Editing The Hounds of Winter, Chapter Six: A Bridge Too Far
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''Tuesday, 22 Feb 1870''<br> | ''Tuesday, 22 Feb 1870''<br> | ||
''Kronstadt, Austro-Hungarian Empire''<br> | ''Kronstadt, Austro-Hungarian Empire''<br> | ||
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''They'd restrict her access to hot food next, she knew. Then the wagon would be denied her, regardless of the weather. Probably the boots would go next. And so on, removing an asset at a time, until she survived on what she could forage, make, or steal. Take care of her, her father had said the morning he rode away and never came back. That and,'' Stick to the plan, Jo. You know what to do.<br><br> | ''They'd restrict her access to hot food next, she knew. Then the wagon would be denied her, regardless of the weather. Probably the boots would go next. And so on, removing an asset at a time, until she survived on what she could forage, make, or steal. Take care of her, her father had said the morning he rode away and never came back. That and,'' Stick to the plan, Jo. You know what to do.<br><br> | ||
| − | + | Food, she thought. If her traps were still empty come morning, the first thing she'd steal would be food… <br><br> | |
"You know," Quentin drawled. "For someone who considers herself 'a woman of action' you sure do spend a lot of time in your head."<br><br> | "You know," Quentin drawled. "For someone who considers herself 'a woman of action' you sure do spend a lot of time in your head."<br><br> | ||
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"Well, your Colonel pays well, and the smith seemed happy enough to take our money."<br><br> | "Well, your Colonel pays well, and the smith seemed happy enough to take our money."<br><br> | ||
| − | The smith hadn't been the only one grateful for their custom. Josephine and Quentin had spent a fair amount of coin to outfit themselves properly for a fortnight in the open countryside. Two men on a winter hunting excursion was their cover story and it did much to allay any suspicion over their purchases and presence outdoors. Josephine helped with the last of the tent pegs, tying up the lines with the ease born of much practice. <br><br> | + | The smith hadn't been the only one grateful for their custom. Josephine and Quentin had spent a fair amount of coin to outfit themselves properly for a fortnight in the open countryside. Two men on a winter hunting excursion was their cover story and it did much to allay any suspicion over their purchases and presence outdoors. Two pack horses for their supplies and two for riding sufficed to get them to their current site. Josephine helped with the last of the tent pegs, tying up the lines with the ease born of much practice. <br><br> |
"So …," Quentin leaned in close. "Where were you?"<br><br> | "So …," Quentin leaned in close. "Where were you?"<br><br> | ||
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"Well, I don't know whose advantage this will all be, but I do think strong coffee is in order. We got a long night ahead of us."<br><br> | "Well, I don't know whose advantage this will all be, but I do think strong coffee is in order. We got a long night ahead of us."<br><br> | ||
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''Friday, 25 Feb 1870''<br> | ''Friday, 25 Feb 1870''<br> | ||
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They were able to keep their weapons above water, as the river only came halfway up the thighs. It was excruciatingly cold, robbing Josephine and Quentin of their carefully husbanded warmth. Josephine imagined she could feel her blood grow cool as the water flowed past her and she prayed whatever they were there to witness would commence shortly …<br><br> | They were able to keep their weapons above water, as the river only came halfway up the thighs. It was excruciatingly cold, robbing Josephine and Quentin of their carefully husbanded warmth. Josephine imagined she could feel her blood grow cool as the water flowed past her and she prayed whatever they were there to witness would commence shortly …<br><br> | ||
| − | ''Josephine had been training steadily | + | ''Josephine had been training steadily when they dragged her out of her warm bed in the dead of night on one of the coldest months of the year to test her. She fought and kicked but failed to win free before they tied a bag over her head, bound her hands and feet, and threw her in the river. She broke ice going in. The shock nearly made her black out. In less than five seconds, her body was numb and it was hard to move. She'd last perhaps a minute more before the cold killed her … if she gave in to it. Lungs burning, struggling to stay conscious, Josephine gripped the knife she'd lifted from William and put it to the ropes …'' <br><br> |
Josephine shivered from the cold and the memories but kept herself hidden. The chanting was louder now and she saw a party of two dozen approaching. They wore dark robes with hoods that hid their features. Only their hands were visible, gleaming dully in the light of the waning moon. By their size and gait, Josephine ascertained they were men. <br><br> | Josephine shivered from the cold and the memories but kept herself hidden. The chanting was louder now and she saw a party of two dozen approaching. They wore dark robes with hoods that hid their features. Only their hands were visible, gleaming dully in the light of the waning moon. By their size and gait, Josephine ascertained they were men. <br><br> | ||
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At that, Quentin saw a brief flash as the second man drew a pistol. ''Well, at least he didn’t use blood magic''. He threw his hands up in mock surrender.<br><br> | At that, Quentin saw a brief flash as the second man drew a pistol. ''Well, at least he didn’t use blood magic''. He threw his hands up in mock surrender.<br><br> | ||
| − | "[[The Hounds of Winter, Chapter Six: A Bridge Too Far#HOW TO SPEAK FRENCH | + | "[[The Hounds of Winter, Chapter Six: A Bridge Too Far#HOW TO SPEAK FRENCH}''Camarades, Camarades'']], no need to get violent." He began backing away slowly. ''I hope she's had enough time, because I think this little pantomime only has another minute or so before it becomes violent''. "I can take mu custom elsewhere, if you are full up for the evening." He intentionally slipped and fell, rising only slowly, but keeping his eyes on the two men. "Aaahh … Quel chemin au pub?" <br><br> |
The second man waved his gun sharply. Quentin began stumbling up the street in the direction indicated, but kept a discreet eye on the men until they returned inside and closed the door.<br><br> | The second man waved his gun sharply. Quentin began stumbling up the street in the direction indicated, but kept a discreet eye on the men until they returned inside and closed the door.<br><br> | ||
| − | Had Josephine been a catgirl like Evie, getting to the roof via the drainpipe would have been easy but for a human, it was hard. No stranger to hard work, Josephine made it to the third floor and gripping the sturdy gutters nailed to the eaves, she hand-over-handed herself to the first window and put her foot on the sill. No longer carrying her full weight, her arms sighed in gratitude. Josephine gave herself a precious second to rest then pushed on. The window she needed was the third one from the pipe. Snow and ice coated the gutters and Josephine was grateful for her gloves. They kept the ice from cutting her hands and delayed the moment when the cold would make her fingers too numb to | + | Had Josephine been a catgirl like Evie, getting to the roof via the drainpipe would have been easy but for a human, it was hard. No stranger to hard work, Josephine made it to the third floor and gripping the sturdy gutters nailed to the eaves, she hand-over-handed herself to the first window and put her foot on the sill. No longer carrying her full weight, her arms sighed in gratitude. Josephine gave herself a precious second to rest then pushed on. The window she needed was the third one from the pipe. Snow and ice coated the gutters and Josephine was grateful for her gloves. They kept the ice from cutting her hands and delayed the moment when the cold would make her fingers too numb to be effective. <br><br> |
She slowed as she neared her objective. She didn't want the sound of her approach to alert anyone inside. Moving with exceeding care, she put one cautious toe on the thick stone sill and only then looked over her shoulder for Quentin. She gave him a single nod and watched as he left the alley for the front door. Fatigued by the long walk into town, the lack of sleep, and the cold, Josephine's body burned and trembled. <br><br> | She slowed as she neared her objective. She didn't want the sound of her approach to alert anyone inside. Moving with exceeding care, she put one cautious toe on the thick stone sill and only then looked over her shoulder for Quentin. She gave him a single nod and watched as he left the alley for the front door. Fatigued by the long walk into town, the lack of sleep, and the cold, Josephine's body burned and trembled. <br><br> | ||
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''Move''.<br><br> | ''Move''.<br><br> | ||
| − | Josephine locked the door from the inside, stripped out of her gloves, and got to work. Casting a swift eye over the room, Josephine's pulse quickened—she'd hit paydirt. In addition to numerous papers lying in plain sight, a map of the Continent lay spread on a worktable, its corners anchored by inkwells and one of the three lamps burning. Arrows drawn across the map suggested movement. Several cities were circled, their names underscored and surrounded by various symbols, amongst them the insignia from Piefke's stickpin. The rest were unknown to her, though a matching set was drawn in the map's margins accompanied by a language she did not recognize. There was a pattern to the symbols and Josephine suspected that they would unlock yet more information if she could but decipher their meaning. She had no time to spare for it, however, and she kept moving, culling the important papers from the chaff as she went. Josephine recognized names and places in German and French and English from Jacob's translation work. Her ear tracked the commotion below and she realized Quentin's ruse had gone badly.<br><br> | + | Josephine locked the door from the inside, stripped out of her gloves, and got to work. Casting a swift eye over the room, Josephine's pulse quickened—she'd hit paydirt. In addition to numerous papers lying in plain sight, a map of the Continent lay spread on a worktable, its corners anchored by inkwells and one of the three lamps burning. Arrows drawn across the map suggested movement. Several cities were circled, their names underscored and surrounded by various symbols, amongst them the insignia from Piefke's stickpin. The rest were unknown to her, though a matching set was drawn in the map's margins accompanied by a language she did not recognize. There was a pattern to the symbols and Josephine suspected that they would unlock yet more information if she could but decipher their meaning. She had no time to spare for it, however, and she kept moving, culling the important papers from the chaff as she went.<br><br> |
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| + | She found itemized lists lying beside the map: shipping receipts, inventories, goods delivered. Several more sheets closely written in longhand lay there, too. Some had symbols matching those on the map, with more text in the unknown language. Josephine's scanning eye recognized names and places in German and French and English from Jacob's translation work. Her ear tracked the commotion below and she realized Quentin's ruse had gone badly.<br><br> | ||
''Time to go''.<br><br> | ''Time to go''.<br><br> | ||
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She spied a cylindrical leather map case in the corner. Its lack of dust suggested it was where the map resided when not in use. She rolled the papers and the map tightly into the case, buckled the cover down tight, then clipped the case to her belt. The stair treads announced imminent arrival. She pulled on her gloves and climbed out the window. Josephine eased the sash closed and began her trip back to the drainpipe.<br><br> | She spied a cylindrical leather map case in the corner. Its lack of dust suggested it was where the map resided when not in use. She rolled the papers and the map tightly into the case, buckled the cover down tight, then clipped the case to her belt. The stair treads announced imminent arrival. She pulled on her gloves and climbed out the window. Josephine eased the sash closed and began her trip back to the drainpipe.<br><br> | ||
| − | A hiss issued below. Sparing a glance downward, Josephine saw Quentin in the street. Without hesitation, Josephine let go the gutter with her left hand | + | A hiss issued below. Sparing a glance downward, Josephine saw Quentin in the street. Without hesitation, Josephine let go the gutter with her left hand and stripped her glove off with her teeth in one smooth motion, and unclipped the map case bare-fingered from her belt. She dropped it to Quentin. He caught it. <br><br> |
''Go'', she mouthed the word, losing her glove to the street.<br><br> | ''Go'', she mouthed the word, losing her glove to the street.<br><br> | ||
