Episode 9

SHORT SUMMARY

Synopsis
The party begins week two of school, seven turns since Leo’s dead body was found. When we go to Mouser’s class, we see a blackboard with all the names of people who have turned something in for the stealing challenge. Ashlinn leads, followed by Hush, Lynne and Hadassah. Mouser asks everyone if they noticed something missing. Nadya tells him that she is missing two rings, he hands her the rings that were missing and asks if anyone else is missing something. Xanthus notices one of his hair beads from his collection is missing. Mouser hands him his missing jewelry and adds that he was a little disappointed when it was handed in. He hands in a tunic to Tacitus. Mouser comments that we should be more attentive, since the people who are looking a little richer were being targeted. Mouser passes us and walks up towards the front of the classroom. »When I speak of how all of you should be more careful, that includes looking out for a misdirect.« As he says this he flicks back their keys to Xanthus, Nadya and Tacitus as well as a couple of people he passed in the crowd. With this introduction Mouser tells us that our topic of the class will be about security. Mentioning that we all have a hidden safe in our room, each in a different spot. We have to try and find it if we want to try to find it.

Aurelius catches Mouser after class and hands in the dagger he took from Diamo. When Mouser comments on the boldness of his action, Aurelius asks if he can keep this blade. While doing this Aurelius tries to avoid eye contact with him, knowing too much about his sex life. This prompts Mouser to ask Aurelius how he is, he mentions the fight he had. When Mouser asks if Aurelius has checked in for healing, Aurelius mentions that he can handle that himself. Mouser seems impressed with that. Mouser escorts Aurelius to dinner, talking a little more about his fight. Aurelius mentions that Xanthus stabbed him in his chest. Mouser touches Aurelius’ chest and says he is sorry that he got hurt, telling him that he can always request healing. When Aurelius asks how many healers there are in the church, Mouser mentions that there are five or six among the hands, who have some sort of healing ability.

After several hours with Klaus, Agrippa can now write his name. Petra goes for her cooking lesson and meets the cook, Yarley, as well as a hand named Mohini. They have a chat about classes when Petra tries to steal potatoes. Mohini comments that Mouser is a lot of fun, when Petra mentions his lessons. (Mohini being one of the people Mouser sleeps with.)

Aalea gets Aurelius for his interrogation. She asks him on the way if he was the one discovering Talos. She apologizes again for him having witnessed that. They agree that this murder was very justfied. Before going in, Aalea tells him not to be too afraid, it will be fine. Spiderkiller offers him tea to drink. Aurelius takes the cup and after they look at him expectedly, he sips it. Mother Drusilla asks him where he was on the first night, when Leo was murdered. Aurelius states that he was in his room all night. When asking if anyone can confirm this, he tells them that when he was reading he heard a commotion next door and when he opened the door to see what it was about, he saw Nadya checking in with Caeso. He adds that he did hear the faint noise of talking, but couldn’t make out words. Mother Drusilla comments that it seems like at least then they stayed in there. Aurelius says that he stayed up for a couple of hours, having trouble sleeping. Aalea chimes in and says that if he ever needs something for that he can ask. Aurelius gets asks if he noticed anyone behaving suspiously the night before the murder, he says he doesn’t recall. He gets asked what about after and if he has any suspicion on what has occured. Aurelius says that everyone could hear the argument and that he could make out the general gist of it, since he can speak a little Liisian. He further gets asked if Caeso has mentioned the argument to him since. Aurelius answers by telling them that he has mentioned it but not in great detail. Nothing for him to make any specific conclusions. Mouser takes over the questioning, asking him like the others if he ever was in Galante. Aurelius says no and adds that he never has been outside Itreya before. After trying to make small talk, he gets scolded by Mother Drusilla, continuing his line of questioning again. Aurelius says he never met Liisian radicals and if he did he didn’t know them as such. Mouser asks how Aurelius can speak Liisian. His mother is half Liisian. He denies having met Leo ever before. Mouser states that Aurelius must have had other radical connections, having surely met with people who are against the current order of things, looking at Aurelius’ holy symbol around his neck. Aurelius states that those weren’t really political connections, asking if his belief in Anais is a problem here. Mouser says this of course is not an issue in the red church, since the Mother has always been closely connected with her son. He then states having checked Leo’s room almost every night, some things went missing several nights after the murder, he asks Aurelius if he knows something about this. Aurelius mentions that he knows that out of context, Xanthus has been eyeing a bigger room.

After the interrogation, Aalea offers to walk him back to dinner. On the way they stop by Aalea’s office, borrowing him a book called Prophets, Frauds and Faithfuls. She tells him a little about what is written in the book, she mentions that it could come in handy for spotting those who are lying about their gifts. Adding that she doesn’t need that anymore, since she has reached a high enough point where the Mother helps her spot these kinds of things. Aalea tells him that she found the book in the library and being a Shaiihid allows her to keep it. She also tells him that there are pages missing. The chronicler has told Aalea that those must have been torn out before the book technically died. Meaning that the missing pages would be somewhere in the library. »They say the Mother guides the library and you will find what she wants you to find.« When offered a sleeping potion, Aurelius denies it. Aalea then asks Aurelius why he lied during the interrogation. He tells her that he doesn’t exactly know what happened in that room, but he tells her that Xanthus and Petra were in that room. She thanks him for being honest. ''»There is no reason for being mistrustful of the staff. We are here to help you all and we do want to solve this murder.«'' Aurelius tells that her that he understand where she is coming from, but he has seen one of the staff members cut of Caeso’s arm in the first week of school.

When they arrive at dinner there seems to be a bit of a commotion. The tables of the other Acolytes are strangely quiet as they all have gathered around one Blade, Ruth, sitting on one of the tables. Ashlinn especially is very close to her, starring with adoring eyes. She seems to enjoy the attention. Since she killed Marcus Taurus, Hush is listening closely from the next table over. She gets asked about her latest kill. Ruth begins to talk about the murder. Marcus Taurus was a slave trader, specifically involved in the sex trade of young boys. Someone hired the red church to kill him and Ruth happily took that contract. She continues to talk about how she found him, how she masqueraded as a slave trader and killed him. Giving full details. Agrippa is excited by this story, he tries to steal some silverware during the meal.

After dinner Agrippa goes to the baths alone, he hears a sobbing sound coming from the sauna room. It is about 15 minutes before curfew when he sees Bianca wrapped in a towel crying in the corner of the room. Agrippa seems very conflicted about this situation, not being really sure what to do. »It’s weird, this is weird.« After contemplating a bit, Agrippa walks in, saying hi to Bianca. As soon as she sees any movement Bianca straightens up and acts like she hasn’t been crying at all. Agrippa asks if everything is alright, and he heard some crying. Bianca says that she is fine, it’s been a rough week, mentioning how she almost died in poisoning class, nearly raped, so she has been feeling very bad. Agrippa sits down and asks her if she needs to talk about it. Instead she goes up next to him and says: ''»Actually what I need is a distraction. Kiss me.«'' Agrippa hesitates asking if she is in the right mindset. Bianca answers, ''»Please, I just need to be in control of something and I need to just do something that is my decision. Please.«'' Agrippa kisses her. Going as far as Bianca wants to, injecting that they don’t need to do this, they can just talk about it, as he feels that would be more constructive. After this Agrippa goes to Petra’s room and shares this story, while eating chips. He then leaves for his room after finger gunning the hand telling him that curfew starts.

Meanwhile Nadya starts reading the diary she has from the library. It seems to be one of several diaries of this teacher. It’s from the poisoning teacher who worked there before Spiderkiller. They talk about their plans for the first class, which involves poisoning everyone, tho it is through the drinks not the food. Aurelius skips reading this evening.

During combat class Petra fights Whispcatcher, who seems to do much better than they did last week. The fight ends with Solis clapping, asking Whispcatcher to stay after class. Aurelius gives Agrippa some extended writing and reading lessons. Xanthus and Nadya go to the library, after Xanthus asks Nadya for help since he hasn’t had much luck finding books. They find seven books on Darkin, all myth-based. After Nadya’s insistence he takes the one more promising one with historical accounts, Xanthus also takes one that is an erotic novel about Darkin. Petra gets called in for interrogations next. She says she stayed in the room the night of the murder, when asked by Mouser if she knew who was in Leo’s room, Petra says she opened the room for Xanthus, who wanted to have a bigger room. She took a donkey and gave it to Agrippa. Saying that Hush has seen them.

Additional Note: There is an explanation of how prostitution and such is handled in the Itreyan Empire, see the timestamp of that episode.