[ CLOSED ] The Buck Stops Here

[sulahnan]

WHO: Athessa, Bastien, Byerly, Colin, Deimos, Flint, Raas, Thranduil, Yseult
WHAT: Revenge for past trauma reveals a sinister plot
WHEN: The Month of Guardian (aka now)
WHERE: The Gallows and Hightown, Kirkwall in general
NOTES: CW: This plot deals with sexual assault, revenge, and murder. Mostly the aftermath of the assault, no graphic descriptions that I can foresee, but be cautious. Opting out and hand-waving is fine.

By and large, the beginning of the month of Guardian in Kirkwall is unremarkable. Business as usual, even with the ever increasing cost of sugar, coffee, and tea. But for the inhabitants of Lowtown, it comes with signs that their waking nightmares persist.

For the past few months of winter, Lowtown locals have been whispering about a rash of murders and disappearances among the Alienages. Deaths previously attributed to exposure to the harsh winter weather are rumored to be far more insidious; some have claimed that they noticed wounds on the bodies as they were being disposed of, but any attempts to bring this information to the City Guard have been met with indifference or empty platitudes.

Less widely noted, and harder to attach to a pattern, are the instances of working girls being hired to entertain at private functions and coming back...different. Or not at all. To the average person, it’s barely even news, but to anyone who spends time in the brothels and listens to the chatter within, it’s clear that these are not isolated incidents, nor are they without concern.

While the alleged murders in Lowtown have no clear culprit and thus are blamed on anyone from random strangers to demons and Crows, the goings-on at the brothels go hand-in-hand with mention of one name in particular: Devigny.

Comments

[bouchonne]

You have access to people in town, yes? Who could get into the house and out again without being seen?

[sulahnan]

[ Well this is uncomfortable. Tense. Neither of them are looking at her but Athessa has an uneasy feeling that they're having some silent conversation in between the words they do say.

She started with we've been staking out Devigny's place for a week but Yseult chose instead to ask how they could know that what they saw wasn't a benign occurrence. No question after why the owner of a prominent cathouse would be the one to deliver the girl if she were a sister, maid, or mistress, either. The feeling of failing a test she doesn't know she's taking creeps hand-in-hand with a fear that her experience with Devigny wouldn't hold up as intelligence under scrutiny.

So she's left stewing by the window, trying not to fidget, but only able to suppress so much. She doesn't jitter her leg, but she does chew on her thumbnail. Baby steps. ]

[hassaran]

Riftwatch's resources do not afford us some vast network of skilled professionals, and the agents I do employ are already occupied on pressing business. I will assist if I can, but not on such limited explanation.

[keenly]

[Colin scours his brain to scrape up the remaining information and give it to Yseult in as succinct and efficient a manner as possible.]

I'm sorry, that's what we know.

[And if that isn't enough, he might just take Athessa by the wrist and run off right now, plan or no plan.]

[hassaran]

[ Yseult lifts a brow at Colin. ] No, it isn't. It's quite plain that there is a deal more to this story. Or did you watch this man's house for a week on a whim?

[bouchonne]

As I said, Scoutmaster.

[ His voice becomes a little firmer. ]

I have spoken with a woman who was assaulted by this man. These two are also familiar with someone who was hurt by him. I hope you are not so untrusting of your comrades - [ A tilt of his head takes in the three of them - ] That you will demand that we break the trust that has been given to us and hand over names.

[hassaran]

[ Yseult looks from Byerly to Colin and Athessa. ]

I need a word in private with the Ambassador. Please excuse us for a moment.

[sulahnan]

[ A beat of hesitation, but then Athessa nods and walks towards the door, arms crossed too tightly again. Maybe she should say something. Say something before Byerly gets in trouble for something she started--

But she doesn't. She steps outside and waits for Colin to follow. ]

[keenly]

[The time-sensitive nature of this has Colin grinding his teeth, gaze turned downward as he battles between the desire to be peaceful and the urge to argue about the need for haste. Athessa, however, gives him his cue, and he ducks his head and follows her out.]

[bouchonne]

[ Byerly waits until they're gone. Once they are, he looks to Yseult. He meets her eyes directly, lips set, eyes just a little narrowed, brows just a bit drawn. It's a subtle expression, but compared to his usual inscrutability, the worry on his face is incredibly clear. ]

[hassaran]

[ Even once the door is shut she lowers her voice to avoid potential eavesdropping. ]

If this is all real then I will help you, but you need to tell me everything at once. You know full well how capable I am of protecting the identities of these women if necessary, and yet you have wasted supposedly valuable time attempting to prevent me from seeing the full picture. I cannot help but wonder whether you've decided to take advantage of my obvious distaste for violent sadists to try to manipulate me into assisting with some other business. Or is it simply coincidence that you are setting another supposed monster of that sort in front of me so soon after the last?

[bouchonne]

[ Byerly listens to that. Takes a moment to make sure she's said her piece. Then: ]

I know you can protect their identities. But I have not been given leave to give those identities over to you.

[ And then he lowers himself into a very slight bow. The gesture somehow does not contain a hint of irony or disingenuousness. ]

I have not witnessed this man's evil with my own eyes, but it is my true and deep belief that this is real. It may be that I am deceived. [ Straightening - ] But those two...In your estimation, do they seem to be lying?

[hassaran]

Your entire occupation is sharing information you have not been given leave to reveal. I see no reason why this should be different.

[ She is watching Byerly very carefully through this performance, but whatever she is finding is set aside for a moment as she lifts a brow at his last question. ]

So your information comes from them?

[bouchonne]

The difference is in the type of information. To have this act done to you -

[ Well. He cuts himself off, shaking his head, but again - it's clear just how serious he is about this. ]

My information is from my contacts in town. There is something that is happening to prostitutes in town - and I've heard this man Devigny's name more than once. It was little of substance, until today.

[hassaran]

[ Yseult's head starts to tilt, her chin to turn, but he cuts off and so does she. ]

So why have those two been watching his house for a week?

[bouchonne]

They were aware of the stories as well. They wanted to catch him in the act.

[ A small shrug. ]

Their sense of justice in matters such as these, it seems, is strong.

[ "It seems," as though Byerly hadn't been right there with Colin during his attempt to seek justice. ]

[hassaran]

An overeager sense of justice is easily misled. When did they come to you?

[keenly]

[Once the door is closed, Colin folds his arms and begins pacing the hall. It takes very little time before he can't stand it anymore and speaks.]

How long do you want to give them before we go?

[sulahnan]

[ For her part, she's leaned against the wall beside the door, trying and failing to hear anything of their conversation. ]

I don't know. Not long, I guess. Do you think I should've told her?

[keenly]

You don't owe her an explanation. [Colin shakes his head.] I don't understand why it's not enough to know there's a woman in danger. Or at least why the details can't be sorted out after the rescue.

[sulahnan]

It's because I've lied to her before, probably. I haven't exactly given her reason to trust me. Antics.

[ If their roles were swapped...well, Athessa doesn't know what she'd do, but she has to admit that they've been involved with some capital-d Drama lately. ]

[keenly]

Maybe. But I haven't. [He releases a long breath and stops pacing, trying to calm down.]

We'll give it a few minutes. Worst-case scenario, when we go, they'll know exactly where we've gone and hopefully send backup.

[sulahnan]

[ She sighs. ]

I don't think that just because Flint was in charge of punishing you, that only he has cause to distrust you.

[keenly]

[A heavy sigh.]

And none of them have asked me about anything. None of them have said a damn thing. If they did, I could have given them clarification, but evidently they already know everything they want to know--whatever that is. Maker only knows what they think of me, or what I might be able to say to put it to rest, but apparently the only person they believe on first listen is Leander. And I'll be damned if it puts that woman in greater danger.

[sulahnan]

Still, [ She shows her palms, empty of answers. The point still stands. ] we're accomplices. Earned or not, we're not exactly anyone's first choice when it comes to discretion.