Silas looked at himself in the mirror critically. "I think it's too much," he inferred the man standing beside him. His valet, Jorge, frowned at his reflection.
"What is too much, sir?" he asked in the voice of a man about to quit.
"The neck bit makes me look a bit silly doesn't it?"
"It prevents you from looking half dressed, sir," the valet responded immediately. "You are a Knight Captain, you do have an image to upkeep even off hours."
"What's the real reason?"
Jorge's face crumpled. "My lord, I am mocked - MOCKED - at my club because you go about without a waistcoat and half unbuttoned at the collar. You are an important person, please let me dress you as such."
Silas sighed. Even Archeus had told him he needed someone to help him dress, he should stop being such a brat about this. "Sorry, sorry, you are right, this is just enough."
"You aren't even wearing your coat yet sir." Jorge sighed.
"The weather is so nice though?"
"It is a light coat sir…"
Both men sighed in the manner of the put upon. Silas put on the coat though his confusion did not dissipate at the necessity.
"What country is fashion coming out of?" he asked as he studied himself.
"North Umbra has been leading trends for the last decade or so," his valet replied casually.
"Ah, very wet and cold there, isn't it?"
"Indeed my lord," the valet agreed, wondering what the knight was getting at.
"We're rather more prone to balmy and warm weather here. Why are we using clothes meant for a completely different climate?" Silas stated bluntly. "I mean, commoners wear reasonable fashion for the climate, why don't the nobs?"
"You are a nob sir."
"Right, right," Silas waved away easily, "but seriously, why not? Maybe we should start trend setting?" he asked seriously.
Jorge opened his mouth to argue but stopped - the idea had merit. "I will look into fashioning acceptable outfits in a more traditional style for the capitol." If he and his three friends adopted the style it could spread, and some of the division between the nobility and the common people could be eased.
"Great. But for now, am I good?"
"You are ready to attempt to land a lunch date," Jorge nodded.
"Why do you sound so doubtful?"
"I heard from Luka that you practically accused her of being in cahoots with villains?" Jorge rejoined. He and Luka had been childhood friends, and the handsome redhead had been pursuing her since they hit puberty, of course he knew about it.
Silas groaned, "I didn't mean to." A weak defense. "Should I bring flowers?"
"Do you know what she likes?" Silas shook his head. "Then perhaps purple hyacinths to ask for forgiveness," offered the valet.
"Purple hyacinths, got it," he sighed. "Do you think she'll just kick me out when she sees me?"
"Always a possibility, sir. Luka said she is kind though, so you may be okay," his valet reassured.
Silas looked at himself and winced, he really felt overdressed. "Maybe I should just wear my uniform?"
"She may think you are coming to interrogate her again."
Silas sighed again. "I feel ridiculous."
"You look handsome."
"Tsk." Hopefully Miss Kiava would think so too. "I'll head out now."
"Good luck, sir."
Silas went by foot, taking trolleys when he could, only stopping at a florist when he was within a couple blocks of the Artificer's workshop. He didn't want to bring wilted apology flowers.
The bell jingled merrily over his head when he entered. A moment later a gray head popped out from the back and startled hazel eyes blinked at him.
"Sir Iaska?" she asked blankly, her eyes went to the flowers and up to his face again.
"These are for you. I am sorry for my behavior last time I was here, it was unjust." He proffered the blooms awkwardly.
Kiava came forward and took them with a smile. "Thank you for the apology and flowers, sir. I am expecting an Assessor, but would you like to have a cup of tea with me until they arrive?"
He grinned at her, exceedingly pleased that she was letting him stay. "I would enjoy that, thank you."
"I was also hoping you could tell me what is happening with the young people I encountered?" she asked lightly as she led him into the kitchen and started the kettle, indicating he could sit at the table.
Silas sat and watched as she set tea things out in front of them and put his gift in water. The kettle was screaming by the time everything was set and she sat with him as she made the drinks.
"They have been interviewed and have been reunited with their families with safety measures in place. There is one who appears to have no family, but he hasn't spoken yet so we are unsure if that is the case."
"Ah! I met him at the temple! He seemed to like Lord Avenor, maybe he will open up to him?" she suggested as she poured him a cup of steaming tea.
"I will talk to him about that. I am sorry to say that we still do not know who attacked you, though we are pursuing the leads we have." He could not mention that things were delayed because of internal issues with the Duke's house.
"I'm sure you will find the culprit, and I will be happy to testify in all matters!" Silas grinned at her again, she had a fierce expression on her face though it was turning a bit red at the moment. "Have you finished with my items submitted as evidence?"
"Almost, Archeus took them to study yesterday to better understand how you countered the compulsion magic so cleanly, according to him." Silas could see magic, but had very little understanding and no ability to cast. Everything that Kiava made glowed to his perception but he had no idea what Archeus saw when he looked at them.
She blushed a little, "I'm glad it's going to help people. Ah, I heard you have only been a captain of the city guard for a year from Kleid, do you enjoy the position?"
"It's fulfilling, but there are a lot of problems that we still need to address from the old administration on top of the never ending deluge of issues that we still don't have the structure for because of aforementioned predecessors," he sighed. "Still, we'll get it in order."
He turned his attention fully to the young woman sitting across from him, he really did not want to talk about work. He also wanted to help Kiava feel more comfortable around him and his friends, minus Theon because people rarely had defenses against the Healer.
"What was the journey here like?" The best way to do that was to get her talking about herself. He kept his full attention on the petite lady as she talked, gratified that she blushed at his focus and he made sure to always give her a new topic of discussion.
Silas was not a Knight Captain just because of his martial aptitudes. He was a skilled interrogator and leader - well, at least he had been told so by superiors. He felt they were likely blowing a little smoke up his ass because he was close with Perrin.
Besides, it seemed that Miss Kiava was very off balance around him and was relieved that he centered the conversation around topics that were integral to her and not difficult to talk about.
After a while she even told several jokes about some of the nonsense she had seen while traveling across the better part of the country.
"It was genuinely amazing, I've never seen a person so convinced that they were not in the wrong while they actively continued to be unreasonable. The poor child they were with looked mortified and the drink the woman wanted did not become any less unavailable." She looked genuinely incredulous, obviously not being able to understand where the woman was coming from.
"About a year ago a popular store opened with the motto, 'the customer is always right,' and a lot of people began to adopt it in the capital. Some people have begun to take it for granted," Silas explained with a laugh. He had no less than three guards called a week to deal with customers going bonkers when a store wouldn't bend over backwards for them.
"I hope they change their selling method then, it is not good for business. Maybe I should put up a sign so I don't get nonsense like that," she said thoughtfully.
Silas' eyes gleamed. "I would pay good money to see some of the more entitled people's reaction to signage like that."
The bell above her shop door disrupted the conversation and Silas followed her to the front room.
"Count Trak! I am surprised they sent you," the knight said as he recognized the older man.
"Sir Iaska, what a pleasant surprise. I volunteered to help Miss Kiava with her pricing brackets," the nobleman said with a dignified smile.
"Thank you Assessor Trak for coming to help me," Kiava greeted, "I looked around but my wares seem unique."
Trak began looking around, his expression bright and curious. It was the youngest Silas had ever seen the taciturn man looking. He stood back and watched the two discuss the items and how much they should cost in the current market out of curiosity. By the end of Trak's visit Silas and Kiava were both a bit stunned at the value Trak gave her imbuements.
The door closed behind the unusually cheerful elder leaving the two standing in the room surrounded by a veritable fortune. Kiava would be the first to sell protection Wards to the general public.
Silas watched the stunned look on Kiava's face slowly resolve itself and she turned to smile at him. "That must have been boring, I'm sorry."
"Not at all, I learned a lot today. Thank you for letting me stay," he deflected with an easy smile and a glance at the clock. "It's getting late, would you be willing to get an early dinner with me?"
He watched her cheeks color prettily. "Ah, yes, that would be…nice." He decided to ignore the hesitation.
"Great, I know a nice place to eat nearby." He escorted her towards the door, better to strike while the iron was hot and not give her the chance to run away like last time.