>>6060936The woman takes the card in her gauntlet and examines it through the slits on her helm. It’s a faux pas to raise the visor unless something suitably dramatic warrants it such as an entire city being blown up. Or so you’ve been told. “Midori Suzuki? Never heard a name like that before,” Unlike you Marie doesn’t wear a hood, “You don’t look like you’re from around here either.”
“I’m from the Far East, traveled as a hedge knight for a while before eventually finding my way here,” Marie lies.
“Must’ve been a long journey, what of you friend here?”
“Lass’ name’s Lauren, lowborn. I picked ‘er up to carry my gear and count my gold,” You grit your teeth at the humiliating lie even if it does make the knight not spare a second glance at you.
“She can read?”
“Some coven or other taught her. S’where I picked ‘er up.”
“Literate peasants, you see something new every day. Alright, you and your donkey,” Her what?! “Can head on through. If you’re looking for work I’m sure the Cendre Château is still up in flames. Be a shame if the fires spread any further than they already have, arsonists damn near hit the palace us guardsmen weren’t already swarming it. Next!”
“A pleasure, ma’am,” Marie says before walking into the inner city. She struts with purpose as the two of you head into the direction of the guildhall, only to immediately turn away once you’re out of sight.
“That was easier than I thought-” Marie says as she turns toward you once you’re in an alleyway, “Ow!” Only for your fist to make its way into her shoulder, “What was that for?!”
“Lowborn donkey! Is that the best lie you could come up with!” You say in outrage.
“Hey, I wasn’t the one who called you an ass!”
You gasp, scandalized, “The nerve! You jumped up peasant!” Marie’s only response to to maturely stick out her tongue. You, in a much more dignified fashion, reveal to her a specific muscle inside of your mouth so that she may weep from the insult. Once she’s thoroughly scandalized you turn to look at the largest pillar of smoke before walking towards the center of the inner city, the market square. “Do you know anything about House Cendre, Marie?”
“All I know is yours, Hyland, and those losers from your academy you talked about.”
“House Cendre is a Dukedom whose lord, Duke Edwin de Cendre, is a very old friend of my father's. On two occasions he even held the title of regent, once on a grand tour of the continent and the second during a period of intense illness.”
“So not just your family is under attack, but your family’s friends?”
“Close, moreso their supporters. House Lindan has had many friends and many enemies during our long reign and I wouldn’t be surprised whoever is behind this conspiracy, the shadowy Stranger, is hoping to sow chaos in the realm by destabilizing the most powerful block of noble alliances.”
