Entry 9
Dear diary, shall I tell you the tale?
The tale of how I slipped into Frandrin's mansion and made myself known to him with a dynamic reveal?And how I wrapped him around my finger?
I shall? Splendid?
Well, there I was, inside his mansion, comfortably sitting in a massive, leather chair with golden trimmings. My legs were crossed and I had my revolver pointed at the entrance to his bedroom. I recall I sat there for about an hour, casually waiting for him to return as I read a book. The book was pretty good actually. About this anti-hero fellow who was - eh that's not to the point here, is it?
I heard the door start to open and cocked my revolver.Â
Well, let my tell you, both the butler and I were surprised.  We were both tense and neither of us spoke for several moments as we sized one another up.
To the butler's credit, he, in his aged, elezen way took all this in stride. He casually folded his hands before him and bowed.
"Ah, Master Estinoch, I had heard you perished. I am sure my master will be thrilled to learn of your continued exuberance."
"I...I'm sure you are right." I chuckled sheepishly, not lowering my gun. "Is he home?"
"Not yet I'm afraid." the butler explained. "He's currently out playing polo."
"Right, right, I forgot the day. So how have you been? What have you been up too?"
"Butling." The butler joked and I laughed with a nod.Â
"You know I can't just let you walk away. Would ruin the surprise." I added.
"This mean you intend harm on my master?" the elezen's grey eyebrow's slanted over his green eyes and I swallowed. I didn't know what he'd done before he'd come to work for Frandrin but I had seen first hand this old man's combat prowess and it was, despite his age, frightening.
"Not at all, just a joke of sorts. And protection. After all, I like to be careful when dealing with Garlean sympathizers." I explained, giving a fake smile that was full of teeth.
"Has my master ever given you the impression he might want to silence you? He came to rely on you rather heavily before your death...disappearance."
"You master is both a Monetarist and a Garlean sympathizer." I retorted with a raised eyebrow. "What about that invites true trust?"
The butler shrugged and we then spent the next bell or so making very awkward and light chit-chat. I was very grateful when another set of foot steps began to walk down the hall towards the room. I heard the lalafel call:
"Ah, there you are. Could you bring a bit of tea to my study, I..." Frandrin paused as he came into sight through the doorwar and turned to follow his butler's gaze towards me.  A Cheshire grin took my lips and I twitched my tail lazily.
"Hello, Frandrin." I purred and the lalafel went pale.
"Tray..Tray'ju. I..thought you were dead."Â
"Indeed." I mused. "But I'm not. It's cause of you I had to fake being dead. You know why?" I narrowed my eyes. "Because you had me smuggle in those damn vials of Blue Blood!"
"Now look, I paid you for the delivery." Frandrin began. "I told you everything and-"
"Except how half the damn world would want to kill me to get to you over it!" I snapped, anger suddenly flushing my face red as I recalled how everything I had built was gone because I had to drop colors and run for my life because of this man. "The Maelstrom, bounty hunters, hell even other crooks were after me cause of that shipment. And for what? So you could have them in case you needed them?"
"Ah.  So you have come for revenge then?" Frandrin swallowed nervously. Beside him the elezen flexed his fingers. I glared at the lalafel and grunted.
"No." I replied and saw Frandrin's face relax some. "I came here because word is you've been a bad little bee."
"Beg your pardon?"
"Oh yes. I heard all about how you've 'helping the war effort against the Empire'. How noble of you to send supplies. Especially those 'special' boxes."
"How did you.."
"I'm a bad little bee too, Frandrin. I still have a few contacts. And after I got word you were hiring people to move those 'special' boxes to make sure they got aboard vessels bound to the front, I got curious and just had to look inside. And whoop boy. I don't know much about bombs, but whoever you've got making these babies is a master. And let me be the first to say that there are not many bomb makers in Ul'dah who are that skilled. So what's the angle? Make sure that the bombs blow up the ships full of supplies on the way to the front? Or you waiting till they reach the front to detonate them?"
"You have a point? Frandrin grunted, clearly holding back his anger. He was caught but was avoiding answering my questions. That didn't bother me. I'd done my research before coming here.
"Well, you are going to pay me to keep my mouth shut and ensure myself and my organization is left alone by the Brass Blades.  You are also going to put some bounties out for me. And any jobs you or your friends have go through me now. And if you think about killing me, I have left several identical folders with various people who all have instructions to open the files should I vanish or turn up expired; and then turn the documents over to various groups. These documents detail your busy little schemes, all your little secrets, and just how far your Garlean strings go. And if you think I'm just talking the Brass Blades, you missed the mark. I'm talking vigilant groups. You know, the nut jobs who you can't bribe with your authority. The idealists."
Frandrin was grinding his teeth and glaring.
'So it's blackmail is it?"
"More like a forced merger." I replied. Â "You now operate through me at my rates. You pay a lot for quality you know. The envelopes are just insurance against you and your Garlean puppet masters."
"You've become far more cut throat." Frandrin commented.
"Life does that to people." I remarked. "Do we have a deal?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"About as much choice as you offered me when I moved the Blue Blood." I answered sardonically.
"I see."
"To a beautiful partnership." I said with a pleased smile.
"To something." the lalafel growled.
Ten minutes later I left by the front door and, Diary, I don't mind telling you I wore a shit-eating from on my face the whole way home.
Dear diary, shall I tell you the tale?
The tale of how I slipped into Frandrin's mansion and made myself known to him with a dynamic reveal?And how I wrapped him around my finger?
I shall? Splendid?
Well, there I was, inside his mansion, comfortably sitting in a massive, leather chair with golden trimmings. My legs were crossed and I had my revolver pointed at the entrance to his bedroom. I recall I sat there for about an hour, casually waiting for him to return as I read a book. The book was pretty good actually. About this anti-hero fellow who was - eh that's not to the point here, is it?
I heard the door start to open and cocked my revolver.Â
Well, let my tell you, both the butler and I were surprised.  We were both tense and neither of us spoke for several moments as we sized one another up.
To the butler's credit, he, in his aged, elezen way took all this in stride. He casually folded his hands before him and bowed.
"Ah, Master Estinoch, I had heard you perished. I am sure my master will be thrilled to learn of your continued exuberance."
"I...I'm sure you are right." I chuckled sheepishly, not lowering my gun. "Is he home?"
"Not yet I'm afraid." the butler explained. "He's currently out playing polo."
"Right, right, I forgot the day. So how have you been? What have you been up too?"
"Butling." The butler joked and I laughed with a nod.Â
"You know I can't just let you walk away. Would ruin the surprise." I added.
"This mean you intend harm on my master?" the elezen's grey eyebrow's slanted over his green eyes and I swallowed. I didn't know what he'd done before he'd come to work for Frandrin but I had seen first hand this old man's combat prowess and it was, despite his age, frightening.
"Not at all, just a joke of sorts. And protection. After all, I like to be careful when dealing with Garlean sympathizers." I explained, giving a fake smile that was full of teeth.
"Has my master ever given you the impression he might want to silence you? He came to rely on you rather heavily before your death...disappearance."
"You master is both a Monetarist and a Garlean sympathizer." I retorted with a raised eyebrow. "What about that invites true trust?"
The butler shrugged and we then spent the next bell or so making very awkward and light chit-chat. I was very grateful when another set of foot steps began to walk down the hall towards the room. I heard the lalafel call:
"Ah, there you are. Could you bring a bit of tea to my study, I..." Frandrin paused as he came into sight through the doorwar and turned to follow his butler's gaze towards me.  A Cheshire grin took my lips and I twitched my tail lazily.
"Hello, Frandrin." I purred and the lalafel went pale.
"Tray..Tray'ju. I..thought you were dead."Â
"Indeed." I mused. "But I'm not. It's cause of you I had to fake being dead. You know why?" I narrowed my eyes. "Because you had me smuggle in those damn vials of Blue Blood!"
"Now look, I paid you for the delivery." Frandrin began. "I told you everything and-"
"Except how half the damn world would want to kill me to get to you over it!" I snapped, anger suddenly flushing my face red as I recalled how everything I had built was gone because I had to drop colors and run for my life because of this man. "The Maelstrom, bounty hunters, hell even other crooks were after me cause of that shipment. And for what? So you could have them in case you needed them?"
"Ah.  So you have come for revenge then?" Frandrin swallowed nervously. Beside him the elezen flexed his fingers. I glared at the lalafel and grunted.
"No." I replied and saw Frandrin's face relax some. "I came here because word is you've been a bad little bee."
"Beg your pardon?"
"Oh yes. I heard all about how you've 'helping the war effort against the Empire'. How noble of you to send supplies. Especially those 'special' boxes."
"How did you.."
"I'm a bad little bee too, Frandrin. I still have a few contacts. And after I got word you were hiring people to move those 'special' boxes to make sure they got aboard vessels bound to the front, I got curious and just had to look inside. And whoop boy. I don't know much about bombs, but whoever you've got making these babies is a master. And let me be the first to say that there are not many bomb makers in Ul'dah who are that skilled. So what's the angle? Make sure that the bombs blow up the ships full of supplies on the way to the front? Or you waiting till they reach the front to detonate them?"
"You have a point? Frandrin grunted, clearly holding back his anger. He was caught but was avoiding answering my questions. That didn't bother me. I'd done my research before coming here.
"Well, you are going to pay me to keep my mouth shut and ensure myself and my organization is left alone by the Brass Blades.  You are also going to put some bounties out for me. And any jobs you or your friends have go through me now. And if you think about killing me, I have left several identical folders with various people who all have instructions to open the files should I vanish or turn up expired; and then turn the documents over to various groups. These documents detail your busy little schemes, all your little secrets, and just how far your Garlean strings go. And if you think I'm just talking the Brass Blades, you missed the mark. I'm talking vigilant groups. You know, the nut jobs who you can't bribe with your authority. The idealists."
Frandrin was grinding his teeth and glaring.
'So it's blackmail is it?"
"More like a forced merger." I replied. Â "You now operate through me at my rates. You pay a lot for quality you know. The envelopes are just insurance against you and your Garlean puppet masters."
"You've become far more cut throat." Frandrin commented.
"Life does that to people." I remarked. "Do we have a deal?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"About as much choice as you offered me when I moved the Blue Blood." I answered sardonically.
"I see."
"To a beautiful partnership." I said with a pleased smile.
"To something." the lalafel growled.
Ten minutes later I left by the front door and, Diary, I don't mind telling you I wore a shit-eating from on my face the whole way home.