"Understood." Jowy said quietly. "I will speak on behalf of the Unicorn Brigade, although I was not there to witness the massachre."

"Heh." the first guard smirked. "It doesn't matter whether you were there for the massachre or not. The fact of the matter is that you were THERE at the Unicorn Brigade. Only the dead corpses of your fellow soldiers know you left beforehand. Stand on the podium and make a big show for the City-States respresentatives. Cry for the loss of your friends. A young person's tears moves the hearts of the masses. Who knows? If you move the reps enough, they will listen to whatever Highland requests."

'How dishonest...' Jowy thought. 'Is this truly what it's like to be an adult - to manipulate young ones for selfish means?'

"Hop to it, Atreides!"

".............."

Sullenly, Jowy followed the two guards to Muse City Hall. He never liked the Highland guards from the start, but now his anger stands corrected. These guards, perhaps all of Highland, were nothing but manipulating scum that use people to get what they want. Jowy bit his lip. He did not want to play their games. Somehow he had to escape the guards. Somehow...

"What?!" the first guard screamed, snapping Jowy out of his thoughts. "What do you mean you won't let us through?"

Jowy looked up. He was so deeply thinking, he didn't realize they had arrived to the city hall's entrance.

"Lady Anabelle is busy with official affairs of the state." the Muse soldier stated firmly. "She does not have time to waste with Highland's trivial affairs."

"You listen here!" the first guard cried. He flashed the official looking paper in front of the Muse guard's face. "This here is an official paper from Lady Anabelle herself! If you do not let us through, she will be angry with you."

"Look, I don't care if that scrap of junk is from Lady Anabelle or Anabelle the cow. You Highland scum get out of my sight before I call in General Hauser."

Jowy tapped the first guard on the shoulder and motioned to go aside. Reluctantly, the first guard did. "Whaddya want?"

"Obviously, the Muse soldiers will not let us through." Jowy whispered. "Perhaps we should stay at the inn and wait for night to see Lady Anabelle. Patrolling is considerably weaker at night."

The first guard frowned. "Fine...upstarted by a kid." He turned to the second guard. "We're renting a room at the inn. Let's get going."

Renting a room was easy enough. The innkeeper was desperate for the money. Even to rent a room to three Highlanders. The two guards passed the time discussing the large rewards they will reap once their job is finished. Jowy listened in silently. Promotion, money, fame, glory, it was all the same. Man strives to be at the center of the world to feed their egos more or less. It also made Jowy think. If he had that kind of status, what would he do with it?

After what seemed like eternity, night fell. The two guards talked themselves to sleep. That was fine with Jowy. He didn't need their interference. The young Highlander walked to the window.

'If I leave by the entrance, the innkeeper will see me.' Jowy tapped the side of his face with his finger. He looked outside the window. The total height from top to bottom didn't appear too high. As well there are many barrels he could land on. 'I guess the only way to get out is through the window.'

Jowy opened the window, setting the latch at a very particular angle. He climbed outside and closed the window. He gave the window a slight push so the latch fell to its locked position. Slowly, he slid down, jumped on the high stack of barrels, and landed safely on the ground. Now to exit Muse before anyone spots him.

Two guards stood viligant at Muse's gates. How to get by them...

"Halt!" the Muse soldiers cried as Jowy approached them. "State your business!"

"I was sent on an errand from a young girl." said Jowy. "I wish to return to her."

The soldiers eyed him. "Hmm...pass."

The soldiers opened the gates with a loud creek. Jowy exited. As soon as he left, the gates were shut to him.

'That was too easy...' he narrowed his eyes suspiciously. 'Those Muse guards apparently don't let just anyone enter or exit.'

He shook his head and then ran off to the direction of Toto Village.

From inside Muse, a lone figure came out of the shadows - a young man several years younger than Jowy, with the same blond hair in a shorter cut, and that eternal sneer. It was none other than Marco Atreides. He saluted to the guards.

"Heh. You did a good job for a peasant."

Both guards returned the salute, flashing the generous sum of poch Marco paid them. The younger Atreides offspring turned around and chuckled to himself.