[center][h3][colour=009fff]Madame Rose Bleue[/colour][/h3][img]https://i.imgur.com/F7y71km.png[/img][hr][hr][b][colour=009fff]Event:[/colour][/b] Madame Rose Bleue [b]|[/b] [b][colour=009fff]Location:[/colour][/b] The Crying Lion, Mudville[hr][hr][/center]
[center][youtube]https://youtu.be/EmYjMUfIHqI[/youtube][/center] 

The young woman sat in the corner booth at the Crying Lion. The darkness hid her features as the hood remained up. The long blue hair was tucked underneath like a crown. She nursed a drink of unknown origin offered by the barkeep, as she used what appeared to be a letter opener to cut an apple, spearing into its flesh as she brought it up to her lips.

It wasn’t long till the door to the tavern opened, as two hooded figures moved into the hall. The pair splitting up as one approached the woman, taking a seat opposite her. The man’s voice low toward her, [colour=d4af37]“C'est un code plus ancien, mais il passe”[/colour] [i]It is an older code, but it checks out[/i].

She smiled as she shuffled and placed the cards before her and the hooded gentleman. A card game. The pair discussing casually as they played their hand. [colour=009fff]“Are we ready to proceed with the next step of the operation?”[/colour], as she converses in Perrench, her eyes fix upon his facial features and the blonde curls peeking from beneath the hood.

He shuffled his hand with a twisted smile, [colour=d4af37]“Madame Rose Bleue, you were brave to approach me with that name”[/colour]

Her eyebrow raised as she placed three cards upwards upon the table before him, [colour=009fff]“It most certainly caught your attention. Would you have come to our meetings otherwise?”[/colour].

He lined a finger upon the cards in his hand, placing two faced up on the pile before him, the third faced down. [colour=d4af37]“Your games are not welcome [b]Élise de Herbeumont[/b], [i]Witch[/i] of the [i]Mystica[/i].[/colour] He referenced that ancient and denounced organization openly, it seemed like the code really did check out after all.

Her smile wide as her teeth gleamed as if her mouth was ravenous and waiting to devour. She placed two cards face down upon the open cards, then one upon the middle faced up toward him. [colour=009fff]“Then you sign these documents as per our agreement. This will establish a Perrench holding company under your name. The terms are as generous as we discussed, and this charter is to be filed in Ersand’Enise as public record.”[/colour]

He placed a single faced down card upon the middle deck as he blew a sharp whistle. The noisy tavern uninterrupted as the second figure sat herself along the man and began to pour through the documents. He leaned back, and he looked toward her, [colour=d4af37]“Your father is a loyal baron to our house. Had you simply presented this proposal to us directly, we may have considered it.”[/colour].

Madame Rose Bleue worked the letter opener tip under her fingernails, seeming to be unfazed by the comment.  [colour=009fff]“This would require the Baroness to owe you a favour. Under these circumstances, you owe me the favour, and we could have easily reduced your share, and you still would have accepted it.”[/colour]

He grunted as she saw through his little ruse, though the other female beside him raised her head after reading through the document, [colour=FFD700]“It all checks out. Including the part you were not going to tell us about.”[/colour] Her gaze locked upon the woman in front of them. [colour=FFD700]“The small scribble. We would be bound by Ersand’Enise foreign policy, so during a time of war, we would risk being unable to access our share of the company. We would be expected to trade with…”[/colour] She lifted the paper toward the gentleman beside her, so he could see, as she whispered toward him to explain the nuance. He looked displeased as his eyes peered toward her, [colour=d4af37]“This would make us traitors to Perrence.”[/colour]

[colour=009fff]“You are right, but you are also wrong.”[/colour] She moved a finger to tap the estimated location of the figure listed by the profit margin as a reminder of predicted wealth they would have access to. [colour=009fff]“You are only traitors if [b]you[/b] trade to the Central Alliance, but not [b]to[/b] Ersand’Enise. There's your loophole.”[/colour]

[colour=d4af37]“How is that any different? We are expected to trade without restriction. If we are approached, we cannot refuse.”[/colour]. The female beside him pondered for a moment as she considered the meaning, [colour=FFD700]“You have access to a company who is trading within the Central Alliance, registered in Ersand’Enise. You are suggesting we trade through them, allowing access to both markets.”[/colour]

[colour=009fff]“You share a warehouse. How else could King Rouis enjoy his Tourrare beef otherwise.”[/colour] She winked toward the pair as she pointed toward the quill. 

[colour=d4af37]“Quel bordel! You fed that to the King?”[/colour], the man pulled his hood backwards to reveal his identity, Étienne de Perpignan. [colour=d4af37]“It would have been better if you did feed him the Snowsweeper.”[/colour] The woman beside him placed her hand upon his, encouraging him to remain seated. [colour=FFD700]“Frère, sois gentil.[/colour]

[colour=009fff]“We needed to feed the nobles something they would not recognize, or at least avoid publicly declaring they recognize it.”[/colour] She playfully bites toward Étienne, [colour=009fff]“Heard that even you enjoyed it.”[/colour]

Frédérique sighed as she moved to grab the quill, signing upon the document. [colour=d4af37]“Wait, what are you doing?”[/colour], turning to stare toward her in surprise.  [colour=FFD700]“It is already clear, brother. We were deceived, however, with these terms, we are predicted to profit greatly from this arrangement. The terms are designed in a way that if we avoid drawing attention, there will be [b]no consequences[/b]”[/colour]. The emphasis on the last part, a threat. Étienne took the quill as he signed it after her, almost throwing the papers toward Madame Rose Bleue.

[colour=009fff]“Prudence est mère de sûreté.[/colour] [i]discretion is the better part of valour[/i]. She waved away the nobles as they left the tavern disgruntled, but potentially far richer as a result.

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