The Artisan District

Robert glances around at the curious bystanders, giving them an apologetic grin. He leans in close to whisper in Rafaela's ear.

"Listen, Rafaela. You'll get hurt if you go out like that. You might fall off a cliff, or run into men who want to take advantage of you. Stay here with us until you've sobered up a little, ok?"

He leads her back in, more firmly this time.

Robert ignores the fallen object, more worried about Rafaela.

"See? You can't even stand up straight. Come on, come inside."

Wrapping both arms around her, he does his best to shove her back into the bar.

"You've had a nasty fall. We'll have to have a doctor look at that."

Robert glances at his helpful guide, and at the struggling cousin in his arms.

"Well...if you're sure you can deal with her. Don't let her get away, ok?"

He lets go of Rafaela and steps back.

"Alright. Point me towards the Golden Leopard, please. Thanks for all your help."

Summoning Bennik to his side with a click of the tongue, he heads off towards the golden Leopard.

"Well this isn't ostentatious at all."

Oleanna barely manages to keep this thought to herself as she walks into the Golden Leopard with Neferet. The mayor had seen fit to send her new clothing. Oleanna's new clothing wasn't nearly as showy as what Neferet was wearing though it was a lot more light and revealing then anything Oleanna would wear normally. Evidently it was meant to be more appropriate for the climate. This did not bother Oleanna over much, she knew by some peoples standards she was attractive despite her scars. Her appearance though was not something she overly concerned herself with unless other people started making a big deal out of it. Still it was a little strange not be wearing plate mail or even her normal trousers.

A flash of anger passes through Oleanna at Inana's comment and it grows hotter at the stares. It is a struggle but instead of ripping these men new assholes she gives them a smile and she says in the most pleasant tone of voice she can manage.

"A pleasure to meet you all, and my condolences for your recent losses. Know that even if I am not hired as the captain of the guard I will render whatever assistance I can with your current monster issue."

Oleanna is quite proud of herself since she is pretty sure her tattoo didn't even glow with her suppressed anger.

Krypt entered the main room of The Golden Leopard alone, not counting any who might have chosen to follow him to his destination. He passed through the hall of candles, his attire the same, refined yet practical clothing given to him by Neferet's servant that very morning. His wear was light and clearly meant to have been loose-fitting to fit with the hot climate, however Krypt had proved a little too large and thus found them clinging rather smugly to his muscles. Over them, various pieces of bone-plate were strapped to various parts of his body, though he ultimately remained very lightly-armoured and protected in only the most vulnerable locations.

When he stepped into the room where the meeting was taking place, he looked around until he found Neferet. He gave her a bow of his head, with a slight smile curling at his lips when his face dipped towards the floor; though he had no idea if she saw him. With that done, he moved to one of the available seating locations and lowered himself into a position of rest.

He didn't say anything, instead content to watch and listen.

"Come here, child," suddenly said the man who had been staring at Oleanna's scars. He made room beside himself. The man himself was older, certainly the oldest at the table. He kept his head shaved save for stark white hair at the crown of his head, wrapped in a bun and tied with yellow silk. There were strange but beautiful tattoos on his head, as if a flowing script. His tan skin was still smooth, but crows feet belied his age.

When Oleanna seated himself, he looked quite obviously at her face. "You purposefully keep yourself scarred, Oleanna of Ignis," he intoned. "Especially that eye of yours. Why?"

Neferet glanced up at more movement as Robert entered. She smiled at him and Bennik. "This is Mayor Robert Fletcher of Ozmodias," she introduced in her smooth and velvet tone. The other men nodded to him and Inana smiled. "Ozmodias! How does Vaiaton's favorite trade partner fair?"

Neferet had only just finished pouring the tea when the last two men entered. They were very different. One, she could easily sense the broad strength and power from his gray skin figure. His red eyes found hers and she saw the turn of his mouth before he looked down at the floor. She wasn't sure how to reaact to that; Neferet's presence was rarely the cause for smiles. So she showed no reaction, keeping her composure. "Kinzokan Krypt, a warrior that has said he would help with the beasts," Neferet introduced him.

The second man was lean and wirey and brought to mind a wolf. He seated himself beside Neferet and also kept his silence, which many at the table found odd. They looked to Neferet for introduction, and Akbar's voice filled the void. "Fenris of Olfwood," the man said, taking his place behind Neferet and standing. "He also wants to be Captain of the Guard."

"I see," Neferet said, turning her tawny gaze from her loyal bodyguard to Fenris. "It is a pleasure to meet you," Neferet told Fenris, glancing at Oleanna to see how she would react.

"The men in the jungle, do they belong to you?" Asked one man, older than Neferet but the youngest of the coucil members. It was Tuana, from the wine bar, sitting as proxy, and it seemed that he did not like Fenris.

Neferet held up a hand to indicate chatter should cease, and the council followed the command. It cut all conversations and responses short.

Neferet turned to those new at the table with the poise of a noble. "I am Neferet, mayor of Gaiaton, and it was I who sent the messages of need, with the approval of the council." She gestured to the Gaiaton locals. "Lord Inana is Master of Merchants, Master Ona is Master of Mystics," he sat beside Oleanna, "Lord Sonam is Master of Artisans, and Master Tuana is currently sitting as proxy for the Master of Providers."

She turned her gaze between those who sat there. "You have all been made aware of the beasts and the trouble and heart ache they have caused Gaiaton. The council has found it necessary," Inana scoffed but didn't interrupt, and Neferet did not break her flow of words or her focus on the foreigners, "to create and maintain a city guard to endure even after the beasts have been handled. My hope is that you might all work together."

"The attacks have stopped, Neferet," Inana said with rol of his eyes as two lovely Gaiaton girls came forward, holding largs baskets.

"We just had attacks last night," Akbar reminded the plump merchant.

"Surely now that Neferet has ended work on the road, our men are finally safe," smiled Inana. Beside Tuana, one of the servant girls bent over and opened the lid. A faint hissing could be heard, and Tuana looked in the basket. As if picking out a piece of fruit from a market stall, he reached a hand in quickly and snatched a brightly colored snake by its neck. Its body whipped for a moment before his grasp cracked the Snake's neck with practiced movements, and he draped the dead snake over the girl's arm.

"Yes, I'm sure you're very pleased by that," said Master Ona, lifting a hand to stroke his beard as Sonam chose and killed his own snake, while the second girl moved to Akbar. Akbar killed two, and then the baskets moved towards the foreigners. If they looked inside, they would see writhing snakes upon each other.

"It was a terrible idea. Gaiaton doesn't need new roads."

"You mean, you don't want foreign traders," replied Tuana.

"We don't need any more foreigners, " Inana responded. "Unless its to kill the beasts, I'm sure." Inana looked at Krypt, and raised his cup. "My money is on you."

Akbar scoffed, but kept his opinion to himself.

"This is not a game, Lord Inana," Neferet said. "Pray that tonight is a night without attack. We have already lost so many."

"And who's fault is that?" Tuana asked, his eyes blazing over the table at Neferet.

Master Ona reached out to lay a hand on Tuana's forearm, while Neferet calmly took the heat of the young man's arm. "The only person in charge of the path we walk is ourselves," Ona gently said.

"The boy has a point," said Inana. "She's supposed to be an Oracle, but she couldn't have seen this great darkness in Gaiaton's future?"

"She's brought great lightness, too," Sonam stated.

"Gentleman, my faults as they are, it is more important that we make a decision regarding these warriors and the beasts," Neferet reminded them.

"The Living Jungle is no place for a woman," sniffed Sonam, who had been the first to whisper to Tuana at Oleanna's entrance.

Inana laughed, "She's no woman," he remarked, and Ona was quick to step in. "Were I a lowly betting man, Inana," Ona stated with clear indication of his feelings regarding Inana, "I would say the Dame would outpace your Grey Warrior."

"Fenris has the men and the ability," Akbar stated blandly.

"Numbers mean little in the Livig Jungle," Tuana said.

"Or against the Demon and the Pitch," added Sonam.

Inana clapped his hands together. "It is decided! The warrior that slays the Demon and the Pitch will become the Captain of the Guard."

Neferet frowned. "That is not a sound basis of judgement," she spoke. "Especially given that at least on of the warriors does not plan to stay." She glanced at Krypt as she spoke.

Master Ona employed a method of bluntness in his life that left no room for duplicity, or even truly for prettily spoken words of cunning. Master Ona could be manipulated like any man or woman could be, but his straight forward and clear sighted approach tot he world made it difficult.

That was why he liked Oleanna D'Ignis, even if she didn't like him. Her explanation was pleasing, and her joke at her own expense confirmed it. "I imagine you can do your job exceptionally well," Ona replied, and then rejoined the conversation to snipe back and forth with Lord Inana.

Oleanna's support of Neferet's words, were instantly met with opinions.

"YOUR words are not necessary," Sonam stated.

"Anyone invited may have a say," Neferet spoke, "this is something we agreed to when we decided unanimously, as a council, to seek a city guard and a council for it."

"That was before we knew you were bringing a woman," Sonam exchanged back.

"If her gender offends you, Sonam, you can remove yourself from the council," Ona observed.

Tuana slapped his hand on the table. "This is ridiculous. The beasts are out there, and we're in here, eating and arguing like children."

Neferet kept her calm, turning to regard the foreigners. "The situatuion with the beasts has been very upsetting to all of us. All of our hearts have been broken by it."

There was a moment of silence, but Inana filled it by cracking open nuts and eating them.

"Well it seems I am too late for that position." he said a small grin entering on his features as his eyes flicked to Oleanna."However I can still offer my services, and yes..." he said addressing the councilman. But Neferet was speaking before he could say much much. He got a good idea of how things were, a typical political table filled with moderates, conservatives, and progressives. So far the fat-merchant seemed the most conservative. "Numbers may mean little, and perhaps I can shave my men's numbers down, the heat doesn't agree with them, but our land is a living forest, we are not unused too hostile environments... I will do my best to track these creatures and end the threat, but... I would like to discuss the terms of our agreement soon." he said turning his gaze to Neferet.

He moved forward and started to eat, not wanting to be rude, starting with the nuts, cracking them with his fingers. Before almost casually grasping at a snake, catching it around its neck where it could not bite him and cracking it against the table. He preferred chicken but he was not picky.

Arguing. Debate. Politics. All things that bored Krypt senseless; to the point where his eyes were staring at the ground, and the man was more interested in twiddling a small bone rune between his fingers than even listening to the conversation being had. It was all rather confusing anyway, and he had trouble keeping up with who was saying what and who they were even when he had tried to pay attention.

Instead, he resigned him to blindly taking one of the snakes from the offered container, a look on his face as though he might fall asleep.

As the snake partially coiled around his arm, he brought it up to his face, so that he might stare it in the eyes. Similar creatures existed in his homeland, but they were far larger... And with many more teeth. This one seemed harmless, even tame. For a brief moment, he considered sparing it and letting it go free, or even making it a small companion for his travels. After all, he had eaten meat that morning and would not need to eat again until the evening.

However, everyone else seemed to be partaking in Gaiaton's strange, snake-eating culture and despite caring little about how he appeared to others, he felt it would be more of a bother than an advantage to be seen as too weak-bellied to eat the offered food. So, with a slight sigh, he placed the snake's head in his mouth and crunched it off before it could bite his tongue.

He felt a little bad about it, but swallowed anyway. He could at least make sure it didn't go to waste.

"Right. Raise your hand if you think we should go hunt and kill these monsters so that the people who are actually going to risk themselves can get on with it," he spoke, clearly out of order. He neglected to mention his earlier plan of having warriors secretly watch the city for threats entering or leaving. A lot of people were present at the council and if just one of them happened to be associated with the monsters, the plan would be ruined.

Best to somehow do it in secret.