A Place of Business

[Sedaia]

Sedaia walked slowly across the city after she had left the area of the Bloody Rose. There was no reason to rush, since rushing always seemed to attract attention. Instead, she returned to the Shadow Den. Her offices were located there. The people of the Shadow Den were people she could be open with. It was there that she was in her prime. The Den was her spider web, her hive. It was her church. Though she did not control it, it was her market place, a huge source of her wealth and a place to export her 'wares'. She was a Shadow Den aficionado.

She stalked through the main market hall, and those who saw her backed away. They always gave her a wide berth. Of all the people in Faethaven, only these knew her by both face and reputation. Sedaia Ramort, the Swift: the most powerful leader of any crime syndicate the city had ever known. In this place she was a queen. Defiance of her power meant death for those who dared confront her. She smiled a little smile, and reveled in the domination of power.

“My Lady Swift!” Came a jovial voice from one of the people moving amongst the crowd. Sedaia turned, immediately recognizing the voice.

“…Coin.” She said coldly to the man by way of greeting.

“My Lady!” The little pixie waxed, seeming oblivious of her tone, “So good to see you back so soon! Did the meeting go well?”

“It was satisfactory.” She said; her face froze into a blank stare. People walking by glanced at that face and walked much faster, but the pixie didn’t miss a beat.

“Excellent! How very excellent! I’m glad the nasty business is concluded!”

Sedaia only grunted.

“But enough of that small talk- can I interest you in a glance at my latest shipment? It’s very high quality.”

“No thank you Coin.” Sedaia’s buoyant feeling of dominion was quickly fading. Coin was useful. But annoying. Oh how dreadfully annoying.

“A but ma’am! The color, and the effect! Spectacular! I have some testers taking their enjoyment as we speak! You know how much I abhor product distribution. I can offer you a bulk discount!”

“No. I am not interested.” Her voice was unyieldingly mechanical.

“Sedaia…”

Her face twisted into a scowl, “Your product is flawed. My thieves use it and it turns them into imbeciles. The last time I bought from you I had eighteen jailbirds by the end of one evening.

“We can take precautions...”

Sedaia put her hand on Coin’s shoulder. The hand was holding a dagger. She smiled at him, and in very low tones she informed him that she’d been too busy to sharpen her knives this morning. “Sharp knives are required to scrape dust across a mirror.” she informed him factually, “But dull ones hurt.”

Once Coin had scurried away, Sedaia continued to her office. She shut the door behind her, flopped down into her chair, and flipped through the stack of reports that had been left for her.

“A raid,” She read, “upon the third guard tower, would be a profitable expedition.” She smiled. It would also serve to further undermine the guard’s reputation, especially after word of today’s monster gets through. she thought, then continued to read out loud. “Two barrels of the confiscated materials were placed there for safe keeping. The oil’s current market price is…” Sedaia whistled, “…and our agent is as yet unsuspected. The lieutenant thinks that it is hidden from us, so all should go well.” Sedaia knew that the lieutenant in question was corrupt in any case. She wondered if she could get him on her payroll.

A raid on the guard tower would cause public upset, especially if she could pin the incident on bandits. Sedaia’s task of the moment was to see Faethaven’s guard made a mockery of, and so far her attempts were going well. As of yet, no government factions had taken measures against the guard’s increasing unpopularity. Sedaia loved a discontent populace, and a healthy market. She was always careful to make sure those two passions didn’t conflict with each other. Sedaia rang a bell, and her earlier dominant mood returned as one of her clerks rushed in.

“Back so soon my lady?” Huffed the mousey young girl. She was straightening her clothes, and Sedaia momentarily wondered what she’d been up to in the adjoining offices.

“Luca,” Sedaia said to the little human, “I want you to take Goeshira and visit the library. I want you to research a man named Jason Thomas Black. I also want you to find all newspaper reports and police documents on another man named Dark-Eyes. You know- the fugitive. I want a comprehensive report on this desk no later than tomorrow morning, detailing the main points of their histories and comparing and contrasting significant dates.”

“Yes ma’am.” Said Luca, and she turned to leave the room.

“And Luca- I suggest you start immediately. ” Sedaia raised a suggestive eyebrow towards to door as she said this, and the girl’s blush confirmed her suspicions. She smiled, “Send in Alrin, won’t you?”

It took a few minutes for Alrin to respond to her summons. As usual, the middle-aged elf looked haughty and uncomfortable in his own skin. She smirked at him, “Cradle robbing Alrin?” she asked sarcastically, and he glowered at her. “Never mind then. Find Sosah. Tell him to go ahead with the raid on the North guard tower as he has scheduled. If you can, wheedle a more detailed report out of him. That will be all.”

Alrin left the room quickly, and Sedaia, once again alone in her magically warded, silent, glorious office, she leaned her chair back on two legs and rested her feet on the desk. Yes. It was good to be Queen.

[Sedaia]

Sedaia worked hard. It was simply a fact of her nature. She would rather be in control than be free. She knew there were some leaders who would disagree with her, but in the long run she knew her way was better. If your system of governance is a monarchy, the leader must be like the north star- steadfast, and useful. The north star could not delegate authority to Ursa Major, or the people who rely upon the Star for guidance would find themselves lost. So it was with Sedaia. She delegated authority insofar as she was forced to... but in the end, everything came back to her.

She read the reports. She was a fast reader, and it helped that she knew the writer of each report and his or her motives. John slickfingers wanted to be head of his department, so his report was written to cast his superior in bad light- Caterin Eaveswalker tried to downplay the amount her department recovered, so she could skim off the top. Neither of these things were serious, since Sedaia could see through their amateur subterfuge and correct their misstatements.

It wasn't long before Alrin returned. He knocked politely, and Sedaia waited a few long moments before calling for him to enter. Sedaia liked Alrin. He was one of the closest things he had to a friend. He was nearly as skilled as she in many areas, and as frivolous as he often was, she respected him. Nonetheless, she daren't let on her positive attitude, or he might get ahead of himself.

"Sosah was pleased. He says that he will have a better report for you by the morning. And Coin wants to talk to you." Alrin said upon entering.

"..."

Alrin's face twitched in response to the enraged look that Sedaia allowed to cross her face. Sedaia knew he was trying to surpress a smile, and gloated silently that she had better facial control than he. Nevertheless, she glowered. That Coin...

"He is quite persistant." Alrin continued.

"If he gets more persistant, I will find ways for him to outlive his use." Sedaia said.

Alrin nodded; "I will hint as such to him. It should make him back off. But I fear that he will go to Kord."

Sedaia chuckled softly, "All the more trouble for Kord. A few days of increased revenue followed by a terrifying plummet. That is the cost of dealing with Coin."

"But if Kord can manipulate things properly, he might be able to increase his following... he might be a rival." Alrin warned.

"If that happens-" Sedaia said with a shrug, "and there is a chance it will- we will have to have Our Best assassinate him."

With that said, Sedaia pushed herself to her feet, intending to go back out into the town. She briefly glanced at Alrin's disbelieving look. "He doesn't have to resources we do, and even with Coin he cannot obtain them." She added, trying to reason why he was discomfeted. She crossed the room and grabbed her cloak, swinging it over he shoulders. It was very heavy, since wearing her cloak nearly doubled Sedaia's usual knife count.

Alrin wiped his face clean of expression; "Of course Sedaia. Things should go well. Should I contact Our Best? Perhaps..."

"You can if you want." Sedaia said with a shrug, "By all means. I will not be gone long tonight. If anyone comes to call, tell them they can wait." Alrin nodded, and with that Sedaia walked out the door. She wasn't sure where she was going yet.

[Shadow]

~Kaar~ Walking through the market hall of the Shadow den Kaar keeps his hand on his coinpouch. Although there is honor among theives he was still wary. Stepping lightly to avaid some dropped glass objects remnants from cutting the soles of his shoes Kaar listens to a conversation happeneing nearby about this apparently expensive object. Continuing along Kaar comes to his desired location, to the office of one "Lady Swift". Kaar knew if he wanted a good price on this stuff he should talk to her, she practically ruled the underground, maybe she even had a job for him. Walking up to the door Kaar politely knocks and waits.

[Sedaia]

((lol, okay sure. Sorry about the vast delay; lets get posting! *cracks knuckles*))

Sedaia of course, was not in at the moment, but Alrin, her grumpy Elven paper-pusher, had just returned from a meeting with Sedaia's assassins. Alrin, for the record is human-tall and graceful. His skin is tree-brown and his hair is dirty blond. His eyes are green.

Alrin was sitting comfortably in the ante-room of Sedaia's office when a polite knock came at the door. He had been hunched over the desk, head in hands, trying to recover from the intense nervousness he always felt when dealing with Our Best, but he scrambled to his feet at the sound and answered to door.

Opening the door he looked down his nose at the fellow who dared to disturb the quiet of the office. He gestured sharply for the man to enter, and in unconscious imitation of Sedaia, he moved behind the desk and sat down, speaking as the half breed was stepping through the door.

"I don't recognize you." He stated coldly, "What do you need?"


Meanwhile, Sedaia was on her way back to the Shadow Den, to stop off before heading to the residencies...

[Shadow]

Kaar: Watching the creepy looking humanoid be smug Kaar couldn't help but let out a little chuckle. "You are not the one in charge are you little one?" Walking up to the desk Kaar places his hands atop it at shoulder width. "Where is your mistress? I need to speak to her about a possible business transaction."

[Sedaia]

Alrin's face twitched- very slightly- as he struggled with a long moment of murderous rage. He swallowed it. The fellow had spoken correctly after all, and it was guild policy to, if nor reward insight, at least not punish it.

"Mistress Swift is not available to speak with applicants at this time," he continued, his tone as frigid as an icecube in a blizzard, "It is my duty to deal with people such as yourself. If you impress me, you earn the chance to have the honor of an audience with my Lady. I also have some authority of my own, if your request is as minor as yourself."

Sedaia walked through the dark caverns of the Shadow Den, snaking her way towarss her office, soon to make an appearance.

[Sedaia]

Alrin turned the stranger away, telling him to come back for an appointment with Sedaia in the morning if he so pleased. When the stranger left, Alrin locked the office, triple trapped the door, emptied the desks and their drawers of all documents, stowing them in their hidden compartment, before locking and trapping the desks in a similar way of the door. Then he slipped through a secret door in the back office, travelled down the underground tunnel to the hidden House Ramort thieve's base, and went to sleep for the night.