"That is a very nice trick sword," Laur'ien murmured to Midori later that day, the two of them standing not far from where Jantha spoke with a foreign lord. The tawny haired woman's eyes scanned the chamber even as she spoke, her slim body ready to move beneath her maid's uniform. "Hmm," Midori murmured, clearly uninterested in being draw out. Instead the black haired woman kept her gaze focused on Jantha herself, coiled to act if anything dared threaten her. Laur'ien rolled her eyes dramatically, "Not even a return compliment on how good my eyes are?" A sigh, "I'm crushed." Midori's lips twitched in a smile, "You have wonderful eyes, better?" "It's be nice if you meant that," Laur'ien responded dryly. Jantha nodded to the ambassador, feeling a moment of satisfaction as she completed the agreement. While there was no alliance yet, he had agreed in principle to a non-aggression pact... which in the present circumstance would do just as well. The smaller blonde studied her two guards, "And what deviltry are you two up to?" "Oh?" Laur'ien looked as innocent as possible. Jantha looked amused but decided not to push. "It looks like I'm done here," she hefted the documents, "it's best if I give this to the viceroy." "Then let's go," Midori said simply, the two guards bracketing Jantha as they left the private chamber and returned to the halls. They walked together with the same wary caution they brought to everything, watching without appearing to do so. "So," Jantha quietly said as she nodded towards the staff that Midori carried, "when were you going to tell me?" "I wasn't, actually," Midori answered mildly. "What?" Jantha blinked. Midori shrugged as they passed the guards, moving to the main meeting hall. "A hidden weapon is only valuable if no one knows about it," she said calmly, "tha's why I asked you and the Queen to keep it a secret." "Fair enough," Jantha had to concede that. "Tool of the trade," Laur'ien casually noted, "I certainly won't tell you where I hide all my knives, for instance." The chamber was quiet as they walked forward, this time moving to the side where a door awaited. Jantha nodded to the guard, "Could you tell Richard that we're here?" "Of course, m'lady," he bowed, the bronze breastplate he wore gleaming. Turning he entered the room for a moment then returned, "The viceroy would be honored to see you, dutchess." The three entered the chamber, Midori first so that she could sweep the room warily. Like many of the rooms it was unadorned, a rack of scrolls, chairs and a simple desk the only items. The man behind the desk looked up, his hair nearly white despite his relative youth, and smiled warmly at them in welcome. "Getting in trouble again, Jantha?" he asked as he moved from behind the desk, walking with a slight limp. Jantha smiled back as she accepted a quick hug from him. "It's not my fault Richard," she protested gently. Richard laughed, "I'm sure." Jantha smoothly handed over the scroll, "As requested, the nonaggression pact." "Very nice," Richard nodded, taking the scroll and setting it in a certain section of the rack. He leaned on the side of the desk, letting his gaze flow over Midori and Laur'ien. "These are my new guards," Jantha smiled, "Midori and Laur'ien." "It's an honor," Richard nodded to them thoughtfully. "I'm glad that you're protecting Jantha," he said seriously. Midori just nodded gravely while Laur'ien studied him curiously in return. "It's our pleasure," Laur'ien replied, "and honor, of course." "Is she still as messy as she was when she was younger?" Richard asked impishly, "I recall visiting her home once and could barely find the floor...." "Richard!" Jantha protested. "I suspect the maids keep that under control," Laur'ien reassured him with a smile. "Known each other long?" Midori whispered to Jantha. "Since we were children," Jantha confirmed mournfully. "He reminds me o' that damn bard," Midori confessed. "He actually attended bardic school for a time," Jantha revealed, "do you think they train their students to do that?" "Wouldn't surprise me," Midori sighed. "Wait a moment," Richard broke off his conversation with Laur'ien to look at Midori in surprise, "I knew I heard your name before!" "Eh?" Midori blinked "There's a new comic ballad going around the bardic community," Richard revealed, "called the Ballad of Magnificent Midori." "Hells," Midori cursed softly, "that fool Nat'anel actually wrote it?!" Richard nodded cheerfully, "In fact it's becoming quite popular in the bars." Midori just groaned. Laur'ien, on the other hand, looked quite interested, perched there on the corner of the desk. "So how does it go?" she asked curiously. "There's a ballad about you?" Jantha asked Midori under her breath. "A certain bard I know joked about it," Midori sighed, "who knew he'd do it?" Richard sang clearly, his voice carrying through the small room, the first few lines telling of her traveling from the east and writing wrongs as she went. The next verse explained how she arrived in the city and a time she journeyed as a caravan guard, helping fight off bandits on her own. "That actually happened?" Laur'ien asked curiously. "I had help," Midori growled. "In the bar she worked as a bouncer true, Strong of arm and weapons sure, Pretty maids came from far and wide, Yet in her cause she was always pure." Jantha nearly choked at that line. "Did that happen very often?" she asked Midori, surprised to feel a sudden flash of jealousy. 'Of course I ended up staying around the bar because of her too,' she admitted to herself. "He exaggerates," Midori said through gritted teeth. Richard continued to sing on, describing several of the battles Midori fought, often protecting the virtue of maids yet never accepting any of the pretty maids' eagerly offered rewards. It wasn't too explicit but it was amusingly suggestive, enough that it would be popular in lower bars yet good enough to be enjoyed in fine parlors. Laur'ien clapped as he finished, "Oh, well done! I'll have to hit the bars one night and hear it played with a lute." "Thank you," Richard bowed his eyes tending to Midori, "but I suspect your companion is less than happy." The normally cool looking Midori's cheeks were bright pink, her eyes narrowed in anger. "When I get my hands on Nathaniel I'm going to break his lute over his head," she scowled. "I hate to say, but he's protected by bardic immunity," Jantha reminded her. Midori just growled.
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