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Princess Iris Tulip
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>why do you keep trying to get me to sing?
Ritz does have a good singing voice, she just doesn't like singing. it's a common thing for Zenlings. they can mimic a lot of instruments just by humming and almost
every Zenling is capable of carrying a tune.
Ritz tumbles back and lands hard on her tushy.
"HOW?" she gasps.
"Crawlers learn a lot of tricks, if they manage to live long enough..." she mutters, "so... you want me to kill someone?"
"I... I don't know." Ritz replies, "wouldn't it be easier for me to go quietly with this Grifter?"
"that's your call." Ruby nods, "I wouldn't suggest it. there are a few things about Armistice law that Opal seems to have forgotten. for one thing you need to understand that this Grifter is not your friend. Prosecutioners only get paid by the court if the defendant is punished. the Defenestrator is similarly only paid if the Defendant is found not guilty. if the Grifter is just a contracted mercenary, they can still be paid by the court for a corpse, it's just a reduced amount. if it's a Prosecutioner or Defenestrator that's Grifting, then they are honor bound to be forthcoming and truthful, but if it's a merc, they don't have that restriction."
Ritz looks down at the ground worriedly. she had hoped that talking with Opal would ease her mind, but if anything, she's more frightened of this Grifter.
"Opal... why are you dressed in armor?" Ritz asks, trying to change the subject.
"oh, well..." she laughs, embarrassed, "you wanted me to teach you how to use my old daggers, and well... I though putting on my old raiments might get me back into
my crawler mindset..."
Ritz nods. the room gets quiet for a few moments, then Ritz clears her throat.
"what do you know about my parents?"
Opal stares back for a few seconds, "I uh... I told you, they just left you here one night with nothing but a red ribbon and a scarf, that's all I know."
"Lying is a sin, Crimsonlace." Ruby says shortly, Ritz almost catches a smile forming as she says it. Opal shoots a look of pure hatred, then blinks away quickly.
"I don't know your mother, Falls-Like-Snow." Opal sighs, "I have met her, but I know very little about her. your father, I wish I didn't know him. his name is Red-
Feathers, and he used to Crawl with me years ago."
"what was he like?" Ritz asks.
"self centered, egotistical, and arrogant as hell." Ruby grunts, "but, he has a terrifying knack for being the last guy going to the gallows. this isn't the first
time Red-Feathers has faced the death penalty, likely not the last time, either."
"do you know anything about my mother?" Ritz asks Ruby, who leans against the wall in thought.
"yeah." she says, "I do."
Ritz waits for Ruby to continue, but she doesn't.
"ah, she was very young when you were born." Opal takes Ritz's attention back, "not much older than you are now. I believe she was a dancer."
"she was a prostitute." Ruby corrects.
"Yes." Opal grits her teeth angrily, "thank you, Ruby. your mother was a... woman of the night... that ran away with Red-Feathers. eventually you were born and they left you with me."
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