Rosslln fretted over Alex, tugging at his clothes, ensuring his face was covered. They would go on foot, dressed in servant’s clothes, and he as a Dyrantisa man.
It was good it was so cold; it made it easy to justify covering their faces. Elliza tugged and worried at her roughspun clothes, clearly not used to the sensation, but it was still far better than the sackcloth Rosslln was used to.
They each wore a saber, Alex excepted, and the weapon hung heavily at her side. Rosslln feared she wouldn’t be much use if it came to violence, but she would fight; she would fight for him, one way or the other.
She stepped back, examining him, a slight frown furrowing her brow.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“It doesn’t suit you at all,” she said.
He looked down at himself in his modest men’s gown. “I’m sorry I make a poor lord.”
“No,” she said. “You look too much the part, I think. You’re better in your usual clothes.”
“Is that so,” Iiandere joined them, tall and imposing; the inquisitor would be accompanying them; honestly, Rosslln had hoped she would have a chance to broach the subject with her friends first and then try to introduce them to the inquisition. But so went the best-laid plans of mice and women.
“Then I should like to see his usual dress,” the inquisitor said.
“Maybe, we’ll have time later,” Alex said.
He spoke coolly, and to Rosslln, it seemed obvious he was suspicious of the inquisitor. But, if the older woman noticed, she didn’t show it, nodding instead and turning to Eli. “Are we ready, Magnificence?”
Eli nodded; they would travel as their core group, plus Iiandere and Lisril coming along over Alex’s objections. Eli’s guards had been slipping from the palace in ones and twos since the previous night and would be dispersed along their route before they arrived. They wouldn’t show themselves, though, unless called upon. Better Eli remain anonymous, safer.
The Empress nodded. “I think so,” she joined the three of them. “We’ll slip out through the servant’s quarters; once we’re in the city, we’ll rely on you to lead us.”
“Right,” Rosslln swallowed her nervousness; it was a simple task, nothing would go wrong, and she’d be able to introduce her man to her friends.
Her man, she still wasn’t sure where exactly she stood. He hadn’t gotten rid of her, but on the other hand, she was a poor suitor, and it wasn’t hard to fail to measure up to the other women he had around him.
She wasn’t heroic, like Lisril, learned, like Serra, not the Empress herself, Goddess’ sake. What could she offer a man who counted such women among his admirers?
She took his hand; doubtless, he would come to his senses eventually. Until then, she would take as much of his masculine attentions as he was willing to give.
“Are you ready?” she asked.
He nodded, and she found herself wishing she could see him, could see his smile. “Why don’t you show us the way out?” he asked, turning to Eli.
“That’s a good idea,” Eli said, and Alex wrapped both his arms around one of Rosslln’s, pulling her close.
“Then let’s go; I’m excited to meet Rosslln’s friends.”
Rosslln laughed; he would be disappointed; her friends were just vagrants like her. But his exuberance was touching.
Eli led them down through the servant’s quarters, the women still asleep so early in the evening, and out into the courtyard, then through a side gate in the curtain wall.
They were delayed only a moment by the guards, and then she was leading, Alex on her arm, through the city.
It was a long walk from the palace to the docks, and a steady snow fell as they went.
Alex seemed happy to just walk and walk and walk, and to her shame, she found herself needing to rest long before he did. Pride kept her on her feet until Alex slowed and looked down at her, only his eyes visible beneath the hood of his heavy woolen cloak and the scarf wrapped around his face.
“If it’s okay,” he said. “I think I need to sit down.”
He was lying; she could tell by the vigor and surety of his steps. But he must have noticed her flagging and decided to offer her an out.
She didn’t want to seem weak, but her legs were beginning to burn and shake. “Alright,” she looked around; there was a tavern or sitting room on nearly every street corner; women needed their rest, after all, and she quickly spotted a tavern.
She led them in, seated Alex, and was about to take a seat herself when Lisril pulled her aside.
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She pressed a pouch into Rosslln’s hand. “Go and arrange refreshments,” the older woman murmured.
“Me?” Rosslln asked. “But-”
“Are you escorting him or not?”
Rosslln swallowed, nodded, and went to the counter. She counted the silver and said. “No meal; our man just needs rest.”
The tavernkeeper nodded, and Rosslln returned to the table, taking a spot next to Alex. He took her hand and squeezed. He hadn’t removed his heavy clothing, keeping his identity hidden. Few would question how a man decided to take his comfort; if they did, he could pass it off as an act of modesty.
They were served dried meat, two pitchers of a watered-down wine, and a pitcher of water provided for Alex’s dignity, but Rosslln got the feeling he wouldn’t drink it.
Their host gone; Alex pulled down his scarf and heaved a sigh. He had situated himself such that it was unlikely he would be seen.
His women, even Eli, were unlikely to draw attention; not many had ever actually seen their Empress. But Dyrantoro were still a rare enough sight that he would cause a stir in public. As it was, his height was already out of the ordinary.
They ate, and as she expected, Alex shared their drink, propriety be damned. She liked that about him, though; he didn’t put on airs or act like he was separate from them. He was just- one of the girls, only nicer to look at.
They ate and rested their legs before moving on and repeated the process several times before reaching their destination. It was an old derelict warehouse. No one owned it, or she was sure someone considered it theirs, but they weren’t maintaining it, so she and her little gang had taken up residence, hung up cloth partitions, and erected makeshift ovens, and now it was theirs. Until someone with money decided to hire someone to run them out so it could be pulled down for something else.
She pulled the door open, rusty hinges protesting loudly and drawing the attention of the women huddled around the fires inside.
They stood, gathering around; she counted twenty-five; some of them must have been out, and judging by their posture, they probably assumed her group was there to evict them.
She stepped forward, pulled her hood down, and smiled as she revealed her face. “I’m back,” she said.
It sent a ripple of confusion through the room; she grinned as one of the older girls, Semma, stepped forward. “Where have you been, and who are they?”
Rosslln pulled Alex forward, “I have someone I want you to meet.”
He revealed himself, and the girls stared; finally, Semma shook herself out of it. “Is that one of them alien fellas?”
The slur, so casually deployed against her man rankled Rosslln, and she stepped forward, put a hand on the other woman’s shoulder, and squeezed hard.
She was older and bigger than Sem, the oldest of the group, which made her as close to a leader as they had. “You’re gonna take that back,” she said.
The younger woman swallowed, realizing her error, and nodded. “Sorry.” She turned to Alex. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that.”
He laughed and waved her away. “We don’t consider it an insult on Earth.”
Rosslln removed and folded up her cloak, making a cushion for him near one of the fires. “This is Alex,” she said. “My man.”
His other women and Iiandere joined them, sitting around Alex, wanting the closeness and to shelter him from a group of strange women.
Rosslln took her place next to him, and the girls gathered around. “By now, you’ve all heard the imperial order,” she said.
“Yeah, curfew and no groups larger than four,” Semma said, giving them a stern look. “You’re all asking for trouble, by the way.”
“I don’t think so,” Rosslln gestured to Iiandere. “She’s an inquisitor,” she pointed to Eli. “And she’s the Empress.”
Two heartbeats, then chaos, some calling her a liar, others prostrating themselves, still others demanding an explanation.
“Silence!” Eli bellowed and was obeyed. “Sit down and stop all that nonsense. I am not here in any official capacity; I am here because your friend’s man is precious to me, also, and he has been viciously attacked. I am here begging a favor. Will you help us find the perpetrators of this act?”
Her girls looked around, and finally, Sem turned to the Empress. “What woman could hear that and say no?”
“Thanks, Sem,” Rosslln said, smiling at her friend.
The younger woman shrugged. “If you’re moving on, someone’s gotta maintain the public morals.”
Rosslln laughed, “I guess so.”
Moving on? She supposed she was, but- it would feel weird and wrong, living- wherever else and leaving them in an old warehouse.
She supposed she couldn’t really ask Alex to marry thirty-odd vagrants. But she promised herself she wouldn’t just leave them on the street, either.
A thought occurred to her, and she nudged him. “You’re gonna need help,” she whispered. “With- whatever it is you’re planning with the Empress and the moon.”
“Consider them hired,” he said, smiling and pressing a kiss to her cheek.
“I know that look,” Sem said. “What wickedness are you whispering in that man’s ear, Rosslln?”
“Just getting you lot some honest work,” Rosslln said, grinning at her friend.
Sem snorted. “That’s rich, coming from you, Rosslln Lightfinger.”
“Whu-” Alex seemed aghast. “That’s way better than my nickname! You’re Lightfinger from now on.”
She scowled at him. “Oh no, I’m not; I like the nickname you gave me.”
He just grinned back, and Iiandere cleared her throat.
“Whatever you’re on about,” she said. “Can surely wait until later. Someone ordered this act, someone organized it, and it’s likely they’re still active. I would like you women to listen for any signs of this conspiracy and look for anything out of place; I will provide a contact for you to bring your findings to me.”
Semma looked to Rosslln, and she nodded. “I’m counting on you to manage it, Sem,” she looked to Alex. “I’ve gotta protect him.”
The younger woman shook her head. “What a change a couple of days makes. If you hadn’t brought him along, I don’t think I’d’ve believed it. But you with the Empress? That’s easy to believe after you with a man.”
Rosslln looked around for something to throw and, finding nothing that looked heavy enough, settled for sticking her tongue out instead.
Sem laughed, stood, and looked around. “Since I’m in charge now, I say business is settled.” She walked over to their little family. “And I want to introduce your man to the others if you allow.”
Rosslln looked to Lisril, who nodded and waved Alex away. “Don’t worry, Semma can keep those girls in line.”
“I’m sure she can,” Alex laughed, standing to join their host and wandering off for introductions.
She and his wives stood and gathered together. “Despite what you said,” Eli said. “That girl has hit upon a problem I was too much a fool to consider. Even if we’re unlikely to run afoul of the law, traveling in a group this size is bound to draw unwanted attention. Especially now that it’s no longer the early evening. We should split into two groups, Lisril; I hate to say it, but with your injury….”
“No,” Lisril said. “You’re quite right, I will take Serra, and the two of us will travel separately, keep an eye on your group.”
“Wait,” Rosslln said. “shouldn’t I-”
Lisril laid a heavy hand on her shoulder. “No, this venture was your idea; it only makes sense that you should lead it to the end. I trust you.”
Rosslln nodded; she would have to make sure not to fail, then.