The following day sees the party emerging from their separate rooms, bleary-eyed but mostly-rested, and wending their way one-by-one into the inn's small tavern. Faolan is quiet, which is generally his state of affairs, but perhaps quieter than usual. Sen is his typical chattering self, reminiscing about the fights the necromancer and druid missed while they were off "Doing what, exactly? Where did you two get off to?"
The innkeeper brings a generous mid-afternoon lunch, and it's after pushing the food around on the plate with his fork that Faolan finally interrupts the chatter to say, "We have a good deal to do and not much time before nightfall. We need to find the Gower girl. And you two ought to speak with Calabra at some point."
And then, remembering, he adds, "And there's the contract from Nerys. Dima -"
He pauses; clearly, he hadn't meant to say 'Dima'. Better to run with it, though. "I don't know where to begin with that one."
<.>
Dima has found - and finds now - that by choosing not to answer Sen (or by answering with a brief exasperated glance), he can avoid potentially awkward questions - or questions to which he owes Sen no address, thank you very much - because the elf will inevitably fall into another thread of chatter. This tactic becomes more efficacious now with Rin, who after only a brief silence remembers a very important detail about how one man tried to reason with a mud monster and how Rin is certain Sen could have managed it, but this man had no chance, oh no!
What Dima wants (badly) to do is scoot near to Faolan, to sit shoulder-to-shoulder and whisper 'My Fae' with a conspiratorial smile. He knows what Faolan said, what Faolan requested, though, so he tries not to watch Fae too often (his eyes stray the man's way regardless), and is nodding along to Faolan's accounting when—
He might. Freeze just for a moment (not freeze, thaw) (thaw, and turn his eyes to Fae, a little bit too hopeful) when Faolan (Fae!) says 'Dima.'
He also makes a valiant effort at regaining his composure - and mostly succeeds! - nodding and finding that his voice at least keeps remarkably steady: "The contract can wait for the moment; Moloch's frustrations aside, there isn't much particular hurry on that front. I'd like to have it completed within the month, but for the moment, Gower and Calabra first, I think."
He looks at Sen and Rin, prods at his breakfast. "You'll need to know what to tell the man, and I'm not certain truth is the most reliable route." He shakes his head, looking irritated. “I am not particularly inclined to let the bastard know of the Market's existence. And we might get further from questioning his staff than speaking to him—
"Depending on how well the silver-tongued bard thinks he can handle the man."
Rin, meanwhile, has reached into their pouch to find the five silver that they are 99.9999% sure they're going to owe Sen. Because, really? Dima?
Fishing up five silver, they Message Sen: [ Payment now, or later? ]
<.>
Sen has fallen into an observational silence. He's not entirely sure he did win the bet. What he is sure of: Faolan is being aloof (though not chilly) and Dima keeps casting wide, yearning eyes at the boy.
They aren't acting like a couple. They're acting like maybe that interlude wasn't what he and Rin might have expected.
He shakes his head minutely at them and responds, [ I don't believe the matter's been settled, Pretty Rin. You may win yet. ]
To Dmitri, Sen replies, "I can handle Calabra better than you, I imagine. That isn't a boast; that's acknowledgement that the man would sooner see you flayed than have a conversation. So: that will be our task, then: to keep Calabra occupied while you speak with his servants. And, no, I won't be mentioning the Market to him. That way lies disaster."
Faolan nods in agreement to this last; he, too, feels a strong desire to protect the secrecy of the Nightmare Market. He adds softly, "I can try to locate Morwenna and Manon. If they're here, I'll find them and meet up with you -" Faolan nods to Dmitri. "- to help as I can."
As Sen raises both an eyebrow and his fork to his mouth, he pauses with an impinging curiosity. "Who the devil is Moloch? What 'contract'? Dmitri, you've been engaging in side-hustles without us!"
<.>
Rin seems to consider this. Looks around, nods, and starts flipping the coin instead, Messaging Sen, [ Heads or tails? ]
Meanwhile‚ "We're agreed on one point, at least." Yes, Dima is rolling his eyes at Sen. Yes, there's also a note of approval in his voice; best indeed that Calabra doesn't know a godsdamned thing about the Market.
"I'll note that any 'side-hustle' I may have engaged in was struck while you were hocking your wares before a rapt and decidedly undead crowd." A lift of his eyebrow, very 'excuse you Sen.'
"...I will also note. Generously, I might add. That I am not entirely opposed to your joining in the fulfillment of this contract. If Faolan—" ('Fae'? He wants to say 'Fae.' He isn't sure he ought to. 'Dima' was introduced from the start by Sen, and might be more admissible.) (In vain, Dima wishes he'd asked Fae about this.) (In the pause between Faolan's name and the rest of his sentence, Dima is absolutely looking at Fae a little too long, eyes speaking mingled apology, plea, and admiration.) "If Faolan doesn't mind."
Dmitri waves his hand in a dismissive sign. "A subject for another time, though.
"I'm willing to speak with the servants— However." He looks to Faolan. "It's a two-person task, at least." He thinks, 'I don't want to leave you.' He adds: "There's a chance they're under guard or, if they've left, that someone's waiting in their home.
"I'd like to go with you—" A moment as he considers that in such a case stealth might come in handy, and he nods, assenting: "But if there's value in sneaking, I suggest Rin and Liviana to accompany you."
[q: has dima heard any recent or not-so-recent rumors regarding people with an itch to execute calabra's dipshit ass?
dm: People frequently pass through the Voronin household making noises about Calabra, though whether this is because they actually want him dead or they're trying to endear themselves to the Voronins is anyone's guess.]
<.>
Faolan eyes Dmitri with mild amusement, then breathes a heavy sigh and considers the situation with his eyes on his meal. Finally, seeming to come to a decision, he says, "A compromise. Sen needs Rin, it seems like. Someone to sneak around- "
Sen is nodding pointedly.
"And thieve from the man, I suppose," Faolan concludes. Sen again nods, a little more emphatically.
"Rin with Sen. Send Liviana with me; I'll send the wolf with you. If any of use meets trouble, we'll have assistance reaching the rest."
Meanwhile, Sen is sliding down in his chair to bring his head inclined and level with Rin's. He still Messages, but doesn't bother to hide he's being conspiratorial. [ Cagey bastard. Suppose you find the contract in question and give us a look? Must be worth something if Moneybags is keeping it hush. And heads, please. ]
<.>
Rin doesn’t look at Sen, though they DO look at the coin as it falls. Then, expression puzzled, still looking at the coin: [ Tails. I suspect this coin of being a conspirator, and shall have to be rid of it. ]
If it sounds like they’ve gone into scheming mode—
Well of course they have!
They nod abstractly, still examining the coin, and speak aloud, “Works for me. We’ve got to get everything we can off that jagged rag.”
And huffing to themself, Rin is just going to stand and drift their way toward a waiter, offering the silver coin for a glass of ‘some kind of nice breakfast drink please bring it to the table thanks so much.’
Definitely none of this is an excuse to be able to return to the table - in a minute, of course, they don’t want to be obvious - in a route that takes them by Dmitri. Certainly not!
Dima's eyes are on Fae suddenly, surprised and— Well. Well, yes, his chest feels warm, he feels touched to think that Faolan would permit this, let alone offer his wolf's company. After a moment, Dima collects himself and nods. "It's a fair compromise."
And, "For the sake of a consistent plan, what particularities are we after?
"I'm interested in knowing why Payl was chosen, and whether we were chosen with intention, or whether Umbero honestly sent his servant grasping at straws.
"I'd also be interested in knowing whether Calabra was surprised by the attempted assassination, and whether he seems earnestly unsettled by it."
Rin has made their way back toward the table, and they are absolutely going to make an attempt at snagging that contract from Dima's pack.
<.>
[SLEIGHT, r: 15 PERC, d: 17 PERC, f: 20]
As Rin attempts to life the contract from Dima, Faolan, with barely a beat in the process of raising his fork to his own mouth, says, "Don't do that, Rin."
Faolan takes a bite then meets Dima's eyes and nods toward Rin, who is halfway into Dmitri's pocket.
6) Awich: Investigations
The innkeeper brings a generous mid-afternoon lunch, and it's after pushing the food around on the plate with his fork that Faolan finally interrupts the chatter to say, "We have a good deal to do and not much time before nightfall. We need to find the Gower girl. And you two ought to speak with Calabra at some point."
And then, remembering, he adds, "And there's the contract from Nerys. Dima -"
He pauses; clearly, he hadn't meant to say 'Dima'. Better to run with it, though. "I don't know where to begin with that one."
<.>
Dima has found - and finds now - that by choosing not to answer Sen (or by answering with a brief exasperated glance), he can avoid potentially awkward questions - or questions to which he owes Sen no address, thank you very much - because the elf will inevitably fall into another thread of chatter. This tactic becomes more efficacious now with Rin, who after only a brief silence remembers a very important detail about how one man tried to reason with a mud monster and how Rin is certain Sen could have managed it, but this man had no chance, oh no!
What Dima wants (badly) to do is scoot near to Faolan, to sit shoulder-to-shoulder and whisper 'My Fae' with a conspiratorial smile. He knows what Faolan said, what Faolan requested, though, so he tries not to watch Fae too often (his eyes stray the man's way regardless), and is nodding along to Faolan's accounting when—
He might. Freeze just for a moment (not freeze, thaw) (thaw, and turn his eyes to Fae, a little bit too hopeful) when Faolan (Fae!) says 'Dima.'
He also makes a valiant effort at regaining his composure - and mostly succeeds! - nodding and finding that his voice at least keeps remarkably steady: "The contract can wait for the moment; Moloch's frustrations aside, there isn't much particular hurry on that front. I'd like to have it completed within the month, but for the moment, Gower and Calabra first, I think."
He looks at Sen and Rin, prods at his breakfast. "You'll need to know what to tell the man, and I'm not certain truth is the most reliable route." He shakes his head, looking irritated. “I am not particularly inclined to let the bastard know of the Market's existence. And we might get further from questioning his staff than speaking to him—
"Depending on how well the silver-tongued bard thinks he can handle the man."
Rin, meanwhile, has reached into their pouch to find the five silver that they are 99.9999% sure they're going to owe Sen. Because, really? Dima?
Fishing up five silver, they Message Sen: [ Payment now, or later? ]
<.>
Sen has fallen into an observational silence. He's not entirely sure he did win the bet. What he is sure of: Faolan is being aloof (though not chilly) and Dima keeps casting wide, yearning eyes at the boy.
They aren't acting like a couple. They're acting like maybe that interlude wasn't what he and Rin might have expected.
He shakes his head minutely at them and responds, [ I don't believe the matter's been settled, Pretty Rin. You may win yet. ]
To Dmitri, Sen replies, "I can handle Calabra better than you, I imagine. That isn't a boast; that's acknowledgement that the man would sooner see you flayed than have a conversation. So: that will be our task, then: to keep Calabra occupied while you speak with his servants. And, no, I won't be mentioning the Market to him. That way lies disaster."
Faolan nods in agreement to this last; he, too, feels a strong desire to protect the secrecy of the Nightmare Market. He adds softly, "I can try to locate Morwenna and Manon. If they're here, I'll find them and meet up with you -" Faolan nods to Dmitri. "- to help as I can."
As Sen raises both an eyebrow and his fork to his mouth, he pauses with an impinging curiosity. "Who the devil is Moloch? What 'contract'? Dmitri, you've been engaging in side-hustles without us!"
<.>
Rin seems to consider this. Looks around, nods, and starts flipping the coin instead, Messaging Sen, [ Heads or tails? ]
Meanwhile‚ "We're agreed on one point, at least." Yes, Dima is rolling his eyes at Sen. Yes, there's also a note of approval in his voice; best indeed that Calabra doesn't know a godsdamned thing about the Market.
"I'll note that any 'side-hustle' I may have engaged in was struck while you were hocking your wares before a rapt and decidedly undead crowd." A lift of his eyebrow, very 'excuse you Sen.'
"...I will also note. Generously, I might add. That I am not entirely opposed to your joining in the fulfillment of this contract. If Faolan—" ('Fae'? He wants to say 'Fae.' He isn't sure he ought to. 'Dima' was introduced from the start by Sen, and might be more admissible.) (In vain, Dima wishes he'd asked Fae about this.) (In the pause between Faolan's name and the rest of his sentence, Dima is absolutely looking at Fae a little too long, eyes speaking mingled apology, plea, and admiration.) "If Faolan doesn't mind."
Dmitri waves his hand in a dismissive sign. "A subject for another time, though.
"I'm willing to speak with the servants— However." He looks to Faolan. "It's a two-person task, at least." He thinks, 'I don't want to leave you.' He adds: "There's a chance they're under guard or, if they've left, that someone's waiting in their home.
"I'd like to go with you—" A moment as he considers that in such a case stealth might come in handy, and he nods, assenting: "But if there's value in sneaking, I suggest Rin and Liviana to accompany you."
[q: has dima heard any recent or not-so-recent rumors regarding people with an itch to execute calabra's dipshit ass?
dm: People frequently pass through the Voronin household making noises about Calabra, though whether this is because they actually want him dead or they're trying to endear themselves to the Voronins is anyone's guess.]
<.>
Faolan eyes Dmitri with mild amusement, then breathes a heavy sigh and considers the situation with his eyes on his meal. Finally, seeming to come to a decision, he says, "A compromise. Sen needs Rin, it seems like. Someone to sneak around- "
Sen is nodding pointedly.
"And thieve from the man, I suppose," Faolan concludes. Sen again nods, a little more emphatically.
"Rin with Sen. Send Liviana with me; I'll send the wolf with you. If any of use meets trouble, we'll have assistance reaching the rest."
Meanwhile, Sen is sliding down in his chair to bring his head inclined and level with Rin's. He still Messages, but doesn't bother to hide he's being conspiratorial. [ Cagey bastard. Suppose you find the contract in question and give us a look? Must be worth something if Moneybags is keeping it hush. And heads, please. ]
<.>
Rin doesn’t look at Sen, though they DO look at the coin as it falls. Then, expression puzzled, still looking at the coin: [ Tails. I suspect this coin of being a conspirator, and shall have to be rid of it. ]
If it sounds like they’ve gone into scheming mode—
Well of course they have!
They nod abstractly, still examining the coin, and speak aloud, “Works for me. We’ve got to get everything we can off that jagged rag.”
And huffing to themself, Rin is just going to stand and drift their way toward a waiter, offering the silver coin for a glass of ‘some kind of nice breakfast drink please bring it to the table thanks so much.’
Definitely none of this is an excuse to be able to return to the table - in a minute, of course, they don’t want to be obvious - in a route that takes them by Dmitri. Certainly not!
Dima's eyes are on Fae suddenly, surprised and— Well. Well, yes, his chest feels warm, he feels touched to think that Faolan would permit this, let alone offer his wolf's company. After a moment, Dima collects himself and nods. "It's a fair compromise."
And, "For the sake of a consistent plan, what particularities are we after?
"I'm interested in knowing why Payl was chosen, and whether we were chosen with intention, or whether Umbero honestly sent his servant grasping at straws.
"I'd also be interested in knowing whether Calabra was surprised by the attempted assassination, and whether he seems earnestly unsettled by it."
Rin has made their way back toward the table, and they are absolutely going to make an attempt at snagging that contract from Dima's pack.
<.>
[SLEIGHT, r: 15
PERC, d: 17
PERC, f: 20]
As Rin attempts to life the contract from Dima, Faolan, with barely a beat in the process of raising his fork to his own mouth, says, "Don't do that, Rin."
Faolan takes a bite then meets Dima's eyes and nods toward Rin, who is halfway into Dmitri's pocket.
Sen kicks Faolan under the table.
<.>