2017-10-07: A Convenient Proposal
- Log: A Convenient Proposal
- Cast: Kahm Yugh, Cecilia Adlehyde
- Where: November City
- Date: October 7th, 2017
- Summary: Kahm tracks down Cecilia as Marcus Rider, and makes her an offer of sanctuary.
<Pose Tracker> Kahm Yugh has posed.
Kahm Yugh pressed through the dwindling crowd on market street with the distinct air of a man about his business, quick enough to be hurried and yet slow enough not to leave suspicion in his wake. He was dressed in the black clothes of the man some drifters recognized as 'Marcus Rider', and for those who did not he tended to look enough like some kind of law that the his motives were easy to self-ascribe. He kept the wide brim of his hat tilted low, blue eyes casually searching the storefronts as he watched. The tabs he'd been keeping on the Princess Adlehyde had reported her roughly in this vicinity, and he was finally possess with the time and convenience to do something he'd planned weeks ago..
<Pose Tracker> Cecilia Adlehyde has posed.
People who don't know Cecilia Lynn Adlehyde would expect to find her enjoying some of November's finer things - the finest hotels, the finest entertainment, the finest dining...a Princess on a journey would surely be able to find seat at any table she wished, if she were willing to open the royal purse.
Tracking her movements produces a different picture. She stays at Hotel Renais - a respectable enough hotel, certainly, but hardly the finest place in November; the only entertainment she seems to take is the occasional street show; and as for the food...
'Marcus' finds Cecilia at the head of a line for a street hot dog cart. She looks like any traveler, far from the pristine white dress she wore before the asasult on Adlehyde, with thick leggings suitable for the desert and thick cloth skirt and vest over a leather bodice. Her hair is still cut short, a little below her ears. She is holding up five fingers.
A few seconds later and some coinage exchange, Cecilia has half a corndog in her mouth while the rest of her bounty has been piled into a bag, and a spring in her step as she marches off to some other destination.
<Pose Tracker> Kahm Yugh has posed.
Kahm indeed doesn't know the Princess-at least, not well-but he has reviewed enough to understand that she preferred lower haunts and joys to the sorts of high-society trappings one would expect of her station. Whether that was due to her desire to remain unrecognized or something more acutely personal was beyond him.
The Solarian is tempted to make the girl's acquaintance the moment he spots her at the hot dog vendor, but decides to hold off and trail her a while towards her next destination-ideally, somewhere more discerning.
When the moment proves opportune, he'll speed his pace up to stride alongside her and inquire, "Pardon me ma'am, but could you provide me with some directions? I'm a bit new to town, and I've lost my way."
<Pose Tracker> Cecilia Adlehyde has posed.
If he's hoping her ultimate destination will prove some important insight, sadly, all he actually gets is the Princess wandering down the lane to get a lemonade, then finding a roadside bench and settind down on it with a relieved smile. She glances around a little, almost like she had been instructed to be on her guard - except she clearly doesn't have enough native paranoia to put much thought to it, and soon she's chomping happily on the rest of her corn dog.
Which is presumably about when Kahm shows up. She tips her head a little, visibly perplexed, and then holds up a finger before chomping down the rest of her (current portion of) snack and dabbing at her lips with a supplied napkin. "Uhm! I'm not really a native, but I'll help if I can!" she says. This is kind of familiar. Gosh, what was that doctor guy's name, even...
<Pose Tracker> Kahm Yugh has posed.
If Kahm knew Loren had approached Cecilia in much the same way earlier, he'd probably consider putting some more time into developing their field handbook for this kind of thing. But he doesn't, so it won't! Instead he nods with polite understanding. "Ah, that doesn't surprise. It seems like November has had a pretty sizable influx of new people from out east recently, so it's an even toss-up as to whether or not someone I run into is going to be any better off than I am." He said.
"I'm actually looking for the local branch of the Smith & Luio Agency. I was supposed to get back to them with some details on an assignment. I think it was block or two down from Hotel Renais, but I've gotten all sorts of spun around here."
<Pose Tracker> Cecilia Adlehyde has posed.
Fortunately, despite Lily's best efforts, Cecilia's learning multiplier for paranoia is basically zero, and if there is even one pair of dots to connect here, she fails to do so.
"There was a big fight," Cecilia supplies, with enough mental distance now to not be visibly stricken by despair at a GOLEM BEING USED AGAINST PEOPLE or HUMAND AND DEMONS BOTH OPENLY ASSAULTING THE GUARDIAN TEMPLE.... She doesn't say much more about it, though. She just tips her head a little as he explains. She's never heard of these guys. Ah, but... "Oh, well, I know where the Hotel is at least," she says. She should head back soon, anyway. She can't avoid Lily forever....she might sneak out of a sewer and kidnap her to fight turtles or something. "I guess I can take you there," she says, slowly. Something Lily was telling her blares in the back of her mind but Cecilia must have been thinking about flowers.
<Pose Tracker> Kahm Yugh has posed.
It's likely a good thing Cecilia hadn't witnesses that battle Kahm and his cohorts had with Sado, then. That surely wouldn't have endeared her to Gebler any.
"Ah, that's convenient. I'm grateful for your assistance, but first there's something else i'd like to discuss with you, if you have time." Kahm says, and at this he will seat himself aside her and discretely continue, "..Princess Cecilia."
A slight pause seems appropriate at this juncture before he speaks again, "My apologies, but I need to hold you for a few second of conversation before I was certain it was you." He says, lifting both hands in caution, more than aware that the incident with Foobach is likely to have her on guard against precisely this sort of situation. "Before anything else, I should add that I only wished to speak with you. We're quite alone, at the moment."
<Pose Tracker> Cecilia Adlehyde has posed.
She tips her head. Wait he wants to sit, and now the alarm bells are ringing, and--
She stiffens, visibly, and her whole presence sharpens. The last guy who did this tried to walk off with her. She's visibly preoccupied, now, eyes cutting around - these are not instincts a Princess has, and indeed they are not the sharp cuts of a person trained in professional wariness, but she seems to be quickly taking stock of their surroundings. That mode of dress she thinks. Another Black Tie? Her fingers slowly draw together. Resisting the urge to summon her staff right there.
He assures her they're alone but suddenly she finds herself ill-inclined to trust assurances. She draws a short breath. "Black Ties, again?" she asks, with the warmth fallen out of her voice like she'd bathed in ice. ... "Very well," she says; her tone clipped now. Word choice more specific; more imperious. "What is it that you want?"
Yes, it would seem the last encounter with Fargo has rather soured her opinion of mysterious strangers who invite themselves into her presence.
<Pose Tracker> Kahm Yugh has posed.
He barks a laugh at her guess, shaking her head. There was a time when he would've taken far more offense to being confused for a member of Kent's gang, but now...well, time and necessity had bred a certain degree of flexibility in the Captain's mien. "No, your highness, I am no Black Tie. I have already told you who I work for." Kahm said. The Smith & Luio Agency-if Cecilia didn't know who they were, then Lily might be able to explain a thing or two. "In fact, we've taken steps to ensure you won't be harassed by that group again in such a fashion."
He'll lean forward at the question, clasping his hands and seeming to muse on it for a moment or two before speaking again. "I want what you want. I want the Teardrop out of the hands of the Metal Demons, and their threat to Ignas, perhaps to the world, ended. I want you restored to your rightful place at the head of Adlehyde. I have tried to support you in these things from afar with limited success, and now I would like to do so from a closer influence, if you'll allow it."
He turned to her then, blue eyes taut with purpose, and said, "Or I should say that my clients desire these things, and I endeavor earnestly on their behalf."
<Pose Tracker> Cecilia Adlehyde has posed.
Cecilia's mind whirls, trying to correlate more of its contents in seconds than she usually bothers to plug into each other in a week. Her head hurts and it's not because the world is trying to squeeze inside it. He presumes her wishes, and she remains quiet; her hands have left her snacks to fold quietly together, pressed together in an utterly visible sign of stress.
"The Teardrop," she says, slowly, answering his question only by tangent, "is a precious memento of my mother. I should quite like it returned." ...'Restored'...visions of the palace dining room dance in her eyes for a moment, tall, leering men with sneering smiles--
Her hands untense. "I see," she says, and tilts her eyes toward him. Now she doesn't really look at him; now she's trying to keep her eyes on the crowd. "Then you would influence my journey as well. The Black Ties tried to make it sound like a kindness, as well, but you at least have not appeared with men with flamethrowers."
Eyes back out; across the street, crawling across the mass of people. "Your clients?" she wonders. "Who is it that has asked your Smith & Luio to keep eyes on me?" ... Now she looks again, looking fully his way. "And what are you offering?"
<Pose Tracker> Kahm Yugh has posed.
"I am interested in your success." Kahm states resolutely, however Cecilia herself might see it. "In this matter, however, I am privileged to say say that I work on behalf of those in Bledavik who wish you well. I can offer you a far safer place from which to secure your goals than the constant threat and exposure you face now, following the life of a drifter."
They had erred the first time, when they had leveraged the Black Ties and force to try and gain the princess. A different tack was to be used here, and it was slightly evident in the way Kahm spoke and gestured without (hopefully) threatening, "The Prime Minister wishes you to understand that refuge and safe harbor are yours wherever you would have it from him, and more. Consider if the danger inherent to recovering the Teardrop, and contending with demons, would not be better left to the powers of Aveh on your behalf, leaving you to provide the inspiration and leadership the people of Adlehyde now so richly need."
His eyes also turn towards the crowd, "The people here understanding nothing of that burden, princess. To them, you are no different than any other girl on the street, and are assured no less safety than one. But I won't make you decide now. I'd rather you thought on it, in fact."
As a ruler should.
<Pose Tracker> Cecilia Adlehyde has posed.
Cecilia, who doesn't hate this game because she's bad at it necessarily, quietly lets 'Marcus' project at her, and oh boy does he.
"I see," she says, quietly. "Then Shakhan wishes me to --"
She feels something burn on the way out of her lungs, a lump of something raw that she clamps down on, stopping herself abruptly. Breathe.
She doesn't say much for a long few seconds. Silently contemplating his words. Leave the work to Aveh so that she can return home...
The people here don't understand her burden. He says.
"Of course," she says, finally. "I shall consider your proposal. I..." She slowly rubs her hands together, thoughts unsticking as the shape of the moment becomes clearer. "...have a lot to think about."
<Pose Tracker> Kahm Yugh has posed.
Kahm watches Cecilia a moment, then rises to his feet. "I am sure that you do." The man remarks, straightening his clothes, "You can reach me at the branch office when you have your answer. Ask for Marcus."
He puts one foot in front of him, then pauses. The hesitation is slight, and over just as quickly. "I had the privilege to meet King Justin, before everything happened." He said, his face only slightly turned towards the princess as he spoke. "We did not speak long, but I took his measure as a man who would do much for the sake of his people. Where your highness is concerned, I consider my work a return on his favor more so than the will of the Prime Minister."
He continued walking then, until he'd vanished among the crowd.
<Pose Tracker> Cecilia Adlehyde has posed.
Marcus...
Cecilia's eyes track up. Those parting words. She draws in a breath. He thinks he's consoling her, she measures. "Yes," she says, quietly. "In the end, Father gave even his life for the people of Adlehyde." She watches him as he turns to move, her expression slowly darkening as she grows more confident in his departure.
She reaches down into her bag and stuffs half a hotdog in her mouth, lips turned down.
"Marcus," she mutters again, leaning back against the bench, eyes slowly scanning to the sky.