IceAndWave/GoodsAndServices

Goods and Services

In which a gastronomic adventure is embarked on, paper conquers land, and a dark trade is made...

The 7th Day of Descending Wood, Realm Year 763

Noon of the day after the riots has come and gone, and Tideholme has begun to return to something resembling normalcy. There are people on the streets again, businesses are trading once more, and in Sian's room at the Hearth's Song inn Venia's exhaustion finally seems to have run its course.

Meanwhile, Cassia sits in her apartment, the events of the previous day still running through her perfect memory.

Venia still doesn't want to get up, vaguely considering skipping her victory speech.

Sian is still just reading his book, not making her move. Yet.

Venia pulls the pillow over her head and rolls over. It takes a fair amount of a business day to process all that paperwork even with bribes, right? Right.

A quiet knock at the door is followed by Descant's whisper, "Do you or the ladies require any lunch?"

Sian asks, "Venia? Want anything?"

"Mrm. Food. That'd be nice."

Sian goes to the door! And food is requested, for both himself and Venia.

Descant nods, "It'll be about 15 minutes," and departs to ensure that food is prepared.

Sian opens a curtain before sitting back down, taking up his book again.

Venia looks out the window. Light! Bah. Back under the pillows for her.

Sian grins at this.

Venia doesn't notice, luckily. What with being buried under the pillows and all. She eventually just slips out and strips, tossing the pile of expensive clothing and even more expensive underclothing into Sian's lap as she hunts for something clean.

Cassia sighs to herself, then decides she should at least start the day rather than sit here. She slips out onto the streets.

Sian rather politely folds them up, and places them aside. "Your clothes are in the other room. Mind if I borrow these ones?"

The food, preceded by a knock on the door and the maid carrying a tray into the room. "Oh my!" she blushes at the sight of Venia, naked and hunting for clothes.

"No, go ahead. And get them for me? I don't feel like parading around so much today."

"Mhrm." He gestures the maid in as he exits, leaving her alone with Venia.

Venia gives up on modesty for the moment, wandering over and scooping up a taste of the oatmeal on her finger before sucking on it. "So, what would you recommend?"

"The sandwiches are nice. Smoked mammoth from Gethamane."

"Think you'll be missed if I keep you around a little while?" She picks up a sandwich and takes a small bite. Well... at least it isn't blubber.

The maid blinks and her eyes open wide, "What for?" she says in a small voice.

"You have no idea how hard it is to get into some of my outfits. What did you expect?" She cocks her head to the side, curious.

The maid just blushes in response, "I don't know, I've just heard..."

"I'm not a cannibal, even if I am hungry, dear. Sit." She pokes her head out the door to look for Sian.

The streets of Tideholme are quieter than usual for mid-afternoon, but markedly busier than the military calm of the morning, and Cassia manages to get some decent food from a street vendor.

Sian is wandering back as she looks, carrying the bag of clothes with him. He has managed to find Venia's single semi-conservative outfit.

Cassia snacks on the food as she wanders the streets, making her way to the inn Sian calls home and slipping up to his room, knocks on the door.

Sian opens the door he had just closed, and blinks as it turns out to be Cassia. "Oh, sorry. Didn't hear you."

"I should probably try to get something I don't mind working in... No doubt I'll have ink all over myself." Venia wanders over to the maid, asking her to help her get dressed. She passes over the conservative outfit with what Venia considers to be all too many straps and buckles.

Sian gathers up the other outfit, and places it in the bag for later reference.

The young maid helps the Dragon-Blood into the dress, doing up the straps at the back, to the tightness that Venia directs, causing the fabric to cling just right.

Venia twists back to kiss her cheek and nibble her earlobe a bit. "How'd you like to make a little extra?"

Cassia makes a polite noise to announce her presence to Venia.

Venia blinks, twisting even farther. It's somewhat discomforting to look at. "Oh, morning. How are you? Come in, have some breakfast."

The maid swallows, "Ma'am?"

"I already have, thanks." she says quietly "I'm... fine, I suppose."

"Didn't get hurt, did you? I figured you could handle yourself, and I got enlisted to help Sian..."

Sian just eats his lunch, not commenting.

Venia turns back and whispers in the maid's ear, breath hot on the recently ravished earlobe. It's an offer to help out at her birthday party for what's a pretty good cost for a normal party, but a bit weak for a Dynast's birthday bash. The maid blinks at the amount, before nodding carefully.

Cassia shakes her head, "Not hurt."

Venia turns back around normally after the answer and a quick recitation of the address. "Saw some bad stuff, then..."

I did, now I've thought about it, but... "No... it's just..."

Venia gets up and gives her a hug. "Unpleasant. It'll all work out in the end, and you're tough. You'll make it, What's on the agenda for today, beyond me doing a lot of paperwork?"

Cassia presses up to her as she's hugged. "I want to talk to you..." she says hesitantly, "When I've worked out what to say."

Sian nods slightly to Cassia from where he sits, trying to be reassuring.

Venia nods. "Of course. Just tell me whenever you're ready."

Cassia seems to relax somewhat at Venia's acceptance of this.

Sian finishes off his food, and touches Venia on the shoulder. "I have some things to do today. See you later?"

"When is later?"

"Tomorrow morning, at the latest."

"Alright. I'm going to go down to the palace and collect my hounds, see what they've rounded up for me." She steps out of Cassia's arms and sighs.

"Mhm. Try not to get too bored." He offers a wave to both of them as he steps out.

"Bye Sian," Cassia says quietly, with a grateful smile.

Sian smiles back slightly, and closes the door behind him.

Venia grabs another sandwich. She's getting used to the oversaltyness of everything...

"Want to come with me, Cassy?"

Cassia considers. Not got anything better to do yet... she nods, "Sure."

Venia nods. "You're done, miss... I'll see you at the party. Uniform will be provided, and have good shoes. Things may be a little messy." Off to the palace! For signing and counting and trying to find someone to tear down and rebuild gosul's place into something tasteful.

Cassia unobtrusively follows Venia around the palace, occasionally asking small questions and trying not to get too bored at all the paperwork.

Venia answers them when she can, generally using metaphors and explaining the point instead of how things will actually be accomplished.

Candles burn low and smoky, a variety of herbal scents filling the air as Venia desperately scribbles with an inkless pen, soon throwing the empty well into the pile with all the others, broken glass gleaming blackly in the weak light. No doubt any trained bureacrat would scream at seeing the room, wadded up paper scattered everywhere and forms hanging from the ceiling on clips to dry faster.

Her bottle of wine is almost empty, and her legal expert has long since passed out from exhaustion despite the promises of coin and flesh she offered.

Still, she presses on, prefiling the offer to buy this house for clearing and resale, as no doubt there will be some damage when the troops head in to check for death cultists. Here, a small shipping corporation with a loan that Venia will buy out and call in. She tried looking at the web once and it made her eyes ache, so instead focuses on the inherent connections. This boss to that boss to this company to that Realm holding corporation. Words she hardly understands flow off her paper in an empty recital of money and as-of-yet unoccured pain. All too soon she finds herself slumping forward, managing to toss the last sheet of paper to float gently down atop the pile as she succumbs to sleep, ignoring the flame burning her palm as she slaps her hand against the rack of candles to put them out.

The paperwork concerning ownership of much of Gosul's businesses become conveniently "lost" in the mess and confusion of the riot and Venia's carefully manipulated paper trails suggests that much of what Gosul apparently owned belonged to companies controlled by Venia.

Venia is pretty happy with that result, though doesn't explain too much to Cassia. She's not sure she wants to explain that things went horribly awry to her at this point.

"What's wrong?" Cassia asks softly, after Venia nervously to Cassia's eyes, checks another pile of papers.

"Just... well, this is going to take a long time to process and get all the companies going again. Tideholme's going to have some difficulties for a little while until I can get the empire back up to speed... and I just learned how to do this sort of thing this month. I'm not sure I can handle it all."

Cassia looks a little concerned at this, "Oh, I see." She considers, "I can't think of anything that I could do to help ..."

"I'll just have to live frugally for a while and find some good managers...

Cassia nods. Then she's silent for a while as she thinks

Venia mutters under her breath to keep things straight. "Did you get the invite? I wasn't sure where to send it..."

"... Invite?"

"To my birthday party... you must not have gotten it. And it was such a nice card, too."

"...Oh." She offers a mixed smile, "When is it?"

Venia gives the time, and not the date, flipping a couple of pages.

"That doesn't tell me when it is ..." Cassia says softly

Venia blinks. "Oh. Sorry. I forgot you didn't know..." She mentions the date. It's in a few days.

"...So soon." Cassia blinks in surprise, wondering what to get her...

"I sort of wanted to get this done first. Sort of a fresh start thing."

Cassia nods as she thinks on gifts.

"Don't worry about what Asura is doing, it's not quite that sort of party. More informal. I did invite the bigger names around to meet them, since I can't really afford two good parties right now. Just something nice but comfortable will be fine.

Cassia hadn't even begun to consider a dress ... maybe she could persaude Asura to get her the dress though. "Here?" she says "Is it here, I mean."

"Oh, yes. It's in Tideholme. I'm renting an inn for the night."

Cassia smiles, "I'm sure it will be fun." If I can think of what to get you.

Venia nods. "I hope so. I'm a bit out of practice at planning one myself, but it's not like people are as critical here. Just stay away from any drinks that glow."

"They're the interesting ones though..."

"If you like. Just remember you'll be missing the late night entertainment while you're passed out in a puddle of drool."

---

The message delivered to Venia's apartment was both short and cryptic, being simply a location (the Golden Star Teahouse), a time (sunset) and a family mon. The fact that the mon in question belonged to a minor, but talented, family of artificers for the Scarlet Dynasty would only be known to two or three people in the whole kingdom.

Venia has a definite sweatdrop moment. Whap, right on the mon. This doesn't last long before she is in a veritable flurry of preperations. Oh, dragons, what's the fashion in the Realm now, I can't wear my old things, but if I wear something else I'll look provincial...

If I wear something expensive I'll look better and seem affluent but then he'll wonder where the money is... She eventually settles on that pure white and skintight number she picked up in Icehome, complete with the opera gloves, and decides against a coat. The innkeeper will have a tough time collecting the bath items she desires, but she is at least at Realm standards of ready when she arrives at the teahouse at sunset.

The teahouse itself is in one of the better parts of Tideholme, close to the Iceflower Palace but far enough away from the docks that the smell of rotting seaweed is almost impossible to detect. Of course, by the standards of the Blessed Isle, it is a hole; the tea is dreadful, the service non-existent, and the musicians of questionable ability. The fact that none of the locals realises this merely reinforces their provinciality.

Venia doesn't notice this, being a bit worked up about the visitor instead

The second floor of the Golden Star, the quieter and more expensive area, has been cleared of all guests, leaving only a precise man of apparent middle years and a trio of guards in immaculate white armour at one table. The man sips occasionally at his tea, grimacing with each sip, but looks up as Venia comes up the stairs and, remarkably, smiles.

Venia returns it, inwardly relieved. This doesn't show a whit as she strides across the room and bows slightly to him before taking her seat. Ice Princess, venia, Ice princess.

"I thought you would come, Lady Venia," Korel Ophis murmurs, "I regret the circumstances that have led us to met in this... establishment." The contempt in his voice is clear.

Venia smiles apologetically. "No more than I do, but the meeting itself makes up for some of it."

"As charming, and as beautiful, as always," Ophis smiles back thinly, but genuinely. "I am sure you can guess why I am here..."

"Business so soon? Well." She feigns shock.

"Yes," his smiles fades, "Your exile is still very real, Lady Venia, but a commission is a commission, and I would be remiss were I not to do everything in my power to fulfil my end of our agreement. That I could not countenance."

Venia nods. "That is one of the things I prized most about you."

"So despite the not inconsiderable social risk to myself, I have traveled to this... place, to complete my end of the bargain." Ophis makes a quick gesture and one of the guards retrieves a black box before handing it carefully to his master.

Ophis places the box carefully on the table, lacquered black and so polished that it could be used as a mirror, and turns it to face Venia. At the centre of the lid is Ophis' mon, as seen on the note, but rendered in inlaid gold and with exquisite precision. "Your commission," he smiles.

Venia leans across the table to pick up his cup of tea, taking a sip and leaving a light imprint of her lips on the rim as she returns it. A minute or so passes as she admires the box before she speaks. "There is a small difficulty. You are a day early."

"Oh?" there is the tiniest hint of disappointment in Ophis' voice.

"Indeed. My resources have gone into the acquisition of, to be honest, most of the economic power in this satrapy. I cannot complete the payment as I sit here."

"I suspected as much, but allowed myself to hope otherwise." Ophis nods, "Your... �departure� from the Blessed Isle was sudden, after all. This places me in a quandry, you understand. Under most circumstances, I would simply take the item and leave, but the nature of your commision was so specialised that a sale would be problematic."

"I firmly believe in the sanctity of agreements between people of honour, Lady Venia. You know that well."

"I am not saying it is impossible, simply that it will take time. Are you open to somewhat alternative forms of payment? I have non-monetary assets that might be of use..."

"Such as?" Korel Ophis pours himself another cup of tea, "Understand, Lady Venia, that in my home there is little that I wish for that I cannot obtain. In truth, the payment for my work is unnecessary, except as a means of sealing and completing the bargain - I make these things," he pats the case, "because it gives me pleasure. So, I ask you, what can you offer me here that I cannot readily obtain on the Blessed Isle?"

Venia details the existence of the mind-controlling spiders. "I happen to have several, intact."

Ophis listens intently, unblinking, until she finishes, "Intriguing. Somewhat horrifying, to be sure, but interesting in the extreme. I would need to examine one first, of course, but if they are everything that you say they are, not that I doubt you of course, but you were never really interested in the intricacies of occult artificing."

Venia shrugs. "That can be arranged, assuming you do not require large tools for such."

"I would not. A few hours alone with one would suffice for my needs."

Venia nods, and stands. "Then I suggest we retire to my overhumble abode."

Ophis also stands, "This is a dreadful place you have been sent to, Venia," he says, "They can't even get koto tea right." He shakes his head, wonderingly.

"I will tell you a secret. That was good tea for this place." Venia leads him to her hotel room, letting a guard carry her comission until she's completed the pay, and obviously ferrets out a spider for him. Diamond's arm sits unused by the door.

"Most interesting," Ophis pulls a large lens from a pocket and examines the spider closely, "There are unusual Essence patterns that surround this, particularly around the probes..." he taps the spikes that the device drives into the spines of its victims.

"They are currently being utilized by a cult that owes its allegiance to the Dead." Venia says, "I suspect that explains it, if not the mechanics of such."

"Ah... of course," he returns to his minute examination of the spider. "These will not be easy to replicate. There are sighs of Essence-use in its construction, and some parts are made from soulsteel." He looks up and smiles thinly, "The Scarlet Empress and the Immaculate Order have, in their wisdom, proscribed any use of that metal within the Realm."

"I would imagine your skill is up to the task. And, if you so desire, I have no doubt that a summer home or an isolated workshop somewhere closer to civilization can be produced."

"That will not be necessary," Ophis gestures dismissively, "I was merely noting that any attempt at replication will be more difficult than I had initially thought. I enjoy a challenge." Ophis grins wolfishly at that, an expression his face is unaccustomed to.

"Mrm, excellent. I would, to be honest, suggest you keep this little discovery to yourself, or at least as a prototype. I have some more toys that we can talk of later, but... I would prefer to be sure of the provenance of such."

"Of course, of course." He hands the spider back to Venia, and moves to stand very formally, "Very well, in lieu of payment in jade I will accept one of these devices in return for your commission." He bows low, "So says Ledaal Korel Ophis."

Venia returns the bow, and sets about selecting one. She even has a fine wrapping paper for it,folding it up in a little web-pattern and passing it over.

Ophis responds by handing the black lacquer case over to Venia, "Another completed commission, albeit in somewhat unusual circumstances." His smile broadens, "I would appreciate it if word of this... precedent, were not to go beyond these walls."

"Of course. Perhaps we will meet again under more pleasant circumstances. How is your wife?"

"She is very well, in fact we have just discovered that she is with child again," his eyes twinkle, "Our sixth."

"Congratulations are definitely in order!" Venia smiles. "It seems you have more than one skill worthy of renown. However, I imagine the best gift I can give you it to let you on your way."

"My thanks," he nods, "And again. Although the tides mean that I cannot leave until the morning, but I intend to spend that time in civilised surroundings, aboard my own yacht."

"I would make a terrible show of myself in hopes for boarding, but I have a hostile takeover to mastermind. Despite my inclinations, I should spend a last night here in preparations."

"Of course," one of Ophis' guards moves to the door, opens it, "I wish you luck in your endeavour, Lady Venia, and for the future, also."

"I shall endeavor not to need it."