So, it seemed she had at least started on the right track. Fallon’s suggestions helped her recognize she’d stopped short after only skimming the surface. The realization only widened her eyes when really she wanted to slap her forehead for having missed the obvious. “Yes, I see. I stopped too soon at City Hall. I didn’t look farther than the seasonal census.” Which was really stupid as the very day Salara came to SWI, the then-intimidating senchenal had ensured she’d registered her housing intent. There surely were many more public records that she could have considered. “Why…?” Looking for her logic by scanning her notes she found she’d twisted the parchment so took a moment to flatten the crumpled pages somewhat with the palm of her hand while Fallon’s voice echoed in her mind, ‘Over twenty years ago a man called Zachiel Eyvino was in Zeltiva. He had some association with the richer houses of the city, but otherwise it is seeming that his existence is considered minimal.’ “...because in my mind I had answered the first task by finding when he was here around 20 years ago. So I moved to the next task while there, identifying several houses he may have been acquainted with. Eyris was only an interesting blip like learning the Senenchal is an under-worked, hopeless romantic mourning her lost sensuality…” She looks up at Fallon’s face but doesn’t really focus upon it as she continues to think aloud. “So I had my dates and I had prestigious houses but I didn’t know enough about any of the houses to proceed. At the library I prioritized which houses were likeliest and I did select Falconer because it was easiest accessible of them all; Wright manor was abandoned and Melroy required messenger doves or climbing a garden wall. I didn’t have a plan after that beyond going up to each manor house from best to least and just ask and see what happened.” Her eyes regain focus upon the woman across the desk, “but I did get sidetracked with Eyris when I found the questionably documented blood relationship and the improbably romantic idea of a destructive Goddess.” She wouldn’t say it aloud but she still felt she would have ended with the same, only more informative, conclusions; but such was only conjecture without an opportunity to try again. “I came up with ‘when’ and tried to conclude a ‘why’ but finally got lost with the ‘who’ as, in a way, I lost sight of Zachiel Eyvino.” She was just beginning to hope that Fallon would remain but then she watched as The Inspector mask slipped into place and it was back to business. Or, she wondered, was it the other way around? Which mask wore the woman? But there was no time for such deep thoughts as the Inspector hit her with another slue of What-do-you-want-to-be-when-you-grow-up questions.’ She knew answering, ‘Be myself. Do good’ and ‘I don’t know yet’ wouldn’t work. Her nature was to follow her instincts, accept the results, and hope the outcome was a better place than she had been in – from a slave/street thief perspective, ‘live for the day.’ It was difficult for one such as her to wish for….eeerr consider… long term expectations. “I don’t know the answers that will convince you to consider me acceptable and I don’t know enough to answer any to a depth. As you said, ‘… the price of a word is always tenuous at best,’ so whatever my answers, they are not written in stone as I learn more about myself through experiences, which I’m trying to arrange with your assistance. How will I prove myself? By trying my best and if that falls short learning to do better. Protection? It matters naught if one or many can protect me as long as I am and not alone. I would be pleased to wear many faces – to walk among them all in fact or fiction – bold as you please or a phantom as needed. I first have to survive earning my way out and, as I earn my way up, my hope is that leadership will follow. I’ve said before – this time I choose to better myself by bettering those around me, most especially for those who deserve better themselves.” She finishes with a long sip of tea. |