The apartment building on Nevermore Street was an enchanted place although it might not look it from the outside. Jewell’s heels clacked along the slab-stone front steps, bringing her above the ground floor of windows. They were round and low to the ground as the Hobbits who inhabited those apartments preferred. Below them, in the windowless tenements of the basement, were several families of Dwarves. But Jewell wasn’t going downstairs today. Instead, once inside, she started going up.
Although last night had been a long night in which she had seen no sleep, she looked as fierce as ever this morning. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a braid, exposing the bruise on her cheek in full. She liked to think it made her look more dangerous, and on a day like today, when her grey eyes were as cold as iron, it did. Her knee-length, slate grey dress was half hidden beneath a smart black cape that clasped at her left shoulder in a sparkle of true silver and sapphires. The people in her neighborhood took it as a compliment that she dressed up to see them, the little people usually so far beneath the gentry’s gaze. Jewell needed them to feel complimented today as she had quite the favor to call in.
She passed by a floor whose hallway looked like a tunnel of trees and another which could have fit in any plain apartment building anywhere in the multiverse. A dryad and family of nixies both stop her on the stairwell to speak, desiring to discuss the horrors of last night. Jewell reassured them all, “They will not get away from this! You have my solemn word.” Hardly winded when she reached the top floor, she moved swiftly down the hallway. Here the doors were tiny and all at eye-level for her, resembling a long row of bird-house entrances. They were suitably sized for pixies and other small Fae creatures. Checking the paper in her hand, Jewell stopped in front of the door neatly labeled #575 in iridescent paint and knocked on it.
“Coming coming!” A little voice cried from within. She could overhear a brief hustle and bustle and the sound of the peep hole being opened. Then there was a high-pitched voice shouting, “Oh my word, it’s The Empress! Milk Blossom, Thorn! The Empress is here!” Then the lock turned and Ms. Rosemary threw the door open to stand in front of Jewell, her wings fluttering behind her in excitement. “My dear lady, hello hello! To what do we owe the pleasure?”
Jewell smiled sweetly to the little lady. “I was wondering, Ms. Rosemary, if I might come in?”
“Certainly my lady. Certainly!” Ms. Rosemary stood aside and gestured for Jewell to enter as if she could fit her 5’4” frame into the 5” door.
And she could. Without the slightest hesitation or thought, Jewell shrunk in size in a swirl of silver dust to match that of Ms. Rosemary, silver wings appearing to keep her on level the pixie before she alighted on her little doorstep and stepped into the tinsy apartment. “Thank you, dear. I thought it best if we discussed what has brought me here today privately.”
Several minutes later found Jewell seated on a couch made of twigs and cushioned with leaves, drinking tea from a flower blossom, and discussing the sad business of last night with three pixies all bristling with anger. “So you see, I am in need of some assistance, and I thought you three were just the right people to speak to!” The Empress knew a little flattery worked wonders.
“Oh yes, my lady!” Thorn, with his brown wood-like skin, asserted. “Those poor pixies were not our kin, but this man must pay! PAY!” Their little emotions were all stirred up. “We all left Faerie for a reason.”
“Yes yes!” Milk Blossom agreed, bobbing her head. She was so angry she could barely manage to say much more than that.
Rosemary was more practical, “What is his name? Tell us his name, Empress! We will destroy him!”
“Mmm,” Jewell nodded, setting her flower-teacup down carefully. “His name is Charlie Nine.”
“Charlie Nine,” they all echoed ominously. Thorn asked, “And what shall we do to this Charlie Nine?”
Milk Blossom shouted, “Kill him! We must kill him!”
“No no,” The Empress shook her head. “He is mine to kill if and when I see fit.” Then she smiled, “But feel free to make his life miserable in any way your little hearts desire until that time.”
The Faerie Godmother of Little Elfhame
Moderators: Bailey Raptis, JewellRavenlock
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JewellRavenlock
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JewellRavenlock
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RhyDin’s Quick News
Sunday, 25 January 2015
Headline: Outbreak of Gang Violence in Old Market
Late last night, violence broke out on the streets of Old Market between the Fae Dynasty and the Sidhe Syndicate, prompted by the latter’s slaying of a dozen pixies on Thursday evening.
Several leading members of the Sidhe Syndicate have been reported as dead and several civilians have been caught in the crossfire. A source within the Fae Dynasty, who wishes to remain anonymous, told RyDin’s Quick News: “Although the neighborhood of Little Elfhame is outside of our territory, we refuse to stand for any violence against our Fae brethren. Those uppity Faerie bastards have to learn that they don’t own the world! At least not this one.”
The local Watch is preparing for another evening of violence between the two gangs, calling in members from other divisions in preparation for expected reprisal killings. Members of the public have been encouraged to stay indoors after dark and report any suspicious behavior to the local Watch station.
Sunday, 25 January 2015
Headline: Outbreak of Gang Violence in Old Market
Late last night, violence broke out on the streets of Old Market between the Fae Dynasty and the Sidhe Syndicate, prompted by the latter’s slaying of a dozen pixies on Thursday evening.
Several leading members of the Sidhe Syndicate have been reported as dead and several civilians have been caught in the crossfire. A source within the Fae Dynasty, who wishes to remain anonymous, told RyDin’s Quick News: “Although the neighborhood of Little Elfhame is outside of our territory, we refuse to stand for any violence against our Fae brethren. Those uppity Faerie bastards have to learn that they don’t own the world! At least not this one.”
The local Watch is preparing for another evening of violence between the two gangs, calling in members from other divisions in preparation for expected reprisal killings. Members of the public have been encouraged to stay indoors after dark and report any suspicious behavior to the local Watch station.
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JewellRavenlock
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Units of the Watch were as varied across RhyDin as the languages in the streets, but Mordin Moonfire did not care for any of them. Guards asked questions and disliked secrets as a rule wherever he went, and he would never have risked of exposing his secret by agreeing to consult for a precinct full of snooping officers if the one who called herself the Empress had not already taken pains to protect it.
He was a Bargest, transforming into a ravenous black dog by night when his constant dreams of blood and bone crept too far into his waking mind; but more importantly to the Empress he had mastered the art of scrying. By looking through the veil of the dead, he could find men, magic, monsters, and many things that were far worse…
“Progress?” asked the stocky sergeant of the Occidian Precinct, a dwarf whose name Mordin would not bother to remember.
He winced at the interruption, his visions of the veil dissipating and replaced by the flickering darkness mere mortals saw behind their eyelids. “You’re standing in my light,” he said, meaning the jar of bioluminescent flies he sensed she was looming over and obstructing with her shadow. He did not see her leave, but he heard her huff and muttered slur and the creak of old floorboards as she walked away.
Someone had stolen a focusing crystal, a magical item capable of concentrating vast amounts of power even in the hands of an ungifted mortal. Mordin did not know why the Empress wanted the Watch to recover it so badly and, as someone who revered the sanctity of secrets, he had not asked. But the glowing bugs in the jar and the way they shone on the sea glass scattered across the table, and the way he saw it through the veil, would show him the path to the crystal as soon as its hapless thief sought to access its full potential.
There. A spark of green and blinding white flashed through the screaming mists of the veil, and Mordin opened his eyes to stare at the sea glass that mirrored the city’s districts. He eyed the dwarven sergeant at her desk, currently frowning over her reply to a legal complaint, and seized a quill and a scrap of parchment of his own. The terms of his consulting contract with the Occidian Precinct prevented him from disclosing any details of an ongoing investigation, but such indiscretions were expected in his service to the Empress.
That he would be committing them against the Watch was simply the icing on the cake, as he had heard the round-eared mortals put it.
E.,
The mortal tested it again v. near graveyard. Will know more soon.
M.
“I’m going out for a smoke,” he informed the officers, two of whom glowered at him; the rest ignored him. He shouldered out the alleyway door behind the precinct and packed his rune-stamped clay pipe with tobacco and the note, carefully shredded, and lit it. The ink and parchment attacked his throat on the first draw and he muffled a cough, forcing himself to blow the smoke out smoothly where part of it lingered over his head. By the time he was done, a little black cloud was drifting around the outskirts of the Marketplace towards Little Elfhame, determined to rematerialize on the desk of the Empress herself.
((Following the events of this confrontation between Evelyn and Jewell. Written and original posted by the wonderful Evelyn!))
He was a Bargest, transforming into a ravenous black dog by night when his constant dreams of blood and bone crept too far into his waking mind; but more importantly to the Empress he had mastered the art of scrying. By looking through the veil of the dead, he could find men, magic, monsters, and many things that were far worse…
“Progress?” asked the stocky sergeant of the Occidian Precinct, a dwarf whose name Mordin would not bother to remember.
He winced at the interruption, his visions of the veil dissipating and replaced by the flickering darkness mere mortals saw behind their eyelids. “You’re standing in my light,” he said, meaning the jar of bioluminescent flies he sensed she was looming over and obstructing with her shadow. He did not see her leave, but he heard her huff and muttered slur and the creak of old floorboards as she walked away.
Someone had stolen a focusing crystal, a magical item capable of concentrating vast amounts of power even in the hands of an ungifted mortal. Mordin did not know why the Empress wanted the Watch to recover it so badly and, as someone who revered the sanctity of secrets, he had not asked. But the glowing bugs in the jar and the way they shone on the sea glass scattered across the table, and the way he saw it through the veil, would show him the path to the crystal as soon as its hapless thief sought to access its full potential.
There. A spark of green and blinding white flashed through the screaming mists of the veil, and Mordin opened his eyes to stare at the sea glass that mirrored the city’s districts. He eyed the dwarven sergeant at her desk, currently frowning over her reply to a legal complaint, and seized a quill and a scrap of parchment of his own. The terms of his consulting contract with the Occidian Precinct prevented him from disclosing any details of an ongoing investigation, but such indiscretions were expected in his service to the Empress.
That he would be committing them against the Watch was simply the icing on the cake, as he had heard the round-eared mortals put it.
E.,
The mortal tested it again v. near graveyard. Will know more soon.
M.
“I’m going out for a smoke,” he informed the officers, two of whom glowered at him; the rest ignored him. He shouldered out the alleyway door behind the precinct and packed his rune-stamped clay pipe with tobacco and the note, carefully shredded, and lit it. The ink and parchment attacked his throat on the first draw and he muffled a cough, forcing himself to blow the smoke out smoothly where part of it lingered over his head. By the time he was done, a little black cloud was drifting around the outskirts of the Marketplace towards Little Elfhame, determined to rematerialize on the desk of the Empress herself.
((Following the events of this confrontation between Evelyn and Jewell. Written and original posted by the wonderful Evelyn!))
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JewellRavenlock
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“What are you going to do if Hope loses Old Market tonight?” Ishmerai asked as his lady shoveled pancakes into her mouth, looking for all the world like a chipmunk.
“Mmm,” she was about to speak until she saw Ishmerai’s look of disgust. Rolling her eyes, she finished chewing the delicious carb cakes and washed it down with chocolate milk (could RhyDin provide any yummier foods!?) before starting again: “Anubis might be an even better partner, although with a less than savory reputation.”
“How so?”
Jewell stabbed a few more pieces of pancake, soaking up as much syrup as she could with it. “He’s certainly a lot more intimidating. Who is going to dare to cross me if I’m aligned with him?”
The knight nodded a little, raising his mug of coffee to his lips for a sip. He was eating his own plate of pancakes at a much more leisurely and less voracious pace. “Have you considered that working with Anubis might harm your sparkling reputation?”
“I did.” Reaching with her fork, she stabbed one of the strawberries that remained on Ishmerai’s plate. She had already eaten all of her own. He wacked her hand with his fork. “Hey!” she cried indignantly, but she still managed to snag the strawberry and shove it in her mouth before he could object further. “I think any damage an alliance with Anubis might have will be mitigated by my taking Evelyn down or stopping whatever it is she is up to.”
“Uhuh..” he didn’t seem full convinced.
She shrugged, “Look. It’ll just show that I can work with different people, right? They need to know that all I’m really interested in is the good of the district, and that’ll be clear if I’m willing to work with a slaver if it means getting the job done.”
“A slaver who is the significant other of your best friend.”
“Yeaaah,” Jewell dragged it out. She nibbled on her final piece of pancake thoughtfully. “I guess we’ll just have to see how it goes. I’d rather work with him than against him if I can. But really, figuring that out is not top priority. I need to strike out at the Fae Dynasty while the Syndicate is down, you know?” Ishmerai nodded. “And I’m waiting to hear more from Mordin before I move on stupid Evelyn. I guess she really comes first, then the Fae Dynasty…”
“Then the world?” Ishmerai asked with a smile.
“Mmm,” she was about to speak until she saw Ishmerai’s look of disgust. Rolling her eyes, she finished chewing the delicious carb cakes and washed it down with chocolate milk (could RhyDin provide any yummier foods!?) before starting again: “Anubis might be an even better partner, although with a less than savory reputation.”
“How so?”
Jewell stabbed a few more pieces of pancake, soaking up as much syrup as she could with it. “He’s certainly a lot more intimidating. Who is going to dare to cross me if I’m aligned with him?”
The knight nodded a little, raising his mug of coffee to his lips for a sip. He was eating his own plate of pancakes at a much more leisurely and less voracious pace. “Have you considered that working with Anubis might harm your sparkling reputation?”
“I did.” Reaching with her fork, she stabbed one of the strawberries that remained on Ishmerai’s plate. She had already eaten all of her own. He wacked her hand with his fork. “Hey!” she cried indignantly, but she still managed to snag the strawberry and shove it in her mouth before he could object further. “I think any damage an alliance with Anubis might have will be mitigated by my taking Evelyn down or stopping whatever it is she is up to.”
“Uhuh..” he didn’t seem full convinced.
She shrugged, “Look. It’ll just show that I can work with different people, right? They need to know that all I’m really interested in is the good of the district, and that’ll be clear if I’m willing to work with a slaver if it means getting the job done.”
“A slaver who is the significant other of your best friend.”
“Yeaaah,” Jewell dragged it out. She nibbled on her final piece of pancake thoughtfully. “I guess we’ll just have to see how it goes. I’d rather work with him than against him if I can. But really, figuring that out is not top priority. I need to strike out at the Fae Dynasty while the Syndicate is down, you know?” Ishmerai nodded. “And I’m waiting to hear more from Mordin before I move on stupid Evelyn. I guess she really comes first, then the Fae Dynasty…”
“Then the world?” Ishmerai asked with a smile.
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JewellRavenlock
- Legendary Adventurer
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That Jewell would return home after her epic showdown with Evelyn completely unharmed was more than Ishmerai could have hoped. That Jewell would return home after the showdown with a bewitched Necromancer and a triceratops named Evangeline in tow was more than Ishmerai could have imagined. “What—?” the knight asked helplessly. He had spent the evening patrolling the streets at his lady’s request, highly agitated that he would not be accompanying her when she joined the Watch to take down Evelyn. However, her reasoning had been sound: someone needed to keep an eye on the streets as the violence between the Sidhe Syndicate and Fae Dynasty petered out.
A weary Jewell held her hand up. “I have had a terrible night. I am tried, I got dinosaur blood on my favorite jacket, and I need to do something about him!” she pointed to the Necromancer that she had sent a few feet away from her. He smelled!
“And the… dinosaur?” Ishmerai asked, uncertain if that was what the creature was.
“Oh her?” Evangeline nuzzled the Faerie’s shoulder with her beak again as Jewell gestured back to her. “We’re keeping her. And her name is Evangeline.”
The ensuing fight was not all that surprising:
“We do not have room for such a creature!”
“We can make room.”
“I am not cleaning up after it!”
“She not it. And I will just hire someone do that.”
“You do not even know what it eats!”
“I’ll figure it out.”
“Oh, like you did with those ants? Where did they all go again?”
Silence.
“Cupcake and Evangeline will not get along, and you already neglect that poor kitten!”
In the end, Jewell wheedled and whined her way into keeping the dinosaur for at least one night. This way she could put off bringing her to Matadero. For some odd reason, she was not too keen on seeing Salvador. Unfortunately, it turned out that Ishmerai was right and space was a problem. The Faerie and the dinosaur ended up snuggling together in the old, currently unused carriage house on Jewell’s property, but even that had been a tight fit. Still, they kept each other warm through the night, and Jewell fell asleep secretly vowing to herself that she would keep Evangeline for good.
Ishmerai woke them both in the morning, the carriage house doors creaking horribly when he opened them. Jewell groaned, raising her arm to block the light and turning her head to bury it against Evangeline. The dinosaur made a similar noise of distress. Without sympathy, the knight stepped forward and tossed the morning paper onto his lady. “You made the front page.”
“I did?” That roused her and she sat up, rubbing at her eyes as she lifted the paper to look.
Local Watch Fumbles: Average Citizen Saves the Day
She huffed, “I’m hardly average.”
“Just read it.” He rolled his eyes.
As she read through the article, a delighted smile blossomed on her face. “Oh.. oh this is so perfect!” Jewell proceeded to read several lines aloud to Ishmerai as if the knight hadn’t read it himself already: “The Squire of Old Temple, Jewell Ravenlock, fulfilled her sworn duty to the city by apprehending a dangerous citizen and preventing the Watch from causing a complete debacle.” “After promising earlier this month to help make the city a safer place, Ms. Ravenlock certainly delivered tonight.” “The Occidian Precinct will be involved in an internal investigation regarding their part in the events in Old Temple last night.”
“It really paints the precinct in a negative light,” he observed.
“Of course it does!” she bristled. Evangeline stirred beside her, and she stroked her hide absently. “The level of incompetence was staggering.” She re-read a section of the article. “Hey, what did you do with that Necromancer?”
“I took care of him like you asked.” She nodded. At least someone knew how to do their job! “Now it is your turn. Go get clean and bring this dinosaur to Matadero like you are supposed to.”
A weary Jewell held her hand up. “I have had a terrible night. I am tried, I got dinosaur blood on my favorite jacket, and I need to do something about him!” she pointed to the Necromancer that she had sent a few feet away from her. He smelled!
“And the… dinosaur?” Ishmerai asked, uncertain if that was what the creature was.
“Oh her?” Evangeline nuzzled the Faerie’s shoulder with her beak again as Jewell gestured back to her. “We’re keeping her. And her name is Evangeline.”
The ensuing fight was not all that surprising:
“We do not have room for such a creature!”
“We can make room.”
“I am not cleaning up after it!”
“She not it. And I will just hire someone do that.”
“You do not even know what it eats!”
“I’ll figure it out.”
“Oh, like you did with those ants? Where did they all go again?”
Silence.
“Cupcake and Evangeline will not get along, and you already neglect that poor kitten!”
In the end, Jewell wheedled and whined her way into keeping the dinosaur for at least one night. This way she could put off bringing her to Matadero. For some odd reason, she was not too keen on seeing Salvador. Unfortunately, it turned out that Ishmerai was right and space was a problem. The Faerie and the dinosaur ended up snuggling together in the old, currently unused carriage house on Jewell’s property, but even that had been a tight fit. Still, they kept each other warm through the night, and Jewell fell asleep secretly vowing to herself that she would keep Evangeline for good.
Ishmerai woke them both in the morning, the carriage house doors creaking horribly when he opened them. Jewell groaned, raising her arm to block the light and turning her head to bury it against Evangeline. The dinosaur made a similar noise of distress. Without sympathy, the knight stepped forward and tossed the morning paper onto his lady. “You made the front page.”
“I did?” That roused her and she sat up, rubbing at her eyes as she lifted the paper to look.
Local Watch Fumbles: Average Citizen Saves the Day
She huffed, “I’m hardly average.”
“Just read it.” He rolled his eyes.
As she read through the article, a delighted smile blossomed on her face. “Oh.. oh this is so perfect!” Jewell proceeded to read several lines aloud to Ishmerai as if the knight hadn’t read it himself already: “The Squire of Old Temple, Jewell Ravenlock, fulfilled her sworn duty to the city by apprehending a dangerous citizen and preventing the Watch from causing a complete debacle.” “After promising earlier this month to help make the city a safer place, Ms. Ravenlock certainly delivered tonight.” “The Occidian Precinct will be involved in an internal investigation regarding their part in the events in Old Temple last night.”
“It really paints the precinct in a negative light,” he observed.
“Of course it does!” she bristled. Evangeline stirred beside her, and she stroked her hide absently. “The level of incompetence was staggering.” She re-read a section of the article. “Hey, what did you do with that Necromancer?”
“I took care of him like you asked.” She nodded. At least someone knew how to do their job! “Now it is your turn. Go get clean and bring this dinosaur to Matadero like you are supposed to.”
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JewellRavenlock
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“Now what?” Ishmerai asked, trying to return his lady’s attention to their conversation.
Jewell was in her typical work position, high heels scattered somewhere on the office floor, bare feet up on the desk, and grey eyes cast out the window at the slushy, cobblestone streets. “I took care of Evelyn. The Syndicate is in ruins.”
“Yes, we discussed that already. What needs to be done next?” Sometimes Jewell was so sharp, and other times her attention was fragmented on the wind.
She rolled her eyes, head thunking against the back of her leather chair. It was hard working, building an empire, and Ishmerai kept pushing pushing pushing her when all she wanted to do was take another vacation. “Fiiiiine,” she drew the word out in exasperation. “I have to visit the prison, figure out who is workable there. Evelyn might be able to help with that if she knows I took care of Evangeline, right?” The knight shrugged. “Yeah. I better do that soon. And also make sure Sal and Canaan aren’t going to knock down my prison too.” Her expression soured a touch, “Maybe that should be number one on the list, talking to those two again.” Now she groaned, sinking down further in her seat. That was not what she wanted to do even if they were attractive.
“Is there someone else you can send to speak with them?” Ishmerai asked, noting her reluctance. He had also been encouraging her to start finding people to handle some of the workload for her.
“No,” she sighed. “They are men, and I know them so I’ll just do it myself.”
He smiled, figuring that was going to be the result. Men were sort of her speciality. “Is there anything I can do?”
“Yes! I want to see that group of new recruits we talked about by the end of the week.” He nodded as she nibbled on her cheek, thinking of what else needed to be done. “I have to figure out the Watch situation too. Nudge them to make the arrests. They should be eager after the fumble with Evelyn to set things right, so that shouldn’t be too hard.”
“Do not forget about the neighborhoods then. I know you have already spoken to many people, but once the Fae Dynasty is locked up, things may become messy.” Now she grinned in that way that told him she had already figured out the solution to that particular problem at least. “What do you have in mind?”
She scooted her butt back further into the chair, dropping her bare feet to the cold floor and straightening her posture. “I am going to hold neighborhood meetings, just like we did here in Little Elfhame. Let the people decide who they want to work with.”
“And if they choose to go it alone?”
Jewell folded her hands together on the edge of her desk, grin widening. “A rather unfortunate decision on their part, to be sure. I am sure anyone who makes such a mistake will come to see the folly of their ways in time.”
Jewell was in her typical work position, high heels scattered somewhere on the office floor, bare feet up on the desk, and grey eyes cast out the window at the slushy, cobblestone streets. “I took care of Evelyn. The Syndicate is in ruins.”
“Yes, we discussed that already. What needs to be done next?” Sometimes Jewell was so sharp, and other times her attention was fragmented on the wind.
She rolled her eyes, head thunking against the back of her leather chair. It was hard working, building an empire, and Ishmerai kept pushing pushing pushing her when all she wanted to do was take another vacation. “Fiiiiine,” she drew the word out in exasperation. “I have to visit the prison, figure out who is workable there. Evelyn might be able to help with that if she knows I took care of Evangeline, right?” The knight shrugged. “Yeah. I better do that soon. And also make sure Sal and Canaan aren’t going to knock down my prison too.” Her expression soured a touch, “Maybe that should be number one on the list, talking to those two again.” Now she groaned, sinking down further in her seat. That was not what she wanted to do even if they were attractive.
“Is there someone else you can send to speak with them?” Ishmerai asked, noting her reluctance. He had also been encouraging her to start finding people to handle some of the workload for her.
“No,” she sighed. “They are men, and I know them so I’ll just do it myself.”
He smiled, figuring that was going to be the result. Men were sort of her speciality. “Is there anything I can do?”
“Yes! I want to see that group of new recruits we talked about by the end of the week.” He nodded as she nibbled on her cheek, thinking of what else needed to be done. “I have to figure out the Watch situation too. Nudge them to make the arrests. They should be eager after the fumble with Evelyn to set things right, so that shouldn’t be too hard.”
“Do not forget about the neighborhoods then. I know you have already spoken to many people, but once the Fae Dynasty is locked up, things may become messy.” Now she grinned in that way that told him she had already figured out the solution to that particular problem at least. “What do you have in mind?”
She scooted her butt back further into the chair, dropping her bare feet to the cold floor and straightening her posture. “I am going to hold neighborhood meetings, just like we did here in Little Elfhame. Let the people decide who they want to work with.”
“And if they choose to go it alone?”
Jewell folded her hands together on the edge of her desk, grin widening. “A rather unfortunate decision on their part, to be sure. I am sure anyone who makes such a mistake will come to see the folly of their ways in time.”
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JewellRavenlock
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RhyDin’s Quick News
Friday, 13 February 2015
Headline: Massive Arrests in Old Market
The Occidian Precinct, recently in the news for their fumbled attempt at stopping massive destruction in Old Temple (still currently under investigation), arrested a number of people, alleged members of the criminal organization known as Fae Dynasty, today for their involvement in the murder of several members of the Sidhe Syndicate and inciting street violence throughout the district.
Lieutenant Ewald, newly appointed to the Occidian Precinct after last month’s gaffe, gave this brief statement to the press: “This was a deliberate and well-planned operation that marks the end of organized crime in our part of Old Market. The Sidhe Syndicate has fallen and we now have every leading member of the Fae Dynasty behind bars, awaiting justice. We have plenty of support to show that these people are dangerous with a long history of criminal activity, so don’t expect to see them hit the streets anytime soon.”
Most prisoners are being held in the local Tower of Gulshan, a prison well-known for its effectiveness in confining those proficient in magic use.
Friday, 13 February 2015
Headline: Massive Arrests in Old Market
The Occidian Precinct, recently in the news for their fumbled attempt at stopping massive destruction in Old Temple (still currently under investigation), arrested a number of people, alleged members of the criminal organization known as Fae Dynasty, today for their involvement in the murder of several members of the Sidhe Syndicate and inciting street violence throughout the district.
Lieutenant Ewald, newly appointed to the Occidian Precinct after last month’s gaffe, gave this brief statement to the press: “This was a deliberate and well-planned operation that marks the end of organized crime in our part of Old Market. The Sidhe Syndicate has fallen and we now have every leading member of the Fae Dynasty behind bars, awaiting justice. We have plenty of support to show that these people are dangerous with a long history of criminal activity, so don’t expect to see them hit the streets anytime soon.”
Most prisoners are being held in the local Tower of Gulshan, a prison well-known for its effectiveness in confining those proficient in magic use.
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JewellRavenlock
- Legendary Adventurer
- The Empress
- Posts: 2473
- Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2006 5:26 pm
- Location: Little Elfhame, Old Market
- Contact:
“Don’t forget we have that neighborhood meeting for the Bridge Street area tomorrow morning.”
“I will not forget.”
“Because they are the ones who are most eager to join our cause.”
“I know.”
“And you’re going to be speaking to Guiscard about the portal move for next week, right?”
“Yes,” Ishmerai replied patiently.
“Good. I want to make sure that moves ahead in time for Fashion Week if we need it. It’ll be the perfect grand opening if Koy wants to use it, or maybe even just have the after party there if not the actual show? But the portal will have to be stabilized and the place will need to be cleaned up and re-stocked. He also promised to tweak everything to make sure non-Fae can definitely get in, so make sure he remembers that part”
“Of course.”
“Okay.” She turned for the door and hesitated again, feeling like she had forgotten something. She turned back to the knight, “I guess I’ll go over to the precinct then, make sure everything went okay with the arrests this morning.”
He smiled since this was only the fifth time she had attempted to leave before remembering something. “Will you be stopping by the prison to make sure everyone understands the arrangement there as well?”
“Mmhmm eventually,” Jewell nodded, working a the inside of her cheek with her teeth. “Mother of Nature, there is a lot to do.”
“I will not forget.”
“Because they are the ones who are most eager to join our cause.”
“I know.”
“And you’re going to be speaking to Guiscard about the portal move for next week, right?”
“Yes,” Ishmerai replied patiently.
“Good. I want to make sure that moves ahead in time for Fashion Week if we need it. It’ll be the perfect grand opening if Koy wants to use it, or maybe even just have the after party there if not the actual show? But the portal will have to be stabilized and the place will need to be cleaned up and re-stocked. He also promised to tweak everything to make sure non-Fae can definitely get in, so make sure he remembers that part”
“Of course.”
“Okay.” She turned for the door and hesitated again, feeling like she had forgotten something. She turned back to the knight, “I guess I’ll go over to the precinct then, make sure everything went okay with the arrests this morning.”
He smiled since this was only the fifth time she had attempted to leave before remembering something. “Will you be stopping by the prison to make sure everyone understands the arrangement there as well?”
“Mmhmm eventually,” Jewell nodded, working a the inside of her cheek with her teeth. “Mother of Nature, there is a lot to do.”
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JewellRavenlock
- Legendary Adventurer
- The Empress
- Posts: 2473
- Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2006 5:26 pm
- Location: Little Elfhame, Old Market
- Contact:
Jewell crossed her legs carefully, wary of touching anything for too long, even the seat she had taken. Grey eyes skirted around the interrogation room: blood, scratch marks, all the signs of torture etched into the walls, floors and furniture. It was sickening if she thought about it for too long, so she didn't. She didn't dwell on it at all, actually. She was here for her own benefit. If she started worrying about other people--like Evelyn, the woman she helped land in a place like this--she would never get anywhere in life again. She didn't persuade her way into Gulshan and a private chat with the mad scientist to offer her assistance. That's not how Jewell worked anymore. She had an agenda, and she impatiently waited for the missing piece to arrive so she could fulfill it and get out of here.
The guards were displeased that Jewell had insisted on seeing the prisoner alone and unsupervised -- a potential security breach that was not ordinarily tolerated -- but the Empress was far from ordinary. Keys clicked in locks and green light shimmered as wards were altered to allow the door to swing open. The guards made one final sign of their displeasure by clubbing the manacled and hooded prisoner in the middle and kicking her forward into the cell when she doubled over.
The door shut, the locks (arcane and otherwise) clicked and hummed, and the woman put her bound wrists onto the rough wooden stool that normally served as her chair to pull herself upright. "If you don't mind," Evelyn said -- muffled, from within the hood, "I'd like my hood off now, sergeant. Unless this is some horrifying new aspect of our regular torture."
Jewell's own displeasure increased exponentially at the guards' treatment of Evelyn, but she didn't budge. No, not until the locks clicked. Then she was up and stepping around the table--her perfect, black, patent leather shoes a horrible contrast with the stained floor--carefully removing Evelyn's hood. "There will be no torture today, I'm afraid. At least not at the moment," she explained in a clipped tone, stepping back away from her. She had to remind herself that she didn't care how Evelyn was being treated in this prison. She couldn't.
Evelyn stared at Jewell with the strangest expression, very faintly amused in spite of the heavy bags under her eyes and other signs of stress. "Well, this is a pleasant change of pace. I heard all of my dinosaurs made it to their new sanctuary," she added, conversationally, as she straightened as much as she could on the simple wooden block of a seat.
"Of course they did!" Jewell had the balls to almost sound offended that Evelyn would have any reason to doubt that the dinosaurs would be safely delivered as promised. She returned to her seat to face the scientist. "We had a deal. I usually am very particular about holding up my end of a bargain."
There was a scraping sound upstairs, a gate swinging open and someone coughing before they said something, faint and indiscernible. Evelyn frowned at the ceiling, listening to all of this before she concluded: "You must be here for another deal."
The Empress smiled finally, tilting her head. "I thought you and I could come to some sort of arrangement. It certainly seems.. unpleasant here. I might be able to help with that."
"What interests you about Gulshan?" Evelyn said; it had taken her a long time to learn what this place was even called. "Are you the one taking the prisoners?" She blinked innocently, as if unaware she was offering one end of a particularly valuable thread of intelligence.
Her lips pursed together as she now owed Evelyn possibly even more than originally intended for that tidbit. "I'm one of the people putting other people here, and I would prefer that most of them stay put once here."
"The ordinary ones are, I think," Evelyn replied, carefully. "But I can't be sure..." Her eyes narrowed. How could Jewell jog her memory?
Jewell wasn't overly interested in playing games today. The stink of the prison. The iron and magic. It all irritated her. "What do you want?"
"Sergeant Viarnn is always the one to interrogate me -- she's the guard with the blue skin and the horns on her brow, shik'kali I think. She's the only ranking officer I've seen here. Thursday is the only day she doesn't torture me, and on Friday she always has new questions -- I assume someone who pays her more than the Watch is feeding them to her on Thursday." Evelyn paused.
"I want you to arrange new assignments to better look after whoever you're putting in here. You'll arrange for them to be replaced without warning this coming Thursday. And I'll supply you with the name of everyone who seems the easiest to replace," she added.
Viarnn sounded like someone who would need to be dealt with sooner rather than later. Jewell didn't want to deal with anyone who was always going to be looking for the next highest bidder. "Done." Evelyn's solution and suggestion was really in line with Jewell's own desires, and it would be easy enough to accomplish; she had plenty of people in her neighborhoods that could use a good, respectable job. "What else did you have in mind? Are you worried that they are going to take you as well?"
Evelyn avoided the question. She was aware she was balanced on the edge of a knife, between being too useless to keep alive in here, and too useful not to take away to somewhere she could only assume was worse, but there was nothing Jewell could do without jeopardizing her situation. Instead she said, "I'd like you to take a message to Olaf. I hear he's alive again, no thanks to you. How's your memory?"
Now she was going to play messenger? Jewell tucked away her displeasure since Evelyn was going to be supplying her a lot of valuable information. Hopefully. In this business, she was getting used to the give and take.
She also ignored the jibe about Olaf.
"My memory is fairly impeccable. Unless you want to recite some sort of novel, I should not have a problem."
"Dibs on the zen for this past that," Evelyn said, succinctly, blinking at the end. "Exactly those words, in exactly that order. Repeat them to me."
Jewell rolled her eyes before repeating, "Dibs on the zen for this past that." She paused. "I hope that's code to your friends for, 'Don't knock down Jewell's prison. She needs it.'"
Evelyn smiled. "We're coming to such a good understanding. Please don't ruin it by getting in my way a second time. I've been very understanding about you bringing about my death so far."
"You seem alive enough at the moment, so I was hoping we could just forget that unpleasant incident." Jewell matched Evelyn's smile. "I will do my best to stay out of your way if only you will stay out of my business, and unfortunately.. this prison is now part of my business."
"I think you need to concern yourself more with staying out of mine," Evelyn replied cheerfully, and rattled off names: "Dov Gaitani has been ****ing three of the prisoners -- two, now, after he got one of them pregnant. She's dead now. The skin on his ring finger indicates he's married. Gabriela Marquesa controls magic, but she uses some very strong drugs in order to do it. Her hands shake a lot. Calvin Ayres is a pervert. He likes to masturbate in front of the prisoners when no one else is around. Sha-Grak-Dul murdered that pregnant woman. Philista Saint Cronne has a gambling problem, and debts. She keeps trying to take people's shifts."
She hadn't been lying about the memory thing. Just as she had tucked away Evelyn's message to Olaf, each name was repeated silently and committed as well. There were things she had learned in Faerie, like never forgetting an important name. "All right. I appreciate the information, Ms. Bell. Is there anything I can do to make your current stay more comfortable?"
"On Thursday morning, I'd like you to deliver Sergeant Viarnn's home address to my friend Cane. You can use as many go-betweens as you like. Are you comfortable with that, or do I have to wait for Olaf to do it instead after she finally succeeds in killing me?" Evelyn asked, coolly.
The Empress smile did not falter. "No need to be dramatic dear. Do you think I'd be sitting across from you right now if I wasn't okay with that? Canaan will have the address on time. I will ask again though that you refrain from knocking down my prison, yes?" She asked as she stood, brushing her skirt off. "You see, I don't really care whether you're here or not, though you are more useful to me here at the moment. However, there area number of violent criminals being detained here. It'd be a shame if they were to somehow be released and your name was tied up in all the violent aftermath. Wouldn't it?"
"However, if you were able to claim you contained such an incident, that would look wonderful on your record as an upstanding citizen without blood on her hands," Evelyn smiled magnanimously, though the contempt showed in her word choice. "And if -- theoretically -- one person was not contained, that is something you'd rather not report. You'd rather report that no one escaped."
Jewell actually laughed. It was quiet, as fit their location and situation, but it was genuine. "Yes. I suppose that would work out nicely. But try not to make too big of a mess, all right? I'm a rather busy lady."
Evelyn laughed softly, waving a hand as if they were two old friends enjoying a joke, and replied, "If you stop me, if anything happens to me, you should know that my family is coming. And they are all like me." She settled her bound and bruised wrists on the edge of the table, and tilted her head with an odd smile. "It was so good to catch up."
((Adapted from live play with Evelyn! A joy as always!))
The guards were displeased that Jewell had insisted on seeing the prisoner alone and unsupervised -- a potential security breach that was not ordinarily tolerated -- but the Empress was far from ordinary. Keys clicked in locks and green light shimmered as wards were altered to allow the door to swing open. The guards made one final sign of their displeasure by clubbing the manacled and hooded prisoner in the middle and kicking her forward into the cell when she doubled over.
The door shut, the locks (arcane and otherwise) clicked and hummed, and the woman put her bound wrists onto the rough wooden stool that normally served as her chair to pull herself upright. "If you don't mind," Evelyn said -- muffled, from within the hood, "I'd like my hood off now, sergeant. Unless this is some horrifying new aspect of our regular torture."
Jewell's own displeasure increased exponentially at the guards' treatment of Evelyn, but she didn't budge. No, not until the locks clicked. Then she was up and stepping around the table--her perfect, black, patent leather shoes a horrible contrast with the stained floor--carefully removing Evelyn's hood. "There will be no torture today, I'm afraid. At least not at the moment," she explained in a clipped tone, stepping back away from her. She had to remind herself that she didn't care how Evelyn was being treated in this prison. She couldn't.
Evelyn stared at Jewell with the strangest expression, very faintly amused in spite of the heavy bags under her eyes and other signs of stress. "Well, this is a pleasant change of pace. I heard all of my dinosaurs made it to their new sanctuary," she added, conversationally, as she straightened as much as she could on the simple wooden block of a seat.
"Of course they did!" Jewell had the balls to almost sound offended that Evelyn would have any reason to doubt that the dinosaurs would be safely delivered as promised. She returned to her seat to face the scientist. "We had a deal. I usually am very particular about holding up my end of a bargain."
There was a scraping sound upstairs, a gate swinging open and someone coughing before they said something, faint and indiscernible. Evelyn frowned at the ceiling, listening to all of this before she concluded: "You must be here for another deal."
The Empress smiled finally, tilting her head. "I thought you and I could come to some sort of arrangement. It certainly seems.. unpleasant here. I might be able to help with that."
"What interests you about Gulshan?" Evelyn said; it had taken her a long time to learn what this place was even called. "Are you the one taking the prisoners?" She blinked innocently, as if unaware she was offering one end of a particularly valuable thread of intelligence.
Her lips pursed together as she now owed Evelyn possibly even more than originally intended for that tidbit. "I'm one of the people putting other people here, and I would prefer that most of them stay put once here."
"The ordinary ones are, I think," Evelyn replied, carefully. "But I can't be sure..." Her eyes narrowed. How could Jewell jog her memory?
Jewell wasn't overly interested in playing games today. The stink of the prison. The iron and magic. It all irritated her. "What do you want?"
"Sergeant Viarnn is always the one to interrogate me -- she's the guard with the blue skin and the horns on her brow, shik'kali I think. She's the only ranking officer I've seen here. Thursday is the only day she doesn't torture me, and on Friday she always has new questions -- I assume someone who pays her more than the Watch is feeding them to her on Thursday." Evelyn paused.
"I want you to arrange new assignments to better look after whoever you're putting in here. You'll arrange for them to be replaced without warning this coming Thursday. And I'll supply you with the name of everyone who seems the easiest to replace," she added.
Viarnn sounded like someone who would need to be dealt with sooner rather than later. Jewell didn't want to deal with anyone who was always going to be looking for the next highest bidder. "Done." Evelyn's solution and suggestion was really in line with Jewell's own desires, and it would be easy enough to accomplish; she had plenty of people in her neighborhoods that could use a good, respectable job. "What else did you have in mind? Are you worried that they are going to take you as well?"
Evelyn avoided the question. She was aware she was balanced on the edge of a knife, between being too useless to keep alive in here, and too useful not to take away to somewhere she could only assume was worse, but there was nothing Jewell could do without jeopardizing her situation. Instead she said, "I'd like you to take a message to Olaf. I hear he's alive again, no thanks to you. How's your memory?"
Now she was going to play messenger? Jewell tucked away her displeasure since Evelyn was going to be supplying her a lot of valuable information. Hopefully. In this business, she was getting used to the give and take.
She also ignored the jibe about Olaf.
"My memory is fairly impeccable. Unless you want to recite some sort of novel, I should not have a problem."
"Dibs on the zen for this past that," Evelyn said, succinctly, blinking at the end. "Exactly those words, in exactly that order. Repeat them to me."
Jewell rolled her eyes before repeating, "Dibs on the zen for this past that." She paused. "I hope that's code to your friends for, 'Don't knock down Jewell's prison. She needs it.'"
Evelyn smiled. "We're coming to such a good understanding. Please don't ruin it by getting in my way a second time. I've been very understanding about you bringing about my death so far."
"You seem alive enough at the moment, so I was hoping we could just forget that unpleasant incident." Jewell matched Evelyn's smile. "I will do my best to stay out of your way if only you will stay out of my business, and unfortunately.. this prison is now part of my business."
"I think you need to concern yourself more with staying out of mine," Evelyn replied cheerfully, and rattled off names: "Dov Gaitani has been ****ing three of the prisoners -- two, now, after he got one of them pregnant. She's dead now. The skin on his ring finger indicates he's married. Gabriela Marquesa controls magic, but she uses some very strong drugs in order to do it. Her hands shake a lot. Calvin Ayres is a pervert. He likes to masturbate in front of the prisoners when no one else is around. Sha-Grak-Dul murdered that pregnant woman. Philista Saint Cronne has a gambling problem, and debts. She keeps trying to take people's shifts."
She hadn't been lying about the memory thing. Just as she had tucked away Evelyn's message to Olaf, each name was repeated silently and committed as well. There were things she had learned in Faerie, like never forgetting an important name. "All right. I appreciate the information, Ms. Bell. Is there anything I can do to make your current stay more comfortable?"
"On Thursday morning, I'd like you to deliver Sergeant Viarnn's home address to my friend Cane. You can use as many go-betweens as you like. Are you comfortable with that, or do I have to wait for Olaf to do it instead after she finally succeeds in killing me?" Evelyn asked, coolly.
The Empress smile did not falter. "No need to be dramatic dear. Do you think I'd be sitting across from you right now if I wasn't okay with that? Canaan will have the address on time. I will ask again though that you refrain from knocking down my prison, yes?" She asked as she stood, brushing her skirt off. "You see, I don't really care whether you're here or not, though you are more useful to me here at the moment. However, there area number of violent criminals being detained here. It'd be a shame if they were to somehow be released and your name was tied up in all the violent aftermath. Wouldn't it?"
"However, if you were able to claim you contained such an incident, that would look wonderful on your record as an upstanding citizen without blood on her hands," Evelyn smiled magnanimously, though the contempt showed in her word choice. "And if -- theoretically -- one person was not contained, that is something you'd rather not report. You'd rather report that no one escaped."
Jewell actually laughed. It was quiet, as fit their location and situation, but it was genuine. "Yes. I suppose that would work out nicely. But try not to make too big of a mess, all right? I'm a rather busy lady."
Evelyn laughed softly, waving a hand as if they were two old friends enjoying a joke, and replied, "If you stop me, if anything happens to me, you should know that my family is coming. And they are all like me." She settled her bound and bruised wrists on the edge of the table, and tilted her head with an odd smile. "It was so good to catch up."
((Adapted from live play with Evelyn! A joy as always!))
-
JewellRavenlock
- Legendary Adventurer
- The Empress
- Posts: 2473
- Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2006 5:26 pm
- Location: Little Elfhame, Old Market
- Contact:
“And you said not a single prisoner is unaccounted for?” Jewell asked as she re-entered Captain Ciaran Primantine’s office after a brief tour of the Tower of Gulshan. The Empress had insisted on the brief part. She had a lot of preparations to make for the imminent arrival of her children, but a trip to the prison had been her first item of business this morning. She had received news about the rioting as soon as it had started last night but had wisely declined to interfere at the time. She had placed trusted guards within the prison for a reason.
“Not one, ma’am.” The captain responded carefully to Jewell as she walked around her desk to take her seat behind it.
Jewell paused and their eyes met for a moment longer than necessary before she nodded and took a seat opposite the captain. “Perfect.”
“Unfortunately, as I mentioned earlier, we did lose a number of guards in the rioting.”
“That is unfortunate,” Jewell conceded, “but I can promise you new guards by the end of the week. There are plenty of good, upstanding citizens in this area who are eager to work hard for a living wage to support their families.” Citizens who were more than happy to work in conjunction with The Empress.
Captain Primantine smiled, her mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. “That would be very much appreciated, ma’am. Now my only concern is the families of the guards.” She looked around a moment, but at least she knew her brand new office was secure. “There aren’t any bodies to be returned to the families.”
Jewell waved the concern off. “The unfortunate perils of wading into a magic fight unprepared, of course. Bodies are easily vaporized, burnt to ash, or transported to inhospitable worlds.” Or turn to pieces by a Skid-monster. Although she easily dismissed the lack of bodies, she did not want distraught families to come poking around the prison. “I noticed that the main gates had been turned from iron to gold last night?”
“Correct.” The captain confirmed, unsure about the change of subject. “I imagine it would make it easier for Fae to escape without the iron.”
Or to enter, Jewell thought. “Naturally,” she stated instead with a nod. “We will have to have those taken down and replaced by iron again. Some of the gold should be turned into medals of honor for the fallen. The rest can be used to keep the families quiet and content,” she cleared her throat, “I mean to help them through their time of need. Understood?”
“Perfectly,” Ciaran confirmed.
“Not one, ma’am.” The captain responded carefully to Jewell as she walked around her desk to take her seat behind it.
Jewell paused and their eyes met for a moment longer than necessary before she nodded and took a seat opposite the captain. “Perfect.”
“Unfortunately, as I mentioned earlier, we did lose a number of guards in the rioting.”
“That is unfortunate,” Jewell conceded, “but I can promise you new guards by the end of the week. There are plenty of good, upstanding citizens in this area who are eager to work hard for a living wage to support their families.” Citizens who were more than happy to work in conjunction with The Empress.
Captain Primantine smiled, her mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. “That would be very much appreciated, ma’am. Now my only concern is the families of the guards.” She looked around a moment, but at least she knew her brand new office was secure. “There aren’t any bodies to be returned to the families.”
Jewell waved the concern off. “The unfortunate perils of wading into a magic fight unprepared, of course. Bodies are easily vaporized, burnt to ash, or transported to inhospitable worlds.” Or turn to pieces by a Skid-monster. Although she easily dismissed the lack of bodies, she did not want distraught families to come poking around the prison. “I noticed that the main gates had been turned from iron to gold last night?”
“Correct.” The captain confirmed, unsure about the change of subject. “I imagine it would make it easier for Fae to escape without the iron.”
Or to enter, Jewell thought. “Naturally,” she stated instead with a nod. “We will have to have those taken down and replaced by iron again. Some of the gold should be turned into medals of honor for the fallen. The rest can be used to keep the families quiet and content,” she cleared her throat, “I mean to help them through their time of need. Understood?”
“Perfectly,” Ciaran confirmed.
-
JewellRavenlock
- Legendary Adventurer
- The Empress
- Posts: 2473
- Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2006 5:26 pm
- Location: Little Elfhame, Old Market
- Contact:
Lamont hadn’t intended on working for organized crime. He had left Faerie as a young man (in his 300’s or so) to seek his fortune elsewhere, being only the third son of a rather minor household that promised him little. He had attended a prestigious law school before moving to RhyDin, acquiring an apartment, and attempting to start up a small, private practice. Then he struggled: He struggled to pay rent; he struggled to prosecute legally within the twisted and mostly nonexistent legal system of RhyDin; he struggled with feelings of doubt; he even struggled to get a date! He often thought of retreating back to his family beyond the veil and marrying whatever insipid fool they thought would make a good match and having a few children.
Then The Empress moved into the neighborhood, and everything started to change.
The blue haired Faerie had breezed into the neighborhood and then into his office one day like a bit of fresh air, bringing with her work, prosperity, and the promise of prominence.
He sat at his desk across from her now, stealing a bit of her time before she spent the rest of the day in a whirlwind of Fashion Week events. At some point, he had become both her legal counsel and steward when the good Ishmerai was not available. “You would count the event as a success then?”
“Absolutely! You should have seen the crowd.”
Lamont smiled briefly, “I actually did stop by for a moment to make sure all had gone well.”
Jewell crossed her legs, one blue pump beating out a rhythm in the air. “You are very good, Lamont. I really cannot thank you enough for all that you did to make the opening and I’Yulna itself a success. I really just have been ever so busy! It never would have gotten done without you.”
“Of course, of course!” Lamont was in a rush to reassure her. He wasn’t quite sure just what The Empress had been ever so busy with. She had only managed to check in on her affairs every few days as of late, but he knew the blue haired beauty liked to play some things close to her chest. Fortunately, Ishmerai had put Lamont in charge of several items of business before the two had taken their brief trip to Faerie. Upon her return, Jewell had seemed a little distressed and overwhelmed; she had approached Lamont to see if he could possibly continue with his new responsibilities until the missing Ishmerai returned, without offering any indication as to when that might be. Lamont thought it was best not to ask and gladly accepted the additional responsibilities.
Jewell picked up a piece of paper he had offered to her earlier, glancing over it. “Can you make sure Lain receives this list and visits these people?” She couldn’t dare face Lain herself, not since her return from Faerie. The mere thought of it made her chest feel tight, so she pushed the list back to Lamont. This is why she had people working for her, afterall! “I am sure they simply forgot to pay this month, so make sure she deals with them kindly, yes?”
“Surely, my lady,” he accepted the list back from her. “Is there anything else I can do for you today?”
Jewell looked out the window, distracted. Her teeth worked on the ragged hole that was once the inside of her cheek. What else? What else? Her thoughts were scattered to the wind these days. “Ila and Avani are still taking care of Cupcake?” She looked back to Lamont questioningly.
“Your kitten?” She nodded, and the barrister frowned a bit at the lady’s behavior “Yes, I believe so.”
“Oh good!” Jewell looked incredibly relieved, going as far as to collect her bag and stand up. “And you have been collecting any correspondence?”
Lamont nodded slowly. “Yes ma’am. I have forwarded all the personal messages to you. I had assumed you had gotten them?”
“What?” her brow furrowed a moment, confused. “Oh! My messages? Yes yes.. of course I received them all.” She lied effortlessly; she hadn’t stepped foot back into her house for well over a week now, so there was no way she had received any correspondence at all. Lamont knew she was staying elsewhere, “To help a friend,” she had told him (the lie about house renovations simply would not work with the barrister), but she had failed to mention that she had not even stopped by her house in Little Elfhame to check on things. She didn’t intend to tell him. “Thank you again, Lamont. I really must be going.”
And just like that, she was gone. Lamont watched the door for some time after it had closed before readying his quill. He had work to do.
Then The Empress moved into the neighborhood, and everything started to change.
The blue haired Faerie had breezed into the neighborhood and then into his office one day like a bit of fresh air, bringing with her work, prosperity, and the promise of prominence.
He sat at his desk across from her now, stealing a bit of her time before she spent the rest of the day in a whirlwind of Fashion Week events. At some point, he had become both her legal counsel and steward when the good Ishmerai was not available. “You would count the event as a success then?”
“Absolutely! You should have seen the crowd.”
Lamont smiled briefly, “I actually did stop by for a moment to make sure all had gone well.”
Jewell crossed her legs, one blue pump beating out a rhythm in the air. “You are very good, Lamont. I really cannot thank you enough for all that you did to make the opening and I’Yulna itself a success. I really just have been ever so busy! It never would have gotten done without you.”
“Of course, of course!” Lamont was in a rush to reassure her. He wasn’t quite sure just what The Empress had been ever so busy with. She had only managed to check in on her affairs every few days as of late, but he knew the blue haired beauty liked to play some things close to her chest. Fortunately, Ishmerai had put Lamont in charge of several items of business before the two had taken their brief trip to Faerie. Upon her return, Jewell had seemed a little distressed and overwhelmed; she had approached Lamont to see if he could possibly continue with his new responsibilities until the missing Ishmerai returned, without offering any indication as to when that might be. Lamont thought it was best not to ask and gladly accepted the additional responsibilities.
Jewell picked up a piece of paper he had offered to her earlier, glancing over it. “Can you make sure Lain receives this list and visits these people?” She couldn’t dare face Lain herself, not since her return from Faerie. The mere thought of it made her chest feel tight, so she pushed the list back to Lamont. This is why she had people working for her, afterall! “I am sure they simply forgot to pay this month, so make sure she deals with them kindly, yes?”
“Surely, my lady,” he accepted the list back from her. “Is there anything else I can do for you today?”
Jewell looked out the window, distracted. Her teeth worked on the ragged hole that was once the inside of her cheek. What else? What else? Her thoughts were scattered to the wind these days. “Ila and Avani are still taking care of Cupcake?” She looked back to Lamont questioningly.
“Your kitten?” She nodded, and the barrister frowned a bit at the lady’s behavior “Yes, I believe so.”
“Oh good!” Jewell looked incredibly relieved, going as far as to collect her bag and stand up. “And you have been collecting any correspondence?”
Lamont nodded slowly. “Yes ma’am. I have forwarded all the personal messages to you. I had assumed you had gotten them?”
“What?” her brow furrowed a moment, confused. “Oh! My messages? Yes yes.. of course I received them all.” She lied effortlessly; she hadn’t stepped foot back into her house for well over a week now, so there was no way she had received any correspondence at all. Lamont knew she was staying elsewhere, “To help a friend,” she had told him (the lie about house renovations simply would not work with the barrister), but she had failed to mention that she had not even stopped by her house in Little Elfhame to check on things. She didn’t intend to tell him. “Thank you again, Lamont. I really must be going.”
And just like that, she was gone. Lamont watched the door for some time after it had closed before readying his quill. He had work to do.
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JewellRavenlock
- Legendary Adventurer
- The Empress
- Posts: 2473
- Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2006 5:26 pm
- Location: Little Elfhame, Old Market
- Contact:
“Yes, I think things have been much better since your return, Lord Ishmerai.” Lamont shuffled through his papers. “There have been fewer disputes, and I believe we are caught up on all the business that was backlogged since…”
“The Empress was busy,” Ishmerai supplied for him. “Good. I apologize that our new recruits were not as helpful as they were meant to be during my absence.”
Lamont waved the apology away, “They are young, Ishmerai. I am sure there will be no further trouble after they have more training.”
“That is on my list for the week.” It was a rather lengthy list, unfortunately. With Jewell indisposed by her current personal troubles, the knight found himself trying to drag his mistress out of the depths of her despair all while juggling her growing empire. “It should be easier to gain more recruits when the organization is more... legitimized.”
“Ah yes, about that.” Lamont pushed a stack of papers across his desk to Ishmerai. “Everything is done. The House of Summer has been officially incorporated according to the convoluted laws of the land.”
Ishmerai flipped through the papers casually, not really interested in reading any of them at the moment. “Perfect. So all of the businesses will fall under the House of Summer now?”
“Without getting into too many details that will surely bore you, yes. The House of Summer is technically the parent company with the different businesses beneath it: the security force, I’Yulna, Beyond the Veil, even the Royal Pains in a way since they will be sponsored by us. It is not required by any means, but most of these businesses will then be used to work towards our lady’s goal of uh…” the barrister looked for a piece of paper to see how Jewell had worded it, “urban development and renewal.”
The knight shook his head, “She will love this. I assure you. It all seems so nice, tidy, and well within the law.”
“Oh it is my lord!” Lamont rushed to reassure him. “Very legitimate or at least as legitimate as any business can be in RhyDin.”
“The Empress was busy,” Ishmerai supplied for him. “Good. I apologize that our new recruits were not as helpful as they were meant to be during my absence.”
Lamont waved the apology away, “They are young, Ishmerai. I am sure there will be no further trouble after they have more training.”
“That is on my list for the week.” It was a rather lengthy list, unfortunately. With Jewell indisposed by her current personal troubles, the knight found himself trying to drag his mistress out of the depths of her despair all while juggling her growing empire. “It should be easier to gain more recruits when the organization is more... legitimized.”
“Ah yes, about that.” Lamont pushed a stack of papers across his desk to Ishmerai. “Everything is done. The House of Summer has been officially incorporated according to the convoluted laws of the land.”
Ishmerai flipped through the papers casually, not really interested in reading any of them at the moment. “Perfect. So all of the businesses will fall under the House of Summer now?”
“Without getting into too many details that will surely bore you, yes. The House of Summer is technically the parent company with the different businesses beneath it: the security force, I’Yulna, Beyond the Veil, even the Royal Pains in a way since they will be sponsored by us. It is not required by any means, but most of these businesses will then be used to work towards our lady’s goal of uh…” the barrister looked for a piece of paper to see how Jewell had worded it, “urban development and renewal.”
The knight shook his head, “She will love this. I assure you. It all seems so nice, tidy, and well within the law.”
“Oh it is my lord!” Lamont rushed to reassure him. “Very legitimate or at least as legitimate as any business can be in RhyDin.”
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JewellRavenlock
- Legendary Adventurer
- The Empress
- Posts: 2473
- Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2006 5:26 pm
- Location: Little Elfhame, Old Market
- Contact:
“Ishmerai,” Jewell called out to him as she emerged from her bedroom (re: the living room) into the kitchen. She had not graduated to sleeping upstairs just yet. Actually, she refused to even go near the stairs and sent her knight to the second floor whenever she needed something. Fortunately for Ishmerai, who was currently enjoying his lunch even though his mistress was just waking up, this was not one of those times. “Did you see this?” she wiped the sleep out of her eyes with the back of one hand, holding up the morning paper with the other.
“Who do you think left it for you?”
She shrugged. It was too early in the afternoon to think logically like that. Instead, she just read one of the headlines again out loud: “Gren Blockman to Challenge for Old Market”. Jewell tossed the paper on the countertop before collapsing onto one of the barstools, “I think I should be concerned about that.”
The knight shrugged, but he was eager to keep the conversation going. It wasn’t often that his lady expressed any interest in well.. anything these days. “I thought you might at least find it interesting. Why concerned?”
“Cause Gren is a goody goody? And I don’t need someone like that poking around Old Market.”
He observed her quietly for a moment as she scowled at the folded newspaper. “So, what would you like to do about it?”
“Ungh,” Jewell pulled her hand through her thoroughly mussed, bedhead styled hair. “I don’t know. I guess I should maybe go have a chat with Sabine. Ooooorrrrr…” she drew it out as plans formed quickly in her mind, “I can wait it out and see what happens. If Gren gets it, I’d have a few options still open to me.” She chewed on her lip a moment, “And if worse comes to worst, I could do something rather drastic.”
“And what would that be?”
“I could challenge him for Old Market myself.”
“Who do you think left it for you?”
She shrugged. It was too early in the afternoon to think logically like that. Instead, she just read one of the headlines again out loud: “Gren Blockman to Challenge for Old Market”. Jewell tossed the paper on the countertop before collapsing onto one of the barstools, “I think I should be concerned about that.”
The knight shrugged, but he was eager to keep the conversation going. It wasn’t often that his lady expressed any interest in well.. anything these days. “I thought you might at least find it interesting. Why concerned?”
“Cause Gren is a goody goody? And I don’t need someone like that poking around Old Market.”
He observed her quietly for a moment as she scowled at the folded newspaper. “So, what would you like to do about it?”
“Ungh,” Jewell pulled her hand through her thoroughly mussed, bedhead styled hair. “I don’t know. I guess I should maybe go have a chat with Sabine. Ooooorrrrr…” she drew it out as plans formed quickly in her mind, “I can wait it out and see what happens. If Gren gets it, I’d have a few options still open to me.” She chewed on her lip a moment, “And if worse comes to worst, I could do something rather drastic.”
“And what would that be?”
“I could challenge him for Old Market myself.”
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JewellRavenlock
- Legendary Adventurer
- The Empress
- Posts: 2473
- Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2006 5:26 pm
- Location: Little Elfhame, Old Market
- Contact:
“You know, I’m getting really tired of these people you’ve trained, Ishmerai.” She was flipping through paperwork, scowling at each new complaint. “They aren’t doing their jobs!”
The knight rubbed at his temple. There was a downside to Jewell taking an interest in her business assets again. “Some of them are.”
“Not enough of them!” she tossed the papers onto her desk. “They aren’t supposed to be bullying our people. They’re supposed to be helping them.”
“What do you want, Mira? Half of them are thugs you took in when the Fae Dynasty collapsed. You need to find me better people if you want better results; I cannot reform and train them.”
She huffed, “Then I’ll find you better people.” It was as simple as that apparently. “Oh and the next group that acts up? Send them to the tower.”
The knight rubbed at his temple. There was a downside to Jewell taking an interest in her business assets again. “Some of them are.”
“Not enough of them!” she tossed the papers onto her desk. “They aren’t supposed to be bullying our people. They’re supposed to be helping them.”
“What do you want, Mira? Half of them are thugs you took in when the Fae Dynasty collapsed. You need to find me better people if you want better results; I cannot reform and train them.”
She huffed, “Then I’ll find you better people.” It was as simple as that apparently. “Oh and the next group that acts up? Send them to the tower.”
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JewellRavenlock
- Legendary Adventurer
- The Empress
- Posts: 2473
- Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2006 5:26 pm
- Location: Little Elfhame, Old Market
- Contact:
“Wait, you want to do what?”
Jewell had many things on her plate these days. The opening of wisp had a lot of potential for Little Elfhame, but that was Locke’s baby. And work on the boutique hotel was starting to get under way, but Jewell’s heart was not really in it. It was certain to be a money-maker, but it didn’t get under the skin and excite.
This new project excited her.
“It’s the perfect solution, Merai.” She ticked the numbers off on her fingers, “One, it’ll solve our current security nightmare. Two, we’d be helping people. Three, we’d be helping ourselves! Who will be more loyal than these girls?”
“True,” Ishmerai conceded reluctantly, as he always did. “But they will be highly untrained.”
“That’s where you come in!”
He shook his head slowly, “And where would you like me to train this army of ex-whores for you?”
She waved her hand like this was a minor detail, “We can coincide this with the opening of the training center.” Project number 38475 on Jewell’s to do list.
“I am just not so sure about this, Mira.”
“What? Are you not up for the challenge?” the mocking arch of her eyebrow was paired with a devilish grin.
Jewell had many things on her plate these days. The opening of wisp had a lot of potential for Little Elfhame, but that was Locke’s baby. And work on the boutique hotel was starting to get under way, but Jewell’s heart was not really in it. It was certain to be a money-maker, but it didn’t get under the skin and excite.
This new project excited her.
“It’s the perfect solution, Merai.” She ticked the numbers off on her fingers, “One, it’ll solve our current security nightmare. Two, we’d be helping people. Three, we’d be helping ourselves! Who will be more loyal than these girls?”
“True,” Ishmerai conceded reluctantly, as he always did. “But they will be highly untrained.”
“That’s where you come in!”
He shook his head slowly, “And where would you like me to train this army of ex-whores for you?”
She waved her hand like this was a minor detail, “We can coincide this with the opening of the training center.” Project number 38475 on Jewell’s to do list.
“I am just not so sure about this, Mira.”
“What? Are you not up for the challenge?” the mocking arch of her eyebrow was paired with a devilish grin.
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