"I am here, my dearest lady!" Jacel opened his arms wide as he strode into Galine's office. Such a tacky thing. The fabrics that had been used were far too heavy. Her furniture was too austere to weather the brocades and velvets, the colors too deep for the sense of power he knew she wanted to convey. Really, he wanted to take her decorator to task. The man was a little fuss of a thing, easily overpowered, but the last time he'd attempted to put things to rights, Galine had had such a tiffle over it.
Jacel put his hand to his heart and bowed as low as his bulk allowed. He was a man of exquisite tastes and robust appetites. He made it a point to never say no to himself -- why should he, when he had access to all sorts of fun debauchery?
"I trust the Season sees you well?" Galine spoke after a brief pause. No doubt she was admiring his brilliant new doublet. It had set him back a few thousand gil, but it had been well worth the price.
Jacel straightened, twirling his cane with a flourish. Everything he did he did with a flourish. It was part of his considerable charm. "We have almost reached its end with naught but accolades and encores showering us. But then again, success always has followed me about like a stray puppy. Ahh, and you will be pleased to hear that our shy little flower has debuted. Kilele." He spoke the name only after seeing her blank smile.
"Indeed. How did she fare?"
"Admirably," Jacel gushed, leaning on his cane. "You should have seen their reaction to her bashful curtsy once she had finished her scherzo. Simply marvelous."
Galine nodded regally. She watched him as carefully as he watched her. Though he presumed he presented the prettier picture of the two. She was so taken with somber colors. The cuts of her clothing always followed fashion, but she never deigned to mold colors to what the current trends were. Some days he wondered if she wore clothing reminiscent of the casket on purpose -- but alas, it was not her business to attend to the nobility. That was his.
"As compelling a distraction as your news always is, I have called upon you for another reason altogether."
Ahh, and now something boring, no doubt. Limsa Lominsa was a fine city, even for a bard such as he who had retired from Ul'dah's grand stages years prior. If Ul'dah was an aged, complex wine, Limsa Lominsa was something light, fruity, and designed to get you smashing drunk. Jacel had his troupe -- it formed Galine's legitimate front -- and that was all he needed from the city. The cheap scheming that went on under the skirts of its wenches and through the cannons of its pirates was something he only partook of on very rare occasions. It bored him. It was business. Galine took care of business.
Jacel took care of the fun. "Hmm?" He peered at her, rubbing his chubby fingers over the crystal head of his cane.
"I would like you to provide an offer of entertainment to the Lord and Lady Greenwell. I believe. . .it is near that time of year again. When they lost their son to that dreadful rapscallion? I am sure you remember -- the city was in an uproar over it, and the fiend was never caught. The Lady Greenwell always has a soiree near the time -- you know how hyur women are, particularly the midlanders. I have heard it keeps her occupied."
Jacel, being a midlander himself, offered her a saccharine smile. "Quite."
"Offer them my best, and that I would like to present them with a . . . gesture of good faith at this event."
Jacel nodded, plucking at his lower lip. "How much of my . . . talent should I put aside for this good faith?"
"I would prefer that you retain the majority of your resources, for the time being. There is something else I have need for. Ahh. . ." Galine lifted a finger to her chin. Posed thus, she looked the part of a beautiful, fragile doll. "It would seem that Nymeia has delivered into my hands the perfect opportunity. I would have you look into a man named Osric Melkire, formerly known as Dirk Problemsolver."
"And what part of the city must I tread for this man?"
"He is not within Limsa Lominsa, Jacel."
"No?"
"He resides elsewhere. He is beholden to Ul'dah, and certain agencies there. He does not visit Limsa Lominsa often."
She was being vague on purpose. That was not very sporting of her, in Jacel's esteemed opinion. "Shall I take a vacation in the middle of the Season, serra?"
"From what I understand, he tried to offer dearest Zhavi a job."
"A job, you say? How dreadful."
"Indeed," Galine eyed him. "He will be back," she said, quietly. "I trust you will see to it that I am kept informed on all matters of interest to me."
"My lady! I could not abide the thought of him taking a single step within your fair city without you being aware of it!"
Jacel bowed.
Galine smiled.
Jacel put his hand to his heart and bowed as low as his bulk allowed. He was a man of exquisite tastes and robust appetites. He made it a point to never say no to himself -- why should he, when he had access to all sorts of fun debauchery?
"I trust the Season sees you well?" Galine spoke after a brief pause. No doubt she was admiring his brilliant new doublet. It had set him back a few thousand gil, but it had been well worth the price.
Jacel straightened, twirling his cane with a flourish. Everything he did he did with a flourish. It was part of his considerable charm. "We have almost reached its end with naught but accolades and encores showering us. But then again, success always has followed me about like a stray puppy. Ahh, and you will be pleased to hear that our shy little flower has debuted. Kilele." He spoke the name only after seeing her blank smile.
"Indeed. How did she fare?"
"Admirably," Jacel gushed, leaning on his cane. "You should have seen their reaction to her bashful curtsy once she had finished her scherzo. Simply marvelous."
Galine nodded regally. She watched him as carefully as he watched her. Though he presumed he presented the prettier picture of the two. She was so taken with somber colors. The cuts of her clothing always followed fashion, but she never deigned to mold colors to what the current trends were. Some days he wondered if she wore clothing reminiscent of the casket on purpose -- but alas, it was not her business to attend to the nobility. That was his.
"As compelling a distraction as your news always is, I have called upon you for another reason altogether."
Ahh, and now something boring, no doubt. Limsa Lominsa was a fine city, even for a bard such as he who had retired from Ul'dah's grand stages years prior. If Ul'dah was an aged, complex wine, Limsa Lominsa was something light, fruity, and designed to get you smashing drunk. Jacel had his troupe -- it formed Galine's legitimate front -- and that was all he needed from the city. The cheap scheming that went on under the skirts of its wenches and through the cannons of its pirates was something he only partook of on very rare occasions. It bored him. It was business. Galine took care of business.
Jacel took care of the fun. "Hmm?" He peered at her, rubbing his chubby fingers over the crystal head of his cane.
"I would like you to provide an offer of entertainment to the Lord and Lady Greenwell. I believe. . .it is near that time of year again. When they lost their son to that dreadful rapscallion? I am sure you remember -- the city was in an uproar over it, and the fiend was never caught. The Lady Greenwell always has a soiree near the time -- you know how hyur women are, particularly the midlanders. I have heard it keeps her occupied."
Jacel, being a midlander himself, offered her a saccharine smile. "Quite."
"Offer them my best, and that I would like to present them with a . . . gesture of good faith at this event."
Jacel nodded, plucking at his lower lip. "How much of my . . . talent should I put aside for this good faith?"
"I would prefer that you retain the majority of your resources, for the time being. There is something else I have need for. Ahh. . ." Galine lifted a finger to her chin. Posed thus, she looked the part of a beautiful, fragile doll. "It would seem that Nymeia has delivered into my hands the perfect opportunity. I would have you look into a man named Osric Melkire, formerly known as Dirk Problemsolver."
"And what part of the city must I tread for this man?"
"He is not within Limsa Lominsa, Jacel."
"No?"
"He resides elsewhere. He is beholden to Ul'dah, and certain agencies there. He does not visit Limsa Lominsa often."
She was being vague on purpose. That was not very sporting of her, in Jacel's esteemed opinion. "Shall I take a vacation in the middle of the Season, serra?"
"From what I understand, he tried to offer dearest Zhavi a job."
"A job, you say? How dreadful."
"Indeed," Galine eyed him. "He will be back," she said, quietly. "I trust you will see to it that I am kept informed on all matters of interest to me."
"My lady! I could not abide the thought of him taking a single step within your fair city without you being aware of it!"
Jacel bowed.
Galine smiled.
