Timestamp: 31st of Spring 514AV
When Preskon Levrat died, Rosela had to admit she was deeply saddened, but not entirely surprised. She had managed to escape the stomach bug that had swept through the city, and it was almost anti-climactic that Preskon should succumb to it. Somehow she’d expected something more dramatic – an assassination by a rival, or a heart attack after an impassioned speech against, for example, using puppies as slave labor.
She hadn’t been invited to the funeral, not that she’d expected to be, but she’d heard through the rumor mill that that family had opted for a strictly family-only affair. Though she and Preskon had only met once, his insight had stayed with her ever since. Part of her regretted using hypnotism to dig business advice out of him that night, the same part that wanted to somehow pay her respects. Hudon had obviously gone to his grandfather’s funeral, and while Rosela could have coerced herself into being his date, she didn’t want to appear to be crashing the party.
She had however, been invited to the reading of his last will and testament, one section of it anyway. Apparently, he’d had extensive bequeathments laid out, so much so that his will was read over several days. It had been delayed once due to familiar bickering, and now, over ten days after Preskon’s passing, the proceedings were finally going forward.
So it was that Rosela strutted briskly down the street in a new, carefully chosen outfit for the affair: open toed black heels, a beautiful two-layered spring dress, and a floppy wide brimmed hat. She was particularly fond of the shoes – unassuming black with just a hint of ruffle around the toes. The hat, she was still on the fence about. She wasn’t a hat person in general, but she felt the dress needed a stabilizing element, and the black-banded cream hat had jumped out at her at the time.
By the time she’d arrived at the solicitor’s office, there were several people around already, and Rosela felt with immediate certainty that she was the best dressed in the room. Not that anyone was dressed cheaply, but as she pulled off her hat with a twist of her hand, she looked around with a professional mask and saw much better uses for the hundreds of mizas in cloth being presented.
“You must be Rosela.” A flat masculine voice intoned from her left, and she turned, hat held demurely in front of her.
”Yes. And you are?”
The Akalak didn’t speak at first, but stood up from leaning on the wall and uncrossed his arms. He was a large man – even in her heels, he stood nearly a head above her – and well-muscled. Despite the distinct impression he was trying to intimidate her with his size, Rosela couldn’t help but feel the thrumming pull of physical attraction.
“Behetimal Levrat. I believe you are employing my cousin Hudon?”
”Yes, he’s been a great help to the business. My deepest condolences to your family.”
“Thank you.” Despite Rosela’s apologetic smile, he remained stiff. In a sudden movement that made her jump, he gestured to the hallway. “May I speak to you in private?”
”…Yes. No problem at all.” She couldn’t entirely erase the suspicion in her voice, but followed him into the wood panel hallway nonetheless.
Notes :
When Preskon Levrat died, Rosela had to admit she was deeply saddened, but not entirely surprised. She had managed to escape the stomach bug that had swept through the city, and it was almost anti-climactic that Preskon should succumb to it. Somehow she’d expected something more dramatic – an assassination by a rival, or a heart attack after an impassioned speech against, for example, using puppies as slave labor.
She hadn’t been invited to the funeral, not that she’d expected to be, but she’d heard through the rumor mill that that family had opted for a strictly family-only affair. Though she and Preskon had only met once, his insight had stayed with her ever since. Part of her regretted using hypnotism to dig business advice out of him that night, the same part that wanted to somehow pay her respects. Hudon had obviously gone to his grandfather’s funeral, and while Rosela could have coerced herself into being his date, she didn’t want to appear to be crashing the party.
She had however, been invited to the reading of his last will and testament, one section of it anyway. Apparently, he’d had extensive bequeathments laid out, so much so that his will was read over several days. It had been delayed once due to familiar bickering, and now, over ten days after Preskon’s passing, the proceedings were finally going forward.
So it was that Rosela strutted briskly down the street in a new, carefully chosen outfit for the affair: open toed black heels, a beautiful two-layered spring dress, and a floppy wide brimmed hat. She was particularly fond of the shoes – unassuming black with just a hint of ruffle around the toes. The hat, she was still on the fence about. She wasn’t a hat person in general, but she felt the dress needed a stabilizing element, and the black-banded cream hat had jumped out at her at the time.
By the time she’d arrived at the solicitor’s office, there were several people around already, and Rosela felt with immediate certainty that she was the best dressed in the room. Not that anyone was dressed cheaply, but as she pulled off her hat with a twist of her hand, she looked around with a professional mask and saw much better uses for the hundreds of mizas in cloth being presented.
“You must be Rosela.” A flat masculine voice intoned from her left, and she turned, hat held demurely in front of her.
”Yes. And you are?”
The Akalak didn’t speak at first, but stood up from leaning on the wall and uncrossed his arms. He was a large man – even in her heels, he stood nearly a head above her – and well-muscled. Despite the distinct impression he was trying to intimidate her with his size, Rosela couldn’t help but feel the thrumming pull of physical attraction.
“Behetimal Levrat. I believe you are employing my cousin Hudon?”
”Yes, he’s been a great help to the business. My deepest condolences to your family.”
“Thank you.” Despite Rosela’s apologetic smile, he remained stiff. In a sudden movement that made her jump, he gestured to the hallway. “May I speak to you in private?”
”…Yes. No problem at all.” She couldn’t entirely erase the suspicion in her voice, but followed him into the wood panel hallway nonetheless.
