Considering the Next Move

-Dalen Capital, Cartwright Estate, Early Morning 3 DSTR-

He smiled and stood, offering her his hand to help her up. “What sort of partner would I be if I did not offer good wine and bad drama?” He quipped and gave a flourished bow. He retrieved his jacket and soon the two were in his carriage rolling to his home.

The house was large, expansive dining area and a ballroom and game room were clearly seen when one entered the house. Stairs went up to several guest rooms on the second floor. A grand stairway rose up from the center of the room twisting up to the second floor around a marble pillar carved to look like the trunk of a tree. The decoration was nothing like the man, statues of gods and heros, drapes and carpets from distant lands, a clear showing of wealth and money.

The staff was there to greet them even at this late hour, not one had a slave collar on. Taking his coat and giving him papers even as he walked in. “It is an update, sir, from Sarx, she said you owe her, one of her best agents had to be killed.” The short gnome said as he entered, the little one giving Celest a long and not well appraising look. “How long do you intend to do business with her?”

“Until she is no longer profitable.” Randel said with a charming smile. “You will see Miss Circe is given a room, something in the east wing, the light is better there in the morning.” He said this to Celest more than his staff.

She would be led off to one of the suits, he took his paperwork and went to his room.

The third floor of the house was accessed by a spiral stairway at the north end of the house. A large room with a glass dome that looked out into the sky. The place was an observatory for the last owner, and the reason he bought the house. The room was lined with shelves, books were put in them to the point of over flowing. The cost of the library was not able to be calculated, books and texts that were known no place else, hidden from the world, they were his secrets.

A thick oak desk was burdened with paper, manuscripts bound with cords, hos own writings. He had some books published, but these, these books would get him killed. Books on new means of governing, morality, even books that spoke against the very gods themselves. They were bound and kept there to keep them silent, dangerous ideas he had let slip from his mind and gain access to the world. He kept them there for the safety of all around him.

His bed was in the center of the room, it looked up at the dome, and into the stars. He lay down and let sleep wash over him, still in his clothing from the play.

He woke with a start, one of his staff shook him softly. “Sir, it is an hour after dawn, we thought you might like to be awake before your guest.”

He rubbed his eyes and looked around. He had fallen into bed with the paperwork they had given him last night. “Yes, send clothes to the bath, I will wash up.” His mouth was dry, and his head ached some, he had over done it a bit last night, and now in the morning, he was wondering about what to make of all of it.

The bath was in the basement, a lavish room with a shaped pool made from magic and the water heated to the perfect temperature with spells and alchemy. Around the pool plants grew, giving the place a natural feel, as if one were in a steamy jungle.

In the bath he had a moment of quiet, to sit and focus his mind. Kline’s land looked harder to get, he needed the leverage over the warlord. He needed to keep his eyes and ears open, things had been too quiet from the palace. The Queen had not been seen and even the taking of one of her hounds did not rouse the Queen from her nest. Something was up, but he did not know what and he had no spies in the palace. He would need to gain some.

He leaned his head back.

Money was power, and he would need to use some power to gain access. Who though, and how? He would need to get a list of all those who had access to the Queen.

A new religion would need to be formed, and he was just the sort to know what it would take to form one. The Lady of Splendid Grace, the name had a ring to it, now he would just need to sell the idea to his new guest.