Chapter Text
Delightful... Utterly Delightful,
That was the word sitting at the top of tongue when she saw that rich bastard Boulden repent for his crimes as the Constabulary take his sorry face off to hold his punishment.
"One day... It'll be Vorsch on the chopping block, soon enough." Thought the Gravelkin girl.
A voice ask from her side, "Ashley?"
This very moment is all thanks to the man beside her. The fabled master detective, violet and silver foliage from the bank's bushes outspringing from his sat figure. If it wasn't for him, the police would've fallen for the fake robbery. But thanks to his deductions, they were able to unmask this scheme like a telltale duo of heroes, unveiling the villiany beneath the aristocracy. Her fantasy cut short as Hugin continued, "You seem in high spirits..." spoken factually, no hint of his usual sarcasm.
He was right on the mark as always, "Indeed!" she replied, "You're absolutely truthworthy!" her praise excessively magnified at just how magical this night was. "It was all thanks to you we're that much closer to the truth!" and that much closer to figuring out just how they got away with what they did to her... That little thought of contempt seeping into her next few words, "That moneybag is in cuffs, and we're on the rising detective's trail... Soon, we shall find their link to the Cinderella's Case!" This moment, a small stepping stone towards uncovering the case, and fulfilling her fury.
The thought morbidly excited her, the thought she'd finally get to know the truth, and burn it all down. So much so, she couldn't help but ask "What shall we investigate next, Detective?"
She knew it was the right move trusting them. Not only did it give her an alibi, but also provided an ally that saw her for her, not just another street rat. A man who's gaze now lingered on her, not with disgust, but with what seemed to be consideration as he looked to scan her bandaged hands and dirty garb. It was then he stood,
"Hold your horses." Hugin teased, before uttering on "There is something more important to do." The latter making her question, just what else would be so important on a night like this? Was there something in the case he didn't relay to her, or something that she overlooked? She didn't know, choosing instead to follow along. Most would chastise this behavior, but right now, other people didn't matter. Right now she was in wonderland alongside her prince, and this is their night for the rest of the evening.
Walking down the stairs leading to the bank, the pair make their way to an awaiting carriage, where Hugin prompts the driver on their destination, but doesn't say a word of it to his assistant. With a crack of the whip, the horses begin to tug the vehicle along, leaving the duo inside free to discuss whatever matters cross their minds on the road.
The first question spills from Ashley "I'm not quite clear what you meant by something more important." her suspicion made known promptly. "Yet, I trust in your judgement. You always see to the heart of the matter- you saw through Boulden and unveiled his smuggling operation." Her trust in him utterly devout by a crown she had begun to place on him. Yet this does not stump her curiosity, "I must ask... which part of this investigation weighs most on your mind, Detective?" Her query revealing she was still focused on Boulden's fraudulence. Her obsession with the arrest of the noble made clear as day.
But Hugin, opposite to her, replies without knowing the gravity "You, mostly... " At which point, she stopped for a moment to process what he had said. "Me?" Ashley questionned, baffled. It wasn't that she thought he was heartless, but he rarely voiced worry. Throughout their work together, he's had faith in her abilities, and she's more than wise enough to step out of a fight when one breaks out. But throughout all of that, did her safety really comes first for him?
"I'm giving myself too much credit... Financially, I doubt he'd wanna risk hiring a new assistant. Not to mention, I'm working for no pay at all." Gravelkin like her were replacable. But one, that had the skills he need, while being free of payment was the best deal he was getting on the day of hiring.
But his soft gaze let on more, as he glanced at her, "Your age belies your heart, and your maturity..."
She excused "I don't have much experience- only housework, really. But I'll do what I can to help." Her answer true, but carrying deception at its core. Spoken to be vague yet unassuming.
And it seemed to have worked, as he paid no mind to it and carried with his own question, "Your hands are calloused... From manual labor, perhaps?"
Yet another detail pressing at the matter of who she really was. But she followed the alibi he had just given her, "Oh, yes... I just do whatever I can to help out. Nothing worth mentioning." Every word spoken to dust whatever trail pertained to her past.
Once again, he falls for it, sighing as he relinquishes.
A part of her tinges with sorry, her mind romanticizing "Your trust is like a flower. Sweet and delicate. But my heart? Only a wasteland, my dear Detective. There is no place for it there..." She muses. The joy between them like liquid gold slipping through her fingers.
Painful as it was to deceive him, it was necessary if she wished to enact justice on the bastards in UVW. Contrasting this, Hugin admits honestly "I do not know where this investigation will lead us. For now, let's rest." Yet again, he makes a call she can't fully argue against.
"Right... We've been running across the whole city. I want to rest, but knowing that remains unsolved... leaves me uneasy." As good as this night was, it didn't feel right to end it off walking to bed. It'd be remiss to not investigate more into this mystery. Especially if it had to do Vorsch...
She brewed for a moment, pondering how she could use the sliver of extra time to get more information. Luckily for her, she had already laid the perfect fallback option, "Oh! Maybe we could circle back to the Mystery of Stolen Silver. Any new ideas?" Yet again, she brings back her innocent little riddle. Apart of her wonders if she's overreliant on it, but with the time on the matter, it was easiest solution to wrangling the topic back into something related to her plans.
Hugin, doesn't bother to question, instead he readily answers "Yes... I believe I may have a new theory." Surprising, she thought he'd take a moment to think, but it seems like he had it planned. Had he been thinking of possible solutions to the riddle as they've worked? Was he really that interested? "Are you really going so far for a seemingly simple riddle... For me?"
At which point, Hugin explained "The silver was orchestrated by the rich man himself: the safe had a secret compartment, and he pretended to deposit the silver inside the case, when in fact he placed it in the compartment. No one expected anything. So when he next opened the safe, the compartment was closed, and the silver coins were nowhere to be found."
His answer was sound enough, that she had taken it for granted, forgetting the real truth behind it for just a moment. "So everyone thought it was going into the safe, but it was actually going into the compartment... What a clever gadget." But cleverness wouldn't have explained, "If the coins had been in the secret compartment all along, then the shavings inside the safe doesn't make sense, unless he was sawn putting those in aswell, but he wasn't. So that can't be it either..." Here, she was yet again, adding details that debunk his answers. Not out of any malice, but because she already knew that wasn't the answer either. It was game of carrot on a stick, and here, she was holding the stick. She doesn't have the brilliance to figure out what happened, but he just might.
So she continues this game "A wonderful idea, Master Detective, but I'm afraid you're just one step short."
To surprise, his brow furrowed at this, his frustration made clear, but what came next shook her when he raised that "It's clear this is more than a mere word game. What does the riddle mean." That this little play was more than it seemed, just like its teller.
The pig has figured out its been had, that its been ridden for the sake of overcoming a goal that its rider cannot, so what best to do, but come clean.
Inching closer to him, she asked in worry "May I speak openly, Master detective?" Praying inside that this didn't tick his suspicion the wrong way. She couldn't just back down from such a strong argument, not when it was the truth. But apart of her, a naive part of her, saw this moment could be less of an interrogation, but a moment of reprieve. This might just be the only person she could trust right now. The only person to not only understand, but respect her.
Hugin at this point, look more perplexed than ever. It was clear the illusion was starting to fade. Yet he had lost that frustration in favor of a hint of concern. He asked "Why wouldn't you?" Not demanding, but more needing in tone. He needed to know why she suddenly felt like she couldn't speak. Clearly concerned on if he started making her feel uncomfortable.
Ashley could only admit, "Out of a wish to protect myself... and you, too." Her head down, not wanting to face him and whatever reaction that may have sparked. If he wanted to be outraged, she could only respect that. After all, she had been in shoes once. Being strung along clueless, not knowing you're being used for some grand purpose you have no say in. Internally, she chastised herself "How could I do this to him? He's only doing his job, and here I am, parasite latching on. Leading him to spread the vengeful poison I carry. Is that not the same as what they did to me? Using a poor fool to achieve some sick goal? But I can't be... right? This is noble. I'm lying to him for a noble cause."
But she is not met any rage or confusion, but a consideration. "Well... I suppose it depends on your judgement, and on how much we can trust each other, really. I've never told you why I took on this case, for one." Yet, instead of relief finding its way into her heart, she only felt more culpable.
"He's right. He should've told me why we were investigating Boulden. I'm his assistant, and I should've been included on the details. Yet I chose to stay in the dark... Because when was it my right to start demanding the truth, when I'm still keeping secrets from you? I trust you, yet because of that, I choose not to question you nor make you question me... because I don't want to lose your trust. Oh, if only-"
"If only I met you earlier, then... Perhaps I wouldn't be who I am now." She finally lets out. A cry for a better life, that Hugin only reacts to with a fidget of his hand, hesitant.
As the carriage moves along, the light out the window shines over his palm, while it shadows Ashley's. She continues in bitterness "We are from two different worlds, Detective." yet the passing turn of a corner shadows both their arms.
Hugin then finally answers, reaching out to put his palm on the back of hers. She does not recoil in any pain of her bruises or surprise at the sudden touch. Only looking at the connection, before her eyes drift up to meet his. They sat on opposite sides in the same blanket of darkness, enjoying the bridge that dusk has offered them.
They continue to walk along it and come close to meeting each other in the middle, as they lean across from their seats to each other. Their final exchange on this ride being through a shared look, who's message could only be understood through the light that now filled into the carriage and lit their interlocked hands.
And so, magic makes its way back into her life, with Cinderella wishing "Let this magic never end."