The introduction of the character Franka Rocanna in The Drache Girl is really set up for what happens to the character in The Two Dragons.  I have liked the name Franka since seeing Run Lola Run starring Franka Potenta (who also starred in The Bourne Identity and whom they killed off completely ruining the rest of the series for me).  I think someday I’ll give the name to another character.

The cuckoo clock on the office wall at M&S Coal had never struck Radley Staff as looking particularly professional.  Mrs. Fandice had purchased it when funds for an office clock had been appropriated, and as no one else seemed to mind it, Staff had said nothing.  It was so ornate that it took him a moment to read the hands.  It was six forty five.  He had just come down to the office from the apartments above and had not expected to find anyone at work yet.  But Mr. Buttermore, Mrs. Fandice, and Miss Vanita were already at their desks.  Miss Rocanna was putting her wrap back on.

“Going out, Miss Rocanna?” he asked.

“I thought I would go around the corner and bring back muffins for the office.”

“What a splendid idea,” said Buttermore.

“Hold a moment, I’ll go with you,” said Staff.

He took his coat from the peg and threw it on and then opened the door for Miss Rocanna.  She nodded and stepped through the portal and Staff followed her.  It was still cool and fog hung in patches throughout the town.  The Pfennig store and Mrs. Bratihn’s dress shop were easy enough to see, but the houses in the other direction were just large shapes in the mist.

Staff offered his elbow and Miss Rocanna took it.  Together they walked around the corner and into the square.  It was early, but activity associated with business had already begun for the day.  Mrs. Bratihn walked across the square from the south toward her dress shop.  Mr. Parnorsham was already inside the Pfennig Store, at that moment cleaning the inside of the shop window.  Aalwijn Finkler stepped out the door of the bakery to shake out a rug.

There was a steam carriage parked at the edge of the square, just next to the gate in the emergency wall.  A woman in a bright blue dress with a large flower-covered hat sat at the steering wheel.  From his angle, Staff couldn’t tell if it was Iolanthe or Yuah.  Mother Linton stood at the side of the vehicle and carried on a conversation with the woman—whoever it was.  Staff watched carefully, and though he couldn’t discern the identity of the driver, it became obvious that the discussion between her and the priest was becoming heated.  He felt a jerk on his arm as Miss Rocanna stopped.

“I don’t care to be ignored.”

“Sorry.  I was just trying to see if that was the Governor.”

“It is.”

“How can you tell?  It could be Mrs. Dechantagne.”

“No.  It’s the Governor.  You can tell by her posture.”

“Pop pop pop,” rang out to the east.

“Those are gunshots,” said Staff, looking off in that direction.