Patience

After the murder of Kline's servant during Kalena's party Count Chiren, aka Jack, used that opportunity to plant some questionable evidence in Kalena's home. He had already had a spy from the Rising Star deliver a couple of messages through series of servants to a few of Kalena's Nobel enemies. The message told them of some valuable documents worth their time to find if they sent some one to collect it from the location mentioned in the letters. Using his duty as an excuse, Chiren excused himself and told Kalena's servants he had urgent business to attend to. He kept the message vague in order to let Kalena's mind wander a bit. He wanted to keep her in suspense so when they met again it would shock her sense of awareness. What Kalena didn't know was that the original Chiren had been stock piling damning evidence on just about everyone in order to protect himself from either side making a move. However now that Jack is disguised as Chiren, he fully intends to use that info to achieve his goals and aid his sister Auriel. By using the Rising Star spy network Jack was able to send a few messages to Auriel and her key people about his progress. Once he arrived at the Chiren's estate and finished his reports, he made his way to his bedroom and found LeLu waiting for him. After changing back to Jack's form they embraced and enjoyed a small meal together. Jack and LeLu talked about a few things before going to bed.

Later on:
Kalena waved a hand dismissively. “Yes, yes, one thing at time.” She turned urgently to her majordomo as he came out to greet them. “Perun! What on earth has been going on? Did the driver blow himself up? Has the healer arrived? Is Chiren still here? What about Eliza?”
Perun answered the questions one by one. “Mister Le Renard was interrogating the driver inside at the time of the explosion. The healer arrived a few minutes ago and is tending to the Baron now. I confess that I lost track of Count Soldor. He and his men may have left some time ago in all the chaos. Lady Telsana is here, as are a number of members of the City Watch who have been scouring the grounds for evidence. A few more came a bit later acting strangely and insisted on searching the main house.”
“Useless dullards,” Kalena murmured disparagingly, before turning to gesture at Hemlock. “Find quarters for this woman, and have Zaonna fashion some garments for her. Under my cloak she has nothing on...”
“I see,” Perun said. “This is yet another house guest?”
“There are rather a lot of them at the moment, aren't there?” Kalena chuckled tiredly. “And perhaps there will be even more still if we decide to use my home as a staging base of operations.”
“Base of operations for what?” Hemlock asked, interjecting.
“For our campaign of retribution of course,” Kalena said with conviction. “But how we best proceed will be up to His Excellency the baron, who the Queen has chosen to handle the matter. Once again Thalia's judgment is impeccable. Not only has Kline demonstrated ample cunning and ruthlessness on the battlefield, and is a seasoned leader of men, he has also been the main focus of many of the recent attacks, so beyond his patriotic duty he has a personal stake to get to the bottom of all this –as do I! Now come along, I must speak to Lafayette and check in on Kline.”
“I would speak to the Baron about my faerie friend,” Hemlock said, with an angry glint. “I have not forgotten what your slave told us in the carriage.”
“Well I suggest you do forget about it,” Kalena replied warningly.
Perun scurried behind the two women. “I have doubled the guards around the walls, and sent out word of the substantial reward offers for those responsible for the death of Mister Al'havin.”
“The poor lad,” Kalena said sadly. “Van's death and desecration will not go unpunished.” She turned to the necromancer. “Hemlock, I expect you to tell us everything you know about it. Every last detail.”
“I said I would, didn't I?” Hemlock replied tensely.
“Perun,” Kalena said, glancing back at the man. “I want you to dispatch a message to Chiren asking him if he would please come back here tomorrow morning. We need to have a strategy meeting-all of us-to discuss how we might go about safeguarding the realm, as well as piece together the mystery of our foes, who at the present time are more than several steps ahead of us it seems. In addition to Chiren, contact Commander Styliane for me down in Ragodast. I plan to recommend to Kline that he recruit her to the cause. Adisla is just the sort we need for this kind of work, and she's ambitious enough to jump at the chance, given the possible promotion for her it might bring. Also send a message to Radogast's Sheriff's office inquiring if Oruvand is available. The man is a top-notch bounty hunter who greatly impressed me when we crossed paths a few days ago, and he would certainly be a boon to any team that we put together. If we are to succeed we are going to need the very best.”

Meanwhile Jack was back in the form of Chiren and going over some documents in his office as he sipped his tea. LeLu of course was kept in his bedroom and hidden from the public to keep her safe till Jack finished his mission. He was deciding on which document he would give Kalena as leverage when they met again. Since her enemies should have found the planted evidence he let so conveniently for them, he needed to make it look like he was busy helping her by finding some dirt on one of her enemies. Jack decided to pick the Noble who refused to send out his to Kalena's house since he was going to be the example for the others who did take action. Jack figured he could raise the hair on their necks by seeing one of them put on the spotlight. Jack sipped his tea as he patiently waited for Kalena or the Queen to summon him.

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