Now to head over to the visitor’s center, that wasn’t going to be hard (at least from the view point of her foreseeable mind, from the information that was currently in her possession) and this ending up being true, and she acquired a pass without any further trouble associated with the task. Next she just only had to find out where exactly Marschal Kintus lived, and the female received the response from the very first woman she had asked on the street, that she did indeed live in a region of Stella called the Gregonius District. This of course was not far away at all, since the country was rather small anyways and furthermore, fortune was still seemingly favoring her on this day. Clearly, at least so it seemed to Leah, it was no matter at all to come tromping into the neighborhood, so long as she was respectful as well as she was able. Knocking on everybody’s doors and waiting until a specific person, the target, greeted her back would be alright if she managed to keep her manners about her… at least, that had been what the mage thought.
But just then, an awful idea occurred to her. She was much of a stranger to these parts, and equally so to all the inhabitants as well as (and most importantly) to their faces. In her eyes, there would be no way to tell which greeter was the architect she was seeking, and besides that, beyond people actually present in the atrium or at the front door, it was probable that many residents of homes could not be distinguished in living there simply by knocking and assessing who answered. After all, from her own experience as a child, whenever anyone had answered the door she would avoid going down for as long as possible; her working father had a similar mindset, although not because of shyness but rather on behalf of his work which required steadfast determination and effort without constant breaks. And surely an important man like Kintus would have a similar, if not the same outlook. She might as well try the method a bit at least, until it was clear she was making no headway; abandoning a plan without attempting part was a bad idea.
Hesitantly, the redhead did stride up to the nearest door of the home to her left as she entered the Gregonius District and rapped twice sharply, steering clear from the knocker and the knob (which was covered in superfluous engravings and made her fear for getting oils from her traveler’s palm on it). This action however was much to the apparent chagrin of the maid, who answered her call. She snapped something in swift Stellan with an impeccable accent (well, she was a native after all) that insulted Leah and berated her about the finish on the wood while simultaneously questioning if they even knew what bells were from where she was from? After the irate servant had slammed the door in the redhead’s face (so much for caring about the house and its up keep, because that couldn’t possibly have been good for the hinges) the mage pressed her lips tightly together as she stood motionless for another few moments, her eyes flitting over the doorway and the general image. So there was a doorbell somewhere, but it was impossible to find and if she knocked she would annoy the residents. Great to know. Stepping off the front porch and heading back down to the sidewalk, she reflected that if all the citizens living here were as friendly as the first inhabitant, she would never, ever make any head way with convincing Kintus to build the castle. And she wouldn’t bother trying to get directions to his house, either.
As luck would have it, though, the female’s spirits weren’t so far down that she abandoned the concept of going back to the edges of Fiore and skirting the boundary, giving up on actually entering her home. No way was the mage planning to go back to the witch’s place. Instead, she took in a deep gulp of air to steel herself for being criticized even more sharply than last time and paced across the sidewalk a few times before she realized that anyone watching wasn’t being helped in discrediting any rumors of her being a loiterer or an ax wielding murderer. Maybe it was the odd garb that had put the maid off welcoming the stranger into her home? After all, it was meant to convey her as a courier from the Pergrande Kingdom, although part of it such as the mud all over her boots, marked the girl as an outsider and something of a miscreant. That was really a very assuming and pompous way to think, but who knew? On second thought of course, perhaps it had been her actions themselves. Knocking on a door was considered a sin in this neighborhood.
But she finally ceased her endless stepping back and forth and back and forth, instead climbing up the steps with no little amount of trepidation and tapping gently on the door of the adjacent house to the one with the rude servant. The person who answered the door was unmistakable Marschal Kintus. Don’t ask how she knew it, but she did indeed know, and thanked her lucky stars for the gift. He seemed puzzled, and although that was likely because of her non status quo way of attempting to announce her presence, it could also have been the clothing. Leah really should have gotten rid of it. Before anything disastrous like being kicked out could happen, though, the female waved her hands in a slightly fluttery, incompetent way, and said, “I’m a courier from the Pergrande Kingdom, come to ask if you would complete a request fer me mistress,” she babbled, letting the spike of fear show in her eyes. It was comment for workers from that nation to be worried about being fired, because they could also be killed instead. Very easily, in fact. And thankfully, Kintus seemed to take pity on her, because he nodded with a puzzled expression on his face and welcomed the girl into what ended up being a sitting room.
Once he seemed to get over the fact that she was a slight, needy little thing, his first words out and his demeanor was not particularly reassuring. As he shook his head, he murmured, “I’m not doing work at the moment, I’m off to take care of the kids.” Right on cue, a slim woman with her hair in a stringy, messy bun and a babe nestled against her chest, curled in her arms, popped her head into the room. Well, more like her upper body, in fact, and she simply asked with a curious expression who the heck was knocking on their door. The man waved her away and said it was just a foreigner who wanted work done, and the female shrugged before whisking herself away. The entire time, Leah sat stock still, crossing her fingers and praying that he would change his mind sometime very soon. She, the witch, never
had said what would happen if she failed… but the woman had been extremely strict and specific with her wording on how the man was to be convinced. No violence, blackmailing, or other coercion of any sort. Apparently the designs weren’t as beautiful and free under duress, which was the wicked lady’s only reasoning for not just manipulating Kintus into drawing up the plans. Actually, manipulating was fine, as long as he believed in his own free will.
In the end, it had taken barely twenty minutes to convince the man, especially since he was good hearted and was willing to help out a courier who might just be fired if her mistress didn't get the plans that she wanted. Leah went back to Fiore successfully and was transported to the witch, receiving her 'just reward' and furthermore being promised a package sent later just to reassure the redhead that there would be nothing more to worry about when it came to being held responsible for breaking into the woman's home.
[5313 Words]
