The crew continues to discuss future plans. Vicente’s plan is to contact Lord Alexander via courier, and meet him in secret. However, Signe proposes an alternative: she will contact Lord Coulthurst directly, on the pretext of meeting with him to discuss the establishment of a trade contract, and upon meeting him Vicente can reveal himself. Vicente advises to mention that she was directed to contact Lord Coulthurst by a friend that attended a particular cricket match with him several years ago. The letter is drafted and a courier is dispatched to Lord Coulthurst’s office.
Enzo heads to the A&M warehouse to speak to Francis regarding Oswyn’s debt. Francis is off work, so Enzo is directed to his home. Enzo pays Oswyn’s debt, and Francis is grateful. Enzo tracks down Oswyn and informs him that his debt has been taken care of. Oswyn is grateful, and in return Enzo gets information on Roland Moore, including a description of the man.
Enzo then heads to Morgan’s Roost to do some recon. When he enters, he is questioned as to what ship he serves on, and he answers truthfully. He orders a drink and has a meal. The bartender is David, and he says his uncle owns the place.
Abul brews up an elixir that will loosen a man’s lips. He prepares three pills that can be dropped into a drink, which will take effect in about 10 minutes.
The next morning a reply from Lord Coulthurst is delivered bright and early. He is eager to meet Signe at his office at her earliest convenience.
Enzo administer’s Vicente’s disguise, and Signe accompanies Vicente to meet Lord Coulthurst. Once the office door is closed and the secretaries dismissed, Vicente removes his disguise. Lord Coulthurst admits he was surprised to receive a message that obliquely referred to Vicente, and wonders at the need for secrecy. Vicente relates the story of his flight from Castille and the subsequent encounter with the pirates.
Vicente brings up the possibility of petitioning Queen Elaine for aid in extracting King Ferdinand from house arrest in Castille. Lord Coulthurst is sympathetic, but says he will have to bring the matter to Queen Elaine, and it will be her decision to assist him or not. However, he is optimistic, as Elaine has no great love for the Vaticine Church, much less the Inquisition.
Signe also discusses the possibility of setting up a trade agreement, specifically with the goal of allowing foreign entities to invest in local businesses for a share of future profits. Lord Coulthurst says he is intrigued, but will need to involve the finance minister Lord Nathaniel Stevenson. He says he will be in touch.
Abul spends the day shopping. He heads to the marketplace, stopping first at a tobacconist’s stall. He speaks with the proprietor about varieties of tobacco, and ends up buying quantities of two varieties that were imported from Castille and Vodacce, as well as a new pipe, as his hookah is not convenient to carry around.
He then finds an herbalist, and replenishes his medical supplies for the ship. He also notices the woman’s joint trouble, and mixes up an ointment on the spot to help, leaving her with the recipe as well.
He then finds a music teacher who also sells instruments of various types. His arrival provides the teacher with an excuse to dismiss a horrible student. He’s looking for spare strings for his oud; the best he can do is lute strings.
Everyone convenes for dinner. Signe tells Enzo and Abul about her meeting with Lord Coulthurst. Enzo is particularly interested in the fact that Lord Coulthurst was unaware of Vicente’s arrival, as he is still suspicious of the circumstances surrounding the attack on the Carnation.
Signe gets a response from Lord Coulthurst, he has set up a meeting with Lord Stevenson to discuss trade agreements.
A Castillian, a Vodacce, and an Avalonian Walk Into a Bar, Part 2 (Intro)
Enzo heads to Morgan’s Roost again, narrowly avoiding a fistfight that has spilled out of the bar and into the street. Inside, he is waved past the bouncer by David. He orders a drink and locates Roland Moore sitting at a table in the back with several others. They are in the middle of a card game, but there is an empty seat, so he approaches the group. He is invited to join them by the apparent leader of the group, Joshua Blackwood. Enzo recognizes the name as the captain of a ship called the Crimson Hangman, which was attacked and sunk by the Montaigne Imperial Navy about 10 years ago. Apparently Blackwood survived.
# NotPirates