Chapter Text
“Hi, I’ll take the lemonade,” Raoul said cheerfully to the busboy.
The boy passed Raoul the glass of water. Raoul starred, but the boy jerked a thumb at a sign that read in Common, “We are out of lemonade. The boss couldn’t piss fast enough. Water will be served instead.”
“Thank you,” the knight murmured, not wanting to start an argument.
The lad nodded and went back to wiping the glasses.
“Don’t ya think that it would be better if you wiped the glasses with a clean rug?”
“I think the customers return for the taste of a thousand year old dirt. It has a very distinctive flavor,” the lad said durmerly.
“I don’t doubt it,” the man muttered into his glass.
“Anything else I can get for you, your lordship?” the lad asked, slightly louder in the almost empty tavern. Three rushers sat in the back.
“I was gonna ask you if you knew anything about the coles.” Raoul swirled his water carelessly.
“Were you?” the knight nodded. “Huh.” The three rushers ran for it. “Are you going to get that?” The knight sighed heavily and darted out of the tavern.
The boy continued to clean glasses with a dirty rag. Not his problem, and it was being taken care of anyway.
Raoul of Goldenlake was back the next day. The boy grabbed a somewhat cleaner glass. “Water?” he asked. Raoul nodded. The lad slid the glass to the knight.
“Thank you,” Raoul said.
“Do not mention it.”
The boy passed out drinks to other folk, but they avoided the bar, where the knight sat. Raoul wasn’t dressed to the lordly nines, but commoners could spot a royal in a heartbeat. They were just waiting for somebody to let it slip to the nobles, and cut their throat.
The boy pulled out a book, and promptly ignored the noble. He turned a page carefully.
“Good read?” Raoul asked. The boy raised his eyebrows, and went back to the book. “What’s it about?” The boy glared at him, but didn’t bother to answer. All Raoul could see was that the book was written in Ancient Runes.
“Last call,” the boy yelled over the now crowded bar. The sooner he could kick the knight out, the better.
“Well, that’s rude.” Raoul knocked back his water, but forked his glass back over to the lad. “Can I at least know your name?”
“Why?”
“It’s called polite behavior.”
“Alec,” the boy responded. He was tall for his age, and stick thin with Scanran features. He had a scar that grazed his chin, and wore thin clothes that covered all of his skin apart from his head and neck. Raoul shook his hand.
“Raoul.” There wasn’t a title said, but there was always a title attached.
Alec continued to hand out drinks. Raoul left, shaking off the weirdness of the encounter. He’d been back from the front for three days, and already trouble was brewing in Corus.
Three days later, he was back again.
Alec poured the water. “I thought our water was shit.”
“Well, the lemonade is made from piss.”
“I am not going to be the Knight Commander’s pet informer,” Alec whispered. “And I sure as hell aren’t gonna be his lap-pet.”
“I wasn’t asking you to be.” The knight looked horrified at the notion.
“Good.” Alec would cut a man before he went near that road.
“I would never ask that of anybody.”
“Alright. Calm down, your lordship.”
“ What are you doing in Corus?”
“Serving assholes water. Anything else?”
“Take it easy. I’m just trying to be friendly.”
“I’ve only been in ya fair city for a week, ya lordship, and folk here are much too friendly for my like.”
“You’ve only been here a week lad, and already have a job?” Raoul’s eyes had gentled a bit.
Alec didn’t appreciate it in the least. “And you’re already being a nuisance.”
“My apologies,” the man said lightly. “Thanks for the water.”
Alec was wearing the same clothes from the days before: canvas jacket and pants, worn boots and an over jacket with gloves. He hadn’t had time to wash and it was winter in Corus. All of the clothes were stained, patched, and had been pieced back together with tidy stitches.
Raoul was dressed in equally plain clothes, but they were less banged up.
Raoul left.
It would be four days until he went back to the bar. Unfortunately it would only be two before some nutter tried to kill the King’s granddaughter.
Alec overheard it as he was crossing the street to Will’s Tavern. A few gang members were talking loudly about kidnapping the kid, and holding the Royals for everything they got. Alec swore softly and deadly under his breath. He didn’t need these problems. He needed a damn break.
Move to Corus, they said. It will be peaceful, they said. ‘Bullshit’ is what they actually said.
Alec bit his lip hard. It bled weakly. The question was a matter of duty and honor, his favorite topics. Fuck. It wasn’t even a question to him. He knew his damn duty so fuck you.
Alec sighed, and whistled through his teeth for a second. He allowed himself to feel bad one second, and then moved on.
He had picked up several knives, and hidden them on his person. He checked once to make sure that all skin that could be covered was covered. He knew where the thieves were going to be. William’s Tavern was the kind of place where people talked openly of their issues with Royalty. It was a swell place, really.
“Lads, can we all play nice here?” Alec asked pointlessly. One rusher tried to knife him in the stomach. Alec threw at man into a table, and then the other three into a wall. “I really do not want to hurt anybody for being stupid.”
“We didn’t hurt nobody,” one of the men protested.
“Yeah, but you were going to-so,” Alec said kindly, throwing the fourth man into the wall. The babe laid on a blanket in the corner. Alec tensed slightly, but all the thieves were knocked out. It turns out his training wasn’t for naught after all.
“Easy, love,” he murmured to the squealing girl. “There’s a girl.” He picked the babe up, cradling her in his arms. “I’m jus gonna return ya to ya rich dada, and be on my way. That’s a girl. Shh.” He jiggled the child a little bit to get her to settle.
If Alec tended for irony, he’d drop the kid on Johnny’s doorstop and be on his way. Unfortunately, he had to be pragmatic of all things.
He stole through the palace walkways, and all the way up to the front door of the Prince’s rooms. He had thrown a scarf around his head. It was the best he could do in such a limited time. It was hard enough to even walk through the palace, even though the place was deserted. He had taken the path covered in cobwebs and dust.
He knocked twice on the knight’s door. It swung open, accompanied with a drawn sword and a stern face. Alec nearly smirked. It’s not like somebody never stuck a sword in his face before.
“Easy there, your majesty. I figured you would want this returned.” Alec thrust the baby at Roald. He accepted the child. “The men who attempted the crime have been dealt with. The Rogue wishes you well.”
Alec hastily left, before the prince could yell.
He knew that George Cooper was the Rogue, and hopefully, Black God willing, Roald and his father would buy it. Cooper hadn’t appointed another Rogue, and it would be time before Cooper couldn’t contradict Alec. Hell, Alec could blame this whole mess on Cooper’s shoulders. If he had half a brain (literally he would have to be missing half a brain to do it), he would go straight to Georgie and tell him that’s he’s a stupid bastard, and to start getting the Rogue in order.
When Cooper left to become the Whispering Man, he left a mess because thieves became disorganized and greedy. He’d left Alec a mess to clean up after in other words. Alec hadn’t been in the city long, but Will’s Tavern was a den of murderers, scumbags, and all around not nice folk.
“Lad, do you know about something to do with a person breaking into the palace and stealing a baby?” Raoul asked Alec the very next day.
“Your lordship, I know absolutely nothing of the sort.” Alec ducked his head. His face was smudged with dirt. Lord Raoul probably wouldn’t notice the bruise.
“And the bruise?”
“I whacked my head off the bar table, bending to reach for a glass.”
“Huh.” Raoul stared at the boy for a long moment. “Thank you,” the big knight said at last. “For the water.”
“It’s only well water and dirt, your lordship,” Alec murmured.
“I know.” The knight smiled. He vowed to keep a closer watch on the lad. “Can I ask why at least?”
“Why I hit my head on that night?” Lord Raoul nodded. “Some asshole made a mess and I had to clean it up. I was reaching for a cloth.”
“Alright.” The knight decided to let it go for the moment at least. “How long are you staying?”
“Not long. Excuse me for a moment.”
Alec hoisted the garbage bin and went out into the alley. There was a bird laying on the ground, with a clearly broken leg. Alec did not scream. He crouched down beside the beast. It whistled darkly at him.
“Easy, easy,” the boy said careful to not meet the bird’s eyes.
“Alec?” Raoul called, standing back a few feet. The bird snapped its tiny beak at him.
“It’s fine, your lordship. He’s just broken his wing.” The bird whistled sharply at the boy, and Raoul started forward slowly. The boy was going to get his fingers bitten off, no matter how crazy he was.
“Lad, he’s not your pet.”
“Thank you, your lordship for pointing out the obvious. Do you know a vet?”
“A what?”
“An animal doctor?” Alec looked at the knight as if he was the one who’d clearly lost it.
“Daine. Lad, that’s a phoenix. Don’t-” But Alec had already touched the bird, stroking its feathers gently.
“I’m aware.” The bird whistled again, more softly this time. “It’s alright.” Alec picked up the bird. “It’s alright,” he said more softly. “Vet?”
“Come on then,” Lord Raoul said at last. Alec stood, carefully keeping hold of the phoenix. He slipped the note that had been wrapped around a foot down his shirt.
Alec followed the Knight Commander as he led the way through the market and up to the palace. Alec froze as they neared the palace gates.
“Your lordship, I couldn’t possible-” he started, but he stopped suddenly.
“Lad?”
“I can’t, Your Lordship.” Raoul raised his eyebrows, and pushed the smaller male through the palace gates.
“I’m not taking you to see the king. Come on, Daine’s in the main palace.” Alec trudged behind the knight, swearing under his breath all the while. Lord Raoul smirked lightly. He reminded Raoul of a tiny redheaded, purple eyed boy.
“You really don’t like nobles, do you?”
“Nope, y’all are a stuck up bunch of prudes who don’t know shit.”
“Don’t hold back on me,” Lord Raoul muttered. “You’ll like Daine.”
Alec said nothing. Finally they reached Veralidaine Salmalín’s rooms. Raoul knocked and she opened the door. Raoul pushed his lad into the room, and shut the door behind himself.
“Alec found a phoenix,” Lord Raoul explained. Diane's eyes grew wide shock.
“Let me see,” Daine gestured at Alec.
Alec watched her warily for a second, but showed her. Alec had been careful to not jostle the immortal, but he still squawked at the unwanted attention.
“Alright, come here and put him on the table.”
Alec did as he was bid, and would have left if Raoul hadn’t put a firm hand on his shoulder. Daine washed up, and pulled out her medical supplies. Daine quickly healed the wing, even though the bird protested at every move.
“Oh hush,” Diane told him at last. She had splinted the wing to keep it still until the bones solidified. “You did a good job, lad. He says that his name is ‘Scorch’, and that his parents were killed by thieves.”
The phoenix walked up Alec’s arm so it could stand on its shoulder. It brushed his face gently. Scorch nuzzled Alec’s neck. Alec gently soothed his ruffled feathers.
“He’s takin’ a likin’ to you,” Diane voiced. “He says that he wants to stay with you.”
“I can’t. I have work and-” Raoul squeezed Alec’s shoulder until he shut up.
Diane grimaced. “Phoenixes live off of water and bird seed. He will be easy to care for,” she conjuled.
Alec nodded finally. They wouldn’t know that phoenixes symbolized the joining of yin and yang. It also symbolized the Shang. They weren’t to know about his shameful past.
“Alright,” Alec said at last. “I won’t be staying for long though.”
Diane nodded. “Phoenixes are notoriously loyal. He should be able to talk in a few weeks so that you can understand him. Make sure you keep that wing rested, and come back in a week or so. Take care. I’m glad I helped.” She shoved some supplies in Alec’s hands, and showed them out in a quick fashion.
“She’s just tired,” Raoul explained. Alec nodded, and stroked his new friend.
“Thank you.”
“Hmm. You really don’t like magic, do you?”
“No.” Alec went back to the tavern, and Raoul left to do knightly things, Alec supposed.
The thieves burned down Will’s Tavern that night, proving Alec to be accurate in his predictions about the length of his stay.
Alec forced himself out the window with Scorch leading the way. He cut his hands on the glass, It was the second story, and he couldn’t prevent his tumble down the roof and hitting the muddy street. He could hear his ribs crack, but got up anyway. Scorch flapped over his head; he’d broken the splint. Alec grabbed his pack from the ground, and slung it around his back.
There’d been nobody staying in the tavern besides Alec and Will. He’d probably helped, Alec thought bitterly.
Alec scowled at the burning tavern. There was nothing to do. He knew nobody except a stuck up noble, a magical vet, and a phoenix. He couldn’t turn to any of them, because of pride, among other things. Alec grit his teeth, enough feeling sorry for himself.
He trudged off into the night.