Isidor Briar Durant (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
heirtothedragonsfire) wrote2015-12-01 05:06 pm
heirtothedragonsfire) wrote2015-12-01 05:06 pm
Nexus visit review
"There were no issues then?" Her uncle's voice came low and gruff from the phone. On speaker she could clearly hear how their tiredness matched. Both stuck in offices late at night, catching up on paperwork when they'd both rather be at home with a drink in one hand and a magical journal in the other... Or perhaps that last part was just her.
"None worth mentioning."
"Then why don't you sound pleased?"
Isidor shifted in her chair and began rubbing her bottom lip. "I'm concerned."
"About the anti-violence field?" He rumbled thoughtfully. "Yes, that was a surprise. But we can adapt to that. He can have another guard. We can make protocols for different possibilities."
"No, that's... it's not that."
He paused. Probably trying to think what it could be. "Then... what?"
"It's Verity," she admitted quietly.
"Verity?" Another half second pause. "The magical lie spotting girl Viatorus is friends with?"
"Yes, that Verity." Over the phone she was free to roll her eyes. Really, how many 'Verity's are there?
And another moment of silence. "She and Viatorus... are they...?"
"I... No. I don't think so." She frowned and rubbed her brow. That was not a fun subject for her right now. Her last conversation with V about it had left her feeling like she'd created a way to hurt her brother out of nothing. Then she'd met Hughes... Viatorus might take her warnings more seriously now that someone else had echoed her observations. It was all to protect him, she reminded herself. Constantly. "Not yet. That's... That's another issue to address. I think Viatorus understands. I think he will. No, it's... it's something else. We met several individuals when we went into the Nexus. There was nearly a fifty-fifty split of people we knew to be friends with, or closely affiliated with Verity."
She paused to let that sink in, a thoughtful rumble coming from the speaker.
"She has a hold over the Nexus that we didn't anticipate. I was led to believe that she was just one woman with about as much sway or importance as a single fish in a shoal." Slow down, Isidor, deep breath, controlled breaths, no agitation. "Stathis, she's not. The people she knows are significant. Powerful mages, the bounty hunter who referred our guard, people who collect important information... Nearly everyone, it feels like."
"But Viatorus is her friend, her close friend, not her enemy?" Stathis asked slowly, double checking his information. "We'd have warning if she intended any harm to him, wouldn't we?"
"Yes." Isidor closed her eyes and thanked Isis that it seemed that way. "Putting aside concerns that she could hurt him and get away with it. Ignoring the possibility of her, or anyone else, trying to steal him away to the Nexus-"
"This is starting to sound a lot like dealing with Fae," Stathis grumbled irritably.
"I know. I wish it didn't, but it's still better than that. If we were dealing with a Fae realm, he'd never have come home again."
"We'd better be more careful of which portals he opens."
"Easier said than done." After an exasperated sigh, Isidor shook her head and refocused. "But. If Verity has as much influence as I suspect, my concern is what happens when she meets the Archon."
There was clear confusion in Stathis' answer. "What about it?"
"If they don't get along. Worse, if one angers the other... Bye-bye Nexus co-operation. Trying to get a foothold in potentially one of the greatest assets in recent years would be..." A bitter laugh. "... difficult, to say the least."
That got another low rumble from her uncle and a short silence. "I can mention it to him, but he has his priorities. The Nexus isn't as important to him as keeping the family safe."
"I know." Her words are quiet, resigned. "There's not much either of us can do. It... It just worries me, that's all." A beat. "Maybe it won't matter anyway. They're not... They don't get along as easily with people like us. There's a... I don't know... suspicion?"
The sound that came over the phone was the sigh that accompanies a well earned stretch. "Be patient, Isidor. You're new and with no reputation but the one you make."
"Patient. Right." She rolled her eyes. He didn't need to be there to know that she had. "Not one of my talents."
"That's probably why Viatorus is doing well over there. Patience and curiosity."
Isidor paused as she thought about the idea. It was funny what you learned about each other when you were thrown into new situations. "I... had never considered that."
"Well, you consider it. I have work to get through before I get to sleep. I'll see you soon, Isidor."
"Talk soon, uncle."
"None worth mentioning."
"Then why don't you sound pleased?"
Isidor shifted in her chair and began rubbing her bottom lip. "I'm concerned."
"About the anti-violence field?" He rumbled thoughtfully. "Yes, that was a surprise. But we can adapt to that. He can have another guard. We can make protocols for different possibilities."
"No, that's... it's not that."
He paused. Probably trying to think what it could be. "Then... what?"
"It's Verity," she admitted quietly.
"Verity?" Another half second pause. "The magical lie spotting girl Viatorus is friends with?"
"Yes, that Verity." Over the phone she was free to roll her eyes. Really, how many 'Verity's are there?
And another moment of silence. "She and Viatorus... are they...?"
"I... No. I don't think so." She frowned and rubbed her brow. That was not a fun subject for her right now. Her last conversation with V about it had left her feeling like she'd created a way to hurt her brother out of nothing. Then she'd met Hughes... Viatorus might take her warnings more seriously now that someone else had echoed her observations. It was all to protect him, she reminded herself. Constantly. "Not yet. That's... That's another issue to address. I think Viatorus understands. I think he will. No, it's... it's something else. We met several individuals when we went into the Nexus. There was nearly a fifty-fifty split of people we knew to be friends with, or closely affiliated with Verity."
She paused to let that sink in, a thoughtful rumble coming from the speaker.
"She has a hold over the Nexus that we didn't anticipate. I was led to believe that she was just one woman with about as much sway or importance as a single fish in a shoal." Slow down, Isidor, deep breath, controlled breaths, no agitation. "Stathis, she's not. The people she knows are significant. Powerful mages, the bounty hunter who referred our guard, people who collect important information... Nearly everyone, it feels like."
"But Viatorus is her friend, her close friend, not her enemy?" Stathis asked slowly, double checking his information. "We'd have warning if she intended any harm to him, wouldn't we?"
"Yes." Isidor closed her eyes and thanked Isis that it seemed that way. "Putting aside concerns that she could hurt him and get away with it. Ignoring the possibility of her, or anyone else, trying to steal him away to the Nexus-"
"This is starting to sound a lot like dealing with Fae," Stathis grumbled irritably.
"I know. I wish it didn't, but it's still better than that. If we were dealing with a Fae realm, he'd never have come home again."
"We'd better be more careful of which portals he opens."
"Easier said than done." After an exasperated sigh, Isidor shook her head and refocused. "But. If Verity has as much influence as I suspect, my concern is what happens when she meets the Archon."
There was clear confusion in Stathis' answer. "What about it?"
"If they don't get along. Worse, if one angers the other... Bye-bye Nexus co-operation. Trying to get a foothold in potentially one of the greatest assets in recent years would be..." A bitter laugh. "... difficult, to say the least."
That got another low rumble from her uncle and a short silence. "I can mention it to him, but he has his priorities. The Nexus isn't as important to him as keeping the family safe."
"I know." Her words are quiet, resigned. "There's not much either of us can do. It... It just worries me, that's all." A beat. "Maybe it won't matter anyway. They're not... They don't get along as easily with people like us. There's a... I don't know... suspicion?"
The sound that came over the phone was the sigh that accompanies a well earned stretch. "Be patient, Isidor. You're new and with no reputation but the one you make."
"Patient. Right." She rolled her eyes. He didn't need to be there to know that she had. "Not one of my talents."
"That's probably why Viatorus is doing well over there. Patience and curiosity."
Isidor paused as she thought about the idea. It was funny what you learned about each other when you were thrown into new situations. "I... had never considered that."
"Well, you consider it. I have work to get through before I get to sleep. I'll see you soon, Isidor."
"Talk soon, uncle."