Chapter Text
The Night Market was like the palace in one way: both lived on the edge. The dimly colored stalls turned into an ash-grey stretch of land that led to unmarked graves. Key’s eyes skimmed past the stalls to his left and his right, looking into the distant graveyard for… There. The barely visible hilt of his blood-rusted knife was still embedded firmly in the ground. Even if he couldn’t afford a stone, Key still had his one marker to find his father in the crowd of the unloved.
His lady caught his eye. Key’s gaze snapped back to her. Right. He was here with a purpose.
Key glanced over in the direction of the graves again, as if an excuse would appear out of thin air. His gaze fell on the people cross legged on the earth peering closely at an aged chessboard. The black pieces were losing horrifically.
“What are you looking at?” Lady Rahela asked.
He sketched a brief diagram in the air.
Key lied to her easily. “That’s how the black pieces can win.”
He was grateful for the misdirection. Even if he was leading Lady Rahela to see it, he still wasn’t ready for her to know the full truth of the Villain of the Cauldron.
It was her own fault if she believed him. Key was her only guide in the worst of the worst Eyam had to offer and she hadn’t questioned her safety or his intentions even once. Lady Rahela simply eyed the board and nodded, as if the movements Key had made really meant anything. If she had really been paying attention, she might have seen that the white pieces were three moves away from checkmate. Far from any hope for redemption there.
His lady’s head turned sharply. Key’s hand drifted to his knife, but Lady Rahela grinned widely before swaying her hips side to side. What was she doing? It was as if she was desperately trying to find trouble. Of course Key had noticed her luscious curves and ample bosom. How could he not? Even without the dazzling jewelry or the dresses, Lady Rahela used her body like a well trained weapon, with deadly aim and accuracy. And yet, she closed her eyes as she danced and ran her hands through her loose hair. She carried herself just like she did in court, free and unconstrained like a force of nature.
“If we’d never met before and you saw me at the Night Market,” his lady spoke without opening her eyes, “what would you do?”
Key paused. If he had met her in the Night Market, if he had been as honorable as the other guards who might have been assigned to his lady, he might have charmed her with a well-placed smile. Even a dance. But he wasn’t some other guard.
“I would have given you a passing glance.” Key said. “Seen your exorbitant… attire and your lady’s maid and kept walking,” he paused for a moment and added, “or…”
His lady opened her eyes. Key darted aside. As predicted she looked to where she thought he would be. He stood directly in front of her and she didn’t even notice until his blade kissed her throat. Key knew caution. He held the blade just gently enough to put a little pressure on her, but he had just enough control not to nick her.
“I’d rob you at knifepoint.” Key bent his neck to touch his forehead to hers. “But I think you’re pretty.”
He felt Lady Rahela’s fingers trail along his body, leaving a strange sensation in their wake. The Beauty Dipped in Blood was truly a harlot deserving of her reputation. Key would be disappointed if she were anything but. He watched her ruby red lips curl seductively. She really thought he would drop everything with one bat of her big brown eyes?
He might. He almost pulled away at the thought, at the risk that he could actually be brought to his knees by this woman. But his brain would not fog to her skills of seduction.
He barely even noticed as her other hand trailed down the side of his face, pulling him back to hold his gaze on her.
“Look down,” his lady breathed. A thrill raced down Key’s neck.
There was a blade pressed right below his belt. The hand that had crept down his face had snuck around his grip on the knife and wrenched it out of his grasp. This was even better than being seduced.
Key threw his head back and laughed freely. She never ceased to surprise him. Every time he underestimated her, Lady Rahela reminded him exactly why she had been the King’s favorite until she had been tried for murder. And then of course, he was reminded why she had been tried for murder.
“Aren’t you full of surprises. Like a magic trick in the shape of a woman.”
Lady Rahela’s grip around his glove softened as she pushed the knife away from her neck and back in its sheath. Key had never let anyone close enough to even touch his weapons. Now he’d let his lady use his own against him.
His lady maintained her blade where it was. He was completely at her mercy. Mostly. Sort of. He could disarm her if he wanted to. If she wanted to, she could… well, it didn’t bear thinking about. Now this was a game he enjoyed.
Lady Rahela gripped the hand Key still had around her waist and spun herself out before turning back into his grasp. She deftly tucked Key’s other knife away and into her corset.
“Do you like dancing?” Lady Rahela smiled, teeth glinting like a dangerous dagger.
“Never learned,” Key said. He would never confess how eager he was for his lady to return to his grasp.
“So what do you like?” His lady asked.
Key pressed his lips together. He liked killing. He was good at it and he liked being good at something. But his lady already knew that. But now that he was trying to think, nothing was coming to mind.
“Nobody ever asked me what I like before.” Key spoke slowly.
He couldn’t figure her out. What was she trying to get from him? She already had his loyalty (false but she had no reason to know that) and all the beautiful lies he could give her. “People don’t want to play with me, but board games and puzzles look like fun. I enjoy thinking things out.”
If she had wanted to be a haughty noble, Key had just given her the perfect ammunition. In any other circumstance, if a peasant admitted to enjoying intellect, they would be jeered at best or executed.
But like always, his lady continued to subvert his expectations. She regarded him with real, serious intent and nodded. As if she really believed he could be anything more than a body to throw in the face of danger and dispose of when his purpose had been served.
They walked in silence for a moment. Lady Rahela’s question had left her with more silent thoughts than conversation points. And Key, well, he wasn’t much for conversation in the first place.
He noticed the cheap gold costumes on the children around him. Deeply obnoxious but the children were happy, so who really cared about the uselessness of the monarchy? Death Day was nothing special. Just another day to remember how little they had to be grateful for in the Cauldron and even out of that, how little Key owned to even be grateful for. What did he care about another year?
Lady Rahela gripped Key’s hand with a vice grip, staring at the children. His old scars twinged painfully but he swallowed his pain for his lady.
‘Happy birthday!”
Key blinked at her.
“Happy what?”
“You’re twenty today.” She said with all the seriousness of actually caring. “What do you want?”
What did he want?
Key wanted the whole world and everything in it. He wanted luxury and opulence and everything else wealth could buy. He wanted people to remember who he was and fear him when he was there. And when he was gone.
But he also really liked money.
“You know what I want.” Key drawled. His lady had brought coins with her. He expected her to laugh and press one or two into his palms, commanding in her strange way to ‘buy something pretty.’
Lady Rahela stepped closer. His hands burned hot in their gloves. He wondered if she could feel their heat through leather. against the cold chill of the ravine. Her red velvet cloak streamed like trails of blood in the water. Key’s face flushed with an unfamiliar warmth as she pressed her mouth to his.
Key wasn’t sure if he liked this so much because it was a nice kiss or because Lady Rahela was so forbidden. She was the king’s favored one, the seductress who had scandalized the court. Yet here she was, not kissing the king but putting her blood-red lips on a thief and a killer.
Their lips parted “Actually,” Hey murmured. “I meant money.”
But this was good too.
Lady Rahela made a strange noise. Key assumed she was trying to attempt a laugh. She made another haughty noise, drawing herself up to full height, which wasn’t very much.
“Villains occasionally do sexy things to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to sin!” His lady began before saying more words he did not understand. He was okay just watching her face move, watching her lips press against each other and open just enough for her tongue to peek out. Lady Rahela took a step as if she was about to turn away from him. Well, Key couldn’t have that. Things were just getting interesting.
He tugged their linked hands to pull her back.
“If nothing matters,” Key said, “all that matters is making it good.” And Key knew how to make it good.
He kissed her deeply, feeling the warmth of her wonderfully exorbitant bosom press against his chest. Key was greedy and his greed longed to touch, touch, touch. He ducked under the shadow of his lady’s scarlet hood to slant his mouth against hers and kiss her even deeper. Key slid a hand along her back, feeling every cushioned ridge of her spine against his glove. Lady Rahela shivered deliciously under his touch. Her body was warm and inviting under his hands. Key knew how to steal jewels and gold, he could steal a few more touches.
His lips trailed down her neck where he could still see the line his knife had left. Hot. His lady lifted her chin and Key took it as invitation beckoning him further. His tongue darted out to soothe the raised skin. Lady Rahela let out a soft moan. Key wondered idly what she sounded like when she screamed.
Key pressed his lips to the space between her neck and ear. “May I kneel at the altar?”
“Sorry, what?”