The Harsh And The Traitorous

"It is not polite to pry into someone's privacy, my friend," came a calm voice from behind yet the person in blame kept on rummaging through the bedside drawer.

"I forgot something, I will just take it and leave," Ailith took no heed in peeking to see the man, she had a grudge to uphold after all.

"Do tell me why is the thing you forgot in my room?" Noah casually strolled and took a seat on the creaking bed.

She did not reply, since in her book talking as much as she already had to him was a sign of not holding contempt. And right at this moment she held enough to fill the Nimue lake, which was the deepest a lake could go in the whole kingdom.

"Alright then," he held up his hands in defeat, "I give up. What should I do to make you forgive me? Do you want me to beg?"

She stopped her actions. For a moment he thought that she might be feeling grave over what he said but alas, he should have known better.

"It would make it considerably appealing for the eyes but no promises on the forgiving part."

His shoulders slumped as he leaned back with an audible sigh.

"You wound me," he muttered.

"Not as much as you have me," Ailith said with indifference and finally whirled to look at him. "You really are shameful, Noah, after what you did someone with dignity would not be able to show their face around to strangers much less to the person they wronged."

"What would Reya think of this? I know I was wrong but you are taking this far," he started at the ceiling with a stony face.

"She would scold me," Ailith didn't have to think far and hard about it. Most of the talks they have exchanged are her scolding her anyway.

"Exactly," he nodded at getting his point through.

"And she would pat you on the back for snagging my hard earned coins for yourself wouldn't she?"

"Halo got himself in a gambling debt and if I didn't do what I did my brother's body would be rotting in a dark alley," Noah sat up, trying to keep his voice calm on the matter, "you would have done the same if you were in my shoes."

"I wouldn't have stolen from my partner's pocket," she glared at him. Her face was filled with fury because she couldn't utter the words that she really wanted to.

"We are thieves, Ailith, it doesn't matter where we steal from."

"You have no honor." She shook her head with disbelief. Holding up the silver necklace that they had taken from a ramdom mistress, "I am taking this as compensation. It wouldn't nearly be enough but if I go back empty handed than it would be me rotting in a dark alley tonight and the only difference would be that I would suffer alive."

She waited for a reply but got nothing. He stared at his hands in silence.

It was when she was at the threshold of the door that he spoke.

"We weren't born with honor, Ailith," he looked in her eyes, "we are too low for that."

She had no reply for that. He was right but that was not something that was the reason for her anger.

The fact that he wasted the money that could make his life on someone that didn't even consider him family and it was not even the first time.

Halo had been leeching off of Noah's money for his selfish addictions and sins. He was the epitome of disgust in her view. Not only that but the way his brother impacted his decisions was so obviously biased and one sides that it hurt her.

He has known her predicament as well. The work she did to survive, to get a roof on her head was something only Noah knew yet he risked her life for someone so gluttonous.

The necklace only got her five silvers. Compared to the seven gold she had it was measly but it would last her a night. There would obviously no dinner for her tonight.

She sighed before walking the paved streets. The sky was a beautiful shade of pink and for every one of the people still walking the streets it was a warning bell.

Get safe while you still can, it seemed to say and everyone listened. Even she fastened her pace.

The palace guards do not like seeing people during the patrols. That was the only sane information anyway.

The house was as dreary as ever. The dark green exterior of the house was enough to give someone chills.

Ailith walked up the steps and hesitated before knocking.

Cilia, the new and much too eerie housemaid, opened the door with a smile. No one knew if she could speak or not, there were rumors that she sung while no one was listening but to this day they had been nothing but rumors.

She did not go upstairs to her room but instead to madam Reya's office. Though the house was well lighted it was in this part of the building thatt one could feel the strange aura.

Cilia, like a quiet ghost, followed right behind her with a smile that never leaves.

She knocked on the door before entering. A solemn flickering candle sat on the desk that drenched half the room in light while the other half remained in shadows. It was a s9re sight for the eyes.

"Ah! My favorite disciple," Reya was a lady in her late sixties. Her hair had more strands of silver than ebony. Her wrinkled face was gleeming with a smile that was more unnerving than reassuring.

"I couldn't get..." She tried speaking up wanting to get the burden off of her shoulders. Her hand was halfway to the ragged up coat's pocket but the loud screech halted her actions.

Reya had stood up. The chair she had sat on now touching the wall far behind her.

"My dear, do you think that the relationship we have is all about money?" She didn't look hurt. An amused look marred her face.

Ailith stood frozen in her spot. The woman was a mystery to her. Even after sixteen years it felt that expect her name there was nothing that described her personality.

This woman, who took calculated steps towered her, towering her with both intimidation and height was terrifying.

Wrapping an arm around her neck, Reya pulled her to the window. The streets were dark some lights placed at random intervals.

"Do you see this, my dear," She spoke. "This is the infamous city of Sterne. A city I like to call my home and those things that belong to me no one dares to touch. Understand?"

She nodded. Not knowing at all where this was going.

"Good," her smile grew wider, "and this institution is mine as well," she looked around the room then back at her, "along with the girls in it, including you."

Ailith opened her mouth but seeing that was immediately cut off.

"I don't ask for many things but from my girls I want precision, efficiency and most of all operation in all of which you have failed." Her voice became stern at the end and the realization caught up to her.

Noah had tattled on her.

"Why must you be so ungrateful for my kindness?" She released her and went back to her seat. As soon as she was settled she raised her hand fingers, "five lashes, dear, along with my money that you hid under your bed. Nothing more and nothing less."

Her eyes widened, "I will get you the money, I promise. Give me this one chance."

"I told you, dear," she looked up with an apathetic face, "it is not about the money."

Ailith took a step forward, one step away from groveling on her knees but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

Cilia smile reached her eyes as she dragged her to the basement.

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