| Logs |
2020 May 20
| Goblin Town |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
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| Realms: Goblin Town Logs |
I Am Not Merely Human
Earlier that same day, back on Coblyn, Cinnamon and Spice are working hard to figure out their side of this conspiracy equation. They intend to try, in the Irish Boston bank, to get to the account that's been dumping money into, and matches restaurant times with, Moustapha's Nigerian account. From there they want to get a) the name or a signature record for the account, and b) the number on the account that the money is dumping to -- which should hopefully be Moustapha's 'local' account.
However, it's only a few hours later that Spice grins triumphantly, "We could own this bank!" She holds up a hand at Cinnamon's startled blink, still grinning as she adds, "Scruples, of course, are going to keep us from doing that. But gotta confess I'm pretty amused about the shoddy security on this place!" As Spice feeds the relevant data to Cinnamon, the little dragon has no trouble whatsoever in locating the appropriate account information -- this is practically an embarrassment of riches! The address listed on the account is actually an address in Ireland, and the owner's listed name is Sinead Fianna. The deposits are mostly in cash, as are many of the withdrawals -- in fact, most of the large ones are cashier's checks. The two women immediately track down those canceled checks -- and find a run-of-the-mill Bank of America account in the name of Michael Okafor. They definitely get the account number, but as Spice warns Cinnamon, hacking into BoA is a little harder than getting into a small neighborhood bank!
Cinnamon nods, frowning as she notes all the information down! Then she thinks for a bit... then gets a grim look on her face. Turning to Spice, she says, "Spice, can you do something... so that at a particular time and date, all the money in this account -- except for maybe $100, so we don't have to worry about account closing notifications -- will dump into the Nigerian account... and then right after that, all the money except for a pittance in that account will dump into another account -- one that you can set up somewhere... here in Boston, maybe? As far as I'm concerned, I want to effectively trap these two jerks here in Boston -- right before we call a council meeting to reveal them!"
Spice tilts her head thoughtfully, then nods, "Sure, I can do that on the local account -- I don't think there's any sort of account activity notifications on it, and the bank really is a small neighborhood bank." She waves a hand as she adds, "Some of these strongly one-nationality areas will have local banks -- just the one branch, you know? This is one of those." She grins, then adds, "As for dumping into the Nigerian account and then spilling all of that into another account... well, I'd actually suggest we set it up as a Swiss or Caymans account instead... 'cause that much money going into a US account will ring all sorts of alarm bells!"
Cinnamon nods grimly, "Do it, then, if you think you can safely. I want to keep us safe first and foremost -- because we know these jerks are murderers!" Spice grins and nods happily, getting to work with a will! In the meantime, Cinnamon brings up google maps -- she wants to see where in Ireland this address is, and ask Shane (when he arrives for dinner) if it's near the Trod of the Holly. While she's at it, in fact, she also checks how long a flight from NYC to Dublin takes.
Hmm... looks like about 6 hours. Shane said Quinn, his dad, got really ill over the Atlantic, halfway through the trip. So three hours in a small, enclosed, metal tube is all it takes... which means that perhaps Jaeger can most likely get to Coblyn in a day trip, taking breaks on the way -- since it's only five hours by car. Excellent! So, a day for him to travel and a day to recover is two days... and when Thorn and Erin arrive with Shane for dinner, she'll ask Thorn if Erin's gotten any ETAs on Jaeger's arrival from Nach yet.
So, what else needs doing... with the help of the others, in about a day Cinnamon can write all this information up as a clear presentation -- she's done quite a few financial malfeasance reports by now, after all! Then they can all go present it to Elias, so he'll hopefully help in convincing Caradog to announce a Council meeting regarding the attack on the Trod of the Elm... though she's going to be careful to say nothing to the king yet about knowing who's responsible! She doesn't want that information to leak out any earlier than necessary... the longer they can keep these horrible perpetrators unsuspecting of discovery, the better, after all!
It's as she's noting down her questions for the others that it hits Cinnamon: this is clearly an Irish person working with Moustapha... but where's the potential councilor they'd been expecting? Cinnamon pauses, absently nibbling on her lower lip as she considers. Well... on the other hand, this explains Iason's prophecy quite clearly, even if they don't yet have the guilty councilor: it appears Cinnamon's very early guesses regarding Branigan's death being somehow linked might actually be correct! The young dragon sighs, and hopes Shane's not too upset... and then Spice laughs triumphantly, "Got 'em!"
Cinnamon startles, glancing over at Spice and pushing her glasses back, "Er... what?"
Spice grins wickedly, linking her fingers together and stretching her arms as she smugly explains, "Guess who just got into... BoA?!" Cinnamon squeaks excitedly, sliding over on the sofa to look, and Spice lets the data roll! That keeps Cinnamon happily busy for a while -- though she looks up when Spice excitedly adds, "Cinnamon, there are some deposits here that don't match up to the Sinead Fianna account -- they're coming from another innocuous BB&T account. The owner's name is... John Ganbold?"
Cinnamon nods and plugs Ganbold into google... then blinks in fascination, "Ganbold... is a Mongolian name?!" She blinks thoughtfully as she types a bit... then squeaks excitedly again! "Wow, it's like the most common Mongolian surname ever -- like John Smith is here!" She pauses... then quickly plugs in Okafor as well. "Oh, wow -- Okafor is Nigerian! It's Igbo, and means 'born on Afor'... which is apparently one of the days of the Igbo week." She looks up at Spice, her eyes wide as she whispers, "...Qadan?!" then grins excitedly, "Awesome! We're narrowing in for sure!"
Shane takes Thorn's news of where Niamh is staying and notes down the street address. He still manages to maintain the stoner skater facade all the way back to where he has the Lyft drop them off a block or three down from Coblyn. Once they're back on Coblyn, however, he pulls off the hat and shrugs out of the flannel -- immediately looking more like himself. Dmitry, however, keeps his head down and stays close to the half-beansidhe and the mage/healer. Shane is also uncharacteristically dour when they guys get back and knock on the door.
Inside, Cinnamon jumps slightly at the firm, almost irritated sounding knock! She blinks, rising and pushing her glasses up as she patters over towards the door and cautiously calls, "Who's there, please?" Spice also jumps, while Josie is immediately on her feet, gently stopping Cinnamon from getting too close to the door.
Shane's voice is tight as he says, "It's Shane." Dmitry has shifted so he's turned partially toward the street in a guarding pose.
Cinnamon squeaks excitedly, "Oh! Awesome -- come in, come in quick, please! Spice and I have just discovered some amazing stuff!" She unlocks the door, waves everyone hastily in, then steps back as Josie firmly closes and re-locks the door... even as she, Spice, and Josie all start their excited gabble of information all at once, "You will not believe what Spice was able to do...!" and "Holy crap, dudes, you're never going to guess who our killer councilor is...!" and "Cinnamon, it's really hard to guard you when you keep jumping in front of me...!" and "Sorry, sorry -- j-just... oh, wow, wow! Wait till you hear...!"
Thorn enters with Shane and Dmitry. He's visibly unsettled, but will let Shane give the answers as to whom Moustapha was meeting with... especially since this hits so close to home for Shane. The medic is a bit taken by surprise, however, at all the talking at once. It reassures him, actually; it cheers him up and improves his mood somewhat. Shane also relaxes a bit, since it sounds like the women got a lot done. He's still not his normal easygoing, deceptively relaxed self... but some of the tension has gone out of his shoulders. Dmitry simply smiles and moves to sit in the area he's been wont to occupy recently. He seems a bit tired.
Spice grins at the looks on the men's faces, "No, we've not overdosed on Monster, but holy fuck do we have good- er... OK, not good news -- but helpful news!" She turns to Cinnamon and makes an 'after-you' gesture, "Take it away, boss lady!"
Cinnamon beams nervously, almost wringing her hands together with excitement, "Uh, uh... ok! So, um... okay, so we figured out who Moustapha is seeing at the restaurant, and now we have her 'bank' name which is Sinead Fianna and her address which is in Ireland and I wrote it down to find out if it's where the Trod of the Holly are or not, Shane -- don't worry!" Shane's brows go up at the name Sinead Fianna and he smirks slightly, even as Cinnamon continues in the same breath, "-and also we found out who else is paying Moustapha as well as his Boston account where he goes by Michael Okafor and the other person is going by John Ganbold which we plugged into google, where we found out it is like the totally most common last name ever! -in..." she pauses only long enough to take a deep breath, her gaze flickering with anxious excitement from person to person, "Mongolia!" In the moment of silence that follows that pronouncement, she adds, "It's Moustapha, maybe Killian's get... and Qadan. Isn't it."
Shane sighs, "It is. It has to be. Qadan has a small retinue here, but they aren't exactly the sort to go outside his wishes -- unlike Killa's lot, who'll do what they think he wants... which is apparently not always what he actually wants." Glancing at Cinnamon, he adds, "Also we did see a member of the Trod of the Holly -- that's who was with Moustapha at the restaurant." He frowns, "So we've got a John Smith from Mongolia and we've got a Jane Deer from Ireland. Guess that's close enough to Jane Doe."
Cinnamon grins nervously, "Uhm, is that... good?" She darts over, picking up her notebook and reading the address aloud, then looking up at Shane, "Is that... the right locale?"
"That was Moustapha's dinner partner," Thorn provides. "Shane identified her as 'Niamh' from the Trod of the Holly. She lives off of Coblyn street." He looks to Shane. "I saw her brushing up against a lot of people, and it seemed to energize her. Do you know what she might have been doing?"
"Oh!" Cinnamon brightens as Thorn speaks, adding, "Also, Thorn, do you have any ETA yet from Erin regarding Jaeger's arrival here?"
Thorn nods to Cinnamon, "Yes, about a day and a half more and he'll be here."
Cinnamon nods slowly, her eyes narrowed in thought as she murmurs, "So... one day for the report. Give it to Elias that evening, then go to Caradog. Ask for the Council meeting for... evening of the next day should do it." She grins excitedly at everyone, "Got it! So is that address near the Trod of the Holly, Shane?"
Shane looks at the address and his brows draw together, "Honestly? I'm not sure. I know my trod keeps a mailing address in Galway and one in Dublin." He thinks for a moment, "Can you get me a map of Ireland? West coast, specifically."
"Sure!" Cinnamon almost scampers over to her little laptop, bringing up the map Shane requested and holding it out to him, "Here! Does this work?" She adds thoughtfully, "So Niamh is Killian's daughter then? That's his eldest child, though not his heir, according to Aisling." She glances over at the tired-looking Dmitry... then looks to Josie and murmurs, "Jo, please? Could you make some nice hot drinks for us all? Maybe... maybe get out the good cocoa we found?" Josie nods and gets out said cocoa, then starts heating up some milk.
Shane nods, then scans the map until he finds the name of the town, "Claremorris. That's close enough for government work." He raises his head, adding, "Yes, she is. She's Killian's eldest, but she isn't the heir. Eventually she'll marry someone powerful. Probably to make a political alliance. Or hell, for money."
Cinnamon sighs and nods at Shane's verification, closing her laptop as she considers, then asks, "So what was she doing, brushing up against people like Thorn described?" She pauses at a sudden thought... then nods slowly, "Ah. Qadan... the one councilor who so disdains the sidhe that he openly wears iron bands. Yes, I could see him being willing to murder them, if he cares so little."
Shane nods, jaw set. Shane, relaxed, is about the most welcoming person you can imagine. Shane, apparently angry... isn't. It's easier now to recognize why the bad actors on Coblyn don't want to cross him. He sighs, "She's not exactly a vampire, but she does pick up little bits and pieces of energy. She still has to eat and drink and sleep... but what she does helps her need less of those things and a longer time between them. Think of her as using them as human Red Bulls."
Cinnamon winces at that, her voice worried, "Does she... does it harm the humans?"
Shane shakes his head, "No, not really -- or, at least, I don't think so. I've not seen anyone actually harmed by it, anyway. Aisling would know better how it works."
Thorn comments darkly, "Based on how cheerfully they were chatting about the attack on the trod -- in subtle turns of phrase and carefully couched statements -- it sounds like she's a chip off the old block."
Cinnamon blinks thoughtfully at Thorn, "Chatting... cheerfully? Oh, interesting! From what you're saying, then... they don't yet realize the attack was a failure!"
Dmitry says quietly, "I do not think you could say complete failure. There were many dead."
Cinnamon glances guiltily over at Dmitry, "I'm sorry, Dmitry -- I don't mean to be flippant! It's just, if I understood correctly, everyone there was supposed to be killed, right? With, like, maybe only five left alive? And if that's right... then at the very least Moustapha and, er... Sinead didn't get what they wanted accomplished, right?" She adds quietly, "Everyone... that lived there, at least?"
Dmitry nods, "The brief was to kill everyone possible and leave maybe a half-dozen to carry the story... and even that half-dozen were not meant to be unscathed."
Cinnamon nods slowly, "So... is it just me, or would the two perps chatting happily about it maybe seem to indicate that they don't yet know what really happened?"
Dmitry says, "It was not a complete success, but they should know by now what happened... and a partial success is not a failure."
Shane nods, "For a trod, that's quite a few dead... and elves of the various stripes don't reproduce much."
Dmitry adds, "It was not a complete success, but I think this Moustapha may have had radio communication long enough to know there were some dead."
Shane adds dryly, "And knowing him, the fact that the strike team ended up dying just means one less loose end."
Cinnamon smiles uncertainly, "Well... okay." She glances around at everyone there, adding, "So, do we have any other questions to answer? If not, I'm going to get to work on starting the report. I'll want to ask all of you to help on different bits, too. Is that okay?"
Thorn nods, "Of course!" The others nod and agree as well.
Shane adds, "I'm going to let Aisling know Niamh is in town." His lips quirk a little, "They don't exactly get on."
Josie almost growls, "They are evil people and I hope their evils turn against them!" Which is possibly the closest the fairly gentle wolf-shifter can come to saying, 'I hope they die!'
Dmitry reaches to lay a hand lightly on Cinnamon, "But I do think if they seem cheerful about it, they believe it was more successful than it was. I believe they will be surprised at Jaeger's appearance."
Cinnamon blinks a bit startledly at Dmitry... then smiles a bit shakily at him, "Oh, good! I just... I didn't want you to think I was, like... like making light of your friends' deaths or anything, you know?" She thanks Josie with relief when the werewolf comes around with thick, rich hot chocolates for everyone. She tells everyone to make themselves comfortable, then settles down again in front of her laptop. She sets an alarm for about three or four hours, so she won't accidentally work through the night, then pulls up her usual template for work reports... and begins typing out this, the most recent -- and ugliest! -- financial malfeasance presentation she's going to have to give.
As she settles, Dmitry says thoughtfully, "They... were not my friends. They were my co-workers. I have not had friends in many years."
Cinnamon blinks at Dmitry again... then nods, "I can understand that. I haven't either." Her small smile as she glances around the room is almost shy, "It's... kind of new and wonderful and strange to me... to finally have friends!" Shane produces a small flask and puts a splash of something into his cocoa. He offers the flask around. Spice takes a little splash as well. Thorn declines; he's not really one for alcohol. He blinks to Cinnamon, then smiles quietly and raises his mug to her. Around the room, mugs are lifted and a few things murmured that sound like short toasts. Cinnamon beams at that, shyly raising her mug as well -- though her eyes sparkle with happiness!
Only a few minutes later, however, the little dragon looks up abruptly as she's typing, "Oh! Also, peeps? Until it's time for the council, I'm going to hide out here... because if I stumble across either Moustapha or Qadan on Coblyn..." she sighs, her expression wry, "I don't want to give everything away, you know? I am a terrible liar! Anyone else who wants to can hide out here too, of course." She smiles at Thorn as she adds, "If you get news that Jaeger wants to speak with me or anything like that, he's welcome to be brought over to visit, okay?"
Thorn nods to Cinnamon, "I imagine Jaeger will be staying at Marcus's house, but I'll let him know your door is open for him."
Shane chuckles, "I've had a few years of not giving much away. I'll be the runner if needs be."
Josie scowls, "I'm staying here."
Cinnamon nods gratefully to Shane! -then grins teasingly at the fiercely scowling Josie, "Oh, wow, is it that awful, staying here?!"
Josie goes pink in the ears and Spice laughs, patting the wolf-shifter's thigh, "Don't look so growly! It'll be a sleepover with a side order of vengeance later!" That actually makes Josie laugh.
Cinnamon giggles along with Josie -- then abruptly sits up, "Oh! Oh, I'm a dope -- I almost forgot!" Glancing at Thorn, she adds, "Tell them about... about the prophecy, please, even though we can't say who?"
Thorn grows serious, nodding soberly. "Without going into who told us," he says, putting his mug down momentarily, "one of the things we learned is that we will find the person responsible for killing Shane's father, and who killed Liam. But we'll find them... in Ireland." He then recites the prophecy as he remembers it from Iason, without saying it was Iason who gave it to them. He concludes: "I don't want to say we'll find our answers in the Trod of the Holly, but... I think it's a good bet."
Shane nods slowly, "That... actually sounds like someone in the Trod of the Rowan might have something do to with it. Inside man, and all that."
Cinnamon grins a bit trepidatiously at Spice and Dmitry, "So would you two both be willing to come along, please? I mean, it's up to you... but we think it'd help fulfill the prophecy?"
Spice growls, "Just try to stop me!"
Dmitry nods gravely, "As she says."
Cinnamon sighs in relief, relaxing, "Awesome -- thanks so much, peeps!"
After that things settle into a comfortable, cozy pleasantness that Cinnamon is completely unfamiliar with... but finds enormously emotionally satisfying! Josie goes to make some dinner with Spice's help... Thorn and Shane chat quietly together about the prophecy... Dmitry rests and occasionally comments as well. Cinnamon doesn't realize what the really happy/blissful feeling she's got inside is, though... mostly because she doesn't realize what having loving family around you actually feels like. It's as she's taking a break that she looks up and sees Dmitry quietly watching her. She smiles, then quietly -- so as to not interrupt the other conversations happening around the room -- asks him, "Dmitry, do you remember your fortune from the zmei?"
Dmitry smiles back. It's not a pleasant expression only because of the scarring, but it's friendly enough, "My fortune as my mother told it to me... and I apologize because it sounds more poetic in the original tongue... was that I would walk the earth until I had died three times and that I would find a holy woman and help to crown a king."
Cinnamon blinks thoughtfully at that, "Really? Wow, I think it sounds plenty poetic!" Curiously she adds, "Have you... died before? Like, while, um... while mercenarying? Er... is that even a word?" She grins a bit sheepishly, muttering to herself, "Should be!" She hastily adds in explanation, "Um, I mean before the time at the trod?"
Dmitry smiles, "I was technically dead for two minutes at one point, but we had a defibrillator and I came back. The only aftereffects were a very bad headache and an extremely grumpy Dmitry."
Cinnamon blinks startledly, then giggles in spite of herself! She hastily covers her mouth, "Sorry! Sorry, I wasn't laughing at you -- I was laughing at the 'grumpy Dmitry' phrase!" She grins as she adds, "So only one death to go?" She pauses, then adds more dryly, "Wait. I... guess that sounds awful when you put it that way. Sorry, again!"
Dmitry laughs quietly, so as not to bother those that are dozing, "Are you counting what happened at the trod as a death?"
Cinnamon tilts her head thoughtfully, "Ma-aaybe? Well... yes, actually? Because... didn't the old you sort of die? Like, you said you had a religious epiphany, right?"
Dmitry considers, then murmurs, "I had not thought of it that way. I will have to think on it." Cinnamon smiles, obscurely pleased that she's given Dmitry something interesting to think about!
Later, when Shane pauses next to Cinnamon with a plate of dinner for her, she glances up a bit absently... then beams and thanks him for the food! As she's shifting back her laptop she gets a curious expression... then looks up at Shane and asks quietly, "Hey, Shane? If it's not rude to ask... are you Catholic? I mean, was that a rosary you were holding at the trod vigil?"
Shane blinks, then grins, "Not rude at all. No, I'm not Catholic. I'm not Christian in any way. They are prayer beads, but they don't have a cross on them and I wasn't praying the Hail Mary or the Our Father. My mom was sort of neopagany -- or so I thought... and no beansidhe I know would touch Christianity with someone else's hand."
Cinnamon giggles at the 'someone else's hand' comment! Then she blinks interestedly, "Cool! So they're prayer beads to... what, a Celtic deity or something?"
Dmitry laughs quietly, as if something about that last bit is particularly funny. Shane nods, "They are. To Brigid."
Cinnamon grins happily at Shane, "Neat! I'll have to look her up later." She turns her happy grin to Dmitry, adding, "What's so funny?"
Dmitry chuckles, "I am laughing because of something crude." He clears his throat, "That particular phrase I have normally heard as: 'I would not fuck them with someone's else's dick.'"
Cinnamon blinks thoughtfully at that... and then as the meaning registers, she squeaks startledly, her hands flying up to her abruptly scarlet cheeks, "Oh! I, uh... oh, uh, right! Right, I was just, um... working, yes! B-back to work...!" The bright blush takes a while to fade, though her embarrassed typing is a hasty and staccato frenzy!
Some time later, Cinnamon hmms thoughtfully to herself as she nibbles at her dinner and types -- she should likely give Jaeger the appropriated monies for the trod of the Elm before the big council meeting. She nods to herself, making a note... then goes still at another thought. Spice called Cinnamon the idea person... but it was actually Spice who'd both come up with the idea to give some money to the trod, and done all the work to get it! Further, while Cinnamon had come up with the idea for healing Jaeger, it was Thorn who actually implemented the idea... and Jaeger had thanked only Thorn. Cinnamon nods slowly to herself. Clearly, then, it is Spice, not she herself, who should present the money to Jaeger!
Cinnamon looks up and says, "Spice? It was you that did all the work and had the idea, so... I'm thinking it's only fair to have you be the one to present the money to Jaeger, right?" She grins, rather pleased that she had the idea to save off the monies from the accounts of the actual conspirators. That amount, she thinks, should definitely go to the Trod of the Rowan, once everything has been settled regarding Killian and the conspirators!
Spice looks up from where she's been showing Josie some pictures of places Spice herself has traveled. She arches a brow and says, "I'm the grunt here, Cinnamon. You give him the money. Or we all give it to him together. It was a group effort."
Cinnamon tilts her head thoughtfully at Spice, "...grunt? Like... a common soldier? But... you're not, really? Though... I like the idea of a group giving! Want to do that, then?"
Spice grins, "Slang. I did the grunt work. I dug up the ore and you refined it. And common soldiers are important." She motions at her jacket, "My dad wore that."
Cinnamon nods slowly -- Spice is talking about areas of knowledge about which the little dragon knows nothing... but if Cinnamon's learned anything in her few years of life, it's that having someone micromanage is a real PITA! So after a moment of thought she nods more enthusiastically, "OK! That's fair -- because we all worked together!" She goes back to her dinner then, pleased that everyone's going to get their justly-deserved credit.
About an hour or so later, as Cinnamon is finishing up for the night, she realizes she should also let everyone know she intends to have the Council meeting at night. She looks up and says quietly, "Hey, folks? It occurs to me that, um, there will likely be some unhappy people at the council meeting? So I was thinking of saying that I want it held at night... because that way, even if there's some, um... argument -- like, you know, fisticuffs or something? Well... that way Elias won't be in any danger... even if someone trips over his chair or something!"
Around the room, people nod. Shane especially says, "That's smart. Elias goes out of his way to make it easier for the rest of the council. I think once in a while he needs to have his needs taken into account."
Spice's brows go up and she says, "Elias?" Josie blinks, realizing that they've been here for days and no one has talked about Elias to Spice.
Cinnamon brightens at Shane's comment, "Yes! I said that to him too, but he just brushed it off! I don't know why people haven't insisted on treating him more decently!" She adds in explanation to Spice, "Elias is a very nice vampire -- we don't want him to get hurt!"
Spice says, "Nice... vampire?" She doesn't seem completely bowled over, though. After all, she's in a room with a dragon, a mage, a half-elf, and a wolf shifter.
Dmitry's voice is solemn, "Because the truly compassionate people do not think to put themselves forward, and the people to whom they are being compassionate rarely think to pull them forward."
Cinnamon brightens again as she turns to Dmitry, "Yes, that's it exactly! I was really surprised none of the other councilors -- on either side -- hadn't insisted for him too!" She deflates a bit as she adds more shyly, "So, um, I... I sort of... well, thought... I might do it? Maybe? I mean... if it's not rude?"
Josie snorts, "The only problem you'll have is convincing Elias to discommode someone else."
Shane grins a bit and then looks at Cinnamon, "Let her meet him herself. I like watching people's faces upon first experience of Elias."
Cinnamon blinks at Shane, "Wha- er, who? Oh, do you mean Spice?" She pauses... then laughs! "Oh, you fink! Were you enjoying yourself at my expense when you introduced us?!" She shakes her head in amusement, "Man, I was so petrified... if he'd even gone, 'boo!' I think the last you'd have seen of me would be my back as I fled screaming down the street!" She giggles at that image in spite of herself.
Shane smiles, "Mostly I was concerned about him -- Liam's death had caused me to be a little hyper-vigilant there -- and you were showing up at his house smelling of garlic and in the daylight."
Cinnamon laughs with a hint of embarrassment, "Oh, yeah -- I didn't get much in the way of warning! All I knew was I was supposed to give a box to a vampire-" she grins as she rolls her eyes, "shock number two, there... shock number one was when I accidentally breathed fire! Oh, and the initial call to head this way? Just about drove me to distraction! Could not figure what was up with that... until I just gave up in tears and started following it. Oh, and then, as I'm walking down this strange street... I abruptly realize I'm in the Goblin Market of the classic poem... and the first person I walk into -- nearly literally! -- is Ivan!" Cinnamon grins in relaxed reminiscence, "Well... I like to think I got better, over time?" She smiles slowly as she glances around at everyone, her voice quiet as she adds, "Totally worth it, though..."
Spice is looking around the room as names are tossed about. Shane chuckles, "And after Vanya, you encountered Cronan."
Cinnamon laughs! "Well, yes... but I barely registered him, honestly. I mean, I nearly got yanked off my feet, and then there's this really pretty guy going, 'you okay?'" She giggles, her cheeks flushing, "I think it took three repetitions on poor Shane's part before my brain kicked back into gear!"
Josie giggles a little bit as Shane sort of clears his throat at being called really pretty. Spice chuckles as well. Shane explains to Dmitry and Spice, "One of our local troublemakers tried to snatch her purse and I stopped him." He shrugs, "It's my job."
Cinnamon grins with quiet happiness at Shane, "Silly... you do it because you think it's the right thing to do, from what I've heard! You wouldn't take the job of sheriff!"
Shane smiles, "It being my job and it being a job for which I'm paid is different."
Spice holds up a hand, "OK. So... when do we meet Elias?"
Cinnamon sighs happily, "Tomorrow, I think! I've think I'll be done with this report by about noonish tomorrow? So hopefully over lunch I'll present it to you all, and you're all to be real nitpicky, please, to make it a better report... and then once we're done... it's off to see the wizard! -or vampire, in this case." She giggles, adding, "We haven't got lions and tigers and bears, but we've got werewolves and wizards and dragons! Think that'll do, with Spice as Dorothy?!" She adds with a perfectly straight face to Josie, "Unless you'd rather be Toto?" -- then ruins it by bursting into a gale of giggles! A moment later Cinnamon hops up and trots over to hug Josie warmly, "Sorry, sorry -- just a silliness attack due to nerves! We'll all be great either way, I'm sure!"
Spice snorts, "I have only worn ruby slippers once and that was for a burlesque class."
Shane nods, "Tomorrow will be soon enough... and give me time to let Elias know he'll have visitors." Cinnamon beams at her friends and thanks them for being there... and then closes her laptop down for the night. She knows those who wish to stay already know they are welcome, and those who wish to go know they can return any time, after all.
Cinnamon does, in fact, swiftly complete the report the next day -- she's had several years of practice in doing these, after all, and this one is relatively straightforward, compared to some of the labyrinthine tangles she's been handed at her 'official' job. Lunch is a relaxed affair, therefore, as she sets up a drink of water next to her laptop, settled so she can see it easily -- then has everyone seat themselves as if they're an audience for her. She gives the report clearly and concisely, making sure to hit all the high points which led to the next clue -- she wants to make sure the conspiracy is revealed and obvious to everyone when she presents this to the councilors. Once she's done, she checks: how was it? Did they all understand all of it, or was there any confusions whatsoever?
The consensus is that it makes sense. Shane is especially sure to chime in that it makes sense to him. After all, data mining and collating is not his forte. Cinnamon gives a small but happy cheer at that! She finishes her lunch, packs up her laptop, then grins as she announces, "And now... we're off to see the vampire!" Spice quietly asks Josie if there's anything she should be aware of -- Shane had mentioned garlic, after all. Josie assures the hacker that as long as she doesn't emit sunlight or throw holy water on Elias, she'll be fine.
Shane has already let Elias know he'll be having company, so the half-beansidhe knocks on the vampire's door and calls out that they're there, giving Elias time to be in the other room before opening the door and ushering people in. Spice has a slightly wide-eyed expression, as if she's expecting something out of a movie. When she steps into Elias' sitting room, however, she stops and blinks, "This looks like my Nana's house..."
Cinnamon giggles and nods, "I know, right?! Wait till you see him!" She goes and starts setting up her laptop so she can face the comfortable chair Elias usually sits in. She figures Elias, being who he is, will likely provide drinks for everyone... and she'll have that to hand while doing the presentation again.
Just as Cinnamon finishes her comment regarding waiting until Spice sees him, Elias comes through the door, carrying his large tea tray. The cups are already out, but he's got the teapot on the tray, along with what smell like blueberry scones. He's wearing normal Elias clothes, and Spice is looking at him almost in perplexity. After all, so far this guy looks like a pale but normal second-grade teacher in a paisley shirt and simple slacks. It's only when he looks around and smiles at his friends that Elias's nature shows through. Spice -- who thought she was pretty inured to the unusual -- exclaims, "Holy fuck!" with huge eyes at the mouthful of fangs he displays.
Cinnamon startles at the exclamation... then grins wryly, "Spice, please meet Elias, a good friend." She adds almost proudly, "Elias, this is Spice... who may call herself a grunt, but has been invaluable!" Cinnamon beams, feeling oddly pleased at being able to introduce friends who don't know each other yet. It feels somewhat like... like being able to make the world a nicer place? She cheerfully hands out the teacups while Elias and Spice exchange pleasantries.
Elias, having been warned there would be a new face, chuckles at Spice's expression, "Mmm, let me guess: you were expecting something more like either Lestat or Alucard?" His soft Slavic accent is perhaps the only thing (other than the teeth) that's like a stereotypical vampire. He sets the tray down and closes his lips to give Spice a slightly less alarming smile, "It's my pleasure, Spice."
Spice flushes and clears her throat, "Well... I didn't expect..."
Elias chuckles, "Apparently no one expects me. It's OK, child. I'm pleased you could help with Cinnamon's project. It's important to me." As he says that, there's another knock at the door.
Cinnamon grins as she murmurs under her breath, "Noooobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!" Then, at the knock, she glances over curiously, "Oh, did we interrupt something, Elias?"
Elias shakes his head, "Not at all." He looks at Shane, "Could you..." Shane nods and gets up to answer the door. It's very reminiscent of the first time Cinnamon was here and meeting the councilors. The person at the door turns out to be Aisling.
Cinnamon blinks, then looks at Elias, "Did you invite folks over to hear this?"
Elias shakes his head and Shane looks over his shoulder inquiringly at Cinnamon. Aisling calls over Shane's shoulder, "Just bringing news from home! Should I come back?"
Cinnamon says, "Oh, okay. Oh! No, that's fine! -er, if you don't mind us hearing it?"
Aisling smiles, "Not a bit!" Shane nods and lets Aisling through. The beansidhe looks around and ahhs, "New faces!" She moves to introduce herself to Spice and Dmitry.
Spice looks curiously back and forth between Aisling and Shane, and Shane explains, "Distant cousin. Same trod."
Spice nods and says to Aisling, "Spice. Cinnamon's, uhm... did we decide on assistant?"
Josie giggles and nods, "Retainer sounds old-fashioned."
Cinnamon grins at Spice, her voice firm, "Friend!"
Dmitry stands and bows over Aisling's hand, earning him a smile and: "Why, aren't you the gentleman...!" Cinnamon watches with interest, wondering how Dmitry will introduce himself... and wonders also what the news from the trod of the Rowan is! She's becoming more interested in it now that she knows both that it's Shane's trod, and she and friends will be visiting there!
Dmitry straightens, "I am Dmitry. Let us say that I am working off a debt."
The fact that his face is scarred doesn't seem to faze Aisling; neither does the explanation -- she takes it in stride, as if it's a normal thing to say. Then she looks around the room, "I'm interrupting, aren't I? I just saw Shane duck in and thought I'd let him know the news." Her eyes light up as she says, "There's going to be a baby! You won't be the youngest anymore!" Spice looks curious at this. After all, Shane has to be at least 18... maybe 20. Spice wouldn't guess Shane is actually almost thirty.
Cinnamon blinks... then brightens, "Oh, congratulations to you both, then -- that's unusual for a trod, right?"
Aisling grins, "Very! Shane's been the youngest for a long time -- and the next-youngest is sixty-three."
Cinnamon laughs, moving over to hug both Shane and Aisling, "In that case, very best wishes to the baby and the new parents! Who are they? Anyone we've heard of? Also, what's the proper response? Do folks go visit, or send a letter, or what?"
Shane and Aisling both hug her back and Aisling says, "The baby should be here by midwinter. Very auspicious. It depends on the trod and the people. Growing up in the trod means the child won't want for food or shelter. Most people give a gift that's unique to them or a promise of a favor to the child in future."
Cinnamon nods thoughtfully, "Is it okay for folks from outside the trod to offer a gift?" She knows she's going to be there soon -- this will likely make excellent cover, if so!
Aisling nods, "Oh, that happens regularly." She laughs, "Shane's gifts were a little late, but they got showered on him once he showed up. The swords he's got were a gift from our weaponsmith, and he's got promises from at least a dozen people still to call in."
Shane laughs and shrugs, "No one had a way of knowing I was born. Though Saoirse seemed to know..."
Cinnamon smiles at that -- she thinks it's charming! She waits until Aisling is looking at someone else, though, before she whispers to Shane, "Should I wait, or include her?"
Shane tips his head and whispers back, "She can hear you. It's one of her gifts. Really scary-good hearing." Then he speaks in a normal voice, "I trust her. But we'll double-down." He turns to Aisling and looks at her intently, "Ash, can you promise me that nothing you hear in this room will be passed on until after the next council meeting?"
That makes Aisling arch both brows, but she replies, "I can tell you that." Then she looks impish, "I'll even say 'I promise not to leak whatever's going on here until after the council meeting.'" Cinnamon watches solemnly, unaware that her seriousness despite Aisling's humor is a good indicator of how grave this matter is. Aisling looks around the room, making the serious expressions -- and says, "Ah. I swear on the stars and stones that I will not reveal what is said here until I am given leave." She looks intently at Shane as she does it.
Spice leans toward Josie, murmuring, "Damn... I didn't realize Shane could look that intimidating!"
Cinnamon glances expectantly at Shane, and when he nods to her, she smiles ruefully at Aisling, "I apologize for sounding rude and exclusionary, Aisling... but this is about, um... well, about Liam's murder and Jaeger's almost-murder." She hands Aisling a cup of tea, waving her to seat herself by Elias... then takes a deep breath. "Okay! Is everyone ready? Comfortable?" Once everyone nods and Cinnamon gets the go-ahead, she does so. Her delivery this time is crisper and more polished -- it's clear why she wanted to give the presentation more than once, before the actual Council meeting. Once again, she lays things out calmly, precisely, and so that the entire sorry little conspiracy is revealed step by step. Only once she's done does she pause, take another deep breath... then quietly ask Elias and Aisling, "So... did that make sense? Any questions?"
Elias listens with a grave face; Aisling, with growing horror. After all, Branigan was the Chieftain of her trod for hundreds of years. At the end Elias says quietly, "Sadly, it makes much sense. Will it help for me to bring some of the samples Liam sent to me?"
Cinnamon considers for a bit... then simply nods, "The more varied the evidence we have, the less likely anyone will believe this could be just a trumped-up grudge by me." She adds softly to Aisling, "I... I'm sorry to dump this on you so unexpectedly, but... well, we have hopes of settling this issue once and for all, for your trod?"
Aisling nods, face still grim, "It's good to know. Even if it hurts."
Cinnamon nods quietly... then turns to the vampire, "Elias, please? Will you come with me to talk to Caradog? I want to ask for a special council meeting in, um..." she calculates for a moment, then nods once, "in about 48 hours. That'll give Jaeger a day to recover from his trip here, and will be at night... because I'm sorry, but I'm going to insist this meeting happens after dark. I don't want someone upset and ranting and waving their arms around to do something stupid that gets you hurt! Though it's my intention to tell him only that I have some information about the attack on the trod of the Elm that everyone should hear. I don't want to warn the -- the killers ahead of time!"
Elias nods, "I can do that. Though he'd see you on your own. You are, after all, a councilor in your own right."
His voice is gentle and encouraging and Spice leans to Josie to murmur, "He's... he's..."
Shane grins, "He's Mr. Rogers with fangs."
Cinnamon blushes abruptly, staring down at her intertwined fingers as she replies to Elias, "I -- I know that... b-but I... w-well, it -- it's easier w-with... someone else there? P-please?"
Elias is apparently used to the Mr. Rogers comments because he doesn't even blink. Instead he leans over and pats Cinnamon's knee -- though it seems in no way inappropriate or flirtatious, "Of course I'll go with you." He puts his glasses on and asks, "Can I see the screen?" That makes Spice blink again, and makes Shane grin.
Cinnamon gives Elias a grateful smile! -then nods briskly, "Of course!" A moment later she's got the laptop turned around for Elias to see... she's quite relieved she wasn't required to explain her humiliating tea with the king as her actual reason for asking Elias to come with her!
Spice cannot possibly keep her mouth closed at this! "I'm sorry. I just have to ask... why do you need glasses? You're a vampire!"
Elias laughs quietly and smiles at Spice, "Because my close-up vision isn't good. It hasn't been for some centuries. Every species gets old. I am middle-aged and my eyes are not as excellent as they used to be."
Aisling snorts, "But you can still see a nightbird on a branch eighty yards away at night with no moon."
Elias clucks, "I said my close-up vision." He turns to the computers and skims through the information, "Mm. This is sad. Qadan has been councilor for his people for a very long time."
Cinnamon nods silently, watching Elias read for a moment before she murmurs, "We speculated... he's maybe unhappy about what's happening in Mongolia, and not being able to stop the Chinese?" She sighs, adding, "We suspected Jalil too at first... until we realized he wasn't connected with any of the big deposits in Moustapha's accounts. Apparently Moustapha likes making even his own employer uncomfortable... which I would think wouldn't be wise when your boss is a fire elemental!"
Elias sighs, "Moustapha wants everyone but himself to be uncomfortable. It is not a pleasant trait to have." Cinnamon scowls thoughtfully, wondering how old and bored one must be in order to be so mean to others that way.
Aisling sighs, "And Niamh is in town? Joy. Now I have to keep an eye out for her tomfoolery."
Cinnamon says to Aisling, "Actually... should we ask Caradog to have her arrested? She's complicit in the murder and attempted murder of two councilors, after all?"
Aisling considers, "I would. But not until the night of the meeting. It would tip your hand."
Cinnamon nods slowly, "Okay. Thank you."
Aisling sighs and says, "That little..." The next words are in a rolling tongue and it makes Shane snerk and Elias roll his eyes with a chuckle.
Cinnamon smiles uncertainly, but doesn't ask -- she doesn't want to potentially put Aisling on the spot! Instead she turns to Shane, inquiring a bit anxiously, "So if this Niamh person is some sort of trickster... can we talk you into wearing kevlar for the next 48 hours, maybe? Please? Just in case?"
Shane chuckles, "Niamh isn't a trickster. She's just a vicious, conniving, hag of a woman. She's Killian's first-born and she's marinated in his hate for a long time."
Cinnamon says grimly, "Sounds like even more of a reason to wear kevlar for just in case, then?" She glances at the other folks present, hoping some of them will back her up.
Shane nods, "I'll wear kevlar. Promise." He even makes the cross-my-heart motion.
Cinnamon sighs and smiles in relief, "Awesome! In that case," she grins hopefully at Elias, "can we go see Caradog now? Get this in the works and over with as quickly as possible?" She isn't exactly afraid of talking alone to Caradog... but there's a part of her that still equates him, in her head, with obstreperous CEOs she's known!
Elias looks at his watch to check the time, taking it out of the small watch pocket on his slacks, then says, "We can try. He does have things he has to do, but I'd say the two of us asking for an audience will be odd enough to intrigue him."
Cinnamon whews in relief, "Awesome! After all, it's not even that late in the afternoon yet, right? So!" She hastily packs up her laptop, then beams at her friends, "This would totally not have worked at all if it weren't for you peeps -- thank you so much for your help and support! Hopefully we'll have good news soon!" She's almost jittery with relief -- so far things are going swimmingly! She adds with a wry grin, "Also, anyone wanting to duck out of sight for the next 48 hours is welcome to come to my place -- 'cause that's what I'll be doing, so I don't give anything away by accident!"
Aisling says, "I'm going to stay at my own place, I think. I have things I can do to stay secure." She starts to stand, adding, "And I'll have time to prepare." Josie and Spice both say they're going to be staying with Cinnamon. Dmitry and Shane consult and decide that, crowded or not, they're staying there as well.
During all of this, Elias starts to gather together what he calls his 'sunlight rig' to protect himself on the way to the meeting. At one point Spice says, "That's more like what I expected!" Elias' protective garments include a long, heavy coat with a deep hood and a pair of long, kidskin gloves.
Cinnamon beams happily, finding herself inordinately pleased that her friends are willing to stay with her! She checks with Josie, making sure there's enough food and other goods delivered to her home, so everyone will be comfy... then grins ruefully at Spice's comment, "Yeah... makes me worry about him during the day! If this weren't so important, I would totally be waiting until..." She pauses... then blinks, "Actually... Elias, instead of endangering you, why don't I ask Aisling to accompany me? Caradog respects her as much as he respects you, right?" She's a little embarrassed -- how selfish of her not to think of this ahead of time!
Aisling laughs softly, "He respects me, yes. He just doesn't like being reminded about our familial relationship."
Elias says, "I am perfectly well protected in the daytime, Cinnamon, my dear. To get to me, people have to come through the entire house and then down into the cellar... where there is no possible way to expose me to sunlight."
Cinnamon replies dryly, "Not when you're out and about with me, you're not, Elias! -and I don't want to pointlessly endanger you either -- especially not with cold-blooded killers about!"
Elias laughs warmly at Cinnamon, "Yes, yes. Fine. Take Aisling with you."
Cinnamon hmfs at Elias, shaking a finger at him -- without the faintest idea of how diminutively adorable she looks while doing it, "Don't you get yourself hurt by not being careful enough about this, Elias!"
Elias looks at Cinnamon, "How old am I?"
Cinnamon folds her arms and replies firmly, "Old enough to know better!" She nods her head decisively once, then picks up her laptop -- she's ready to go! She adds even more firmly, "I never got to know Liam. You don't get to disappear on me too, Elias!"
Elias laughs quietly, "Yes, dear." He actually moves to hug her. Cinnamon blinks -- then grins shyly and hugs warmly right back! Elias gives good hugs, actually. He pats Cinnamon on the back, "Come back here once you're done, please. I've got a roast in the oven."
Spice leans to murmur to Josie again, which makes Josie laugh, "Ask him. He doesn't actually bite much anymore."
Spice flushes and says, "Do you... eat?"
Elias let his accent get playfully thick, "I do not eat... roast." Then he chuckles and says, "I like to take care of people."
Cinnamon giggles and nods to Spice, "I asked the same question!" She smiles at Elias, "Okay, but not for too long! I don't want to run into Qadan or Moustapha even by accident -- I'm afraid I'll alert them without meaning to, you know?"
Cinnamon happily heads off with Aisling soon thereafter! She's also happy to let Aisling do all the talking to the guards and servitors -- the ancient sidhe knows far better than she how to handle folks like that. The guards on the gate aren't familiar to Cinnamon, but they seem to know Aisling. They send one of the runners ahead to let the seneschal know, so the seneschal can let Caradog know -- and then the guards let the two women in. Aisling murmurs to Cinnamon to be leisurely in her walk. It'll give time for the news of their arrival to get to the king. Cinnamon nods and is happy to slow down a bit. Just to herself she wryly wonders: how do people get anywhere on this ten-mile-long street... and not arrive breathless and sweaty?! The thought makes her giggle internally, even as she surreptitiously wipes her forehead and makes sure her hair isn't all blow-away.
Aisling tends to seem like she's walking completely leisurely no matter where she goes. By the time they reach the doors of the actual palace, it seems they're expected. They're shown not to a dining room or throne room, but to a comfortable sitting room at the back of the palace, looking out onto a gorgeous garden. Cinnamon blinks as she glances around, murmuring to Aisling, "Wow, what a beautiful back yard Caradog has! Does he have, like... nature spirits or something that care for it? Oh! Is that what cares for the pocket park too? That'd make sense, if so -- and explain how beautiful places like this could thrive so in a city!" She makes a mental promise to herself: once everything has calmed down some, she's going to go back to the little pocket park... and just enjoy the lovely outside! Heck, maybe whoever maintains it can help her with windowboxes for her pretty little house!
Aisling smiles, "He has a gardener with a literal green thumb... and someone very like that takes care of the little pocket park." She settles on a settee and tucks her skirts beneath her thighs, leaving plenty of room for Cinnamon. There's another settee, as well as two very comfortable looking chairs with a low table in the center. Cinnamon sits down neatly next to Aisling, still looking around with great curiosity! This is a level of luxury and wealth that she's not at all familiar with, after all... so it's still interesting and new. The room is opulent in a very understated way. That is to say: the furniture is all well made and lovely. The carpet is lush and clean. The decorations are tasteful and beautiful. Nothing looks gaudy.
Not long after Cinnamon has settled, a door opposite the one they used opens and Diarmaid arrives with Caradog. The king is dressed almost casually, in a rather modern fashion. The shirt is like the ones Shane wears, but the trousers are expensive-looking slacks and the shoes are wingtips. His hair is pulled back into a braid and he wears a simple gold circlet, "Ladies. What a pleasure."
Cinnamon cues off of Aisling -- when the sidhe rises gracefully, the little dragon pops right up next to her! Admittedly, Aisling makes all her gestures look relaxed and unhurried, whereas Cinnamon is moving a bit jerkily as she tries to emulate correctly... but she's trying her best to do things right! Caradog comes over and takes Aisling's hand. He bends over it, but doesn't kiss it. She inclines her head and then the king turns to Cinnamon to do the same thing. The little dragon blinks a bit startledly as she's pushing her glasses up -- but then quickly sticks her hand out! She pauses nervously, glancing sideways to see if there are any cues to do something else... then whews slightly as it looks like she's still okay -- no faux pas yet!
Caradog makes a 'please sit' gesture and settles into his own chair. He manages to lounge without looking sloppy as he smiles at the two women. It's a truly gorgeous smile, "How can I help you two lovely ladies?"
Aisling's face is solemn as she says, "Thank you for seeing us on such short notice. We have something to ask, your majesty." She motions for Cinnamon to speak.
Cinnamon nods and smiles in relief to Aisling, then turns to Caradog. Her face is worried as she says, "Your majesty, sir, I have a request for you. Could you please call a Council meeting for about 48 hours from now? I have some news about the attack on the trod of the Elm that I think everyone should know. Also, I'd like it to be at night specifically, because I don't want Elias harmed if someone jumps up and starts shouting at me again." Her request is delivered without a hint of humor or rue -- it doesn't occur to her that her expecting to be shouted at in Council might be odd.
Caradog leans forward curiously and hmms, "Forty-eight hours from now would be in daylight. Do you want to do it tomorrow night or the night after that?"
Cinnamon pauses and thinks that through carefully... then scowls and mutters at herself before she nods once, looking back at Caradog, "I calculated wrong; I'm sorry. Yes, let's make it that evening, instead of that morning, please?"
Caradog nods, "So two days from now, in the evening. We can do that. I must say, I'm pleased to have someone take Elias into account like that. He's an important and respected member of our community." He waves Diarmaid over and speaks with him quietly. The boar-headed captain of the guard nods and leaves. Caradog leans back, crossing his feet at the ankle, "I don't suppose you'd like to tell me the reason you need this meeting called in such short order?"
Cinnamon sighs, looking rueful, "Yeah, I've been told I'm a terrible liar... which means I give things away without meaning to! So better not to do that if I can help it, you know? Sooner is better, for that."
Caradog nods, "I thought not. It's an extraordinary request, but I have seen by your actions that you are not rash despite your youth."
Cinnamon blinks... then blushes in spite of herself! "Er... th-thank you, sir?"
Caradog smiles again and says, "You blush quite fetchingly." He glances at Aisling and says, "I was told there was news from the Trod of the Rowan?"
Cinnamon hastily looks down at her clasped hands -- she's quite aware her cheeks are now flaming hot! She's incredibly relieved Aisling is there too, to draw the king's attention away from her on occasion! Aisling discusses the coming child with cheerful enthusiasm, "They were quite surprised when they found out, but very excited, obviously. His wife is absolutely thrilled that he's going to be a father. I suspect she'll spoil the child rotten and be just like a second mam."
Cinnamon is only half listening... but after a moment she blinks confusedly. How very strange! Did Aisling just imply that... the wife wasn't the one giving birth? Or... oh! Must be a surrogate mother, that's it. She can ask Aisling more about it later, too. Interesting, though! She hadn't realized the sidhe were that technologically advanced... or wait -- that's dumb! They must've done it with magic, of course! Cinnamon smiles as she pushes her glasses into place. Either way, babies are awful cute!
The rest of the conversation is idle and Caradog eventually excuses himself due to a previous engagement. He rises and bows over both women's hands before leaving. They're shown back to the front door and Aisling is just as laconic in her stroll toward the gate as she was in the stroll toward the house. Cinnamon sighs in relief as she strolls along next to Aisling, "That wasn't too bad! Thank you so much, Aisling, for coming with me, too!"
Aisling smiles down at her, "Oh, it's not a problem. I know you're nervous about the king. Eventually you'll learn to take him and his flirting in stride like everyone else."
Cinnamon sighs, rolling her eyes, "Oh, it's not the flirting that bothers me. It's the being alone with a top-boss-type person!" She sighs again, shaking her head, "I don't know what exactly it is, but it's like brain freeze -- I can't think of a thing to say, I get tense and twitchy, and I probably come across like a total loony!"
Aisling shakes her head and chuckles, "Caradog is the boss of here, but he's not the boss of you. You're a councilor and a dragon. Don't let him intimidate you. You're essentially his equal in many ways."
Cinnamon gives Aisling a wry glance, "In my original job, my boss knew to never leave me alone with any C-level folks... at all! It's not that they're my boss or not. It's that they... well, they're just scary, you know?" She hastily changes the subject, a little embarrassed at her personal foibles, "So, uhh... I didn't know magic was so developed among the sidhe, that you could have surrogate moms like that! Is it really hard, or just not common, or what?"
Aisling nods at Cinnamon's explanation of her nerves, "Oh, that I can understand. Some people just have that 'boss' kind of presence." She tips her head at the question about the child, "Surrogate? Surrogacy is hard enough for humans! And it requires all sorts of cutting people open and metal instruments and just..." She shivers... then thinks a moment before adding, "Why are you asking about surrogates?"
Cinnamon blinks puzzledly at Aisling, "Well, uhh... isn't that what you just told Caradog? That the mom couldn't have the baby, so another nice lady was, for her and her husband?"
Aisling looks puzzled, "No, I told him that the father's wife was ecstatic he was able to beget a child. The babbie will live with his mam and her family, but its da and his wife will get lots of time with it. It's not as if anyone in the trod lives very far from anyone else."
Cinnamon goes silent for a few seconds, slowly working through that statement... then blinks in shock at Aisling, "Wait, wha... but how... wait, she's happy he cheated on her?!" She stares in horror at Aisling, "He didn't... didn't like hurt her or something to get her to say that, did he?!"
Aisling's dark brows rise, "'Cheated'? Of course he didn't cheat -- and didn't hurt her! Their handfasting vow said nothing about monogamy. They rarely do. It's silly to expect someone to cleave only unto you sexually for centuries or millennia. Dear goddess, would that get boring!" She nods to the guards as they exit the main gate.
Cinnamon's stroll slows to a halt as she stares in astonishment at Aisling, her mouth hanging open in shock. A few seconds later she blinks and tries to rally mentally, "But... but, wait... can you do that?! Or... oh, wait! Are you saying they're all marri- er, handfasted -- to each other?!"
Aisling waits for Cinnamon to work her way through that, "Oh. No. They're not all handfasted to one another. And yes, you can do that. Humans get silly about it. I mean, some people are just wired to be monogamous. But they somehow got this ridiculous idea that everyone ought to be that way. The father is quite a bonny lad, too, and has very talented hands. But he's a luthier -- that requires a lot of dexterity. So sweet, too! He does run all his trysts by Dorcas -- he says she's got a better eye for who'll be jealous and who won't."
Cinnamon manages to start walking next to Aisling again, though she's still staring in astonishment at the sidhe, "They... wow! I mean, I never... it just didn't... uh, wow! Though... what's a luthier, please? And..." her voice is a little wistful, "is it really that silly that humans want to... to marry folks?" She considers as she walks... she can see how having more than one person to snuggle with might be nice, actually -- though... she pushes her glasses up, "Wait, how do your people deal with jealousy, then?"
Aisling smiles, "He crafts stringed instruments. Lutes. Fiddles. Viols... and they sound so sweet and true." She sighs happily in memory, "Silly? Of course not. Dorcas and Ferdia are handfasted. Have been for three hundred years or more and still as giddy as newlyweds at times. And Quinn and Shane's mam have been handfasted for thirty years or so now." At the last question, Aisling mmms, "Well, normally by not getting involved with jealous people. It gets 'round pretty quick who's going to be an arse about it."
Cinnamon considers that again, then asks interestedly, "So you all can tell somehow?! Awesome! How do you do that?" She pauses, realizing this is likely not a life skill that will ever be useful to her... then sturdily decides she can still use it to help her friends, darnit!
Aisling smiles, "By observing when someone acts jealously and then refusing to have anything to do with them as a lover. Don't get me wrong -- some of us are quite monogamous. No one is shamed for the way they love. Quinn, for instance -- he's never had another lover, just the occasional bed partner. And I suspect that he'll be true in heart to Shane's mam long after she's gone. That was a true love match. It's hard enough for us to conceive together. With a human? I daresay people would have thought it impossible."
Cinnamon pauses, thinking hard for a long moment... then she looks up at the sidhe and says quietly, "Aisling? Is it dangerous for Shane's mom to visit the trod because of the problem with Killian?"
Aisling thinks about that seriously, "It's dangerous for her to visit the trod because of many reasons. But Killian is one of them. And Quinn can't leave. It's rather tragic and sweet. Shane carries news of each to the other once in a while. But only once in a while, the better to protect his mam."
Cinnamon nods slowly... then says, "What if... she went to Wales? That's near Ireland. Could he visit her there, if Shane was at the trod?"
Aisling shakes her head, "I don't think it would be wise -- not yet, at least. Quinn's a bit paranoid about it, but I can't blame him."
Cinnamon says, "Even after the situation with Killian is taken care of? It still wouldn't be wise?"
Aisling says, "That would remain to be seen. It would be lovely, though. I would very much like to meet the woman that raised Shane. She did quite a good job with him. All he wants to do is help and protect people. It makes him quite appealing."
Cinnamon nods slowly, "He is nice, yes. Plus... I think it's sad that people in love can't be together. I mean, there's little enough love in the world as is, you know?" She considers as she adds, "Though... isn't it possible that sometimes someone turns out okay even if their parents aren't nice people?" She's thinking of her own family; she doesn't realize it might sound like she's still speaking of Shane.
Aisling nods with a little sigh, "Star-crossed lovers. It does actually happen. Nice, and another bonny lad. Has an ass to die for." She looks at Cinnamon and says, "Sometimes the best people come from bad families because they have the luck and the sense early on to use their family as an example of what not to do."
Cinnamon looks relieved at that! -then blinks startledly, "Wait, what? Shane -- h-his ass?!" She winces at the squeak in her voice, ducking her head and muttering, "Oh, smooth, Cinnamon!" She hopes nobody heard that... well, except Aisling! Cinnamon's cheeks are flaming again, and she promises herself that she will not watch Shane's, er... rump any more, if it's become such common knowledge that she does so!
Aisling laughs quietly, "Yes. His ass. Have you ever seen the lad in jeans? It's quite the pleasure to behold." That answer would seem to indicate that it's not that Cinnamon was caught looking, so much as that Aisling enjoys looking for herself!
They're starting to near Elias' house again, and Cinnamon sighs in relief, carefully not replying to that question! Instead she says with careful casualness, "Oh, look, we're almost back to Elias's place! Er..." In spite of her best intentions, curiosity causes Cinnamon to puzzledly ask, "So... when you're millennia old, really young people don't just bore you, then? As, um, as... er..." she waves her hands a bit embarrassedly, "like... well, like sex?!"
Aisling mms and shakes her head, "Not at all. Often you get to teach them new things, and that means they'll be able to take those lovely things on to future lovers. I take it as an honor and a pleasure. And the lads are often so wonderfully eager."
Cinnamon blushes hotly, but manages to mutter, "I, er -- th-thank you again, Aisling, for... for your help and your patience with me!"
Aisling smiles, "It was my pleasure, Cinnamon. I want you to know you can ask me anything."
Cinnamon smiles shyly up at Aisling, "That -- you're really kind, Aisling, you know? I, I really appreciate that." She almost scampers into the house right after that, though -- she's not used to being quite so vulnerably open to others! Fortunately Cinnamon has a lovely dinner with Elias and everyone else there, then heads on home with Josie and Spice. Dmitry and Shane ably escort the ladies, then head off to Shane's little apartment for the night.
The next day Shane drops Dmitry off, then heads off on his Shane-ly errands... while Cinnamon asks Spice to go ahead and set up the various bank accounts so that tomorrow the monies are swooped neatly out of Niamh's and Qadan's banks, and into Moustapha's... and from there into the new off-shore account Spice will have ready. Cinnamon figures they might as well point the finger at Moustapha, should either of the other two figure out what's happening before the actual meeting that night! After that she purchases an on-line series of classes in learning Irish Gaelic -- since if she's going to the Irish trods, she might as well try knowing the tongue as well before she goes. Lunch will be pleasant, since Shane and Thorn are coming over... and who knows? Perhaps Jaeger will come visit too?
Jaeger's trip to Coblyn is tiring, but it always is. All the steel in modern modes of transit make it difficult and one can't simply ride a horse into the city anymore. There is a livery stable on Coblyn, but riding through the actual streets of Boston is problematic at best. It's not illegal. Massachusetts law still requires the streets to be kept in good repair for horses as well as cars -- but it draws attention... and when one is doing one's best to be inconspicuous, riding a horse is not the way to do it. So, a car trip it was. It had been car trips for the last eighty years or more... and every verdammt time it left him feeling the way he imagined humans with a bad case of influenza must feel.
When the driver (a non-elf, of course) dropped Jaeger and his Waldleute valet off as close as they dared to the entrance, the elfin elder has to sit and wait for one of the horses and a small shay that the Trod of the Elm keep stabled on Coblyn to get him and take him to the ambassadorial residence. The horse's tack and most of the metal fittings of the shay are tied to keep them from jingling. They've chosen late at night because Jaeger wants to keep his presence quiet for a bit.
Butler answers the door and greets Jaeger and the valet. In fact, Butler and Jaeger's valet look surprisingly alike to the untutored eye. The pair of them greet one another by touching their foreheads together. After that, Jaeger is whisked off to the conservatory where Marcus is waiting for him. There's wine and water and small bits of food waiting, even though most of the elfin beings find that long exposure to iron makes them badly nauseated. Fortunately the members of the Trod of the Elm have an advantage, in the residence itself. The trees and many of the plants in the conservatory are transplants from the actual trod and carry some of its properties. Water from the trod's spring is shipped in weekly to water the plants and keep them holding onto those properties. It's also why it makes Thorn feel the way he does when he's in this room.
It's that same water that Jaeger is slowly sipping as he rests quietly after the greetings from his son. The conversation is solemn, to start with. News came to Coblyn of the massacre at the trod, but it had not carried a great deal of detail. The two men discuss who actually died and talk of the vigils and the funeral.
"Athala's Thorn did quite well... as did the young dragon, Shane, and Dmitry. Very respectful, all of them. I believe Dmitry was sent to us by the fates. To think, of all the hundreds and thousands of mercenaries in the whole of this world, one which was raised on stories of the smok and the zmei would come to our trod -- on the day on which we have a dragon visiting? It does not seem like it is coincidence." Jaeger has started to relax and the color -- pale though it is -- is coming back to his face.
Marcus has been listening and nodding as he father talks, occasionally asking a question or making a comment. Eventually it starts to become clear to Jaeger that Marcus -- though actually grieving -- is also distracted by something. Rather than leaving his intelligent but short-sighted son to bring it up, Jaeger gives his son a nudge toward opening up, "And what has been happening here on the street? I find that I miss it less the longer I am away from it. I am still concerned and curious about the politics, however. Is there any news on that front?" Jaeger has been keeping up with the news as best he can and he's well aware of the shocks that have happened -- including Cinnamon's dramatic introduction to the council. He also has information about the little dragon's run-in with Killa and with Killa's thug Bala. Really, 'bullet'? How unsubtle can one get?! And his son still can't see the forest for the trees. Cinnamon is a force to be reckoned with. And with Elias as a mentor? She will be beyond formidable. She will, in fact, be someone to fill her grandfather's shoes. Now if only Marcus would open his Gott verdammt eyes!
Marcus sighs and rolls his eyes, "There's the usual maneuvering. The dragon has tipped things one-sided, so it's now a case of trying harder to win over someone else. Hilde and I are still sparring, though I really do believe she'll eventually see reason. After all, it's difficult to have a marriage when the couple's beliefs are so very disparate. She's intelligent, though; she'll see reason eventually. The humans... we are the source of everything for them. Their muses. Someone so smart will surely see it." He flops back in his seat and sips his wine, "And the dragon? Dear lord, the dragon. She's been too long amongst them... and she's so terrified and homely. Can't see what's right in front of her... and she's got no idea of how to take her place here."
Jaeger is nodding and listening to his son. The elder elf has long ago learned to make his face say whatever it is he wants it to say. It's obvious Marcus is still fixated on the lovely Hilde. It's also obvious that he's disdainful of the painfully shy and visually uncompelling Cinnamon... which means he still can't see below the superficial surfaces of things. Jaeger has an idea how to fix that, however. He straightens suddenly as Marcus talks, snapping, "Wait! What? No! I forbid you to approach her in any manner! We need someone with true subtlety and vision to court her attentions! She's already proven her insight!"
Marcus sits up again and looks indignant, "I am an adult, father. And not only an adult -- I have been competently holding this council seat since you were injured! You have no right to tell me how to live my life, and if I wish to court Hilde, I wi-"
Jaeger chuckles and ahhs, holding up a hand, "I apologize. Of course you can continue amusing yourself with the ljosaelf, my boy." He waves the hand he was holding up. He knows that Hilde has long ago seen through and past his son. She's entirely too smart to get caught in Marcus' machinations. "Go on."
The younger of the two men grits his teeth. He hates being called 'boy.' He hates it even more when it's his father. One deep breath and he rallies, "Who the hell did you think I was talking about?"
Jaeger waves his hand again, "Unimportant. It was a misunderstanding on my part. Go on!"
Reverse psychology does work on contrarians -- and Marcus is very contrary, when it comes to his father! He's been trying since he was a wee elfling to differentiate himself from his father; to show Jaeger that he, Marcus, can do things just as well on his own, "No, please. Tell me. I wouldn't want to stumble in at an inopportune moment." He doesn't realize how icy his voice sounds as he asks the question. For that matter, he doesn't realize just how transparent he is to the ancient and canny Jaeger, as he adds, "Who is this paragon of womanly wonder that you want me to stay away from so I don't muddle these delicate diplomatic plans of yours, father?"
Jaeger sighs and shrugs, in a fine show of giving in to his son against his better judgment, "Cinnamon, of course. How can you not see that? Dragons are amongst the rarest of us. She is a prize! -intelligent, powerful, and likely to become more of both. Think of it, Marcus: a nigh-immortal spouse with all the powers of a dragon! What better ally?" He smiles faintly... then looks at Marcus as he adds more sternly, "But you... are to stay away. The negotiations for her hand and betrothal have not yet begun and they will be quite delicate -- especially with her grandfather having been so well-respected. We are still looking for her perfect match; we would hate to lose out to someone less brilliant than she." He sighs, waving a dismissive hand, "But you, my boy, are unable to see past a variable and unimportant outer shell."
Marcus is scowling, partially in confusion, "Father... I'm fairly certain she prefers... rougher men. She seems uncomfortable in any civilized setting -- and she's so awkward...!"
The elder elf shakes his head in exasperation, "You see? This is what I mean, boy! You're not looking deep enough. She received an enormous bruise and stepped into a bear trap due to saving the lives of myself, Shane -- and who knows how many other members of the trod! Without her, the death toll would not have been nearly so low." He shakes his head, adding, "She's shy and she's anxious now -- an age where most dragons would still be under the tutelage of their family -- but she was raised with the humans. It's a whole other world. Give her a few decades and we shall find a true diamond there. For now, however -- you are to stay away!" Jaeger sighs wearily, leaning back elegantly in his chair, "Please. Drop it. Let's get back to other politics."
Marcus, fuming, lets himself be redirected. Jaeger's wiles have worked, however. The ancient elf is exhausted even with the restorative properties of the conservatory, so when Jaeger excuses himself to rest, Marcus scowls. Not subtle enough? Not savvy enough? He will prove his father very wrong! Now to do the research he needs to woo the woman... surely it can't be that hard or take that long! Besides, it doesn't mean that once he's done, he can't also concentrate on Hilde. Monogamy isn't common here, after all.
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