Hugo and the Council, Part 1
This log takes place in the days leading up to Hugo's return to Budehuc.
The thought of entering Vinay del Zexay in disguise had crossed Hugo’s mind several times before and during the journey into the city. With his skin tone, he had thought of trying to pass as a Calerian, but could not get past deciding what would cause a Calerian to be concerned about the Council’s - no, Lowma’s - meddling at Budehuc. In the end, he hadn’t had time to get a disguise without raising Apple’s suspicions. As far as the older woman was concerned, he was visiting Vinay del Zexay to get some supplies for Stallion’s return to the castle and escorting her to the Keeferson’s. If she knew that he was planning on hounding the council, she would worry, or more likely, she would want to join him.
As the sunlight streamed into the small room through the window, Hugo sighed and opened his eyes. From the bed, he could smell salty air and heard the sounds of a new day starting in Zexay. He sat up slowly and ran a hand through his hair. Another day and another chance for the Zexen Council to ignore him.
Pulling on his pants and tunic, Hugo thought about what had gone wrong the first day he had tried to talk to the Council. The Marshall at the gates to the Council Building had kept him waiting for at least two hours on the steps before coming back to say that Council was in session and could not be interrupted.
So the second morning, he had risen before the sun and camped out on the front steps of the Council Building. As the Councillors made their way into the building, Hugo tried to address them. His attempt was met with cold silence from some and grumbles from others. As the sun rose above the roof of the building, a Marshall came out and chased Hugo away.
Today was day three. Hugo made his way downstairs, a sack of potch attached to his belt. He felt torn - he knew he had to try to find a way to get to the Council for Louis and Apple’s sakes, but Stallion was on his way back to Budehuc, and Hugo wanted to be there when his lifemate arrived with his adopted son.
“Maybe two more days?” he mumbled to himself as he took a seat at a table in the corner.
“What troubles you, son?” The innkeeper called out to Hugo from behind the bar. “That Marshall at the Council building giving you trouble?”
Hugo looked up in shock. “How … ?”
The innkeeper laughed. “Zexay may be bigger than most villages in the Grasslands, but people still talk. And when a Karayan visits the Council Building two days in a row, people notice.”
A ghost of a smile played across Hugo’s face. “There is that. I guess you have quite a few connections in town?” Hugo let the question hang in the air between him and the older man - he knew it would be presuming too much to directly ask the innkeeper if he had a connection at the council. If the man could give him even a clue …
The innkeeper raised his bushy eyebrows. “If you’re asking if I have any connections to anyone on the Council, the answer’s no.”
Hugo did his best to keep his expression even. Leaning back in his chair, he watched the innkeeper as the man finished drying a few glasses and then made his way over to Hugo’s table, a cup of coffee in hand.
“You look like you could use this,” the innkeeper said, setting the mug of hot and delicious brew in front of Hugo. “I’ve seen you around here before, haven’t I? I don’t mean the past few days - a couple of years ago, right?”
Reaching out, Hugo cradled the cup of coffee in his hands and took a small sip before answering the innkeeper’s question. “I stayed here the last time I tried to deliver a message to the Council, during the Second Fire Bringer War.”
“I knew it!” The Innkeeper brought an open-hand down on the table, startling Hugo. “Sarah!” he called out in the direction of the backroom. “You were right - he’s the same Karayan!”
And suddenly, a petite brunette came barrelling out of the backroom, flailing her arms excitedly. “I knew I recognized you but Father said I was just imagining things!”
Hugo looked at the girl - he guessed she was about fourteen - trying to place her. “Recognized me?”
“Yes!” she nodded her head enthusiastically. “I was playing in front of the council buildings a couple of years ago when you were here and …” suddenly, the girl blushed. Taking a step back, she curtseyed.
“You don’t have to do that,” Hugo said uncomfortably. “Please, sit down.” He gestured to the remaining chair at the table.
Sarah shook her head. “I don’t have time to! I need to deliver the morning’s pastries to the ….” She trailed off, looking to her father. He nodded and smiled.
“I mean,” Sarah said, her voice scarcely above a whisper. “I have to deliver the morning’s pastries to the Council and I have to do it myself this morning because Millie is sick.”
“I don’t suppose you know of someone that could help Sarah deliver the pastries, do you?” The innkeeper asked conspiratorially.
Hugo took a gulp of his coffee. “I can help you, Sarah.”
~*~
The trays of pastries weren’t that heavy - just awkward to carry. Hugo did most of the carrying and let Sarah lead the way to the back entrance of the Council building.
“This way,” she said quietly as she held the door open to one of the meeting rooms.
Carefully, Hugo put the tray of pastries down and took the remaining trays from Sarah.
“Thank you,” Sarah smiled at Hugo and pointed at a door. “If you go through there, one of the Councilmen, Councilman Jordash, should be drinking some coffee and going through the minutes of the past council meetings.” She winked at the Karayan and waited to see what he would do next.
Pushing his hair back from his face, Hugo squared himself with the door. “Thank you Sarah - I owe you.”
The thought of entering Vinay del Zexay in disguise had crossed Hugo’s mind several times before and during the journey into the city. With his skin tone, he had thought of trying to pass as a Calerian, but could not get past deciding what would cause a Calerian to be concerned about the Council’s - no, Lowma’s - meddling at Budehuc. In the end, he hadn’t had time to get a disguise without raising Apple’s suspicions. As far as the older woman was concerned, he was visiting Vinay del Zexay to get some supplies for Stallion’s return to the castle and escorting her to the Keeferson’s. If she knew that he was planning on hounding the council, she would worry, or more likely, she would want to join him.
As the sunlight streamed into the small room through the window, Hugo sighed and opened his eyes. From the bed, he could smell salty air and heard the sounds of a new day starting in Zexay. He sat up slowly and ran a hand through his hair. Another day and another chance for the Zexen Council to ignore him.
Pulling on his pants and tunic, Hugo thought about what had gone wrong the first day he had tried to talk to the Council. The Marshall at the gates to the Council Building had kept him waiting for at least two hours on the steps before coming back to say that Council was in session and could not be interrupted.
So the second morning, he had risen before the sun and camped out on the front steps of the Council Building. As the Councillors made their way into the building, Hugo tried to address them. His attempt was met with cold silence from some and grumbles from others. As the sun rose above the roof of the building, a Marshall came out and chased Hugo away.
Today was day three. Hugo made his way downstairs, a sack of potch attached to his belt. He felt torn - he knew he had to try to find a way to get to the Council for Louis and Apple’s sakes, but Stallion was on his way back to Budehuc, and Hugo wanted to be there when his lifemate arrived with his adopted son.
“Maybe two more days?” he mumbled to himself as he took a seat at a table in the corner.
“What troubles you, son?” The innkeeper called out to Hugo from behind the bar. “That Marshall at the Council building giving you trouble?”
Hugo looked up in shock. “How … ?”
The innkeeper laughed. “Zexay may be bigger than most villages in the Grasslands, but people still talk. And when a Karayan visits the Council Building two days in a row, people notice.”
A ghost of a smile played across Hugo’s face. “There is that. I guess you have quite a few connections in town?” Hugo let the question hang in the air between him and the older man - he knew it would be presuming too much to directly ask the innkeeper if he had a connection at the council. If the man could give him even a clue …
The innkeeper raised his bushy eyebrows. “If you’re asking if I have any connections to anyone on the Council, the answer’s no.”
Hugo did his best to keep his expression even. Leaning back in his chair, he watched the innkeeper as the man finished drying a few glasses and then made his way over to Hugo’s table, a cup of coffee in hand.
“You look like you could use this,” the innkeeper said, setting the mug of hot and delicious brew in front of Hugo. “I’ve seen you around here before, haven’t I? I don’t mean the past few days - a couple of years ago, right?”
Reaching out, Hugo cradled the cup of coffee in his hands and took a small sip before answering the innkeeper’s question. “I stayed here the last time I tried to deliver a message to the Council, during the Second Fire Bringer War.”
“I knew it!” The Innkeeper brought an open-hand down on the table, startling Hugo. “Sarah!” he called out in the direction of the backroom. “You were right - he’s the same Karayan!”
And suddenly, a petite brunette came barrelling out of the backroom, flailing her arms excitedly. “I knew I recognized you but Father said I was just imagining things!”
Hugo looked at the girl - he guessed she was about fourteen - trying to place her. “Recognized me?”
“Yes!” she nodded her head enthusiastically. “I was playing in front of the council buildings a couple of years ago when you were here and …” suddenly, the girl blushed. Taking a step back, she curtseyed.
“You don’t have to do that,” Hugo said uncomfortably. “Please, sit down.” He gestured to the remaining chair at the table.
Sarah shook her head. “I don’t have time to! I need to deliver the morning’s pastries to the ….” She trailed off, looking to her father. He nodded and smiled.
“I mean,” Sarah said, her voice scarcely above a whisper. “I have to deliver the morning’s pastries to the Council and I have to do it myself this morning because Millie is sick.”
“I don’t suppose you know of someone that could help Sarah deliver the pastries, do you?” The innkeeper asked conspiratorially.
Hugo took a gulp of his coffee. “I can help you, Sarah.”
~*~
The trays of pastries weren’t that heavy - just awkward to carry. Hugo did most of the carrying and let Sarah lead the way to the back entrance of the Council building.
“This way,” she said quietly as she held the door open to one of the meeting rooms.
Carefully, Hugo put the tray of pastries down and took the remaining trays from Sarah.
“Thank you,” Sarah smiled at Hugo and pointed at a door. “If you go through there, one of the Councilmen, Councilman Jordash, should be drinking some coffee and going through the minutes of the past council meetings.” She winked at the Karayan and waited to see what he would do next.
Pushing his hair back from his face, Hugo squared himself with the door. “Thank you Sarah - I owe you.”