkindly; but she didn't take his hand

Kat had looked around Fenn's with an appreciative nod. He had picked well, for their little talk.

She took off her cloak, smoothing her dress as she sat. As always, she sat straight backed and imperious, like she was a lady of a noble house! She knew it, though; it was calculated ... but since leaving the ranks of the middle-classes, it had been failing her.

She listened as Artemis spoke, at first with a neutral expression in her face, fingers locked in front of her, as if listening to a patient telling a tale, or hearing some half-interesting news. But as he continued, she found herself losing that neutrality, because it was becoming clear that he cared.

She had been wrong to needle him at his illiteracy, but she had at last done the right thing by admitting her fear at this new life. She listened to his assessment of her, trying hard not to show how on the mark he was. When he compared her to a 'lost child', her instinct was to snap at him, but it was all true. She was a lost child, an orphaned, out-of-her-depth, little girl, trying to play with the grown ups at a game she didn't know the rules to.

When he extended his hand, she looked at it a moment, then reached across and took it in her own, squeezing it gently. "Oh, Artemis," she sighed. "I know what I'm like, but I don't know any other way. All of this is armour, and it has served me well, up until now." She put her other hand on top of his. "But I will do my best to learn, and not just for myself, but for you .. for us. Because I think, despite my being a 'run away wagon'," she smiled a little. "I believe we are quite extraordinary, together."

She bit her lip as she thought. "I need to be taught; I need to know what is what, who is who, and why someone deserves my respect ... I don't follow blindly. But I'd follow you. I even went to House Nyshasa to see if I could get some answers to help you ... and yes, I knew I could have been captured and killed, or worse ... but you're worth it, to me. We're worth it." She patted his hand. "The question is this: if I do try and ... 'fit in', better, will you try and accept that I am not going to stop being difficult and hot headed; it's the way I am built, and since everything was taken from me, it's that same temperament ... and you ... that is keeping me from coming apart at the seams."

She looked at Artemis, the man she had fallen for (against all odds and predictions), hoping that he would understand that she was meaning that she would truly try, while asserting that she wouldn't suddenly become a soft and compliant young damsel.

[Artemis Black]

"Welcome to Fenn's. What can I get started for you?" The server asked as she reached the table. She was a young woman, and her plump face wore a professional mask honed over many years of patrons. Her eyes flitted over them in a cursory glance before settling on their enclosed hands. "Oh my, young love?" She asked as a smile lit up her entire face. "Tell me what you'll have, and I'll make sure to have something special for you afterward. No charge. It would be a shame not to celebrate something so bright in the dreary autumn," the woman said in a tumble of excited words.

Artemis sat shocked for a moment before an embarrassed smile filled his features. He gave Katarya's hand a soft squeeze. "I've never found a problem with the seasoned lamb. A gentle ale on the side and a wine for her would make our day," he said to the woman. In his thoughts, he was thankful for the moment's distraction. His mind was still grinding over how a relationship like Kat suggested would even work. 'Like a business deal, but we both profit and lose? Favors without a tally? How did things work when they were apart? Are they something exclusive? Should he share everything he had?' The last thought made him shiver as an entirely separate line of thought crashed into the first. 'What do you even have that you've not already offered?'

It took Artemis several long moments to realize the server had left, and he'd been silently staring at Katarya with the remains of a smile on his face. "I don't think I'd even know who you were if you stopped being you," he said after shaking his thoughts clear. "Your armor is valuable, in case you hadn't noticed. All that's lacking is the awareness of the danger you present. I'll do the best to teach you the things you should know, and probably some you shouldn't." He stroked her palm with his fingers gently, he couldn't get over how calming it felt to feel her warmth at his fingertips.

"Beyond that, I figure there's a lot of little things. Probably want to give you the hierarchy, some of the signals, maybe show you what else my fingers can do," he said and tapped a quick tune against her skin. "Is there anything, in particular, you wanted to know right now? You still have to visit your friend after this right?"

[Katarya Frost]

Despite the situation, Kat gave a short laugh at the server's earnest romanticising of the moment. But she didn't take her hand away.

When he ordered she gave the server a smile. "It certainly would. Something rich and fruity, please."

She listened as he spoke, letting him speak without interruption. She had asked for this after all, and it was nice to get something of an answer from him. She had the feeling that he was really struggling, his face was a mixture of emotions, each one chasing the other across his fine features. It seemed the battle for him was what he felt inside, compared to her fear of the physical world around her, with it's politics and secret rules.

Kat smiled at his first comment, it was nice to hear. Most men would be pretty much trying to tear down that armour, but he saw it differently; he put value in it. When he asked her what she wanted to know, and about her friend, she shrugged. "My friend isn't going anywhere, but yes, I still have to make the visit. It's important." She thought for a moment. "So, first of all; what am I to those people? A 'spook', yes. But am I just your girl? Someone they tolerate because of their affection for you? And I know my place needs to be earned ... but how am I supposed to do that when no one gives me anything to do, and when I do something myself, it doesn't go down well ... at all." She pulled a face. "I'm having to assimilate the feelings of others into what I do, and how I act. That's fine when it comes to you because I ... because you're you." She squeezed his hand as she said so, as if trying to convey her feelings through touch. "But overnight I am put into a position where I am expected to earn my keep, without opportunity to do so, to a family that I'm not a part of." She looked at him. "That last part is fine; if they don't want me, then they don't want me. But if that's the case, then I will have to take steps to secure myself ... to make sure I have my own network to fall back on."

She leaned forward and traced her finger along his jaw. "I will be loyal to you," she said after a moment. "As loyal as I possibly can be, as loyal as your place in The Goose allows ... because what if I am such a liability to them that it's time I was ... taken care of." She looked at him. "I will never ask you to choose; even I'm not that much of a self-righteous bitch." She smiled, a little sadly. "And I don't want you to feel pulled both ways. So," she sat a little straighter in her chair. "We have to figure out a way to make this work ... for the both of us. Tell me whose arses I'm supposed to kiss and I'll ... well, I'll be doing no kissing, but I will show some degree of earned respect. And tell me what you are. Who is this man, that I cannot shake from my thoughts, even when he is laid next to me in the night? What are you capable of, Artemis?"

Even Katarya knew a little of how much of a loaded question that was, but she had to ask, even if he couldn't answer. She had to ask it. "I promise not to screech and run away., weeping to be saved from the terrible things you reveal to me. Spook's honour!"

[Artemis Black]

He listened to her questions, realizing she'd been saving them up for far too long. 'The Goose is simple, but it wouldn't hurt to have her build contacts regardless,' he thought as she finally seemed to breathe. Then she was there, her warm finger along his skin. 'I will be loyal to you,' echoed in his head, destroying all his other trains of thought. It filled him with warmth, flooded him with a desperate need to show her how much he deserved that loyalty, how much he would give her. He felt his heart take one giant beat before it froze in his chest. 'I would drown the world in blood for your smile,' he thought with a ferocity that frightened him.

"I-" he tried when she'd finally finished speaking. He felt heat at his neck and a faint ringing in his ears. His mouth had gone dry, and he had to struggle to keep from digging his fingers into her warm skin. "You're not mine to control, and I'm not the Goose's to order," he managed after swallowing to loosen his tongue. "For now, you're a companion of a Hand, one that chose to be retired of the position and yet still carries the keys." He smiled at her eagerness to know her starting place. "You could take the test if you wanted. You'll likely be accepted as an Ulna. Support casters, those who have no obligation to go into the field." He lifted a finger to tap at his forearm. "Ulnas support the Hand." He moved to tap at his palm and then his fingers. "The Hand directs the Knives in the field." He tapped his cheek below the eye. "The Eyes act as scouts and gatherers of information." He tapped the side of his head. "The Crown, they guide all the others." He lifted three fingers. "There are three Crowns that I know of, but I fall under Cook."

He paused for a moment as if trying to find the words for his next bit of explanation. "You'd never need to choose, and neither would I. Family is family, but no one controls a man's spirit," he said this as if it were an oft-repeated mantra. "Respect for each person is earned, but professionalism says you give people the benefit of doubt unless shown otherwise. You shouldn't discard building a network. It's a talent you have, and it will always be a powerful skill, whether you chose to align yourself or not."

He looked into her eyes, using them to scan his own thoughts over her questions and find what he'd missed. "Oh, Spook, Cook, Alchie, Thumb, they're just names for sets of skills or needs. You'll find you fit into several as you develop your talents." Artemis cleared his throat and refocused his vision to actually look at her. "If you're interested in kissing anything, I'm always open to experimenting," he said to her, a faint smile playing across his lips. "As for me, well I'm not as complicated as you might think." He placed an ornate dagger onto the table in a silent and swift motion. "I'm a Thumb. I put pressure on people. With words, theft, forgery, and if necessary the blade." The blade returned beneath the table with a small flourish. "Beyond that, I was selected as a Hand but turned down the position when I found it to be... too much responsibility. Though I guess you've seen how turning it down worked out," he said with a shrug.

He slid his fingers up to lightly toy with her uninjured wrist, stroking and kneading at the muscle. "I thought I'd shown you most of what I can do besides that, perhaps you'd appreciate some more lessons. I've been told I can give an excellent massage when properly motivated."

[Katarya Frost]

Kat laughed, the tension between them evaporating like an early morning mist. The smile she gave him was warm, genuine, and her eyes were full of him.He had been honest and open, just as she asked. "Thank you so much, Artemis." She was about to say something, then the server came over with the food and (more importantly) the wine.

She took the glass and raised it. "To complicated people and just how messed up the world they live, in can be." She took a sip, then another long drink. "That is beautiful," she said, as the wine warmed her chest. "I would like to take this test; are you allowed to tell me aything about it? I'll approach Cook after I return from seeing my friend. You can take the fabrics to Ksenia," she gave him a laugh. "Because I am much too nervous to handle that particular little she-dragon!"

A sense of familiar comfortableness was returned, though she had one last thing to say. "I want to apologise for my picking at you due to you're not having learned to read. I could teach you, if you like? It's be nice to have someone to go over the Book, with me. I know magic isn't your area, but the thing is so frustrating! So much powerful magic in it, and I can barely scratch the surface!"

After they had finished eating, drinking and falling back into their easy banter and playful teasing, she stretched out her arms. "I'm going to go and visit the White Hart, the pub just before the slums," she said. "I shan't be too long. I just want to check in with someone, is all. When I get back, I will be sure to chat with Cook about the test."

She rose to her feet and put on the gorgeous cloak he had bought for her; she wore it with pride, and it made her feel a little like her old self, again. But she couldn't deny she was enjoying being this new person' the person she was when she was around him. She gave him a kiss on the cheek; a suitable way of acting with a man you were 'stepping out with', as they used to say in the Western District. "See you soon."

When Katarya stepped out into the chilly air, Nyx came to land on her shoulder, chattering something at her as she walked. Kat smiled. "All is well, my little friend. All is well."

[Artemis Black]

Artemis blushed deeply when she laughed. He felt like he was getting lost in her eyes again and he was losing his desire to be anywhere else. When a plate of food slid in front of him he reacted with a small start. ‘I am getting surprised far too often, need to work on that,’ he thought to himself as the scent of freshly roasted lamb and roasted veggies surrounded him. “Fenn’s does claim to have the best wine you can afford, or so I’ve heard,” he offered her as he sipped his own ale and listened to her.

“I can only really say it will be a test of your skills. The tests aren’t something written down or preordained,” he said with an unhelpful shrug. “I think the woman’s got more nails in her closet than most, but the work she does with almost nothing was beyond what I expected,” he said as he started to fiddle with his utensils.

When she apologized he was struck with a twinge of regret. He’d shown her a bit more back than she likely deserved when she prodded his sore spot. “I, I think that would be a very frustrating endeavor, but I’m willing to give it a go. Who knows, I might recognize some things simply because. There are more similarities in hand writing than most people care to consider,” he said, the regret fading to a hopeful wariness at Katarya’s eagerness.

“I’ve never been there, but heard good things about the scenery. Though, I’ve never heard much about the food, which is odd for a pub. My guess is it’s more a haven or rest than a regular sort of place,” he said after a tilt of his head to dredge up any memories. “For Cook’s attentions, make sure you ask to sit down upstairs before you make the request. It’s considered poor form to snag someone from their break or work.”

He eyed her openly when she rose and donned the decadent cloak. ‘Really do need to see what it’d do against her skin,’ he thought as she worked the clasp into place. “Not if I see you first,” he said with a wink as she headed away. The server came by shortly after, and he handed the woman eleven silver, ten for the meal and one for tip. He also palmed her an extra as a thank you for the space and fawning. She seemed to appreciate the coin, but appeared to be more taken with fantasies of blossoming love than extra pay.

When Artemis stepped out into a brisk breeze his first thought was to make his way to the rooftops. He wanted desperately to inspect this White Hart, but he knew Kat didn’t need, and wouldn’t appreciate, his constant looming protection. Especially if she was meeting someone with a more tenuous working relationship. Instead of mounting a nearby wall he walked at a measured pace, appearing for all the world like a regular house servant on errands.

⁂

As he moved into Mr. O’Dell’s shop there was an older couple at the counter. The woman was enraptured by the haberdasher’s talk of finery and quality. The gentleman appeared to be growing more nervous by the moment. Artemis imagined the prices, despite being fair and researched, were anything but common. He waited calmly out of the way, standing at a relaxed rest, a posture he’d seen often when scouting the richer district’s streets for unwary fops. He wasn’t sure if all the servants were taught the pose, or if it was something they naturally sussed out, but he found it made him invisible to all but the most hawkish upper class folks.

The couple finally left, the man patting the woman’s arm and offering reassurances that they’d return before the winter balls truly came into their own. Artemis smoothly walked up to the counter and offered the haberdasher a raised eyebrow. The man flinched slightly before smoothing his features.

“Ah, Mr. Black. I’ve taken the measure of the pieces and I must say they’re of fine quality. Not the greatest I’ve seen, but it is clear they were crafted by someone with a strong intuition,” Mr. O’Dell seemed to get a far off look in his eyes before he continued. “You said that girl made these, and in such a short time. Please do bring her back some time. I believe I could offer her a fair discount on tools and perhaps some practical training in the finer details. All against my account of course,” the shopkeeper said with a hopeful expression.

Artemis adopted a thoughtful silence for just a moment too long. When the nervousness started to creep into Mr. O’Dell’s eyes he nodded. “I’ve no worries she’ll manage to produce you back into good standing, particularly guided by your practiced hand Dash. Are you free tomorrow? I believe the girl could use some time outside the workplace,” Artemis said with an easy smile.

Mr. O’Dell thought for a moment and then returned his smile. “I believe I can be yes, the winter season is almost upon us, and I’m waiting on a rather large batch of furs before I can really begin any work.” A young man appeared beside the counter, silently dropped off a slip of parchment, and disappeared back into the depths of the shop’s private area. “Ah, speaking of work, this is your receipt,” Mr. O’Dell said as he looked over the itemized list. “Your total for the day comes to two gold and forty silver, after taxes of course,” he said as he nodded his head to the items on the list.

Artemis struggled to keep his jaw properly attached. He’d known the materials were valuable, but he’d calculated only perhaps sixty silver if they were sold to talented crafters. Near on four times the profit for simply a few day’s work was something he was not prepared for. He’d need to make sure he was very delicate with Ksenia, and make sure she was interested in Mr. O’Dell’s offers.

⁂

Artemis entered the Velvet Goose by sliding in through the front door. He was acting on business at the moment, and so he’d abide by the business rules. He nodded to a wench who took him to an empty booth on the upper ring. After several minutes Deborah stopped by with a raised eyebrow.

“Getting into trouble again, Arty?” she asked, a faint undertone to her voice. The Thief held back an immediate retort, recognizing the hunger in the woman for the danger it could be.

“Only the usual amount Deb. Can you fetch Ksenia for me please, I have her pay for the first delivery,” he said, refusing to meet her eyes. He knew they’d be shining something fierce as the hunger gnawed at her control. She sniffed at him before leaving. He knew she’d do as he asked, but he’d need to find her another willing companion or she’d be liable to bite into him in the halls soon enough.