(1866-10-13) A Faint Idea of a Plan
A Faint Idea of a Plan
Summary: Back at Castle Roseguard, Adrienne seeks out Raelyn to speak with her about her idea regarding the current murders at Sunsreach; Stephen joins the discussion.
Date: 18/10/2015 (Date of RP)
Related: Murder stuff
Players:
Adrienne  Raelyn  Stephen  

Castle Roseguard - Ironhold - Rivana
Later
Octobre 13th, 1866

It felt good to be back at Castle Roseguard. Adrienne had returned on the previous day, after a brief visit to Sunsreach that followed the tournament at Pacitta so many Cassomirs had attended. This freckled specimen of a Cassomir seemed quite at ease with herself and the world, that was the woods of Ironhold she had missed so dearly. She had seen to get her horse Checkmate settled in the stables, reclaimed her room at the castle, and spent some time with her wolfhound Douglas outside. It is on this following morning, that the Huntress chooses to pay Raelyn a visit in her rooms. Suspecting she may be there, as the weather has turned for the worse once again, an autumnal steady downpour, Adrienne arrives by Raelyn's door and knocks against it, to announce herself, along with a "Raelyn, are you there? It's me. Adrienne." Should Raelyn open the door she will see her Huntress cousin, dark hair worn in an orderly braid, her freckled features warmed with a faint smile, and she attired in the typical tunic and leggings of a Huntress.

Raelyn, dressed in a simple, if not appealing dress - something worn for more casual wear around the castle perhaps, is at her desk. She looks up from her work, where she is doubtless studying and doing figures at the whim of the Master Steward to better learn the intracacies of running the County. "Please do. I invite any, and all distractions," Raelyn says, cheerfully. "The door is open. Come in." Raelyn grins, some. "Welcome back to Roseguard. Glad you're here." And she rises to give her cousin a hug.

A hug that will be most readily accepted! Adrienne smiles, leaving the door open after entering. "There's no place like home," she remarks, green eyes meeting Raelyn's gaze after that hug has been had and she lets go of the Mistress of the Hunt, who is also her Huntress sister. Her gaze flits briefly towards the table and she nods. "I can see why you'd be eager for any distractions… that looks awfully much like a lot of tedious work. And I'm glad to be back. I've missed Roseguard. Oh, and greetings of course, from our Cassomirs at Sunsreach." Where Adrienne had stayed in the family's manse. "How have all of you been? Made it safely back, after the tourney, as I can see…"

"Made it back safely," confirms Raelyn, warmly, easily. "And Stephen is finding out just all about we Huntresses," she laughs, just a little. "I don't think he's quite used to all the badgering, and questions. We protect our own a little too much, perhaps." Though this is said in entirely good humor. "And things have been pleasently uneventful for once. But yes." She glowers at the books, and parchments. "Tedious work. Compliments of Jaren getting wed, I fear. Now I know how he felt when this was thrust upon him. Ah well. Nothing for it."

"Oh?", Adrienne shoots Raelyn a glance at the mention os Stephen Greycen. "I haven't had the chance to speak with him yet. How is he adapting to the prospect of so many future Huntress relatives?" The question comes with a good-natured wink. The mention of Jaren has the mirth dim just a tad into a slightly pensive fondness. "Ah yes. The Royal Wedding. The reason I went to Sunsreach in the first place. You can rejoice. Seems I've gotten some help with the dress I shall wear on that day, from Princess Clara Tracano." Dresses and Adrienne - two things that did not exactly go well together, as Raelyn probably will know.

Dresses and Cassomir women don't go all that well together, but appearances must be kept up! Raelyn gives a wry little nod, "At least the Princess is a caring sort, and has a good eye for such. And she's not overly forceful." Raelyn has a certain fondness for Clara, afterall. "I trust it was not too wearisome, and terrible?"

"The contrary, actually. I visited her at the Palace, and she actually showed me some of her dresses, and gives me one of her dresses to wear!", Adrienne says, biting her lip. "It seems she is helping Emilia as well, and well… she is pretty involved in dealing with the arrangements for the wedding." Her smile deepens a little. "Well. We all need to look good on that day, and it will be due to House Tracano." She looks down where she fidgets with her belt, where the sheath of her dagger is attached to it. "You did get my letter, I suppose?"

Raelyn nods, "I did," she agrees, opening a drawer in her desk to pull the very same letter out of where she'd kept it. She frowns just a bit, then looks back to Adrienne, wondering mildly, "Just what is it that was so important you had to speak with me in person?"


To the Mistress of the Hunt, Raelyn Cassomir

Dear Raelyn,

I write to you from the manse in Sunsreach, where, as you may have heard, I am staying at the moment to tackle the challenge of acquiring a new dress for Jaren's wedding.

Recently, there have been more murders of women in Sunsreach, four have been killed so far. I suspect this may go on. There are suspects but there is no evidence yet to act on. The murders seem to be aimed at the Royal family. I have a plan. It may not work. But I would need the Huntresses. Either way, maybe you have to step in to move things forward.

We need to talk, once I am back in Ironhold.

Adrienne.


Adrienne's eyes linger on Raelyn as she gets her letter out of the drawer of her desk, and indeed, her smile dims a little further. "You've heard of those murders in Sunsreach?", she inquires. "I didn't want to get more into detail in my letter, because some of what I learned in the Capital… well, it may be that there will be more attempts. I had thought that perhaps it would be a good idea to offer Queen Alysande the help of the Huntresses to investigate this."

Within the confines of Raelyn's room, the door open, the two women continue to talk. "I've only just heard," confides Raelyn, mildly. She nods some. "Perhaps she does need our help. You are interested in persuing this?" She inquires, curiously. "I've only heard the rumors of course, not any facts. But coming so soon after our Uncle's death, I cannot expect she is entirely pleased."

"Of course she is not pleased!", Adrienne agrees, her eyes gleaming eagerly, even so she will add after a moment: "I have spoken to some people who were discussing the matter with Her Majesty. Seems there has been a seamstress and a courtesan found dead, after the first two murders. It all points to this being a 'statement' made against House Tracano, as the first dead woman, and the two others all have been allegedly involved with the Prince of Fools at some point." She exhales, trying to bring some order into her thoughts before she continues: "There are suspicions in regards to a certain House being responsible, but without any evidence the Queen is not really able to act."

Raelyn nods, "Of course not." Raelyn exhales, noting mildly, "Perhaps I ought to write and ask if she desires our assistance. Besides yourself, I know of a few who might be interested in so doing." She pauses, "But at the same token, were I the Queen, I would want my own guard and House to settle the matter. To continue to rely on other Houses speaks, yes, to unity. But also lends to perception she cannot handle the matter of her own accord."

Having heard some of the voices as he came down the hallway, Lord Stephen Greycen pokes his head into the doorway, canting it curiously, and with a slight frown upon his face, "Forgive the intrusion, I didn't want to interrupt, but what I overheard as I approached sounded like grim tidings." He bows slightly at the waist towards the two ladies, though of course more directed towards Raelyn. "Anything I might assist with?"

"Hmmm," Adrienne glances down towards her hands as she considers. "It can't hurt to at least offer her our assistance. And when I heard of it, well… it seems the Queen is already reacting. She has asked Prince Tristan to make a list…" A slight roll of her eyes there, "And have these other women that are possibly in danger of getting murdered into safety. I am sure that help could be needed indeed, in guarding all these women. And… I had sort of an idea… but I'm not sure it would be actually a thing to pursue…" Losing already some of her confidence, the freckled Huntress's words trail off and she bites her lip once again.

That's when Stephen peeks in, and Adrienne notes his presence with a raised brow, turning halfway, to offer him a nod in greeting, which seems a small gesture in comparison to his bow from the waist, but honestly? A curtsey executed in tunic and leggings would look a little ridiculous. "Lord Stephen," she greets. "I was talking about the murders in Sunsreach. I was suggesting we'd offer our assistance." 'We' meaning the Mistress of the Hunt.

"Stephen." Nope, not Lord Stephen. Then again, Raelyn is with family, and her betrothed. Her voice is warm, pleasant, and a more than a little fond. "Do come in." Entirely proper with her cousin there to supervise, yes? She nods, "We were discussing the murders of Sunsreach. I've only heard rumor of it recently, and we were discussing whether or not to offer ourselves, and another two or three of us to go investigate. It would mean another trip to Sunsreach. But, I've no desire to make the Queen appear as if she can't handle her own affairs without outside assistance, either." She looks torn on the matter, then looks back to Adrienne. "What is your idea?"

"There is no harm in the courtesy of offering aid to one's liege." Stephen replies, frowning, "Though I hadn't heard of these new murders." That bit is a bit more subdued, and perhaps laced with a hint of surprise. Still, he continues, "It shows that you are proactive in your desire to serve, and if the Queen chooses to decline the offer, at least it was made. If she accepts, then she feels the need for more expertise outweighs any matters of image. The Tracanos are a small house after the Succession War, it is not unreasonable that they may, for a generation or two, have to rely more heavily on the assistance of their vassals in some matters." He does offer a smile towards Raelyn that carries genuine warmth, a degree of which is retained when he turns his gaze towards Adrienne, "As much as my professional curiosity urges me, I'll not ask you to repeat all that you've told to Raelyn. If the Queen wishes my aid in this matter, I'll likely hear of it soon enough." It isn't as though he's the only Warden in Rivana, after all. Even if some might claim him one of their best. "But I couldn't help but hear you mention that some particular House is suspected?"

It takes Adrienne a moment or two to reply to Raelyn's question about her 'idea'. "When I heard of the dead somehow having been involved with the Prince of Fools, I admit I had this brief flash of what we usually do in the woods crossing my mind - when hunting a particular tricky beast. I'm not sure it is applicable to this particular situation, but… if we could lay out a bait, watching over said bait of course. Maybe we could be able to seize some of the culprits… And gain more information." She exhales, her arms crossing before her as she flashes Raelyn a brief glance, gauging her reaction.

To Stephen the freckled Cassomir nods. "Aye, that is what I thought. Her Majesty can decline, if she doesn't want to make use of us, but… it should be you that offers the assistance, Raelyn." Being the Mistress of the Hunt, and all. However, Adrienne seems a little more friendly towards Stephen now, allowing her lips to curl a little which breaches her slightly stoic facade. His question has her lift both brows and she shrugs. "Alas, I was not informed about that particular detail. It were Princess Clara Tracano and Sir Aidric Carling who gave me an account of that particular meeting with the Queen." Not inclined to lie there. "Both were reluctant to give me that information. But it is said, that both Sir Aidric and Prince Tristan were quite outspoken to have that particular line of a House 'eradicated'.", this Adrienne admits with a faint frown.

Raelyn looks towards Stephen, "My guess would be the Abaras." She knows how emphatically the two nobles mentioned hate the aforementioned house. Not that she's entirely a fan either. She frowns, nodding some, and slides some of the parchments away that she'd been working on and draws out a clean one. "I prefer something I can shoot," Raelyn states, "Or track down to this courtly intrigue." She looks up at Stephen, then, "But I will extend to offer." She nods to Adrienne. "Perhaps. But we would need a better idea of motive, and proper bait first."

"The Abaras are strongly suspected of effectively running the Assassin's guild of Rivana. But if they were easily caught in the act, they'd have been done away with long ago." Stephen frowns, considering a bit, "They are crafty and dangerous, but they are not a noble house. That buys a bit of leeway, at least as far as any thoughts of making war upon them goes." He glances to Adrienne, "You have a volunteer to act as bait? Is there some common thread linking these victims?" He adds after a moment, "If you're thinking of trying to interrogate Abara assassins…" He shakes his head slightly, "Well, don't hold high hopes of attaining much information from them. Few ever do. Even when…" He frowns a bit, "More extreme measures of interrogation are applied."

"Well… it is not really a plan yet, more like an idea.", drawls Adrienne, rolling her eyes ever-so-slightly. "I just wanted to… well, suggest a way that might help them gain some evidence. Such evidence is what is lacking at the moment, and it is quite understandable the Queen refuses to undertake such measures on a mere suspicion." She coughs, and clears her throat. "I would propose to leave one or even a few of those former bedmates of Prince Tristan," - there is not even the slightest flinch as she states that, in a matter-of-factly tone - "in their accustomed surroundings, with a few skilled people - Huntresses, for instance - watching over them day and night, ready to intercept any assault and to seize any assaillants."

The freckled Cassomir turns to Stephen: "No, I haven’t really gotten as far as to present you with a volunteer. I am not sure any will be forthcoming, in fact. Such a plan holds a risk, the risk that an attempt cannot be thwarted in time. The victims have all been women of common birth… involved with Prince Tristan at some point, apart from the child who was sitting beneath the first woman's corpse. But even there… it does not take much imagination to suspect the connection to the Prince." She lowers her gaze when the Greycen speaks of more extreme measures of interrogation, with only the slightest twitch of a brow occurring. "I see, my lord."

"And they are quite - disturbing, to say the least," adds Raelyn, to Stephen's information. She hasn't forgotten how 'creepy' the men were they'd met with the prior year. She frowns, shakes her head some, and she begins to write, with precise, flowing handwriting her letter to the Queen. As she does so, "A connection, perhaps. Yes. But many have a connection to him," replies Raelyn, "Some more than others." She glances briefly to her cousin, then to Stephen. "I think it important to find out exactly what that connection is, first. Though it would be up to the Prince if he wished to rely that information. No doubt he's already shared such with Lord Carling."

"That doesn't necessarily mean it isn't worth trying to capture some of them anyway." Stephen notes towards Adrienne with a bit of a smile, "Sometimes information can be gleaned without interrogation. Or even the barest hints that they might give prove useful." Stephen shrugs a shoulder, "But yes, this remains all purely hypothetical unless and until the Queen grants us leave to aid directly in the investigation." He adds, "But that doesn't mean we can't plan and prepare for the eventuality." He adds, "There is also the possibility that the murders will cease now that the message has been delivered, but I wouldn't make any wagers on that front…the Abara are rumored to be nothing if not thorough."

Adrienne seems to be quite pleased her thoughts are being taken seriously and not waved off, there is a glint in her green eyes as they linger on Raelyn in the process of starting to write a letter to the Queen, and her lips curve into a cautious smile. "You are right, of course," she concedes to her cousin's words. "As to Lord Carling… he has been expelled from the Palace for a time. It seems he got a little carried away when he addressed the matter in Her Majesty's presence, and raised his voice in an undue manner." The latter added with the faintest hint of a smirk - out of place, as it may seem. "But I am sure he and Prince Tristan will continue to pursue the matter with whatever means are allowed to them." Her gaze flits to Stephen, and her demeanour turns slightly more thoughtful. "They could have left it with the first two killings. But I agree, the point may have been made with the additional two murders, showing the connection to those addressed with those murders. Like… letting them, the Prince and Her Majesty, know this is a deliberate move against the Prince of Fools."

As Raelyn writes, she suggests thoughtfully, "It may be better to have a few Huntresses, Queen permitting, to - befriend other known female associates of the Prince. Spend time with them. Without their knowledge of the Huntresses true origins. It would seem more natural, and draw less attention than a set piece. But still perform the same function." She looks up to the other two, even as she signs her name to the document, and begins to prepare it for travel to Sunsreach.

"It seems unwise of the Abara to provoke the Tracano, but…" Stephen frowns once more, "That may square with certain rumors the Wardens have been hearing since before the Succession War. That the "Assassin's Guild" was becoming more…." He searches for the right words, "A combination of more bold and more sadistic. We never really ascertained why, and there's always been too much other work to be done to investigate too deeply." At Raelyn's suggestion, Stephen's brows lift and a ghost of a smile flits across his face, "I didn't know spy work was among your Huntresses' talents." It's not a sardonic or sarcastic statement, just one of mild surprise, "But it's a sound plan…if we can determine who the potential next victims are."

Adrienne hmmms and nods, her arms still crossed before her, tilting her head a little to the side as she considers. "Aye," she agrees with Raelyn. "Such could indeed be the better idea. It would also take time, and require a bit of deception…" A brow lifts as she states that. "But yes, I agree. It would appear less suspicious to have some 'friends' and acquaintances hanging about than more suspicious dark shadows." She glances towards Stephen, and yes, even Adrienne's lips curl into a more pronounced smile. "We all must grow with our tasks, Lord Stephen." He would have to, as well, sometime in the future. But that… is another matter entirely.

There's a half-smile from Raelyn, shrugging. "I've a few in mind that are capable of such," she says, quietly. "Neither I or my cousin among them. Or my sister. We're too well known. But, yes. As Adrienne says - adaptation may be necessary. And besides, we adapted to be Huntresses, did we not? We know how to be friends, and genuine. It is not so far-fetched, or so - complicated as outright spying. Perhaps a good place to begin. And it can't hurt. Yet," she follows this up with, "All is circumstantial at this point. We must see what the Queen says, and furthermore get the Prince’s cooperation."

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