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[Harlequin]

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“How many of these coins would it take to ply your tongue? And then how many more to silence it again?” The girl’s red-lipped smile was playful in contrast to her smudged, foggy, black-rimmed eyes. She held out a handful of gold coins and jingled them lightly in her gloved hand.

The child’s eyes boggled at the pile of gold. He was thin and dressed in tattered clothing, but he was well-kept and clean. Such was the case with most gypsy children, she’d found. He licked his lips nervously and looked up into the the girl’s expectant gaze.

“I – I don’t know any, Miss. None ‘round here. But I hear tell Kieran met one once. He still has the scars. He’s a miner. The only one of us stayin’ behind. Ye kin find ‘im up along the mountain ridge.” The boy pointed toward the southwest. “Careful, though, there’s mongbats up that way.”

Harlequin smiled and looked in the direction he had pointed, then turned back to the boy. He couldn’t have been more than ten years of age. His parents were hurriedly packing inside their tent. She wondered vaguely for a moment what had happened to clear the gypsy camp so quickly, but then she noticed the hopeful and expectant expression on the boy’s face.

“I think that’ll do. Thank you for the information. I’ll seek out this Kieran and see if he can help me. And for your trouble – “ Harlequin held out the handful of gold coins and spilled them over into the boy’s cupped hands. His eyes were bright at the sound of cheerful coins clinking against one another.”

“Thank you, Miss…Miss…” The boy looked up at her with an almost confused and inquisitive gaze.

“Quinn. You can call me Quinn. And you’re quite welcome.”
_________________
Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.
~Paul Laurence Dunbar

[Kieran]

---

Too many noises. Kieran stared intently at the underbrush and through the treeline. Snow filtered down through bare branches bereft of winter birds, as though perhaps even they knew better than he. He’d begun to second-guess his decision to stay near Minoc. But so far he hadn’t seen anything to positively change his mind.

Finally, he gave up on the sound and turned his back on the uncertain. He took up his pickaxe and began to swing it. If he was going to make staying behind worth his while, he couldn’t get distracted by every little snap and crunch he heard.

“Kieran, I presume?” The voice was almost musical.

Kieran paused and rested the head of his pickaxe on the ground, leaning on the handle as he wiped his face on the inside of his shirt collar, but he didn’t turn around. “Depends on who’s askin’.”

The voice was closer as the girl replied. “Quinn Morgan. I was told I could find you here, and perhaps I could get some information.”

Kieran untied his bandana and wrung it out before unfolding it. He wiped the soot and dust from his hands as he turned to face the woman. The face that met him was a little unsettling. The girl was slight of form – she couldn’t be much more than five feet tall. She was quite pale, her skin almost translucent. Her features were soft, but her eyes were heavily lined with black flourishes, the edges of which had gone smoky as they faded into the pallor of her skin. Her lips were a perfect, fading red pout. But her expression was somehow one of amusement. Her long black hair hung straight and damp to her waist, melting snowflakes clinging to each strand. Melting. At least she’s human.

“Aye then, you’ve found me. How can I help you?”

[Harlequin]

---

“Kieran, I presume?”

The man stopped and leaned on his pickaxe without turning to face her. “Depends on who’s askin’.”

Harlequin smiled for a moment. Gypsies always fascinated her. She allowed herself the indulgence of looking him over for a moment before stepping closer. “Quinn Morgan. I was told I could find you here, and perhaps I could get some information.”

Kieran took his bandana from his hair, allowing his auburn dreadlocks to spill down to his waist. He wiped his hands on the bandana as he turned around to face her. He looked her up and down for just a moment before answering. “Aye then, you’ve found me. How can I help you?”

“I’m looking for someone. Several someones, to be exact. I’ve heard you might know where I may find those known as Lycans.”

Kieran looked at her incredulously for a moment. “Why the hell…”

Quinn smiled again. “It’s research. I’m not afraid of them, I want to understand them…”

“Maybe you should be afraid of them. Have you ever met one?”

Harlequin nodded slightly and took a step closer to Kieran. “And so have you…”
_________________
Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.
~Paul Laurence Dunbar

[Kieran]

---

Kieran’s apprehension began to fade as the girl came closer. Something about her eyes was calming. Flat and silvery grey, with no hint of sparkle, like heavy clouds before the rain. He swallowed hard and nodded. “Just once. It was enough. I don’t want to imagine what one would do to something like you.”

The girl smiled and reached out to touch his shirt collar, pushing it gently to the side. The scars across his collarbone were unmistakable, and he knew that.

“Claws?” she asked softly, as she traced the scars lightly with her fingertips.

Kieran nodded again, unsure of what to say. He was nearly intoxicated by her closeness.

“You can sense them now, can’t you?” She nearly whispered the question.

“If they’re nearby, yes.” He struggled to keep his heart from racing.

“Have you sensed any recently?”

Kieran thought back to the week prior. “At the tavern. Hanse’s. There were Lycans there. I left shortly after I arrived. I’m sure you understand why I didn’t stay.”

Quinn mused, her eyes searching his for a moment. “Did you catch a name? Or a clan?”

Kieran took a shallow breath and tried to concentrate. Was the heat between them all in his head? He had overheard one conversation, and tried to recall the name. “Merci d’Rue. Stonegate. She’s from Stonegate.”

Quinn smiled brightly. “Thank you Kieran. Is there any way I can repay your kindness?”

“Kill them all?” Kieran was shocked at his own words and immediately stammered.

Harlequin bit her lip and took a step back to allow him to compose himself. “I’ll see you again, very soon.” She looked around her at the snow, now falling more heavily than before. “Stay warm Kieran.”

With that, she turned and disappeared into the woods, leaving Kieran leaning on his pickaxe with that promise and half a smile.