A Queen and A Pirate
May. 17th, 2010 05:31 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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timeandtides_backupCharacters: Garnet and Balthier
Progress: Ongoing
Summary: Garnet goes to meet an informant
Location: Alexandria
Date: Backdated to before the dragon attack, because the muns fail
Warnings: Balthier is a jerk. :|
He had requested they meet at the Inn. It was as good a place as any, she supposed, and though she'd said she would send someone in her place, she had no intention of doing so. Donning her old traveling clothes, complete with a white-mage coat, she had slipped out early that morning under the pretense of needing to go see the florist about some changes.
'Afternoon' was a very vague time indeed, so Garnet made certain to be there just shortly after noon. The hood pulled up over her head, she peered around curiously for the would-be pirate who claimed to have information on her necklace. At first glance, she saw no one who match the description, so reluctantly, she went to the innkeeper.
"Excuse me," she began quietly. "I'm looking for someone in a chromed leather vest. He said he goes by 'the leading man'." it felt so ridiculous to say that. What sort of egotist was this man?
The innkeeper gave her an odd look, though it wasn't the first time he'd heard that handle used. Sighing at the woman, though he was searching her face for who she reminded him of, the inkeeper nodded towards one of the back tables rather discreetly, or as inconspicuously as he could manage.
"Over there. Looks a shady type, so watch yourself, miss." With that, he returned to serving the patrons who were here for drinks and not to ask about shady characters.
At the back table, Balthier was seated alone. He'd wore his ornate leather vest, though he had chosen to wear a cloak to at least protect himself from being instantly caught by any authorities. It was difficult to walk through major cities these days, but if he worked this right he may be able to relax a little.
Garnet glanced in the direction she'd been indicated, and nodded just a bit in acknowledgement of the innkeeper's words. Pulling herself up as tall as she could which was still not very, she strode with purpose over to his table, showing no fear. Not all theives and pirates were unsavory after all.
"Are you the one with information on the queen's necklace?" she asked, absolutely refusing to address him by his self-proclaimed title.
Lowering his hood, Balthier couldn't help his smirk. "Why, Your Highness, are you speaking in third person?" He'd seen her, spoken to her and stole from her. There was no way she was going to get away with this disguise, and as he rose from his seat, he offered a slight bow, his hand on his chest.
"I am the sky pirate, Balthier. It is a pleasure to speak with you, though I request humbly you make no attempt to have me incarcerated just yet," he murmured, his voice smooth and calm. Drawing the chair from the table, he offered the seat to her.
Her eyes widened in surprise, taken aback by his declarations and gesture. He knew her by face, something not even some Alexandria natives were capable of. She frowned at him, realizing all too quickly that she had dumbly walked right into a trap. What sort of trap, she wasn't quite sure just yet...
"I will refrain from calling the authorities on you for the moment, but you must not refer to me by title. Call me 'Dagger' if you must." And with that, she hesitantly took the offered seat.
Once the Queen was seated, Balthier returned to his own seat, resting back in his chair, sipping his drink and setting it down before speaking again. "Would you like a drink, Dagger?" He wondered, idly, why she chose the name of such a crude weapon.
He was half expecting her to get angry simply because he was a wanted man, but the fact he was the man accused of murdering Vayne Solidor might have explained why he was a little bit tense around her, not that he was going to exploit his discomfort.
Hiding his own discomfort or not, Garnet was visibly fuming; Since he had revealed himself by name, her demeanor had changed. There was a fire in her eyes and a permanent scowl on her lips. Vayne was dead, and it was possible, it was at the hands of the man seated across from her. Now, he appeared, claiming to have information on her missing pendant --
"What do you want." she snapped, ignoring his question. did he really expect her to trust such an offer? she knew how easy it was to slip something into someone's drink.
She was clearly angry, and the snapping would have provoked a snap of his own if he wasn't here for a purpose. "I have information concerning a certain necklace. Of course, there is no reason I should simply give this information away." Sipping his drink, Balthier watched her with fascination. It wasn't often he dealt with women who were openly bitter with him.
"I am sure we can come to some sort of arrangement, can we not?" He tilted his head slightly, wondering just how he could convince her. He had a few tricks, but it was going to take work.
"No reason other than the fact that you are a wanted man, and I do have the authority to have you thrown into a cell," she pointed out, resisting the urge to cross her arms over her chest.
"Ah, but this is where the problem is, Dagger. I am a wanted man for a crime I did not have a hand in." He knew there was no evidence and he wondered vaguely if he could use his father as a scapegoat. "Truly, all you must do is ask Dr Cidolfus Bunansa, Lord Vayne's dear friend, and he will tell you I would not be foolish enough to assassinate anyone."
He'd just have to call Cid and let him know at some point, though he believed his father would think him innocent.
Garnet eyed him with doubt and apprehension. Mention if Dr. Cid did little to ease her mind, however -- she'd been wary of him since the word of his unethical experiments on Nanaki.
"And what relation do you have to Doctor Cidolphus?" she asked. "What reason should he have to vouch for your claims."
"I am his youngest, and last remaining son." He averted his gaze for a moment, though he was glad she hadn't made the connection right off the bat. He knew he looked like his father but not being instantly recognised as such actually pleased him.
Shaking his head slightly, he returned his gaze to hers. "I am not a murderer. I am noble born, with intentions far purer than that of the sea pirates. They make their amusement in killing, pillaging, harming. Sky pirates seek treasure, and we do such by working alongside people who can help us." Sighing lightly, he wondered how much more he'd have to say.
"Strange, he never mentioned you," Garnet countered, shifting in her chair, and crossing her ankles. Not that she had had many conversations with Cidolphus, her association with Vayne had been fairly limited to Vayne himself. "But if he is your father, than certainly he'd vouch for you, even if he had to lie, wouldn't he."
"He wouldn't mention me." He actually couldn't choke down the fact that in all his interaction with the royals of this world and those who'd came in, his father had never once mentioned his prodigal son. It left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Shaking his head, Balthier rested back in his chair, emptying his glass. "No, he wouldn't lie for me. Our relationship is not that you'd expect of a father and son, yet he would not let our family name be tainted by such a claim. Ask him, if you wish, but this is not the face of a murderer."
Progress: Ongoing
Summary: Garnet goes to meet an informant
Location: Alexandria
Date: Backdated to before the dragon attack, because the muns fail
Warnings: Balthier is a jerk. :|
He had requested they meet at the Inn. It was as good a place as any, she supposed, and though she'd said she would send someone in her place, she had no intention of doing so. Donning her old traveling clothes, complete with a white-mage coat, she had slipped out early that morning under the pretense of needing to go see the florist about some changes.
'Afternoon' was a very vague time indeed, so Garnet made certain to be there just shortly after noon. The hood pulled up over her head, she peered around curiously for the would-be pirate who claimed to have information on her necklace. At first glance, she saw no one who match the description, so reluctantly, she went to the innkeeper.
"Excuse me," she began quietly. "I'm looking for someone in a chromed leather vest. He said he goes by 'the leading man'." it felt so ridiculous to say that. What sort of egotist was this man?
The innkeeper gave her an odd look, though it wasn't the first time he'd heard that handle used. Sighing at the woman, though he was searching her face for who she reminded him of, the inkeeper nodded towards one of the back tables rather discreetly, or as inconspicuously as he could manage.
"Over there. Looks a shady type, so watch yourself, miss." With that, he returned to serving the patrons who were here for drinks and not to ask about shady characters.
At the back table, Balthier was seated alone. He'd wore his ornate leather vest, though he had chosen to wear a cloak to at least protect himself from being instantly caught by any authorities. It was difficult to walk through major cities these days, but if he worked this right he may be able to relax a little.
Garnet glanced in the direction she'd been indicated, and nodded just a bit in acknowledgement of the innkeeper's words. Pulling herself up as tall as she could which was still not very, she strode with purpose over to his table, showing no fear. Not all theives and pirates were unsavory after all.
"Are you the one with information on the queen's necklace?" she asked, absolutely refusing to address him by his self-proclaimed title.
Lowering his hood, Balthier couldn't help his smirk. "Why, Your Highness, are you speaking in third person?" He'd seen her, spoken to her and stole from her. There was no way she was going to get away with this disguise, and as he rose from his seat, he offered a slight bow, his hand on his chest.
"I am the sky pirate, Balthier. It is a pleasure to speak with you, though I request humbly you make no attempt to have me incarcerated just yet," he murmured, his voice smooth and calm. Drawing the chair from the table, he offered the seat to her.
Her eyes widened in surprise, taken aback by his declarations and gesture. He knew her by face, something not even some Alexandria natives were capable of. She frowned at him, realizing all too quickly that she had dumbly walked right into a trap. What sort of trap, she wasn't quite sure just yet...
"I will refrain from calling the authorities on you for the moment, but you must not refer to me by title. Call me 'Dagger' if you must." And with that, she hesitantly took the offered seat.
Once the Queen was seated, Balthier returned to his own seat, resting back in his chair, sipping his drink and setting it down before speaking again. "Would you like a drink, Dagger?" He wondered, idly, why she chose the name of such a crude weapon.
He was half expecting her to get angry simply because he was a wanted man, but the fact he was the man accused of murdering Vayne Solidor might have explained why he was a little bit tense around her, not that he was going to exploit his discomfort.
Hiding his own discomfort or not, Garnet was visibly fuming; Since he had revealed himself by name, her demeanor had changed. There was a fire in her eyes and a permanent scowl on her lips. Vayne was dead, and it was possible, it was at the hands of the man seated across from her. Now, he appeared, claiming to have information on her missing pendant --
"What do you want." she snapped, ignoring his question. did he really expect her to trust such an offer? she knew how easy it was to slip something into someone's drink.
She was clearly angry, and the snapping would have provoked a snap of his own if he wasn't here for a purpose. "I have information concerning a certain necklace. Of course, there is no reason I should simply give this information away." Sipping his drink, Balthier watched her with fascination. It wasn't often he dealt with women who were openly bitter with him.
"I am sure we can come to some sort of arrangement, can we not?" He tilted his head slightly, wondering just how he could convince her. He had a few tricks, but it was going to take work.
"No reason other than the fact that you are a wanted man, and I do have the authority to have you thrown into a cell," she pointed out, resisting the urge to cross her arms over her chest.
"Ah, but this is where the problem is, Dagger. I am a wanted man for a crime I did not have a hand in." He knew there was no evidence and he wondered vaguely if he could use his father as a scapegoat. "Truly, all you must do is ask Dr Cidolfus Bunansa, Lord Vayne's dear friend, and he will tell you I would not be foolish enough to assassinate anyone."
He'd just have to call Cid and let him know at some point, though he believed his father would think him innocent.
Garnet eyed him with doubt and apprehension. Mention if Dr. Cid did little to ease her mind, however -- she'd been wary of him since the word of his unethical experiments on Nanaki.
"And what relation do you have to Doctor Cidolphus?" she asked. "What reason should he have to vouch for your claims."
"I am his youngest, and last remaining son." He averted his gaze for a moment, though he was glad she hadn't made the connection right off the bat. He knew he looked like his father but not being instantly recognised as such actually pleased him.
Shaking his head slightly, he returned his gaze to hers. "I am not a murderer. I am noble born, with intentions far purer than that of the sea pirates. They make their amusement in killing, pillaging, harming. Sky pirates seek treasure, and we do such by working alongside people who can help us." Sighing lightly, he wondered how much more he'd have to say.
"Strange, he never mentioned you," Garnet countered, shifting in her chair, and crossing her ankles. Not that she had had many conversations with Cidolphus, her association with Vayne had been fairly limited to Vayne himself. "But if he is your father, than certainly he'd vouch for you, even if he had to lie, wouldn't he."
"He wouldn't mention me." He actually couldn't choke down the fact that in all his interaction with the royals of this world and those who'd came in, his father had never once mentioned his prodigal son. It left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Shaking his head, Balthier rested back in his chair, emptying his glass. "No, he wouldn't lie for me. Our relationship is not that you'd expect of a father and son, yet he would not let our family name be tainted by such a claim. Ask him, if you wish, but this is not the face of a murderer."
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no subject
Date: 2010-05-19 12:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-05-19 11:35 pm (UTC)"I would not murder Vayne Solidor without him giving me a specific reason to. Truth be told, I worked in his father's army when I was but sixteen. What reason would I have to kill a man who has done naught to harm me." He sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. "He was indeed a dear friend of my father's, and despite our rocky relationship, I wouldn't kill my father's friend."
Drawing the necklace from his pocket, he kept it firmly tangled around his fingers. "This is yours. I removed it from the man who stole it from you, and it may seem scandalous of me to use it as a bargaining chip, but I ask only that the false accusations against me be dropped. Nothing else."
no subject
Date: 2010-05-23 12:34 am (UTC)He'd served Vayne's family in the past. Vayne had been a friend of his father's. Furthermore, he didn't seem to have a problem with the late Emperor of Archadia. How could they possibly accuse someone who had no motivation?
"Tell me, what reason did they give for accusing you of this crime?"
no subject
Date: 2010-05-24 07:17 pm (UTC)"I was told it was because I aided Princess Ashelia in ending Lord Vayne's rein over her kingdom and that I have a gun. I offered my services to Vayne's General, Sephiroth, to help identify what kind of gun the bullets came from, but I was arrested days later." He had been very amused by it all and a smile crossed his face.
"Your fiancee, Zidane, even tried reasoning with the guards, yet they gave not even him a shred of evidence."
no subject
Date: 2010-06-07 11:18 pm (UTC)But it sounded far too much like something Zidane would have done.
Garnet hardened her expression; she could not show weakness to this man.
"So you wish to trade my necklace, in exchanged for you freedom?" she squared her shoulders. "Unfortunately, I have no authority over Lindblum's guard, but I would speak to Regent Cid on your behalf. I cannot lift a price from your head outside of my own borders, but I can make suggestions." She was queen only of Alexandria -- what the rest of the world felt or accused him of, was beyond her jurisdiction.