A personal request

A few days after his visit to the Inamourata's Mask, Yeoun went out for his evening walk. Nayh should have gotten his messages through to Swift by then, so he waited outside of the Dusty Crone, an Tavern whose owner was an old harper woman well past her prime. Of course, 'crone' tended to illicit a more haggardly image, when in fact, for an old broad, she was rather comely. 

Well, Yeoun had met her by chance, and found out that the harper woman turned entrepreneur, was in fact also a keeper of a good collection of her own books and records. The woman lived in the loft above the bar, keeping all of her writings and old harper materials there. She still actively entertained the gathering of patrons that joined in nightly festivities of their own kind, making merry with friends and family, but the Dusty Crone was not an Inn, though she did keep an extra room for the rare occasion someone was in need and unable to find a room elsewhere. But generally, once the woman was ready to turn away customers for the night, that was it. Not having patrons there 24/7 really cut down on the trouble that could stir, and also tended to draw business of locals who made it into a place of community rather than a place of strangers. She preferred things that way. And where people were comfortable around the company they shared, they tended to drink and also talk quite a lot.

Since having met the dusty crone herself, Yeoun had often taken walks there to visit with her -as a person, she was rather warm and sisterly, the sort who would give advice and laugh with you or just be straight up honest and tell you the truth of things. And with more than half a lifetime more of experience than he, it was refreshing when he had the opportunity to speak with her. She always surprised him, and always knew what words he needed to hear. 

Lately, he'd visited the Dusty Crone with a whit more frequency, though he would never tell her of the trouble in his heart -but she knew that something ate at him. Still, the things that weighed on him he knew he could not speak to anyone, so he always talked about something else. 



Standing around the far corner of the building, Yeoun didn't have to wait for long, for Swift to appear. They would be able to talk here, out of sight and sound of everyone else -and it was a busy enough intersection of streets with the Dusty Crone located here, that were they discovered there by guards, it wouldn't be too suspicious.

Swift approached Yeoun quietly, speaking low, "You know, it's a little dangerous for us to be meeting like this. Is there something you couldn't have written..."

"There is." Pushing himself off from where he'd leaned against the wall, Yeoun went on about his request, "Do you have a way of getting detailed information about the rebellion? I know it will mean a lot of effort on your part, and possibly the help of others you may know, but I need to know more. Namely, I would like to read into detailed documents concerning my father, Chorong. I thought that perhaps the Holds might still have their own records of events from that time -more detailed than others- and that you might have a way of obtaining them." 

It was possible that records with the name of Chorong in them were not often used by the holds, so he doubted if they went missing, it would take a little while before it was noticed. Of course, Swift already had other possible ideas of his own on how to obtain such things.

Yeoun met Swift's gaze evenly, letting the other young man know that he was serious, and highly hopeful that Swift would be able to fulfill his order. 

It was after a moment's consideration that Swift responded, "I should be able to get what you want. I hope this is really important." Frowning a little then, Swift folded his arms over his chest, but soon, a bemused smirk rose to one corner of his lips.

"It is. But this is a personal favour, not an order from the Lord General."

"But it's only by order of him that the Shadowless are allowed to move."

"Have you forgotten that I am the one who will take his place? This is to help me in doing that." And at least Yeoun had been honest with Swift and told him this was to quench his own curiosities. He could have lied; but all in all, things should work out better this way. 


It wasn't that Swift didn't mind doing the favour for Yeoun anyway, but what he was asking for were things that there were likely only one or two copies of in existence. And he wasn't asking for just a little piece of information, but a lot of information. Anyway, there wasn't likely any other way for Yeoun to get his hands on it all, if that was what he wanted, so Swift sighed and started, "I can think of a way to get what you want. But it's going to take a little time. Don't expect anything in the next two or three sevendays. It might take longer than that."

Yeoun seemed alright with that. He expected that he was asking a lot. "My request will remain a secret. You won't speak of this to anyone, but those whom it is necessary to get involved." There came a pause where Yeoun seemed to read the vague question upon Swift's face. So, Yeoun answered it, "Or I will kill you." 

Though Yeoun had no intention of killing the cooperative agent, he decided to add the threat for good measure. Not for the sake of making sure that what he asked was done, but to ensure that Swift had an out in case someone nosey found out Yeoun was trying to use the Shadowless world of his own accord. That way, if anyone asked, Swift could simply say that Yeoun had threatened him, and the blame was more likely to be shifted to the Chorong's heir. Yeoun was doing what he could to protect him.

Having those records in hand to help him discover some things for himself, would be the only way for him to stand on his own two feet in the future, amidst all of the power play he was likely to see. It  would do him much good to be as educated on the matter of the rebellion as possible; more so than the average person. And perhaps he would learn more about his father's intent for the rebels. Over the coming winter months, while things were a little more quiet, he should have plenty of time to catch up on the reading.



Hearing an increase in the noise nearby, Yeoun glanced around the corner where patrons began to file out of the establishment, so he digressed. "I need to go in and buy some ink before she closes."

"Ink?"

"For the Mask."

Swift's expression turned quizzical, straightening his tunic. "But this is a tavern." 

"The Crone just so happens to have a side business to earn herself some pin money. She is a Harper, after all. She keeps writing accoutrements handy." Digressing once more, he went back to their previous topic, "Let me know as soon as you have what I need." 

Walking past Swift then, Yeoun headed toward the door, to go in. Momentarily then, the woman's clear voice of welcome could be heard over the din of those who were leaving.