"Oh really?" Something about this guy just had Lance intrigued. Maybe it was the fact he could be a link to the gang of assassins Lance had been tracking down, but Lance was pretty sure that wasn't it. While he did fit the description Lance had been given on the mysterious painter Keith, he connection to the assassins wasn't it. It was something else. He just couldn't put a finger on what. Maybe a couple of questions would help him figure out what it was. "Care to explain?"

"Anyone can put a brush on a canvas and make a few lines." Keith looked down at the painting in his arms. A sad statement covered his face as he stared at it. "A real painter can make the canvas come to life. I'm not good enough to be considered a real painter yet."

"I'm sure you're just underestimating yourself."

Keith looked up at Lance. "No I'm just an amateur. The one who made this masterpiece was a true painter."

Lance looked down at the painting Keith was holding. It was pretty battered up and he could just barely make out the image on it. "I was wondering about that. It looks like it's been though hell."

"Not quite hell," Keith chuckled, "but yes it has been through a lot."

What was so funny? Well, whatever it was, at least it had gotten Keith to smile. He was kind of cute when he smiled. "Want to talk about it?"

Keith stopped laughing almost immediately. His eyes dropped back down to the ground. "No, it's just too personal." He glanced up at Lance. "What's with all the questions?"

Lance shrugged. Guess I went too far too fast, better back up a bit. "No real reason. I'm an inquisitive person by nature. I can't help asking people questions. Would you mind telling me why you came here? I mean, if it's no bother."

"I just wanted to get away for a while."

This was getting interesting. What would an assassin want to get away from? Especially one who was as hard to catch as this group was. "Away from what?"

Keith sighed and closed his eyes. "Just things, people, my life."

Sven stood staring out of the window in his study. He had run off hours ago and hadn't come back yet. It was upsetting his plans. Sven had worked long and hard to get to this point and wouldn't allow anything to stop him. "Where is he?"

Romelle stood watching Sven from the doorway. His concern for the slug was putting a damper in her plans. Sven's supposed to be mine! I won't let him get in the way of my plans. She drifted over to his side. "Who Sven, your little mouse?" She laid her head against Sven's shoulder. "He's probably hiding in a hole somewhere. Why do you care?"

Sven moved Romelle's head off of his shoulder. He turned to face her. "Stop hanging all over me. This is not your concern." He turned back to the window. "We have only a few days left before we move to the next stage. I'm expecting your report in three days Romelle. Understand?"

"Of course Sven. You'll have it by tomorrow." Romelle walked out of Sven's study, shutting the door quietly behind her. "You little rat. Even when you're not here you still get in my way." She smacked her fist into her thigh, turned and saw Pidge smirking at her.

"Aww, did the little slut get turned down?"

"Why don't you just shut up? You don't know anything."

Pidge rolled his eyes. "Well I do know your little plan is doomed to failure Romelle. Why don't you give it up?"

"Someone like you wouldn't understand. Why do I even bother?" Romelle swept past Pidge and stalked down the hallway.

Pidge watched her for a second and then turned back to the door. "I wonder the same thing myself sometimes." He took a deep breath and knocked on the door of Sven's study. He had his slightly falsified report ready to give to Sven. He opened the door after he heard Sven tell him to enter.

Sven stared out the window for a moment longer before he turned around. He looked a little surprised to see Pidge standing there. "Yes? You wanted something?"

I want you to pay for your crimes, but I can wait. Pidge cleared his throat and held out a folder. "I have my report finished." Now it's time to see if he'll believe this crap in here.

Sven held out a hand. "Let me see it."

Pidge handed the folder to him and waited. He watched silently as Sven flipped through the folder. Then Sven glanced up at him. This was the moment he had been waiting for and dreading. Would Sven believe the report?

Sven shut the folder and placed it on his desk. "Very good Pidge."

Pidge sighed silently in relief. Sven had fallen for it. "Thank you. I worked very hard on it."

Sven gave Pidge a small smile. "It shows. You can go now." He watched as Pidge left the room. As the door closed, his smile became a smirk. "He actually thinks I don't know he's a spy. I know far more about him than he thinks. I'm going to enjoy destroying him and the others."

Sven looked down at the folder on his desk. They even didn't this little exercise he had given them was a complete fake. The next stage in his revenge against the Alliance didn't involve his assassins. What he was planning next would bring the Alliance to its knees.

The front door opened slowly. Keith looked in, not seeing anyone, he stepped in and closed the door behind him. He leaned against the door breathed a sigh of relief and closed his eyes.

"So you finally decided to return."

Keith jumped and turned towards the voice. Romelle leaned, with her arms crossed over her chest, on the wall next to the door. He hadn't been able to see her when he had first looked in. "What are you doing here?"

Romelle uncrossed her arms and stepped closer. "Sven was looking for you. You are in big trouble." She stopped and tilted her head to the side. "What are you hiding behind your back?"

Keith took a step back. "N-nothing."

"Oh really?" Romelle looked over Keith's shoulder. "Now Sven I know you're a bit upset but I'm sure he has an explanation." When Keith turned around, she grabbed what he had been hiding behind his back. "Got it!"

"Romelle, give it back!"

"What this? It's just a little flower." Romelle waved it in the air. She continued to hold up the flower and smirked at Keith. "I mean there's nothing special about it, is there?"

Keith reached for the flower but Romelle pulled it out of his reach. "It's mine! Give it back!"

Romelle chuckled, keeping the flower away from Keith. "No, I think I'll keep it."

"That's enough you two!"

Romelle gasped and turned to face Sven. "I didn't see you there."

"You were a bit busy." Sven walked over to Romelle and plucked the flower out of her hand. He held it up and looked at Keith. "Such a little thing caused all this fuss. May I ask why?"

Keith eyes flicked nervously from the flower in Sven's hand to his face. Then he looked down at his feet before he spoke. "It's mine. I, I got it for you."

For once Sven actually looked surprised. "For me? How interesting." He looked at the flower closely. It was a rather unremarkable rose. It was past it's first bloom and the petals appeared to be on the verge of falling off. It sort of reminded Sven of him, in a weird kind of way.

Sven looked over at him. Keith stood there waiting nervously. He twirled the stem of the rose between his fingers. "It's very nice, but where shall I put it? I know exactly where it should go." He stepped closer to Keith. Then he tucked the rose behind Keith's ear. "There. Perfect. Red looks much better on you than me anyway."

"B-b-but Sven he-"

"Oh do be quiet Romelle." Sven began to walk out of the room. He paused and looked back at her. "And close your mouth, you look like a fish."

Allura was waiting for Lance at the door. "So where have you been? And what in the world is that in your hands?"

Lance looked down at the battered painting he was holding. "Just a little something someone asked for me to hold for them. Did you miss me?"

Allura rolled her eyes. "Oh please, get over yourself." She moved out of the doorway so Lance could come in. She followed him as he headed for the stairs. "Lotor wants to have another meeting about the assassins."

Lance paused on the stairs. "Well tell him I'll be there in a second. I just want to put this up."

"Whatever. Just hurry up."

Lance gave an exaggerated bow to Allura. "Yes your highness."

Allura's lips twitched as she tried not to smile. "Cute Lance. Real cute. I'll tell Lotor you're on your way."

Lance went upstairs to his room. He didn't quite understand what made him agree to hold the painting for Keith. It made no sense. Why would he do that?

"I don't understand it." Lance opened the door to his room and looked at the painting again. The paint was flaking off and the image barely visible. Why had he agreed to hold on to it? "Because it was important to him. I know he's guilty but he was so sad."

He shook his head to clear it. Lance knew what his mission was. It was to bring the assassins who had been plaguing the Alliance to justice. He couldn't let anything get in his way. I've worked too hard to get to this point to let myself get misguided now. "Too many people have suffered because of them. They have to be stopped."

Keith slipped in the door. "You wanted to talk to me?"

Sven smiled at Keith's reflection in the mirror. He now knew the identities of the people the Alliance had sent after him. His trump cards had finally gotten the information he wanted back to him. It was time to begin putting his plans in action. "Yes," he turned away from the mirror, "remember when you promised me you would do anything for me?"

"Yes, why do you ask?" The question surprised Keith. He had given Sven that promise years ago. Why was he bringing it up now?

"There's something I want you to do. Something I couldn't trust one of the others with. Something I could only trust you to do for me."

Keith stared at him. There was something Sven only trusted Keith to do? "What is it?"

Sven smiled. Now it was time to cast the bait and wait for the fish to come to the hook. Keith was going to be his bait. "One of my guests at the party," he paused running one hand over Keith's shoulders, "I want you to be nice to him."

Keith gulped nervously. "N-nice to him?"

Sven leaned close to Keith's ear. His arm was draped over Keith's shoulders. Sven pulled him close. "Very nice to him. You've seen Romelle at work haven't you? I want you to seduce him, bring him to his knees, make him love you."

"You want me to do that? Why not Romelle?"

"I don't trust her with something this important. I only trust you."

Sven only trusted him? Keith couldn't betray Sven's trust in him. He had never done anything like this before but for Sven he would do it. "Of course Sven. I'll do anything for you."

"You'll do fine, don't worry." Sven smiled to himself. It was so easy to control him. The little fool. Don't worry because either way you're going to die soon and I'll be rid of you.

Back to the Ashes Index