Today I awoke later than normal, without the necessity of work, and lazily dragged myself out of bed to meditate. Donning my clothes I proceeded downstairs to eat breakfast. Serendipitously, Beautrix was just beginning her meal. She called me over with a wave and a smile and invited me to join her. The encounter was relatively brief, as she said she had matters to attend to, including visiting her brother, however she avoided any specific details, which added to my suspicions that she may be hiding something. She did, however, mention that she was to be leaving for the capital, Varg, on the 19th. I would very much like to leave with her, to leave this city behind me, and she did extend an invitation to travel with her, but I will have to see if my business here is finished with by that time.
Upon leaving the Banquet, I crossed the city, heading back over the bridges on to the canals and the river islands of wealthy district where Robertsson and Swenson both lived. A few quick questions directed at various strangers on the road led me to House Svenson. I was greeted by who must have been the head servant of the house, who rudely attempted to dismiss me, telling me that "Oskar Svenson is far too busy a man to be seeing every peasant boy coming to see him". Flatly, I stated that I had key information on the Robertsson manor that I was sure he would be interested in. To this he brusquely told me to wait there and stormed off, straight backed. When he returned, he was led by an older, bald man with the cocky air of a noble. However he had a kind and pleasant demeanour, which I had not been expecting. After the initial formalities, and the typical niceties one must go through when dealing with nobles, including remarking on how beautiful everything in sight was, he began questioning my information on Robertsson. I told him of the rich treasures and regal decor of the new Robertsson mansion and how Gregor had tried to mimic and better Svenson's manor on the lake. He hardly seemed surprised at hearing this and proceeded to ask what it was that I wanted. I told him how I would not want a manor of such beautiful design and craftsmanship to belong to such a fiend. I asked him to have the manor destroyed as best he could, and that he could take any treasure he wished. He seemed to like the idea and said that it would take until at least the 21st to organise. I pleaded with him to let it be earlier so that I partake in the ransacking of the manor and still leave with Beautrix, however he declined. He told me that if I truly could not be there, he could use a mage of his to contact me in my sleep and relay the images of the manor being destroyed. I ended up giving him a copy of the designs I had for the manor and told him of a weak point in one of the major foundations to the manor. He thanked me for the information and left, leaving me with the unpleasant serving man again. Before he could usher me out, I left. I refuse to take orders from fools such as him.
When I returned to the Banquet, it was sometime in the mid afternoon, and, sadly, Beautrix was not back yet. It was then that I realised a man sitting at a table in the corner by himself. It was not so uncommon to find a man drinking by himself in cities like this but the fact that this man had two huge horns protruding from the top of his head was very far from the norm to say the least. A quick glance at the innkeeper surprised me even further. He didn't even seem to care that a half-demon, or Tiefling, was currently seated in his common room. I'm always shocked at how different these lands (particularly the Cassangrecan Republic let alone here in icy Varg) are from my home of Rhiannor, where such demon-kin as Tieflings and arcanists alike are hunted down and burnt at the stake. I was intrigued. Who was this man who showed no care that he was wearing no cowl, horns and tail visible to anyone who could walk in. As I approached him I greeted him in a language I had never really studied, though like the others I had mastered. I have always had a natural aptitude in understanding it. I didn't even think to speak the damned thing, it just happened to come out. Either way, it got his attention and at first he just looked at me out of the corner of his eye. Almost cautiously, he invited me to sit. He introduced himself as Drakkar and this was when he began telling me things I, now, still hardly believe. He said that I was a Tiefling. Me! I had suspected something strange of myself since I started using magic but never this! Yet, as he went on, it all made so much sense. Everything fit so well. He told me how magic would change me. How it would bring out my inner demon. No wonder I was beginning to lose control of myself back in Gilsteir. The coven leaders just told me I was weak, and that I needed discipline! But it was this all along! It was overwhelming and I think I may have offended him in, but I can hardly remember the words I used. Soon, Drakkar left, leaving me alone in the Banquet common room to ponder.
After a retreat to my room and a quick wash I returned, still shaken, to the common room for the evening meal. To my delight, Beautrix was seating by herself at a table and when I caught her eye she flashed me one of her incredible smiles and waved me over. We enjoyed each other's company and chatted about what we had each been doing during the day. Again she was quite secretive and remained closed-mouthed on any specifics and I was in no mood to be pressing her for secrets. In my shaken state I almost idiotically let slip that I was a Tiefling to her when telling her how I had spoken to the strange man in the common room, but I think I managed to bluff my way out of it. It was unlikely she would suspect any man of that, even me, and Drakkar didn't seem like the kind of man to go telling every traveller he met that he had found a Tiefling. I'm sure my secret is safe with him.
For the rest of the dinner I pled for Beautrix to leave Haand a few days later, but she refused, saying that she had business to attend to in Varg, for something called the Sanguine Symphony? Whatever that is.
I am still undecided whether I will go with her or not. She told me that if I do not come with her and I still do make my way to Varg, I could find her at an inn called The Kinked Wheel. She also invited me to go shopping for travel supplies tomorrow, stating that I would need them either way and that as far as she could tell, I would just be lazing about, getting nothing done all day otherwise.
We sat there for quite some time and we proceeded back to her room, however I was still feeling particular shaken up from before so I must have seemed quite tense and awkward. My mind was elsewhere. I will have to make it up to her. Afterwards, she curled up next to me and went to sleep.