There was another pause in the conversation as the three of them exchanged glances. Or maybe it was simply for dramatic effect as their words began to sink in. Only Coatleque knew for sure, and she wasn't about to break the silence.
"Someone is trying to kill your ward, and laying the blame on me. I am not pleased."
"But whom? You had mentioned a former employer to me before. Someone whom I assume was interested in her brother. You lost the target, as we spoke about. I would imagine this employer is not pleased."
"Mm. Well, I am not a very good employee if I divulge my employer's secrets now, am I? I would be out of a job very quickly."
She gazed at him with a slight smirk. "Master Taeros, has it occurred that you already are?"
Natalie tapped her jaw as she chimed in. "There is only room for so many puppet masters in Ul'dah. It's only natural they try to cut each others strings."
Jameson took up his glass and took another long sip of the red liquid. He held the glass there as he looked towards Coatleque with narrowing eyes. "Believe me, Ser Crofte, I would know it." He returned the glass to the table.
"How was the assassination attempted?"
"A high dose of Somnus was placed into a water skin Roen used. Enough to cause her body to fail."
"Somnus you say?"
Natalie nodded. "A very strong dose. I felt the effects from just a taste."
"Was there not some investigation about a Somnus dealer in Deneith's past? I have done quite the research on her. I've read it in her files."
Natalie nodded in agreement to him. "Though it never got very far. Certainly not far enough that they'd wish to take revenge."
"... Natalie, that investigation was started because someone tried to stab her in the middle of the street in broad daylight. Yes?"
"That..."
He gave her a knowing smile, clearly reading her astonishment.
"I have read her file extensively. Sordid history on that girl."
Coatleque gave him a slight glare at his comment. One he returned with his ever pleasant smile.
Natalie cleared her throat. "Ok, so let's level.", she began.
"Roen is Garlean, right? No shock there. Though she is Ala'Mhigan by birth, and was adopted. Apparently her father was some sort of big shot scientist guy and was not pleased that she deserted the empire, and embarrassed his family." She tapped her jaw. "So on one level he wants her back, but on the other level he seems equally happy to just silence her for good. I believe the one who stabbed her was related to her family, but it was never proven. Or if it was I am not privy to the information. While Roen's heritage was secret, it's possible her family was content to just ignore her. But I don't think they can handle the embarrassment of a second Cid." She shook her head. "If Roen is publicly Garlean, and serving Ul'dah, it's possible they'd rather just silence her."
Jameson sipped his drink languidly. Coatleque had almost forgotten about hers entirely at this point.
"A plausible theory.", he nodded.
"The last thing the Empire needs is for their conscripted soldiers to know they can find a place in Eorzea", she continued as she shrugged him off for now. "Most of them don't want this war any more than we do."
Coatleque turned her gaze to Natalie with an almost worried expression. "If that is the case, she will never be safe."
Natalie laughed. "She's a Sultansworn, Crofte. If she wanted to be safe, she picked the wrong job."
The Knight smirked at her comrade. Jameson regarded her over his own drink with a curious glance.
"Either way, I think this attack has little to do with local politics. If the Syndicate wanted her dead, a rigged trial would be all it would take." Coatleque turned back to Taeros. "After this night, I am inclined to agree. That still leaves the question, Master Taeros, of who would want to frame you? I doubt the Empire cares about what you do here."
"Indeed. But... given our history, I would be a likely suspect."
Natalie laughed. "Perhaps someone was jealous of your fashion sense?"
He ignored her comment and continued.
"I would like to speak to this Ser Besten."
"Perhaps I should as well, if you would desire my presence. He may speak more freely with another Sworn present. That is, if there are no objections of course." She glanced towards Natalie.
Jameson nodded in agreement. "He is a Sworn. No objections from me. Like I said, more the merrier."
"Well, I'll bow to your authority on if I should come along or not, Ser."
She thought for a moment before passing down the order. "I shall handle this, Ser Mcbeef. He and I have already butted heads over his orders. Too many and he may realize something is amiss. Though I shall certainly keep you informed."
Natalie smirked slightly as she bowed in deference. "As you command."
Coatleque turned back to Taeros for the moment. "He does report to you, does he not? I am sure you can arrange the meeting?"
"He does not. I know not this Ser Besten personally. I assumed someone was assigned once I voiced my concern."
"It seems there are too many assumptions being made lately. Very well, I shall find him."
"Indeed. I am quite interested to hear what he has to say."
"Well, I'll let you two be alone then. I can understand why Ser Crofte would want to be alone with you in that dress. Well, probably she won't be in it for long." With that, Natalie gave her a quick salute and turned to leave.
"That will do, Ser Mcbeef!"
Taeros laughed as the Knight shook her head slowly.
"One must love or hate her, yes?"
"Indeed. I swear I only retain my position so the Captain does not have to deal with her directly."
"Perhaps you may be right in that, Ser Crofte.", he replied as he finished his drink. Her own drink was barly half touched. She pushed the glass further towards the center of the table now.
"I believe our business is concluded for tonight, Master Taeros."
"Alas, I would love to indulge further here, but I must return to business as well."
"Aye, and it has been nigh near twenty and four bells... I have another meeting I must attend. Or a tongue to remove, we shall soon see."
They both rose from their seats and bowed in turn. "Has been a pleasure, Ser Crofte."
"Thank you for your hospitality, Ser. Twelve guide you."
"Someone is trying to kill your ward, and laying the blame on me. I am not pleased."
"But whom? You had mentioned a former employer to me before. Someone whom I assume was interested in her brother. You lost the target, as we spoke about. I would imagine this employer is not pleased."
"Mm. Well, I am not a very good employee if I divulge my employer's secrets now, am I? I would be out of a job very quickly."
She gazed at him with a slight smirk. "Master Taeros, has it occurred that you already are?"
Natalie tapped her jaw as she chimed in. "There is only room for so many puppet masters in Ul'dah. It's only natural they try to cut each others strings."
Jameson took up his glass and took another long sip of the red liquid. He held the glass there as he looked towards Coatleque with narrowing eyes. "Believe me, Ser Crofte, I would know it." He returned the glass to the table.
"How was the assassination attempted?"
"A high dose of Somnus was placed into a water skin Roen used. Enough to cause her body to fail."
"Somnus you say?"
Natalie nodded. "A very strong dose. I felt the effects from just a taste."
"Was there not some investigation about a Somnus dealer in Deneith's past? I have done quite the research on her. I've read it in her files."
Natalie nodded in agreement to him. "Though it never got very far. Certainly not far enough that they'd wish to take revenge."
"... Natalie, that investigation was started because someone tried to stab her in the middle of the street in broad daylight. Yes?"
"That..."
He gave her a knowing smile, clearly reading her astonishment.
"I have read her file extensively. Sordid history on that girl."
Coatleque gave him a slight glare at his comment. One he returned with his ever pleasant smile.
Natalie cleared her throat. "Ok, so let's level.", she began.
"Roen is Garlean, right? No shock there. Though she is Ala'Mhigan by birth, and was adopted. Apparently her father was some sort of big shot scientist guy and was not pleased that she deserted the empire, and embarrassed his family." She tapped her jaw. "So on one level he wants her back, but on the other level he seems equally happy to just silence her for good. I believe the one who stabbed her was related to her family, but it was never proven. Or if it was I am not privy to the information. While Roen's heritage was secret, it's possible her family was content to just ignore her. But I don't think they can handle the embarrassment of a second Cid." She shook her head. "If Roen is publicly Garlean, and serving Ul'dah, it's possible they'd rather just silence her."
Jameson sipped his drink languidly. Coatleque had almost forgotten about hers entirely at this point.
"A plausible theory.", he nodded.
"The last thing the Empire needs is for their conscripted soldiers to know they can find a place in Eorzea", she continued as she shrugged him off for now. "Most of them don't want this war any more than we do."
Coatleque turned her gaze to Natalie with an almost worried expression. "If that is the case, she will never be safe."
Natalie laughed. "She's a Sultansworn, Crofte. If she wanted to be safe, she picked the wrong job."
The Knight smirked at her comrade. Jameson regarded her over his own drink with a curious glance.
"Either way, I think this attack has little to do with local politics. If the Syndicate wanted her dead, a rigged trial would be all it would take." Coatleque turned back to Taeros. "After this night, I am inclined to agree. That still leaves the question, Master Taeros, of who would want to frame you? I doubt the Empire cares about what you do here."
"Indeed. But... given our history, I would be a likely suspect."
Natalie laughed. "Perhaps someone was jealous of your fashion sense?"
He ignored her comment and continued.
"I would like to speak to this Ser Besten."
"Perhaps I should as well, if you would desire my presence. He may speak more freely with another Sworn present. That is, if there are no objections of course." She glanced towards Natalie.
Jameson nodded in agreement. "He is a Sworn. No objections from me. Like I said, more the merrier."
"Well, I'll bow to your authority on if I should come along or not, Ser."
She thought for a moment before passing down the order. "I shall handle this, Ser Mcbeef. He and I have already butted heads over his orders. Too many and he may realize something is amiss. Though I shall certainly keep you informed."
Natalie smirked slightly as she bowed in deference. "As you command."
Coatleque turned back to Taeros for the moment. "He does report to you, does he not? I am sure you can arrange the meeting?"
"He does not. I know not this Ser Besten personally. I assumed someone was assigned once I voiced my concern."
"It seems there are too many assumptions being made lately. Very well, I shall find him."
"Indeed. I am quite interested to hear what he has to say."
"Well, I'll let you two be alone then. I can understand why Ser Crofte would want to be alone with you in that dress. Well, probably she won't be in it for long." With that, Natalie gave her a quick salute and turned to leave.
"That will do, Ser Mcbeef!"
Taeros laughed as the Knight shook her head slowly.
"One must love or hate her, yes?"
"Indeed. I swear I only retain my position so the Captain does not have to deal with her directly."
"Perhaps you may be right in that, Ser Crofte.", he replied as he finished his drink. Her own drink was barly half touched. She pushed the glass further towards the center of the table now.
"I believe our business is concluded for tonight, Master Taeros."
"Alas, I would love to indulge further here, but I must return to business as well."
"Aye, and it has been nigh near twenty and four bells... I have another meeting I must attend. Or a tongue to remove, we shall soon see."
They both rose from their seats and bowed in turn. "Has been a pleasure, Ser Crofte."
"Thank you for your hospitality, Ser. Twelve guide you."
