Tango Clandestine

[The International]

“Vokali! Guuan phor, lerg dalninuk. Ol's draeval whol dos ulu jivvin.”

That wasn’t Vespasian’s name. Or was it? The young covert operative’s first waking moment of the day was the sound of his sister calling him by his new cover name. All he could muster up for a response was a grunt. His ears escorted him into the conscious world first alerting him to Maelle’s voice and then alerting him to the sound of an accordion in the distance. He stretched as he sat up but kept his eyes closed. He inhaled the salty air of Alerar. As far as Vespasian was concerned, Ettermire marked its territory by way of scent allowing the nectar of its inventions to drift in the wind as far as here in Etheria Port. He didn’t mind it. For some reason it satisfied some part of his sense of smell that his logical mind couldn’t explain. It was such a shame that his nose would get used to it in a few days time.

He opened his eyes and looked at his olive colored hands as they emerged from the covers. Before he lay down to rest the night before, he took a long look at the drawing his mother had made for him in his personal sketchbook. It was a realistic depiction of an Aleraran Elf, not one of ashen skin, slim frame, silver hair, and pointed ears. It was one of olive skin, fit frame, onyx hair, and … pointed ears. A real Aleraran. Vespasian looked to his left into a mirror that stood across his quarters to confirm the expected. He was that real Aleraran Elf, and he couldn’t help but smile at the mystery of his mother’s magic. His daydreaming was preemptively halted by an anvil of papers that plopped down on his lap. Vespasian’s sister, Maelle Villeneuve stood before him with her hands on her hips.

“You know, before you came into the game I got all the good stuff. This one is a dream, but I guess since you’re the baby of the family they have to spoil you.” Maelle rolled her eyes and smiled, expecting an equally passive aggressive rebuttal. She was about to get it.

“Now, you still get all the good stuff… for a woman.” Vespasian stood up and mirrored Maelle’s stance. It was a pot shot at her limited espionage potential due to most societies considering women second class citizens. However he couldn’t say exactly that for two reasons; there was a brunch being held on the deck above him so they had guests, and to speak directly of being a spy was just plain stupid, even in private. One never truly knew who was watching. They used vague language for plausible deniability.

“As you may have noticed from the extensive information you’ve been given, you’ll be going deep. You’ll be at least a month considering your rather indirect tactics. Are you sure you don’t need support?” Maelle said as she held up her own sketchbook. “I’ll only be a day behind.”

“I’ll have enough support as it is.” Vespasian said as he pointed at the stack of papers.

“Well, Vokali Vixil’nova, take an hour or so to read the information before you, put on your uniform, and be on the deck by noon.” Maelle walked towards the close,t and swung it open, revealing an ensemble befitting Aleraran nobility. “Lorotane Tal’amor will be here by noon to brief you further.”

Translations
Maelle : Wake up, baby brother. It's time for you to play.

[The International]

“Oh please! Edari’axa waved at a blind musician, Edari’axa mispronounced the word industrial, Edari’axa has speech writers. Ever since that man came into power I’ve been hearing nothing but negative things about him from people like you who think they know everything. Let me tell you something you don’t know. I’ve served in the man’s presence on a weekly basis now, and he’s smart enough to understand that he doesn’t know everything, and he’s humble enough to surround himself with people who are good at what they do. Schynius just so happens to be one of those people. I just so happen to be one of those people from time to time… What is this wonderful beverage? It’s my third one and I don’t even know its name.” Lorotane Tal’amor took a quick break from monopolizing the conversation as he peered into the flute filled with an effervescent ginger liquid.

“It’s called mimosa, Elder Tal’amor.” Esme Villeneuve said from his stool as he played the accordion. He was accompanied by a piano, two violins, a cello, and a horn. Together they created a mellow tune to which several of his guests were dancing. “It’s a mixture of fresh squeezed orange juice and champagne.”

“Simple yet satisfying. Esme, I hope you never stop throwing these little seasonal social events. I learn something new every time. Now where was I?” Lorotane tossed his silver hair as he focused his pale green eyes back to a group of his fellow countrymen. “Listen you don’t have to love your government or even your King to be patriotic. You’re not in the presence of a jaded Graf or a spoiled Prince. This is an Elder you’re talking to. We’re the pragmatists of the government. Love for my government or King wasn’t needed for me to be patriotic. Love for my country in general was.”

“Are you done with your one sided debate, Lorotane? Your shipment is being loaded into your caravan as we speak and you haven’t paid us a bit.” Alix Villeneuve approached with half a smile on her crème face to counterbalance her serious tone. It was good measure to make sure the Elder knew she was speaking mostly in jest. Nevertheless she wanted her money. “Do you need to check to see if we’re loading the appropriate amount?”

“Never. I trust you wouldn’t short us given the business we’ve provided for you lately. See my assistant, and talk to her about the acquisition of several sacks of oranges.” The Elder said with a smile just to let Alix know that he could take a joke.

Alix chuckled at the request and complied. It was tradition for the Villeneuve family to hold a party every time their ship, The International, dropped its anchor, which was at least once per season in every major country in Althanas. In the fall they would have a sunset dinner on the deck. In the winter they would rent out a tavern for the night and offer a twelve course meal. In summer they would have lunch at a nearby beach. This particular event was held in spring, for which they would hold a late morning brunch. The Villeneuve family paid for these events in full and allowed past present and future clients of their merchant endeavors to dine for free. It was expensive, but they were always paid back ten fold with business, trade or otherwise.

These events were also the perfect cover for the other Villeneuve business of espionage. Their clients would come to the events, follow a secret set of actions and statements, find themselves in private quarters, and audience with a shape shifted Villeneuve. As long as they were aboard The International the Villeneuves never spoke to a potential client in their original form, and therefore the entire family seemed like an unwitting facilitator for espionage. To the clients of their espionage business, they seemed to be the perfect marks. As far as Alerar was concerned Lorotane Tal’amor was their best customer in both businesses. Ever since he had become an unlikely Elder at the ripe young age of one hundred he had used this ship to empty out his seemingly endless pockets. He would purchase bulk shipments of textiles to be sewn into Alerar military uniforms, and hire a Villeneuve for a well paying job all in one day.

He knew exactly what he was supposed to do. The Elder would socialize with his peers until the sun reached its highest point in the sky. That was when Alix, Esme, and their available children would take everyone on a tour of the ship. He would stay on deck and await his agent, which is what he did.

[The International]

Tal’amor stood on the bridge where he casually examined the oaken wheel. The Villeneuves’ tour party wandered the lower decks of the ship directly below him. His ears could trace their footsteps as they vibrated through the ship’s frame. However one set of footsteps broke from the group. His eyes followed what his ears tracked as this stray pair of feet drew closer climbing the multiple levels of the ships hull. They scaled one last flight of stairs and revealed the man they were carrying. A Dark Elf stood before him in a royal blue doublet and pants, garnished with blood red trim and golden buttons. A decorative sword hung by his left side. He broke at the waist and bowed to Tal’amor.

“Vel'bol zhah dosst kaas?” Lorotane said without a smile.

“Vokali Vixil’nova, vaen Freiherr harl l' Burgraf d' Or'a wun l' zhennu che'el d' Ettermire.” Vespasian liked to make sure his clients knew he had read up on his information.

“Your Aleraran is good.” Lorotane said as he walked across the deck and shook hands with his agent. “But then again why wouldn’t it be. You’re a Dark Elf, but you might want to observe some Ettermire dialect when you pass through the capital. It might do you some good.”

“Thank you. I shall.” Vespasian said with a nod, but making sure not to smile. The misconception of covert agents all being cold and calculating was a useful stereotype to perpetuate. Now was a good time to do so seeing as he didn’t have all the information he needed to begin this assignment. “Do you have any information for me?”

“Yes. First please sit.” Lorotane invited his agent to have a seat at a lone table in the middle of the ship’s deck. The two of them settled across from each other. Lorotane leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. “I already have your name. What is your age?”

“One hundred and twenty five years I have been on this plain of existence. I was born a year before the Mazzra were founded, and my birthday is the seventeenth of Harvest Equinox.”

“Who were you born to?”

“Imenheim & Litandi Vixil’nova. My father, Imenheim was a Graf himself, until he died in the Battle at Valinatal two years ago. My older brother was first in line to inherit his title and property.” Vespasian, in all his Aleraran glory, sat back and crossed his arms. “I don’t mean to offend, Elder, but time is of the essence. It’s noon and before I know it I’ll not have enough sunlight to make it as far as I must to my destination, which I trust you’ll provide. I know who I am. What am I to do?”

“Congratulations, Freiherr. You are now Burgraf in waiting for the Municipality of Nair’Rei lu Tonash, known in Common as Waterfall and Rock.” The Elder reached within his cape and revealed yet another anvil of printed information.

“Thank you, Elder Tal’amor, but what am I to do there?” This was most likely the information on the Municipality and his duties as Burgraf in waiting, but it wasn’t likely to contain his primary goal for being there. Out of all the Villenueves’ clients, the Elder was one of the smartest. He would give them all the information they needed to perform a good clean operation, but he never put his goal for them in writing. Although it was a good measure Vespasian didn’t like not having a goal. He would have much rather heard that first and let the rest follow.

“Fine.” Lorotane leaned back and crossed his legs. “As you know this country is making great progress towards stabilization. We have a new infrastructure in place, our military is back on its feet, our technology is still the most superior in all the known world, so on and so forth. Needles to say, however, that we have skeletons in our closet as all great entities do. One such skeleton is the antics of your new Graf.”

“Dikuviar Esade.” Vespasian said as he just so happened to see the Graf's name on the top page of the briefing.

“Yes. He has been Graf of Nair’Rei lu Tonash for three decades now and he is the de facto leader of a clique of four Grafs that rule the adjacent territories. They are corrupt, violent, abusive towards their subjects, and just overall bad leaders. We need them to change their behavior or leave office, none of which are likely. The King and his people aren’t able to take any direct action. If they do the other Grafs will scream tyranny, and an outright assassination would be even worse since Esade still speaks often about the injustice of the late Queen’s assassination. You need to solve our problem in whatever way you can.”

Vespasian took that as another way of commanding to kill them if need be. He would have to see how Esade and his clique behaved before he made such a decision. “About my position, Burgraf in waiting. Who’s my predecessor?”

“Ah. Good question.” Lorotane said with a finger in the air and a smile on his face. “The good and honorable Lidat Afade. He’s been Burgraf of that place for hundreds of years. He was the right hand man of Dikuviar’s father. He opposes Dikuviar’s antics in any way he can, but as his subordinate he can only do so much. He has knowledge of this plan and is in full support of it.”

“Why hasn’t Dikuviar gotten rid of him?”

“He can’t. Lidat does all the work he doesn’t want to do, and if he so much as even tries to take him out of the picture the other Grafs will be up in a roar. Lidat made a lot of connections in Ettermire that are still potent to this day. They like him more than they like Dikuviar, but they like everyone more than they like the King. This is why both sides are at a stalemate.”

Vespasian stood. He knew his mission now. The more Lorotane talked, the more information he would be spilling out. That was the Elder’s one vice, a mouth that never stopped. Besides, he could hear someone coming. “Is there anything else you would like to tell me?”

Lorotane didn’t bother to stand with him. “No, Vokali. There’s a carriage waiting for you at the North Gate. You’re expected at your destination in two weeks, which leaves two days leisure in Ettermire if you would like to take it.”

“I think I will.” Vespasian took up his information and began to make exit.

“Leaving already, sir?” A familiar voice came from below deck. Maelle emerged and gave a courteous smile.

“Yes. Time is of the essence. I need to be in Ettermire within a week.”

“Well, then may the divine protect you on your journey.” Maelle said as she sat down with Lorotane.

Xal ap'za tlu valyrin ulu dos, Jallil.” Vespasian started off the ship and onto the pier. He began to smile so much his cheeks began to ache, which was not much like an Aleraran, but he couldn’t help it. When Maelle blessed him, she wasn’t speaking of some god or gods. It was something better. It was code, alerting Vespasian that Ludivine, the Villeneuve family’s middle child, would be making contact with him in route. She was by far the most devious, violent, and dangerous of them all, and Vespasian liked that. If this Dikuviar and his clique were really bad boys, he would sick her on them. She could end their lives without killing them.


Translations
Lorotane: What is your name?

Vespasian: Vokali Vixil’nova, last Freiherr under the Burgraf of Accounting in the great city of Ettermire.

Vespasian: May fate be kind to you, Lady

[The International]

Sex in Ettermire was quite liberating. The sounds of the city were greater than that of any other metropolitan area in the known world, with factories and mills in operation at all hours of the day. While other great cities only claimed to never sleep, the Dark Elves had a circadian rhythm with a very short dormant phase, so the city literally ran almost all day and all night. Therefore the noise created by population activity was consistent at every hour. Ettermire was noisy, and lustful liaisons could be as loud as desired. Vespasian was well on his way to enjoying that luxury.

He and a Human woman of strawberry complexion were tangled together in a grappling match full of laughs and growls. Their ring was a plush bed of amber sheets matching his opponents eyes and hair, and the arena was a suite directly above El’inssring’s tavern. The legendary bar and inn was by far Vespasian’s favorite attraction in the Aleraran capitol. He had arranged to stay in this very room several times, which he knew was a tactical risk, but that’s how much he liked it. He also liked how his opponent seemed to take on a feisty air as she pinned him on the bed and began to unbutton his shirt. He was loosing the match, so he countered by bench pressing her off of him and ripping a shoulder pad off of her emerald dress.

The two took a break from the competition to kiss, and that’s when it happened. The door to the room swung open and a black clad figure swallowed Vespasian up and sucked him into the corridor. He kicked and swung as his lady’s giggles quickly changed to a frantic scream. His back hit the floor and he quickly jumped up to his feet. Before he could even take battle stance he was stunned by a familiar pair of eyes, two jade hooks for the soul. Ludivine Villeneuve cocked her head back and belted out a sinister laugh that echoed throughout the corridor.

“That was my simple way of saying hello.” said the middle sister of the Villeneuve family as she made her signature scowl. Her thin eyebrows tilted inward, her nostrils flared, and her mouth curled up ever so slightly to move a well placed beauty mark on her smooth crème skin. Ludivine had done a naughty thing, and she liked it.

“Dos phuul natha elg'caress.” Vespasian said as he stood up straight and crossed his arms. He attempted to put on a face that showed that he was not amused, but for Ludivine to show up like this was to be expected, and some part of him enjoyed the excitement she provided.

“Aw…” She saw right through her little brother’s façade and embraced him even as he refused to. “You know you wanted a visit from me or else you would’ve checked in somewhere else. How are you, baby boy?”

“Hey now! You’re indicating!” Villeneuve family members weren’t supposed to use language, verbal or otherwise, to indicate that they were family members even if Vespasian was a completely different race than Ludivine at the time. “Plus I have a date.”

“Speaking of which, do you mind turning the alarm system off?” Ludivine directed his attention back to his open room door from which a high pitched scream poured out, vibrato and all. “You decided to lay with an opera singer tonight?”

The two siblings came to the doorway to let Vespasian’s night partner know he was okay, and she quickly transformed from a cat clawing at the headboard of the bed to a confused puppy. “Sorry about that, Kira. It was just a friendly prank. I’ll be back in about a half hour so just make yourself at home.”

Vespasian and Ludivine didn’t speak another word until they were out in the streets of Ettermire. What was impressive about the city was how colorful the industrious Dark Elves had made it without even intending to do so. It was night time, but the factories were still running, and the flames constantly spewing from their chimneys gave the royal capital a golden corona. The fellow pedestrians around the Villeneuve siblings, mostly Dark Elves sported many skin tones and hair colors. Most buildings were built with crimson flame resistant brick, and the streetlamps, made at different times in the city’s past, sported a handful of different colors.

Ludivine playfully spun around one of these lamps as she initiated the conversation. “So what would you like me to do?”

“Who said I wanted you to do anything?” Vespasian was giving token resistance, not because he didn’t want Ludivine to help, but because he wanted her to ask nicely. “If I don’t need you to do anything for me then why would I even desire it so.”

“Oh you never need me, but I certainly do make your job a lot easier. We go through this every time. Let me help.” Ludivine hooked her brother’s arm. “How can I make this easier for you? Your wish is my command.”

Vespasian took a moment to think. “I wish I had eyes in Nair’Rei lu Tonash a day or two ahead of me. That way I’ll know more about my new Graf’s ways. I’d like to make an impression on him.”

“So you intend on being a bird of the same feather?” Ludivine yawned in protest against Vespasian’s plan to get close to his target. It wasn’t her style. Out of everyone else in the family she was the most violent, and she had the record to prove it. So far she’d killed more people than anyone else in the family combined, and their parents had a very long head start. She wasn’t afraid to use sex as a weapon, and she would often leave scandal in her wake. The courses Vespasian took were outside her preference, but she found herself at ease when the two of them were working with one another.

“Indeed. Two birds of the same feather fly together. My people want events to flow naturally.”

“Wish granted. I shall be your eyes and ears, but that means…” Ludivine stopped and looked across the street over at a clock tower. “I should leave right now. You only have that room for one more night.”

“That’s right. And be sure to change clothes before you get there.” Vespasian said as he waved goodbye to his sister. She waved back and disappeared into the crowd of pedestrians. Vespasian turned around. It was time to get back to noisy sex.

Translation
Vespasian: You are a bitch.

[The International]

“Sir. Vixil’nova? Sir, we’re here.” The carriage driver had to speak with a raised voice for the rumbling of the wheels and the clicking of the horseshoes was quite loud.

Vespasian was glad and anxious to get out of the cramped space of the carriage. He had suffered through five days of a ride more turbulent than stormy nights aboard The International. The seats were lined with what began as plush and fluffy valor that appropriately served as shock absorption for his ass. After five days of travel, however, Vespasian’s tailbone had flattened out that valor and his southern cheeks ached with a passion. They ached so much so that the young spy was willing to open the carriage door and let half of his body, in addition to his head, hang outside even as the horse drawn vehicle was moving. He didn’t do so to get a look at his new home, but he couldn’t help but smile at what he saw.

Nair’Rei lu Tonash was a particularly wealthy municipality. As day’s end neared a city worker was lighting the salmon glass streetlamps one by one. Every building was made of high quality crimson brick, which was required by the monarchy if there was a factory within thirty miles, but there was none. The streets were a mosaic of grey paste and smooth river rocks, which eased the ride. Three important landmarks stood tall in the distance. To the west was the rail station, from which a train was marking its trail with a tail of white smoke. Directly to the north was the Kachuck Cataract, a monster of a waterfall at nearly six hundred meters. It seemed as though it was a pillar of fire as it reflected the western sunset’s blazing hues, and Vespasian only now realized that the ambient sound in his ear was its thunder. To the east was his destination, and his new place of dwelling. It was the mammoth of a manor house. Lidat Afade’s chateau towered over every other manmade creation in sight with its navy domed tower. All of this was settled against a silver backdrop of the Kachuck Mountains.

Vespasian only wished that his Coronian friends could have seen Nair’Rei lu Tonash. They would have a different vision of the Dark Elves all together. Locals halted their activity as they watched him pass. He fought the urge to smile and wave, and instead simply nodded. They too nodded, and then continued about their activities. A few moments passed, and the buildings and population became sparse. Finally they reached the gilded gates of the Afade Chateau.

A Dark Elf stood before the entrance of the white and navy mansion. “Al'doer ulu l' Afade Valshath, Ush'akal Vixil’nova. L' jabbuk d'lil qu'ellar orn'la saph ulu kyorl dos ditronw tarthe. Qualla flohlu uns'aa.”

Vespasian stepped out and nodded as a team of servants lined up along the carriage to fetch his belongings. He followed the main servant through the great double doors of oak into a plush wonderland. The interior drew heavily on an unexpected source, Raiaera, with its colonnades and stucco walls. The Vast corridors were veneered in expensive mahogany likely from one of Alerar’s colonies, and gilded bronze furniture made use of ebony details. Everything in Vespasian’s eye exhibited a high level of craftsmanship. He was led into what was assumed to be a study, where the tall windows were only matched in height by the walls made of colorful bookends. In the sunset sat the silhouette of a short haired dark elf with a snowy beard. The facial hair was the only indication that he was advanced in years. He didn’t sit at one of the large leather chairs that could have swallowed his body. No. Instead he sat on a stool and fiddled with cards on the table before him.

“Vel'bol zhah dosst mzilst rescho ooble', Ush'akal?” Lidat Afade said without looking up.

“L' ooble' d' rivvin.” Vespasian said as he saluted his house master.

“So be it. Tradespeak it is.” Lidat said in a heavy accent. He glanced up to notice that his Burgraf in Waiting was still standing at the doorway awaiting further orders. “Feel free to come and sit. In my years I have grown tired of wasting breath on formalities and simple courtesies.”

“I assume that is solitaire you are playing?” Vespasian immediately began to adopt Lidat’s language habits, avoiding compound words like that’s and instead saying that is. It was a subtle tool of compliance that he found worked wonders.

“Ah. It is solitaire indeed, but with a twist.” Lidat said with a smile more befitting that of a Human. “These are not the cards of nobles. They are the cards of elements, hydrogen, silicone, carbon, and I am to order them by way of atomic weight, while corresponding to relative mass. I could also order them by way of chemical properties, or alphabetically by symbols. It is much more of a challenge than the conventional solitaire.”

“And how long have you been playing this?” As Vespasian approached he could see that only a handful of the cards had pictures on them, but they were all riddled with numbers and two letter symbols.

“Once a week for the past…” Lidat peered up into his thoughts with a pair of pure amber irises. “Four hundred and twenty two years.”

Vespasian wanted to widen his eyes in amazement, but he fought the urge. The life expectancy of a Dark Elf was much greater than that of a Human’s. “You should be able to complete that in a timely manor by now, correct?”

“I should.” The Burgraf placed one more card down to complete a set of cards that lined up in three triangles. “And I do. I just started this game fifteen minutes ago. I would have completed it in the normal ten, but I was distracted. How was your trip?”

“Long and uncomfortable. Horseback will be my mode of travel next time.” Vespasian followed Lidat as he stood and started for one of the towering bookcases.

“You know, our Graf is a master in the equestrian arts. I may excel at riding a horse, but he is the be all and end all.” Lidat scanned the bookends with an index finger. He spoke again, this time with a much more serious tone. “I know what you are here for, and I will not ask you any questions regarding it.”

“That is the advisable course of action.” Vespasian nodded and exuded a bittersweet smile. “As far as you are concerned I am the Burgraf in waiting.”

“Indeed you are.” Lidat said with smile and a pat on the back. He handed Vespasian a book with the title Alchemic Theory: Manipulation & Matter. “Read at least half of this tonight. It is the foundation of this municipality. Be ready to rise early tomorrow morning. It is Saturday, or as we like to call it, Pattentday.”

Translations
Servant: Welcome to the Afade Palace, Sir Vixil’nova. The Master of the house would like to see you right away. Please follow me.

Lidat: What is your most comfortable tongue, Sir?

Vespasian: The tongue of common.

[The International]

The next morning was interesting to say the least. For most of the municipality Saturdays were considered the beginning of the weekend, but for Lidat and four of the city's leaders Saturday was a special day on the job. Today citizens from all around Nair’Rei lu Tonash would come forth with ideas and proposals to better the area. They did this in one of Lidat's great halls overlooking one of his many emerald courtyards. Citizens would be introduced and escorted to the center of the marble clad room, where their very existence seemed to be under judgment. Lidat and his council sat along a vast glass table that wrapped around to form a crescent so that those who entered would be surrounded. As the Burgraf in Waiting, Vespasian was ordered to stand next to his predecessor despite there being a comfortable leather seat at the far end of the table. That was the seat of Dikuviar Esade, and Vespasian had a feeling it was more often empty than occupied. Although he couldn't blame the Graf too much.

The majority of the proposals were issues of law and tax. Citizens wanted to enact new laws or take some off the books, but most of which were either extremely tedious (nevertheless necessary) or extremely useless. One proponent demanded that there be a law made about sexual intercourse, stating that it can only be engaged within a private residence, during a certain time of day, and with the every window shutter in the house closed. It was obvious this man had a problem with his neighbors enjoying themselves. Everyone kept a straight face until they could see him leaving the premises, and then they burst out in laughter.

“I apologize, Prentice.” Lidat said as he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his eyes. “This is not the first impression I wanted for you.”

“May I ask a question without rhetorical nuance?” Vespasian said as he straightened up. His abdomen was in pain from the prolonged laughter.

“Feel free.” Lidat pocketed his cloth and a serious expression returned to his snow bearded face.

“Why do you do this every week?” Vespasian did his best to keep his tone from hinting at mockery, but mocking is what he wanted to do. Half the day had passed and not one law had been added, removed or amended. As far as he saw, this was a complete waste of time.

“At one time, this day was the forbearing of prosperity for Nair'Rei lu Tonash. I remember when every other man that entered this room had in his hand an invention, an idea, or a vision. Dikuviar's father and I would consult with this panel of knowledgeable professionals.” Lidat pointed to each for their respective field of expertise. “Agriculture, economics, diplomacy, and security. We choose whether or not to financially back the inventor. If we chose to do so we will negotiate a reasonable share in the profit. Several devices and alchemical processes needed to make the Aleraran airship possible were invented here. We are still receiving payment from the throne today for these contributions to our great nation.”

“So what has changed?”

“The times have changed. The generations have changed. Inventors do not always have great vision nor do they always have inventor children. Unfortunately the consequence of such is a severe lack of prosperity. Nair'Rei lu Tonash runs on the last legs of her previous generation's progress, and her current Graf does little to...” The door behind them blasted open and sent a burst of air towards them. A servant entered and made a bee line to the Burgraf with an urgent message for his ear alone. A moment of snake hisses followed until Lidat spoke again. “There is no need to keep that a secret. We must head to the infirmary post haste. An unknown Human woman with a gunshot wound was found in our residential district in the twilight hours.”

Vespasian's heart rattled to escape its ribcage prison, then dropped to his stomach.

Sister!

[The International]

The local infirmary was only ten minutes away from the Afade Palace, but to Vespasian the walk seemed to last an eternity. He delicately probed into the situation by asking Lidat a few open ended questions, but Lidat knew little more than what he had already told them. Simply put a Human woman with a gunshot wound was found in the residential district during the early morning and she was taken to the local infirmary for treatment. Vespasian had sent Ludivine ahead of him to take a closer look at his target, whom he hadn't even seen yet, and he was almost certain it was Ludivine who lay in a bed unconscious right now. He wanted to scream at Lidat, at one of his servants, and the members of his entourage, at a random pedestrian on the street. He just wanted to scream at anyone near, but that would surely blow his cover. To make matters worse Lidat began testing him.

“Did you read the book last night?” Lidat asked as they neared a building made mostly of white granite. His voice seemed almost jovial in tone, which irked Vespasian to the core.

“Yes. I'm almost done.” Vespasian said quickly and quietly.

“Really? What did you think about the concept of Alchemy?”

“It was fascinating... Is that what you want to hear? With all do respect, that's not what I'm here for.”

The Burgraf stopped in his tracks along with his entourage. Vespasian tensed up as he saw Lidat's fist clench, but in a moment's time it lessened up as he stepped closer to Vespasian and spoke in a lowered voice. His teeth were clinched. “As far as I, the people around me, and the municipality is concerned you are. Therefore, you will make the most of it for the convenience of your purpose here.”

The agent provocateur let his head hang to hide his flaming eyes and his clinching face muscles. Lidat was right, and Vespasian was ashamed of himself for allowing his personal feelings to cloud his judgment. Alchemy was fascinating to him. That was why he almost read the entire book instead of just half the night before. It was just the stress of the current situation that allowed him to say and do such things. Vespasian simply cleared his face, looked up, and nodded. Lidat nodded back and resumed the walk to the infirmary.

“Alchemy was the foundation of this municipality's success, and the backbone of Alerar's technological advancement as you may already know. But here we have coupled the use of Alchemy with many aspects of day to day life. The infirmary is one such example as you will soon see.” An Aleraran woman with peculiar red hair stood waiting in front of the entrance of the granite infirmary. She curtsied in greeting to the Burgraf. “Good morning, Itana. This is our new Burgraf in Waiting, Vokali Vixil'nova.”

“Well I don't have to curtsy to you yet, Sir.” Itana said jokingly as she extended a hand. “Welcome to the Town of Nauplez.”

“The Town of Misfits?” Vespasian said with a quizzical gesture.

“It's our nickname. In fact I'm pretty sure the rest of Alerar knows us by that name more than any other. You'll understand why soon enough.” The ruby headed Dark Elf turned to the Burgraf. “I'm guessing you came to inspect our latest gunshot case? Right this way.”

Lidat and his entourage stepped into a cavalcade of activity. Crimson uniforms ran back and forth creating trails that zigzagged from room to room. A peculiar smell filled Vespasian's nostrils. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. The party hastily trotted past endless rows of medical beds, most of which were empty.

“We are headed to the second floor?” Lidat said. He then leaned towards Vespasian. “It must be a dire case. This is the fourth gunshot case this year, and only a handful of privileged Grafs possess a firearm within a fifty mile range of here.”

Vespasian's heart pounded again, but Itana spoke up. “She's actually doing quite well. It's standard procedure to put all gunshot cases in critical care. The girl's even up and talking. She says her name is Loris Oullette.” Vespasian exhaled in relief. It was Ludivine. Oullette was a surname the Villeneuve children often used as cover names. It was rare, thus easy for another member of the family to locate.

The party climbed a small flight of stairs and went down a bright narrow corridor, lit up by tall windows and bright beams of sunlight. As the party of a dozen or more began to flow into the second door on the right Vespasian hung behind to scan his surroundings. It was a clandestine artist's habit to create as many escape routes as possible, especially in a claustrophobic setting like this small hallway where there seemed to be so few ways out. He was the last one to enter the room and see a young woman sitting upright in her bed and talking to Itana, who was tending to a bandaged left arm. There was a smile on her face, a genuine one that formed a V shape out of her cheeks and chin. Her beauty marks seemed to create the perfect contrast to her crème skin, and her long dark hair fell in large locks to her lithe frame. For less than a second her jade eyes shot to Vespasian with a sinister glare that hit him like a bolt of lightning. It was a clear message to him.

...I'm okay...

“Would everyone mind if I had a word in private with the victim please.” Vespasian said as everyone paused and looked at him. They weren't going to do as a Burgraf in Waiting said, so he looked at Lidat. It was a silent message that the spy had to do his spy job, and the Burgraf understood. He commanded everyone to leave and within thirty seconds the room was empty except for an olive skinned elf and a crème human woman.

The two stayed frozen in an eye lock for what seemed to be ages. The silence was so dominant that had its own hollowed out sound. Vespasian looked down at the floor and tapped his foot along a large circle drawn of dried up white paint. It was an alchemical array, at the center of which sat his sister's bed. Inside its geometric decorations was the language of the universe with elements, organic compounds, numbers and equations. He notice the abundance of what translated into Common as the letter C, which stood for carbon, the element most abundant in life as they knew it. Ludivine was lucky to have been shot in Nauplez.

“The um...” Ludivine began to speak as she rummaged under her bed. She revealed her prized Wakizashi, its steel blade broken clear in half. “The target himself is not the best one to play your cards with. He has a very guarded personality. His three subordinates are loyal and would never betray him. Their lifestyle is too luxurious, and they like to think they owe that to him.”

“How did this happen?” Vespasian said in a shaky voice. Ludivine was trying to avoid the obvious, trying to stay emotionally detached. She couldn't for long. Something he knew very well about her.

“I got too close. It was a careless mistake. I had been shadowing them for the better part of a day and saw several questionable operations. They're trafficking foreigners into slavery, and forcing the majority of them to work in a firearms factory. They're sending the pretty ones to work in a private brothel for high paying customers. Anyways they discovered my presence as they were heading to the target's mansion, and they confronted me. I could have and should have retreated, but I wanted to fight. The target wields what Akashimans call a hanabo, which is a long heavy pentagonal staff made of wood. Each side has a row of iron or steel ball bearings, and the average weight of this weapon is about thirty five to forty pounds. In the right hands, it can break a blade in half. It broke mine in half, but that didn't stop me. I was able to neutralize the three lackeys, but then the target used a rifle. He shot me in the arm, and they ran.” Ludivine paused and looked at her brother. Vespasian was now in the corner pressing his fingers to his forehead. He was developing a headache from holding back the tears. She continued. “I was in Dark form at the time, so I took out the sketchbook and resumed my normal form... It's okay, you know.”

With his sister's permission Vespasian began to weep as he dropped to his knees in the dark corner of the room. He could taste the salt of his tears as they ran down his dark face. “It's not getting any easier. Why isn't it getting any easier?”

“Do you love your family Sir. Vixil'nova?” Ludivine said as she stared coldly at her brother. He nodded his head as he began to bury his face in his forearms. “Then it won't get any easier. Every time they have a brush with death, you'll feel this and it's okay. It's actually quite flattering.”

She took some time to stand up, and the two met in the center of the room to embrace tightly. Ludivine could only use her right arm around her brother's collar, but she used it well. They stood there for a moment in each others protection until Ludivine whispered. “Our cover would be completely blown if anyone came in. But it would be worth it. Now I have more to tell you and you'd might as well stick around. You can't go out there with a face like that.”

For the rest of the day the two Villeneuves sat and talked. Vespasian told Ludivine about his new residence, and Ludivine told Vespasian about all of her discoveries with Dikuviar. It seemed as though all the day passed within minutes and visiting hours were ending. It was then that Vespasian wondered why all the bad moments seemed to last so long and all the good moments seemed to pass so quickly.

[The International]

The light of a full moon now drenched Nair’Rei lu Tonash in a baby blue hue that mixed with the golden lamps on the deserted street. Nauplez was a far cry from Ettermire. Even though the Dark Elves were certainly still awake they were true townsfolk. The night held its own dangers and the memory of Ludivine was as fresh in their minds as it was in his own. As much as Ludivine risked, she had done her job, providing more than enough information for Vespasian to fill in the details of his plan and carry it out properly.

Dikuviar Esade and his clique of Grafs controlled nearly three hundred square miles of land. Only thirty five of which officially belonged to him, but Luivine could confirm that he was the leading force behind every illegal activity in the region and a cancer to its people.

His right hand man was Sech Rath, but those who knew him well called him The Steed. He was a military Graf, who owned most of the property under Dikuviar’s influence. Almost all two hundred square miles of his property was devoted to the development of Alerar’s last attempt at a proper cavalry. So far he’d been quite successful with a unit of more than a thousand well trained men, armed with flintlock rifles and about six months mounted training.

Archam Zaphod was next in line with an agricultural property to the east. He was the one that harbored both the arms factory and the brothel. However somewhere on that property ay something else they weren’t supposed to have. Ludivine wasn’t able to get close enough to whatever it was, but Vespasian could guess what it was.

Then there was Komil Anaziz. Annie was what the other four called him. He was the youngest of the group and ran a small mining town north of this very municipality. From what Ludivine could gather he was the one with the most vision and ambition. Annie looked up to Dikuviar, and was more loyal to him than any of the other four, but his loyalty was not well appreciated. Dikuviar ran a strict conglomerate of vices, and any idea that wasn’t his was usually turned down.

Understanding Vespasian’s incessant need to role play Ludivine also paid attention to the little things. She found out about their significant others if they had any, she found out about their drinking habits, and she even watched what some of them did during their leisure time.

With all of this information, Vespasian’s plan began to flesh out in his head. It was his mission to rid the world of Dikuviar and his clique. He didn’t have to make it look like an accident. He just couldn’t make it look like the King’s doing or decree. And so the clandestine agent knew what he was going to have to do, and now he had to take the first step to doing it.

That first step was back into the study, where just like the night before Lidat was in front of a crackling fire. This time he occupied one of the plump red leather seats near the flame. In his left hand was a black covered book of aging off white paper. Every few moments his face became as expressive as a Human’s as the words carried him off into imagination. In the Burgraf’s left hand was a long iron rod that probed the frame. In its end was a small cylindrical piece of meat that reminded Vespasian of his manhood of all things. As he came closer he could smell the strong seasonings.

“How is the girl faring?” Lidat said as he glanced up.

“She’s doing alright. It was the Graf who shot her, but there’s no proving it. It’s her word against his, and he’ll have plenty of people back up a made up alibi.” Vespasian said as he sat in an identical chair across from him. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees as he subtly put his hands together in a gesture of praise. “Forgive me for my attitude earlier today. I lied out of spite, the things I said about Alchemy. The field actually fascinates me, which is why I read more than half of the book. The situation at hand just had me anxious.”

“Are you new at this?” Lidat said as he folded his book shut and sat it on his lap.

“It’s all relative, but it sure looked like it today, didn’t it?” The two of them laughed just a little bit. “It won’t happen again, but on to more pressing matters. We were about to have a conversation about Alchemy earlier today. If it doesn’t inconvenience you too much I would like to continue that conversation.”

“Conversation? Young man, I was about to take you to the schoolhouse.” Lidat said as the corners of his white beard curled up. Vespasian couldn’t help but laugh as he found it hard to imagine someone as old as Lidat playing with words in such a youthful manor. “What did you think about the concept?”

“I was reminded of a friend of mine who studied at Eolas Braoin in Dheathain for a while. She excels in glyphs and such.” Vespasian spoke of his sister, Maelle. “There are plenty of differences between the two disciplines. Her art is in the arcane.”

“Exactly!” Lidat said with a finger to the sky. “This is a doctrine that is based in exact calculations and substances. Let us take the air for example. We know that water takes three forms depending on temperature, air pressure, and other factors. Water is in the very air we breathe as it assumes a gaseous form. Alchemy, unlike other disciplines that cost a great amount of energy and concentration from the user or some other force, will simply demand use of the resources available. I will provide example.”

Lidat stood up and hung his cooking rod on a shelf so his meat could cool off. He reached into his pocked and revealed a piece of white chalk. “An Alchemist’s greatest tool other than his mind.”

He went to the center of the room and drew a circle about five feet in diameter, then another within that circle, and one more within that one. “This is what many call an array. One could use other shapes, but this is the most practical.” He continued drawing creating triangles, squares, and finally in the center he wrote what translated into Common as “H2O”.

“This is the Alchemical symbol for water. The other shapes and angles are all different commands that I have designated in my mind. Now as I make contact with the array I find myself in control of the water in our immediate environment.” Lidat dropped to his knees and lay a finger on the white chalk. Upon his touch a particular slice of the circle began to glow. The incandescent tangerine energy that surged through the chalk caused what seemed to be a burning effect as some of it took to the air like ash. It concerned Vespasian that Lidat had done this on a hardwood floor, which was most susceptible to burning, but then he took notice to the corners of the room where small white piles of residue had built up like dust. Lidat had done this here plenty of times before. The Burgraf stood up as he directed Vespasian's attention to the space above their heads, where a great orb of midnight blue hung in the air. “The formation was quick, but that is all the moisture of this and the next few rooms brought together and condensed into a spherical shape. There is enough pressure in the center of that object to completely crush and kill you.”

“I want to do that.” Vespasian said with a childlike desire. This was a new toy he didn't have.

“Do you by any chance possess any telepathic ability?”

“I've demonstrated some telekinetic abilities in the last couple of months.” Vespasian shrugged his shoulders. “It's nothing special though. A push here, a light there.”

“It is more than most.” Lidat said with a nod as he knelled down and touched the array again. A loud hiss came from above. The orb was boiling and a cloud of steam began to rise from its top. “We could possibly get straight to the arrays in the morning. Complete the book and take special note of the glossary section in the back. It features a few pictures of common array details used by alchemists. We shall continue then.”

[The International]

Vespasian's eyes were locked on a black ink circle that he had drawn by pen on a piece of parchment in his lap. He sat at in the very same plush seat he sat in the night before. Lidat was reading a book and heating a piece of sausage by the fire just like he had done the night before. The gray bearded Burgraf, now so obviously in his later years, was now a creature of daily habit, and the young olive skinned Burgraf in Waiting was being introduced to that habit now. Vespasian dipped his feather pen in an ink veil and continued the creation of this first array by mimicking what he saw the night before. He scribed the symbol of water in the center.

“Afade?” Vespasian said without taking his eyes off of his paper.

“Yes, Vokali?” Lidat said without taking his eyes off of his book.

“Have you ever considered putting together a civilian's security force? We would supply all the able bodied citizens with pole arms and armor, teach them the laws of the land, give them the right to make a citizen's arrest, then have them patrol the streets day and night.”

“Is that not an extreme reaction to the shooting of one Human woman?” Lidat looked up and peered at Vespasians circle. “Make the freezing reaction first.”

Vespasian broke his concentration and made eye contact with the Burgraf. That Human woman is my sister, asshole! he wanted to say, but he couldn't. “It's not an extreme reaction to firearms. In fact if we had access to firearms I'd call for the use of them. I'm also in the belief that we need to be prepared when a displaced Raiaeran unit of a thousand cavalry comes attacking us because Zem'xund has proved unbeatable.”

The words cavalry and a thousand should have been enough to tip the Burgraf off to what the spy was preparing. This security force was for two things. When Dikuviar shot Ludivine, he could have stayed to make sure she was dead. He could have brutalized or raped her, but he didn't. The Graf ran, meaning he didn't want to be seen using a weapon everyone knew he wasn't supposed to have. With eyes on the streets at night, Dikuviar would think twice about doing anything like that again and his paranoia would ferment like fine wine. The second, more obvious function, was protection from Sech Rath and his band of cavalry. Tactically Sech was the most dangerous of the clique with a cavalry of one thousand, and the best weapon against a mounted soldier was a pike. Lidat stared into space... then nodded. “Would it be assumed that the training of this security force would be done with discretion?”

“People are going to find out because of the pure scale of the program. We have a territory of fifteen thousand, ten of those fifteen thousand are free citizens, five are able bodied men and women.”

“Men and women?”

“Catch up with the times, Sir. Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn, especially if she's a mother and the safety of her child is at stake.” Vespasian tickled his chin with the end of the feather pen. It was the equivalent of him rubbing his chin in contemplation. “I'm not sure what to make of freezing water.”

“Make use of the concept of synesthesia.” Lidat said with a nonchalant wave as he dove back into his book.

Vespasian leaned back and twirled his long black hair. He must have taken the gesture from his eldest sibling, who often did it not as a habit or tell, but as a ploy to disarm her targets. It made her out to be less intelligent than she was. Vespasian, however, wasn't doing it on purpose. He was doing it because he felt stupid. “What's synesthesia?”

“Synesthesia is a crossing of two or more of the five senses. It is a hereditary condition found in roughly twenty percent of the Dark Elf population, and it is suspected to be a condition found in a percentage of all intelligent beings. Humans Raiaerans, Dwarves.” Lidat let a smile creep up in his face. Perhaps it was what he was about to say that amused him “In this particular case, what shape does the feeling of extreme cold take for you?”

“... What?” Vespasian wasn't able to make sense of this just yet.

“Think of the metaphors we often use. Loud shirt. Bitter cold. Sweet kiss. Create such a metaphor for yourself when you think of the extreme cold, and make it a basic shape.”

“Cold is.” Vespasian imagined himself in the bitter cold of the northern Salvarian tundra with the icy wind biting at his skin. It was. “Sharp. Cold is sharp like a square.”

“Sharper.”

“Triangle.” He said immediately.

“Perfect. Riddle a segment of the array with a design focused on triangles. Keep the concept of synesthesia in mind as you think of all the ways you can manipulate water. Use it for heat, pressure, shaping, evaporation, condensation, precipitation, so on and so forth.”

Before Vespasian could continue his little project, a servant entered the room and introduced a man with a familiar name. Lidat nodded for the man to enter, and they both set aside their various projects to stand in greetings. Apparently Lidat's rejection of formalities didn't refer to Humans. This particular Human had an appearance befitting a Coronian merchant, flaunting comfortable fabrics, earth tone colors, and a dignified stride. His eyes were dark brown, his orchard hair was well kept, and they fit well within the chiseled features of his face. He made little effort to bow, only slightly breaking at the waist. Vespasian could see that Lidat was a little taken back by this as the Burgraf folded his arms and stuck his nose in the air.

“Esme Villeneuve at your service, Sir.” Vespasian's father said with a smile as he rose his head. “I hear you have my daughter in your infirmary?”

“Might I ask what your daughter was doing roaming about in my town at such an ungodly hour?” Lidat said. “We have no attractions like Ettermire or Radasanth. There is little to do during the time she was attacked.”

“She's a bit of a free spirit. Forgive her for her ways and forgive me for failing to keep an eye on her. If there is anything I can do to repay you, simply name it. I'm the Patriarch of a somewhat successful merchant family. I'm sure I can compensate for your expenses and then some.” The smile disappeared from Esme's face. “If Ludivine had been somewhere else, anywhere else, she'd no longer be with us.”

“Somewhat successful? You sell yourself short. I know who you are. You are the Patriarch of the Villeneuves. Anyone with a substantial change purse knows who you are.” Lidat paused for a minute and glanced at his successor. “Are you heading up to Kachuck by any chance?”

“No, but my eldest daughter, Maelle is. Which may work for the better if you're looking for a discount of goods coming from the Dwarves. My daughter is a magician in negotiation. What do you need?”

Vespasian finally spoke up. “Two thousand halberds, three thousand pikes, and five thousand torso plates, all steel if you can provide it.”

“Why not mythril?” Lidat said with a quizzical gesture. “It is the finest metal of them all, and if we are to purchase from Kachuck we might as well purchase their best.”

Vespasian turned to Lidat and spoke quietly. “I don't think the girl will be able to negotiate well enough to bring us that much mythril equipment on rush delivery at a price we can afford. Plus didn't you say the Municipality was on its last financial legs?”

“We officially hold eight million gold in the local coffers.” That number sent a shock through Vespasian's body. “Mind you we loose five hundred thousand every year from local expenses, so on the grand scale of things, we are on our last legs.”

“Eight million that belongs to Dikuviar.” Vespasian wasn't sure how much such a large purchase from Kachuck would be, or how far Maelle could haggle the price down to, but steel cost only a fraction of mythril. If the Graf he hadn't yet seen was the least bit smart, a withdrawal of at least half a million gold pieces would raise alarm. “I know you have permission to use the local reserves, but I think it would be a wise decision to consult the Graf on such a significant investment.”

“Very well, then.” Lidat turned to Esme. “If you could provide me with two separate estimates? One of the purchase of arms by steel, and another of the purchase by mythril. The Municipality and I will split the cost for mythril equipment.”

“Excellent!” Esme said with a smile. “I'll need notes of credit for both parties. Maelle will negotiate the price as low as she possibly can and we will wave our service fee as a show of gratitude for saving my daughter's life. That alone should save you at least fifty thousand.”

“Make this a worthy investment, Vokali.” Lidat reached into his pocket and revealed a red leather book from which he would write his money order.“Mr. Villeneuve, will your daughter be making her way through Nair’Rei lu Tonash today? If so, I would like to meet her personally.”

“She'll be arriving on the afternoon train later on today.” Esme nodded. “You'll like her. Everyone does with only one exception.”

“And who would that be?”

“Her sister naturally.” The three men laughed. Vespasian knew that from experience. The Villeneuve sisters loved each other as family, and they would defend one another fiercely. If Maelle had accompanied Ludivine on her scouting mission, Dikuviar and his men might very well be dead. Then again, even though they loved each other they didn't have to like each other, and that mission might have been compromised from the two sisters bickering about.

"Since we have the time before her arrival." Vespasian said. "I would like to take a tour of the town. Why don't we retrieve Mr. Villeneuve's daughter, and take the scenic route to the train station."

Esme and Lidat nodded in agreement. Normally Vespasian would have taken it upon himself to get to know an area, and he would have done it much sooner, but the last two days had been jam packed with incidents or appointments, and Afade apparently didn't see the necessity in showing his 'protege' around town.

[The International]

As Lidat, Vespasian, Esme, and Ludivine made their way into the center of town, Vespasian came to realize that Nair'Rei lu Tonash was only the Municipality's official name. Nauplez or Misfit, was the area's true name. Lidat would introduce Vespasian as Vokali Vixil'nova, who would in turn introduce Esme, and Ludivine, the poor Human girl who was shot the night before. If nothing else the off white wrap on her arm gave it away. They greeted their Burgraf in Waiting with...

“Al'doer ulu Nauplez.”

“Loff'ta ulu inbal dos wun Nauplez.”

Always with the Nauplez. They encountered a band of children on the road and some of them didn't even know the region's official name. It was and would always be Nauplez, and they were the children of the Town of Misfits. What effect did that have on their identities as locals?

The true town had managed to cloak itself with an outskirt of manor houses and farmland up until now. But it was the in center of the town, where the population was considerably denser, where things became much more interesting. The buildings became somewhat taller, and their steel skeletons seemed to squeeze out of their brick epidermises. The air carried a faint scent of sulfur very much like the scent of Ettermire, and it was moist with the spray of the nearby Kachuck Cataract.

It seemed as though Vespasian rode in on the only horse drawn carriage a few days ago, for the Dark Elves of Nauplez made their way through the streets on self propelled devices with two, three, or even four wheels. They churned their legs about to get the luminous metallic vehicles to move. Some whizzed by them at staggering speeds. Small boats with propellers and torpedo shaped balloons carried individuals and small parties above the buildings. They were referred to as sky boats, and were credited with being the precursors of Alerar's airships. Every moment an explosion in the distance had him jumping. Sometimes it was as miniscule as a single person's clap. Other times it was like thunder was coming down on them all. Lidat assured them that the explosions were nothing to fear. They were merely experiments gone awry in nearby laboratories.

The men sported long lapel jackets, vests, and slacks. The women sported corsets, isolated collar pieces, and formal bell bottoms. Children wore shorts and button down shirts. Almost everyone had goggles, pocket watches, utility gloves, and fedora or bonnet hats somewhere on their person, and almost everyone's attire was tarnished by some sort of dust or residue. Vespasian damn near broke his neck eying the women who strutted past them, but then he saw his sister doing the same thing.

“...Sexy.” Ludivine said quietly with a shrug of the shoulders.

But there was more. Plak'la Draix, or the Golden Square, was the official center of the town and a sight to behold. The vast majority of what they saw was not gold, but brass or bronze so meticulously polished and maintained that it was just as brilliant as gold. It was accessible by three roads and a bridge that went over the local stream, which was the route that they had taken. Each entrance featured a luminous bronze arch, but a large ornate clock hung ticking above their heads instead of a keystone. Throughout the area inventions were being presented and tampered with. Another one of those self propelled vehicles rolled by. They passed a massive block of five shape shifting columns of bronze. Lidat called it a difference engine. This was a circus of gadgets and inventions, and Vespasian couldn't help but smile.

“This is absolutely beautiful.” He said with a nod of the head.

“I have to say, Burgraf,” Esme said mirroring his son's actions. “You ought to be proud of what you and your people have accomplished here.”

“I hope that is not sarcasm.” Lidat said without looking at Esme.

“How could anyone be sarcastic about this?” Vespasian said in his father's defense. “It's like I'm in a whole new world. Do you know how many myths and misconceptions you could dispel about this country's people with this sight alone? I could count at least ten achievements in my immediate vision that other countries would die for.”

One of those achievements was the tall transport vehicle on four silver spiked wheels. This wasn't like the other ones that needed the passenger to churn the legs about to get moving. This one was moving itself, albeit slowly, and pumping out a gray haze from the back. It must have been a brand new development judging from the attention it quickly garnered. Activity in the Golden Square came to a halt as the mechanism made of brown pipes and black plates picked up speed. It rolled into the center of the square and took a few laps around the gray stone fountain. The apparent driver poked his head out of the top and caught sight of of the Burgraf. He waved as the mechanism changed direction and headed for them.

Just as it began to close in on them, a bald elf of mahogany complexion barreled into the object with his right shoulder. The large device whaled about in agony, resembling the low notes of a symphony's brass section, as it slowly but surely toppled over. Like an Akashiman redwood the device made a thunderous crash onto the ground, and was left with its wheels turning about and a rainbow river of fluids slowly slithering downhill like a snake. The mahogany elf, not much taller than Vespasian, dusted off his hands as he approached them.

“Burgraf.” He said as he mimicked a smile. “How long has it been since the Golden Square's been graced with your presence?”

“Apparently too long, Anxiy” Lidat said as he nodded in greeting. “This must be a new project.”

“You could call it that.” The elf said as he glanced back at a single man crawling out of the device in agony. “This twit dared to say we could use this innovation as a mechanized cavalry. If I could knock this over any Raiaeran with an iota of will could do the same thing.”

“But if we make it heavier, the engine will get overworked.” A young elf in a long topcoat said as he helped his test pilot slave up from the ground. He looked to Lidat. “Burgraf?”

“I must take the side of the Ritter on this one, Welsely. The lives of our soldiers are valuable, and his must produce a tactical advantage. Not a tactical liability. Make something heavier, starting with a more powerful engine. Perhaps an airship engine will do?”

“Great idea, Burgraf, but the town's last airship engineer left yesterday for greener pastures in Ettermire. There should be a telegram on it's way to your estate as we speak.”

“That makes the seventh departure in the last four months. I assume you received the same telegram.” Lidat said as he dropped his head in a split second show of despair. “What did it say?”

“The same thing the others said. 'We respect this town.' 'We love this town.' 'We need to leave this town.'” Anxiy said. “They need to make a living, and they can't make it here. That's the bottom line.”

“Ah, forgive my manors. Ritter Anxiy Poulux, might I introduce you to Esme Ouellet, and his daughter, Loris. She is our most recent gunshot victim.”

“My condolences.” The Ritter said with a military solute. “It's tragic that your first impression of this town is such a bad one. This is a relatively peaceful town.”

“It's a truly wondrous town as we have seen today.” Esme said as he opened his arms to receive his surrounding.

“... Sexy too.” Ludivine mumbled as she eyed a group of people passing by. “Very sexy.”

“Has your daughter fully recovered from the trauma of the gunshot?” The bald Ritter said with a curious face as he adjusted the lapels on his black jacket. “She seems sort of peculiar.”

“Believe me.” Esme said with a grin. “She's fully recovered.”

“And this.” Lidat said with a somewhat insistent tone. “Is Vokali Vixil'nova, our new Burgraf in Waiting. Vokali, Ritter Anxiy Poulux is our Municipality's military liaison.”

“It's an honor to be standing in the presence of a knight of Alerar.” Vespasian said as he mirrored the Ritter's military solute. “And it's nice to know that someone around here has earned their title.”

“Well you must not have heard the history of this Municipality and the Burgraf here.” The smiling Ritter crossed his arms as he turned to Lidat. “You haven't told him yet? It's usually the first thing to come out.”

“Much has happened these past few days.” Lidat said with a faint smile.

“Lidat Afade, and the current Graf's father, Zikael Esade were born commoners with a mediocre education in Alchemy, which was only a start up movement at the time. They spent three years putting together the right materials, studying the right books, so on and so forth. Then they performed the greatest transmutation of all time, turning water, mud, sand, and granite into a mountain of diamonds. They used the money from those diamonds to buy their nobility, a proper education, and the very land we stand on.”

“That sounds like a big con to me.” Vespasian said with a grin.

“The biggest!” The Ritter said demonstrating his excitement for it with his arms. “It was so big, amusing, and impressive, that when they were caught, the Queen rewarded them with more money. By that time this town was pumping out inventions that would become cannons, firearms, rail trains, and airships.”

“Good times.” Lidat said. He and the Ritter took a moment to stare down memory lane. The Burgraf was the first of the two to shake out of it. “Ah yes. Ritter, I believe my apprentice could make good use of your military expertise.”

“I agree.” Vespasian said with a nod. “How is your knowledge in pole arms, Ritter. We speak specifically of pikes and halberds.”

“I'd like to consider myself more knowledgeable than most in the area of non-firearms. I have nothing against them. I just came up in the days when they were injuring their handlers more than they were injuring the enemy.” Everyone got a good laugh from that one. “It isn't my best weapon, but I can do my best. What do you have in mind.”

“I want to start a citizen's security force. Everyone will be armed with pole arms and plate armor. The mere presence of more than one person walking the streets should solve all of our crime problems.” Vespasian said with a suddenly serious tone.

“And why do you say that?”

“Because the man that shot this young woman ran. He doesn't even want to be seen holding a rifle.”

The Ritter couldn't argue with that. He reached out his hand and it met Vespasian's. The spy was now on the right track.

[The International]

Even though Maelle was looking out of the window of the train as it stopped in Nauplez, she was peering into the window of her vivid imagination. Her hazel eyes and a nervous twirl of her amber hair said it all. She was envisioning what had happened to her sister, and her mind was probably making it out to be worse than reality. Out of all the members of the Villeneuve family she was the one who knew how the mind worked the most, but that didn’t stop her own mind from playing tricks on her. The train stopped and she stood up and made her way out to the station. Much to her dismay, the smell of sulfur was still in the air, but it managed to snap her back to reality.

She began to follow the flow of pedestrian traffic, and just before she exited under the wrought iron arch of the station, a familiar sight stopped her. A princely Human man whose chiseled face was the epitome of ease waved at her in the distance. How could her father be so calm after what had happened to Ludivine? To Esme’s left was a Dark Elf of olive complexion and black hair, and to his right was an older Dark Elf of ashen complexion and silver facial hair. Where was Ludivine though? When they stopped in front of her, the middle sister of the family finally emerged from behind knowing full well how Maelle would react. She jumped to attention when she saw the girl of jade eyes, long locked sable hair, and her arm in a sling.

“Aw!” Maelle said with tear glazed eyes as she hastily moved towards Ludivine with open arms and swallowed her in an affectionate embrace. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“Ow. Ow. Ow. My arm!” Ludivine cried out as she wiggled out of the embarrassing vice grip. “It’s only been a day! How the hell did you find out?”

“Word travels faster than you think.” Maelle’s vast network of informants worked at a pretty impressive pace. Aside from Vespasian, she was the first to learn of her sister’s trouble. Esme got to them first only because he was closer. She turned to the Dark Elves and bowed. She had seen Vespasian in this form enough times to recognize him, but it was Lidat she needed to address. “Burgraf Afade, it’s an honor to be in your presence. I’m sure my father has apologized many times over for the trouble we’ve caused you.” She didn’t want to say something like that, but to Alerarans family accountability was important. Not only did someone have to apologize for things that may not even be their fault, but their family elders, including older siblings, had to apologize for not raising them right.

“Think nothing of it.” Lidat said as he directed Esme to hand Maelle his order. As he did Lidat continued with a bit of a sour note in his voice. It was subtle, but it was detectable. “Please do your best to discount this price. The less we have to spend the better.”

“I can guarantee you I can bump this price down at least by ten percent.” Maelle said with a nod of ease.

“Please pardon my skepticism.” Lidat said as he folded his arms. “It’s what makes us Alerarans so successful at what we do.” That was the truth. They were the most pragmatic people in all of Althanas, and they didn’t take stalk in any belief until it was proven.

A brass bell rang in the distance. That was the ten minute warning. One train was leaving for Kachuck, while the other was leaving towards Ettermire. New riders began to flow into the luxurious red cars, and Ludivine followed suit. “I guess she’s in a hurry to get back home.” Esme said as he followed, but they all knew the truth. She was in a hurry to escape her shame.

“You’ll have your purchase within a few weeks.” Maelle said as she made eye contact for the first time with the Burgraf. “Good quality weapons and armor for Nauplez.”

Lidat nodded as she made her exit. He turned to Vespasian. “You were quiet.”

“No need to speak up.” Vespasian said with a grin. He had done all the communicating he needed to. On that order in Maelle’s hand, was a secret message to run an incriminating con on the most vulnerable of Dikuviar’s cronies. He had done everything he needed to indeed.