Topic: New Employment

Lilith DeBrough · Date: 2009-07-13 13:23 EST

((This should have been posted back on the 9th, but as always, RL shifts things around a bit ^.^))

Lilith approached the brown brick building that housed the New Haven offices of DeMuer Exports. Double checking the card in her palm, she gave a single nod to herself, as if re-setting her resolve not to turn on her heel and disappear back down the street. Unglamoured violet eyes tilted upwards, squinting against the sun to take in the three story building. Compact slid from her pocket to double check the makeup covering the scar marring her left eye, and then she was as ready as she was going to be.

New pumps, courtesy of Alain?s generosity, carried her up the steps and into the lobby. There was the click of her heels on the floor and a soft rustling of the fabric of her new tailored pantsuit as she moved towards the reception desk there. Used to wearing any outfit that a designer wanted her to, she moved in the charcoal suit as easily as she would have in jeans. It was tailored to her measurements, and the jacket buttoned a couple of inches above her waist, revealing a bit of the camisole beneath that she wore to keep the outfit decent. The urge to pull a lower lip between her teeth was resisted. She was supposed to be here; there would be no hesitation.

A delicate hand rested on the surface of the desk as she slid the card towards the receptionist there. ?Good morning, I?m Lilith DeBrough. I was told to be here this morning to discuss employment.? Her voice was firm, but still held its slightly enchanting effect; chimes on the evening wind. ?Ala-- Lord DeMuer sent me.? Stumbling over what would be the proper title, she added the second bit to help clarify, in case there was a question. In all honesty, she wasn?t sure who she was there to see, exactly. Alain hadn?t mentioned, and in her excitement, she hadn?t asked. Silently chiding herself for that oversight, she pushed a silver lock back behind her ear, where her hair hung free in straight cascades of light to her shoulder blades. A bun just would have felt stuffy, and Lilith was determined not to be anyone but who she knew herself to be, even if it was in something as simple as her hair.

Lilith flipped through the portfolio in her hands as the receptionist lifted a phone to his/her ear, no doubt alerting whoever it was to her presence. The portfolio was more sparse than Lilith would have liked, but many of her photos had perished in the Tear that brought her to RhyDin. Only about 15 remained, and they weren?t all the ones that Lilith would have necessarily chosen to represent herself, but what can you do? From the way Alain had spoken, it was a mere technicality at best for her to bring it anyways.

Drawing the portfolio closed, she raised her head at the receptionist?s voice asking her to have a seat, that it would be just a few minutes before someone was with her. ?Thank you.? Lilith took the few steps towards the nearest chair, settling her lithe frame into it, one leg crossed over the other, raised foot bobbing slightly.

Alain DeMuer · Date: 2009-07-16 13:25 EST

"Miss DeBrough?" A husky voice called out to her from an adjoining hallway, and black stilettos followed in its wake. The owner was an impossibly tall figure, a woman with light blue skin, very long ears that curled at the end, and four small horns on her brow, such that they could form the points of a trapezoid on its back. Her hair was dark and silky, swept up into a bun and held together with elegant chopsticks, and her eyes were an alarming shade of red. She topped six feet and smelled strongly of vanilla-scented cigars.

"Good morning - the Baron is waiting for you." Whoever she was, she felt no need to introduce herself. "If you could follow me, please."

She was cool but not unkind either; she had taken a detour from her duties for a simple task, and she was merely seeing it through. Her only inconsiderate act besides the lack of introduction was to light one of her fine, thin cigars in the brass lift up to the third floor; in her culture, or at least the "culture" propagated in Alain's offices, it was difficult to think of smoking as potentially offensive.

A fine-boned blue hand knocked three times on a wooden door already ajar, then she pushed it open, smiled down at Lilith and into the office, turned on the spot and left. Alain DeMuer sat at a small meeting table and stood at once to shake Lilith's hand, and the two middle-aged men and one young woman rose to follow suit. "Mrs. Atren, Mr. Tellepias, Mr. Jindiin... this is Miss DeBrough. She'll be promoting the product from your plant."

They offered short, generic pleasantries and seated themselves, and Alain motioned to a chair for Lilith: "Anything to drink? Or shall we get straight to it?"

Lilith DeBrough · Date: 2009-07-17 03:19 EST

At the sound of her name, Lilith rose from her seat. It would be a lie to say that she wasn?t surprised by the appearance of the woman who had come to lead her back; she had never seen a being quite like her. Hiding her surprise well, she followed in silence, understanding the lack of introduction. Admiring the brass lift, she let the sweet smell of vanilla invade her nostrils as they rode. A soft smile was offered to the woman as she was ushered into the meeting room, then Lilith turned her attention towards the people awaiting her.

Nervousness barely showed itself as she took Alain?s hand. Her smile widened as she introduced herself to each of the people there, a pleasant ?Well met? directed to each in their exchange of pleasantries. Sitting in the chair offered to her, she crossed her legs once more, violet eyes gleaming softly. Her makeup was sparse, as she didn?t need much. It was mostly to cover her scar. It usually got more attention that she would like in situations such as these. She was here for business, and her demeanor would say as much. Selling yourself is vital to a modeling career, and she was very good at it.

?I?d prefer to get right to it, if you don?t mind, Lord DeMuer.? The title felt odd on her tongue, but she didn?t slip, the words sounding natural as they passed her lips. ?To be perfectly honest, if I may, I am excited about this job, and am anxious to do more than just print work.? Her portfolio was settled onto the table in front of her, a delicate hand laid atop it.

Having had no inkling of what to expect this morning, Lilith seemed quite relaxed now as she sat across the table from the plant owners, violet eyes passing across each of them in turn to finally settle on Alain.

Alain DeMuer · Date: 2009-07-18 21:44 EST

"As you may already be aware, your job will be complex," Alain said as he and the others settled back into their seats. Most of them smoked -- again, an integral part of the culture in DeMuer-owned offices. The Baron lit a cigar and set his scotch aside. "If you'll please forgive the pun... you're responsible for promoting a soda that's gone flat. We hit the market, built our base and stagnated, while our other products have grown. Coffee's soared, and even the Silver Mark lager's seen steady enough growth to ship thousands of barrels off-world."

Here was one of Alain's 'secrets,' the reason he had so many holdings and expanded into so many ventures, and wherever possible, divided and conquered. When he talked business, when he got into the guts of it, his eyes came alive, and while he lost none of his political machinations, he lost a layer of reservation and threw himself into the matter at hand and reveled in it. He loved the unique thrill of it all.

"For the time being we'll start local, and your research is going to mix business and pleasure a great deal. Hit up all the big bars, clubs, and restaurants in RhyDin, dress to fit in, and talk to the patrons, the bartenders, servers, managers, owners, distributors, and keep it casual. They won't be frank if they think you're selling something the moment you open your mouth. You want to make yourself someone they can trust. Jim," he added, and one of the men passed a folder over to her, which contained a number of financial records.

"This, ah, it's from a few distributors that made this information public," the man explained. "You can see who's importing soda from off-world and for how much, and a lot of it's pricey. We can beat most of those prices, and maybe with a better product. Well, we like to think so, anyway," he said with a chuckle. "So, that's a good frame of reference, but that's only the beginning. I like to think that, as you grow in this project, you'll develop contacts, your own, ah, body of research, and new avenues to pursue." He shoved his glasses up the bridge of his nose and opened his hands, while Alain looked on. "To put it plainly, we'd like you to pursue off-world opportunities... and as the Baron discussed with us earlier, we'd be prepared to offer you a very generous commission based on how well you promote our product, in addition to..." He shuffled his notes and glanced at them. "A comfortable base salary, and a very flexible expense account."

Lilith DeBrough · Date: 2009-07-21 00:10 EST

Lilith smiled softly at the pun, intentional or not. Violet eyes would be obviously impressed with Alain?s passion for his business. This was a boss she could certainly respect. All of sudden, she felt immense pressure to do well. Willing herself to relax, she stopped her mind from spinning off into a million tangents and focused carefully on what Alain was saying.

Yes, starting local was a must. Her head nodded in the affirmative as Alain mentioned this. She would definitely want to get her feet wet in a more comfortable setting before moving off-world elsewhere. The folder pushed towards her was impressively thick, and a slender finger flipped it open to the first page. Eyes scanned the numbers as Jim spoke, a mental note being filed away to memorize the contents of the folder as soon as possible. A brow quirked as the topic of salary came up, and she flipped the folder closed, sliding it beneath her portfolio. Waiting respectfully for Jim to finish, she knitted her fingers together, hands resting atop the documents.

Lilith cleared her throat softly, eyes wandering over each of them as she spoke. ?Thank you, for this information. As I had mentioned to the Baron, local business owners will be much more likely to want a locally manufactured product. It will be a fairly easy sell, in most cases, for that reason alone. Of course, everything takes time, and I do want to gain the trust of these business owners, as mentioned. Salesmen at my door just get a door slammed in their face, and I?m expecting much of the same. I?m trusting my impeccable people skills to help me out.? She paused, chuckling softly. ?In any case, I?m more than willing to cut my teeth here in RhyDin, with the expectation of future work elsewhere. It?s a good product, available at a fair rate, from a local company. I have no doubt it will do well, with a little push, of course.?

Pausing, she looked directly as Alain as she continued. ?As for salary, I?m sure whatever the Baron has suggested is more than fair. It need not even be discussed further. I do have a question as to my limitations, however. Are there any events, businesses, or the like that you prefer your product not be associated with? Or is everything, as they say, fair game??

Hands would be pulled back towards her chest, forming a steeple beneath her chin.

Alain DeMuer · Date: 2009-07-25 12:21 EST

At Lilith's question, Alain shifted in his seat, his complexion quite suddenly Byronic -- handsome, dark, and brooding. There was an uncomfortable silence, and then the other businessmen filed out, giving little smiles to Lilith as they left. The moment the door shut, the Baron spoke:

"House DeMuer has its share of enemies, though very few have any interest in importing, exporting, bars or restaurants. We have been around only a year, but our roots are ancient, and our allies are very old... Conflicts will come and go, and you will have to be vigilant. I don't think that, as the representative of our soda company, you would find yourself in very much danger, but still. You have to be vigilant, Lilith. When the s*** hits the fan, don't be surprised if you find one of our people embedded with you on the job. They know how to play it cool and casual, keeping up a good cover, so it shouldn't impede your efforts when this happens." There was no if there. Wars would come, and when they did, Alain planned on protecting his people.

"My Barony has certain legal policies that haven't ingratiated us to certain groups here in RhyDin... The moment any escaped slave reaches our borders, they are under our protection and eligible for citizenship. I am sure you understand what I'm about to tell you is confidential... We have concealed certain efforts undertaken to guide freed and escaped slaves to our Barony, and dealt with trespassing slavers and bounty hunters violently, legally the same way we would treat bandits and highwaymen. Because of that and our own feelings regarding slavery... we'd prefer it, in part for your own safety, if you stayed away from any events or venues that sponsor slavery."

He tossed a folder onto the table in front of her - it was sealed and clearly marked as confidential, several pieces of S.P.I. intelligence terminology printed on it. "Who our enemies are that we know of, and what they own. Bonny Corp. isn't a group I'd call enemies, necessarily... but I wouldn't trust them to play nice if you showed up at their front door. Old feud."

Alain ashed his cigar. "Sorry to put this on you, but it's information you need to know if you're going to do this kind of work for us. We keep a friendly relationship with as many businesses as we can, but it's never that way across the board."

Lilith DeBrough · Date: 2009-07-26 22:36 EST

Watching the others file out, Lilith dropped her hands to her lap with a soft sigh. Somehow she always managed to find the awkward question, and ask it. A gift, perhaps. The Guardian shifted in her seat, uncrossing and re-crossing her legs, eyes settling on Alain, a somewhat nervous expression finally peeking through her couth exterior. About to ask what the hell the damage was, she was cut short by the Baron opening his mouth, and sat silently in her seat while he spoke.

Her eyes flashed a dangerous gunmetal gray when slavery was mentioned, but she sat still in her seat, keeping her tongue under lock until Alain was finished. Silence hung between them as Alain finished, as Lilith debated how much to say. Or not to say, as it were. With another soft clearing of her throat, she decided it best to speak plainly.

?That?s a bit more information than I was expecting, to be honest. I was thinking more along the lines of sponsoring a Jello H.Q. wrestling event.? A wry smile would cross her mouth at this, but quickly faded as she continued. ?I assumed that this was not just a job, in the strictest sense of the word. Apparently, I was right. I?m fine with considering myself, as part of DeMuer Exports, a representative (for lack of a better word) of the House DeMuer. I also assume that will come with certain?complications. That is also fine.? Another shift of her frame in the chair.

?As someone who has had experiences as a prisoner of war, which might be considered slavery to some, I wouldn?t seek establishments that condone such?brutal behaviors.? Eyes darkened slightly as she related this information. ?I, of course, share your company?s sentiments about such matters, and will steer clear of the more questionable establishments. I doubt I could be settled enough in such places; I would probably get myself killed trying to?well, nevermind.?

Tapping the newest folder with a fingertip, she smiled softly. ?This will be extremely useful. I appreciate your honest answer to my question, as intimidating as it may have been. And no apologies needed. It?s RhyDin, after all.? She raised her hands in a ?what can you do?? gesture. ?I expect no less around here. In any event, I?m grateful for the job and everything else you?ve done for me since I been here. If it weren?t for you, Alai?Lord DeMuer, I would be very broke and floundering.? A slight stumble over the title, but that would fix itself eventually.

?I just?thank you.? Lilith finished rather lamely, not sure what else to say.

Alain DeMuer · Date: 2009-07-31 11:55 EST

His teeth tightened around his cigar, tucked into one corner of his mouth, adding to the haze that was luminous in the sunlight that poured into the office from the wide windows. "If I had more time, I could tell you the story about a young man, barely more than a boy, who came to this city a few years ago... fled the most awful war to go here, and he and his sister were scared of everything, understood nothing about this place, and he didn't even have a copper in his pocket. But I don't have that kind of time right now." He ashed his cigar again and gestured with it, pointed at her.

"This job will make you a very fortunate woman, Lilith, if you do right by it. Just remember the people whose luck hasn't turned yet."

Whatever went through his face with all those words left him, and he rose to shake her hand, grinning. "I think that about wraps it up... Welcome to the team."

Lilith DeBrough · Date: 2009-08-02 23:53 EST

Lilith?s eyes sparkled a bit at his words. Yes, they probably had more in common than she thought. Perhaps that story would come at a later time. They could compare notes and scars, as so many in RhyDin loved to do. The smell of cigar smoke assaulted her senses, almost took her away on a tangent of memory before she stopped herself. A fortunate woman. Yes, she already felt that.

Rising when he did, she let him take her hand in another shake, slender digits squeezing gently. A bright smile slid onto her face, looking very natural there.

?Thank you.? She gave a light chuckle. ?I feel like I owe you so much already. We?ll see if I can repay the favor you?ve shown me.? A hand ran through her hair as she inclined her head slightly towards him in a departing gesture. ?I can show myself out. Thanks so much for your time, Lord DeMuer.?

Lilith left the office with a bright smile on her face, a soft wave for the receptionist as she exited into the sunlight. Feeling very fortunate indeed, she tucked the folders she had been given beneath her arm and set off down the street, expertly navigating the cobblestones on her new heels.