Meanwhile…
"Knights of Pluto…ASSEMBLE!"
Blutzen, Kohel, Dojebon, Laudo, Weimar, Haagen, and Mullenkedheim came storming into the barracks of Alexandria castle. Captain Adelbert Steiner smiled with satisfaction as his men fell into formation, hands resting on the hilts of their blades.
"Yes sir, Captain Steiner, sir!" Haagen yalped. "Knights of Pluto reporting, sir!"
"Yes," Steiner murmured. "For once.
"Men, we have someone on the loose here in Alexandria. A dangerous criminal, prone to disturb the peace of our kingdom and send it crashing down around our ears. He’s a crafty thief, one of the best, and he must be apprehended before he can cause any damage."
Weimar’s face screwed up in curiosity. "Sir, who is it you’re talking about, sir?"
The captain’s face became grave and pale. He took a step forward, a deep breath, and exhaled the name carefully, as if the very walls were spying on him.
"We, men, are pursuing…Blank."
Gasps and curses were heard from the knights gathered. Mullenkedheim gripped his sword white-knuckled.
"B-but, sir…"
It was Laudo. The weak link, Steiner called him. A soldier more bent on a career as a fantasy novelist than a soldier. Laudo always had a response; a retort. No different this time.
"Sir, why are we pursuing Blank? He helped defend this city six months ago. I’m sure he means no harm being here, sir. Perhaps…he’s just come to visit his friend Ruby?"
Steiner felt the steam rise up from under his tin collar. Outrageous, defying the command of a superior officer.
"Laudo…a THIEF never changes his ways! Surely Blank is here to procure some national treasure…something of great value and opulence, which would sell for many gil at the black market of Lindblum."
"But sir," Kohel said, "Lindblum doesn’t have a black market."
Steiner’s eyebrow twitched. He eyed Kohel appraisingly.
"Of…of course not, officer. I was simply testing you.
"But the fact remains Blank must be brought into custody at once! We will disperse throughout Alexandria and find the criminal before he catches onto us. Men…"
They all waited for the word to be shouted.
"DISPERSE!!!"
And they were off. The Knights of Pluto ran into the streets of Alexandria in search of Blank.
But he wasn’t that stupid.
Blank sat on the roof of the weapon shop and watched the knights-Steiner included-run this way and that in search of him.
"Ya know, Rusty, I could skip out on helping yer girlfriend if ya really wanna bother me that badly."
He looked around a bit, eyeing the rooftops for the man he’d been pursuing.
"Speaking of which, I wonder where ol’ Bea is. Cuz I sure as hell don’t know where Fratley went to."
Blank stood and leapt across the way to the roof of Alexandria’s synthesist. He’d been doing too much roof-hopping recently, but it couldn’t be helped if he wanted to stay on top of Fratley. Where there’s Beatrix, there’s Fratley, Blank knew, and now that Rusty and the idiots were out of the castle he could get in. So Blank made his way from roof to roof until reaching the docks in front of the castle. One thing he had going for him was that Beatrix’s soldiers hadn’t been notified of the goins-on in the city. They were simply guarding the palace as usual.
Besides that, they were women, and Blank had plenty fo ways to deal with that sort of enemy.
He eyed the palace as the gondola approached, then stepped on and was floating toward his new playground.
"Hey, sweetness," Blank said to the gondola sentry, putting on his best charm.
She looked up. "I know you aren’t talking to me."
"Sure am." Blank smiled lopsidedly. "Couldya be a doll and tell me something? It’d make my trip a whole lot easier."
She stared.
"What do you want to know?"
"Where your commander is," Blank replied, drawing in close to her for added measure. "I need to speak with her, it’s urgent."
The sentry shrugged, still pulling the gondola ahead.
"I really don’t know. Things have been hectic since the Queen left. But General Beatrix might be in the study looking over documents. That’s the best I can do for you."
Blank grasped the sentry’s shoulder, squeezing gently.
"Thanks, buttercakes. I’ll make it up to you…later."
"Pfft!" she responded. "Sure you will."
Thw gondola rubbed against the curb marking the path to Alexandria’s palace. Blank hopped off and headed into the building, glanding over his shoulder to make certain tha sentry wasn’t going to follow him. Can’t bee too careful.
He went straight for the study…better known as the library. Sure enough, there sat Beatrix mulling over papers and such. She was accompanied by two of her soldiers, and all three of them seemed bored.
"Hmm," Blank whispered to himself as he perched on top of the stairs. "Should I simply barge in there, or act all cool-like and wait for her?"
Beatrix looked up.
"Blank?"
The thief jumped. How in the…?
He stepped forward out of the shadow of the doorway. A smile was painted on his boyish face, and a hand went to his sword for good measure.
"Yeah, Bea? Ya called?"
She grinned, but it still went over quite stern. "What do you want?"
"Er," Blank stammered. "I guess I won’t beat ‘round the bush here. I gotta tell ya, Bea, someone’s lookin’ for ya. And he’s itchin’ for a fight."
The general seemed a bit interested.
"Fight, you say? Don’t tell me Steiner thinks I stole his cuirass again."
The thief laughed, taking his hand from the blade.
"Naw, not yer boyfriend. It’s Fratley, believe it or not. He’s still got amnesia, and he wants to test his skills against ya. I’m here ta get him and bring him back to Lindblum. Lady Freya put the guy in our care until she gets back."
Beatrix sighed as she approached Blank. Her smile was genuine now, not full of stern appraisal. She came to stand right in fron of him, her face close to his.
"I don’t want my soldiers hearing this. May we walk?"
"O’course," Blank replied, extending his arm toward the door.
They headed for the top floor of the palace, Beatrix and Blank walking side by side through the corridors of the building.
"So where was it you last saw Fratley, Blank?" the general asked.
"In the Aerbs mountains, just on the edge of yer kingdom. He’s here in town all right, just dunno where. And no doubt he’s askin’ for ya, because Marcus found out that was ol’ Iron-tail’s purpose in the first place."
Beatrix nodded. "So he seeks me. What will you do when he finds me?"
The redhead shrugged. "I’ll see ‘bout that when he does. Until then I ain’t leavin’ yer side. If that’s alright with you, general?"
She giggled.
"Well I actually do enjoy your company a bit, Blank. Steiner would go on a rampage if he found out, though. But yes, I’m fine with it. You know Fratley better than I anyway, I would feel safer with you around."
"Good," Blank replied. "Now I guess we have two choices here. Either we run into town and find the guy, or we sit here and wait. He likes to leap about a lot, so I don’t think we’ll have much luck searching unless it’s the rooftops."
"I propose we stay here. That way I know the ground I’m fighting on, and we won’t have exhausted ourselves with a search. Sound alright to you, Blank?"
He nodded. "Whatever ya want, Bea. I’m just along fer the ride."
Air moved. Blank knew that sound. He looked up, and had absolutely no idea how to feel.
There stood Fratley, perched on a balcony not more than twenty feet away from Blank and the general.
"Beatrix! I am here to fight thee. Prithy, unsheath thy sword and show me which of us is the better fighter!"
She looked to Blank, searching for his advice.
"I dunno, general. I don’t think he’ll back down, and I dunno any other way to get him than to wear him down first."
Beatrix nodded. "Well then you shall assist me in this battle, Blank."
"Well sure, I’ll…I WHAT?!"