[color=bc8dbf]"Do you take me for our mother or something?"[/color] Livia harrumphed, following Marise out of the restaurant. [color=bc8dbf]"Maybe they're not as rude as I thought. Maybe they just thought I was pretty. I don't know, and I don't care."[/color]

[color=fff79a]"Now now, Livia, I know you and mother do not get along well, but it would be silly to speak rude of her, especially in public."[/color] Marise moved quickly, hoping to arrive before something happened to the two of them. [color=fff79a]"Where are they, Livia?"[/color]

[color=bc8dbf]"They didn't get far,"[/color] She sighed. [color=bc8dbf]"Just follow the road and we'll see them. The academic looking one looks like she might be a little in over her head."[/color]

[hr]

Now the question was to let them have her cloak and potentially lose all of her resources, or decline and try and talk her way out of this? Well, she really didn't want to lose any of her things. Some of them had required both time and rare resources she might not be able to get her hands on again easily. she sighed, holding her arms against her stomach. Should she be truthful here? She couldn't decide what the best course of action would be. It was annoying, that's what this was.

[color=8882be]"What exactly is 'Contraband', exactly?"[/color] Charlotte questioned. If she could keep them talking she might find a way out of this.

[b]"Items of questionable nature."[/b] The guard replied curtly. Quite a vague and non specific answer. Just an excuse to label anything questionable if they had reason to take someone in, then. 

[color=8882be]"Define questionable."[/color] Charlotte continued, unstrapping her cloak from her shoulders. She might be able to talk her way out of this yet. [color=8882be]"I am a healer of sorts, and I keep quite a few materials in my cloak."[/color] Not technically a lie, though it wasn't quite the truth either. [color=8882be]"A few of them are definitely 'questionable in nature' as is the nature with medicine sometimes in its unfinished state."[/color]

Now that it was off of her shoulders, one would quite easily see the inside of it once it was turned outside. Numerous glass vials filled with different colored liquids of all sorts lined the inside of it. Near the top collar was her notebook. Judging from the guards expression as he looked it over, it wasn't a good one.

[b]"Healer, huh..."[/b] He fixed Charlotte with a cool glare of his own. [b]"You'll have to come with us, miss."[/b] Well shit.

[color=8882be]"And if I refuse?"[/color]

[b]"That would be unwise."[/b]

[color=fff79a]"Now now, is that anyway to speak to a lady?"[/color] Oh thank heavens she had made it in time. The guards eyes widened a bit at Marise's voice, quickly straightening his posture. Charlotte herself, was mildly surprised. She hadn't expected them to actually follow her and Himeko. Marise flashed her a pleasant smile, before turning her attention to the guard. Livia remained a some distance away, not seemingly taking much interest in the events.

[b]"Lady Fiore."[/b] He greeted. [b]"I apologize if I've offended in some manner. These two foreigners made it into the city before we could send the order to start searching everything for contraband. It would seem they have some on them."[/b]

[color=fff79a]"Hm...I suppose it would seem that way,"[/color] Marise began. [color=fff79a]"However, these two are guests of the Fiore's and they are here under our care. I can assure you that they are not here to cause trouble, so if you could return her cloak..."[/color] Charlotte remained silent, not wanting to potentially give something away here.