RP:Nothing Ventured, Capital Gain

Part of the The Capital Bureau Arc

Methany Manor

The Gardens

Tristram was already pulling at his bow tie by the time he reached the foyer with Terra. He took her cloak from porter and helped put it around her shoulders, waiting for her to arrange it properly before leading her out into the garden path spread before the large, lively manse. "Decent party, that," he mumbled to her as he patted himself down for his cigarette case. He found it in his pocket and lit up a cigarette, didn't bother with offering Terra one as he closed it and returned the case to his pocket as he led her through the monochrome garden. "It's nice out tonight. Not so humid."

Terra tugged at the straps of her shoes until she was free from them, dropping a few inches in time to watch the tie loosen. One hand kept her shoes while the other adjusted her cloak as she followed after him. "I think it's nice to have them." There was no mention nor show of desire for the case or its contents as they moved through the gardens. A few flowers were brushed as she strolled past them. "Why didn't you choose a place like this when you arrived?"

Tristram took Terra's arm so he could walk with her and still allow her the use of her hand to hold her shoes. "Oh, I dunno." He glanced over his shoulder at the castle, which loomed over Gualon, still. "I wanted to do things properly. Figured that meant into the Governor's Estate. Didn't mean I couldn't spruce it up a bit." He grinned sidelong at the elf and pressed a kiss to her temple. "And find pretty things to decorate it with." As they reached the bronze tree in the center of the plaza, he took her shoes from her and tucked them into two cast leaves before giving her a tug southward, instead of westward, to his house. "We need more parties. We should invite people outside of Gualon. No potential mates for you, though. I won't have it in my own city." He huffed at her temperamentally and stopped when they reached the clinic. He pushed the door open and waved off the nurse on duty during the quiet after hours.

Terra surrendered her shoes without protest and assumed they would be returned by magic. Talk of doing things properly almost gave her reason to smile. "So you can do things proper. That's good to know." Talk of dances and outsiders and mates just caused her to glance upwards and count backwards. "That's why I do all my business outside of your city." She glanced towards the path behind them when she realized they were not heading home. The sight of the clinic made her frown. "I stepped on your toe ONCE and this is how you respond?" She watched the nurse go and went quiet.

The Cave System, Under Gualon Clinic

A Construction Site

Tristram grinned and made a show of hobbling over the stoop. "It seems appropriate for the crime." He pulled off his tuxedo jacket and tossed it across the desk, but instead of going to one of the beds, he led her to a curtained off section of the clinic that led to the supply area and nurse's lounge. In the corner, the stairwell leading to under the clinic was shadowy and dark. He took out his lighter, flicked a flame to life, and lowered it to the steps, so that they would be illuminated as they descended.

Terra snagged a pair of the slip-on shoes that were reserved for patients. The trail of her dress was gathered in her hand and she followed after Tristram, staying near for the sake of the light provided. "I'm not trying to say that you have an ulterior motive in taking me down here but I do not believe it was for the romantic atmosphere."

Tristram gestured to the cavern as he pulled ring and middle fingers to his mouth to take a drag of his cigarette before lowering his hand to his side again. He gave her hand a tug and led her through some of the lower-lying beams that criss-crossed the framework overhead. He pulled her deeper into the cavern, into what appeared to be a massive cage being built into the rock. The site was quiet, empty for the night, despite many nights spent working before, so as not to draw suspicion in the daytime. "Something to put on your books." He glanced at her, trying to catch her eye. "Except not something to actually write down. There's a lot of people out there with a lot of money. And they may not want anyone to know they have that money. Or what they do with that money. Do you understand?" He pulled her deeper inside, past a counter, more bars, all under construction, into what was obviously a vault of some kind. It seemed to crackle with an air of electricity. "Don't touch the bars," he warned.

Terra kept her hands to herself and an eye out for the lavender lava she had been taught to avoid. "You... have moved your safe spot. Instead of some cave hours away." Her cloak was pulled tighter to her shoulders."I'm not going to ask questions. Any risks?"

Tristram corrected, "Days away." He stepped behind the elf and pulled her cloak up around her neck with one hand while taking a drag from his cigarette with the other. "This isn't for me, exactly. It's for … those who appreciate their monetary affairs to be carried out in privacy. It's just backed by …" He pulled a gem from his pocket and held it up to the light. "… a generous donation, is all." He passed it to Terra as he maneuvered around the room. "It will be ready soon. Then all we need is a way to get the money in inconspicuously. The fight here the other day gave me an idea." He stuck the cigarette in one corner of his mouth and put up his fists as he pretended to box the elf, delivering soft jabs her way to try and goad her into raising her own fists. "If you and me were fighting," he mumbled around the cigarette. "And you were also watching," … somehow … "--who would you bet on?"

Terra tried to keep up with him. This Tristram reminded her of the orphans in their excitement. She twisted to keep an eye on him as he walked and was even reaching for the gem before it was offered. She had been in the process of looking it over when he started boxing. "You." Some of his hits were dodged and she fended him off with a hand, trying to sneak a hit in but no real interest in it. "Fixed fights?"

Tristram didn't answer Terra's guess. He feinted left, and then took her next playful jab. He staggered backward, fist to his shoulder. "Or maybe you." He winked and straightened to take another drag of his cigarette, which had survived the round. "But if you knew before hand, and you put a large sum of money on the person going down … well, that's an excellent way to store money, isn't it. By losing it? Or rather, pretending to lose it?"

Terra took a step towards him and pulled him closer by hooking a finger in his pocket. "That won't look strange, after awhile? A string of bad bets from prideful people?" She'd not be one to let someone assume that she gambled and lost so easily. "If you started to make poor bets.. For instance, if Deaglan started to lose too many fights... would it draw attention?"

Tristram dropped his arms and let Terra steer him closer. He looked down at her before lifting a hand to tuck some of her hair behind her elongated ear. "This is why I keep you around, business partner. But yeah, you're spot on there." He captured her hand and started walking her back out of the vault and toward the banking center with its half-built counter and teller stands. "So it will go beyond fights. Other things. Different ways to get money in, and get money out again. People make a lot of donations to the orphanage. They like that. Charity."

Terra dropped that gem back in his pocket and surrendered some of his space back to him. The title got a grin. "I've met plenty of rulers and people who hold titles but none of them were as impressive as you are. I think that's your best feature." She was led, back again and she appreciated moving away from the bars and the strange noise they emitted. "The charity idea works well. Donations to keep the gardens open, maybe?"

Tristram took back the space Terra granted him, crowding her to give her another kiss. He tugged at her hand, helping her duck under a low hanging cavern ceiling. "The gardens are always free of charge. I won't change that, even to make Gualon a bit of money." He helped her over the lavender rivulets streaming toward the larger pool in the middle of the room, guarding the entrance to the fledgling financial district. "Let's go home now. I'm tired. I need to trade in my business partner for my companion, anyway, if anyone's seen her. And I don't mean your cat."

Terra was crowded and enjoyed it, not that she'd admit to it. Instead he was batted forward until she sought his assistance in manuvering under some of the low beams. "Was it your partner or companion you took to the party tonight?" It was a genuine question though she had no protests for the suggestion of home, nor did she correct him on the cat's ownership.