~Risch~

Supposedly, he was off duty and keeping his head down. Even so, he had somehow managed to run into Darren Masler without even trying. He looked more comfortable away from the clutches of the great lords of the land, but Risch supposed that wasn't something to be surprised about. What did surprise him was the fact that he was here, in a run-down part of the lower wharfs. Moreover, with her wrist still in a splint, Mary Wellsworth stood beside him. Nominally, one of the major concerns of the inquisition was to root out conspiracy and put a stop to it. At the same time, the inquisition was also nominally independent of political machinations and they very much had their fingers in the pie.

"Lord Masler and Lady Wellsworth, what a surprise it is to find you here. I'm not sure if you remember me. Honestly, I'd rather you didn't for what those meetings were, but I am Inquisitor Risch of the King's Tribunal, a pleasure to once again be in your care," said Risch.

"It goes without saying that our memories of you are quite vivid, don't you agree?" asked Mary.

"I could hardly forget if I wanted to. You seem to always be just a step behind tragedy if you don't mind me observing. I can't help but wonder if your hands reach further than your lack of helpfulness might indicate." Darren mimed pulling the strings of a puppet.

"Despite what experiences you may have had with me up until now, I assure you that my intent now is not to be to your detriment. I was guided here by a certain benefactor who thinks that your plans need my input and helping hand. If it may concern you, I can also say that said benefactor is not our prince. For as long as this choice must be made, his highness has let me attend to my own doings," Risch said. He then slowly removed his sword from his belt and put it on the ground as a gesture of peace. Of course, he left the more hidden weapons where they were. It was prudent to give up a sword if it meant not having to swing it. It was not prudent to give up a sword so that you had nothing to swing.

"I don't like to think of myself as an overly paranoid person, but I am also a person who dislikes the idea that one can have too much suspicion. It's a bit of a stretch to imagine that your benefactor heard us in the last half bell and got you to come all this way before we were even through, don't you think? Would you care to explain how that all came to pass, Inquisitor Risch?" Darren asked.

"Your guess would be as good as mine. Would you believe me if I said I would have picked a better time knowing it was you two?" Risch shrugged. "That's not the point though. You're planning something and you could get my help with it. I know members of the council who would jump at that. Think of it as my making up for past misdeeds."

Darren looked unconvinced. It wasn't all that often that he could find someone who didn't know his reputation, but that came with its own benefits. Mary on the other hand, looked to be weighing the risks and benefits. Even just the fact that she hadn't dismissed him outright made the so-called 'opportunity' seem a little more real. Better than her spilling everything without a second thought at the mere mention of the great Inquisitor Risch. How many nobleman had thought they were the special ones who he would support from behind the scenes so long as they cut him into the profits? Fewer than he would've liked and more than any reasonable person might have guessed.

It wasn't too long before she led him inside, far enough that prying ears from the outside wouldn't be able to hear. Then Mary took a deep breath and said, "It'll be public soon anyway I suppose. Darren will be throwing his hat into the ring for the newly open seat on the council. I've heard that you have your own agenda. We can slip up and reveal that we're amenable to it. In exchange, you make sure that the prince doesn't interfere. After that, we'll see."

"We have an agreement then," Risch said, and he made to leave. As much as it pained him to aid their crimes, Risch still made himself call over his shoulder, "If the bodies are still fresh, it's better to open them up and dry everything out. They don't smell nearly as much that way."

***

~Elizabeth~

It felt strange that so much of her class had just suddenly stopped coming. She had known that the academy was where the very highest in society went to connect with each other a young age, but even within that there were layers. At first it was just Marilynne Wellsworth who had taken a leave of absence when her personal attendant was gravely injured. Elizabeth had felt terribly for Marilynne when she heard of what had happened. Such things were difficult enough when the injured person was close to you, but the added burden of having to do the small things without help must have been too much. Given her position, it would not have been surprising if this was the first time Marilynne would have had to dress herself or bathe without an attendant.

Much less understandable was when Darren Masler suddenly stopped coming to the academy. He hadn't even sent in a message requesting his absence and yet the teachers had barely batted eye. Elizabeth's impression of him had not been so low as to expect such a lack of curtesy out of him, but as was the purpose of attending the academy, she now knew better.

After that, Jezbeth Finer and Prince Phillip had both started prioritizing politics over their time at the academy. It was understandable that the prince had decided that he was prepared for beginning his royal duties as was his right, but Jezbeth's intrusions were the very height of arrogance. It was not enough that she was to wield influence unsuitable to her, but she had even gone so far as to usurp the better judgement of the academy's teachers in beginning before she had even graduated. Else, what was the point of having even the barest of standards for the nobility to whom power is owed by their birth?

Her prospects at ascension of any kind had dwindled to Lorn Bessel and Georn Holfe. The latter was respectable, but a complete bore to be around. All he ever talked about was the kingdom's honor. It was all fine and good for a man to have his ambitions, and Georn had made it clear that his lay in the glory of annexing the Florine Republic, but to be unable to put anything else in his eyes made him rather a bore. More than that, it made him a difficult man to forge bonds with of any kind. All he seemed to have time for were the boys who he kept as sparring partners.

Lorn at least was happy enough to give her the time of day. He wasn't actually of a higher rank than she, but he was rich enough to make up for it. He took well to the role of watching over her to make sure that she didn't do anything unbecoming and it was entertaining in its own right to flout etiquette and watch his reaction. If there was one thing difficult for a noble, it was actually losing that status, so his constant attention to being proper was probably more a product of the newness of his house than something strictly necessary. The best part of being around him though, was how up to date he was on anything and everything that went on. He said that it was for the sake of business, but more likely he just enjoyed the gossip and didn't want to admit it. Elizabeth on the other hand was not so high that she could not admit her love of hearing the goings on.

It was too bad that lately everything was the council this and the council that. It wasn't as if the members of the council actually got anything out of the deal. They were barely recognized because they spent so much time in the chamber itself and they didn't even get paid for their trouble. It was basically volunteer church service without the tearful thanks of each commoner who she passed a bowl of soup to. Even at balls, the only reason other members of high society ever talked to them was if they wanted some policy changed or some tax lowered. There was no escape for the poor bastards. Yet now that there was an open seat, every single man of status in the kingdom was chomping at the bit to be the one to put his fat ass on that chair. At least Lorn had the good sense to not want anything to do with the council. He said that it was a bad look for him or anyone in his family to have a seat on the council while also running their businesses at the same time, but it was probably just their more polite way of saying that they didn't want to do it. At least the answer was the right one in the end.

MrAntonym

Yes, I missed a week, but I am still writing. Slowly and with stops and starts. Maybe by some miracle I will write a backlog, but for now I'm basically hitting publish the moment I finish spell checking. Thanks for reading!