GHOSTS , ARCANE

29. reconaissance

Alt found Arthur in the library, writing things down and viewing a map. She held two cups of coffee in her hand.

"Here," She passed it to him. "I didn't know how you liked your coffee, so I made it how I like it."

He sipped the coffee, thanking her, before recoiling in surprise.

"No sugar with milk?" He asked. She nodded.

"That's how I like it, too." Arthur chuckled. He motioned for her to come closer.

"Look, sister. At this map." He pointed to the piece of paper. "Does that look like it makes any sense?"

Alt squinted her eyes. It was a layout of a rather large house. There were lots of doors and rooms. Arrows pointed to some rooms and it looked like a way to get through the house into the lower floor. Arthur looked like he didn't really know how to read it.

"What's this for?" She asked, eyes glued to the map. Arthur threw up his hands in the air, "No idea, kid." He replied, furrowing his brows with a smile on his face. Alt laughed, "You don't know how to read it?"

"I suppose not."

This was the first time she had seen Arthur not know something. She had expected him to be snobby and prideful, but instead, he shrugged and smiled - and laughed.

"Do you know how to read this?" He offered her the map, taking her place on the sidelines of the table and letting her take the main seat. She took the map in her hands.

"Well, you see. This is how you get in," She explained. "And here....here, you go through that hallway and that's the way to whatever you're trying to steal."

Arthur clicked his tongue and shook his head. "I'm not stealing anything, I'm assassinating someone." He corrected.

"What?! That's so dangerous! L-look at the layout! I'm quite certain that it's NOT in the Under City. Place's bThere's no way you could do that alone!" She protested.

"My dear, you have not seen me in action! Please, do you think so lowly of your brother?" He fake pouted.

Alt explained the map to him and he listened with enthusiasm. Arthur was beginning to see how it really couldn't have worked. There were too many tight spots, too many guards, too many open areas. Plus, he needed someone to keep watch.

"So I'll come with you." Alt offered. Arthur furrowed his brows and shook his head.

"No! Absolutely not."

"Why?"

"You know how I feel about hit jobs."

Alt rolled her eyes, "It's not like I'm a little damsel in distress, Art. I'm a trained swordsman, not some helpless lamb."

"That's not the issue, the issue is that I — "

"Art, I promise you, this is the last thing I'll ask from you." She sighed, "Come on!"

Arthur fell silent, deep in thought. He finally gave in and rolled his eyes. It wasn't the fact that he didn't want her in danger, he knew that she'd be able to handle herself, but he worried for the guilt that comes with killing a man, he didn't want her to experience it. What he didn't know what that she had been killing for Silco for a long, long time. It didn't affect her anymore.

"Fine."