Justitia

XV. The Kids Aren't Alright

~*XV*~

The Kids Aren't Alright

"How is our mutual colleague doing?"

Tristan— who may or may not have been dozing again—was surprised that she didn't launch herself off the bench as she whipped her head around. The patron she had simply glazed over before as he sat down was now comfortably lounging. He had one leg thrown over the other and an arm outstretched alongside the bench's backside as if he owned the damn thing. With the tipped, and dare she say ridiculous, feathered cap and overly thick cloak, she admitted it was quite the disguise, but the more she observed, the more she saw the familiar features and the high cheekbones. Plus, that scarred nose of his was near impossible to hide and harder still was the awful bruising that decorated his face like smudged warpaint.

"Ah, I see you have slipped onto my bench again." She shook her head. "I thought you said you weren't coming outside because it was too cold out."

"With all due respect, I do not see your name on this one." Federico playfully sniffed before raising his voice, loud enough for anyone close by to hear his indignant response: "Also, I believe you have me mistaken for someone else. I don't even know who this 'Pietro' is, madam."

Shut up before you blow my cover, the action said, and she stifled a smile.

Tristan dipped her chin in understanding, waving her hand about. "Ah, my apologies then." She closed her eyes and leaned against the bench's back with a tired sigh. All of this limping from one place to another made her somewhat exhausted. Alas, it was a fact that if she so much as tried to sleep again, it would be for naught. Still, too much to do and, ironically, so very little time to do so. "Well, you were right. He is a quick study and a massive pain in my ass," she breathed. In the pause that followed, there was a note of affirmation from the man, or maybe it was amused pride before she continued: "But he is doing quite well with all things considering. You just missed him, I'm afraid. Currently, he is with Paola and some of the other girls in another part of the district."

She subtly turned his way. "And you?"

He hummed briefly in deliberation before replying, "On my way to pursue a possible development, actually. I am not quite sure on the validity of their claim yet, but I'll keep you informed once I know more." He appeared to want to say more, but a sudden tension rippled in the air between them, making Tristan squint one eye open in confusion. She was surprised that Federico had lost his loose stature and was staring daggers. "He is a bold man for walking out in the open," he ground out in a barely constrained snarl.

Confused at the sudden mood change, she followed his line of sight to the other side of the marketplace. By this point, the crowds had trickled out, leaving only a handful of patrons to peruse the wares that had arrived just this morning. So, it was rather unusual to see a small crowd beginning to conglomerate around a handful of people as they traversed from one end of the market to the other. At the head of the bizarre parade was a broad-shouldered man wearing a thick black and white doublet and armed to the teeth. It was hard to see from this far away, but she could make out a sewn emblem on his accompanying cloak with what looked to be twin dolphins facing away from each other. A willowy woman wearing an auburn gown was on his arm— no doubt his wife. Surprisingly, walking astride a younger woman who bore a resemblance to their mother and wearing a pale dress, there was that Draco-esque character from the bridge, still scowling at everyone and everything in his way as he cosplayed as a raccoon with the enormous black eye. She blinked a couple of times, completely baffled as to why Federico would have such a visceral reaction to a random group of people. When it dawned on her.