War for the Crown Gameplay Part 1

Meanwhile, Corey tries to show Kalbio the bees in the courtyard but this time gets his hands stung by them for his trouble. After making sure his new friend’s okay, Kalbio laughs good-naturedly at the minor injury. Returning to the servants, Josie fails to make new inroads, but doesn’t do anything to offend or anger the servants either. Sarina finds out that the best way to approach Marquess Deschamps is to adhere to all the rules of etiquette while still seeming friendly and engaging, while Momo learns that Countess Pace is amenable to gossip as an opener.

Over the course of the next fifteen minutes, Corey tries to look into the jester, Wyssilka the Fantabulous, but can't find that anyone knows much about her, and her court jester act for the children betrays nothing more about her. Josie continues to spend time with the servants, but does not make more progress on that front. Both Sarina and Momo succeed at learning more about how best to speak with Marquess Deschamps and Countess Pace respectively. Just as Count Zespire and Adelaide's conversation about trade and security begins to peter out, something happens that may provide a good reason for the young noblewoman to excuse herself.

Anyone who decided to pay attention to Dame Malphane Trant notices her shoving a young junior Senator off into a large waiting room to the side of the upper gallery, flanked on either side by her sycophants.

Corey taps Kalbio on the shoulder to get his attention. "Hey, you seein' this? That can't be right." With a quick beckon for his friend to follow, Corey follows after the woman, her posse, and the junior senator they're harassing.

As it turns out, the whole group plus Kalbio close in to investigate, a development Malphane is alerted to by the sycophant standing behind her. The broad-shouldered young woman turns around, smirking. "We're trying to have a private discussion here. One that doesn't concern you, Lady Karthis," she adds at the end, eyes flashing with recognition at the sight of Sarina.

"Sorry miss, we didn't mean ta intrude," Corey grins affably. "It just looked ta me like things were gettin' a bit rough on the way in here, and Kalbio and Ah wanted ta make sure nothin' untoward was goin' on. It ain't, is it?" He directs this question pointedly at the junior senator.

Malphane turns her head to shoot a glare at the senator in question, a young man no older than 18 named Amadorian Dou, who looks petrified into completely still silence and doesn't answer Corey at all. "Oh, wonderful. The rabble's multiplying," Malphane comments next with a roll of her eyes, looking between Corey and Kalbio.

Corey frowns. "Well hold on now. Ya can say what ya like about me, cuz yer a noble and Ah ain't, an' Ah get that. But Kalbio here's a noble now too, so ya oughta treat him with some respect."

"I could dress my dog up in finery and if the Grand Prince chose, he could be officially nobility too. Titles mean nothing, only name and blood. His name is worthless, and his blood stinks of the shithole he crawled out of," Malphane sneers, earning snickers from her goons and an angry scowl from Kalbio. "You four, take your pet peasants with you and piss off," she addresses the three noblewomen there.

Momo giggles, a sharp, pointed sound. "Excuse me?" Momo says, glaring daggers. "As we're of the same station, we've every right to be here. Or, sorry, did we interrupt you coming here to bully Senator Amadorian into voting your way? Or maybe you're acting that way because you realize that if things were to become a merit based system, you'd be lower than dirt!"

At that, Malphane's face burns a furious scarlet and she rolls up the sleeves of her dress. "I guess you backwater types don't know courtly manners yet. I'll teach you," she snarls, adopting a boxing stance that her three sycophants mirror.

"Oh, please, Dame Malphane," Sarina says with a roll of her eyes, leaning against a wall. "Let's not pretend you've ever had anything more than the manners of a rabid dog."

Growling after that, Malphane proves herself the toughest and angriest brawler in the room. Her sycophants do little but land ineffectual punches on Momo, but after a decent swing from Josie is blunted by the padded armour Malphane wears beneath her dress, the arrogant noblewoman lands a solid hook to Momo's jaw. Corey, trying to restrain her and make her cool off, goes in to grab her, but finds himself on the receiving end of an uppercut for his troubles.

Sarina's spell finishes at this point, as with a few crushed rose petals she sends Malphane and her sycophants toppling to the ground in a deep slumber. "Apologies for the commotion, Senator," Sarina says with a curtsey. Noticing Momo going to heal Corey's bruises, she says "Pardon me Dame Momo, Mr. Crawford, but if you would be alright with suffering the bruises a few minutes longer, I think they would help explain to the guard what happened here."

Momo looks towards Sarina and responds, "Mr. Crawford can keep his if that's the case. I'm too pretty for bruises."

Adelaide tries, most ineffectively, to talk the other side down. She sighs in relief as Sarina's spell takes effect. "A good maneuver, Dame Karthis," she says to Sarina with a nod. "Senator, are you quite alright?"

"Oh, um, yes. I'm fine, thank you," Senator Dou replies, blinking rapidly and nodding. "Would you like me to remain here and help explain on your behalf to the guard? It might help you to have a senator take your side in this matter."

Corey rubs the side of his head and blinks through his pain. "Ain't the first scrap Ah been in without healin', Ah think Ah'll manage fer a spell."

"I would very much appreciate that," Sarina says. "Just let me go fetch the guards."

When Sarina returns with a pair of bored-looking guards, the four on the floor are still out like lights, but won't be for much longer. One of them, a stern-looking older woman, sighs and glances between all the parties. "So. What happened?" she asks, clearly not standing on ceremony.

"Ma'am," Senator Dou steps forward. "The four sleeping now were harrassing me, bordering on assault, when these six stepped in to help. After an exchange that turned to insults, Dame Trant," he gestures at the sleeping ringleader, "Started a physical altercation. After a brief set of blows, Dame..... Karthis?" he sounds unsure of Sarina's name, "Cast a spell that put them to sleep. That ended the altercation."

"I see," the guard rubs her chin and frowns, examining the evidence before her. "I don't see a reason why Senator Dou would lie in this case. Very well," She and the other guard shake the four on the ground awake and drag them to their feet, one in each hand. "I apologize we did not notice and intervene ourselves, Senator. If there is anything else, please let one of us know."

With that, they head off, the four instigators in tow.

After the guards and Senator Dou have left, Josie frowns and mutters, "It's a real shame they got knocked out before one of us got a good hit in. Bullies like that deserve to walk away bloodied."

Once everyone disperses and Dou learns who his rescuers were, Josie returns to the servants, who are bemused that a noblewoman is spending so much time with them, but they certainly don't mind. After a little while, the head chef walks over to speak with her, smiling. She's a woman with curly, bright orange hair that's starting to grey, her face is lined with years of work, and her hands are covered with the telltale old burns and cuts of a chef. "Dame Josephine? I'd like to thank you for spending so much of your evening down here with us. Most folk in your station wouldn't even give us the time of day, and it means a lot to a bunch of us that someone like you cares enough and... can see us, if that makes sense?"

Josie smiles pleasantly and replies, "It was my pleasure. And yes, I know exactly what you mean. People much too often treat servants as if they are scenery and not actually people, and if they do manage to garner attention, it is only because a reprimand is due. I'd much rather spend time with down-to-earth folk rather than deal with all that pageantry. What is your name, madam?"

"Dedrian Nos," the chef replies with a curtsy. "I appreciate that you have noticed that as well, though I think your presence here itself has limited the abuses. In any case, we in the kitchen have a small gift for you, in case you prove less popular elsewhere." From a pouch, she pulls out two bottles of potion both labelled "In Case Of Poison".

"A pleasure to meet you, Dedrian. And please, call me Josie." The archer graciously accepts the bottles, and looks them over. "Hopefully I never have to make use of your gift, but I feel all the safer for having it on me. Thank you very much."

"You're very welcome, Josie. Drink it if you feel toxins in your system, and it should give you a few hours to get to a healer without issue," Dedrian directs. "I wish you luck in your political pursuits, we need more people like you making decisions."