It was the same dreary night in the Broken Hearts Guild pub. The same stale smoke, the same smell of sweat, and the same tacky love songs permeated the air.

It was not the same laid back mood for the guildmaster, though. For the first time ever since Leon Heartman suffered heart break, he was purely livid. He tried to hide his seething anger by leaning his chin on his entwined fingers as he always did when sitting on his usual lounge chair, but his smoldering eyes betrayed his fury.

Even Elfienne, his favorite, tried her best to avoid him. She busied herself with serving and entertaining other guildmembers and guests, but holding the men back at arm's length at the same time. While she and her guildmaster were not officially in a relationship, she feared that her usual flirting may trigger his jealousy--often caused by a man's primal sense of territory--and set off his temper.

Neither Elfienne nor the rest of the guildmembers ever witnessed their leader in a fit of fury that lasted for more than a few minutes, but they never wished to.

"I wish you never told him about what happened to Sapherin," Elfienne whispered to Blaise as she turned her back to Leon and mixed drinks. "That girl always goes off on her own anyway. He would have never noticed it."

Blaise, an assassin formerly of the King's Service, shot her a sharp look. "Did you even know how she was butchered?" he hissed, careful not to let Leon in on their conversation. The guildmaster's sense of hearing was legendary. "What bothers me is that it happened to her, of all people. Somebody's onto the guild. The master has to know."

"Right." Elfienne shuddered as she poured him another drink, recalling what Aemilianus told her about Sapherin's murder. Blaise was right, if something like that happened to someone as skilled as Sapherin, they were up against no ordinary law enforcer or rival. "They could be the Vanguards..." She shook her head, spilling amber liquid in the process. "That's isn't right, Leon had a point when he said that we'd be goners after he started this guild, if the Vanguards were really keen on setting us straight. Even if we relocated in Niffleheim, they'd be knocking on our door before we finish furnishing the place."

"Ha, but not all Vanguards have the same mind," Blaise snorted in his drink. "I heard Stéphane's the new Vanguard. I wonder who he screwed to get the job?"

"Who the hell cares," Elfienne murmured off-handedly. "Whoever it is, I bet Fontaine isn't so thrilled about it."

"Sucks to be Stéphane's twin brother."

 ===

Fontaine sneezed into his neck scarf.

Brother, brother, brother, he mused as he ran his fingers on the cobblestoned ground where Sapherin's guts were spilled. I know it's you. Not even the blood and vomit can cover your stink. Bastard.

Satisfied with his investigation for the night, he soundlessly walked into the back alleys of Prontera, and slunk into the Guild Castle of Britoniah, where Valeur served as the General of the Sword of Virtue.

I wonder if there is still any virtue left in him. Fontaine couldn't help but snicker at the thought. Still, I pity the fool.

He was about to enter Valeur's room through the window by vaulting up the high wall, when he heard metal banging against stone as someone ran after him. Fontaine winced at the sound; the sound of someone running around with metal-reinforced footwear made his head hurt.

"Who dares enter the Guild Castle without our permission?" the crusader demanded, his eyes peering behind the Iron Cain helmet visor, his hands waving his Longinus spear threateningly, but his gestures of warning softened into one of friendly recognition. "Fontaine! Sorry, but for some reason your cousin doesn't sleep here."

"Damn it, Emeliore, would you guys stop running around in goddamn metal? Why don't you go and jingle coins while you're at it, too?"

"Not our fault you assassin idiots have to have enhanced sense of hearing," Emeliore, his childhood friend, snickered. "Hey, man, we missed you. Where have you gone off to this time?"

I've gone about raping and killing women because I can't deal with the fact that my girlfriend turned out to be a slut just like the rest of them, Fontaine wanted to tell him, but bit back his tongue. "Reconnaisance," he outwardly lied. Not to mention she slept with the General of the Sword of Valor, no less. Oh, and did I mention that she's carrying his child too?

Emeliore rolled his eyes. "Asking you questions like that prove to be a waste of ten seconds of my life. You lie."

"You know we're not supposed to tell the truth," Fontaine said flatly. "Did my pupils dilate?"

"Whatever," Emeliore shrugged. "Say, Fontaine..."

"What?"

"I heard rumors about you joining Heartman's guild," Emeliore said, his gaze turning to the ground. "Hey, man, I trust you. I don't believe those rumors, but I think you should know, since word like that spreads like wildfire. Lise won't like that at all. I'm having a hard time trying to make her ignore the gossip, but your disappearance doesn't help any."

"Lise is already an adult. Stop babying her already." Fontaine shook his head and walked past Emeliore on his way back to the gates.

"There's another rumor you should be aware of," Emeliore said as he walked Fontaine out, acting as if he let Fontaine inside the gates for official business. The other guards would have apprehended the assassin for trespassing otherwise. "It involves General Viridian and...Lucy."

"Yeah, I know. They met, fucked and had a baby. Who cares?" Fontaine spat bitterly, forgetting his composure. His clenched fists did not go unnoticed by Emeliore.

"And...Fontaine?"

"What?"

"You've changed."