Gathering of Shadows (FQ Event Thread)

"Yes, yes sir, the rear section of the establishment has been confirmed as rented out in your name, Mr. Adelin. We are quite happy to have your patronage. When your guests arrive, I will personally escort them back here, and all of our staff is highly professional and skilled. I'm sure your celebration will go off without any hitches." The man speaking was shorter than I, with pale blonde hair that swayed with his gentle movements from side to side. Dressed in an elegant two piece suit, he looked quite respectable - no hair out of place, his clothes clean and pressed to perfection. He bowed as he finished answering my question, and I waved off his concern.

"Excellent. Now, as I stated, I do not know how many will actually be able to attend. My colleagues are rather notorious for being rather difficult to get ahold of. So don't worry if only a few show up." Or none, I left unspoken, but I wasn't going to tell him that. Instead I strode across the polished wooden floor, gliding past the low tables that had been moved out of the way.

The restaurant I had commandeered was one that wasn't quite ‘high-class’, but had a reputation for being rather reputable none-the-less. Clean, with lamps at regular intervals that kept the place bright and cheery. Out in the front half of the restaurant was a musician - someone playing some stringed instrument, at least passable well. The sound was muted, though, by the large doors between the front and rear halves of the establishment.

Set up towards the back was my destination. A wide table, currently with mugs and a few chilled pitchers on it. The pitchers held only water for the moment, but if any of my potential guests wanted something stronger - well, then, that would be easy enough to rectify. I sat down towards the middle of the table disdaining either of the ends. Even if I was the orchestrator of this evening, years of engrained side-stepping prevented me from claiming one of the heads of the table.

No, these people were only potential allies, or potential business rivals. Not yet part of my House, not yet working with, or for, me. It had taken quite some effort and careful manipulation to get the missives sent out to the various individuals that I had been learning of, and that had caught my interest. Even now I didn't know if they would actually receive the blasted things. Curse this world with its scattered communication lines - I wouldn't even know if they had ignored them, or just hadn't seen the messages.

Ah well. If they didn't come, then I would just be out the effort of trying to organize this night. The cost of the venue would be a mild set-back to gathering funds, but I had waited until it wouldn't be too much of an issue. Getting contracts for work had been irritating - with no reputation, I had only the lowest of jobs. But I was no stranger to having to slog through crap work for a distant goal. Hopefully tonight would begin rectifying that situation.

I sank into the seat I had selected and poured myself a glass of water. Then I sat back and draped one arm across the chair's armrest, settling in to wait.