Important things needed to be discussed and figured out.
Sera was in the Tavern, fresh coffee at the table, because when one called upon the Summer Queen, one always went prepared with coffee. There were some papers in front of her with note she had taken. Her memory wasn’t the best sometimes, and with how important this was, she took notes. Ones that would be destroyed in the fire place before the night was done.
The Nix was pretty casual for the meeting, wearing skinny jeans and an oversized white sweater.
Looking at the notes, she wished Rhodes was there, he would be able to explain it a lot better than she would.
Circe wasn't sporting a suit when she arrived. She'd a knapsack with some accessories if trouble brewed or notes were needed. The Larcenist was rocking a red belly shirt, leather jacket, black canvas pants, and hiking boots that did not kick the door in. Her butt took care of that instead. Maybe the drama of her words helped make it move, "Wait no longer, fer I have arrived!"
Circe moves to the table with Seraphina at it to drop off the knapsack, "So what'd ya need help with?"
Looking up from the papers, she flashed a warm smile to the Summer, "Hey girl! Thanks for coming." hoping up, she grabs a carafe of coffee and sets a cup down on the table. "Thought you might like some coffee to get us started." and pours the coffee.
Sitting back down, "Turns out Rhodes has been busy trying to figure out the whole Freehold Oath thing and why it doesn't stick. And he might have stumbled across something." moving papers around, "He found a note from the previous Autumn Monarch, Mhairi! And it might have a solution." excitement evident in her voice.
"Ah, grazie" she thanks Seraphina while accepting the coffee. Circe sips it before letting out a deep sigh of delight. She hums in acknowledgement as the tale of Rhodes' deeds is told. Then Mhairi came up, "Mhairi left stuff? She was a smarty," Circe puts aside her coffee to lean forward to look at the papers, "So what is the magical mystery miracle Mhairi umm, fanculo rhymes, what is it?"
Circe examines the papers.
Settling into her chair, “She did! And she certainly was.” She missed her friend, and this just brought up a ton of memories.
The papers were written in an elegant cursive, “I scribbled some notes as Rhodes was talking, trying to make sure I didn’t forget or saying something wrong. So sorry about the messy writing.” Sipping her coffee.
“But, there is mention of something called,” a pause as she moved papers around, then points, “the Wyrd Stone. Supposedly, it can help bind a collective to a Pledge. Like where right now, we have to swear people individually, and each of us can only swear a certain amount of Pledges. But it sounds like this stone can help with that!” her tone getting more excited as she talked.
Circe retrieves her coffee from behind her without looking. Either her grace as a Larcenist or her sheer addiction to coffee prevents a spill. She looks it over whilst her ears perk up and bend towards Seraphina. "A Wyrd stone? So either a rock made of Wyrd, something somebody made that is good at the juju side?" Her tone however is thoughtful. Then Seraphina gets a smile, "Better then a gold monkey idol in a trap filled temple. Sounds like a rocking good plan," and gets Circe excited too.
Though that begged a question? "Where is it and how big? I'm guessing it is either Masked ta look like a rock ta mundies or in the Thorns. Size is a, snerk," accidental puns are the best, "Larger concern fer movin' it."
Nodding as she sips her own coffee, “Pretty much.” Easier way of putting it anyways. “It sounds like it could solve a lot of our problems.” Or so it seemed.
“Well, that’s the big question right now. Rhodes is looking in Autumns library to try and find more information on. Or more notes from Mhairi on it. But either way, it looks like we’re going to have to find it.” Thinking and sipping her coffee, “Which means it’s either in the Hedge, which presents its own problems, or on this side. And again, other problems. Either way, we need to find it.”
Finally, she smiles, "But finding it, if it's real, is going to solve so many of our problems as a Freehold. What do you think?"
Circe drinks her own coffee as she giggles, "A search fer a long lost treasure ta save our kingdom? Are we adventurers now oh ho ho ho ho."
Then she drains the coffee, "Yer right Sera. We need ta find it. The size is a concern. And weight. If it's BIG then we might need a winch and truck or something." Circe rubs her chin in thought, "Wouldn't be too hard ta find. Cooould even drive it in the Thorns. This side?" Circe nods her head as she gets more animated, "It'd be secure or buried. Might need connections, disguises ta retrieve it. Buried? Impersonate Public Works or something," the Larcenist was listing off ideas, "Secure? Depends on where it is."
Circe chuckles as she looks to Seraphina, "I will laugh for at least 5 minutes if it is in a safe deposit box."
Giggling as well, “Pretty much. We should get those cute hats and all wear them.” She could look good in a hat.
Seeing the cup empty, she gets up and offers a refill. One always had extra coffee when Circe was there. Sera had come prepared. “It can be. But we won’t know that until Rhodes either finds more information, or we actually see it. Though I hope it isn’t some huge thing, because then it becomes where to safely house it. The larger it is, the harder it could be to protect.” And keep away from mundane eyes. “Disguises? Now that could be fun!” she loved dressing up! “But, lets see what Rhodes can find, and plan from there.” No sense in planning something without more details.
“A safe deposit box? Now that would create a whole new list of trouble to get it.”
Circe laughed too then stopped. "Uh, by cute ya mean like fedora or pith?" Because they were both kind of cute though the second was more helmet. And could be useful if they used a winch. "Grazie," she says at the refill.
Size and protection were not always inverse. "Well Stonehenge survived a couple of millennia easily so if the rock is big, heavy, and durable," she shrugs with both palms up as she shakes her head, "It'd be hard fer somebody to damage it. And if we're feeling boulder about it," Circe picks up the coffee and points to the door, "We have like a props department at Funderland right? Make a shit ton of decoys."
Circe sips her coffee and laughs. "If it is in such a box, Mhairi would probably have left us a key. Oooor," she sips her coffee then puffs up as she pokes herself in the chest with her thumb, "I would become yer key to their hack office," giggles at the terrible pun, "Edit the owner list, we probably pay some fee fer a lost key, and we get it. Not epic. More in pajama then Indiana Jones, but why climb a mountain ta feel the dew when I can just drink it while I work."
Shrugging as she took a sip of coffee, “Cute meaning we would both look cute as hell in them!” because of course they would. Her maybe more, but, that remained to be seen.
“My concern is how we would move it, if it is in fact as large as Stonehenge. Because if it’s out in the open, it creates the problem of security and being seen. If we have to visit it for Pledges, I’d rather it not be in the middle of a field. I would rather have it here, or in the Autumn Hollow, somewhere safe.” Away from both mundane and ‘other’ eyes.
Joining in with the laughter, “Oh I’m sure she would have told someone.” Something that important was too big not to share with the Freehold. And Mhairi was always looking out for them. “So if you hacked it, does that mean I don’t get to dress to the nines and act all important as a decoy?” a frown, “Cause that could be fun. We just don’t tell Rhodes.”
"I'm sure we'd be the cutest municipal workers ever," she laughed in agreement with Seraphina.
Circe nods in understanding, sipping her own coffee. It was a valid concern. "The truck option fer moving it in the Hedge is, uh, doable, we just ain't getting the truck back."
Then laughs, "Oh ho ho ho ho! Yes we could do that. The stunning beauty and her husband that is, hmm, nebish maybe? How do ya want ta disguise him.Being all confused and, oh ho ho ho ho!" The image is there in her head. It is hilarious. "Would ya just find the slip with the numbers or do I just text ya at the last minute," Circe makes air quotes "So Rhodes never knows we pranked him?"
A nod, “Damn right we would! Hey! We could always moonlight as municipal workers!” a wink added.
“So something cheap that we don’t mind losing.” Thoughtful, “It’s doable. I need to buy a car anyways, so if we need a truck, I can find one too. Unless you would know the best place to find a cheap truck. Have you ever brought a truck into the Hedge? How does it work?” Cause she didn’t know. “But I like us figuring out various answers for whatever we might come across. Though between you and I, I hope it’s easy to find and move.” Less hassle, quicker.
Giggling, “He doesn’t do confused very well, too smart for that. So maybe…hmmm” there was a pause, “oh! He could be the bored husband that is just there to make his wife happy. That saying, happy wife happy life type thing.” Laughing harder. “Either way, we could totally pull it off.” No problem. “Now that is a tough question. I personally think it’s more funny the longer a prank can go. But I’m no expert on them.”
"Oh ho ho ho ho! Sewage workers though," she frowns then stick her tongue out, "Yuck. I mean I could make a shit ton of bad puns but still yuck."
Circe had already offered to find a truck. As for the question about bringing vehicles into the Hedge, Circe inhaled and raised her free hand index finger up. "Define into." Sips her coffee, "Once drunk, don't know what happened. Reckless entry intentional with no concern fer durability. And I've had ta dispose of a cargo truck once. Worked a treat but I was also setting it on fire before running so," she shakes her head. "Anyway they didn't have a problem driving through it but I wasn't doin' it with ANY intent fer them ta stay intact," plus she set them on fire. "Mostly off road conditions so restriction on the path options. I have worked with a hob caravans and their wagons didn't have much trouble, just really slow." As far as Circe was concerned it could work. "I am certain a truck would work but without extreme preparation yer likely better off buying a new car after driving through the Hedge."
"Oh ho ho ho ho!" Circe liked Seraphina's ideas on Rhodes. "Ya would need matching rings fer that disguise. Aaaand I love long term pranks. Let my old motley call me idiot in Italian fer yers thinking it was a name, oh ho ho ho ho!" She throws her head back to laugh at her trolling. "Wow they were pissed about that, but still funny. I'm sure Rhodes won't be too mad at ya. Ya can make up and blame me, he'd believe that since I'm a total troll."
Sipping her coffee, she listened, taking in what Circe said. “So it’s doable, but with preparations.” A nod, ok. “So I think once we get together with Rhodes, see if it’s learned any new information, we’ll be better able to figure our plan. Cause for all we know, it could be the size of a basketball or something, but never hurts to consider all options.” Helps save time. “And I wasn’t intending to use whatever car I buy to drive in the Hedge.” Laughing with a shake of her head, “I’m just offering to put money towards a truck to use if we need one. What preparation would we need?” she asks, “Or is that something we’re better of discussing with Rhodes present?” that way they’re not repeating themselves.
“Matching rings?” took her a second, then she caught on, “Oh! To show we were married!” she had her slow days. “Sure that’s something we could find at the mall or something.” Seemed easy enough. “And I wouldn’t blame you! I’d own up to my role in the prank, can’t let you have all the fun.” She winks.
Circe drinks coffee as she is want to do. "Prep time makes things easy," she agreed. As for the preparations to make in theory? Circe shakes her head, "It is theoretical so we don't need Rhodes ta talk about it. Basics is four wheel drive," she begins counting off with her fingers, "Winch, cargo bed, as minimum." Fingers go down and she starts counting again, "Maximum? Elevated wheels fer better offroading, run flat tires or maybe chains ta help. Gasoline cans fer fuel. Spot light? Maaaaybe a plow ta push shit outta the way. Or whatever the GIs had a version fer hedges, not sure," Circe nodded and sipped her coffee, "Lot's of this won't be easy ta add or quick. Quickest extras would be chains, cans, and a hand held spot light."
There were a lot of options for making a truck work in the Hedge. Time was a constraint though. As for the rings, that got Circe to smile widely and nod, "Exactly. I'm sure ya'd have a grand time, oh ho ho ho ho! It'd also be crazy easy logistics wise compared ta getting a truck inta the Hedge. Buuut," Circe waves her hand in a so so manner, "Seraphina I ain't sure which would be more fun. Hacking and pranks oooor potentially playing GTA with baddies in the Thorns."
A cookie was picked up and nibbled on as she listened. When things were listed off, she grabbed another piece of paper and began to write them down. Her head nods as notes were taken. “Huh, well, some of those I know, some I don’t. But, if we need them, I’ll do what I can to make sure we have them.” Google was a thing after all.
“Oh it’s always fun putting on a costume and playing a part!” it was something she didn’t get to do much anymore. “Maybe we can work out a way to get you a little of both?” she offers with a sly grin.
“But, a lot of this hinges on what Rhodes is able to find and what we need to do.” Looking at her notes, and taking the ones with Freehold sensitive info on them to the fireplace. As she tosses them in, “Maybe it’s time to touch base with him?”
Coffee is, unsurprisingly, consumed by Circe. "Ya have probably seen 'em on TV and just don't know the names," was her soft reply to Seraphina's admission of ignorance. Though a little bit of both sounded odd. "Not sure how we'd do both, I mean if it is in the Hedge and small enough ta put in a safe deposit," the elfin Fairest shrugs, "Don't see the need fer a winch and truck. Unless," th"I suppose it is time ta hear what he has ta say. Just like a hotdog ben she smiles widely, "GTA in the Hedge yo, oh ho ho ho ho!"
One the laughter subsides Circe nods to Seraphina, "I suppose it is time ta hear what he has ta say. Just like a hotdog bun, planning will go better after we meet." A pause, "Shit that was weak."
@Saber Sloth