Playing for the Highest Stakes (Me and Quinn)

[Yare]

'What gave you the idea you were coming with me?' Leez said through gritted teeth.

[Quinn]

He seemed to stop briefly, tilting his head as if in contemplation.

"Mm...boredom, mostly. And you haven't apologized for running into me yet, so there is that. And you're going along the road I was walking on."

[Yare]

'In the opposite direction,' Leez said irritably, 'and you played an equal part in bumping into me.'

[Quinn]

Quinn waved his hand dismissively, turning the horse he'd mounted around to face the direction she was starting down.

"Semantics. Besides, you're the leading lady here, right? And that means the interesting story follows you."

He kicked his horse in the flanks, walking it up to beside her and looked down with a grin.

"So where are we going?"

[Yare]

'I am getting out of here,' Leez said, adjusting her horse's stirrup and moving off at a brisk trot. 'It's up to you where you're going.'

[Quinn]

"Excellent, then it just so happens we're riding in the same direction."

He followed behind at a similar trot, eyeing his leg briefly then shrugged as his horse's hooves deliberately stepped on one of the dead guardsmen.

"Rather rude and uncivilized brigands. When robbing someone, you must act with far more dignity. And eloquence. There are rules for this sort of thing, you know."

[Yare]

'Oh really,' Leez said dryly. 'And what exactly are those rules?'

[Quinn]

He ticked them off on his fingers as he rode along beside her.

"Be polite, be efficient, only rob those who can afford it, never steal from a woman (except for a kiss), and never be so crude as to threaten death. Honestly, wealthy individuals are far more likely to give up their goods if they're conversing with someone on their intellectual level."

Quinn stopped talking briefly, then tilted his head in contemplation.

"Though not to put too fine a point on it, but you don't really fit the bill there. I do hope those fine individuals back there weren't attempting to steal anything they really shouldnt've, or I'll feel a mite irked I didn't make their deaths slower."

[Yare]

'Seeing as stealing is against the law, I'd say anything they're trying to take is something they shouldn't,' Leez said testily.

[Quinn]

Rafael opened his mouth briefly, then shrugged, speaking in a musing tone.

"Clockwork soldiers don't usually get wound up without a reason. Too much effort for winding and pointing. Who held the key?"

[Yare]

Leez only sighed, and urged the horse on slightly faster to draw ahead of the strange person.

[Quinn]

He gave a quick tap to his horse, keeping pace easily, and leaned forward, his elbows on the saddle horn.

"Key needs hands to wind. Yet only certain hands can turn, certain hands can speak words into clockwork minds. Free hands, free words, yes? Are you free, or are you clockwork?"

[Yare]

Leez growled. 'Neither,' she said, having hardly paid attention.

[Quinn]

He visibly brightened, and clapped his hands with a cheery laugh.

"Ah! Neither, you say! Then perhaps, both? An answer given in frustration, but perhaps more accurate than you think? Interesting...is anyone truly free, or completely clockwork? For are we not all capable of making choice, and yet are capable of having that choice taken away from us? Perhaps we are all free, yet all one has to do is find the right key and turn it, to make us clockwork. Or perhaps you really are neither, and have found a way to move beyond true freedom, or the lockstep of the world's clocks. Rafael Quinn, at your service, madame."

[Yare]

'Leez,' said madam responded, not looking over.