| Logs |
2000-09-24
| Starfall |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
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The Queen's Masquerade Birthday Ball, take III
The dancing continues into the morning. Although some furrs fall asleep or leave (alone or in pairs) the younger ones seem to be intending to go until dawn. The queen seems to be enjoying herself in spite of the politics.
Grand Ballroom
Once again, the Grand Ballroom is full,
the glittering gold-framed mirrors that line the walls reflecting a
crowd of brightly and outlandishly costumed furs. The Queen's Birthday
celebration is a masquerade ball this year, and the furrs important
enough, or lucky enough, to be invited have tried to outdo each other
in fanciful costumes. The party-goers wander through the Grand Ballroom
and several adjacent rooms for food, conversation, and dancing.
The armadillo, Colonel Villejo, approaches Carroll during one of the queen's dances with yet another Very Important Personage. "Might I have a word with you, milord?"
Carroll smiles and murrs, "Of course, Colonel. I could use a bit of a break from the dancing, and even a drink, myself. I would be all too pleased to speak with you over one."
Villejo nods and walks over to one of the buffet tables with Carroll. His voice is low. "One cannot help but notice Her Majesty's interest in you, milord."
Carroll smiles a bit and collects a drink, replying circumspectly, "I'm pleased to hear that I'm not the only one who had thought that."
Villejo smiles and nods. "It's quite noticeable. And I personally wish you all the best of luck. Both for her sake, and for her people..." his voice trails off and his expression becomes more serious. "The Republic does not wish to see Costa Yermo allied by marriage to a city of the League. Especially not with Iago ruling in Ciudad Draco."
Carroll sips his drink and nods a little, replying, "I can see how that might make matters difficult for you." After a moment of pondering he adds, "I will admit a personal bias in the matter, in that I would like to see the lady happy, and nothing I have heard of the suitor in question suggests that this is on his list of priorities. Besides the prince and his staff, would that marriage benefit anyone else?"
The armadillo frowns. "Anyone else? I can't conceive of Prince Iago doing something that would benefit anyone else. It would depend on what happened to the succession further down the line, I suspect."
Carroll nods and murrs, "Much what I had surmised." He pauses to sip his drink, then adds, "Personally, I don't see the Queen as likely to accept an offer of marriage from someone who can't even be bothered to come and ask her himself." With a wry grin, he adds, "I certainly hope not, in any case."
Villejo chuckles. "Speaking for the Ambassador and myself, I hope not either."
Carroll asks the armadillo, "Would an alliance by marriage to Starfall cause you any anxiety?"
The armadillo turns serious again. "Not at all. The League is a good neighbor. You are wealthy, you are willing to trade and share that wealth, and you are too fragmented politically to be a threat to your neighbors. Starfall is not a dynastic government, so you would not be locking the two realms together." He pauses, then continues, "I would suggest that you watch your back, though. Iago has been known to be... somewhat... impulsive in dealing with unexpected obstacles."
Carroll raises his eyebrows and murrs, "Interesting. I certainly shall keep that in mind. It's not the first time tonight someone has suggested that the prince might use such tactics, although against myself is a new and somewhat worrisome thought."
The armadillo nods once more before wandering off to find some fried mealworms to go with his drink. "A word to the wise, milord."
Carroll nods, considering, and murrs, "So noted, Colonel, so noted," as the armadillo makes his way off. He looks around the party some more, in a new light, somewhat suspiciously.
Alex has been happily enjoying herself tremendously, running through partners with light-hearted enjoyment of the pleasures of the dance. Acting-Ambassador van der Berg catches up to her again between dances. "Do you have another space on your dance card, milady?"
Alex grins cheerfully at the bobcat, "For such a dashing gentleman from Starfall?" Her grin gets lightly, cheerfully teasing, "How could I resist, good sir?"
The bobcat holds his hands up and peeks out from behind them, grinning back. "I don't think I really want to know, milady. From what I've seen you could probably resist very effectively if you felt like it." He offers his arm and leads the young vixen out to the dance floor.
Alex giggles at that, then cheerily tucks her small paw into his arm, "Are you having a nice time at the party, Commander-Acting-Ambassador?" Her eyes are sparkling -- it's obvious both by that and by the gleeful swirl of her skirts that she certainly is having a lovely time!
Van der Berg sighs. "I really wasn't expecting to be here in this capacity, Dame Alex. But old Bilgewater had the whole place filled up with his cronies. We're down to a skeleton crew until the Council sends a new ambassador and staff out here."
Alex chuckles quietly, then pats him lightly on the shoulder that her left paw rests on while dancing, "Well, you didn't ask my opinion, sir, but I still think you do the office of ambassador here proud." She smiles up at him, then adds with a wicked grin, "And wasn't it satisfying to be able to clean out all the er... deadwood, Commander/Ambassador?" She blinks, suddenly realizing he's calling her 'Alex,' not 'Alexandra' -- how very sweet of him, she thinks! Her beaming smile is practically glowing. True, he's still using 'dame'... but she supposes she can live with that! She adds cheerfully, "So, is there anything I or my family can do to help you and Starfall out, until that new ambassador arrives?"
The bobcat gets a very predatory grin on his face. "Oh, clearing out the deadwood was a lot of fun, milady. When I ordered the marines to stand aside and allow the local soldiers to arrest our erstwhile ambassador, the look on his face was priceless... but I just hope nothing important crops up in the meantime. I'm afraid I'm not always very diplomatic." He pauses to think about her last question. "Actually, yes. If I do blunder, could you ask the queen to help out? You seem to be on good terms with her, after all."
Alex has to struggle to cover a rather predatory grin of her own -- she's no love lost for any of Pravinchandra's toadies! -- but then she tilts her head thoughtfully, regarding the bobcat. After a moment she says slowly, "Commander... I must say I am not always of the most diplomatic myself... but I know when I am not sure what to say I often go to someone for advice... and the best person I know for advice in social matters is my brother Carroll." She tilts an ear at the bobcat and adds a little diffidently, "Ah... if you wished, if it did not cause you any conflicts... I could certainly ask him to chat with you some while he's here?" She smiles, "And while I'm doubtless not as close to the queen as local scuttlebutt seems to be making out... I'd certainly be happy to ask her or the baroness Kerensky to help out if you needed it... would that be all right?"
The bobcat nods. "That's all I really want, milady. A back-channel to bypass any problems if I inadvertently offend her foreign minister or something."
Alex nods, "Well... I will make no promises, commander... but I will certainly try to be sure something like that is set up." She makes a mental note to update Carroll on all this as soon as possible... so he can try talking to the right folks tonight, if possible, while everyone's still in a happy mood.
Van der Berg smiles. "That's fine. The music is starting; let's dance!"
"Certainly!" and Alex steps forward to whirl lightly across the floor in his arms, her indigo velvet skirts joyously a'swirl.
Carroll is still pondering Colonel Villejo's warning when he senses the looming presence of the Queen's Champion behind him. "So, Baron. You are enjoyink the party?"
Carroll turns and smiles, looking up at the large tigress as he murrs, "Definitely, Baroness Kerensky."
Ludmilla nods, her eyes meeting Carroll's briefly before going back to scanning the room. "Always am hatink zese ssings, myself. Too many unknowns." She clears her throat, a rumbling almost-purr. "What did ze Colonel have to say? Zey've been very nervous about Prince Iago."
Carroll nods and murrs, "I can see how it might worry you." He glances around the room, checking who is in earshot, before he murrs to her, "The Colonel did seem nervous about Prince Iago, yes. He suggested, in fact, that it might be prudent of me to be nervous of him too, after the beginning of the evening."
Ludmilla narrows her eyes and rumbles again, deep in her chest. "Bozhemoi. He is probably beink right, too."
Carroll nods and murrs, "I shall have to be as careful as I can be. Living has become a favorite pastime of mine and I would like to continue it as long as possible." His voice drops a notch as he adds, "The Colonel expressed his concern, in fact, that diplomatic relations could become difficult if Maidstone were to become allied by marriage to Costa Yermo." He smiles and adds, "After something you said to me earlier tonight, I doubt he has too much to worry about, although I didn't feel the need to offer him what might be false assurances."
The tigress shrugs. "Hamasura and Coast Yermo are not gettink alonk well, no." She straightens up and mutters something in her native language. Whatever it is, it sounds evil. "Excusink me, please." She wanders over to glare at an incipient quarrel, whose participants quickly decide they didn't really want to fight about it after all.
Carroll murrs, "Of course, milady." as the tigress leaves, smiling casually and looking about again.
Jessie has been a blur of energy all evening, dancing and grazing on hors d'oeuvres and chattering delightedly at Horatio and various other guests. The only time she was really quiet was just after the unmasking, when she realized she'd been talking to the Queen as though she was another village girl. (She quickly recovered, though.) She'd been unsure of what to do when asked to dance by other people, but eventually took the Duchess' suggestion that she dance with them occasionally to give Horatio a chance to rest. She's just come back from one such foray (with Don Carlos -- she slapped him halfway through the dance and flounced off to get another plate of grilled salmon) and settles down beside Horatio. "Horatio? Can I ask you a question?"
Horatio has, finally, managed to catch his breath from the last dance. It took a little time; it had been something of an energetic piece, with Jessie being, of course, energetic. He spotted from across the room -- and likely heard a bit of it, as well -- the slap that ended her dance with Don Carlos. He admitted he was a bit surprised -- not at the slap so much as at the Don doing something that would get him slapped, considering how much Duchess White Haven was pursuing him earlier. He writes that down in his mental book, considering pondering it later. Jessie's approach and question catches him a bit by surprise, and he stands as she approaches. He blinks a little at her question, and smiles quietly as he sits beside her. His nose does twitch a little at the rich smell of the salmon. "Of course, Jessie..."
Jessie snuggles in beside Horatio and offers him a nibble from her plate. "I wanted to thank you for bringing me here tonight... it's the sort of thing I've always dreamed about, since I was a kit. But... well... they're just people, really, just like all of us back in the village. How do you tell who the good ones are? What happens if the ones who are supposed to run the government lie to you?"
Horatio bites his lip slightly, glancing out across the crowd. How, indeed? he wonders, nibbling upon a bit of salmon. "I really don't know, Jessie," he sighs quietly. "Just like people on Ettore, or in Starfall, or anywhere... they're just people. Some are good, some are bad, some are bad enough that they disguise that they're good... I could never tell one from the other..." His voice takes on a slight, very faint bitterness. "I spent most of my time in the Academy. Politics there were a little more clear-cut: which Masters were feuding, which students were in favor with which masters... Ego as much as anything prevented politics from being a hidden thing. But here... in courts... I'm sorry, Jessie, I really couldn't tell -- not easily anyway." He thinks for a moment. "Sometimes, though... sometimes the best way is to think with your heart, and not your head. Sometimes it can be obvious: how does the person act towards others? What are their deeds, not words? Does their ego precede them three foot-lengths through the door?" He grins softly. "We've seen some of that type, certainly..."
Jessie giggles at the idea of an ego that monstrous. "That sounds fair. I think there are some bad ones here, though. That one..." she points at Don Carlos "...said he had a business proposition for me. I told him I wasn't that kind of a girl, and he said he didn't mean that kind of business -- but he pinched me anyway. So I slapped him. Nasty old coyote."
Horatio glances over to Don Carlos, arching an eyebrow. "Ah, I see. Odd... Duchess White Haven was certainly... forward enough. So it's not that you or she are minks." He sighs and shakes his head. "Some people put on a noble's bearing and think they're fulminate of salt... er, sorry, a god's gift to everyone around them." He grimaces; for some reason, he doesn't feel jealous like he once imagined he would in such a situation as this. "Odd, though... he's supposed to be representing his prince, who's supposed to be proposing to the Queen... yet his manners, even to this Academy student, are more than a bit boorish... this can't be the best that Prince Iago could send..."
Jessie giggles again, at Horatio's comparing personalities to alchemy. "He's like Dennis, only exaggerated. Convinced that whatever he wants, he should get. Should I have found out what he wanted?"
Horatio arches an eyebrow, then starts to shake his head a little more vigorously than normal... then pauses. "He'd said it wasn't an indecent proposal," he murmurs, "-or at least intimated that it wasn't." He taps his chin slightly. "Whatever it was... it couldn't have been good. I think it's enough that we know that he's here for something other than merely passing on his prince's wishes for a speedy engagement and a speedier marriage." He is not worried at all for Jessie's safety; he's seen how well she uses a bow and how well she can fight. That she can take care of himself is not a concern of his, not in this case. But he does worry about them getting involved in something somewhat bigger than they originally suspected. I wonder... how close is Prince Iago's nation to the supposed clan that we speculated Pravinchandra was connected with...? He looks up to Jessie and smiles. "What was his reaction?"
The mink hmphs. "He was still smiling, the creep."
Horatio's smile evaporates into a look of incredulity. "Smiling?" This is the representative of the man who wants to marry the Queen of Maidstone? He shakes his head quietly and looks out into the crowd. "Jessie... remember when you asked how we're supposed to tell who the good ones are?"
Jessie nods, "Yeah..."
Horatio nods quietly and says so that only she can hear, "I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this proposed marriage between Iago and Arianna, Jessie. And I think it's safe to say he isn't one of the good ones."
A gentlemanly otter, whom Alex recalls as having been announced as the Ambassador from Skaergard, comes up to her between dances. "Might I have the honor of the next waltz, Dame Alexandra?"
Alex tilts her head at the otter, then smiles, "It would be a pleasure, good sir." Hm... well, he probably doesn't know how she prefers to be addressed... and it could be okay. It's tough to mess up a waltz! She grins quietly to herself, remembering some very risqué waltzes... then sternly reminds herself to focus!
The otter grins. "Reginald DeLameter, at your service. Thank you, milady." He offers his arm to walk out to the dance floor.
Alex smiles and tucks a small paw into his arm as she paces along quietly beside him, "A pleasure to meet you, ambassador. So, are you enjoying the queen's birthday party?"
DeLameter smiles and chats as the dance begins. "It's always quite an event. I've been talking with some of my colleagues, and the consensus is that we're quite pleased by the recent events. It was never in the League's interest to have her two most powerful members at odds."
Alex grins cheerfully, "I'd have to agree... and yes, we're quite pleased also at the recent occurrences!" She adds with a smile, "And it's always nice when fixing things for your family means you can help other folks too."
The otter smiles. "Indeed. We all feel that the League will be better off without Mr. Pravinchandra and his machinations, too."
Alex chuckles quietly, then murmurs dryly, "I couldn't agree more." She sighs contentedly, enjoying the swirl and sway of the waltz, humming along with the lovely and well-remembered tune under her breath... then says after a moment's thought, "So... what do you think the Empire will do next?"
DeLameter snorts. "Probably continue to be decadent. It's what they do best these days."
Alex chuckles, "Still... one can't help but wonder what the folks that were associated with House Pravinchandra are going through. Well..." she grins, "-at least, it intrigues me."
The otter looks at Alex with a bit more attention than before. "An interesting thought, yes. You suspect a shake-up in their factions?"
Alex smiles lazily, mentally tsk'ing at herself for deliberately teasing the ambassador into taking her seriously, then replies politely, "Goodness, wouldn't that make sense, ambassador? Any time a family moves up the social ladder, and then takes a sudden tumble... well, surely all those who chose to ally with them must scramble, lest they be seen as weak and vulnerable by other families? Don't they all want to curry favor with the rulers of the Empire?"
DeLameter nods. "Of course... not that the rulers need be confused with the Emperor, of course..."
Alex chuckles quietly... good, he caught that. She grins and adds after a moment, "And what's foremost on Skaergard's ambassador's mind?"
The otter grins. "Besides dancing with a lovely lady?"
Alex laughs! "You're very charming, sir... but you also haven't missed a verbal step either!" She grins up at him, her eyes twinkling mischievously, then sighs melodramatically, "Alas! Will my curiosity remain unsated?"
DeLameter grins even wider. "That depends, milady, on what you are curious about. If you're curious about whether or not it's true what they say about otters, I could probably arrange a demonstration."
Alex giggles softly, then innocently inquires, "What do they say about otters, good sir?"
DeLameter pouts. "I don't know. No one ever tells us."
Alex laughs aloud delightedly as she dances, and decides this is a very fun man! She grins cheerfully at him, "But then wouldn't it be a tad er... difficult to demonstrate whether or not what they say about otters is true?"
"Well," he replies, "-maybe you could tell me. Or maybe just lead the activities in the appropriate direction."
Alex grins amusedly at the ambassador, "Ah, an opportunist!" She chuckles, "I suppose that's as good a way as any to shy aside from discussion of one's thoughts, mm?"
DeLameter twitches an ear. "You weren't supposed to notice that. Seriously? The rumors are flying thick and fast over Chandra's demise. What actually happened? Who killed him?"
Alex shakes her head, becoming abruptly a bit more grave, "Poor man. Someone threw a poisoned dagger into his back just as he was about to speak of his allies, at his trial. We all tried to save him... but the poison was too virulent."
The otter nods. "That's pretty much what I'd thought, based on the rumors. Pity... we need to know who was going along with him."
Alex nods, her small mask serious, "I quite agree. Especially whomever is prone to the use of poisoned daggers."
The otter shivers. "Nasty idea."
Alex nods gravely... then adds, "Or in this case... snowflake looking things."
DeLameter blinks. "Snowflake things? Six-bladed metal things, so big?"
Alex tilts her head, watching the ambassador's gesture of sizing... then smiles, "Well, if you're willing to finish this dance out with me I can show it to you." She grins, "Yes, it's been well cleaned."
The otter looks a bit uncomfortable. "No need. I take it you know where it comes from?"
Alex shakes her head, "No, I just saved it... it was oddly pretty, the way well made weaponry is, you know?" She tilts her head curiously at him, "Where's it from, do you know?"
DeLameter nods, a short sharp movement. "Bharat. The Society of the Mountain. Assassins."
Alex nods slowly, then murmurs, "Thank you, ambassador... might I inquire as to how you discovered this?"
DeLameter still looks uncomfortable. "It's known to the governments of the League. They control Bharat, effectively, since none of the local princedoms there are willing to cross them. Nasty customers. If they're looking further afield..."
Alex nods slowly again, murmuring, "Interesting..."
Alex wonders perplexedly why the Starfall leaders didn't seem to know of Bharat, if the governments of the League are all supposed to know... or perhaps it's simply that they didn't realize the Society was actually active here? That could be it...
The Ha'Sheeran ambassador makes a point of wandering over to talk to Carroll during a lull in the dancing. She's turned off her magical dragon costume and is once again dressed in a ridiculously garish outfit. This time the tunic has pictures of otters apparently standing on boards in the ocean. "A moment of your time, Captain?"
Carroll smiles and murrs, "Of course, Ambassador," and turns his full attention to her.
The caribou nods. "Thank you. I'd like to speak to your ship's mage, if you don't mind, but I thought I should tell you why first. You've made some powerful enemies, Captain."
Carroll nods and murrs, "Unfortunately I fear you are correct, Ambassador Rishali. I would be pleased to hear any light you can shed about any of them. I will also be pleased to introduce you to our mage, of course." He adds, "If you would like, her apprentice, my sister Alexandra, is here right now."
Rishali bows her head in a brief acknowledgement. "I will, of course, but I understand she's still new to her magic. There's a spell or two I should teach them both if they can learn it -- might come in handy later on." The caribou lowers her voice, barely audible over the music and other conversations, "You know of the Society, I understand?"
Carroll murrs, "I am certain they will be most interested, Ambassador. Only weeks after resolving one conflict, we seem to have found others." His voice drops to match hers and he replies, "Only in the most general detail."
Rishali grimaces. "That's all anybody knows about them, I'm afraid. They're very good at protecting their secrets. But we have learned a few things -- that the odd legends have some basis in fact, and that the Society is trying to infiltrate and control governments around the world. We've been working against them for some time now."
Carroll comments, "Apparently I have worked against them rather unintentionally." He glances across the crowd for a moment, to the Queen dancing with some personage, before he looks back and finishes, "So far, worthwhile."
The caribou chuckles. "In more ways than one, I take it. Good luck, Captain. I'm afraid you'll need it, but I'll give you what help I can."
Carroll smiles and murrs, "The wounded pride of petty nobles doesn't bother me unduly, even if it should." More seriously he adds, "The other does, and any help we can find is greatly appreciated."
Rishali nods. "We feel the same way actually. The Realm and the League haven't always been the best of friends, but we've rarely been enemies. The Society, however... we'd even help the Empire against them."
Carroll recites, "'The enemy of my enemy is my friend,'" and smiles a wry grin. "Perhaps not the way I'd prefer to make friends, but it is good to know who can be depended upon."
Rishali shrugs. "Whatever works. The point is, you have been quite active in hurting them badly once already, and we'd like to make sure you stay around to do it again."
Carroll nods and murrs, "A result with which we are in complete agreement. We shall take any counsel and information you have to offer, of course. I hope my family and I are able to resolve the many threats against us, even if they are for different reasons."
The caribou gives Carroll a keen look. "I don't think our reasons are all that different in the long run. Keeping our homelands safe from those murdering SOBs."
Carroll's smile breaks in to a wider grin for a moment and he agrees, "In the long run, you are completely correct. I admit, I'm distracted by other, more local and imminent, issues."
Rishali grins again. "Well, yes. Good luck there, too. Is tomorrow afternoon good?" She collects a few items from the buffet while she talks.
Carroll walks with the caribou, smiling brightly in reply to her last statement, He snags something from the buffet himself, then realizes he hasn't eaten anything this evening again. Alex will be unhappy with him. He answers, "That will be fine. Shall we meet you somewhere, or would you prefer to come to our ship?"
"The ship will be fine. I'll be by after lunch, then."
Carroll nods and murrs, "Thank you. I will make sure our staff expects you."
Alex is enjoying the dancing tremendously, but does want to check in with her brothers... she's just having a little bit of trouble tearing herself away from the dancing! Eventually she does stop for a breather, after thanking her last dance partner prettily, and even though Carroll seems to be busy elsewhere, she'll head over with a drink to talk to Horatio and Jessie -- hopefully they won't mind the small intrusion. She beams cheerfully at her brother and Jessie, "Hi, guys! Are you having fun? Are you enjoying the dancing? Isn't this a lovely party?" She paused, getting a faintly puzzled look, then asks Jessie curiously, "What's that on your costume there?"
Horatio smiles quietly at Alex approaches, and opens his mouth to reply... then frowns slightly, looking over to Jessie. "What...?"
Jessie looks puzzled. "What's what?"
Alex points, opening her own mouth to reply... then pauses suddenly, getting a very thoughtful look. A moment later she says (in a tone of voice her brother would recognize is unusual for her), "Oh... it's just a loose thread. Here... let me get it for you, okay?" She glances out at the party, then hands her drink to her brother... as she does so she seems to nudge slightly with her hip... and she and Horatio end up having their backs to the party, facing and mostly blocking Jessie from view. She holds up a finger to her lips, giving Jessie and Horatio an intent glance... then prattles happily as she pats down Jessie's costume on one hip, finally slipping her small paw into Jessie's pocket as she talks. "You have to be careful with those, y'know... if you just yank on them you can end up with your whole skirt or something coming loose... which is just too embarrassing, believe me!"
Jessie's ears are up and alert, but she lets Alex talk... she's never seen the First Mate babble like this before. Something is going on. Horatio blinks a little, but by now is not so much puzzled when Alex does something oddly, but rather worried. He goes along with it, accepting her drink and letting himself be subtly positioned. "Oh... oh, yes," he provides, trying to make it sound not too contrived. "Er, not that I know what it's like having a skirt come loose..." He glances to Jessie, and just sort of casually looks around the room, and stifling a (faked) yawn, thinking that might help. He's not too good at this courtly-sneaky business, after all.
Alex winces slightly while her paw's in Jessie's pocket (she just pricked a finger)... then brings out what looks like... a needle. She stares at it puzzledly for a moment... then simply drops it back into Jessie's pocket -- all the while carefully shielding her movements from public view. She puts her finger up to her lips again, glancing at both her brother and Jessie again, then adds cheerfully, "There you go! No problem... hey, have you guys met the ambassador from Ha'Sheera? She's a nice lady... I said I'd introduce you both to her. You got a moment now?"
Jessie perks her ears up even more. "That nice caribou with the amazing tunic?"
Alex grins, "Ah, you've seen her. Yes, that's the one." She loops an arm through Horatio's, turning him so Jessie can take his other arm, "C'mon! I bet you guys will like her."
Horatio blinks again. "Er... ah... all right..." Alex hasn't stopped acting non-odd, so obviously the danger hasn't passed. He goes along with her, also glancing about, as if worriedly, but looking for anything... well, untoward. He's not sure what's got Alex nervous -- Nervous? Is that the right word? Well, she does tend to get more active when excited, I guess that would count in this case -- and that bothers him more than some. Alex heads over towards the caribou, internally thanking her lucky stars that the mage is tall and thus easy to find... she cheerfully chatters about the party, pointing out a few particularly spiffy costumes, and asks Jessie again if she's having a nice time?
Rishali is chatting with the Hamasuran capybara as the trio starts across the floor. She nods as they get closer, while her kilted colleague turns to look. "Dame Alexandra. What can I do for you?"
Alex beams at the capybara cheerfully, then nods politely to the caribou, "Your Excellency, you'd asked to meet my brother and his lady. May I present my brother Horatio, and Jessie?" Her voice is polite and respectful... and hidden from the crowd but visible to the mage, she puts a finger to her lips, then with a puzzled look she points to the (to her) extremely visible glow around Jessie's pocket.
Horatio blinks in surprise at the way Jessie and he are introduced, and inclines his head to Rishali. "Your Excellency, it's a pleasure to meet you."
The caribou follows Alex's gesture, and her eyes narrow. The look on her face quickly goes bland again, but her words don't match her nod and the toss of her head toward a side room. "Lord Horatio, Lady Jessie. It's an honor." The capybara raises an eyebrow at Rishali, but drifts back to the party without saying anything.
Alex loops her arms through Horatio's and Jessie's, beaming at them both, "Shall we sit down for a moment, so we can enjoy our drinks and chat a bit maybe?" She'll head for the indicated side room, unless Horatio or Jessie object.
Horatio makes no objection, by now realizing enough to know that he's out of his league, particularly after the caribou's reaction. He glances, albeit a bit worriedly, to Jessie and says, "That, ah, sounds fine, actually..."
Jessie still looks puzzled. "Well, just for a minute or two."
Alex pats Horatio's arm reassuringly and smiles... then grins at Jessie, "You have to pace yourself at parties like this, y'know... otherwise you dance too much, your paws get tired, and all of a sudden -- boom! you're exhausted! No fun..." She'll glance around to be sure the side room is empty, then settle in a chair that lets her keep watch on the doorway, letting Jessie & Horatio sit where they wish. Rishali follows them in, glancing around to see if anyone is paying too close attention. She sits down across from Alex, waving Jessie and Horatio to the chairs between them. Horatio glances towards Alex, then looks to Jessie, no longer hiding his confusion and concern, and nods, moving towards the chair. Alex smiles reassuringly at Horatio again... then looks at Rishali expectantly, her ears alertly up. Jessie perches beside Horatio, looking very puzzled. She can tell something's going on, but she has no idea what.
Horatio, without thinking as she sits by him, touches Jessie's hand, looking alertly to Rishali. The caribou-mage puts a finger to her lips and reaches into Jessie's pocket. She rummages for a moment and then pulls a needle out. She looks questioningly at Alex. Alex nods alertly to Rishali, then smiles to Jessie too.
Rishali sets the needle carefully on the low table in the center of the room and makes a few arcane passes, looking carefully at it the whole time. Alex watches with interest, although she doesn't forget to keep a wary ear turned towards the doorway as well. After a minute or so the caribou snorts, and gets a crystal out of her pocket. She concentrates on it for a moment. Lady Alex? Can you understand me?
Alex blinks startledly, her ears going straight up! -then grins delightedly and tries thinking back, Yes! How... cool!
Rishali nods. You'll have to tell your brother and his lady afterwards, and decide how to play this. It's, as we say, a bug. An item designed to overhear your conversations and send them on to other interested parties.
Horatio looks between Rishali and Alex, frowning at the silence and the lack of movement between them. Alex nods thoughtfully, then realizes they need to keep the 'conversation' going... she grins and says cheerfully (even though she's not drunk anything), "Whew! I needed that drink. So! Isn't this a lovely party? Jessie, did you get enough dancing with Horatio?" She leans over to check Horatio's satchel as she speaks... then realizes he's not got it! Instead she takes one of his ears gently, pulling it down so she can whisper very quietly while Jessie answers, "It's a magical listening device, Horry! Who's Jessie been around? What should we do with it?"
Horatio blinks as Alex grabs his ear and whispers. For a brief moment confusion covers his face, as the gears almost visibly turn... then something unusual happens -- he actually looks angry. He starts to stand, but a split moment later returns to his seat. He takes a moment to compose himself, then says in a relatively casual voice, "Well... I certainly haven't minded dancing with her! Though I confess that Don Carlos was a bit of a boor..." Alex gets an 'aah!' look, then glances at Ambassador Rishali, to make sure she heard.
Meanwhile Horatio is thinking, we almost underestimated him -- but, blast! we were thinking in the wrong direction. He's much craftier than we considered... and the threat to Maidstone... no, he's not here to simply check on the status of his prince's marriage proposal... but to do something like this...! It risks some serious court displeasure, I'm sure of it. Why would he risk it...? Alex frowns thoughtfully, trying to think of what to do with the needle... she glances at Horatio, then Rishali, wondering if either of them have a good idea. Rishali nods, her eyes narrowing a little again, but her voice light and cheerful, "Don Carlos does... hmm... have less of a way with the ladies than he thinks he does."
Alex snorts amusedly at that understatement of the evening... but still isn't sure what to do about the needle. She looks around, wishing Carroll were nearby... he's always got good ideas. Rishali looks at Alex again. If you want, I can take it and neutralize it. Or you can keep it and not let on, feed him false information with it. Up to you
Alex bites her lip, not sure what to do... she tugs gently on Horatio's ear again, whispering very softly just to him, "Do we keep it or get rid of it?"
Horatio thinks for a long moment, then shakes his head confusedly. He whispers, "I don't know, my first thought is to get rid of it, since it would mean we'd need to be careful around it all the time... one moment..." He leans over to Jessie, and whispers to her about what the needle is. Alex casually keeps the conversation up with Rishali as Horatio and Jessie confer.
Jessie sits straight up when Horatio tells her what happened, but her hunter's skills keep her from making any noise. She glares in the general direction of Don Carlos again, though. Alex grins sympathetically at Jessie, even as she's talking idly of nothing in particular to the ambassador. Then Alex brightens suddenly at a mischievous idea -- and grins. She thinks at the caribou, If you negate it he'll know we caught on, right? So... if he's going to know anyway... maybe we should... 'give it back' to him in some dramatic fashion? The image in her mind (which she's not sure if Rishali can pick up or not) is of her jabbing it firmly, perhaps with magic, perhaps not... in the coyote's posterior! Alex adds, That way too it'll be me returning it... not the Prince's supposed 'competitor'?
Rishali snorts, trying to suppress a grin. What, and cause a diplomatic incident? He should have known better than to try to sneak a magic bug past even a novice mage. Unless his intelligence service is even less on the ball than usual and he doesn't know.
Alex hms... satisfying though that would be, it isn't subtle... and she knows Carroll prefers subtle. She adds, Well, no need to let him know his intelligence is bad... maybe we could stage Jessie's pocket ripping or something, so it um... 'falls out'?
The caribou nods. Or just let it fall out on the street somewhere.
Alex shakes her head, Let's get rid of it right now, please. She glances thoughtfully around the room... what's to hand for this possible staging? Hm... if she played out handing Jessie her goblet, but it dropped, causing Jessie to lunge for it to try to catch it... and Jessie's sitting next to Horatio. So if Horatio happened to be sitting on the edge of Jessie's tunic and it ripped... that could conceivably tear the pocket enough that the needle would fall out onto the couch. She grins at the thought of whom else might sit unknowingly on the couch... then tsk's at herself -- concentrate! Okay, what sounds would they need? Her talking a little giggly, saying that Jessie should try her drink... then the goblet shattering, and a cloth tearing sound. Also, Jessie's tunic should actually be torn... they'll have to replace it for her, of course. Alex nods -- that'd work -- then whispers her intent softly to Horatio and Jessie, while they keep up the false conversation... so they're not surprised at her actions, and so they can tell her if they have a better idea.
Horatio perks his ears at Alex's plan. It's a little convoluted... but even if Don Carlos suspects that they found it, there should be enough doubt that he wouldn't immediately know they knew. Jessie looks a bit miffed at having her clothing torn for this. She whispers back, "Why not use it as bait?"
Horatio whispers quietly, "How so?" Alex also looks interestedly curious at Jessie.
Jessie grins. "Tell him something, something fake, using it. And be waiting to ambush anyone he sends after us."
Alex hms... then whispers back, "You want to keep carrying it 'til we figure what to say?"
Horatio thinks for a moment. "That could work as well," he whispers, "but we'll need to be very, very careful about what we say around the needle." Alex nods at Horatio's comment.
Jessie nods. "Yep. But it might be worth it. I can stuff it somewhere harmless back on the ship, like near the head... until we want it."
Horatio nods to Jessie. "I think we can do that..."
Alex nods again thoughtfully... that would work, and give Carroll a chance to think about how to set up the ambush! She grins happily at Jessie and whispers, "Okay then! Sounds good to me! I'll catch Carroll on the side and let him know, just so he doesn't slip up, okay?" She passes on the gist of the conversation to the caribou as well, so she knows what's up. Then she adds softly, "Be careful, guys, okay?"
Horatio nods quietly to Alex, as he maintains some level of idle and banal banter about the party, hoping it doesn't sound too out-of-character for him. Rishali nods and stands. If you change your mind, drop it over the side or bring it to me.
Definitely. Alex grins at the caribou and adds a fervent thank you for your help! to Rishali.
The caribou heads back out to the party, with one last comment to Alex. See you tomorrow, then.
Alex blinks puzzledly at the caribou, then smiles, Sounds good to me, ambassador. She grins at her brother and Jessie, adding cheerfully, "Well! I think I'm rested enough... I'm going to go see if I can pester a dance out of Carroll! You two have fun..." she giggles, adding, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" before she trots happily off.
Horatio blinks and splutters something unintelligible even to himself as his sister waltzes out of the room. After she and the ambassador leave, he sighs quietly. "That's my sister..." he says, half-resignedly, half wryly.
The dancing continues into the early morning. Alex waits until the current dance ends, then reclaims Carroll from the cervine lady-in-waiting he has been squiring around the floor.
Carroll smiles and murrs pleasantly, "Have you been having a pleasant evening, Alex? Gotten enough dancing in to last you through the week?"
Alex is, as always, alight with the joy of dancing, but that comment from Carroll causes her to chuckle, "Oh, maybe for a short while..." Her eyes are gleaming with amusement as she adds, "But I have learned a few rather interesting things tonight, Carroll, which I thought you might want to hear? And I was hoping maybe you'd learned some interesting things too?"
Carroll ahs, and murrs, "The most meaningful conversations I've had tonight have to do with Prince Iago, he who sent the flamboyant Don Carlos."
Alex grins, "Well, let's see what I've learned tonight that might be of interest to you... ah! Could you do me a favor, please? Commander van der Berg is worried about not being a very diplomatic acting ambassador... I suggested he try talking to you if he needed any help that way. Is that okay? Also, I told him I'd ask you to talk to either the queen or the baroness Kerensky -- because he's hoping they'll keep sort of half an eye on things while he's acting ambassador, in that if he accidentally offends someone from Maidstone they'll understand it's through his um... bluntness, and not because he was trying to be rude -- and maybe even they'll have a quiet word with the Maidstone person, so he doesn't irreparably damage Starfall-Maidstone relations accidentally?"
She happily adds, "Also, Ambassador Reginald DeLameter of Skaergard asked about what happened to Chandra. I told him about his 'death' -- and guess what? He knew what the snowflake weapon was -- and it made him real uncomfortable. He didn't even want to see it. And here's the interesting thing, Carroll... he says Bharat's Society of the Mountain are known to the governments of the League as the effective controllers of Bharat, since none of the local princedoms there are willing to cross them. He seemed quite worried that they might be looking further afield." Alex adds cheerfully, "He also mentioned, previous to that, that the local League consensus is they're 'quite pleased by the recent events. It was never in the League's interest to have her two most powerful members at odds.'" She beams up at Carroll, "Pretty nifty news, eh?"
Carroll frowns and considers quietly, before replying, "Interesting. I also was told that the tensions between Maidstone and Starfall were helping no one." He looks at Alex and smiles wryly, adding, "And that I need to watch my back, lest a jealous prince try something rash to keep his heavy-handed attempts to beguile the Queen somewhat effective."
Alex has a wicked smile as she replies, "Really now? Fascinating... ah! There's one other thing I thought you might be... quite interested in, Cara, that happened tonight... did you happen to see the dance Don Carlos had with Jessie? The one where she slapped him and (quite rightfully) stomped off the floor in a huff? Well... guess what else he did while dancing with her?"
Carroll considers, and then asks, "Shared with her his opinions of the local wines?"
Alex speaks in a casual tone of voice, and her expression is light, as befits a party... but her annoyance with Don Carlos and his arrogant prince is clear in her words, "Not quite... he dropped a silver needle into Jessie's pocket... a magical eavesdropping item. Ambassador Rishali, who's apparently coming to visit the ship tomorrow, helped us figure it out, and I don't think Don Carlos knows yet that we're on to him. Jessie's still got it and she and Horatio are being careful about what they say -- so you can figure out something useful to do with it, to trip up Don Carlos." She adds a touch grimly, "As he so richly deserves, for doing such a rude thing..."
Carroll smiles pleasantly, and murrs, "Oh, yes, I shall have some carefully placed words to overhear."
Alex grins delightedly up at her brother, "Good! I couldn't think of anything off the top of my head, but I was sure you'd be able to!"
Carroll adds, "Although perhaps it would just be most interesting to merely give it to Baroness Kerensky and let her decide how to confuse him."
Alex chuckles, "That could be amusing too... okay!" She beams, "I'm glad it's well in hand then."
Carroll nods and murrs, "Yes, we'll take care of that later. We also need to think about a request that was made tonight by Baroness Morgana, who was asking if we could try and find out more about who was trying to assassinate the Queen. All their leads have pointed to the jungle tribes of Boveya. She wondered if we could head that way and see what we could find out. I gave her a definitive 'maybe.'"
The party eventually drifts to an end, the queen going to bed about halfway between midnight and dawn and her guests gently shooed out if they haven't already left. Carroll, Horatio, Jessie, and Alex board the coach for the ride back to the ship, with a gesture to McKenzie and the other guards to stay silent.
Carroll leans back against the carriage seat, and murrs tiredly, "That was a lovely party. Did you all have a pleasant time?"
Alex sighs happily (if also tiredly), flopping back relaxedly, "Oh, yes! And yes, that was a really lovely party!" Her grin at Jessie and Horatio is a bit mischievous nonetheless!
Carroll murrs, "I have to admit, no one was more surprised than I was at the unmasking when it turned out I was dancing with the Queen."
Alex chuckles a tad smugly, "I figured it out ahead of time! It was fun working it out, too."
Carroll chuckles and murrs, "Why am I not surprised you'd figured it out? I wonder what others must think. I'd hate for anyone to think that I'm another one of the gaggle of suitors who follows the poor woman around."
Alex's eyes brighten with mischief as she starts to suspect the conversational tack her oldest brother is taking. There's a great deal of glee in her voice as she adds, "Oh, really! Don't you just wonder if the suitors realize how... how grasping and greedy and foolish they look? One might almost feel sorry for poor Don Carlos!" She giggles, then adds, "Almost."
Jessie gets into the spirit of things, winking as she grumbles, "Well, I don't feel sorry for him. If he tries pinching me again, I'll stick something uncomfortable somewhere he won't appreciate it."
Alex laughs delightedly! then adds with a wicked grin to Jessie, "So, do you think the accent is fake, and he's just trying to impress the ladies? How terribly transparent the poor man is! I think Ambassador Rishali hit it right on the money -- he thinks he's far more charming than he actually is!" Alex covers her small muzzle with both paws, trying not to burst into a bad case of the giggles!
Carroll replies, "Yes, they can seem that way. So many of them so transparently don't care a whit about who the Queen is -- merely what they can get through her. I know that I've had enough of it myself, and I'm only heir to a Counthood." To Jessie he chuckles and murrs, "I think he had the worst luck with minks tonight."
Alex follows up on Carroll's comment by nodding and replying in what she hopes is a helpful conversational vein, "Thank goodness she appears to not be the type to fall for that sort of greedy nonsense."
Carroll gives Alex an odd look and shakes his head once, sharply. Settling back against the carriage wall, he comments in the same relaxed voice he was using before, "Oh, I don't know about that, Alex. The fellow's not in the most tenable of positions. He must be fully aware that he's been sent to do something Prince Iago would be better suited for." He continues, "However, it sounds as if the Prince himself is shackled to his homeland for a dismal and saddening reason. Really, not a good position for either of them."
Alex's ears prick up sharply at Carroll's headshake. Hm... she must not have figured out where he's trying to go in the conversation yet. She'll just listen for a bit, she decides, and try to figure it out again. Carroll chuckles quietly, and replies to his sister, "You're right that the Queen seems uninterested in that kind of suitor. I don't know that anyone knows what kind she actually is interested in, though. I certainly haven't any idea." He looks over at her intently.
Alex tentatively guesses as to what Carroll's doing, and tries again, "Well, you didn't get stuck dancing with the silly man -- that'd be enough to turn any nice lady against him, I'd suspect!...but yes, I suppose I can see what you mean." She tilts her head inquiringly at her brother -- was that better?
Carroll murrs, "Between Jessie and the Duchess White Haven, the Don didn't fare too well with minks." He grins and adds, "I certainly don't know why he didn't enjoy dancing with the Duchess," and gives a little lascivious chuckle, "-as she is always a good dance partner, in a hedonistic kind of way."
Horatio has been a bit on the quiet side throughout the entire ride back, paying attention to the conversation, smiling at the jokes and the richly-warranted barbs at Don Carlos, but remaining a little more subdued than usual. His expression has been mostly unreadable as he watches the streets of Maidstone dance by outside the windows. As the turn of the conversation leads again towards Don Carlos and his behavior this evening, Horatio looks back to the small group. "He's from Coast Yermo," he provides in a quiet voice. "The women are second-class persons there; he probably never ran into someone quite like the Duchess in his life." He looks to Jessie, and his smile, while quiet, is warm and genuine. "Nor you, Jessie." His smile falters, and fades. "I'm... I'm sorry." He rubs his forehead a little, grimacing. "Just trying to twist my mind around this intrigue." He opens his mouth to say more, then remembers that the needle is still present with them. "I never imagined I could deal with it as well as either of you, but it's starting to seem worse than a catastrophic reaction between vitriol and sanguine humour..."
Carroll smiles and tries to reassure his brother, "You're doing fine, Horatio. Don't worry so much about it. If you get in to a situation you don't know how to handle, find me and we'll figure it out." Alex nods quietly at Horatio, trying to wrap her head around the concept of half of a population being considered second class. To her, even the peasantry in Starfall aren't second class. Without them, who would the nobility protect? Who would care for the nobility, just as the nobility care for them? Carroll adds, "And, now that you mention it, I'm not sure I've ever met someone quite like the Duchess White Haven before."
Alex grins quietly, adding, "Dare I ask what happens when uh... vitriol and sanguine humor meets?" She grins more broadly, guessing, "Nasty barbed insults maybe?"
A small part of Horatio's mind is wondering how Don Carlos, or whomever is eavesdropping in on their conversation courtesy of the listening-needle, will take the news that the youngest son of St. Genevieve is so unused to court maneuverings. "Oh, I'm sorry, Alex." Suddenly he realizes he let slip a rather unpleasant euphemism he had picked up at the Academy, and his ears start to feel warm. "Vitriol is an acid, and, uhm, well... I guess the best way I can explain that turn of phrase is something that hurts a whole lot if you get it spilled on you."
Alex nods and smiles, "Makes sense, I suppose. The phrase 'vitriolic' to describe someone had to come from somewhere, after all."
Horatio nods quietly. "Exactly! Vitriol has a..." He finds himself about to launch into a spiel on alchemical vitriol, and stops himself -- not an entirely difficult task, considering how heavy things weigh on him at the moment. "It... has a really strong reaction with a lot of things." He considers for a moment. "Hmm..."
Alex is lolling relaxedly in Carroll's cabin much later, in much more comfortable clothes, having a last glass of wine with her brothers and comparing notes with them on what the plans for the future are, before they all go to bed. Once they've all updated each other on what they all learned at the party, and the necessary purchases for the ship are planned out, she sighs contentedly and sips her wine. A moment later her ears go up curiously and she grins at her brothers, "So... what would you guys have liked to say to the needle?"
Carroll murrs, "I had intended to suggest that the man was the best thing going, and the Queen was swept off her feet, so that he'd think he was succeeding." He puts his goblet down and finishes, "But I couldn't make myself." He adds, "I do hope he took what I said to mean that I'm not terribly interested in the Queen myself, and I will thus appear to be less of a threat to Prince Iago's intentions."
Alex frowns thoughtfully, staring at the beautiful fiery glow of the lamplight in her wine as she slowly replies, "You know, if I'm understanding Horatio properly as to how women are seen in Costa Yermo... I don't think I'd like to go there. It doesn't sound like a very nice place." She's silent, gently swirling the wine around in the glass goblet and admiring its legs... then suddenly blinks and sits up, "Oh my. That's it, guys... that's why the prince is sending Don Carlos instead of coming himself -- to the prince, Queen Arianna is 'just a woman' -- how could her opinion matter? She will of course be swept off her feet!" She blinks slowly again, adding, "Wow... maybe... maybe that slimy, greedy, leering sort of demeanor actually works there!"
Carroll murrs, "The Prince is at home because his father lingers at the edge of death. I had it suggested that the Prince would have hurried this along even more, were he a bit less afraid of being caught."
Alex sips her wine again, staring thoughtfully off into space, then shakes her head at Carroll's comment, "I've heard the prince is a greedy and manipulative bastard, Carroll. I don't think his father's health is as important to him as assuring his own succession." She thinks for a moment, then quietly adds to her brothers, "Guess what else I think, guys? I think the prince is NOT going to take a refusal at all well... Carroll, Horatio, d'you think Costa Yermo's strong enough to actually do something as stupid as declare war on Maidstone? The prince might be foolish enough to believe Maidstone was a pushover, precisely because it's led by a woman!"
Horatio hasn't quite touched his wineglass yet, his quiet from the carriage carrying over to now. At this point though, he looks up, the flickering light from the lamps casting glittering flecks of elemental auris nobillium within the young alchemical student's eyes. "There's more to him being here than just to be boorish to the queen, or to any ladies he meets," he says softly. "Don Carlos' boorish behavior notwithstanding," and there's the faintest of catches in his voice as he says that, "-he felt that he could achieve something significant by planting that needle on Jessie, something so significant it was worth the risk of using something which would surely be discovered at some point, or removed from her person when she changed clothing. He is not merely here to pay misguided homage to the Queen for his prince; there is something deeper afoot, and it has to do with... with us. Is it perhaps possible that what we have done here has reached the attention of the court of Costa Yermo?"
Carroll tells Alex, "No, sister, he's very concerned with his father's health. He wants him dead as soon as possible. And a war on Maidstone would be foolish of them, but attacks against the Republic of Hamasura wouldn't be, especially if their current friend, Maidstone, had an allegiance by marriage to Costa Yermo." Carroll murrs, "Colonel Villejo very quietly pointed this fact out to me, and how difficult a position that could put Hamasura into." He tells his brother, "If our being here hadn't reached the court at Costa Yermo, after tonight's dance it certainly will. I had two people at the dance, both of whose judgement I trust, suggest that I be particularly careful lest something unfortunate befall me."
Alex nods slowly, "I... see..." She's silent again, quietly and distractedly swirling her wine in her glass... then she looks up, "All right, let's speculate then. It sounds like the prince has things all planned out. What do you think he's likely to do if the queen doesn't follow his plans? Shipping... the League depends on shipping, right? What does Costa Yermo export again?"
Carroll comments, "Baroness Kerensky commented today that the only reason that Don Carlos didn't get laughed at to his face was that the Maidstone traders in the area would be harassed."
Alex hmms... "Manufactured goods, right, that's what they import... and they export gemstones, metals, and ore, right? Interesting... yes, I'm willing to bet the prince hasn't even realized the queen might have the temerity to tell him no... and that he'll be very angry when she does." She sighs, "Now there's a place where the nobility needs a major overhauling!" A moment later she giggles, "Wouldn't it be funny to see the prince married to someone he couldn't push around... like Ludmilla?"
Carroll snorts, "Ludmilla has more taste."
Alex grins cheerfully at Carroll, "Still be funny though..."
Horatio nods to Carroll. "This is true, brother. But I imagine a listening-object takes time to prepare. He would have had to have had it in advance, and perhaps have someone in mind for whom to put it on." He folds his hands under his chin, looking down at the deep-veined wood of the table, his eyes hooded by shadow. "He might very well have had a definite person in mind upon whom to put it, though I can see a foreign agent might have several of them, if skilled mages are available and willing." There is a flicker of white eye and yellow iris, as his eyes widen and he looks up. "And he may have more, in fact may have used more." He straightens slightly.
Carroll just nods to Horatio, and asks him, "Don't you love court?" He apparently means it.
Alex giggles at Carroll -- and at the mildly horrified expression Horatio gets at Carroll's comment! Then she grins and says reassuringly to Horatio, "Don't worry, Horry... Cleo and I went over the ship very carefully -- there's no magic here that shouldn't be! Don Carlos at this point would do better to try to bribe one of the crew for information, than to try sneaking magic on."
Horatio says in a deadpan voice, "It's endangering people who should not be endangered, and it also holds the lives of untold citizens in peril of their livelihoods and even their very lives. Believe me, I'd trade it for an athanor built by the hands of first-year Academy students any day of the year. At least I know the novices' athanor really is going to explode!" Then he looks to Alex. "I'm not worried about here, so much as other guests at the party. If we were not the primary targets, and if he had several, he may have felt generous enough to dispense his gifts amongst several persons. Very likely with anyone he danced with."
Carroll smiles, and murrs, "Yes. The very walls seem to have ears sometimes."
Alex nods slowly, "Well... we can help a little with that, Horry... we can quietly let our friends know what Don Carlos did. That way not only will we warn them, but Don Carlos will have hurt both himself and his cause here. And that way they'll check themselves too."
Carroll asks, "I wonder if he managed to place one on Duchess White Haven? He certainly had the opportunity."
Alex adds, "Ambassador Rishali's probably let the queen's people know already... they seem to be good friends." She pauses, wondering idly if the queen was really interested in the whole family as possible friends... or just had a crush on Dimitri. She sighs softly, regretfully... then turns her attention resolutely back to her other two brothers.
Horatio taps his chin, thinking. "Opportunity... but he was smug when he planted it on Jessie. He was all but terrified of White Haven."
Carroll snipes quietly, "Perhaps that's because he was afraid she would discover what a small man he truly is?"
Horatio rouses himself slightly, and looks around the table. "Trade does seem to be the lifeblood of this entire region, and it seems best, for the time being, to attribute a burgeoning perceived trade dispute in the making between Costa Yermo and Maidstone..." he grimaces. "But somehow that explanation doesn't seem enough..."
Alex hms thoughtfully, "I wonder... who the pirates will be accepting money from next?" She scowls, "I wish we could wipe those rotten thieves out! They've no honor -- they just grab and destroy!"
Carroll ahs, and murrs, "We're as much in danger from them as any other trader. They are a problem."
Alex chuckles quietly at Carroll's pointed comment... then adds, "Seriously, do we think the prince would consider hiring the pirates to harm trade?"
Carroll murrs, "I couldn't say. I wouldn't rule it out."
Alex nods thoughtfully, then adds, "I wonder where they um... hang out? They've got to sell their goods and give their crews R&R too, after all."
Horatio says, "If he is as how he has been depicted, then I wouldn't either. The pirates under Pravinchandra's pay will be looking for new sources of income now, after all."
Alex nods, "Exactly." She shudders suddenly, "Eew. Can you imagine, were the queen to actually marry the prince... I bet he'd expect to send a representative he trusted to rule here, with the queen either as puppet or safe at the prince's side. Maybe that's why Don Carlos is so assiduous -- he sees himself as the potential rep!"
Carroll nods, murring, "True." A moment later he murrs, "We're making this prince far more reprehensible than he may be."
Alex flicks her whiskers disdainfully, "Anyone that would wait eagerly for their father to die...!" She lets her comment trail off meaningfully.
Carroll murrs, "Alex, I've tried to be subtle, and you haven't picked it up. He's not waiting for him to die. He's poisoning him. I didn't say we were making things worse... just that we could be."
Alex sighs, "Carroll, I did get it. I just was trying to be polite. And that doesn't detract from my comment at all!"
Carroll ahs, and murrs, "I couldn't tell. And, no, it doesn't detract at all. The man is a scoundrel, and he seems to hire them."
Alex grins mischievously, "I could be more blunt again, if you prefer?"
Horatio considers for a very long moment. "I'm thinking..." he murmurs. "I'm thinking that it is a very bad thing to get involved with these people, but by their planting of a listening-object on Jessie, they want us to get involved with them." He opens his eyes. "We need more information. And I think we know where we'll find it."
Alex's ears tilt interestedly at Horatio, "Where, Horry?"
Carroll ohs, and asks, "Where?"
Horatio says, "The den of scoundrels itself. Where, it seems, even noble elements become base. Costa Yermo."
Alex blinks! -then cautiously asks, "Um... why would we want to go there though, Horry?" Then her eyes suddenly widen, "Horry! Are you saying that's where you think the pirates sell their goods?!"
Carroll looks dubious and murrs, "I don't know that that's a good idea." He does turn to his sister and reply, "Oh, we have every reason to go there, if we wish. They purchase a lot of finely manufactured goods, which are very much what we have to sell."
Alex adds bluntly to Carroll, "If I get crap from anyone there for being female I'm going to stick them, Carroll! Fair warning ahead of time!"
Carroll murrs quietly, "Then we'd best not go there." Alex looks slightly abashed at both the heat of her reaction and Carroll's calming reply... but there's still a fiercely determined quiver to her indignantly back-tilted ears.
Horatio sits back, holding but not drinking from the still-filled wineglass, his eyes closes in weariness from the day's -- and evening's -- work. "Maybe. If the pirates are involved with Prince Iago, then somewhere in or near that country will be their free port. Also, we would have the opportunity to find out first hand just what is behind Don Carlos' behavior." He opens his eyes slightly. "You're right, Carroll, it's perhaps not a good idea. But I don't know what other leads we can pick up here in Maidstone. I think we've all agreed that a threat of some sort against Maidstone exists." He sighs, straightening slightly. "And far be it from me to cause some hapless person's skewering by Alex," he adds, grinning. Then the grin fades. "Which means we need to find another lead. We need to learn more."
Alex grins and looks more abashed at Horatio's comment! -then brightens, "Hey, guys! Maybe the queen, or Rishali, or Ludmilla know more?"
Carroll nods to Alex, murring, "Likely. Ask Rishali when she's here tomorrow."
Alex grins, "Okay!"