Assassins?
[ MurderTP Main ]
*** Jueann seeks Evan and Liesana out at the Smith Hall. ****
Gathering
Hall
The immensity of the Gathering Hall offers more than enough room for
several different groups of people to sit and chat, as well as eat. The heat of
the great hearth on the far wall spreads throughout, the merry crackling adding
a peaceful undertone to the room. Several non-movable tables and benches are
settled along the far wall near an ever-full klah pot and several trays of
various snacks set out for the hungry. The walls are decorated with tapestries
denoting Pern society. Along the wall above the kitchen, in particular, is the
pride and joy of the weavers: a string of dragons flying Threadfall. The vibrant
flames and metallic hues of the dragons seem to glow as the flickering firelight
strikes them
Various scents assult your nose as you walk in here. The rich smell of foods
from the kitchen. The fire's smoke and heat. The sweet odors of various
pipeweeds from the gossipers... [look closer]
Clinging to a high beam are seven firelizards.
You see Large Wooden Table, Brass Glass Burner, and Bonehead here.
Liesana is here.
Obvious exits:
Kitchen, Smith Infirmary, Courtyard, Grand Staircase, Lower Level
Jueann enters taking off her flying helmet, smoothing back her hair, blinking a bit with confusion.
Liesana is over by the hearth, a usual spot for her on a cool winter's day in Ista. She's lived in the tropical climate long enough to be getting a little 'soft', according to relatives. The young master has a lap harp in one hand, but isn't currently playing it, instead reading over a freshly-delivered message hide with a bit of a smile.
Jueann sees Liesana, "Ohhh good. I found you here and not at the Hall." She hands off her helmet and riding jacket. Jueann is the home-body, she never travels until she has a reason. "Evan and Arakiel around?"
Liesana looks up at a familiar voice, and stows the message hide in a pocket of her vest with a little chuckle. "Yes, surprisingly enough." she allows, patting a free chair nearby her own. "Evan and Ara are out at their little cottage, I think... I could point you over that way, if you like. The path is a little hard to spot, for the uninitiated."
Jueann shakes her head, "no no... that's ok. I'm not up to knives tonight." She looks around, for a moment before making herself comfortable, "Actually, I came over to hide for awhile, I may want to hire them to help with a small problem."
"I'll be sure to keep mine sheathed, then." replies Liesana gravely, but with a fey twinkle in her eyes. Of course, one so rarely sees Liesana using her knives anyways... The legist's ears prick at the further explanation from the older Master, and she nudges a plate of fruit slices in her direction. "Hide? Problem? What's going on at Main Hall, Jue?"
Jueann sighs, "Poirot is interviewing and I'm not sure how professionally he's doing them." She looks around, "Is there anything to drink? I'm a bit thirsty."
Liesana lifts an eyebrow, even as she stands and heads over to the food tables to bring over a pitcher of juice and a pair of cups. "Not professionally...?" she echoes in a drawl generally heard while she's cross-examining, expression thoughtful and guarded. "How so?"
Jueann looks around for interested ears, "I.. I'm not sure... a couple of the younger apprentices went to their mentors with some story about some of the questions he was asking and one or two of the journeywomen have complained about his questions." Taking the offered mug, "When I question him about it, he just shrugs eloquently and smiles that charming smile of his. You know how he is."
Liesana examines her fingernails with a considering air. "Have you considered placing some bait?" she asks. "A... tunnelsnake in the hencoop as it were. An apprentice girl to act as some sort of agent to report back to you what he's really like?" she suggests quietly, with all the fascination of the young and lively intellectual for wheels-within-wheels plotting, before sitting down and poising the pitcher above the cups. "Juice?"
Jueann says, "Juice is fine. I... I...." she sighs running a hand through her hair. "Shards Liesana. I don't want to go that route. I doubt he'll talk to Snip and you know how frail some of the girls that come to us are. I... I... just don't know...."
Liesana pours two cups to just under brimful, and offers one to Jueann with the solemnity of a tea ceremony, before curling in her seat with her legs over one arm, and her back against the other, watching consideringly over the rim of her juice as she sips. At last, she comments that "It's your discretion, as Head of our Hall here... but they aren't all frail, and many have a sense of loyalty and justice that would put the Hold Guard to shame... It's a suggestion, is all."
Jueann sighs and nods. "I understand that but..." taking a sip of the juice, "Shards Liesana. I'm not a people person. I'm an archivist. Your suggestion has merit but... still..... I want to know what he's doing here? What's his real purpose and I'm doubting that Oriana sent him. I think she got talked into it."
"My suggestion," notes Liesana with a little smile. "Was only one step of a campaign, not the entirety of it. Eventually," she notes, amber gaze steady and confidend on her Crafthead. "You're going to have to confront him. But doing so without sufficient evidence would be career suicide. And if you aren't Crafthead, who would replace you? He is the next in seniority after you, at the moment, unless you say otherwise."
Jueann shakes her head, shuddering at the thought of confronting him. "I..I... oh dear....Leyte has been telling me things about him also. Oh Liesana.... I can't stand against him. I don't have the strength."
"Yes you do," replies Liesana, as confident and trusting as a child. "You credit yourself with too little, Jue, honestly." She punctuates her speech with another sip of her drink, before gesturing slightly with the cup. "And you'll stand against him when the time it right... Skies, you've got all of Ista's Harpers at your back, you know."
Jueann sighs again, shaking her head. "And yet, I can't let him destroy all the work that all the harpers before me put into Ista's Hall. I thank you for the support but I hope it doesn't come to a shouting match. I hate arguments."
Liesana somehow manages to look steady and serious, even as she continues to drape herself girlishly over the arms of her chair. "I hope so too... for Poirot's sake." she notes. "If he gets through you, he'll have to challenge me for control of the Istan Craft. Although," she winks. "The very last thing I want is more paperwork, so by all means, finish him off yourself."
Evan glides silently in from the Class Room.
Evan smiles, "Good evening Liesana, Jueann."
Jueann chuckles at Liesana. "Paperwork isn't that bad." Hearing Evan's voice, "Evening Evan. I just popped over to the Smith's to hide out for a bit. I hope you don't mind. I may even have a commission for you or your lovely wife."
Evan frowns, "Comission for arakiel? You are aware that she doesn't craft things, right? And it's Cera's hall now."
"Evening, Evan," greets Liesana with an easy wave from her perch with her legs over the arm of her chair. She falls silent after that to let Jueann speak, one eyebrow twitched upwards in curiosity.
Jueann chuckles and shrugs, "You two are the only ones that are good with knives." Then she shrugs, "Oh well it's my problem I guess. But I'm sure if I talk real nice to Arakiel, she'll solve my problem in her usual fashion. I hear she's been threatening to let the air of a few masters in the past. I have one that needs it."
Evan raises a brow, "Oh... that kind of comission. I wouldn't talk about that in front of our lawyer-type-harper here though
"In this particular case, Evan," notes Liesana, sounding somewhat dry. "I'd be willing to make an exception. But hiring an assassin, Jue? Tsk, hardly the methods of a subtle and sly Harper." she winks teasingly.
Jueann laughs and shrugs, "Well, what can I say.....I'm not a subtle and sly harper. I'm blunt and shy."
Evan chuckles, "Nothing wrong with that. Just let us know I suppose. but no guarantees of anything. who is this anyways?
"Every Craft needs people that don't fit the stereotypes after all," agrees Liesana with another wink, and a return to her klah, content to let Jueann share as much of the story as she sees fit.
Jueann chuckles, "We have a new master to the Hall. He was sent to us by MasterHarper Oriana and he's some sort of bean counter and has an eye for the younger prettier apprentices.
Evan BLINKS, "What kind of self-respecting craft would keep a master like that?"
"The Fort Harper Hall," replies Liesana with an air of formal phrasing masking distaste. "Has a regrettable tendancy to rest blindly on tradition, and promote based on seniority and public appearance. I don't doubt." she sums up with a glint in her eyes. "That he's more... circumspect... when he's under Oriana's eye. He fails to note, though, that while he's reporting on us, we are reporting on him." Or at least Liesana is, a bit of wicked satisfaction to her tone.
Evan shakes his head, "I assume that no one is catching the apprentices when they play pranks on him?
Jueann roll her eyes, "He seems respectable when he arrived. I have the feeling that there's more to him then meets the eye and I'm sure he was sent to see what dirt he can dig up to have me recalled as Craftmaster. He misses nothing."
Liesana snorts softly. "A simple archivist, my arse." she sums up. "He's as much a legist as I am." This pair of comments is more of a mutter to herself, before she offers Jueann a firm smile. "He may miss very little, but that doesn't make the rest of us blind. And Oriana will have little tolerance for his sort, should the rumours go around. In any case, who in Faranth's name would replace you? Fort has just enough Masters to run properly as it is."
Jueann sighs and shakes her head, "Well, there's Caramak, Seamus and Teraille for a start. They would all come back gladly if I wasn't around." She watches as Paric whistles by and sighs again. "And I'm sure no good is going to come out of this, in any case."
Evan shakes his head, "Why don't you just punt him out?"
"Oh tosh. Caramak wouldn't give up his position as Oriana's second that easily, and Teraille won't leave her husband."
Seamus isn't touched on, as Liesana doesn't know him. She sketches a wave to Paric, but then cants her head at Jueann. "I might ask the same thing myself, Jue," she notes. "You're the only one of us here who can."
Jueann sighs shaking her head. "He really hasn't done anything I can send him back for... yet. All I have is a few tears and hysterical reports. How do I justify that? He was sent to do a report on me and how I'm running the Hall. Do you think he has enough information?"
Evan chuckles, "I know all of them. Why do the head harpers leave?"
"Because the Istan sun drives us all mad?" quips Liesana to Evan, finishing her klah and setting the empty mug on the table nearest to her, and standing quickly. "Speaking of reports, I have my own to go make... if you'll excuse me?"
Jueann sighs and stands, "I guess, I've spent enough time away from the Hall. I guess I better go back." She shows a bit of relunctance. "I too should be going over reports."
