As was becoming a usual habit, Governor Driscol was sitting semi-slouched in his over-sized office chair with his heels propped up on the edge of the desk when the hesitant little knock sounded on the frame of the open door. He didn't look up from the paper he was reading, which was another habit of his; he knew exactly who it was by the timidness of the sound. "Come on in, Basil," he said with gentle authority.
"P-package arrived for you, Mr. Driscol, Governor, sir." Out of the corner of his eye, Dris became aware of the fact that the shadows looming in the open doorway were too large and too many to belong solely to his eager-to-please but dreadfully shy intern. He slowly lowered the paper and turned his head with a raise of the brow.
His first impression was that this was a most unusual parcel indeed, for there in the doorway stood a raggedy waif of a courier flanked by a pair of armed guards. Much without his realization, the Governor's lips curved into a curious O shape of wonder and surprise. It took his brain an extra moment longer to process that while this was odd, he still had a front to put on and so replaced that expression immediately with his most charming (and oh so common to him) smile.
"Well, bring it in, bring it in," he insisted with a beckoning sweep of a gesture from just one hand. He dropped his heels off the desk and folded up the paper as he stood before setting it aside. The courier shuffled in like a mouse desperately searching for the nearest hole to dash into, and the two armed guards clomped in beside her with the usual silent death demeanor fitting their station.
Dris took the parcel from the courier, maintaining his indefeatable smile, and signed for it in his own hand. He slipped a couple of extra coins in the girl's hand as they made the exchange and gifted her with a wink that predictably rosied up her cheeks. "Stick 'round, love, an' let's see 'o this's from, eh?" he encouraged her. Her brown eyes widened in alarm; he knew this clearly wasn't in her contract, but knew even better that a man could get anything he wanted with the right smile, his smile.
He spared the guards a second glance, wondering precisely what their orders were and perhaps even if this might be some sort of ruse. After all, there could be a bomb in this box, for all he knew. And indeed, it was ticking. "Hope you boys weren't sent on no foolish suicide run," he commented with wry amusement. The two guards expressed no reaction, typical.
Well, he thought, if I'm goin' t'die, at least it'll be in style. Since taking on this job, he had also taken to wearing finer suits than was typically his fashion. But he was Sheridan Driscol. Anything he wore was fashionable, because just by wearing it he made it so.
First he detached the letter and gave it a read. "Both lyrical an' memorable," he repeated softly and still with a smile. "Well, at least this Ms. Shah knows 'ow t'get at a man's 'eart with 'er words, I'll give 'er that." Of course, when he opened the package itself — after a deep breath and bracing himself for an expected bang — his smile only grew. "An' how," he added as he lifted out the artistically designed clock. He appreciated it even more when he heard the awed, stifled gasps of his small audience, of at least two. Basil was gawking by the door, whereas the young courier girl was gaping only on the other side of his desk.
"It'll go nicely o'er 'ere, don'tcha think?" he asked none of them in particular. Dris carried the clock to the left side of the office — his right from where he'd been standing behind the desk — and propped it up neatly atop one of the barren filing cabinets. That addition certainly put some extra color, soothing noise and charm to the arrangement. He stepped back with his knuckles on his hips to admire its placement for a few odd seconds. Then he nodded and turned back to his desk to pen down a quick note.
Dear Ms. Shah,
Your gift of the harp-shaped standing clock is accepted with the utmost joy and appreciation. I thank you personally for this very fine addition to the decorations of my newly acquired office, and shall keep it in my closest care for even my years beyond government service.
Further, as Deaconess of the Institute of Arcane Principle, I entreat you to meet with the Minister of Citizen Resources, Brian Ravenlock, at your nearest convenience to determine how best we can repay the favor of such generosity by serving you and your institution to the best of our ability. Again, you have my sincerest thanks.
Warmest regards,
Sheridan Driscol
Governor of Rhy'Din
Once that quick note was complete, he folded it in thirds and slipped it into a crisp new envelope. Rising from the desk, he stepped around to offer the letter to the still waiting courier. "Deliver this to the lady who sent me this fine token of appreciation with haste, m'dear girl," he instructed her, and with that same smooth smile he slipped a couple more coins into her hand. The girl curtsied awkwardly and back-peddled out the door as if she were escaping the presence of a regal monarch. The guards took two crips steps in reverse, about-faced, and turned to follow her.
When they were gone, Dris noticed that his intern was still standing at attention nearby. "What is it, Basil?" he asked with only minimal impatience.
The poor half-elven boy actually squeaked as he snapped to attention. "Oh. Well, um. Sir. Mr. Driscol, sir. Governor. That is to say..." After a pause, he untangled his tongue and managed to continue, but not without his cheeks being fully red. The boy hefted up a box that Dris hadn't noticed he'd been clutching until now. "There's also this case of Badsider come in from Red Orc Brewery, sir."
The Governor's smile turned somewhat wicked then, and he crossed the room to scoop the box up out of the boy's arms. "That Jake sure knows 'ow t'win over a man's 'eart, don't 'e?" he confided in his intern as he carried the case over to a corner of the room well concealed by a lack of filing cabinet in the way. He stuffed the box in there for later appreciation. "Thank ye, Basil," he added a bit belatedly, and that was the boy's cue to take a hike for the time being.