HOME | DD

Description
"There's another one Ali." Alica groaned into the desk she rested her forehead on, digging her claws into the wood.
"Well snap its wings or something I don't give a shit." She rolled her slender head over so her chin was on the desk, her forearms covering her face. She heard the footsteps of her good friend Marli come up behind her and the gentle clacker of little metal feet on wood.
"It's hardly the Kinilea's fault its master is so persistent." Marli rested her hands on the back of Alica's chair, letting it take most of her weight. "Maybe you should just go and see what she is so desperate to see you about. Or at least send a letter back."
"I already sent one back." Alica mumbled into her arms, Marli only just hearing her. "It said fuck right off I don't give a dam about your problems."
"You really sent one saying fuck off?" Marli answered a slight tinge of worry in her voice. The sender of the note was well known in Paradise as being someone who could have you killed if you even looked at her funny. The fact she tolerated Alica's attitude to such a great extent was astounding although Alica had exactly the same power herself.
"Words to that effect." Alica sat up and leaned back against the back of her chair and Marli's hands. "I'm pretty sure I used the word 'fuck' at least once." She gave her friend a mischievous grin that Marli could only smile back at. She was used to Alica's cocky attitude.
"Well maybe use it a few more times. Or just go and see her. Least then you can tell her to fuck off in person." Marli freed her hands from between Alica's back and the chair, rubbing them as she moved around to Alica's left side and parked herself on the edge of the desk. Alica rolled her head around in an exaggerated fashion and looked at the small, golden machine that stood patiently on the desk, watching her with glowing blue eyes. It was shapes like a small bird with long spindly legs, a long, bendable tail and a hard golden casing that was highly polishing and gleaming. Its wings were made of pipes and thin fabric, well made and well looked after. It waited a few seconds to be sure it had Alica's attention then made a gentle clicking sound. It leaned forward a small door opened on its back, revealing a small cavity with a scrap of paper folded up inside. Alica retrieved it and the robot closed its door and straightened up, waiting for an order.
"Go." Alica commanded absent minded, more interested in the note. The machine hopped across the table and took off, fluttering towards the open door Marli had brought it through and left open. It vanished for a moment before there was a loud clang of metal hitting glass. Marli and Alica flinched at the sound and whirled around.
"... I forgot to leave the window open." Marli muttered and trotted outside to retrieve the slightly dented and dazed creature from the floor. Alica smiled and turned her attention back to the note. It read:
'Alica
This is my seventh letter and I hope you will not answer it as harshly as the last one. I'm not sure you understand the gravity of the situation I wish to discuss but I assure you it involves you. It involves the whole city.
I can give you the full details if you pay me a visit but I refuse to do it over letters that can be intercepted. Surely you understand I want the bulk of the authorities out of this.
I am willing to meet halfway if you are uncomfortable coming into my territory but this is the last request I'm going to make.
May Tr'ndrai take care of you
H'Laena'

Alica stared blankly at the paper for a few more moments after reading it before crumpling it up and tossing it towards her improvised waste bin of an old metal box that was already over-flowing with paper.
"Well?" Marli returned to the room just as she threw the note away.
"If she mentions bloody Tr'ndrai to me again I'm going to slap her." Alica growled. She had no interest in religion at all, especially not H'Laena's. It was all bull to her. If there were gods, they weren't fans of Alica.
"Are you going to go or not?" Marli said finally, folding her arms. She was as bored of the back and forth as Alica was.
"Fine. I'll give the whore what she wants." Marli nodded in approvement until Alica spoke again. "But... I get to take our little rodent." She looked at Marli with a look of finality. Marli's smile faded.
"You do know if you take her then my-"
"Your son will be joining me to his first whore house." Alica cut off with a grin. Marli rubbed her snout with her thumb and forefinger. "He's 16 Marli. You coddle him and that's why-"
"You know WHY I coddle him. Fine but if anything happens to him..."
"You know I look after family." Alica said finally, getting up and grabbing her belt with knife from the nearby couch and strapping it around her waist.

-----

"I know you are probably allowed to force me to come seeing as you are the closest thing I have to a legal guardian," Rivlin babbled from Alica's side as they weaved through the crowd of the busy high street. "But I don't really see WHY I have to come. What possible use would you have for two teenagers coming into a brothel with you?"
"Mostly so I won't get attacked. One thing I know about Soa's is they never harm children. Although I doubt H'Laena would pull that shit." Alica replied. Rivlin was on her left and Murrey quietly followed just behind, looking nervous but not complaining. Rivlin, as usual, was doing all the talking.
"So we are just your meat shield? Nice Alica I really feel loved." Rivlin pouted but couldn't hide a smirk. She knew Alica was trying to wind her up but still didn't appreciate it.
"Also you might learn something." Alica added.
"About what? I'm sure we know all about boobs that we need to know. They aren't a hard concept to grasp." Alica chuckled to herself at Rivlin's reply. This 15 year olds similarity to a once young Alica was almost startling. Anyone would have said they were mother and daughter at a glance.
"Well admittedly I want to see my godson squirm a little." She grinned and looked back at Murrey who took on an extra shade of pink and looked at the ground. Although she knew he wasn't totally innocent, she also knew he wasn't one to be upfront about such a subject as sex and relationships. So throwing him into the middle of a brothel would prove amusing. Especially as, for his age, he was pretty well developed. He could probably pass off as being legal age 4 years ahead of time if he was crafty. Fortunately for the law, Murrey was not.
"That would be funny." Rivlin continued. She delighted in poking gentle fun at her closest friend as much as Alica did. She practically made a day of it sometimes. "I don't even think he's even seen a naked body before."
"Hey I'm well versed on what people look like naked." Murrey piped up, pushing himself between the two females in ditch effort to assert himself. "And I don't care that we are going into a brothel. I'm more scared of this lady we are seeing. She's almost as powerful as you Alica... apparently." Alica smiled at him. Murrey did have the ability to stand up for himself. Eventually.
"No fret. This lass is all bark and no bite. She wouldn't pull anything, especially on you kids." Murrey said nothing. They had reached their destination, a large and colourful building in the middle of a fork in the road. The mark of a brothel was pink and red ribbon decorating the outside of the building and this one was practically all ribbon. Otherwise it was a pretty dull and unassuming house, three stories tall and with a single door. Outside the door a doorman leaned against the wall, strong looking but soft in the face. He noticed Alica coming towards him and there was a flicker of recognition before he saw the two teenagers.
"Alice. You know I can't let minors in here." He spoke gruffly, using one of Alica's other names.
"We are visiting the Madame Adall. Surely she told you." Alica answered. Adall shifted from one leg to the other, resting the other on the wall behind him.
"Yeah she said you were coming but nothing about a couple of kids." Rivlin huffed defiantly. She hated being called a kid.
"They are only four years out Adall. Besides they are here with me to speak with Queen Skank." Adall snorted at Alica's name for his boss. Whatever Alica's opinions of her, she had taken a lot of them off the streets and treated them well without forcing them into any work they didn't want. Much like Alica did with children.
"Sorry it's against the law for me to let them into a brothel." Adall answered, his words edged and icy
"I thought this wasn't a brothel. It was a 'place to give release and therapy to the weary'. That's what it said in the flyer." Alica smartly replied.
"We don't have a flyer."
"You don't need one." Adall folded his arms and said nothing. Alica took a step forward. "You can tell Queen of the Hive that I'm not coming in without them both in tow. Either they come in or we don't talk." They eyed each other for a moment, Adall obviously having been told about the importance of Alica's visit beforehand. He flicked his head towards the door.
"They are 20 and late bloomers." He said simply. Alica smiled and motioned the teenagers to follow her inside.

A wash of powerful, choking odours washed over them all at once. They stepped inside the musty front room, Murrey having to take a moment to choke on the fumes. The scent was like every possible smell combined into one thick, dense cloud of perfume and smoke. The front room was also dark and sparsely decorated. There were three doors not including the one they had come through on each of the four walls, all shut, and a desk to the right. Behind it sat bored looking young male absent mindedly doodling on a scrap of paper. He glanced up at the trio and pulled a face. "They 20?" He grunted.
"As far you are concerned. I'm here to see H'Laena." The boy leaned back in his seat and considered her silently.
"You're that orphan lady aren't cha?" He grinned. His boredom had obviously made him playful. Rivlin trailed a lazy path around the lobby, taking bored interest in the furniture and paintings on the walls. Murrey stayed still, having a little trouble breathing but managing. Rivlin seemed to circle around and check he was alright every so often but said nothing. Alica narrowed her eyes, ignoring her young followers.
"You could say that." She muttered, keeping her tone blunt. "Look if she isn't here then I can-"
"No no. She's here. She's just not free at the moment. Shouldn't be long." He leaned forward and went back to doodling lazy swirls. Alica huffed. She had wanted to spend as little time as possible in this place and didn't want to wait around but obviously H'Laena had more important business than her. She was going to bring that up.
"How long cause Murrey's got this breathing condition." Rivlin piped up, nodding her head to Murrey who was taking deep, concentrated breaths.
"I'm fine." He panted. There was a voice behind the door on the right wall that interrupted the boy before he could answer and it opened. A well dressed woman walked through, dipping her head in thanks to the lady behind the door and leaving, giving Alica a friendly glance as she passed. The girl behind the door held it open.
"You must be Alice." She smiled warmly. She wasn't dressed as well as the boy at the desk but spoke a lot more formally while still keeping a hint of friendliness in her tone. Alica nodded and motioned the teenagers to follow.
They came into a much more breezy yet dull area of the house that Murrey seemed more than grateful for as he clearer his lungs of the heavy air with some hacking coughs. "It is a bit stuffy in there huh?" The servant smiled at him and he just gave a weak smile back.
"So where is she? I'm sick of waiting around." Alica spoke, letting her obvious impatience come through. The servant's smile faded and she bobbed her head, motioning them to follow her up a flight of sturdy, wooden stairs. They were brown and worn, just like the rest of the room. No effort had been made to even paint it as it was the servant's quarters. Alongside the upfront workers were maids and butlers who worked behind the scenes and were in charge of bringing food and drink to guests. Many of the workers lived in the house with their own rooms and each floor they passed was humming with the gentle sound of chatter from workers taking time off.
Three floors later they had reached the top which stretched into a long empty corridor. The left wall was solid glass that let the murky sunlight stream through. Along the right wall were four doors until the end of the corridor and if there were anyone behind them, they were silent. They followed the servant girl to the second door from the stairs and she knocked gently against the wood. There was a pause before the door swung in and they were met with a tall, slender woman who was well dressed and carried a much more diluted scent than the one downstairs. She blinked at the group, obviously not expecting to be disturbed, until she recognised Alica and raise an eyebrow.
"Well look who has crawled out of her hole." She voice was as soft an as elegant as she looked but carried an age to it. She was obviously older than she looked.
"This better be important H'Laena a lot of good quality paper was wasted getting me here." Alica didn't sound happy. H'Laena seemed more delighted by her annoyance that nervous.
"You're worth wasting paper on dear. You may go Filane I'll call you if I need you." The servant bowed her head and left for the stairs while H'Laena stepped aside and held the door open for the group to enter. She closed the door behind them.
"So who are these two younguns? I thought you were childless. Biologically." H'Laena mused, crossing the room ahead of them. The room was square with a large window on the opposite wall, allowing more light in. A portion of the window remained open and numerous golden robots just like the ones that had been sent to Alica flitted in and out, darting into another room through a hole near the ceiling. The room was filled with cushions and couches of all shapes, sizes and colours. It looked more like a giant bed than a place to do business. Some of the chairs were arranged near a large, round, pink couch against the right wall that H'Laena indicated for them to sit in. She took the round couch.
"I am. This is my godson and his friend." Alica replied, taking a seat.
"Oh! This is Marli's boy? Haven't seen you since you were a pup. Take after your daddy huh?" H'Laena cooed. Murrey scowled. He hated being compared to his absent father.
"Why did you bring me here H'Laena." Alica put in impatiently. She folded her arms and gave a blank expression. Rivlin and Murrey were forced to share the remaining chair but luckily Rivlin didn't take up much room and was able to squeeze in against Murrey's side. H'Laena expression fell and she leaned back against her tail.
"Do you know a man named Relc?" She said her tone deadpan. Alica paused and glanced at the teenagers who had both stiffened in their seats.
"I know of him. I've never met the guy but I hear he is good friends with Murrey's half sister." Murrey gave a gentle nod when H'Laena looked at him. She raised an eyebrow, saying nothing and letting her eyes question for more information.
"Err..." Murrey shifted, moving his shoulder behind Rivlin's back. Less for comfort more for comforting. "We met him. He is a painter." H'Laena cocked her head.
"Did he say anything about where he was from? Family? Anything like that?" H'Laena asked. Murrey opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted by Rivlin putting her arm over his lap onto the opposite chair arm.
"Why do you want to know about him prissy?" She demanded, her expression confronting. H'Laena hesitated.
"We have reason to believe the little artist is more than a little artist." H'Laena turned her attention back to Alica. "Interesting he came out of nowhere and has the same name as a certain kings on hm?" Alica met her eye.
"What do you know H'Laena?"
"Not enough." H'Laena leaned forward. "But the whispers I've been hearing is the two Relc's are the same man."
"Relc is a common name." Rivlin chipped in, folding her arms and putting her weight into Murrey's shoulder. "There are hundreds of Relc's how do you know this one is royalty?"
"He fits the description." H'Laena said simply.
"I never had you down as the type who cares. The king's son vanished years ago and now you think you found him. What are you going to do turn him in?" Alica questioned.
"No." H'Laena grinned. "I have no interest in him but someone I know does. Someone I work closely with." Alica studied her face carefully. H'Laena was very crafty with words but had a terrible poker face and her face painted the entire situation out.
"Someone who wants to kill him." She said finally. H'Laena smiled sweetly.
"Oh of course nothing so drastic. The boy has done nothing to deserve dying. She just wants to... question him is all."
"Being a monarch's son is the only thing someone needs to do to get themselves killed or kidnapped." Alica grumbled, her mind elsewhere. "The king has no heir once he is gone."
"True but I assure you this young lady only wants answers to questions. Do you know where he is now?" H'Laena asked. Alica hesitated in answering allowing Rivlin to pitch in again.
"Why should we tell anything to you?!" She blurted out. "We like Relc and how do we know you aren't going to have him killed? Prince or not." H'Laena looked at her stony for a moment then completely ignored her outburst.
"I also mean to ask you something else Alica. About the woman hunting him down. She-"
"Don't ignore me!" Rivlin was out of her seat, Murrey fumbling with his hands nervously behind her. "We ain't telling you jack until you answer us." She growled. He hands were shaking with nerves, she knew H'Laena was a dangerous woman. But she didn't hurt children. Right?
H'Laena's eyes flickered to each of Rivlin's, scanning her every emotion. "She is a little firecracker isn't she?" She grinned, half directing the question at Alica who said nothing at the outburst. "Sweetheart your friend is in no danger. He just has information my friend wants is all."
"What information? Who is this woman?" Rivlin wouldn't back down but her shoulders relaxed a little.
"You are under the assumption that Relc is innocent in all this." H'Laena stated. Rivlin hesitated but H'Laena sighed in aggravation none the less. "He knows where her twin brother is. A brother that has been missing for a very long time after he was kidnapped from their village."
"Village?" Alica's interests perked up again.
"She isn't from the city. She never stated exactly where she is from but judging by her accent and build I'd say it was somewhere in the Tudmere region. She doesn't even speak Ara I had to get a bloody translator in." H'Laena answered matter of factly, her patience had been worn thin already. She never appreciated children barking at her but when they were asking actual, meaningful questions she didn't want to answer, they grated on her even more. Rivlin had settled down again, sitting next to Murrey again silently. Neither had even heard of anywhere called Tudmere. Life in Paradise city was often very sheltered, particularly if you couldn't afford an education. Many children grew up thinking the city was all there was and outside was just miles of deadly desert and rocks. People were exiled into the desert when they committed horrible crimes, it must be as dangerous as a death sentence surely. Murrey did know of major countries outside their own during his early years but still hadn't heard of Tudmere and Rivlin never got an education so assumed the rest of the world was just desert and certain death. It was a bit of a revelation for her.
"And where is she is now?" Alica asked. H'Laena flicked her tail in annoyance.
"I have already told you more than I promised. Tell me where Relc is." Her tone had lost its silkiness and her relaxed demeanour had vanished as she had finally lost her patience. Alica raised her eyebrows, being on the receiving end of H'Laena's fury was an incredibly dangerous place to be. But it was when she was at her most vulnerable and manipulable. It just took a little bravery.
"So you're merely acting messenger? I never had you down as the sort to do other peoples leg work." Alica mused. H'Laena folded her arms and let out a growl.
"The girl is a friend of mine I am doing a favour considering she cannot speak to you-"
"Get a translator in then." Alica interrupted.
"It's not that simple." H'Laena snapped. "Now either answer my question or I'm going to have to lose my rag. I've waited long enough for you to get your arse down here." H'Laena had moved the dangerous area of her mood and Alica felt it wise to not push any buttons. She looked at Rivlin who read the look in her eye easily.
"He runs an art stand most days in the market square. We don't know where he lives but a lot of the merchants around there know so you will be able to track him down easy." Rivlin muttered in a defeated tone but doing her best not to break eye contact. H'Laena nodded and rose to her feet, her calm, sultry demeanour returning as she had got what she wanted.
"Then I thank you for your help." She said, crossing to the door and holding it open as the trio got up and followed. "I assure you Relc will come under no harm." She looked at Rivlin and Murrey with a smile but Rivlin just glared back. She didn't trust this woman as far as she could throw her. Murrey just looked at the ground nervously as he passed. Alica met H'Laena's gaze stony.
"I don't appreciate being harassed H'Laena." She hissed as she passed her. "And don't think that you clicking your fingers will make me come running. I pay you as much respect as you pay me."
"I respect you more than anyone else in this city Alica and for good reason." H'Laena replied coolly before calling Filane and shutting the door behind Alica. Filane appeared almost instantly at the top of the stairs and lead them back out the way they came, thanking them for their visit as they left the front door.

"What do you mean you aren't going to do anything?!" Rivlin cut Alica off her path down an alleyway on the way back home after Alica stated she was going to forget the matter.
"Why should I do anything?" Alica simply replied.
"How do we know that she isn't sending an assassin after him? How do we know he is safe?" Rivlin questioned, trotting after Alica as she circled around her and continued on. Murrey kept a safe distance behind.
"Firstly H'Laena wasn't lying. She has a tell when she is lying or not giving away all her information and when she said Relc was just going to be questioned I didn't see it. Secondly she has no reason to kill the prince. She supports the king and if his heir is still alive then why would she want him killed. Thirdly, I don't give two shits the crap Relc has gotten himself into. He is a big boy and can solve his own problems. I'm not a fucking bodyguard." Rivlin didn't reply for a while, just walking alongside Alica. Murrey came up behind them.
"What about Sophia?" He piped up out of nowhere. Alica hesitated. Murrey's little half sister had grown very fond of the young artist, learning from him as well as providing him company.
"She isn't my daughter." Alica said simply. Rivlin looked at Murrey for a moment, meeting his eye before turning back.
"Then Sophia's dad will want to do something?" She asked.
"I'm not Sophia's dad." Alica replied, purposefully being blunt. Rivlin looked back at Murrey again who nodded.
"You don't need us for anything else right?" Alica shook her head.
"No you two go. You have served your purpose." Rivlin grinned and took off down the street around the corner, Murrey closely following leaving Alica alone and smiling.

Description
"There's another one Ali." Alica groaned into the desk she rested her forehead on, digging her claws into the wood.
"Well snap its wings or something I don't give a shit." She rolled her slender head over so her chin was on the desk, her forearms covering her face. She heard the footsteps of her good friend Marli come up behind her and the gentle clacker of little metal feet on wood.
"It's hardly the Kinilea's fault its master is so persistent." Marli rested her hands on the back of Alica's chair, letting it take most of her weight. "Maybe you should just go and see what she is so desperate to see you about. Or at least send a letter back."
"I already sent one back." Alica mumbled into her arms, Marli only just hearing her. "It said fuck right off I don't give a dam about your problems."
"You really sent one saying fuck off?" Marli answered a slight tinge of worry in her voice. The sender of the note was well known in Paradise as being someone who could have you killed if you even looked at her funny. The fact she tolerated Alica's attitude to such a great extent was astounding although Alica had exactly the same power herself.
"Words to that effect." Alica sat up and leaned back against the back of her chair and Marli's hands. "I'm pretty sure I used the word 'fuck' at least once." She gave her friend a mischievous grin that Marli could only smile back at. She was used to Alica's cocky attitude.
"Well maybe use it a few more times. Or just go and see her. Least then you can tell her to fuck off in person." Marli freed her hands from between Alica's back and the chair, rubbing them as she moved around to Alica's left side and parked herself on the edge of the desk. Alica rolled her head around in an exaggerated fashion and looked at the small, golden machine that stood patiently on the desk, watching her with glowing blue eyes. It was shapes like a small bird with long spindly legs, a long, bendable tail and a hard golden casing that was highly polishing and gleaming. Its wings were made of pipes and thin fabric, well made and well looked after. It waited a few seconds to be sure it had Alica's attention then made a gentle clicking sound. It leaned forward a small door opened on its back, revealing a small cavity with a scrap of paper folded up inside. Alica retrieved it and the robot closed its door and straightened up, waiting for an order.
"Go." Alica commanded absent minded, more interested in the note. The machine hopped across the table and took off, fluttering towards the open door Marli had brought it through and left open. It vanished for a moment before there was a loud clang of metal hitting glass. Marli and Alica flinched at the sound and whirled around.
"... I forgot to leave the window open." Marli muttered and trotted outside to retrieve the slightly dented and dazed creature from the floor. Alica smiled and turned her attention back to the note. It read:
'Alica
This is my seventh letter and I hope you will not answer it as harshly as the last one. I'm not sure you understand the gravity of the situation I wish to discuss but I assure you it involves you. It involves the whole city.
I can give you the full details if you pay me a visit but I refuse to do it over letters that can be intercepted. Surely you understand I want the bulk of the authorities out of this.
I am willing to meet halfway if you are uncomfortable coming into my territory but this is the last request I'm going to make.
May Tr'ndrai take care of you
H'Laena'

Alica stared blankly at the paper for a few more moments after reading it before crumpling it up and tossing it towards her improvised waste bin of an old metal box that was already over-flowing with paper.
"Well?" Marli returned to the room just as she threw the note away.
"If she mentions bloody Tr'ndrai to me again I'm going to slap her." Alica growled. She had no interest in religion at all, especially not H'Laena's. It was all bull to her. If there were gods, they weren't fans of Alica.
"Are you going to go or not?" Marli said finally, folding her arms. She was as bored of the back and forth as Alica was.
"Fine. I'll give the whore what she wants." Marli nodded in approvement until Alica spoke again. "But... I get to take our little rodent." She looked at Marli with a look of finality. Marli's smile faded.
"You do know if you take her then my-"
"Your son will be joining me to his first whore house." Alica cut off with a grin. Marli rubbed her snout with her thumb and forefinger. "He's 16 Marli. You coddle him and that's why-"
"You know WHY I coddle him. Fine but if anything happens to him..."
"You know I look after family." Alica said finally, getting up and grabbing her belt with knife from the nearby couch and strapping it around her waist.

-----

"I know you are probably allowed to force me to come seeing as you are the closest thing I have to a legal guardian," Rivlin babbled from Alica's side as they weaved through the crowd of the busy high street. "But I don't really see WHY I have to come. What possible use would you have for two teenagers coming into a brothel with you?"
"Mostly so I won't get attacked. One thing I know about Soa's is they never harm children. Although I doubt H'Laena would pull that shit." Alica replied. Rivlin was on her left and Murrey quietly followed just behind, looking nervous but not complaining. Rivlin, as usual, was doing all the talking.
"So we are just your meat shield? Nice Alica I really feel loved." Rivlin pouted but couldn't hide a smirk. She knew Alica was trying to wind her up but still didn't appreciate it.
"Also you might learn something." Alica added.
"About what? I'm sure we know all about boobs that we need to know. They aren't a hard concept to grasp." Alica chuckled to herself at Rivlin's reply. This 15 year olds similarity to a once young Alica was almost startling. Anyone would have said they were mother and daughter at a glance.
"Well admittedly I want to see my godson squirm a little." She grinned and looked back at Murrey who took on an extra shade of pink and looked at the ground. Although she knew he wasn't totally innocent, she also knew he wasn't one to be upfront about such a subject as sex and relationships. So throwing him into the middle of a brothel would prove amusing. Especially as, for his age, he was pretty well developed. He could probably pass off as being legal age 4 years ahead of time if he was crafty. Fortunately for the law, Murrey was not.
"That would be funny." Rivlin continued. She delighted in poking gentle fun at her closest friend as much as Alica did. She practically made a day of it sometimes. "I don't even think he's even seen a naked body before."
"Hey I'm well versed on what people look like naked." Murrey piped up, pushing himself between the two females in ditch effort to assert himself. "And I don't care that we are going into a brothel. I'm more scared of this lady we are seeing. She's almost as powerful as you Alica... apparently." Alica smiled at him. Murrey did have the ability to stand up for himself. Eventually.
"No fret. This lass is all bark and no bite. She wouldn't pull anything, especially on you kids." Murrey said nothing. They had reached their destination, a large and colourful building in the middle of a fork in the road. The mark of a brothel was pink and red ribbon decorating the outside of the building and this one was practically all ribbon. Otherwise it was a pretty dull and unassuming house, three stories tall and with a single door. Outside the door a doorman leaned against the wall, strong looking but soft in the face. He noticed Alica coming towards him and there was a flicker of recognition before he saw the two teenagers.
"Alice. You know I can't let minors in here." He spoke gruffly, using one of Alica's other names.
"We are visiting the Madame Adall. Surely she told you." Alica answered. Adall shifted from one leg to the other, resting the other on the wall behind him.
"Yeah she said you were coming but nothing about a couple of kids." Rivlin huffed defiantly. She hated being called a kid.
"They are only four years out Adall. Besides they are here with me to speak with Queen Skank." Adall snorted at Alica's name for his boss. Whatever Alica's opinions of her, she had taken a lot of them off the streets and treated them well without forcing them into any work they didn't want. Much like Alica did with children.
"Sorry it's against the law for me to let them into a brothel." Adall answered, his words edged and icy
"I thought this wasn't a brothel. It was a 'place to give release and therapy to the weary'. That's what it said in the flyer." Alica smartly replied.
"We don't have a flyer."
"You don't need one." Adall folded his arms and said nothing. Alica took a step forward. "You can tell Queen of the Hive that I'm not coming in without them both in tow. Either they come in or we don't talk." They eyed each other for a moment, Adall obviously having been told about the importance of Alica's visit beforehand. He flicked his head towards the door.
"They are 20 and late bloomers." He said simply. Alica smiled and motioned the teenagers to follow her inside.

A wash of powerful, choking odours washed over them all at once. They stepped inside the musty front room, Murrey having to take a moment to choke on the fumes. The scent was like every possible smell combined into one thick, dense cloud of perfume and smoke. The front room was also dark and sparsely decorated. There were three doors not including the one they had come through on each of the four walls, all shut, and a desk to the right. Behind it sat bored looking young male absent mindedly doodling on a scrap of paper. He glanced up at the trio and pulled a face. "They 20?" He grunted.
"As far you are concerned. I'm here to see H'Laena." The boy leaned back in his seat and considered her silently.
"You're that orphan lady aren't cha?" He grinned. His boredom had obviously made him playful. Rivlin trailed a lazy path around the lobby, taking bored interest in the furniture and paintings on the walls. Murrey stayed still, having a little trouble breathing but managing. Rivlin seemed to circle around and check he was alright every so often but said nothing. Alica narrowed her eyes, ignoring her young followers.
"You could say that." She muttered, keeping her tone blunt. "Look if she isn't here then I can-"
"No no. She's here. She's just not free at the moment. Shouldn't be long." He leaned forward and went back to doodling lazy swirls. Alica huffed. She had wanted to spend as little time as possible in this place and didn't want to wait around but obviously H'Laena had more important business than her. She was going to bring that up.
"How long cause Murrey's got this breathing condition." Rivlin piped up, nodding her head to Murrey who was taking deep, concentrated breaths.
"I'm fine." He panted. There was a voice behind the door on the right wall that interrupted the boy before he could answer and it opened. A well dressed woman walked through, dipping her head in thanks to the lady behind the door and leaving, giving Alica a friendly glance as she passed. The girl behind the door held it open.
"You must be Alice." She smiled warmly. She wasn't dressed as well as the boy at the desk but spoke a lot more formally while still keeping a hint of friendliness in her tone. Alica nodded and motioned the teenagers to follow.
They came into a much more breezy yet dull area of the house that Murrey seemed more than grateful for as he clearer his lungs of the heavy air with some hacking coughs. "It is a bit stuffy in there huh?" The servant smiled at him and he just gave a weak smile back.
"So where is she? I'm sick of waiting around." Alica spoke, letting her obvious impatience come through. The servant's smile faded and she bobbed her head, motioning them to follow her up a flight of sturdy, wooden stairs. They were brown and worn, just like the rest of the room. No effort had been made to even paint it as it was the servant's quarters. Alongside the upfront workers were maids and butlers who worked behind the scenes and were in charge of bringing food and drink to guests. Many of the workers lived in the house with their own rooms and each floor they passed was humming with the gentle sound of chatter from workers taking time off.
Three floors later they had reached the top which stretched into a long empty corridor. The left wall was solid glass that let the murky sunlight stream through. Along the right wall were four doors until the end of the corridor and if there were anyone behind them, they were silent. They followed the servant girl to the second door from the stairs and she knocked gently against the wood. There was a pause before the door swung in and they were met with a tall, slender woman who was well dressed and carried a much more diluted scent than the one downstairs. She blinked at the group, obviously not expecting to be disturbed, until she recognised Alica and raise an eyebrow.
"Well look who has crawled out of her hole." She voice was as soft an as elegant as she looked but carried an age to it. She was obviously older than she looked.
"This better be important H'Laena a lot of good quality paper was wasted getting me here." Alica didn't sound happy. H'Laena seemed more delighted by her annoyance that nervous.
"You're worth wasting paper on dear. You may go Filane I'll call you if I need you." The servant bowed her head and left for the stairs while H'Laena stepped aside and held the door open for the group to enter. She closed the door behind them.
"So who are these two younguns? I thought you were childless. Biologically." H'Laena mused, crossing the room ahead of them. The room was square with a large window on the opposite wall, allowing more light in. A portion of the window remained open and numerous golden robots just like the ones that had been sent to Alica flitted in and out, darting into another room through a hole near the ceiling. The room was filled with cushions and couches of all shapes, sizes and colours. It looked more like a giant bed than a place to do business. Some of the chairs were arranged near a large, round, pink couch against the right wall that H'Laena indicated for them to sit in. She took the round couch.
"I am. This is my godson and his friend." Alica replied, taking a seat.
"Oh! This is Marli's boy? Haven't seen you since you were a pup. Take after your daddy huh?" H'Laena cooed. Murrey scowled. He hated being compared to his absent father.
"Why did you bring me here H'Laena." Alica put in impatiently. She folded her arms and gave a blank expression. Rivlin and Murrey were forced to share the remaining chair but luckily Rivlin didn't take up much room and was able to squeeze in against Murrey's side. H'Laena expression fell and she leaned back against her tail.
"Do you know a man named Relc?" She said her tone deadpan. Alica paused and glanced at the teenagers who had both stiffened in their seats.
"I know of him. I've never met the guy but I hear he is good friends with Murrey's half sister." Murrey gave a gentle nod when H'Laena looked at him. She raised an eyebrow, saying nothing and letting her eyes question for more information.
"Err..." Murrey shifted, moving his shoulder behind Rivlin's back. Less for comfort more for comforting. "We met him. He is a painter." H'Laena cocked her head.
"Did he say anything about where he was from? Family? Anything like that?" H'Laena asked. Murrey opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted by Rivlin putting her arm over his lap onto the opposite chair arm.
"Why do you want to know about him prissy?" She demanded, her expression confronting. H'Laena hesitated.
"We have reason to believe the little artist is more than a little artist." H'Laena turned her attention back to Alica. "Interesting he came out of nowhere and has the same name as a certain kings on hm?" Alica met her eye.
"What do you know H'Laena?"
"Not enough." H'Laena leaned forward. "But the whispers I've been hearing is the two Relc's are the same man."
"Relc is a common name." Rivlin chipped in, folding her arms and putting her weight into Murrey's shoulder. "There are hundreds of Relc's how do you know this one is royalty?"
"He fits the description." H'Laena said simply.
"I never had you down as the type who cares. The king's son vanished years ago and now you think you found him. What are you going to do turn him in?" Alica questioned.
"No." H'Laena grinned. "I have no interest in him but someone I know does. Someone I work closely with." Alica studied her face carefully. H'Laena was very crafty with words but had a terrible poker face and her face painted the entire situation out.
"Someone who wants to kill him." She said finally. H'Laena smiled sweetly.
"Oh of course nothing so drastic. The boy has done nothing to deserve dying. She just wants to... question him is all."
"Being a monarch's son is the only thing someone needs to do to get themselves killed or kidnapped." Alica grumbled, her mind elsewhere. "The king has no heir once he is gone."
"True but I assure you this young lady only wants answers to questions. Do you know where he is now?" H'Laena asked. Alica hesitated in answering allowing Rivlin to pitch in again.
"Why should we tell anything to you?!" She blurted out. "We like Relc and how do we know you aren't going to have him killed? Prince or not." H'Laena looked at her stony for a moment then completely ignored her outburst.
"I also mean to ask you something else Alica. About the woman hunting him down. She-"
"Don't ignore me!" Rivlin was out of her seat, Murrey fumbling with his hands nervously behind her. "We ain't telling you jack until you answer us." She growled. He hands were shaking with nerves, she knew H'Laena was a dangerous woman. But she didn't hurt children. Right?
H'Laena's eyes flickered to each of Rivlin's, scanning her every emotion. "She is a little firecracker isn't she?" She grinned, half directing the question at Alica who said nothing at the outburst. "Sweetheart your friend is in no danger. He just has information my friend wants is all."
"What information? Who is this woman?" Rivlin wouldn't back down but her shoulders relaxed a little.
"You are under the assumption that Relc is innocent in all this." H'Laena stated. Rivlin hesitated but H'Laena sighed in aggravation none the less. "He knows where her twin brother is. A brother that has been missing for a very long time after he was kidnapped from their village."
"Village?" Alica's interests perked up again.
"She isn't from the city. She never stated exactly where she is from but judging by her accent and build I'd say it was somewhere in the Tudmere region. She doesn't even speak Ara I had to get a bloody translator in." H'Laena answered matter of factly, her patience had been worn thin already. She never appreciated children barking at her but when they were asking actual, meaningful questions she didn't want to answer, they grated on her even more. Rivlin had settled down again, sitting next to Murrey again silently. Neither had even heard of anywhere called Tudmere. Life in Paradise city was often very sheltered, particularly if you couldn't afford an education. Many children grew up thinking the city was all there was and outside was just miles of deadly desert and rocks. People were exiled into the desert when they committed horrible crimes, it must be as dangerous as a death sentence surely. Murrey did know of major countries outside their own during his early years but still hadn't heard of Tudmere and Rivlin never got an education so assumed the rest of the world was just desert and certain death. It was a bit of a revelation for her.
"And where is she is now?" Alica asked. H'Laena flicked her tail in annoyance.
"I have already told you more than I promised. Tell me where Relc is." Her tone had lost its silkiness and her relaxed demeanour had vanished as she had finally lost her patience. Alica raised her eyebrows, being on the receiving end of H'Laena's fury was an incredibly dangerous place to be. But it was when she was at her most vulnerable and manipulable. It just took a little bravery.
"So you're merely acting messenger? I never had you down as the sort to do other peoples leg work." Alica mused. H'Laena folded her arms and let out a growl.
"The girl is a friend of mine I am doing a favour considering she cannot speak to you-"
"Get a translator in then." Alica interrupted.
"It's not that simple." H'Laena snapped. "Now either answer my question or I'm going to have to lose my rag. I've waited long enough for you to get your arse down here." H'Laena had moved the dangerous area of her mood and Alica felt it wise to not push any buttons. She looked at Rivlin who read the look in her eye easily.
"He runs an art stand most days in the market square. We don't know where he lives but a lot of the merchants around there know so you will be able to track him down easy." Rivlin muttered in a defeated tone but doing her best not to break eye contact. H'Laena nodded and rose to her feet, her calm, sultry demeanour returning as she had got what she wanted.
"Then I thank you for your help." She said, crossing to the door and holding it open as the trio got up and followed. "I assure you Relc will come under no harm." She looked at Rivlin and Murrey with a smile but Rivlin just glared back. She didn't trust this woman as far as she could throw her. Murrey just looked at the ground nervously as he passed. Alica met H'Laena's gaze stony.
"I don't appreciate being harassed H'Laena." She hissed as she passed her. "And don't think that you clicking your fingers will make me come running. I pay you as much respect as you pay me."
"I respect you more than anyone else in this city Alica and for good reason." H'Laena replied coolly before calling Filane and shutting the door behind Alica. Filane appeared almost instantly at the top of the stairs and lead them back out the way they came, thanking them for their visit as they left the front door.

"What do you mean you aren't going to do anything?!" Rivlin cut Alica off her path down an alleyway on the way back home after Alica stated she was going to forget the matter.
"Why should I do anything?" Alica simply replied.
"How do we know that she isn't sending an assassin after him? How do we know he is safe?" Rivlin questioned, trotting after Alica as she circled around her and continued on. Murrey kept a safe distance behind.
"Firstly H'Laena wasn't lying. She has a tell when she is lying or not giving away all her information and when she said Relc was just going to be questioned I didn't see it. Secondly she has no reason to kill the prince. She supports the king and if his heir is still alive then why would she want him killed. Thirdly, I don't give two shits the crap Relc has gotten himself into. He is a big boy and can solve his own problems. I'm not a fucking bodyguard." Rivlin didn't reply for a while, just walking alongside Alica. Murrey came up behind them.
"What about Sophia?" He piped up out of nowhere. Alica hesitated. Murrey's little half sister had grown very fond of the young artist, learning from him as well as providing him company.
"She isn't my daughter." Alica said simply. Rivlin looked at Murrey for a moment, meeting his eye before turning back.
"Then Sophia's dad will want to do something?" She asked.
"I'm not Sophia's dad." Alica replied, purposefully being blunt. Rivlin looked back at Murrey again who nodded.
"You don't need us for anything else right?" Alica shook her head.
"No you two go. You have served your purpose." Rivlin grinned and took off down the street around the corner, Murrey closely following leaving Alica alone and smiling.