Coatleque stood casually in the Ruby Exchange, fanning herself from the heat. She was thankful to not be on duty today. And even though she had a reprieve from her uniform, the heavy dress she wore in its place trapped just as much heat against her. The sun was just now setting. She hoped for at least some reprieve soon.
A man approached her then, wearing all white as she was. He seemed to recognize her from afar. His shoes fell lightly on the stone road and his feathered hat bobbed with every step. Stopping just before her he bowed courteously.
"Ser Crofte.", he said with a smile.
"Master Taeros, I presume.", she replied with her own flourish.
"I received a missive that... you want to take me up on that drink finally."
"Want is not the word I would have used."
"But yes, I believe we should speak.", he said with another smile. "It has been far too long. Captain Jenlyns has told me about you long ago."
"Do not presume that you know me, Master Taeros."
"Forgive my rudeness. I should have made your acquaintance long before today.", he said, his smile never seeming to leave his face. "Come now. Come, come. Let us relax over a drink, hmm? Perhaps the airport lounge?"
"As you would, Ser."
He nodded and turned about. She followed him to the lift as they continued on.
"Such a quaint place, this. Quiet. Don't you agree?"
"I do, Ser.", she replied curtly.
He slowly led her across the lounge to the seating area by the bar. Pulling her seat out from the table he turned to her.
"Lady first."
She thanked him as she sat and scooted the chair forward. He moved to the other side of the table and also sat. Folding his hands in front of him, he smiled at her then gestured to the bar tender for two glasses.
"I will have him prepare us my favorite."
"As you see fit, Ser. Though I do not drink usually."
His hand waved her off dismissively. "It is my philosophy that we all need to relax now and then. Our jobs and duties often waste our day."
"Perhaps your job, Master Taeros. Mine is hardly a waste of my time."
He smirked.
"Indeed. Even I would hold your job as loftier than mine. Protecting the life of the Sultana and all."
"And that is why I asked you to meet with me. I assume you trust the life of Her Grace in my hands, Ser?"
His hand raised momentarily as if to request pause and she nodded lightly. Jameson arose and walked to the bar. Nodding to the tender he left the required gil and returned with two glasses. One he sent in front of her, the other he set before himself as he retook his seat.
"Thank you.", she said as she swirled the contents of the glass before her.
"Why would I not trust you? Or all of the Sworn for that matter? You all swore the oath to protect our Grace."
"That is my same question to you, Ser. What is your interest in my ward?"
He paused.
"You are full aware that this investigation was given over to me."
"I trust you speak of Deneith."
She took a small sip of her drink. It was the most pungent, awful thing she ever tasted. She thought of spitting it back out but instead swallowed and did her best not to show her disgust.
"I do. And what is this called?"
"Ah! That.", he remarked with the same smile. "Sandsnake. Made from the venom of sandworms I believe. Potent thing."
"I trust you are not attempting to poison me, Master Taeros. T'would hardly be proper for our first true meeting."
His smile seemed to grow slowly wider still, as if he knew the game she was playing. He lifted his own glass and took a sip, his eyes never leaving her. He returned the glass to the table gently. "Distilled, it brings out a dark but subtle flavor and loses the poison." His hand remained on the glass.
"Back to business then. Why was my ward targeted by your thug?"
He arched a brow at her. "My thug?"
"You needn't keep up pretenses, Ser. I know you ordered the inspection. You received my report and did not like it. So you had him return to plant false evidence."
He nodded slowly as she spoke.
"Ah yes. I did get that report. Thank you for the courtesy." He shrugged. "I did spy a Grimsong visiting her dungeon. I merely suggested that they be watched carefully."
Coatleque lightly sipped at her drink once more before returning the glass to the table. "Mm."
"If they took that as to searching the place, well... I think that was cautiously wise, don't you think? Considering Grimsong's history with the girl."
"Searched? Her cell resembled a war zone."
His other brow now raised as well.
"I understood you took over the search."
"The first one, yes. What of the second, after my initial report?"
He blinked once. It was the only crack in his otherwise impeccable facade.
"Second?"
"I am not a fool, Master Taeros."
"Perhaps not. I suspect you show indulgence and favoritism to the prisoner."
"I am her advocate. T'is my job to show her favoritism. You were not pleased that it was I who filed the inspection report. Your same man returned and said so himself. That it was his own neck on the line if he failed to deliver the second time."
"... My man. Hm. Yes. Just who was it that inspected the cell?"
"Ser Besten."
He eyed her steadily before reaching for his drink taking an indulgent sip from it. She also lifted her glass, swirling the contents before taking another sip, albeit a slightly larger one than before.
"Besten, I see." He set his drink back down and smiled once more.
"And this Ser Besten said that I sent him?"
Her eyes narrowed as she watched him, looking for any signs of a lie or cover up. He maintained his smile but his eyes were intent. They never lifted the same time his lips did.
"I will not be another pawn in whatever political game you are playing."
"A bit of an obvious power-play, don't you think?"
"Explain?"
"She is clearly your ward. Under your care. But I had every right to voice my concern when a Garlean sympathizer visits an accused Garlean spy. It led to a search, I find that perfectly reasonable. Even Jenlyns could not argue. But after nothing was found? What? I send someone again to search her room? Don't tell me. this time... something was found?"
"Indeed."
"Of course it was."
"I am not questioning your search warrant, Ser. Ser Besten was to make the report to you directly. You did not hear of this?"
He leaned foward towards her.
"Ser Crofte. Let me make this clear. I did not send Ser Besten. Not personally. I voiced to a Sworn that a Garlean sympathizer was visiting a potential spy. That is all."
There was a pause. She swirled her glass around on the table once more as she watched the contents lap at the sides of the cup. "So you are also unawares of the attempt on her life?"
He blinked at her once more, though his expression did not change.
"I take it she still lives."
"Thankfully. I arrived in time, as well as Ser Mcbeef. Poisoned. A lethal somnus overdose in her water.", she replied as she took another sip and set the glass down once more.
"Hm."
The man paused, letting the news sink in as he pondered the implications quietly to himself.
"So, you think I tried to kill her."
"I think many things, Master Taeros. The evidence is pointing a certain direction. What I can't seem to figure out though, is why you would want to?"
"Indeed, Ser Crofte. Why would I?", he said as he leaned back. "I am the one that gave Natalie the evidence. If I wanted the girl convicted, why even bother?"
"Aye, after she delivered the girl's brother into your hands."
He shrugged casually.
"A high-value target. One you no longer possess."
"It was at my employer's behest. And it seems he was broken out. Of a Blade prison no less."
"Yes, I heard of that. Nasty business, aye?"
"But guarding a prisoner already caught is not my responsibility."
"Except now you have the only true leverage against him sitting in my care. Just beyond your reach."
She quirked an eyebrow at him.
"Mm. Ah, you see the link do you?"
"As I said. I am no fool, Master Taeros."
"Indeed. Deneith would be a good bait. She always was. For Wolfsong."
He smiled at her then his eyes seemd to drift beyond her momentarily. The Knight watched him and suddenly felt as if she was being watched from behind. An uneasy feeling settled over her as she eyed her own drink.
"Ah! Natalie."
(tbc)
A man approached her then, wearing all white as she was. He seemed to recognize her from afar. His shoes fell lightly on the stone road and his feathered hat bobbed with every step. Stopping just before her he bowed courteously.
"Ser Crofte.", he said with a smile.
"Master Taeros, I presume.", she replied with her own flourish.
"I received a missive that... you want to take me up on that drink finally."
"Want is not the word I would have used."
"But yes, I believe we should speak.", he said with another smile. "It has been far too long. Captain Jenlyns has told me about you long ago."
"Do not presume that you know me, Master Taeros."
"Forgive my rudeness. I should have made your acquaintance long before today.", he said, his smile never seeming to leave his face. "Come now. Come, come. Let us relax over a drink, hmm? Perhaps the airport lounge?"
"As you would, Ser."
He nodded and turned about. She followed him to the lift as they continued on.
"Such a quaint place, this. Quiet. Don't you agree?"
"I do, Ser.", she replied curtly.
He slowly led her across the lounge to the seating area by the bar. Pulling her seat out from the table he turned to her.
"Lady first."
She thanked him as she sat and scooted the chair forward. He moved to the other side of the table and also sat. Folding his hands in front of him, he smiled at her then gestured to the bar tender for two glasses.
"I will have him prepare us my favorite."
"As you see fit, Ser. Though I do not drink usually."
His hand waved her off dismissively. "It is my philosophy that we all need to relax now and then. Our jobs and duties often waste our day."
"Perhaps your job, Master Taeros. Mine is hardly a waste of my time."
He smirked.
"Indeed. Even I would hold your job as loftier than mine. Protecting the life of the Sultana and all."
"And that is why I asked you to meet with me. I assume you trust the life of Her Grace in my hands, Ser?"
His hand raised momentarily as if to request pause and she nodded lightly. Jameson arose and walked to the bar. Nodding to the tender he left the required gil and returned with two glasses. One he sent in front of her, the other he set before himself as he retook his seat.
"Thank you.", she said as she swirled the contents of the glass before her.
"Why would I not trust you? Or all of the Sworn for that matter? You all swore the oath to protect our Grace."
"That is my same question to you, Ser. What is your interest in my ward?"
He paused.
"You are full aware that this investigation was given over to me."
"I trust you speak of Deneith."
She took a small sip of her drink. It was the most pungent, awful thing she ever tasted. She thought of spitting it back out but instead swallowed and did her best not to show her disgust.
"I do. And what is this called?"
"Ah! That.", he remarked with the same smile. "Sandsnake. Made from the venom of sandworms I believe. Potent thing."
"I trust you are not attempting to poison me, Master Taeros. T'would hardly be proper for our first true meeting."
His smile seemed to grow slowly wider still, as if he knew the game she was playing. He lifted his own glass and took a sip, his eyes never leaving her. He returned the glass to the table gently. "Distilled, it brings out a dark but subtle flavor and loses the poison." His hand remained on the glass.
"Back to business then. Why was my ward targeted by your thug?"
He arched a brow at her. "My thug?"
"You needn't keep up pretenses, Ser. I know you ordered the inspection. You received my report and did not like it. So you had him return to plant false evidence."
He nodded slowly as she spoke.
"Ah yes. I did get that report. Thank you for the courtesy." He shrugged. "I did spy a Grimsong visiting her dungeon. I merely suggested that they be watched carefully."
Coatleque lightly sipped at her drink once more before returning the glass to the table. "Mm."
"If they took that as to searching the place, well... I think that was cautiously wise, don't you think? Considering Grimsong's history with the girl."
"Searched? Her cell resembled a war zone."
His other brow now raised as well.
"I understood you took over the search."
"The first one, yes. What of the second, after my initial report?"
He blinked once. It was the only crack in his otherwise impeccable facade.
"Second?"
"I am not a fool, Master Taeros."
"Perhaps not. I suspect you show indulgence and favoritism to the prisoner."
"I am her advocate. T'is my job to show her favoritism. You were not pleased that it was I who filed the inspection report. Your same man returned and said so himself. That it was his own neck on the line if he failed to deliver the second time."
"... My man. Hm. Yes. Just who was it that inspected the cell?"
"Ser Besten."
He eyed her steadily before reaching for his drink taking an indulgent sip from it. She also lifted her glass, swirling the contents before taking another sip, albeit a slightly larger one than before.
"Besten, I see." He set his drink back down and smiled once more.
"And this Ser Besten said that I sent him?"
Her eyes narrowed as she watched him, looking for any signs of a lie or cover up. He maintained his smile but his eyes were intent. They never lifted the same time his lips did.
"I will not be another pawn in whatever political game you are playing."
"A bit of an obvious power-play, don't you think?"
"Explain?"
"She is clearly your ward. Under your care. But I had every right to voice my concern when a Garlean sympathizer visits an accused Garlean spy. It led to a search, I find that perfectly reasonable. Even Jenlyns could not argue. But after nothing was found? What? I send someone again to search her room? Don't tell me. this time... something was found?"
"Indeed."
"Of course it was."
"I am not questioning your search warrant, Ser. Ser Besten was to make the report to you directly. You did not hear of this?"
He leaned foward towards her.
"Ser Crofte. Let me make this clear. I did not send Ser Besten. Not personally. I voiced to a Sworn that a Garlean sympathizer was visiting a potential spy. That is all."
There was a pause. She swirled her glass around on the table once more as she watched the contents lap at the sides of the cup. "So you are also unawares of the attempt on her life?"
He blinked at her once more, though his expression did not change.
"I take it she still lives."
"Thankfully. I arrived in time, as well as Ser Mcbeef. Poisoned. A lethal somnus overdose in her water.", she replied as she took another sip and set the glass down once more.
"Hm."
The man paused, letting the news sink in as he pondered the implications quietly to himself.
"So, you think I tried to kill her."
"I think many things, Master Taeros. The evidence is pointing a certain direction. What I can't seem to figure out though, is why you would want to?"
"Indeed, Ser Crofte. Why would I?", he said as he leaned back. "I am the one that gave Natalie the evidence. If I wanted the girl convicted, why even bother?"
"Aye, after she delivered the girl's brother into your hands."
He shrugged casually.
"A high-value target. One you no longer possess."
"It was at my employer's behest. And it seems he was broken out. Of a Blade prison no less."
"Yes, I heard of that. Nasty business, aye?"
"But guarding a prisoner already caught is not my responsibility."
"Except now you have the only true leverage against him sitting in my care. Just beyond your reach."
She quirked an eyebrow at him.
"Mm. Ah, you see the link do you?"
"As I said. I am no fool, Master Taeros."
"Indeed. Deneith would be a good bait. She always was. For Wolfsong."
He smiled at her then his eyes seemd to drift beyond her momentarily. The Knight watched him and suddenly felt as if she was being watched from behind. An uneasy feeling settled over her as she eyed her own drink.
"Ah! Natalie."
(tbc)
