Foxheart

Chapter Six

As Esme hunted down Fox and her Grimoire, Fox was standing before his oldest friend, Elenore. She was the woman he experienced all his firsts with and had his back through thick and thin ever since they met as childhood neighbours in their sordid District. She'd gone up in the world with the Doe's help, moving from the whore house in East Port to being a well sought after courtesan in South Side. She worked as an excellent set of eyes and ears for the Doe and saved them from detectives and angry richmen several times. Here she was safe to work, unlike the beatings and near rape incidents in the previous whore-house, and was flourishing as a set of Eyes, so well that Fox was well aware the Doe was considering Elenore to take over when she retired. Elenore did well at organising information, separating fact from fiction and keeping people in line. She'd run the Doe's sector of the Fingers easily.

Elenore was beautiful as always, wearing a soft pink dress and shoes with heels so long and pointed she could stab someone with it. Her blond hair was curled primly and her face kissed softly by pastel shades of make-up. Fox was mostly interested in her skin though. He gazed over her long arms, her delicate shoulders, her soft hands and finally her face. There appeared to be no bruises or cuts and the make-up couldn't hide anything.

'Stop starin'.' Elenore scowled, her accent quickly jarring her high-end appearance. 'No one's beaten me since I've been here. They treat me well.'

Fox shrugged nonchalantly. Elenore hated him fussing so he dropped it.

'Work going well?'

'Getting my money for my work, that's all that matters.'

Fox could tell. The clothes she wore were expensive and would've been paid out her own pocket. Courtesans, the healthiest and most protected of sex-workers, were not cheaply paid for their services.

'Now why haven't you been checkin' on me?' Elenore scolded with a slight pout. 'Your other whores been takin' all the attention?'

Fox laughed. She always called herself and his other conquests 'his whores'. He never corrected her. While not always accurate for the women he chased, it was an apt description of herself and the relationship they had. A close bond, both physical and emotional, just without being in-love.

'A little.' He admitted.

She cuffed him round the head lightly and scowled. 'Told you not to go puttin' them first, Fox. I'm the first. None of them have been through hell with you and back and been there since you were learning how to thieve. Not one but me.'

'I know, Ellie.' He said as he rubbed his head, recalling when she moved in next door when they were seven and how they instantly bonded. He'd often hide her from her father when he was going on one of his drunken tirades. 'I know.'

Elenore's scowl softened and she took his hand gently to pull him up to the club's wall, keeping themselves hidden in the darkness and away from prying eyes. 'I heard you're getting your promotion confirmed.'

She didn't need to hear the words leave his mouth. His expression gave it away.

'O-oh!' She squealed softly. 'You're gettin' old man Fox's name! He'd be so proud of you!'

Fox grinned joyously. 'As I've done half of the promotion, I will be.'

Elenore's face fell in a heartbeat. 'Half?'

'Yeah, going to go out of town for a while.'

Her pink mouth drooped sadly. 'Really? How long?'

'Few weeks. Need to go to Hornberg.'

Her expression shifted instantly. One moment she was pouting sadly, the next she was leaning close, eyes shinning mischievously. 'Well then you need to make it up to me.'