show them all you're not the ordinary type

[Darragh Kirkby]

Darragh hated court. Well, he liked a certain court far more than this one. This one was full of no good, snot nosed nobles who liked to stick their noses up at anyone who didn't hold a title. They all had sticks up their arses and from his experience, were in verbal pissing matches about who had more material items and the quality of it. What so and so's granddaughter was up to now, what someone's son had accomplished. It was a bragging cesspool of who was better. Oh, and the lies.

The moment he walked into the castle he felt the tell tale signs of that gut feeling that came along with hearing people tell their little fibs. Restraining himself from rolling his eyes loudly as he walked down the main corridor. Normally he would have to look a person in the eye to tell they were lying, but when you were boxed in and confined in a space where lies rolled off the tongue and were used as weapons in the game of political intrigue, he could just sense them. So far there was no gut punch, but he'd also come to the castle relatively late. Most people here were distracted by a small party being thrown by some nobles. Either an engagement party or a birthday party, he didn't care. It acted as a good distraction for why he was really there.  Darragh was making a beeline for the kitchen. Dressed in his best servant clothes, so he'd blend in. He had the night off thankfully, but Lady Hewitt always insisted on giving her servants the night off past supper time. No matter if there was still work to be done. It was one of the things he liked so much about her. Her willingness, and over all kindness to her servants, treating them like people and understanding they had lives outside of being in her employ. Not all nobles had sticks up their butts he's supposed. From what he could tell there were some decent ones.

Like Darragh for example, who was on his way to possibly kill someone. It wasn't just Lady Hewitt he worked for. His second, or was it his first life? Was to the Rogue Court. A thieves guild that had essentially taken him and his brother in, and provided them with the tools they needed to survive in a harsh world. Allowed them to make the extra money they needed to help their mother so she wasn't working herself into an early grave. There was payment to collect, and from what he'd learned, this particular thief had already had his first warning. "Pay up or we'll get physical." Course...they'd also been stealing from nobles. Which was a no no within the court for its members, but this idiot, as that's what Darragh thought him to be, was going to get offed either by the Rogue Court or the regular court. Whichever caught him first. Darragh only cared about making sure the guild got it's payment. 

From the information he was given, this particular thief was a kitchen worker, and it was the kitchen's Darragh was headed. He kept his head down for the most part. Having hopes of grabbing him outside the kitchen, and waggling the blade he had in his boot under his nose and using intimidation to get what he was after. He really didn't want to kill a person in the bloody castle. That would take a whole new plan. He was walking past the main room the party was being thrown in, deciding to stop quickly and snag an abandoned tray that'd been set just inside on a small table by the wall. There was a harp playing, and voices milling about. A few people dancing, in step to the music. He was bending in and around the door frame to grab the tray from the doorway when he felt the sucker punch. Ooof that was a doozy! He winced slightly. Though getting the feeling someone was lying was never a physical pain to him, that gut instinct that they were wrong  was enough to throw him off his groove for the moment. He was almost curious about what big lie had been told. Recomposing himself, he made himself walk in normally and towards the table. He picked the tray up, blending in almost immediately. Or, as close to immediately as he could given how tall he was. His eyes did a quick survey of the room, looking at servers and ensuring who he was looking for wasn't actually in there doing their job. Getting him out would be a large pain in the ass if he was serving... But luckily, he didn't see him.

He went to sneak back out of the room with the tray when his blue gaze caught someone, and he had to do a double take as he recognized a familiar face. A crooked grin appeared on his face. How curious, it was strange to see this side of Katherine Montjoy compared to what he actually knew of her. If she spotted him, she'd certainly know he wasn't at the castle for his day job, as his lady was not invited to this party. His grin would fade, returning to a blank expression most servants had during these sorts of things, though there was mirth and mischief in his eyes, before he'd wink at her and make his way towards the door. 

[Katherine Montjoy]

Another engagement party. Another frivolous event with no expense spared to celebrate another pretty young thing being married off into a life of more frivolous events such as this one. Kate did not know how these women managed it, having nights such as this one being the highlight of their week. Tedious conversation and tedious company, seemingly endless. Kate was counting down the minutes until she could leave, until she could slip out of the dress and wiggle out of the corset which she already knew was leaving impressions in her skin. Her mind wandered as she flitted across the crowded room with wine-glass in hand. It wandered to thoughts of her bed, the fresh sheets she knew would be waiting for her, the lavender oil her lady in waiting would have sprinkled onto the pillow, and the deep sleep she had every intention of slipping into as soon as she was able. Whilst evenings such as this were the low point of her day, at least they were followed by a night’s rest. Little victories.

    Despite the boredom, despite the disinterest, despite the daydreaming: Kate wore a dazzling smile and a soft look in her eyes as she greeted old acquaintances and exchanged pleasantries with new ones. It was the same formula each and every time. Greetings, questions after mutual friends, compliments to how handsome the young couple were, compliments as to how they looked, over and over again. And again. And again. Just when she thought nothing could make this evening even remotely interesting- Kate caught a glimpse of familiar blue eyes across the room. Darragh Kirkby . Now that was interesting. Lady Hewitt wasn’t in attendance, which meant her servant was here without her. Which meant that he was here on other business.

    His wink earned little more than the slightest roll of her eyes, and if Darragh had not been paying close attention to her then he may have just missed it. For now, Kate let him slip away towards the door unpursued. ”Excuse me.” She said lightly to the man she had been talking to, a silk merchant- new money. A gloved hand gently fanned her face, as though she was suddenly too warm despite. ”I’m feeling a little flush, too much wine perhaps.” The laughter that fell from her lips then was tinkling, like a silver bell- and though it was forced, it did not seem even remotely so. ”Would you pardon me? I need some air- I would ask you to accompany me, but we wouldn’t want people to talk now would we? Have you met Lady Dauphin?” Gesturing to a young woman to her left, Katherine made short introductions, ”I’m sure she would be fascinated to hear of the new dyes you have acquired, but please, excuse me.”

    Bowing her head, Kate excused herself and slipped towards the door- following Darragh. Even in heels, the woman caught up to him without much effort, setting her wine glass down on the tray he carried. ”I would ask what you are doing here, but something tells me I don’t want to know.” That was true, though the curiosity was there- something was telling her she would not like the answer. ”I would lose my plausible deniability.” Arms folded across her chest, weight rocking onto one hip as she raised her brows at the man who had crashed a perfectly boring party. Really, she should have been thanking him.

[Darragh Kirkby]

Darragh was actually a bit surprised to see Kate there. If the court had known she'd be at the castle and attending this party, why hadn't they made her do it. Why send him if there was another Rook near by that could easily do the exact same thing he was going to do. Unless it was the fact she was going to be there and oh yeah...castle. She'd draw more attention. Darragh could blend in. Well...at least he'd have back up if he needed it. He hoped that wouldn't be the case, but he never knew. You never knew what you were dealing with until it was right in front of you.

His strides were relatively slow, trying not to look like he was in hurry as that would draw too much attention, and walking too slow would draw attention as well. He heard the sound of heals on the marbled floors behind him. They caught up with him rather quickly, and he glanced to the side as the wine glass was placed on the tray. His eyes flickered over to see Kate had followed him. He shouldn't have been surprised about that, but he was. Didn't she have a party to be at? Wouldn't someone miss her? He stopped, his head slowly looking down the hallway behind them and in front. To ensure they were alone, before his blue gaze flicked to her face, and then gave her a quick look over. 

He had to remind himself she was a noble. A lovely looking one as well. She looked...softer in this environment then their other playground. His small smirk was back as she crossed her arms over her chest, and he stood a bit taller. Proper posture and what not, as that was expected of you while you waited on others all day. He held the tray expertly, but his other hand went into his trouser pocket, making him look a bit more relaxed then he should be. "I'm working, Lady Katherine. Simple as that." He said, straightening up a bit as if that was all she would need to know. It was work. Just not the day job work. They were in public, and in a place where social class was especially noticed and taken into consideration. Where they might have been able to fall into less formal talk and be on even playing fields at the Rogue court, here...Kate was Lady Katherine Montjoy, and Darragh was simply a servant.  They'd have to be careful.

His eyes flickered down the hall again, as the smirk faded away slightly, and his brows furrowed. "I'm surprised you're not working, if you were already going to be here." He said under his breath just loud enough for her to hear before he nodded towards where the party was. "There's a bent fork in with the cutlery that needs to be bent back to it's original shape or...thrown out." He  informed her, his crooked grin returning almost immediately. "Plausible deniability saved My Lady." He said softly as he gave her a slight bow.  Anyone walking by would just hopefully just assume they were talking about him doing his work. They just wouldn't understand the hidden meaning behind his words. He straightened up, adjusting his vest as his eyes flickered back to where the party was. "Did you need something?" He asked before his eyes went back down to hers. 

[Katherine Montjoy]

The thought that she might be followed, or that they might be disturbed, had crossed her mind. But she dismissed it without a following thought. Confidence could be dangerous, but only when it was misplaced- and it was not often Kate found she had misplaced her confidence. So, here, alone with a servant (for Darragh was a servant, granted, he had other roles and titles, but servant was still one of them), she was still able to relax and allow a smirk to form upon her painted lips. The Katherine she was at court was soft, she was weak. Even though she knew Darragh knew it to be little more than an act, she had her roles as much as he had his, it was not needed now. And so, the act was dropped. The mask was as easy to take off as it was to wear, and if she hadn’t been born to nobility then perhaps Kate would have found work as an actress. Not that it mattered now.

    What mattered now was that there was another member of the court, at a party he certainly hadn’t been invited to, skulking around like he had a job to do. A job she had not been informed of. That, that Kate didn’t like. She did not like it at all. Whoever had sent him here must have known she would already be in attendance; it was just courteous to inform her that a job would be taking place. Polite. Manners meant something after all, even amongst thieves such as them. So there were two possibilities: the first was that they had known, and therefore ignored her, making them rude; the second was that they had not known, and not taken her into account at all, making them stupid.
And Katherine Montjoy did not know which was the worst of the two.

    ”Lady Montjoy, let’s not get too familiar now.” The woman said, her voice brisk. Just because she was confident that they would not be disturbed, not just yet at least, it did not mean there wasn’t fun to be had reminding the other Rook just who she was. In this court, the one above ground- she had a few cards she could play that he could barely dream of. The wilted flower, her family name, her standing, her reputation- all tools in her arsenal that she could and would use without a second thought. ”Now, Darragh, you know I don’t like to dirty my hands- why would I be working?”. Voice dripping like honey, the lady quirked one brow at him as though challenging him to answer her. ”And this fork? Did you find it yourself? Or are you lost, little lamb?” Kate knew nothing about what was going on, and every second that passed without her finding out put her at a disadvantage- a position she did not wish to remain in longer than necessary.

    ”Hmm?” A hum came from her when the man asked if she wanted something, she wanted many things- that was true. From him however? All she wanted was information, and perhaps the promise that this evening was about to get a lot more interesting. ”I suppose watching you flounder around looking for a fork might be more interesting that polite chit chat… though why you had to look misshapen forks in the middle of a party is beyond me.”

[Darragh Kirkby]

Darragh's jaw clenched slightly as she corrected him on his use of title. "Of course, my apologies, Lady Montjoy." It wasn't often Darragh forgot himself, but it did happen. Especially with those he'd knew in the other court, where they were on level playing fields. In this  court, he was a servant and nothing more. There was a brief flicker of a playful glare at her. He couldn't help but chuckle lowly then, his eyes darting around as that crooked grin appeared on his face once more. She was a sassy one that was for sure. It was one of the things he admired about her if he was being honest. She didn't have to lift a finger to give someone a verbal beating that would have the same effect as a physical blow. 

His blue eyes narrowed a fraction. "Mmm yes, Seem's I forgot again. You aren't working. Which is why I'm here. To do the dirty work." He arched an eyebrow back at her. His face shifting to curiosity once more as to why Kate hadn't been given the job if they knew she'd be here. And the fact she seemed to not know about it made him uneasy. Someone was going to get an ear full later and it wasn't going to be him. He was merely here to collect and possibly deal with a body. "Still, you could probably do it without lifting one of those pretty little fingers of your's." He remarked quietly. Eyeing her curiously. She could be rather persuasive when she wanted to be if he remembered right. 

Darragh fought the urge to roll his eyes at her, and a small huff of laughter came from his nose. Were they in the underground he would have laughed and told her she'd probably enjoy watching him flounder if he was capable of it. He took great pride in his ability to get a job done. He knew what was at stake and knew perfectly well sometimes you had to dirty your hands for the court. "To be lost, you have to not know where you are or what you're looking for." He said coyly, looking down at her. The corner of his lips twitched, threatening to curl up into a shit eating grin, but he refrained. "I know exactly where I am and where I'm going. I'm on my way to the misshapen fork right now. I only stopped to make sure it hadn't walked off and gone where it wasn't supposed to be." He nodded back towards the party."If you want to supervise the handling of the cutlery, then I highly suggest we go now. However I must warn you Lady Montjoy, it might get very messy." Darragh fixed her with a look to indicate the job was going to go one or two ways. If she wanted to tag along she would need to know what she might get into. Time was a ticking and he didn't want to give the thief a chance to slip out. He could be flighty, and Darragh hated tracking people down. He would much rather just throw punches and call it a day. 

"If not....Enjoy your party." He said quietly with a smile at her, giving her dip of his head in farewell, before he was turning on his heal, and staring to walk away. He didn't have time to wait, if she decided to come she could catch up. From what he'd seen she'd have no issue keeping up with his long strides. 

[Katherine Montjoy]

”Oh that’s quite alright, I won’t tell.” She said lightly, painted lips forming a devilish smile as she looked across at him. That playful glare did not go unnoticed and he wore that grin well- though the Rook could not help but want to wipe it off him just a little. Already Kate was almost glad for this little intrusion in the form of Darragh Kirkby. Granted, she did not appreciate being kept out of the loop, unaware of whatever games were at play here, the reason for Darragh’s presence being unknown to her- no, that the lady did not like in the slightest. Not that she would give Darragh any indication of that if she could help it. The smile did not falter as her mind ticked away, imagining why Darragh may have been sent and why she was not informed. She could do some digging later, find out just what was going on- for now, she would tag along if the other Rook would permit it. Or tag along from a distance if he would not.

    You aren't working.

    That’s right, she wasn’t. And Kate did not know why. But she would have been a terrible member of the Rogue Court if she couldn’t keep her thoughts from her features, and though Kate was seething- her face remained impassive, still shooting Darragh a sweet smile as though everything was under control. Someone would be getting an earful, quite possibly even more than that. But not just yet. She thought of her own grammyre, the gift that had served her well since she was a little girl. Kate had been fascinated by grammyre all her life, she had countless books on the subject, and yet she still did not fully understand it… even full grasp of her own abilities escaped her. But they were useful, if only Darragh knew just how useful they could be. ”Quite right, so why they sent you I wouldn't know.” The woman said, knowing better than to lie to him as she rolled her eyes. Sure, Kate could plant the thought and hope for the best, or give them a fright, but nothing was certain with dreams. It was just as likely that this particular fork could have woken up and remembered nothing as woken up with the fear of all the gods in them. ”That being said, I have no intention of lifting a finger tonight- clearly someone thought you didn’t need my help.” There was a slight bitterness to her words, but the smirk held fast, ”I’m just here to watch you prove them wrong.”

    He may not have rolled his eyes, but that small huff of laughter made Kate think she may have just caught a nerve there. Excellent. Kate may have reached her position through enterprise, through pulling strings and working behind the scenes- keeping to the shadows even amongst the Rogue Court. Darragh it seemed was a little more hands on, considering he had come tonight instead of sending a Pawn. ”Well, I saw no fork in the ballroom, and there doesn’t seem to be a fork here- at least not a misshapen one- which would lead me to suggest you are floundering.” Kate’s voice was sweet past the point of cloying, as though she was talking to a child rather than a fully grown man. ”But- though you insist you know what you’re doing and where you’re going, I think supervision would be wise. Wouldn’t want you making a mess and ruining a perfectly dull party.”

    With that she followed him, heels clicking with each long stride.

    Kate did not say a word as she stalked a few paces behind the man, brown eyes boring into that tousled mass of light brown hair. Why was here? And more importantly, why had no one thought to tell her, they would have known she would be here… or at least assumed there was a chance she would be. This did not bode well at all. The Rogue Court may have dealt in secrets, but it was unusual they were kept from each other. This whole situation sat uneasily in the pit of her stomach. But, she kept her silence as Darragh led them to this fork of his.

[Darragh Kirkby]

Katherine Montjoy was going to be a thorn in his side. Darragh quickly realized as they made their way down the hallway. He knew she was poking at him, prodding him with her social station, but also with that confidence of hers. Normally confidence on a woman was attractive, but he'd be lying if he didn't say he was a bit annoyed he thought she doubted his abilities. He'd been in the rogue court since he was a child, and her? How long had she been a member? She no doubt had talent with how quickly she'd climbed the ranks, but still. He was capable, he wasn't going to flounder. Maybe he was just getting touchy that she might have saw him as a servant still and rather as an equal. It was stupid honestly, he knew they were equals in one court but the fact they weren't outside of it bothered him more then it should. He was but a humbled servant....And always would be.

"No, I would hate to ruin a party." He agreed maybe a bit too dryly. He listened to the consisted click of her heals as they made their way down the marbled corridor. Darragh's face had become blank, though his eyes were carefully observing the corridor head of them. He staid relatively quiet, easily slipping into that unseen servant mode where you forgot someone was even there. A few moment later he was turning down another corridor, his steps getting quicker as he could begin to smell the kitchens and the aroma of whatever was being made inside it. He could see a few servants coming and going, some looked to be done for the evening, and others looked to be working as they came from the entry way. Carrying their trays of empty dishes, or leaving with their trays full the little finger foods they had been serving at the party. Multiple started to pass him, and he couldn't help but clench his jaw. This would have been easier if Kate was dressed as a maid or something. Something to blend in with easier as they approached the kitchens as it was, he was going to have to think fast on explaining why she was following him to the kitchens. He was already getting curious glances, when the idea struck him. 

He put a sour look on his face as they neared the entry way. "Honestly My lady, I promise you there was not a hair,  in that cucumber sandwich, but if you insist, on speaking with the cook, then I'm sure he can put your concerns to rest, and he'll apologize profusely." Darragh spoke loud enough that those walking by would be able to hear him, and they got several surprised looks. He stopped right outside the entry way to the kitchens, hearing the frantic chatter of the kitchen staff from within. He gestured towards the entry way with a outstretched hand, indicating she could go first. An annoyed expression on his face as he quickly slipped into his role. He knew her to be a good actress, but he was curious to know how she'd feel about co-starring in her next lead role. We'll see who's floundering tonight... 

It was show time. 

[Katherine Montjoy]

He was a puppet on a string, and Kate so loved to watch him dance as she played along with the little game. Inside she may have been seething, the knowledge that she had been left out of such a game not so much beneath her roof but her very nose- outside she was still smiling sweetly, as though this really was an evening game of whist or charades. Nothing to lose, nothing to gain.

It was a risk to follow him like this, to slink through the corridors after a servant when she was expected at a party that seemed even more than a thousand miles away. But the thrill trilled the blood in her veins and brought her to life. The Rogue Court had merely meant tot be a means of protecting her brother, the twin who lacked a shred of common sense… instead it had been a home, a place to thrive. Games to play, games of wits- though Kate didn’t worry about the opponent she traced through the servants corridors. Darragh was a kitten as far as the brunette was concerned.

A kitten that had either made or ruined her evening- and Kate was curious to find out- which was partly, mostly, why she stalked after him without comment or compliment. Silent until he began the act. Cucumber sandwiches, if he’d have known her at all he could have picked something worth complaining about… Alas now was not the time to comment.

””Then pray tell good sir, what was it? A figment of my imagination? Some poor woman’s fancy? My father will hear of this… I promise you.” The noblewoman said, carrying herself with all the grace and decorum of her position regardless of which busybodies may be listening. ”Oh I’m sure he will apologise- what else can he do?” She smirked then, a glint of light behind her eyes.

[Darragh Kirkby]

Cue the eyeroll, and the quiet muttering of a man who had clearly been listening to a woman berate him about cucumber sandwiches for quite sometimes. "Yes, I'm sure he will Mi'Lady, so sorry for the inconvenience." He went on to say for the "hundredth" time. He followed her down the small hallway before the palace kitchen's opened up to show their sheer size. People were milling about frantically like the little worker bee's they were. Ensuring that the party was not only taken care off, but the residents of the palace as well. 

Darragh took a brief moment to scan for the chef, who honestly was not that hard to spot. He was a fairly large man, though also incredibly short, who clearly prided himself on not only his curled handlebar mustache, but his protruding belly. He was currently yelling at someone about the sauce, demanding more salt, and asking if the saucier had even bothered to spice it. Darragh hated to be that guy... 

His bright blues scanned the area once more, noting some people had taken note there was now a noble woman in the kitchen, and Darragh wasn't going to be able to stand there much longer or else he really would flounder. "Chef!" He called, not knowing the man's actual name, but he knew he probably went by his title or some variation of it. He was the man in charge here. The man bristled and turned to glare beaty eyes at Darragh, and then at Kate, before he straightened a bit, realizing he was in the presence of a noble lady. "Yes? What is it?" He asked. Darragh planted a forced smile on his face as he looked down at the much shorter man. "Our lovely Lady Montjoy, has found a hair in her cucumber sandwich. She insist there was one, even though I told her multiple times that a chef of your esteem would never let such a crime take place in your kitchen, let alone slip out of here and into Lady Montjoy's cucumber sandwich." Darragh explained to the man what the situation was, and he could see a vein twitch on the man's forehead. He ignored the sick feeling in his stomach as the simple lie flew from his lips as he made up the fib. Darragh could practically feel the rage coming of the man. "Did she now?" His voice was taking on a high octave as he fixed his eyes on Kate. His smile had been just as forced as Darragh's had been. "Her father is going to hear about this." He leaned in and whispered, with a grimacing frown. The Chef began to chuckle lowly then. He wasn't sure if it reminded him of a mad man or a man that was clearly on his last stressed nerve. Probably both...

"Of course he is..." He whispered to Darragh as he smiled even wider at Kate. "My Lady, I am so sorry that happened to you, I assure you this rarely happens." The Chef proceeded to begin his apology to Kate. Darragh took that moment then to let his eyes scan the kitchen for their little fork. His eyes darted around, looking at faces of the servants coming and going and the staff. Keeping an ear on the current conversation as best he could. He felt a sharp pang in his gut suddenly, and he felt nauseas. He glanced down at the chef and glared at him for a brief second, having heard whatever lie he'd just told Kate.  

[Katherine Montjoy]

Kate had never been spoiled, at least not for the firstborn daughter of a nobleman, but did she know how to act it. And that was what she did now, as she furrowed her brows and pretended she had just suffered the greatest indignation of her life. ”Inconvenience?” Kate echoed incredulously, rolling her eyes for good measure. ”Inconvenience? What if this chef in question had lice? What then?” Okay, perhaps she was overplaying it just a little, but at least she was having fun.

The kitchens were hot. Almost unbearably so. It was going to ruin her hair. Kate allowed her gaze to leave Darragh for a moment and wander across the chaos, here and there people rushed around trying to keep everything running. After all, there were many mouths to feed and even play-acting Kate was far from the most demanding of those. Slender arms folded themselves across her chest as she pretended to wait impatiently for Darragh to attract the attention of the chef- a rather large man with a frankly ridiculous mustache. Really, it was a wonder he didn’t singe it.

Eventually he did come over, straightening himself and attempting to gain a few extra inches on his short stature. It was comical really, the games they all played and the acts they put on. The chef attempting to appear more dignified, Kate playing a spoilt noble, Darragh a servant. Layers upon layers, masks upon masks. It was almost impossible to tell who anyone truly was amidst it all. An eyebrow shot upwards as the two men leaned forward for their conspiratorial whispers, even if it was an act on Darragh’s part- Kate felt an unease settle deep in her stomach. She did so hate being out of the loop. Luckily the frown on her face could easily be attributed to her disgruntled noble act.


”Sorry?” She echoed back, her voice stern and yet somehow shrill- carrying across the whole kitchen above the din. The woman noticed several cooks from the corner of her eye set down their pots and pans to observe the scene about to unfold before them. ”Rarely?” Voice louder now, arms still laced over her chest as she looked down at the chef with a withering glare. ”Well that simply is not good enough.”

She watched the man wilt somewhat, smile faltering for a moment. Darragh may have said her father would hear about this, but next to @kate, Earl Montjoy was a puppy. ”It shouldn’t be happening at all, and you’re only lucky I haven’t spoken to your mistress about this… in a sandwich of all things. What kind of chef can’t prepare a sandwich? Surely it’s so simple that they don’t even feel the need to teach it in whatever school you attended?”

The smile had gone from his face now, clearly not used to being spoken to in this manner- and by a woman no less. Those dark eyes of hers were too busy watching the colour drain from the chef’s face to glance around and see what Darragh Kirkby was getting up to.

[Darragh Kirkby]

“I assure you my lady, I can make a sandwich. It must have been one of the other servants, I assure you it won’t happen again.” The chef told Kate. He was clearly nearing the end of his rope, having already been in a mood before Darragh and her had even entered. Kate was merely the icing on top of the cake.

Darragh’s blues did one more scan of the kitchen, worry starting to set in that he hadn’t seen their target yet. His intel had specifically told him he worked in the kitchens at the castle, and given that it was all hands on deck for the party taking place, he expected him to be here. Had he just missed him by chance? Walked by him without knowing? No, Darragh was sharper then that. He took his work seriously despite his otherwise laid back demeanor.

By some miracle he heard someone struggling with one of the side doors, and out of pure habit (he blamed it on being raised to be a practical servant) He quietly slipped away while the chef decided to appease Kate by asking her if there was anything he could do to amend things. Something about a cake or a tart, Darragh didn’t hear the rest. Gripping the handle of the side door, Darragh tugged it open, as someone stumbled in with several bags of flower, that obscured their vision. “Ah, thanks mate, really ‘preciate it.” The man carrying the flower muttered as Darragh held the door. He looked at him, and then did a double take before a small smirk appeared on his face. “Not a problem.” Darragh deepened his voice to make it a bit unrecognizable, and shut the door. Thankful that the man they wanted hadn’t seen his face.

Now that he had him, he had to get him away from everyone else… Lucky for him, it seemed he was bringing in more supplies.

Darragh clasped his hands behind his back and took a large step back towards Kate and the Chef. “If everything is settled here, Lady Montjoy I’ll kindly escort you back to the party.” Darragh flashed Kate a bright grin, gesturing with a hand towards the way they’d come. He slightly inclined his head at the scrawny thin man behind him that was stacking the flower sacks. “I’ve got more dirty cutlery and things to retrieve, it’s no issue.” He glanced down at the chef who had a vein practically bursting on his forehead. “Thanks again Chef, I’m sure you’ll do everything in your power so our little mishap won’t happen again.” Darragh clapped the back on the back with a hard thump, and then was moving towards the exit.

If Kate followed him, the moment they were back out of the kitchen, Darragh did a hard left. His demeanor instantly changed. “He’s there, we’ll have to nab him outside while he’s bringing supplies in, we need to hurry.” He said in a rushed low voice, as he headed towards a route that would take them to a courtyard. They’d have to cut across it and through another hallway before they’d reach the outside of the kitchens, and then they’d have to time it in time to nab their little fork before they got spotted.

[Katherine Montjoy]

Really? Who kicked up this much of a stink over a hair in a sandwich? Nobles could be picky, but it was easy enough to just put the sandwich down and pick up another (hopefully hairless) one. Still, Kate was having a lot of fun pretending she was upset over a sandwich she hadn’t even seen let alone sampled. For a moment, she wondered if she could make the vein that was bulging in his forehead actually pop. That would certainly make this all even more interesting. The woman barely heard him as she tried shifting the blame to his subordinates. That truly was a sign of a weak and pathetic man, and quite possibly why she was enjoying berating him so. ”See that it doesn’t happen again.” Kate said firmly, the hint that there would be consequences barely concealed.

Brown eyes quickly darted after Darragh, hoping he was having at least some luck in seeking the man they were after. Well, the man he was after, Kate was just tagging along for the fun of it. Either way, she couldn’t keep up this distraction forever. Kate was quickly running out of steam, starting to look more and more ridiculous in her complaints- servants still had tongues, and if word of this spread too far Kate worried her carefully crafted reputation might suffer.

Even though Kate felt the relief flood through her when Darragh reappeared, her expression didn’t falter and no recognition flashed in her eyes. Instead she continued the charade. ”Thank you.” She said with a pained roll of her eyes. ”At least someone seems to know how to do their job properly.” One last pointed remark was thrown towards the chef, and she ‘allowed’ Darragh to escort her out of the kitchen. Barely a step behind him, Kate veered left as he did. Whilst it had been fun chiding him earlier, something in the woman shifted now they were working to a tighter deadline. She nodded her understanding, jaw tight and a resolved look on her features as she followed soundlessly behind the other member of the Court. Granted, she would have preferred to lead, but Darragh had been sent on this task for a reason- so for now she let him take the lead.

Even in a gown and court shoes, Kate barely made a sound as they hurried through the hallway. They hadn’t discussed exactly how they were going to catch this stray piece of cutlery, but she assumed it was pretty clear that she had no intentions of getting her hands dirty unless he managed to fail spectacularly. So, she hung back a step or two, but it was difficult to contain the delight she felt with the thrill of the chase at hand.

It seemed they had a second or two to spare, and Kate looked at Darragh as if to say: ’Well, genius, now what?

[Darragh Kirkby]

Darragh was focused on moving down the hall, even though his legs ached to run down it. The castle was still crawling with people and it was possible they could get spotted. The door they needed to the courtyard was coming up on his left. “Hope you can run in those heels…” He murmured quietly under his breath. Taking a split second to glance down at Kate. A small smirk crossed his face as he arched a slight brow in challenge.

Hand grabbing the knob he yanked the door open, allowing Kate to go through first before he glanced both ways in the hallway to check that they weren’t seen, and then hurried on after her. The thud of the door closing sounded behind before he let his legs take their longer strides, His pace quickening to a light jog as he ran across the courtyard. Keeping his eyes out for anyone nearby. Almost there…. He thought as he could see the covered, outside hallway in front of them. The roof of the kitchens was beyond it. He checked to see where Kate was, before he slowed his pace back to a fast walk. His boots sounded lightly on the cobblestones.

They were nearly through the hallway and on the home stretch when the door at the end of it, leading into the castle started to creak open. Darragh’s eyes went wide, and on instinct, he quickly grabbed Kate’s hand, and would all but drag her into the nearest alcove, hiding them both in the shadows. He’d placed his hands on her hips, lightly pushing her against the wall, while his breath came out slightly labored. He was too busy listening to the footsteps of the couple that came through the door to realize he’d crammed them into a tight space. He lifted a finger to his lips, looking down at her to indicate quiet before his stared intently at the stone above her head, listening carefully.

[Katherine Montjoy]

”Faster than you can without them, I assure you.” Kate scoffed, her voice low- matching his volume. This might have been more interesting that the party he had rescued her from, but Kate couldn’t deny that the man could (and it seemed, would) be irritating when he wanted to be. Still, despite knowing better, Katherine Montjoy rose to the challenge- wanting to wipe the smirk from his lips.

She dashed across the courtyard, heels clacking a little louder than she would have liked- but at least she had proven that she could ’run in those heels’, and just as fast as Darragh Kirkby could at that. She knew the route, Kate had been there countless times before. Not once did she turn to see if the man was behind her, Kate didn’t wholly trust him but this was his assignment- she doubted he would skip out on her now, and besides: the woman could hear the light steps behind her.

Eyes went wide and an indignant gasp escaped her as Kate was practically dragged into an alcove. Katherine Montjoy was not an easy woman to take by surprise, and yet, Darragh had managed it. Opening her mouth to speak, the woman was silenced by the way he rose a finger to his lips. Resigned to silence, the woman simply rolled her eyes. Their dash across the courtyard had been strenuous enough to make her breathing laboured, chest rising and falling as she slowly tried to quietly regain her breath.

Whist the man listened, his eyes looking straight over her at what Kate would describe as a very uninteresting piece of stone: she instead watched him. Darragh might have been annoying, but even she couldn’t deny he had a rakish charm about him. And, pressed into the alcove that would hardly fit one comfortably- let alone two- Kate could feel every inch of him- which meant he could feel her.

And he was staring at the wall? Rude.

She listened for the footsteps, heard them pass and grow faint before softly clearing her throat- gaze rising up to meet his, one eyebrow quirked in challenge. ”If this has all been some elaborate ruse to get me in a dark corner- I’m going to be very disappointed. Shall we?”

[Darragh Kirkby]

He was either very good at separating work with pleasure, or was an unobservant bafoon. The jury was still out on which Darragh Kirkby was, or maybe his writer just wanted to see him flounder. Only the future could tell…

He stood there, listening to the footsteps, trying to catch his breath while holding still. The slightest peep and they could get found, and then he really would have put Katherine Montjoy in a dilemma that she’d a hundred percent skin him for.

It was slowly beginning to dawn on him that the alcove might not have been the best idea, but he’d panicked. They could have surely pulled off the act of a Lady and her man servant, but it hadn’t crossed Darragh’s mind at the time. Now, he had forced his tall, broad frame into a tight space and he was forced to hunch over Kate a bit. He could certainly feel his body pressed against hers. It was soft and feminine and he realized for a brief moment she wasn’t like most girls with their stick figure frames and over all dainty, fragile physics. From what he could feel, Katherine Montjoy had some curves to her.

Right, think of the fork, Darragh. Or else Xilas will skin you. And Kate won't skin you either. Maybe... He reminded himself. Only once the couple passed and they were in the clear did he glance down. Seeing Part of Kates face outlined in shadow with a bit of rim lighting as she cleared her throat. Ah yes, the woman was nicely tucked up against him and she clearly realized it too. Any other time he might have made a rather bold comment about it being rather cozy with the two of them like this, but now was not the time.

His mouth quirked up into a smirk as he glanced down at her, unable to help himself. “If I wanted you in a dark corner, Kate, it wouldn’t be here.” He told her simply. “Besides,” he leaned out of the alcove a bit to check to make sure the coast was clear, before looking back down at her. His smirk only turning more mischievous. “Something tells me no one puts Katherine Montjoy in a corner.” He said clearly amused as he’d done just that. He slipped out of the alcove then, glancing over his shoulder down the hallway before he was back on task.

Find the fork. He resumed his long strides before he was able to leave the hallway, and then made a beeline towards the kitchens. There were a few crates, sacks and barrels stacked out by the door, clearly the supplies that had to be carried inside. He hunkered down behind a barrel, glancing over at Kate, just as the out side door was opened. It banged shut behind the person and, and Darragh carefully peaked up from his hiding place. Fixing his blue eyes on the person.

They’d found their misplaced fork.