The Raven & The Spider (CURRENTLY UNDERGOING HEAVY EDITING)

Chapter 16 - Not To Be Trusted

Your POV (Second Person):

"So, what d'you make of those newcomers then, Robin?" Asked Dagger cheerfully as he spun a knife in his hand.

You shrugged. "I guess they got talent, but I'm not sure if I trust them just yet."

"I know what ya mean." He mumbled as he threw one of his blades into a nearby barrel.

You turned to look at him in surprise. "What do you mean? Are you agreeing with me?" Finally, someone is using their brain. You thought. I thought for a moment that everyone but Beast and myself trusted these strangers.

"Yeah I guess so." He pondered as he grabbed another knife to play with. "I mean, they seem nice enough, but there's something about them I don't like."

You kicked your legs against the wooden crate you sat on. "Yeah, and what might that be?"

Dagger tapped his chin in thought before saying, "Well, firstly the older one, Black... he touched my lady's skin and then insulted her! And all Joker did was brush it off and invite him to join the circus. Sometimes I don't understand that man..."

You laughed then nodded your head in agreement. "Yeah, and what about the other one?"

"The boy?" Dagger stopped playing with his dagger and looked down at the ground. "Well, that Smile boy I definitely don't trust."

"Why?" You questioned. You wanted to know his reasoning for his distrust.

"His knife throwing." Dagger said simply.

"What?"

"It wasn't right." Continued Dagger. "I should know, being a professional knife thrower myself. Firstly, it didn't seem as if he'd make it in the first place. At least he shouldn't have. He wasn't even throwing them correctly. Secondly, the angle that the knives hit the target suggest that the knives weren't thrown straight. It's almost like some sort of invisible force was changing the path of the blades right before they went off track."

"That does make sense when I think about it." You muttered bluntly.  "I mean, it makes sense that it doesn't make sense. I noticed something off about his tightrope walking as well."

Dagger nodded quietly. "Doll said something about how no one should've been able to recover from a blunder like that. It's impossible, especially for a weak little kid like him..."

You became submerged in your thoughts as you wondered what made you distrust those strangers so. Let's see... You thought. First, there was that whole incident with Betty and Black. Then of course, what he did to Beast, then how he dodged her and Dagger's attacks. Then, the boy with the eyepatch appeared dressed as a commoner, when the night before he'd been a noble. Finally, there was Smile's audition which should've gone terribly...

You shook your head. None of it made sense. Maybe you were just being paranoid...

You snapped out of your thoughts when you heard a voice behind one of the tents. "'Maybe she's over here near the library.' Yes, I agree Wordsworth. That's very likely."

You watched as Snake rounded the corner from behind one of the tents and approached you. "'Oh, we found her!' Said Wilde. 'I was starting to become impatient.'"

You blinked. "Oh, hey Snake! Why were you all looking for me?"

He's expressionless face greeted you as he said, "Hello, Robin. It's good we found you near the tent housing all the books."

"Why's that?" You asked questionably.

"'Because you promised to read to us!'" Snake nodded. "Yes, that is correct, Keats. Robin did say she would read to us later."

"Oh, right." You remembered. You stood up from your crate and walked over to face the male and his reptiles. "Sorry, things were kind of busy earlier."

"'It's alright. As long as you keep your promise.' Said Emily."

You nodded. "Alright, let's go in the library and you can pick out a book."

_____

"The faintness of this voice was pitiable and dreadful. It was not the faintness of physical weakness, though confinement and hard fare no doubt had their part in it. It's deplorable peculiarity was, that it was the faintness of solitude and disguise. It was like the last feeble echo of a sound made long and long ago."

You continued reading as Snake looked up at you eagerly. "'This story is amazing.' Said Goethe. 'Quiet, Goethe! I want to hear more!' Said Webster."

You giggled slightly at the reptiles antics.

"Hush, all of you." Whispered Snake.

You were about to open your mouth to continue reading when you stopped, seeing a figure enter the tent.

It was Black.

He looked up at you and Snake and smiled as he walked in. "Oh do pardon me." Black began warmly. "I just came in to get a book to pass some time."

You looked back at Snake who showed no expression and simply shrugged. You decided to continue reading.

"So entirely had it lost the life and resonance of the human voice, that it affected the senses like a once beautiful color faded away into a poor weak stain. So sunken and suppressed it was, that it was like a voice underground. So expressive it was, of a hopeless and lost creature, that a famished traveler, wearied out by lonely wandering in a wilderness, would have remembered home and friends in such a tone before lying down to die."

"Excuse me, miss."

You turned towards Black who was standing a few feet away with a chosen book in hand. "So terribly sorry, but if you don't mind me asking, where did you learn to read?"

You were slightly taken aback at this man's strange question, but you answered nonetheless. "Jumbo taught me. One of the circus performers."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I'm glad he did. You do it so well after all. Not a trace of a stutter in your voice. In any case, thank you, I shall be going now."

Without another word, Black took his book and exited the tent, leaving you, Snake, and the eight reptiles alone again.

"Well that was strange." You admitted. You were silent for a moment before you turned to your company. "Snake, what do you make of the newcomers?"

"'They're terrible!' Said Donne. 'I think Black is dreamy though.' Said Emily." Snake paused as he thought about it. "I can't quite say, though I did see the tall one snooping around near the  main cast's tents the night he was bitten by Betty."

"You saw Black? When was this?"

"I believe it was right after he'd been examined by Doctor." Snake reported. "'Yeah, but I told him to back off!' Said Wilde. 'He was very suspicious.' Said Goethe."

"Hmm... alright. Thank you." You said as you thanked Snake and the reptiles for the information before continuing to read.

Now I'm more sure than ever that these two must not be trusted. You thought knowingly.