Silver and Gold [Feliks]

[screamofblue]

Angelique was nervous, quite nervous. After all, she was about to do something illegal, and while she had broken the law before, it was to escape death, so she didn’t particularly count it. No, now she was going to sell off some of her jewelry, to try and gain money. Madeline’s wouldn’t last forever, and it was wrong, anyway, to not pull her own weight and have her nursemaid pay for everything. Soon, someday, she could bring her back to the courts with her, to live secretly with her brother, but for now, she was stuck at the bottom rung of the ladder, fallen majorly from her position of power.

Tightening the shawl that covered her head, so no one would recognize her – not that there really was anyone here that knew what she looked like, but she had to be sure – as the supposed-to-be-dead noble, Angelique maneuvered her way through the streets, running through the mental map in her mind. She had heard word, of a very good fence that worked around here, and so she had decided to go. Her cover story was quite practiced, anyway, and even if the man saw through it, he would never guess the truth. It was just too farfetched.

Coming up to the house where the fence operated out of, Angelique – No, no, she was Elisa now – took a deep breath, before heading around towards the back, where it was supposed to be located. She didn’t look like a noble, did she? No, she was dressed as a simple peasant, though her hands were not rough with the labor of one, and her speech was more befitting of the courts. The latter could be explained away, considering her ‘identity’, but her hands…? Better to get gloves, later, and just be careful for now. A fence would probably be quite good at looking past lies.

Hesitant, the former noble rapped lightly on the back door, not wanting to draw too much attention to herself. Okay, now it was time for the acting. She could do this!

[Feliks £ukasiewicz]

Feliks' business was one of late nights and shadows. He was either out at parties, advertising, or up late meeting clients that worked during the night. This all added up to the fact that Feliks usually slept till afternoon. This morning was different. While he didn't go to bed until after dawn, he didn't sleep long. Something just woke him up and he couldn't get back to sleep. Deciding not to fight it, Feliks got up and wrapped himself in his dressing robe. He traipsed down the stairs and to the kitchen to start some water for tea for himself and anyone else in the house who got up this early.

Scooping tea leaves into the pot, Feliks listened for any sounds from above. All he heard was the sounds of sleeping bodies and the house settling. Most of his adult tenants were like him, people who worked in the shadows. Mostly thieves and low income scammers, though he had two whores staying there. The girls were smart enough to not bring their clients to his home, they knew they had to keep the secret. And all the kids he had were old enough that they slept till noon themselves. He had to start finding apprenticeships for the older ones, they were starting to get in trouble.

Feliks was startled out of his thoughts by the whistle of the kettle. Groggily, he shuffled over to it, and poured the hot water into the prepared tea pot. He set the pot down on the counter, letting it steep while he fetched a mug. He didn't drink his morning tea daintily like a lady, he swilled the stuff. It was the only thing that made him human in the morning. He poured the heady tea into his mug and took a healthy gulp before refilling the mug. He took both the mug and the tea pot with him into the pantry, though he had to put down the pot to pull the secret latch that opened the door to his secret basement work room. He didn't hire outside maids, for the fear that they would accidentally discover the room. He relied on his renters to clean and maintain discretion; with the silent threat that they would disappear in the night if they told.

Feliks would do some inventory of his smaller goods this morning, mostly jewels, money, and art. The bigger items he stored in a secret warehouse under a false name. He thought he'd go there this afternoon. The blond just wanted to make sure he knew what all he had, and that everything was where it was supposed to be. Feliks was halfway though the jewelery when he heard the feint knock. Lucky he had his ears tuned listening for movement from upstairs. As he climbed back up the stairs he thought to himself that it had to be a client, most respectable people would've used the front door and thus the bell. Feliks looked through his peephole. He spied a rather tanned young lady in maids clothes, and she looked nervous, like a first timer, not like bait for a sting operation.

Feliks moved to the door, and opened it, acting like a housewife. He waved the young lady in without a word and closed the door behind her. "Would you like some tea, miss?"