Perrin had his men look into Kiava Orben as soon as he arrived back at his office. He was confident that she was the woman that called in the tip, and though he could not doubt the sincerity of the tip he could doubt the motivation. It irked him that he was more suspicious because she had not sought the reward, which meant he had to make sure that she really had nothing to do with Archeus' kidnapping, no matter how doubtful that was. Especially considering the drug-neutralizing amulet that some unknown benefactor had given Archeus at the station and the new Artificer who could likely manufacture such an item.
He sighed and pushed up his frames to rub his eyes. Archeus was looking for his savior earnestly, but Perrin had no intention of telling his friend about finding her until he was sure she was just an innocent bystander who stepped in to help. He remembered the pretty, if startled, young woman and found himself grinning unintentionally. She had behaved much like a small animal being cautious around an unknown creature. A blushing face with shocked hazel eyes flashed in his mind and he had to concede that her caution may be warranted, as he found himself not against the idea of taking a bite.
His thoughts were interrupted when a knock came followed by his aide entering the room. The delicate man that entered offered the duke a small bow before walking forward and placing a pile of paperwork he had been carrying in front of his lord.
"What is this?" the duke asked. He was confident that he had settled his important matters and had come to the office out of habit rather than necessity.
"It is a formal complaint from the princess over your failure to attend yesterday's banquet. There are four, including the other young lords," his aide intoned, looking annoyed. "She invited every eligible young woman in the nobility last night, and there was quite a lot of anger when I was announced as your house representative."
"I'm sure, and I included a very nice bonus and an extra three days vacation for your trouble," Perrin mumbled in reply as he leafed through the complaints from his cousin. There was nothing he didn't expect. "Send a response reminding my cousin that neither I nor my friends responded to the invitation in the positive, that we were not beholden to attend the event, and will be formally ignoring the complaint."
The aide felt a weight settle on his shoulders as he imagined the reaction from the princess' office. "As your grace commands." He shuffled from the room, wondering if his bonus was really worth the trouble.
The Duke had two other aides but only one of Kleid's co-workers was in the detached office that they shared as he left his boss's area.
"Where's Simon?" asked Kleid as he entered the office, running a frustrated hand through his short brown hair and frowning at the empty desk with confused gray eyes.
"The duke sent him to do a background check," the other aide replied. "He found the woman that called in the tip and he's making sure she isn't involved somehow," he added, looking up from the document he was reviewing. "A Kiava Orben."
A flutter of papers fell on the floor, and the sitting aide looked up at his friend.
"Did you say Kiava Orben?" Klied exclaimed.
The aide nodded, confused by Klied's complicated expression.
"He suspects my little sis?"
"Little sis? Your name is Kleid Jester."
"I was adopted by Sir Jester when he helped save our town from monsters during the war." Kleid shrugged as he collected himself. "I need to talk to the Duke!"
Before his friend could intervene, Kleid was gone. He sighed and shrugged, going back to his work. The Duke liked Kleid, so it would probably be fine.
Kleid forgot to knock but Perrin wasn't too perturbed. Kleid's adopted father had been Perrin's guardian knight as a teenagerwhen he was sent to the battlefield with his three best friends by his uncle. If not for him they all would have died.
"Kiava would never do anything nefarious!" Kleid declared passionately.
Perrin blinked at him for a moment as he tried to catch up to this development. "I was not aware that you were familiar with Miss Kiava?"
"We grew up in the same orphanage, boss! How could you forget her?" Kleid was a bit miffed now. Sure it was almost twelve years ago now, but even a duke should have more consideration for the people that save them. "She's the one that gifted all of your men with those wards after dad adopted me."
Perrin was genuinely surprised. "That young lady had black hair, and it's not as if I spoke to her directly."
"Well, if she's the tipster it's because she genuinely ran to help Archeus when he was in trouble," Kleid made his point stubbornly.
"I am inclined to believe that, Kleid, but I am not in a position where I can ignore such a possibility. And truly, the girl who gave us those wards had black hair and Miss Kiava's hair is much lighter."
Kleid sighed and rubbed his temples. "Kiava got bullied by the townies a lot for being a mixling. She used to rub coal dust into her hair whenever she went to town. I'm glad she stopped doing that."
"Maybe you can explain why mixlings are taboo at the border?"
"It's just a superstition that mixling, as something already 'impure,' will become corrupt if they meet the Monster King. It's dumb, I mean one of the heroes was a mixling." Kleid tsked. "It's not a universal view but it's enough to make an orphan's life harder. No one will adopt a mixling even if they don't believe the superstition because of how they will be treated by association. I always hoped someone would adopt her like me. I'm sad to see she's still an Orben. In any case, your grace, will you please tell me where she is staying?"
"She is staying at The Sorcerer's Respite near the Obelisk for now, but from what I understand she is looking for her own workshop," Perrin replied. "We will receive word when she is settled, so you may as well wait." He tapped his finger for a minute, "She seemed… uncomfortable around me to a strange degree."
"Not surprised, she was protected by every boy in the orphanage as well as the guy who trained her in Artificery. Not a lot of guys approached her and I don't think she ever saw any of us from the orphanage as anything other than family. You flirt while breathing, my lord. She was likely overwhelmed."
Perrin frowned at his aid's words. "What do you mean, flirt while breathing?"
Kleid gave his boss a look of pure surprise. "My lord, you must know that you and your friends are considered the most handsome men in the capital, right? My dear little sister is from the border, where typically you cannot find attractive men - rough men, certainly, but not handsome or gentlemanly. I have watched women actually faint when you introduce yourself. You realize that's abnormal, right?"
Perrin winced at his aide's words and expression of annoyed disbelief. He would be more aware in the future. "I understand. Now, you have a response to draft to her highness."
Kleid deflated and slouched out of the room again. Perrin almost felt bad, he knew his cousin would not be gentle in her annoyance.