Lynn shook her head slightly and gestured Richard off to the side. "Titles aren't needed. I only mentioned my position so you know that you know my offer of help isn't an empty one. Firstly however, food! The easiest of all the problems to solve." Lynn grinned a bit as she waved her hand at the bounty the Autumn Court had provided. She helped herself to a few bits and sat on the stone ledge near the fire pit.
"May I ask what brings you to Sacramento, or what you're hoping to find here?" There was the slightest of a questioning tone to her voice; while she was making conversation, she also was trying to find out what this new comer might be in need of. She might be newly elected, but she was taking her duties seriously. Which to her mind, meant helping the Freehold into a stable or even prosperous time.
Richard followed Lynn off to the side, letting his hands fall back into his pockets temporary. "Of course. I just assumed it would be easier to work with the title until you told me differently." He flashed her another smile, before gathering a little food and sitting near Lynn.
Richard took a bite and thoroughly chewed and swallowed it before talking. "Just traveling, really. Looking for a safe place to stay, for a while. I'm not here to hurt any of you, if that's what you are asking." Richard gave Lynn a small smile, taking another quick bite.
Lynn shrugged easily and smiled a bit wryly. "You have to admit, it's something that people like us would have to worry about. But around here, we give you a chance to make a first impression before anything else." She leaned back and laced her fingers over one knee, shrugging a bit to move her fiddle case back into place. "Sacramento is a good place. We've got a lot of good people here. Some rough times recently though."
"Is there anything in particular you might be interested in? I'm only asking because most of the Freehold shows up at this sort of gathering. It would be your best chance to make sure you got introduced to the right people. Otherwise it might take weeks for you to track them all down and introduce yourself."
Richard finished his bite, and nodded. "It is, so I thought it would be a good idea to make sure you felt safe." The smile stayed on his face, and he nodded to himself mentally. Yep, a good first impression. That's what he was trying to make. Be honest and likeable up front, always. It makes doing anything later on, much easier, whether you continue dealing honestly, or decide to change it up for whatever reason.
"I'm sad to disappoint, but I don't have any particular interest, at the moment. But, give me a list of names to contact, and, if you want, warn them ahead of time, and I would be happy to handle that part myself. Won't take any of your time away."
"Well, we can start with the Council then. You've already met L'aire, she stands as our Emissary. We have Rick Pereg as Magistrate, Ramona Bohannon as our Constable, Marcus Evans as our General and Ava Campbell as our Archivist." Her easy and relaxed manor stiffened suddenly as she saw the latest arrival; Lynn hissed a bit in frustration under her breath.
Trying to catch Morgan's (
Origins
) attention with a soft whistle, Lynn beckoned her over with a gesture. It was an invitation that also carried an air of standing together against opposition. Lynn truly didn't want to get into it with Coco and ruin what could be a lovely evening.
Richard nodded along politely, mentally filing away the names and various occupied positions, for future reference and use. Always valuable to know who's important, it tells you who to listen to, who to talk to, and, more importantly, who to avoid.
His eyes flitted to the new entrant, and returned as he watched Lynn's reaction. That might have been it, or she might have been reacting to something completely different that he hadn't noticed. In the first case though...interesting. Trouble in paradise? Clashes in the Land of the Lost?
Richard let his smile fade, and frowned a little at Lynn, for effect. "Something wrong?"
Morgan approached Lynn and Richard openly, not wanting a repeat of their earlier encounter. Unlikely given they were both looking in her direction. She did do a brief double take at the horned Fairest. Hadn't there been a rose tattoo-thing on his left hand? Morgan blushed briefly upon seeing it on Richard's right hand. She must have mixed it up.
"Heh-heh, whazzz up Lynn? Heh-just thought I'd, heh-heh, chat over heh...here," she flashed a wary look towards the cider table before focusing back on the duo. "Suh-so, Richard, yes? Heh, hath ye any-any impressions yet oro-or, uh..." small talk was so hard, "It-it eh-heh-heh, tis probably too-too early, right? Stoopid question, heh-heh, sorry."
Lynn nodded at Richard and rubbed Morgan's arm briefly. "Sorry to leave you alone there," she whispered to her Motley mate. "I shouldn't have done that without saying something."
Taking a deep breath, she smiled over at Richard. "Nothing's really wrong, just a clash of personalities." She was very obviously not giving the full story but just as obviously would not be airing dirty laundry in front of a new comer.
Richard stood up and nodded politely to Morgan as she arrived. "Ah, hello..." An exaggerated pause followed, like he had to think, to remember. "...Page Morgan?" He kept his voice soft and slow, making sure to smile the whole while. She seemed a little nervous - though maybe that was just a permanent thing for her - and those looked like claws on her hands, which might be able to mess him up. It pays to be careful.
"No, no impressions so far. I have yet to really meet anyone - no offense to you, Ms. Mills." A hand adjusted his tie quickly, and he dry-swallowed quickly, his tongue slipping out and wetting his lips. He mentally filed away the 'clash of personalities', and nodded. "I won't pry, then."
Morgan made a contented growl like noise at her pack alpha...erm, motley mate's touch. She smiled and waved in a 'don't worry' fashion,
"Tizzzz fine Lynn, heh, um" she the continued quickly but more quietly so Richard couldn't hear,
"Nay ken if ye wah-wanted to solo-chat up a boy, heh-heh."
She just smiled and nodded as Richard confirmed he'd yet to have an impression of the Freehold. Lynn's...explanation of what was wrong with the duo and a certain wasp, her smile became more forced and a weak laugh did little to help, "Heh-heh, tis nada-not worry. Freehold, or-club-in-public, heh-here hath many f-f-folks. Ssssome folks fortunately fare g-g-good together, eh-heh. Others, uh," she winced closing her eyes and trying to concentrate. She tried to speak clearly: "Every lost being copacetic with each other tis as likely as th-that happening with the normans."
When she opened her eyes, the raccoon noted his right hand didn't have the rose anymore. Now it was...on hist left? She blinked in confusion, left foot abesently kicking at the leaves that manifested around them. No matter what some folks might say, she was not stupid enough to keep confusing things like this. She shook her head, "Y-y-y-eah, uh...what can we chit-chat of? Um, ssssorry, what was ye talking on a'fore I arrived? Heh-heh."
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