Sara smiles shyly at the reveal that her and Zhi will share their own wing.
At the bar, Sara finishes her ale quickly, only a sipper with hard liquor and even then, only sometimes. "I think I can help organize some basic construction work, fill potholes, thatch roofs, do the heavy lifting. I'll even put in an equal amount of my own coin to match what the Baron gave us. Personally, I think we should try and make that coffer of supplies last us.
"Now, Onora," Sara leans in, cupping her empty glass with both hands. "Is there anything specific that you'd need a nice strong woman like me to handle?" Her tone isn't especially flirtatious, but she sounds as if she's implying something, though what it is is not immediately clear.
"The pump house is a few miles to the north, but it's surrounded by swamp and water. It'll take a full day to get there on foot, or a couple hours by barge," Onora says.
She quirks an eyebrow at Sara. "Got a bunch of empty barrels out back. Strong enough to carry them to the dump for me?" she asks teasingly.
Sara blinks a few times, processing. "I," she slowly and awkwardly begins, "will gladly do so, but I meant more in the vein of finding a big thing and hitting it with like a rock or something. Like are there any crises need attending to? Other than, like, government mismanagement and a crumbling infrastructure, because," she gestures out a window, "it is, a crisis."
"Nothing pressing at the moment. Though now that y'all are in charge, you'll be the ones sitting in judgment whenever folks get ornery. You'll have to decide what to do with criminals who break the law."
The fey creatures were something of a surprise, though their age came as less of one. It at least answered why the place was in such good condition.
During the tour, Maria claimed the remaining corner bedroom. She also started to consider how to get some of the books and research papers from her home in Oppara to fill in the library.
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"Best settle in for a peaceful time, Sara. Then again; maybe you'll get lucky and the pump station's infested with giant crabs or leeches or something."
In response, Sara rolls her eyes upward, puffs up her cheeks and blows out a long stream of air. "Don't worry about me, Maria, if trouble can't find us, I'll find trouble. Maybe I'll get nitty and gritty with this 'Good Night Goose' that has all the nobility atwitter. Ooh, or maybe, instead of fighting this 'Evening Duck', they and I will just play cards and drink, and we'll peaceably discuss their presence here."
Zileska replies to Onora, "Sounds like the pump house is going to be a 'fun' trip." The air quotes are audible. "What does it do, anyway? Just draining the swamp to make usable land?"
"As for meting out justice... I'm sure our heiress would love to solicit your input. You've lived here for years, you know the people and their dramas and their histories; just coming in and making pronouncements hither and yon would be unwise and not really her ladyship's style."
"Aye, it used to drain the marsh around the Stachys Spur to create more useful farmland. It's been blocked for years now. Nobody in the county has the engineering know-how to fix it. Plus, rumors say some monster has claimed the pump house and nobody can get close enough to even try.
"I'll be happy to explain the circumstances around the crimes when they happen and give my opinion on what you should do. Ultimately, the decision will be up to you though. You'd do well to try to be tough but fair if you want to keep the locals on your side."
Melodie does what any good leader should, she lets everyone else talk first and simply listens to their opinions. Once the conversation dies down into a lull she takes the opportunity to shape the debate.
"So, I think we can agree that renovating the market and the farms is our first step. Stachys needs trade to bring back prosperity. If the Baroness is willing to pitch in then we should probably try to not just fix the farms but get vineyards replanted as well - keeping on good terms with our neighbours seems important. That uses up much of the taxes, but I would like to make sure we get the basics sorted out, fixing the roads and so on. I will happily finance this - entirely or in part. Does anyone want to lead this venture?" She glances at Sara before continuing.
"Investigating the pump house is important too. We should set basic repairs in order first and then go to investigate it - perhaps next week, once we've visited Dame Crabbe? Once all that's done we can settle down a little and see how things pan out."
In short order, you begin to organize plans renovate and revitalize Stachys. The first step is to create a weekly market. The aid that Baron Okerra promised arrives early in the morning, a group of artisans and laborers ready and willing to get to work. They pull the weeds out of the village square and pave it with bricks to create a clean space to host the market. You travel to the local farmers to coordinate setting up stalls in town, and hire messengers to ride out to the neighboring communities to inform them of the new opportunities for trade and commerce.
After three days of work, the first market is open for business! Travelers begin to trickle into town, not just from Meratt, but from Oppara as well. The agents that you had begun to cultivate have received your missives and arrived, ready to further increase your cults of personality.
Two letters arrive as well. The first is from Dame Crabbe, reminding you of your social date three days from now. The second is addressed to Sara from Dame Malphene Trant, thanking her for the invitation to visit your new estate. She plans to make the journey next week, and looks forward to seeing Sara. The letter spells out in no uncertain terms exactly what she plans to do with the other woman once she arrives.
With her operatives trickling into town and providing a staff of sorts for her estate Melodie considers how she can go about boosting town morale. The obvious conclusion, a party! As the Baron's workers arrive and the town market takes place Melodie's preparations, ably aided by her agents, are well underway.
Sara is seen regularly around town with the workers, going above and beyond for the repairs, even stopping at times to help in the fields or to do basic carpentry as needed. She is joined by the newly arrived Iris Faucher, a sickly bald woman with a Galtan accent and many layers of scarves.
After the market square is completed, the two of them continue their charity work, leading and organizing a small crew of workers to lay new stones for the roads-- the money for the project coming from both Sara and Melodie's pocket. Sara is not shy about this information, letting it be known that both her and her Lady are willing and wanting to put the money and work in to improve the place.
The dusky skinned man knocks on the frame of the open library door announcing his presence.
Zhi looks up from where she kneels, cleaning shelves and arranging books. She notes the man's nervousness as he clutches his hat in his hands.
"Hello Marcel. Come in; I'm just doing some rearranging. The people that organized these books really didn't know what they were doing so I've been trying to remedy that."
She looks around on the off chance any stray cats are wandering nearby.
The man steps into the large room and moves to stand across the table from where she's working.
"Umm ... It's about that delivery, Lady Hayashi."
"We're clean here, Marcel. You can speak plainly."
The man glances around.
"We were in position to plant the letter, Zhi. But when we reached for it ... "
He pulls out a leather satchel and up-ends it showing that the bag is empty.
"You lost it? Where? Is it somewhere on the road between here and Lotheedar? Did you look for it?"
The man shifts his feet nervously.
"We looked, Zhi. But I don't see anywhere we could have lost it. I kept the bag with me and it was closed the whole time."
"But I know I put it in there right after Malta finished it."
Zhi glances at the door to her room.
"I'm sure I did."
With dread she walks over and through the door to her bedroom and after a moment reappears with a folded parchment in her hand.
Her face shows a mixture of disgust and defeat.
"I can't believe I didn't put it in the bag."
"It's ok, Zhi. I can talk to the Raven. I'll tell her that we lost the letter on the road."
"I appreciate that, Marcel. No, I'll tell her."
"Is she going to be angry. I've heard that she can be violent when she's angry."
"You did?"
Zhi looks at the man with confusion on her face. The frustration at having forgotten the letter momentarily pushed aside.
"What did you hear, exactly?"
"Well, Thomas and Zena told me that when the Raven went to see Boldo after he ... after he wouldn't meet with you. They said that she sliced up his face and took one of his hands. That's why he left."
Zhi's hand moves up to her mouth to contain the laughter that threatens to burst forth. Once she trusts herself enough to speak again, she says, "I don't think she's going to do anything like that."
She looks back to the shelves of books.
"She might call me a few appropriate names for my behaviour, but I don't think she'll resort to anything physical."
The man seems relieved.
"Well, if you change your mind, I'll be in the village all day today. I'm supposed to be helping work on the new market."
"Ok. Thank you, Marcel."
Maria's 'agents' (for lack of a better term) had started off as a former client and some of her friends. Fortunately, they were more than eager to help her with something a little larger-scale than helping with her investigations, and had the skills to apply to it. They were something of an eclectic mix, all told, but they quickly took to the extra training she sorted out for them.
But if they were to build support here for the Princess, they would need a foundation for it. Or, at the very least, a survey to see if you could even place a foundation.
As the market's getting set up, Zileska spends several hours penning letters over the next few days. Ostensibly they are about the language of flowers, a useful technique for junior priestesses engaging in secret assignations or showing friends and clients how to do the same. She starts learning the local gossip, apparently a busybody who just focuses on the social secrets of the day, and it's clear that she's showing rather than telling about her devotion to Calistria: While she's working she is in her no-nonsense gear, but while relaxing about town she remains fashionable and flirty. Despite the predilection for satin garments or gauzy linen, she is at least approachable to the curious.
As Calistria's faith is not highly favored in Taldor, most of the villagers give her a wide berth, concerned about how it might appear to dally with a prostitute-priestess or about the stories of their mercurial, whimsical nature. And certainly she is whimsical: One day birdwatching in the fields, the next keenly interested in the history of the swamps by the pumphouse.
As market day arrives Zileska eagerly dresses to impress and pays a visit to the farmer's market for fresh fruit and pastries. She makes small talk with any farmer who will listen and starts to figure out the whirlwind of small-town romances and illicit connections in Stachys.
As market day closes she stops by the disused shrine once dedicated to Abadar and leaves a small bouquet of yellow carnations there.
Melodie surveys the new town square/marketplace with pride. Certainly there were things that could still be improved, many of the houses needed some work and painting, the drains were only in a state to manage during a very dry season and weed were sprouting between the cobbles - but at least there were drains, and there were cobbles.
Down the middle of the square ran a long table, covered in table-cloths of mismatched sizes, shapes and colors. Every table however was decorated with local flowers, small vases from the Betony estate and food, plain and simple for the most part, but good and in large amounts.
Melodie stands at the from her place at the head of the table, and her helpers (spaced strategically along the tables) promptly hush the people around them. Melodie is looking around and smiling when a terrible thought hits her.
My speech! I left it in the library... It takes all of her recent experience to stop the panic showing on her face, and keep a benevolent smile instead.
One hand, fumbling on the table meets a small piece of parchment, and she glances down to see her speech, right in front of her. The smile from her right is all she needs and she mouths 'Thank you!' before clearing her throat and beginning.
"People of Stachys. It has been a long time since anyone with a noble title came to this town, and longer still since anyone cared about it. I am not able to change the past and for that I am sorry. What I can do is promise that those days are over. No longer do you have to wait and wonder how much of your hard work and rightful coin is going to be taken from you. I promise that every coin you give up in lawful and customary taxes will be used right here in Stachys. We have made great improvements in this week alone!"
Melodie makes a sweeping gesture around the square, before inclining her head to where Baron Okerra's workers sit, near the head of the table. "Thanks to your hard work and the aid of Baron Okerra and his men here, to whom we are indebted." She pauses to allow the applause to die down. "We have just had the most successful Market Day in years - and I intend to make sure that every one after this makes this one look like the efforts of a Caydenite to stay sober on his birthday!"
She allows the laughter for a good ten seconds, before waving for calm once more. "You have all deserved much better than you have received, Tribune Piscum is not to blame for this - no-one could have done better than she has in this situation. I honor her for that! And I honor you all for your hard-work, your sacrifice and your resilience! You are the people that make Taldor great, be proud as I am!"
After a short pause she chuckles and speaks once more. "But I'm talking too much and keeping your from this lovely food. So I simply say, may the Gods bless you. May they bless the Princess Eutropia, and may they help us all lead Stachys into the richness and prosperity it deserves!"
The market day party goes over well, with the residents of Stachys enjoying the first hints of a reversal of their fortunes. Still, the town has a long way to go to recover from its economic slump.
At the end of the week, you head towards the hamlet of Moost to keep your appointment with the Crabbes. With the Gold Canyon bridge out, the trip takes a little longer than it should. A full day of travel via carriage, plus a few more hours the next day, brings you to the small town of only about 50 residents. It grew up around the Crabbe estate, largely to serve the family's needs and tend their extensive cranberry bogs, but it has matured considerably into a thriving little community only partially dependent on the noble family for support. Like Dame Crabbe, the town lives for gossip, and your arrival sets many tongues to wagging.
The Crabbe estate seems relatively well-kept, save for an overgrown and neglected hedge maze behind the main building. Dame Crabbe greets you upon your arrival, kissing each of you on both cheeks. "So glad you could make it! Welcome to our humble abode! Say hello, Sepsinia, dear."
Sepsinia looks at you with her usual sullen expression. "Hi." Though still gloomy and taciturn, she seems a bit more at ease here at her home than she was at the jubilee.
The elder Crabbe presents with you a gilded marble bust of herself as a younger woman. "A little housewarming gift for your new estate. How are you settling in at Stachys? I heard you had the loveliest little market day party a few days hence. Come, come! I have a little performance set up for you before tea."
Indeed, the best students from the Moost conservatory have gathered in the dining room, where they serenade you with several popular local songs. Once they have finished, servants bring out an assortment of teas, along with wines, tinctures, and desserts that feature the Crabbe's signature cranberry flavors.
Dame Crabbe is less overbearing and more informal away from the social scene as well. She leans back and sips her tea before smiling. "Now, then! You simply must fill me in on all the gossip from around your town."
Sara wears a simple black and blue dress with long lace gloves, just dark enough to hide her brand. She greets Parthena and Sepsinia enthusiastically, accepting the bust for the group.
"We were told the Lady's estate and the pump house are both haunted, but the first revealed itself to be false, so I don't have my hopes up."
Steal and Attack are both DC 20, Seek is DC 15
Two failures, one Steal, one Attack.
"Well, I am glad you don't have to share your dwelling with the ghost of old Allis! Never believed those stories, anyway," Dame Crabbe says. "The pump house might actually have some spirits lingering about, though. Something lairs there, at least. I do hope you will be cautious if you travel there."
Zhi seems content to let Sara carry on with the gossip and general conversation.
Does no one else see it?
After finishing her tea, she casually makes her way to be near Sepsinia.
"I take it they were very special to you?" she says quietly. "The person you lost, I mean."
Zhi gives the girl a sad smile.
"A broken heart's obvious to some people. Others not so much."
Sepsinia's eyes widen slightly. "He was... I'm sorry. I really don't want to talk about it."
Zhi reaches out and places her hand on Sepsinia's.
"It's ok, you don't have to. Talking to someone can help get you through it, though."
She leans closer.
"But just between you and me; stay away from booze, it just makes things worse."
Noticing Zhi's interaction, Dame Crabbe frowns slightly. "Sepsinia, be a dear and fetch some more sugar, will you?" Once her daughter departs, the noblewoman lowers her voice.
"I see you have picked up on my poor daughter's melancholy. I didn't want to discuss it at the jubilee. Sepsinia's suitor, Opilio, took his own life last year, and while the girl seemed to handle the shock well enough at first, the joy and passion eventually drained from her and has yet to return. Instead, Sepsinia simply wanders the house, staring out windows and occasionally reading random books for hours on end. Once a promising painter, she no longer takes any interest in art or beauty. I had hoped your visit here might help break her out of her gloom. I simply don't know what to do about her!"
"I might be able to help." Melodie offers. "It won't be permanent, but it might give her some clarity and a chance to explain to us what is going on."
When Sepsinia returns, Melodie takes the sugar from her, allowing their hands to linger for a moment longer than needed. Then, when Sepsinia isn't doing anything in particular she triggers the psychic connection between them.
"Sepsinia, can you tell me what's going on...?"
Sepsinia lets out a drawn out sigh, but otherwise doesn't respond.
Before Sepsinia returns with the sugar, Zhi can't help but ask, "Was Opilio the gardener, Milady? I couldn't but notice your maze needs some serious tending to."
"I say, let it grow wild if that's what you think looks good. I like bushes as much as I like well manicured yards," Sara jokes, hoping to cut the mood and study Sepsinia's reactions.
"It just seems so out of place when the rest of your estate is so pristine and well-maintained," Zhi says, either entirely missing Sara's double entendre or ignoring it completely.
"No, not Opilio. The gardeners simply never seem to have time to trim it these days. A touch lazy, if you ask me. It is so hard to find good help these days" says Dame Crabbe.
Sara notices Sepsinia startle a bit when the talk turns to the hedge maze. She does her best to hide her discomfort.
"A sad story, and altogether tragic," says Zileska. "The turns of misfortune feel like they can upend life altogether."
"Zhi, perhaps we could take a gander at the hedge maze later, if our hostess permits," she says with an inclination of her head to Dame Crabbe. "I haven't been to one since visiting the one in the royal garden in Oppara."
"Perhaps later, Dame Crabbe, we could get in a round of Trucco?"
Dame Crabbe nods graciously to Zileska. "My estate is open to you, ladies. You are free to check out the maze, I suppose, so long as you don't mind brambles and weeds. I would love to play some trucco as well--I'm ever so good at it, after all!"
She takes another sip of tea and a dainty bite of a cranberry danish, wiping her mouth delicately. "It's a long journey back to Stachys, and the afternoon is already winding down. I have prepared rooms here for you should you wish to spend the night."
"Sure, we could take a look at the maze," Zhi says.
She keeps an eye on Sepsinia, hoping to gauge her reaction at their plan.
After a little more chit-chat, she leans in close to Sara and whispers, "Were you talking about what I think you were talking about?"
Sara finishes her tea and pours herself another cup. "Well, ma'am, I cannot speak for everyone, but I would love to spend the night. Thank you for your generous offer." She resumes sipping.
Caught off guard by Zhi's question, Sara blushes and nearly spits out her tea, choking and coughing, but raising a hand as if to indicate that she is fine.
Finally, she admits an affirmative. "Probably."
"That's ever so generous of you, Dame," says Zileska with a genuine smile. "Would you want to get in that round of trucco now, before sunset? Or tomorrow morning?"
Zhi frowns for a moment.
"You mean people actually ... "
She looks around at the current gathering and shakes her head.
"Nevermind. I'll ask ... we'll talk about it later, sorry."
She looks over at Zileska.
"If we're going to look over the maze, shouldn't we do it now while it's still light out? That would be pretty eerie once it gets dark."
"Oh, yes, let us play now! We've time yet before nightfall! Shall we adjourn to the gardens?"
Parthena has her servants quickly assemble a trucco course for you to play. While the dame eagerly takes to the field, Sepsinia simply sits on the porch, staring out at nothing in particular.
"If you gals want to check out the maze, I'm happy to play trucco with our hostess," says Zileska.
"I'll take a walk through it," Zhi says. "I'm sure it's fine."
"My vote is we enjoy the rest of the evening and travel the length of the maze come morning."
Sara attempts to engage Sepsinia further in conversation, talking about everything from gardening and allergies to childhood stories and bad dreams.
As Parthena plays with Zileska, she shares the latest gossip she's heard. "Princess Eutropia's agents are hard at work in Cassomir, working to woo Grand Duchess Tiberon. There are so many other nobles trying to stake their claim for the throne that it's hard to keep track of them all. Vort, Lawsus, Merkander, Nazezi... Even the gnomes of Wispil are campaigning hard to put their candidate, Starborne, in power. A gnomish emperor! Could you even imagine?
"Meanwhile, they say Yanmass is firmly in Pythareus' camp. Make sense for a border town like that. I've heard rumors that some sort of new cult has sprung up there recently, though. I wonder what that's all about."
After quite a bit of coaxing, Sara manages to draw Sepsinia into a short conversation. The young girl makes pleasant but meaningless small talk for a few minutes before her thoughts seem to wander and she drifts back off into silence.
"Ok, I guess it can wait until morning," Zhi says with a shrug.
After watching the game for a few minutes and seeing how much stock Dame Crabbe places in her ability to win, the young rogue declines joining the group.
"I'll just watch, thanks," she says if asked.
Zhi eyes Sara play for a few more minutes before she moves close to the tall woman.
"Tell you what," she says with a sly smile. "I'll play you a game - for stakes."
"If I win ... "
She pulls the woman down to whisper in her ear.
She lets go and steps back, her face beet red.
Undaunted, Sara spits in her hand and holds it out to shake.
"What do I get if I win?"
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Zhi can't withhold a very unladylike snort as she extends her hand.
"If you win ... "
She pauses and considers the possibility. It's obvious that she doesn't consider it likely. However, she takes a few deep breathes before responding, "Lady's choice."
Sara takes to the field, judging the mallet's weight in her hand. Taking a few practice swings, she gets the feel for it quickly, performing much better than at the party.
As the play goes, Zhi's initial confidence begins to fade as Sara consistently outplays her.
Really? Father always chided me on my overconfidence.
As the two ladies finish their game, Zhi finds herself unable to face her companion.
"And what would Milady like as her spoils?" She says nervously. Although there might be a slight hint of anticipation.
Zileska enjoys playing trucco with Dame Crabbe, even though she's clearly outmatched. Still, she makes small talk as well.
"I can only imagine how this will all fall out in the end... oh, dang, I missed that point by that much! Well, with all of these contenders, I shudder to think about the worst case - the Taldan empire breaking up into tiny principalities and dukedoms, all squabbling and fighting and nobody paying attention as hungry neighboring states loom ever closer. I suspect there will have to be some 'clearing of the field,' so to speak, and then some backroom deals involving marriages and appointments of title to would-be rulers in exchange for support of someone who can actually establish some semblance of legitimacy."
"Fortunately we currently seem far from any of the dangers, like the possibility of riots or martial law, that could strike the cities. Even so, it will be up to all of the nobility - and the priesthood, yes, we have a social role to play - to see to it that Taldor and its people come through this matter able to hold heads high and say 'Yes, we survived hard times with our dignity intact.'"
After missing another swing and ceding the turn to Dame Crabbe, she leans slightly on her trucco mallet and says to Maria, "I would imagine that, if nothing else, there will be good business for your line of work, hunting down secrets and traitors and digging up tales of backroom dealings and hidden alliances."
"Perhaps, I've mostly done it in regards to thefts and murder in the past. Hopefully they make things interesting, at least. Nothing worse than hunting down an unimaginative fugitive - whatever enjoyment you might get from getting them off the streets is killed by how bloody boring it can be. Certainly made be question the competency of some of Oppara's city watch at times, I can tell you."
Though not interested in playing trucco, she was starting to see the appeal in watching it.
Melodie, much like Maria, finds Trucco to be more of a spectator sport than one to actively participate in - watching Sara and Zhi square off has some good moments however, particularly watching Zhi go from confident to downright nervous and Sara schools her.
Speaking quietly to Maria she does express some misgivings though. "This lack of attention being paid to the maze doesn't seem right. Dame Crabbe has been detail orientated to the level of mania about everything else, why would she be so blase about her maze?"