THIEF: THE MIDNIGHT VEIL

03: "THE OTHER MOSLEY"

ARDEN MANOR, HIGHTOWNE
SERVANTS' HALL: KITCHEN
~ Three nights after Flor visited Garrett ~

A few nights later found Ms. Beaumont, the Head Cook in charge of the kitchen staff at Arden stirring a large pot of soup and guiding her young staff as they prepped dinner. The kitchen was part of the Servants' Quarters, which made up nearly the entire basement sun-level of Arden Manor.
"Where's that garlic?" she called over shoulder.
Sara, the new kitchen maid, hurried to Ms. Beaumont's side and held out two cloves of garlic in her palm. "Right here, ma'am."
A young man nearby - one of the hall boys - snickered wickedly. "Aye, just throw them both in there. That'll do it."
Ms. Beaumont shot him a glare. "Mind your own duties, Tomas. Wasn't long ago you were the new one here. Have you finished dicin' those tomatoes?"
Tomas turned his attention back to the cutting board and sunk his knife into one of the fresh tomatoes, still on the vine. "No, ma'am."
"I know ya haven't. I suggest you hurry it up. And it'll be easier to slice them if they're off the vine, young man. Bloody 'ell." Ms. Beaumont turned to Sara and pointed to a large cutting board a pace away. "Peel those cloves. Check for sprouting before you mince."
"Yes, ma'am."
The kitchen was in full swing. Lady Arden was expecting company that evening, and so dinner was expected to be ready and flawless by nine o'clock that night.
The oaken door to the kitchen creaked open loudly, and a man poked his head in. "How's it looking?"
Ms. Beaumont snorted defiantly. "Oh, piss off, Kirth. That's how it's looking."
The man did not flinch. "Mr. Chauncey is asking for an update."
The cook rolled her eyes and turned to face the servant. "We'll be fine, Kirth. We're on track. Tell the good Butler he's naught to fear, dinner will be served on time."
"Thank you, Ms. Beaumont."
"You're welcome."
The kitchen dance continued for another hour and a half, and just as promised, dinner was ready on time. Marinated kale salad, roast beef, pear potato soup, tomato and herb soup, and freshly-roasted chicken were marched triumphantly upstairs by Kirth and his fellow footmen and house servants. While dinner was served and enjoyed in the banquet hall upstairs by Lady Arden and her guests, Ms. Beaumont and Sara prepared an exquisite raspberry meringue pudding for dessert.
"Do you want me to take the dessert up, ma'am?" Sara asked.
Ms. Beaumont shook her head. "Not yet. They'll let us know when to send it up. Both of you come with me to take a quick break outside. You've earned it."
Sara and Tomas beamed with pride and followed the cook out the side door, which led to a shadowy garden peppered with patches of moonlight that broke through silver clouds overhead. The trio took a few minutes to catch their breath and take in the smell of the garden with some hot tea.
And so in taking a break outside, none of them saw Kirth poke his head into the kitchen once again, this time quite carefully and quietly. He could hear Ms. Beaumont's hearty voice from outside the side entrance, followed by a laugh from Sara and a retort of sorts by Tomas.
Just as planned: a quick break after preparing dessert.
The footman smoothed his tunic and tiptoed into the kitchen quickly with practiced haste, silently thanking Ms. Beaumont for being so predictable.
He halted in front of the dessert pudding and reached a hand into one of his pockets, casting a quick glance to his left and right. Confident he was alone, the man produced a small glass vial of a clear, nameless liquid.
He had waited a long time for this moment, and he tried to quell his anxiously beating heart as he twisted off the small cap.
"Halt."
The footman jumped with such fright that the entire vial fell into the raspberry meringue pudding, its contents spilling into the dish. Kirth whirled around to see a woman in armor step from the shadows.
"M-Mara! By the Builder - you s-scared the hell out of me! Why are you—"
"Shut it." The woman strode forward menacingly. She was almost as tall as Kirth, but she was stronger and infinitely more dangerous. She wore chainmail under the black and green surcoat of Lady Arden's estate guard.
She came to a stop just inches from the footman and leered dangerously at him. The way she was drumming her gloved fingers on the hilt of her sword irked his nerves.
"Mara?" Kirth managed weakly. "What, um... what brings you here this night?"
Steel rasped loudly as the guard drew her sword, and with a flick of her wrist she had the point leveled just under the man's rib cage. Kirth flinched away from her blade, planting both hands firmly behind his back on the counter to steady himself.
One of his hands sloshed straight into the pudding wrist-deep, but he dared not move.
"You have a choice here, Kirth. Consider your options very carefully."
Having heard the commotion, Ms. Beaumont filed back into the kitchen with Tomas and Sara, who let the door slam shut behind them. All three froze almost immediately at the sight of Mara holding Kirth at swordpoint.
Mara and Kirth did not take their eyes off of each other.
"P-pardon me?" asked Ms. Beaumont. "What in blazes is goin' on here? My pudding! What have you done?!"
"Ms. Beaumont," Mara murmured icily, "please go fetch Guard Captain Galway and the men. Tell them that Kirth here has been caught red-handed trying to poison this lovely dessert you and your staff prepared."
Wide-eyed glances were exchanged all around.
"I-I didn't. I would never."
Mara leered even closer and pressed the flat of her sword to the man's throat, drawing a whimper from him like a scared dog. "That is your choice, then?" she challenged. "You shall lie and feign innocence?"
Kirth's chin was tilted up at the ceiling, and he started to panic. "I-I-I... n-no, I... p-please Mara, I did not mean—"
"Oh? Carrying a glass vial with you, waiting for everyone to leave, strolling up to this dish here, uncapping it... this was all an accident? I will ask again: is that the story you're going with?"
     "It-it... it's not poison. It—"
     "Then what was in the vial, Kirth? Care to prove it?" Mara gestured with a nod of her head at the ruined dessert dish. "Have a taste."
The man cursed under his breath. "I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'll do anything."
"Too late, you blight." Mara turned to look at the others, still frozen in place and staring in awe at the spectacle before them. "Will one of you please hurry and go fetch the guards?" she hissed. "Tell Jasper immediately. Be discreet. Do not alarm Lady Arden's guests."
Tomas stepped forward. "I-I'll go." He turned to face Ms. Beaumont. "Ma'am?"
"Aye. Hurry."
The young man obediently ran for the stone steps leading upstairs to the first floor of the manor, and the remaining foursome heard the heavy basement door open and shut with his exit.
That was when Kirth made his move.
He launched a strong frontal kick into Mara's gut, hoping to knock her off balance at least long enough to get free of her blade's reach.
The woman grunted with the impact and fell back but one step. Her armor absorbed most of the kick, and Kirth was so frantic in his getaway that he did not see that his attack had been futile.
Mara's boot caught his shin, causing him to pitch forward in a heap. His face planted into the stone floor, knocking him out cold.
The guard was upon him immediately, sword angled down at the small of his back - but she realized quickly that he was unconscious. She was tempted to finish him off, but Mara sheathed her blade and shook her head in disapproval.
"Taffer," she spat.