The Faerie Godmother of Little Elfhame

[JewellRavenlock]

Things in Little Elfhame had changed in the year or so since Jewell moved into the neighborhood. The catalyst for these changes had been the ousting of the Wolf Lord in October. It had not been long after the fight--her throat still healing, her voice scratchy and raw--when the first denizen of the small neighborhood, Nephila the seamstress, showed up at her door.

“Jewell, there is someone here to see you,” Ishmerai had introduce their guest after a knock on the study’s door. Rather than some formal affair, with a wide mahogany desk separating her from her neighbor and straight back leather chairs, the bruised socialite invited the seamstress to share a cup of tea with her in the bright breakfast room.

“Thank you for stopping by to inquire after my health, Nephila. I greatly appreciate the gesture,” Jewell added an extra dollop of honey to her tea to soothe her still scratchy throat.

The fae woman’s four arms shifted nervously, trading the tea cup from hand to hand to hand, as she was unsure how to address the lady before her. She had not expected to be invited to share a cup of tea, and in the lady’s own breakfast room! “Of course, m’lady. I am sorry if I disturbed you at all, but I.. well I did not wish to be late with this month’s payment is all.”

“Payment?”

“Yes,” one of those hands, so deft with a needle, took the small bag of coins from her belt and set it on the table between them. “Lord Conri’s men always collected at the start of the month, and when you did not come by or send your knight, I thought it best to come see you myself.”

Jewell stared a moment before laughing. The normally light and pleasant sound was somewhat marred by the roughness smoke inhalation leant it, but it was still a sound that set the seamstress at ease as there was nothing mocking about it. “Oh my dear lady! You do not owe me a coin.”

Confusion ran rampant over her sharp features, “But we all assumed when you defeated the Wolf Lord..”

The Empress smiled pleasantly, waving her explanation away. “I did that for nothing more than to satisfy myself and to free the neighborhood of his unwanted presence. It did not even cross my mind to set myself up in his place. Oh dear.. not even once.” The surprise and shock on Nephila’s face was worth another bright smile and a repetition of her reassurance: “Neither you nor anyone in this neighborhood owes me a single thing.”

“But.. you have done us such a great service!”

“Perhaps I have,” Jewell did not disagree. “And I am thankful for your gratitude, but I will not set myself up as lord over anyone. The only payment I would ever think of accepting is your hand in friendship, dear lady.” The shock at the good fortune Little Elfhame had experienced did not wholly dissipate from her face, prompting Jewell to add, “And perhaps assistance in picking out some new fabric for winter?” The allusion to her craft finally put Nephila at ease, and the rest of the morning was spent discussing fads and fashions that would best suit the blue-haired Faerie.

Despite protesting that afternoon that she did not intend to set herself up as some figurehead, that she had no intention of forming her own little gang or group to run the neighborhood, Jewell had slowly become a guardian angel for the little slice of Elfhame in the midst of the bustling metropolis. She insisted that becoming protectorate of the neighborhood had not been her goal, but that the people had little-by-little thrust such a position upon her in their need. And if, despite her protestations, she had actually planned it all, things were coming along brilliantly.

In November, after the Wolf Lord’s death created a power vacuum in the area, a spat of crimes--break-ins, muggings, vandalism--prompted a group from the neighborhood to come to Jewell with an appeal, “Will you do something to help us as you helped us before?” Defenseless and beaten down from their subjugation, The Empress could not turn a blind eye to their suffering even if she wasn’t planning on following the premise of, “What is bad for the neighborhood is bad for me.” Ishmerai had been volunteered, and he easily caught the young group of teens in their delinquent acts. The scraggly street kids were the only ones desperate enough to prey on a neighborhood so run-down and depressed. Most were sent on their way after being roughed up a little, spreading the tale that Little Elfhame was no longer the best neighborhood to ply their trade. Jewell was pleased with the outcome, but Ishmerai had cornered her later: “If you are going to start policing this neighborhood, then you must find someone else to act as your muscle. This is not my job.”

When heavy snow buried the area in January, the roof of Onni and Otto’s building collapsed, sending water trickling down from the ceiling of their shoe shop. When they humbly came to her door, explaining that they were short the several hundred silver needed to make repairs, Jewell gave them the extra money, accepting nothing but a new pair of winter boots in return.

March had given her a real problem to solve: There was a building of tenements down the street. One of the families, five people crammed into a one-bedroom apartment, finally approached Jewell with their troubles. They were upset because the landlord kept raising rent and there was just no way they could afford to stay in the neighborhood even though both the mother and father worked days and nights in Dockside. Jewell attempted to speak with the landlord, but when no amicable solution could be reached, she met instead with the local barrister, Lamont. With some loopholes in the city’s many contradictory land-use laws and a few bags of money changing hands, Jewell had the deed to the building transferred to her name. When the landlord came to check on his property, he found his possessions out on the stoop, an eviction notice, and a glowering Ishmerai to send him on his way. Jewell placed the family that had originally came to her with their troubles in charge of the building, giving them a larger apartment. Their thanks and praise were welcome, but she didn’t object to the rent money being sent her way either.

As spring budded and bloomed in the neighborhood and the grocer’s store, ravaged by fire during Jewell’s fight with the Wolf Lord, re-opened, the poor Grocer encountered another stumbling block. Many of the local restaurants that formerly bought their fresh produce from him had given up and gone elsewhere when he was closed. Distraught, Basil presumed he would have to contact his family on the farm and return to the stall they had once used in the marketplace during the years they had struggled to save up enough money to purchase their store. With a honeyed tongue, Jewell re-established some of Basil’s old agreements and even procured him a few more clients.

And in return for such aid, for keeping their homes and businesses safe, the people did not pay her dues and taxes. Jewell would not allow it. Rather, they did everything they could to show their gratitude and loyalty to their Faerie Godmother. Aemildil kept the freshest blooms on her table. Basil made sure a pint of his sweetest strawberries went her way. The baker and his wife fed her sweet tooth while their teenage daughter kept her up-to-date on the latest gossip, lingo, and trends: Yes, Jewell could wear her dress shorter. No, that did not make her a slut. The shoe-makers weren’t keen on the high heels she enjoyed wearing, but she would never need to look far for a pair of supple, leather boots. Nephila spun her gorgeous clothes. Éimhín was ready to run any errand her little heart was set on.

Once more, Jewell had shown people a kindness and had been blessed with loyalty in return. Why be a cruel and exacting despot when she could be a loving and benevolent Empress?

Her real reward was seeing the neighborhood come alive. Once empty shops were slowly filling with people straggling from over the border or flocking from Elsewhere to this little fey sanctuary in the midst of an increasingly modern city. Not a week went by without someone knocking on her door: Could the lady possibly help relocate her sister-in-law’s niece’s cousin who was having trouble in the Lands? Did she know anyone who might need an apprentice because a friend’s second son or unmarriageable daughter was looking for work? Any advice and assistance for someone needing a new start in life? Wanting to open their own business? Looking to get out of some debt owed to some rather dangerous people? In trouble with the courts in Faerie?

Each morning was spent inviting people into her home and answering their questions, soothing their concerns, and providing assistance when needed. Afterwards, as she walked to the site of her soon-to-open shop, Jewell stopped to have a word with Calla, who had spent five years struggling to make a living in the WestEnd with her daughters. The Empress made sure that the three were settling in without too much trouble. At the recently opened apothecary shop, she chatted with Rosemary (mostly about the handsome Éimhín) while her father, Meric, whipped the Empress up a salve that would soothe the sore muscles she earned from training with Jake Thrash. She nibbled on a pastry from the bakery, smiling at the gentle hum of life all around her.

Certainly the neighborhood was growing and thriving, and Jewell Ravenlock thrived with it.

[JewellRavenlock]

The way Jewell did business was odd at times. Yes, she was sitting at a very formal looking mahogany desk in a chair much too big for her petite frame with papers strewn out before her. That her high heeled clad feet were squishing said stacks of papers as she slouched in her chair and propped her feet on the desk could be overlooked. The blue-fabric pen with sparkly feathers on the end, which she was brushing against her cheek as she stared absently out the open window, was a little harder to write off. The music drifting through the somewhat stifling, summer air--alternating between some type of traditional rock mixture and symphonic instrumental--was impossible to ignore.

Ishmerai certainly didn’t care for it as he entered the office, dropping a stack of papers onto the desk, careful to avoid her feet, and taking a seat across from his lady. “That should be all the paperwork you need to sign from Lamont to obtain the building as planned. And can you please turn that off?”

A particularly loud song, full of shrieking violins bent on a quick pace, had burst through the room upon Ishmerai’s entrance. Jewell closed her eyes, enjoying a rare breeze that cooled her face, before reaching awkwardly behind her and waving her hand over the Magical Music player to deactivate it. The silence would have been deafening with the loss of music if not for the constant sound of business being done on the nearby river: those working the barges calling to each other, the vendors unloading their goods, an argument erupting briefly over some misunderstanding. “Did you go over all the details with Lamont again while you were there?”

“I did.”

“Good. I’ll sign everything in a little bit.” She was content to procrastinate a little while longer, turning her attention to the cobblestone street outside her window.

If only the knight would continue to let her daydream. “There are a few pieces of the contract you will need to look over again, mainly concerning the use of the building so he can make sure you have the right permits. Do you still intend to eventually go beyond wine and spirits?”

“Yes. I mean.. the spirits is the easiest starting point since Calix owes me a favor. He will ensure that we get the best products from his distilleries and cellars at least. Then we can expand from there into different offerings as we see fit. Maybe some herbs and oils for Eless? Speciality ingredients for different restaurants. Rarer items needed for whatever witches and warlocks are in this city; you know, dragons’ blood and unicorn tears. That type of thing. Whatever people want and need, we can get.” Importing the best of Faerie into RhyDin seemed fitting: The Lands had stolen the best of her and now she had no qualms with returning the favor. “Or we can explore different avenues of business if need be. You know it’s not really about the money in the end.”

Ishmerai was well aware of what the end-goal was here, but he also knew money would be extremely helpful in achieving it if Jewell intended to keep acting as neighborhood beneficiary. “You really think Calix will be easy to work with? Once he knows that Captain Strand is delivering the shipment to you, I think we may have some problems.”

“Nonsense. Why would you think that?”

“Because he hates you.”

“Of course he does,” she agreed readily, “but I got him back into Faerie, didn’t I? Got his land restored to him. He owes me forever for that.”

Ishmerai snorted, “Probably why he hates you.” Not to mention the fact that Jewell was the one to carry out his banishment in the first place under the orders of Lady Conventina Ta-Neer.

“He wouldn’t dare cross me, though.” Jewell countered triumphantly.

“Everyone has their price. I would prefer he not know where his product is going for as long as possible. Although I am sure he knows a deal with Muirenn means a knife in the back eventually, he is an opportunist.”

“Calix is not stupid. He must know or at least guess that I will not remain in exile forever. If he betrays me to Muirenn then his head will roll. Simple as that. Therefore, spirits will work for now.”

Ishmerai was willing to let the conversation drop before it became heated. He wasn’t sold on his lady’s plan for consolidating a power base for herself overall, but once she had a plan set in her mind, there was little he could ever do to stop her. “Were you sincere about asking Lain to serve as some type of enforcer for you as well?”

“Yep.” The conversation, as frustrating to Ishmerai as it was to Jewell, had driven her feet off the desk and she was now leaning forward, suddenly finding the papers he had brought with him urgent.

“Anything else you need me to do for you then?”

“Uh..” she thought about it a moment, pressing her finger to the page to keep her place before looking up at the knight, “we’re probably going to eventually need to organize some type of neighborhood meetings to address local concerns. A town hall type thing. Make people feel like they have a voice.” Her teeth worked at the inside of her cheek as she tried to remember what else needed to be done. “There was something else, but I can’t think of it.”

“That is enough for now,” Ishmerai admitted as he stood. “I will bring those papers back to Lamont when you are done with them.”

[JewellRavenlock]

Jewell adjusted one of the buttons on the front of her dress as she strolled up the stairs and tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear. Stepping inside, she quickly looked around for a familiar shock of white hair, moving for the row of booths even as she searched the True Blood out.

Three booths down, a velvet curtain twitched open. "Took ya long enough, schway?"

She actually jumped a touch as her hand moved for that curtain just before it opened. “Mother of Nature! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” There was no venom in the question. Jewell just slid into the booth opposite Lain. “I apologize for being late. I needed to take care of some other business.”

She didn't look upset. She looked bored, actually, slouched against the seat low enough to prop sandaled feet on the opposite side. When Jewell sat, she hauled up with a groan. "S'schway, dun worry about it. What'd ya want? I ain't got you a drink." There's an ale nearby, and a candle, that's it.

“An ale would work..” She glanced towards the bar before turning to eye Lain's ale. The June heat persisted into the late evening hours and a drink was just what she needed to cool down. Logic said it would be easier just to nab the True Blood’s drink, but she knew better, “We can just get right down to business if you'd rather.”

Scoff. "Ale always works." Pianist's fingers undulated a simple motion through the air in the direction of the bar. Don't mind the tankard that's tapping itself.

She grinned at what seemed like Lain's favorite trick. “See. This is why I actually needed to talk to you. You,” she pointed to Lain, “have some fancy abilities. I am.. rather lacking in some of my more.. powerful ones at the moment.” Her glamour was powerful but in a very different way.

"S'ain't muh fanciest." She opened her palm and guided the second tankard to the table between them. It skidded towards Jewell with a motion of two fingers. "But keep talkin'."

A smile of thanks as she wrapped her hands around the tankard. “I know it's not. Remember, I've been on the receiving end of some of your more impressive tricks.” Jewell took a well-timed sip before going about introducing her proposition. “About a year ago, I moved into a new neighborhood. Since then, I have found it.. convenient to establish a little bit of a loyal following amongst my neighbors. I believe you have heard enough about my family to know that I do not want to go up against them again, if the occasion should ever present itself, without some type of support system in place.” She certainly didn’t tell Lain that she was basically planning to make herself a target in order that her family comes after her again on purpose this time. “I need some type of power base here.” She released her ale with one hand, tapping on the table. “And I've already started the process rolling.”

Gunmetal grey eyes darkened like stormclouds. Some of that had been her, but most of it hadn't. Sadly, she hadn't been allowed to forget. "People givin' ya a hard time 'bout takin' over?"

“Not yet but it's bound to happen at some point, especially since I'm setting up a business in the area too. Just some imports.. nothing special.” She grinned, happy enough to leave the past behind in life and in conversation. The possession of Lain and Alex had been painful enough--physically, mentally, emotionally--the first time around; there was no need to really rehash it. “But Ishmerai has objected to some of my tasks for him lately.”

"What, an' ya think I won't?" Nothing to do but guess. She'd never been good at small talk.

“No. I don't.” She sat back, relaxing her posture although it didn’t come close to matching Lain’s slouch. “I think you'd be right there next to me, ready to rough up whoever needs it and keep people in line. For the right price, of course.”

"Ya know me so well, what's my price?" Even less than small talk, she and orders didn't get along. Insolently slouching, she crossed her arms.

“Figured I'd leave that up to you, honestly. But you'd basically be getting paid to keep a bunch of Faerie, Fae, Elves, and Halfies in line and kick anyone out of the neighborhood who you think doesn't belong.” She paused a moment, trying to gauge Lain's reaction so far before tacking on, “Think of it as a collaborative effort to make Little Elfhame a safer place.”

"PAAAAAA-hahaha!!!!!!" This could take a while. The table kept her from doubling over with laughter, but she did tip over and kick her feet so hard one neon flip-flop flew off.

Jewell shifted to the side to avoid getting hit by the flying neon flip-flop. While Lain got her laughter out, she took a sip of her ale. This was not going exactly as she had planned, but since the True Blood hadn't threatened her life yet, things were still not too bad. “I think you're missing how much fun this could be,” she commented with a sigh.

Finger in the air. "Oh no, no no. Dude, this is tha funniest crap I've heard in years!!!" Jewell waited for the laughter to peter out. "AAAHHHH, ookay," Lain dragged herself up like she was fighting for her life. "Ya know what I used ta do with my spare time, schway?"

That brought The Empress up a bit short. Her brow wrinkled as she frowned just a touch. She didn't see what about her request was really that amusing, “No, I actually don't.”

"Ya wouldn't. Ain't like we gave a crap 'bout each other back then." They still kind of didn't now, they just didn't talk about it as much. "All that crap. Enforcin', fightin', whatever'n. 'Cept I did it to Roundies. I ain't got much beef with Faeries'r Elves, schway? But yer sayin' I'ma get paid ta rough peeps up?" She said peeps like it was an acceptable word.

She rolled her eyes a touch at Lain's use of "roundies". “So basically what you're saying is you’re more perfect for this job than I even knew? And yes, you will get paid to rough people up if anyone dares to act out and disturb the little.. business I am building.” Empire would have been a better term. After all, The Empress needed something to rule over.

"Course that's what I'm sayin'. S'kinda insulting ya thought otherwise, schway? Just thought it was funny YOU were the one what's askin' me ta help you, s'all." She assumed her earlier posture, slouched with folded arms. She didn’t seem to care she only had one sandal. "Ain't you got other friends who wanna help you? Why me?"

She tilted her head a moment as if she had to consider her answer. Really, what she was considering was how much to share with Lain. “I am sure I could find someone else to do the job, some dumb muscle or other. But you're sharp and you have experience and.. well, I trust you more than most anyone else I know.” There. She said it. Then she took a long drink of her ale, allowing Lain to decide what she wanted to do with this information. It was pretty gound-breaking for them.

Death had a way of changing a body. Three deaths, well, it's remarkable that she's still Lain. As opposed to stuttering her shock, flapping her hands, denying vehemently, she just shifted in her seat like she had the right. "Yanno, some people might think yer cray fer trustin' me. I DID try ta kill you a few times."

Jewell shrugged casually, like she hadn't just taken some weird step in their odd relationship. “Some people are stupid. I'm not. I would be stupid to trust one of my supposed friends with this task. You think I'm fooled by all those people who make love and court my favor?”

Big ol' smile. "I do tell ya ta piss off when I feel like it."

“After a couple hundred years of playing nice in Faerie, I appreciate it when you tell me to piss off.” She admitted honestly but not without a wry smile. “I don't need to play those sorts of games with someone I need to work with. I'll save that for everyone else.” Jewell had already decided how this needed to work weeks ago: surround herself with people she can trust and who will be straightforward and honest with her because everyone else will be out to get her in the end.

"They're boring, anyway. Games. S'always been somethin' I've wanted to have, schway? Ability ta see inta people's heads. Fricken skip all that." She sliced her hand through the air. "Too bad, m'stuck with simple telekinesis."

“Your simple telekinesis will be more than useful, I think. Most people have nothing going on in their heads anyway. Just a waste of space.” Jewell knew because if she really wanted to, if she really tried, she could get in there and mess with their heads. It was not an aspect of glamour that she regularly practiced.

Lain had another ability, one she didn't talk much about. Now was no different. "So. How much?"

Jewell couldn’t keep back that little smile of victory because talking money meant progress. “I was serious about you naming your own price. I might reject it but..” she trailed off with another shrug, indicating that it really was open to negotiation.

"I want a guitar," Lain rattled off.

Uh..” she covered her momentary surprise and confusion with a thoughtful nod as if considering if that was doable. “Sure. I think we can get you a guitar..”

"Not just A guitar." She pulled a card out of one of the three camisoles she had layered and slapped it down on the table for Jewell. The image was cloudy, but it was red, the telltale backward F denoting a Fender was the only clear detail. "THAT one."

Jewell leaned forward to look at it better in the dim light of the booth. “Okay..” Since the Faerie didn’t know a single thing about such instruments and their purchase, at least not outside of The Lands themselves, she just picked up the card. This was a job for Ishmerai.. or maybe the teen girl that lived across the street whose family owned the bakery. “Can I keep this to make the purchase easier?”

"Sure, whatever." She flapped her hand. "But I want it. As a down payment. An' I wanna play it somewhere."

The Empress tucked the card away in her bosom. “A place to play it? Like a studio? Or a bar where we can force our underlings to listen to you?”

"Both. I had both in B-Town. I kinda miss it a lil'. Wonder if'n I fergot how ta even play." Lain cracked her knuckles. Something she had said didn't sit right with her. She took a hefty gulp of her own ale.

“Okay. You can have both. There's plenty of room for a studio and I was actually thinking of eventually opening a bar.. might take a while if that's okay.” Apparently she was willing to go to some lengths to secure Lain's help.

"I've always wanted ta work in one. Fer full time, schway? Brothers had a bar with live tunes. I helped. Was pretty schway."

“Yeah?” It was the first she heard of Lain's brothers, or at least the first time she was actually paying attention. “When I was on Earth I had one. I liked it.”

The burned out candle on the table began to dance. She silenced it with a look, slinging it back to Jewell. "I ain't need a ton o' money. Specially if I'ma get my own bar. Cuz then, like, I'ma get all the ale I want, schway? No crap," pointed at Jewell.

She held her hands up defensively. “Only the finest ale, I swear it.”

"Damn skippy." Apparently the True Blood had at least one more request for now: "This place o' yers got a dude'r chick who ain't suck at weapons?"

“The neighborhood?” Jewell thought through the list of the different people she had gotten to know. “I haven't really checked their skill sets yet, honestly. Ishmerai is good at weapons.. and I could dig someone up if needed?”

"He good at makin' them'r just shoppin' fer them? I ain't opposed to shoppin'. Bri-man and Jen've got some chick at their compound who does'm but," raspberries.

Jewell smirked. “Good at shopping. Kal could probably be helpful with that too. But weapons aren't the most useful thing in this kind of neighborhood, you know.”

"I ain't need spellstaves ta whack people 'round, schway? I just like'em. Four." She had four, but what was four more?

“You are so going to need to write this all down for me at some point.” She took a sip of ale because obviously that would help keep it all straight in her head.

"You suck at bein' a boss. Can't fricken disregard yer employee's wants an' needs like that. 'Sides, I ain't got enough memory fer squat. Yer gonna have to do it. Don't mess up, schway?"

“I object! I am an awesome boss. I'll remember everything.. bar.. guitar.. fancy staffs,” she ticked each item off on her fingers.

"Ain't what Isshy said." Sluuuurp.

“What?” Jewell huffed because she totally believed that her knight would probably say something like that, at least in jest. “Well.. he's just mad because I keep running off to hang out with Kalamere and leaving him behind.”

"He ain't likin' ya that way, is he?" squinted. She couldn't believe that. She couldn't believe anyone liked Jewell, though.

“No.” She said it firmly maybe to convince herself more than Lain. “Knights.. it doesn't work like that. They devote themselves to their lord or lady. We become their lives. There isn't supposed to be room for anything else.”

"So he's bored," deadpan.

“Somewhat.” Shrugged a little, trying to pretend it didn’t bother her. “Maybe frustrated because I make his job harder when we're here.”

"Sucks ta be him then, schway?"

“Sometimes.” She frowned a little as the subject was a bit of a sour one. “I warned him not to join himself to me, though. Not my fault he did it anyway.”

"Can't ya just order'm ta take a load off or whatever?" She finished her ale, a flick of a single digit sends the empty tankard back to the bar.

“Well yeah.. I can certainly try at least. But he's basically convinced I'm going to get myself killed or something when he's not around, and that's kind of against his code and all that.” She actually covered a yawn because that's how boring she found this particular line of conversation.

"Prove'm wrong." Lain slid to her feet to search for her flip-flop. "Definitely could've had an uglier dude attached ta yer ass."

“I would not an accept an ugly knight.” Jewell scoffed. “Really Lain, you should know me better than that.

"Then quit yer bitchin', schway? Yer a Faerie. Faeries'r weird." Hand flap. Hey, there was her flip-flop.

Her mouth was agape for a moment because she honestly hadn't thought she was bitching. To occupy herself, she finished off her ale. “Not weirder than Elves and you know it.”

"We ain't waste our time with all yer politics an' games and whatnot. 'Sides, Elves'r always pretty." Another hand flap.

She did think one particular half-elf was very good looking, so she didn’t argue with that. “The games are a waste of time but someone has to play them, no? Might as well be me. At least I'll win.” There’s neither modesty nor pride in what she says, just a statement of truth as she believed it. She scooted out of the booth and stretched, her legs cramped from sitting so long.

"I'll leave that crap ta you." Turned to face her. "We ain't gotta do some sort of secret handshake, do we?"

She eyed her hand a moment before looking back up at her face and shrugging. “Not unless you like.. want to for some reason.”

Lain eyed Jewell's hand in much the same way, narrow nose wrinkling up. "Ew."

Yeah.” She laughed. “Kind of what I was thinking.”

"Tell me where ta show up, I'll be there, schway? We'll do that instead."

“Maybe tomorrow? Come by the house and we can settle the final details. Make sure Ishmerai knows where to get your guitar. Stuff like that.”

That was the happiest she'd looked the whole talk. "Verreh schway."

“You know,” Jewell couldn’t help but adding as they started for the door, “if I knew how cheap employing you was going to be, I would have done it ages ago.”

"Tch. Ya coudn't have bought me fer tha world and you know it." Following, slapslaps for the Faerie's heel clicks. "Yer just lucky I'm bored an' I ain't already got this stuff."

She laughed again, “Yeah, I know it. At least I got lucky this time no?”

"Pathetic enough fer me ta wanna teach ya how ta do things too. Dun ferget that." Hopskipped into place at her side. Chrome chains danced along her pointed and marred ear, white gold ponytail swaying at her nape.

They made an odd pair walking out the door, the Faerie in her pressed, button-up dress and heels besides the more casual True Blood. “Hey. I'm supposed to be the brains in this operation. You're the muscle.” Jewell affected indignation, covering up the satisfaction she felt at having secured Lain’s assistance. It brought her one step closer to setting the right foundation for the organization she was willing to build from the ground up.

"Yeach, tch, right." Plaid, denim and flip-flops. She didn’t do dresses.

[]Thank you Lain’s player for the fun play, as always![]

[JewellRavenlock]

“I think this could work nicely for a headquarters type place instead of using my office at the house, don’t you?”

Ishmerai nudged some rubbish on the floor with his boot, not quite as enthusiastic as his lady. They stood in the lobby area of the old inn that spanned the second level of both Jewell’s new store and the tavern next door. There were wide windows overlooking the river below and the vista of Old Temple and Dockside across the water. At least Ishmerai assumed that he would be able to see such things if the windows were not covered in a thick layer of grime. Since she had purchased the entire building, using way more money than he would have preferred from the amount she had brought with her from Faerie, Jewell was fairly insistent that she find a use for all the space immediately. “I guess it depends on what you have in mind exactly when you say headquarters.”

“Some place as a base of operations aside from the house. Have a room big enough to meet in..”

The knight shook his head, picturing the further security nightmare she was creating for him. “I think the house is more than sufficient for now. It is well protected at least, and there is plenty of room there.”

“Yeah…” He was absolutely correct. Jewell had purchased a house bigger than she would ever need in RhyDin if her situation remained the same. She often commented to Ishmerai how awfully empty and quiet it was: too much house for two people to share. If the kids were around.. she stopped herself before her thoughts could fully wander down that path. There was room enough for all of them, but that had been a foolish gesture from the start. “I guess there is, but what should we do with all of this then?”

It seemed like an obvious suggestion: “Perhaps turn it into an inn?”

“Or one of those boutique hotels!” She spun about, her earlier vision of a headquarters for the little group she was building crumbled to dust, lavish carpet and sparkling, mage-lit chandeliers springing up in its place.

“I do not know what it is you are talking about.” And apparently he would have to wait to find out. Jewell was striding about the room now, one hand on her hip while she tapped her lips with her finger, turning this way and that to gaze over the space.

“Couches there.. oh this will be lovely. Everyone will want to stay here and it will be the perfect place to put up people from across the way.” At least he knew she didn’t mean Old Temple. “What do you think?”

As was often the case, he found himself trying to reign in her bursts of enthusiasm, “I think you are taking on too much at once.”

Jewell rolled her eyes, “This will be for after we get the store up and running. I’m just trying to think ahead here.”

Ishmerai nodded slowly, “All right. How about thinking ahead to the real reason we came up here and figuring out where you want Lain’s studio space to be?”

“Oh.. right. Studio space.” She cast about her, but unfortunately all the space had already been given over mentally to the “boutique hotel” idea. “I guess we should go check out the space above the florist then. This isn’t going to work.”

“Fair enough.” His lady took off once more, heading down the hall to explore one of the guest rooms. Ishmerai raised his voice in an attempt to recall her, “Speaking of Lain, have you made arrangements to procure her musical instrument?”

“Mmm..” Jewell nodded, distracted by what she had seen, as she returned to the lobby area. “I’m stealing Ila away later today when she’s done helping her parents in the shop. She told me she knows where we can go to get something like that.”

Ishmerai watched her, rooted to his spot near the door. He liked that the inn, with its main door squeezed between the new shop and the old tavern, required a visitor to ascend a steep, narrow flight of stairs. While his lady thought of decorations, he thought of how to best protect her interests. “And then you will return so we may go over the layout for the shop? I need your instructions to give to the workmen tomorrow.”

“What?” She turned from dreaming up the paint color for the wall to look at Ishmerai, confused.

“Instructions,” he sighed when that elicited a blank look from her. “Instructions for the workers coming tomorrow.. regarding what you would like done to the shop to get it ready?”

“Oh of course! We can go over those when I get back from shopping with Ila, okay?”

The knight restrained his smile but just barely. “Surely.”

[JewellRavenlock]

Jewell could see Ishmerai in the reflection of the floor-length mirror she stood before, his image mostly blocked by her body as she twisted and turned, appraising her outfit. He looked bemused at best, displeased at worst, with his arms crossed over his chest. As usual, he was more interested in giving advice than commenting on what she was wearing. “I would not rely on just your glamour. This arrangement has to last once you are gone.”

The arrangement he referred to was that which she was planning to set up with the harbor master this evening. He would overlook the fact that she was importing goods from Faerie without paying the necessary taxes there and here, as well as ignoring some very clear directions on the list of goods banned in RhyDin, in exchange for a small cut of the profit she expected to make. A very small cut. “And you do not think my magic can last that long? My friend, you clearly underestimate me. I do not even need magic to charm a man. Really, Ishmerai, who do you think you are dealing with here?” she sounded somewhat miffed.

The knight smirked, “There are many lovely ladies in this city, my dear. To stand out, I suggest you pull your dress down a bit and show your assets off a little more.”

“I want people to take me seriously, fear me if need be, not do what I want because they think they can get me kneeling in front of them later for it.” He just laughed, leaving the remaining preparations to her as he left the room. She scowled at his retreating form, outwardly dismissing the idea. However, the second his feet hit the stairs, she reached into the top of her dress to draw her breasts closer together and up before pulling the dress down just a touch. A glance in the mirror and she had to give a little nod: that did look better. She tucked an errant piece of blue hair behind her ear, blew herself a kiss, and followed her knight out the door. In the foyer, she ignored his knowing, I-told-you-so smile as she adjusted the string of pearls around her neck; clearly he noticed that his advice had been heeded. “All right. Let’s do this.”

She found it fortunate that the current harbor master was relatively new to the job. Jewell had dreaded having to deal with someone who knew her as Mrs. Captain Kidd. Such close ties to the well-known pirate could certainly ruin any credibility she had accrued after dropping what she considered to be her maiden name these days: Ravenlock. It was the name she would always come back to in RhyDin, and the name which the harbor master addressed her by as she sat across from him in his office down by the docks. Upon being shown into the room, Jewell had quickly surmised that this was someone she could definitely strike a deal with. While the walls of the building were gray, weathered by salt and the harsh winds that came off the water in the winter, the office itself was nicely appointed: a rich oak desk and well-made leather chairs; a plush area rug, out of place on the well-worn floors; Brandy in a sparkling decanter and matching crystal glasses. Even the harbor master himself, the former Captain Brant, showed that he was a man to be reasoned with in his dress coat and silk shirt.

“While I certainly don’t mind the pleasantries, Ms. Ravenlock,” and the leer which she accepted without objection said he actually wouldn’t mind continuing such pleasantries with her, “I am a busy man. Perhaps you can get to the point and tell me how I can be best assisting you?”

“Oh it is such a little thing, really,” she laughed. “I almost didn’t even want to bother you with it as I am sure one of your subordinates could have easily handled this for me, but I have heard that you are a man to be trusted. Actually,” Jewell added with a smile as if this was just an afterthought, “someone just the other day told me that if I had any issues, you were the most capable harbor master RhyDin had seen in years so there was nothing to worry about.” Flattery, The Empress well knew, could get you anywhere. She certainly had Mr. Brant’s undivided attention now if she didn’t before. “I have been missing my home in Faerie so much these days. You know I absolutely love RhyDin, but it just isn’t quite the same. So I decided why not open a business? Nothing big you know, just a small little shop selling a few things from home. The problem is, shipping from the Lands is so expensive! Really, they’ll just steal even the tiniest profit away from you in taxes and fees. And there may be a problem with a few items here or there that for some reason,” she rolled her eyes, “someone decided shouldn’t be brought into the city. Now if only there was a way around these problems, I’d be all ready to set up shop in a few weeks.”

“Now Ms. Ravenlock, I’m a man of the law here…”

Before he could erect that roadblock to her plans, Jewell flashed a smile made for such an occasion and leaned forward just a little as if it was just the two of them sharing an intimate conversation. “Mr. Brant, I respect that you are a man of the law, but I am more than willing to make it very much worth your while for you to say.. overlook a few things for me?”

Ishmerai’s threatening glower in the corner wasn’t even needed.

“At times, I really do not know how you do it,” the knight said with a shake of his head. Jewell just laughed, lounging comfortably in the chaise-and-four that bumped over the cobblestone streets, carrying them back to Old Market. The meeting had taken even less time than she originally planned, and she only had to discourage the idea that Brant would be getting anything other than money from her one time. Captain Strand would be welcomed into port without any problems, and she would even be notified immediately upon his arrival so she could be present when the first shipment was inspected. “If I did not know better, I would swear you had used your glamour.”

“Not even a touch, dear Merai. Who needs it when the right amount of money, supplemented by a few pretty smiles, can get you everything you want and more in this city?”

[JewellRavenlock]

“Look,” Jewell tried to sound reasonable while her patience was running quickly away. “I realize that you are just trying to do your job, but I was reassured that this would not be an issue. The shipment was already reviewed by someone. It doesn’t need to be looked at again. See,” she pointed to the paper she held, “signature! So if you will just let my friends and I on board, you can go back to your little hut.” She made a little shoo’ing gesture with her hand.

Much to Ishmerai and Lain’s amusement, the customs officer did not back down. “Lady, are you hard of hearing or something? The shipping manifest says this is coming from Faerie. That means I need to look over the cargo to make sure that it’s carrying what it claims it’s carrying. Then you have to go to the office when it opens in the morning and pay the taxes on it. Then and only then can your men can unload it.”

Jewell grit her teeth. Despite her agreement with Mr. Brant, things were not going as smoothly as she had initially planned. The customs officer the harbor master had said would be there, and whose cooperation they could count on, was sick and couldn’t come to work tonight. Fine. Instead, she was stuck with Mr. Keeland, a sniveling little man who was apparently a stickler for the rules. She had gotten word that Captain Strand’s ship was approaching the port earlier in the evening and had wrangled up Ishmerai and Lain to go greet the crew and see how they had fared on the initial trip before looking over the cargo. No such luck. Mr. Keeland was insistent they follow port procedure.

Biting back the anger that rose ever-so-quickly to mind, The Empress engineered her most winning smile for the customs officer. More importantly, there was a touch of glamour to both the curve of her lips and the light touch she placed upon his arm. “I’m sorry, you must not have understood me.” Anyone susceptible to such magic would not notice the honey thread of it running through her words or even the words themselves perhaps, just the soothing and swaying effect of them. “I need you to make this happen before I get angry.”

“Look lady!” He smacked her hand away, apparently unaffected by the art of glamour. “I don’t know who the hell you think you are but there is no way you or anyone else is stepping foot on that ship,” he pointed yonder where the Siren Squall sat, “until I look over its cargo!”

“Ugh!” Jewell cried out, exasperated. Ignoring the rest of his lengthy diatribe about the necessity of such rules, she turned to her companions, chafed further by their obvious amusement. “Lain? Can you explain to our friend here how our arrangement is going to work?”

The salty breeze kicked up by the sea pulled at loose white hair and the open flaps of a red plaid shirt. Slender thumbs were hooked in the belt loops of baggy black jeans. Lain didn't move other than that, but the man in front of them did. He squawked an unmanly shriek when he found himself abruptly dangling a few feet above grimey water.

"HEY!!!!! Hey, hey, whoa, whoa whoa. Put me down right now! You have no idea who you're messing with, lady!! LADIES!!!" The more he spoke, the more severe his angle became over the surface of the water. One foot for every syllable, Lain had him dangling head over heels before he was even finished. Bravado shotgunned to terror.

"Okay, okay OKAY, let's be - let's be reasonable here! I'm a reasonable man!!!"

"Yanno, ya were pretty UNreasonable, schway? S'why yer in this mess in tha first place."

"You don't understand, okay? I was just, I'm just doing my job, ma'am. I'm just doing my job, I swear!!!! Please don't drop me, I can't swim - " Lain lifted her chin and he dropped half a foot towards the water. "I CAN'T SWIM!"

"Ya serious? Like, why ya be workin' at tha docks, then?" quirking one silver brow. "There's plenty'a peeps out here'll jus' shoot you, schway? We're at least givin' ya a chance. What do we want?"

"To - to get on the ship!!! Oh, God.."

"And?"

"And, and - and to take the cargo off."

"Aaaaaand?"

"And - Oh God, I don't know. I DON'T KNOW!!!" Another three inches left the dirty water lapping at his stringy hair. "TAXES WAIVED, TAXES WAIVED!!"

She took her time double checking, counting out each point on pianist's fingers. "S'funny, I don't think yer forgettin' anything.. But it feels like ya are."

As Lain handled the situation with more finesse than Jewell had managed, Ishmerai ventured to ask his lady, “Do you ever worry that your friend, The Judge, might take issue with such tactics?”

Jewell shrugged, “What Issy doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

"I'M NOT FORGETTING ANYTHING, I SWEAR!!!"

"Well, how would YOU know? Oh!" One fist hit her opposite palm. The man heaved when water touched his eyebrows. "Did we ever cause you a problem?"

"NO!!!"

"No reason to say squat ta yer superiors, surprise inspections'r any other whatnot?"

"NO!!!! No, no, nothing, I swear!!!! I SWEAR, JUST - PUT ME DOWN!!!"

She stepped back to allow him room to spill on the dock at her feet. The blood drained out of his face, leaving it damp and green. “I’m reporting you to the Watch!” he cried at them, courage recovered somewhat now that he was on steady ground once more.

“Really?” Jewell asked dryly. “And who are they going to believe, hmmm? Jewell Ravenlock, ally to the Scathachian Sisters, philanthropist and general do-gooder in the city? Or you, whatever your name is.” She waved her hand dismissively before plopping a bit of gold in his lap, “Do yourself a favor: keep your mouth shut and take your wife out to a nice dinner for once.” The man gaped like a fish at them. “Lain, you’re welcome to come aboard if you want or you can stay here with Mr. Whatshisface.”

“I’ll come with. Think he fricken pissed himself. S’fricken NASTY.” As she stepped around him to follow the two Faeries, she beamed over her shoulder. “Might need a bath ‘fore that hot date, schway? Chew on that fer a bit~~”

[]Written in conjunction with the Amazing Lain![]

[JewellRavenlock]

“I cannot believe that we have everything ready, that we have come this far, and we are being delayed because you cannot think of a name for this business venture. You have had months now, Mira.”

“I’m sorry!” she cried out defensively. “I just.. nothing seems to fit right.”

The afternoon sunlight poured in through the large front window of the newly renovated shop in Little Elfhame. The glass was untouched, the painter awaiting Jewell’s decision on a name before he could create the design for her. Everything else was in a perfect state of readiness. The deep floor plan had been drastically reduced by a newly erected wall. What was left was a tastefully decorated room more akin to a business lounge than a storefront. The room’s most distinguishing feature was an L-shaped counter that ran along three-fourths of the back wall and at least half of the right. “Repurposing the old bar from the tavern next door was a good idea,” Ishmerai commented as he ran his hand along the smooth surface, willing to let go of the name discussion for the moment. What little shelf space there was existed behind the counter, providing more than enough room for different bottles of liquor and liqueur as well as pieces of beautiful glassware: wine glasses, brandy snifters, and old fashions.

“It was too beautiful and perfect not to use. Imagine finding a bar made from the silver mallorn wood in RhyDin, just sitting unused in that old tavern?” A desk that matched the silver wood counter was set along the left wall, two comfortable looking leather chairs situated in front of it. “I was lucky there was enough of it remaining to make the desk to match.”

“And that the tables had not all been completely destroyed,” the knight agreed with their good fortune in the matter. They had salvaged as much of the tavern’s furniture as they could, saving several low tables, now paired with those comfortable looking chairs and scattered here and there, perfect for enjoying a sample of fine wine. The warm glow of mage-lighting added to the atmosphere. The black and silver damask wallpaper on the back wall was a nice contrast to the plum colored side walls. Going around the former bar and through the door set in the back wall brought them into the extended back room filled currently with a stock of alcohol and plenty of room for further offerings. It also held access to the a small ante-room that lead to the back entrance and the river beyond as well as the expansive cellar below.

“Are prices are all set?”

“Yes. I think going with ones aimed at wholesale buying was a good idea. It’s not that I don’t want people just walking in off the street to buy a bottle of wine for their dinner this evening, but I want to encourage more.. enduring business deals?”

“Right.”

Jewell paced up and down through the mostly empty aisles. “And most everything right now will be available to any customer, except for a few select items I want to keep on reserve strictly for use in the bar when we get that up and running.”

Ishmerai followed behind, “Do not get ahead of yourself. You still need a name for this store before thinking of future bars and boutique hotels.”

She glared over her shoulder at him, pushing through the two sets of double doors and walking out to the small concrete slab and adjoining dock. Barges floated by them as they stood in silence for some time. “What about Empress Imports?”

“Eh..”

“Yeah.” She worked at the inside of her cheek with her teeth. “Empress Incorporated?”

He shook his head, “You are really stuck on this fake title of yours.”

“I like the way it sounds.” And she did. Ever since Tara had dubbed Jewell ‘The Empress’, the name had stuck. “Everything Empress?”

Ishmerai snorted at that, “No.”

“Ugh!” she took up pacing over the concrete slab. “Empress Enterprises, Faerie Finds.. no no..”

“You realize that you do not need to use alliteration?”

Jewell ignored him. “Pieces of Faerie? Parts and Pieces?” Crap. She was back to the alliteration again. “Ish-mer-ai! I just can’t think of a good one. You know I’m terrible with naming things. Tara and I called every new person we met ‘Fred’ for years because we couldn’t bother thinking of better names for them!” In re-telling that curious bit of history, Jewell ignored the fact that the people they were naming already had names of their own. The point was still being made: She could be creative in many ways except for with names.

“Better try harder,” the knight responded unsympathetically. “We are opening next week whether the store has a name or not.”

“I know,” she claimed but she sounded distracted, eyes narrowed as she stared at the water.

Ishmerai waited a moment, giving her space to think, but when her eyes just grew more distance, he tried to recall her to the here and now, “Mira?”

He had to repeat her name a few more times before she turned her face to look at him, grinning. “I think I got it.”

[JewellRavenlock]

Jewell poked her head through the open door of Faerie Fusion. There was just one old man sitting at a table near the windows, not deterred from eating a bowl of soup by the warm August breeze. “Is Nina in?” she asked the waitress lingering against the wall.

“Yeah. She’s in the back.” When the young woman made no move to go and get her boss, more entertained with the device in her hands pumping music into her ears via a very uncomfortable looking apparatus on her head, Jewell just rolled her eyes and wound her way through the tables to enter the kitchen on her own.

“Ms. Ravenlock!” Nina greeted her, hastily wiping her hands off on an apron. “Give me one moment and I will be right with you. Why don’t you take a seat outside?”

“Sure thing,” leaving Nina to give instructions to one of her line workers, Jewell returned to the dining room and took a seat along the east wall of windows, watching the busy street and river. Her thoughts flowed with the water, drifting from here to the places beyond and before, until Nina joined her sans apron.

“Thank you so much for coming to meet me. I’m sure you must be busy, so I apologize if this is a hassle.”

Jewell smiled at the younger woman, turning her attention from the view beyond the window. “Hardly, Nina. I’ve been spending most of my time next door, so it was not too far of a walk to stop by today after I received your correspondence the other morning.”

The fae woman ducked her head; her short, shockingly red hair fell onto her forehead but failed to obscure the two small horns that curled along her scalp. “I hope I didn’t sound too desperate in my letter..”

“Not at all!” Jewell tried to be quick to reassure her. “There is nothing desperate or weak about asking for some advice and assistance.” Funny how Jewell was parroting some of the very words her therapist had shared with her over the last year. The Empress reasoned that it was different when it was someone else asking for help.

“I’m sorry I held out for so long, honestly,” Nina admitted with a touch of red to her cheeks. “I’ve seen how much you’ve been helping other people around here, but.. I just didn’t think I needed it.”

“And now?” she paired the question with a friendly smile that may have held a touch of glamour in one upturned corner to help the young woman feel more at ease.

The restaurant owner cast about her, eyes taking in the mostly empty room. “I think I need your help as well.” She sighed, “I’m a very creative person, Ms. Ravenlock.”

“Jewell..”

“Ms. Jewell,” Nina corrected much to the blue-haired Faerie’s amusement. “You see.. I’m very creative. I had a lot of great ideas when I first came here. I knew a lot about making some of the finest dishes from the other side. And then I worked in different restaurants when I first got here and I learned even more. I wanted a place where I could bring everything I learned together, but none of the restaurants I worked for were interested.”

“So you opened your own restaurant?”

“Right. Only I’m not a business person. I started out okay enough because people like to try new and interesting things sometimes, but after that wore off, what did I have left? And then with..” she hesitated to name Conrí, “things got really bad. They’ve picked up a little since then, but I think this place can be so much more!”

The Empress glanced around. The location was ideal with several walls of windows overlooking the street and river in addition to the outside seating areas in the front and back. Overall, though, it was looking a little shabby and worn out. The color palette was blah, the furnishings old, and the setup a bit crowded. Already Jewell’s mind was painting a picture of what it could be: chic designs composed with vibrant color palettes and lounge furniture, fusing the whimsy of Faerie with the urban lifestyle she had experienced on Earth once upon a time. “I agree that it can be something very special,” she commented quietly before turning to look at Nina again. “I’ve tried your food, you know. It’s delicious.”

“Thank you!” She blushed prettily but there was a clear hint of well-earned pride in that smile too. “Unfortunately, I need to get other people to come in and try it now too. I’m just a little at a loss.. and then when I heard about your restaurant down on the Waterfront and what a success that has been.. It just took me this long to get up the courage to ask you for some help.”

“I think, Nina, that together we can make this restaurant better than you have even imagined. A little bit of work and we’ll make you and Faerie Fusion the talk of the town.”

The next few weeks drifted away as the two women chatted and plotted together about the best setup for tables; went shopping for the most comfortable furniture; ordered a new attention-grabbing sign; had the windows cleaned; splashed the walls with different colors; and revamped the menu to make it as creative and groundbreaking as possible. The fruition of all their work was the plan to throw a big bash catered by Nina and orchestrated by Jewell to celebrate the grand re-opening of the restaurant and give everyone a taste of what Faerie Fusion had to offer.

[JewellRavenlock]

Faerie and Fae sat together in Beyond the Veil late on the night of Friday, September 5th. The lights were off to discourage anyone from thinking the shop was still open as the knight and his lady shared a drink and discussed the neighborhood meeting that they had held earlier in the evening.

“I think it went pretty well,” Jewell swirled her drink around in her glass, adoring the way the moonlight turned it to silver.

“Giving the people a voice, or at least the illusion of a voice, is rarely a bad thing.” Ishmerai drained his glass, setting it down on the floor. “Looking back, I agree that it may have been a mistake to discontinue the payment of protection fees when you first moved into the neighborhood.”

The Empress slouched in her seat, bare legs stretched out long before her with modesty kept in-tact by a short, navy dress. “I thought about that as well, but I think I managed to avoid most of the problems of re-instituting taxes in a pretty ingenious way, if I do say so myself.”

Ishmerai grinned a touch, “Yes. Allowing them to state their grievances and then making them think of the solution was brilliant.”

“Well, I knew my suggestion of volunteering wasn’t going to jibe with most of them,” she shrugged. “Giving up an afternoon to weed and paint is one thing. Spending hours monitoring the streets is completely different. Most of these people aren’t natural-born fighters. They have little to no training. What use would they be against any threat, even a common robber?”

“So rather than have you demand it, they willingly offer to give up a little bit of their hard-earned money for safety, and if we can use some of it for the beautification of their neighborhood, even better,” Ishmerai finished the thought. “Safer, nicer looking streets and buildings means more money they can make in the end.”

“Exactly.”

Ishmerai mulled over the subject a little. How very far he had come from loyal knight in the court of Oleanda. A chance meeting in a prison, which had surely saved his life, had flung him far from home and well beyond his comfort zone. “We will need to start a search for some other people to hire. We need more muscle.”

“That one is up to you.” She grinned at his obvious dismay. “Fine fine. Lain and I will help. We may want to look into people employed by the other organizations though. See if they have any disgruntled workers we could lift.”

“Seems like that might stir up some trouble.”

Jewell shrugged. “It’ll come eventually either way. The Sidhe Syndicate and Fae Dynasty have already been sending out feelers. They won’t be ignoring us forever, you know. They can’t afford to.”

“Certainly not with your name and face known all over RhyDin,” the knight pointed out astutely. He shook his head, “You know, from what I understand about these matters, most people who head such organizations as these at least attempt to keep a discrete profile.”

The Empress grinned wide. “What can I say? I was born to be different.”

[JewellRavenlock]

Jewell sat alone at a table in Beyond the Veil, staring at the seat recently vacated by a rather high ranking member of the Sidhe Syndicate. Between them in the Fae Dynasty, her hands were full trying to keep control of her neighborhood for several weeks now. Ishmerai pushed off the nearby wall and walked over to join his lady once he had seen that the thug and his goon had disappeared down the street. “That could have gone worse?” It was part question and statement as she looked to the knight.

“Perhaps.” Ishmerai took the middle ground by not fully agreeing or disagreeing with her, face settled in an uncomfortable frown. “You know he did not believe you, right? That whole line about, ‘I am just looking to make my neighborhood a safe place to live. That is all.’ He did not buy into it at all.”

She shrugged, killing her up-to-now perfect posture by lounging back in the chair. “I think it might buy us some time. I was hoping we were too small still to be any sort of threat.”

“They are smarter than that, Mira. In their place, would you not squash a potential threat before it became too big?”

“Yeaaah..” she reluctantly agreed. “But so what? I think we can handle them. Now that we have the twins in addition to Lain plus those two other guys she dug up for us.”

He shook his head, “They are not enough. The twins are quite impressive, as is Lain. Those other two have not even proven their loyalty yet. It is not enough Mira, especially if they both come after us at once. You may have to get your hands dirty.”

“No.” Jewell shook her head firmly. “That is out of the question. As is using you. I have shed enough blood with my own hands in Faerie. I will not do the same here unless it becomes absolutely necessary.”

“Then I would love to hear any other plans you may have.”

She looked away from Ishmerai, staring through the painted window to the winter street beyond. Despite the cold, people were moving out and about in the neighborhood: teens visiting friends, children playing, adults shopping. The whole street was alive and well, and Jewell needed to keep it that way. “I had an idea the other night,” she began, eyes following a group of teenagers as they came down the street before disappearing from her line of sight as they entered the restaurant next door.

“Would you care to share it with me?” Ishmerai asked patiently, somewhat amused as he watched the gears turn in her shrewd mind.

Jewell’s attention lingered on the street for a few more moments before she turned to look at her knight once more. “The barons,” she stated with a little smile.

“As in the barons of the different districts?” At her short nod, smile growing, he asked, “And how will the barons help you? They do not have any real, concrete power.”

“Not all the barons, just one: The Baron of Old Market.” He let her have her dramatic pause without interruption. “You see, the current Baron of Old Market is Hope. I believe she is someone I can work with. All I have to do is present her with the problem our poor district is facing, and she will join the cause!”

Her enthusiasm made him smile despite himself, “And what problem is that?”

“We are being overrun by criminal gangs, of course!” She shook her head as if to say, ‘What a pity!’ “They are oppressing the people of this district. Why, look at our own neighborhood! I have tried my best to make it respectable, but still these hooligans harass our neighbors and rob our businesses. It’s shameful and something really must be done about it. And with my name and reputation plus Hope’s position, surely we can enact some change for the better through mostly legal and seemingly legitimate means.”

“You intend to take down both the Syndicate and the Dynasty in one swoop?” He asked pointedly, rewarded with her pleased-as-punch smile in return.

“Maybe only one of them,” she admitted, showing the first signs of restraint. “Why destroy both when taking down just one should be enough warning for the other? We only go after both if we think that taking down one will empower the other. It is the conservation of energy you’re always blabbing on about, Merai.”

He rolled his eyes at her. This wasn’t quite what he had in mind when he talked about conserving energy. “And who, may I ask, shall fill up the power vacuum this unfortunate group will leave behind?”

Jewell sighed dramatically, “It will be a hard job, Merai, but someone must do it. I think we may even be able to pick up a few new members of our growing family along the way.”

[JewellRavenlock]

Metronome in its procession the large grandfather clock in the corner of the study assaulted the silence in a way only it could. Papers upon papers lay before her atop the token calendar that she gave up trying to navigate a month prior. Her paperweight was a finely aging bottle of Cognac, a drink she didn't even like, but kept around due to its amber hue and how it soothed her by candlelight. Overhead, a brilliant chandelier was keeping watch with its jewells (hah) distorting the light from the centerpiece.

Hope didn't often enjoy spending time at the mahogany desk that was far too cumbersome, or the leather chair that had a broken wheel so she could not spin it and roll around as she once had. With an absent-minded glance at the hour hand then the minute, she felt a stroke of panic strike as she remembered she had a meeting in negative two minutes! Quickly she scrambled to clear her desk and ease it all into place.

Perhaps Jewell had impeccable timing, knocking on the study's door and inviting herself in three minutes later than originally planned and really allowing just enough time for Hope to get her desk somewhat clean. Not that Jewell would have minded; her own desk served as a wonderful foot rest and collector of documents. She had dressed for the occasion in a slate blue dress a little more discrete and professional than her normal wear simply because it had all the buttons done up. "Hope! I apologize for being late. I took a wrong turn. Even after all these years, I still get a bit lost in different parts of the city." The truth was that she had been lazing around the house, a little nervous about the meeting, and she was only three minutes late because Ishmerai had practically shoved her out the door.

"That's okay I was day dreaming and just managed to scrape this all together to look half-assed, at least as professionalism goes." Blunt and to the point, Hope scooted her chair out and rose to walk around the desk and greet Jewell with a handshake. "Have a seat, if you want I'll pour you a glass." She had the horrendous trophy scar of a drink on top but her desk had many, many secrets.

Jewell's handshake was firm without being crushing. It wouldn't due to appear as a threat or a challenge, not in this situation. So she smiled and laughed after Hope's joke regarding her desk, taking a seat and smoothing out her skirt. She declined the offer of a drink. "A little too early in the day even for me," she quipped. It probably wasn't true.

"So the thought occurred to me while I was ripping my hair out over nonsensical clauses in fine print and the absurd scrutiny that has to be held with in relation to district boundaries- I see you more often than not, but I don't really know what you're about." She took her seat and held her hands in her lap. "What can I do for you Jewell Ravenlock?"

This question required a little more serious consideration and delicacy in the answer. "I know we don't really know each other well, Hope. Really just in passing. I'm coming to you today more as a concerned citizen in this district than as an acquaintance. I've lived in Old Market for well over a year now, and I've noticed some disturbing trends." Here was the sell: "I'm not really one just to sit around, letting others do the dirty work, but I'm also not some secret vigilante. I want to make Old Market a safer place to live and a better place to work, and I need your help to do that."

Oddly enough when it came to matters outside of dueling, which she considered her actual state of being a baroness, she handled things with a more finesseful tact. She didn't like to be the Diamond when she was not about to fight, she didn't like to be the hot-headed Fire Keeper and in these walls, she was more of a thinker and strategist. So when Jewell got straight to the point, or at least the purpose behind the visit, Hope rose and walked to the door to shut it with a lock.

"I'm not blind to the fact." A slight tone of irritation flooded Hope's voice as she walked over to the windows and pulled the curtains shut before taking her seat in the chair and setting her elbows on the desk, resting both hands curled inside their fists against her forehead. She let out a deep sigh, filled with apparent frustration. "Day in and out I see criminals getting away with murder because of the rampant corruption and nepotism in the streets. The Watch is non-existent and only matters when the public eye is to be had. Look around us.. this isn't a booming thoroughfare, we're not the busiest trade and some of us are damn near struggling to make end's meat." Jewell, being as sharp as she was, knew all of this already. However it wasn't something Hope would leave left unsaid. "There's so many rules that keep me from being able to help the damn people they entrusted to me!" She pounded her fist on the desk, sending the chandelier above in a stir. "You have my attention. What would you ask of me?"

This was better than The Empress could have asked for, but her conscience (yes, she has one) gave her a little prick! Hope was so genuine in her frustration, and Jewell felt just the tinsy bit deceitful in her own. She did want to better the community though, even if it also meant bettering her position in life. The Faerie just told herself it would all work out in the end. "I think there might be a way to clean up at least some of the corruption, honestly. I really don't like this any more than you do. My neighbors look up to me. They ask me for help. But alone? I just can't do it." Real frustration made the line of her jaw hard. "But with my name and reputation plus your current position? I think we can make some kind of difference."

A poker face had no place within Hope's arsenal. It had been painted all over her face while she leaned back and listened to Jewell's words. Winning was one thing, it was winning that had gotten her in the seat but day in and day out, looking out these windows, she began to grow on the people, and the people began to grow onto her. "But a name and reputation won't survive a bullet fight right?" She smiled, a little sharper than some as she looked to the chandelier once more. "I know how that feels. I can parade all of the prizes in the world and it doesn't make a single one of these lives any more bearable. And if I can't do that, what was the point? I got the ring for winning and for sport but I inherited the will of a city district with it..." Growing pains, no doubt. "I'd like to make a difference, a real one."

"I think you'd be surprised what a name and reputation can do in this town." Jewell's smile was genuine but not sweet. It was calculating and knowing; the smile of a woman who enjoyed the game. "Corruption is the problem, but I've found it can also be used, if necessary, to clean up more.. disruptive corruption."

She thought Hope might need a more concrete explanation than that. "Take for example these two," she paused for a moment, "oh I guess the best word is gangs? They're a bunch of hooligans, and they basically rule and run the neighborhoods near mine. They torture the people, stealing their money in the name of protection and then robbing them blind. With a little of the right pressure from the correct people, I believe we can clean the streets of groups like that. Topple their leadership, and the rest fall apart."

She leaned back and followed what Jewell was putting down. In the beginning, of course, there was a metaphor that came to mind. "You're speaking of something akin to fighting fire with fire." She chose her words well, meaningful even as she prodded the hypothetical scenario within her brain. Chopping the head off a snake will typically leave the body to rot and decay away. She didn't have many reasons to question Jewell's incentives on the matter, seeing as how it was a dilemma that Hope wasn't completely blind to. The way she was expressing it though, the fire in her eyes, that is what spoke to Hope the most. "If I help you and this goes south.. they'll do everything in my power to take me down. Does anyone know you're here right now?"

Jewell, the once water-aligned Faerie, was not a big fan of fire metaphors, but it worked well enough in this scenario. "Basically. I think together we have some major pull. Either we get what little authority there is in this town to mop up the mess, or we figure out another way to do it ourselves." She was as cold as ice now, no messing around. This was not the Jewell who normally visited the duels. Hope's questions about possible Plan B's made her smile. "Only my knight knows I'm here. But I don't know how much I'd worry. There's a reason I came to you, Hope. You're in a position to make all of this look so.. clean. A baron, concerned about her district and willing to do anything she can to set things right. How could anyone trouble you about that? And as for me?" Jewell sat back, apparently relaxing for the first time during this conversation. "I'm just a concerned citizen. Right?"

"I don't disagree with anything you've said up to this point." Not including, merely in its entirety Jewell was pitching a sale that Hope could buy. "Do you plan on threats? Or are we going to take this a bit higher?" She did have the fire at her disposal and nothing scared rats like a fire. "Or were you thinking.. whatever the cost, get these people their safety back?" This was arguably the most important question of the night. "I believe in justice more than I do just about anything else. Hence why I believe my time is limited in this Barony. The whole.. Renegade thing and all." She shrugged. "I want to do something that will help shape this district and its people for years to come. I want to free them from this bondage they suffer in. What would you ask of me?" Her question was quite specific with the look she gave Jewell. "What would be the price I would pay?"

Jewell laced her fingers together. This did require some thought, especially since she hadn't exactly expected Hope to join the cause quite so easily. "Fire.. is a possibility that I won't discount. I was hoping neither of us would have to get our hands truly dirty in any of this. There should be plenty of evidence to prove that crimes have been committed. More than enough witnesses to support our cause." What was she asking from Hope then? She needed to spell it out. "I need your help in preparing a case for the Watch to get these people locked up for good. If they should happen to suffer some sort of accident within the deplorable RhyDin prison system, well.. they'll be just another casualty of the corruption they've created."

"Alright." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Decision making was something she didn't pride herself upon, but it wasn't something she was going to take lightly with this distinct nature. "I care about these people. Day in and day out I see them struggle and the people who claim to be representing them.. do nothing but enjoy absurd wealth." Her own cabinet was stocked with the bare minimum of appointed trusted members. She didn't do vacation time. She was either in the Inn or in her Tower.

"I will be honest, I'm not about to bank the safety of these people and their livelihoods on the watch. They are about as competent as they are threatening. Neither of which exceed the amount to get anything done, ever." She opened her eyes and leaned forward. "But I'll give that a shot first before pushing things to something more drastic."

Apparently, all Hope had needed was a spark to get her started, and Jewell was more than happy to provide the match. "There's a chance it won't work, but I've given this a lot of thought. If someone were to just take out these people, there would be plenty of others to try and step into their shoes. Then we'd be back with the same problem again, just different faces." She chewed at the inside of her cheek a moment. It was really a habit she needed to keep better in check. "I have the money, and there are... other ways to bend the ears of those in charge." Jewell wasn't ready to admit that she would just magick the pants off of anyone that stood in her way. "I'm sure these people have paid off members of the Watch and others, but it's not like we can't do the same. Money, favors.. whatever it takes."

It wasn't as though she didn't have a plan for the problems being risen to the surface, it was something about the answer that had Hope a little hesitant. "I'd say it's more than likely the case really, in both. You force them out, someone's going to come and take their place. It's the devil you know argument- however knowing our current devil isn't really helping us in the least bit." At the other point, Hope had to ask a simple question. "Who watches the watchers?" She was for change and giving what was right to those who deserved it. The thought had to loom over her head though.

"Not if we get them all. I don't want just their leaders. I want all of them locked away. Everyone above the lackey on the street corner that doesn't know how to tie his own shoe or the enforcer at the door who could care less where his money is coming from. Anyone with plans. Anyone with half a brain? Gone." This policy had served the self-proclaimed Empress well enough before. The Watch was the trickier part. "No one watches the Watch except those who need to, right? So I agree they're the weak point of this plan. But unless you have some small militia hiding around here," Jewell gave a look around the room, "I don't have a better idea. Unless you do."

"You're a bold woman, Ms. Ravenlock." Taking out two syndicates from the head to the tail that rattled and planning on extorting the city's corrupt policing sector to do it? Balls, sheer balls of steel. "With them dismantled it would bring even petty theft to a screeching halt. They get a cut of everything that goes on around here. Without the proper distribution, it'll lose guidance, lose its sentience."

At her second question she chose her words rather poorly. "Forgive my ambiguous phrasing, it wasn't intended. What is the safeguard against someone far worse following in their footsteps?" That would most likely determine how things would play out. Taking out an established force was difficult enough but successfully placing a replacement infrastructure? Far more difficult a task. It takes more energy to create than to destroy.

Now Jewell really had to tread carefully although this line of inquiry wasn't completely unexpected. She smiled easily at the compliment before proceeding. "I would love to have you come visit my neighborhood sometime, Hope. Have you ever been to Little Elfhame? It's rather small, but the progress we've made there in just the last year is astounding."

"I learned something important in that neighborhood. When you remove the head, you do run the risk of someone far worse stepping into their shoes. But if the people are given some direction and maybe a little nudge, they can display an astounding amount of agency." Now add a touch of modesty, "I'm not saying I can set things right in all of Old Market on my own any means! But I certainly intend to make sure it isn't easy for someone else to just waltz in and seize power." Mostly because The Empress intended to do so herself.

[]Much thanks to Hope’s player for writing this with me and encouraging Jewell’s new-found career.[]

[JewellRavenlock]

RhyDin’s Quick News
Tuesday, 20 January 2015
Headline: Baroness Hope Promises to Rid Old Market of Organized Crime

Baroness Hope of Old Market made a statement to the press today regarding organized crime in Old Market: "Who am I? This is a question I have frequently asked myself in the past whether it be in the mirror, within the fireplace at my Tower or even on one of those terrifying buses. I may not be the Governor, I may not have any actual power at all; but I am capable of making a change. I am tired of the standards and conditions I see day in and day out in Rhy'Din, but specifically on my own door step. Enough is enough. I'm not a politician and I'm certainly not a saint but if you've got your hands on dirty money or you're part of the problem- I'll be seeing you soon."

She went on to briefly explain her plans and answer a few questions from the crowd.

[JewellRavenlock]

RhyDin’s Quick News
Wednesday, 21 January 2015
Headline: Jewell Ravenlock Vows Aid to Baroness Hope

In a meeting with the press today, well-known socialite and local business owner Jewell Ravenlock vowed to assist Old Market’s Baroness Hope in her crusade against organized crime.

“No one should have to stand alone against these monsters! As someone who lives and works in Old Market, I will stand alongside Baroness Hope, offering her all the resources at my disposal,” the woman more popularly known as ‘The Empress’ stated.

When asked to clarify what sort of resources Ms. Ravenlock was alluding to and whether she would resort to vigilante justice, the lady just laughed and reassured the city, “Just like Baroness Hope, I’m interested in justice, not vengeance. Everything we do will be within the limits of the law.”

[JewellRavenlock]

“Why do you want to go after this woman? Why can you not just let the Watch handle it?”

Jewell was thawing out in a steaming bathtub after her encounter with Doctor Evelyn Augusta Bell and the follow-up meeting with the Watch where she promised to do everything within her power to stop the perpetrator of the heist, who she had conveniently failed to identify to the authorities. “I need people in this city to keep thinking I’m a hero! A shining upholder of justice alongside the Scathachian Sisters,” Jewell rolled her eyes. Certainly she supported her dear friend Isuelt in her pursuit of those who liked to maim and butcher the people she cared about, but Faerie had robbed her of any need or desire to fight on the side of “justice” anymore. If she helped Issy, it was for complete mercenary ends: an ally of the Scathachians was looked up to in the city, and a safer city provided a better environment to do business within. It was as simple as that. “If I do this, no one will think to connect me with any of the less than savory events that may go down in Old Market over the next few months.” She paused a moment, scowling. “Besides, no one uses a Freeze Ray on me and gets away with it.”

“Be serious!” the knight admonished impatiently.

“I am serious! Do you know how many people saw her do that? If the great Empress can be taken down in the street without repercussions, who the hell is going to pay tribute to her, hmm?” Ishmerai conceded the point with a displeased frown. “Really, Ishmerai,” Jewell scoffed, “you act like I gained all that power in Faerie because people loved me.”

“They did love you,” he challenged. “At least many of the Fae did.”

“True. But they did not support me until the feared me too. They loved me and adored me while I served Conventina, but they did not support me. Why would they? I was a pathetic, whimpering little slave to my family. They loved me because they sympathized with my plight and treatment, but when I made Conventina’s head roll? When I showed them that I could not only protect myself but them as well? Then I had real power because with that one action? I bought their loyalty as well.”

Ishmerai could not deny the truth of what she said. He had not been with her when she took down Conventina, but he had seen what she had become to the people. They swore their loyalty to Lady Nerissa Ta-Neer, Jewell’s grandmother, but it was Jewell they truly served. It was Jewell they trusted to protect them and crusade their cause. “Do you think the situations so similar?”

She shrugged, sinking down into the water further so it touched her chin; she created ripples across the surface now as she spoke. “Similar enough. The people of RhyDin love me like a celebrity. They want to know about my life, follow me around, style their hair like mine. But do I have real power? Not until I prove myself useful to them, and letting Evelyn beat me on the streets of Old Market is hardly proving myself useful. Showing that I can take down anyone that crops up to threaten their little insular lives? That is useful.”

“So what are you going to do about it? Why not just send the twins after her?”

Jewell shook her head side-to-side at the suggestion of the twins. “Nu-uh. I am going to find out what she is doing, and then I am going to stop her myself!”

He laughed, “You make it sound so easy.”

[JewellRavenlock]

When Jewell arrived in Little Elfhame around 1am, she was surprisingly relieved that she had not lingered in the Iron Fists Garden long after the Powerhouse Party in an attempt to grab Kal’s attention. There was quite the crisis going on, and it required her immediate presence and undivided attention.

Charlie Nine had killed a number of pixies and nailed them to the outside wall of Beyond the Veil.

“Explain it to me again please?” Jewell pinched the bridge of her nose and tried to keep her voice down. Despite the late hour, the scene had drawn quite a crowd. “Why didn’t the wards in place stop him?” The ‘him’ in question was not a mystery. No one else had taunted her with FireStar or placed a bloody kiss upon her bruised cheek this evening.

“Because he used iron, apparently.” The knight flexed his hands, horribly burnt from the cold touch of the iron. Arriving before Jewell, he had made sure to help remove the pixies from the wall as gently and quickly as he could, but he had not been quick enough; people had seen what had been done. “The wards would have kept him from entering the shop, but not from touching the outside wall with the iron.”

The Empress tried to take a deep breath to calm herself, but the attempt was falling short tonight. She was upset to see the injuries Ishmerai had sustained but still too angry at the moment to restrain herself from asking him accusingly: “And why didn’t you stop him? Why didn’t you catch him? Where was everyone?”

“If everything you have told me about the man is true, Mira, then he is very good. He did not intend to be seen or caught.” Ishmerai looked around, “We just do not have enough people under our employment to patrol every street anymore.”

“Then get them!” she snapped at him before turning away from the store to check out the crowd. Families full of fear, lingering in the late-night cold, wondering what their chosen leader was going to do. “Little (censored)!” she cursed under her breath. “I didn’t do (censored) to him and he does this?” She had let Charlie’s brutality during the Overlord Tournament slide, but even Jewell’s twisted sense of righteousness was highly offended by this act, especially after she had attempted to smooth things over between herself and Nine by helping him with Jin Chae’s birthday. This just proved to her that Charlie Nine was a ticking time bomb, waiting to explode. She had been afraid from day one that when and if he did explode, people she cared about would be caught by the shrapnel. She should have never let her guard down. “This means war between him and I, you know that right?” she glanced aside to Ishmerai. The knight just nodded, stony faced. “Clearly he is seriously disturbed. Him and his little pack of whores need to pay for this.”

As always, the knight just had one question: “What are you going to do about it?”

“First things first.” She stepped away from Ishmerai and approached the crowd, focusing on the ambitious journalist or two who had chosen this grisly act to report on rather than the dozens of others also going on in the city at any given moment. What good was a crisis if she couldn’t twist it to her advantage?

“Ms. Ravenlock! Who do you think is responsible for this act?”

Show time. “Clearly this is the work of the Sidhe Syndicate. Their thugs have been running rampant in Old Market for far too long, and they are clearly getting bolder. Who else would despise Faerie and Fae living peacefully together as they do in this neighborhood? It’s speciesism, plain and simple, and it’s disgusting.”

“How can you be sure it was the Syndicate?”

“Just two weeks ago, one of their representatives met with me in my shop, threatening to bring down the peace and harmony we have managed to find in Little Elfhame.” She took a deep breath as if extremely remorseful, her tone dropping appropriately, “I just didn’t think they would really do it. Clearly that was my mistake, and we all have paid for it tonight. Innocent lives have paid for it.” Step one: admit the mistake.

“Doesn’t this seem like more of a personal attack? You can’t say that you don’t have a list of enemies. Are you sure the perpetrator wasn’t targeting you personally?”

Step two: profit from the mistake! Jewell shook her head. “No. This is just a general warning; there’s nothing personal about it. I didn’t know the poor victims,” she gestured to the blanket covering the tiny bodies of the departed. “The Syndicate targeted my shop because I am the heart and glue of this neighborhood, frantically trying to keep us all working together here while criminals like the Syndicate seek to tear us apart and turn us against each other.” Now she turned to face the flock of scared little birds, raising her voice, “But we won’t let them, will we? We will stand together, united against those poisoned and blinded by ignorance and hatred! We are not bound and will not be bound by the archaic rules of Faerie that separate our kin beyond the veil and create enmity between them. This is our city and we live by our rules! Crimes against our Fae friends will not go unpunished or overlooked.”