As they walked, Jake leaned in to speak in a low voice, "The twins have a company called Dorrin Coin; they help with caravans and provide guards, while also distributing their goods." Elena nodded along as he continued, "But when distributing, they pocket most of the money that the villagers are supposed to get. But they also take advantage of them when rare goods or artifacts appear and say they are non-profitable, and are willing to take them off their hands."
Elena glanced at him, "So they steal the money, and they lie to the villagers when valuable items appear and then sell them to the Malanors, who took over the trade that the Tanmors used to rule?" she summarized.
Jake nodded, and she held in a grimace to keep the mask of nobility, "Taking advantage of lack of education is not illegal, but it's just bad taste," she hissed.
He shrugged, "That's the Undercity, you speak in half-lies and half-truths," he murmured under his breath.
She only slightly shook her head, then took a small, steadying breath before straightening as they finally reached the table where the Niel twins sat. Their conversation cut off the moment they noticed her approach too quickly, too practiced.
The twins were fraternal, alike enough to mark them as kin, different enough to unsettle. Silia was the first Elena noticed: poised, composed, wrapped in a gown of deep green silk threaded with delicate gold embroidery that bloomed in floral patterns along the hem. The richness of the fabric spoke of money well spent, and the way she wore it—chin lifted, shoulders relaxed—spoke of confidence sharpened by entitlement. Her long brown hair fell over her shoulders in thin, meticulous braids, framing a pleasant smile that never quite reached her eyes.
Her brother mirrored her colors rather than her softness. His tailored suit carried the same green, but the silver-threaded flowers crept across his chest and arms like etched vines. His short brown hair was neatly combed, his posture precise, gaze sharp and appraising, as if weighing value, profit, and threat all at once.
Both of them watched Elena closely, their blue eyes calculating and steady.
"Hello, Lady Falmil," Silia's brother said in greeting, both standing up in a synchronized motion as if practiced. "And hello to you, L'amore." His blue eyes were warm and cheerful.
Silia gave a slight bow as her brother held out a hand to L'amore. Elena nodded to both of them and gave a small smile as L'amore shook his hand. "I am sorry, I know your sister, since we have met in the past, but I don't think I have met you," she said, tilting her head slightly. Her amber eyes reflected his warm eyes, but it was only a reflection.
"I am Derrick Niel, my lady," Derrick said, giving a slight bow as he turned to her. L'amore's tail lashed once his face was hidden by his mask.
"Well met, Derrick," Elena said as she kept the small smile as Silia spoke, "What brings us the pleasure of speaking with you?" Her voice shared the same warmth as her brother's eyes.
"Oh, just want to catch up with some people, I fear I spend too much time reading, or training, that I rarely go to events like this," she said as she gave a small giggle, hiding her smile behind her hand.
Derrick chuckled as Silia smiled. L'amore only glances at them, staying silent. "Do you want to take a seat?" Derrick said, gesturing to the table they were sitting at, and Elena nodded, "Yes, I would like to, my legs are a bit tired after that dance," she said, and L'amore moved forward before Derrick could pull out a seat.
"That dance was excellent, I must say, you two were beautiful," Silia commented as L'amore pulled a seat out and Elena caressed his forearm as she took the offered seat, and his tail wagged slightly before stopping.
Silia and Derrick glanced at each other as they sat back down, and L'amore silently took his own seat next to Elena.
"So I heard you run a business," Elena asked as she flagged down a waiter, and she asked for water.
The twins' smiles grew warm. "Yes, we do," they said, their smiles remaining, and they gave no hint that they had spoken at the same time.
Elena and Jake glanced at each other, both wondering if they heard the same thing.
"It's called Dorrin Coin," Silia said, then right after, Derrick continued her sentence, "Named after the legendary smith, over a thousand years ago."
Elena gave a small smile to hide her disgust, 'Daring to use a famous and respected name, while stealing from the poor,' she thought as her gaze switched between them.
"Are you planning on making an offer?" Silia said, her eyes growing warm at the thought of making a deal with an heir of one of the Seven Great Houses.
"Possibly," Elena said, pressing her finger against her lips, pretending to think. Jake's eyes only glanced at her before returning to watch the twins silently.
Derrick smiled widely, showing his teeth, his eyes growing warm as well.
"They mostly deal with the west gates and help with the villages in the Desland plains, which is covered in dungeons, while protecting caravans," L'amore said, closing his eyes and crossing his arms as he recalled more details. "Started nearly eleven years ago, while you two were… Ten?" he said, opening his eyes as he looked between them. "Quite impressive if I say so."
Their eyes turned from greed to surprise at the masked man, as their practiced smile gave the slightest hint of faltering. "Thank you, and yes, we protect caravans, but how did you know we deal with the villages in the Desland?" Derrick asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Your caravans mostly come in from the west gates, and seeing some of your artifacts that you have sold, which are mostly wind-based, which the Desland dungeons are known for," L'amore said, as he smiled, with his golden eyes narrowing as he watched Derrick.
Derrick's smile faltered once more, but Elena noticed Silia staying calm, as Elena nodded, "Yes, I have seen them as well. Some are quite unique and powerful. I do hope you are compensating them rightfully," she said as her smile grew into one of mischievousness akin to a fox, seeing its prey wriggling, sensing a predator's eyes on them.
"It's looked down upon for traders to lie to their customers," Elena said, shaking her head as her eyes narrowed watching them, as their smiles reformed themselves, but it wasn't the same.
Derrick and Silia gave a single nod as Derrick closed his eyes as he spoke, "Yes, lying to our customers is just poor practice." Silia continued his sentence, "especially in trading; you have to build a good name, so we keep things honest to the poor villagers."
L'amore's tail flicked once as he glanced at Silia, but his gaze lingered on Derrick. "The artifacts you sell can go up to a thousand gold, yet you say they are poor?" L'amore asked, leaning back in his chair.
Silia and Derrick both looked at him, their eyes growing slightly wide, as Silia cleared her throat, "I just pity them, due to them having to deal with such dangers regularly with the dungeons, they can be quite troublesome, especially if adventurers don't deal with them quickly," she said, shaking her head as she cleared her mistake.
Elena nodded, "I agree, but shouldn't their profits from the artifacts that you get from them help them against those dungeons? I do wonder how much percent they are getting?" She said, as her eyes raised to the ceiling in thought. "L'amore, you deal with such things regularly? How much do you think they are getting?" She said, her eyes falling to his mask, her brow quirking the question, while noticing Derrick's shoulder slightly tense.
L'amore closed his eyes in thought, and she held in her giggle. The persona of L'amore was perfect for this game they were playing; he was a clean slate to all, a historian, an adventurer, a mage, a merchant; he could be anything, and he could play the role perfectly.
She had seen him switching roles and different personas effortlessly on their little adventures in the depths of the tunnels in the Undercity.
"They should be getting, depending on the law of certain types of artifacts and taxes, at least thirty-five percent of the profit," L'amore finally said, his tail lashing. Tilting his head before nodding as he confirmed his answer.
Elena smiled as Silia slightly frowned, "They are getting the rightful amount, are you saying that we don't pay the villagers their fair amount?" Silia said, her voice hardening slightly as Derrick's eyes switched between Elena and L'amore as if studying them.
L'amore shrugged, "I have been to the Desland plains, and I do wonder why they still live in such a poor state," he said, as his voice had turned mockingly telling half-truth and half-lie. He had never been to the Desland plains, but by some inquiry of people who had lived there previously, and who had set up camps and shops in the Undercity in the Lockvry territory. They always said the same thing about their homeland.
That it was poor, and that they barely got any money from the artifacts or the goods of monsters from the dungeons they had sold.
Derrick's smile finally cracked as he leaned forward, his fist tensing. As Silia shook her head. "I thought the heiress of the Falmil's was more competent than accusing a trusted trading company of misguidedness," as he realized their little game.
Elena sighed, not letting the insult take hold as she stared at Silia, and simply smiled as she quietly took the hand of L'amore. A silent comfort as she slightly squeezed his hand, before speaking, her voice a dagger hidden in silk, "I am not accusing of such horrible things, I was merely asking my partner what percent of the profits the villagers should be getting. I am deeply sorry if you saw his words as a threat… but why would you treat them as a threat if it weren't true?" A small smile formed on Elena's mouth as Silia and Derrick's masks broke. Showing their anger as Derrick started to rise.
But he froze just like Silia as her hand was reaching out to calm Derrick. But now it hovered in the air, as they felt Jake's golden eyes burning into them, as he had his hand in his jacket. As if grabbing something, Elena could barely hide her laughter, but years of noble practice hid it well.
"Sit," he said, his voice flat and a whisper, yet it rang out like a command as Derrick fell back into his chair. Silia slowly lowered her hands, and both pairs of blue eyes watched him wearily as L'amore's hand retreated from his jacket.
Silence fell between the four as Elena slightly raised her brows, slightly impressed with his command, as she took a sip of her glass.
"Well, I think we are done for the night," Silia said, and she glanced at L'amore. He gave a single nod as the two slowly rose from their seat, but were out of sync as they did so. They started to walk away from the table that Elena and Jake had taken from them. Derrick looked back at L'amore, his blue eyes cold with fury. Before returning to walk with his sister.
Elena chuckled, shaking her head, "I know that jacket doesn't have any hidden pockets," she said, her voice gleeful as she nudged him with her shoulder. Jake's smirk was able to shine through the mask as he took a glass of water from the table.
"Yup, although it really should have those types of pockets," he said, his smirk turning into a pout as he opened the jacket to stare at the fabric where nothing lay.
"You think every jacket should have a hidden dagger," she said as she took a sip of her glass before looking at it. "I could go for some wine," she muttered as she looked around for a waiter. "Do you want some?" she asked as she flagged down a waiter.
"No, gotta keep my head clear for this type of adventure," he sighed, leaning back in his chair, his tail flicking in annoyance.
She sighed as the waiter walked off to grab her request. As she looked at him, while swirling the glass of water before taking a sip of it. "Also, I am more of a whiskey guy," he murmured as he set down the glass.
Elena nodded as she laughed once more, Jake looking at her curiously, "What is it this time?" Elena hid her mouth as her laughter became a giggle, "I remember the one time you got drunk with me," she said, and Jake instantly groaned, which made her giggle into laughter once more.
"I was drunk," he complained as he sank into his chair, and Elena smiled, "That still doesn't excuse you for thinking you could survive jumping off from the ledge of the mines." She said, sighing, remembering the moment, "I had to drag you away from the damn thing, do you know how heavy you are with that jacket?" Her voice was dripping with exasperation.
Jake chuckled, as he shrugged, "It's got everything I need to survive that jump," rolling his eyes, Elena flicked her hand in annoyance, "Yeah, but I don't think you can survive when you're almost blacked out drunk,"
"Fifteen was a rough age, alright," he grumbled, looking away with his ears flat against his head. "Also, how long are you gonna bug me? It's been five years now."
"Until we die," she said, smiling mischievously, and he sighed. They fell into lazy silence, Jake watching the guests of the lover's ball dancing, laughing, and talking. While also noting the eyes that stared at them in curiosity at his mask and his identity.
The waiter finally returned with Elena's request, and she nodded appreciatively to the waiter as she took a sip of the wine.
She sighed, feeling the slight tingle of the alcohol burn and the mix of the berries and a hint of mint. "I do love this wine," she said, swirling the glass of the slight pink liquid, and Jake chuckled.
"For a noble, you have a pretty cheap taste," he said mockingly, his ears flicking as he listened to the crowd. Elena only gave him a slight glare as she continued to drink the wine. Elena soon joined him, watching the crowd, her hand still intertwined in his, neither of them even realizing it, as they both gently squeezed.