19 Rose (1/2)
Shrouded in hooded cloaks, Elya and Alexis strode towards the address the Baroness had provided.
Rather than wait, Elya set out, dragging her friend from the old bard's cart, however she made time to remove the ridiculous pink dress and take her sword along, finally at ease. Whatever the Baroness implied, she didn't want to be caught unawares.
”Where are we going?” Disappointed that her attempts at flirting were interrupted, Alexis sulked and trailed after Elya. She munched on a skewer of meat and vehemently refused to share. A rare petulant reaction, completely unlike her.
”The Baroness gave me an address to visit.”
”So?”
”Don't be such a child. She knows about our investigation into the assassination attempt.”
”Should we be concerned?” Alexis stopped eating for a moment, glancing at their surroundings to make sure people weren't too close.
”She seems positive about our efforts, but we're not efficient enough according to her.”
”The 'Baroness' says we're unprofessional.”
”There's more to House Morales than meets the eye Alexis. By now you've heard their story.”
Alexis nodded, while it wasn't an epic, the story of Artem Morales and his courtship had been a minor scandal at the time. Enough for it be a tale that was whispered among the young Ladies of the Capital. Elya had listened to the tale a few times in Court. Even though it had taken place a generation ago, it remained popular.
As the third daughter of a minor merchant who plied his trade across the Volhiniyan border Eva met Artem during one of his patrols when they were set upon by bandits. At the time Artem had been the heir apparent of a House in decline. After saving her he started courting her in secret, eventually bringing Eva to their ancestral home for blessings. The reason for his actions were unknown, varying from falling for her beauty to more sinister stories about dark arts and sacrifices. Fortunately for them the objections from Nikolai's grandfather were dispatched swiftly by the approval of the ancestor's spirits and they were happily married.
”While it was a long time ago, there's enough mystery in the whole situation that we should be careful of our actions. The Baroness strikes me as a careful person. One who is focused on protecting her interests.”
”That brings us back to my original question. Where are we going?” Finished with the skewer Alexis tossed the waste into a gutter.
”I'm not sure, we just have to head to the western district and find the Rose building.”
Alexis stopped and stared at her incredulously.
”The Rose building? You mean the brothel?”
”It's a brothel?”
”That's the only Rose building I've heard of in the western district. We've had to break up a few fights in the area and there were a few women who needed some protection.”
”There's a lot of violence there?” It was common for brothels to be filled with high tempers and it had been the norm for dead 'entertainers' to show up on a regular basis. In an odd move to curb the power of the Houses behind the 'entertainment' trade the Emperor had proclaimed that the men and women who worked were to be afforded certain protections, which would have heavily cut into their profits. They'd tried to fight back but the Son of Heaven, flush with victory and the backing of the Ministry of War struck ruthlessly, using the event to purge the ranks of the Nobility.
”No. Much less than the disciplinary actions we had to take during the war. The 'Rose building'… Elya, I find that name distasteful. If it's a brothel, they should just own up to it.”
”As if people would happily visit a place called 'The brothel' or 'Come here to cheat on your spouse.'”