[ At barely twenty-two, turning that age later this year, Hermione knows that her age betrays her a little. No one could know, of course, that she had been fighting and playing her part since she was a little girl, that battle and defending her friends and family was almost second nature now, so she didn't blame anyone for the misconceptions that came from a youthful face.
She only hoped that, eventually, her reputation would grow and people would see a stronger side of her.
The request doesn't make her scoff or ask for the lady to come back later, of course - no! Instead, she grins, beaming and nodding her head. ]
Yes! I make and sell compasses - did you see one of our posters?
[ They're working, and she's obviously pleased. ]
I'm not busy at all. We can sit down and talk about it, if you'd like.
Yes, I did. I have been traveling and a means of communication would be most useful for my piece of mind if nothing else.
[It is not as though she could summon help instantly to her side but a question, perhaps, or to check in on a baby. It would be quite useful for something like that and Lia is obviously quite excited for that even if she is restraining herself.]
Only if I am not interrupting you. I am certain you have important business to attend, especially if it is your own.
[Sometimes there are not enough hours in a day and that is especially so for someone with demands upon her time, Lia knows.]
It's really useful, especially since the lockets have gone a little haywire. I suppose they must be linked to the monarchs, a bit like the fairy rings...
[ But that's a thought for later, she thinks, all things considered. Hermione makes a quick mental note to bring that to Dorian for research and consideration before she turns her head back to Lia. ]
You're not interrupting anything, I promise. Come on, we can go to my office and have a talk about what specifications you'd like, maybe?
I confess I have not been paying the most mind to such matters. That would make sense. A Monarch is symbolically the health of the country, are they not? In a land such as this perhaps that is literal.
[Something to consider as she travels, she thinks. She bows her head again politely and starts to walk with Hermione. They don't have giant skirts to contend with, but the gesture feels familiar from when Lia was more the lady and less the knight.]
I am travelling and there are a few I would wish to keep in touch with. It would also be nice if I had a question if I might be able to contact someone.
[Beyond the idea that hearing another voice when she's alone somewhere might be comforting.]
I try to make sure I know what's going on in as many places as possible, but it does get a little bit difficult sometimes. So much is happening all the time that keeping up can be a job all by itself.
[ Hermione still gets lost sometimes, she still finds herself buried under the weight of everything that's going on and, at times, it feels like she might be crushed under trying to be in ten different places at once.
She nods, though, stepping down through the halls and speaking as she goes. ]
Of course. If they don't have their own device from me, Dorian or someone else then there's always letters or a courier service if they're in the same court as us. Otherwise things might get a little more complicated.
I may not see much use of it but it will be nice to have, none the less. Especially if I am moving about.
[Difficult for letters to reach her. Difficult to find time and energy to write letters, even if she used to document every movement, every subtlety, and mail it all off to the King.
Hermione is young, but she walks with purpose. She has a purpose and that is certainly something Lia envies greatly since she's found herself without one in a strange land.]
I have coin but if there is anything else with which I might assist you. It can not be an easy task. You have a position, do you not?
It should work when the lockets are working too. It'll connect to their network as much as it'll work on it's own one if there's ever a problem.
[ She's proud of her compasses, proud of how they've developed from a fledgling idea so many months ago to being a product she can sell and share with people. They're not just innocent little tools anymore - they're items of worth, value, and she's encouraged to do more to expand on what she can offer.
Shaking her head, she smiles, though, brushing off the difficulty of it. The compasses are second nature to her now. ]
I do. Marchioness of the Citadel and Sorceress and Protectress. But it's fine, really, I wouldn't start up the business if I didn't think I could handle it all. If you'd rather keep your money, though, I would trade a compass for a stock of potions ingredients if that's the sort of thing you'd be interested in doing.
It would depend on what potions ingredients you would need.
[Lia knows better, by now, than to think of witches. Think of those so detached from God who sacrifice newborns or make deals you can never hope to repay. They are as far away as children's stories in a place like this. But she's still cautious, because she has a job to do and a task that can not take her too far.]
I would be grateful for one, of course. Keeping in contact can be so difficult and I should like to have no excuse to step out of it.
[She needs people around her, really. As much as she's tempted to close herself off.]
Nothing too rare, I wouldn't want to make anyone go too out of their way. The things I normally ask for are things like flowers or herbs, that grow around places that people tend to end up travelling through anyway. It keeps my stocks up and makes a nice easy trade for anyone that asks for it.
[ But she does understand. Keeping in contact with anyone in the Drabworld had been easy when the lockets had been up and working and no one was keeping a sharp eye on the people around them, but with the way things were going now, with the battles between the Seelie and Unseelie developing into a real physical war, more than just one that took place underground, communication was all the more important.
She breathes out, refocussing herself.
There's a guard outside her room that she smiles at, asking him a quick 'how are you' before she turns, opening the door and holding it for Lia, her smile still gentle, not wanting the other woman to think that she's too busy for anything, be it Citadel business or Artefacta work. ]
It is. The other Marquis and I are trying to make sure we have a solid foundation and a good base for everything and then we're going to work as hard as we can to provide help, support and anything else the people need.
[ She was taking her title seriously and, as she offered Lia a chair, she moved to place her bag and jacket to one side. ]
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She only hoped that, eventually, her reputation would grow and people would see a stronger side of her.
The request doesn't make her scoff or ask for the lady to come back later, of course - no! Instead, she grins, beaming and nodding her head. ]
Yes! I make and sell compasses - did you see one of our posters?
[ They're working, and she's obviously pleased. ]
I'm not busy at all. We can sit down and talk about it, if you'd like.
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[It is not as though she could summon help instantly to her side but a question, perhaps, or to check in on a baby. It would be quite useful for something like that and Lia is obviously quite excited for that even if she is restraining herself.]
Only if I am not interrupting you. I am certain you have important business to attend, especially if it is your own.
[Sometimes there are not enough hours in a day and that is especially so for someone with demands upon her time, Lia knows.]
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[ But that's a thought for later, she thinks, all things considered. Hermione makes a quick mental note to bring that to Dorian for research and consideration before she turns her head back to Lia. ]
You're not interrupting anything, I promise. Come on, we can go to my office and have a talk about what specifications you'd like, maybe?
[ She nods down the corridor, gently. ]
no subject
[Something to consider as she travels, she thinks. She bows her head again politely and starts to walk with Hermione. They don't have giant skirts to contend with, but the gesture feels familiar from when Lia was more the lady and less the knight.]
I am travelling and there are a few I would wish to keep in touch with. It would also be nice if I had a question if I might be able to contact someone.
[Beyond the idea that hearing another voice when she's alone somewhere might be comforting.]
no subject
[ Hermione still gets lost sometimes, she still finds herself buried under the weight of everything that's going on and, at times, it feels like she might be crushed under trying to be in ten different places at once.
She nods, though, stepping down through the halls and speaking as she goes. ]
Of course. If they don't have their own device from me, Dorian or someone else then there's always letters or a courier service if they're in the same court as us. Otherwise things might get a little more complicated.
no subject
[Difficult for letters to reach her. Difficult to find time and energy to write letters, even if she used to document every movement, every subtlety, and mail it all off to the King.
Hermione is young, but she walks with purpose. She has a purpose and that is certainly something Lia envies greatly since she's found herself without one in a strange land.]
I have coin but if there is anything else with which I might assist you. It can not be an easy task. You have a position, do you not?
[And positions come with responsibilities.]
no subject
[ She's proud of her compasses, proud of how they've developed from a fledgling idea so many months ago to being a product she can sell and share with people. They're not just innocent little tools anymore - they're items of worth, value, and she's encouraged to do more to expand on what she can offer.
Shaking her head, she smiles, though, brushing off the difficulty of it. The compasses are second nature to her now. ]
I do. Marchioness of the Citadel and Sorceress and Protectress. But it's fine, really, I wouldn't start up the business if I didn't think I could handle it all. If you'd rather keep your money, though, I would trade a compass for a stock of potions ingredients if that's the sort of thing you'd be interested in doing.
no subject
[Lia knows better, by now, than to think of witches. Think of those so detached from God who sacrifice newborns or make deals you can never hope to repay. They are as far away as children's stories in a place like this. But she's still cautious, because she has a job to do and a task that can not take her too far.]
I would be grateful for one, of course. Keeping in contact can be so difficult and I should like to have no excuse to step out of it.
[She needs people around her, really. As much as she's tempted to close herself off.]
How are matters here? Is the Citadel recovering?
no subject
[ But she does understand. Keeping in contact with anyone in the Drabworld had been easy when the lockets had been up and working and no one was keeping a sharp eye on the people around them, but with the way things were going now, with the battles between the Seelie and Unseelie developing into a real physical war, more than just one that took place underground, communication was all the more important.
She breathes out, refocussing herself.
There's a guard outside her room that she smiles at, asking him a quick 'how are you' before she turns, opening the door and holding it for Lia, her smile still gentle, not wanting the other woman to think that she's too busy for anything, be it Citadel business or Artefacta work. ]
It is. The other Marquis and I are trying to make sure we have a solid foundation and a good base for everything and then we're going to work as hard as we can to provide help, support and anything else the people need.
[ She was taking her title seriously and, as she offered Lia a chair, she moved to place her bag and jacket to one side. ]
Would you like some tea as we talk?