//George Seoras//

The next day, George met the person who'd expressed interest. Their name was Alarnicus Fisher and they attended the University of Mer in the mornings, but had an interest in gourmet food. George asked Alarnicus to cook something with the ingredients that were at the cafe, the dish turned out very well, and then George broke the news that Alarnicus would be the cafe's owner. 
Alarnicus took it quite well, nodding and saying that that would be fine and then inquiring what George was going to do.
"I honestly don't know," he said before he could stop himself from telling the truth. 
Alarnicus said that that was fine, and then left the cafe.

@Alterhuman, welcome to Kyngdom! Seems like Moon Wolf's given you most of the useful info that exists, but it's great to have you here :)

And @Seadragon, so sorry, this has taken a shockingly long time aGaIn... I don't know where my time is going :/

^Tarava^

Tarava was still thinking about Laraia as she and Elmira went towards Mer. Really, if there's one thing I can do it's control my own thoughts. She pushed the strange pur Zaraon girl to a corner of her mind and started thinking about Mer, what she should do there and what could possibly help them to get closer to that ultimate goal - taking the Rosewood. Maybe some of the guards at the mansion could be bribed, or maybe they could smuggle in some Resistance members as guards between now and the ball. There was too little time and there was too much time; everything needed to be done in a few days and every passing second posed more threat to them. From Elmira's shadowy, unpredictable grandfather, from Laraia, even - though she hated to admit it - from Rulkan; from everyone who knew who they were and even from everyone who didn't.

They arrived in Mer soon, and Tarava led them to where she'd arranged to meet with Kalam. He was already there, of course, because that was who Kalam was, inconspicuous even though he was standing still in a crowd of people who were all going somewhere, and yet instantly recognizable to her. "Kalam!" she called, making her way through to him. "I'm glad to see you. This is Elmira. And Elmira, this is a close friend of mine, also a member of the Rest Inn [always better not to say "Resistance" even here, in the home of it], Kalam."

It's fine--my time's run away too, and I probably won't be able to write tomorrow and will be going away Tuesday through Thursday so this is the last you'll hear of me until Friday. 

---

{Elmira pur Nairen}

Elmira stepped towards Kalam and shook his hand, murmuring "Pleased" as she did so. Kalam looked nice enough; they were standing in a public square full of people. Elmira, remembering to be cautious, especially so as not to make herself look like a fool, looked around and then nodded.
"I'm new to the Rest Inn," she explained.  Something told her this was the one whom she'd heard in Tarava's room last night. She tried not to seem foolish--that'd be the end of everything, at least in terms of her ability to prove herself to the Resistance members.
"Ah, well, we're always grateful to have more members," said Kalam. 
"Now," said Tarava. "We have a few plans." She related things which she and Elmira had already talked about. "Do you think there's any possibilty of putting Rest Inn in the GARDen" She stressed the first syllable of the word; Elmira had no idea what she was trying to say, though she guessed it was maybe smuggling Resistance members in as guards?
"It might be possible, if anyone has any contact with the host, to recommend people for the job. Do you, Tarava, know anyone who knows...him?" 
Elmira hesitated and she could see Tarava doing so too. Elmira had met Lord Helion once or twice when she was much younger, maybe a decade ago, before she went to university. Would it be possible he'd take advice from her?

{Elmira pur Nairen}

Elmira decided that she would risk it. Best-case, she would be able to help the Resistance; worst-case...
Well, let's not think about that right now, she told herself sternly.
"I've met Lord Helion," said Elmira quietly.
"What, sorry?" Kalam asked, leaning forward in the loud public square.
"My grandfather is a close friend of...his." 
"Ah," said Kalam. Then, stiffer: "I suppose you are not? Or at least your sympathies do not lie in the same direction?" 
"No, and I swear that they do not," said Elmira. "However, I have met him, and I wonder if he'd take my advice. If you give me some names, I can begin drafting a letter." That'd be tricky; she had been invited, but she might be discussed about between Lord Helion and her grandfather. However, Elmira had always fancied herself a good writer, and so she thought she could try. 
"Absolutely, just do not mention anything about myself or her--" he indicated Tarava -- "or the Rest Inn or that they are Rest Inn members. Do you have your own home?" 
"No," said Elmira. "I've been wandering for a while, and before then I lived with my family."
"You can tell him that you've met me," said Tarava. "Just a friend, unless you think he'd need my name, with the most superb of guards, and that you thought he might need them, with the possibilty of a Resistance attack." That was a very good idea; Elmira felt sure she'd use it. 
"That's a really good idea," said Elmira. 
"That's settled, then," said Kalam.

Eek apologies, I've taken forever again :// Also, I kind of wonder if we shouldn't fast forward a couple of days, or speed up our RPing of them? I'm not certain what else could be planned lol, and since other CBers' charries can only really join in during the actual ball, perhaps we should try to get around to it soon?

^Tarava^

"So, you two Nobyls, where should we go?" Kalam asked, his mood evidently lightening. "I could give you the exclusive tour of the city - I should know about it, not being a local--"

"...If you could explain your reasoning, perhaps," Tarava said teasingly.

"My very dear Tarava, you can't really understand a place if you're from it. Or I could long-sufferingly accompany you on a shopping expedition, though I don't like shops at all. Or we could go along to meet Kirenne."

"We should probably go straight to Kirenne," Tarava said. "I love Mer."

"Speaking of Mer," Kalam said in a voice just loud enough for them to hear, as they made their way down the streets, "you should both probably take some proof of your Resistance allegiance with you whenever you come here. If you have any. There shouldn't be any trouble, but you're Nobyls - and you, Tarava, are a pur Lamour, which people think says everything - and you never know. There's less risk of Catastrophe than of the Resistance here, so I do advise it."

"We should," Tarava agreed softly. She knew that most Resistance people would think of Karune and Lilly and the Ball of Flowers (in other words, Catastrophe all the way) when they heard the name pur Lamour. Those three phrases were enough to set the Resistance up in arms against the pur Lamour family, and it was always better to be careful. "I don't think anything should happen, though, Kalam."

"Probably not," Kalam agreed, and they turned into the cafe.

Perhaps after the afternoon is over, we can skip until the day of Elmira and Tarava's leaving for the Rosewood? (Since I at least am still planning to have George ambush their carriage then). I will write a part soon (and please do not worry about taking forever--it is fine.)

{Elmira pur Nairen}

They made their way to the small cafe where Elmira and Tarava had met with Kirenne yesterday. The waiter was sitting on a stool, looking pensively into the distance. He immediately jumped up.
"What would you like?" he asked.
"Coffee, please," said Kalam, who made a gesture as though to get out his money purse.
"Me as well," said Tarava, actually getting out her money purse and counting coins.
"I'll have--" Elmira scrutinized the menu--"tea, please."
The waiter was quite twitchy; he started boiling three little pots of water, and then started abruptly and combined them into a different, larger pot. He then began to scrub the three little pots as though he had been putting glue or bread dough into them instead of merely water. Elmira wondered if he was spying on them.
Kirenne then came in.
"Hello, George," she said. "Coffee, please."
George, the waiter, filled a cupful of water and poured it into the pot. He then appeared very interested in scrubbing the cup. 
"So," said Kirenne. "Tell me what you've thought of?"

--------

//George Seoras//

George had been contemplating the sale of the cafe and wondering whether or not he would get paid as a Resistance member--would he be losing all his income? Perhaps he could come back and work for Alarnicus after the entire Rosewood endeavor, which might not even work? Because he was really only depending on whether or not the two young Nobyl women would be open to asking Lord Helion to put him in as a waiter? And how much they would mind him ambushing their carriage? And also, did either of them actually have the ear of Lord Helion? One was a pur Lamour, George thought (he had met her once before somehow), so she might know Lord Helion, but since she had turned on Catastrophe, then perhaps that wasn't the case? 
Too many question marks.
This was why George was twitchy. 

Here's an idea... @Seadragon, if I made Kalam a bit younger, do you think it might work to ship him and Elmira?? I don't know if it would work (or I think you may have mentioned shipping Elmira and George? in which case ignore this :) ), but they might actually be perfect for each other. Only if you feel like it, though, no pressure at all :)

^Tarava^

Tarava briefly outlined their ideas as Kirenne slid into her place at the table: the ideas for putting in guards loyal to the Resistance, the places from which it would be best to attack. At that point, Kirenne pulled a few sheets of paper out of a purse. "Here are the blueprints," she said. "You were talking about this gate, am I right?"

"Yes," Tarava said, lifting the thin sheets of paper. Somehow they reminded her of the Resistance - fragile, delicate, clear, with a plan to build something bigger and better. "What do you think? Once you're through it, you end up in the garden, and the back door of the palace once you've gotten through that."

Kirenne nodded, her head tilted towards the paper. "It should work," she said. "I've never been to the Roses, so your advice is enough. Elmira, Kalam?"

"I'd recommend it," Kalam said, the Resistance pin on his cloak flashing in the torchlight as he leaned forward. "Ironic, isn't it? Lord Helion's palace is so strong, and it's one of those Catastrophe strongholds. But there's an actual chance that just a handful of young Resistance members could snatch it away from him. We have to get every detail right, but at the same time, we can't overthink it - it's that element of spontaneity that could save us." He gestured to the blueprints. "The gardens are our best bet - the idea is that they're for pleasure, and they're absolutely safe. Except that they aren't, of course. It's that kind of thing that we have to play to our advantage. It's been so long since the Resistance did anything much, and these Nobyls think they're safe. If we're one step ahead of them, that can give us everything."

An excited shiver ran through Tarava. Here, suddenly, all their caution had melted away. They were surrounded by a city that was ruled by the Resistance, and they were the ones with the strength. With the power. They could actually do things, daring instead of afraid, bold instead of cautious. This was happening. Kalam's words echoed on the air - that can give us everything. What if it could give them Kyngdom? This war had lasted so long, cost so much, that it felt like no one was really thinking about an end result anymore. But what if this could finally be over?

She looked down at the blueprints again. Let the plans of the Resistance be well laid, she thought silently into the candlelight. And let our wings finally give us freedom.

@Amethyst: The Kalam idea is a really good one. Elmira is 27, so he wouldn't be too unsuitable for her, although if he were her age or maybe a bit younger that'd be great. I was wondering about shipping her with George, but on the other hand, that hasn't gone anywhere, and also both of them have the ability to be bumbling fools--Elmira gets lost and worries and forgets, and George falls all over himself to help people, his plans fall all over him, and he's timid. I was thinking that this would be their suitability, but two people with some percentage bumbling fool make a couple with a lot of bumbling fool and bumble together, whereas Kalam's sheet on Who's Here says that he's easily adaptable, not very bumbly, and has a lot of friends and knows his way around well, which would sort of be perfect for Elmira. If class is something people give weight to in Kyngdom, then according to Who's Here they're compatible as Kalam has Nobyl blood. I think she'd like his wit, too. So, if you'd be willing to make him between 28 and 26, I will ship Elmira with Kalam. She'd love a mutual romance (in case that isn't a given of shipping, which I've never done) since she likes to feel accepted.
The jumble in the location box is a song reference that I felt in the mood for tonight; it fits exactly in the box without any spaces.
I will soon have a part written; I am working on it.

Sorry this is later than I wished for it to be.  @Amethyst, I went ahead with shipping Elmira and Kalam (that's what the very long post that probably should've been a reply is about), and I hope you don't mind. Perhaps now we can skip until when Tarava and Elmira leave, as has been discussed?

---------

{Elmira pur Nairen}

"Kirenne," said Elmira, "do you have a spare roll of parchment?"
"I do," said Kirenne. "Why?"
"Kalam suggested to me that I should write, um, the Head Rose Gardener and tell him about hiring some...people who share our cause...as guards for the event." It was very hard to speak in code, Elmira thought.
"Here." Kirenne handed Elmira a pen, an ink bottle, a full scroll of parchment, and then a scrap. "These are some non-Nobyl people who share our cause who'd like to help," said Kirenne, gesturing to the list of names on the scrap.
"Thank you," said Elmira.
Elmira began to write while the others discussed minutiae, trying to affect the voice of a typical Nobyl young woman, and not reveal her true sympathies. When she was done, the scroll read:

Dear and esteemed Lord Helion of the Order of Almericus,
I hope that you are having a pleasant time these days. I am as well. The only thing that troubles me is that us on Nairen Island are suddenly going through a dreadful change of staff--wishing for higher wages and more time off, et cetera. Though I love my grandfather, Sir Joseph pur Nairen, I am not quite pleased with his decision to let the staff go instead of giving them their requests. It is not that I feel it is their place to ask for these, but I have grown up with all of them, and so I'm slightly sad. Anyway, if you can manage to catch them, here are their names: Kirenne Alaras, Kalam... [and there followed a list].
I will be attending your ball; I know that my grandfather will likely do so as well.
Regards and good wishes,
Lady Elmira pur Nairen

"Wow, you can write a letter," said Kalam, looking over it.
"Yes," said Elmira. She had been tutored for two years, when her parents were displeased with the available schools; one of the tutors had stressed the importance of being able to write good letters.
"Is there a messenger that I can use?"
"I know of a good service that is skilled in their confidentiality," said Kirenne. "I will take this to them after we go."
"All right," said Tarava. "Shall we, then? And I--we--will see you both at the party, I hope."
"So I hope," said Kirenne.
"Indeed," said Kalam, smiling. There was something about his smile that made Elmira think that perhaps she would have rathered Kalam come to the ball as a guest--but, she reminded herself, that wouldn't be possible, and why was she even thinking that?
Because, she realized, she would have liked, for once, to dance with someone. And he would be the perfect one. However, life was, of course, intervening.
"We will see you at the party," said Elmira.
And the waiter in the corner of the room, who sat on his stool cleaning dishes, thought, And I hope that I will see you too.

@Seadragon, great :D I'll make Kalam about 28, if that sounds good?

^Tarava^

How had the last few days gone by so fast? Tarava leaned into a corner of the carriage, looking out at the dusk gathering around the road like a filmy veil intent on obscuring everything beyond it. There was something magical about the night, but nothing magical about this time of day, just a pulling together of vague ominous things that never crystalized into any actual threat. Just as well; there were going to be enough threats in the coming days. We are actually doing this. We are actually doing this. She traced the words on the seat with her finger, scarcely noticing that she was doing so.

"The party's in three days," she remarked out loud, just for the sake of saying something. "And two more stops until we get to the Rosewood."

Elmira nodded absently, apparently lost in her own thoughts. She'd been doing more of that since the second day in Mer, and Tarava didn't know what had happened. Her companion seemed happier, too, or maybe more wistful... Tarava let out a breath, turning to look out the window again. Everything was tangled and complicated right now: how everyone else felt, how she felt, how they were going to pull something like this off. What had they been thinking? Was it going to backfire in the end? Had they been entirely wrong? After all, this was Lord Helion, one of Catastrophe's most powerful generals. Did a handful of dedicated, courageous people have even the slimmest chance of snatching the palace from him? And worse, what if they couldn't hold it after they'd taken it...?

Calm. Down. She adjusted her cloak and closed her eyes for a second, trying to think of something else as the carriage sped further into the dusk...

And of course what came to mind was Rulkan, and for once she let herself think about him without all the buts that usually sprang to mind.

=Kalam=

Kalam swung off his horse in front of another ones of those inns. He'd barely started the journey to the Rosewood; he'd let Tarava and Elmira get a head start, though obviously not too much. It was odd how he hadn't been able to stop thinking about Elmira, about how fragile and, at the same time, how forceful, she was, and how she didn't seem like someone who should have to be alone in the world. Probably it was nothing - he always felt protective of Tarava too, didn't he? But something made him think that this was just the slightest bit different.

Lord Helion had written back to Elmira, accepting one or two of the people in the list as guards, but Kalam hadn't been one of them. Maybe it would be useful if he could get into the party as well, perhaps as a guardian for Tarava; after all, the more people were inside the palace as well as outside it, the better it might be. And he wasn't a party person, but a party with Elmira in it might actually be... fun.

@Amethyst--I think 28 is a good age for Kalam.
And, Joseph is back, at least in small pieces.
And, I will soon write something from Elmira's POV--I had one, earlier, but it was deleted due to me making a silly mistake, but at least there's a long weekend and I'll have more time now in general. 

-----------------------------

]Joseph pur Nairen[

Joseph was now staying in the Rosewood, quite comfortably, in one of the guest suites, on the fourth floor above the ballroom. He had a bedroom and a little foyer with a mirror that was perfect for practicing the violin; Joseph was preparing a piece to play for the dancers. He didn't enjoy it, as it contained far too many fast sixteenth notes for his liking, but it was dramatic, and if he had to slow down a bit in places, who cared? 
He was far too preoccupied with the music and visiting Lord Helion that the letter which Lord Helion was delivered a few days before the party, while he was eating dinner with Joseph, was in his granddaughter's handwriting. Though it did seem, somehow, familiar. 

---------------------------

//George Seoras//

George had been traveling for three days now, leaving Alarnicus in charge of the cafe, locking his apartment, and packing a great deal of his things and attaching them to his horse, on whom he now rode. (It was odd for him to have a horse, as a city dweller, but his mother had owned a good one in her salad days, and the horse, Nella, had been handed down to George.) He was going to the Rosewood, to help with the whole shebang that he thought the people (the Resistance members, of whom he'd soon be one) in the cafe were talking about. 
Before he left, George had written a letter to Lord Helion, asking if he could be a waiter for the event. George did not of course know the answer, but he had said that he would be in the area anyway and would meet Lord Helion in person. So that way he'd at least be guaranteed to be there.
However, the thing that he was really looking for was the two young women in their carriage. He was wishing to explain himself first and foremost to them, and then to the officials of the Resistance. Especially since Kirenne had been a childhood friend of his, he first wanted her to hear about him through the young women. 
So, the reason why he was riding through the night tonight was that he was looking for them. They wouldn't be traveling much longer, especially as the party was soon. 
He had thought of the whole operation in great detail: He would ride alongside their carriage and then jump onto the steps, while Nella trotted alongside. Then he would knock on the door, and the young women would let him in, at least cautiously, to give him a chance to say what he was doing.
He hoped.

{Elmira pur Nairen}

Elmira was very tired. It was getting late in the evening of the last day of her and Tarava's journey, and the whole excitement/nervous energy of the affair had slowly been depleted by the days of riding in the carriage. It was slightly too dark to look out the window, slightly too early to fall asleep, and slightly too late to do something like concentrate on a book, and anyways Elmira had already gotten through the two books she'd bought in Mer. Tarava wasn't doing anything especially productive either; Elmira suspected she felt the same way.
They had not yet heard from the Resistance members about who'd been accepted as a guard. Elmira hoped that Kalam had been accepted--he was good-looking, and probably strong, and would've been able to put up a good front about being a guard. If he hadn't been accepted, then Lord Helion had issues. But obviously he had issues, Elmira reminded herself--after all, he was evil!
Elmira slumped against the padded back of her seat, tired and unhappy with herself for thinking such strange circular thoughts (that kept circling back to Kalam). She lit a candle that was mounted above the window and took out a book of music and her whistle, intent on practicing the fingers for a new tune (though it was obviously too late to make noise, for consideration's sake). It was dark, and she was uncomfortable, and the whistle was cold, and the candle was flickering, and anyways she was really tired...
Bang!
This noise sounded from the door of the carriage. Elmira jolted awake, straightening to have her back pressed against the back of her seat. Her whistle was clutched in her right hand, which had been under her and so had an interesting imprint from the fabric of her dress, and the book of music was on the floor. Tarava, across the carriage, had a similar pose--I was once asleep, and now I am not.
BANGBANGBANGBANG! Whoever was knocking--it must have been knocking--was clearly in an insistent sort of mood.
"Do you have your sword?" asked Tarava.
"Yes," said Elmira, tugging it out of the bag she had kept with her. Tarava pulled a dagger from her pocket and stood beside the door, and Elmira followed, holding her sword aloft. Tarava undid the bolt in the door and pulled it open.
Someone, a man in dark clothes, was crouched on the steps of the carriage, holding on for dear life. A horse, weighed down with saddlebags, galloped behind him. The man looked up; it was too dark to see his face. Elmira turned to grab the candle from its sconce; she held it over Tarava's shoulder so it illuminated the man. Both she and Tarava (evident from the little gasp she made) recognized him. 
"Come in and explain why you are here," said Tarava. Elmira lowered her sword but didn't drop it. 
"Yes, I will," said George Seoras. 

@Seadragon, ack, it's always so awful when something is deleted accidentally :| I love the new part you wrote, though!

^Tarava^

And there it was, the danger of the twilight in all its glory. Why hadn't the driver noticed, warned them, done something? And how on earth could they get out of this one? Tarava didn't sheathe her dagger; instead, she pointed to the seat of the carriage. "One wrong move, and you'll repent it," she said. Here, she had to toss aside the mask of the frivolous Nobyl girl, but who cared; one thing for others. "Just one. Whatever we may be, we're not helpless. Understood?"

The waiter nodded.

At least he didn't seem to be here to murder them. And after all, would a murderer have knocked? Stranger things have happened, she reminded herself. "Good," she said, letting her voice lighten a touch. "Then, first: what's your name?"

"I'm called George Seoras," the waiter said. "And I'm not here to hurt you."

"...Then what are you here for?" Tarava sat down on the seat as well, keeping space between George and herself. This was what the Resistance was all about. This was Kyngdom. Catastrophe's Kyngdom, anyway... ambushes, treachery, unexpected twists to a twilight ride, maybe unexpected companionship.

George peacefully outlined his idea: he wanted to join the Resistance, and he wanted to help with whatever they were doing at the Rosewood. From the way he said the second part, Tarava was almost certain that he knew exactly what the "whatever" was. "I offered to be a waiter at the event," he told them. "I can help out that way."

Tarava trusted him; she wasn't exactly sure why. After all, the Resistance knew what it was doing; why would he have been employed in a cafe where the organization's members came together to discuss secrets if he weren't trustworthy? And he was from Mer... "Do you know Kirenne personally?" she asked.

"I used to, as a child," George told her.

Tarava looked at Elmira. "Everything you've told us sounds good," she said. "If you want to become part of the Resistance, I'm sure your help at the ball would be more than enough to get you in. Remember two things: Elmira and I, to almost the entire population of Kyngdom, know absolutely nothing about the Resistance and adore Catastrophe like any other Nobyls; and if you are lying to us - which I don't think you are - you really won't get away with it. Welcome, though, and thank you."