Awaiting

[Jaak Alemayehu, Shango Kholo]

Jaak looks upon the tapestries, evaluating where art meets tactics in their depictions.

[...]

In her usual cheery manner, Lyrah bounces along, inspecting the room a she enters, and gasps at the sight before her.

"Aha! So here you are. Now then, I do believe I had some questions for you. Mostly regarding what you are exactly, but also about other such things. So that being said. I don't believe we met properly. "Lyrah Belirae of Laibach." Yes she does the whole hand wave thing.

[Jaak Alemayehu, Shango Kholo]

*fist in palm, slight bow*

"Jaak Alemayehu, Laibon of Abyssinia, Shango Legacy."

*stands back up*
*grinds teeth*

"What questions do you have of me?"

[...]

"oh no need to be so formal. Still, pleasure. I think." Lyrah scratches her head a moment, and ponders. Laibon.. No no. She has never heard such a term, so it does bring her brow to quirk curiously. "I haven't heard of your kind before. But I'm not one to pry."

Tapping her finger on her chin, she begins to pace the room. " There were footprints at last gather were there not? There are things you noticed that others seemed to not care about. Such as bringing down the filth known as Archer Driscoll, yes?"

[Jaak Alemayehu, Shango Kholo]

*grinds teeth*

"Yes. Archer was there. He had been following our activities all night. Even led me to an inn that a guest had slaughtered during the night. He watched either the carnage or the clean-up."

*grinds teeth*

"It is most unfortunate that the investigation was interrupted. However, in Klagenfurt we are investigating both situations. I am sure Archer will meet justice."

[...]

"Ah. So then you are one of them I take it? Klagenfurt has much to offer. I suppose after the way you performed in the arena it would be fitting for their duke to recruit you. I supppooose then, that you need no help with your investigations? There are things that creep into my mind that no one else can find out unless I share. They speak to me you see, and I answer them"

[Jaak Alemayehu, Shango Kholo]

*brow furrows over his ebony eyes*

"You are offering to join on the hunt? I am certain that Duke Galanzia would accept assistance from Laibach. I will inform him of this upon my return; meet me back in a few days here and I shall give you his reply.

Offering such assistance will no doubt repair some of the issues caused by your companions, I am sure."

*grinds teeth*

"A seer? Or tracker? Are you one of the Storytellers?"

[...]

"Oh no no. This is something I am offering to you. Not to your duke. And of course payment would be required. I don't work for free" Lyrah grins and shrugs her shoulders to her ears slowly before speaking again.

"I just figured that with your abilities, and mine, we could easily track down this monster.."

[Jaak Alemayehu, Shango Kholo]

"Storytellers are know for skill in travelling and tracking. I would agree.

You do not think that restoring honour to your Land is payment enough for this task? That destroying a heinous criminal as ordered by the Ard Rhi is justification enough for the task?"

*grinding*

[...]

"I guess it depends on what you mean by storyteller, I mean I do tend to talk a lot, but are we not all story tellers in our own way?" Lyrah promptly takes a seat and eyes the Laibon over for a few moments, before blowing air between her pursed lips and making an sound that is quite indescribable.

"To put it simply, yes. It is payment enough. While I know not much about honor, I know enough to know that the actions of my people have not been entirely proper. There are many things they do that bring them down, and I am willing to do what I have to in order to help them become lifted back to the proper positions they should be in. That's glorious. However, I also know that this is a task that is none to easy, and will be harmful to my unlife. I may meet final death. That being said, there is a price to be paid. If blood is to be spilled, even if it is my own, then I wish to make sure that there is a purpose. While I serve the Ard Rhi, and I serve my dukedom, I serve myself as well. Self honor is something that has to be earned as well. For those to respect you, and to fear you in a way that they should, there is something that needs to be done to instill that fear in people. They see me as weak. I do not take kindly to this. I see you as strong, and you can help me become elevated to the level I wish to, by helping me regain MY honor."

"Mind you, you will not be working for free either. Should this be something you wish to take on with me, there will be a boon issued of course, though under the stipulation that you say nothing to your Duke, or anyone else for that matter. This meeting could serve to undo the little honor I have left, and the little honor that my dukedom has left. There are things at work that even you do not know about. Things that could mean the very destruction of those who reside even in the safest of places. Surely you would want to help me prevent these things."

[Jaak Alemayehu, Shango Kholo]

"No Secrets From The Ard Rhi"

*grinding*

"So, you are saying that an exchange of Boons will sate your payment requirements? How serious of a Boon are we discussing?"

[...]

"Well if you ask me, there should be no secrets between those who have more authority then you. In all my years, I have learned that. I have come to know that if you keep secrets, well... it's just not a good thing if you ask me. Though it is he who asks us to take on this task. He is the one who wants this Driscoll fellow brought to justice!" Lyrah stands in a heroic pose, her hands on her hips, on foot up on a chair as she gazes out into the nothingness in the distance. Oh she looks so far gone for a few moments.

"A decent enough boon is enough to make me feel perhaps a bit more comfortable with things, though It depends on what you are willing to offer me. I have placed my offer up, and now it is your turn to speak of what you wish."

[Jaak Alemayehu, Shango Kholo]

"Theatrics. Typical of the Akunanse. Though you seem fairly young, judging by your visage.

Your youth and lack of confidence would mean that, should we travel together, your life is in my care as a responsibility to our Ard Rhi. If blood is to be shed, it is unlikely to be you on either side of the shedding. When we find Archer, and combat ensues, I will need to be mindful of both of us. That makes my efforts more difficult.

So, if you were to join the hunt, you are helping both of us and adding risk to both of us. Therefore, we are balanced in this exchange. We should then exchange equal boons, for a time that one of us has more to gain than the other."

[...]

While normally she would be offended that he spoke of her in such a way, the fact that he complimented her appearance seemed to make her forget that his comments were somewhat rude. At least, about her being a risk. She knew that she was not entirely equipped for combat, however she did have skills in other areas, and those were likely the ones that he would be using.

"Do not be fooled by one's appearance. I have my ways of doing things, though maybe not the most conventional. You know very little of me as of yet, and so assuming that I can not hold my own, might be a mistake. Might. Who knows. It is something that only time will tell, and lucky me, I have a lot of time on my hands."

"I will join this hunt with you, but with the conditions I stated. Not a one must know about this. Just you and I, and should we mutually agree that another should be brought in, well then, we can discuss it at that time."

[Jaak Alemayehu, Shango Kholo]

"There is much that many assume. I find it interesting despite losing the only match you've seen me in, many treat me as a Great Warrior. Perhaps you are more discerning ... or more paranoid.

You were the one who said you are viewed as weak in your own lands. Storytellers are renowned for endurance, for the Land speaks to them. Perhaps you are viewed as weak due to the shortcomings of your compatriots and not your own?

Secrecy can not be kept. I have already been assigned a companion. Whether for legitimate support or due to distrust, who can tell? For you to be helpful, your presence can not be hidden. To improve your reputation, your assistance must be known."