Envoy

[Karen Wilder]

It was an oddly mis-matched pair that approached the Temple that morning... A boy of no more than ten years, dressed in red and gold. The ostentatious clothing matching the outlandish finery that was popular in the courts of France just prior to the Revolution... and a girl perhaps eight years old wearing a fine silk kimono of eye-catching green with a blue silk ribbon around the waist; her face made up with white makeup, making her resemble a porcelain doll.

At the edges of the square before the Temple were the pair's guards... both the obvious ones and the inobvious. Two Templars watered their horses at a trough in front of a small tavern while across the square a trio of young bravos jeered and wolf-whistled at various passers-by. A member of the City Watch, obviously not suited for the duty nor happy about it, stood directly opposite the Temple... his eyes never leaving the young pair.

The two youths ascended the steps to the Temple with an air of confidence and ease that belied their aparent ages. They strode up to the first person they could see wearing the robes that indicated they were members of the Temple.

The girl spoke first...

"Viscount Monterre wishes to speak with someone with the authority to arrange negotiations and alliances." After receiving a sharp look from the boy, she hastened to add, "The Viscount's time is very valuable, so please see to it that there is no delay."

[Alia Anor Graham]

She paused as the young girl made her requirements known. Brilliant aqua eyes surveyed the young boy, and then the girl.

The Brother who would see to such things is not currently available. Perhaps you can be made comfortable until Brother Zed or Sister Lily can make arrangements to see you?

[Karen Wilder]

The girl looked at her companion for a long moment before receiving an almost imperceptible nod. She looked back to the woman and nodded. "The Viscount is willing to wait a short time, given the importance of this meeting."

The boy made an obscure hand gesture and the girl nodded again. "The Viscount would prefer to wait here on the steps. If you could have a chair brought out for him it would be most appriciated."

[Alia Anor Graham]

The request seemed very odd since the public areas of the Temple had much more comfortable seating, but for some reason they preferred to remain outside.

A brother brought the chair for both, placing one in the sun, and one in the shadow of one of the columns for them to choose whichever they would prefer.

"If you desire anything while you wait, please feel free to ask."

The ivory robed woman then walked into the Temple in search of Brother Zed or Sister Lily.

[Karen Wilder]

The boy appeared to ponder his choice of seating arrangements for a moment before finally nodding and sitting in the shade. The girl bowed to Alia, "Your hospitality is most generous, lady" and then went to stand just behind the seated boy.

When she was certain no one was in earshot, she began muttering under her breath. "I can't believe you talked me into this, Lucien. This outfit is rediculous."

"Nonsense Mary my love," replied Lucien, just as quietly... his lips barely moving. "You look lovely in that. We'll have to get you one for when you're older."

Mary barely managed to keep her expression bland as she choked off an astonished reply. She had sense enough to keep her voice low. "You can't be serious... It's nearly impossible to walk wearing this, much less run."

"All the better to catch you in, my love" replied Lucien, with only the tiniest of grins.

Mary couldn't think of anything to say to that, so she just stood there and fumed in silence.

[Lily]

Alia Anor finds Lily in her office. Lily asks for her to lead her to the visitors. As she steps out the door she sees the young girl and the boy.

"Welcome to the Temple of Divine Light. How may I help you?" She smiles politely to them.

[Karen Wilder]

Alia Anor finds Lily in her office. Lily asks for her to lead her to the visitors. As she steps out the door she sees the young girl and the boy.

"Welcome to the Temple of Divine Light. How may I help you?" She smiles politely to them.

Mary immediately recognized the girl as the head of the Temple and bowed. Lucien, meanwhile, continued to sit.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Mary cleared her throat and straightened from her bow. "Your Grace, this is the Lady Lily whom we have come to see."

Lucien gave Mary an inscrutible glance, then casually stood up from the chair.

Mary continued to speak, turning to face Lily now. "Lady, this is the Viscount Monterre. He has traveled a great distance on the behalf of certain interested parties in order to speak to you on urgent matters concerning your organization."

Lucien held out a be-ringed hand and let it hang in the air just long enough for Lily to decide what the gesture might mean... but quickly moved it away, gesturing absently towards the interior of the Temple.

Mary was beginning to get very nervous about Lucien's behavior, but she continued gamely on. "His Grace believes that these matters might best be discussed in private, away from any curious ears."

[Lily]

With a nod, Lily motions to the Temple's doors.

"Please follow me." She gives Alia Anor a small nod to follow her.

Lily leads them down a side corridor and to the left. A young brother opens the door to a simple office reserved to greet visitors and new initiates. Lily steps behind the desk, with Alia Anor to her right, and waits for her visitors to enter the room. The young brother bows his head and quietly closes the door behind them.

"Brother Miles will guard the door to make sure we are not interrupted. How may I help you?"

[Karen Wilder]

Lucien took stock of the room with the practiced glance of a true professional. He was reasonably certain this wasn't a trap, but any situation could turn south at a moment's notice... no matter who was involved. Alia Anor was known to be the daughter of a powerful sorceress... but Lucien's talent took effect swiftly, and he'd only met a tiny handful of people who'd proven immune to it.

Lucien sat in the left-most chair facing the desk, so that he was across from Alia. Another subtle and practiced insult to give the indication that he felt he was their social better. Mary stood just behind and to the right of the chair, her hands folded together in the voluminous sleeves of her kimono. "Viscount Monterre is..." she began, only to be waved silent by Lucien.

"We are all no doubt very busy people with many important things to do, so I shall dispense with the usual formalities of my station," he said. "I am here representing a third party who wishes to engage you in a variety of negotiations." He leaned forward, as if to urge his next statement onward. "However, certain social and political situations within and outside the city make it impossible for this party to be seen approaching your Temple at this time." He leaned back in the chair again, ever confident of his control of the situation. "I'm certain you understand the delicacy of the situation, Lady Lily."

Lucien smiled, confident of her answer before she even gave it. He knew he had hooked her with his hints and that she would have questions... questions he had ready answers for.

[Vinny]

Lily stepped up to the dais where her earthly throne is perched. The room was purposely designed this way, placing her in a position higher than the rest in the room -- as her station demands. Suddenly the door opened and a voice was heard, quiet, yet forceful and confident at the same time.

"The proper way to address the High Priestess of the Temple of Divine Light is 'Your Grace,'" announced Vinny with a sharp glance to the couple. "'High Priestess Lily' is also acceptable." Vinny then took his side by Lily, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Thank you, Brother Vincent," Lily says. She then looks down at the viscount, making sure he understood that his slight did not go unnoticed. "Yes, I am very busy with very important Temple matters to attend to. Why don't you get to the point, Viscount, and tell me what you came here for." There was a smile on Lily's face, but it never reached her eyes.

[Alia Anor Graham]

Lily had requested my presence, and the slight the Viscount offered was noted by all present, but she was pleased that Brother Vincent had pointed it out.

She sat and listened as opening gambits were laid.

[Karen Wilder]

'Things had started so well...' thought Lucien. 'Then this fool had to butt in.' Still, Lucien was a professional... and well used to changes in fortune. He leaned back in the chair and let out a soft breath, feigning weariness, and lifted his right hand to tug at his ear.

Mary was not certain that the signal she just saw was the best course of action... but he was the boss, and had been doing this sort of thing for a lot longer than she.

Mary cleared her throat and spoke. "The Viscount indicates his apologies to Her Grace, and his disappointment that these talks require such formalities." She took a deep breath to calm her anxieties. "As the Viscount indicated, he is here representing a third party. This party wishes to negotiate with you on several matters, but cannot be seen by the public as the supplicant in these matters. Certain third parties would see this as an exploitable weakness on the parts of both organizations and might act precipitiously."

Lucien waved his hand slightly and Mary stepped forward so she was standing beside him. He had known her for a long time now and detected the subtle hints of her nervousness. The boy lightly brushed his hand over the sleeve of her kimono before resting his hand on the arm of the chair once more.

Mary, calmer now, continued. "If Your Grace would be interested in opening such negotiations, the Baroness of the Old Temple District has graciously offered her Manor as an appropriate neutral ground for the meeting to take place. If Your Grace would not be interested in negotiations at a neutral location, than reveiling the identity of the party the Viscount represents is pointless at this time."

Lucien frowned faintly... that last sentence wasn't part of the script he had discussed. But, on the other hand, it did apply a certain level of weight to these initial maneuvers... and lay the entire fault of any failure in diplomacy directly at the feet of the Temple of Divine Light.

[Vinny]

Vinny let silence hang in the air for a moment before briefly glancing to Lily and receiving an almost imperceptable nod that told him that they were both thinking the same thing. They were both finding these games irritable and obnoxious. Mysterious third parties. Political nonsense. It smelled like a trap. And yet, he did not want to risk not going. There still could be a way to glean information, especially about this third party and what exactly they wanted.

Looking directly at Montrerre with eyes that clearly showed his disgust with the way things have gone so far, he spoke. "We accept your offer of opening negotiations, and I find that the Baron's manor is an appropriate setting. I am aware of the Baron's reputation and know that no harm would come to our negotiators while they are there. Do send a messenger with a letter stating when negotiations will begin, and we will have our representative there at the appointed hour. Now if you will excuse us, I believe we all have more important things to be doing right now."

With that said, he strode past them without as much as a second glance and exited the room. He kept walking onward towards the library, musing to himself at what this may lead into, and who to send as a negotiator. With the attitude they had shown, part of him wanted to send a low ranking brother, but part of him also wanted to personally oversee this, just to make sure that nothing went wrong. But, the decision wouldn't be his to make. He'd confer with Lily, Brother Zed, and perhaps Sister Alia as well.

[Karen Wilder]

Lucien understood why the man Vincent had taken over the negotiations... but he didn't have to like it, or the man himself. It was clear to him that none of the three understood the niceties of politics. Equally obvious was Vincent's belief that there could be no higher power than the girl Lily and the Temple she represented. 'They never would have done well in the old courts of France and England,' he thought to himself.

As the man left, Lucien made a weary gesture to Mary, prompting her to speak. "The party that the Viscount represents shall have their representative at the Manor on the evening of the 14th of August. The representative will be accompanied by such retinue as befits her station, but all armed guards shall remain outside the Manor. It is hoped that your representative will have the authority to speak for your entire Temple, your Grace."

With that, Mary deeply bowed first to Lily and then to Alia. After a moment, Lucien slowly stood from the chair and offered a slight bow to Lily... the kind that, in the art of courtliness, one would offer to an equal in rank. He then tipped an imaginary hat to Alia and made his way to the door.

Mary spoke up quickly. "The Viscount thanks you for what hospitality you have shown, but does not require an escort out. The Viscount's memory is flawless."

[Brother Zed]

Nevertheless, a pair of Accepted waited by the door to escort the pair out.