((Follows some time after The Dodos are Heroes of Ala Mhigo!))
***
There was no feeling at all in his right hand, now, which made watching the glove stretch over his knuckles a bit more amusing than once it had been. To any random passerby, D'hein was just walking along, staring happily at his own hand as though he'd gotten a whiff of somnus. But to D'hein Tia, this was a shift in his understanding of his own body. Without sense, without pain, and yet his to take care of finely manipulate. Look an employee he'd lost sight of.
Which brought him back to Antimony, whom he had been unable to locate using surface means. He'd have to inquire after her at the Quicksand or ask Illira where she was, if she had finished her duties. Obviously Antimony's investigation had not succeeded, as D'themia Nunh had been free to take D'ahl from him immediately upon his return.
His plans to have D'themia incarcerated during his absence, therefore, had not matured.
D'hein Tia found his office door with his forehead while staring at his hand, a room in a building situated closer to the Arrzaneth Ossuary then to Ruby Road or Sapphire Avenue. Both he and the Nunhs of the Dodos appreciated the distance between his workplace and the D-tribe commune. D'hein watched his right hand fumbling numbly with the walk, giving it an encouraging grin, and then stepped into the room.
This place was very much D'hein Tia's own personal space, untouched by D'ahl's mirrors, D'aijeen's fetishes or the Nunhs' obsessively masculine decorations. It was simple by his own standards, the carpets red, blinds red, large windows to let in sunlight. The desk was in the middle of the room instead of at the wall, the chair focused on comfort and aesthetics and a bit larger than others may have likes. Everything was oak with maple accents.
A milk bar adorned in empty glasses and bottle set in one corner. Ildur liked to joke that D'hein had his own personal cow hidden inside the bar. But that would've been disgusting as cow milk has to be processed unless one wants to grow fat off of drinking too much. And D'hein's figure was irreproachably exquisite. Even the Nunhs were jealous. And lusting after him, at least one.
He smiled at the thought, closed the door around him, and proceeded to actually look at the office for the first time in two months.
That D'hein chose his place of work to be so close to the death magics of the thaumaturges did not surprise Sah'ot. The sharp scents of charged aether and ancient spells permeated not only the Ossuary but the area surrounding it, though perhaps the dulled senses of the hyur and lalafells who populated this region were dumb to it. The thought left a superior sneer on her blue, scarred face for a few seconds before it fell back into a bored look. She had stood in the shade of the small awning in front of D'hein's office for two hours, enduring the heinous assault on her senses that was Ul'dah only because one who was her superior demanded her presence. And though one would never get it out of her, perhaps she had shown up early in the hopes of catching one wayward miqo'te, should his empty, blonde head happen to finally turn up.
These kinds of things she had been known to take amusement from on occasion.
When D'hein arrived at his office, Sah'ot made no sound. Her brown and green clothes, so suited for the Shroud, also happened to make excellent camoflauge against the brown stone of Ul'dah - or perhaps the miqo'te was simply that oblivious. Sah'ot would not have been surprised if so. Either way, he walked right past her through the front door, and with a practiced silence of a poacher who had learned to avoid the very eyes and ears of the elementals, she moved to follow him, stopping the door from shutting as he stepped inside and slipping in behind him. There she stood and waited for the right moment.
Illira had taken up root in D'hein's office during her stay in Ul'dah the past few days. While she slept at the Quicksand, she was using the quaint first floor setup as her base of operations as she worked to do damage control.Â
D'hein's disappearance the past weeks was inconvenient timing to say the least. Her mood at having to come back to the city had certainly not lightened since her stay, as the city proved, as usual, to be impervious to changing its dirty tune. At least she'd managed to recover the research that Antimony had done on her job before she'd taken flight. While that situation needed to be dealt with again, it had to play second fiddle to mitigating the recent spike of nationalism that had arisen in the city and outlying areas thanks to the fall of the Praetorium.
The paperwork on the ornate desk was in a considerably better state now than when she had arrived, as she'd had to organize and file it in such a way that it could be worked with any manner of efficiency. Besides that, there had not been much change in room, to signal a new occupant. Though, she had had to throw out the disgusting bottles of milk that D'hein had lying about, they were no good, even if she didn't find the stuff repellent in the first place.Â
She looked up from the letter that she was writing, as the office door opened and shut. She watched as D'hein contentedly surveyed his domain, apparently unaware of her presence. She pressed her lips together in a frown. "You're late D'hein."
D'hein smirked and walked towards the milk bar. "Late for what?" he said, his mind full of thoughts of the delicious white cream that had been denied him during his stay in Ala Mhigo. Aft er a few steps, he looked up and flinched as though seeing Illira for the first time. "What. What! What are you doing?" He spread his arms in distress as he turned to her, "What in all of the deepest hells have you done to my filing system!?"
Illira set down her writing utensil and folded her hands neatly into her lap, "You've been missing for weeks now, and the fallout from the Praetorium mess had to start getting wrangled back under control. I'm merely doing what -you- should be here doing. You're job." She glanced around at the neatly foldered and labeled paperwork set around the desk edges. "As for what I've done to your filing system? You're welcome. It comes complimentary with the takeover."
"Takeover?" D'hein said, crossing his arms and looking very serious. "Now, here, I'll have you know I've personally conferred with our Garlean superiors. By a form. So don't pretend I haven’t been working."
Illira laughed shortly, "Don't worry your furry little hide over it. It’s not a permanent one, I have no wish to stay in Ul'dah with you. As for your work... well. You're just in time for a meeting, in which you're welcome to explain your actions."
Sah'ot hung back by the door, a smirk in her yellow eyes that didn't make it to her lips. She scanned the room from her position, utterly unsurprised that the office shared many of the same, astringent scents as the Ossuary outside but still allowed herself a moment to be disgusted. The curtains and furnishings were as... rich as she might expect from one of D'hein's nature - that nature being of someone overly used to comfort.
At his comment regarding his "Garlean superiors", Sah'ot allowed herself a chuckle at the thought of his fluffy bottom actually surviving the decided un-fluffy journey to Ala Mhigo. This was the first sound she had made since she'd taken up "watch" next to his office.
"Explain! Hah! My actions? Hah again!" D'hein said, much too absorbed in his own posturing to notice the chuckling of his ashen coconspirator. He swept away from Illira with a shake of hair, a swing of tail, a twtich of his ears and a furling of his robe, and marched on towards the milk bar. "I shall enlighten you as to my actions, and perhaps you all shall explain to me you comparative inaction! Hahah!"
"Yes, tell us how long it took you to escape the prison they almost surely tossed you into the moment you came within a malm of the city's walls," Sah'ot jeered and allowed herself a moment to imagine said scene. It was both satisfying and amusing.
Turning her head at the new voice, Illira smirked at the sentiment it expressed. "So glad to see you on time as well."
"Mere days!" D'hein proclaimed, then stopped short and stared at the wall. "Wait, D'hein, that wasn't a question in need of answer. Next time just-" he spun, aiming a territorial glare at Sah'ot, "Insomniacs! In my office! All manner of order has fled Ul'dah in my absence."
 "Any order here was just an illusion, I'm sure," the Keeper smirked. "Days, though. Impressive that they didn't simply kill you on the spot."
Illira picked back up where she left off writing the letter in front of her, intending to complete it at least, before the real meeting began. She talked as she wrote, "There is rarely any manner of good order here in Ul'dah. And any semblance that you had installed did indeed flee along with you. Did you expect it to continue smoothly without anyone looking after it?" She clucked her tongue in mocking disapproval. "Irresponsible of you to go run off to jail, leaving your poor city to fend for itself."
"I made preparations. Irresponsible of you all not to seek instruction and allow such a terrible thing as the fall of the Praetorium to occur!" He scooted behind the milk bar and ducked down behind it to search its cupboards. His voice was muffled as he went on, "Oh, I know you did not allow such a thing on purpose, but at least I proactively sought the eyes and voice of those wiser and more informed than we!"
"That's not our duty, sunboy," Sah'ot retorted, folding arms and cocking her hip to one side where she stood in front of the door. "Seems some time behind bars still didn't teach you where we stand in the line of the Empire."
"We who do not go above and beyond our duty do not work our way up in the world. She's got no sense of business, that savage!" He could be heard opening and shutting cupboards with greater frequency, causing cups and empty bottles to clatter. "Illira! Have you harmed my milk?"
The Elezen didn’t look up at the accusation, continuing to write, "It was spoiled. The mere thought of it sitting there... coagulating, was repellent. Of course I threw it out."
"Harmed your milk and rescued our senses. Rare reason from a Wildwood, but she has my thanks," Sah'ot drawled, eyeing one wall idly.
"I had it enchanted to last at least a... bundle of weeks!" D'hein declared, popping up from behind the bar with a look of great agitation. "An absolute bundle!"
Without looking at D'hein, Sah'ot flicked her tail and mused, "How long do you think it's been since you ran off and got yourself arrested?"
"... perhaps less than a precise bundle of weeks."
Ildur's arrival was preceded by his heavy footsteps. It wasn't long before he was standing behind Sah'ot, on the other side of the door. He was wearing a rather elaborate blue shirt with long sleeves and white lining. His trousers were of the same color and thread but had less decorations. Still, it was probably just as expensive. In his hands he carried a simple leather folder.
After sparing a glance to the Miqo'te woman in the way, he said: "By your posture, I have to conclude D'hein is back. Excellent." He nodded once, quite sure that his conclusion was correct. "Greetings, by the way. Shall we start?"
Illira finished writing her letter, signing it with a flourish. She rolled it up and tied it off with twine.
Sah'ot stepped to one side, allowing room for Ildur to enter wordlessly. She continued to inspect one wall with a vaguely amused expression.
The hyur stepped in and closed the door behind him.
Looking up as Ildur entered, D'hein smiled and waved over his head in a single, quick gesture. "Ildur! I've returned. Have you seen what that Elezen of yours has done to my office? It's unthinkable!"
"Its reasonable D'hein, unlike you," uttered Illira.
"I think we all can agree that your organizational woes are of much less importance than any instructions you could have received during your journey, D'hein." Ildur said, turning around and staring at him. "So tell us. Did you get any instructions for us?"
Setting the letter aside, Illira turned her attention strictly to D'hein. "He apparently spent time in jail. So I’m guessing his personal quest was a failure."
D'hein dropped his arms to his sides, staring at Ildur a moment, and then crossed them proudly over his chest. "My trip was quite successful. Actually, I was in an airship overlooking the battle in front of the Praetorium, offering my expert advice on the flow of the conflict. At the time which the Praetorium was destroyed, which was something that could only have been prevented thorough means outside of my hands."
Ildur sighed, raising one hand to rub his forehead. "So no instructions?" he insisted.
"It would appear that his journey was just as detrimental as I had previously thought." Illira sighed, "Did you see or hear anything even remotely useful? We already know that the Grand Companies helped to bring down the Praetorium and destroy it. That isn't news. We've been dealing with that aftermath for some time now."
"It's plain to see that our overseers never supported the bid for control being made by Balsaer. They're obviously loyal to the Emperor. And there were massive communications breakdowns between Ala Mhigo and the other locations." D'hein gestured as he explained, his tail whipping around behind him. "What I witnessed, first in Ala Mhigo and then over the Praetorium, was bedlam. I honestly believe the Emperor may be... out of commission."
"Watch what you suggest and to whom," Sah'ot snapped suddenly, straightening somewhat from her lazy position, though she didn't otherwise move further into the room. "You saw only what a prisoner might see."
Ildur moved further into the room until he reached the desk. "That is enough dodging, D'hein. You have no instructions, and what you believe or not is not of interest to this council." He opened the folder and took a few papers from it, which he waved a little before placing them in front of Illira. "Without instructions, we have to decide our priorities. This is a report about La Noscea and the Maelstorm fleet. I'd like to hear the situation in your provinces." he asked, looking first at Illira and then to Sah'ot.
Sah'ot grimaced, ears shifting in disgust at a thought. "With the Empire weakened, Gridanians have had more time to pursue..." she snorted, "questionable relations with the local beast tribe. The Sylphs are tricksters without a loyal leaf on their body, even if they do claim to be working against the tempered ones."
D'hein fell quiet, letting his arm drop and stewing. It was obvious that he and Ildur were in disagreement, but he wasn’t going to argue the point.
"That sounds familiar,†Illira began, “As Thanalan has begun to interface with a tribe of Amalj'aa near Little Ala Mhigo, even lending them assistance. It’s likely that the growing camaraderie between the Grand Companies and the Beast is out of a desire to gain more allies in their resistance to the Empire. I know that here in Ul'dah, there has been a burst of Eorzean nationalist pride. And as this is a city that traditionally prides itself on its strong sense of independence, separate from that of its sisters. The Sultana has gained more favour and pushes to try lead, above simply that of the Grand Company leaders, perhaps wishing to unite Eorezea under a singular banner, instead of the three."
"Wasted resources," Sah'ot scoffed. "They'll all fall to primals at this rate."
"That is quite worrying." Ildur started, nodding to his now empty hand. "It was already inconvenient enough when Limsa was the only city dealing with the beastmen. But if this continues we will see beastmen accepted on each one." Â He turned to Illira, asking her with some degree of incredulity in his tone: "And you say Ul'dah is dealing with some Amalj'aa? The same race that continuously kidnaps and tempers their citizens?"
Illira nodded her head solemnly, "Yes. From what I've gathered, it’s only a single tribe of them. But that is likely to expand in the future if this trend continues."
"It's not something the Syndicate would stand for," stated D'hein, more an observation than a protest. "Any association with the beast-tribes is strictly banned."
"The syndicate is not involved in this matter, they've withdrawn more into the shadows, than when you were last here."
"The whole mess is pushed on by those lawless "adventurers"," Sahot spat. "That Gridania exiles people trying to survive but honors those who'd drag them right to the feet of a primal... bah."
"Adventuring is quite a profitable endeavor in Eorzea, nowadays." Ildur lamented, punctuating the pause between both statements with a short sigh. "Close to impossible to regulate, that line of work. Even with the Adventurer's Guild reuniting them in one comfortable ledger, we have no jurisdiction in those matters." The Highlander looked around the office, seeking for a chair to sit and briefly wondering where D'hein could have hid them. "D'hein, why am I not seeing any chairs but the one Illira's using?" he gave voice to his great concerns.
D'hein answered offhandedly, "I don't do meetings with people I like here, so I don't want to be uncomfortable." And then, moving on, "Why have we no adventurers in our employ, then? It couldn't be too hard to find some who hate the beast-tribes enough to throw a wrench in certain works, and do so with nobility and pride. Beast tribes are beast tribes for a reason."
Frowning, Illira said, "Actually, they are perhaps not so different than some of your own kind D'hein. Not you perhaps, but your isolationist cousins. And if they are able to trade to make relations with Ul'dah, it stands to reason that the only reason that the Immortal Flames haven't bridged the gap yet, is simply because they've always been viewed as uncivilized. But they are perhaps just as much so, as many Miqo'te."
"I won't argue it," D'hein said. "I'm not saying there's any mental deficiency, though there's a case for cultural, physical... maybe mental. It's all beside the point. We need the Grand Companies to be fighting the primals, not at peace with them, or am I wrong?"
The elezen let out a breath. "No, you’re not wrong on that count. For once."
"Not tempered by them, either." The Keeper moved then, to pace a few steps into the room before she turned around and paced back, settling once more into the position she'd remained lodged in for most of the conversation.
"I suggest we hire some adventurers and stir up the pot," D'hein said. "And I can work within Ul'dah to ensure that people understand that beasts are bad for business. Power is depth of pocket, and Ul'dahns up to and including the Sultana like their power."
Ildur nodded in agreement. "That would undermine both the adventurers and the beastmen's reputation in the same stroke."
"And in doing so, help destabilize the growing nationalism. Many are starting to revere the adventurers after the exploits of a few. They are all heroes now, whether or not they've done anything to deserve the title. And in doing so, they give the City States a centralized, connected idol. They need a dose of reality. That most of the lot are nothing but thugs for hire," Illira scoffs at the thought.
Smirking at Sah'ot, D'hein said, "You're a bit of an adventurer, aren't you Keeper?"
"Says the one who went shambling off to Ala Mhigo on some hopped up notion of his own importance," Sah'ot replied idly.
"You hold against me my finest moment," D'hein grins a bit wider. "But I brought my own thug, so it doesn't count as adventuring. Just... diplomacy."
"Does it really matter D'hein? It was terrible idea. All around," Illira moaned.
At that, Sah'ot just laughed and muttered with an ironic tone, "Diplomacy."
Scoffing, D'hein muttered in a lecturing voice. "The fruits of my venture will reveal themselves in time, as I'm sure Ildur has faith. Now let's not bog this down with your doubts." he turned apologetic in tone, bowing his head in humility towards Sah'ot. "I meant merely to point out that Sah'ot is skilled in dirty-work and can judge the worthwhile adventurers from those who would fail to make any sufficient impact. Do you disagree that you have such skill, Sah'ot?"
"Flattery won't dig you out of your hole, sunboy," Sah'ot said, flashing her fangs briefly at the other miqo'te. Then with a passive look to Ildur she added, "There're two kinds of adventurers - the moral type, and the money type."
"Quite a coincidence." he replied with amusement. "That's exactly how many kinds of people there are. I'm sure finding the second kind will be quite easy. Though I'd like to have more permanent assets...but they will have to do for the short term."
"Adventurers these days are not in short supply, practically spilling out of the Quicksand doors,†Illira commented. “I'm sure that you won't have any problems locating any."
Sah'ot bowed her head, unevenly cut blue and yellow hair falling forward into her eyes briefly with the action. She shook her head sharply when she straightened to clear her vision and gave a curt, "So it'll be," to Ildur. "Shouldn't be difficult to find a few wary of Sylph betrayal."
"Quite! And I'm sure both Illira and D'hein will have no trouble finding some of their own while he catches up to what's been going on while he was away on his 'diplomatic mission'." Ildur remarkably managed to not sound like he was mocking anyone when saying this.
"Why I may already have a few in my employ," D'hein said, perceiving a challenge and meeting it head-on with a grin and narrowed eyes. "I'll have to check."
Illira pressed her lips together, glaring at D'hein, "Hopefully this will not take long to settle out. I would rather not linger in this place longer than necessary." She paused, before looking down at the desk where Ildur had set papers down. She picked them up, "And what were these, Ildur? Anything of particular note?"
The old Highlander replied first by moving his hand dismissively. "The Maelstorm has seen the same increase in nationalism you have seen here and everywhere, but they haven't made friends with the kobolds or the sahagin yet." he said. "They might even decide to move more seriously against the kobolds and Titan. But that is just a vague hope right now. The blockades took a toll to their fleet, and I'm sure the sahagin will capitalize on it."
The lanky woman nodded her head, "That is about the best that could be hoped for, no real change of note is good, in this case."
"Funny that of all of them, the pirates keep their heads with the primals," Sah'ot shorted a low chuckle.
"A full-scale war would be better, but I trust the Maelstrom to start one first chance they get. Our efforts are better focused here and in Gridania." D'hein paused to think, "Maybe one at a time. If the Gridanians keep up the best case scenario is they all end up tempered by the Shroud. Wouldn't be much more than another beast tribe if that happened."
"Limsa is honest with what it is, even if it’s full of riff raff. They are not so easily swayed the promise of good intentions as the Ul'dahns and Gridinians. That situation should be kept an eye on, but its not the imperative one of the bunch. Resources should be focused here, in Thanalan and in the Shroud. I imagine, of the two of them, the Shroud will be the easiest to turn back, if they're reminded of their superstitions and traditions.  Once that happens, and they'll fall back into place."
"Will they?" Ildur inquired, turning around to look at Sah'ot.
"Their relationship with the Sylphs goes back longer than you think," Sah'ot growled unhappily. "And the Seedseers... They're so bent on peaceful resolutions that they'll side with the enemy itself."
"Of course. I'm sure those unnatural children believe the Primals to be somehow inferior and less dangerous than their precious Elementals." he complained loudly. "Sabotaging the Shroud's interests of peace with those creatures is going to be labourious."
"If you know them so well, Sah'ot, then surely you have some idea?" Illira pointedly asked.
"Surely!" D'hein bellowed. "You must."
"Idea of what?" The Keeper snapped. "I've got no direct line to the padjal, if that's what you're implying."
"So then you have no idea what benefit they hope to achieve through their renewed relationships with the Slyphs? Those creatures usually keep to themselves. It’s strange to think that they are suddenly so welcoming."
"Their intended "benefit" is obvious," Sah'ot huffed. "Lulled into a false sense of security. The tricksters have them thinking they'll keep to their borders and leave Gridania alone, instead of taking them all before Ramuh. Hah."
"It's a bit disappointing, to be honest," D'hein deflated, ignoring Sah'ot's explanation. "I had come to respect you, Sah'ot. I expected better. But if you need help I could send my daughter back to Gridania and ask her to look into it." He smirked.
"Sending your own off to be tempered. That's low even for your kind, sunboy."
Illira frowned, and tugged a braid, "But what you are saying, is not a benefit, Sah'ot. Its merely a protectionist stance."
The Keeper waved one hand roughly at Illira. "And that's all they care about."
Laughing, Illira says plainly, "So it’s simple then. Make them believe that it’s in their best interest to not trust the Slyph. They are tricksters as you say. The Gridinians know that. It’s as I said before, they merely need to be reminded of a few facts. Such as the base nature of the Slyphs. If they believe that they can no longer be trusted to keep their word, they'll pull back. It’s what they've always done, era after era."
Ildur, feeling a complete ignorant about all matters of the Shroud, remained in silence with a frowned brow.
Sah'ot shrugged and then rolled her eyes, a bit of a smirk on her thin lips. "Will take more than words, but a few engineered moments of betrayal shouldn't be too hard. Especially if we can find some adventurers who aren't taking kindly to these new friends."
"Well, this is all very vague, but a plan of action would be nice. As long as I'm here, being a man of action, I should inspire some." He threw a hand into the air energetically, "I say we all head out! Let's grab us some fresh adventurers and..." he paused, "How does one... should we just tell them to... attack people?"
Snorting, Sah'ot gave D'hein a sideways look. "They do tend to do whatever you tell them, with enough money tied to it."
Illira stood, raising her voice, "No. That is unacceptable, and puts the lives of the general citizenry at risk. Not only that, but it wouldn't accomplish what needs to be done. They need to enrage the Amalj'aa, and show their own uncouth natures at the same time."
D'hein dropped his hand and gave Illira a very straight look, "Well that's why I'm asking."
Ildur hummed in thought. "Yes, that was quite an unhappy scheme. It will be better if we take things slow at first." The Highlander found his current pose to be uncomfortable, and for that he started slowly walking around the desk, heading to the broad window. "Hire adventurers in behest of our organization, send them to the Shroud with the express purpose of investigating this newly increased friendship with the Sylphs. Tell them we are worried about what the stability, about how this could affect commerce and the production of goods, or even the inclusion of new goods into the trade routes. We can gauge their interest and their morality once their report their findings back. Later, we'll contact those aligned with our interests and have them perform duties against the beastmen and their allies."
"Adventurers aren't the best at judging business," D'hein delivered deadpan, "That's why they're adventurers. They're just homeless people for hire."
At Ildur's words, Sah'ot grinned broad enough that her fangs peeked through and glanced at D'hein, "And that's why you're the one who gets arrested by your own superiors." Then, after a brief pause, "They're already being trusted with work for the beasts. This wouldn't be much more demanding than that."
Ildur, being a stubborn old man who cannot let things be, replied to D'hein. "We are not sending them to judge business. This is espionage. Â If adventurers can rob people in the roads, defeat a Primal or infiltrate a Castrum, then they can certainly watch over some flying plants and tell us what they do."
Illira grinned at that, flashing a bit of white teeth in the process, "Yes, they most certainly can. And if not, they're not much of adventurers, and perhaps that could be turned to advantage. Send them out to fail in perfect public spectacle. Encourage the ruin of the 'good' adventurer name."
D'hein held up one gloved palm, "Fine, fine. And what about Ul'dah? I assume we will want to use adventurers to stir up trouble with the Amal'jaa, but how do we do that without leading the trouble back to us?"
"You already said the Syndicate wouldn't stand for an alliance with the lizard men." Sah'ot's gloved fingers tapped against the sides of her arms. "Whoever's working with them, they're not doing it with the endorsement of the city."
Illira's grin quickly dissipated at that, "Are you suggesting that we throw support behind the Syndicate?"
"Am I?" Sah'ot shrugged.
D'hein, strangely enough, did not seem to find amusement in Illira's displeasure. He frowns at ehr and says, "Whether you like it or not, the Syndicate is one of Ul'dah's governing bodies, and the primary mover behind ousting the beast-men from the city. Evan Raubahn and the Flames have a stake in the Syndicate. By supporting the Grand Companies, we're already working with the Syndicate."
The tall, long-limbed woman straightened her back further, though it had already appeared as though it couldn't do so any further. "The Syndicate represents exactly what I hope and believe that the Empire will correct in Eorzea. It’s a manifestion of the two-faced corruption that flows so effortlessly in this city. I cannot abide by the thought that we should even consider spreading their influence."
Ildur crossed one arm over his chest and raised the other one so its elbow was on the other, and so his hand could hold his chin. "Getting the help of the Syndicate will come with a price that we will pay later on. I would not want to make concessions to them." He looked at D'hein sideways. " I'm sure many of your fellow tribesmen would love the chance to look good in the Syndicate's eyes. Perhaps you could move some strings and lure their interests in the right direction."
Frowning even deeper, darkening a bit, D'hein muttered at a near growl, "The only way to have any influence in my tribe is to become Nunh, and you can guess how often I've done that. No, as much as Illira hates the Syndicate, she'd hate my tribe doubly."
"I do not find that a hard thing to believe. I am not even fond of you, D'hein." She pauses for emphasis, "No, what we need to do is to get the Amalj'aa to back off. Precisely the opposite of Gridinia. Hire a bunch of 'homeless people' as you so charmingly call them, D'hein, to work with the efforts that the Immortal Flames make. Of course, these adventurers should be ones predisposed towards hatred of the beast tribes, and perhaps even just a few bad workers. With the plan that they directly influence the willingness that the Amalj'aa have to work with the Flames. The relationship is still rocky."
"That won't do an onze of good if they're not given better means to protect themselves from the tempered," Sah'ot grumbled.
"I think we all know the basic traits an adventurer would need to qualify for our ends. The problem is how to find them." Ildur pondered out loud. "Perhaps we could simply send the adventurers to attack them. An Amalj'aa is no different than other Amalj'aa at first glance."
"At any glance."
"Yes, well. Perhaps that could work as well", stated Illira.
"We could use the corrupt and the desperate," D'hein ventured. "Prisoners and refugees are apt to do just about anything for money. Send weak, selfish, unskilled refugees to help the Grand Companies while we send adventurers to attack the Amal'jaa."
"Attack is perhaps not the right word and mindset that we want for this. They should be pushing back the tribes. It’s what many adventurers are requested to do anyway by the tribes that are working with the Grand Companies. It’s just as you said Ildur. An Amalj'aa looks like another at first glance." Illira gnawed on her lower lip ever so slightly as she looked around at her fellow council members.
"I think attack is perfectly the right word," D'hein countered. "They're beast-men. They aren't viable allies and we don't want them to be. Nothing sours relations faster than a vicious skirmish."
"D'hein," Sah'ot gave an exaggerated emphasis to his name, drawing out the hissing h sound, "is right. If they're just trying some subterfuge, it'll break them before they can spring a trap. If they're really trying to get on our good side, well... we can stop that quick enough."
Ildur shrugged. "Attacking. Defending. Driving them back. Same concept but different wording. Just use the correct word with the correct man." He said, nodding. "But I think this settles our course of action about this matter."
Recovering from his earlier downcast tone and bristling with a sort of refreshing pride, D'hein crossed his arms and looked smug, "When Sah'ot and I are on the same page, it cannot be questioned that the Twelve themselves have moved our hearts to a united will. Slaying the Amal'jaa is the best for all involved. Victory is practically predestined."
Ildur tried very hard to not sigh. He actually managed it, only rolling his eyes under closed eyelids. "Yes, we can say that if we want. What other, more mundane matters do we have to discuss?" he said, taking turns to glance at everyone.
Illira pursed her lips, a pinched and sour look on her face. "I suppose it’s for the greater good, though I am no precisely happy about it."
At that, Sah'ot just gave a casual shrug, finishing with a bit of a leer in D'hein's direction, and then went back to looking boredly at one wall.
She let out a heavy sigh, letting her shoulders relax a bit, "As for other news, I should let you all know, that as of a few days ago, Antimony J'hanhi is no longer under us as a probationary employee. I do have the work and research that she had completed though."
The old Hyur tilted his head, though he looked rather neutral about the matter. "Did she quit?"
Letting out a small snort, the Keeper angled her ears towards Illira in mild interest. "Sun too much?"
Illira glanced around at the others scattered about the office, a slight frown on her lips, "Antimony appeared to be having many personal issues and subsquently found herself unable to continue on with her work."
D'hein was still basking in his pride, and he walked behind the milk bar to search it for milk again as though he had forgotten it had been emptied. There was no reaction for some time, until several seconds after Illira delivered her latest line, at which point his head popped back up and he said, "Wait. Who was having what issues and what?"
"Antimony Jhanhi." Ildur replied. "Remember that woman that complained to me about you contacting her about personal matters and poking your nose on her personal life? That woman."
Frowning deeper, Illira continued Ildur's point, "I do hope, that you did not play a part in breaking her D'hein."
"And she's having personal troubles! What kind of-" he jumped clear over the bar, and sounded defensive. "I most certainly had no part in breaking any woman in ways that she did not want to be broken. What has become of her?"
"You hope D'hein hasn't interferred with business?" Sah'ot snorted again.
Ildur just asked: "Are you sure those are the reasons why she left, and not because she was threatened or she found something in her research that scared her off?"
D'hein fixed Illira with a glare that challenged her to be unsure.
Shaking her head, Illira said firmly, "No. It had been some weeks since I had received a report, or a response from her, so I checked up on her shortly after my arrival. She seemed to be simply overwrought with family issues and made the decision to run away from her problems. She did apparently gather enough information that it should not be too hard to have someone else finish for her." She paused, "I almost did not get even that, before she vanished."
"Family issues!" D'hein threw his hands up in the air, suddenly furious, "Family issues? The coward cannot accept that her daughters aren't dead, can she? Fleeing from motherhood! What a heinous woman! Just the crone that D'aijeen only claimed, but with an edge of seductress!" He walked in quick short circles, "And abused, yes, so easily abused are the selfish! A slimy beauty! A flower in a briar of putrid weeds!"
He spun on Illira and said, "I'm sure you helped nothing, casting her away as useless to you all too eagerly! Well I won't accept it! The woman is my destiny!" The briefest of pauses, and then he stopped his pacing, turned away and said more quietly, "That is to say, the plans for which I was utilizing her are destined to go far beyond your meager understanding."
Illira's brow furrowed, her voice raising,"D'hein. Do not talk about something that you know nothing about."
Scoffing, Sah'ot paced again, just once back and forth. "There's only one destiny, tia. This isn't a counseling group."
D'hein snapped at Illira, glowering as though speaking to a lesser, "I know more than you know I know, you know. What don't I know, hm?"
Ildur chuckled loudly, making sure the sound would intercept any agitated emotions and make them all converge on him instead. "Congratulations, everyone." he said between faint, dry laughs. "Apparently we have been promoted to idiots, according to D'hein's expert eyes." Then, looking at Illira, he added: "I'm sure you can give us more details and somehow prove him wrong. But!" he raised a finger without chucking, though he did smile. "Be gentle!"
Illira glared at D'hein, squaring her shoulders,"I would prefer to leave the details out, as she is now no longer under our employee, and I would wish to not drag out her dirty laundry as I, by happenstance, stumbled into. Suffice to say though, it is not as D'hein so selfishly paints. She is a coward, true, but I will give her that, those she ran from were uncivilized scum. I would admire that she had acclimated herself so well to society. But that is neither here nor there."
"I guess that is as gentle as we'll get from you." he chuckled again, but less loudly this time.
D'hein squared himself off to Illira. Again. "I scarce think Illira one able to judge the civilized from the uncivilized, as she just as often gets the two confused. I certainly hope you didn't throw her out of town penniless or see her locked up. What has become of the woman? And her little Lalafel, too!"
"It's not our responsibility to deal with personal problems, sunboy," Sah'ot grumbled, now looking mildly annoyed.
Illira barked out, "D'hein!" before collecting herself again and continuing, "If you would listen to someone other than your own ego for once, you would have heard me say that she ran away of her own free will. I managed to catch up with her right as she was riding out of Ul'dah. We parted on amicable terms. And she knew full well that in simply abandoning her duties she would have no job with us. I had previously offered her the ability to correct her mistakes and transgressions, but it was more important for her to run than to conquer her fears."
Rolling his gaze to Sah'ot, he said, "An insomniac one-step removed from an opo-opo would not understand." And then he brought his gaze back to Illira. "Nonetheless." And paused, to think. He gnashed his teeth for a moment, a bit like a herd animal chewing grass. "If you've really no mind for where she's gone, I'll leave it at that for the time being."
Narrowing her eyes at D'hein, Illira asked, "Why do you want to know so badly? Do you wish to stalk and distress her more? No. I will not pass on to you where she had planned to go."
"Yes. Tell us, what are your interests on this woman?" the Highlander echoed her question. "The interests that we cannot comprehend. You should try to educate us, instead of disregarding us, your co-workers, as uncultured savages."
"I mean no such thing, Ildur," D'hein said, his tone collapsing into something more typically conversational. His ears swiveled, one to Illira and the other to Ildur as he said, "It's of a personal nature, but for your understanding, I happen to be the caregiver to one of Antimony's children. This is a fact that Antimony denied vehemently, as though I had constructed it. A very personal vexation of mine, which I had intended to keep personal."
"And so you should," Sah'ot shook her head, ears shaking in annoyance. She glanced at Ildur. "The loss of one employee isn't so troubling."
Scoffing, Illira answers, "I would not put it past you to weave such a tale, Miqo'te. No. She is better off without you continuing to chase her tail. I'm still rather surprised that she never launched litigation against you for harrasment. You claim personal boundaries for yourself, and yet you give her none."
D'hein huffed, "I expected little different from you two."
Ildur nodded absently, facing a blank spot between himself and the milk bar. "It is not, indeed." he answered to Sah'ot. "However..." he added, this time facing the other man and walking towards him. "I doubt D'hein would lie to us. That would be despicable and very disappointing. We will assume that he is telling the truth, and because he is, then he does have a moral responsibility with this child he mentions. We have no authority to tell him what to do in this matter. He will solve it on his own." Once in range, he placed one hand on the miqo'te's shoulder. "Just please be more careful about how you handle it from now on, hm?"
If Ildur put weight on D'hein's wounded shoulder, the miqo'te wouldn't even notice. He swayed very slightly under the weight of Ildur's arm. "I am always cautius in all things. Though, since Illira refuses to aid me in finding the woman, you'll likely not hear of it again. It's simply nobody's business but my own anymore."
Illira shakes her head, stating, "I simply do not agree with your judgment on this, Ildur, given his past history with Antimony."
"As I said, we have no authority to tell him not to do anything about it." he replied. "In that sense, I will not ask you to tell him where she went. You also seem to have a certain moral responsibility with this ex-employee, so I will not ask you to break that boundary." He let D'hein go and smiled to Illira. "Though I think we both can agree that this office would work better if you had another month to reorganize his paperwork." he joked, chuckling at the end.
"But it WAS organized!"
"Just as your adventure to the frumentarii was a success, eh?" Sah'ot smirked and then just rolled her eyes. "If we're done with the tia getting ideas too big for his britches..."
"You are aching to return back to the wood then, Sah'ot?" asked the Wildwood.
"I'm sure we are all aching to return to our natural habitats. Is there anything else you feel we should discuss?" he asked openly.
D'hein pondered for a time, and did not speak.
The Keeper huffed. "I can keep reasonable hours there."
"Haha. Reasonable. An insomniac who sleeps in trees keeping reasonable hours."
Sighing, Illira interrupted, "There's been enough argument already, are we so sure that we want another petty one at the moment?"
Brown-clad shoulders shrugged as Sah'ot turned towards the door. "And catch my own food," she adds idly to D'hein before darting yellow eyes to the others in the room. "Dismissed then?"
"I will take this as a 'no'." Ildur concluded, placing both hands behind his back. "We will meet again one month from now, in a location that will be disclosed later. I would like to remind you to prepare an update on the aftermath of the Eorzean offensive and to not poke each other's eyes out while you exit the building." Then he nodded to Sah'ot. "Dismissed, yes."
D'hein leveled Sah'ot with a straight face and said, "Don't run off so quickly. I know how you insomniacs like to disappear into the woods first chance you get, and I need to steal you for a moment."
"I'll get to rounding up adventurers th--" Sah'ot stopped and huffed, folding her arms though she didn't turn to face D'hein. "If it's more of your personal problems, I want nothing to do with it."
Illira sat back down at D'hein's desk, beginning to collect various papers and folders together. "We should also discuss at some point who will take up Antimony's work here in Ul'dah."
"Unless you have some local in mind, I will send you someone from Limsa to take over. Make sure to prepare a copy of her investigation." Ildur offered, moving towards the door.
D'hein shrugs back at Sah'ot, "Why? You can point and laugh and then walk out on me if you want," and then, to Illira, "And you're running off immediately as well, are you?"
Illira nodded her head towards Ildur, "Of course." She turned to D'hein, "You will recall that I am to bring you up to speed before I part ways once more from this odious city?"
"Oh, the temptation is too much," Sah'ot mocked, looking skyward. She didn't leave, however.
"I'm not trying to wrest myself from your influence, Illira. Quite the opposite. When I'm done with Sah'ot," his tone turned grave, "I'm coming for you." And then, with a smile, "I've nothing for Ildur, though, so he's free to go about his much more important business!"
"Again with your trumped up sense of authority. Out with what you want to say, sunboy," Sah'ot snapped.
The Highlander reached the door and did not open it, instead lingering right in front of it and turning around with faked curiosity. That is to say, with no curiosity at all. It was just that opening the door would let the wind enter and the voices go out. Two things that were not in his best interests at the moment.
Illira continued to shuffle papers, probably trying to correct as much as she can before D'hein threw it all into chaos again.
"Oh no," D'hein said, smiling at some game. He clapped his hands together and brought the tips of his forefingers to his chin, "The issues I wish to discuss with Sah'ot and Illira are entirely separate and sensitive. Perhaps I'm plotting against both of you with the other, and have to discovered that you are plotting against one another? Or something less enthralling. The ladies will have to discover this separately, though, or live forever mired in curiosity."
"Not interested enough," Sah'ot announced suddenly and made for the door.
"Ah, if that is the case, I shall take my leave. Though... that brings something to mind." Ildur glanced at Illira. "Did Antimony's lalafel, as D'hein so colourfully put it, leave with her? And is there any possibility she was aware of the investigation or had any information we might not possess?"
D'hein protested to Sah'ot, "Oh, come on! It will take five minutes! You're already up past your bed time."
Illira shook her head, "I do not know if she knows anything or not. I saw her briefly after I had discovered that Antimony had fled. She did not leave with the woman, of that, I know. Antimony left Ul'dah alone."
Her tail lashed roughly behind her as Sah'ot paused only two steps from the door, almost alongside Ildur. "You have three minutes."
"Fine! Everyone's using up my time talking about Lalafels!" D'hein threw his hands in the air and marched towards the door to press through between Sah'ot and Ildur. "Come on, Keeper. We'll find a nice comfortable shadow to confer in."
The Hyur nodded to Illira. "I see. Well, it's no matter. Have a good day, all of you." He opened the door and kept it open for the two exiting Miqo'tes. He would follow behind them as soon as they left.
Letting out another huff of air, Sah'ot considered D'hein's back for a second and how easily she might slip a dagger between his ribs before following him out the door.
Lifting a brief hand in what might be construed as a lazy wave, "I'll be here. So looking forward to our chat D'hein."
D'hein would guide Sah'ot off to some shadow in the immediate vicinity. Near the good old Ossuary. Because Sah'ot loved the ossuary.
Sah'ot hated the ossuary and definitely would hold that against D'hein. She might dock a minute from his time. Or consider stabbing him a bit more seriously.
Ildur simply turned in some other direction once they were out of the building, leaving those two to do their conspirations alone. He did not mind the ossuary, for whatever that was worth.
***
There was no feeling at all in his right hand, now, which made watching the glove stretch over his knuckles a bit more amusing than once it had been. To any random passerby, D'hein was just walking along, staring happily at his own hand as though he'd gotten a whiff of somnus. But to D'hein Tia, this was a shift in his understanding of his own body. Without sense, without pain, and yet his to take care of finely manipulate. Look an employee he'd lost sight of.
Which brought him back to Antimony, whom he had been unable to locate using surface means. He'd have to inquire after her at the Quicksand or ask Illira where she was, if she had finished her duties. Obviously Antimony's investigation had not succeeded, as D'themia Nunh had been free to take D'ahl from him immediately upon his return.
His plans to have D'themia incarcerated during his absence, therefore, had not matured.
D'hein Tia found his office door with his forehead while staring at his hand, a room in a building situated closer to the Arrzaneth Ossuary then to Ruby Road or Sapphire Avenue. Both he and the Nunhs of the Dodos appreciated the distance between his workplace and the D-tribe commune. D'hein watched his right hand fumbling numbly with the walk, giving it an encouraging grin, and then stepped into the room.
This place was very much D'hein Tia's own personal space, untouched by D'ahl's mirrors, D'aijeen's fetishes or the Nunhs' obsessively masculine decorations. It was simple by his own standards, the carpets red, blinds red, large windows to let in sunlight. The desk was in the middle of the room instead of at the wall, the chair focused on comfort and aesthetics and a bit larger than others may have likes. Everything was oak with maple accents.
A milk bar adorned in empty glasses and bottle set in one corner. Ildur liked to joke that D'hein had his own personal cow hidden inside the bar. But that would've been disgusting as cow milk has to be processed unless one wants to grow fat off of drinking too much. And D'hein's figure was irreproachably exquisite. Even the Nunhs were jealous. And lusting after him, at least one.
He smiled at the thought, closed the door around him, and proceeded to actually look at the office for the first time in two months.
That D'hein chose his place of work to be so close to the death magics of the thaumaturges did not surprise Sah'ot. The sharp scents of charged aether and ancient spells permeated not only the Ossuary but the area surrounding it, though perhaps the dulled senses of the hyur and lalafells who populated this region were dumb to it. The thought left a superior sneer on her blue, scarred face for a few seconds before it fell back into a bored look. She had stood in the shade of the small awning in front of D'hein's office for two hours, enduring the heinous assault on her senses that was Ul'dah only because one who was her superior demanded her presence. And though one would never get it out of her, perhaps she had shown up early in the hopes of catching one wayward miqo'te, should his empty, blonde head happen to finally turn up.
These kinds of things she had been known to take amusement from on occasion.
When D'hein arrived at his office, Sah'ot made no sound. Her brown and green clothes, so suited for the Shroud, also happened to make excellent camoflauge against the brown stone of Ul'dah - or perhaps the miqo'te was simply that oblivious. Sah'ot would not have been surprised if so. Either way, he walked right past her through the front door, and with a practiced silence of a poacher who had learned to avoid the very eyes and ears of the elementals, she moved to follow him, stopping the door from shutting as he stepped inside and slipping in behind him. There she stood and waited for the right moment.
Illira had taken up root in D'hein's office during her stay in Ul'dah the past few days. While she slept at the Quicksand, she was using the quaint first floor setup as her base of operations as she worked to do damage control.Â
D'hein's disappearance the past weeks was inconvenient timing to say the least. Her mood at having to come back to the city had certainly not lightened since her stay, as the city proved, as usual, to be impervious to changing its dirty tune. At least she'd managed to recover the research that Antimony had done on her job before she'd taken flight. While that situation needed to be dealt with again, it had to play second fiddle to mitigating the recent spike of nationalism that had arisen in the city and outlying areas thanks to the fall of the Praetorium.
The paperwork on the ornate desk was in a considerably better state now than when she had arrived, as she'd had to organize and file it in such a way that it could be worked with any manner of efficiency. Besides that, there had not been much change in room, to signal a new occupant. Though, she had had to throw out the disgusting bottles of milk that D'hein had lying about, they were no good, even if she didn't find the stuff repellent in the first place.Â
She looked up from the letter that she was writing, as the office door opened and shut. She watched as D'hein contentedly surveyed his domain, apparently unaware of her presence. She pressed her lips together in a frown. "You're late D'hein."
D'hein smirked and walked towards the milk bar. "Late for what?" he said, his mind full of thoughts of the delicious white cream that had been denied him during his stay in Ala Mhigo. Aft er a few steps, he looked up and flinched as though seeing Illira for the first time. "What. What! What are you doing?" He spread his arms in distress as he turned to her, "What in all of the deepest hells have you done to my filing system!?"
Illira set down her writing utensil and folded her hands neatly into her lap, "You've been missing for weeks now, and the fallout from the Praetorium mess had to start getting wrangled back under control. I'm merely doing what -you- should be here doing. You're job." She glanced around at the neatly foldered and labeled paperwork set around the desk edges. "As for what I've done to your filing system? You're welcome. It comes complimentary with the takeover."
"Takeover?" D'hein said, crossing his arms and looking very serious. "Now, here, I'll have you know I've personally conferred with our Garlean superiors. By a form. So don't pretend I haven’t been working."
Illira laughed shortly, "Don't worry your furry little hide over it. It’s not a permanent one, I have no wish to stay in Ul'dah with you. As for your work... well. You're just in time for a meeting, in which you're welcome to explain your actions."
Sah'ot hung back by the door, a smirk in her yellow eyes that didn't make it to her lips. She scanned the room from her position, utterly unsurprised that the office shared many of the same, astringent scents as the Ossuary outside but still allowed herself a moment to be disgusted. The curtains and furnishings were as... rich as she might expect from one of D'hein's nature - that nature being of someone overly used to comfort.
At his comment regarding his "Garlean superiors", Sah'ot allowed herself a chuckle at the thought of his fluffy bottom actually surviving the decided un-fluffy journey to Ala Mhigo. This was the first sound she had made since she'd taken up "watch" next to his office.
"Explain! Hah! My actions? Hah again!" D'hein said, much too absorbed in his own posturing to notice the chuckling of his ashen coconspirator. He swept away from Illira with a shake of hair, a swing of tail, a twtich of his ears and a furling of his robe, and marched on towards the milk bar. "I shall enlighten you as to my actions, and perhaps you all shall explain to me you comparative inaction! Hahah!"
"Yes, tell us how long it took you to escape the prison they almost surely tossed you into the moment you came within a malm of the city's walls," Sah'ot jeered and allowed herself a moment to imagine said scene. It was both satisfying and amusing.
Turning her head at the new voice, Illira smirked at the sentiment it expressed. "So glad to see you on time as well."
"Mere days!" D'hein proclaimed, then stopped short and stared at the wall. "Wait, D'hein, that wasn't a question in need of answer. Next time just-" he spun, aiming a territorial glare at Sah'ot, "Insomniacs! In my office! All manner of order has fled Ul'dah in my absence."
 "Any order here was just an illusion, I'm sure," the Keeper smirked. "Days, though. Impressive that they didn't simply kill you on the spot."
Illira picked back up where she left off writing the letter in front of her, intending to complete it at least, before the real meeting began. She talked as she wrote, "There is rarely any manner of good order here in Ul'dah. And any semblance that you had installed did indeed flee along with you. Did you expect it to continue smoothly without anyone looking after it?" She clucked her tongue in mocking disapproval. "Irresponsible of you to go run off to jail, leaving your poor city to fend for itself."
"I made preparations. Irresponsible of you all not to seek instruction and allow such a terrible thing as the fall of the Praetorium to occur!" He scooted behind the milk bar and ducked down behind it to search its cupboards. His voice was muffled as he went on, "Oh, I know you did not allow such a thing on purpose, but at least I proactively sought the eyes and voice of those wiser and more informed than we!"
"That's not our duty, sunboy," Sah'ot retorted, folding arms and cocking her hip to one side where she stood in front of the door. "Seems some time behind bars still didn't teach you where we stand in the line of the Empire."
"We who do not go above and beyond our duty do not work our way up in the world. She's got no sense of business, that savage!" He could be heard opening and shutting cupboards with greater frequency, causing cups and empty bottles to clatter. "Illira! Have you harmed my milk?"
The Elezen didn’t look up at the accusation, continuing to write, "It was spoiled. The mere thought of it sitting there... coagulating, was repellent. Of course I threw it out."
"Harmed your milk and rescued our senses. Rare reason from a Wildwood, but she has my thanks," Sah'ot drawled, eyeing one wall idly.
"I had it enchanted to last at least a... bundle of weeks!" D'hein declared, popping up from behind the bar with a look of great agitation. "An absolute bundle!"
Without looking at D'hein, Sah'ot flicked her tail and mused, "How long do you think it's been since you ran off and got yourself arrested?"
"... perhaps less than a precise bundle of weeks."
Ildur's arrival was preceded by his heavy footsteps. It wasn't long before he was standing behind Sah'ot, on the other side of the door. He was wearing a rather elaborate blue shirt with long sleeves and white lining. His trousers were of the same color and thread but had less decorations. Still, it was probably just as expensive. In his hands he carried a simple leather folder.
After sparing a glance to the Miqo'te woman in the way, he said: "By your posture, I have to conclude D'hein is back. Excellent." He nodded once, quite sure that his conclusion was correct. "Greetings, by the way. Shall we start?"
Illira finished writing her letter, signing it with a flourish. She rolled it up and tied it off with twine.
Sah'ot stepped to one side, allowing room for Ildur to enter wordlessly. She continued to inspect one wall with a vaguely amused expression.
The hyur stepped in and closed the door behind him.
Looking up as Ildur entered, D'hein smiled and waved over his head in a single, quick gesture. "Ildur! I've returned. Have you seen what that Elezen of yours has done to my office? It's unthinkable!"
"Its reasonable D'hein, unlike you," uttered Illira.
"I think we all can agree that your organizational woes are of much less importance than any instructions you could have received during your journey, D'hein." Ildur said, turning around and staring at him. "So tell us. Did you get any instructions for us?"
Setting the letter aside, Illira turned her attention strictly to D'hein. "He apparently spent time in jail. So I’m guessing his personal quest was a failure."
D'hein dropped his arms to his sides, staring at Ildur a moment, and then crossed them proudly over his chest. "My trip was quite successful. Actually, I was in an airship overlooking the battle in front of the Praetorium, offering my expert advice on the flow of the conflict. At the time which the Praetorium was destroyed, which was something that could only have been prevented thorough means outside of my hands."
Ildur sighed, raising one hand to rub his forehead. "So no instructions?" he insisted.
"It would appear that his journey was just as detrimental as I had previously thought." Illira sighed, "Did you see or hear anything even remotely useful? We already know that the Grand Companies helped to bring down the Praetorium and destroy it. That isn't news. We've been dealing with that aftermath for some time now."
"It's plain to see that our overseers never supported the bid for control being made by Balsaer. They're obviously loyal to the Emperor. And there were massive communications breakdowns between Ala Mhigo and the other locations." D'hein gestured as he explained, his tail whipping around behind him. "What I witnessed, first in Ala Mhigo and then over the Praetorium, was bedlam. I honestly believe the Emperor may be... out of commission."
"Watch what you suggest and to whom," Sah'ot snapped suddenly, straightening somewhat from her lazy position, though she didn't otherwise move further into the room. "You saw only what a prisoner might see."
Ildur moved further into the room until he reached the desk. "That is enough dodging, D'hein. You have no instructions, and what you believe or not is not of interest to this council." He opened the folder and took a few papers from it, which he waved a little before placing them in front of Illira. "Without instructions, we have to decide our priorities. This is a report about La Noscea and the Maelstorm fleet. I'd like to hear the situation in your provinces." he asked, looking first at Illira and then to Sah'ot.
Sah'ot grimaced, ears shifting in disgust at a thought. "With the Empire weakened, Gridanians have had more time to pursue..." she snorted, "questionable relations with the local beast tribe. The Sylphs are tricksters without a loyal leaf on their body, even if they do claim to be working against the tempered ones."
D'hein fell quiet, letting his arm drop and stewing. It was obvious that he and Ildur were in disagreement, but he wasn’t going to argue the point.
"That sounds familiar,†Illira began, “As Thanalan has begun to interface with a tribe of Amalj'aa near Little Ala Mhigo, even lending them assistance. It’s likely that the growing camaraderie between the Grand Companies and the Beast is out of a desire to gain more allies in their resistance to the Empire. I know that here in Ul'dah, there has been a burst of Eorzean nationalist pride. And as this is a city that traditionally prides itself on its strong sense of independence, separate from that of its sisters. The Sultana has gained more favour and pushes to try lead, above simply that of the Grand Company leaders, perhaps wishing to unite Eorezea under a singular banner, instead of the three."
"Wasted resources," Sah'ot scoffed. "They'll all fall to primals at this rate."
"That is quite worrying." Ildur started, nodding to his now empty hand. "It was already inconvenient enough when Limsa was the only city dealing with the beastmen. But if this continues we will see beastmen accepted on each one." Â He turned to Illira, asking her with some degree of incredulity in his tone: "And you say Ul'dah is dealing with some Amalj'aa? The same race that continuously kidnaps and tempers their citizens?"
Illira nodded her head solemnly, "Yes. From what I've gathered, it’s only a single tribe of them. But that is likely to expand in the future if this trend continues."
"It's not something the Syndicate would stand for," stated D'hein, more an observation than a protest. "Any association with the beast-tribes is strictly banned."
"The syndicate is not involved in this matter, they've withdrawn more into the shadows, than when you were last here."
"The whole mess is pushed on by those lawless "adventurers"," Sahot spat. "That Gridania exiles people trying to survive but honors those who'd drag them right to the feet of a primal... bah."
"Adventuring is quite a profitable endeavor in Eorzea, nowadays." Ildur lamented, punctuating the pause between both statements with a short sigh. "Close to impossible to regulate, that line of work. Even with the Adventurer's Guild reuniting them in one comfortable ledger, we have no jurisdiction in those matters." The Highlander looked around the office, seeking for a chair to sit and briefly wondering where D'hein could have hid them. "D'hein, why am I not seeing any chairs but the one Illira's using?" he gave voice to his great concerns.
D'hein answered offhandedly, "I don't do meetings with people I like here, so I don't want to be uncomfortable." And then, moving on, "Why have we no adventurers in our employ, then? It couldn't be too hard to find some who hate the beast-tribes enough to throw a wrench in certain works, and do so with nobility and pride. Beast tribes are beast tribes for a reason."
Frowning, Illira said, "Actually, they are perhaps not so different than some of your own kind D'hein. Not you perhaps, but your isolationist cousins. And if they are able to trade to make relations with Ul'dah, it stands to reason that the only reason that the Immortal Flames haven't bridged the gap yet, is simply because they've always been viewed as uncivilized. But they are perhaps just as much so, as many Miqo'te."
"I won't argue it," D'hein said. "I'm not saying there's any mental deficiency, though there's a case for cultural, physical... maybe mental. It's all beside the point. We need the Grand Companies to be fighting the primals, not at peace with them, or am I wrong?"
The elezen let out a breath. "No, you’re not wrong on that count. For once."
"Not tempered by them, either." The Keeper moved then, to pace a few steps into the room before she turned around and paced back, settling once more into the position she'd remained lodged in for most of the conversation.
"I suggest we hire some adventurers and stir up the pot," D'hein said. "And I can work within Ul'dah to ensure that people understand that beasts are bad for business. Power is depth of pocket, and Ul'dahns up to and including the Sultana like their power."
Ildur nodded in agreement. "That would undermine both the adventurers and the beastmen's reputation in the same stroke."
"And in doing so, help destabilize the growing nationalism. Many are starting to revere the adventurers after the exploits of a few. They are all heroes now, whether or not they've done anything to deserve the title. And in doing so, they give the City States a centralized, connected idol. They need a dose of reality. That most of the lot are nothing but thugs for hire," Illira scoffs at the thought.
Smirking at Sah'ot, D'hein said, "You're a bit of an adventurer, aren't you Keeper?"
"Says the one who went shambling off to Ala Mhigo on some hopped up notion of his own importance," Sah'ot replied idly.
"You hold against me my finest moment," D'hein grins a bit wider. "But I brought my own thug, so it doesn't count as adventuring. Just... diplomacy."
"Does it really matter D'hein? It was terrible idea. All around," Illira moaned.
At that, Sah'ot just laughed and muttered with an ironic tone, "Diplomacy."
Scoffing, D'hein muttered in a lecturing voice. "The fruits of my venture will reveal themselves in time, as I'm sure Ildur has faith. Now let's not bog this down with your doubts." he turned apologetic in tone, bowing his head in humility towards Sah'ot. "I meant merely to point out that Sah'ot is skilled in dirty-work and can judge the worthwhile adventurers from those who would fail to make any sufficient impact. Do you disagree that you have such skill, Sah'ot?"
"Flattery won't dig you out of your hole, sunboy," Sah'ot said, flashing her fangs briefly at the other miqo'te. Then with a passive look to Ildur she added, "There're two kinds of adventurers - the moral type, and the money type."
"Quite a coincidence." he replied with amusement. "That's exactly how many kinds of people there are. I'm sure finding the second kind will be quite easy. Though I'd like to have more permanent assets...but they will have to do for the short term."
"Adventurers these days are not in short supply, practically spilling out of the Quicksand doors,†Illira commented. “I'm sure that you won't have any problems locating any."
Sah'ot bowed her head, unevenly cut blue and yellow hair falling forward into her eyes briefly with the action. She shook her head sharply when she straightened to clear her vision and gave a curt, "So it'll be," to Ildur. "Shouldn't be difficult to find a few wary of Sylph betrayal."
"Quite! And I'm sure both Illira and D'hein will have no trouble finding some of their own while he catches up to what's been going on while he was away on his 'diplomatic mission'." Ildur remarkably managed to not sound like he was mocking anyone when saying this.
"Why I may already have a few in my employ," D'hein said, perceiving a challenge and meeting it head-on with a grin and narrowed eyes. "I'll have to check."
Illira pressed her lips together, glaring at D'hein, "Hopefully this will not take long to settle out. I would rather not linger in this place longer than necessary." She paused, before looking down at the desk where Ildur had set papers down. She picked them up, "And what were these, Ildur? Anything of particular note?"
The old Highlander replied first by moving his hand dismissively. "The Maelstorm has seen the same increase in nationalism you have seen here and everywhere, but they haven't made friends with the kobolds or the sahagin yet." he said. "They might even decide to move more seriously against the kobolds and Titan. But that is just a vague hope right now. The blockades took a toll to their fleet, and I'm sure the sahagin will capitalize on it."
The lanky woman nodded her head, "That is about the best that could be hoped for, no real change of note is good, in this case."
"Funny that of all of them, the pirates keep their heads with the primals," Sah'ot shorted a low chuckle.
"A full-scale war would be better, but I trust the Maelstrom to start one first chance they get. Our efforts are better focused here and in Gridania." D'hein paused to think, "Maybe one at a time. If the Gridanians keep up the best case scenario is they all end up tempered by the Shroud. Wouldn't be much more than another beast tribe if that happened."
"Limsa is honest with what it is, even if it’s full of riff raff. They are not so easily swayed the promise of good intentions as the Ul'dahns and Gridinians. That situation should be kept an eye on, but its not the imperative one of the bunch. Resources should be focused here, in Thanalan and in the Shroud. I imagine, of the two of them, the Shroud will be the easiest to turn back, if they're reminded of their superstitions and traditions.  Once that happens, and they'll fall back into place."
"Will they?" Ildur inquired, turning around to look at Sah'ot.
"Their relationship with the Sylphs goes back longer than you think," Sah'ot growled unhappily. "And the Seedseers... They're so bent on peaceful resolutions that they'll side with the enemy itself."
"Of course. I'm sure those unnatural children believe the Primals to be somehow inferior and less dangerous than their precious Elementals." he complained loudly. "Sabotaging the Shroud's interests of peace with those creatures is going to be labourious."
"If you know them so well, Sah'ot, then surely you have some idea?" Illira pointedly asked.
"Surely!" D'hein bellowed. "You must."
"Idea of what?" The Keeper snapped. "I've got no direct line to the padjal, if that's what you're implying."
"So then you have no idea what benefit they hope to achieve through their renewed relationships with the Slyphs? Those creatures usually keep to themselves. It’s strange to think that they are suddenly so welcoming."
"Their intended "benefit" is obvious," Sah'ot huffed. "Lulled into a false sense of security. The tricksters have them thinking they'll keep to their borders and leave Gridania alone, instead of taking them all before Ramuh. Hah."
"It's a bit disappointing, to be honest," D'hein deflated, ignoring Sah'ot's explanation. "I had come to respect you, Sah'ot. I expected better. But if you need help I could send my daughter back to Gridania and ask her to look into it." He smirked.
"Sending your own off to be tempered. That's low even for your kind, sunboy."
Illira frowned, and tugged a braid, "But what you are saying, is not a benefit, Sah'ot. Its merely a protectionist stance."
The Keeper waved one hand roughly at Illira. "And that's all they care about."
Laughing, Illira says plainly, "So it’s simple then. Make them believe that it’s in their best interest to not trust the Slyph. They are tricksters as you say. The Gridinians know that. It’s as I said before, they merely need to be reminded of a few facts. Such as the base nature of the Slyphs. If they believe that they can no longer be trusted to keep their word, they'll pull back. It’s what they've always done, era after era."
Ildur, feeling a complete ignorant about all matters of the Shroud, remained in silence with a frowned brow.
Sah'ot shrugged and then rolled her eyes, a bit of a smirk on her thin lips. "Will take more than words, but a few engineered moments of betrayal shouldn't be too hard. Especially if we can find some adventurers who aren't taking kindly to these new friends."
"Well, this is all very vague, but a plan of action would be nice. As long as I'm here, being a man of action, I should inspire some." He threw a hand into the air energetically, "I say we all head out! Let's grab us some fresh adventurers and..." he paused, "How does one... should we just tell them to... attack people?"
Snorting, Sah'ot gave D'hein a sideways look. "They do tend to do whatever you tell them, with enough money tied to it."
Illira stood, raising her voice, "No. That is unacceptable, and puts the lives of the general citizenry at risk. Not only that, but it wouldn't accomplish what needs to be done. They need to enrage the Amalj'aa, and show their own uncouth natures at the same time."
D'hein dropped his hand and gave Illira a very straight look, "Well that's why I'm asking."
Ildur hummed in thought. "Yes, that was quite an unhappy scheme. It will be better if we take things slow at first." The Highlander found his current pose to be uncomfortable, and for that he started slowly walking around the desk, heading to the broad window. "Hire adventurers in behest of our organization, send them to the Shroud with the express purpose of investigating this newly increased friendship with the Sylphs. Tell them we are worried about what the stability, about how this could affect commerce and the production of goods, or even the inclusion of new goods into the trade routes. We can gauge their interest and their morality once their report their findings back. Later, we'll contact those aligned with our interests and have them perform duties against the beastmen and their allies."
"Adventurers aren't the best at judging business," D'hein delivered deadpan, "That's why they're adventurers. They're just homeless people for hire."
At Ildur's words, Sah'ot grinned broad enough that her fangs peeked through and glanced at D'hein, "And that's why you're the one who gets arrested by your own superiors." Then, after a brief pause, "They're already being trusted with work for the beasts. This wouldn't be much more demanding than that."
Ildur, being a stubborn old man who cannot let things be, replied to D'hein. "We are not sending them to judge business. This is espionage. Â If adventurers can rob people in the roads, defeat a Primal or infiltrate a Castrum, then they can certainly watch over some flying plants and tell us what they do."
Illira grinned at that, flashing a bit of white teeth in the process, "Yes, they most certainly can. And if not, they're not much of adventurers, and perhaps that could be turned to advantage. Send them out to fail in perfect public spectacle. Encourage the ruin of the 'good' adventurer name."
D'hein held up one gloved palm, "Fine, fine. And what about Ul'dah? I assume we will want to use adventurers to stir up trouble with the Amal'jaa, but how do we do that without leading the trouble back to us?"
"You already said the Syndicate wouldn't stand for an alliance with the lizard men." Sah'ot's gloved fingers tapped against the sides of her arms. "Whoever's working with them, they're not doing it with the endorsement of the city."
Illira's grin quickly dissipated at that, "Are you suggesting that we throw support behind the Syndicate?"
"Am I?" Sah'ot shrugged.
D'hein, strangely enough, did not seem to find amusement in Illira's displeasure. He frowns at ehr and says, "Whether you like it or not, the Syndicate is one of Ul'dah's governing bodies, and the primary mover behind ousting the beast-men from the city. Evan Raubahn and the Flames have a stake in the Syndicate. By supporting the Grand Companies, we're already working with the Syndicate."
The tall, long-limbed woman straightened her back further, though it had already appeared as though it couldn't do so any further. "The Syndicate represents exactly what I hope and believe that the Empire will correct in Eorzea. It’s a manifestion of the two-faced corruption that flows so effortlessly in this city. I cannot abide by the thought that we should even consider spreading their influence."
Ildur crossed one arm over his chest and raised the other one so its elbow was on the other, and so his hand could hold his chin. "Getting the help of the Syndicate will come with a price that we will pay later on. I would not want to make concessions to them." He looked at D'hein sideways. " I'm sure many of your fellow tribesmen would love the chance to look good in the Syndicate's eyes. Perhaps you could move some strings and lure their interests in the right direction."
Frowning even deeper, darkening a bit, D'hein muttered at a near growl, "The only way to have any influence in my tribe is to become Nunh, and you can guess how often I've done that. No, as much as Illira hates the Syndicate, she'd hate my tribe doubly."
"I do not find that a hard thing to believe. I am not even fond of you, D'hein." She pauses for emphasis, "No, what we need to do is to get the Amalj'aa to back off. Precisely the opposite of Gridinia. Hire a bunch of 'homeless people' as you so charmingly call them, D'hein, to work with the efforts that the Immortal Flames make. Of course, these adventurers should be ones predisposed towards hatred of the beast tribes, and perhaps even just a few bad workers. With the plan that they directly influence the willingness that the Amalj'aa have to work with the Flames. The relationship is still rocky."
"That won't do an onze of good if they're not given better means to protect themselves from the tempered," Sah'ot grumbled.
"I think we all know the basic traits an adventurer would need to qualify for our ends. The problem is how to find them." Ildur pondered out loud. "Perhaps we could simply send the adventurers to attack them. An Amalj'aa is no different than other Amalj'aa at first glance."
"At any glance."
"Yes, well. Perhaps that could work as well", stated Illira.
"We could use the corrupt and the desperate," D'hein ventured. "Prisoners and refugees are apt to do just about anything for money. Send weak, selfish, unskilled refugees to help the Grand Companies while we send adventurers to attack the Amal'jaa."
"Attack is perhaps not the right word and mindset that we want for this. They should be pushing back the tribes. It’s what many adventurers are requested to do anyway by the tribes that are working with the Grand Companies. It’s just as you said Ildur. An Amalj'aa looks like another at first glance." Illira gnawed on her lower lip ever so slightly as she looked around at her fellow council members.
"I think attack is perfectly the right word," D'hein countered. "They're beast-men. They aren't viable allies and we don't want them to be. Nothing sours relations faster than a vicious skirmish."
"D'hein," Sah'ot gave an exaggerated emphasis to his name, drawing out the hissing h sound, "is right. If they're just trying some subterfuge, it'll break them before they can spring a trap. If they're really trying to get on our good side, well... we can stop that quick enough."
Ildur shrugged. "Attacking. Defending. Driving them back. Same concept but different wording. Just use the correct word with the correct man." He said, nodding. "But I think this settles our course of action about this matter."
Recovering from his earlier downcast tone and bristling with a sort of refreshing pride, D'hein crossed his arms and looked smug, "When Sah'ot and I are on the same page, it cannot be questioned that the Twelve themselves have moved our hearts to a united will. Slaying the Amal'jaa is the best for all involved. Victory is practically predestined."
Ildur tried very hard to not sigh. He actually managed it, only rolling his eyes under closed eyelids. "Yes, we can say that if we want. What other, more mundane matters do we have to discuss?" he said, taking turns to glance at everyone.
Illira pursed her lips, a pinched and sour look on her face. "I suppose it’s for the greater good, though I am no precisely happy about it."
At that, Sah'ot just gave a casual shrug, finishing with a bit of a leer in D'hein's direction, and then went back to looking boredly at one wall.
She let out a heavy sigh, letting her shoulders relax a bit, "As for other news, I should let you all know, that as of a few days ago, Antimony J'hanhi is no longer under us as a probationary employee. I do have the work and research that she had completed though."
The old Hyur tilted his head, though he looked rather neutral about the matter. "Did she quit?"
Letting out a small snort, the Keeper angled her ears towards Illira in mild interest. "Sun too much?"
Illira glanced around at the others scattered about the office, a slight frown on her lips, "Antimony appeared to be having many personal issues and subsquently found herself unable to continue on with her work."
D'hein was still basking in his pride, and he walked behind the milk bar to search it for milk again as though he had forgotten it had been emptied. There was no reaction for some time, until several seconds after Illira delivered her latest line, at which point his head popped back up and he said, "Wait. Who was having what issues and what?"
"Antimony Jhanhi." Ildur replied. "Remember that woman that complained to me about you contacting her about personal matters and poking your nose on her personal life? That woman."
Frowning deeper, Illira continued Ildur's point, "I do hope, that you did not play a part in breaking her D'hein."
"And she's having personal troubles! What kind of-" he jumped clear over the bar, and sounded defensive. "I most certainly had no part in breaking any woman in ways that she did not want to be broken. What has become of her?"
"You hope D'hein hasn't interferred with business?" Sah'ot snorted again.
Ildur just asked: "Are you sure those are the reasons why she left, and not because she was threatened or she found something in her research that scared her off?"
D'hein fixed Illira with a glare that challenged her to be unsure.
Shaking her head, Illira said firmly, "No. It had been some weeks since I had received a report, or a response from her, so I checked up on her shortly after my arrival. She seemed to be simply overwrought with family issues and made the decision to run away from her problems. She did apparently gather enough information that it should not be too hard to have someone else finish for her." She paused, "I almost did not get even that, before she vanished."
"Family issues!" D'hein threw his hands up in the air, suddenly furious, "Family issues? The coward cannot accept that her daughters aren't dead, can she? Fleeing from motherhood! What a heinous woman! Just the crone that D'aijeen only claimed, but with an edge of seductress!" He walked in quick short circles, "And abused, yes, so easily abused are the selfish! A slimy beauty! A flower in a briar of putrid weeds!"
He spun on Illira and said, "I'm sure you helped nothing, casting her away as useless to you all too eagerly! Well I won't accept it! The woman is my destiny!" The briefest of pauses, and then he stopped his pacing, turned away and said more quietly, "That is to say, the plans for which I was utilizing her are destined to go far beyond your meager understanding."
Illira's brow furrowed, her voice raising,"D'hein. Do not talk about something that you know nothing about."
Scoffing, Sah'ot paced again, just once back and forth. "There's only one destiny, tia. This isn't a counseling group."
D'hein snapped at Illira, glowering as though speaking to a lesser, "I know more than you know I know, you know. What don't I know, hm?"
Ildur chuckled loudly, making sure the sound would intercept any agitated emotions and make them all converge on him instead. "Congratulations, everyone." he said between faint, dry laughs. "Apparently we have been promoted to idiots, according to D'hein's expert eyes." Then, looking at Illira, he added: "I'm sure you can give us more details and somehow prove him wrong. But!" he raised a finger without chucking, though he did smile. "Be gentle!"
Illira glared at D'hein, squaring her shoulders,"I would prefer to leave the details out, as she is now no longer under our employee, and I would wish to not drag out her dirty laundry as I, by happenstance, stumbled into. Suffice to say though, it is not as D'hein so selfishly paints. She is a coward, true, but I will give her that, those she ran from were uncivilized scum. I would admire that she had acclimated herself so well to society. But that is neither here nor there."
"I guess that is as gentle as we'll get from you." he chuckled again, but less loudly this time.
D'hein squared himself off to Illira. Again. "I scarce think Illira one able to judge the civilized from the uncivilized, as she just as often gets the two confused. I certainly hope you didn't throw her out of town penniless or see her locked up. What has become of the woman? And her little Lalafel, too!"
"It's not our responsibility to deal with personal problems, sunboy," Sah'ot grumbled, now looking mildly annoyed.
Illira barked out, "D'hein!" before collecting herself again and continuing, "If you would listen to someone other than your own ego for once, you would have heard me say that she ran away of her own free will. I managed to catch up with her right as she was riding out of Ul'dah. We parted on amicable terms. And she knew full well that in simply abandoning her duties she would have no job with us. I had previously offered her the ability to correct her mistakes and transgressions, but it was more important for her to run than to conquer her fears."
Rolling his gaze to Sah'ot, he said, "An insomniac one-step removed from an opo-opo would not understand." And then he brought his gaze back to Illira. "Nonetheless." And paused, to think. He gnashed his teeth for a moment, a bit like a herd animal chewing grass. "If you've really no mind for where she's gone, I'll leave it at that for the time being."
Narrowing her eyes at D'hein, Illira asked, "Why do you want to know so badly? Do you wish to stalk and distress her more? No. I will not pass on to you where she had planned to go."
"Yes. Tell us, what are your interests on this woman?" the Highlander echoed her question. "The interests that we cannot comprehend. You should try to educate us, instead of disregarding us, your co-workers, as uncultured savages."
"I mean no such thing, Ildur," D'hein said, his tone collapsing into something more typically conversational. His ears swiveled, one to Illira and the other to Ildur as he said, "It's of a personal nature, but for your understanding, I happen to be the caregiver to one of Antimony's children. This is a fact that Antimony denied vehemently, as though I had constructed it. A very personal vexation of mine, which I had intended to keep personal."
"And so you should," Sah'ot shook her head, ears shaking in annoyance. She glanced at Ildur. "The loss of one employee isn't so troubling."
Scoffing, Illira answers, "I would not put it past you to weave such a tale, Miqo'te. No. She is better off without you continuing to chase her tail. I'm still rather surprised that she never launched litigation against you for harrasment. You claim personal boundaries for yourself, and yet you give her none."
D'hein huffed, "I expected little different from you two."
Ildur nodded absently, facing a blank spot between himself and the milk bar. "It is not, indeed." he answered to Sah'ot. "However..." he added, this time facing the other man and walking towards him. "I doubt D'hein would lie to us. That would be despicable and very disappointing. We will assume that he is telling the truth, and because he is, then he does have a moral responsibility with this child he mentions. We have no authority to tell him what to do in this matter. He will solve it on his own." Once in range, he placed one hand on the miqo'te's shoulder. "Just please be more careful about how you handle it from now on, hm?"
If Ildur put weight on D'hein's wounded shoulder, the miqo'te wouldn't even notice. He swayed very slightly under the weight of Ildur's arm. "I am always cautius in all things. Though, since Illira refuses to aid me in finding the woman, you'll likely not hear of it again. It's simply nobody's business but my own anymore."
Illira shakes her head, stating, "I simply do not agree with your judgment on this, Ildur, given his past history with Antimony."
"As I said, we have no authority to tell him not to do anything about it." he replied. "In that sense, I will not ask you to tell him where she went. You also seem to have a certain moral responsibility with this ex-employee, so I will not ask you to break that boundary." He let D'hein go and smiled to Illira. "Though I think we both can agree that this office would work better if you had another month to reorganize his paperwork." he joked, chuckling at the end.
"But it WAS organized!"
"Just as your adventure to the frumentarii was a success, eh?" Sah'ot smirked and then just rolled her eyes. "If we're done with the tia getting ideas too big for his britches..."
"You are aching to return back to the wood then, Sah'ot?" asked the Wildwood.
"I'm sure we are all aching to return to our natural habitats. Is there anything else you feel we should discuss?" he asked openly.
D'hein pondered for a time, and did not speak.
The Keeper huffed. "I can keep reasonable hours there."
"Haha. Reasonable. An insomniac who sleeps in trees keeping reasonable hours."
Sighing, Illira interrupted, "There's been enough argument already, are we so sure that we want another petty one at the moment?"
Brown-clad shoulders shrugged as Sah'ot turned towards the door. "And catch my own food," she adds idly to D'hein before darting yellow eyes to the others in the room. "Dismissed then?"
"I will take this as a 'no'." Ildur concluded, placing both hands behind his back. "We will meet again one month from now, in a location that will be disclosed later. I would like to remind you to prepare an update on the aftermath of the Eorzean offensive and to not poke each other's eyes out while you exit the building." Then he nodded to Sah'ot. "Dismissed, yes."
D'hein leveled Sah'ot with a straight face and said, "Don't run off so quickly. I know how you insomniacs like to disappear into the woods first chance you get, and I need to steal you for a moment."
"I'll get to rounding up adventurers th--" Sah'ot stopped and huffed, folding her arms though she didn't turn to face D'hein. "If it's more of your personal problems, I want nothing to do with it."
Illira sat back down at D'hein's desk, beginning to collect various papers and folders together. "We should also discuss at some point who will take up Antimony's work here in Ul'dah."
"Unless you have some local in mind, I will send you someone from Limsa to take over. Make sure to prepare a copy of her investigation." Ildur offered, moving towards the door.
D'hein shrugs back at Sah'ot, "Why? You can point and laugh and then walk out on me if you want," and then, to Illira, "And you're running off immediately as well, are you?"
Illira nodded her head towards Ildur, "Of course." She turned to D'hein, "You will recall that I am to bring you up to speed before I part ways once more from this odious city?"
"Oh, the temptation is too much," Sah'ot mocked, looking skyward. She didn't leave, however.
"I'm not trying to wrest myself from your influence, Illira. Quite the opposite. When I'm done with Sah'ot," his tone turned grave, "I'm coming for you." And then, with a smile, "I've nothing for Ildur, though, so he's free to go about his much more important business!"
"Again with your trumped up sense of authority. Out with what you want to say, sunboy," Sah'ot snapped.
The Highlander reached the door and did not open it, instead lingering right in front of it and turning around with faked curiosity. That is to say, with no curiosity at all. It was just that opening the door would let the wind enter and the voices go out. Two things that were not in his best interests at the moment.
Illira continued to shuffle papers, probably trying to correct as much as she can before D'hein threw it all into chaos again.
"Oh no," D'hein said, smiling at some game. He clapped his hands together and brought the tips of his forefingers to his chin, "The issues I wish to discuss with Sah'ot and Illira are entirely separate and sensitive. Perhaps I'm plotting against both of you with the other, and have to discovered that you are plotting against one another? Or something less enthralling. The ladies will have to discover this separately, though, or live forever mired in curiosity."
"Not interested enough," Sah'ot announced suddenly and made for the door.
"Ah, if that is the case, I shall take my leave. Though... that brings something to mind." Ildur glanced at Illira. "Did Antimony's lalafel, as D'hein so colourfully put it, leave with her? And is there any possibility she was aware of the investigation or had any information we might not possess?"
D'hein protested to Sah'ot, "Oh, come on! It will take five minutes! You're already up past your bed time."
Illira shook her head, "I do not know if she knows anything or not. I saw her briefly after I had discovered that Antimony had fled. She did not leave with the woman, of that, I know. Antimony left Ul'dah alone."
Her tail lashed roughly behind her as Sah'ot paused only two steps from the door, almost alongside Ildur. "You have three minutes."
"Fine! Everyone's using up my time talking about Lalafels!" D'hein threw his hands in the air and marched towards the door to press through between Sah'ot and Ildur. "Come on, Keeper. We'll find a nice comfortable shadow to confer in."
The Hyur nodded to Illira. "I see. Well, it's no matter. Have a good day, all of you." He opened the door and kept it open for the two exiting Miqo'tes. He would follow behind them as soon as they left.
Letting out another huff of air, Sah'ot considered D'hein's back for a second and how easily she might slip a dagger between his ribs before following him out the door.
Lifting a brief hand in what might be construed as a lazy wave, "I'll be here. So looking forward to our chat D'hein."
D'hein would guide Sah'ot off to some shadow in the immediate vicinity. Near the good old Ossuary. Because Sah'ot loved the ossuary.
Sah'ot hated the ossuary and definitely would hold that against D'hein. She might dock a minute from his time. Or consider stabbing him a bit more seriously.
Ildur simply turned in some other direction once they were out of the building, leaving those two to do their conspirations alone. He did not mind the ossuary, for whatever that was worth.
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"Song dogs barking at the break of dawn, lightning pushes the edges of a thunderstorm; and these streets, quiet as a sleeping army, send their battered dreams to heaven."
Hipparion Tribe (Sagolii)Â - Â Antimony Jhanhi's Wiki
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