Mabel
Satine continued to stand in her place, eating from het plate periodically as she had listened to the troubles of Taireen's tremors and Axari's attempts to console them. "Indeed, I am plenty capable. Yet I think we should start thinking of what we are to ask the seer whenever we do get there. Too many questions and he might just dismiss us. We need to know what we are asking." She suggested as a form of change in topic. 
All would have to admit that having visions of your own brutal death would be troubling, so she did not really wish to press on the matter. At least not until Taireen has had a comfortable amount of alcohol in her system.
Ashley
It was closer to noon than it was to sunrise when Eric began to stir in the bed, his arm trapped underneath the still sleeping Angelica. His head had a dull throb and everything wasi n a sort of haze. Then, memories flashed back to him of the previous night. He adjusted the covers and pulled them up, taking a quick glance beneath them to confirm suspcions. Once he'd confirmed that last night had actually happened, without a sound, Eric freaked the fuck out in his head. On the outside, Eric was just watching the woman who was ontop of his arm sleep, but on the inside Eric was falling apart, horrified at the prospect that Angelica might wake up thinking she made a drunken mistake. He was trying to find words to say, but, what do you say after a situation like this? 

The dull throb got worse when he started to freak out and Eric rubbed the bridge of his nose with his free hand, then wrapped it around her and laid back down, deciding that no matter what, he had to wait for Angelica to wake up.
Steven
He stirred, and the movement pulled her from her deep sleep. She wasn't facing him, thankfully, and the scrunch of her features before she awoke wasn't seen. Her memory wasn't foggy, and didn't take time to reappear. She'd had her fair share of wine in her life, and it didn't cause lapses in memory for her. So when she awoke, with Eric's are beneath her, she remembered exactly why. But more importantly she remembered him saying they should talk about what had happened when their heads were clear in the morning. 

Angelica's mind started planning the moment she opened her eyes; plotting out her day and the tasks she needed to do, above them though lingered that nasty little phrase of '_we should talk_' in Staffords voice, and she knew it was pointless to try and get through a day with Anya at the festival without stewing. She was supposed to see Rose again today, and once more something in the back of her mind pulsed at trying to remember her last name. It had been said in passing, so she didn't quite remember besides it reminding her of _something_. Bradai was supposed to be spoken to today as well, to get a report on Mikhail and how he'd been doing in the Isles and what Angelica needed to provide in terms of compensation for keeping the boy alive and -well, alive.

His arm draped over her, breaking her train of thought, and the blonde shifted a bit to free his arm if he wanted it, though in the same motion her arm laid over the one around her waist, lacing their fingers together. "So how do you feel?" She asked, wanting to get the hard part out of the way.
Ashley
The moment her figure stirred, his mouth went dry and he tried to swallow, his heart pounded so hard he was afraid she'd hear it. "I don't think I've ever really felt this good before." Eric said, he eyes tracing down to where she held his hands. "Even better now that you... Uh, haven't left the room in a hurry." He said with a short nervous laugh afterward. Eric bit the inide of his lip as he thought about what to say, how she might respond, and what he needed to do to repair their friendship when she rejected him. When his arm was freed, he slid it back and allowed blood to run through it again. 

"So..." He said, terrified of the direction of their conversation, "Last night... Happened." Eric said matter-o-factly as he could. 

"And..." He the words were lost to him, he was more interested in just looking at her. 

"I..." It was so hard, why were words so difficult? Why did they carry so much weight? 

"Want this... I want this to be... A thing. Like, an actual thing. Between you and I." He took a breathe, searching for a reaction, before rambling. 

"If you want! If not, I understand... Professional relationship and all that..." He said, bracing for the impact of a 'no'.
Steven
To be fair, she probably would have been a nervous wreck as well in his position. She wasn't an authority figure for him, but she certainly was a coworker, to say the least. They both had equally as important positions in Astoria, so she didn't see it as a power play by either of them. 

"Eric." She started, and turned a bit to look over her shoulder at him. "You're freaking out." Angelica kept her tone soft, and her free hand reached to cup his face. A small smile graced her features, and she shifted fully to turn onto her back so she could see him better. 

"Do you genuinely want a relationship, or are you saying that because you feel obligated? You owe me nothing, last night happened because we both wanted it to, if that's all you wanted that's allowed." With that, she gave a pause, letting him reevaluate his answer.
Ashley
The tone in her voice calmed him, but he was still a wreck. How someone decided he would be allowed to lead an army was beyond him right now. "Yeah... I'm freaking out... Hah..." Eric said, agreeing with her, meeting her eyes. 

"I absolutely want to be with you." Eric said, after a breathe and a thought. "I have always been interested in you, Angelica, it's just... I don't know, you just seemed unobtainable, I guess. I also didn't want to mess up our working relationship." Eric rambled on, laying down entirely the throbbing still there.
Steven
The 'absolutely' made her smile, and she felt her cheeks flush a bit though she tried to hide it. The woman cleared her throat, hoping it would help keep the blush away, but knowing damn well it wouldn't. "Our working relationship will remain separate from anything that happens between us. Though, it's not as if we don't generally see eye to eye on those affairs anyway." She mused, and let her blue gaze move to the ceiling of the chambers they shared. The morning light was settling over the furniture, and she was certain they both needed to bathe. 

After a moment of silence she inhaled deeply, her chest rising and falling, making their intertwined hands mimic the motion. "Stop freaking out, It's tainting your afterglow." She told him, and turned her head once more to look his way, a genuine smile on her lips. She moved to kiss him properly, lingering a bit before pressing her forehead to his. "We'll give it a go then, I certainly have had my eyes on you for a while." She mused, and pushed her fingers through his hair. 

"Shall we get you something for your hangover?"
Ashley
The blush was the first sign that everything might be okay and gave him hope, the response was so uplifting he thought he'd gain wings. "Of course." He said, agreeing with Angelica as she talked about the terms, not paying a lot of attention, his focus faded for a moment. That's a yes, he thought, a YES. It was indescribable how it felt, the only thing that brought him back to focus was the feeling of her on his lips and he snapped back into action and kissed her back for the lingering kiss. 

Once it ended, he blinked, still not believing the events of the last several hours. "So you've said, you watched me everywhere. And please, this headache is killing me."
Steven
Angelica gave a small laugh and nodded. He's kissed her back firmly, and that was all she needed to settle the matter for herself. The rest of the day would be a breeze, and she could finish her tasks without worry about a potentially damaged friendship and awkward sleeping arrangement with Stafford. In fact, she already couldn't wait to fall back into bed with him. 

The blonde released his hand, and moved from her spot on the bed. Her trunk was across the room, and she moved to it to find some clothing that she could put on for the sake of an appearance to a servant. Once dressed, she pulled her hair over her shoulder, twirling it absently with her hand to try and tame the gentle wave of it before pulling the door open with the promise that she'd return shortly. 

It wasn't Astoria, and she didn't expect to be able to ask for her meal in private like she did back home. But when she found a servant, and requested something be brought up to help the man's hangover, the woman offered to bring their breakfast up as well. It surprised her, but she happily accepted the offer. Before heading back, Angelica also requested a bath to be drawn, and headed back after the confirmation it would be ready within the hour.
Ashley
Eric watched her walk away, his eyes glued to her, following her across the room, not able to get enough of her. When the door closed and she'd left, Eric rolled over and burrowed himself into a pillow and tried to think away the headache, it only got worse. He tried to sleep, but it didn't come for him. Getting dressed seemed like a difficult task and the idea of just laying in bed was far more appealing that getting out of bed. His mind raced, images of the previous night flashing in front of him. 

He sat up and put his back to the headboard and looked around the room, then noticed something. Light was easily flooding the room through a window with opened curtains that looked directly to the bed. Summoning some willpower, Eric got out of bed and closed the curtains, then collapsed back into the bed, feeling better as there was no more light in his face.
Steven
When she returned, Eric had closed the curtains and practically face planted into bed once more. She gave a small laugh, and moved to perch on the edge of the bed. Taking his hand, she pressed her thumb firmly into the meat of his hand, finding the pressure point and rolling over it firmly to help with the headache. 

"You're going to have to learn how to hold your alcohol better, Stafford." She teased, and then let her gaze drift towards the door, waiting for the knock of the servant. "I'll be spending the day networking with others in my position, hopefully I'll get some advice on the best way to get South Feyshore up and running better before the thaw. I _really_ want to see if we can manage to get a functioning court going between the newly appointed nobles. Check in with everyone, make sure they're maintaining their keeps to the standards we're hoping to build. Setting up some trading posts, supply routes if needed." She paused, her own mind still running a million miles a moment, and looked to the knock on the door. 

Now she was the one rambling. She released his hand, and pulled open the door, thanking the woman who carried in a tray for them and set it by the bedside. When she was done, she headed to the adjacent bathing room, and started working on Angelica's requested bath. The blonde returned to the bedside, and plucked the thick glass from the tray. It was filled with a yellow sludge, that from the sniff of it had to be an Islanders version of a hangover cure. It didn't look the best, but she passed it to Eric regardless. "Good luck with that. Hold your nose." She suggested, making a face.
Ashley
"I don't drink very often!" Eric protested, before quieting to listen to Angelica do the hottest thing she could possibly do: She talked about government, trade, and supply routes. Listening intently, Eric felt almost normal with the relief from her applying pressure to his palm. "The Stormalong ports are partially working, but crime is still a problem. And that's everywhere." Eric added in, he wanted Stormalong's ports to be fully operation soon to bringin all of the trade he can possibly bring in.

As soon as the door knocked, Eric made sure to cover himself to the chest in blankets when the servant came in. Th hangover cure looked horrible, but, he comforted himself in the idea he has probably eaten worse things and took it, grimancing when he smelled it. He pinched his nose and through his head back and down most of it as quickly as he could. When he sat forward and swallowed, a few small drops remained. Tilting his head and looking at Angelica, he said "It's not that bad. Try it." He offered it to her, with a deathly serious expression painted on him.
Steven
He started on the glass, and she'd released his hand to pluck a piece of toast from the tray, it was spread with a thick jam, and she couldn't quite tell what had been used to make it. He offered her the glass and she shook her head. "Absolutely not." She told him, rejecting it with another firm bite of the toast she had. It left a smear of jelly on her top lip, and she licked it away easily. 

When his arm didn't lower, Angelica made a soft noise of annoyance before setting her toast aside and taking the glass. Because it was mostly empty, the sludge of yellow at the bottom would take a moment to get to the rim of the glass, and she tried to swirl it, though it didn't move. Her eyes moved to him, taking in his face and trying to decide if he was serious or not. Finally, she pinched her nose, and tilted the glass all the way back, letting the last of it roll down the side of the glass and into her waiting mouth.
Ashley
The sludge was not good in anyway shape or form, and Eroc broke out laughing and then groaning in pain just as it was too late for her to stop herself. "Atleast your nose was pinched." He said through a satisfied grin as he waited to see her full reaction to the hangover cure she tried to poison him with.
Steven
It was absolute filth, and she nearly gagged when it hit her tongue. She swallowed it down quickly, but it didn't mean it didn't linger on her senses. She set the glass aside, and shot him a dirty look before reaching for the tea kettle that accompanied their breakfast. She poured herself and _only_ herself a cup, and downed the hot liquid as it was to try and get the taste out. 

"I changed my mind about wanting anything to do with you anymore. You're an evil man, Stafford." She muttered, and reached for her toast once more, though she was thoroughly turned off by the idea of eating anything anymore.
Ashley
Eric couldn't wipe the grin off his face, "Oh, you don't have a choice. You're stuck with me now." He said, sitting up and reaching for some food himself, aiming for toast. "It definitely isn't the worst thing I've drank." He said, eating a piece of toast. 

His appetite wasn't ruined at all and Eric began eating bits of his breakfast, more affected by the small hangover than he was by the horrible drink Angelica had brough him. The food was good, and he didn't usually eat in his bed but he didn't have to clean it so who cared?
Rhonda
The Pirate King nodded, signing off a blank page in his ledger and handing it off to Ollie. The secretary took the paper and ran it over to the blacksmith. The man, balding into his late forties took a knee before accepting it. "Many fanks, yer Grace. I've just fought dat tha townsguard in Tha Stilts needed new weaponry as is. It would be an honor to manufacture some for you."

Bradai Maith gave a nod, "You'll get tha shipment uff steel from Equadia wiffin a week. You will be provi—"

"No, please, your Grace. To keep my family and I safe and wiff you supplying tha materials? It's nuff—"

The Pirate King raised a hand and nodded. He wouldn't reject the offer to save a few coins. "Very well. Fank you again, Fingin." The Blacksmith was dismissed. 

The Pirate King leaned over his desk, looking to the doorway. "Grab tha next one, will you?"
Michael
The meeting with Maith hadn't gone at all how she'd expected. The idea of sending Mikhail away wasn't a pleasant one. After all, he was only a child still, and he'd never traveled anywhere alone except the Isles. She's expected to have to talk Maith out of it all together, not to have to find a reason why she shouldn't go with. Her council could handle things on their own for now. It was slow back home, and would be until the first thaw. They could go to Azarya, take the help of Bradai's reinforcements in Astoria, and be home in time for spring. But something about it didn't sit right. She didn't distrust Bradai, but she couldn't help but feel like he was planning something and not telling her. And when those plans involved Mikhail, she wasn't a fan of secrets. 

She'd retired to her chambers, but after an hour or so she was greeted with a soft knock on the door. It opened to reveal one of Maith's gatesmen, who stood taller than herself by at least a foot. 

"Pardon, your Highness. The Alchemist is here to see you." He explained the reason for his arrival, and she nodded. 

"Can you procure a parlor for us to use? Preferably one not on the main floor, I don't want our conversation accidentally being overheard by foot traffic." She said, standing and pushing her hands through her curls to tame them. He nodded, and said he'd send for a guide as soon as he had them both secured before going to retrieve the alchemist. 

A few moments passed before she was summoned, and she followed the guide to the third floor, and into a parlor to await the arrival of the guest.

The gate guard returned from inside the castle, calling for the alchemists presence. "Your audience has been requested." The guard says as he gestures Danico inside, the alchemist obliging after allowing the other guards to show his horse and carriage where to stand until he returns. The alchemist eagerly follows the gate guard inside- a man like him was rarely asked to enter castles. Shady men like rarely are, so he relished the moment, examining all of the castles interior rooms and decorations the best he could. It was certainly as grand as he had thought it would be, going off the few castle interiors he had the pleasure of seeing previously. 

"Follow me and don't wander off. This is a rare occasion to be summoned directly by-" The gate guard's sentence is interrupted by the alchemist, talking suddenly over the top of the guard, muffled somewhat by his mask.

"I am aware of the situation, guard." He snaps suddenly. If there was anything that annoyed him, it was people questioning his intelligence. Usually the opinions of others wouldn't bother him, as he likes to make clear constantly, but he was also proud of his work, almost to a fault, which sometimes shows. "Please just take me to the where I need to go. No need for the formalities I assure you." The guard gave Danico a stern look before sighing and continuing on. Had this been any normal person he probably could have narked up and made a scene, but given this was the Duchesses personal guest that couldn't end any way but bad for him. 

Eventually they arrived at the parlor hall, the guard waited outside while Danico made his way in. He didn't say anything as the doors closed behind them, staying silent until he was close enough for the duchess to hear him clearly from behind his mask, watching her the entire time. "Your Duchess." He says with a bow. An unusual action for the alchemist- bowing to royalty was usually just a way yo appease their pride, but he was prepared to "Kiss ass" As it were, to ensure he gets the reward he's promised

Anyanka didn't quite know what to think of the man who was brought into the room with her. The mask he wore was unsettling to say the least, but she remained still as he approached. When be bowed, her brow rose a bit in question. "Please, Danico. You may call me Anya, and you don't need to subjugate yourself to me." She told him. After all, she had been the one to summon him this far. The way she saw it, this was a business transaction, and no one was to be subjugated if they both were to uphold their end of the negotiation. 

"I hope your travels were well, sometimes the waters in the Isles get a bit choppy this time of year." She gestured to the chair across from her, and ran her tongue over her lips to wet them. "Please, have a seat. Is the mask a requirement for this consultation?"

"Secrets rarely lead to positive outcomes, miss Durkhan." He inserts as an observation, looking around the room a little, observing its decoration out of pure curiosity before returning his gaze to the other across form him. "I am not interested in money, Duchess." He replies in an almost snapping tone in reply to her mention of compensation. "If I'm to be compensated for work then we shall discuss it now. I don't want your coin and I'll get by without it. What else do you have to offer that I might see of use?" Danico leans back onto the table, meshing his fingers together once more as he looks dead into the eyes of the duchess. 

"And if the boy wishes to stop then I shall stop if I can, but I cannot guarantee it won't hurt. One's body isn't just ripped from near existence on a whim. It takes a complicated ritual to get to that point, not including everything required to set it up. One thing I can guarantee is that it won't be pleasant. Even if everything goes smoothly odds are he is to feel a magical sickness as a natural side effect. You cannot tamper with the fabric of life without consequence, after all."

"I feel it's easier for you to name a price point, Danico. We've agreed on the outcome of a successful procedure, though I'd prefer you be the one to help my boy, I understand the possibility of it not happening is high, just because of the nature of the request." She didn't shy away from his gaze, and when he continued on about how this would happen she admittedly felt a bit squeamish. 

"Do you feel it's genuinely something you're capable of?" She asked, her voice softening. "I don't want to get his hopes up-" If he was even still currently capable of hope "Only to have them crushed and his body aching."

"It is a complicated process, one that takes time and effort to complete. Depending on the severity of his condition it could take anywhere from one night to weeks. But you don't need to question my ability, if you do not possess the correct facilities for the task here, however, then it will have to happen at my lab in Azarya, but either way I can do it." 
Danico paused for a moment in thought before turning to his satchel, pulling out a piece of parchment with a detailed drawing of an owl-griffin, sliding it across as far as he can towards the duchess. "That spider?" He says in reference to payment. "On the way here I came into some information on the whereabouts of an owl-griffin kitten in south-feyshore. Although that spider is particularly of interest to me, I have most certainly done less for more." He places his hands back down on the table as he sits back down. "So I've changed my price. I want you to send a tracker to bring me that owl-griffin kitten. I've heard the mother was hurt, so it should be no problem for a professional in that field of work. And, if your boy cannot be saved, then I shall settle for less."

She reached forward, taking the drawing that was passed and examining it. She'd heard mention of it, but never seen one herself. "The kitten if you're successful, the spider if you're not." She told him, settling on the payment options. They'd already gone through the work in securing the spider for payment, and she certainly didn't want that thing in her keep any longer than it had to be. She wasn't a fan of arachnids. 

"We don't have the tools here, You'll have to preform the process in Azarya. We'll be headed that way anyway, and hopefully we can detour to your lab before meeting with the man Bradai set us up with." Anyanka paused, and held the drawing back out to him. "Would you like to meet Mikhail?"

"Good enough for me." He says bluntly, satisfied with the outcome, relaxing a little into the chair as the deal had been finalized, it had certainly turned out a lot better than he had originally intended, and if it he cannot help the child, he would simply send for someone himself- as much of a hassle as that would be. "It's settled then." He continues, "Will you be accompanying myself, or will you be making your own way there?" He takes the picture of the griffin and places it back in his satchel, sitting up straight in his chair. 

"A question before I do, though." He interjects with a raised hand to interrupt her. "Does the pirate king know about our deal? You must understand that I would be put into an awkward situation if he was to find out that his son's mother went behind his back, taking the trust he had in his decision and putting it on me."

"Maith doesn't know. We've yet to genuinely be able to speak on the matter, considering the festival and his obligations as host. I intended to tell him I'd summoned you when I was granted a private meeting with him, that time just hasn't come yet. He asked me to accompany Mikhail to Azarya. But at the end of the day, it's not about trust in his decision or mine, it's about Mikhail being healed, and I think we both don't care who manages, just so long as it's done as painlessly as possible and done correctly."

"So long as any pain caused to the boy as part of the process does not have the blame thrown on me." He stands from his chair in preparation to meet the boy, composing himself and fixing his bag to the side. "Sure, bring him in. I want to get an accurate reading of his condition so I can begin writing down the ingredients. It should all be available at the college, but you cannot make too sure." He reaches back into his satchel and pulls out a black leather-bound notebook and his alchemists quill, ready to do an assessment on his to-be subject.
Kyle
A gaunt man was brought into the hall. His skin was fairer than most, and had he not been walking, you might have guessed he was dead. Upon seeing the Pirate king, he lowered his head, as personal pride would not allow him to do so. When the guards loosed their hold upon his skeletal being, he dropped to his knees and fell forward. The loud *Smack!* Against the ground stimulated the boy's senses, and he took in a very audible inhale that sounded almost as if he hadn't taken a breath in hours. 

"My l-lor-" A few seconds of coughing interrupted Manfred. "M-my village, sire. It is... It is nearly gone. The s-soil doesn't grow crops anymore, a-and the fish have all but gone. I beg of you, sire, help what remains of my people."