a very revel short

[reveljackdaw]

Revel hates the rain.

He leans beneath an awning, watching it pour down. It creates rivers in the street, running between cobblestones and into shallow gutters. The only blessing was that the rain cut down on the usual, pervasive smell of the Dock Ward. It hasn't stopped business, people are still going about their day in cloaks and under parasols. He isn't eager to go out himself, but he's expected at the Purple Palace.

"Jackdaw," a voice calls from the nearby doorway. The child couldn't be more than ten, and at first glance, looked like a boy with shaggy cropped hair and soot-smudge on one cheek. A small hand holds out a coat.

"Thank you, my dear." She cracks a smile at him, revealing two missing teeth. Revel takes his coat and bumps her chin. "What do you say when those cocks-for-brains trouble you?"

"The devil will eat them."

"That's my girl." A piece of silver disappears from his hand into hers and she slips back into the ramshackle house. Revel sighs and pulls his hood up, smile vanishing as soon as she's gone. He stares at the sheet of water, then forces himself out into it.

With his horns and tail covered, no one marks his passing. In this rain, they would be hard pressed to pick their heads up anyway.

By the time he gets to the Palace, he's in a foul mood. He comes in through a back door and immediately sheds his coat. He tosses it over a hook and growls at the state of his boots. There's a hall boy sitting there, looking vaguely terrified.

"Clean these and there's a few coppers in it for you." Revel leans against the wall, set to the task of getting his boots off. "Is Tennyson in?"

The boy just looks at him, mouth still agawp. Revel rolls his eyes to the ceiling. He tosses his boots at the kid and pads barefoot up the back stairs. He raps his knuckles on a heavy door tucked on the landing.

"What?" a voice barks from the other side, muffled by at least two inches of solid oak.

"Bird's come to sing, darling."

"In this weather?"

"Do you want the song or not?"

There's a heavy drag of a bolt and the door creaks open. Tennyson eyes him, then steps aside to let him into her office. Nearly forty, she'd taken over the business some years ago after retiring from being on her back.

"Never known you to come in this weather," she remarks as she shoves the door shut again. Revel absently flicks through a few papers on her desk; she doesn't stop him. "Well?"

"Moon's setting here tonight, I hear." He glances up and Tennyson just lifts a brow. "Who is he coming to see?"

"I don't want mine caught up in your business."

"Nonsense, everyone wants to be caught up in my business, because my business pays. Who?"

Tennyson scowls. Revel produces a gold piece and sets it on her desk.

"Who?" he asks again. The woman sighs and reaches for the gold piece. Revel's hand snaps out to grab her wrist, holding tight. "I'll start knocking on doors."

"You're a devil, you know that?"

"So my mother told me," he says sweetly, digging his claws into her wrist.

"Off! Bastard. Selene. He's seeing Selene."

"Thank you for your cooperation."

"Aren't you going to say what you want?"

"I think not. I'll take it up with Selene."

"To hell with you," she spits as he finally releases her wrist. In a few steps, he's halfway to the door.

"Already there, my dear. And it's flooded."



"I am not one of your clients and I don't find reticence attractive."

Revel crosses his legs as he plants his palms on the bed. The mattress sags; Tennyson really should invest in new ones.

"They'll kill me if they find out."

"I'll do worse than kill you, darling. I'll ruin you."

That seems to give her pause. Selene looks at him. She's afraid, but not terrified, and he thinks she might just be stalling. Revel sighs and tips his head back to look at the ceiling. There's faded flowers up there. Something to look at while pinned under boorish clients?

"Jackdaw, I--"

"Here is what I know," he interrupts. "I know that he is coming. I know that he likes you. I know that he is a regular, even if he does not keep regular dates. I know he does this because he would really rather not have anyone know that his mistress works in the Dock Ward. I know that guards wait downstairs - through the night if necessary - until he reappears."

"Seems like you know plenty," she sniffs as she lifts her chin. "I don't see what you need me for."

Revel sits forward and curls his fingers over the edge of the mattress.

"I want to know what he talks about. I want to know all of his worries, his cares, whatever he unburdens himself of in your bed. I want to know what business associates are causing him grief or what politicians are bothering him. Nothing he doesn't already tell you."

"And how do you know he does?"

Revel rolls his eyes and gets to his feet. His tail lashes.

"I know men as well as you do, darling. Possibly better. I'll be back tomorrow. I'll pay on delivery and not before." The shawl Selene has pulled around her slips, baring a shoulder. "Save it for the sailors."

She scowls and yanks the shawl back into place. Revel winks and lets himself out of her room. He hurries down the servant stairs and startles the hall boy still down in the scullery. Revel rolls his eyes.

"Get a spine, you can't be this jumpy working here. Are my boots clean?"

The boy nods, staring and agape again. Revel tosses down a few copper before he grabs the boots. He leans up against the wall to get them back on, already thinking of where he needs to go next. Perhaps it's time to unload a few things to refill his coffers. Bribes are expensive, but necessary. Revel grabs his coat and pulls it back on, tossing the hood over his horns. He shoves the back door open and groans when he sees the rain is still coming down. It isn't as heavy, and that is the only saving grace.

"Why d'you clean 'em if they're gonna be muddy again?" Revel arches a brow and looks over his shoulder. The boy's expression hasn't really changed, but clearly he talks.

"The same reason you wash your face every morning, even if it will be covered in soot by noon." The boy gives him a perplexed look. Revel rolls his eyes to the ceiling. "Wash your face every morning you little shit."

And with that, he's out the door and back into the rain.