A Moment of Introspection (Locked to Verity)

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Schön keeps an office in the Nexus, although he does most of his work outside it, an opulent retreat from the timeless bustle outside. Richly colorful Oriental rugs allow only glimpses of a polished oak floor. The desk is a monolith of mahogany, inlaid with accents of rosewood and teak, carved with reliefs of twining roots and branches, of fanciful creatures, and of faces peeking from among the leaves. The chairs before and behind the desk are upholstered in silk and buttery-soft leather, the one behind the desk tall and evocative of a throne.

The walls, papered in a deep Chinese red pinstriped with navy, are densely clustered with art in a dizzying array of styles; most are paintings, but a few cameos hang as well, and a Stradivarius enjoys pride of place over the mantle. Shelves behind the desk are similarly crowded with books and odd little knickknacks, the former rarely comprising the sort of orderly matched sets that tend to fill shelves behind desks in offices. To one side of the door stand a coat rack and a sideboard loaded with bottles of exotic libations, while to the opposite side stands a small table bearing several indistinct articles over which has been draped a gossamer shroud. Against one side wall sits an overstuffed couch, and in the opposite wall is set a fireplace, where a multicolored flame pops and crackles merrily, sending an occasional swirl of rainbow-colored sparks up the chimney.

The room has also been warded to a fare-thee-well, to keep out prying eyes and ears, ensuring that all which transpires within remains private. The wards, to an extent, even work both ways, for when the door is closed, all the noise from outside falls away.

Hanging up his hat and cane as he enters, Schön turns to offer a hand to escort Verity inside. "Please come in, Ms. Willis, and be seated comfortably. May I offer you anything to steady your nerves?"

Comments

[brave_heart_verity]

"Mm. That's fair. So what's this story then?"

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Simply the tale of how Lugh came to Tara, and entered the court of King Nuada."

[brave_heart_verity]

She hmms softly, wondering if there's a moral to this one too. "Did you ever meet him?"

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Perhaps that sometimes, three threes is better than a nine? "Alas, no, he was before my time. He was a great king of the mythic eras, when the world was still welcoming to our kind."

[brave_heart_verity]

Perhaps. "Oh. Do your people still have kings and courts and all that?"

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"There is... some debate, on that very point," he admits. "There was a time when the doubt and misery of mortals forced our realm, the Dreaming, away from the world. Most of our nobles either fled into the Dreaming before the ways closed, or perished. The rest of the fae learned to bind their souls to mortals yet unborn, shield themselves from mortal doubt with mortal flesh, and in so doing receive some taste of mortality, themselves."

He shifts. Mortality is an uncomfortable subject. "While the nobles were absent, mortals experimented with new forms of government, and the fae walked with them. Old grudges were laid aside out of necessity, for what mattered a rivalry of tribe in the face of the Banality that would destroy both with indifference?" Is that a little wordplay, there?

"But there was a resurgence--a surge of hope and imagination across the breadth of the world, that drew the Dreaming close again, and briefly reopened the old paths. The nobility, the Sidhe, returned... and expected to take up their old position at the top, to continue fighting old battles and nurturing old grudges."

[brave_heart_verity]

Mortality isn't a comfortable subject for anyone.

"So... when you say 'debate' you mean 'fighting'? Which side are you on?"

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

He sighs. "Fighting, yes. I was one of the returning Sidhe, but I was intrigued by the new ideas that had grown up in our absence." A pause, and he admits, "I was also somewhat late to the party. The disagreements had more or less settled back to stability by the time I arrived."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Sounds like being fashionably late was a good thing," she points out. She noticed she didn't actually answer her question.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"That must be why it's so fashionable. In any event, I preferred to explore arrangements outside the refurbished aristocratic model, with a light side-order of constitutional monarchy and a dessert of parliamentary republic. I opted for newer ways, and older. I'll strike bargains to suit me, and let the politics work itself out."

[brave_heart_verity]

Somehow, that doesn't surprise her. "Is that why you came here? To get away from the politics?"

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"The politics, and the Banality, yes."

[brave_heart_verity]

"I'm glad you found someplace safe."

She's quiet for a moment before asking, "You mentioned banking... can you... move assets from one world to another?"

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Thank you, so am I."

Her question sounds like business, so he sits up to handle it properly. "I can. Depending on the worlds in question, there's often a few intermediate steps, converting the currencies, but it can be done." And then, he'll make an educated guess: "considering a move?"

[brave_heart_verity]

She sighs and gives a little nod. "Can I tell you something in confidence?"

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Since you have thought to ask for it? Yes." That's both an answer and a warning, and he quite enjoys that she's smart enough to pick up on both parts.

[brave_heart_verity]

"I think... there's something happening at home, and I don't know if anyone can stop it. This isn't like the other times people started thinking the world was going to end." She doesn't want to admit it, but she's scared.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Ah. Then a diversification of your reality portfolio would certainly be a sound investment. Did you have any idea the sort of world that might serve as your destination?" His own oblique way of trying to help with her fear is to treat the matter lightly, casually. No need to be afraid in this office.

[brave_heart_verity]

The euphemism gets a little short. She can see what he's trying to do, and she's grateful for it. "No, not anywhere particular. Just. Here, I guess. For a start."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Just one of the many services available here at Bank of Spooky Fae Dude. "Ah? Well, that simplifies matters. Simply bringing your assets here will suffice. Although if you're looking for someone to hold them in safekeeping for you...?"

[brave_heart_verity]

"I'll need to find a bank, and a place to live.. but I don't want to rush. I mean. Until I know for sure it's too late."

She looks away and tries to swallow the lump in her throat. "How long would you need?"

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"I could take custody of your assets at a moment's notice," he assures her, "provided you had them on hand. A little longer, if you wanted to give me your banking information. As for places to live, I have made my share of claims on Nexus real estate, and could certainly make an equitable arrangement for you in any of a number of properties here. Would you like to see the portfolio?"

[brave_heart_verity]

"Not all the real estate here is owned by somebody," she points out, but it's not meant as a challenge or threat. Just something to say while she's thinking.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"This is so," he agrees, "and that real estate which has not been claimed has likewise had no claim defended. Nothing prevents passerby or squatters from wandering into your kitchen for a browse while you sleep."

[brave_heart_verity]

Okay, he wins. "You'd stop that from happening?"