| A Maester's Care |
| Summary: | Riordan summons the Tower's new Maester. For drugs. |
| Date: | 03/06/2012 |
| Related Logs: | A Wonderful Day For a Picnic and search and rescue logs. |
| Players: |
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| Riordan's Suite — Tordane Tower |
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| The Tower residence of the Regent of Stonebridge, with lots of maps, reports, and other lady-finding things. |
| Sun Jun 03, 289 |
It is still a few hours before dawn when the knock comes at the Maester's quarters, regardless of whether there is signs of Maester Taleryth being awake or not. When the Maester opens the door, he'll find that the servant without is dressed in the livery of House Nayland of Stonebridge, but also bears the personal badge of the Lord Regent, the harpy quartered. The Regent's personal retainer has come with a summons from Ser Riordan, asking for the Maester to attend upon him.
When the Maester arrives at Riordan's chambers, he'll find that there are candles still going strong, likely being freshly replaced every hour or two. The Regent himself stands at a large table set up expressly to hold the maps, reports, and other documents spread out before him. And, as the rumors have supposed, the Nayland knight seems to have gotten no sleep in quite some time, with more then a full days growth on his features (though still managing to look quite boyish), and dark circles under his eyes. Holding himself up with hands on the table in front of him, he holds quite discussion with some other tired looking (though not quite as tired looking) men. However, as soon as the Maester arrives, Riordan seems to wrap up the conversation, and the other men take their leave, nodding to the Maester respectfully.
That servant found Taleryth working on some project or another, hunched over a book when the knock came. When the servant gives the summons to him, he is without fail in making himself presentable and coming with the servant to Riordan's chambers. The Maester nods to those men departing and once they have cleared the room, he bows his head to Riordan and speaks, "Lord Regent, what can I do for you this evening?" Oh he has a very good idea as to the topic, but he'll let Riordan ask or tell it.
"Maester Taleryth, thank you for coming," Riordan offers, by way greeting and apology for the late summons, though there is little of force or heart in his words. It is clear both by his tone and the bend of his shoulders just how badly events of late are weighing on his shoulders, what with his sister and cousin being amongst those ladies captured. "I've not slept since I departed the Mire Friday morning," he then says without preamble. Which is likely little surprise, as he, his sister, and his cousin, and others had arrived in Stonebridge around midday from the Mire, and the ladies had left for the picnic shortly thereafter. And since Riordan had then recieved the word of their capture in the evening… "I find it hard to concentrate. Do you have any medicines or potions that can sharpen my mind?"
The request raises Taleryth's eyebrows. Well it's not actually that surprising, but the Maester frowns for a moment, considering the request and he says, "There is a potion that does that I believe, although I am not certain if we have it in stock. However I would caution my Lord that the effects of such are useful in the short time, but can be poisonous if taken repeatedly. Sleep is the best remedy for tiredness or slowness of mind, but I can imagine with the ladies you aren't intent on that till they are safely recovered." The Maester looks down at the maps, reports, and other documents that Riordan has been pouring over before he gestures the servant over to him and tells him what to recover from his rooms. When the servant is away on the errand Taleryth looks back to Riordan. "Prehaps I can lend you a fresh perspective in the meantime?"
The servant, Stanley, moves to listen to the Maester, but looks to Riordan before he'll make any move to the door. Riordan holds up a hand, indicating he should wait, before asking, "If you have some way of making me sleep for only the next few hours, then I will consider that at this point as well. But I can not risk being asleep once daylight touches the land. I will likely need something to keep me sharp later however, regardless." He and his servant both will wait to see if the Maester has any fresh instructions or requests to be picked up, and then the retainer will be given permission to leave the room to go about the business assigned to him. After that, Riordan pauses to scrub his face with a hand, closing his eyes a moment, before opening them again to stare blearily at the map. "Unless you can conjure fresh trails or leads from paper and ink, Maester, then I am not sure, but you are welcome to join me in trying. I have been attempting to do so for the last few hours."
Taleryth considers that and then says, "Get the green bottle on the end of the rack too. It will accomplish that. And I will make sure to come up here and wake you up myself, Lord." With that, he glances again at the map and says, "Tomorrow is when the bandits expect their ransom? I heard it's to be 10 dragons a head?" He glances at the map and taps the picnic site and looks at the surrounding area. "They couldn't have taken them too far… or if they did, they'll be in the same condition as Miss Iulia. Except without anyone to care for them, most likely."
"Either ten gold dragons a head, or ten for the lot, are the best guesses. It's hard to judge… even a single gold dragon would seem wealth beyond imagining to this type." Riordan shakes his head in frustration. "But yes. We've the full day and night of today, and then by Monday's eve, we are expected to pay." He then shakes his head at the Maester's further words. "The tracks are useless, they've covered them good. And the immediate area has been searched. I've a few leads on possible hiding places in the area, which will be checked as soon as we've daylight, but after that…" He lets out a sigh, hands curling into fists, though the motion lacks a certain ammount of force right now.
"Well if they're courting their own deaths and they would have even if they'd only taken one lady, they're going to go for the gold and likely as much as they can. However only a total idiot would ever expect us to pay. Or at least to comply with their first demand. And especially to just pay up without any assurances the ladies will be released." Taleryth considers the map and says, "If any trace fails to be found… prehaps it might be prudent to send someone with the ransom, smaller than what they'd expect, a good faith payment if you will for a few women then and then enough to release the rest at a later time?" The Maester then suddenly breaks out into a grin. "And for good measure, we coat the shoes of messenger and horse with a substance that even the most stupid hound can follow. No matter what effort the bandits take to cover their tracks."
Riordan listens to the Maester's words in silence, nodding along here and there, but otherwise just staring at the maps. Even after the Maester finishes speaking, the Regent continues to hold his silence, and it is into this that Stanley returns, with the Maester's medicines. Once the retainer has handed them over to Taleryth, he looks to his master, who says, "I will be awoken at first light, Stanley. Find some rest while you can." The man bows, gratefully, and then exits the room once more. Riordan, meanwhile, pushes himself away from the table, and approaches the Maester. "Give me what you will, Maester. I do not have much time before I must be awake once more." He pauses, and in an attempt to be less ungrateful, offers, "And thank you for your words. I will consider these options."
Taleryth nods to Riordan and says, "As you will, Lord Regent. Again, I will come here myself to awaken you at first light if you do not awaken on your own." The Master carefully pours a certain amount of the liquid in the green bottle into a small glass, looking at the amount in the glass and pouring some back into the bottle. When he is satisfied as to the amount, he hands the glass over to Riordan. "Drink this and get right to bed, it doesn't put you to sleep, but it keeps you there. This other one will keep until you need it tomorrow." He nods to Riordan and says, "Let me know if you wish to explore the pay and track them through the messenger option. I will make the necessary substance for the hounds just in case." And it gives the Maester something to do so he doesn't fall asleep on Riordan.
Riordan simply nods tiredly to Taleryth, and then moves to the bed. Downing the substance as directed, Riordan grimaces afterward, but otherwise makes no complaint. He simply kicks off his boots, and falls into bed, mumbling, "Good evening, Maester. Thank you." And, with that quiet dismissal, he closes his eyes, and tries to sleep, at least for a little while.
Taleryth nods to Riordan and departs the chamber once the man is in bed. There's work to be done after all.
