Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Bethany]

"How much are you short?" Beth asks bluntly.

[GamesMaster]

"Six copper." She shakes her head. "I can almost taste it."

[Bethany]

"I'll pay you a silver right now and a half silver each night, including tonight, we can't open if you stay safe and don't give Don any trouble. Deal?"

[GamesMaster]

Brianne perks up a bit. "Pleasure doing busines-- ah, wait, I don't have anywhere safe to go."

[Bethany]

Beth clucks her tongue, thinking. Bri is honestly pretty well able to take care of herself. I'd rather keep home free for people that really need the shelter. Hmmm. "How about... ask around with the others that can't go to cat-town, find out how many need a place to stay. Once we have a number, I'll try and find an inn or flophouse that can take you all- and I'll pay half as long as you stay together."

[GamesMaster]

She snorts. "Why would they need to hide? The guard's looking for cats."

[Bethany]

"Because we work with cats. It's not a bit stretch for the guard to decide we're hiding them or something. Seen plenty of evidence that too many of them don't think whores are people, so why not rough them up? Or maybe just take it as an excuse to pressure for freebies?" Bethany shakes her head. "If we're closing, then we might as well make sure we're all safe."

[GamesMaster]

Brianne shrugs. "That's why we have security, ain't it?"

[Bethany]

"The best fight is one you thought you way around before it ever got started," Bethany quotes. 

[GamesMaster]

"So you want to move us away from the Shiny Cat, where we have rooms and guards for free, to some inn where you only are paying half the cost and they won't have guards?"

[Bethany]

"...you do realize half the guards are cats, and thus not going to be here, right? And two guards aren't going to be enough to stop a squad of city guards from doing whatever they want?" Bethany shrugs. "If you're dumb enough to risk it, I can't make you leave." Well, I could, but... "I'm not entirely sure what the story behind the raid is- something about a cat trying to kill a noble, a high ranking one, but the guard are going crazy about it. Not being here, a business well-known for hiring cats and with a cat-related name and theme, is more protection. But we should gather everyone up so they can decide.

[GamesMaster]

Brianne scoffs. "They're looking for a white long-furred cat. I'm sure as hell not wasting my coin hiding from that. They'll take a look, we won't have her, they'll be gone, no problem. Dumb bitch deserves to be found anyway."

[Bethany]

"Does she?" Bethany asks, distracted by the possibility of getting more of the story.

[GamesMaster]

She makes a dismissive noise. "Dumb bitch. Everyone knows you don't fuck with nobles."

[Bethany]

"What happened? Why did she... do what she did?"