The house was pretty fine.
Daniel sat in one secluded corner, scribbling away to somebody. Kane and Alexandra were peering into a map of Losiane. Fannel was trying to find out how he could unfasten his cloak, because he had somehow, in a hurry, instead of buttoning it, tied a knot with the two edges and now it was appearing impossible to untie it.
Watson wasn't back yet.
'What's Dan doing there?' Alexandra asked Kane.
'Writing a letter to Everly,'
'Everly is...'
'His special friend,' Kane nodded with a slight smirk. 'Don't disturb him. He'll throw his knife at us if we do,'
'Goodness, that's scary!' Alexandra said, 'Let's focus on East Losiane, that'll be better.'
'Hmm,' Kane said, 'Or maybe, we should look for Watson. He's gone for lon-'
Wild hammering on the door cut Kane across. Alexandra gave him a half a shrug and ran to open the door.
Watson almost rolled inside the house. And Alexandra slammed the door shut- without the slam, that was. Evidently, Watson was being followed,
'Stupid Losianish!' He grunted, getting up.
'What happened?' Alexandra asked him. Even Daniel looked up.
'They - these group of four men, they are behind me since afternoon. They're claiming I'm a bankrupt merchant who looted them before becoming a pauper! And they chased me across the whole city!'
Alexandra couldn't help laughing. 'Sorry!' She said, grabbing her stomach and still laughing. 'Oh I can't help it.'
'Next time, you try to outrun a Losianish, we'll see then!'
'Why, are they that fast?' Kane asked, folding the map of Losiane and getting up.
'Fast?' Watson asked, 'fast? They run as if assassins are at their tail!'
The word assassins was scary, but it brought a good memory of an infirmary and a particular person with her in it, to Alexandra. She turned away to grin, until she realized she was slightly blushing. That was all the more reason to turn away, and she made haste in doing so - especially from Mark and Kane - that needed to be hid.
'That's not at all nice,' Fannel said, exasperatedly cutting off the cloak with Vertex, his dagger. Thankfully, he didn't catch Alexandra looking at the wall for two whole minutes. 'If commoners run that fast, I'd hate to imagine what seasoned runners will do.'
'Outrun us.' Watson answered, gulping down a gallon of water. 'And then, all we have to do is turn our back and run in the opposite direction,' he replied. 'Anyhow, I did find out something.'
'What?' Asked three voices, Alexandra recovering.
'What?' Asked Daniel, a bit late.
'There are these sponsors in Losiane, who are really wealthy. They give the State credit,'
'Oh,' said Alexandra. 'And they are Losianish...'
'That's the point! They are not!'
'So?'
'Mabel,' Said Kane, 'Try to understand, Losiane isn't in any war - they aren't having a subsistence crisis. Why would they need credit?'
'For some extra work,' she supplied, realizing the meaning herself and everybody knew what she meant. 'But what proof do we have, that this extra work is other means of warfare? That Losiane is receiving fund for terrorism?'
'We don't,' Watson agreed. 'Which is why, I've got the meeting point of two sponsors: Paradise Courting Club.'
'Courting club?' Fannel said, 'Paradise Courting Club?!' He sounded like he would like to set fire to that place.
'Unfortunately, yes.' Said Watson, grimacing, 'these two sponsors - are courting. Day after tomorrow, they're going to meet at this Courting Club,'
'Come on,' Alexandra said. 'Why will they talk about funding and crediting in a private meeting?'
'That's the point, Captain,' Watson pressed. 'After meeting there, they are also going to meet Losiane's Finance Minister. But, I have got no idea where. Our best chance, is to track them down at the Club and then follow them, because whatever they will do with the Finance Minister will be important - DEFINITELY important. Even more unfortunately, only couples are allowed in the Club.'
All eyes fell on Alexandra. She took a step back, they were all guilty stares, and we can't help it looks.
'No way.' She shook her head, raising her hands. 'Look, Mark Fannel - you're out of question. And I'm not becoming a couple with any of you three.' She pointed to the other three, 'no!'
'Mabel,' Said Fannel, 'it won't be real... you're the only chance we - they,' he corrected, pointing to the rest three, 'have.'
'It'll be entirely professional.' Kane supplied, 'Still, if you didn't want to - we'll understand.'
'We could dress Watson as a girl, yes. That's always Plan B, but it'll be very difficult to do that - and even more so to get away with it,' Daniel agreed, folding the letter up.
'Oh and come on, we aren't that bad,' Watson smirked. 'Who knows, you might really enjoy the Club?'
'Excuse me?' Fannel shot at him, 'What do you mean by she might enjoy?'
'He didn't mean anything.' Kane said quickly, sensing the danger. 'Inhale - exhale, count till ten - calm down.' He advised Fannel, who shook his head. 'And look, Mabel. We'll leave it to you... I sort of agree with Daniel's Plan B,'
'But I DO NOT!' Watson protested, hotly.
'We,' Said Kane, unhurriedly, 'can make you agree. Mabel?'
Alexandra looked at them. Four people - or rather, in this case: three. It wouldn't be so bad, especially, she wanted to find out about this sponsor business. She didn't want to stay in the house, for sure. The Paradise Club was only a stopping point - the real trial was following the two - and getting something valuable, back.
'Er- fine, let's see this Paradise Courting Club.' She conceded, making a small I really can't help it myself face.
'That's a good Agent!' Daniel congratulated.
'Look, I'm warning you three,' Fannel threatened. 'Whoever goes- if I hear that anything went beyond professional, I will-'
'Stick Vertex into their neck. Yes, I'm sure you could do that,' Kane said, opening his arms wide, as though calling for a group hug.
'But who goes? That's the question...' Watson pointed.
'Let's draw a chit,' Daniel suggested. 'Whosoever is chosen- goes, and for better terms, let's let Mabel pick the chit.'
'Fine with me,' Alexandra shrugged, and Daniel pulled out the rest of the parchment. He scribbled on them, folded, and put them on the coffee table in front of everybody.
Alexandra knelt down, 'Let's see who's taking me to Paradise Courting Club,' she almost sang. And she picked up the middle one - stood up and opened it.
Kane
'Alden, we're stuck together,' She shook her head, turning to the rest.
'Heavens,' Kane replied, wide-eyed. 'I'm sorry!' He added.
'Like it's your fault.' Alexandra shrugged, again. 'Come on, we can go as friends!' She added, brightly.
And she had never thought it was possible, but behind her, Watson and Fannel were laughing. AND they were laughing on the same thing - the most impossible thing that could have happened.
'Huh, that's decided. Now can anybody lend me a pigeon? It's a bit of an urgency,' Daniel said.
'Take Jade,' Alexandra told him, 'She's got fat from sitting and eating all day,' actually, she had. Everybody with whom Alexandra could have corresponded was here, on the trial, with her. Except those usual exchanges with Liam and Sarah, more so with Liam because he had a lot of grievances he claimed were the "human side" of every king nobody wanted to see. Alexandra having been the princess who was equally supposed to be inhuman (not literally, for kindness was sought after), was all ears. But she suspected that before either of them were realizing it, the letters were getting more and more informal and more and more intimate.
* * *
'Personally, I'm almost happy it's Kane,' Fannel told her, later, at night. In the complete darkness, when everybody else was asleep. Alexandra sat at the foot of his mattress, looking around in the dark. 'He's all proper and straight - and I can trust he'll not let you fall in trouble.'
'So you can't trust me alone?' Alexandra asked back. 'And please stop ruffling up your hair! I can see you even in the dark - and I am going to smack you now!'
Fannel chuckled, ran his hand through his hair three more times, just to aggravate Alexandra. She got up and hit him across the head, rather lightly.
'Thank you, but that isn't a smack. And to be honest, you've got this flaring pride in you - if somebody touches it, you'll have their hand. It's something very royal and appreciable, but it can certainly land you into trouble. Loads of trouble,'
'Hmm,' Alexandra agreed, looking down into her palms, her long, thin fingers - like an artist's. 'I hope we get back to Idgard fast. Any other place feels hostile,'
'And especially when the place is hostile, in reality. We can't help feeling cornered. Surrounded by predators. Yes, it's an old feeling - fear. But fear is our best friend. Spies' best friend,'
'Stops us from being reckless,' Alexandra agreed, 'I hate recklessness. I had a lot of it - and I still do.'
'Which is why,' Fannel said, 'having Kane with you is such a good idea. You need a calm person to have your back. Like me,'
'You?!' Alexandra said, getting up. 'Oh what a joke. Calm and you!'
'Agents Mabel and Fannel, if you both don't shut up right away, I will send you back to Idgard in a rice sack!' Daniel thundered from afar. 'People here, are trying to sleep!'
'Dan, you didn't even clean the kitchens. It was your turn.' Fannel retorted, in a bored, provoking tone.
'You are doing it, Mr. Mark!' Daniel replied. 'And if tomorrow morning I don't find a spotless kitchen, I'm writing to Master George...' Daniel didn't even complete, maybe he had fallen back asleep midway through the sentence.
'Hehe,' Alexandra told Fannel, pulling him up as he muttered two or three choice words of praise for Daniel. 'Good luck, Mr. Mark, in cleaning the kitchens! And good night!' She beamed.