Aclidia Blues Part 4.5

A direct continuation from Part 4 due to a server crash. Here Sibyl finely confronts Abel about what he knows about the assassin after her.

Abel frowns and sighs. "I...was told. I...don't want to tell you who told me, but if you press, I'll tell..."

Sibyl narrows her golden eyes at Abel, her tail uncurles about her legs as she stands up to her full height which is not too much difference from Abel. "Abel. It IS important that you tell me. I need to know how you, the goody two shoe slave, found out that I have a hit on me. And then maybe I can use that info to work back to figuring out why Maffeo wants me dead...or better yet, find out who he has hired to do so. There are only so many assassins in the city."

Abel frowns, sighing. "I was told by a mutual friend, I'm sure you can figure out who..."

Sibyl rubs her scaly forehead, "Abel...for a slave you have a lot of friends...I very much doubt you have any who share drinks with /my/ friends. I'm a professional thief, remember? And you are a good two shoes slave." The lizard chuckles, "About the only other beast I have seen you around with as much moral grayness as me is..." The lizards jaws snap shut, her eyes open wide and she stares off into space. "Oh..."

Abel nods slowly. "Yes, oh... He doesn't want to do it, though. I might add that that envelope you delivered to him were the orders for your death. Maffeo essentially had you deliver your own death warrant."

Sibyl is starting to feel sick again. She sighs, "Maffeo does have a killer sense of irony. I'll give him that." She's never seen Maffeo order a hit before but, it certainly sounds like it would be in his personality to have someone deliver their own contract to a killer. "Did you say Albus doesn't want to kill me? Does that mean he isn't going to take the job?"

Abel nods. "But he is stuck. Maffeo has arranged it so that if Albus declines, things won't be good for him. He can't flat out refuse, but he also does not want to do it."

Sibyl ponders this, "So going to Albus directly might be a bad idea...did he...did he say who he talked with? Did he talk with Maffeo directly?" The lizard is starting to feel a little less enthusiastic about working for Maffeo these days. Not only did he have the lizard deliver her own death warrant, he is having one of her friends kill her. That is...pretty cold for Maffeo she must admit.

Abel says, "Albus is willing to help you fake your own death."

Sibyl narrows her eyes, "That's a pretty big leap of faith he's asking...how do I know he won't make it look too 'real'?" The lizard crosses her arms and looks away with a sigh, "I...I don't know what to do Abel. I can't go to any of my hiding spots, I can't go to any of my friends in the guild...and...and..." Sibyl shakes her head, "i'm not thinking too strait right now. I just need to take some time to get my barrings strait before I go plunging myself into a course of action." She turns to the squirrel, "Thank you for letting me stay Abel, I don't know how to repay you."

Abel nods. "No repayment is necessary. I have no way to accept any." He glances around, the says in a low voice. "Thank you for trying to help locate my sister."

Sibyl smacks her forehead, "GAH! I forgot about that. The messenger is in town but...i'm not sure exactly how I'm supposed to pick up the information if I can't show my face around town..."

Abel frowns. "That is a problem. I can't go out, either, I have no permission to, and after the fiasco with Imperator Gaius, I'm *never* doing that again."

Sibyl rubs the bridge of her snout, "And if we don't act fast the messenger is going to just take the info to Maffeo once he learns I'm black listed from the guild...maybe even destroy it." She looks up at the missing ear of the squirrel and shivers, "I made you a promise Abel...we need to find a way to get that info."

Abel nods. "You need to think of something...perhaps you could disguise me?"

Sibyl rubs the back of her neck, "It's not my specialty but, I know a few tips and tricks. What did you have in mind?"

Sibyl throws her head back and clutches at her tummy as she laughs, "You are few feasts short of fitting into his clothes." She wipes a tear from her eye, "I don't know how to make fur dye if you need it, but I know where to buy it." He rubs at her chin, "I suppose I can make you look like a noble beast if you want, any particular species you want to be?"

Abel shrugs. "Anything that has a fluffy tail like mine, since it will be a giveaway. What do you think? Also, how easy does the dye wash out?"

Sibyl shrugs as well, "Marten's have a fluffy tail...and vermin attract less attention as noble beasts." The lizard stretches and yawns, "Maybe some kind of paint would be better than dye. I'll let you figure out the details. In case you haven't noticed I've had a long, long day. Where were those guest rooms?"

Abel points to the stairs. "Up that way, ma'am. Follow me." He starts up the stairs.

"So what do nobles act like?" The lizard asks as she follows Abel up the stairs. Most of the mess is still being cleaned up by the staff but it looks like they have a handle on it. "People seem to always confuse me for a noble for some reason, and light knows I have robbed enough but I don't really know how to /act/ like one."

Abel nods, leading her down the hall toward the guest room. "Now, bear in mind, this is not nearly as lavish as Master's quarters." He stops before a door, and opens it. The room is quite large, with a four-poster bed, covered with silk sheets, and its own private lavatory. "Sleep well, ma'am." The squirrel shuts the door and departs to his room.