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Inigo trailed along behind Alarice for several blocks, neither saying a word. The Bat was unable to remember having seen her cry and any embrace she had given him had been for show, as part of a ploy, or during the throes of love-making; the tear stains on his shoulder were from the hug of a different sort. She had been the stability in his life-- a guiding star and a solid rock, but, suddenly, there was a chink in her impervious armor and, frankly, that started to scare him a little.

There had been a point in time when he'd wished that she'd open up to him... to reveal some degree of genuine emotion and humanity. Suddenly, after he'd been able to take a glimpse behind her perfect mask, he was really starting to understand that old adage "Be careful what you wish for..." and he'd gained that understanding in spades. The silence that had settled between them was not a comfortable one but the only thing that would make it more uncomfortable, he realized, was if he chose to speak up.

Alarice led him down the streets; the morning traffic was almost non-existent compared to what he'd expect in Newport. Regardless, every time someone passed by they made a big deal of it, tipping a hat, offering a pleasant smile, or raising a hand in greeting. All in all it made the Bat feel noticed... and that made him feel vulnerable. Just when he thought he wouldn't be able to take any more, his boss came to a stop. "We're here."

'Here' turned out to be a building that would have passed for large in Newport but in Vallara it dwarfed all other buildings around it. They were in what was probably the nice part of town and the clearly written sign identified the building as the Council hall. He looked at the sign for a few moments before turning to regard Alarice, who was facing him. He offered a half-hearted quip, but he knew immediately that he had failed to add the right amount of smirk to his expression. "So... uh... I guess we have an appointment?"

"No."

His ears drooped slightly, "Just you have an appointment?"

She shook her head and turned back toward the council hall and pressed on as if she owned the place. "Nope."

Inigo followed obediently after her, his paws moving subtly closer to the blades at his hips as he watched two bruiser-types in studded leather armor approach to stop Alarice. She didn't even pause in her step as she reached into her vest and pulled out a signet ring. She held it up, the two mens' eyes following after it; Inigo saw recognition in their gazes and they immediately backpedaled, holding their halberds up at attention as they permitted her entry.

One glanced at Inigo but anything the Rhino had been thinking was immediately reset when Alarice noted simply, "He's with me."

Inigo was sure to offer a sloppy salute to the man as he followed after his employer; the guard didn't seem pleased by the expression but said nothing. Alarice was a very big fish while Vallara was a very small pond; apparently there were certain benefits that came with the territory. The Bat winked as he passed by, "As you were, my good man."

Alarice's instruction came without her bothering to turn around to address him. "Don't antagonize them, Inny."

While he would have liked to have offered up a flippant remark the discomfort remained, so he settled on a surprisingly subdued "Yes ma'am."

They passed through several hallways and a number of archways, each and every guardsman they met letting them through when they saw the ring Alarice presented. Inigo was starting to realize that they would probably be allowed into the council meeting room itself if that was where she intended to bring him but, just as it was looking like they would end up there, Alarice came to a stop. An aging ram in robes and a shawl approached her, two other robed figures flanking him and speaking in quiet tones. Alarice glanced toward Inigo, "Wait here."

It was the Bat's intention to object immediately... right until he saw the faint motion she gave to her ear. It was a subtle-but-specific sign she used when providing a silent order: she wasn't abandoning him... she wanted him to listen in.

The Ram lowered his head courteously and the men on either side of him bowed at the waist. Alarice walked up to them as if she were the most powerful person in the room and motioned to the chamber they had just exited, "Speaker... councilmen... I will need a few minutes. Hopefully I did not catch you at a bad time?"

Without even waiting for the other two to speak up the Ram quickly accented, "Of course, my Lady. Please... this way."

Alarice made sure she was the last one through the door and, as she closed it, Inigo noticed that it remained open just a crack. In any normal circumstance a listener as far away as he would have been unable to decipher the discussion beyond but, he smirked in consideration, he was hardly a normal individual. Ears swiveling subtly, the Bat leaned back against a stone pillar and made good on his observations.

The Ram spoke up, "My Lady... how is it you--"

Alarice didn't bother letting him finish, "I am invoking my family's right to conscript. How many swords strong is Vallara's militia?"

There was a long stretch of silence punctuated by fidgeting; her announcement obviously caught the councilmen off guard. When one finally spoke up it was a voice Inigo hadn't yet heard; he guessed from the deep baritone that it probably belonged to the ox councilman, "Twenty swords, if that, my Lady... but perhaps eighty strong in total."

A higher pitched, slightly chirpy voice piped in; by process of elimination that meant it was most likely the mouse councilman, "Most of the militia have tools... hammers, pitchforks, and axes... Vallara, as you may know has never had much of a call for forged weapons."

Inigo recognized Alarice's smug voice, "That won't be much of a problem, gentlemen."

The Ram took control of the conversation again with a simple question, "May I ask, my Lady, why you are invoking your right to conscript?"

As anticipated, Alarice didn't like giving up control, "No, you may not... but thank you for asking permission, Speaker."

The Ox pressed her for information, "My Lady... if you wish to rally some of the militia then we will need to know how many, and for what purpose."

Alarice's social dance was as graceful as always, "And you will be informed... just not at this juncture."

The Mouse's next comment, however, was not in line with that particular waltz, "Perhaps you should discuss this with Prince Malcom then."

Inigo was so surprised by the suggestion that he almost fell away from the pillar. Alarice, from the sound of things, managed much better, with a stand-offish, casual tone. "Oh? Have his travels brought him close to Vallara then?"

The Ram's response was just as casual, "Actually, my Lady, he left these very chambers scarcely an hour ago."

There was a long pause before Alarice's next question, "And... did he say where he was going after your meeting with him?"

The three spoke in unison, "Arnswold Manor."

There was little more to be said as the door to the council chamber opened and Alarice showed herself out at a brisk pace. "Thank you for your assistance, gentlemen... that will be all for now."

Inigo did a double take when the mouse spoke up; the deep voice apparently belonged to him, "If it helps matters any, he was looking for you."

Alarice continued on out of the Council Hall without a response and Inigo followed quickly thereafter. Despite the suddenly very interesting change of events he actually considered hesitating for just a few moments in the hopes that he'd get to see the Ox speak with that little squeaky voice. In the end, however, the Bat realized there was far more going on than giving in to his humorous impulses.

Once they were outside the building his boss finally came to a stop. She remained with her back to him but when she spoke up it was obviously meant for his ears "Before we go to Arnswold Manor there's something I need to tell you. You're smart enough that I know you realize Alarice is not my real name..."

Inigo halted where he was, cocking his head to the side as he eyed her back. If it was time to come clean he was more than willing to help her, "Your real name is Nicole Arnswold, and you're the last living heir to the greatest family of Vallara."

If the Bat admitting he knew her secret bothered her she didn't let it show. What she did instead, however, was one-up him. "Your father and I were lovers. If things had been different we would have married and you would have been my son."

Inigo stood there stunned for several long seconds. The fleeting memories from his childhood had never helped him make that connection. He knew she had known his father, and that had explained a good number of things about how she had recognized him and why she had saved him from the whore house... but that brought up far too many more questions, one of which slipped unbidden from his stunned lips, "So... what you're saying is... I'm a mother fucker?"