Rebuilding the Council: The Night Shift

[Glenn]

A few days ago:

Although people tended to forget it these days (or, if they were new, never knew it), Glenn Burnie started off his life in Myrken Wood as a mapmaker. He never had a shop but he did serve for over a year as official Surveyor of the province. He never managed to map out the entirety of the wood; for one thing, the trees seemed to have a habit of moving around just because they didn't like him, though that was more theory than fact. He did, however, know the town as well as only the most brazen and transient urchins. That was why, tonight, he walked through the Myrkentown streets so idly, with only a beat up old lantern to light his way. This was a house that he had never been in, a person he had only spoken to in passing, if that, but he walked with purpose and self-assurance. He was Glenn Burnie. Of COURSE he knew where he was going.

It was enjoyable too, despite the cold. In the days and weeks to come, if all went well, his ability to walk so freely, to walk at all instead of riding in carriages, moving far more quickly, would be lessened significantly. The once-mapmaker knew as well as anyone that the most painful price for power was personal freedom.

His meetings over the last day and a half had been successes. There was every hope this one would be the same. The need was great for were it not for necessity, he would not be here now, in front of this large, old house, a place generally asleep during the day and only somewhat more roused at nighttime. He was dressed well, almost as well as he could be which was saying quite a bit given his means since his return from Underdark. The impression had to be quick and to the point. There simply wasn't time for more than one. So he knocked and waited. The letter had arrived the night before. The house's occupant would well know the purpose of this unique visit.

[Lamai]

The house was a large as it was old, three stories, with a black iron-wrought gate and even a family crest in the iron. It wasn't Nikolas' crest, but it did belong to the lady of the house. The D'anclaudes were an old Myrken family, and once upon a time, Nikolas had been nothing more than a guardian for their youngest and only daughter, Ashalique. But Ashalique's parents had died, and there had been other changes in the household as well. Both Nikolas and Ashalique had been stricken with a sun allergy that kept them locked away inside the old mansion until after dark. And while the servants were Myrkenites, the loyalty was so strong to their employers that not a one of them breathed what happened inside those doors.

It happened, at times, that Nikolas emerged from his house to walk through the town. He paid his people well, and he paid his taxes on time. So he was a little pale. And there were rumors that strange, bipedal non-Myrkenites disappeared into that house and never came out, but there was no proof. And he was always a gentleman. A -nice- man, if troubled. And really, who didn't find trouble in Myrken? At least he'd -stayed- and helped to keep things afloat. He didn't bring in outside servants; he employed Myrkenites and helped them to survive too. For a noble, he and the Lady Ashalique were nearly heroes!

Or so the gossip would be, that Glenn could find.

But now, Glenn stood in front of an old house where a missive had been sent the night before. He knocked on a door that creaked when it opened, and there was a human man in fine dress to open the door, straight backed and looking no worse for wear. He even had a slightly snooty nasal quality to his tone as he looked at the man that was once a mapmaker. But the cut of his jaw and the fierceness in his eyes marked him Myrken down to his bones. "You are Glenn Burnie, yes? The Master has been expecting you. The Mistress regrets that she is unable to see you tonight, but she isn't feeling well."

It was all parroted as a good butler should, and then the man stepped out of the way once Glenn provided that he was, in fact, who he said he was. It allowed the would-be governor into a world that very few had seen. If the house was old on the outside, it was just as old on the inside. It wasn't to say that it was -shabby-; everything was well taken care of and mended as necessary. However, the furniture was obviously passed down from one generation to the next until it was nothing more than treasured antiques. There were candled chandeliers and sconces on the wall. Everything was done in rich dyes of gemstone colors; amethyst and emerald and sapphire. Heavy drapes blocked out the light, even in the middle of the night. It was, in essence, a world within a world. And if rumors were to be believed, Nikolas was trapped in it.

Even now, maids bustled about and there were noises from the kitchen that weren't merely for the show of it. Servants were fed accordingly in addition to their pay, so the kitchen often stayed busy as the house started to wake up. Especially as most of the human staff kept the same hours as their Masters.

"The Master has set up in the study," the butler continued to explain after pausing to allow Glenn the initial lookaround. "This way, if you would," he said, starting in a direction that remained on the first floor of the three. He was taken through a sitting room and a more comfortable den before the haughty man knocked on a mostly closed door. "Mister Glenn Burnie here to see you, Sir."

"Very well, let him in, Johnathan," the cultured voice responded with the hint of a non-Myrkenite accent that mingled with the one he'd developed from his servants over the many years he'd spent within Myrken's borders. When Glenn was shown into the study, he would find book-lined shelves and a tall, blond man whose face was pale and blue eyes shrewd. He dressed in a violet wastecoat with cream ruffles and dark pants with shoes that suggested he rarely left his house and certainly not in bad weather.

"Mister Burnie. I must admit my surprise at your visit," Nikolas began as the door was shut behind Glenn, leaving him alone with either a very sick man or a monster. ".. to what do I owe this pleasure and honor?"

[Glenn]

Glenn Burnie was a social climber, yes, and if anyone ever really delved into it, he would reluctantly admit that while he never actually MET his parents, he did come from noble stock. He was not the most cordial and genteel of company, however. For one, he simply talked too much. He had something to say about everything and it always took six times too long for him to say it. Or, more accurately, it took six times too many words. He spoke them very quickly. More than that, he was a young man that didn't BELIEVE in the very concept of aristocracy except for in the most academic of senses. In a land where some people were just believed to have better blood than others, he saw it as poppycock all the way up to the high falutin' king in Razasan. And the higher class the female, the worse he tended to get along with her. He had gotten better as her rose higher (and as his soul had been... so afflicted, putting him at a similar level to some of the admittedly flimsy Myrken nobility), but it was usually an awkward affair.

Socially, there was one saving grace to the mapmaker, a knowledge of books and the collection of such. Being so backwoods and distant, the libraries of the Myrken elite, slight things compared to what might be found elsewhere, tended to be a matter of pride and competition for the small number of distinct Myrken nobles. Through sheer manic energy, Glenn had been put in charge of gathering a real library for Darkenhold by former Councilor Duquesne and it proved to be a task he excelled at. In the three years following, he built up contacts in provinces far and wide and became a rather invaluable tool in the constant bibliographical arms race.

As he rose in the government, his connections both personal and professional only expanded. So yes, he knew many of the houses in Town and countryside estates and many of the occupants on a close enough level. Nikolas and Ashalique, however, he did not know well (in fact, up until a few months ago when he started planning for certain eventualities, he thought her name was Angelique). But he knew the pale man's record in town... and he had surmised more than a little about his condition. That in itself made it very strange that he was here now.

But here he was. And he only glanced at the books in the study. There just wasn't time for such things. "Glenn please. I realize that it's a bit soon for informality, but I would not be here were the situation not somewhat urgent. I would rather have the time to properly compliment your home and your study, and express my deepest regrets that Lady Ashalique cannot join us tonight, but I am going to limit my compliments to your public service and generosity for now. Both of us have been working towards the same goal and you for longer than I, a prosperous, safe, and growing Myrken. And I wish to honor you for your works in most.. characteristic way a government can, by asking for a more direct sort of service." The words were chosen carefully, so as not to imply that Glenn was simply here to obtain more money. "That is, to say, it is my wish, and that of the Council, that you act in place of our ever so dear (and mercifully absent) Guillaume. As best as we can tell, he is off on business, for time unknown. Regardless, he cannot be reached and at this very moment, Razasan pressures us to have a hale Council and an active governor. The need is immediate. Of course, the idea of replacing steady Giscard, is barbaric. Therefore, until he returns, whenever that may be, and in light of your even presence, good financial sense, and civic-mindedness, we as that that you serve as Interim Councilor for Trade, Commerce, and Industry. We understand your health... concerns," Saying those words with a straight face was one of the trickiest acts of his life, but again, necessity trumped all. There were simply few good, trustworthy choices for this role, especially ones that would willingly step aside whenever the coarse old bastard might return from wherever he had gone. The Lord of Lothbury Estate was one man Glenn did NOT want to make an enemy of. Nikolas, however, was not only qualified but also had good reason to make but a brief foray into public life. "and will do our best to respect them and work around them moving forward." Well, there it was then? Smalltalk rushed through and the point reached quite quickly, though not without flourish.

[Lamai]

It could be assumed that most, when presented with such a thing, would jump at the chance to be upon the Council of Myrken. After all, such a position came with its own sort of power. It was, then, that Nikolas allowed himself time to stew over the man's words while doing the most polite thing in the world.

"Forgive me. Scotch? Wine? I have either. Of course, I don't partake. My digestion simply cannot abide it." Yes. Digestion. Not because he was anything other than a sickly nobleman. He admitted to a few problems. The sun sickness was the largest one, of course. His digestion was another; it was so fickle. There were only certain things he could eat anymore without being sick. So irritating.

The blond man then gestured to one of the high backed, burgundy chairs near the fire for Glenn to sit himself in. If drink was requested, he would serve it himself, and if not, Nikolas chose the other seat for himself.

"It is a great honor that Myrken has given me tonight, Glenn," the man began as if he might decline. "For one such as myself, so frail of health, it gladdens my heart to know the Council would be so willing to take in my unique needs simply to allow me this position." Nikolas was nothing if not smooth. "With that consideration, and in spite of my initial misgivings at such an offering, I would be happy to stand in this position until the missing Councilor can be recovered."

If he was recovered.

[Glenn]

Wine was requested and taken with a polite smile. Burnie had said quite a bit and the chance to wet his lips was welcomed, even if not entirely necessary. The idea that Nikolas might not accept the position was always in the young bureaucrat's mind. The health issues, the private life, the... truth behind it all. Selecting him had been a risk, but it was one with ample reward.

So it was a nod of relief for the man sitting across from him at the acceptance. Another piece into place. "Excellent. That's excellent. I have no doubt that Giscard will be back eventually," force of nature that he was. "but in the mean time, I will finalize things and an announcement will be made soon."

It been a very long day and a very long night and Glenn couldn't help but smile a bit at it being over. It was rather strange that in this moment he was with Nikolas, a mysterious man that he barely knew, but this was one of his new Councilors after all. "Well, then," and wasn't this a rare thing, indeed, the soon to be governor at a loss for words. He had questions, of course, and some of them he was happier not knowing the answer, but this was simply not the time. Logistics then. "As I said, we'll work around your unfortunate health conditions as smoothly as possible. It might mean holding some meetings here in your home or, in cases where the agenda is known in advance, casting your vote through a proxy." If not for her recent.. accident, Rhaena Olwak would have been the perfect choice for that role. As it was, he would just leave that thought out there for now.