#baronyofthesilverwolf

Rorchallor gets SO steamed at being forgotten, he ties cans to Blossom's tail while she's sleeping. That'll teach the world!

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Danica looks to Madern as he puts the finishing touches on a casserole - sure, Marigold would never crumble up fritos on top of seasoned ground beef and rice, but the kids love it.

"Once that's in the oven, take a walk with me." It sounds half request, half order, but that's just how Danica sounds.

Mmmph. He's still not a fan of Danica, but She IS taking those classes and respects boundaries more "Be just a sec." And he does put it in, with the timer set just in case

Once then he washes his hands and follows

They stroll at a brisk pace, she has a practiced "beat cop" stride that eats distance while still looking casual. "You have some good ideas on those patrols."

"Thanks. I'm not sure they're ALL necessary, but those were the closest thing to exploits I could think of. "

She nods, her eyes carefully scanning the perimeter as they walk. "Have you given any thought to investigative work?"

"I really do like cooking" He reminds "And there's aways a demand for it. Hard part is finding a place that pays you your worth and doesn't work you to death. " He ponders "But I did consider private detective work. What i read indicates they mostly catch cheating partners for suspicious spouses. WHich sound a bit.. banal."

"Mm. There's also missing persons cases, witness interviews, surveillance, insurance fraud, and undercover operations - which you particularly might excel at."

"Well, my kith does tend to blend, though only a few of us are super forgettable." He walks with her, "You sound like you're trying to lead to something?"

Danica slows her pace slightly, making sure to gauge Madern's reaction as she speaks. "There's a case that came across my desk recently. It's not the usual fare, and it might be right up your alley."

A stunned look, "You're asking me for help?"

Danica hesitates briefly, before continuing. "Yes, I am. The fact is, I’ve got a lot on my plate—cases that require my full attention, and some of them are… complicated. I don’t have the time to pursue every lead, and this one at BrightSpark falls outside my usual area of expertise."

She continues, her words precise and to the point. "This isn’t just a matter of force; it requires subtlety. I need someone who can navigate the situation without drawing attention, ask the right questions, and observe without being noticed. You have a talent for blending in, for getting people to talk without them realizing they’re being questioned. You may be able to handle this."

Danica add pragmatically, "And to be clear, this is a relatively low-risk situation. If you happen to make a mistake, it won’t have serious consequences. There's not much chance of danger here, either—this isn’t a high-stakes operation. It’s an opportunity for you to get your feet wet without too much on the line."

She muses, "A pooka might be even better at getting answers, but then, there's no real way to get the truth of it out of THEM."

"That's the catch with them" he admits, and says "What's the pay?"

Danica glances at Madern, her tone still businesslike. "The pay is modest, but fair. You’ll be compensated at a rate that reflects the nature of the work—nothing extravagant, but enough to make it worth your while.

The petitioner has agreed to cover the costs, and I’ll make sure you’re taken care of. Consider it an opportunity to gain experience, build connections, and show what you can do."

She pauses, then adds, "And if you handle this well, there could be more work like this in the future, with better pay."

"mmm" he ponders this. He had to ask about the pay because some times folks seem to act offended that anyone expects an honest wage. Once you start balking at that, folks walk all over you and act like they've done you favor stepping on your face, "You say it is a low risk situation, what IS the situation? Someone in trouble?" You don't spend all that time around a boggan without learning abit about helping others.

Danica observes him carefully, noting his hesitation. "Fair question. It's not about someone being in immediate danger, if that's what you're concerned about. Lydia, the beneficiary in this case, runs a small tech startup, and she’s been dealing with some peculiar thefts—items going missing without a trace. It's been causing her a lot of stress, and it’s affecting her business."

"This time, it's not something so simple as a chimerical pun." She grimaces, "I ruled that out from the get go."

She pauses, then adds, "The situation itself is low-risk because it doesn’t involve any immediate threats or dangerous individuals, at least not from what we know so far. But it’s still important to get to the bottom of it, both for Lydia’s sake and to prevent any further disruptions. Your role is to investigate discreetly, figure out what’s really going on, and report back. If things escalate, we’ll handle it from there."

She meets his eyes, "This is about helping someone who’s in a difficult spot, and doing it in a way that doesn’t draw unnecessary attention. If you're interested, I'll give you the full details."

"Mmmph" It involves thefts, of course it does. He wonders if that's what made Danica think of a Piskie, "Tell me more about Lydia, please?"

Danica nods. “Lydia Brightspark- that is, DAME Lydia Brightspark, is the owner of BrightSpark Innovations and a Sidhe knight of House Eiluned.

She’s known to be sharp and influential, but keeps a low profile. Dealing with these strange thefts at her startup that are affecting her work, and that makes her annoyed. An annoyed sidhe is no one's idea of a good time. She needs help because the thefts are targeting crucial components for her projects. I don’t know all the details about her, but even someone like her might need assistance. That’s where you come in.”

"Just a commoner guy who blends in eh?" A nod "Okay... Eiluned has a rep for sometimes getting into intrigues. I know she's new, but any chance she's playing the victim while actually behind it? Or is that part of what I would need to verify anyway?"

Thoughtful, she crosses her arms and considers this. “It’s always worth considering all possibilities. While Lydia IS an Eilunid, I haven’t seen any concrete evidence that she’s behind the thefts. However, there's always the chance she could be involved in ways not immediately apparent.”

“With that in mind, consider that this task would include verifying her story and checking for any hidden motives or signs of deceit. Lydia might indeed be playing the victim, or she could be genuinely in need of help. Part of your job is to uncover the truth behind her claims and ensure that no hidden agendas are at play.”

“If Lydia turns out to be involved, it would mean the situation is more complicated than it appears. But if she’s genuinely in trouble, we need to know that too. Keep an eye out for any inconsistencies or clues that might suggest otherwise.”

He ponders it, intrigued "Either way, worth investigating. The problem is Sidhe women turn my brain to goo. THen again, that's not a surprise. I'll try" he says finally "i'm not sure this sort of work is what i am meant for, but if we geting an Eiluned's good graces, it helps our half ailil hold, and that wins me brownie points with the Baron"

Danica smirks a little at Madern’s comment. “Sounds like you’ve got a plan. It’s a good opportunity, even if it’s outside your comfort zone. Impressing an Eiluned can definitely be advantageous, and if you handle this well, it could be a step towards... if not a career, a lucrative side-hustle."

She pulls out a folded sheaf of papers and offers it over. "It may go without saying, but this is to be kept confidential. Not to hide what you are doing, but because it's our responsibility to keep case details from going public. If you need to call in additional resources, I'm trusting you to keep things discrete."

"Keep the circle small, tight, or on a need to know" he says taking the papers "Got it. If I start to feel I'm not up to it, I will let you know how far I got before I got lost" He tells her

Danica nods as Madern takes the papers. “Understood. Keep the details on a need-to-know basis. If you start to feel overwhelmed or unsure, let me know how far you’ve gotten. I’ll assist if necessary, but the aim is to see if this is something in your wheelhouse.”

She adds with a hint of realism, “This is a sink-or-swim situation. You’ll have to manage on your own for now, but I’m here if you really need support.”

"Thank you" he says politely.

She nods, and... a fraction of tension releases from her shoulders, the case being passed on to some other schmuc- er, a bright new up and comer.

"Any other questions?"

"Not yet. I'll get back to you i do" He assures "Sides, I have to check on that Casserole"

And with that, he heads off. He does have a job HERE after all

(End scene, maybe TBC etc) 😉