Fia'ye Kirastugi's Story

---

Anatoli Capitol, among the streets

---

Another day, another hopeless hunt for pesky rebellion members, something Fia'ye didn't like when she was out of the castle, which wasn't exactly common, but she came out somewhat often, especially when the maids are all flustered and running about for some reason she never could understand. Though today, the now pissed off captain in the guardhouse had asked for her to find the 'Damned Thieves!' Which she was now doing. Riding upon her Silver-white horse named Reinna, she proceeded to where she could possibly see the fleeing thieves, instead of checking each gate one-by-one. Thus, she went to the best vantage point she could have thought of, the clock tower.

As she approached the tower, Reinna stopped, and she felt an enchanted presence from within the grounds, 'There's magic in there... Who would place enchantments in a peaceful ground like so? Topping it off, they feel like- The runes from the castle! Of course!' she thought, getting off of Reinna, spear in hand. Fia'ye looked at the tower, before whistling Reinna away and sighing, it was going to be a long day for her. She walked into the tower, by now the enchantments she broke through must had alerted the one whom placed the enchantments, thus she spoke, echoing up the tower,

"Knock, Knock. Is there anyone in here?" she asked, before proceeding rapidly up towards the top of the tower, spear in hand, and ready to attack.

Anatoli Clocktower

---

Before Oliver and Talbot could really begin to discuss their plans regarding the ball, apparently the letter he'd managed to steal had been an invitation, Asani's head snapped to attention and he said that someone had entered the tower. Oliver swore, shoved the invitation into Talbot's hand and threw his belongings into a corner. "Asani, make the two of you invisible and keep absolutely silent. I'll take care of the rest." He turned his back to the pair, confident that Asani would be able to handle his job. The room was to orderly to be home to a squatting orphan, so he quickly kicked over the table and broke it in a few places, kicking up quite a bit of dust as he did. He went over to the window and ripped up and then ripped off the curtains, laying them out in a corner of the room next to his things, a makeshift bed suitable of any street urchin. He took his knife out of the bag as well as his lunch, he hadn't dared to eat it so close to the guard house, a very stale piece of bread, and placed them down. Lastly, he turned his attention to his own appearance. He scooped up some soot and dirt from the window sill and unashamedly smeared it over his face and clothes, even going as far as tearing his shirt collar a tad and stretching out the sleeves.

The stage set, he sat down in the corner of the room that faced the door, drew his knife and waited. He clutched his meager meal to his chest and attempted to look as fearful and pathetic as a frightened street urchin, which wasn't all that hard considering that he WAS a street urchin, and he was most certainly scared. His knife hand shook a little as he heard their enemies footsteps climbing the stairs of their base. He gulped and even jumped a little as they forced the locked door open and held his knife at arms length between him and his assailant. Oddly though, his foe was a woman wielding a spear, and not wearing a guard's uniform. A knight maybe? Regardless he had a part to play, and he needed to do it well if they were to survive.

"W-Who are you!? I haven't done nothing! Go away, this is my bread!" he yelled at the woman in a panicked voice, his breathing heavy and his face a mask of fear and filth. The room was equally messy, the furniture broken and covered in thick layers of dust.

Anatoli -- Clock Tower

As Fia'ye approached the top of the clock tower, she would have enjoyed being sneaky, but there was always someone in here, which she has startled a couple of times. Though she was hearing what sounded like frantic footsteps and eventually a loud noise followed by snapping. Fia'ye was no Sherlock Holmes, but she knew when something was suspicious. Approaching the top, she paused before opening the door, having no idea weather or not the person inside was hostile or not, she prepared her spear and opened the door gently, seeing what looks like a starving dirty orphan whom was brandishing a knife.

"W-Who are you!? I haven't done nothing! Go away, this is my bread!" he yelled, Fia'ye has dealt with these types before on occasion,

'Yes. And I was born last month.' she thought, with a sigh before speaking, "I'm Fia'ye Kirastugi, a knight of the Castle. I'm not sure if you've done anything wrong, and won't persecute the innocent if you didn't. But I am in an investigation and need to use the view from up here." she said smiling. Though she felt bad for the child, she placed her spear against the wall, and nodded,

"Here. It's not much, but it should help you." she said taking out about fifteen gold coins and holding them out, a week's pay for her. Thankfully though, Fia'ye wasn't a big spender, though she didn't need to feed herself. Since she lived with someone else. Though she kept her eyes on the dirty child.

Anatoli clock tower

The fact that their secret meeting had been broken up so quickly did not faze Talbot too much in truth. What did upset him was the fact that a knight and not a guard or militia-man had been the one to do it, knights were always tougher in a fight, he knew that one from experience.

Though he trusted Asani enough to make them invisible to most normal people, he did not trust this stranger knight who was able to discover their secret meeting spot, a new one was clearly needed. Every so gently he reached into the beggars robes around him and with his bare hand slowly unsheathed his sword, it was a hand and a half sword, good for use both with or without a shield as it allowed the wielder just that extra bit of grip on the hilt, it suited his fighting style perfectly.

He noticed the knight had placed her spear so that it lent against the wall, just a step behind her, though he wouldn't risk picking it up he gently manoeuvred himself so that the better part of his body was in between the knight and her main weapon, he was glad he rarely wore his own armour these days, else he would have made a large racket. His sword was raised and pointed just left to her spine, the point hovering unwaveringly just an inch away, the blow would take his sword through the heart, severing the veins and causing a slow death. However he was loathe to attack anyone from behind, so for now he trusted to Asani to maintain his invisibility, lest the two knights descended into fighting.

Anatoli Clocktower

---

So he'd been right, the woman was a knight of the queen... The situation was certainly beginning to escalate. He could only pray that Talbot and Asani didn't do anything to foolish, not that he believed they would. Oliver frowned at the woman and forced himself to stop shaking as she placed her spear against the wall. He lowered his knife slightly and muttered "...O-Oliver. So long as you 'aint here to nick ma' things, do as you please." He continued to eye the woman suspiciously though, after all she was probably looking for them!

What she did next though really confused him, she reached straight into her pocket and pulled out a handfull of beautiful, glittering, heavy golden disks of pure monetary value, about fifteen of them, and offered them to him. Without asking for ANYTHING. Oliver was dumbfounded, and dropped his knife in shock. Was it some kind of trick? Was she going to grapple him if he tried to take them? His mind racing, Oliver came to the most logical conclusion he could think of, trade. Reluctantly, he ripped his meager loaf in two, plucked three, just three, coins from her open palm and placed half the bread into her hand before stuffing his coins into his boot. "T-Trade..." was all he could bring himself to say, still quite worked up about the whole ordeal. It wasn't really his... usual product, but he could not sell her any of his information! So bread would have to do,

Observation Room - Clock Tower -- Anatoli Capitol

Fia'ye shook her head, handing back the bread and the rest of the coins, "No, no, You keep this. This isn't me trading with you, it's me giving you what is needed Oliver." she said with her gentle smile, he wasn't used to people giving him money. She kept the money out and ready to be taken, she had enough food to sustain her, nothing like her Master's jerky and stews, which were free, but Fia'ye brushed the thought aside, she next spoke with a calm tone, as if she were smarter than he thought,

"Alright Oliver, I have a few questions, you won't be arrested. But, I wish to know why you were causing all the racket as I came up, and secondly, where and how you learnt the runes." she said with a still, yet calmed tone. There was still a lingering feeling, like there was some sort of danger, she had no real idea where, but there was some sort of danger none the less. Someone other than her and Oliver was there, yet she didn't know the true danger she was in, yet, if anything attacked from behind, she had a little bit of defense on her back, it was her sword, but at least it could deflect most things. Secondly, was her quiver, where as her bow was with her horse, which kept itself from danger, she still kept the quiver which sported a bit of metal in it for support.

Fia'ye sighed, she had probably scared the poor child, though with his knife she placed a nice square handkerchief she kept with her underneath the gold coins and bread the child gave her. She had no need for anything she placed. Though the handkerchief was something her deceased mother made for Fia'ye, the scarlet knight had no need for it compared to the child, looking at the table, Fia'ye put it back on it's broken legs, seeing some of the remaining papers, though she knew whom the child was, she had no real care, her loyalty wavered when it came to the Queen. The rebellion wasn't something she had a real problem with, she leaned upon the table and waited for Oliver to respond.

Asani Kosovani

---

Anatoli Clock Tower

"Asani, make the two of you invisible and keep absolutely silent. I'll take care of the rest." Upon hearing this Asani backed against the wall, hands raised he weaved a veil over himself and talbot hiding them from "normal" vision; then again to mask their sounds and once more to wrap it around themselves. At this point Talbot and himself could be neither hear nor seen by normal means as long as they were careful. All the while Oliver went about the room causing a ruckus. Soon the intruder entered, a Knight of all things, dressed in red wielding a spear... "This could turn quite sour... tread lightly" Asani thought to the others. "I'm Fia'ye Kirastugi, a knight of the Castle. I'm not sure if you've done anything wrong, and won't persecute the innocent if you didn't. But I am in an investigation and need to use the view from up here." Asani began to disregard her as another soldier sent out on a hapless task. "Looks like they're still looking for Hood..." At this point she handed Oliver coins and they had their exchange, at the same time Asani could see Talbot moving between the knight and her weapon. Should this turn sour she clearly wouldn't be making it out unscathed. And then Asani heard words that chilled his spine "...where and how you learnt the runes." Just as he was slipping into a daydream he snapped to attention, this was clearly no ordinary knight. Asani began to delve into her mind and immediately sensed magic, though no magic he was familiar with... it seemed hot to the touch but bright, nearly indescribable on a first skim. Asani reeled back from her mind, after all those with a magic inclination can often sense scrying eyes. "Talbot, I would suggest we find a peaceful solution here, this knight seems rather capable without her weapon and I would rather not lose this headquarters just yet."

Anatoli Clocktower

---

Oliver gave Fia'ye a long, odd look, then stared at the outstretched hand, holding coins, bread, his knife, and a handkerchief. He then stared back up at the knight... and his resolve broke. This woman was genuinely trying to help him, with little to no thought as to how she might benefit... he couldn't lie to someone like that. He sighed heavily, took back his knife and his bread, and closed her hand around the coin and hankie. "Y-Your kindness is appreciated... but truthfully I have no need of this either." He stood up, walked to his belongings in the corner, and put his knife away.
Asani, you and Talbot should leave now. I can't lie to her anymore... but you two can still get away. Who knows? Maybe she'll even help us! That's the vibe I'm getting anyway.
He pulled out a piece of cloth and wiped his dirtied face with it and pushed his hair back before walking back to the now rickety table and sitting down across from the red knight.

"Obviously, you already know who I am and why I made such a racket. Well, you would be correct, but before I answer any of your other questions... I must ask one of my own." Oliver looked quite different now. Sure his clothes were still dirty and his hair looked like a bit of a wreck, but his demeanor had changed and his were eyes sharp and focused.
"When you came up here, you said you were in the midst of an investigation, not "in pursuit of criminals". This tells me that you aren't yet sure who the guilty party in this grand mess called Anatoli is. Not yet anyway. So please, tell me this. What do you truly think about the queen?"