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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 6:49 pm
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"Shev," Aishe said, taking on a serious, commanding tone rather unlike the usual light one that she used with Sh'valt on a regular basis. "There's something I need to discuss with you. Come here so that we can talk properly." At present, she was pacing the ground before Rhianth, a rather amusing sight given that she was also quite pregnant.
She'd received word from a very important party about a job that needed doing - he was the exact man for the job, and she needed him ready for the danger it might pose. Specifically, a danger to his... whatever that silly attitude was regarding women. Well, not just women, but women and other beautiful people. Sh'valt needed to get that straightened out.
Bru, we have a way to make Shev stop being such a ninny about women, Rhianth said, for she knew that she needed to get him in on this from the get go, or there was a chance that Sh'valt would try to weasel his way out of the job. Which was a no-can-do.
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 7:26 pm
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Sh'valt had been enjoying his day off. Or rather, he'd been enjoying pretending that he had a day off - because Bru was very quickly reminding him that there was a to-do list. Among other things.
Like receiving a rather formal summons from his benefactor - and unofficial 'auntie.'
He'd climbed to his feet quickly enough when Bru relayed the call, and was in Aishe and Rhianth's vicinity within a few minutes. Seeing Aishe pacing like that raised a hair of alarm, however, given her condition. All jokes and procrastination aside, he was a healer, and she'd done more than enough to earn his loyalty and respect.
"Ladies first, auntie." He replied cheerfully, gesturing with his typical nonchalance for her to be seated before him. Until she told him the world was ending, he was unlikely to moderate his tone even in the face of her unusual commanding tone, but he was noting her gait and manner. Seemed ok, healthwise? Something else, then? Something serious.
"What's wrong, Boss?" He asked, tone the same but a more serious look darkening his eyes.
As for Brulixianth, his response to Rhianth was a simple huff. Only women?
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 7:45 pm
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 7:50 pm
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Ah. There it was. "Shev, this is actually not... as intense as you seem to think it is. I just need someone who can pose as a buyer, or a broker. You'd be there to pick up some courtesans on behalf of a wealthy patron - a Lord Holder, probably, or a crime lord. Someone who would want young, pretty courtesans. Basically, I just need you to show your pretty face around, and pick up some pretties for me."
To Aishe, that sounded like a piece of cake. To Aishe, mind. "If you think that's too much for you, I can always find someone else for the job, but the thing is, you're handsome, and that's probably going to get the courtesans crawling all over each other to get to you. It'd be convenient. If I have to send C'rian, I will." It was not that Aishe hadn't used her husband for these sorts of missions before, but... she was pregnant. Would give birth soon enough, and didn't really want him to be absent.
Is he being a wherry again?
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 8:03 pm
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 8:16 pm
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"... Shev," Aishe said, and she was actually a little disappointed. "We're 'buying' them to rescue them. Obviously. This is a rescue mission. Zheria told me that they're selling underage courtesans, and that needs to stop. Actually, the entire trafficking situation needs to stop, but this is critical." As if she would buy them for a poor reason. Pfft!
"My husband would be the next best person for the job," she said matter-of-factly. "He's fabulous at this kind of thing." Which was just the plain truth. Honestly, if she could've done the job herself, she would have. She absolutely would have.
Don't be a ninny, Rhianth said, shaking her head at Shev. What in the world?
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 8:30 pm
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 9:13 pm
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Hmm. Shev did have a point. "Right, I could have said that first," Aishe said, resting in the chair. She put her foot up on a crate in front of her. "Shev, you'd be good at this. Also, they could use someone nice like you to spend some time with. I'm not asking you to take it really seriously. Have a little fun, mmkay?" Which he desperately needed.
You will be bringing them here, and we will find safe places for them, Rhianth said, peering down at Sh'valt, who seemed to be looking a little less peaky.
"Mmm... while you're looking into the situation, I want you to get all of the intel that you can. But don't put yourself at risk. I want to route this out, eventually... but today is not the day for it." They weren't ready, and she didn't want her group to take a fall for High Reaches. Still, it was a good cause.
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 5:35 am
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He sat back, mulling over the details in his mind.
Overall, yes, this was doable. Distasteful on the surface, and likely to become more so depending on what sort of black market dealers he would have to connect with. The sort of 'merchandise' he'd be looking for certainly wouldn't be sitting out on the street, it was illegal, and he'd have to be careul. Shaff this was nasty business.
He frowned slightly then, remembering his one and only experience with a fully trained and credentialed courtesan - the woman had scared the ever living daylights out of him. But more than that, she'd been ... a decent person. Perhaps he wouldn't have to delve into the dark recesses of society to help out. If he was understanding Aishe correctly, he had free rein to conduct this mission as he saw fit - so long as he was pulling at-risk younglings out of the proverbial fire and bringing them to her. There had to be others in the business doing the same... if he found those people...?
"Do you have any contacts? Anyone else already with a foot in the door who I can trust?" He asked, carefully. He had an inkling she also wanted him to go and 'have fun' in more adult ways with the highly paid and cheerfully employed adult members of the courtesan crafthall, but he'd rather avoid that. No use telling Aishe he was on to her ploy, though, or she'd recruit Rhianth ... and Rhianth would recruit Bru.
Wisely, Bru remained silent. It wouldn't do for his rider to guess that he'd already been 'recruited.' He would make sure his rider was the best in all things, including this. Rhianth would not have a reason to call him a 'ninny' ever again!
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 6:43 pm
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Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2018 5:51 pm
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Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2018 6:50 pm
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"Bring me back something nice," Aishe said, and tossed Shev a bag full of marks. She didn't stop to make sure that he'd caught them, because of course he had. "And get some new duds. You have a part to play. Give Casgar my best, mm?" The Headman of Western Weyr, as a former courtesan, was always a good source of information, after all.
She began to walk toward her tent, mentally going over the list she'd need to write for Sh'valt. "Oh, and stop by later for that list." Lest he forget. It would prove invaluable to him. This was the first major mission that she'd sent Shev on, but she had no doubt he'd be successful. He'd always been good with kids.
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