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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cerebral Paladin" data-source="post: 3047386" data-attributes="member: 3448">With the war planning dealt with, the Archducal Council, as Alistair and his friends were fast becoming, began planning the rest of its day.  Dame Brionna focused on the need to investigate Lady Mayor Overfifer and her son’s surprising relationship with Cassandra of Caligshire, although of course it must not look like an investigation.  She also noted the desirability of a meeting with the Princess of Stormreach, to begin investigating whether she would be a suitable wife for Alistair.  Kit resolutely ignored that but passed the word out through her organization that the Mouth wanted a meeting with the Elite Hand.  For his part, Alistair wanted to bring matters to a head with the Duke of Brightspan and also wanted to meet with the ambassador from Hanal about a host of matters.  Invitations with the force of commands quickly issued.  Lady Overfifer and her family were to join the Archduke and his Council for tea; dinner would be a formal but private affair with the Hiercov of Magdad, ambassador of Hanal.  Over the next few days, each of Alistair’s vassals in his capacity of Duke of Canberry proper were to join them for tea, while the Duke of Brightspan would attend a formal lunch, “at His Grace the Duke of Brightspan’s convenience but no later than two days from today.”  Treating her as of ambassadorial rank, Alistair invited the Princess of Stormreach to the following day’s dinner, in keeping with the pattern he had established of dining with the Noldar ambassador and the Hanalian ambassador on the preceding days.Lady Overfifer arrived promptly at the appointed time, wearing the most severe outfit for tea imaginable on anyone besides a nun.  Her black gown concealed her form effectively, leaving no more than a quarter inch of neck visible and covering her arms completely to past the wrist.  Presumably, she had legs somewhere beneath the gown’s skirt, but the Council could only guess.<> Kit sent.  <<Nothing so far but apprehension and a hint of curiosity.  What do you make of her clothing choice?>><> Alistair thought back.  <<But she seems to still be in mourning, even though it’s been years.  Her husband took an active role leading the constabulary and died violently in the service.>>“Your grace,” said Lady Overfifer, executing a perfect curtsy.  “May I present my sons?”Her three sons each bowed in turn.  Kit suppressed a laugh as she read the thoughts of Wade, the oldest at 14.  <<That must be the Archduke’s girlfriend.  I can see why… she’s stacked.”  Used to being the center of men’s attention, Kit was merely amused by the boy’s response, not offended.  Henry, the middle son, was slightly interested in his surroundings, but already beginning to dread the long and tedious conversations among adults that his mother engaged in so often.  The youngest son, eight-year-old Sven, struck Kit as the most remarkable.  He was precocious; taking into account his age, he was almost certainly the smartest of the Overfifer sons.  And everything about a visit to court fascinated him-- the surroundings, the people, the prospect that they might talk about matters of importance that he would only partially understand but would try his best to figure out.“We are pleased to welcome them to the palace.  Your family has always served the Archduchy loyally and well, and we anticipate that one day your sons will serve as well as you have.  We asked you here to discuss if there are any matters that you believe that the Archduchy should know about, or matters of concern where you would wish our aid.”Kit sent to Alistair, <<She’s relieved to hear you say that.  It seems that she had worried that with the death of the Archduchess, she had lost her connection to the Archducal government.”“Thank you, your grace,” replied Lady Overfifer.  “I’ve taken the liberty of bringing reports on the principle issues that face the city.”Kit glanced shrewdly at Henry.  “M’lady, perhaps your younger sons might prefer to spend some time in our gardens?  I’m sure my page would be happy to befriend them, and they wouldn’t have to listen to these matters.”  <<And Abigail will be able to find out if Henry knows anything more effectively than we could…>>“Thank you, Dame Katherine.  I’m sure that Henry would quite like that.”“Mother, may I stay?” asked Sven.  “I promise I’ll be quiet.  But I never get to come to things like this, and I’d like to stay here.”“Yes, dear, that will be fine,” Lady Overfifer replied, smiling indulgently.  She then reverted to her serious mien as Henry left.  “I am concerned about the state of the city guard.  We do our best, but our resources are limited and the guard has been pressed to its limits lately, especially with your grace’s impending coronation.”  Alistair and Dame Brionna discounted this concern somewhat-- the Overfifers always believed that the city guard needed expansion, strengthening, and further training.  Lady Overfifer handed across a second piece of parchment.  “We have also had some problems with grain spoliation.  Rats infested four of the warehouses.  At first, we feared that all of the grain had been spoiled, but the remaining warehouses remain safe.”“Where are the warehouses with the spoliation?” asked Dame Brionna.  “Any pattern?”“All were located just south of the Merchants Ward.  The warehouses in the Merchants Ward are sealed more tightly, and the rats could not get in.  But it is worse than just the loss of grain.  Someone has been killing my rat catchers.  I can’t imagine that’s random chance, your grace, so it must be a plot against the grain supply.  I have considered asking the Temple for support, but I worried after the battle in the Cathedral that it was pressed to the limit, even assuming the Archbishop took my concerns seriously.”Alistair nodded.  “We knew that the Skaven were attacking within the city-- it should be no surprise that they would go after the food supply, or the rat catchers for that matter.  I would have hoped that the bounties would have done more to control that…  We’ll have to consider what more can be done.”Lady Overfifer continued.  “Unfortunately, the last matter I have to discuss is the most serious, your grace.  This is a study of the increased number of kidnappings and murders over the last four months.  There are some dismaying patterns.”“We know,” said Dame Brionna.  “Most of the victims are young unmarried women.  I’m worried that the deaths are part of an occult plot.”Lady Overfifer nodded.  “I noticed the same pattern, myself.  If it is the work of a chaos cult, we will need to increase the support of clerics throughout the city.”Kit added mentally, <<Everything about her seems on the up and up.  No signs she’s concealing anything, and she’s honestly concerned about the threats.  Hard to believe in the head of the city constabulary, but there you go.>>Alistair scanned the parchment before responding.  “Last night, we moved against several demons that had set up operations in the sewers.  We had hoped that that would bring the killings to a close.  It doesn’t appear to have, but if we are very lucky, the murders last night were the last before our raid.”  Alistair coughed a little.  “We regret not coordinating the raids with your forces, but we had not yet had the opportunity to verify that you could be fully trusted.  We have no concerns on that front, now.   Prepare a letter to the Archbishop asking for more clerical support for the watch and for the use of some of the church knights, if they can be spared.  We’ll endorse the letter.“Thank you, your grace,” Lady Overfifer responded.  “The city appreciates your support.”“We understand that Canberry City is the heart of the Archduchy in more ways than one.  We should meet regularly to discuss issues in the city.  Perhaps once a fortnight, or more frequently if you wish or have urgent matters…”<<Make it public… Raising the notion of private meetings makes her nervous, thinking of your reputation and the fact that she’s a widow.>>“Perhaps you could attend a regular lunch with my Council, and of course any advisors of yours that would be helpful?” asked Alistair.“I would be happy to, your grace.”“We should also discuss possible areas of land within the city for a construction project I intend to start.  We will be building three new schools, to train magi, priests, and psions in an effort to strengthen the Archduchy’s resources, and each will need significant space for its campus.  We would like your aid in choosing sites.”“With pleasure, your grace.  The schools can be used to replace buildings that are going to waste, and the faculty and students will help reinvigorate poorer areas in the City…”“Our thoughts exactly, although we must also be careful to not place them in areas that would harm the ability of the schools to recruit faculty and students.”“Of course, of course.  Let me see… I will have to consult my maps and discuss the matter with some advisors…”Kit’s eyes suddenly widened.  “There’s a new mind active on the far side of the wall.  And as soon as I sensed it, I lost my mindlink…”</blockquote>

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