Herbs 'till Dusk, Secrets 'till Dawn
Ray
Iris 'Siri' Acquarone
Wanderer

Age: 22 | Height: 176 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Stormbreak
Level: 1 - Strg: 5 - Dext: 18 - Endr: 8 - Luck: 15 - Int:
Played by: Nell Offline
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Posts: 114 | Total: 163
MP: 85
#1
I R I S

Purposely, she arrived just as the sun was setting, when the customers seeking remedies would have stopped trickling into the shop and those who would seek information were still scarce.

Yes, Iris was intruding on Ray's free time.

Still, she wasn't there just for fun. A new player on the information market was an object of interest, and since they didn't move in the same circles it appeared that the only way for Iris to sate her curiosity was a visit to the herbalist's shop.

As soon as she opened the door she was struck by the air inside, weighed by the smell of new and familiar plants, melded together. Iris observed the shelves, the bottles, the baubles, the dust. The place looked so much bigger in her memory. Then, she looked around for the shop owner.



Ray


Ray Lunarium
Herbalist / Information Broker / Torchline Councilwoman

Age: 27 | Height: 5'5" | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 5 - Strg: 18 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 18 - Luck: 18 - Int:
Played by: Blackbird Offline
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Posts: 638 | Total: 3,390
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#2

A panther in the night, a fire burning bright.


Ray looked up from behind the counter where she was sorting invoices when the door chime went off. She didn't recognize the newcomer and given the odd time of visit, she was a bit wary. New to running an information network, yes? New to the mechanisms, tactics, and people of one, not at all. Granted her hunch might be wrong so it was best to remain open for now. Regardless, she gave the stranger an easy grin, not letting her gut feeing control her behavior.

"Good evening! Welcome, is there anything that I can help you find today?" She greeted warmly, watching the stranger with curiosity.

r a y

The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.
—Albert Camus



Iris 'Siri' Acquarone
Wanderer

Age: 22 | Height: 176 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Stormbreak
Level: 1 - Strg: 5 - Dext: 18 - Endr: 8 - Luck: 15 - Int:
Played by: Nell Offline
Change author:
Posts: 114 | Total: 163
MP: 85
#3
I R I S

Eyes drawn to Ray's voice, for a second Iris just considered the girl, the way she stood, how she carried herself, the look in her eyes. Then, a smile spread across Iris' face, mild and cordial. "Several things, I'm hoping." She approached the counter and let her fingers slide across it, a strange sense on nostalgia sweeping over her.

She looked around the shop once more, letting her gaze linger where fragmented memories told her she'd passed through before. "But first, let me introduce myself again." She leaned against the counter, turning back to Ray. "I'm Iris. Acquarone." Her free hand stretched out in casual greeting. "We've met before. When we were kids. Do you remember?"

Iris must have been five or six at the time. Her father had taken her brother and her to the shop on several occasions. Acquarone and Lunarium appeared to be friends to Iris' eyes. They'd leave the children to play and shut themselves away behind closed doors.
Meanwhile, she remembers her brother took pains to avoid Ray, while Iris herself alternated between following them both around and engaging in a perpetual game of hide and seek that started when Elias was tasked with keeping an eye on her.


Ray Lunarium
Herbalist / Information Broker / Torchline Councilwoman

Age: 27 | Height: 5'5" | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 5 - Strg: 18 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 18 - Luck: 18 - Int:
Played by: Blackbird Offline
Change author:
Posts: 638 | Total: 3,390
MP: 0
#4

A panther in the night, a fire burning bright.


Ray nodded with mild curiousity as the stranger spoke. Several things. The way she said it made Ray a bit worried but she hid it. At the mention of her childhood, Ray froze. She paused and studied Iris intently for a moment before distant memories came forward and a small smile overtook her features. "I remember. It's been a while. How have you been? And your family?" She asked, genuinely curious. Ray hadn't had contact with the Acquarones in a while. Not since before her parent's passing.  But she remembered them all fondly, even Elias who hated her as far as Ray's younger self could tell.

r a y

The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.
—Albert Camus



Iris 'Siri' Acquarone
Wanderer

Age: 22 | Height: 176 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Stormbreak
Level: 1 - Strg: 5 - Dext: 18 - Endr: 8 - Luck: 15 - Int:
Played by: Nell Offline
Change author:
Posts: 114 | Total: 163
MP: 85
#5
I R I S

Iris sighed, more to herself than as a response to Ray. "I don't know if you've heard. We buried Elias." The statement was made coldly, though she was not uncaring. She picked up a small jar that lay on the counter and examined its contents with little interest. Anger seethed beneath the surface. "The rest of the family is fine." She added offhandedly. "Busy with social events this time of year." She placed the jar back in its place and looked up at the shop owner with a friendly smile.

"What about you, Ray? So sorry to hear about your parents." Envious, more like.


Ray Lunarium
Herbalist / Information Broker / Torchline Councilwoman

Age: 27 | Height: 5'5" | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 5 - Strg: 18 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 18 - Luck: 18 - Int:
Played by: Blackbird Offline
Change author:
Posts: 638 | Total: 3,390
MP: 0
#6

A panther in the night, a fire burning bright.


Ray sighed heavily. "I hadn't heard. How are you holding up?" Something told Ray that saying the typical 'I'm sorry for your loss' was not the right thing to say here. And although she wanted to ask how, it likely wasn't a good time. Instead, Ray nodded as Iris mentioned the rest of her family. "That's good." She could tell that the remaining Acquarone family had some manner of drama. But it wasn't her place to pry. If she needed to know about it, one of her spies would let her know.

"I've been alright. Losing them just a few years apart was rough but....I"m holding up as well as I can. Thankfully it isn't too quiet around here. With the recent renovations there's always someone around." Truly, business had been flourishing. Both for the apothecary and for the network. It kept Ray busy enough.

r a y

The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.
—Albert Camus



Iris 'Siri' Acquarone
Wanderer

Age: 22 | Height: 176 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Stormbreak
Level: 1 - Strg: 5 - Dext: 18 - Endr: 8 - Luck: 15 - Int:
Played by: Nell Offline
Change author:
Posts: 114 | Total: 163
MP: 85
#7
I R I S

Was Ray truly unaware or was she pretending? The Acquarone patriarch certainly kept the whole affair quiet. In fact, there was not a pair of lips to be found in all of Haulani that would utter any mention of the funeral. Not in the taverns, not in the streets and alleyways. The funeral was only attended by the Acquarones and their servants, none of Elias’ numerous friends and acquaintances to be seen. They made sure to avoid Iris like the plague, only barely acknowledging that her brother was gone. And yet the tombstone stood in the family cemetery as stone cold proof that it wasn’t all a fever dream.

Well, since Erasmus was so hell-bent on keeping it quiet Iris derived a small yet satisfying amount of joy in speaking about it. Especially with Torchline’s aspiring spymaster.

As for Ray’s question, consequentially, it wasn’t something she’d been asked often. ”As one does.” She offered flatly. The number and complexity of emotions she felt about the matter were too disorienting for her to articulate, more so as she was doing her best to ignore them in the hope that they’d finally up and go away.

Iris didn’t pay much mind to the answer to her own question. She only noticed that Ray spoke of sadness and loneliness… It sounded like the girl wasn’t keeping a good grip on her emotions. ”It sounds like you need a bottle of spiced rum.” Iris noted, not unlike a doctor handing out a prescription.

After a small pause she sighed, the sound almost reluctant. ”It saddens me to burden you further, but I’m afraid I must. See, there is unfinished business between my father and yours. Sadly, Lunarium himself isn’t here to set it right, but I know for a fact that there is a record of the debt in your father’s study upstairs.” Iris’ gaze trailed upwards towards the ceiling, a deceptively friendly smile on her lips. She turned around, leaning her back against the counter and inspecting her nail beds. ”I’m sure it won’t take too long for you to find it. I’ll wait.”

Whether there truly was one or not, Iris didn’t know. She’d only heard her father mention something of the sort one time. Prone to letting his temper loose behind closed doors, he’d ranted about Lunarium, his insolence, his comeuppance and being owed. Sure enough, the Acquarones’ visits to the broker’s shop ceased immediately afterwards. If Lunarium had made any record of the friendship’s tumultuous end it should serve as a convenient rift between Ray and Iris’ family. Iris took pleasure in the little things.

She did hope the man had kept some note of the event, merely to feed her curiosity.


Ray Lunarium
Herbalist / Information Broker / Torchline Councilwoman

Age: 27 | Height: 5'5" | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 5 - Strg: 18 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 18 - Luck: 18 - Int:
Played by: Blackbird Offline
Change author:
Posts: 638 | Total: 3,390
MP: 0
#8

A panther in the night, a fire burning bright.


"A good drink would be welcome." Ray gave a low chuckle. However as soon as Iris began to discuss the situation of their fathers, her demeanor shifted instantaneously. Her relaxed posture became deceptively lazy, eyes turning critical. Her once warm grin grew sharp. An information broker easily taking the place of the friendly herbalist. "Oh?"

Ray scanned a perceptive eye over Iris before continuing. "It would seem you're misinformed.  That debt is one that your father owes. Not mine. Though Acquarone was never one for honesty was he? I had initially planned to drop the debt out of respect for your family's recent losses. However, if this is the move your father wished to make, consider it left unpaid." Ray spoke bluntly before quickly retrieving the document from the study.

Placing it on the table before Iris she continued. "Now then. How would your father like to repay me?"

r a y

The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.
—Albert Camus



Iris 'Siri' Acquarone
Wanderer

Age: 22 | Height: 176 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Stormbreak
Level: 1 - Strg: 5 - Dext: 18 - Endr: 8 - Luck: 15 - Int:
Played by: Nell Offline
Change author:
Posts: 114 | Total: 163
MP: 85
#9
I R I S

Iris watched the girl’s demeanor shift. Good. So she wasn’t completely artless. Maybe her inheritance wasn’t entirely wasted on her.

Iris’ expression didn’t change except for a barely noticeable quiver of the lip betraying her amusement. She remained where she was, waiting. Of course there was something. The friendship between the two men had appeared heartfelt, even warm. Iris remembered feeling it was something out of the ordinary for her father. And in turn, the echoes of their fight remained thick in the air for a long time after the fact.

Digging up those ghosts was bound to prove unpleasant. And while the broker went digging, Iris took a liking to a hood that hung in the back, almost out of sight. Its coloring was plain, Iris thought as she folded and stuffed it into her pack as casually as she would brush her hair, but the cut was attractive. By the time Ray came back Iris had once again taken her place by the counter.

Iris made a show of feint amusement as she turned around and flipped through the pages with one hand. In truth, she was quite disappointed that they didn’t contain more information. Iris chuckled at the shopkeeper’s question, the sound as malicious as it was sympathetic, and laid the documents back on the table. ”I do wonder how you plan to collect.” It wasn’t a question. A lot could be said about Erasmus Acquarone, but he was neither foolish nor forgiving. And he surely had a few pieces of paper quite similar to those laid out between Ray and Iris that named the Lunarium girl the bearer of the debt. ”Do you even know how the debt was incurred?” Iris asked, both tone and countenance tinged with pity, her head leaning to the side in a subtle show of compassion.


Ray Lunarium
Herbalist / Information Broker / Torchline Councilwoman

Age: 27 | Height: 5'5" | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 5 - Strg: 18 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 18 - Luck: 18 - Int:
Played by: Blackbird Offline
Change author:
Posts: 638 | Total: 3,390
MP: 0
#10

A panther in the night, a fire burning bright.


Ray's eyes glanced toward the now missing hood. "It would seem you came to increase the debt instead of paying it?" She noted, amusement and annoyance clear in her tone. Though she made no move to take the hood back.

She looked over the documents with a small shake of her head, ignoring Iris' tone. "Unfortunately I don't know the specifics of where the debt came from. However if I recall there is something in there about what it was worth."  She noted, her voice flat, giving away none of her thoughts.  Ray scanned the documents carefully before humming and turning to a page that contained the signatures of both men. "Here it is. 'The loan of aid equivalent in worth to that of a small ship in exchange for the agreed upon assets'".

"Of course those two would be vague, even in a contract." She scoffed before glancing back at Iris. "Well then, given the interest of this being..." She quickly checked the date of the signatures. "8 years, then I'd say we're up to a debt of that of a medium sized ship. Now then, I'd take information or material goods. Or simply the return of whatever these assets where, plus interest." Ray finally concluded. Her entire demeanor during the exchange purely professional with hardly a hint of emotion.

r a y

The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.
—Albert Camus



Iris 'Siri' Acquarone
Wanderer

Age: 22 | Height: 176 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Stormbreak
Level: 1 - Strg: 5 - Dext: 18 - Endr: 8 - Luck: 15 - Int:
Played by: Nell Offline
Change author:
Posts: 114 | Total: 163
MP: 85
#11
I R I S

Iris simply shrugged at the accusation, deciding not to address it just as Ray appeared to have decided not to act upon it. Instead, she walked around the table and behind Ray’s back with leisurely steps, eventually coming to a stop beside her. Her gaze was on the papers, but she was eyeing the shopkeeper.

Ray let slip a show of curiosity. Nothing significant considering the business she was in. Iris figured she must have received the same training that she herself had had. She wondered, also, if it had been administered by the same methods.

It wasn’t too difficult to unnerve most people, tilt them out of balance, slip off their veneers. But when each unconvincing lie is repaid with violence, you quickly learn not to flinch at each looming threat, least of all to keep a straight face.

Iris patiently waited for Ray to finish listing her terms, raising her eyebrows at the debt assessment. Needless to say, the high price had piqued her interest as to what exactly the agreed upon assets had been. She mirrored her scoff at the comment about their fathers. A strange bit of commonality in a myriad of differences that separated the two women.

When Ray finished talking, Iris hummed. ”I’m sure you’re going to have a lot of fun squeezing all that information and material goods out of the old man.” She said with no confidence whatsoever and leaned over to trace her index finger across the table, subsequently rubbing the thus accumulated flecks of dust against her thumb. Her work was done. The pot had been stirred. ”If you happen to name these assets, I’ll see what I can do.” She said in her most serviceable business tone, stepping around the table and heading for the door. "It was nice to see you again, Ray."

FIN




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