"That is a lie!" Malphene's crony cries. "These ruffians assaulted us. She punched out Dame Trant! I recognize her--she's that resurrectionist! Low-life cad! Check her hand!"
"Would a resurrectionist be working for Lady Lotheed?" Maria pointed out, gesturing to the badges they'd been given.
"Besides which; perhaps you can explain to the gentlemen what you and Dame Trant were doing in here with Senator Dou? Or perhaps the good senator can elaborate instead?"
"Oh honorable soldiers!" Zhi says while falling to her knees and bowing her forehead to the floor. "We interrupted these horrible people while they were attempting to assault the noble Senator Dou. Then they turned their anger upon us. Please tell us it was not a grave sin to defend ourselves."
"It's true," Senator Dou says. "Dame Trant and her associates shoved me in here first and began to accost me. If these fine ladies hadn't intervened, I don't know what they might have done to me."
The crony sputters and fumes, but can't really say much else in his defense.
"Alright. Gather the Dame and her friends. We'll take them to the servant area until we can sort out exactly what their intentions were," the guard says to his men. He turns back to you. "You're free to go."
Once you have left the ballroom, Senator Dou thanks you for the rescue. "I am in your debt, my friends. Stop my by office tomorrow morning and I shall reward you for your bravery."
Before being pulled off the unconscious woman, Sara grabs whatever looks valuable on her, trying to do so subtly, but blinded by anger
Flustered, she storms across the room, stopping to fix her makeup and let her long, pin-straight, black-as-ink hair down, hoping to cover the tear in the side of her dress.
Once finished, she then returns to the gallery to exchange words once more with the High Strategos, not taking any more time to speak with her companions. I know I shat the bed, no need to remind me.
"Hrmm," Pythareus grunts. He seems a little less impressed than he did a few moments ago. Perhaps Sara's tears were pushing things a bit too far towards the melodramatic for his tastes. "You did what you had to do. Sometimes soldiers have to get their hands dirty to defend this glorious nation. While I understand your hardship, I can't say I approve of the methods you chose to address it. I don't think you are a ghoul, though, my lady. You are a survivor."
Sara returns to the man. "Sir, I must confess, I have lied to you. While it is out of the court's hands now, I did kill the people I was accused of killing."
"If I may continue, sir, you are a bit off in your estimation. I did so to survive, yes, but your thoughts as to why are wrong. I did not thieve and murder solely to lift myself and my family out of poverty. The times are changing, sir, and we must change with them. All the people I killed were people near enough to death that they wouldn't have lived to see those times, but you and I, we will. I needed to be safe and secure to last out whatever storm is coming for us. I hoped to take my family with me.
"Please don't tell anyone, sir. I'm not even sure why I'm telling you."
Melodie huddles in the corner, presenting a rather pitiable sight when the guards enter, she doesn't pull herself together quickly enough to help explain the situation but may well have been overlooked anyway.
Once she pulls herself together and makes her way from the side room, trying to compose herself again. She heads towards the Arcade of Triumphs, planning to watch the High Strategos and his entourage.
Sara swipes a small pouch of gold and a vial from Malphene before she departs, the theft going unnoticed.
Pythareus raises an eyebrow when Sara returns, noting the faint bruise forming on her brow but refraining from commenting. He listens to her story and nods. "Perhaps you sense a kindred spirit. Like you, I am willing to do what is necesarry to protect myself and the nation I love. You are correct in your estimation that times are changing. And it all begins tonight. All of Taldor's concerns over succession will finally be laid to rest."
Another nobleman approaches the High Strategos, and he sighs. "Apologies, my lady, but duty calls. Don't worry--your secret is safe with me. It was a pleasure making your acquaintance. Perhaps we shall meet again soon." He takes Sara's hand--the one with the brand--and brushes his lips against the back of it.
Melodie watches the interaction from the sidelines, speaking quietly with some of the other gala guests and impressing them with her astute observations.
As the ladies leave the ballroom, Zhi sidles up next to Sara.
"I want to apologize for not finishing that earlier. If I had taken that fight a little more seriously, then that idiot wouldn't have been able to yell for the guards. Of course dead bodies can be a little harder to explain."
She smiles and bows slightly as they pass a pair of well dressed socialites.
"My father always taught me not to kill someone if you don't have to. Although I'm not sure whether Trant will be more trouble alive rather then dead." The small woman shrugs. "I think we can take that unfortunate incident as a lesson learned and move on."
She hands the bruised woman a bottle of brandy.
"That's not actually wine, but then you didn't actually pin Miss Horseface either, so I'll call it even."
Zhe straightens her dress and checks her parasol.
"Don't drink it by yourself though; drink it with friends," she adds as she takes her leave with a bow.
"Oh, and you might want to see Zileska before those bruises start to show."
--
Zhi follows Melodie to the Arcade of Triumphs.
"Are you ok?" she asks as they arrive and the mesmerist begins looking over the area. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but it didn't look like you have too much experience in brawls like that back there."
There's still that stupid buckler left to lift.
She makes her way to where the last item is displayed.
That's something that could actually prove useful.
As the ladies leave the ballroom, Zhi sidles up next to Sara.
"I want to apologize for not finishing that earlier. If I had taken that fight a little more seriously, then that idiot wouldn't have been able to yell for the guards. Of course dead bodies can be a little harder to explain."
"You have nothing to apologize for, Zhi; I think they would have come anyway. Malphene and I both screamed a lot."
She smiles and bows slightly as they pass a pair of well dressed socialites.
"My father always taught me not to kill someone if you don't have to. Although I'm not sure whether Trant will be more trouble alive rather then dead." The small woman shrugs. "I think we can take that unfortunate incident as a lesson learned and move on."
She hands the bruised woman a bottle of brandy.
"That's not actually wine, but then you didn't actually pin Miss Horseface either, so I'll call it even."
Zhe straightens her dress and checks her parasol.
"Don't drink it by yourself though; drink it with friends," she adds as she takes her leave with a bow.
She accepts it, blushing. "I was about to start on trying for it when she c~$+ punted me. When did you have time to get this?"
"Oh, and you might want to see Zileska before those bruises start to show."
"I don't care. They add an air of mystery and threat, I think. Before I forget, did you deliver that letter to Lady Morilla?"
Sara remains mostly silent the rest of the way to the Arcade.
After reuniting briefly with Pythareus, Sara joins Melodie and Zhi.
"Hey Mel, I," she wrings her hands, unsure how to go on. "Sorry I got us in that mess."
Zhi follows Melodie to the Arcade of Triumphs.
"Are you ok?" she asks as they arrive and the mesmerist begins looking over the area. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but it didn't look like you have too much experience in brawls like that back there."
After reuniting briefly with Pythareus, Sara joins Melodie and Zhi.
"Hey Mel, I," she wrings her hands, unsure how to go on. "Sorry I got us in that mess."
"I'm... not used to this." Melodie admits, eyes straying over the crowd but definitely not looking at either of her solicitous, friends?, Sara certainly and Mai... maybe - soon.
"This is the senate, I've dreamed of being here for years. The feeling of history, the cut and thrust of debate. Besting my opponents on the debate floor - making history. I just... never expected to be involved in violence."
Now she does make eye contact, even though her voice is softer than ever. "My mother made me take some shooting lessons, she said every lady should be able to defend themselves but... I've never been one for violence. I've been brought up to talk things through, we don't fight with weapons - just words."
Melodie actually looks embarrased, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I'm sorry I was so useless. People have always said I had an enchanting voice, I thought... maybe I could make people stop fighting if I yelled. Silly I know." She does her best to muster up a smile, "At least if anything happens you two are here to protect me right?"
Looking around she seems slightly reassured, "But this is the Senate of Taldor, what could possibly happen here?"
Zileska preens a bit while waiting, but keeps an eye out for the return of her colleagues to the general floor. As soon as she spots them, she makes her way to a table for refreshments, hoping that one of them will use that as an opportunity to surreptitiously fill her in on what went on in the gallery above.
She accepts it, blushing. "I was about to start on trying for it when she c~$+ punted me. When did you have time to get this?"
"Some stuffed shirt gave it to me for making the kids up in the gallery laugh."
She pulls out the wand.
"One of them also gave me this. Made some smart-mouthed comment about needing help to win over people."
--
"I don't care. They add an air of mystery and threat, I think. Before I forget, did you deliver that letter to Lady Morilla?"
Zhi's eyes widen as she reaches to her waist and produces the envelope from a hidden pocket within.
"Damn, I forgot about that. I'll need to do that next."
Lady Lotheed said the Morilla would be in the garden. I'll have to come back for the buckler.
Zhi heads off towards the garden. As she moves through the crowd, she notices a flash of black and yellow in the distance.
I wonder if anyone's updated Zileska on our little dance.
She detours.
Approaching the priestess, Zhi says quietly, "We just had a tumble with Trant and her sycophants upstairs."
She glances around.
"One of her boys managed to call for the guards, but not before we put the others on the ground." The small woman giggles. "I don't think Dame Horse-face will be breathing through her nose for a week or so."
"She did manage to get a few good licks in before she went down, though. Sara might be nursing a broken rib or two. If Calistria offers the gift of healing, I think she'd would be a good candidate right now."
Melodie actually looks embarrased, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I'm sorry I was so useless. People have always said I had an enchanting voice, I thought... maybe I could make people stop fighting if I yelled. Silly I know." She does her best to muster up a smile, "At least if anything happens you two are here to protect me right?"
Looking around she seems slightly reassured, "But this is the Senate of Taldor, what could possibly happen here?"
Zhi looks around at the gathered throng.
"My father always taught me that a girl should never depend on someone else coming to her aid. If you're sitting around waiting for someone to rescue you, lots of really bad things can happen in the meantime.
She looks Melodie in the eye.
"Just because you would like to fight with words doesn't mean the other person wouldn't rather do it with a knife." She shakes her head. "All the words in the world won't help you win that battle."
Zileska takes in Zhi's report without comment, just the slightest nod of her head. "I'll need someone to assist me with a little drama and a silver tongue. Looks like you already have things to do, though. Could you direct one of our confederates here? Perhaps Maria or Melodie?"
Zhi passes along Zileska's request for assistance to Maria.
"I'm... not used to this." Melodie actually looks embarrased, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I'm sorry I was so useless. People have always said I had an enchanting voice, I thought... maybe I could make people stop fighting if I yelled. Silly I know." She does her best to muster up a smile, "At least if anything happens you two are here to protect me right?"
Looking around she seems slightly reassured, "But this is the Senate of Taldor, what could possibly happen here?"
Sara sits down. "I really don't know what to tell you. I would love to be able to protect you round the clock, I certainly owe your family that, maybe I could even be your bodyguard." She blushes and pulls a hair from out of her face.
"But Zhi's right. As is your mother. Even if you paid me, I couldn't be there constantly. Maybe," she runs her hand through her hair, "well, maybe-- look, I'm not great with weapons but if you wanted, I could teach you how to throw a punch? Some basic self defense maneuvers, perhaps?"
She stares at Pythareus off in the distance.
"Would you mind helping me keep on eye on the High Strategos? He had some very odd things to say over the course of our conversation, and I figure together we stand a better chance of it together than we do alone."
While wanting to have a few words with Sara about provoking the fight, Maria felt this wasn't the time for recriminations.
She'd been about to resume her attempts on the High Strategos but saw the others handling him quite well without her, at which point Zhi found her and passed on Zileska's message.
"Zhi said you needed help stirring the pot?" she asked the Calistrian.
"Yes," says Zileska. "Take this." She hands Maria a glass of a dark red wine. "Doesn't matter what you normally drink, you won't be drinking it. I've alienated Couuntess Pace. Let's go find her and have an 'argument' that ends with you throwing your wine on me. Then you can commiserate with her about the 'b$##*y Calistian half-breed' and win her trust."
"I hope you can clean it out quickly or you might have more troubles later."
"Just throw it on my corset. I'll take it off and just wear my halter later and be scandalous," says Zileska. "Or if someone knows petty magic I can have it cleaned up. I'm not worried about what people think, just about getting the job done."
"Should've guessed," she muttered, more to herself. "Alright; lead the way."
After speaking to Zileska and Maria, Zhi deftly ducks and dances through the crowds that have gathered in the courtyard. She makes her way to Lady Morilla and hands her the message.
"Thank you, darling. Might I beseech you to deliver this envelope to your patron? And this one to Duke Leonard Centimus in the archives." She hands the Tien woman two more envelopes.
Sara sits down. "I really don't know what to tell you. I would love to be able to protect you round the clock, I certainly owe your family that, maybe I could even be your bodyguard." She blushes and pulls a hair from out of her face.
"But Zhi's right. As is your mother. Even if you paid me, I couldn't be there constantly. Maybe," she runs her hand through her hair, "well, maybe-- look, I'm not great with weapons but if you wanted, I could teach you how to throw a punch? Some basic self defense maneuvers, perhaps?"
She stares at Pythareus off in the distance.
"Would you mind helping me keep on eye on the High Strategos? He had some very odd things to say over the course of our conversation, and I figure together we stand a better chance of it together than we do alone."
Melodie blushes even more at Sara's kind words and reaches out to squeeze the older woman's hand with a smile. "I'd like that. Perhaps later, or tommorow? You aren't just going to disappear again I hope..." She says, putting on the puppy-eyes just a little. (Always a sign she was feeling better.)
Accompanying her new 'bodyguard' to the Arcade of Triumphs, Melodie continues to watch the area, gradually getting drawn in to conversation with the people passing through the area.
Bowing towards Lady Morilla, Zhi accepts the two envelopes.
As she begins moving through the crowds, she glances at the missives.
I wonder how much the information inside these is worth?
Focus!
She makes her way to find Duke Centimus in the archives.
Sara scoffs, but accepts Melodie's hand. "Last time I disappeared, I was under house arrest, awaiting trial for," she gets flustered and looks off in the distance.
"Tomorrow works. Or later tonight. Both, even. Here could we shuffle over closer to the High Strategos, so as to keep a better eye on him? Pretend we're having a good time, laugh and s~*!."
Zileska says to Maria, "Let's go find Pace. When you spot her, you go ahead. I'll come up and accost you and do something eye-catching and probably say something mean. Then we can have our 'altercation' and you can commiserate with her."
Nodding in agreement, Maria moved off to look for Pace again.
It wasn't long before she found the countess and made her approach. "Ah, Countess Pace? Maria Greyson, don't believe I've had the pleasure."
"No, you have not had the pleasure," Countess Pace says, looking down at Maria. "Is there something I can do for you?"
Melodie continues to make small talk with some of the other guests in the gallery. It proves mildly stimulating but doesn't do a whole lot to impress the crowd.
Zhi swiftly squeezes through the crowd in the archives, making her way to Duke Centimus. The portly half-elf accepts the letter and takes a few moments to read it. "Ah, very good. Thank you, my lady. This has proven most elucidating." He folds the message again and deposits it in a compartment on the side of his wheelchair.
"Well, this is a little embarrassing," she said, "but my father would kill me if I did not try to get word of our work to certain influential individuals here. If you've ever need for investigative work, we'd be honoured if you at least considered using Greyson Investigative Services." As she spoke, she offered the Countess one of a small set of business cards she normally carried with her - often for their actual use but occasionally for situations like this.
"We can also guarantee a level of discretion that the city watch's procedures might not allow. Should that be necessary."
Countess Pace looks askance at Maria's fiendish features, but she takes the tiefling's business card. "Very well. Perhaps I may have use of your services in the future. I promise that I will least consider it." The promise sounds a bit empty to Maria's ears.
Zhi can't help but notice the Duke's chair.
"I apologize if this seems forward or rude, but I can't help but notice that your chair doesn't appear at all like others I've seen," she says, stepping back to take a more appraising look at the device.
"Did you do that yourself?"
As Maria finishes handing off her card, Zileska meanders past. She sizes up Maria, with the familiar look of someone disgusted by the presence of a tiefling, and cattily remarks, "Why, Countess Pace, you found your equal. An accessory to fashion murder." She lets the quip hang there for a moment before she says, "The church of Calistria has been a staple of Taldor for generations, and that isn't going to change. Especially considering how susceptible emperors are to... persuasion." She idly plucks at her corset and murmurs, "Just not by Chelaxian half-breeds."
Sara places both hands on Melodie's sides. "Sorry, stand here so he can't see me."
However she is both clearly visible to the High Strategos and unable to see him.
Duke Centimus grins at Zhi. "I did, indeed! I've always liked tinkering with things, and my current condition is just another challenge to tool around with. I've made several adjustments and personal modifications to the design, but I'd love to hear your ideas for any future revisions!"
---
Countess Pace scoffs at Zileska, waiting to see how Maria reacts.
"My father has instilled in me an appreciation for mechanical devices such as that. Although I doubt I would be able to offer anything that would be an improvement over what you've done."
The small woman bows towards the seated Duke.
"But in any case, I must take my leave. Thank you Sir, for your indulgence."
--
Another note to deliver. Should check on the others first.
Zhi detours towards where Sara and Melodie are attempting to observe the High Strategos.
"Find anything out more about Pythareus?" she asks.
After hearing about their lack of success Zhi looks over at the High Strategos.
"Why don't you take this letter to Lady Lotheed," she says to Sara. "I'll see if I can overhear anything here."
"And revenge-obsessed nymphomaniacs are any better?" Maria replied. Latching onto the Calistrian angle would help with the performance; she already had a dim view of Calistria and most of the people who followed her (Zileska being one of the few exceptions) so it would help with her performance.
"At least when one of us tries to persuade someone, we don't need to be on our back." Maria moved towards a passing servant, but seemed to slightly trip, not enough to fall but enough to propel the contents of her wine glass onto Zileska's dress. And she made sure the trip looked as fake as it was.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said, voice dripping with sarcasm.
Zileska stands in open-mouthed horror as the dark wine stains the yellow parts of her bodice. In a flustered, spluttering expression, she gasps out, "You... you! You!" Now totally at a loss for words, she grips her coiled whip so that her knuckles turn white, and says through now-gritted teeth, "You would do well to remember that our sting is patient," before she spins on her heel and huffs off.
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Maria glared at Zileska as she left. "Given how many other Calistrians my father and I have pissed off over the years, they must be quite patient indeed," she muttered after the priestess had left.
"I'm sorry you had to see that, Countess, my heritage may grant me some benefits, but also has a tendency to draw the ire of the ignorant."
She chose her words carefully here; now Countess Pace had to (at least appear to) look past her fiendish heritage, lest others begin comparing her to Zileska.
Countess Pace chuckles softly as Zileska gets her (apparent) comeuppance. "No apologies necessary, Miss Greyson. Indeed, I think you may have earned my patronage for future endeavors. You strike me as a woman who is willing to do what it takes to get the job done, no matter whom you might have to cross to do so. Allow me to offer you a bit of advice. To survive in the senate, one must be a leaf on the wind, ready to float whichever way the wind blows. Tonight's vote may not be such a sure thing. No matter what happens, I intend to be on the winning side. Stick with me, and you will be too." She favors Maria with a predatory smile.
Confident with her work with Pace, Maria headed back to deal with the Strategos finally. She passed Zileska and filled her in on what she'd learnt from Pace (once she was sure they were both out of sight of the Countess).
While the others had been influencing the Strategos, they hadn't really done much spying on him so far. Once she spotted him, she carefully made use of the crowd to conceal her as she observed him.
Zhi moves quietly up to the person the High Strategos is conversing with and turning her back on them, backs up close enough to attempt to overhear their conversation.
Keeping close, she turns her head to listen closely.
"Zhi, all I learned is he wouldn't mind if I was a murderer and that he thinks the vote is going to go through or something." Sara graciously takes the letter and hurries along to deliver it to their benefactor.
Maria tries to hide among the crowd to get close to the High Strategos, but he notices her approach. She's forced to slink back to avoid suspicion. The distraction creates an opportunity for Zhi, though, who maneuvers into position to eavesdrop on the conversation. For now, the talk is fairly mundane, about troop movements and various military operations in the works.
Sara shoves her way through the crowds up on the gallery, managing to reach Martella's table. She hands her patron the message from Lady Morilla, and Martella reads it with a smile. "Thank you, Sara. I have one final request for you. I...'borrowed' this file folder from the archives to do some research. If you can return it to its proper place, I would greatly appreciate it."
Realizing that nobody in their little group has the ability to magically clean her garment, Zileska disappears in one of the side rooms. It's several minutes before she emerges with her stained corset rolled up and she moves quickly to tuck it away. As she previously noted, she is now scandalously garbed only in her black brassiere with her yellow-and-black bustle skirt and stockings. Even so, she seems to pay little heed to the gasps or murmurs that float from behind fans.
She returns to the patroness and says, "I'll take that next letter to its destination."
She smirks and holds the letter in front of her face, then gives it the merest brush with her lips and carefully places it in her brassiere so that it rests in her cleavage. Then she turns and slides through the crowds, ignoring the commentary.
She smirks slightly and says, "No matter. I'll take in the sights." She meanders off to see about what's happening with High Strategos.
Martella quirks her eyebrow at Zileska's attire, but a slight smile is on her lips. "A daring wardrobe change, but I would expect nothing less from a Calistrian. You do wear it well, my dear."
The half-elf slips through the crowd of stunned gawkers, leaving a trail of whispers in her wake. She makes it to the archives without incident and returns the file folder to its proper spot.
Seeing Zhi manage to get into position to eavesdrop on the Strategos, Maria instead busied herself observing the crowd and displays in the arcade.