Requests. [Diamond/Roland]

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Melda entered the Infirmary cautiously. News of what happened to the captain had spread quickly in the castle. She'd known someone had broken in to his office, but when she'd heard he'd been stabbed, everything seemed far more extreme. It made her decision to hire a body guard even more sensible, and had hired Diamond by sundown the next day. She hadn't wanted to bug Roland so quickly after his injury, but she had business to finish on her bargain with Diamond. Though the contract had yet to be signed -- on the condition of obtaining the crystals-- he was still by her side, working for her unless otherwise was discussed, lest she could not get what he asked. 

Roland wasn't hard to spot, and she walked slowly over to him now, her dark blue skirts flowing around her while she moved. It had been two days since he was stabbed, the morning after she'd hired Diamond. Pardon my intrusion, Captain Walker. She bowed her head lightly, looking at him with saddness in her eyes. She'd never gotten to know him on a personal level, but she knew he didn't deserve to be stabbed as he had. I have a favour I must ask you, and as it stands, the matter cannot wait to long. You know of Diamond Corsica, yes? She gestured to where he stood. I am under the impression you are not fond of him, and that is quite alright, however, I have decided to hire him as a guard myself, due to recent... events. She cleared her throat. 

Am I able to speak to you about the terms of my contract with him now, or would you rather another time? She would really prefer now, but if he so wished, they would return another time.

[Roland]

As Melda enters the infirmary she would find Roland sitting up with a dour expression on his face as he flips through reports. He had not intention of letting the events of the previous day distract him from getting his work done, and in truth he needed to appear as he normally did if he wanted to have any chance at all to prepare for the coming conflict with Severine.

He gives Melda an impatient glance before returning to his reports, but when she called out to him he sighs sets down the paper to listen. “Yes?” He asks brusquely.

When she explains the situation around Diamond he lets out a snort. “I never said I did not like him, I just said that I did not think he was fit for the mage guard. I do not have much of an opinion regarding the man.” He replies then glances over at Diamond. “Though I thought you had left.”

But when she asks if he is able to speak regarding the terms of the contract his eyes narrow. “Why would you need me to look at the terms of the contract. If you are just looking for information on him...” Roland shuffled through a stack of papers and comes out with several sheets. He extends the sheets of paper to Melda. “That's the file on him, he's Mylee's champion, a potent mage with a vague crystal themed spell casting, he's a mercenary by trade. No particularly well known crimes, and he's currently popular after the events at the gallows.”

“Do you have other questions?” He asks staring at her, his now brown eyes showing a depth that the previous burning beacons obscured.

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Diamond stands at the ready and had heard that Roland had been attacked by someone. They had dark skin and was accompanied by someone wielding a spear and dark colored armor. He did not know that those two were going this far for whatever vengeance they wanted. None the less they were in Roland's office and he let Melda speak on the matter before he did. "Forces beyond my control are dragging me back here. And now to the matter of the contract was that I got the Mana Crystals I stabilized from the Gallows incident. Now we could do increments or I get it one bulk payment. Since you currently control access to them we would need to talk to you" he said and knew that this was not going to be good. This would mean that he would have to put the price back up to what Melda was going to give him originally. So he knew that this part of negotiation was going to be hard. Due to Roland being a hardass with his resources that the guard had but Melda did out rank him? Diamond was not sure on that matter and would still let things play out.

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Regardless, his actions in the guard are irrelevant to me now. She shrugged it off, knowing that the relationship between Roland and Diamond was a matter she didn’t care about. When Roland asks why the terms would concern him, Diamond answered him, by mentioning the crystals. She’d hoped he wouldn’t, and allow her to say it, but the harm was done now, all she could hope for was that due to the events, Roland didn’t make it to hard for them.

She took the files, looking down at them.His files? Thank you, I will look them over as well. As a precaution. She glanced at Diamond, he had not mentioned being a champion, though she supposed that was on her to know.

Captain Walker, as Mr. Corsica stated, the terms of his contract are that he be payed with the crystals that he stabilized. You are in possession of those, are you not? It can be up to you in which form he receives them, so long as he does. You can understand why I have come to this level, yes? Needing a body guard at all would seem ridiculous to me, but as you can imagine, things are changing around here. I’d like to be safe, rather than sorry. She took a slight step towards him. I apologize, I know this cannot be the best of times, and no I do not have any other questions, just this request, and I know it may not be that simple. I could however, owe you a favour, if you so wish. In return of course. She had learnt long ago that nothing came simply because you asked for it.

[Roland]

“The crystals are not in my possession personally, but a large number were given to the Mage Guard as part of their funding and resources.” Roland admits then looks up at Diamond and then at Melda. “He can't have them all, I could hire a thousand men for a year with the value of what the Mage Guard alone has.” He informs her, though he was surprised she did not already know. He figured she'd have sent a servant to look into these kinds of things.

“I will say I am not thrilled about the fact that you are offering to pay him in something that is not yours to give.” He admits, but his expression turns contemplative as she mentions she would owe him a favor. Roland disliked politics, but it was well known that he was a large player in boon trading, though he was more or less exclusively a buyer.

After several long moments he lets out a sigh. “I need more information before I come to a decision, how much is he getting paid in a dollar amount? If I think it's reasonable I will let you purchase the crystals at a reduced rate assuming you agree to only use him in ways that do not violate the law and with the understanding that the favor you owe me is non-trivial.” He offers, eyes hard. He holds out a pricing log, Melda would be able to purchase Diamond's wage for about half what the actual monetary value was.

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Diamond had listen to the two of them and sighed inside his head. He did feel cheated a bit at Roland's statement if it were not for him they would not have those resources. But he did not want to put his employer in hot water due to some reckless action he would make. Even then he could sense where they were at due to him using his abilities. But again things were not in his control at the moment. But that impulse was growing by the minute and walks over to Melda to look at the rates. It would dig into the amount he was making with Melda and wispers very very low almost silent. "If it were not for me he would not have those resources at all. Forgive me if I sound heated but I feel that was a insult to me, but do with it as you will. You are my employer" he said to her as he was standing next to her. He did not say that he could control those said crystals though. As that omission might have put the captain on edge and have him say no all together.

For the most part he was going to let Melda do most of the negotiations as she was his boss. Diamond would more or less speak now if either Melda or Roland asked him something. Since he was now in business mode and on the job for Melda and was showing that he was trying to show is diciplen as a soldier for heir.

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Melda nodded, No, having them all would be absurd, I agree. And in all honesty, Captain, I did not come up with the choice of payment. He did. It was a condition he himself set. She felt the need to justify asking such questions. She was aware of their value, but she had figured Roland would set an amount before handing them over regardless.

When he sighed, and stood straighter, ready to answer whatever he asked. With the conditions of the crystals, he is getting payed the same amount he was in the Mage Guard. Without them, it is double. And Captain, I know you do not formally know me, but of course I would not. She looked a tad offended by the statement, but understood why he had to say it, as precaution.

Suddenly, Diamond was closer to her, whispering. She was aware that if it was not for him, those crystals would not be available to any of them, but it didn’t make getting them from Roland any easier, especially not in the conditions the captain was currently in. With a deep breath, coming out in a slight sigh, she looked at Diamond, then back to Roland, a curt smile on her face.

I did some research before coming here, as well as that I was at the events when it happened. Correct me if I am wrong, but those crystals… It is because of Diamond that you are in possesion of them at all, yes? He stabilized them somehow. That alone would deserve some payment, in fact with the crystals he kept from destroying the gallows. So my being here, asking for some of them, really isn’t absurd, despite the price. She was not mad at the captain, or her new employee, but she was not used to being put in such situations, and she wasn’t to fond of it.

[Roland]

Roland watches as Diamond whispers in Melda's ear. His frown remains as she justifies and then raises a point of he own regarding Diamond's payment. He did not have any inclination to barter or haggle with the pair. “It is true that he prevented the explosion by purifying the crystals, and the methodology behind that would be very valuable if he wants to provide it, but those crystals were already the property of the crown. If he wants a reward then he can take it up with the treasury and I am sure they will provide him with some sum of money, but regardless it is not my job to make awards.”

Roland finds himself wondering about something as he watches the pair. “Since we are in the business of full disclosure, I assume he has told you that after his heroic feet he insulted Advisor Zoe to her face. I prevented any immediate repercussions by bringing him into the Mage Guard and I do not regret that decision, but it is something to beware of.” He warns then closes his eyes and rubs the bridge of his nose.

“Duchess Vanya, I will agree to sell you some of the crystals with a cap at the monthly salary of a Mage guardsman each month.” He decides and waits for her response.

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That, She glanced at Diamond with an eyebrow raised, I was unaware of. Thank you. She looked back at Roland, her face void of emotion. She didn’t really care how many crystals this man got from the deal, so long as he did his job— and if he failed, she’d find another. Who did the job didn’t matter to her, though she did have a preference to those who actually qualified, such as Diamond.

Some of the crystal with a cap at the monthly salary of a Mage guardsman… That sounds perfectly reasonable to me… She glanced at Diamond. Whether or not he agreed at this point didn’t matter— he could talk to her about it later. I will take that deal, and owe you a favour. Thank you for your time Captain. She stepped forward and offered out her hand. She wasn’t one to stick around in obviously uncomfortable situations, and she had a feeling leaving Diamond with Roland any longer would result in her losing her body guard due to arrest on decking the Captain.

I wish you well on your recovery, and I hope they catch the imbeciles who attacked you. Fools, who do they think they are? Like they will actually get away with something like this. She shook her head in disgust. She wasn’t so high and mighty to think she was above some people, but people who wore masks to pretend they were innocent of something after the fact, made her sick.