Private Conversations with the Lady

[soulspice]

[Welcome to the Lady's...not home far from home, but it's a place she tolerates. The moment you enter it's clear she did her best to make this office in the bookstore a place she approves.

Outfitted with an overly plush chair on a rather elaborate rug, the desk is overflowing with countless books stacked everywhere, with everything serving as a makeshift bookshelf including an errant fax machine. The Lady seems to have tried her best to make the amenities up to her standards: there’s a tray with a teapot, notes everywhere written with confusing ciphers, and what seems to be an attempt to make a generator, but wasn’t completed.

Where the Lady sits it’s far more orderly, facing the door and giving her the high ground against anyone who enters. On the far wall hangs a large portrait of the Lady, adding character and additional charm. Truly, this is the office of someone who wants you to feel small before her presence.

And, there on her chair, there she is. When the door opened she turned her head towards you, seeing who it was. Invariably of who it is, she sighs like this is a big interruption of her work, and keeps writing and drawing]

Don't touch anything and make sure you don't track mud in. If you have any complaints go see Rembrandt.

[She didn't even look up while saying that. So, what brings you to her office today?]

Comments

[soulspice]

I don't know for sure. Once I'm done here in Krakow. It could be in the next few days, or it could take a few months more. I can't tell for certain.

[Which may make it even more alarming she's elated about the way things have been progressing, really]

[reanbeans]

[ Very alarming... ]

...Things are going that well, then? Were you expecting to have to stay longer than a few months?

[soulspice]

Oh yes. I believed you all would be a little more reticent to do what I wanted, but it turned out there's far more willingness than I thought there'd be.

[She seems so proud about it. She then asks, after a moment:]

I guess you still haven't changed your mind about killing someone anytime soon, did you, Rean Schwarzer?

[reanbeans]

[ Rean pursed his lips together, looking like he just swallowed a bug. ]

And that's helping with what you really want out of this, isn't it?

[ Of course it was. ]

Sorry, but I'm not in the mood to fall for your trick and kill someone. I don't think you really have any intention to uphold your promise, either.

[soulspice]

Oh, Rean, I actually like to hold my promises. It may be hard to believe, but conspirators don't cooperate with you if you don't do your part of the deal. I wouldn't have gotten so far in my world if I just backstabbed them at the first chance.

[She conveniently doesn't mention she tends to backstab them in other, more insidious ways in the future. But hey, she doesn't break promises!]

[reanbeans]

...How about later on, though? After their 'usefulness has been outlived'?

[ It's alright if she didn't mention it, because that's where his line of thought was automatically going to right after. ]

[soulspice]

In that case I usually kill them. But those are rare cases, and it's not like I have any reason to see most of you ever again once we're done. Anyone with a deal should be safe.

[reanbeans]

Alright.

[ Beat. ]

...It sounds like you've never made any friends then, considering everything. Or am I wrong?

[ Not that he'd want to ever be her friend because just no but still he had to ask. ]

[soulspice]

[She seems pensive for a moment]

I had a few friends, those conspirators I worked with the most. I don't think any of them are left alive right now -- being associated with me often meant you were in danger of getting attacked by other people, too.

[Which she actually feels kind of bad about -- as bad as someone like her can feel, at least]

[reanbeans]

...So despite your reputation as a possible living legend, people kept on attacking you?

[ Rean supposed he could hardly find that surprising. ]

Well, actually, I guess I could see that being a thing easily.

[soulspice]

Of course they do. Those who want to hold onto the power they have will crush anyone who threatens to dethrone them. I'm the one who has the best odds to do so. [She crosses her arms] You would understand if you were in their position. Or mine. It's the kind of thing that would turn you, darling, into a husk of your former self.

[She'd almost love to see that]

[reanbeans]

It's not something I want to imagine.

[ ... ]

But it sounds like you'd get along with the Chancellor well enough back home.