If You Get Caught, You Die IC III

[NeoSeraphi]

Leona looks up. "I imagine she might have, but as you are talking to a citizen, not a guard, I only have access to the information the guards have released, and a motive is not part of that."

Leona is annoyed that Anaiya is talking to her about this. She seems busy and she also has a general dislike for Daryan and anyone associated with him.

[Diachronos]

"I suppose I'll have to ask them, then. Oh, before I forget, there was another thing I wanted to ask you about. Janice said that you're the one to talk to about someone being attacked with a blue sword."

[NeoSeraphi]

There is a loud snap. Leona's pen breaks in her hand. "Relius Moschev...yes. I can help anyone attacked by that weapon. Here."

She reaches into her desk and pulls out a soft white towel, handing it to Anaiya. "Director Mercury can treat any injuries with this."

[Diachronos]

Anaiya carefully takes the towel. If it was a piece of fabric, why was it "safer" to have it mailed?

"...Thank you, Leona." She carefully folds the towel and heads out into town to find a courier to deliver it to Gale for her.

[NeoSeraphi]

The woman frowns and clucks her tongue. "Doctor Stoltz, if you please. I get enough disrespect from my own culture because I'm a woman, I don't need you getting chummy with me as well."

Anaiya heads out and finds a post office. They agree to mail it to Janice, saying it will arrive in two days.

[Diachronos]

"Sorry, Doctor."

After arranging for the package to be delivered to Janice, Anaiya considers her options. There's still the issue with Elicia, though if what Leona said is true there likely isn't much that she could do at this point aside from finding out her reason for killing the king. The thieves from Sinnoh might be here, but they'd already proven that they're out of her league, and the idea of Daryan getting angry with her for being reckless again didn't sit well with her... Should she just head back to Gale? Or stay in Terrania for a short time to observe the situation?

After giving it some thought, she decides to stop by the home that Daryan had been given for when he was in Terrania, wondering if Olivia was staying there.

[NeoSeraphi]

Anaiya stops by Krenko's estate. She isn't able to get into the specific apartment since they don't have a key anymore, but she does find Olivia moving between areas. She looks surprised. "Miss Moschev? What are you doing here?"

[Diachronos]

"I was in the area and figured I would check to see how you were doing. How have you been?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Olivia blinks. "Oh. Well, I'm doing well enough, I suppose. My mother has gotten over the worst of her terminal illness. She has been released to stay at home until she passes, which we are all pleased about. And you?"

[Diachronos]

"Well... it's been eventful, I can say that much." She wonders how much to tell Olivia, seeing as she couldn't be sure how she would take a lot of the news with Daryan.

[NeoSeraphi]

"Doctor Moschev's work has really helped to improve the agriculture of the country. Even though you left before he had a chance to complete it, his notes and original experiments were enough for another researcher to finish it," Olivia states.

[Diachronos]

"I'm glad he was able to help get the problem solved." She couldn't help smiling at the thought. Daryan's work almost always seemed to revolve around making peoples' lives better or easier.

She looks up at the sky to get an idea of what time it is. "It was nice seeing you again, Olivia. I should probably start looking for a place to stay for the night, though."

[NeoSeraphi]

It's getting dark. Olivia's eyes widen. "Well, you certainly can't stay in town! Not by yourself! With all the chaos that's going on you might get hurt. Please, come and stay in my home with my family for the night. We...don't have a lot of room, but it's safe there."

[Diachronos]

Anaiya gives her a confused look. "I appreciate the offer, but... the last time I was in town, you were convinced that I was someone who couldn't be trusted. This is a little unexpected."

[NeoSeraphi]

Olivia shakes her head. "I just tested you. When I brought up Doctor Moschev's work just now, there was something in your eyes that there wasn't before. Pride. Admiration. Respect. Content. I don't know what you'd call it, but I definitely think that even if you didn't love your husband before, you certainly love him now. Woman's intuition, I guess."

[Diachronos]

Anaiya nods. "A lot's happened since we left Granite. With the kind of life I led before, I didn't really understand true relationships, but now... now I have a proper appreciation for what Daryan's given me. I wouldn't give up the bond that we have now for anything."

[NeoSeraphi]

Olivia nods. "Well, then you certainly shouldn't give it up by getting hurt or worse in some riot you have nothing to do with. Come along, come along."

[Diachronos]

Anaiya simply nods and follows Olivia to where she'll be staying.

[NeoSeraphi]

Olivia leads Anaiya to a very dark and seedy part of the city. The smell of alcohol reeks in the air, and there are more cracked or broken windows on the buildings than new ones.

Olivia takes out a key and opens up the door. "I'm home!" she calls.

Three young boys call out eagerly, "Mommy!" and suddenly Olivia is tackled and hugged. She chuckles and hugs each of the boys affectionately, rubbing their heads.

An older woman looks up from the couch. "Kompany, dear?"

Olivia winces. "Yes, Mother. This is Lady Moschev. She will be staying with us tonight."

The boys, none of them older than five, look at Anaiya curiously. "I'm Kristoph!" "I'm Salazar!" "I'm Daryan!"

Olivia's face turns beet red and she quickly hushes her boys up. Her mother takes in Anaiya's visage. "And where will she be sleeping, Livvy?"

A good question. Looking around, Anaiya can see a simple bathroom, the master bedroom, which has a queen sized bed that seems to be shared by the three boys, and a small guest room with a cot. Other than that, the room she is in now has a single couch and a table with three chairs, and a kitchen.

Olivia forces a smile. "Well, she can sleep in my room, Mama."

"You would ask a lady to sleep on a kot? And what about you, then?" the woman demands.

Olivia shifts uncomfortably. "There's enough space on the floor in here."

[Diachronos]

Anaiya takes in the sight of the home. How could someone like Olivia be stuck living in a place like this? And when she has three children to take care of? On top of all that, Olivia was willing to give up her bed just because they had company? "I appreciate the hospitality, but I won't make you give up your normal sleeping space for my sake. If you have a spare blanket I can set up a spot for myself."

[NeoSeraphi]

Olivia stamps her foot. "Absolutely not!" she says, and the room falls silent. She leans in and whispers to Anaiya, "I don't have much to offer, but I'll be damned if you don't take it. I can't give my boys new clothes or sweets once a week like other parents but I will raise them to be proper Terranian gentlemen, so just...take my bed, eat my food, and don't make a big deal about it."

[Diachronos]

Anaiya sighs and nods. "Okay. If you insist." She wants to argue that Olivia deserved to have a decent place to sleep considering it was her home, but something tells her that the woman would just get more upset if she pushed the issue.

[NeoSeraphi]

Olivia smiles and gets started on dinner. After she finishes she hugs her kids and puts them to bed, and Anaiya has the opportunity to discuss her living conditions with her in private if she wishes.

[Diachronos]

Anaiya sits quietly at the table while Olivia puts her sons to bed, then gets up to help her clean up in the kitchen. "...If you don't mind me asking, how did you end up in a neighborhood like this? I doubt that it was by choice."

[NeoSeraphi]

"This is the Servant District. Housing here is free, as long as you are indentured. My wages wouldn't allow me to relocate unless I saved for a long time," Olivia explains.

[Diachronos]

"I see. Have you... have you had any trouble with other people in the area? It looks like an unpleasant part of town to live in, but I can't get a good idea of what it's like here just by the state of the buildings."

[NeoSeraphi]

Olivia shakes her head. "Occasionally one of the butlers will proposition me out of frustration but they never push when I say no. We all just stay out of each other's way."

[Diachronos]

"I see..." She looks over to the bedroom where her sons are sleeping. "Is it just you, your mother, and your sons here?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Olivia nods. "My father passed on years ago, peacefully in his sleep. I don't have any brothers or sisters."

[Diachronos]

Anaiya frowns. That left the question of her son's father (fathers?), but she decided against asking about that. She understood perfectly well that some people wanted no part of their own child's upbringing.

"Thank you for letting me stay here for the night."