#fenixtj

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Duke Tierone does not give much warning when he visit.

"HIS GRACE, DUKE TIERONE AP LIAM IS HERE! I HAVE NO IDEA! THOUGHT YOU'D WANT TO KNOW" Phobos the herald and knight declares

Jessica appears, hastily wiping her mouth while simultaneously pulling a shirt on over a tank top and tucking it all in.

"Hello, your excellency. How fare you?" The Duke asks

Jess offers a bow, finishing with her clothes as she does "Very well thank you Your Grace.... what brings you?"

"News of an old enemy... can we talk in private?"

"Yes, sure, of course...." she gestures "This way?"

He follows her, as they go a quiet study with a thick wooden door.

Once they settle in, he says "Jessica, I know you prefer things informal, so I'll cut to the chase. Your old enemy Baroness Rathbone is in the Duchy of White Trillium , having worked with a nocker to kidnap fledges during their dream dance all over Concordia. Apparently she got the nocker to attempt to remove her geasa, by what means I don't know, and it backfired placing Rathbone in a coma of sorts. "

Noting the pause, he continues "It maybe within my power to free her from this coma, but the geas would also be undone, and as she has, as far as we know, not yet served her time for her crime, and indeed, may have helped commit NEW crimes, I am reluctant to do so given that many in this area would be justifibly upset, to the point of possibly ready to riot. I wanted your view"

Jess blinks. "Um. Ok. Where is White Trillium?"

"Ontario area of Canada" He says

"Wow."

"Remember, she was cursed to wander among other things. It's not surprising she ended up far off"

"Ok... " she thinks, then says "How do you know all this?" Not impolitely, but directly.

"The Local Duke called me. It seems that's where all the kidnap victims were being brought covertly. I don't envy the man, it must be like every part of Concordia that lost a fledge is eyeing him now"

"And he told you Rathbone is in a coma.... so he has her?"

"He does. And yet she's to be on trial along with one Nocker, Darespark"

"The one she was working with?"

"Yes" Tierone says "There is a third suspect, another balor, he aided them, and drew cold iron on the Duke's heir."

"But my focus is on Rathbone for reasons of a past history here"

Jess whistles, low; cold iron is serious business.

"Well... it seems to be that ... I don't know. If it could be guaranteed that she'll serve your sentence on her -and- answer for any new crimes then... maybe lifting the geas would be a good thing. I mean... being in a coma isn't very... punishing."

"I see, you think, ironicly, she has escaped her punishment by going into slumber?"

"Maybe not on purpose. I mean... if the idea was to remove the geas, she probably didn't mean to have that go wrong but... it -does- kind of let her off the hook."

A consideration "Very well. If we put it that way, even those wronged here might agree with removing it. I will see to negotations about it and what is to be gained. Thank you, Jessica"

"You're welcome, Your Grace. Please, let me know if there's anything else I can do to help."

"I'll keep you posted regardless. She was a bitter foe of yours and if she gets out somehow it IS you she'll be gunning for. Not to put too fine a point on it"

And with that, the Duke makes his goodbyes and slips out before the boggans could tie him down and stuff him.

Leaving Jessica to ponder.

(End Scene)