Networking

[Existentially Odd]

Captain Hadar hastened after District Leader Saraekiel with all the speed her long legs afforded her. She considered invoking a Shroud of Darkness to conceal her approach - just for a bit of fun - but quickly decided it wouldn't be very professional. Her contact with the North's DL was only that. She appeared at his left side, adjusting her stride to fit his, hoping he'd stop and grant her an audience.

"District Leader, may I have a word?" she queried politely, a slight smile lifting the corners of her mouth. It wasn't that they'd never met before - she'd had cause to help him deal with a few issues in his district - but they weren't overly familiar. The topics she needed to discuss with him were going to be uncomfortably so, she felt, but the sooner she re-established contact with him, hopefully the more smoothly that would go.

[Seragil]

At first he thought it was Shae following him and so he considered lengthening his stride just to annoy her, but he was surprised when it turned out that it was Xiamara who had joined him instead of one of his other companions he slowed his steps and then stopped at her request

"Of course Captain Hadar." He smiled slightly in return, a playful turning up of the lips, there and quickly gone again. He was intrigued, their past dealings had been brief and completely professional in nature, why then did she wish to speak with him here and now?

He had first met Xiamara earlier in the year after the necromancer had first made her appearance in the city and had raised a small zombie army to riot in the North, he then called upon the ward again when the Necromancer dumped a human sacrifice in his bloody lake. both times Xiamara Hadar and her Ward had acted with speed and exceptional proficiency. Is that what this was about? Surely not. Tess hadn't been seen in ages.

He flicked his eyes to the tent. Had something else gone wrong in the North? Except for the werewolves, he had brought most of the power players in the district with him, and the pack itself was busy with some sort of initiation or ceremony and so most were at their commune with their pack leader. Shit.

He returned his gaze back to Xiamara with a worried look in his eyes and a slightly furrowed brow. She didn't seem to be anxious and her energy felt relatively fine.

"Is this a social call or is there something wrong?"

[Existentially Odd]

His reaction and question delivered a surprised expression to her face and she squared her shoulders in response.

"Oh! No. I don't mean to worry you," she insisted apologetically, lifting her hands - held firm at her sides - slightly in a mollifying gesture. "It's... sort of social, I suppose," she qualified, having to put a little thought into the nature of her approach. She smiled briefly, feeling that such an expression should accompany her reassurance but quite nervous about the whole prospect of what she was doing. She was sure he'd be able to tell but hoped he'd forgive her awkwardness anyway.

"I mean, I wanted to say hello. But I was also wondering if you know what your schedule is like this week? I need to make an appointment to come and see you - about Ward business - and was hoping you might be able to give me a hint about when would be good?" She forced the smile back onto her face, feeling the colour rise in her cheeks as well.

The meeting would not go well if she was this nervous about the preliminary organisation of it. Damnit.

[Seragil]

Oh." He said in response. His shoulders slumping as his original tension slipped out from his shoulders and he relaxed. Her smile also helped, and he realized just how attractive Captain Hadar actually was. "Well in that case I'm glad, and hello, tis a pleasure to see you again too." he said with a smile of his own.

Ward business? What could the ward want with him, unless it was about having more interactive access to the North, if that was the case he was surprised the Ward hadn't approached him about this earlier. From what little interaction they had had in the past Xiamara had come across as proficient and quick on her feet. She got the job done and done well and the ward was an integral part of keeping the city running smoothly. The fact that Ben seemed to be claiming them for himself was troubling and something he wanted to put an end to.

"As for a meeting, I would love one, as I have been meaning to meet with you as well." He said as he pulled out his phone and checked his schedule for the week. " I was planning on coming to see you..." he quickly scanned his schedule with a few flicks of his fingers. "Thursday of Friday morning but...Monday morning at eleven is also free..." He lifted his eyes from his phone and looked at Xiamara with a raised eyebrow.

"We can do lunch somewhere if you want a more informal meeting."

[Existentially Odd]

Xiamara's eyebrows also lifted when Saraekiel said he'd been wanting to meet with her. Apparently they'd both been putting it off. She knew what her business was and why she'd been reluctant to broach the subject but knowing he'd been doing the same thing gave her cause to wonder what he could possibly want. It worried her. Being offered prospective times and dates was reassuring, though. She was nodding at his suggestion before he even finished speaking.

"Actually, I would enjoy lunch Monday," she concurred, smiling at the suggestion. The likelihood of managing to get an agreement out of him surely had to be higher if they were enjoying a good meal and the environment was less formal? Plus, she knew she often presented as unapproachable. Being in a coffee shop or restaurant when she made her pitch should work to present her in a more affable light also. She hoped. "Do you have anywhere in particular in mind? I'm afraid I don't go out to eat very often, so my nominees would be extremely limited," she joked, her dark eyes twinkling with mirth.

By limited, she meant nonexistent but he didn't need to know that.

[Seragil]

"Lunch then." he acquiesced with a warm and friendly smile. Actually lunch would be perfect. he could aslo check out that witches cafe while he was there. Second hand information got you only so far.

"Have you been to Sanctuary Cafe? It's in the West District. Opened a month or two before the Troubles. I hear it is rather good. We could go there, or Eschelon if you like. It's more formal but the food is sublime. The choice is yours"

He hoped she picked the cafe, simply for proficiency. Two stones and all that, but he would be happy with either choice.

He flicked his gaze towards the opening of the tent behind him and saw Phaedre and her brother exit, Shae quickly on their heels. They stopped and seeing him talking with someone else, started talking among themselves.

[Existentially Odd]

"Oh," Xiamara blinked, surprised to be given the choice to make. She'd expected the District Leader to dictate because, well, his position was superior to hers. It was refreshing to be given consideration, as minor as it was.

"Well, I think the cafe, in that case. I'm not interested in formal. Sanctuary Cafe, did you say it was called?" she queried, wanting to be sure she had the name right. She knew he'd said it was in the west but that didn't narrow it down; there were probably hundreds of cafes there. The name was familiar to her for some reason but she couldn't place exactly what it was at that exact moment.

"And I'll meet you there at eleven?" she added, aware that his companions were waiting to rejoin him. She had to be getting back to the tent to oversee proceedings, anyway. She was smiling as she waited for her answers, feeling like this had been a positive interaction.

Hopefully it augured well for their next one.

[Seragil]

His lips twitched with amusement at her surprise at being given a choice. It mattered not to him where they ate, only that the place helped to put her at ease. he needed her to be open and relaxed for their conversation to go anywhere.

"Eleven am it is and yes, The Sanctuary cafe" he narrowed his eyes slightly and shrugged. "Its owned and run by a witch I believe who uses it as a way to help those in need and to peddle her wares. Or so I have been told"

Actually Sanctuary was turning out to be a brilliant idea for their meeting, it would allow him to assess this witch and see if she might be amenable to working for and with the North. The more power he can gather for himself the better after all.

He looked over Xiamara's shoulder and caught Phaedre's eye, letting her and the rest of them know that he was ready.

"I look forward to talking with you again Xiamara, and thank you for taking the time from your schedule to find me now. I know how restricted free time can be when you are trying to keep events like this running smoothly." He indicated the tent and those that were still beneath it with a nod of his head. "I wouldn't want to overly keep you. We both know shit only hits the fan when your back is turned right?" His smile when it came was genuine and warm. "I will see you Monday Captain Hadar."