Curtis
Lord William Guiscard
Eagle's Keep

"Where is he from?", asked William. Robert consulted his notes once more, just to be sure. "He is from Terresol but he has travelled to most of the South and the Middlelands. If we're lucky, he'll be a treasure trove of information". 
"He'd better be. Or we will have wasted a perfectly nice dinner on a fat fuck", mumbled William. His guest was a travelling merchant, Sandor Tailor. William decided that a good first step to getting traders and merchants to set up shop in his fief was to have a personal connection with him. His patrols had been ordered to invite any merchant with sufficient wealth to dine with him. *They're also good sources of information*, he thought. Monitoring the Kingdoms bordering Eagle's Nest would be vital in being prepared to meet their threats if they got frisky. *Or at least ask for help before it is too late*

"Excuse me for this paltry gift, your Lordship. I did not expect to visit a noble's household", said Sandor as he handed William a beautiful cloak. On its back, in golden thread, was his sigil, an eagle standing on a pile of swords. 
"It is an excellent gift. Your entourage did great work in such a short notice. A credit to you and your business. Robert", replied William, handing the cloak to his Seneschal for safekeeping. "I hope that the boar didn't sour your appetite for wine", he added. The huge trader practically lit up at the mention of more alcohol. *Of course, it wouldn't. I don't know what would*, thought William, smirking politely

"I see that you are without a wife, my Lord", asked Sandor. The trader was visibly redder as the night progressed but somehow he had the mind to ask coherent questions. 
"Yes. My recent elevation to this Lordship as well as the significant effort I had to put into it has left me with little time for spouses", he explained. It was difficult to obtain one here, in the edges of South Feyshore. *And some might sneer at an elevated Lordsblood and not a born one*, he thought. The intricacies of the Caste System vexed him even more now than in the past. He thought that he was in now only to quickly find out that there was a glass wall in front of him

"Haaaa, marriages. I am married 6 times, my Lord and I've never cheated once. All of my wives believe that we are happily married", he exclaimed, laughing like there was no tomorrow. William was aware of the ruse. Sailors and traders frequently had family all around. "A wife in every port as they say. Although I am no sailor". The man continued his incessant laughter. 
"There's also another Lord with a similar problem, my Lord. In Terrasol, it is said that a Lord Cad... Chad... A Lord Nasaris can't find a husband for his daughter even though the dowry gets larger by the day"
As soon as Robert heard the word dowry, he became rather interested in the conversation. Rushing to cut in, William simply raised his finger and the Seneschal stopped. 
"Is she that ugly?", he simply asked. 
"No my Lord but she fancies herself more of a warrior than a Maiden. Lord Nasaris' peers are horrified"
William arched his left eyebrow. *Is that it?*, he thought. *Propriety getting in the way of self interest once again*. "So this Lord Nasaris is begging for people to take his daughter and a significant sum of money and the only hickup is that she likes swords?". William could scarcely believe it. Perhaps his humble upbringing did not blind him as it would a Lordsblood. 
As soon as he uttered the question, perhaps in sudden realization, Robert stood up and hastily excused himself. 
"Could you perform a simple task for me, Mr Tailor?", asked William leaning forward. "I would pay you good money to deliver a message"
"A message? To whom my Lord", asked the trader. And William, with a devilish smirk, gave him his answer. 
"To Lord Nasaris in Terrasol"
Dawn
Alabaster Brack/Hugo
The Crimson Flow Mortuary

The stone scraped against the sides as Hugo pushed the door in to seal the chamber. He brushed his hands together to get rid of the dirt and dust before wiping them on his ash-stained pants, which only served to add a grey cast to his hands. 

He paused and cocked his head as she mentioned his age. "How old are ya? You don't look more than thirteen." At the mention of the dead being quiet he laughed. "The dead speak too, you know." He replied, looking back her suddenly serious. "If you listen closely you can hear their screams in the fire."
Jewel
Amicia de Blanc
The Crimson Flow Mortuary

"I am eight-eight-eighht-teen." She said, scowling at the younger boy. If she had just stayed in her mother's belly a few weeks more, by now she'd be taller than him - maybe tall enough to unsettle him as much as he unsettled her.

"Yes," She agreed as she walked to the door, assuming that they had finished in the basement,"Buh-buh-buh-but they don't-they don't require me to-to talk back
Dawn
Alabaster Brack/Hugo
The Crimson Flow Mortuary

Hugo smirked at her scowl and crossed his arms, leaning back against the stone walls of the mortuary. 'Eighteen?' He let his eyes run over her small frame again. 'Whatever' 

"If Baster wants ya to help with the funeral rites ya better learn how to talk back." He replied, moving back towards the stairs across the room. He set a foot on the lowest stepped and turned back. "That's it. Do whatever you want until Baster calls for you. Don't bother me unless you are dying."