Leafiara (prime)/Tales/Offshore Banking, Offstore Flanking

Original Story: Lormesta 25, 5121

"All of it?" the teller repeated.

"All of it," Leafiara affirmed.

The teller shrugged, carefully recorded the transaction, and handed the mayor several sacks as requested. "This brings your total to 0 silvers." He leaned forward and continued in a low voice: "But if you have an empty account here, how're you going to--oh, that's your plan, isn't it? They can't fine you if you have no money?" he asked, smirking.

"Hey," Leafi blurted out, "I haven't done anything fine-able since that accident in the east tower almost ten months ago!"

"Oh? I read in the Daily Darkstone that you assaulted armigers. Was it an impostor?" The teller raised an eyebrow.

The half-sylvan audibly scoffed in response, then grinned. "It was me and I'd do it again, but there was no fine."

The teller paled and swallowed hard. "No offense then, Mayor," he said even more quietly than before, "but please come here as little as you have to. If there ain't a fine in money, there'll be a fine buried in your back, and I don't care to witness the blood. ...for a lot of reasons. And I didn't hear nothing here, either." He nodded slowly and leaned far back.

Leafiara glanced at him, then nodded once and left the First Elanith bank behind.

~~

"All of it?" the teller repeated.

"All of it," Leafiara affirmed.

The teller shrugged, carefully recorded the transaction, and handed the mayor several sacks as requested. "This brings your total to 0 silvers." She scratched her head then and asked, "Are the rumors about the troubles up north true? Wouldn't it be safer to keep your money here?"

"They are true," Leafi sighed, "and that's exactly why it wouldn't be safer to keep my money here. Not for now. An unending band of mercenaries wants to take over the 'region' with no sign of how large a 'region' they mean."

The teller blinked, a nervous worry coming over widened eyes. "S-something to warn the Baron about, then?"

"Several knights and allies in the Order of the Azure Sun have been visiting up north lately and are aware of the situation, so if Malwind holds court any time soon, I'll leave it to them to bring up if they feel it's warranted."

The teller nodded and the two exchanged good evenings before the mayor left the Bank of Vornavis behind.

~~

"All of it?" the clerk repeated.

"All of it," Leafiara affirmed. My personal shop, the last of the silvers. As long as the Knave's reach doesn't extend to Mist Harbor, everything should be safe. ...or maybe I should split half to Teras Isle just in case. ...or in thirds, at Kraken's Fall...

The shop clerk nodded, drafted a Wehnimer's promissory note, and handed it to her. "Have a good evening, Mayor."

"Thank you, Miss Rook."

"That joke's still not funny," the clerk stated, shaking her head. "Can get someone killed around here lately."

"Oh! Y--yes, sorry, and you did give me 'the look' last time I mentioned it," she said. The clerk gave her a barely visible nod. "Won't happen again. Dunigan's awful sense of timing and Cordarius' forgetfulness must have rubbed off on me." She paused, then went on, "It's just something I think about at times, the question of who's who and who's doing what. How did Amos benefit from the recent trip, for example? And how often might we be funding some group or operation, unaware, paying for their--"

"Paying," she murmured to herself abruptly, now staring blankly into space. "Follow the money. Trails. But obvious trails would seem like traps. Or bluffing. ...I know what to do. I just hadn't gone far enough until now..."

Her eyes refocused as she reached her apparent conclusion and she rushed out the door, leaving Leafi's Confectionery Castle behind. "Sorry again, Lemina, and stay safe!" she called, never looking back.

"I swear," Lemina muttered when the mayor was out of sight, "I don't understand how even her own mother can keep up with her."