#augustine bishop

He’d received a letter by a special courier from his best client that had informed him that his granddaughter had finally stooped to stealing accounting books. Bel wouldn’t be the first investigator to resort to unsavory methods when trying to crack a case, she wouldn’t be the last either. It was disappointing that a child he’d had a hand in raising would crack like that. Still, if he leveraged this correctly she would be expelled from the Landsguard and would have no choice but to give up what had been a wasteful use of her time in the first place.

A curt question to one of the train station attendants gathered the location of what the town called its best hotel. He mulled over the problems that this could cause for Gaius Baelsar. Evidence that couldn’t be used in court still existed. The Dawnservent had agents clever enough to tease out lines of investigation that were hinted at without depending on the tainted evidence. He would have to look over what was found and speak with Baelsar to determine the best legal strategies. Once he had two rooms secured he dropped his bag in one and then went to the sheriff’s office where he’d most likely find both his client’s property and his granddaughter.

The walk through the dusty street left him too much time to mull over the fight with Bel that would be on his hands when he stepped into the sheriff’s office. How she lived her life trying to fight volcanos was beyond him. Not just that, but she insisted on playing where she was always in danger. Hopefully it would blunt the youthful idealism, to have her work leave her with nothing but stark reality and ash.

When he stepped through the doors he surveyed the room and frowned when he didn’t see the yellows and purples that Bel favored in her clothes. He clenched his jaw and ignored the dread that wanted to creep in. There were many places that she might be in the town. (There would be nowhere else to find her if she was reviewing what she found.) Hephaistos’s long strides took him to the desk and the deputy manning it. He pulled a card from an inside pocket of his suit jacket and held it out. “I am Hephaistos Lahabrea, legal counsel for Gaius Baelsar. I’m here to retrieve my client’s stolen property and Inspector Bel Lahabrea.”

The deputy took the card and raised both eyebrows at the quality of the paper and printing. “You’ll want to speak with Deputy Bishop. The parrot would only work with him and the sheriff, wouldn’t give the rest of us the time of day.”

“And where is the inspector herself?” Lahabrea asked tersely.

The deputy shifted uneasily order the hard red eyes, “She’s in the clinic under Doctor Mathye’s care.”

For a moment the unfaltering hard stare cracked and reforged within the same heartbeat, “The clinic?”

The deputy in front of him had not looked up from the business card. “She stumbled in here with her jacket on fire and hugging a bunch of books. Good to see a parrot get its feathers singed…”

Lahabrea arched an eyebrow when the deputy looked up suddenly, looked down at the name on the card, and then went pale, “What I meant Mr. Lahabrea was-”

“Stop talking Carl,” a voice with an even tone called out from behind him. The lawyer turned to see a dark haired man with a white tattoo on the left side of his face. “Mr Lahabrea, I’m Deputy Augustine Bishop. The inspector warned me that you might pay us a visit.”

Lahabrea frowned at the tonawawta man that barely came up to his shoulder. The deputy folded his arms over his chest, his expression was flat. Lahabrea narrowed his eyes. “Gaius Baelsar has property here that was stolen. I’m here to retrieve that property for my client.”

“The only stolen property we have right now is a cheap flask.” Augustine stated firmly. “If you’re after the evidence the inspector collected you’ll need to take it up with officials in the city.”

“Taking items from someone’s property is theft, Deputy Bishop.” The lawyer stepped forward to loom over the other man.

“Take it up with the Landsguard.”

Hephaistos Lahabrea clenched his jaw and concentrated on keeping his teeth from grinding. Behind him the deputy at the desk began to shift uneasily. In front of him two different shades of blue watched him coolly. “You will be charged with conspiracy if you are aiding my granddaughter in concealing stolen documents.”

The deputy’s posture didn’t change, “Take it up with the Landsguard. If you haven’t got any other business here Mr. Lahabrea I’ll ask you to leave.”

Lahabrea forced himself to take a breath. The deputy was a problem for another day. “Where is my granddaughter?”

“At the clinic.” Deputy Bishop’s answer made the lawyer grind his teeth. This was like drawing blood from a stone.

“And where is that?” Lahabrea ground out.

Augustine Bishop looked him up and down for a long few moments, likely to raise his blood pressure Lahabrea thought, and then nodded to the doors. “I’ll take you there.”

Grilling her over Augustine like this was some sort of interrogation. And who was he to look so smug? As if any mention of this 'Brucie' of his didn't have him looking at either her or Klynt with murderous intent.

If he was allowed to keep his affairs close to vest, so was she.

And what was that about? Trying to find some correlation between their sparring session and Augustine finding himself at a brothel?

For all she knew, that could have been his plan for that day anyway, and he was simply sidetracked by their sparring match.

'Which to some Ishgardians can be considered foreplay.'

Thalia pinched her nose with a frustrated sigh as Sebastian's words pinged around in her head again. Maybe she should send a letter to Guydelot and Sanson, telling them that Sebastian would love to learn about the bardic arts under their tutelage after all. Just to spite him.

'At least I didn't make him break church vows', came more of his words to memory.

Thalia huffed.

Fine. So she liked Augustine. So she found him considerably attractive. It was hardly news. If what Klynt said was anything to go by, she wasn't the first. She wouldn't be the last. And there was no indication that the sentiment was shared, despite Sebastian's insistence to the contrary. And even if there was, so what? What would that even mean exactly?

It'd mean you'd have to do something about it, said a sing-song voice in her head that sounded suspiciously close to Klynt's.

Twelve damn them both. Assholes.

The idea that Augustine broke some sort of vow of celibacy simply because she had gotten him worked up from a single fight was ridiculous. Ludicrous. Absolutely unheard of.

Besides.....

The fact that she had even developed a crush on him based on his Bloodsands persona felt.....wrong. Especially now, having actually had the chance to know the man behind the shield.

How was she any better than the numerous onlookers who sought out the Bloodsands for entertainment? He had sought them out as a means to escape from his horrid family and life back in Ishgard.

Not to mention, spat a nastier voice in her mind that wasn't Klynt's, how would it look? He'd gotten away from nobility in Ishgard, and you'd burden him with your silly little crush? You, a daughter of nobles?

Running her hands over her face, Thalia turned on her heel and marched to her desk, pulling out a sheet of paper, an inkwell, and her quill.

This whole matter was going to be settled one way or another. She would meet with him again. They would get on like they usually did, and the whole thing would be put to rest.

And if it wasn't, well.....she'd cross that bridge when she'd get there.

Pen in hand, she scratched out a quick note, trying to keep her words as casual as possible.

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.

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Augustine,

I'm sorry to hear about your injury during your time in Coerthas. If you're up for it, we could have another friendly sparring session to work out any stiff muscles you gained from bedrest.

If you're stuck in the infirmary, I'm willing to wager you've gone a bit stir crazy. And if not, well, you owe me a rematch anyway.

When you're fully recovered of course. I'm in no hurry to get on your brother's bad side.