RP:Queen Of The Kingfishers
This is a Rogue's Guild RP.
Summary: Meri and Eleanor talk about numerous things, from Meri's changed opinion on Hudson to a promotion within the guild.
Rogue's Den
Ah, the den. It has been a long time since Meri has bothered sitting foot in this room, and if she was being honest she really did not want to be in it today. It was nothing personal to Eleanor, as Meri would ultimately have to explain. Yet, the last time that she did see Eleanor they did agree to arrange a meeting here. It was at the time a neutral location for the both of them last time they met -- and technically it likely still was. But. The route to get to this particular spot may currently not be. Still, here Meri is. Despite her lack of want to be here, she is not looking particularly uptight or annoyed. She is definitely looking a little less pregnant though. A little being, she has had the child and feels well enough to be out and about again, but she is still very fresh out of her pregnancy. This encounter is not meant to be an impromptu one. This time Meri gave Eleanor word that she was intending on stopping by, but said word was only sent the day before Meri meant to show up. Short notice. Meri arrives early, but has no qualms in making herself comfortable while she waits for Eleanor to show up. The blonde has also seen fit to leave the baby at home, safe in the care of someone else for the time being.
Unlike much of the lands surrounding it, the den itself was free of the scourge of dead rats. It was not clear whether this was by intention or circumstantial. Silently entering the main hall from the north, El saw Meri and lingered behind a medical privacy screen. Keeping her presence to herself for now, she took in Meri's features from afar.
Things were changing so fast for her lately, could she even keep up? The last time they had met, Meri had brought many things to Eleanor's attention. These ideas had driven her to want to know more about the lives of her companions. The lives of the people she trusted, and expected to trust her in return. As her glass-green eyes took in the sight of Meri within the den, Eleanor took in the changes with approval. After the moment passed, she announced herself with a discreet cough.
Leaving the privacy of the screen behind, El sashayed toward the new mother. The leader of the rogues offered up a simple wooden chair to Meri in case she hadn't found one yet. El remained standing for now, but she seemed at-ease. “Good to see ye again, Meri.” At first, it had been hard for her to overcome her thick accent, but with time her speech improved. “Sorry to keep ye waitin’, have ye been here lang?”
For Eleanor, it might feel like things are changing quickly in the lives of the people she hopes would trust her. For Meri? It feels like she has been dealing with some of these things for far too long. The whirlwind that has been occurring in Meri's life has managed to create a certain amount of mistrust for the people that she once thought that she could trust. Eleanor is currently among that list of people, but like many who lead a shady past, Meri is good at putting on a front. Eleanor is greeted with a smile. The lack of accent when the other tattooed blonde speaks does not escape Meri's notice....but as someone who at one point had an accent herself, years before she even met Eleanor, Meri feels it is kinder to not draw attention to this detail.
Meri was seated when Eleanor made herself known, but now that Meri is aware of her presence the woman takes to her feet. "Pretty sure you know how long I have been waiting," Meri kids. Was it possible that the werewolf was plenty aware that someone was lingering behind that privacy screen? Or maybe Meri was making a joke because Eleanor most criminal figures take pride in where they have eyes and ears. "Listen, you might not be saying good to see me for long. This may not be the chummy catch up of a reunion that either of us were hoping for." Meri gives a roll of her eyes, the blonde sobriety put a damper on any overly exciting reunions. "I suppose there is not too much point in making too nice when I've got news you may not take too. Or maybe you won't care. So let's get into it, hm? How chummy are you and Hudson these days?"
Eleanor spared Meri a small smirk at her initial greeting. Yet, as the other blonde continued speaking, the spell-rogue found her left eye narrowing. It was true, she often spied on those she liked, and more so those she didn’t. But the long arms of her presence had been withdrawn in these past months. El was in the dark.
It was an unsettling place to be. After she left the Isl d’Vaine so many years ago, El had done everything she could to stay out of the dark. Despite her efforts, here she was. The hairs on her neck pricked at the tone Meri adopted, telling her trouble was afoot. The woman felt a sour taste developing in her mouth. Her smirk faded as she crossed her arms, weight shifting from one leg to the other.
When Eleanor spoke again, her accent threatened to return in full force. “I huvnae spoken tae Huds in many months.” Her voice was thick and rough, her vocal chords as taut as her shoulders felt. Whatever ease she'd been in a moment ago, it had dissipated in favor of suspicion brewing within her.
Eleanor’s celadon eyes were sharp as she studied Meri anew, a beat passing as her doubt festered within. The rogue leader went over many possible scenarios in her mind, each more destructive than the last. Dropping her voice a couple of degrees, she carefully added, “Whit are ye here tae teel me, Meri?”
Given the world the two women live in, there are plenty of reasons to be suspicious...and who knows what level of news Meri would end up delivering. The way that Eleanor nearly loses her accent is telling, but Meri is able to keep on focus. "Well if it has been months then maybe this is not going too mean too much to you either way." Meri still is not too keen on settling back down into a chair and making herself comfortable, which probably does not help with putting Eleanor's mind at ease. As far as Meri was concerned, there was no telling how this conversation could go. The werewolf was not about to let her guard down. "I'd venture to say Hudson and I have had a bit of a falling out, we're going through some drama right now. I am not really going to bother getting into the details." It was between Meri and the Landon's. Meri points to the floors above them. "In most cases, I wouldn't make no fuss over this, but given that Hudson is the co-owner of The Office..." Which is the most convenient avenue to accessing this particular den. "It seems fitting. So I reckon plain and simple, I'm here to tell you that times have definitely changed. In the past I was more than content to let the two of you count me as your little lackey, didn't really matter to me what you two thought as long as I was getting paid, you know? But until Hudson and I find a resolution to our issues, I've got little reason to be supporting the man and fully intend to keep my business separate." Meri's tattooed shoulders are rolled in a cool shrug. "Maybe we'll work it out, maybe we won't, I'm not going to go making promises on that either way. If that's going to be a problem for you, well I understand. You two have been partner's for a significant amount of time."
Eleanor’s gaze remained carefully fixed on Meri as the other spoke. She didn’t interject as the artist sorted through her explanation, although El did note with interest how the other picked and chose between what details to reveal about her altercation with the lycan crime lord. The full story was of more importance to her more so now, but all that gave away her intrigue was a faint tightening of her lips. “Ah see.” Their conflict may or may not be a risk to the guild’s upcoming enterprises, and the guild leader mulled over that a beat. “Then dornt support him.”
It seemed simple enough to her. Hudson may also be in the guild, and at least presently, he outranked the Kingfisher in front of El as well. But in the end, she had brought Hudson and Meri on to fulfill two separate needs. “If ye want t’remain as part o’ mah crew, in th’guild, ye wooldnae be workin' fur him, yoo'd be workin' fur me.” Her lips curled into a slight smile, and she lifted a hand to gesture toward her face. “Yoo’re mah eyes an’ ears, loove.”
El shrugged, although she still studied Meri as she continued. “Aam no’ haur tae force ye tae wark fur me, obvioosly. Ah’m sure yoo've got yer own things gonnae on.” For a moment, the rogue leader looked about the hall almost wistfully before glassgreen eyes returned to the woman sharing the space with her. “But if yoo're keen, yoo'd be more than jist some lackey.”
Meri could tell that Eleanor wanted more to this story, and why wouldn't she? Were the roles reversed, Meri would be awfully curious to know what might have transpired because in their line of work? There were so many avenues to try and consider. Did Meri do something to Hudson? Did Hudson do something to Meri? Yet even though Meri knows, she keeps on course and continues to largely dodge the 'what' of it all. Eleanor had given Meri the chance to speak her part without interjecting and Meri would offer the same respect to Eleanor. Once the rogue leader is finished speaking, Meri is not quick to find her words. The werewolf speaks, "I want to keep doing whatever helps my coin purse stay nice and hefty." The recently turned werewolf offers a cool shrug of her shoulders. "So as long as you don't care that Hudson and I seem to have beef right now." Meri was not even confident to what extent, their last encounter had been so fraught. Meri studies Eleanor in much the same fashion that the rogue leader had just been studying her. "All this other crap aside...What's good?"
Eleanor nodded slowly. “Then for as long as ye want it,” the spell-rogue began with care, “th’ job is yoors.” Despite how it may look sometimes, she did value Meri, and her lips twitched in a small smile before she added, “Pay raise included - sae long as yer personal life doesnae come atween ye and th’contracts Ah can give ye.” If that term could be met, Eleanor didn’t much care about the rest. It wasn’t that she was selfish, but that she was trying to compartmentalize things, for now. At least until she had a better grasp of the situation, and understood how deep the seeds of discord had been sown between the lycans.
The offer of promotion left between them for Meri to consider, it was El’s turn to think on her response. “Things are … guid.” The spell-rogue wanted to believe that to be the case. In reality, things seemed tense on all sides, but Meri seemed like she had enough on her plate already without adding El’s own troubles to the mix. Friction was festering like many little wounds left untreated in the weaker parts of Lithrydel’s more notable crime organization. Even her previous employer and mentor, the enigmatic Oracle of Cenril’s underground, had grown suspiciously distant lately.
Stuffing down whatever anxiety twisted inside of her, El’s features softened a degree. “How is th’bairn?”
Meri gives a shrug that is half-hearted when Eleanor requests that her personal life not get in the way of any contracts. It's not like Meri to lose her cool in the wake of a good payment, at least not without good reason. How much commitment could Eleanor -really- expect on this matter though? There was agreement, for the most part. "As long as there is gold to be made." Meri could tell that Eleanor was not being entirely forth-coming with 'things being good', but it's not like Meri could blame her. It's not like the blonde was spilling her own guts out on the table for Eleanor. "Things aren't good," Meri states with a bit of a nonchalant shrug, "But when and if you're ready to talk about it, you will." Just like when and if Meri is ever ready to talk about things with Hudson, she would. It takes Meri a moment to pick up on what Eleanor might be referencing with the word 'bairn', which is probably unsurprising to Eleanor. This is not the first time Meri has struggled with her vernacular. It does not take long for that lightbulb to go off in Meri's mind though, "Oh. The baby? She's doing well, happy and healthy as far as I can tell. Her name is Fleur. Speaking of, I suppose I should think about getting back to her soon. Only paid the sitter for a certain amount of time, you know?" Not that Fleur would be abandoned if Meri was running late, but the sitter may not appreciate it...nor would Meri's wallet.
As Meri picked up on her own reticence, Eleanor was reminded of her admiration for the other blonde, and she nodded quietly. Although she endeavored regularly to keep her face far removed of deeper emotions, El struggled now not to look too pensive. “Ah’m glad t’hear it.” Her voice had lowered a subtle degree, but she swallowed and pursed her lips, a wry half-grin pushing into her right cheek. “Aye, I ken, loove. I willnae be askin’ ye t’dae anythin’ I dornt ‘hink ye can handle, but uh …”
El withdrew from where she hovered near the table, moving over to where a chest was stuffed into a corner of the hall, a simple iron buckle holding its contents secured - or so it might seem. Beneath the surface of its worn wood-and-leather facade, various magical energies worked around the clock to prevent theft of the valuables within. Briefly, the spell-rogue blocked view of her handiwork as she unlocked the chest, but she was quick in taking whatever she meant to from its interior and re-secure it. A moment later, the guild leader was standing before Meri once more.
She passed a velveteen pouch to Meri, and although it might seem light in weight and didn’t bulge with its contents, the drawstring bag contained a pre-measured 10,000 gold coins. “Ye can call it a quarterly bonus …” Eleanor grinned slightly. “Plus interest, if yoo’ll take th’promotion t’heart.” Queen of the Kingfishers … that’s what Eleanor was offering - plus the consideration that security was still the new mother’s highest priority.
Meri lifts a brow. At first because of the statement that Eleanor would not ask her to do anything that she could not handle. This was leading Meri to believe that the Rogue leader might have something on her mind, a job that she needed done already. Except what Eleanor does next is not what the new werewolf expects. Eleanor moves away from where the two women are conversing, to the corner where a chest has been stuffed away. Really Meri had not noticed it until Eleanor drew attention to it, and when the rogue woman attempts to shield the actions taken to unlock the chest, Meri makes a point of turning her gaze to the ceiling. It's not until Eleanor returns and presents Meri with this velveteen pouch that those blue eyes are lowered back to the other rogue. Promotion. The word was heard, the gold was sitting before Meri, and even though she was a new mother...Well, delving deeper into the criminal world was not really something that the woman seemed to hesitate too. She just bought a new property, is attempting to open a new business, this gold and the strings that come attached too it? With the promise of interest? It was a mighty sweet pot indeed. "I suppose we got on and have not had no problems working with each other, would be a pleasure to keep it going." Greed was a trait readily found within Meri's personality and so when the coins are passed to her, they are easily accepted. Queen of the Kingfishers was a title that sounded mighty fine to Meri right about now. The more that Meri threw herself into, the easier it was to ignore the other problems in her life.
Eleanor exhaled a pleased breath through her nose - she hadn’t realized she’d been holding it while gauging Meri’s response to the offer. One hand rested on her hip while the other gestured toward Meri and gold alike. “Weel, now ‘at that is settled,” she began with a nod in agreement, “I’ll let ye be on yer way …” The rogue leader’s grin returned, as if bringing Meri further into the fold had lifted some of the weight from her shoulders. Someone she could rely on, someone she could trust. And they had worked well together thus far, that was certainly true. “Ye be safe noo wi’ ‘at wee bairn o’ yoors.” Beat. “An’ tak’ care o’ yerself too.” Soon. Soon, she’d like to tell Meri more about what things were at play in her world - what The Oracle was up to … and what that meant for people like Eleanor. But that wasn’t going to be today, and the spell-rogue wasn’t keen on delaying Meri any longer. Lowering her chin in a nod of respect, her grin was tempered slightly before she concluded with a simple, “I’ll be ‘spikin with ye suin.”