Soldiers and courtesans rise early. The former check the picket lines and observe the weather, for the later it is time to begin applying the various powders and potions needed to maximize appeal. My cosmetics were in the palace but the instinct didn't leave me. I climbed from the bed, pleasantly sore from the night before and stepped over to the mirror, lighting the single candle from the coals of the fire. I peered into the mirror and was surprised to find myself as fresh and vivacious as ever, perhaps even more so. My skin seemed to glow in the soft predawn light and my lips were redder and fuller than I remembered. Perhaps the stimulation of the evening had been good for me. I glanced at the sleeping Kian and began to smile, then froze. Out in the street I saw a cat arch its back and hiss before skittering off down an alleyway. I frowned and pulled on my tunic before slipping to the door and opening it. The hallway beyond was dark and I crept down it to the top of the stairs and peered down into the common room. There were still a few drinkers up and about, chatting excitedly about the coup and the prospects for various parties. Their words were slurred from a long night of drinking but they seemed harmless. The tavern door opened and a trio of condottieri half walked half staggered inside.

"Ale for me and they boys!" one of them called as they made their way across the floor. Cursing I ducked back and ran on silent barefeet back to the room. Kian stirred as I came back through the door sitting up on one elbow and giving me a hungry lookd.

"Back for round two?" he asked with a lazy smile and I realized I wasn't wearing any pants. I grabbed my leggings and started pulling them on in the same motion that carried me across the room to him in an awkward hop. I put my fingers over his lips and leaned close.

"There are soldiers downstairs, looking for you," I told him. I assumed that was the case anyway. They weren't drunk as they hadn't slurred their words when they asked for ale.

"The probably have men out in the streets too," I hurried on, rationalizing the behaviour of the cat. It seemed like a leap but I somehow knew it in my bones. Kian was awake and getting dressed no, evidently this wasnt the first bed he had been rousted out of by unwelcome company.

"Why in Sigmar's name would they be looking for me?" he puzzled. I wasn't sure.

"Maybe they want you as a hostage, now that they missed their chance to snatch Hortimann? In any case I'd say its time to scappare."

I grabbed up my few possession and stepped to the door only to freeze as I heard voices at the top of the stairs. The innkeeper was shouting at the soldiers telling them it was two crowns a night if they wanted a room. The hostile response didn't even have the pretense of drunkenness, and I could imagine the condottieri stalking down the hall weapons drawn. I slid the bolt closed as quietly as I could, though the attempt at stealth was rendered moot by the crash of a door being kicked in and the startled screams of the occupants. By Myrmidia's grace they didn't know what room we were in.

"Time to go," I half gasped stepping to the window and pulling up the shutter as slowly as I could. Kian followed me, pulling on his boots and grabbing his own few belongings as I climbed out onto the tile roof. Something whizzed past my ear and the timber frame splintered as shouts erupted from below. I saw a half dozen soldiers emerging from cover, several more pointing crossbows at us. Kian paused, clearly uncertain whether being shot on a rooftop was preferable to being captured in the room.

"Come on!" I yelled and took off down the roof at a full sprint, praying to Myrmidia that the tiles didn't come loose under my feet. The end of the roof rushed up towards me and I leaped out into empty space, sailing through the air, arms flailing. I hit the roof of the villa on the other side of the alley and slid. This time I was less fortunate, the tiles coming away under my wait as I scrabbled for purchase. I managed to grab hold of a stem post and pull myself fully up onto the roof just as another crossbow bolt whisked pass me.

"Jump!" I yelled at Kian, then on inspiration began to prize up tiles and hurl them down at the soldiers in the alley below. The heavy ceramic missiles crashed down in explosions of terracotta dust. One of the crossbowmen was slow to reach and went sprawling to the dirt as I caught him in the arming cap.

"Come on!" I screamed. If Kian could make it across we could flee across the roof tops and that sounded pretty good to me, I had spent just about enough time in Remas for one season.