Excellent Every game needs safe guards A Copper Coin : A Queen's Man by Silence_is_golden233

The flames licked at the dark sky long after the city's inhabitants filtered back to their homes, the Queen and her guards staying long enough to congratulate the magician. Skye and Noah had stayed for a while longer and just enjoyed each other's company.  But moved on as the sailors and dock workers started sauntering back after a trip to the drink houses. She returned the copper leaves after they began the walk home. An uneasy shiver raced down her spine as a brief flash of movement caught her attention. Judging by the way Noah's body language tensed up and he looked around a lot more, she assumed that he felt it too. Her mind was racing through all the reasons why they would be on anyone's watch list. It was a possibility that the Dragna were sending out feelers of their own. Though she sincerely doubted that they knew anything they shouldn't, she tucked her hand into the crook of Noah's arm and kept walking with him. The pair maintained friendly conversation until they got back to the square and whomever was following them decided to get their attention. The sound of thick soled boots and the high clink of coin against coin revealed the intruding party regardless. Skye half turned and found herself face to face with one of the drink house owners. She inwardly sighed but smiled politely as he gave her a cold look and cleared his throat. "Good evening Mister Hobbs, is anything troubling you?" Noah spoke first, only to be completely ignored by the large man in question. "Your mother owes me for the drink she's guzzled over the past week. I'd demand my payment from her but she scuttles away as soon as I look at another customer!" Hobbs spat as his cheeks turned red and he thrust his beefy hand out towards Skye. "How much does my mother owe you?" she asked coolly and looked at the man with a frosty expression. "By Gilligan's count, as of tonight....four hundred and eighteen coppers." his smug expression revealed itself as soon as Noah let out a cry of outrage. Gilligan was the bookkeeper for many of the drinking houses. However he was a cheat of a man and usually exaggerated amounts to be collected so much it was nearly impossible for people to pay. They were very good at forcing women to become painted ladies to pay off the debts of their relatives. "I'm afraid that I cannot pay you that much money." she answered, Hobbs' eyes starting to glint with a dangerous light as he pushed Noah away from Skye lightly. He reached for her chin and she allowed him to turn her face from side to side. "You're not that bad to look at, perhaps we could come to some other arrangeme-..." However his proposition was cut short as she felt another's presence behind her. "You'd dare suggest something so distasteful in the Queen's streets?!" The power within this person's voice was so strong that she froze to the spot, as did Hobbs and Noah. Metal clinked against metal as the individual stepped forward, causing them to stare in amazement. One of the Queen's Guard, was he lost? "Is what I heard you propose, anything but an insult to her?" his speech was perfectly articulate, however his body was tensed and his hand on the hilt of his sword. "No....no no, y-you see her mother owes-...." Hobbs released her and stepped back as his words faltered and failed him. "Her mother owes you nothing. The Queen will hereby absorb all debts on the condition that you are to blacklist and refuse her mother entry to any and all drinking establishments. Is that understood?" his words were a shock to her system, she was both grateful and irritated. Her mother loved the drinking houses, she would be furious at being blacklisted. She doubted this man knew anything about her mother but Una would just be even more determined to drink. Skye watched as a crowd started to gather and Hobbs began to sweat but still said nothing. "I asked you a question!" The Guardsman barked out, making Hobbs jump and nod rapidly. "I understand." Skye raised an eyebrow as the hulking man was released, his tail between his legs. The Guardsman on the other hand didn't leave, instead he turned his attention to her. "What is your name, child?" she looked at him properly this time and realised his importance almost immediately. His salt and pepper beard aging him, despite this she found his eyes to be kind and his face relatively unwrinkled. "Skye, daughter of Una and Rodney Turner." her answer was unhurried and she bowed formally, only for him to return the sentiment. "It seems that I found whom I was looking for in the first place. I am Fenrir Paolini, the Queen sent me to discuss your sister's burial arangements." he put a hand on her shoulder and she nodded, touching his fingertips before stepping back. She looked at Noah and he bowed before murmuring that he'd see her some other time. The young gutter child looked up at the imposing figure with half dimmed eyes as the clock in the palace echoed its sentiments. The streets began to empty almost as if on cue and she felt her heart sink a little in her chest. "We do not have enough for a casket nor a burial plot." she supplied readily despite the sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach, stepping back as Fenrir's hand fell to his side and he looked thoughtful. She envied him for being able to look thoughtful without being acused of scheming or plotting against others. This thought alone made her shake her head in dismay as now was not the time to think such things. She must have been without rhyme or reason tonight, for the flashes of Orica's being had left a bittersweet taste in her mouth. The sorrow could not be contained any longer however as her whole body grew warm and tears started to blur the reflection of her face in his armour. Not here, not whilst in a conversation with a stranger. But he'd noticed, his kindness freely given as he outstretched a hand to her. The wobbly silouhette of a handkerchief coming into view as she grasped the soft cloth with dirtied fingertips. "I'm sorry to make you cry so suddenly, Miss Turner." his concern for her made it worse as she hurried to try and wipe the tears from her cheeks. "It wasn't you Sir Paolini, my sister's death is still sinking in." she responded shakily as she swallowed thickly and dabbed at her eyes before taking in several slow breaths. Embarrassment stole into the very recesses of her mind as she tried to calm down and find her rational mind again. "I'm sure the Queen could fund your sister's burial plot and casket, within reason." he offered consolingly and the waif looked up at him with wide eyes. "I'm sure I could find..." she started before trailing off as he frowned slightly. "You are the only one employed in your family?" he asked as her cheeks flushed and she nodded her dark head. "Yes Sir, my mother is as you've heard...I want my brothers to have an education, however the schooling is getting more expensive every year." she admitted before she found a sudden spark of clarity and looked up at him with brightened eyes. "Miss Turner?" Fenrir felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up as he looked back at her warily. The intelligence was almost unnatural, the cogs grinding a little in his own head as he started to realise that there was more to the Turner girl than first thought. "There are less and less little ones entering school each year, they are being snatched up by the thief gangs or murdered in the crossfire. That's why the prices are going up!" The pieces were slowly coming together in her head as she felt the cogs start turning faster in her mind. "But that's extortion!" she nodded at his exclamation and a wide smile stole across her face. "Extortion for what, that's the question..." she murmured before wiping the grin off her face, looking Fenrir dead in the eye. "I ask you to speak to no one of this matter yet; I have work to do. Though if the Queen would be so kind, we would be happy with just a plain casket and a small plot. If she would prefer to only do the headstone, we will surely find a way." Skye rattled off and Fenrir looked shocked as he bowed automatically and she curtsied. "I am sworn to secrecy. However with your sister's case I shall take it straight to the Queen." he responded before they went their separate ways. His to the Golden Gates, hers to bed. However she still planned to work then visit Rheys Hinkley with a message of her own.

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