Upon the next candle-lit evening of lounging, Isolde notes, with a little wriggle of a dainty digit, an 'update' in the joint project Student Society Sleuthing. She tells the tale with added shadow puppets and a bit voice mimicking for spice:
"So, after myself and Perom happened across Gloria 'Zero' Lavindo attempting to menace a waitress out of her snacks tray (don't worry, I saved the goodies), and after Perom's diligent gaoling of the girl for brandishing a bared weapon amongst other things, a girl called Kiara came to check on her. She too attends the College, though doesn't hang in the SS circles - instead it seems like the two were friends before the days of the society. Her concern felt genuine, as did her empathic 'ugh' in opting to involve Victoria Forbes, . She clearly knew that informing Forbes would be the quickest way to release Gloria.
While I tried in vain to get Perom to release the gaol bird with a fine, Victoria Forbes arrived, flanked by two blue-robed barristers from the well reknowned and very expensive firm of Kelly, McKinley and Foxe. Needless to say the pair of them minced through the accusations with as much brevity as they did sharp-worded aggression, hurtling Perom towards the very conclusion I'd so futilely tried at. That's not the interesting part though - Victoria Forbes' access to this sort of legal aid 'is', as was Gloria Lavindo's obvious deference to her despite an otherwise wholly confident swagger. On Kiara, Gloria said they used to play rounders together 'before I discovered drinking was fun'. She clearly still likes the girl, while Victoria cooly stated that Kiara 'isn't -bard- material'.
Later still, George and I happened to overhear a Student Society meeting at the commons, wherein the matter of neck scarf colours of the season (red), relations with Moonreach Keep (a letter to be sent) and the deliberate sabotage of a good woman's career was debated with the exact same tone and gravitas.
One 'Tammy' said, and I quote: 'Mildred Dunderstone is a menace. She has no sense of fashion, no sense of taste and no sense of self. She should be transferred to the Docks District post haste.'
While Mildred was defended by one of the other bards for having helped them during the plague, the final, seemingly irrefutible argument withered her completely:
'Was it a plague, though? Nobody -important- died, did they?'
And just like that, it seemed a done deal as Victoria went: 'Very well, we can have her transferred. You can handle this? My sister being in the guard, I think it best I stay out of this one, we wouldn't want anyone to think there was any -nepotism- going on, hm?'
Heavens forbid there's any of that going around. Nor rampant corruption and elitism..."
