weatheredlaw:

from Hyacinth: 

The Lady held out a cigarette. 

“I quit,” Royal said, barely looking at her. 

“Suit yourself.” She lit it and sucked on the end greedily, billowing smoke in a twisted halo around her head. “I don’t usually get to have the pleasure of your company, Captain Aberdeen. What is it this time?” 

Royal ignored the condescension in her voice and smiled. “I’m looking for one of your Hounds.”

“Royal. What makes you think I employ low-life Hou-“

“Eli Dosser, twenty-seven. He had a young woman claiming to be his wife, Vanessa Dosser. Her real name is Rosie Boyd. Just turned 20, not married. Ring any bells?” The Lady grinned and took another drag on her cigarette. “Of course. Another one of yours. Tell me, when the lead-lined coat become to heavy, what do you do?”

“Don’t wast your literature references on me, Royal. You know I don’t appreciate them like your friends do.” 

“You were the anonymous tipper.”

“I’m always the anonymous tipper. Do you want me to go to prison?”

“I want to know where they are.”

“Ah, so you let them escape. Should be fun for you. Eli is an excellent Hound. He’ll be hard to catch. And the girl is smart. She’s not going to be easy prey, even for you.”

“So I’m a hunter now?”

“You’re a monster,” the Lady said in a corrective tone. “You know that, don’t you?”

“That means a lot to me, coming from you.” The words were purposeful and biting, but if they bothered her, the Lady did not let on. She finished her cigarette and finally stubbed it out in the crystal ashtray near her elbow. 

“Well,” she finally said. “I did teach you everything you know.” 

Royal laughed again.

“Come down off your high horse, mother. Your pride isn’t very becoming.”

-gasp- I added a plot twist. Royal is my nasty evil bad guy hunting them down. Turns out the good Lady is a total bitch and produces equally nasty progeny.