Closed A Message (Kelmar)

[Valerius Nitrozian]

Fall 20, 512 AV The weather was pleasant even though it was already fall, but then the weather was always pleasant in Ravok. Rhysol protected his city against the things that troubled the rest of the world. Valerius had gone on a walk through the city, enjoyed a glass of fine red wine at one of his favourites taverns – and observed and listened of course. The Nitrozian was always listening, to the latest news from outside, the latest rumours, the latest stories about the scandals the great families of Ravok were involved in, always trying to come up with a way how he could use the information he had gathered to his advantage. He wasn’t content with his current position. He was a son of one of Ravok’s richest and most influential families, but none of his fame, none of his influence was really due to his own accomplishments. People admired him, people respected him and envied him because he was a Nitrozian. He needed something that was only his. Maybe his aunt would finally stop making him clean cages and make him her asisstant if he did something great. Maybe the Black Sun would finally notice him, mabye he would even gain his god’s attention. While he had been drinking wine, he had picked up a rumour, a rumour that one of Nitrozian’s rivals was up to something. How could he find out what was going on without revealing who he was? People wouldn’t appreciate him spying on them. It was out of the question that he went there himself. And his father’s agents probably wouldn’t work for him without his father’s approval. So what was he supposed to do? He thought about it as he walked through the city, as he climbed into a ravosala that would take him back to the Nitrozian Estate. The ravosalaman noticed that his passenger was deep in thought and asked, “I couldn’t help but notice that you seem to be worried about something, sir. Is there anything I can help you with?” He didn’t ask this because he was such a nice and helpful person of course. The ravosalaman had also noticed that his passenger was dressed in silk and velvet. If he could offer some useful advice, Valerius would likely pay him well. Valerius made a face and didn’t reply right away. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to discuss his problems with a commoner. He doubted that the man had anything useful to contribute, that he knew that very special person that he needed. But then he sighed and wondered, “If you needed a certain information and if you couldn’t use your usual ways to get that information, what would you do? Who would you go to?” The ravosalaman thought about it. He couldn’t help but wonder why his passenger needed to gather information. Did he want to know if his beloved was cheating on him? Or was it about money? It was always about women or money for men like him. The ravosalaman knew that. “I might have heard of somebody”, he replied. “A man that is good at gathering information and keeping quiet about it. He calls himself Kelmar, and I’ve heard that he is good. I can tell you where he can usually be found as well, if …” “I know”, Valerius interrupted him. He wasn’t particularly happy about it, although money was of course not an issue. He handed the ravosalaman a silver miza, and the man then proceeded to tell him about a certain part of town where the supposed gatherer of information was most frequently seen. ~~~~~ Once he was home, Valerius immediately went to his room, took a piece of paper and a quill and began to write. Once he was done, he put the letter into an envelope and sent for a slave. “Deliver this to the man that calls himself Kelmar. Tell him I have need of his services.” About a bell later Kelmar would find himself facing a human man that was dressed in clothes that were plain, but of good quality. The man handed him an envelope, explaining that it was from his master and then waited for Kelmar to read it. If Kelmar opened the envelope he would find a single piece of parchment filled with an elegant handwriting within. The message said, I have heard that you are were skilled at gathering information and finding out things people don’t want you to find out. I have need of your services, and I will pay you well – better than your usual customers. Rest assured though that while the task requires a certain amount of skill, there will be no danger to your life. If you accept, I will be waiting for you at the Silver Sliver this evening between the seventh and the ninth bell. Signed, V.N.

[Kelmar Hedos]

Kelmar was busy practicing. At least, he was trying to practice. He tried swinging the his rope dart, the cold iron in his hands feeling heavy but reassuringly solid. Rope dart was a misnomer, in this case it was more of chain dart, the tip sharp and bladed, but that's what people had taken to calling them so that's what he would call it. Bring his hand out to the side - far away from his body - he began to gently sway it back and forth until he built up enough speed that he could swing the weighted end fully over in a circle. He'd had some bad experiences with that bladed tip in the past, and now swung it as far from his as possible for fear of earning another cut or nick on his face. The chain made a soft clicking sound as the links clanked in rotation around the part in Kelmar's hand, just to put him on edge. Shying away from the tip, which glided through the air like a deadly silver bird, he suddenly snapped his arm forward, trying to send the dart sailing towards the wall. All it did was continue it's upward arc and gently glance off the wood, mocking him for his effort. Sighing, he looked down at the weapon in his hands. He really wished he could use this thing. A sudden rapping on his door below pulled the young Hedos out of his sullen state. Instantly the seasoned agent was cautious, quickly coiling the chain and putting it away in his bag. Who knew he was here? Why would someone come to his home? Whilst recruitment by personal delivery wasn't unheard of to Kelmar, it wasn't common either. Sneaking over to the window - consciously avoid any spots on the floor he knew would squeak - he gently leaned against the wall and peered out of the window looking out into the street, careful to conceal as much of himself as plausible. The man standing at his door was dressed plainly, but his clothes were neat and his hair was well-kept. Nothing about him seemed particularly alarming, no sheathed weapon or bag of knickknacks, but that wasn't to say he wasn't hiding a dagger in his belt behind his back, or a bagh nakh underneath one of his hands. Well, the latter was unlikely, as in between his hands the man clutched a clean white envelope. Curious, but not abandoning caution, Kelmar quietly made his way down the stairs, making sure to tighten his muscles and minimize the noise he made. It was a conscious effort, but one day all this might actually pay off, or at least he told himself. When he got to the bottom, another round of rapping started again, now much more painfully loud, especially since Kelmar right next to the door. Without waiting for it to end, the young Hedos opened the door quickly and suddenly. "What do you want?" he asked, his eyes quickly analyzing the man's reaction. He seemed surprised, which was the intended effect, but he made no motion to a hidden weapon or anything that would suggest he was a fighter. He even stepped back a bit, not expected the resident of the house to instantly appear before him. Whoever this man was, he wasn't a trained killer, or even a fighter. Reassured with that conclusion, Kelmar refocused his attention on the envelope the visitor was offering him. "My master said to deliver this to you," he said once he regained his composure. Taking the envelope from him, Kelmar gave the man - a slave, presumably - a curt nod and opened it to read what was inside. When the man did not leave, instead watching him intently, he realized that he was probably to make sure letter was read and understood. Such coddling struck Kelmar as childish, but he was beyond judging at this stage. The paper was prim and crisp, the handwriting elegant and looped. "V.N.?" he asked the slave, who bowed his head slightly. "My master," he answered. "Valerius-" "Nitrozian, I got it," Kelmar cut him off. "So, a family of that power wishes to solicit my services? The irony..." Drifting off into memories of his father and mother, before they bit the dust that is, he nearly forgot the man still standing before him. "Tell your master that I'll be there, but I'll be waiting for him. I don't like surprises." Nodding respectively, the slave was about to walk away when Kelmar gently grabbed his shoulder. "One more thing," he said. "How did you find me?" "You have a bit of a reputation among the ravosalamen, mister Hedos," the slave answered, his eyes on Kelmar's hand. Satisfied, he let the slave leave and go back to his master. How ironic that the family whose power Kelmar's father had aspired to gain for so long was now asking the last surviving Hedos for his power. Just went to show that wealth didn't give you everything. Closing his door and returning upstairs, he thought ahead to the meeting with the Nitrozian - Valerius his name was. What could the man want from one such as himself? Information most likely, that was what Kelmar was known best for, but he still couldn't help but harbor some small feeling of resentment to the family name. It was aspiration to become like them that led the Hedos family to become poverty-stricken mongrels, and though he knew logically that the Nitrozians had about as much to do with that as the petching mice he still felt some kind of emotion towards them, not particularly positive. Curious things, emotions. Anyway, the meeting was still some bells away, and though Kelmar desired to be there first he still had some time to practice. Uncoiling the chain dart - rope dart, stupid name - he starting swinging it, round and round, and cursed as it accidentally nicked his chin. ~~~ Some time later, five chimes to the nineteenth bell. ~~~ Kelmar was seated towards the back of the Silver Sliver, at a table where he had a good view of the rest of the room. Syna was just setting, so already the popular tavern was beginning to fill up with its usual clientele. Why the small little establishment was so popular confused Kelmar, but he guessed it had something to do with the titular Silver Sliver, the drink that he heard had quite a kick yet was both tart a cool as well. He didn't know, he'd never had it. Some of his acquaintances and contacts had, none of whom were there that night, but he had refrained thus far from drinking the alcoholic beverage. Anything that addled his mind, no matter how mildly, would detract from his mental power and thus he tried to avoid all strong drink. Keeping his eyes glued to the entrance from the Nitrozian Plaza, Kelmar analyzed everyone who came in, keeping an eye out for whoever his potential employer might be.

[Valerius Nitrozian]

Valerius awaited the return of his slave in his suite. As the man entered the room, the young noble was just busy writing something into a book – notes about the Ancient Tongue that he had been studying during his time at the famous University of Zeltiva. As the slave approached – after having made sure that he was allowed to do so – Valerius closed the book and raised his head. „Did you deliver the message?“ he wanted to know. The slave nodded. „Yes, Master.“ „And did this Kelmar agree?“ The slave didn’t answer right away, but looked at his master uncomfortably. He knew that Valerius wouldn’t like the answer, but unfortunately there was no way he could keep it from him. „He did“, he murmurred, avoiding Valerius‘ gaze. Valerius made a face. „Go on“, he ordered. „Did he say anything? Look at me when I’m talking you!“ The slave abruptly looked up. „He agreed to meet you to discuss whatever job you have for him, Master, but he will be waiting for you, not the other way round. He said that he doesn’t like surprises.“ Valerius‘ eyes darkened. He sent he slave that was standing there, as if he were wondering whether he would be punished or not, away with a wave of his hand, and then he sat there, thinking. He didn’t like the fact that this Kelmar had decided to dictate his own terms. How dare he tell him – a Nitrozian – what to do? But he didn’t know who else to ask. He didn’t want his family to find out what he was up to, and if he used their own agents, it was very likely that they would. Not that using an agent that had yet to prove himself was without a risk, but as far as he was concerned, the risk was considerably smaller. He wanted to have the information first, and he didn’t want anybody else to have it. It was about time he started building his own network. So he decided to go there regardless, but he didn’t come through the front door. A few copper mizas exchanged hands, and then the cook agreed to let him in through the back door, wondering what he was up to. Those nobles were always up to something. Maybe he had a date and wanted to surprise his beloved. Once he had entered the common room, Valerius stood close to the wall for a moment and let his gaze sweep across the crowd. His slave had given him a brief description of the man. Valerius wanted to observe him for a while, see how he held himself, how he acted. Watching somebody while they thought they weren’t being watched could tell you a lot about a person. He had done some research after the ravosalaman had told him the name of course. Kelmar was the son of a once wealthy merchant family that had fallen into poverty, but that hadn’t told him what Kelmar was like now. The man looked tall, he noticed. He was not unattractive, and he held himself like somebody that moved in Valerius‘ circles rather than simply working for them. Talking to him might be wortwhile. Once he was done with his assessment, the Nitrozian quietly approached his table. „Kelmar Hedos“, he spoke once he was in front of the man. „I see that you’ve received my message and decided to agree to a meeting. Are you ready to hear the details of what I need you to do now?“ Kelmar could see that the Nitrozian was young, not much older than Kelmar himself and several inches shorter. His hair was a deep copper red, his eyes were brilliant blue, and his clothes were of such fine quality that Kelmar probably wouldn’t ever be able to afford anything like it. Unlike the agent Valerius had never known poverty – and he had no interest in find out what it was like to be poor either. Secret : Paid 10 coppers to the cook of the Silver Sliver.

[Kelmar Hedos]

Kelmar was becoming edgy, intuitively sensing something wrong. It had been several chimes since the agreed meeting time, but no one dressed or acting like a noble had walked through the door. The usual customers kept coming and going, but no one unusual had appeared as of yet. Was this all just a waste of time? Regardless, Kelmar had nothing better to do than practice, so he would wait. Unlike many agents whose backs would slouch or hunch over the table in front of them during a wait, Kelmar sat up straight with his eyes glued to the door, not moving in the slightest while he patiently waited for his employer. Maybe an instinct from his wealthier days as a youth, who could tell? All of a sudden, a man stepped up in front of the table, dragging Kelmar's attention from the door. He was a couple inches shorter then himself, but dressed finely and richly that emanated a certain sense of class, an imperative to obey. Not quite authority, but close. His well-kept hair was hard to pin a color on, either copper red or light auburn, and his cutting blue eyes supported that same feeling of command. Not much older than himself, it looked as if this man had a clear intent and a desire to achieve that through his own means. Valerius Nitrozian. There was no one else that it could be. Silently cursing himself, Kelmar nodded at the Nitrozian's inquiry while inwardly scowling. How had he gotten past the door without him noticing? He'd been watching that door since he got here! He didn't, Kelmar realized with a shock. The Nitrozian must have arrived through the back door, likely paying off the cook to be let in. Come to think of it, he was probably watching the agent for quite a while now, maybe since the actual meeting time. What better way to evaluate a potential agent than to watch him on the job, unaware that he was being observed? Kelmar highly disliked being surprised and the lack of control that gave him, but he regarded this man with a new grudging respect. It was the kind of move he'd pull off in a similar circumstance, and it showed that he had some knowledge of the streets despite being a noble. Promising to work on his observation, the agent then addressed the noble's question. "I am, sir," Kelmar answered, gesturing to the chair opposite himself. The use of sir was a deference ingrained in him since childhood, respecting those who had money or who wanted something from you. Even though he had fallen from that life, Kelmar kept his mannerisms as they seemed to appease his employers. "That was a very clever action, Mr Nitrozian, coming in through the back. I apologize for changing the terms of our meeting, but in my line of work you can never be too careful. The man who says he wants to hire you could just as easily be the one who wants a knife in your throat. Do you have experience meeting with people of my profession?" Leaning back into his own chair, Kelmar's gaze did a sweep around the room, analyzing every person quickly to see if any were paying attention. Luckily, nobody seemed to be glancing in their direction. A few had weapons, small swords and daggers, some of which the owners were instinctively resting their hands on, but these individuals seemed on the lookout for people watching them, not the other way around. Satisfied, Kelmar refocused his attention on his would-be employer, intent on getting the job soon and then take to it quickly. "May I ask the exact nature of this job you're giving me, sir?" he asked out of the blue. "Your family is not lacking in willing agents, I've met a few myself. If you've contacted me, a freelance, then this is probably something you want kept from the rest of your family, at least for now." With that out in the open, Kelmar regarded Valerius, doing his best to analyze the man's reaction. He wasn't particularly nervous about getting the job - after all, there were plenty of opportunities for practice - but the entire situation intrigued him. Besides, a Nitrozian would be a powerful ally.

[Valerius Nitrozian]

Valerius nodded as Kelmar called what he had just done clever. Of course it had been clever. Everything Valerius did was clever, and whoever dared to disagree was simply a liar. „I understand“, he murmurred as he heard the man’s apology and sat down. „Have you been in many such situations? Where the man – or woman – that wanted to hire you turned out to be more interested in killing you? How did you handle those situations?“ He arched an eyebrow. „Of course I have experience with people like you“, he then replied. „It’s impossible to be a member of one of Ravok’s most influential families without having contact with your kind. As for why I’m not using my family’s own agents …“ He shrugged his shoulders. „They are paid by my father, my uncle or my aunt, and they will of course report to them. I want my own network of agents here in Ravok. I’m tired of being in my relatives‘ shadow. I want independance, and I want excluse access to the information that you gain. Is that an understandable motive, Mister Hedos?“ „As for the nature of the job …“ Another shrug. „I have received information that a merchant family here in Ravok is about to conduct a rather important business deal that is somewhat shady.“ „I want to know what kind of deal it is, when it will take place and what kind of sums are involved. I doubt they would tell me if I went there myself. You are aware that we Nitrozians are merchants as well – among other things?“ „You are free to employ whatever methods you think are most suitable. I’ll give you free reign, although I ask you to avoid violence if it is possible. I want information, not a couple of dead bodies or broken furniture or windows.“ „I will tell you the name of the family once you have accepted.“

[Kelmar Hedos]

"For a while, I didn't need to worry about that," Kelmar answered, thinking back to his first employment. That employment had lasted him more than five years, and during that time he was nearly always under the wing of a rather influential family. "Since a little less than a year ago I've learned to be careful. It's only happened once or twice before, people who claimed to be potential employers really victims of my previous tasks out for revenge." Kelmar leaned back a bit at the next question. "How did I handle them? Well, if you're assuming that I put an end to their chases, you're wrong. I'm no fighter, Mr. Nitrozian, and all of those who have wanted me dead are still out there and looking for me. If it ever comes to a confrontation, or a near-confrontation, I simply slip away. That is why it is imperative that the location of my residence remain secret, lest I fall asleep one night and not wake up." That was another reason why the young agent was so worried about the man popping up at his door, but that was another point he would have to pursue later. Now that Valerius seemed to be going into his motives, Kelmar paid rapt attention. Disregarding the start of his explanation, he paid close attention to what the Nitrozian said about all the agents of the family working for his father directly, about his desire for independence and access to exclusive information that the rest of his family did no necessarily have in their hands. All this talk reminded the young agent somewhat of himself, though with much more ambition for status rather than pure power. Obviously Valerius had aimed his sights high, but one must always be careful about working for someone with a big name - your opponents tended to be better and stronger as well. "I understand completely sir," Kelmar answered, leaning in a bit closer to hear the type of job this would be. Intrigue against a rival family? That in and of itself was not uncommon among the merchant families of Ravok, but that a name as big as Nitrozian would be concerned at all surprised Kelmar. Then he reminded himself that this was not a Nitrozian concern; it was Valerius' personal ambition. Information-gathering was simple enough, though depending on circumstances he might need to call on a few favors to get some of the finer stuff done. "Indeed, I accept this job you're offering," the young agent answered his employer. "Things will remain non-violent if I can help it. As I've said, I'm not a fighter, and the last thing I need is the Ebonstryfe looking into a murder or assault around one of my jobs at the moment. However, allow me to point out sir that my chance and amount of success possible will be influenced by which family this is. Different families have different levels of security and different levels of paranoia. I'll do my best, but that is all I can guarantee." He suspected that his disclaimer would be met with some hostility - it almost always was - but it was the truth. Unlike most people in his trade he did not make lofty promises or false guarantees, he presented what he saw as he saw it. Regardless, he would have to persuade Valerius to keep his home secret lest he sell it out to some other family in exchange for some secrets of their own.

[Valerius Nitrozian]

„I see“, Valerius replied. „It seems strange to me that they pretended to be potential employers rather than using other means to exact their revenge. If I had been in their place, I would either have been honest from the start or struck without ever showing my face.“ He shrugged his shoulders. Valerius had never been a spy or something similar – and he had no interest in such risky work either – but he had a certain amount of common sense. Besides, the little charade Kelmar’s enemies had put up seemed fairly pointless to him. As the agent admitted that his enemies (or victims?) were still out there, the Nitrozian made a face. He wasn’t particularly happy to hear that. Should he really use an agent that could be killed any time? „Can you assure me that this circumstance won’t affect your job for me negatively?“ he wanted to know. „I have no interest in an agent that isn’t able to concentrate on his job completely. If you are successful on the other hand, I might be willing to offer you my protection if you need it.“ „Good“, he remarked as Kelmar accepted. „I think I can tell you which family it is now.“ He leaned back in his chair and looked at the agent. „The Larks.“ There was a short pause, and then he clarified, „I don’t mean the Larks, one of the other great families of Ravok, but a minor branch of the family that has been slightly bothersome recently.“ „I don’t consider it wise to do anything that might affect the relationship betwen House Nitrozian and the head of House Lark and their immediate family at this point.“ „And I’m aware that you can’t offer me any guarantees. If you had claimed that you would be successful no matter what, I wouldn’t have believed you and ended our meeting immediately. Your honesty and the fact that you will do your best is appreciated. I don’t expect anything less.“

[Kelmar Hedos]

Kelmar shrugged to Valerius' observation of the pointlessness of their maneuver. "It has worked in the business before, people laying traps for agents by telling them they had a job, then killing them as soon or soon after they showed. It's worked so well in the past that now it's almost a fifty-fifty chance that the person who wants to hire you is actually your assassin. However, it's such a common maneuver that anyone with much experience will have backup plans should such a scenario arise. You outsmarted mine today though, so I'll need to rethink my contingency." Sitting stock still as the Nitrozian voiced his concern, Kelmar nodded slowly and comprehensibly. He understood the man's caution, as it would be troublesome to have to find a new agent to pick up where the last left off. Busywork more than anything. "Do not worry, Mr Nitrozian. I have managed to remain elusive to my pursuers for this long, even managing to set a few up, and as far as I am aware none know where to find me. I can move unseen if I so desire. As for protection," he whispered, leaning in slightly, "let's start with keeping the location of my home a secret. Very few are privy to that information, and once this is over I hope you will allow me to ask how exactly you found me so easily. If you do not want anything happening to me while I am working, you should not make my residence public knowledge. This is in both of our interests, I assure you." As his new employer leaned back, Kelmar mirrored the movement, and good thing too. The family that Valerius had named was a very prominent one, and quickly on the rise, having more than firmly established their hold on the slave trade. It was suicide if he wanted to take this household on, especially on his own. The agent did his best to keep any shock from showing on his face however, not wanting to give off an apprehensive impression. Then, as Valerius began to clarify, Kelmar felt inwardly relieved that he would not have to worry about the Larks as a whole. As of yet, none of the very big names were out to get him yet, and he would have liked to keep it that way. "I understand the need to keep this under the radar. Your families are currently on indifferent terms, and it would be disastrous for an incident to tense those relations. Whatever tracks I leave behind will be well-covered, and there will be nothing relating to you left behind. Many things are delicate in this trade after all, and my experience has left me with more than a few tricks." At the Nitrozian's gesture of appreciation, Kelmar nodded his own gratitude. This man was possibly the first besides Xerin that was okay with the guarantee of only effort, not success. Though Valerius was only a few years older than himself, he showed a comprehension and faith that many of his status lacked entirely. It would be interesting working for such a man. "You will receive nothing less, that I can assure you. Anything done half-heartedly can be safely expected to fail." Leaning forward once again and dropping his voice, Kelmar proceeded to some of the more sensitive points. "I'm not sure whether you want to discuss this here or not, but anything you can tell me about what specifically you want will make this move a lot faster. You mentioned that this was a shady business deal that you wanted information on, which means that there is likely a deadline for this event. Details on what you want, like dates or names or locations, and anything that you know already that may help me, somewhere to start, whatever you can spare will help push this project along."

[Valerius Nitrozian]

„The chance is that high?“ Valerius‘ eyes widened as he heard that, and then he made a face. He wasn’t sure if he believed that. Fifty-fifty was a little bit too much as far as he was concerned. „If this is true, it surprises me that there are still people willing to do that kind of job left. What are your back-up plans by the way, Mister Hedos? Do you have any apart from trying to get away as quickly as possible?“ „So I did“, he remarked as Kelmar informed him that he had outsmarted him and nodded. He sounded pleased, and he even smiled a little. „Maybe you should take the fact that people don’t always come through the front door into consideration. As for the fact that none of your enemies seem to know where to find you, that’s good to hear. I will of course be keeping the location of your home a secret as long as you don’t give me a reason to betray it.“ „Does that work for you?“ „As for dates and such, it is likely that the deal will be conducted before the middle of the season which will thus be your deadline. I would start looking around their residences and the slave market. You are most likely to find out soemthing useful there. I want you to stay away from Vernon Lark and his immediate family though. Don’t talk to them, don’t do business with them, don’t even let them see you unless it’s absolutely necessary.“ Here he paused for a moment, thinking, before he decided, „I won’t ask you about the tricks that you have mentioned – I’m sure you would rather keep them to yourself. Do you have any questions at this point? About the payment for example?“ „I can offer you a certain sum, but you are of course also free to make a suggestion. Money isn’t an issue, but neither will I spend unusually high sums unless the work you do is exceptional.“

[Kelmar Hedos]

Shrugging Kelmar conceded the point. "Parhaps fifty-fifty is an exaggeration, and I apologize for leading you on, but the chance is still proportionally high. Besides, most who fall for such common tactics are those that are relatively new to this particular line of business. Those that have even a little experience are likely to spot and survive such an encounter. It's a strict form of natural selection, but I cannot deny that it weeds out the weak and ineffective so only the clever remain to be employed. All the more benefit to you then." A soft grin graced the agent's angular features. "Curious, are you Mr Nitrozian? I'm afraid that would be telling, so unless it is imperative you know I would rather keep my contingencies to myself." Still with a slightly jovial attitude, he shook his head as Valerius more or less chastised him for his narrow-mindedness. "Until recently I never needed to be too concerned about safety, but I'm picking up a few tricks. Today's humiliation was another lesson to make me more powerful, and thankfully it didn't end in a sorry state for me. I am grateful that you will help my place will remain secret, and believe me I have no intention of giving you a reason to share that knowledge." "This job is bigger than I had originally been planning to take on," Kelmar confessed. He glanced quickly around to make sure nobody was paying too close attention. A cursory search showed nothing, but he still felt a little uneasy. "Understand I've never had any experience dealing with such a mainstream name, so while in practice it is simply more of the same this will probably have a bigger impact than a lot of what I've done before. I am resolute however, and you need not worry about me faltering." Nodding in appreciation for each of Valerius' suggestions, he already began formulating a quick first plan based on the information. "Very well, I will begin in the slave market, maybe posing as the representative of a wealthy family interested in buying slaves to make myself inconspicuous. Don't worry, neither you nor your family's name will be attached to this, I just need a reasonable cover. If one of the Larks is planning something, then I should be able to discern who at least, maybe when. It's only a start, but I think I can take it from there. Do you want updates on my progress, sir?" "Payment?" Kelmar chuckled. "Let's wait to see what I come up with. If it turns out I can't get anything, I won't waste your money. Unlikely, but it is possible. Once I get something concrete enough for you to use, we can discuss payment then. Money is nice, but I have something else in mind." The response was ambiguous, but the agent preferred not to discuss such things without assurances, which would come after the job was done. Chances were that this noble had attended some sophisticated schooling somewhere, meaning he might know some things that could be useful to Kelmar. "Something less solid, but no less valuable."