mathieu trinket. (flauto) wrote in emillion, @ 2013-12-07 14:41:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, !log, mathieu rozenkatz, peony min |
Well we're all in the mood for a melody, and you've got us feelin' alright.
Who: Mathieu Rozenkatz & Peony Min.
What: Tea and collaboration!
Where: Peony's office, the Mages Tower.
When: Backdated to this past Friday.
Rating: G.
Status: Complete!
With the plague behind them and Merrion once more in the office, Peony once again had time to call her own, for which fact she was very grateful. There had been any number of projects which had been put on hold by more urgent matters; now, at last, she had time to work through her backlog and resume her normal activities. Today, for example, she had finally scheduled a meeting that was weeks overdue, truly. Her desk was finally clear and tidy once more, save for the books stacked neatly at its edge and the tea tray, complete with a plate of fruit and cookies. Her door was open to the hallway in anticipation of company, so she saw her guest appear at the waystone at the center of the round antechamber around which ringed the doors to various ninth floor rooms. She was already smiling in polite greeting as he turned in the direction of her office door. “Good morning, Councilor Rozenkatz.” Mathieu caught sight of the woman down the hall immediately, and wasted no time in bounding up to greet her (although he did smile at a passing mage or two along the way). Pleased that time could now be afforded to other matters of business, that the city was no longer on the verge of complete disaster and outbreak, the promise of a peaceful chat over tea was enough to invigorate his spirit. “Good morning, Councilor Min!” Closing the door gently behind him after entering the room, Mathieu moved eagerly over to take the woman’s hand in greeting. “How I’ve been looking forward to seeing you,” he said, “and especially under less trying terms. I hope you and yours are well?” As for the bard, he looked quite well-pleased indeed, and had seen fit to appear before Councilor Min in all of his usual finery. Peony’s handshake was somewhat limp, as always, but her expression was quietly pleased. They might have made an incongruous pair, if she really thought about it, her in her long, loose gray dress and woolen shawl, him in his bright colors. But she did not concern herself overmuch with appearances -- they were colleagues, after all, and nothing aside from their common work for the good of the city was truly of any import. “Yes, thank you,” she answered. Pyr was recovered, and so were her various friends and colleagues who had found themselves stricken with illness. She had been blessed by Faram; none of those she loved had been taken by the disease. “I hope you are similarly fortunate?” Handshake complete, she gestured to the chair she kept for guests before settling back in her own seat. “Would you like some tea while we converse?” she asked. “It is a blend from Sako Island brought by my colleague upon his recent sojourn there. I hope you will enjoy it.” “Why thank you for inquiring, Councilor, and indeed I am,” he said, his tone light and reassuring, “the Rozenkatz family has truly been blessed during these difficult times.” He smiled and sat himself down in the opposite chair, playing his role as diplomatically as he could. The tumultuous year prior had taught him quite a bit about these sorts of official gatherings, and he hoped at this point in his career, he came off less as a fumbling boy and more of a refined businessman (that awful experience in snowstorm aside). Mathieu had a numerous amount of hopes--the most pertinent being matters between the two guilds and not of a personal sort, and he had planned to explore a number of these during this particular visit, Faram willing. He would start, however, with pouring himself a cup of tea. “And thank you for your generosity as well,” he added with a flourish of his hand over the tray. “These cookies look magnificent.” Once the two were settled in, Mathieu sat the tea cup on his open palm and gave the woman his most attentive look. “Now, where do you suggest we begin today?” She smiled and murmured thanks at the compliment -- she nearly always had something baked around now, lest one of the boys come by -- before placing her hand on the small stack of books and sliding them across the desk in his direction. “I will begin with an apology; recent matters being what they were, this slipped by all of us for some time. I hope you will forgive the delay, as the tome you found for us was quite interesting. These reference the scrolls you sent our way in exchange -- I took the liberty of checking them out from the library under your name for the next week. I hope you will find the information useful.” Mages knew little of bardic skills and talents, but their research skills were unmatched among the guilds, and the tower library contained books on nearly every subject. “Think nothing of apologies,” he said with a humble shrug, reaching forward to take the offered book. Turning it about in his hand, Mathieu smiled. “We've all been preoccupied with so many other pressing matters these days, haven’t we?” He opened the book with his forefinger, casting an interested glance at the first few pages. “But I knew you and your scholarly comrades wouldn’t disappoint. This is really something special, Councilor.” Catching her eye, he gave her a confident nod of approval. “I know this will be put to utmost good use.” Mathieu slipped the tome in the inside pocket of his jacket and took a sip of tea. One had to taste to appreciate, of course, and he made sure to appear to do both. The tea was surprising strong on his palate, however, and he raised his eyebrows slightly when taking in the flavor. “Truly exceptional on both counts,” he said of both the tea and book. “Has everything in your guild begun to settle? I’m sure those healers of yours must have exhausted themselves in work and study.” “Yes,” she agreed, “they have been working very hard.” Hippolyta, too, had been nearly transparent in her exhaustion by the time a potion had finally been developed for distribution. Not a healer in the traditional sense, perhaps, but she was certainly going to be considered one now, with her… unique circumstances. “We are doing what we can to allow them rest -- and to replenish our stock of various restoratives now that demand has waned somewhat.” Producing medicine just in time for it to fly off the shelves was a frustrating endeavor, and having some reserves would be welcome. “Slowly but surely, we are finding time for other projects now,” she continued. “Have you anything for me? May our guild assist yours in any way?” She took a sip of tea before commenting, “We are grateful to those members of the Bards’ Guild who undertook our mission. They assisted greatly in its success -- I would like to offer our aid in turn, if it is needed anywhere.” “Perhaps we can help you,” Mathieu suggested, tea cup half-raised. What a perfect opportunity, he had thought, his eyebrows lifting at mention of the restoratives. He reached for one of the cookies and found to his pleasure that they were indeed as delicious as they appeared. “The machinists--our biotechs and the other laboratory types,” he explained, “could surely help to restock your supplies of curatives and other medicines, don’t you think? As we’d volunteered them to you for help during the recent troubles, they must already be familiar with your guild operations and procedures.” “I would be glad to contract out some of the work, once our ingredient stores have been replenished. It is one of my next priorities over the course of this week,” she told him. “We will pay to have the work done, of course.” Everyone had given what they could during the plague, but now it was back to business as usual. “Let me draft something and send it your way within the next day or two, regarding potential tasks and rates.” It would be a boon to have assistance with those portions of the work that did not require magic. “On a related note,” she said, “if some of your machinists have an interest, one of guild archivists has unearthed a number of broken accessories in the process of inventory. I believe that a synergist and a machinist working in concert might bring them back to utility more quickly than a mage alone. We will pay for such assistance as well, of course.” Time was presently far more in demand than gil. “A wonderful proposition,” he agreed, “I’ll send word to the machinists later today. No sense in wasting time on these things, not with our combined manpower and resources.” Mathieu leaned back in his chair, working up a rough idea in his mind of the number of guild members he might be able to offer. No doubt Azalea would have a better idea on the subject than him, and he would need to pass the information along as well. “I’m glad to offer help when and where I can, you can be sure of it.” “And same with me, of course.” Though all of the work she had offered would pay a reasonable rate, she still knew that their collaboration would survive only on mutual aid. “On a pleasant subject,” she said after a moment, “now that the city is at relative peace, I am hearing many good things about your upcoming gala. I am considering taking my brothers; theatre is not so prevalent in our hometown as here, and they are recent arrivals. I am certain they will enjoy the show.” Mathieu grinned. “A brilliant idea, Councilor! In fact, if you’re already considering tickets…” |