Public Day in the Life || Fontenot and the Ladies in Waiting

[Christopher C. Fontenot]

Based in Savanaun, the Ladies in Waiting had built their headquarters on the bank of a river that ran across the continent. It connected the Kraken Sea to the Erovian Sea. Officially, it contributed heavily to the import and export of raw material throughout the continent and nearby islands. Unofficially, it saw the transport of anomalies and people of interest that were captured by the Guild. The building itself stretched over the river like a bridge.

It was early morning, the sun peaking above the horizon.

People ran to and fro as they loaded crates of pelts, medicinal substances, and raw metal onto boats. They had been hard at work for the last hour preparing the latest shipment. This particular batch would be heading further inland to one of the neighboring provinces. Christopher, the head of the family, oversaw the process from a nearby platform. Even in the growing light of day, his smoldering stare could be seen by all.

Captains periodically approached him with a ship manifest for him to inspect. He took the time to peruse each and every one of them before signing his name. As the Guildmaster of the Ladies in Waiting, he was responsible for every product that left port. The last thing he needed was for someone beneath him to deliver a substandard product that could risk the reputation of their business. Fontenot was known the world over for delivering a consistently satisfying product and he aimed to keep it that way.

Inside the headquarters, tucked away in an isolated part of the building, lay a laboratory. It was lined entirely with cages. Each one held a creature of varying appearance, some animalistic, some humanoid. The majority of them remained passive. Two or three, the more energetic of the bunch, railed at the bars in fits of rage. At the heart of the room sat two researchers, dissecting one such creature.

They were the unofficial employees of the Ladies in Waiting. Dedicated to the containment and research of anomalies. The creature that they were dissecting had terrorized a small mountain pass in Savanaun. It had the unique ability to meld itself with the surrounding soil, allowing it to travel unmolested or ambush prey. Christopher himself had captured the anomaly, leaving a stretch of scorched earth behind him.

Organs of varying size and shape littered a tray on the table nearby. They appeared no different than that of a regular animal, except for the color. Each was a varying shade of green. They emitted a light in regular intervals, almost pulsing. One of the two researchers broke off to write something in a journal.

Welcome to the day to day operations of the Ladies in Waiting and the Fontenot family.

 

[Christopher C. Fontenot]

Christopher heaved a sigh of relief as the last of the ships left. He ran a hand through his beard, looking over the area from his raised platform. It would take at least a day or two for them to reach the first destination. They would not reach the last for at least a week, meaning the next shipment would need to be prepared by the end of a fortnight. Humming, the Guildmaster took the stairs down and across to the headquarters.

He pushed the door open with little effort, entering the structure with a solid gait to his step. It took a few minutes to venture down the hallway to the research facility on site. Guildmaster or not, the brunette knocked on the door politely before allowing himself in. The last thing anyone needed was to spook the workers and risk freeing one of the anomalies. While the vast majority were not considered intelligent, the few that were would no doubt capitalize on such a mistake to cause havoc.

Their headquarters would not survive the subjugation of such an entity.

Eyes of smoldering flame narrowed at the green organs on display.

“Give me a report,” the man ordered.

One of the researchers, a petite young woman of Eirish descent, stepped forward. In her hand lay a journal that contained all the information that they had gathered from the dissection. Her expression was that of a consummate professional. Idly, the head of the family made a mental note to give her a raise. He could appreciate such an attitude.

“We’ve managed to gleam so far that the anomaly survived on a strictly carnivorous diet, targeting hitchhikers or large game. We were also able to confirm that it was diurnal. During periods of rest or hibernation, it preferred to hide in the soil to minimize the risk of discovery.”

Christopher nodded with each point.

He had spent a day or so tracking it down because of the uncanny ability to meld with the ground. Normally it did not take that long for the Guildmaster to locate such a creature. Batting it had proven a headache in and of itself. He had ultimately resorted to scorching the earth, melting the minerals in the dirt to create a greenish glass substance that prevented the anomaly from hiding or running away. If someone were to inspect the area that he had fought in, they would find a large glass basin in the middle of a mountain pass.

Fontenot patted the researcher on the shoulder.

“Good work,” the man complimented.

He looked at the other subjects in cages, quietly contemplating his next decision. Eyes of cinder fell on one anomaly in particular. It was vaguely humanoid in shape but lacked any defining features. It was white from head to toe. Dubbed ‘Subject #231’, it had the unique ability to shapeshift. As long as it physically came into contact with a living organism, it could assume the shape. The static nature of matter did not seem to apply. It could freely gain or lose mass as needed.

“I want you to work on Subject #231 next, the Ladies in Waiting could benefit from replicating it’s shapeshifting ability.”

 

[Christopher C. Fontenot]

Christopher took a moment to seclude himself in the Guildmaster’s office. It was spacious, almost opulent in nature. There were a number of magical artifacts, trophies from previous hunts, and paintings on display at regular intervals. Any wall space left over found itself filled end to end with shelves, themselves occupied by books. The Fontenot family prided themselves on keeping an accurate account of the world’s history, stemming from the founder themself. Everything in the office had been accumulated over several lifetimes.

He plopped down heavily into his chair, letting out a quiet yawn as he stretched. Truth be told, Christopher was not a morning person by nature. It was beaten into him, figuratively and literally, amidst his childhood. The man would much rather prefer to rise from his bed at noon or later, going with the flow so to speak. Unfortunately, the Ladies in Waiting relied on him for a number of responsibilities. Such necessitated him to rise with the sun itself.

The Magi blearily perused the paperwork on his desk, catching up on the latest events. One file in particular caught his eye. Marcus of the Aumont family, alleged King of the Vampires. The Abhartach’s face stared up from the front of the folder, causing him no small amount of aggravation. He fought the urge to sling the folder across the room, flame sparking to life around him. The Ladies in Waiting, and the Guildmaster in particular, had been hunting the man for some time. Arguably a few years now.

Dissecting the Abhartach could reveal valuable information, perhaps even the secret to a limited form of immortality. It was tantalizing to think about; a body unhindered by time. Being a Magi, he enjoyed longevity. He would retain his youth longer than most and live a lifetime and a half compared to a normal Human. Unfortunately, he was still very much a mortal. Time would eventually prove the victor if he was unsuccessful in accomplishing his goal.

Scanning the report, it would seem that a gathering had been called. Members of the Night Court were congregating for some reason or another. They were several provinces away, though. Crashing the party would prove virtually impossible. Teleportation could be an option but he would be heading into the situation blind. It would be foolish, nigh suicidal, to do so. Instead the man grumbled, closing the file and pushing it off to the corner.

He could not fault the operative.

Getting information on the Night Court was… difficult, to say the least. They were meticulous at covering their tracks. Being as old as some of them were, it came as no surprise. The vast majority of them had been around the block a time or two. Allowing information on their actions or whereabouts to leave the faction would prove disastrous. It was best to exercise caution in order to avoid a battle that they were unprepared for.

If he wasn’t so intent on dissecting them, the Guildmaster would have felt impressed.

 

[Ladies in Waiting]

Every employee of the Ladies in Waiting were aware of the true nature of the organization. They operated a thriving mercantile guild in the day, and they hunted anomalous creatures by night. Perhaps that description was too insular. The LiW had dabbled in magical creatures on occasion, searching for a potential link between anomalies and magic in general. Christopher, in particular, had a unhealthy fascination with the Abhartach.

Marcus and the Night Court had dispatched a number of their operatives over the years. Being assigned to information gathering on the Moonlit Court was often seen as something of a death sentence. Not that anyone would argue with the Guildmaster, of course. As kind as compassionate of an employer as the Fontenot could be, the man had a ruthless streak a mile wide. He had made an example of dissenters in the past.

Two operatives, a man and a woman, roamed the front room to assist with any travelers. It was not uncommon for merchants to make the journey to the LiW’s headquarters. Christopher had a policy in place for anyone that made the trip in person, giving them a sizable discount. Less common but still unsurprising was the occasional adventurer or mercenary that came in search of specific items. For a sizable fee, the LiW were more than happy to aid in search and retrieval.

Masked, the pair made for a fashionable team.

“I heard of a gathering in the Court,” the woman opened. Information had come in that suggested a good number of Abhartach were gathering. Most were known members of the Night Court. Not that the LiW could prove anything, nor would it matter. Magical creatures were something of a reality on Terra Firma. To make matters worse, the LiW and the Night Court often came in conflict. They were two individual shadow organizations. One of which was actively in pursuit of the other.

It could be called something of a one sided war.

“Did you pass that onto the Guildmaster?” the man questioned, a slight hysteric tone.

“No.”

The man visibly relaxed, shoulders slumping.

“Definitely for the best. You know the Guildmaster.”

His partner rolled her eyes.

“I am not suicidal, Ezekiel. The last thing I want is to get assigned Abhartach duty.”

Though, if the Guildmaster found out that they knew and neglected to mention it, there would be hell to pay. Insubordination was one of his pet peeves. Ezekiel had no doubt that he would end up assigned the task, he and Meredith both. If anything, the operative was a little upset that she had mentioned the topic at all. Ignorance was bliss.

The sound of a bell twinkling interrupted their conversation, drawing their attention to the newcomer. A young man, barely into his fifteenth winter. He was tall but scraggly, brown peach fuzz adorning his face. Meredith crooned internally, finding him utterly adorable. She had no doubt that he would die on his first adventure. “Greetings! Welcome to the Ladies in Waiting headquarters~ My name is Meredith, how can I assist you…?”

“Garrett,” the young adventurer supplied.

“Garrett, then. Are you looking for anything in particular? A weapon, perhaps?”

Ezekiel shuffled out of sight, allowing her to take the reins. Her hand grabbed his own softly and led him over to the weaponry on display. Garrett had become a nervous wreck. Blushing from the tips of his roots down to his toes, the young man easily resembled a tomato. It left the masked woman teetering in excitement.

“Uh,” the brunette licked his lips, eyes darting left to right. “I was thinking a two handed sword, something with an enchantment to reduce the weight.”

Meredith hummed.

They came to a stop in front of a zweihander. It had a gunmetal blue sheen to the blade itself with a plain steel handle wrapped in black leather. The pommel was a simple sphere, the cross guard little more than steel bars. Along the edge were a handful of characters from the Abyssal language. It manipulated gravity on a small scale, allowing the wielder to handle it with little effort. It enhanced the gravitational pull on the blade once it was swung, allowing for a stronger attack than was normally possible.

“We discovered this in a dungeon to the north east, bordering Amaranthine. I would argue that this’ exactly what you are looking for. Please,” Meredith motioned for him to pick it up.

Garrett tentatively grabbed the hilt, eyes growing wide with amazement as he picked up the two handed sword with one. He eyed the markings for a moment and tried to discern their meaning. It was a fruitless effort. Eventually he turned to look at the saleswoman. The question on his mind was readily apparent.

“Due to the nature of retrieval, and the usefulness of the enchantment, we are asking ten gold pieces.”

The adventurer sucked air in through his teeth, unhappy with the steep price. “That’s almost all of my savings…”

Meredith tapped the chin of her mask rhythmically.

“The lowest we can accept is eight,” she haggled.

Garrett sighed.

As he made his purchase and left, his coin purse felt a lot lighter. Ezekiel made his reappearance as they watched him leave. They waited for him to be out of sight before turning to one another. “I’ll have someone tail him and retrieve the sword after he dies, along with anything else of value on him.”

Meredith smiled.

“Good man.”

 

[Ladies in Waiting]

In the quiet afternoon lull, Meredith and Ezekiel found themselves tidying up the store, each lost in their own thoughts. Sunlight filtered through the windows, casting warm patterns on the polished wooden floor.

Ezekiel rearranged a display of potions, ensuring each vial was perfectly aligned. Meredith, with a feather duster in hand, delicately swept away stray dust particles from the shelves.

"So, any plans for the evening?" Meredith broke the silence, glancing over at Ezekiel.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Not much. Probably just going to catch up on some reading."

Meredith nodded, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Sounds relaxing. I might try out that new recipe I found for roasted vegetables."

Ezekiel raised an eyebrow. "Since when did you become interested in cooking?"

Meredith chuckled softly. "Well, I figured it's about time I broaden my horizons beyond just swordplay and potion-making."

They shared a light-hearted laugh before returning to their respective tasks. The rhythmic sound of their movements filled the air, creating a comforting ambiance in the store.

As the afternoon stretched on, the occasional customer wandered in and out, but for the most part, it remained a tranquil haven amidst the hustle and bustle of the outside world.

 

[Ladies in Waiting]

As the afternoon sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows through the windows of the Ladies in Waiting headquarters, Meredith and Ezekiel found themselves engrossed in a game of chess at a small table near the back of the store. The soft clink of chess pieces being moved was the only sound breaking the peaceful atmosphere.

Meredith furrowed her brow in concentration as she contemplated her next move, her masked face betraying no emotion. Ezekiel sat opposite her, his expression equally stoic as he strategized his response.

Suddenly, a bell tinkled at the entrance, signaling the arrival of a customer. With a resigned sigh, Meredith reluctantly tore her gaze away from the chessboard and rose from her seat. Ezekiel chuckled softly as he watched her go, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"Welcome to the Ladies in Waiting," Meredith greeted the newcomer with a warm smile, her tone polite and professional. "Is there anything specific you're looking for today?"

The customer, a middle-aged man with a weathered face and a dusty cloak draped over his shoulders, glanced around the store before focusing his attention on Meredith. "I'm in need of some potions for an upcoming journey," he explained, his voice tinged with weariness.

Meredith nodded understandingly. "Of course, we have a wide selection of potions available. Is there a particular type you're interested in?"

As Meredith guided the customer to the potion section, Ezekiel remained at the chess table, idly rearranging the pieces as he waited for Meredith to return. He couldn't help but overhear snippets of the conversation as Meredith assisted the customer in selecting the appropriate potions for his needs.

After a few minutes, Meredith returned to the chess table, a small pouch of coins clutched in her hand. She deposited the coins in the cash register before turning to Ezekiel with a satisfied smile. "Well, that was a successful sale," she remarked, her tone tinged with pride.

Ezekiel nodded in agreement, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Indeed it was. Now, where were we in our game?"

They resumed their game of chess, the afternoon fading into evening as they continued to engage in friendly competition. Despite the mundane nature of their afternoon, there was a sense of camaraderie and contentment that permeated the air, reminding them that even in the midst of their secretive dealings, there were moments of simple joy to be found.

 

[Ladies in Waiting]

As the afternoon sun painted the sky with hues of orange and pink, Meredith and Ezekiel found themselves in the back room of the store, sorting through a shipment of enchanted artifacts that had just arrived. The room was dimly lit by flickering candles, casting dancing shadows on the walls.

Meredith carefully unpacked each item, inspecting them with a critical eye to ensure their authenticity and quality. Meanwhile, Ezekiel cataloged them in a leather-bound journal, jotting down descriptions and any pertinent information.

"So, what do we have here?" Ezekiel inquired, peering over Meredith's shoulder as she examined a small, intricately carved figurine.

Meredith held up the figurine for Ezekiel to see, a look of fascination crossing her masked features. "It appears to be a miniature golem, enchanted to assist with household chores," she explained, turning the figurine over in her hands to inspect it from every angle.

Ezekiel nodded in approval, making a note in his journal. "That could fetch a pretty penny in the right market," he commented, his tone thoughtful.

As they continued to sift through the shipment, Meredith and Ezekiel engaged in casual conversation, discussing everything from recent developments in the magical community to their own personal interests and hobbies. Despite the serious nature of their work, there was an underlying sense of camaraderie and mutual respect between them.

After several hours of diligent work, they finally finished sorting through the shipment, the back room now filled with neatly arranged rows of enchanted artifacts. Meredith stretched her arms above her head, a satisfied smile gracing her lips.

With the sun dipping low on the horizon, casting a warm glow over the river that flowed past the isolated headquarters of the Ladies in Waiting, Meredith and Ezekiel completed their task of sorting through the shipment of enchanted artifacts. As they stepped out onto the porch, they were greeted by the tranquil sight of the river winding its way through the dense forest, the only sign of life for miles around.

"Well, I'd say that's a job well done," Meredith remarked, her voice carrying a sense of satisfaction as she glanced out at the serene landscape.

Ezekiel nodded in agreement, a contented smile gracing his lips. "Indeed it was. Now, how about we enjoy the evening by the riverbank? I heard there's a spot downstream where the view is absolutely breathtaking."

Meredith's eyes lit up with excitement at the prospect. "That sounds perfect. Lead the way."

With that, they set off along the riverbank, the sound of their footsteps mingling with the gentle murmur of the flowing water. As they walked, they talked and laughed, enjoying each other's company in the peaceful solitude of the wilderness.

As the stars began to twinkle in the darkening sky above, Meredith and Ezekiel found themselves seated on a moss-covered rock, watching the moonlight dance on the surface of the river. In that moment, surrounded by the beauty of nature and the comfort of each other's presence, they felt a deep sense of contentment wash over them, grateful for the simple joys that life along the trade route had to offer.