Nearly five bells she searched up and down central Coerthas without straying far from the Steps. She was not foolish enough to risk being caught in the weather should the storm increase. As the dim grey slowly turned black she was forced to return to the city lest she risk freezing them both. Once her bird was properly stabled she found a room at Cloud Nine and managed to drift off. Losing sleep would not have him found.
The next morning Coatleque awoke to an urgent letter awaiting her. Tamsin had bid her return to House Fortemps's guest apartment as Lord Faltheren had some news. So she made ready in her armor once more, had her breakfast, then made her way there expecting to find the boy had found his own way back.
She entered the large stone building and hung her cloak upon the first peg, then stood to the side of the door and waited. There was no sound. Not a greeting. As Tamsin had said, everyone seemed to be away. Coalteque cleared her throat after a few awkward moments to finally be greeted by the handmaiden's voice around a corner.
"Oh! M'lady! I am so glad you could make it. I, eh, don't suppose you found anything?"
Coatleque straightened herself again once greeted and gave a short bow. "Miss Laine. Of course I could make it. When one goes missing in the snow it is certainly a call for urgency. Alas, I found nothing. The snows had already covered any trail, and nobody had seen anything suspicious. I had even doubled back to the porter to see if young Dheres had returned to the stables. I pray he did not meet his brother's fate over the cliffside."
Tamsin frowned. Even in the dim candle light of the hall the dark circles under her eyes were evident. Coatleque pitied her in that moment, knowing full well her employment was on the line - perhaps more depending on Jameson's mood at the time. She thought back to what she had told Edda and wondered if she had learned anything yet. "Your letter mentioned information. Eh, Lady Eglantine has not returned yet has she?"
"Oh, no, she's not due back until tomorrow, m'lady."
At this news the tension in the hall relaxed instantly. The two ventured further into the manor to stand by the nearest fire while they continued speaking. Voices echoing off the stone even at a whisper. "You are doing me a big favor," Tamsin murmured. "It's really very kind of you to help. I know your recent visits to the house have been..." She paused to search for the least offensive word.
"Taxing?" Coatlque offered without a smile.
"Er... yes."
"I apologize if I had caused you undue stress, Miss Laine. I certainly mean no physical harm to your mistress." Her had waved absently at that as if trying to swat the idea away. Her emotions wavered between either extreme recently based on whom she talked to at the time. It would be more appropriate to say that she did not truly care if harm had befallen Edda though she would not be the one to cause it. That is not to say she would relish in it.
"I do understand," Tamsin replied carefully. "I hope things are not always so difficult."
"We shall see," the paladin nearly snorted in response. "I've been called stubborn recently, perhaps with good reason."
"I am forbidden by the Handmaiden's Code to wish you success, I'm afra..."
Tamsin's words were cut off by the hinges of the front door protesting sudden movement followed by the sounds of an argument. Her eyes grew wide and she gave Coalteque one last glance before turning to see who it was. The other woman followed, of course, ready to deal with intruders if necessary. "Are you expecting someone, Tamsin?"
"No! M'lady isn't due back until tomorrow!"
They turned the corner to be met by two figures just inside the threshold. One, a tall and thin looking Elezen with slicked back hair and thin lips. On his arm he supported another man, hunched and cloaked so as not to be recognized. "Ah, you must be Tamsin!" The Elezen exclaimed as soon as they were in view. "Jannequinard will not stop talking about you."
Tamsin stopped dead in her tracks, neither guest was expected nor recognized. "Oh.. y-your a friend of Jannequinard's?" She noticed the other man then who had stumbled alongside his more healthy looking friend. "M.. M'lord?"
"We need to pay a visit to your room, Miss Laine." The cloaked man cut her off in a rasping and sickly voice. His gaze slowly rose to the armored woman who was standing just a few paces behind Tamsin. A shaky hand slowly pulled the cowl back to reveal one clearly afflicted. His skin had been sallowed, his veins clearly visible as disturbing rust-orange spiderwebs just beneath. His eyes remained ever sharp as he focused on her. "Coatleque." He rasped.
"J... James?!"
The next morning Coatleque awoke to an urgent letter awaiting her. Tamsin had bid her return to House Fortemps's guest apartment as Lord Faltheren had some news. So she made ready in her armor once more, had her breakfast, then made her way there expecting to find the boy had found his own way back.
She entered the large stone building and hung her cloak upon the first peg, then stood to the side of the door and waited. There was no sound. Not a greeting. As Tamsin had said, everyone seemed to be away. Coalteque cleared her throat after a few awkward moments to finally be greeted by the handmaiden's voice around a corner.
"Oh! M'lady! I am so glad you could make it. I, eh, don't suppose you found anything?"
Coatleque straightened herself again once greeted and gave a short bow. "Miss Laine. Of course I could make it. When one goes missing in the snow it is certainly a call for urgency. Alas, I found nothing. The snows had already covered any trail, and nobody had seen anything suspicious. I had even doubled back to the porter to see if young Dheres had returned to the stables. I pray he did not meet his brother's fate over the cliffside."
Tamsin frowned. Even in the dim candle light of the hall the dark circles under her eyes were evident. Coatleque pitied her in that moment, knowing full well her employment was on the line - perhaps more depending on Jameson's mood at the time. She thought back to what she had told Edda and wondered if she had learned anything yet. "Your letter mentioned information. Eh, Lady Eglantine has not returned yet has she?"
"Oh, no, she's not due back until tomorrow, m'lady."
At this news the tension in the hall relaxed instantly. The two ventured further into the manor to stand by the nearest fire while they continued speaking. Voices echoing off the stone even at a whisper. "You are doing me a big favor," Tamsin murmured. "It's really very kind of you to help. I know your recent visits to the house have been..." She paused to search for the least offensive word.
"Taxing?" Coatlque offered without a smile.
"Er... yes."
"I apologize if I had caused you undue stress, Miss Laine. I certainly mean no physical harm to your mistress." Her had waved absently at that as if trying to swat the idea away. Her emotions wavered between either extreme recently based on whom she talked to at the time. It would be more appropriate to say that she did not truly care if harm had befallen Edda though she would not be the one to cause it. That is not to say she would relish in it.
"I do understand," Tamsin replied carefully. "I hope things are not always so difficult."
"We shall see," the paladin nearly snorted in response. "I've been called stubborn recently, perhaps with good reason."
"I am forbidden by the Handmaiden's Code to wish you success, I'm afra..."
Tamsin's words were cut off by the hinges of the front door protesting sudden movement followed by the sounds of an argument. Her eyes grew wide and she gave Coalteque one last glance before turning to see who it was. The other woman followed, of course, ready to deal with intruders if necessary. "Are you expecting someone, Tamsin?"
"No! M'lady isn't due back until tomorrow!"
They turned the corner to be met by two figures just inside the threshold. One, a tall and thin looking Elezen with slicked back hair and thin lips. On his arm he supported another man, hunched and cloaked so as not to be recognized. "Ah, you must be Tamsin!" The Elezen exclaimed as soon as they were in view. "Jannequinard will not stop talking about you."
Tamsin stopped dead in her tracks, neither guest was expected nor recognized. "Oh.. y-your a friend of Jannequinard's?" She noticed the other man then who had stumbled alongside his more healthy looking friend. "M.. M'lord?"
"We need to pay a visit to your room, Miss Laine." The cloaked man cut her off in a rasping and sickly voice. His gaze slowly rose to the armored woman who was standing just a few paces behind Tamsin. A shaky hand slowly pulled the cowl back to reveal one clearly afflicted. His skin had been sallowed, his veins clearly visible as disturbing rust-orange spiderwebs just beneath. His eyes remained ever sharp as he focused on her. "Coatleque." He rasped.
"J... James?!"
