[Mkguild] Life V: Know Your Place - C

[Jack Moore]

AN: Took my a bit to get this up. I've had an interesting week. But wrote
another chapter stupidly fast, so that's good.

Life V: Know Your Place - C

“But he won’t do anything to stop it.” Triche said. “It’s in the hands of
our Duke, our Senschel and those who have something to gain from the Watch
being disolved. Our worrying about this won’t change a thing.” But I did
worry. I worried a lot.
I’m nobody outside of the Watch.  I swallowed. I’d be a private citizen
again, knowing I can make my Metamor better and having to sit on my hands.
Then something else occurred to me.
Would I be better able to care for my son? Yes. And the terrible thing is
even with that reason I couldn’t give up on the Watch. If we died, what
would be left? The terrible justice system Metamor has would be unchanged.
The Knights would probably officially take over all duties of the Watch,
while those who actually see the flaws in justice system were sidelined.
And that frightened me. All of my life I had dreamed of making a better
Metamor, in my limited capacity. Through the Watch I could do that. I could
become Justicar, iron out those flaws and push for more authority for the
Watch...but there had to be a Watch.
This isn’t something I do out of mere ego, though I admit ego is a part. I
love my city, I have fought for it and will do so whenever I am called. And
I want to make it a better place. On that day with Triche I believed I
could do it alone. Looking back I know I was wrong there, but I was right
to want to create a better Metamor.
I wanted to serve my fellow citizen. I wanted justice that was equal,
unbiased and beyond corruption. No, what I wanted was to be a Lantern.  I
wanted to be a lantern with the light of justice, always burning in the
dark.
This is the goal of the Watch.
“Corporal there's no reason to discuss this matter any further.” Triche
said. “And please remember these matters are being discussed and only
discussed. With the Assault still in recent memory I wouldn’t expect any
sudden changes to the structure of Metamor.”
“Yes of course sir.” I said. “May I request more information as it comes?”
My Lieutenant’s shadow-masked eyes narrowed.  “Since I already know, I
would like to hear how the Watch’s fate is decided.”
“Request denied.” I shouldn’t have asked. “This is a private matter for
those of Lieutenant rank or higher. You shouldn’t even know about it. Now
will there be anything else?” Well just one more thing.
“Sir I have a-a special request, something besides me taking my usual
patrol.” I said. I could tell Triche was confused. “I’m pursuit of a
criminal for reasons relating to a case. A case I worked a while ago. And I
wish to follow up on it.”  Now he was intrigued.
“Was this case ever filed with Tibble?” Triche asked me. I shook my head.
“You want to spend time on the job following up on a criminal who we’ve
never pursued or arrested, who you have not filed a report on.” My tail
slipped free again.
“It’s complicated sir.” He can channel the spirits of the dead and can pull
them inside of him like I can. Also he’s a criminal who can probably read
minds.  I can’t tell you though. Triche’s tail I could hear sliding back
and forth across the floor as he thought.  He leaned back in his chair, all
the while his eyes on me.
“You’re bad at hiding things Corporal.” Triche said. Before I could protest
he held up a hand. “Janelle I believe you when you say this man is a
criminal. I’m certain of it in fact. But I do not believe you are looking
for him for any reason related to a case.”
“It’s complicated sir.” I said.  My mouth had gone dry.
“Yes I suspect it is.  Janelle I will grant your request on one condition.”
Triche said. “After you have found this criminal, arrested him or not, you
will tell me everything. And I mean every reason you are so interested in
this criminal.”  My heart froze.
I know Triche. I trust Triche, he was my Sergeant, he was the first person
I grew close to on the Watch. I know he won’t say a word. I said nothing,
made no move. I just sat like a statue. But he’s never been told something
like this I bet. How often do you hear you have a mind-reader who speaks to
the dead working for you?
Having to keep my abilities a secret has made me inherently mistrustful. In
my time in Metamor Keep, I’d only ever told my son.  And I never had to
worry about a three year old being overheard by, just to pick at random,
Andwyn or his spies.

Could you imagine that leather winged crook finding out what I could do?
He’d have me in his grasp before the day is out!.  As I weighed this in my
mind Triche gave me a smile of sympathy.

I smiled back.  'Triche do I trust you?  You’re not Andwyn.'  I believe
this would
stay private..
“I promise you sir, tonight I will tell you everything.” I said. My arms
had gone numb as those words slipped out. “But please sir, anything I tell
you must stay between us.”
“I promise it will not leave this room Corproal.” I still Tapped his mind,
just enough to feel what he felt. And sincerity flowed from him into my
mind.
“I thank you sir.” I said. “This criminal is a bull by the name of Alvaro
Velasco. Arrested multiple times, held at a Watch House in Eurper, but with
his house in Keeptown. Warden Remmie agreed to ask about him for me
yesterday, she found the arrest report.”
“You involved another Warden?” Triche asked. And the fur was starting to
rise again.
“Just as a favor to me, not if it in any way interfered with her duties.” I
said. Triche growled nonetheless. “Sir I asked her to do this when not
working.”
“Did you tell her why you needed her to do this task?” I shook my head.
“Did you tell her that it was not official Watch business?” I nodded. “Then
I am not angry. What Warden Remmie chooses to do as a favor to you is
between the two of you. As it did not interfere with her patrol I see no
reason to dwell on it.” I started to stand, “However!” Back down I went.
“Next time you wish to commandeer a Warden for a personal matter while they
are on duty you will come to me first.” Triche said.
“Yes Lieutenant Triche. It will never happen again.”
“I know it won’t.” Triche said.  His words were edged with steel.  I felt
like a little girl again, telling my foster father how my dress got dirty.
“Now you are dismissed.”
I moved so fast smoke was still clinging to me as I got out of there. My
Lieutenant is a good man and one who at full height only comes up to my
chest. And no one scares me more in the Watch.

AN: I actually loved writing this because I got to follow up on a little
thing from my last story. After writing Life as We Know It I realized
Janelle had been borrowing Remmie so Remmie could basically run errands for
her. Their should be some follow up, her actions can't happen in a void.
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