Just another freezing night in the King's Tower, alone but for the fire.
If not for recent events, it might even be enjoyable.

Martin lounges in a chair, feet up on the desk, reading a report, a mug
of warmed cider in one hand. A long coat is thrown over the back of a
nearby chair, and the office is remarkably free of the haphazard mess of
paperwork seen there in days past.

Antonio descends the stairs from the bedroom above.

He is a lean young man standing about 6 foot tall with blue-black hair,
a moustache, goatee, tanned skin and dark mocking eyes. He is well
muscled and his hands are covered with callouses of the sort you might
expect from a life aboard ship. He carries himself with an air of
confidence and his voice is deep and commanding with a broad Amber
accent. 

He is dressed in a long, black, leather coat over a plain white shirt
and black trousers, that have been tucked into high, leather boots. A
silver cutlass hangs from a leather belt on his left side, its pommel
topped by a large ruby. 

"Hello, cousin," Antonio says as he reaches the bottom step.

"Cousin," Martin greets as he glances up briefly from his report. "Good
to see you back again. A pity the circumstances are not more welcoming."

He lowers his feet from the desk, waves towards the chair opposite his.
"Have a seat."

Antonio moves over to a seat, "Yes, it's getting so that everytime I
leave a major disaster occurs. I truly wish the people responsible would
have more tact and arrange for mishaps to occur to my relative when I am
here. It makes me feel unwanted."

He seats himself.

Martin smiles, slowly. "Consider it a compliment, of a sort." He places
his mug on the table, stacks the report away with one or two others
lying there. "So how is she today?"

"Pissed as a Virgan that's just had her mother stolen."

"Stolen? No," Martin corrects. "She asked to leave. I accomodated her
desire."

Antonio nods, "No doubt there are at least two sides to every story."

"Probably," Martin concedes. "There were certainly different reasons for
doing what was done, but both sides appeared to have had similar goals,
so no conflict was involved."

He gestures idly towards a cupboard, "There's scotch in there, or some
port if you prefer."

Antonio shakes his head, "No need. There seems to be little sleep for
the wicked," he makes himself a little more comfortable before asking,
"What can you tell me about times and methods used in the attack?"

"Niara? or Tessa?" A faint smile. "Or Lana?"

"Tessa we have already discussed," Antonio reminds.

"Which reminds me, Gavin has all the material gathered on that," Martin
says, snapping a finger. "Locked away safe, including one of the
assassins."

Antonio nods, "I'll speak with him after I leave here."

"The assassin's ill, possibly poisoned, maybe dying," Martin eyes
Antonio. "Certainly not very conducive to long conversations. Don't take
too long to pay him a visit."

Antonio nods once.

"Unfortunately, there may be another one out there," Martin adds. "We
have no information at all on him, or her."

"This was the one that attacked Niara?"

"Possibly," Martin says after a pause, reluctant to admit so little is
known. "Niara says these seb-r-lete work in pairs. The one we caught we
know has been hiding in the palace grounds all this time, but he might
not have been in any condition to attempt Niara's life."

Antonio nods, "How and when?"

"Five days ago," Martin answers. "During her evening meal."

"Who prepared it?"

"Her aide, Gianna."

Antonio shakes his head, "Try again."

Martin quirks a brow. "She was supervising the preparation of the meat
in the kitchens, meat she'd brought in the night before. I understand
she handles Niara's meals, sleeps in her quarters, everything. Talk to
her."

Antonio says, "She may have prepared the meat, but she certainly didn't
deliver it or cook it. She's been away from the castle since the midday
of that day."

Martin's narrow. "You can confirm this?"

Antonio nods, "I had my best man watching her. She didn't return until
yesterday."

"Then somebody else was involved," Martin says, sipping his cider.
"During the distraction offered by Gianna's dramatic disappearance."

Antonio nods, "Her absence was apparently for a very good reason and was
sanctioned by Purity." He smirks, "It seems as though Gianna has fallen
for a sailor."

Martin just raises an eyebrow.

He sips his cider again. "He must be some sailor. I understand he
ordered a royal carriage for her."

Antonio arches his brow, "I'll look into that."

Martin glances across to Antonio over the rim of his mug. "Perhaps you
could put your best man onto it." A small smile peeks around the edges
of the mug.

Antonio smirks, "I'm sure he's keeping up to date about her movements
even as we speak."

Martin's smile widens slightly. "I'm glad to hear you have such a
dedicated man at your service." Quite innocently, he asks, "Not a sailor
by any chance, is he?"

Antonio says straightfaced, "No."

"Ah," Martin nods, taking another sip. "Of course." A pause to replace
the mug on the table. "Was there anything else we needed to discuss?"

Antonio shakes his head and rises, "No. That will do for now.

"I'll speak with Gianna about the coach and to Gavin about the
assassin."

"Antonio," Martin says quietly. "The way things are going... keep in
regular contact, when you can."

Antonio nods, "Get yourself a Trump made up and I will."

Martin lifts a brow. "I might suggest the same to you, cousin."

Antonio grins, "You already know who has trumps of me. Hassle them."

"Certain uncles prove to be rather shy and retiring at the worst of
times," Martin chuckles. "Good night, cousin. And luck to your
endeavors."

Antonio moves to the door. He opens and takes a step through before
turning. "Where's the tiger?"

"Not in Arden, thank Lir," Martin answers as he returns to the report he
was reading earlier. "She's safe and content."

"Niara will be a problem until they're reunited, you understand that?"

"Yes," Martin says. "But I would rather see your sister being difficult
than being endangered because she's too foolish to give up her tiger."

Antonio frowns, "Why endangered?"

Martin glances up. "Niara can barely protect herself," he says. "She
can't protect her tiger as well. You yourself have hinted that certain
uncles would like to see the animal removed. Then this happened." He
gestures vaguely with a hand. "The tiger was poisoned, too, by the way.
Didn't get it as bad as Niara, though."

Antonio steps back into the room, still frowning, "How did the tiger get
posioned as well?"

"Not sure," Martin shrugs. "Niara probably offered her some of her food
or something."

Antonio nods, "I'll look into it further. Good day."

"'Later, cousin," Martin says, his attention already returning to the
report.

-------
9/10/98