It was not until Coatleque was back at the inn and soaking in a hot bath that she was finally able to breath a sigh of relief. Her body ached and she still could not recall the previous night. Perhaps it was better this way. Mistress Momodi greeted her as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, though perhaps it was her wisdom that had held her tongue. The head of the Adventurer's guild in Ul'dah had seen many strange things in her own time. A drunken paladin should seem like business as usual.
Leaning her head back against the edge of the tub her thoughts began to drift again. She had told no one of her decision to swap the soulstones. Probably the first impulsive thing she had done in years, and one that she still was not sure was right. All she knew is that she would never track down Banurein or even Jameson herself. She was the one who took her orders and carried them out like a good pawn should. Natalie, however...
The rest of the morning had been calm. Since the initial episode she had felt no different. Perhaps slightly ashamed at waking up in a gutter, but otherwise she was still herself. It was a wonder that anyone would make such a deal out of this at all. Unfounded rumors. Worrisome superstitions. That is all it was.
So her mind turned back to the immediate task at hand. Her trip to Gridania had yielded nothing. The locals proved tight lipped and wary of foreigners; Rather the opposite of the norm in Ul'dah. The few questions she did get out only had her reported to the Adders - reports that led to a rather lengthy interview by a mid-ranking officer.
She sat compliantly with this Lieutenant Dauremant as he grilled her on who she was, where she was from, why she was interrogating the locals with her disquieting demeanor and...
"Disquieting? Really, Leftennant, is that what they've told you? Or are you simply trying to provoke an outburst on my part?"
"What I am trying to do is to halt a potential spy from walking out of here with sensitive information. This is not Ul'dah, if that really is where you are from... highlander, and you are not entitled to any legal comforts the city affords you. Now, shall we dispense with these games?"
Her expression soured at that, reading the clear disdain in his voice. She crossed her arms and looked away from him. "Fine. I am Lady Crofte of her Resplendence's royal guard. I am here investigating a missing person, a noble from Thanalan. Now that I have dispensed of mine own act I sincerely hope you can afford me the same courtesy."
The Elezen showed no reaction to her admission. "A Sultansworn? Here? Forgive me if I call that 'Bo shite. Why would you not have checked in with the Adders immediately?"
"You will believe what you will, all I can do is speak the truth. I am not here on official capacity, Sir. My purpose is... personal. Call it 'paladin' business if you will. Unless Free Paladins are not welcome within the Shoud now either."
He shook his head. "Paladin or not, you are an outsider, and they are not welcome. I sympathize with your mission, but if your noble has fled here then he was meant to disappear."
Coatleque stood. "That is unacceptable!"
"That is not your place to decide what is or is not."
"You do not even know whom I am looking for! What if it was a child lost on her way? You would abandon her to the elemental's fate?"
"We would have found her ourselves long before your arrival in that case!"
There was a pause as the two wills battled for an upper hand from across the room. Coatleque took a deep breath before finally backing down. "It is no child I am looking for. I was searching for Rondelet and Clement."
The sound of the two names finally elicited a response from the Elezen. He turned sharply towards her.
"And where did you hear those names?"
"The man I am looking for may have known one or both."
"Hrmpf. For his sake, I certainly hope now."
"... And why is that?"
"Solelle Rondelet was naught but a scum sucking assassin for hire. Clement? He was one of ours, tracking her down."
"Was?"
"They are dead now."
"Of course they are."
There was another pause as the man reflected on his lost comrade. It seemed to Coatleque they may have been close. She was about to offer her condolences when he spoke up again. "A shame really. He joined us only about five cycles back, arrived from Ishgard. Such a promising career cut short. At least he did her in at the same time. Suppose she did not want to come quietly and resisted arrest." He sighed then looked back to her. "That is all we know of the matter. I am sorry your mission here was for naught, but I would suggest you leave now. Gridania is no place for your kind."
The scene replayed in her mind as the heat of the bath rose around her. While not particularly attracted to Elezen, she had to admit the Leftenant had a certain charm. There was a twinge as if she had missed an opportunity that night, a slight regret at the back of her mind which she shook off just as suddenly as it arrived to make way for another memory - Matron Anduron's words.
That was the connection which had eluded her. Taeros and Clement arrived at the same time. Coatleque pulled herself forward by the rim of the tub to stand and perpare for the afternoon. Everything was now pushing her northward. She had only the captain to deal with...
Leaning her head back against the edge of the tub her thoughts began to drift again. She had told no one of her decision to swap the soulstones. Probably the first impulsive thing she had done in years, and one that she still was not sure was right. All she knew is that she would never track down Banurein or even Jameson herself. She was the one who took her orders and carried them out like a good pawn should. Natalie, however...
The rest of the morning had been calm. Since the initial episode she had felt no different. Perhaps slightly ashamed at waking up in a gutter, but otherwise she was still herself. It was a wonder that anyone would make such a deal out of this at all. Unfounded rumors. Worrisome superstitions. That is all it was.
So her mind turned back to the immediate task at hand. Her trip to Gridania had yielded nothing. The locals proved tight lipped and wary of foreigners; Rather the opposite of the norm in Ul'dah. The few questions she did get out only had her reported to the Adders - reports that led to a rather lengthy interview by a mid-ranking officer.
***
She sat compliantly with this Lieutenant Dauremant as he grilled her on who she was, where she was from, why she was interrogating the locals with her disquieting demeanor and...
"Disquieting? Really, Leftennant, is that what they've told you? Or are you simply trying to provoke an outburst on my part?"
"What I am trying to do is to halt a potential spy from walking out of here with sensitive information. This is not Ul'dah, if that really is where you are from... highlander, and you are not entitled to any legal comforts the city affords you. Now, shall we dispense with these games?"
Her expression soured at that, reading the clear disdain in his voice. She crossed her arms and looked away from him. "Fine. I am Lady Crofte of her Resplendence's royal guard. I am here investigating a missing person, a noble from Thanalan. Now that I have dispensed of mine own act I sincerely hope you can afford me the same courtesy."
The Elezen showed no reaction to her admission. "A Sultansworn? Here? Forgive me if I call that 'Bo shite. Why would you not have checked in with the Adders immediately?"
"You will believe what you will, all I can do is speak the truth. I am not here on official capacity, Sir. My purpose is... personal. Call it 'paladin' business if you will. Unless Free Paladins are not welcome within the Shoud now either."
He shook his head. "Paladin or not, you are an outsider, and they are not welcome. I sympathize with your mission, but if your noble has fled here then he was meant to disappear."
Coatleque stood. "That is unacceptable!"
"That is not your place to decide what is or is not."
"You do not even know whom I am looking for! What if it was a child lost on her way? You would abandon her to the elemental's fate?"
"We would have found her ourselves long before your arrival in that case!"
There was a pause as the two wills battled for an upper hand from across the room. Coatleque took a deep breath before finally backing down. "It is no child I am looking for. I was searching for Rondelet and Clement."
The sound of the two names finally elicited a response from the Elezen. He turned sharply towards her.
"And where did you hear those names?"
"The man I am looking for may have known one or both."
"Hrmpf. For his sake, I certainly hope now."
"... And why is that?"
"Solelle Rondelet was naught but a scum sucking assassin for hire. Clement? He was one of ours, tracking her down."
"Was?"
"They are dead now."
"Of course they are."
There was another pause as the man reflected on his lost comrade. It seemed to Coatleque they may have been close. She was about to offer her condolences when he spoke up again. "A shame really. He joined us only about five cycles back, arrived from Ishgard. Such a promising career cut short. At least he did her in at the same time. Suppose she did not want to come quietly and resisted arrest." He sighed then looked back to her. "That is all we know of the matter. I am sorry your mission here was for naught, but I would suggest you leave now. Gridania is no place for your kind."
***
The scene replayed in her mind as the heat of the bath rose around her. While not particularly attracted to Elezen, she had to admit the Leftenant had a certain charm. There was a twinge as if she had missed an opportunity that night, a slight regret at the back of her mind which she shook off just as suddenly as it arrived to make way for another memory - Matron Anduron's words.
"Taeros? An upstart house that arrived around, oh five cycles ago?"
That was the connection which had eluded her. Taeros and Clement arrived at the same time. Coatleque pulled herself forward by the rim of the tub to stand and perpare for the afternoon. Everything was now pushing her northward. She had only the captain to deal with...