'He's doing it again'…arms crossed, fingers tapping. Why is it that everything coming out of his mouth is contradictory?' Jane Vael, a tall woman with long slender legs, lithe in appearance, beautiful long silver hair up in a bun, is being distracted again from the current hearing by a tall roguish man with sturdy shoulders. 'So confusing, why does he insist on speaking in favor of the Empire when he harbors hate?
Jane, with an inquisitive look on her face, stares at the man 'If I had to guess, this man is playing for another side, a spy most likely. Hell everyone has one or two lying around.'
She continued looking at him 'three years of watching and I still can't figure him out.' Jane reluctantly looks away from the man, tending to matters in the hearing, answering questions. Not wanting to admit she has long since started looking forward to his soul's behavior.
Redgwrick stiffens, 'She's doing it again! Why does she stare at me so intensively? Does she know? Do I need to kill her?' a tall man with raven black hair is currently trying to ignore the fact that the 'beautiful' Jane, head of the council is staring daggers at him whenever he speaks.
"The Empire after intense debating has decided to not assist in the efforts down south, seeing that we have already put in many resources and strained relations with the Goldenfields we see it best to step away from this current deal" he says while his thoughts are elsewhere.
A head from the merchant company BlueParsers protests "But didn't the Empire promise to honor this deal until the year's end?"
Redgwrick speaks again while narrowing his onyx eyes "That was under the presumption and contracted agreement that a certain merchant group would keep a certain percentage of its capital here in the Empire, I don't think I need to speak anymore on the matter." Redgwrick briefly gazed at the members of the council and they all reluctantly dropped the subject.
Days like this were many and long, making the months blend into a blur, an often feeling for the privileged and forsaken alike in the Empire. Jane being the counsel head and the youngest daughter of a family whose authority is only second to the royal's has especially been feeling the pressure and discomfort of forced responsibility.
"Finally! It's over" Jane slouches in her chair blowing a strand of hair out of her view, showing a much more free spirited demeanor. The only ones left in the conference room were Redgwrick and her. Jane has come to enjoy these often yet brief encounters with the roguish figure.
A man who appeared out of nowhere as a representative of the Empire. "Another long night huh?" Jane asks. Uninterrupted he turns the pages of today's agenda "Oh you know… individuals like us don't get to go home"
Jane replies while leaning forward "Like us?"
Redgwrick curses himself 'dam it…' he flips another page "those who keep up appearances."
Jane "Oh I see." A faint smile appears on her lips. There was silence in these moments occasionally interrupted by Jane initiating conversation. In a slightly sarcastic voice "So tell me, since you know me so well what's the mask and what's the real me, Redgwrick?"
A bold question that from his perspective came out of nowhere. Redgwrick usually would leave at this point but something about Jane's consistent prodding made him curious. With the straightening of the back and looking into her eyes. "Miss Jane, you are a cold, authoritative woman who hates nonsense and enjoys the complexities of life with an unyielding loyalty to your family."
Given the deadpan tone in his voice, he too was being sarcastic. 'In reality, you are a free spirit who loves the simplest things in life and with a childlike wonder who hates the shackles bolted to you by family expectations.'
'He knows...' Jane with her legs crossed leans forwards with her arms resting on her knee, palm on her chin "I see, and you sir Redgwrick are a blank slate. Who came out of nowhere and works tirelessly for the betterment of this 'glorious' Empire"
Redgwrick turns the page, "I see..." Glancing at Jane with eyes that scream 'So what now?'
She smirks, showing those perfectly white teeth. "So when did you do such extensive research on me, did I catch your eye that much?" Janes says with a teasing tone.
Undeterred, Redgwrick says "Oh please we both know people of my particular inclination do the same thing for all their targets." he continues to read his notes.
"Pft you're no fun." Jane lets out a puff of hair in contempt. Redgwrick lets out a small chuckle. "Besides I wouldn't need to in your case, You are such an open book in these private meetings that you read yourself to me."
Jane perks up at the uncharacteristic amount of words Redgwrick is using and the fact that he is still here. 'Mmh I wonder.' in mock offense she rebuttals "Well that's because you decided to crash this lady's only time to be herself"
Redgwrick "My apologies Miss Jane." A longer than normal silence fills the room with the occasional rustle from Jane and a page flip from Redgwrick. In a voice that had a hint of nervousness only perceptible to someone like Redgwrick, Jane said "So Sir Redgwrick, do you like what you're reading?"
with an abrupt stop and looking up at Jane Redgwrick studies her. 'Is that her way of asking if I fancy her?' Seeing her squirm under his gaze like a schoolgirl asking her crush out he stands up and walks over to her their eyes meet.
Seeing the sincerity in her gaze. Redgwrick responds "My lady, If I had to pick a favorite then you'd certainly be a contender." In a swift gentle motion, he offers her a hand. She takes it with a blush letting him help her from the chair.
"Please just Jane is fine…we have been working together for 3 years now." Redgwrick with a nod, in response "Wrick will suffice my lady."
A small pause and with a mirth smile and a joking tone, Jane asks "Sooo who are you working for?" Redgwrick chuckled, ignoring the question "Nice try" and guided her out of the room and down the marbled halls.
After getting walked home that night by 'Wrick' or 'Red' as she liked to call him, she was unusually giddy and worried at the same time. In her colorful room, Jane worries about the future relationship. "Oh god, what if this gets serious, we'll have to hide it…"
her silver eyes widen a little "What if I have fallen for an enemy!?"
Wrick after dropping off Jane had a rare but pleasant walk home, with thoughts other than work. A passerby would be able to hear slight humming coming from a man otherwise seen as stoic. 'I wonder where this will lead?'
Looking up at the stars he asked himself a question, 'I deserve to have some fun don't I?'
A week has passed since the first interaction and Jane is currently distracted with thoughts of adolescent worry. Looking at him across the round table with a look that's softer than usual, 'Oh god why haven't we been talking as much this week? Did I say something? Did I smell strange!?'
"Lady Jane!" the head of the Empire's treasury yelled. "Please refrain from getting distracted..."
"Ow my apologies treasurer." Before things could continue, Redgwrick came to her defense, "Given that we have been going for a while and more than one of us is losing focus, let us call it early for today." Everyone looked at him with a questionable look. However, no one would complain about going home early.
The last of the counsel trickled out of the room leaving her and him alone. Jane, still mulling over if she did something wrong was interrupted by Redgwrick "You didn't do anything wrong Miss Jane, I was busy this week with alternate duties and failed to inform you."
Jane listened to his words and found herself relaxing but then an annoyance bubbled up. "Miss Jane? You are speaking formally again." Jane smiled a little "I thought I said to call me Jane…and while I'm at it I should reprimand you for ignoring me all week, hmpf… I thought I was quite charming."
Redgwrick seeing a new side of Jane couldn't help but stifle a chuckle. 'Is she pouting?' with a sigh he fell to her adorable tantrum. "Indeed you were Jane, your charm is well founded." Redbrick walked over to her and offered his hand. "How about I take you to dinner as an apology?"
Jane staggered, not expecting to be asked to dinner. 'A date?!' She composed herself with a blush still on her cheeks "I'd love that Red."
While walking out of the Halls of Hearing Jane piped up "So where are you taking me? Someplace fancy?"
His onyx eyes met her silver ones "You will see." he replied with a small smile. Jane with a quickening of her steps spoke up, "Aren't you worried about us being seen together? There'd be more than just questions."