danibennett

The view from the slow-sloping edge of the wall makes everything seem very far away. Neat and orderly, in a way things only can be once you’re removed from them entirely. From a height, it’s much easier to appreciate the careful, cramped geography of the city, roads running west to east, lanes north to south. Below—far below, beneath their feet and the wall and the roof—gendarmes prowl the territory in their black and gold coats. They’re a foreign authority, though, neither help nor hindrance for either of the men above them in the wall-seat. The boy adjusts his stiff collar, too high and close for comfort, and wishes

It was an ugly wound, raised red and angry against the prince’s pale skin. The unmistakeable X of one branded a pirate by the king’s police force. His own son. There was a certain irony in it, Das was sure. He couldn’t get it out of his mind, though, and that irritated him some. On a good day, he liked to think he’d grown used to the more unpleasant aspects of the job. He hadn’t been flying as long as the captain, or even Grip if it came to that, but he’d definitely seen his fair share of things that kept him awake at night. Never had he wasted time tossing and turning over a silly, spoilt brat before. If É

The fuse was lit. It wasn't exactly the first surprise of the day Das had been forced to contend with, more like, the last at the bottom of the fucking barrel of surprises that had been his day. He was going to have to teach someone a lesson. It would probably involve pain. Right now, though, the fuse was lit and they had to move. Making a quick decision, Das turned and searched the storeroom for the other man running point on this particular operation. It was not a particularly large room, but barrels lined the walls from corner to corner in neat little rows. Clearly someone with a mind for conserving space and maximising product had design