Who: Rowan and @ascensiions Where: the afterparty
To say the announcement made at the grand ball had Rowan peeved would be an understatement. Ecenomic exchanges and trade agreements. Legality across the realm. They scoffed into their drink. Keeping their mouth shut at the ball hadn’t been easy, even now the set of their jaw was tense with choice words that couldn’t be spoken out in the open.
A unified Ashbourne? Where had that unity been before the people of Stone Garden had turned to crime as a necessity to stay alive? Not that Rowan minded things going the way they had, of course, but these grandiose new ideas were certainly going to be a thorn in their side. The business was well under wraps, Rowan had taken many measures to ensure it stayed concealed, the most innocent of which being the hush money sent the way of the duchess.
They weren’t too worried that the new stricter measures would make her nervous.The rules were different down in the caverns, and Rowan doubted Catherine and Beatrix had any idea just how much of their thriving economy relied on the black market tradings which Rowan all but controlled.
Ordinarily they’d say a party was no place for politics, but they didn’t want to wait to talk with Louisa about this, at least to confirm that their agreement would remain in place. They snatched up one of the fancy bottles of scotch stolen from the palace and two glasses, weaving through the crowd to find her. It wasn’t hard to get through, even without the hellhound at their side Rowan was intimidating enough, and dog at heel or no pretty much everyone here knew better than to mess with the lord of thieves.
Rowan caught sight of Louisa and inclined their head towards a quiet table in the corner, heading over to it without waiting for any kind of response. She’d know they needed to talk. They poured a generous few fingers of scotch into both glasses, and slid one across the table as Louisa joined them, raising their own in greeting before taking a sip. “I don’t like to talk business at parties. Especially one with a crowd as interesting as this, but I felt it best we at least make sure we’re clear on where we stand now, given the announcement.” Their eyes flickered over her head, surveying the crowd to make sure no one lingered too close. “I’m happy to carry on as we were, assuming the pressure on you to disclose trades and agreements doesn’t give you pause.”
𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐇 𝐀 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍 𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐑, 𝐖𝐀𝐒𝐍'𝐓 𝐈𝐓 ?
Legality across the realm — as if that was the true purpose of the announcement by their oh-so-attentive rulers! No, those who hungered for power & control could see beneath the preaching of peace and prosperity, palatable as it may be to the more docile-seeming dukedoms, and see what it came down to in the end. The urge for independence amidst some, including Sandspell, and though Stone Garden officially maintained a stance of neutrality, Louisa herself. Already she had considered that this was the key in dealing with it all moving forward, the technicality of what was official, and what was not.
For where was that unity before Louisa Macaulay was forced to run a sword through her brother’s body to ensure any at all? If it had not come at Ashbourne’s will before then, it would not come now, and would always — to her — be considered too little, too late.
( Where the duchess’ beliefs differed from that of the lord of thieves was thus: everywhere, even a party, was a place for politics. That its invisible hand moved the strings of everything, regardless of whether it was convenient or cumbersome, and must be accounted for. )
Blue eyes caught Rowan’s across the crowd, and silently she followed their gesture. An unfortunate necessity, perhaps, but was that such a deviation from the norm? Was it not how they considered all their interactions, neither enjoying being cornered on any occasion into working with the other? By Louisa’s reckoning, at least, they’re much too similar for comfort, and either would be foolhardy to believe money, or any currency, could plausibly buy trust.
Ever graceful, she slipped into the chair across from them, slim fingers curling around the glass. The amber liquid was a reprieve, however slight, taking the edge off her more perpetual irritation.
‘ I don’t intend to be intimidated, no, ’ she replied, ‘ technically speaking, it’s not official, nor does it concern trade deals or exchanges with other Dukedoms, or indeed . . . anything beyond a personal understanding. I was never instructed to disclose my private and personal transactions, so I shan’t. ’
