In Vino Veritas

Aug 10th, 2019 09:06 AM

It's been some time since he's had an excuse to actually stay in the Spring Tavern for more than a few moments, and an afternoon to catch up with the former Queen of Summer was a better excuse than most. Not just because she was the only Monarch he has not yet met privately with, but also because it was around her Season that... interesting developments happened, lately. The fact that the Iron Spear's passions resonated well with the temperament of Spring was not unimportant, too.

The Tavern is, as always, well-stocked. On one of the smaller tables the knight-errant has set two bottles of wine, crimson like the banners of Wrath (he can always get more if they go through these too quickly), two glasses and some snacks - bread, salami, parma ham, prawns... they're not drunks, after all, but people of refined taste.

Dressed in his usual greens and browns, with his sword safely sheathed and put on the bar, Abraham awaits Circe's arrival.

**Circe** · Aug 10th, 2019 11:05 PM

Circe was curious as to what Abraham might want. Why call her now? Why call a meeting at all? And why was is so damn hot?!

Okay that last one, not Abe's fault but it was why she'd chosen a shorter jacket then usual. Sadly not red to contrast with the blue below it, that was left to the red belly shirt. Denim pants finished the outfit outside and Circe didn't expect for what was below to become an issue.

As she entered Spring's tavern Circe could think of no reason for Abraham to incite her to draw down on him. Instead as she walked across the threshold, the elfin Fairest made a show of stretching her arms above her head as red eyes scanned the room. Abraham was solo.

So Circe walked up to the bar, "Ciao Abe," and she makes an obvious show of her eyes darting to the wine. "This wasn't an excuse fer us ta spend the whole night whining," waggle eyebrows, "Was it?"

Aug 11th, 2019 04:10 PM

"Whining?" He asks, sounding genuinely surprised "Have you ever heard me whine?" Of course, there's hardly any person willing to admit to whining even if they did it, but for all his love for drama and pretense, Abraham preferred to cut the Gordian knot "If I wanted to whine, I'd find myself a Winter" They could even call it 'therapy' to wash away the bad aftertaste.

The Spring pays little mind to Circe's skimpy outfit, although it contrasts sharply with the knight's own sturdy clothing. Also, what's with the gestures? It's not a mafia meet.

"Please, sit" he smiles and in a practiced, fluid move points to the bottles "Want some?" He will sit - when she does. He will pour himself a glass - if she expresses interest. That out of the way (in whichever direction), Abraham continues:

"I'm trying to wrap my head around Summer. First the King throws a big party, and then he is barely there? Also, him and Fawkes endlessly talk about the need for order and a Pledge specifically, and then neither of them swears it? Besides, a while back I... needed something from Cole, and suddenly he is MIA?"

Yes, Sacramento had its share of people that popped in and out of the city like soap bubbles. But this? This is more than just coincidence, Abraham is sure of it.

"Allow me, then, to start our charming evening with the following question: what the hell is going on?"

**Circe** · Aug 11th, 2019 10:04 PM

Circe gave Abraham a very flat look as she pointed to the bottle, "Wine, whining, wining and dining. It was a pun," then chuckles, "How does a Summer get a joke when a Spring don't?" The humor was too bad was the probable answer.

She takes the seat and eyes the wine speculatively. Right up until Abe asks THAT question. At which point Circe lets out a combination of groan and sigh as she head desks, "Cazzo se lo so. Richard non ha idea di cosa stia facendo e non ho idea di dove sia." She looks up from the bar, "I will take alcohol and ya should too Abe. Because this discussion is one ya ain't gonna like. Things are fucked up."

She rises her head up, "Cole sent me a text before he skipped town. He said Fawkes tried ta kill him."

And wasn't that a bombshell?

Aug 12th, 2019 05:27 AM

Rarely does Abraham find himself speechless, but the joke indeed went completely over his head. An equally flat expression is given to the blue elf before the knight-errant snaps out of it, smiles and laughs, first nervously, then with genuine mirth. It was a clever pun.

But as far as speechessness goes, it only got worse from there.

"I'm sorry, what?" A puzzled look, even as the Spring absent-mindedly pours them both a glass of wine, his hands working seemingly without brain input. He thinks... he's caught the King's name, but the rest of that sentence was a mystery.

And then it comes. The bombshell.

"He... what?" He's called the Elemental a sociopath before, and Cole was... not the easiest person to work with. But what's the story behind it? "Why would he do that?"

**Circe** · Aug 12th, 2019 10:31 AM

Circe didn't bother to repeat her Italian words in English. Better to address the bomb as she accepts and sips the wine.

"That is what Cole warned me. Fawkes tried ta kill him and he left me the key ta is Hollow," she sips the wine, "I ain't talked ta or seen the Generale or the glass bastard since the party." Another sip of wine, "Worst case scenario Richard was in on it. Second worst he talked to the glass psycho and got shanked."

She empties the wine glass. "My advice if ya seen the crazy glass man is ta be armed ta defend yerself. Also, more wine," she shakes the empty glass in the air in front of her.

Aug 12th, 2019 04:52 PM

"For what it's worth, I don't think Richard ordered the hit" He says, as a sip of wine and a bite of ham disappear in his mouth "See, we had a meeting back in May. We talked about some things, but Cole came up too and - get this, he wanted me to enter into a mentorship Pledge with him" It sounded strange, thinking about it now "Price sounded like he would either allow him back in eventually, or send him on his way to the Blackbird Bishops" Of course, there was more to the King that met the eye, and he was more manipulative than most of his Ogre kin "He may have changed his mind, or I might have missed something, but if you know as little as I do - I say Fawkes acted alone"

But that was just the thing. Nothing was simple. There were layers of obfuscation and deception all around, in fact - it seemed like the Freehold was eating itself from within. To cope with it, Abraham finishes his wine and pours himself and Circe a new glass.

"So, it seems neither of us can fully trust our Season anymore" He says, musing to himself as much as to the blue elf "We may have to resort to motleys for that kind of security"

**Circe** · Aug 12th, 2019 06:31 PM

"Comforting. Aaaand yet Richie is missin' anyway," she scoffs, "Maybe if I'm lucky he's runnin' out Fawkes himself." Because it would bare a lot of questions if Richard disappeared but Fawkes remained. Like who would help her run him out of town or where the body got hidden. Circe wasn't an optimist.

She accepted the refill, "Thanks. I guess motleys would be safer, wait?" Circe raises her right eyebrow and ear as she focuses upon what Abraham just said, "Bat shit's goin' down with Spring too? I've mostly been talkin' to Sonny and no offense but informative she ain't," she sips the wine, "At least when I wasn't the boringly sane voice between the other Summers."

Aug 13th, 2019 05:23 AM

"Have you seen Ingrid lately?" A rhetorical question, if there ever was one "That's right, you haven't. She's missing. Not a word. You know what I heard from my dear companions in Season when I tried to bring this up? That I am rude. A Monarch disappears without a trace, and all they are concerned about was manners" Head was shaken and the rest of the wine glass downed. Unbelievable! "Finally they agreed to name Seraphina Queen, but she clearly doesn't want the title. And to top it all off there was Titania, who seemingly cannot cope with the real world because she still thinks we're living in Victorian England"

Then something occurs to the knight-errant, and although it's not a pleasant realization - he smiles. It's a sad smile, but still.

"Seems you got me whining after all, huh?" He laughs bitterly "Don't get me wrong - I love each and every Spring in this town. But until our Seasons - and possibly the other two as well - get their act together, I feel the burden of protecting the freehold shifts towards motleys, not Courts"

Another refill. They're going through the supply fast.

"Have you ever been in a motley, Circe?"

**Circe** · Aug 13th, 2019 09:14 PM

"Nope," she pops that answer at the rhetorical question. And then raises her eyebrow again as Abraham explains Spring's reaction to his concern. Circe ended up raising it and the corresponding ear as high as she could as Abe's tale of woe got worse. As for Titania, that elicited a laugh and a nod from Circe, "Oooh yeah. And I am NOT goin' inta the Hedge with Titania again unless it's in a car with child safety locks."

The Lost were supposed to be a little out of touch with planet Earth or something like that. Circe felt it an excuse, ignoring her own hypocrisy at that. But Titania? She is an astronaut, which explained all the stars. Circe would have to share that.

And then smiles, "Oh ho ho ho! Seems I did get ya ta whine whilst we dine on it," then Circe nods her head, "Seems like group competence is in short supply among the Seasons that is true. Better ta trust a group ya know will stand then ones that don't even know where their crew are. Fanculo," she sighs as she sips her own wine, "I don't even know where Simone has scampered off ta either." More wine was consumed, "I might be the default queen again fer all I know."

As for Abraham's query about motley membership, that caused a surprising response from Circe.

"One." She gets wistful. The elfin Fairest of mood swings, trolling, and anger actually has a nostalgic look on her face for once. "It was great, best thing ta happen in the Bay," then frowns, "At least until the Freehold's leaders told us ta fuck over each other. Ya can guess our reply, ha ha ha." She gives the middle finger toward the door.

If anybody wanted to find her Rogues they'd have to pry the information from her cold dead fist. Any the blue hand now held an empty glass once more. "Ya know Abe? If we're gonna whine about our comrades screw ups might as well wine while we whine, am I right?"

In Vino Veritas

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