A Mystery Solved?
Eighth day of Autumn, Forty-first Turn, Tenth Pass.
Ylisa emerges from the Harper Office, carrying her usual well-laden shoulder bag. There seem to be quite a few people around. She heads over towards Liesana. "Master Liesana," says she, there being apprentices around. "Do you have a moment, please?" Another face catches her attention. "Mimi? I need a word with you, too."
Liesana is leaning on the balcony after stepping out of her personal office, catching a bit of a breather from her paperwork. Braced with her elbows on the railing and her hands folded out over open space, long braid of hair pulled over one shoulder, she glances down at the voice, and gives a little nod, measuringly. "As many moments as you like, Ylisa. Mimi. If you two want to come up here, the echos are quieter... and after spending the day listening to Dash whine about bed rest through the door from my quarters, I'm feeling lazy."
Mimi is standing outside the rehearsal hall talking with some apprentice. "Sweety, I know you want to dance, but some people just...aren't...suited to-" The journeywoman stops at the look on the little apprentice's face and the fact that Ylisa needs her," Okay, fine, see you in class tomorrow," she sends the apprentice on her way. "Sure, 'course." She tilts her head up to look at Liesana,"Psh, too lazy to walk down the stairs?" Miz teases.
Ylisa produces a drawing from her bag as she heads up to Liesana, joining her on the balcony. "It's about the man Dennell. I've been showing the picture around discreetly in the Hall, and I haven't come up with any definite sightings of him after Fasulkad saw him in the Mug, but a few people said they might have seen him. Seems he's elusive, but he could still be here." She offers the picture to Mimi. "Mims, I've not manage to catch you. The renegade that Lady Alebra took up with. Fasulkad saw him, quite a few sevendays ago - recognised him when he saw the drawing I brought from Nabol."
"Damn straight." says Liesana to Mimi, grinning with the comfortable air of one who's finally risen high enough in the rank structure that the mountain will go to Mohammed rather than the other way around. Maybe the ridiculously complex knot on her shoulder ain't so bad after all. The grin fades to be replaced by a look intent made almost to the point of severity by her slightly hollowed cheeks, as she leans in to get a better look at the drawing, eyes narrowing in thought. "What's the date on the latest sighting?" the master legist wonders, darting a quick glance over her shoulder back towards hers and Dashvard's quarters.
Mimi pauses as she listens to Ylisa. Okay, someone recognised him sevendays ago? "And so what is the significance of all this?" asks the not-at-all-a-law type. Mimi, still willing to walk up stairs, if not only because she likes the excercise, moves over to stand on the bottom step.
Keeping her voice low and glancing round to check that she's not overheard, Ylisa answers Lies. "Someone thought they saw him on the beach. Seventy-second day of summer, so a lot more recently than Fas saw him. If it was him. I wish we'd had a drawing from life." She looks round uneasily. "Shouldn't really talk about this here - can you come up?" That's to Mimi, of course, but she turns a resigned gaze on Liesana. "I don't suppose the Guard have come up with any more concrete sightings?"
Tytom edges closer the the conversation, trying to blend in with the other apprentices.
Liesana has a bird's eye view of the ballroom from where she's continuing to lean on the railing. Tytom is reasonably inconspicuous, but Liesana was an apprentice once herself, and can tell an eavesdropping one at quite a few paces. But the craftsecond merely favours the teen with a crooked smirk and a tap to one side of her nose, before returning to more serious matters. "I'll try and shake down Guardsman Ping to hand me the recent duty logs," she offers. "The man seems to be half-terrified of me at times, so I can probably get a look with no problems. I'd ask Dash, but he took a tumble off a runnerbeast the other day and wrenched his back, so I want him in bed and resting -without- my having to apply his handcuffs to him to keep him there." She waggles an eyebrow, and then takes pity on Mimi enough to explain. "If Denell is lurking around Ista Hold area, it may be that Alebra is with him. And it may -also- be a lead on the increase in thefts. In short, if we can get Denell, then Dash and I can cuff him to a chair and get some answers."
Mimi promptly joins the pair on the balcony. "Yeah, sure." Mimi's slightly lost in this conversation, really. She'd only been loosely following the timeline of events so far. Mimi listens still, until Liesana explains,"Oh, okay, thanks, gotcha." So, if people have seen him, then, they just need to keep an eye out?
Ylisa lowers her voice still further as she holds the drawing in front of Mimi. "Take a good look - he's the man that the holders at Nabol think Lady Alebra ran off with. Not that her father's admitting it." The strains of an orchestra drift from behind the closed doors of the Rehearsal Hall, while some of the older apprentices drift across the Ballroom, heading into the workshop and classroom. Ylisa eyes the classroom-bound ones. "Is it so late? They're my next group. I must fly! I'm sorry Dashvard's hurt himself, Liesana."
Liesana snorts. "Of course Bramero wouldn't." is her opinion, borne of one too many Conclaves spent officiating and taking minutes of the man's incessant blustering. "He copes with anything that doesn't go according to his plans by pretending it just doesn't exist. But my Nabolese contacts tell me that it's pretty much all but a certainty that he's our boy. I'll ask the Guard to pay closer attention, and set my Law group to observational excercises." she decides, pulling a notebook out of her vest, along with a pencil, and jotting that decision down for later reference. "Mimi, if you're still the reigning Lady of Hall gossip, put the word out, quietly, for people to keep their eyes peeled, but do it in a way that people can't tip him off if we've got a quisling amongst us... and thanks, Ylisa. He should be fine in a day or two, but I'll pass on your condolences." Business and 'family' news, all in one package, and without changing tone.
Mimi studies the drawing carefully. Oh good, excuses to go sit around at the Mug and watch people. "Of course I am," she replies haughtily to Liesana with a smile. Gossip doesn't get by Mimi too much. "In other words don't let Leyte know, but the kids who listen more than talk." Yeah, Mimi has her sources around and about. She gives a nod to Ylisa,"Thanks for tellin' me all this."
Tytom smiles to himself wondering if he can get a glimpse of the sketch, perhaps he can get a glimpse of the gentleman
Ylisa nods at Liesana's words. "My impression of him exactly. Believe me, I was glad to get out of that Hold, and your contacts confirm what I found while I was there. In fact, I've already been spreading the word, as Master Jueann asked - but we should stress not to approach him. As well as not wanting to frighten him off, he's dangerous. Belt-knife like a wherry-skewer, and knows how to use it." She gives a sigh as she prepares to move. "Call me a pessimist, but I'm starting to get the feeling that we're really going to regret all this. If he's here, she'll be here. Anyway, I must go." Leaving the drawing with Mimi, she glides downstairs, then follows her class into the classroom.
Liesana shakes her head and pinches the bridge of her nose with a sigh. "Why are they always dangerous? Why do we never get bandits who are fond of fuzzy little kittens and faint at the sight of blood?" she wonders rhetorically, before giving a quickly canine smile at one of her throwing knives as it's briefly removed from the sheath up her sleeve, turned over, and then disappeared again. "Of course, that's the reason I don't like letting them get within hand-to-hand range. I just live with a Guard, I'm not one myself... but pass the word along too that if our mark is spotted, they're to leave discreetly, and go alert the guard with the location."
Mimi leans against the balcony rail, tapping her fingers on it. "They wouldn't be very good bandits then, now would they?" But if they did find a band of bandits fond of fuzzy kittens, the Herder hall would really have to be worried more than them. "Well, you know me, I just listen and talk. Doubt I could dance them unconcious." She sure could try, though!
The Hall doors burst open under the impetus of Lord Bramero's large bulk of Lord Bramero. The Lord of Nabol's usual shifty expression is totally absent, replaced by red-faced rage. The man who enters behind him, whose insignia show him to be a bronzerider, is allowed to stay in the Harper Hall for only seconds, as Bramero turns. "Get out, man," he orders in irate tones. "This isn't /dragonrider/ business." The bronzerider nods curtly and leaves, relief evident on his face. He's probably headed for a well-earned break at the Flying Mug. Bramero strides into the middle of the Ballroom, scattering passing apprentices, and asks at the top of his voice, "Where is Master Jueann?"
"Generally the *bandits* get the bandits who like kittens and faint at blood," Cap'n Dashvard lilts cheerfully as he pads out of Liesana's office and onto the balcony behind her. His walk is a little stiff - his usual grace stunted by a recent and rather humiliating accident out on patrol - but things approaching guard business make him feel the conversation is his to barge in on.
Tytom slides away from the enraged Lord, while insuring that he could reach the Lord before he could threaten his masters. His hand instinctively comming to rest on his well used belt knife.
Liesana whirls at the sound of Dashvard behind her, takes in the stiffness, and gives him a shake of her head and a longsuffering sigh vented by women through the ages whose mates aren't following doctor's orders. "You're supposed to be resting, you know." she murmurs, but steps over to slide an arm around his waist regardless, affectionate, but more importantly, surreptitiously supporting. It's this touching pose that Bramero thunders in upon, causing Lies to nearly whirl again in shock before she composes herself and settles in an I Am A Master Craftsecond posture to make her way to the balcony, bar one last murmur of "I'll fill you in later. Up to looking imposing?" Tytom's motions are noted, and she tries to make eye contact with the lad, giving little quelling motions combined with directions to stand between "Lord Bramero, excellent timing, sir." and the door. "Master Crafthead Jueann is at the other end of the island today, but I'd be happy to assist you... and I must say, you look to have lost some weight since the last conclave, too... I was just wondering if you could tell us anything about your daughter's paramour, the man named Dennell."
Mimi fliches as the doors bang against the wall and turns around to see who's making the ruckus, ready to scold some unruly apprentice. Oh, no, it's just a large angry man. Mimi whispers aside to Liesana,"Whozzat?" Best bets are that he has something to do with the recently discussed going ons. Oh, okay, the rumored Bramero. Mimi, being not so lazy, goes down the stairs to round up the scattered apprentices,"Back to business, all of you, come on then," she instructs, herding them over to the other side of the room, so they can at least gawk from safe distances.
Tytom slips to the door, trying to seem inconspicuous.
Bramero takes two more strides forward, and turns to look up at Liesana, ignoring everyone else. He stands with feet apart, hands planted firmly on hips. The image of the immovable object, if you ignore his rodent-like features. "And who, in the name of the first Egg, might you be? How dare you, girl. Paramour, indeed! Come down here this instant and tell me what Jueann is doing away from her Hall at a time like this!" He sighs ostentatiously. "Shards! I need a drink!"
"Lord Bramero," Liesana drawls, diction and words crisp and completely unintimidated, "May I remind you that you are standing on Harper Hall soil. You are the supplicant here, not the ruler, and if you wish for us to continue -offering- you our assistance in what is, legally, a Nabol Hold internal matter, I'd suggest you have a care for the hinges of our doors." She leans a little more over the balcony, hands once again together, and lets the Lord of Nabol get a better look at her features. "As for who I am, I am Master Liesana, master legist and Crafthead's Second of the Istan Harper Hall. I am two steps down from Masterharper Oriana herself, so I assure you, I can either help you find your daughter, or have you removed, and the choice is completely up to you and your temperment." Meeting the bluster with cool bravado and a steady fire in her eyes, Liesana seems to have decided that the way to deal with the Lord is as an equal, on his own level, and in terms he can understand. "Now, what say you?" There's a significant glance over her shoulder at Dashvard, even if the Istan Guard Captain isn't really physically capable of removing -anyone- just yet.
Mimi wonders idly from the side of the room where she's continuing to shoo apprentices along their way how exactly Liesana would intend to remove the distraught Lord Holder. Mimi idly muses that with so much fuss over this girl, she obviously doesn't want to be found, so what's to say she doesn't run away again, even if they do find her? Considering it's not the best moment to bring that up, she doesn't.
Dashvard
sets himself squarely, his arms folded over his chest, his chin tilted up:
although he was never the most imposing physical presence, being a slight, wiry
man, it's never stopped him from being intimidating. It's all in the hardness of
the sloe-black eyes, and the general sense that even he thinks you're guilty, as
everyone's guilty of something and it's only a matter of finding what it is. He
may not be physically capable of tossing a Lord Holder out on his ear, nor
particularly sanguine about the ramifications of doing so, but that doesn't mean
he can't *look* a whole lot like someone physically capable and vested with the
authority to do so.
Bramero glares at Liesana, then swings round, seeking an easier victim. His eyes light on an apprentice. "You there, the lad by the door. Stop trying to sneak out. Haven't you ever seen a Lord Holder before? No, probably not, you don't have one here. Well, go and find some wine." Back to Liesana. "You have questions. Well, I have questions. I want to know why my daughter has apparently been on this island for most of a Turn, and your Master Jueann, and you, Master Legist," the title is sneered, "Haven't been able to find her."
Tytom looks up at Liesana, as if asking for guidance
The balcony is elevated enough that Liesana can murmur a comment to Dashvard along the lines of whether causing a reigning Lord to burst a blood vessel counts as treason without Bramero overhearing. There are more silent directions to Tytom, in the form of a wave negating the Lord's request, and another directing him to go over and stand with Mimi. By this time, she's back to the center of attention again, and still not to be budged. "Lord Holder. You come to us presuming courtesies as rights. You come to us asking for help, and then you don't give us what we need to know to help you. If we're crippled, it's by your doing, and your doing alone. Harpers investigate premises based on -fact-. If you had come forward with the identity of your daughter's lover." The polite 'paramour' is dropped, in favour of a self-aware bluntness. "From the start, instead of trying to sweep a scandal under the rug, then we'd have your thief and your missing daughter. Instead, through your obstinacy, we have neither. And, might I remind you, Alebra is a free individual, and if she has commited no crime, then we have no reason to hold her. Unless you wish to make an accusation...?" Again with the direct question, and a cock of her head.
Mimi gestures to the apprentices and hisses,"Just come over here, Tytom." The Lord Bramero doesn't seem like someone who should have alcohol put in him when he is already in a less than pleasant move. Mimi futiley attempts to shoo the apprentices, but it's impossible with them being Harpers and most curious by nature, as was Mimi when she was an apprentice. And she still is, really. "Just stay out of the way, all of you. And you take your orders from your masters and journeymen for now," instructs Mimi in a low voice, figuring that Bramero is much to intent upon Liesana to pay attention to Mimi and her group of little ones.
Tytom walks over to Mini, with as much poise and swagger as an apprentice can have. Taking his place at her side.
Dashvard cants his head slightly to one side, sloe-dark eyes narrowing as he watches Lord Bramero. A tiny smile ghosts his lips, vanishing as quickly as it appeared.
In the wake of the orchestra comes Majori, also from the Rehearsal Hall, but a little behind the others, though she tries to catch up. She's the only one of the company not carrying an instrument, and she appears a little dusty. She's well into the Hall when she stops with an expression of shock on her face, turns on her heel, and dives back into the Rehearsal Hall. The pretty green scarf with which her hair is tied back floats behind her.
Bramero is hardly likely to accuse his daughter of anything. He even seems a little mollified, and though he continues the assault, it's with less force. "She's been seen, near this place Gar, I'm told. How long ago? Were they certain it was her? Who saw her? Were they reliable?" His brow contracts as the volume drops, and a hint of the worry that underlies the aggression might be seen by a keen observer. There's a long silence, then he speaks more calmly, reluctantly. Schemer he may be, but he's also a father. "Dennell. My girl's young. He filled her head with tales. Deceived her. Who knows, maybe he even carried her off against her will. What sort of reputation is that for a girl to have? If I kept quiet, it's for her sake. How is she to make a good marriage if that gets known? Tell me that, Master Harper." He seems to deflate.
Mimi stares down the wandering apprentices, hoping they have the sense to just keep moving along. "She supposedly bought something from a young trader." How reliable a sixteen year old is is a debateable thing, so Mimi doesn't bring it up. "She bought a scarf," adds the Harper. A green scarf. "A green scarf..." whispers the journeywoman to herself, then her eyes widen and she looks around the hall quickly, feeling as if there was something, very important there. With eyes still wide she stares back up at Liesana. Hopefully the master will take the hint that Mimi has just realized something of considerable importance.
"Well, I guess she'll just have to be wed to a man who loves her for herself, not her reputation." Liesana replies, although her tone likewise backs off, and there's a hint of kindness peeking through the irony. She even moves to walk down a few of the steps, letting her body language convey reasonableness if Bramero moves to match it. "Now, with regards to getting her back, the actual work of moving to capture this Denell is best done by the Guard. This is Guard Captain Dashvard," she looks over her shoulder to introduce the man in question. "He's the head of the Istan Guard, and he has complete jurisdiction for Guard activities in the island. I'm sure he has some things to discuss with you." Because oh yes, Liesana's caught Mimi's beseeching look, and is now moving off to one side to let Dash take center stage while she takes an intelligence report.
Tytom whispers to Mini, " wasn’t that the girl that just ran into the rehearsal hall?
Dashvard hides his facial expression behind one hand at Liesana's response, because he's aware that his private smirk is not at all appropriate for the present situation. Once facial muscles are under control again, which doesn't take too long - he's in reasonably in practice, he clasps his hands neatly behind his back. "Sir," he says, giving the Lord Holder a respectful half-bow.
Bramero nods stiffly in response to the Guard Captain's bow. "Well, man, why don't you come down here and tell me what you've been doing. And I should tell you what you may not know about Dennell. His gang have been a sore trial to my small holders, even before he took them over. Though the harpers flushed them out a time or two, a few turns ago. Like a bad mark, they just come back..."
Steps slow to a quick halt as Fas makes his way to the top of the stairs of the ballroom, treading close to still being on the landing above. Eyes scout about quickly, appearing not quite as surprised as he should be, perhaps -- but seeing one's superior speaking down from atop the balcony can give an Apprentice an idea of what's going on. After a brief moment of pause to consider, Fas decides to wait at the top of the stairs for the moment, stepping back after having taken in the general positioning of the people below. Not one to want to interrupt such a scenario just yet, he waits -- at the very least so as to not interrupt Liesana's careful descent, and in the mean time listens carefully. He may not know much yet -- but he seems to know that getting between any of the central figures here would be a bad thing.
Mimi hushes Tytom quickly with a wave of her hand,"Don't be silly, that was just Majori," but upon the girl's name she gives a pointed look to Liesana. Her hair wasn't all nice but sorta like that, recalls Mimi from her interview of the trader. Now, who do they know with dark curly hair, and who are they looking for with dark curly hair? A few things fall into place for Mimi and she scurries over to the legist and whispers hurriedly,"The scarf, the hair, she knew so much about waltzes. I just... I don't know how we didn't see it. Under our nose!" A little confusing, but maybe Liesana could extract some information from that. "We've been showing people this sketch of Alebra all done up - why? She wouldn't stay like that. If you muss up the picture a bit I bet she looks different enough for her to escape peoples' notice." And look strikingly like a certain apprentice girl. The journeywoman silently thanks the sixteen year old trader she talked to.
Bramero ushers the Guard Captain into a quiet corner, and a low exchange takes place.
Tytom nods towards Mimi, motioning that perhaps he should go after her, discreetly of course.
Liesana takes Mimi by the upper arm and promptly drags her into the shadows under the stairs as she comes into range, glancing around hurriedly for eavesdroppers in a manner that would be comical if it wasn't for the deadly serious look in her eyes. "And of course we've been telling people to look externally, because who would be stupid enough to hide with the people who are looking for them...?" she replies, giving an urgent nod, eyes gone absent and calculating strategy and plots a mile a minute. "I know I don't pay half the new apprentices any mind myself, because there's so sharding many of them, good Faranth. Well, the question now is how to move on from here without losing what little maneuvering we have left, and without putting 'Majori' in an untenable position. Bramero's not a cruel man, but he's ambitious, and I'm Keroonian enough to be fond of personal freedoms even for the Blood."
According to deadly serious look ettiquette, Mimi does not, then, laugh. Besides, she's quite serious herself. "Most have to come through my basics class," mumbles Mimi idly on the subject of the apprentices. "I guess...um..." the journeywoman thinks quickly,"we have to not know anything more than we did a couple minutes ago in Bramero's eyes. Then we have to quietly find Majori ourselves and talk to her first. I doubt she knows that we know, because we didn't know, and before we knew, she was heading off to the rehearsal hall." Mimi's never been able to tone down her habit of talking a smidgen too fast.
Well then -- that's a bit better. Apprentice Harper at the top of the stairs takes advantage of the Guard Captain's conversation beginning with the Holder, and quickly descends the steps, boots quietly but quickly bringing him to ballroom floor, where he immediately turns to watch Liesana pull Mimi aside. Still, Apprentice manages to gather some information -- a recently-mentioned name brought to his attention, Fas starts pulling a few pieces of the puzzle together of his own accord, but decides the safer bet: low voice questions the nearest other-Apprentice Fas can find: Tytom. "What's happened? The short version, if you can...?"
Bramero and Dashvard are still conversing in the corner. The conversation appears to be going well, at least, no raised voices are heard, and the Lord Holder is listening more than talking. Perhaps he's getting a full report on the supposed sightings of his daughter."
Tytom says, "The lord holder is trying to bully Master Liesana, it seems that his daughter is missing and may be hiding out here pretending to be an apprentice. He suspects that the guy that took her is also here. I have a feeling that we are going to be in for a long night tonight." Tytom whispers.
Liesana glances now and again over towards Dashvard, monitoring how his back's doing perhaps, since she well knows his ability to be charming, informative and impressive when called for, and therefore has no qualms leaving him to Bramero's mercies. Her gaze flickers over Tytom and Faisal, and then settles back on Mimi with a slow nod. "If I was to call her up to my office on a routine matter -- perhaps have a few unrelated apprentices in her cohort called up too, to dispel suspicion --" she tacks on a refinement on the fly. "It would be a way to get her alone, and talk to her in confidence. Do you know her well at all?"
Mimi nods in agreement with the plan, then shrugs a shoulder,"She's got a knack for the higher class dances, although, well, this could explain why." Mimi considers momentarily,"Ah, she's got a choreography assignment due in the next sevenday and I haven't seen her anywhere working on it - most of the apprentices have to stop by at /least/ twice before they get things right." A bit of extra information can't hurt, supposes the journeywoman.
"So, it /is/ Lord Bramero," Fas mutters under his breath, more to himself than the Apprentice he confirms his thoughts with, before his gaze shifts from the Lord Holder back to Tytom. "One of ours -- shard it, I should've..." Whatever he should have done, he at least seems to understand it's too late now. "Do we know which Apprentice it is?" Fas asks, before following it up quickly with, "No, you said 'may', didn't you? More importantly, does /he/ seem to know it's one of our Apprentices?" Damage check comes first, solutions are yet to follow.
Uriala is walking boldly into the crafthall. But her boldness hits a brief detour when she sees the crowd gathered in the great hall. The determination on her face vanishes behind a shutter of muted neutrality, and she hovers for a moment in absolute nothingness, not moving forward or backward, or seeming to dither. Just... there.
Tytom nods towards master Liesana and motions towards the Rehearsal Hall, turning to Fas, " I think you and I are going to be escorting some one up to the office soon."
Falada enters looking road weary, but refreshed, apparently having walked down from the Smith Hall. She gazes around at the tense little knots of people for a moment before allowing herself to fade, unnoticed, into the woodwork to observe. She steps aside to allow Uriala to enter the door and leans nonchalantly against the wall.
"....Oh yes, the Harpers tracked them down. Tracked them down, but never caught them - just flushed them out, like wherries, and made them move on. Moved them from Telgar to Crom, Crom to High Reaches and High Reaches right into my Hold....." Lord Bramero seems well into his story. "Right! And /you'll/ keep me informed? Good man." Bramero takes Dashvard's reply for granted without giving him time to reply, and turns back to the Harpers. "Well now, that's more like it. You tell Master Jueann that I want to hear every detail in future, do you understand? My girl's here, I'm sure of it. Now, where's that dragonrider?"
Liesana is under the stairs with Mimi, there's a guard captain and a Lord Holder talking in another corner, two apprentices gossiping, and the general level of tension among the various knots of people is well off the scale. It seems that the Harpers aren't being their stereotypically social selves this evening. Liesana herself breaths a silent "Thank you." over to Dashvard, and there are many relieved thoughts along the lines of back rubs and other delights for her mate as a result. But for the moment, it's back to Mimi and business. "Well, if you can find an excuse to have her sent to me... wait, Fasulkad." A canine grin. "Mims, send him over to me, when you can detach him from the other one." Tytom apparently has a name that's slipped Liesana's mind. "I want to talk to him."
Mimi grins,"Yeah, I think I can come up with something." With that Mimi wanders out from underneath the stairs, wondering where all these people have come from. Anywho, she wanders back over to the apprentices,"Well, y'all got your show today, that's for sure," and then in a slightly lower voice,"And I trust that you gossip mongers will be keeping this nice and quiet, hm?" She points a thumb over her shoulder at Liesana,"Fasulkad, Master Liesana'd like to talk to you."
"Hush now," Fas quickly tells Tytom as the Lord finishes his conversation with the guard. Eyes glance at Tytom quickly to make sure he understands, but at mention of a Rider, Fas turns around to search -- and eyes fall upon Uriala. Thoughts fall from the current situation, and without a second glance to even notice Liesana's looking at him, he steps away from the other Harper, and approaches the Healer, eyes flashing to one side to take in Falada's nearby presence, before focusing back on the Apprentice not of this hall. Mouth opens as if to speak -- but then another Journey has closed in on him before he could go too far. Head tilts back to listen, and Fas nods quickly, but motions back towards Uriala. "Got it. Do me a favor, though, and take good care of the Healer? She's not one for crowds..." And with that, Fas turns around again, and quickly makes his way for under the stairs, sparing a glance back towards Lord Bramero to see how he fares on the way.
Uriala's eyes, moving around the room, lock onto Fasulkad and hold there for a moment as he approaches, her chin lifting in preparation for a greeting of some sort. It looks, however, as though the senior apprentice is occupied. In multiple ways. As he halts in his path, Uriala pauses fractionally, then inclines her head, acknowledging some point that never left her head, or agreeing with some private judgment of her own. And she turns to begin a retreat from the hall.
Tytom keeps his peace and keeps to the wall
Falada beckons to Uriala as she turns back towards the door and moves along the wall away from the door and towards Tytom's bit of wall. She's determined to get caught up on Hall happenings, and an apprentice is the best way to do that, if not always the most accurate source.
Now that he's finished his conversation with Dashvard, Bramero seems to be keen to be on the move. He bustles across to Liesana and Mimi. Fasulkad and Tytom, as apprentices, are beneath his notice. Some things don't change. "So, did you hear what I said?" He's going to repeat it anyway. "I want your Master Jueann - or you, Master Legist - to keep me informed. Fully informed. D'you hear me? I've told your young man all I know about Dennell and his nest of tunnelsnakes. He's not been seen round Nabol recently. And now I'm going, back where I belong." And now, he goes, without a further word, his cloak swirling round him and hiding his ample girth.
"You're a peach, Mimi. If this plays right, you may not have to come up with an excuse after all." And then Liesana waits for Fasulkad, letting her fingers drum against one of the columns of the balcony with poorly suppressed energy. Situation mapped, solutions vaguely plotted, now it's time to make decisions on the edge of a knife and -act-. And Liesana wouldn't have it any other way. She waits for Lord Nabol to make his way over, and gives him an assurance of "On my name's honour, Lord Bramero, we'll find your daughter post-haste." which is, after all, quite the truth. Once he's gone... "Fasulkad." she begins without preamble, if with leaning-in towards the apprentice's ear, one hand on his shoulder. "It's just all come together for us now that apprentice Majori is very likely the Lady Alebra. Bramero doesn't know yet, and we still need to catch Dennell, but I want you to approach Majori, and get yourselves into trouble where I can see and call you to my office."
Uriala pauses as she spots Falada's gesture, her head tilting slightly to one side. Her eyes flick to the woman's knot, then up to her face. Her tone respectful and mildly inquisitive, she asks, "Did you require anything of me, ma'am?" Falada may not be a journeyman in her craft, but a journeyman is a journeyman, right?
Falada shakes her head and speaks softly as she watches Bramero go. "No, not require. I just didn't want you to go running off if you were here to visit someone in particular. People don't just wander in here without meaning to." She smiles. "Besides, Fasulkad seemed to have concern for you."
Uriala blinks at Falada, looking rather bemused by the woman's words. "Senior Apprentice Fasulkad undoubtedly has duties he must see to, ma'am," she says. "I hoped he might be free for a question; I can see that he is not. I will send a message, or wait for a more convenient time."
Apprentice near-the-stairs gives the Lord a quick bow despite being ignored -- and as soon as said Lord has passed, he's all but at Liesana's side, listening carefully, and giving a quick nod as he's given his instructions. Voice is appropriately hushed in his response. "Aye, then. Word is she's the one who's in the Rehearsal Hall? How much trouble would you like, and where will /you/ be for the trouble to happen?" A few more questions than Fas is normally inclined to ask -- but the situation's suddenly become a bit more delicate, and limitations are checked before the Apprentice goes to follow the request.
Falada watches Fas get dispatched on duties and nods. "Aye, I see that he is pretty busy. I just wondered if perhaps I could help, since he apparently can't. That is all." She gives a shy smile to the apprentice and shrugs.
Mimi rounds up any remaining idle apprentices,"Back to your work, now, there's nothing more to see." At dubious looks from some of them she promises,"I'll come find you all if there is, mmkay?" They mumble and finally move off to their classes, as does Mimi,"I'll talk to you later, Liesana," calls the journeywoman over her shoulder as she heads off the scene.
Uriala pauses at that question, apparently considering the invitation seriously. Finally, however, she responds in the negative. "I think I will just send a note to him, ma'am," she says. "But thank you for the offer."
Falada nods and smiles. "Probably best." She gives a flip of her fingers just in case the apprentice wasn't certain whether they were through or not. "Don't let me keep you, I'm sure you have duties of your own craft to tend to."
"That's where she was last headed." Liesana replies, glancing out of the shadows and monitoring how much time she spends addressing Fas, 'lest the wrong people get to asking questions about why an apprentice has been summoned over to speak to the Hall's resident specialist in damage control and politicking. "Now, don't do it tonight. If she -is- Alebra, she'll be spooked. Two days from now, around three of the afternoon, in the courtyard, my window looks out on it. As for trouble... nothing too major, nothing to frighten her. Just enough to catch the eye, and I'll pretend I'm a martinet."
"Thank you, ma'am," Uriala says simply. With that, she turns and moves off.
Uriala walks to the Great Hall.
"Got it. Two days from now, three of the afternoon, courtyard. Glad we have the time, then. That'll make it easier." Fas tips his head lightly to admit just how much a relief the extra time is as he confirms it, before he lowers his head and leaves one final whisper with the Master. "I'll look sufficiently reprimanded for gossiping at my rank. Until later, then..." And with that, Fas turns, and steps back out from under the shadows, grimacing lightly as he moves to rub the back of his neck. To those Apprentices who still linger, Fas offers, lightly, "I got picked out for being a bit higher rank. I wouldn't try to stand out too much by sticking around /too/ long..." But that's all Fas has to offer to them -- and knowing Apprentices well enough by being one, he doubts he needs much more. Given the time he's been allowed, Fas doesn't even glance towards the Rehearsal Hall, but rather starts to make his way back towards the stairs...
Liesana waits until Fasulkad's been gone a certain length of time, and then re-emerges from under the stairs, making her way over to Dashvard's side and letting her hand find his. She also makes sure that her statement of "Goodness, I'd better get right on writing a report to Jueann on this. Dash, dear captain, come along and give me your side of things?" is audible to anyone listening. The private code in the form of a particular pattern of hand-squeezes meaning 'Talk. In private. Now.' now, that's something that's just between the Guard and his pet lawyer. And they make their way back up the stairs and vanish into Liesana's office.
Logfile from Ylisa
