Ceutinde's Personal Suite

[Nigel Thornheart]

Nigel Thornheart arrived, a herald reading out a lengthy list of titles to introduce him that now included Marshal of the Eastern Reaches. The building rattling a moment earlier had certainly not been the sonic boom of the 51 year old adventurer shattering the sound barrier as he rushed to answer Ceutinde's summons.

[Ceutinde]

Ceutinde stood with an amused grin through the list of titles. Once it was done, she came out from around the desk to approach and give Nigel a peck on either cheek. "Congratulations, Marshal. It really is well-deserved." Her eyes went wide and she put a hand over her mouth in mock surprise. "My word, should I have bowed? Kowtowed, even? Forgive me, you know I'm just a poor country elf who knows little of the Empire's ways."

[Nigel Thornheart]

"Well luckily you have a future Imperial governor to provide a bit of discipline and a hard lesson." He was already disrobing, clearly having the summons and request for the "tiniest favor" to be a thinly veiled euphemism. "I have an eighteen inch Marshal's baton I would like to show you...and perhaps afterwards you can take a look at this silver stick Governor Erastion gave me. Aha!"

[Ceutinde]

Ceutinde gave him a light smack on the chest. This was not totally unexpected. "Sit down, you doof. Have a drink." She turned away and walked back behind her desk, gesturing to two of her finest crystal goblets, already full of wine. "I'll have a half-dozen nubile maids ready for your eighteen-inch baton soon enough."

[Nigel Thornheart]

He considered sweeping all the items from her desk and taking her on it in a manly fashion, but then he saw the drinks and realized he as quite parched from the mad dash over here and begrudgingly took the offered seat.

"I was of mind to explore the merits quality and experience over quantity, especially if you still have that getup from the journey you called armor," he chuckled to himself as he enjoyed the provided drink. "But business before pleasure." He took out a coinpurse with 100 gold and tossed it on her desk. "The promised donation from our last mission to the House of Respite."

[Ceutinde]

Ceutinde let the purse sit where it landed. "I'd quite forgotten. Very good of you, Nigel, generous as always. I'll have to name a wing after you before long, at this rate." She leaned forward and smiled, just a bit lasciviously, and added, "As for the outfit, I'm afraid that's reserved for very special occasions with Justine. You understand."

She picked up her own drink, took a sip, and changed the subject. "Do you know Gregori Distennian? Reagent dealer, might make some ingredients for your...treatments?"

[Nigel Thornheart]

"Well such an exclusive event demands a celebrity appearance," he suggestively cocked an eyebrows. "Perhaps to christen this new wing."

"I can't say I have the faintest idea of which you speak," he insisted, surprised by the sudden change of topic. He looked around the room, as if looking for a tabloid reporter hiding somewhere. "But the name rings a bell. What of him?"

[Ceutinde]

She chuckled at his confusion. "Some sources suggest he is involved in a rather unsavory business. No surprise for a wealthy businessman, of course, but I do believe this edges on treason. I won't go in to details just yet, as my people are still looking into things. But I want to put a bit of pressure on him. Start some rumors. And I couldn't think of a better storyteller to ask for a favor."

[Nigel Thornheart]

"His business must be truly vile for a the proprietor of a brothel to call it unsavory," he remarked, stroking his goatee as he considered the matter. "What exactly is the man up to that you'd have me slander him as a traitor?"

[Ceutinde]

There was a sharp inhale, and she replied, "There is nothing unsavory about providing care to wounded adventurers. I am a philanthropist, not a common fleshmonger." She relaxed a bit and shook her head. "But you were trying to bait me, and I took it." She took another sip of wine and continued. "You recall the girls we saved in whatever-it-was-called, Pirateville? My sources inform me that they were captured thanks to someone passing along shipping schedules to those buccaneers. 'Someone' being Gregori. But we don't yet have the evidence to pursue an actual case. So for the moment, I'd like to hurt his bottom line a bit. People are saying the gold he ships in is debased, that he's passing along common herbs as magical ingredients. You follow?"

[Nigel Thornheart]

"Far be it for a man that calls himself the Adventurer Extraordinaire to elevate himself above a common soldier to judge you for doing the same," Nigel replied, with a knowing smile as he held his hands up in mock surrender. "Some fish want to be caught," he added with a wink.

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather me go over and ring his bell?" he asked, that sounding much simpler than all the cloak and dagger deception. "It sounds as if he has it coming."

[Ceutinde]

"As enticing as it sounds, we don't know yet if there are others involved. I'd rather root out the lot of them than deal with Gregori, only to have someone else simply continue with the same scheme. But I do appreciate the offer, Nigel dear."

[Nigel Thornheart]

"If you are sure. Very well, he will be known for the scoundrel he is," Nigel agreed, before holding up a finger. "However, I will require a favor in return." He did not expect the proprietor of a brothel would be unaccustomed to transactional business relations.

[Ceutinde]

Ceutinde nodded, quickly. She hadn't expected the favor to be done for free. "Certainly. I assume the new Marshal suddenly has a need to play politics, and I might be able to assist with that?"

[Nigel Thornheart]

"I was going to ask for a poke, but that is a much better idea. Aha!" It was not immediately apparent if he was jesting or not. "The Emperor has provided funds for the outfitting and payment of 500 troops for the expedition. I mean to take on an additional 300 to ensure its success, which necessitates backing from private benefactors. Would you be willing to host a fundraiser?"