#anywhere

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Another day, Mr. Gowan is frustrated by the lack of the usual suspects here to reach out to. Have the Duke and Duchess driven them all into hiding?

He calls CC.

CC picks up "Kracken's mortuary, you stab em we slab em"

"Mm. You don't know how close you are, Dearest." he sighs "So far Ihave discovered the person of interest has an apprentice. Whoopie."

"Oh dear.. don't worry honey, you know he's got habits.. he or his apprentice. Use you strengths , if you cant' find gossip, make some up to get things going"

"I suppose."

"Do you want assistance?"

"Hmph. Someone to walk me across the street and cut my food for me?" Oh, he's cranky.

"I said want not need..." She reminds "Okay, what do you think of the target? He's not some nice guy you're actually regretting prying into?"

"The Duke and Duchess have a stirling facade." which might be one of the things making him cranky "The target.... My gut says he's hiding scandal and shame, malfesence."

"I'm told he will avoid the scene of the event for the future, and that scene now has a successor in place due to questions about the current ruler's capabilities."

"Poor mentorship leading to madness, is how it was described to me."

"Sounds like he's a threat to a lot of innocents" A frown "You maybe doing a public service here"

"There was never any doubt of that."

"Do you think he really memorizes all those names?"

"Who knows?Perhaps. Perhaps he writes them down and keeps them in his locked and warded quarters."

"Interesting, an apprentice you say? Who is let in his quarters?"

"Yes. He works and sleeps in the same area. If I could get access, he might sleep there permenently....." grumbled.

"Sounds like an in.. maybe"

"If I can come to his attention. I -am- trying to keep a low profile."

"Yes yes true" A nod "Okay. YOu got this. I know you, you're the best"

"Hmmph." a longer pause "It is good to hear your voice."

"Missed you too" she admits "So much that I left my pile of lovers confused on the bed with each other"

Willam barks a laugh. "You -know- I don't begrudge you."

"I'm lying.. hardly a 'pile'" A smile "But I do miss teasing you.. and our kitchen is very lonely. I didn't realize how used to having you bake with me I had gotten"

"I will come home as directly as I can."

"WHen you get back, want to try some fancy breads?"

"I certainly look forward to kneading you."

"And I look forward to getting a 'rise' out of you"

A dark chuckle. "Excellent. Well. I'd best toddle off to start some rumors, see what I can see."

"Have fun, honeybun!"

There's a weighty silence on the other end for a moment, then the call disconnects. He heads back to the Duchy Seat to see what he can find.

It is not every day one notices a redcap wilder guy who is moving down the hallway with growling snarling speed in a noblehold because he's trying to make sure no one sees him..about to cry?

A quick eyebrow, and EBG steps back to watch, hopefully unnoticed for now.

Unnoticed he is, boggans aren't as stealthy as sluagh but folks tend to take them for granted. That said, the wilder almost catches him watching him once. Keen eyed, but not keen enough.

And the guy ducks into what appears to be some artsy hallway that few go to

An elder boggan is never without snacks. And, in this case, a dusting rag. Just so happens that gallery needs attention, so in he goes. Not stealthy, no.... just focused on his cleaning mission.

"you gotta do that here?" The wilder snaps.. yes, terrifying. The splotches on his face betray him

"What's it to you if I do?!?!" The boggan barks back.

"Great, now I'm getting shit from old twerp boggans... first the namer, now you"

"Namer... you tangled with -him-??"

"Here." The boggan finds a couple snack bars in his pocket. "Not much, but it can't hurt."

"No... I.." he snatcches it up "I just asked him for lessons. Advanced lessons. His old apprentice is almost trained. I thought he could use a new one"

"I just bet he was -thrilled-."

"Then I suggested me.. and he 'chuckled' and told me redcaps weren't ready for the 'advanced magics' that I lacked the intellect for delilcate magics'" A snort "In short he called me stupid and thought I didn't know."

"Are you stupid?" the boggan asks; he sounds genuinesly curious, not teasing.

"No" he says

"So what do you care what he thinks?"

"Because, you jackass, he has arts I want to learn and this place isn't exactly filled with folks who have them to teach. I'm blocked off. Don't you get that?"