RP:A Secretive Commission

Summary: While browsing the public board for jobs, Alvina runs into the owner of one of the posts and he's looking for a metal worker / enchanter. They discuss vague terms of agreement and agree to meet with some drafted documentation to make it formal.

Kelay Tavern

Alvina made her way into the tavern at a leisurely pace. The soft thump of her boots carried her over the threshold, across the wooden floor and to the public message board. Even though she had moved away from Kelay, the bard still visited from time to time. Her lab was still here, after all. Crisp crimson curls swayed against her shoulder blades, brushing the fine pale skin of her face when she turned to examine the various handwriting that decorated the notices. Hildegarde was calling for aid in rebuilding Frostmaw…a dragon was trapped somewhere… Attentive emerald eyes scanned the various notes, finding one that caught her eye. Metal working…Contact Joshua. Alvina stepped away from the board to an empty table to let other’s through, pulling out a quill and piece of parchment to write a response.

Joshua was almost becoming familiar to this tavern though by no means enough to even be tempted to blend in with the locals. Still dressed in his usual garb of a suit and shirt, he had opted for a table that provided solitude. His expression seeming to be a resting frown, not one of annoyance but of concentration as he stares down at the puzzle in the local newspaper before him. A mildly irritated tapping of the end of his fountain pen against the printed paper, the sound dulled by this thin cushion of news as he ponders. Finally the answer comes to him and his pen is quickly swivelled around for the nib to be pointed down. A dry scratch with no mark left on the paper, soon followed by hasty scrawls on the edge before he admits defeat. A pinch of the bridge of his nose and a sigh before he looks up to the people of the room. Alvina quickly spotted as a newcomer for she had not been there before, his dark grey eyes dropping to her small task she is achieving. Leaning forward in his seat, a polite cough to try to gain her attention and his low voice follows "Ma'am, I don't suppose by any chance you have any spare ink?"

Alvina ‘s focus was narrowed to a pinprick while scribbling her reply, so the strangers voice startles her. Soundlessly, the woman jumps back, metallic digits pressed into her chest with a nervous laugh. “O-of course I do. Sorry, you scared me just then.” A bright smile takes the place of her uncertain grin while she wades through her brown messenger’s satchel and locates a spare bottle of ink. “Here we are,” the light sound of her laughter is lost in the busy tavern; trampled by other bards performing for coin, various conversations, arguments, and the forever present hum of activity. When he reaches to take the bottle, she’ll look him over. He’s very well dressed to be with this otherwise rough looking crowd. A needle in the proverbial haystack. “Are you responding to something on the board as well?” Maybe he was just waiting to meet up with someone. That was more common, made more sense. “Oh, I’m so rude.” She clicks her tongue, outstretching her fleshed right hand to shake his if he’s so inclined. “I’m Alvina, pleasure to meet you.”

Joshua 's gaze darts to the metal hand of the woman, distracted by it enough to leave his eyes linger for a split second. His manners kick in though and attention returns to the face of the other as if such a metal limb were the norm and not a rarity that he has never seen before. A slight lift of brows as he tries to salvage the memories of what she had just said. He can't help but gain a shadow of a smirk at her comment of being scared, the irony too amusing to hide. Standing up to walk the couple of steps to her table and retrieve the ink offered though things seem to be put on hold with her questions and introduction. Patiently waiting with still a glimmer of amusement in his dark grey eyes and a near silent brief chuckle after, he takes the offered hand to deliver a shake to the lady "Wakefield. Joshua Wakefield. Please to meet you Miss Alvina. As for the ink? I have something else in mind for that. Between you and me, I think my note on the board will be a fruitless endeavour, earlier I saw a man grab one of the scraps of paper on the board on his journey to the bathroom and he was muttering how they always run out of toilet paper. I fear my note will have the same destiny."

Alvina was use to people staring. Metal arms were strange; no one wanted to touch them. –That- was normal. When he stepped towards her, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She didn’t sense anything strange about him, nothing threatening. Immediately, she felt guilty and averted his gaze. Residual suspicion left over from a recent kidnapping encounter, she thought. The bard only looked up again to blink at his introduction. That’s so funny because… “I was just answering your message, how strange!” Her metallic limb pulls her parchment off the table and holds it into view. His name is clearly drawn across the top of the page in elegant cursive. “I’m Al- oh we’ve already done that bit but I’m an Engineer!” Tons of excitement to be had about this! Fate was kind indeed! “I would be happy to help, if I can. What are you looking for?”

Joshua lofts his brows again just a fraction as Alvina enlightens him on the fact it was him she was writing a response to. He seems to be a soul that is not overt with displaying his emotions or reactions, just small hints are shown to give clue to his inner workings. A thoughtful and quiet "Hmm." given in response to this coincidence. He makes no effort to raise the volume of his voice, regardless of the background sound for he does not want his words to wander into the ears of others. "It is a delicate, confidential matter. One that perhaps would be better with a drink. What is your poison Alvina? Then you can tell me a little about your work and skills and I can decide if you are the one to help me in this little matter." A small cant of his head as he awaits her order before going to the bar to obtain that, a replacement brandy for himself and to return.

Alvina has to ponder this question as she was not an avid drinker. “Perhaps a rose wine, if you don’t mind. Dealer’s choice.” She gave him a firm grin. While he steps away, she does her best to dial back her excitement at this mysterious contact. Most of the commissions she’d received had been eager to go on and on, in great detail, about what they hoped to achieve. Public be damned. Her lithe frame glided down into a chair at his table, all parchment and quills had been returned to her satchel for safe keeping. The left leg crossed over the right to ruffle her dark blue dress around the hem, while she waited. When he returns, she’ll take the glass of whatever he’s offering her and sip it politely. Rose was her favorite, after all. “I’m happy to tell you anything you’d like to know about my work, except how it’s done.” A light hearted smile. “This arm is not my creation, but a creation of my former Master. I apprenticed beneath her for a many years, and I take great pride in metal working; be it for weapons, decorative knickknacks and inventions.”

Joshua wouldn't be surprised if this pub's version of Rose is half a glass of white mixed with half a red but he is not privy to it as his attention does not stalk the barkeep as drinks are prepared. So with the pale pink concoction in hand and his own reliable spirit in the other, he returns to the table, firstly setting Alvina's glass down in front of her and taking up his previous seat. Listening attentively and intensely as if she were the sole person in the taverne as she gives hint to her work, his gaze returning to her arm again as she talks about it, taking that as a silent invite to study it. A quick flash of his pearly whites as he grins, no fangs on show and a mild rumble of amusement in his tone "Don't worry Alvina, my intentions are to not learn about your work, I have no desire to steal your job from you, it is quite safe. At this moment in time the only thing I want to learn about is you and your skills." Unbuttoning the jacket of his suit to allow a more comfortable and semi relaxed posture before he starts the flow of questions "So one of the big criteria for this job is the ability to integrate magic into the job. Is that something you have managed to achieve in the past or is it purely metal that you meddle with? Do you work alone or as part of a team? There will be a confidentiality agreement I would require you and if there is anyone else, to sign before I look to divulge too much. Call it what you will but I am a private man and I have my secrets. I like to keep them locked up rather than free to be whispered into the ears of others."

Alvina nodded sternly to note how seriously she respected client confidentiality. “I have been successfully able to melt metal and magic in a few instances, but it really depends on the type of enchantment you are looking for. I normally work alone; If something is outside my range, I can call in the help of a very skilled enchanter that also knows how to keep secrets. He has plenty of his own. I also have an alchemist at my disposal on the worst of days, and we’ve collaborated many times before. Mr. Wakefield, I can assure you that anything you disclose to me would be kept under lock and key. I’m not a perpetuator of rumors or a word smith. My metal speaks for itself.” There was no fear that this man would decide to take up Engineer or look to harvest her precious secrets of the trade, but it had been asked of her before and she would not betray her former Teacher. Even though she had long since passed on. The wine floods her taste buds with a dry flavor, zapping at her tongue in bitter rebuttal. She studied the glass carefully; the wine was a bit light. What had she truly expected?

Joshua picks up his pen again, not out of necessity to write anything but purely for the unconscious habit of tapping it so it bounces between his fingers though he remains otherwise solely focused on Alvina. A serious nod to the engineer, one so grave a passerby would be forgiven for thinking it was a matter of death that was being conversed. Though that solemn response it lost a second later as another quick flash of teeth in a smile to the lady "Well I believe we have a plan in motion. I shall get the paper work drawn up as a matter of priority, you shall read it, if you agree to the terms then to sign. We will discuss the details of the job and the payment you require and see how it progresses from there." His look seems to slip from natural into a stare, his tone just teasing with threat "I hope your work does speak for itself though Alvina, I don't like to be disappointed."

Alvina was on board this strange and secretive boat. She nodded along, crimson curls cascading across her shoulders and back, posture and eyes holding more than her visible twenty something years while he speaks. Emerald optics dip from his face to his pen, the motion catching brief attention, returning to his face to find a gleaming smile staring back at her. His words made her mouth taste bitter, more bitter than the wine. She narrows her eyes at him. His tone was dangerously close to threatening. “My metal work has never disappointed,” she makes a point of marking her confidence. “If I can’t do it, I’ll tell you before signing any documentation. I wouldn’t want to waste your time. I’m a professional and hold myself to a high standard, but I don’t take kindly to being doubted. If I say I can do something, then I will.”

Joshua lifts his glass to take a long and slow sip as Alvina does her speech of sass, again the picture of perfect politeness in attentiveness to what she says. Once content she has finished, he leans forward to rest his elbows on the table, the material of his jacket bunching up and wrinkling at his elbows as he places his hands in front of him, pen dropping on the table and fingers lacing with each other. "My apologies Miss Alvina, please forgive my rudeness but whether it be my age or experience in the past, I don't place trust on people until they have proven themselves. I have never met you before nor to my knowledge seen any of your work. You appear honest and trustworthy but we all know looks can be deceiving. For all I know, you could be a master conman and manipulator. Time will tell though won't it?" Then as if that was a toast, he frees his hand to collect his glass and lift it in the air, half way over the table as if inviting the engineer to clink her own glass against his.

Alvina feels some subtle slight has occurred but she’s not sure how to place it. Whatever fleeting fancy of fate or design that laced their meeting no longer remained. Now, in it’s place was skeptical concern and nagging curiosity at what was so important. ‘It is not our place to ask’. A voice, muted with age reminded her. A smile came back to her lips and she held it, and her glass, high to meet his in the softest of clinks. These were not exactly the finest crystal glasses that Kelay had to spare, after all. In truth, she was no conman or manipulator but she could respect a certain amount of wariness and distance. This was not a friend she was making, but a business associate. It was difficult for her naïve personality to construct the barrier that should exist between work and pleasure for normal beings. When you do what you love, and love what you do, it’s easy to think they flow seamlessly together. It’s easy to forget that white teeth and smiles can also bind your wrists and ‘forget’ to feed you. “You are welcome to send for me at any time. I work nearby and am well known by some, known of by most. I look forward to providing you…” She paused, searching his eyes for something she was unable to locate; a subtle purpose, or intention beyond what he’d already confessed. “To providing you whatever it is you seek, in the realm of metal working and enchanting.”

Joshua in truth, was a man of deceit. Lies to him are second nature, forgeries and fakes an art he had mastered, a conman and a manipulator he is. He knows this, he is not ignorant to his own traits but there is always something satisfying about accusing a person of his own quirks, especially when they are as fair and sweet as the engineer seems to be. Luck might still be on Alvina's side though as this job request of his is genuine and not a job he is pulling on her, payment will be her's on completion. His glass pulled back after the clink, draining dry before setting it down. Standing up, pen picked up before he buttons up the jackets "Well Alvina, it has been a pleasure. I fear I have taken up too much of your time and there are documents to draw up. " And then remembering the earlier ink bottle lent to him, he pulls this out of his pocket, making swift work of refilling with the piston converter before the bottle is held out to return it to the owner. "I believe this is your's."

Alvina held up her hand, gesturing for the man to keep the ink bottle. “Please keep it.” It was silly, just a bottle of ink. It wouldn’t harm her one bit to walk away without it. “And I look forward to meeting with you again soon. Thank you for your time.” With that she stands, her wine glass remains on the table, still relatively full. It hadn’t been the greatest wine but this wasn’t an upscale place of business. When she was upright, she offered a slight bow of respect to the stranger while holding on to her uncertainties about his character. In the end, she’d drop her guard. She always did. Her heart was not yet stone.