And you would grieve no more

𓇢𓆸 𓆤 𖧧 𓋼𓍊 𓆏 𖧧 𓍊𓋼 𔓘

𝔸𝔽𝕋𝔼ℝ a while, when Vign left the house, he rendezvoused with Oona amidst the hustle and bustle of the busy markets in the Row. They navigated through the crowded streets, the energy of the marketplace swirling around them. "It doesn't take a genius. Couriers leave packages around town in places marked with chalk. Chalk tells you where to take them. Simple as that," Oona explained to Vign, shedding light on the clandestine courier operations. Vign, ever curious, posed his next question, "What's in the packages?"

"Lixir. Contraband. Best not to ask. Look, they'll start off on a day route. Swap it out as quick as you can, though. Nights go faster," Oona replied, her voice carrying a pragmatic tone that hinted at the nuances of their underworld dealings.

"Why?" Vign inquired, seeking to understand the intricacies of the operation. Oona shared her insights, "You can fly without being spotted. Daylighters have to leg it."

Vign absorbed the information, contemplating the strategic advantages of night deliveries. However, his curiosity persisted, leading him to ask another question, "What happens if you're spotted flying?"

Oona's expression shifted to a more serious demeanor as she considered the question. The ambient noise of the marketplace seemed to fade for a moment as she replied, "Depends on who spots you. Authorities might be trouble, but the real danger is the eyes you don't see – those of rival factions or those who'd love to see one less courier in the Row. Stealth is our ally, Vign, they will order your wings clipped if they catch up with you, remember that."

"What do you need, Bol?" Oona asked as the male fae, who typically stood next to Dahlia, approached them. "Just the new one. Dahlia wants him," Bol responded, glancing at Vign without meeting Oona's gaze. In an instant, Vign found himself at the headquarters of the Black Ravens, his hands bound and Bol gripping his wings. They stood on the balcony's edge, the same spot where Dahlia conducted meetings.

"What was the first rule I gave you?" Dahlia asked Vign with a stern expression.

"I didn't talk to the police," Vign replied, his voice unwavering.

Dahlia's eyes remained cold as she continued, "Well, that's just patently untrue, isn't it, Bolero?" Bolero spoke up, "I saw you and the inspector, the handsome one, on the Row, right out in the open, plain as day."

"He's nobody. We used to be friends," Vign interjected, attempting to explain, but Dahlia cut through his words. "Friending them isn't better than talking to them, lass."

"That was during the war. He wasn't a copper back then," Vign argued. "Well, he's a copper now, isn't he?" Dahlia retorted. With that, Bolero yanked Vign away from the edge, still holding onto his wings. Dahlia confronted him, demanding, "So, what did you talk about?"

"Nothing," Vign gritted his teeth, Bolero's grip tightening on his wings. "Just our own stupid shit," he added, his voice strained.

"Your own stupid shit? Are you in love with this legger?" Dahlia questioned sharply. "No. I fucking hate the bastard, trust me," Vign replied. Dahlia persisted, "Well, give us his address, then. We'll sew it up for you, won't we?"

"I don't know it," Vign asserted.

"Alright, fuck this. Hold him steady," Dahlia commanded, and Bolero went back to holding Vign to the edge. "No, please!" Vign pleaded. "I'm not the informant!" Vign insisted before Dahlia declared, "No. You're a fucking liability." Drawing a knife to Vign's wings, she held it there. "I'm an asset. I can help find the cricket," Vign desperately offered. "Where are you gonna look? Under Johnny Burgue's bollocks?" Dahlia mocked. Vign retorted, "What do you care how I fucking find him?" Dahlia cut the bindings, releasing his hands, and Bolero slammed him to the ground away from the edge.

"By midnight, you better be standing in front of me with a name on your lips or halfway back to Tirnanoc, and if you fail... Well, then we will have to hunt down the person who made you this and make them pay for your actions," Dahlia warned, holding Vign's bracelet before throwing it on the ground next to him as she and Bolero left him alone, the weight of her words lingering in the air.

ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.

"I never should have sent you to those shits," Aline muttered as he paced around the room, his frustration palpable. Vign, in the midst of getting dressed in his traditional jacket, the one he wore when he first arrived in the Burgue, looked up at Aline. "It's not your fault," Vign reassured him, but Aline couldn't shake off the guilt. "I should've just gotten you a job here," he admitted.

"No. No, you were right. I wouldn't have felt free here," Vign replied, sitting down on a chair and pulling on his boots. Aline's gaze lingered on Vign, his expression carrying a heavy weight of concern. "You'd still be alive, at least," Aline said, his voice filled with regret. Vign met his gaze, resolute, "I'm not dead yet. I just need to find that informant."

"What? Before tonight? You're not serious, are you?" Aline questioned, walking over and kneeling down to Vign's level. "What other choice do I have?" Vign responded, his determination unwavering. Aline suggested, "Well, how about getting the fuck out of town, for a start?"

"No. I'm done running, and if I fail, they will come after Melody and you. I'm not going to allow that," Vign declared, standing up. Aline followed suit, still concerned.

"And just how in Lunasa's hell are you gonna find whoever it is that's talking?" Aline asked, a note of worry in his voice. "I'm working on it," Vign replied, his mind set on the task ahead.

"Vign, these Black Raven..." Aline began, but Vign cut him off, his tone resolute, "Don't scare me. I've survived worse. A lot worse." Vign moved towards the door, but Aline stopped him, speaking from the heart. "You're not invincible. There's a lot of hurt you're not dealing with. Don't let it make you do anything stupid. Please. If not for your own good, then for mine and Melody, because we will never forgive ourselves if this Black Raven shit gets you killed," Aline pleaded with genuine concern.

Vign looked at him, a silent acknowledgment passing between them, before he left, leaving Aline behind with the weight of worry and the hope that Vign would return unharmed. Aline quickly dressed in appropriate clothing before heading to the police station. As he entered, he spotted Philo leaving a room where Hamlyn was being questioned. Philo noticed Aline and approached him.

"You're not supposed to be back here, Aline," Philo warned.

"And you're supposed to be anywhere, are you?" Aline retorted. Philo defended himself, saying, "As I recall, you're the one who told me to protect them." Aline scoffed, "I never told you to fake both you and your sister's death. I thought you broke it off clean."

"Broke what off clean?" Melody's voice interrupted the tense exchange. She walked up to them, sensing the tension. Aline sighed and explained, "One of the Black Ravens saw Philo and him together. I'm sure you can imagine how that went over, him talking to a copper." Philo took Aline to a room filled with documents, and Melody followed. Concern etched her face as she asked, "How is he?"

"They think he's the one who's been sharing information with you lot. He thinks he can wriggle his way out of it, as always. Me? I think you got him into this mess, and you can get him out," Aline explained. Philo defended himself, saying, "I told him not to join the Ravens."

"Well, he did. And now I need you to tell me who is on the take," Aline pressed. Philo grunted, realizing the gravity of the situation. "Fuck," he muttered. "It's him or Vign, Philo. These Ravens, they don't mess about," Aline emphasized. Before Philo could say anything, Berwick interrupted them, "Inspector. They found him."

"Who?" Philo asked. Berwick replied, "The Breakspear boy. He's being held at the Copley Baths. Don't know how many kidnappers. Captain wants all hands on this one." Philo and Berwick left, leaving Melody and Aline alone. Melody sighed, clearly annoyed. Aline, concerned, asked, "Dragonfly, are you okay?"

"No," Melody replied curtly as she walked out of the room. Aline questioned, "Where are you going?" Melody answered, "Gonna save my boyfriend's stubborn ass." With that, she left, determination in her stride.

ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.

"Hamlyn," Dahlia's voice cut through the tense atmosphere, and Bolero added, "He knew about the shipment." As Dahlia approached Vign, she remarked, "That copper of yours gave you this? You really must have been close friends. Only one thing left to do then." She pulled out a switchblade. "You want me to do it?" Vign asked. Dahlia, standing close, replied, "How easy it would be to give me a name and walk away clean. No, you need to prove you believe it."

"I'm not a killer," Vign asserted. Dahlia questioned, "All those years in the occupation. A tough lass like you never left a single body in his wake? Not one?" Vign responded, "Never my own kind."

"What did I tell you? He who picks the groundlings belongs to the ground. Put him in it." Dahlia handed him the blade and walked away, leaving Vign alone with Bolero following.

Hamlyn stood on the balcony, gazing down at the city below the night sky. "Oona said you wanted to see me," he said as Vign approached, concealing the blade. "I did," Vign replied. Hamlyn, seemingly preoccupied, commented, "I'm very busy tonight."

"I've heard something about you. I want to know if it was true," Vign stated. Hamlyn looked down, asking, "Oh. What did you hear?"

"That you're full of shit," Vign said as he flipped the blade open, tackling Hamlyn off the balcony. Both of their wings fluttered furiously as they wrestled in mid-air. Vign attempted to stab Hamlyn, who fought to avoid being stabbed. Hamlyn, gripping Vign's arm with one hand and his neck with the other, kicked Vign down. However, Vign held onto Hamlyn's leg, pulled himself up, and landed a punch on Hamlyn's jaw. Seizing the blade, Vign stabbed it into Hamlyn's wing. Hamlyn grunted in pain as Vign headbutted him and kicked him down. Despite Hamlyn's attempts to flutter his wings, he fell from the sky, the cityscape below swallowing him in the night.

Vign panted heavily as he descended to the area where Hamlyn might have fallen. However, he found no trace of him, only a shattered greenhouse roof with blood on it. Just as Vign was about to investigate further, Hamlyn appeared, running towards him with a shovel in hand. With a swift strike, Hamlyn smacked Vign behind the head, causing him to fall to the ground in pain. "You tender-wings all come off the boat the same, thinking you survived because you're strong. But you're just lucky," Hamlyn taunted, delivering another, more forceful blow to Vign's back. "You really think you can beat me? Huh?" He flipped Vign over, looming over him. "I will outlive you, valet. And you will never get to see your beloved ever again."

Hamlyn menacingly grabbed a pair of hedge shears, preparing to carry out a gruesome act. "Let's see just how slowly I get to cut off your pretty head." Before Hamlyn could execute his threat, the sound of a gun cocking cut through the tension. "Too slow," Melody declared, her handgun aimed and meeting its target at Hamlyn's throat. As Hamlyn's body fell off Vign, the latter got up, unleashing a torrent of punches on Hamlyn's face in frustration.

"Vign," Melody called out, pulling him away from the battered body. "We have to go."

As they dealt with the body, Vign asked, "How did you find me?" Melody, knowing the answer, nodded and sighed, "Aline. Oh, God." Vign was about to apologize, but Melody interrupted, "Help me with the body." They disposed of Hamlyn in a sewer hole, its splash echoing through the tunnels, before sitting down on the ground.

"Where does it lead?" Vign inquired, and Melody responded, "To the river, then out to sea."

"What if he turns up?" Vign questioned.

"They'll find a constabulary bullet in him and let it go, I suppose," Melody replied. She sighed, and Vign attempted to apologize, but Melody cut him off, expressing her frustration. "Why didn't you tell me? I had to find it out from Aline. Were you even going to tell me?"

Vign looked down, and Melody continued, "I don't know, maybe starting at the damn heist for the flag and going on about how they were going to kill you if you didn't kill that guy." She sighed again. "I understand you have your reasons to keep this, but you should know that you can talk to me. You are my home, Vign. However, these secrets need to stop, the kind that would get yourself killed."

She placed her hand on his, making him look at her. "You're going through so much pain and anger that it is consuming you," Melody added, kissing his forehead before standing up. "You've got people who loves you, never doubt that." With that, she left.

ଓ༉‧.⭒ֶָ֢⋆.

Vign returned to the Raven's hideout, placing Hamlyn's wing on the table. Dahlia approached him, remarking, "I'll be honest, I didn't know which one of you would come back."

"Me neither," Vign whispered. Dahlia asked, "Quick and painless?" Vign replied, "No."

"Good," Dahlia said, walking to Bolero. He handed her a brown leather book, and she tossed it to Vign, who caught it and asked, "What's this?" Dahlia replied, "A promotion. Hamlyn ran the lots. Now you do. I'm giving you the Finistere route. Off you go." Before Vign left, Dahlia issued a final warning, "Oh. Be careful with that copper of yours. Or, next time, it'll be your wing on the table."

"You don't have to worry about him." With that, Vign departed. As morning rose, he sat on the balcony of the hotel, staring at his blood-stained hands and pondering Melody's words. Aline arrived with a cigarette in hand, observing Vign. "Have you been here all night?" Aline inquired. Vign shook his head, avoiding eye contact.

Kneeling beside him, Aline asked, "You okay?" When Vign tried to speak but couldn't find the words, Aline reached out, but Vign flinched. Aline tossed the cigarette and Vign began to cry, embracing Aline, who held him close, offering comfort. "My brother," Aline whispered, "You're alright."

"It's going to be okay."

𓇢𓆸 𓆤 𖧧 𓋼𓍊 𓆏 𖧧 𓍊𓋼 𔓘

By: SilverMist707