Dust. It was both beautiful and an annoyance. Kicked up by cart wheels, beasts, children running through the road, and even the wind. It sat in the air casting the market in a haze as each particle waited it’s turn to find a landing point. The tanned skin of a shop keeper, its wares, or it’s customers, everything would be coated in dust before it exited the market. Gods help you if you forget to breathe through your nose, on inhale through your mouth and you’d be tasting mud for the rest of the day. It did have its benefits though. Twice a day, when the sun sat at a certain angle, the whole city glowed orange. Beautiful both in the thick of it and from a distance. But, more importantly, the cloud was a thief’s playground. An apple plucked from a nearby stand, it’s shop keep eagerly debating the quality of his fruits with a customer doing his best to haggle. A distracted woman trying to wrangle her children back within sight. A Good samaritan accidentally bumps into her pointing towards one of her young sons as he darts behind another stall. Grateful she runs after him completely unaware that her pocket is lighter than it was a moment ago. Ginevra chuckled sliding the rough coins between her dusty fingers. She turned walking in the opposite direction. It was always nice to know her pickpocketing skills hadn’t faltered, but she was after bigger game these days. Chaseen had far more to offer than bruised fruit and pocket change. She slipped into an alleyway biting into the Apple. She scoffed thinking of the shop keeps arguments about quality before tossing the apple over a shoulder and knocking on a black wooden door. Most walked past not giving it a second thought, but it was the only black door you’d find in this part of the city. Arwan had ensured a way to direct those he saw fit to enter his realm. While he often acted rashly, he was rather smart. She knocked again and the door gave an inch. Green eyes peaked out from the entry. “Well if it isn’t the kings whore, what are you doing out of the keep?” Garbhan smirked looking her over. She’d dressed in the dark early this morning. The white sheer linen was a bit too thin, and while she was trained to deal with men who liked to touch what wasn’t theirs, she would have avoided the dress if she could have seen. A slimy feeling wriggled through her before she threw her shoulder into the door knocking Garbhan backwards enough that she slipped inside. “You little bi—“ She threw him a look that made him bite his tongue, but only for a moment. “His majesty asked for you, but I had to tell him you weren’t here.” “Quit with the whole royalty thing. Arwan isn’t a king.” “Well he might as well be. He’s pissed you snuck out.” “I didn’t sneak out. I took a walk. I’m tired of being stuck in this building, I haven’t had a real job in weeks.” “I don’t think he gives a shit. Get your ass downstairs.” Garbhan grabbed her upper arm moving to shove her towards the landing, but she twisted in a blur taking his wrist, pulling it behind his back, and applying pressure until he gasped. “Don’t touch me Garbhan. You may be Arwan’s best brawler, but I promise you I’ve had more training.” He jerked away muttering to himself as he walked downstairs. She followed and yelling erupted the moment Garbhan opened the door at the bottom. Arwan’s fighting rings were the center of Chaseen’s more colorful population. Fighting, gambling, secrets, if you were looking for something unseemly, this was the best place to start. All 3 rings were currently surrounded by men yelling their bets or encouragement to the fighters. Arwan sat at the far end, he was only interested in fights that he deemed interesting. Garbhan being his current champion with no challengers in days, he was growing bored. Catching sight of Ginevra he stood up stepping off his elevated platform. He looked pissed so she plastered on her innocent smile. “Where did you go?” “Just out for a walk. Waiting for a job makes me antsy and it’s been a while.” He took her arm as Garbhan had, but this time she did nothing letting him push her up onto the platform. He sat back down pulling her into his lap and grab the hair at the nape of her neck. “My bitch is bored, shall I give her the good news?” His other fighters chuckled while she clenched her jaw. She had to remind herself in moments like this that she needed his reputation. Without it she’d be homeless on those dusty merchant streets forced to marry a stranger since no one would hire a woman. “I do have a job for you. Biggest job you’ll ever have.” He let go of her hair moving his hand to her jaw and running his thumb over her lips. She held still wanting to spit at him or scream. “What’s the job?” “You’re going to court, where you’ll play as a lady from Denarius’ household. You’ll gain the princes ear and manipulate him into giving me the lords title and lands.” Her eyes widened, “He owes that much?” Arwan smiled, “He owes me everything.”