675-05-29 - Questions for the Madame

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Questions for the Madame
Summary: Sir Moshe pays Madame Edris a visit, to learn the whereabouts of the girl Abi, and to receive some answers to his questions.
Who: Edris Alachri and Moshe Machuri
References: re:Abi, re:Avraham Grunhaid
When: May 29th, 675
Related Logs: 675-05-28 - Interrogation of a Priestess and 675-05-22 - A Woman in Distress?
Date of RP: 30/05/2014 (backscened)
Where: Private Quarters of Madame Edris Alachri - The Night's Dream, Isle of the Crown
Room Desc: The stairway ends in a gallery of sorts, offering a view of the activity in the room below. Through a door that is painted with a motif of two entangled lovers one reaches a spacey chamber, divided into three areas. At the back is a huge four poster bed, covered with sheets and comfortable pillows of violet blue. Drapes of a thin bordeaux red fabric can be drawn to protect those in the bed from curious gazes. Somewhere to the side where the stone floor is devoid of any rugs is a bath tub, big enough for two. A pair of empty buckets can be found beside of it, as well as a small table with a flagon of wine and two unused glasses. In another area to the front is a desk with a chair, where the madame does her book keeping. When she feels inclined to do so. A rather plain wardrobe stands beside the desk, made of dark cherry wood.


A late morning it is, and Madame Edris is sitting down at her table for a late breakfast. The paperwork has been safely put away, leaving room for a plate with a bit of bread, cheese, and smoked ham - and a bowl with fresh fruit. A flagon of water is there beside a glass. The fiery haired woman is in her dressing gown still, it is draped about her in a rather lax way, revealing a bit of thinner fabric she wears underneath. Not really expecting visitors at this hour of day, she is leaning back in her chair, while her grey-green eyes drift towards the window.

A visitor would indeed be brought up here, if the matter is pressing enough to disturb the woman who runs the Night's Dream. He would find the common room downstairs and on the first floor almost deserted, as most patrons and even the girls working here would be asleep still.

Early morning and Moshe had little to no sleep, it tells but he is determined to get this done and over with. He would have gone that night but with so many pratons about and people, he decided it be best not to at that time, easier time to slip away if she was there. So Moshe came with six guards men and two other knights. The two knights are inside, waiting by the entrance and the other six are outside, surrounding and watching every exit they could see on the sides.

Moshe is brought upstairs and once again he is wearing his armor and sword, seems to go every where with them on. A knock is done and one of the women or men that are within the establishment is poking his or her head within. "Madam, a Knight to see you, urgent he has mentioned."

A slightly annoyed sigh leaves Madame Edris' lips as she rises from her seat, briefly fixing the dressing gown to be less revealing. "Show him in." Her fiery red hair falls about her shoulders in a rather untamed manner, yet this woman in her early thirties has a certain pleasing look to her still.

Moshe is let in and as he enters he watches the one that let him in close the door behind him. It is then he looks to the woman standing and he nods slowly, taking in the woman's attire, way she stands and how she looks, all that taken in and then tilts his head. " Are you Edris, owner of the establishment?" then a pause as he looks around some and then back again. " I am Sir Moshe Machuri. I have been tasked to find a murderer, do you have time?" his voice polite but there is a sense of urgency or perhaps irritation at this moment in time.

Edris has to raise her gaze a little, as Moshe certainly will be taller than her. Still, the way she stands there, her back straight, a certain flicker of confidence in her grey-green eyes, a faint smile curling her lips as she inclines her head, proves she is by no means disturbed by this early call. "I am Madame Edris Alachri," she confirms, taking in the frame of the knight, assessing him, his slight irritation, the urgency in his tone, before she lowers herself back into her chair. "Sir Moshe, why don't you have a seat. I have plenty of time, and even moreso as you have pressing matters on your mind. I will do what I can to help." The mention of a murderer has her raise her brows though, and she shoots the knight a glance. "Pray forgive me, but is this about the murder at the inn?" Then belatedly remembering her duties as a hostess, she'll inquire: "Would you like anything to drink, Sir? Or a bit of this here? I haven't had breakfast yet, but would be willing to share it with you."

Moshe looks at her, his eyes not even moving from hers, they seem to follow every word and her slight movements. At the offer to sit, he frowns a bit, maybe a little more than his stoic face but then nods and does take a seat, still he is very stiff as he sits, his back straight and looking like a typical knight. " Yes, it is about the murder at the Inn. We are seeking a woman, black hair, goes by the name of Abi." sure he was offered food and the like but at this moment his lack of sleep is making him a bit restless. Though now he takes in a deep breath and lets it out, slowly as he closes his eyes. Then opens them up and looks to her once again. " My apologies to you Madame, I have been on this investigation long and I need to finish quickly for the Queen wants this done quickly." then he pauses a moment and looks to the fruit. "If the offer stands still, I will take a drink and partake of the fruit?"

There is a flicker in those grey-green eyes when Moshe confirms his visit is about the murder at the inn. Both brows jump upwards when he speaks about the woman, describes her and gives her name, as Edris almost chokes on the piece of cheese she is about to eat. She'll chew and swallow it down, before she gives her reply, looking at the knight now with hardly concealed eager curiosity. "I already suspected something was wrong with her," she admits, her eyes sparkling. "I can tell you, she is here, at the Night's Dream. But... if you allow me the question,...how is she involved? Did she commit the deed?" Looking a bit astonished as she voices this.

Moshe looks to her reaction to his words, there is a slight grin to his lips, right in the corner if your observant enough but that is the only indication he is some what amused at her reaction. He reaches for a piece of fruit and then takes a taste of it and sure enjoys it as he licks his lips in appreciation. At the mention that the woman is within the place, he nods slowly. " That is all I wanted to know, thank you for your cooporation Madame." Then taking another piece of fruit he looks at her as he chews, specialy after her questions about the situation. More amusement perhaps at how she is reacting but she is used to hearing stories right, brothel and all. " The involvement to the crime is known to us. If she is the one who has commmited the crime, then she will be punished accordingly." then he closes his eyes and then takes in deep breath and then opens his eyes again as he releases his breath. " Now Madame, I have men posted outside and two knights inside. If she has not escaped during the night, she will not be able to run. When did she arrive here if I may ask?"

Edris has keen eyes too. The amusement showing ever so slightly in the knight's mien will find an echo in her own features. A smile is offered when she sees he helps himself to some fruit. His speech however, has her raise her brows first, before they are lowered again, and she chuckles softly. "And there I thought you would just ask me where she is and carry her off to the dungeons without further inquiries. Indeed I think it wise for you to stay, because you will find me more willing to give information than her, should she have committed the crime. But first let me get this straight. Abi has asked me to stay for a time here, she even asked me for my protection. I was not aware it would be protection against the law of the Isles. I am a loyal subject of the queen, and have to protect the interests of my establishment. I will cooperate in any way I can to assist you in this."

"She came here about a week ago, actually in the company of a man. A high ranking noble. In fact, and I will not stay silent about this, it was the Solicitor Avraham Grunhaid. He came in with her in tow and requested a room and three girls."

Edris pauses and takes a sip from her glass. "He and her had a strange conversation in the room I gave them, at least what I caught of it when I returned to them with three of my girls. A Priestess was mentioned. He said she would do anything he asked of her, that she was in his power. He mentioned the inn. And she spoke about a backstabbing, and how it would not please the priestess. And a name. Ylirena. Now that I think of it... isn't that one of the Old Patrons that are... part of the Cult of Asmenachia?" The fiery haired woman raises a brow, obviously quite intrigued by the story as she continues to chat about the affair. "He hit her in the face, that's where I /offically/ entered the room. But he would leave, asking us to 'entertain' her till the morning. Once he was gone, she told me another story."

Moshe looks at her as she speaks, he is at ease, for some reason he seems calm and relaxed as he has found his prey. He has yet to see her but he can see that Edris is telling the truth in that regard, so he is calm for now. As he takes more fruit and eats, he listens to more of her story and then he blinks and looks at her, his eyes narrowing a bit more now and the seriousness of his face obviously back. " You give an interesting story Madame. Though you say Solicitor Avraham Grunhaid helped her out, brought her here and payed for the services of three of your girls? Though he did not partake in their services it seems." then licking his lips a bit, obviously he is intrigued in this and at least he is much more curious about what Abi told Edris. So now he listens, sitting back a bit to relax some, since this has become more interesting now.

"The services were not given, as she didn't want them anyway," Edris clarifies, rolling her eyes a bit. "She was crying and her cheek was all red where he had slapped her, Sir Moshe. So I sent the girls away and had a talk with her. I actually asked her about the murder at the inn, because she mentioned the man who was killed wore a blue ribbon on his left arm, and his right arm had been taken off. So I asked her right away if she had been there and seen him - which she denied, and said she knew because of the rumors. She told me her story then, or what she wanted to let me know of it. She said she had been one of the followers of Asmenachia, that Solicitor Grunhaid had saved her and brought her to one of the temples of Onimoria, where she had spend a year, and was cleansed from the wrong beliefs. That's why she wears no ribbon. They were having some sort of affair, very serious for her, not so serious for him. You know his reputation, he's fond of whores and women in general. It's no secret. Now she said she wanted to get away from him. She even asked me if she could work here. Which I denied, until I would have checked her story. Thinking of it now,... her story doesn't make much sense. To love someone, and then be willing to enter this profession, Sir Moshe... I have never heard such a thing has happened before." Madame Edris pauses and takes a grape, chewing on it thoughtfully for a moment. "I gave her the shelter she demanded, in the servants' quarters, where she would be under constant surveillance. So far there has been no sign of her acting strange."

Moshe listens and it's like a story book he has not ever heard of, the way she tells it and it's like he is involved some how, which he is and that makes it a lot more interesting. He notes how she tells the story, notes on how she gets excited or thoughtful in her own words. The frown that was there is gone now, neutral look but there is a glint of amusement hidden. " I see, since you spoke to her and after hearing your own words right now, who do you believe or what version if I may ask? I mean we have witnesses of a woman that was in the Inn at the time of the murder, she fits the description as I have given. I spoke to the priestess of the cult." he says cult like it was a swear." All of it points to her been the one who may have done so. Until I have spoken to her and found out the truth, she will be taken in and asked questions." then sighs. " Do you have a drink? I mean I have parched lips and skipped my morning meal today."

"I do believe, Abi told me a story, which may be true in part. Still I have a feeling she was lying to me regarding other parts. I have a feeling, call it intuition, she was there at the inn. She saw the man there. She could have done it. And apparently, Lord Avraham knew of this, if that was the case." Edris replies after a moment, her gaze flickering as it comes to linger on the knight again. "Certainly you can have a drink, Sir Moshe. Water? Or something stronger? We have wine, of course." She'll rise and walk over to the cabinet to fetch a flagon of red wine, turning one brow raised as she awaits for his request of beverage, before she returns with a shrug, another glass and the flagon in hand. "I could certainly use a bit of wine now," she admits with a smile.

Moshe nods to Edris's words and seems to follow her logic. As she pauses and thinks, seeming to unravel a puzzle in her mind and Moshe can only listen as he see's this happening before his eyes. " Wine please, thank you." then straightens out and then licks his lips, he too is thirsty but he continues to listen. "Well, the best thing I can do is take her in, ask her questions and get the truth out of her. Once and if she is the one pointed out leaving the establishment that night, then we may have solved the murder. Though not saying it was her, the evidence so far points in her direction. I intend to find the truth and bring who ever to justice, by the laws of our land." then taking a sip of the wine as he is thirsty and he smiles and nods. " Thank you."

Edris inclines her head and a low sigh leaves her lips. "I would think so," she agrees after a moment, taking a sip of the wine from her own glass now. The wine is of good quality, certainly not the cheap fare one would get at other places. "She may have some more answers for you." Frowning slightly as if she were aware the way to get those answers may involve pain for Abi.

"I trust you would want to be guided to her quarters now, Sir Moshe?", the redhead inquires as she deposits her glass onto the table and rises from her seat, her hand moving swiftly to secure the dressing gown about her frame.

Moshe does drink the wine as well and he nods again in appreciation to the taste. He notes the frown she is giving him, perhaps not at him specificly but to what may be ahead for Abi. He does stand up and then bows his head slightly. " Thank you for your hospitality Madame, your cooperation is well appreciated ." then he motions for her to lead the way. " I do hope she does not resist, I do have means to make it easier but I rather her see that she has no other way out." Yes, totally about his duty and not what she may feel like.


(The story continues here: The End of Innocence)