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Antimony arrived at the base of the commune's entry tower considerably earlier than the time at which she had agreed to meet Amaury and Lamandu. She had ordered a "morning tea" at the Quicksand before leaving to chase away lingering sleep from the past two near-sleepless nights and now alternately stood and paced near the door to the spiral staircase. The satchel that hung across her shoulder - the one that did not still ache from horrible things - was heavy with documents. A copy of the summary report. Copies of raw data. Of transactional documents. Everything she thought they could possibly need to throw at the Dodos to get them to give way. She could only hope the Captain held up his end of the deal. Even if she hated the deal. It made her feel too much like a criminal, as well.
She stood and waited. Then paced and waited. Rubbed at the ache in her shoulder. Paced some more. Meanwhile, her thoughts bounced between the papers and their information in her bag and another, much more personal dilemma involving the Dodos.
Lamandu carried with him a hard leather case, with tabbed and organized documents tracing under ground doings of the Dodo tribe. The sort of thing that under normal circumstance would have been used to levy charges against a cartel once enough evidence had been massed. These had instead been filed away, purpousely forgotten until they now had use.
He was wearing his freshly pressed officer's garb, meant for formal occasions as he walked to the Dodo compound, an older, familiar face standing at the tower's foot.Â
Pressing a tight smile to his face, he nodded greeting to the woman. "I can see your... friend hasn't arrived yet. We are better for it, are we not?"
Amaury was indeed late. He had probably slept more than he should have. Having an actual bed after twenty years in prison did that to men.
Animony peered down at the lalafell, blinking behind the slight glare of a nearby lantern upon her glasses. Her weight shifted, her hands clasping low in front of her as she stilled her pacing. "Good morning, Captain." She thought back over his words, one ear twitching. "I hope you're not suggesting we don't require Mister Amaury."
The Captain reached up to pull thoughtfully at his goatee, "Hmm? Now why would I suggest such a thing, when he gives out such good threats? I'm sure he'll fit right in with the Dodos."
The corners of her lips pursed inwards and down. "I didn't... well, I didn't enjoy doing that to you."
"Didn't enjoy threatening the liveihood of men? Isn't that what you do for a job though? I imagine that not many welcome you audits, including those that we are going to speak to now."
Her ears splayed sideways. "That... is not... Regardless! We're waiting for Mister Amaury!"
Amaury finally showed up, as if called, apparently carrying nothing. He was wearing the same blue robe and white boots he had used in their previous meeting. Buying a new wardrobe was not one of his highest priorities.
Lamandu said quietly as the other man approached, "Well, you got your wish I suppose."
"Good morning" Amaury greeted the other two as soon as he was close enough.
Antimony gave a relieved look to no one in particular and turned to greet the elezen with a small wave and a bow of her head.
"Shall we?" the elezen asked, more a statement than a question, accompanying the words with a slight gesture towards the Dodo commune.
Drawing herself up as though to make herself taller, or appear more confident, or generally just be professional, Antimony took a breath and nodded. "Yes. We are as prepared as we shall ever be." She chanced a brief, uncertain glance down at Lamandu and then turned to lead the group through the door and up the rather impressive spiralling stairs.
Frowning, Lamandu said, "You do remember the paper trail that you promised me?" he hefts the case in his hand, "I brought the replacements."
"Good. I brought the originals." A hand slipped into Amaury's robe and then emerged with a large envelope, the papers folded and likely cramped inside. He handed it to him. "Do not mix them together. That would be so terrible."
Looking back over her shoulder as she climbed, Antimony suppressed a grimace - either at the act of handing over such incriminating evidence, or their appalling lack of organization, or perhaps both.
The lalafell takes them, smirking, "I'm sure you would be greatly saddened." He takes a peek at a few of the pages before stuffing them back into the envelope and tucking them into a back pocket of the case that he carried. "Well, let us do what we came to."
"Climbing stairs is the first step,†said the Elezen. “Or the first few hundred steps, perhaps."
Climbing the stairs was just as arduous a task as it had been the first two times Antimony had done this. She wondered if maybe she was slightly less out of breath by the time she reached the top, but more likely it was just her imagination. The rolling dunes of the Sagolii were a very different beast from a spiralling staircase, especially when one had been so long from the dunes as she.
Antimony paused to make sure Amaury and the Captain were behind her before pulling in a steadying breath and opening the door. The guard standing just outside was only half a surprise, and a few seconds passed where she frantically tried to figure out if the guard was the same as the last time. Then she cleared her throat and, hopefully in a professional but demanding tone, announced, "I've come on behalf of the Commerce Regulation Agency and with the backing of the Brass Blades. I demand entrance and to speak with your nunh."
Amaury took a few seconds to catch his breath before straigthening and looking like his normal self again.
Wicking away droplets of sweat, Lamandu steps up next to Antimony, holding out his badge as identification to the guard. "We merely have a few questions for the man, if you would not mind."
The huntress was a lumbering Miqo'te, taller than any Mitqo'te should be. She looked like she had the blood of an Elezen in her -- a very boring Elezen. Her very dark face remained neutral as she turned woodenly, like a potted plant being rotated. The lance on her back was a well-craftd Ishguardian export, her armor white.
She blinked at Antimony, then down to the Lalafel. Then back to Antimony. "Hm?"
"Your nunh, D'themia? We need to speak with him. Lead us to him, if you would be so kind."
Darting her eyes down to the lalafell, and then back up to the towering miqo'te - she didn't think she recognized her - Antimony nodded. Her tail flicked once, belying her discomfort. "Yes. We have matters of, ah, business and finance to discuss with him. So if you'll please...?"
Blinking again, the woman's tail flicked. She lifted her hands to rest htem on her hips, the movement glacial. She blinked. "D'themia is in a meeting."
"If your tribe had been more friendly to the last auditor that visited, we might have been willing to wait. Sadly, your Nunh has been evading the matter for longer than reason would allow." Amaury looked at Lamandu, wondering if bringing the captain was going to have any effect at all.
Lamandu spoke up again, having put his badge away, "This is Blades business, miss. You really don't have choice in the matter, if you don't cooperate, you'll have to be brought up on charges of impeding an ongoing investigation."
Happy with both Amaury's and Lamandu's words, Antimony settled for just looking as official as she could possibly manage, leveling an expectant expression on the statue pretending to be a miqo'te.
“He's in a meeting. Not here." She blinked again, large, dark eyes, and looked down at Lamandu. She stared at him for a moment and then looked sideways at Antimony. Finally, she spoe to Amaury. "You'll have to wait for him to return."
"Where?" came the question from the elezen, looking unconvinced. Then he clarified: "Where is this meeting of his?"
Antimony frowned. "That is what I was told the last ti--" She stopped herself, shook her ears, lifted her chin. "Take us to his office now, please."
Lamandu added, “Or his meeting place, whichever would be more expiedient, if you would."
"I can't disclose where he is meeting or for how long," the woman said. She sounded neither bored nor thoughtful. She was reciting the words from a script. "He does not have an office. The commune is closed to outsiders with no business. You can wait elsewhere and we will send someone to retrieve you."
Lamandu shakes his head, "I believe that you misunderstand miss. This isnt a request, we are on Blades business and are here on the business of an investigation that D'themia is involved in. You may not deny us entry."
"Please do us a favour and not make me have to haul you off to the hold."
Antimony huffed, nodded at Lamandu's words, and tried to keep her tail from fuzzing out anxiously. "This is a legal investigation and you cannot impede us!"
Amaury gazed at the woman with some pity. "Let me explain: if you do not allow us to see your Nunh now our return will be pretty loud. Just imagine it. Instead of two auditors escorted by our good diplomatic captain here, escorted by half a dozen noisy Blades with just enough legal justification to open this door and march inside your commune, with you in backpedaling in front, unable to stop them. Wouldn't that be terrible?" He paused and then shruged. "Or you can let us in and we will solve this matter quietly with the Nunh."
Antimony's ears only spent a few seconds pressed back against her head at the thought of being escorted by a swarm of Brass Blades.
The woman blinked again. Her tail twitched. Finally, she frowned. "I assume you came with a warrant?"
"Did we come with--of course we came with a warrant!" She pulled herself back together and frowned expectantly at the Captain.
He frowns, before reaching inside his lapel, "Of course. I had merely hoped for cooperation without it." Lamandu draws the folded sheet of paper out, handing it to the much taller woman.
"Please don't break it." Amaury said to the guard, his words still pouring with diplomatic experise. "That would be illegal."
The woman doesn't take the paper. She recites, "You may wait in the commune. It will be in a place out of sight from the rest of the commune. I can not tell you how long you will be waiting."
Her tail shivered, and she took an inordinately long breath, but when Antimony spoke it was largely calm, "I should hope it won't be overly long. Or we... will leave and return with those my colleague mentioned."
Instead of talking to the guard again, Amaury turned to the lalafell. "Captain, this woman seems to be under the wrong impression that our investigation is a joke. Maybe you should call your men so that we can enter and let the whole commune see and hear us."
"She is just doing as she's been commanded, loyal dog, I'm sure. We can find our own way dog." Lamandu says to the guard.
In a sudden motion, the woman ripped her lance from her back, swinging it down beside her and slamming it into the floor so hard that it cracks the stone and creates a hard metallic clang that echoes through the commune. Well behind her, near the found, well-dressed Miqo'te who had been in conversation pause and look over. Huntresses standing near the other bridges and towers glance their way.
The hair on the massive woman's tail stood out as it flicked behind her, a furtive shadow about her calves. Her face scrunched up hideously, and her voice trembled in her chest. "Perhaps YOU are under the impression that this tribe is a joke! YOU have no place here. YOU will show respect and professionalism, for both your task and mine. You may enter as you are instructed or leave as you wish. If your beastkin brains cannot understand that, we have nothing to talk about."
Antimony jumped at the sound, ears pressing flat back before she protested, "This entire issue could be resolved quite easily by simply taking us to D'themia Nunh so that we may resolve our legal matters! There's no--no need for any of this--this... well!"
"And you are now threatening an officer of Blades and his associates,† Lamandu said this as he perched his hand on the ceremonial sword strapped to his belt, “When you are legally obliged to let us pass and speak with your nunh. You are the one turning this into a joke and making a scene. Stand down or you will be arrested. That is a last warning, miss."
Amaury sighed, rubbing one brow. "Smash that spear on the ground all you wish, for that is all you can do. You are not outside of Ul'dah. You and your tribe must abide to its laws. Not to mention it will be very awkward of you to explain to D'themia why you made such a scene once we have cleared our investigation with him." He then glanced at Lamandu and silently wondered if Blades used linkpearls.
The huntress bit down hard on her teeth. "Obscene vilekin with no talent for negotiation. A warrant does not grant you unlimited access to the entire commune. Oh, no, and I cannot give you unlimited access to D'themia Nunh because he has not told anyone where he has gone. Is my INVITING you to wait in the commune not sufficient concession? No, no."
"Of course it isn't,†Amaury said. “Let's assume he is indeed not here. Who's left in charge?"
Antimony's hands flexed at her waist, "Now wait! Just--just wait!" She turned to Amaury, Lamandau. "Waiting for a short time won't hurt anyone, will it? And she's at least letting us inside, which is--well, it's more than... ah! If D'themia Nunh doesn't appear quickly, we can always press the matter further... yes?"
Lamandu looks to Antimony, "Yes, of course." He turns back to the guard, "If you had mentioned this course of events earlier, we could have avoided unneeded drama. My assocaite does bring up a good point in this though, if D'themia is not around, we would speak with his second."
“She... did," Antimony muttered faintly and then turned back to the guard-woman-statue with the scary weapon.
"I will keep that in mind." The massive woman drags the point of her lance across the ground, making an extremely unpleasant noise, which the Miqo'te near the fountain cringe at. The other huntresses, mostly out of earshot, are at least wearing unapproving looks. "Follow. Do not wander. I assume you are capable of such a task."
She stepped back and turned, the movement stiff, her weapon dragging as she moved.
Amaury lifted a brow and prepared to follow by...following. "If I didn't know anything about Ul'dahn nobility I would expect those noises to be some kind of convoluted alarm." he commented to the other two.
Unwilling to look a gift chocobo in the mouth, Antimony hastened to follow. She didn't actually have to hurry, thanks to the guard's stiff pace, though. She also very deliberately did not look towards the fountain, on the off chance that she might spy any familiar faces. "Let's not--let's not make any undue assumptions!"
"Hmm." He follows without further comment on the matter.
The very tall Miqo'te would lead them through the courtyard, around the fountain, past the silent, cringing Miqo'te women wrapped in fine silk in gemstones and trying to pretend they haven't notice what's going on. The sound of the dragging lance continues the whole way, leaving a long, ugly line in the floor. The other huntresses just watch her, wide-eyed, bemused and a little concerned.
As the tree-like huntress leads them towards the bridge that would take them to the largest, most extravagant tower of the commune, she passes a much smaller huntress whom Antimony might recognize. A thick puff of hair like a dandelion bounces as the second huntress steps over and lifts the lance's tip off the ground, saying cherrily, "We're just going to stop doing this now."
"Excellent. Our ears will appreciate it."
 Antimony winced, bowed her head briefly in some sort of agreement, and then looked up towards the tower. "You're taking us inside, then?" She questioned the guard. Ah, progress!
Dandelion-head pulled the lance from the tree-woman's hand -- which did not cause the furious huntress to pause in the least -- and then trotted along behind her as she fastened it on the woman's back on her behalf. As she did this, she said jokingly to Antimony, "Congratulations on not getting incarcerated this time! You still look like a beggar, but you're doing so much better!"
As they approached the primary tower, the balconies near its roof would cast shadow over them. Vast windows decorated the tower, and the tapestries adorned with the rather indiscernible seal of the tribe hung on either side of the main door.
"Erm," Antimony managed in reply, visibly flustered by dandelion-head's comment.
Lamandu glanced around them, "That is because we are here with a warrant this time."
The tree-like Miqo'te exhaled a growl, which made dandelion-head gasp and whisper, "Oh no. You've made her angry." The puff-ball-haired huntress stopped walking, letting the party move ahead of her, and said, "Warrants won't help too much if you do not accurately play your audience. Bye, now."
"Yes, we will make sure to bow our heads and apologize." Amaury joked.
Tail lashing once, stiffly, Antimony muttered, "Perhaps you should! You could at least be polite."
"Politeness was my first approach. Unfortunately, that doesn't always garner results here," replies Lamandu.
The tree-like Miqo'te growled once more as she pushed the main door open. As it swung heavily inward, there was a loud thud and movement as the woman evidently hit someone with the door, but she didn't stop to worry herself about it. She kept pushing the door open until whomever was behind it was completely trapped against a wall to the left of the entrance, and left it there as she motioned for the trio of interloppers to proceed into the foyer.
The foyer was remarkably furnished. A large room with a marble foor and large, wide-open windows -- that did not look as if they could be closed -- was furnished with no tradiitional seating of any kind. The floor had three tiers, the lowest being in the center of the room and stocked with a number of pillows situated around low-tables. Bowls of incense, lit and burning, sat upon the tables, a few near hookahs or empty crystal cups near full bottles of water.
Antimony wrinkled her nose briefly at the heady aroma of incense - no scent she could recognize - and cast her eyes about the foyer. Then to their escort, as she made to step past to large woman, intent on moving further into the tower. "How long do you expect D'themia Nunh to be?" she said as she did this.
Lamandu answered, "I believe that she said earlier, a long time. Especially because she does not know where he is. In other words, we should make ourselves comfortable."
The woman harumphed and leaned against the door, lance clacking against it, arms crossed.
"You could let her answer!" Antimony chided the lalafell captain, already feeling antsy at the prospect of waiting in this place. Tail curling up behind her, she cast a half-frown in the tree-woman's direction.
The short man shrugs, "She still can. I am not taking away her words." He glances back at the tree-like Miqo'te before walking over towards one of the tables with seat pillows arranged around it.
Amaury chose remain standing, bowing his head slightly to the guard. "Thank you." he said unceremoniously before walking very slowly around the place, admiring the expensive room and almost feeling sick about it.
The very large Miqo'te stood glaring against the open door. She glanced out the door to the bridge as though waiting for something, then returned her glare to the people in the room.
An exceedingly timid knock came from the door against which the woman leaned, cueing her to step forward and throw the door shut. This revealed to rather thin, short Miqo'te man who had been trapped against the wall when she pulled the door open. He collapsed forward, freed from what must have been the crushing weight of the door and the massive woman.
He nodded thanks for being free. The tree-like woman tried to ignore him.
Lamandu sat down on the cushions, looking quite at home admidst all the finery and trails of smoke that crossed through the room on the breeze.
"I..." Antimony blinked at the man, then at the tower-turned-woman, and back and forth a few times before shaking her ears and continuing, "I apologize. I never, ah, never asked your name...?"
This elicited a huff from the woman.
The man, on the other hand, dusted off his silk trappings -- more of a half-robe than anything, as if someone had taken tribal wraps and tried to make a modernized fashion statement with them -- and with a smile and lazy swivel of his ears hastened into the room to join Lamandu on the dispersed pillows. "Hello," he greeted, without hesitation.
The lalafel looked over sideways, at the strange, formally squished man, "Hello. And... you are...?"
Amaury couldn't recognize if the greeting was directed only to the lalafell or to everyone in general. So he chose to be polite just in case, nodding and then resuming his walk.
Antimony persisted in watching the guard women for several seconds before sighing, her tail twitching rapidly at the tip. Thin fingers brushed some stray hair that had somehow freed itself from a braid and tucked it around her glasses as she half turned to blink at Lamandu and the... she could only assume he was a Dodo tia. Her brow furrowed just slightly as she searched for any familial resemblance to D'hein.
The sandy-haired man with the fluffy ears and very thin tail dropped himself onto a pillow near Lamandu, grinning. "D'edy Nunh." He pushed the hookah on the table towards the Lalafel and said, "Try it. Very relaxing."
Antimony's ears tilted at odd angles in confusion. "This is business, Captain Tyremandu. That would hardly be appropriate." Then a pause and, "Nunh? I wasn't aware your tribe allowed for more than one."
The Captain didn't take Antimony's advice and accepted the nunh's offer, unhooking one of the pipes from its keeper. He took in a breath from it, before releasing the resulting smoke from his mouth.
"It seems different nunh have different degrees of authority. I imagine D'themia doesn't get trapped and forgotten behind doors." Amaury commented.
Antimony frowned. "That's not how it's supposed to..."
The fuzzy ears bounced on his head. "Oh, it's not like that. I don't want to cause problems, so I don't complain. D'themia's good at things."
The huntress muttered, "You're not supposed to talk about those things with outsiders..." But the Nunh ignored her.
Antimony bit her tongue, unwilling to really question the chosen family-societal structure of another tribe outright. Still, it was confusing. "Good at what?" Her tail curled at her own words and she forced her green eyes to wander the room a bit.
"Good at money and talking, I believe. But feel free to elaborate, D'edy." The lalafell leans into the pile of cushions.
"That's pretty much what I mean!" The meager Nunh stood, spun, took up one of the decanters and a cup and poured a glass. "He's better at running the tribe and being respected and dealing with the women and all of that. Who's thirsty?"
One of Antimony's ears twitched but, after a lengthy pause, she seemed to finally resign herself to at least some duration of a wait. The satchel she carried was slid from her shoulder to the ground, the action inspiring a wince and a ginger rubbing of her opposite shoulder. Then she just stood and fidgeted before thinking it might be rude to refuse the nunh's offer so she added, "I will take some water, if you don't mind."
"I am good, thank you." the elezen said.
Lifting a finger up, Lamandu let his wish be known, "A glass of wine would be lovely, thank you, good sir."
D'edy Nunh happily filled a cup for Lamandu and set it in front of him. "So, why are you all here? Must be a good reason if you're... here."
It's not precisely something we can, ah, discuss in detail with just anyone," Antimony ventured slowly, pursing her lips. "We're to speak to D'themia on legal matters."
After taking in another breath of the hookah, Lamandu settled the pipe back into its keeper, "Unfortunately, he is in an unknown meeting, so we were brought here... to wait."
Setting aside the decanter and reaching for one of the crystal flasks, D'edy poured another cup to offer to Antimony, saying, "Ah, yes, that's the basic idea. He's always in meetings. And I'm always here. I guess I could do a few meetings once in awhile but the wine is better here."
The tree-like woman stomped her feet loudly, but D'edy continued to ignore her.
"Where are the meetings held?" Amaury asked plainly.
Antimony accepted the water with a slight dipping of her head and ears. She shifted her gaze towards their guard-escort-statue, looking unnerved by the woman's continued displays of displeasure.
"And when might D'Themia be free, if at all?"
"I don't know. I don't remember him going anywhere today." D'edy chuckled, returning the the decanter and pouring himself some wine. Then two more glasses without explanation. "He's probably having more 'meeting's with the women. That can take... hooooours."
The tree-like woman stopped her foot again, growling at the Nunh, "You're not even supposed to be downstairs."
D'edy trotted over in front of the woman, clearly afraid to get very close to her, and put one of the glasses of wine on the floor in front of her. "And this is for you."
The Captain reached forward for his own glass, "Then might you be able to help us in his stead? As was mentioned earlier, we are on official business, as comfortable as it is in here." He motioned at the room, glass in hand, finishing off with the wine at the tip of his mouth about to sip from it.
Spinning back around to Lamandu, Antimony nearly dropped her water. "Aah--I don't think that is a good idea!" She winced, ears fidgeting. "Everything needs to be done according to protocol or.. well, or the whole thing could collapse."
"We won't discuss this with anyone but D'themia." said Amaury. He took some steps to turn around and face the guard, only a few meters beyond her. "If he does not receive us soon I will simply hand the paperwork to the Sultansworn and let them organize a meeting with us."
"Well you all are very serious," D'edy Nunh dropped himself into some pillows and said, "You shouldn't leave until you've had something drink. That would just make the Dodos appear very rude, wouldn't it?"
"I don't wish to leave until I've spoken with D'themia Nunh," Antimony stated plainly, though she did drink from her glass afterward. She liked to imagine it punctuated her statement. It probably didn't. She felt a bit silly after that thought and darted her eyes towards the guard woman and then D'edy.
Lamandu sipped at his wine, "Well, so much for that idea. When Antimony puts her mind to something, that is that. Seemingly, anyway!"
"Miss Antimony" Amaury started his inquiry turning around quickly on one foot. "Did the Agency issue you a linkpearl? And did you bring it?"
"A link...?" She trailed off, blinked in some sort of confused surprise. "Well, now that you... yes, they did. Ah, I don't know if..." Dropping carefully to her knees, she began to dig around in her satchel.
Amaury waited.
Lamandu drank more wine, directing a question towards the Elezen, "What were you hoping to get from a link pearl... Mister?"
"Amaury." the elezen completed the lalafell's sentence. "And I'm hoping to expedite my work."
The tree-like huntress nudged the glass of wine that D'edy had placed before her and it fell over, spilling wine on the floor. The Nunh immediately rolled to his feet and dashed over to clean it up, sopping it up with the slack from a silken cinch on his clothes. He does this wordlessly, on reflex, the same way someone would automatically try to catch something thrown to them.
Antimony's searching slowed momentarily as the nunh scrambled to clean up the spilled wine, her head and ears turning to watch him sideways. It occurred to her that he wasn't really behaving like a nunh - not any that she had ever known, at least. Her tail swished across the floor when her fingers brushed against something small and round lodged into one far corner of her satchel, and she retrieved it hastily. Eyes still half on the nunh, Antimony said to Amaury, "It seems.. ah, I have it, yes. What do you need...?"
"Hmmph. Then please, do so,†Lamandu was saying to Amaury, “Though, I have to say, the waiting area that the Dodos have, is not so bad."
“Yes, it's the kind of joyful place where you could lose track of time and forget what you came to do in the first place." said the elezen to the captain and then turned to Antimony. "Good. Keep it close to hand. We don't know how long it might take mister D'themia to...do whatever it is he is doing, if he ever finishes, so I will visit proceed with the next step in the investigation. Mostly to save time." He paused to get a long breath for no reason. "I'm sure the captain will keep you company."
"Ah... What?" Antimony's brow knit together.
"And what is the next step then? ... Amaury? This was the 'next step', or so I had thought," reasoned Lamandu.
"I'll let the Sultansworn know about the financial... 'anomalies' and the 'incident' that had miss Antimony be in jail unfairly. That was the step that followed this next step we are currently in." he explained, not really sure of how that last part could be understood. "I have a pearl myself, so if D'themia decides to meet you soon after I leave please do inform me so I can reassess if this step is needed, or if more would be."
Pushing herself to her feet, Antimony frowned at the linkpearl in her hand and then up at the dark-haired elezen. "I suppose that seems reasonable..." Her tail swung behind her in anxious thought and then a moment later she nodded. "I will keep you informed."
"You haven't had anything to drink yet!" Protested D'edy Nunh from where he was mopping up spilled wine.
The huntress said, "You intend to exit the commune? I cannot guarantee you will be permitted to return."
Lamandu squinted his eyes at the man, unsure of why he was brought into this, if the Elezen had already intended to bring the Sultansworn into this. "We had discussed this before Amaury, the Sultansworn are not normally involved in this sort of matter. But you are of course, free to go to them."
"I was hopping we could settle this matter in a much simpler fashion." he answered to the lalafell. "Your help is appreciated, captain. I won't forget. Please stay with miss Antimony and assist her as planned." He turned around and headed out.
"Farewell, gentlemen. Miss Antimony."
The huntress boldly blocked Amaury's path, "You can't wander around unaccompanied."
The guard woman cut off whatever good bye Antimony had been about to offer.
"Then you should accompany me, or trust that I know the way out." he smiled.
The Captain patted the cushions next to him, "Come sit down Antimony, it looks like there will still be some wait ahead of us. You may as well be comfortable."
The tree-like woman levels a glare a D'edy -- he smiles in response -- before instructing Amaury, "Come with me. And hurry. I won't have you wating any more of my time with your impatience while I restrain my own."
Amaury just followed.
As the two exited, Antimony remained standing despite Lamandu's initial invitation. Her hands wrung together by her waist, the linkpearl clutched in one, while her tail fidgeted behind her.
"So!" D'edy stood and spun on his heels, "What are we investigating? Will it cause any fun drama? Get anyone in trouble?"
Antimony winced, rubbed at the bridge of her nose with one hand. "Apologies. We... should not discuss details with you, I do not think."
Sipping his wine, Lamandu gestured towards the elder woman, "This investigation is really her thing, I am merely a pawn in it, as you could be as well, D'edy, if you really wished to partake. I am not certain it is in your best interest though." He paused for a moment, thinking that over, "On second thought though... it very well could be in your interest to. It would look good for you in the long haul."
"I don't worry too much about looking good. I just find it interesting that you're around." He pointed at the door, "What is telling the sultansworn about it going to help?"
"As I said, it is in part a legal matter," Antimony began, looking uncertain about her words, "and so they may be able to assist if there are any difficulties on, ah... that end." Bending, she dropped the linkpearl back into her satchel, comfortable in knowing of its presence.
"I do not know what your friend has planned Antimony, this matter really is more Blades territory. I'm sure that it will be... interesting. You really should sit down though. And perhaps have a glass of wine with us?"
"I, ah..." She blinked, thought back to that unfortunately tearful night in the Quicksand and then muttered, "I don't particularly want that kind of drink. I would rather focus on my job."
"But you do not wish to try to recruit D'edy onto our purposes? What else is there to do at the moment? Do you wish to go over the files that I brought with me perhaps?" Asked the lalafel. "You just... standing there is making me a bit uncomfortable, you understand?"
Swinging his wine-soaked sash around, D'edy muttered, "I bet D'themia would want to know if people were calling the Sultansworn into the commune."
Lamandu seemed to have almost reached the bottom of his wine glass, and on hearing muttering, inquired, "What was that you said, good ser?" He leaned a bit towards the man, as if the miniscule distance would actually help him hear better.
She stood and waited. Then paced and waited. Rubbed at the ache in her shoulder. Paced some more. Meanwhile, her thoughts bounced between the papers and their information in her bag and another, much more personal dilemma involving the Dodos.
Lamandu carried with him a hard leather case, with tabbed and organized documents tracing under ground doings of the Dodo tribe. The sort of thing that under normal circumstance would have been used to levy charges against a cartel once enough evidence had been massed. These had instead been filed away, purpousely forgotten until they now had use.
He was wearing his freshly pressed officer's garb, meant for formal occasions as he walked to the Dodo compound, an older, familiar face standing at the tower's foot.Â
Pressing a tight smile to his face, he nodded greeting to the woman. "I can see your... friend hasn't arrived yet. We are better for it, are we not?"
Amaury was indeed late. He had probably slept more than he should have. Having an actual bed after twenty years in prison did that to men.
Animony peered down at the lalafell, blinking behind the slight glare of a nearby lantern upon her glasses. Her weight shifted, her hands clasping low in front of her as she stilled her pacing. "Good morning, Captain." She thought back over his words, one ear twitching. "I hope you're not suggesting we don't require Mister Amaury."
The Captain reached up to pull thoughtfully at his goatee, "Hmm? Now why would I suggest such a thing, when he gives out such good threats? I'm sure he'll fit right in with the Dodos."
The corners of her lips pursed inwards and down. "I didn't... well, I didn't enjoy doing that to you."
"Didn't enjoy threatening the liveihood of men? Isn't that what you do for a job though? I imagine that not many welcome you audits, including those that we are going to speak to now."
Her ears splayed sideways. "That... is not... Regardless! We're waiting for Mister Amaury!"
Amaury finally showed up, as if called, apparently carrying nothing. He was wearing the same blue robe and white boots he had used in their previous meeting. Buying a new wardrobe was not one of his highest priorities.
Lamandu said quietly as the other man approached, "Well, you got your wish I suppose."
"Good morning" Amaury greeted the other two as soon as he was close enough.
Antimony gave a relieved look to no one in particular and turned to greet the elezen with a small wave and a bow of her head.
"Shall we?" the elezen asked, more a statement than a question, accompanying the words with a slight gesture towards the Dodo commune.
Drawing herself up as though to make herself taller, or appear more confident, or generally just be professional, Antimony took a breath and nodded. "Yes. We are as prepared as we shall ever be." She chanced a brief, uncertain glance down at Lamandu and then turned to lead the group through the door and up the rather impressive spiralling stairs.
Frowning, Lamandu said, "You do remember the paper trail that you promised me?" he hefts the case in his hand, "I brought the replacements."
"Good. I brought the originals." A hand slipped into Amaury's robe and then emerged with a large envelope, the papers folded and likely cramped inside. He handed it to him. "Do not mix them together. That would be so terrible."
Looking back over her shoulder as she climbed, Antimony suppressed a grimace - either at the act of handing over such incriminating evidence, or their appalling lack of organization, or perhaps both.
The lalafell takes them, smirking, "I'm sure you would be greatly saddened." He takes a peek at a few of the pages before stuffing them back into the envelope and tucking them into a back pocket of the case that he carried. "Well, let us do what we came to."
"Climbing stairs is the first step,†said the Elezen. “Or the first few hundred steps, perhaps."
Climbing the stairs was just as arduous a task as it had been the first two times Antimony had done this. She wondered if maybe she was slightly less out of breath by the time she reached the top, but more likely it was just her imagination. The rolling dunes of the Sagolii were a very different beast from a spiralling staircase, especially when one had been so long from the dunes as she.
Antimony paused to make sure Amaury and the Captain were behind her before pulling in a steadying breath and opening the door. The guard standing just outside was only half a surprise, and a few seconds passed where she frantically tried to figure out if the guard was the same as the last time. Then she cleared her throat and, hopefully in a professional but demanding tone, announced, "I've come on behalf of the Commerce Regulation Agency and with the backing of the Brass Blades. I demand entrance and to speak with your nunh."
Amaury took a few seconds to catch his breath before straigthening and looking like his normal self again.
Wicking away droplets of sweat, Lamandu steps up next to Antimony, holding out his badge as identification to the guard. "We merely have a few questions for the man, if you would not mind."
The huntress was a lumbering Miqo'te, taller than any Mitqo'te should be. She looked like she had the blood of an Elezen in her -- a very boring Elezen. Her very dark face remained neutral as she turned woodenly, like a potted plant being rotated. The lance on her back was a well-craftd Ishguardian export, her armor white.
She blinked at Antimony, then down to the Lalafel. Then back to Antimony. "Hm?"
"Your nunh, D'themia? We need to speak with him. Lead us to him, if you would be so kind."
Darting her eyes down to the lalafell, and then back up to the towering miqo'te - she didn't think she recognized her - Antimony nodded. Her tail flicked once, belying her discomfort. "Yes. We have matters of, ah, business and finance to discuss with him. So if you'll please...?"
Blinking again, the woman's tail flicked. She lifted her hands to rest htem on her hips, the movement glacial. She blinked. "D'themia is in a meeting."
"If your tribe had been more friendly to the last auditor that visited, we might have been willing to wait. Sadly, your Nunh has been evading the matter for longer than reason would allow." Amaury looked at Lamandu, wondering if bringing the captain was going to have any effect at all.
Lamandu spoke up again, having put his badge away, "This is Blades business, miss. You really don't have choice in the matter, if you don't cooperate, you'll have to be brought up on charges of impeding an ongoing investigation."
Happy with both Amaury's and Lamandu's words, Antimony settled for just looking as official as she could possibly manage, leveling an expectant expression on the statue pretending to be a miqo'te.
“He's in a meeting. Not here." She blinked again, large, dark eyes, and looked down at Lamandu. She stared at him for a moment and then looked sideways at Antimony. Finally, she spoe to Amaury. "You'll have to wait for him to return."
"Where?" came the question from the elezen, looking unconvinced. Then he clarified: "Where is this meeting of his?"
Antimony frowned. "That is what I was told the last ti--" She stopped herself, shook her ears, lifted her chin. "Take us to his office now, please."
Lamandu added, “Or his meeting place, whichever would be more expiedient, if you would."
"I can't disclose where he is meeting or for how long," the woman said. She sounded neither bored nor thoughtful. She was reciting the words from a script. "He does not have an office. The commune is closed to outsiders with no business. You can wait elsewhere and we will send someone to retrieve you."
Lamandu shakes his head, "I believe that you misunderstand miss. This isnt a request, we are on Blades business and are here on the business of an investigation that D'themia is involved in. You may not deny us entry."
"Please do us a favour and not make me have to haul you off to the hold."
Antimony huffed, nodded at Lamandu's words, and tried to keep her tail from fuzzing out anxiously. "This is a legal investigation and you cannot impede us!"
Amaury gazed at the woman with some pity. "Let me explain: if you do not allow us to see your Nunh now our return will be pretty loud. Just imagine it. Instead of two auditors escorted by our good diplomatic captain here, escorted by half a dozen noisy Blades with just enough legal justification to open this door and march inside your commune, with you in backpedaling in front, unable to stop them. Wouldn't that be terrible?" He paused and then shruged. "Or you can let us in and we will solve this matter quietly with the Nunh."
Antimony's ears only spent a few seconds pressed back against her head at the thought of being escorted by a swarm of Brass Blades.
The woman blinked again. Her tail twitched. Finally, she frowned. "I assume you came with a warrant?"
"Did we come with--of course we came with a warrant!" She pulled herself back together and frowned expectantly at the Captain.
He frowns, before reaching inside his lapel, "Of course. I had merely hoped for cooperation without it." Lamandu draws the folded sheet of paper out, handing it to the much taller woman.
"Please don't break it." Amaury said to the guard, his words still pouring with diplomatic experise. "That would be illegal."
The woman doesn't take the paper. She recites, "You may wait in the commune. It will be in a place out of sight from the rest of the commune. I can not tell you how long you will be waiting."
Her tail shivered, and she took an inordinately long breath, but when Antimony spoke it was largely calm, "I should hope it won't be overly long. Or we... will leave and return with those my colleague mentioned."
Instead of talking to the guard again, Amaury turned to the lalafell. "Captain, this woman seems to be under the wrong impression that our investigation is a joke. Maybe you should call your men so that we can enter and let the whole commune see and hear us."
"She is just doing as she's been commanded, loyal dog, I'm sure. We can find our own way dog." Lamandu says to the guard.
In a sudden motion, the woman ripped her lance from her back, swinging it down beside her and slamming it into the floor so hard that it cracks the stone and creates a hard metallic clang that echoes through the commune. Well behind her, near the found, well-dressed Miqo'te who had been in conversation pause and look over. Huntresses standing near the other bridges and towers glance their way.
The hair on the massive woman's tail stood out as it flicked behind her, a furtive shadow about her calves. Her face scrunched up hideously, and her voice trembled in her chest. "Perhaps YOU are under the impression that this tribe is a joke! YOU have no place here. YOU will show respect and professionalism, for both your task and mine. You may enter as you are instructed or leave as you wish. If your beastkin brains cannot understand that, we have nothing to talk about."
Antimony jumped at the sound, ears pressing flat back before she protested, "This entire issue could be resolved quite easily by simply taking us to D'themia Nunh so that we may resolve our legal matters! There's no--no need for any of this--this... well!"
"And you are now threatening an officer of Blades and his associates,† Lamandu said this as he perched his hand on the ceremonial sword strapped to his belt, “When you are legally obliged to let us pass and speak with your nunh. You are the one turning this into a joke and making a scene. Stand down or you will be arrested. That is a last warning, miss."
Amaury sighed, rubbing one brow. "Smash that spear on the ground all you wish, for that is all you can do. You are not outside of Ul'dah. You and your tribe must abide to its laws. Not to mention it will be very awkward of you to explain to D'themia why you made such a scene once we have cleared our investigation with him." He then glanced at Lamandu and silently wondered if Blades used linkpearls.
The huntress bit down hard on her teeth. "Obscene vilekin with no talent for negotiation. A warrant does not grant you unlimited access to the entire commune. Oh, no, and I cannot give you unlimited access to D'themia Nunh because he has not told anyone where he has gone. Is my INVITING you to wait in the commune not sufficient concession? No, no."
"Of course it isn't,†Amaury said. “Let's assume he is indeed not here. Who's left in charge?"
Antimony's hands flexed at her waist, "Now wait! Just--just wait!" She turned to Amaury, Lamandau. "Waiting for a short time won't hurt anyone, will it? And she's at least letting us inside, which is--well, it's more than... ah! If D'themia Nunh doesn't appear quickly, we can always press the matter further... yes?"
Lamandu looks to Antimony, "Yes, of course." He turns back to the guard, "If you had mentioned this course of events earlier, we could have avoided unneeded drama. My assocaite does bring up a good point in this though, if D'themia is not around, we would speak with his second."
“She... did," Antimony muttered faintly and then turned back to the guard-woman-statue with the scary weapon.
"I will keep that in mind." The massive woman drags the point of her lance across the ground, making an extremely unpleasant noise, which the Miqo'te near the fountain cringe at. The other huntresses, mostly out of earshot, are at least wearing unapproving looks. "Follow. Do not wander. I assume you are capable of such a task."
She stepped back and turned, the movement stiff, her weapon dragging as she moved.
Amaury lifted a brow and prepared to follow by...following. "If I didn't know anything about Ul'dahn nobility I would expect those noises to be some kind of convoluted alarm." he commented to the other two.
Unwilling to look a gift chocobo in the mouth, Antimony hastened to follow. She didn't actually have to hurry, thanks to the guard's stiff pace, though. She also very deliberately did not look towards the fountain, on the off chance that she might spy any familiar faces. "Let's not--let's not make any undue assumptions!"
"Hmm." He follows without further comment on the matter.
The very tall Miqo'te would lead them through the courtyard, around the fountain, past the silent, cringing Miqo'te women wrapped in fine silk in gemstones and trying to pretend they haven't notice what's going on. The sound of the dragging lance continues the whole way, leaving a long, ugly line in the floor. The other huntresses just watch her, wide-eyed, bemused and a little concerned.
As the tree-like huntress leads them towards the bridge that would take them to the largest, most extravagant tower of the commune, she passes a much smaller huntress whom Antimony might recognize. A thick puff of hair like a dandelion bounces as the second huntress steps over and lifts the lance's tip off the ground, saying cherrily, "We're just going to stop doing this now."
"Excellent. Our ears will appreciate it."
 Antimony winced, bowed her head briefly in some sort of agreement, and then looked up towards the tower. "You're taking us inside, then?" She questioned the guard. Ah, progress!
Dandelion-head pulled the lance from the tree-woman's hand -- which did not cause the furious huntress to pause in the least -- and then trotted along behind her as she fastened it on the woman's back on her behalf. As she did this, she said jokingly to Antimony, "Congratulations on not getting incarcerated this time! You still look like a beggar, but you're doing so much better!"
As they approached the primary tower, the balconies near its roof would cast shadow over them. Vast windows decorated the tower, and the tapestries adorned with the rather indiscernible seal of the tribe hung on either side of the main door.
"Erm," Antimony managed in reply, visibly flustered by dandelion-head's comment.
Lamandu glanced around them, "That is because we are here with a warrant this time."
The tree-like Miqo'te exhaled a growl, which made dandelion-head gasp and whisper, "Oh no. You've made her angry." The puff-ball-haired huntress stopped walking, letting the party move ahead of her, and said, "Warrants won't help too much if you do not accurately play your audience. Bye, now."
"Yes, we will make sure to bow our heads and apologize." Amaury joked.
Tail lashing once, stiffly, Antimony muttered, "Perhaps you should! You could at least be polite."
"Politeness was my first approach. Unfortunately, that doesn't always garner results here," replies Lamandu.
The tree-like Miqo'te growled once more as she pushed the main door open. As it swung heavily inward, there was a loud thud and movement as the woman evidently hit someone with the door, but she didn't stop to worry herself about it. She kept pushing the door open until whomever was behind it was completely trapped against a wall to the left of the entrance, and left it there as she motioned for the trio of interloppers to proceed into the foyer.
The foyer was remarkably furnished. A large room with a marble foor and large, wide-open windows -- that did not look as if they could be closed -- was furnished with no tradiitional seating of any kind. The floor had three tiers, the lowest being in the center of the room and stocked with a number of pillows situated around low-tables. Bowls of incense, lit and burning, sat upon the tables, a few near hookahs or empty crystal cups near full bottles of water.
Antimony wrinkled her nose briefly at the heady aroma of incense - no scent she could recognize - and cast her eyes about the foyer. Then to their escort, as she made to step past to large woman, intent on moving further into the tower. "How long do you expect D'themia Nunh to be?" she said as she did this.
Lamandu answered, "I believe that she said earlier, a long time. Especially because she does not know where he is. In other words, we should make ourselves comfortable."
The woman harumphed and leaned against the door, lance clacking against it, arms crossed.
"You could let her answer!" Antimony chided the lalafell captain, already feeling antsy at the prospect of waiting in this place. Tail curling up behind her, she cast a half-frown in the tree-woman's direction.
The short man shrugs, "She still can. I am not taking away her words." He glances back at the tree-like Miqo'te before walking over towards one of the tables with seat pillows arranged around it.
Amaury chose remain standing, bowing his head slightly to the guard. "Thank you." he said unceremoniously before walking very slowly around the place, admiring the expensive room and almost feeling sick about it.
The very large Miqo'te stood glaring against the open door. She glanced out the door to the bridge as though waiting for something, then returned her glare to the people in the room.
An exceedingly timid knock came from the door against which the woman leaned, cueing her to step forward and throw the door shut. This revealed to rather thin, short Miqo'te man who had been trapped against the wall when she pulled the door open. He collapsed forward, freed from what must have been the crushing weight of the door and the massive woman.
He nodded thanks for being free. The tree-like woman tried to ignore him.
Lamandu sat down on the cushions, looking quite at home admidst all the finery and trails of smoke that crossed through the room on the breeze.
"I..." Antimony blinked at the man, then at the tower-turned-woman, and back and forth a few times before shaking her ears and continuing, "I apologize. I never, ah, never asked your name...?"
This elicited a huff from the woman.
The man, on the other hand, dusted off his silk trappings -- more of a half-robe than anything, as if someone had taken tribal wraps and tried to make a modernized fashion statement with them -- and with a smile and lazy swivel of his ears hastened into the room to join Lamandu on the dispersed pillows. "Hello," he greeted, without hesitation.
The lalafel looked over sideways, at the strange, formally squished man, "Hello. And... you are...?"
Amaury couldn't recognize if the greeting was directed only to the lalafell or to everyone in general. So he chose to be polite just in case, nodding and then resuming his walk.
Antimony persisted in watching the guard women for several seconds before sighing, her tail twitching rapidly at the tip. Thin fingers brushed some stray hair that had somehow freed itself from a braid and tucked it around her glasses as she half turned to blink at Lamandu and the... she could only assume he was a Dodo tia. Her brow furrowed just slightly as she searched for any familial resemblance to D'hein.
The sandy-haired man with the fluffy ears and very thin tail dropped himself onto a pillow near Lamandu, grinning. "D'edy Nunh." He pushed the hookah on the table towards the Lalafel and said, "Try it. Very relaxing."
Antimony's ears tilted at odd angles in confusion. "This is business, Captain Tyremandu. That would hardly be appropriate." Then a pause and, "Nunh? I wasn't aware your tribe allowed for more than one."
The Captain didn't take Antimony's advice and accepted the nunh's offer, unhooking one of the pipes from its keeper. He took in a breath from it, before releasing the resulting smoke from his mouth.
"It seems different nunh have different degrees of authority. I imagine D'themia doesn't get trapped and forgotten behind doors." Amaury commented.
Antimony frowned. "That's not how it's supposed to..."
The fuzzy ears bounced on his head. "Oh, it's not like that. I don't want to cause problems, so I don't complain. D'themia's good at things."
The huntress muttered, "You're not supposed to talk about those things with outsiders..." But the Nunh ignored her.
Antimony bit her tongue, unwilling to really question the chosen family-societal structure of another tribe outright. Still, it was confusing. "Good at what?" Her tail curled at her own words and she forced her green eyes to wander the room a bit.
"Good at money and talking, I believe. But feel free to elaborate, D'edy." The lalafell leans into the pile of cushions.
"That's pretty much what I mean!" The meager Nunh stood, spun, took up one of the decanters and a cup and poured a glass. "He's better at running the tribe and being respected and dealing with the women and all of that. Who's thirsty?"
One of Antimony's ears twitched but, after a lengthy pause, she seemed to finally resign herself to at least some duration of a wait. The satchel she carried was slid from her shoulder to the ground, the action inspiring a wince and a ginger rubbing of her opposite shoulder. Then she just stood and fidgeted before thinking it might be rude to refuse the nunh's offer so she added, "I will take some water, if you don't mind."
"I am good, thank you." the elezen said.
Lifting a finger up, Lamandu let his wish be known, "A glass of wine would be lovely, thank you, good sir."
D'edy Nunh happily filled a cup for Lamandu and set it in front of him. "So, why are you all here? Must be a good reason if you're... here."
It's not precisely something we can, ah, discuss in detail with just anyone," Antimony ventured slowly, pursing her lips. "We're to speak to D'themia on legal matters."
After taking in another breath of the hookah, Lamandu settled the pipe back into its keeper, "Unfortunately, he is in an unknown meeting, so we were brought here... to wait."
Setting aside the decanter and reaching for one of the crystal flasks, D'edy poured another cup to offer to Antimony, saying, "Ah, yes, that's the basic idea. He's always in meetings. And I'm always here. I guess I could do a few meetings once in awhile but the wine is better here."
The tree-like woman stomped her feet loudly, but D'edy continued to ignore her.
"Where are the meetings held?" Amaury asked plainly.
Antimony accepted the water with a slight dipping of her head and ears. She shifted her gaze towards their guard-escort-statue, looking unnerved by the woman's continued displays of displeasure.
"And when might D'Themia be free, if at all?"
"I don't know. I don't remember him going anywhere today." D'edy chuckled, returning the the decanter and pouring himself some wine. Then two more glasses without explanation. "He's probably having more 'meeting's with the women. That can take... hooooours."
The tree-like woman stopped her foot again, growling at the Nunh, "You're not even supposed to be downstairs."
D'edy trotted over in front of the woman, clearly afraid to get very close to her, and put one of the glasses of wine on the floor in front of her. "And this is for you."
The Captain reached forward for his own glass, "Then might you be able to help us in his stead? As was mentioned earlier, we are on official business, as comfortable as it is in here." He motioned at the room, glass in hand, finishing off with the wine at the tip of his mouth about to sip from it.
Spinning back around to Lamandu, Antimony nearly dropped her water. "Aah--I don't think that is a good idea!" She winced, ears fidgeting. "Everything needs to be done according to protocol or.. well, or the whole thing could collapse."
"We won't discuss this with anyone but D'themia." said Amaury. He took some steps to turn around and face the guard, only a few meters beyond her. "If he does not receive us soon I will simply hand the paperwork to the Sultansworn and let them organize a meeting with us."
"Well you all are very serious," D'edy Nunh dropped himself into some pillows and said, "You shouldn't leave until you've had something drink. That would just make the Dodos appear very rude, wouldn't it?"
"I don't wish to leave until I've spoken with D'themia Nunh," Antimony stated plainly, though she did drink from her glass afterward. She liked to imagine it punctuated her statement. It probably didn't. She felt a bit silly after that thought and darted her eyes towards the guard woman and then D'edy.
Lamandu sipped at his wine, "Well, so much for that idea. When Antimony puts her mind to something, that is that. Seemingly, anyway!"
"Miss Antimony" Amaury started his inquiry turning around quickly on one foot. "Did the Agency issue you a linkpearl? And did you bring it?"
"A link...?" She trailed off, blinked in some sort of confused surprise. "Well, now that you... yes, they did. Ah, I don't know if..." Dropping carefully to her knees, she began to dig around in her satchel.
Amaury waited.
Lamandu drank more wine, directing a question towards the Elezen, "What were you hoping to get from a link pearl... Mister?"
"Amaury." the elezen completed the lalafell's sentence. "And I'm hoping to expedite my work."
The tree-like huntress nudged the glass of wine that D'edy had placed before her and it fell over, spilling wine on the floor. The Nunh immediately rolled to his feet and dashed over to clean it up, sopping it up with the slack from a silken cinch on his clothes. He does this wordlessly, on reflex, the same way someone would automatically try to catch something thrown to them.
Antimony's searching slowed momentarily as the nunh scrambled to clean up the spilled wine, her head and ears turning to watch him sideways. It occurred to her that he wasn't really behaving like a nunh - not any that she had ever known, at least. Her tail swished across the floor when her fingers brushed against something small and round lodged into one far corner of her satchel, and she retrieved it hastily. Eyes still half on the nunh, Antimony said to Amaury, "It seems.. ah, I have it, yes. What do you need...?"
"Hmmph. Then please, do so,†Lamandu was saying to Amaury, “Though, I have to say, the waiting area that the Dodos have, is not so bad."
“Yes, it's the kind of joyful place where you could lose track of time and forget what you came to do in the first place." said the elezen to the captain and then turned to Antimony. "Good. Keep it close to hand. We don't know how long it might take mister D'themia to...do whatever it is he is doing, if he ever finishes, so I will visit proceed with the next step in the investigation. Mostly to save time." He paused to get a long breath for no reason. "I'm sure the captain will keep you company."
"Ah... What?" Antimony's brow knit together.
"And what is the next step then? ... Amaury? This was the 'next step', or so I had thought," reasoned Lamandu.
"I'll let the Sultansworn know about the financial... 'anomalies' and the 'incident' that had miss Antimony be in jail unfairly. That was the step that followed this next step we are currently in." he explained, not really sure of how that last part could be understood. "I have a pearl myself, so if D'themia decides to meet you soon after I leave please do inform me so I can reassess if this step is needed, or if more would be."
Pushing herself to her feet, Antimony frowned at the linkpearl in her hand and then up at the dark-haired elezen. "I suppose that seems reasonable..." Her tail swung behind her in anxious thought and then a moment later she nodded. "I will keep you informed."
"You haven't had anything to drink yet!" Protested D'edy Nunh from where he was mopping up spilled wine.
The huntress said, "You intend to exit the commune? I cannot guarantee you will be permitted to return."
Lamandu squinted his eyes at the man, unsure of why he was brought into this, if the Elezen had already intended to bring the Sultansworn into this. "We had discussed this before Amaury, the Sultansworn are not normally involved in this sort of matter. But you are of course, free to go to them."
"I was hopping we could settle this matter in a much simpler fashion." he answered to the lalafell. "Your help is appreciated, captain. I won't forget. Please stay with miss Antimony and assist her as planned." He turned around and headed out.
"Farewell, gentlemen. Miss Antimony."
The huntress boldly blocked Amaury's path, "You can't wander around unaccompanied."
The guard woman cut off whatever good bye Antimony had been about to offer.
"Then you should accompany me, or trust that I know the way out." he smiled.
The Captain patted the cushions next to him, "Come sit down Antimony, it looks like there will still be some wait ahead of us. You may as well be comfortable."
The tree-like woman levels a glare a D'edy -- he smiles in response -- before instructing Amaury, "Come with me. And hurry. I won't have you wating any more of my time with your impatience while I restrain my own."
Amaury just followed.
As the two exited, Antimony remained standing despite Lamandu's initial invitation. Her hands wrung together by her waist, the linkpearl clutched in one, while her tail fidgeted behind her.
"So!" D'edy stood and spun on his heels, "What are we investigating? Will it cause any fun drama? Get anyone in trouble?"
Antimony winced, rubbed at the bridge of her nose with one hand. "Apologies. We... should not discuss details with you, I do not think."
Sipping his wine, Lamandu gestured towards the elder woman, "This investigation is really her thing, I am merely a pawn in it, as you could be as well, D'edy, if you really wished to partake. I am not certain it is in your best interest though." He paused for a moment, thinking that over, "On second thought though... it very well could be in your interest to. It would look good for you in the long haul."
"I don't worry too much about looking good. I just find it interesting that you're around." He pointed at the door, "What is telling the sultansworn about it going to help?"
"As I said, it is in part a legal matter," Antimony began, looking uncertain about her words, "and so they may be able to assist if there are any difficulties on, ah... that end." Bending, she dropped the linkpearl back into her satchel, comfortable in knowing of its presence.
"I do not know what your friend has planned Antimony, this matter really is more Blades territory. I'm sure that it will be... interesting. You really should sit down though. And perhaps have a glass of wine with us?"
"I, ah..." She blinked, thought back to that unfortunately tearful night in the Quicksand and then muttered, "I don't particularly want that kind of drink. I would rather focus on my job."
"But you do not wish to try to recruit D'edy onto our purposes? What else is there to do at the moment? Do you wish to go over the files that I brought with me perhaps?" Asked the lalafel. "You just... standing there is making me a bit uncomfortable, you understand?"
Swinging his wine-soaked sash around, D'edy muttered, "I bet D'themia would want to know if people were calling the Sultansworn into the commune."
Lamandu seemed to have almost reached the bottom of his wine glass, and on hearing muttering, inquired, "What was that you said, good ser?" He leaned a bit towards the man, as if the miniscule distance would actually help him hear better.
![[Image: AntiThalSig.png]](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/179079766/AntiThalSig.png)
"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."
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