The next few nights were not more than a haze for Coatleque. She had stormed out of the mansion, was escorted back to the city straight away, and somehow managed to book passage back to Ishgard through tear blurred vision. A few bottles of cheap wine may have been involved afterwords. It was not until she was dragged from (or at least, it felt as though being dragged) the brume to the Forgotten knight to be regailed with tales of Gharen Wolfsong's continued absence by Kage Kiryuu and Delial Grimsong that reality began to coalesce once more.
It was their words that brought to her attention the phantom warrior who had began dogging their steps as they searched for the missing man. A mystery in his own right, they had obtained and summarily lost a linkpearl given directly to them by the phantasm! And so for Gharen's sake, if nothing else, Coatleque sobered herself right quick and promised to leave for Ul'dah the next morning to retrieve the pearl from Evangeline Primrose.
Having to real desire to speak with Evangeline, she reminded herself frequently on her way south the reason she was doing this. She owed Roen this much at least - to see her brother safe again. Her pensiveness over the engagement began to subside as the air warmed around her the further south she traveled. She was almost looking forward to to being in Ul'dah again by the time she arrived. Until, that is, she ran into Spahro Llorn as she was searching for Evangeline. A few words were traded, and then THIS happened.
It was a few days later when Coatleque finally met up with Evangeline. Through her she learned the pearl was in the hands of Sergeant Melkire who by chance was now awaiting court martial in the palace dungeon. Miss Primrose was to be his barrister and agreed to arrange a meeting. So it was that not even a sennight since she had last seen Jameson, Coatleque found herself back in Ul'dah staring at an old friend through iron bars.
"You must think I am enjoying this."
A snort. "I know better."
She knelt down as they spoke to examine a speck of mortar where the bars reached stone.
"I cannot deny a part of me is glad to see you face justice"
"There's no justice in any o' this. Lazarov was right."
Whatever banter could be traded did not suit either of them in this moment. The falling paladin, and the vigilante Flames officer. How much they had both changed over the past cycle. To be in this situation here and now. She stood slowly and turned to face him, gripping the bars tightly to either side. "You know he is alive."
The man stood from his cot with a sigh and crossed the cell to meet her gaze only ilms away from her face. Chains of binding rattled across the stone with each step. "We get the papers in here." He grinned at her.
Her voice lowered, her eyes hardened. "What are your intentions?"
"Banurein." He whispered through the bars.
Her expression darkened into a scowl. "Do as you will, but do not touch him."
They withdrew from each other as Evangeline and Kanaria had rejoined them, linkpearl in hand. No further discourse was required. Coatleque plucked it from the woman's hand and made for the inn having been satisfied the Sergeant was no longer a threat to the man she loved.
Grimsong met her that evening as had been planned. The Quicksand was alive with its usual bustle, and plenty of wine at the ready. The paladin was staring intently at a bottle resting at the middle of the table when Delial arrived, and looked to be fairly soused already. Few pleasantries passed between the women before business.
"I spoke with Melkire. He said you and Lady Primrose took the pearl?"
The paladin slowly withdrew the item from her purse. She displayed it for the other woman, tapped it once or twice upon the table, then flicked it towards her. It rolled lopsided across the wood to fall into Delial's waiting hand. The rest of the conversation that night was a blur for Coatleque. The combined stress of travel, loss, and wine left her babbling incoherently before long, and with the gracious assistance of Madam Grimsong reached her inn room.
Sleep came in fitful spurts of a broken dream. The imagery of which gave her no comfort that night. As the sun rose over Thanalan and began to warm the sheets over her shivering frame, Coatleque still could only wonder at how things had gone so horribly wrong.
It was their words that brought to her attention the phantom warrior who had began dogging their steps as they searched for the missing man. A mystery in his own right, they had obtained and summarily lost a linkpearl given directly to them by the phantasm! And so for Gharen's sake, if nothing else, Coatleque sobered herself right quick and promised to leave for Ul'dah the next morning to retrieve the pearl from Evangeline Primrose.
Having to real desire to speak with Evangeline, she reminded herself frequently on her way south the reason she was doing this. She owed Roen this much at least - to see her brother safe again. Her pensiveness over the engagement began to subside as the air warmed around her the further south she traveled. She was almost looking forward to to being in Ul'dah again by the time she arrived. Until, that is, she ran into Spahro Llorn as she was searching for Evangeline. A few words were traded, and then THIS happened.
It was a few days later when Coatleque finally met up with Evangeline. Through her she learned the pearl was in the hands of Sergeant Melkire who by chance was now awaiting court martial in the palace dungeon. Miss Primrose was to be his barrister and agreed to arrange a meeting. So it was that not even a sennight since she had last seen Jameson, Coatleque found herself back in Ul'dah staring at an old friend through iron bars.
"You must think I am enjoying this."
A snort. "I know better."
She knelt down as they spoke to examine a speck of mortar where the bars reached stone.
"I cannot deny a part of me is glad to see you face justice"
"There's no justice in any o' this. Lazarov was right."
Whatever banter could be traded did not suit either of them in this moment. The falling paladin, and the vigilante Flames officer. How much they had both changed over the past cycle. To be in this situation here and now. She stood slowly and turned to face him, gripping the bars tightly to either side. "You know he is alive."
The man stood from his cot with a sigh and crossed the cell to meet her gaze only ilms away from her face. Chains of binding rattled across the stone with each step. "We get the papers in here." He grinned at her.
Her voice lowered, her eyes hardened. "What are your intentions?"
"Banurein." He whispered through the bars.
Her expression darkened into a scowl. "Do as you will, but do not touch him."
They withdrew from each other as Evangeline and Kanaria had rejoined them, linkpearl in hand. No further discourse was required. Coatleque plucked it from the woman's hand and made for the inn having been satisfied the Sergeant was no longer a threat to the man she loved.
Grimsong met her that evening as had been planned. The Quicksand was alive with its usual bustle, and plenty of wine at the ready. The paladin was staring intently at a bottle resting at the middle of the table when Delial arrived, and looked to be fairly soused already. Few pleasantries passed between the women before business.
"I spoke with Melkire. He said you and Lady Primrose took the pearl?"
The paladin slowly withdrew the item from her purse. She displayed it for the other woman, tapped it once or twice upon the table, then flicked it towards her. It rolled lopsided across the wood to fall into Delial's waiting hand. The rest of the conversation that night was a blur for Coatleque. The combined stress of travel, loss, and wine left her babbling incoherently before long, and with the gracious assistance of Madam Grimsong reached her inn room.
Sleep came in fitful spurts of a broken dream. The imagery of which gave her no comfort that night. As the sun rose over Thanalan and began to warm the sheets over her shivering frame, Coatleque still could only wonder at how things had gone so horribly wrong.
