In Search of an Heiress

[Xaurora Areleous nó Gentian]

Paolo Agostino is an old man of no consequence, or so he thinks. His once wavy light brown hair has gone slightly silver at the edges and isn't as wavy anymore, but he keeps it tied in a ponytail so he doesn't have to fuss with it. His gray eyes are wise and careworn but gentle and understanding.

Once the friend and benefactor of Vicomte Dicarlo de Cardona, Palo is charged with finding Xaurora Belina tu Areleous nó Cardona, and bestowing upon her the inheritance her grandfather entrusted to him for safekeeping, for she is the only living descendant of Daedalus Areleous and Alina Belle Cardona nó Areleous, and granddaughter to Vicomt Dicarlo Torre de Cardona.

The Vicomte passed away three years ago, and time passes swiftly. Paolo, now trustee of his Lords' estate, has searched the world for his Lord's Heir, tracing her families' travels with the utmost care in search of her father's name in connection with a benefactor of any city. He prays his search will soon come to an end and soon after arriving in L' Agnace he comes across the name of Monsieur Areleous' Benefactor in the City of Elua.

Six months pass and he grows worried, searching for her in the City and hoping that she is where he thinks she is. He is not able to find the whereabouts of the benefactor, in the city or the surrounding towns. Ever hopeful, he turns to the hall of records and finds that the man had retired and, having not left his business to his own children, passed the family business on to a cousin. He then makes arrangements to visit the establishment and make his request to see the records of Monsieur Areleous to find his Heiress.

[Xaurora Areleous nó Gentian]

On a gloriously sunny day Palo makes his way to the Banq of Monsieur Darnell hopeful that he will find the last known whereabouts of his little Heiress.

The poorly adorned carriage he hired for the journey into town lets him off at his destination and waits for his return. He makes his way up the steps, knocks and is soon escorted into the apartments of his host.

Sitting behind a large and imposing desk is the man who owns the place and Palo stands a moment only before he is addressed.

"Please excuse me," Monsieur Darnell says by way of a greeting, "I find I am rather easily caught up in business and don't often take a look up from my work unless necessary. How can I help you?" he continues, setting down a rather large feathered quill.

"I have been looking for the family of Daedalus Areleous, or rather his daughter actually, as he and his wife are deceased, and her whereabouts. I am the benefactor of her Grandfather, who has been searching for her since the death of her parents, and I was hoping that you could help me find her." Palo asks, seating himself across from the desk.

"Ah yes," Monsieur Darnell says thoughtfully, gesturing for his assistant to help him as he rises from his chair. "Fraser, help me find that file, the one I had you restore all those years ago. The poor man, he was a great traveler, my cousin said. I'd had hopes of meeting him one day." He lumbered off to another room, motioning for Palo to follow them.

"It would be wonderful to meet your cousin," Palo added conversationally, "I heard that he was Monsieur Areleous' Benefactor for quite a number of years."

"Yes he was. Whenever he was in town Monsieur Areleous would treat us with a bottle of wine from his travels and talk about business with us for hours." Darnell said, a smile crossing his face. "Good times, good times." he said, ruffling through files and papers with countless names and accounts all listed alphabetically and filed by date.

"Here it is, Monsieur," Fraser said, reverently passing the file on to Darnell.

"Ah good, good," He says, blowing the dust off of it and opening its pages. "It says that The Areleous estates were passed to the surviving daughter and that Bauldouin, my cousin, became her sole benefactor and guardian at the time of her parents' deaths. It doesn't list her residence following the accident just the address of the property and that Bauldouin was to be trustee of the account until She deemed otherwise." Darnell shrugs his shoulders and hands the file to Palo. "Last I heard of my cousin he had moved out of the city at the time of his retirement, but that was two years ago. I hadn't heard much of the girl over the years except that she hadn't kept in touch with my cousin and that he'd half hoped to visit her for her natal celebration when she finally came of age." he said blinking. "Such a sad story."

Palo nodded his head, "Yes it is, as a matter of fact her Grandfather has also died recently and I need to find her because of it. He made her his Heir just before he died and I have spent the last three years searching for her. This is the closest I have come in that time. Thank you." he said, handing the file back over to Darnell after memorizing it's contents. "If you could give me the address of your cousin I would be most grateful." He asked.

"Of course, yes." the man made his way back to his desk and wrote the address on a piece of parchment, sanding it before handing it over to Palo. "You can tell his staff that I have sent you, Monsieur Agustino. I can guarantee that he will see you if it has to do with her." He said, seating himself once again at his desk. "Elua Bless, Monsieur."

"Thank you again," Palo said, making his way out of the office and to the waiting carriage.

[Xaurora Areleous nó Gentian]

Palo left the company of Monsieur Darnell with good hope that he now had a definitive direction to narrow his search, he just prayed it would turn out to be the right direction.

Thinking of making plans to travel to Eisande on the next day he returned to his room at the Inn in Night's Doorstep to make notes and arrange transportation to and from the City, not knowing that he was already so close to his beloved Heiress even then.



continued here... terredange.proboards38.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=whitehart&thread=1197545718