The Bank of Florentine and Seville

[The Forgotten God]

A large and influential bank in Innuria, ruled by a mysterious family who have their fingers in most of the official and unofficial business that happens around the city.

[Justine-Juliette de Vair]

Letter in hand, Justine made her way to the bank. Dressed in some of her newly-acquired fine dresses with new pointy-toed leather boots and her father’s sword on her hip, she kept an eye out as she walked alone. She was a target now. And someone might recognize her now.

She was somewhat wary as she pushed open the door, just as she had been when she met her father’s friend who had given her the sword and the other items. Immediately she went to the counter and asked to speak to Ms Esmeralda Florent.

[The Forgotten God]

The man at the desk nodded as he watched her approach him and she made her request. “Of course,” he said. “Her office is second door on the left.” There’s a dozen or so patrons about and four guards with pistols and short swords. The bank itself is built into a small knoll and the hallway the gentleman had directed her down slopes sharply into the earth. “Welcome to our esteemed financial house, ma’am.”

[Justine-Juliette de Vair]

“Thank you.”

Navigating the parts of society that had previously been closed to her was something she was still having to get used to. Slowly but surely. Pretend you belong in the right dress and boom, you did belong...enough to not raise too many eyebrows at least. She stood straight and walked past the guards without making eye contact until she came to the appropriate door. A single knock. “Ms Florent? It’s Justine de Vair. Lady Justine de Vair.” She corrected herself.

[The Forgotten God]

“Oh come in come in!” A female voice said, and the door opened as a teenage girl waved her in. Esmeralda Florent was a plump woman in her middle fifties, with short curly gray hair and an outfit that probably cost as much as Justine’s sword. A fat emerald ring gleamed on her ring finger. “Well well!” She said, looking her toe to tip. “It’s been a long time since a de Vair walked in here.” She gestured to the seat. “Those silly Aurelions and their games. Always sticking their greedy little fingers where they don’t belong.” She puffed on a tobacco leaf held by an almost comically long holder. “Not so funny to you I’m sure.” She poured a small glass of something that smelled like whiskey and then silently offered her one.

[Justine-Juliette de Vair]

Justine accepted the glass with a quiet thank you. “Aurelion? Isn’t the local magistrate from that family? I’m not sure what he would have to do with my family’s affairs.” She found a seat, and sat. “I’m surprised there’s anything left honestly. I had assumed the fortune was all tied up in Crestwave Keep and the lands and the investments. Who were you holding it for, when the last remaining member of the direct family line was in...prison?”

She took a cautious sip of the drink as she finished.

[The Forgotten God]

Esmeralda drained her whiskey and slammed the glass down. “But you were alive,” she said, as though that somehow explained something. “Johnny Law knows better than to peer too closely here. He might have to see things he doesn’t want to see. I’m a banker, not a thief. A man gives me gold to store his belongings until a descendant comes to claim it, then his belongings stay until a descendant comes to claim it.”

[Justine-Juliette de Vair]

Sounded plausible enough. Justine drained her whiskey as well, giving a slight shudder at the end, and got to the point. “Well thank you for holding on to it. I’m incredibly grateful.” She say down in the chair on the other side of the desk. “But what did you say about Aurelion? Does he have it in for me or something?”

[The Forgotten God]

Esmeralda raised a finger and nodded her head. “I do believe he does. Or did. The magistrate came in here not three months ago demanding your belongings. He was spouting some nonsense about burglary or some such. His pet wizard is such a...vile little man,” she said with an involuntary sneer. “That put you on my list of people I simply had to meet. Anyone who runs that old goat the wrong way cannot be too bad in my book.” She leaned in. “But don’t be fooled by the weasel. He has gold to compensate for personality. And his gold has bought friends it’s best to not despise. Anyway, once you’ve retaken your old home I’m sure you can pay him back in his own coin, hm? Not that it’s my business, but gossip is my...diversion from the rigors of the day. But you must be ready for your inheritance,” she said suddenly. “Follow me to the vault.” She rose swiftly for a woman her size and bounced out the door, turning left and heading farther into the tunnel. “Watch your head; this was built by dwarf engineers who thought they were building for dwarves!”

[Justine-Juliette de Vair]

Justine just blinked. Maybe she should be a little more careful. “I know very little about him and I have plenty of money from reclaiming. Surprised he would come after me like that.” She lied as she followed the woman out of the room. “So uh...what kind of a wizard? I only really know one mage...she’s from Lisandre. Something like that?”

She ducked when she needed to, keeping easy pace with Ms Florent. “Heard anything else you think might be particularly of interest to me?”

[The Forgotten God]

“Probably all sorts of things,” she said cheerily. “But I suppose that’s about as friendly as I get the first meeting. Except his wizard. She’s a strange one. Her name’s Sarai, had bright blue hair usually, can’t miss her. Married to some equally loathsome mercenary.” She grinned and slid some levers and unlocked a door. The door led to a larger waiting chamber, the eight foot high vault door at the far end. “Wait here, I won’t be but half a moment,” she said. She waved the two guards aside and then unlocked the vault. “Go on in. You are number thirty-two,” she said. “Take as long as you need.”

The vault is large but Justine doubts there’s more than forty private locks. Anyone who afforded a space here had paid dearly indeed. There’s a little table and some chairs so people can sit and sort out what to place or remove from their belongings.

[Justine-Juliette de Vair]

Justine shrugged. "Fair enough. Can't show all your cards right away. I appreciate it anyhow." She thought she might have seen Sarai before, but she wasn't completely certain.

As she walked in, she was honestly amazed. The gold from the reclaiming adventure had been so much to her. How much would be here in these vaults? She took a deep breath and held it as she went to number thirty two and opened it up.

[The Forgotten God]

The musty smell of stale air wafted about her as the door squeaked open. A light coat of dust lay on the contents of the vault; nothing had been disturbed for over twenty years. A folded standard with a sword piercing a heart is covering the smaller box inside, the material Undamaged by time.

It is when she opens the box when she realized why Lord Aurelion had wanted the contents so badly. Two sheets of paper and a few family jewels are all it contains. The first is a certificate of deposit for a bank in Edysse. Ten thousand gold pieces deposited for a five percent interest rate. The second is the deed to her home and lands, specifically mentioning its irrevocable nature so long as a legitimate descendant of house de Vair remains alive to claim it. With her pardon there is no legal reason for Lord Aurelion’s heirs to squat inside her home.

[Justine-Juliette de Vair]

Justine let out all her breath in one go. Was it this easy? Just present the deed to the Emperor and kick them out? Somehow, she doubted it. She was one person. Well, technically two.

She cleaned the dust away and shook out the banner. She traced the sigil with her fingertip as she remembered, reverently. That and the deed were all she claimed. She didn't have any use for jewels and the gold could come later. She could hire an army with that gold. Between Arroyo and this...she smiled. The deed went into a deep pocket inside her skirts and the banner she folded again and carried in her arms.

"Thank you very much for contacting me, Ms Florent," Justine said with a respectful nod as she closed the door and rejoined the banker. "I have never felt better about coming into my name. I think my father might even be proud of me." She grinned. "I'll come back for the rest when I need it."

[The Forgotten God]

Esmeralda nodded. “It’s paid through for six more years, my dear. You have plenty of time. I wish you good fortune in your reclamation project.”