[PRP] A conclusion (Siddie, Barth)

[prolixity]

A note, on cream-colored paper, in neat handwriting.

Barth -

Is there a time when I may speak to you about a private matter that concerns both of us?

- Obsidian

Toshihiko Two

 

[Toshihiko Two]

Barth was surprised at the letter. Their property, tucked away in the hills and surrounded by the lonely moors, got little communication that wasn't with very deliberate intention.

He supposed if she had sent a letter (as opposed to say, sending a text or a call), having a formal record must be important, and so with a great deal of reluctance he dug his stationary from his desk and spent nearly a week thinking on, composing, and meaning to get about to sending a letter.

But then, there was the postage, and making it all the way out to the mailbox...

In the end, he asked Zar to transcribe the thing, and assigned Grimhold to transportation (which meant being temporarily short a driver, but plus someone to actually do most of the schedule rearranging), which left only the very difficult task of composing the letter, and after another week (in very rapid time for the Sloth demon) Barth's response was as follows:

Ms. Obsidian,

Of course.

Yours,
Bartholomew Mudd

Grimhold stood by gravely while Obsidian read the letter. He input helpfully, "Master Barth's schedule is free for the...forseeable future. He has instructed me to inquire if there was meeting place you would find agreeable, and has also extended an invitation to his home, should you like to visit."  

[prolixity]

The response was really quite quick, which Siddie assumed meant that he had picked up on the subtext of the letter she had sent; she was pleased. He had even sent a letter in return, accompanied by his chauffeur.

"That would be more than adequate, if it's no trouble," she told Grimhold. "Is now acceptable, or will he need more time to arrange things? My schedule is flexible, and I don't wish to cause any inconvenience."  

[Toshihiko Two]

"Now is perfectly acceptable, Ms. Obsidian." Grimhold placed a slender hand at his waist, and bowed slightly. "Do you require transport?"
 

[prolixity]

Siddie nodded. "I would be much obliged if you would," she said, and rose from her seat, brushing her skirts down. "I will retrieve my coat."

She got her formal coat from the closet, and shooed Clove gently off her shoulder and into its sleeping basket. "You can't come with me, lovely, so wait nicely for momma," she told it softly, then straightened up and turned back to Grimhold. "I'm ready. Thank you."

Toshihiko Two

 

[Toshihiko Two]

Grimhold showed her to the carriage, and offered to carry any belongings. The ride was long, cold, and dreary, but thankfully some extraordinarily soft blankets had been folded up in the seat.

Grimhold seemed pleased by the weather, forgoing his usual piles of sun-protection gear.

The property itself had a long and winding road that lead to a dilapidated castle. There were signs of recent construction work, and the stables were busy with staff that Siddie would not recognize.

Grimhold helped her down from the carriage, and let himself into the mainhall, announcing their presence.

"Ms. Obsidian Depths," his voice rang out clearly, although there was no immediate response.

Somewhere from within the corridors of the first floor came a faint, "J-just a moment! Please."  

[prolixity]

Siddie contemplated trying to converse with Grimhold, but it wouldn't really be proper, and she didn't know if he'd be offended about it. She draped a blanket over her lap, and dozed on and off though the ride. When he helped her down she murmured a thank-you and made a shallow curtsey before following him in.

The castle was interesting, pleasantly tumbledown, and she hoped that the construction would be the sort that didn't spoil the lovely ambiance of a nice ruined castle. "Of course," she said loudly, and folded her hands in front of her and spent the waiting time quietly looking around her, taking in the area.

Toshihiko Two

 

[Baneful]

Zar heard the announcement from Grimhold down in his slime pool in the basement but not the actual content of the words, a yell was enough to pique his curiosity regardless and he hauled himself out of the thick slime with his long front talons and half slunk and half slithered up the stairs.

He emerged in the entrance hall still dripping wet slime to the floor as he dried, his posture vaguely threatening and reminiscent of a very hostile guard dog until he spotted Siddie.

"Greetingsss." he hissed, flicking his tongue, suddenly feeling inappropriately dressed at his enormous natural height. It wasn't polite to loom like a predatory horse he felt, but it was even less polite to shapeshift in company.

"I did not know we were expecting." he said. "Else I should have dressed appropriately."

Prolixity

Toshihiko Two

 

[Toshihiko Two]

Barth, of course, took simply ages, not only to make his way away from his desk, but to get to the door, and then there was the hallway to navigate...and before all that he had to summon the will to get up at all.

When he appeared, he looked slightly...off. His beard was gone, for one thing, his hair grown long and ragged, and with him came a slightly salty, floral smell.

And besides all of that he looked incredibly depressed. He simply radiated depression.

"Oh, a guest. Welcome," he said, as if it was an incredible tragedy.  

[prolixity]

Siddie inclined her head politely to Zar as he appeared, though her fingertips grew slightly sharper in a reflexive reaction. "Please excuse my intrusion," she said. "I won't impose on your hospitality too long. I've important business."

When Barth appeared, she stifled a gasp. The sloth demon looked remarkably more droopy than usual, and that was saying something. Her errand was not forgotten, but temporarily put aside by concern. "Oh my. Are you all right?"

Baneful

Toshihiko Two

 

[Toshihiko Two]

"I'm well, thank you," the demon replied, looking down at his outfit as if he'd discover the source of her concern there.

"...And you?" he asked politely.

He looked at Zar, and continued, "Zaram, have you seen the children? I thought I might take them out to the garden..."  

[Baneful]

Zar grinned, all teeth as the other demon arrived, his tail curling about him in long coils, trying to look more confident than he felt in such an exposed state. "Important business?" he said. "Any business which concerns Barth concerns me now also, as the mistress."

"I haven't seen them." he said. "Superbia was in the workshop last I saw him, but that was hours ago. He could be literally anywhere."

Toshihiko Two

Prolixity

 

[prolixity]

"It does indeed," the shadow ghoul replied calmly to Zar's verbal jab. At one point, she might have gotten flustered, but it didn't seem to bother her now.

"I'm well, thank you," she answered, then started slightly at the mention of children. "You've had scarelings? Oh, I see!" That explained the visible exhaustion, no doubt. "Might I - ah, excuse me, I'm getting ahead of myself." She brushed nonexistent dust off her skirt and straightened her shoulders. "I wish to discuss the formal termination of our agreement of convenience."

Toshihiko Two

Baneful

 

[Toshihiko Two]

"Two," he said, pleased and almost cooing. "Twins. ...Thank you. I'll try the...what did he call it? Laboratory." The demon said with a certain amount of restraint.

He seemed surprised, however, at the mention of an Agreement.

"Agreement? With me? Oh, my dear. You must looking for the other..."  

[Baneful]

Zar wrinkled his nose at the mention of the laboratory, still a little bitter about it, wanting to help more than he could articulate but too afraid to lay ot his pride and actually step inside it and volunteer more than handing over a spanner or two. Superbia seemed to love it though and this upset him also.

Most things upset Zar to be fair.

His tail coiled irritably. "They are not my scarelings, they belong to Barth and Calder." he hissed, quite ignoring that ths sort of denial might not go down particularly well with Rasputher. "And an agreement? Oh."

He exhaled in irritation and climbed up one of the walls to perch on the stairway bannister, his tail twisting around the decor as he arched and loomed like a grumpy pet cat. "That one." he said. "You should marry him, he's ssssuch an exemplary individual and as charming asssssss they come."

Prolixity

Toshihiko Two