The Devil in the Details - Braiden

Kalem looked mildly surprised, then smiled at Braiden. "Thank you. That would be most helpful." At the question, he tilted his head to the side and looked thoughtful. "It sounds familiar, but I can't place where I've heard the name before. If it's important, than I'll keep it in mind when I can, perhaps get you some answers. The memory can be a tangled place, but there are ways to cut through the mess."

"It's not life and death serious, but it matters," Braiden nodded. "Someone's been using the name to fake credentials for employment with me. Let me know if anything comes to mind." He made a move to stand up, but thought better of it. While he wasn't in poor standing with the residents of the mountains after how that debale with the orb thing turned out, he wasn't their most favorite Katarian Royal ever. "I don't suppose you can give me anything better to go with for the dragons than 'Kalem said it was terribly important'?"

"I was sworn to secrecy by Celia. While I'm willing to risk her ire to tell you and Cadence, I wouldn't advise making the same exception for the lizards. I don't believe any other advice I have to give you will be helpful, as it's all various forms of telling the scaly bastards to stop being sniveling cowards." Kalem stood as well, straightening out his robes and adjusting his hat. "Oh, on the other matter, have you considered that someone might be trying to send you a message, or gain your attention? Assuming whoever or whatever this 'Keloric" is possesses some stealth or intellect, it seems foolish to believe the report given to you is an accident."

Great, he got to go ask dragons to let him send someone in to do an unspecified something they were too cowardly to do themselves. At least he'd have a little time to think about how to word it. "The full name given was 'Ketoric P'. I can't see anything notable the letters rearrange to, the name isn't familiar to me, and what was charged to my accounts wasn't excessively strange or peculiar. If they're trying to send me a message, unless it's about how easy it is to fake a credential to use my money, they aren't very good at composing one. My secretary has the notice of the charges if you want to look it over yourself."

"Yes, have her send them to me. I'll give them my attention later," Kalem said with a nod. "Working in Dravina for years has sharpened my attention to details, as has my service to your wife's family. I may see something that has escaped your notice. Until I hear from you, I shall take up residence here. Perhaps I'll be able to get a few moments of Cadence's time." He sounded downright hopeful about that prospect.

That sounded like his work was done here, so Braiden stood up. "She's off touring the site of a fire, it hit one of the orphanages. I'll let her know you're here and arrange to 'unexpectedly' have things I need to do all the way through dinner so you can have her to yourself for the meal." He did just spend three days almost entirely with her, and there were bound to be things he could get engrossed in because of it, probably more than he could count. With false sternness, he pointed at Kalem. "Don't expect that kind of largesse on my part all the time."

Kalem looked distinctly uncomfortable, and the smile he gave Braiden was as unsure as it was genuine. "Thank you," he said, his fingers idly rubbing the sleeves of his shirt between his fingers, the gesture familiar. "I'll... I'll go do research on that name and list. While you speak to lizards." The mage strode from the room, his ears pink.

A moment after he'd left, Tess stepped in and arched her eyebrows. "I don't think I've seen a wizard that uncomfortable in a long while. What did you do to him? Can you teach me?"

The whole thing made Braiden grin. "I doubt it would work for you. I need to go talk to the dragons as soon as it can be arranged, and I'll be working late tonight. Make sure I have something to annoy myself with through dinner, at the least."

Tess blinked, a small packet of papers halfway out of her satchel. "Pardon? Braiden, the dragons aren't even talking to the King. Katar hasn't received an answer from the mountains since the Demon War, and they've tried."

"Yeah, well, we can try. And if there's no answer this time, I'll just have to go find a window to stand beneath and serenade them until one comes out to shut me up." Braiden said it quite cheerfully, though he had to wonder if he could talk Jasper into breaking into the mountains. Probably not, even if he could manage to find the guy. Nothing for it, then, but to get into trouble on his own. Maybe Cady would come along. That would, of course, require him telling her, which somehow didn't sound like a very good idea right this minute. As a second choice, maybe he could get Kalem to come with him for it. Gosh, that would be a fun trip. Or not.

"Put in the request that if there's no response, we're going to resume our full mining operations under the assumption they have no objection."