Incline 15: Bossman Hrurim

"So what is the plan, Madame?" I asked her as I leaned on the arm of one of her chairs.

"Well, it's a petal so we might as well put her to work. Useless as her scarred body probably is." she mutters in disappointment.

"Maybe the fact she is a petal will make up for it?"

"Please, our most popular creatures are those who have well-developed features in most occasions. Some magic power is not going to turn any heads..."

"Have her perform, then? Her strength should certainly add an... Attraction to it."

"I suppose..." she comments, clearly unsatisfied with our current situation. I was still busy reprimanding the group so we could not go out again just yet. And, to my dismay, Ivahstar left pissed once he heard it straight his pay was being delayed again.

He had even been denied the chance to take on an additional job to fix this. And I had been given strict orders not to give them any leeway in that regard. A direct threat on my own source of income by the Madame if I did so. Friendly as I was with them, that was too risky.

The Madame took things for an extended run when she wasn't happy...

But, never minding that, I stood up and bit farewell to her before I went on a walk. By sheer coincidence of it being the longest path as well, I arrived in our little dungeon. And I stood before the newest addition to the Sweet Orchard's numbers. She looked as miserable as everyone else down here did.

Yet, I was willing to bet it was not because her body was suffering withdrawal symptoms. And I wanted to come back to the Madame with good news about this new petal of ours. If I could get a confession about it, then that would be wonderful. But I did not have the heart to pressure her too harshly.

"So where is the child?" I asked simply at first.

"I don't know..." she answered honestly, even if her intentions were likely different.

"We will find him, you know, little one out there with luggage as big as yours? Won't be hard to miss." I tell her as I recall the size of her bag on the spiral-tram.

"As if... He is probably already at the Garden-Mount by now!" she snaps up at me before she collapses as the chains pull back on her.

"More!" moans her likely future personified further down the cell as the shared chains pleasure her. It was the Madame's idea in its entirety. Keep them drugged and their escape attempts will only make the other feel good. But pondering that just got me sidetracked.

"No, the red-haired one most certainly didn't drop that luggage." I say, mostly speaking with hearsay in mind. But, the way she acted in response confirmed it all for me. This one with the child still was sentimental?

No, raised prestigiously and she has no idea what she needs at the bare minimum...

"So, we got a slow-moving, magic-stuffed, red-haired pretty thing walking about with a disfigured child." I comment as I stand up and move towards the nearby wall.

"Stay away from them!" she snaps as she forces herself up despite the other aelenvari on pulling back against her.

"Well, you're certainly showing off how strong petals are, aren't we?" I ask for no particular reason as I watched her attached partner moan submissively. Thankfully, our recent capture was easier to focus on.

"You will not find them..." she repeats but with different words than before.

"No, I think we will. So you best be prepared to watch him come through the front door." I tell her one final time before I walk away. Suddenly remembering I didn't actually do what I wanted to do.

"STAY AWAY FROM MY SON!" she screamed with the kind of viciousness only a mother could have. I would know, I had one!

"Thank you very much." I huff as I leave that awful dungeon and head back up.

"Word has it you went into my garden, Darling?" the Madame questioned as I went back into her office.

"I did, and I bring some news we can work with."

"You have finally decided to trust my plans for these creatures?" she remarks with what struck me as forced amusement. But, with how bothered she has been lately, I could see why.

"No, never," I remark quickly, full of disgust, "no, what I have found out is we have ourselves a bell of sorts. One we can ring wildly."

She starts to look at me perplexed, "Go on...?"

"Your little treasure, its maker is downstairs, you know?" I tell her, and I watch her expression light up like Thurnmourer's stormy sky.

"She is?" she asks as she slowly stands up.

"Indeed, and we know what the other petal looks like well enough." I add on.

"Hm, can't say I care about that. But, thank you for tell me this..." she says as she steps behind her desk and lingers there.

"But we won't be able to send my guys out in such a short space of time. Not until we can guarantee the Union has done its search and it is all over with." I tell her.

"Then use that time to see what can be done to bait them here... If she is the mother, the other one will not risk it."

"That's quite a gamble."

"These creatures praise the idea of a mother... Especially one who has a son. There'd be a war if a flower found out about this." she speaks with deadly seriousness and none of her usual flavour.

"Of course." I say with a nod as I understood what she was getting at. It was a simple enough thing.

"So, if it is not obvious enough already. I want you to make it clear somehow that this mother is alive. Let them know. Drive them here and they'll either be stupid enough to bring it here or they'll abandon it into someone else's arms!"

"Very... Elaborate." was all I could really say at the plan she made. It was certainly something that struck me as a little out there.

"A reminder I pay you to simplify these things and to make sure it all runs smoothly." she reminds me in an almost threatening manner.

"Of course." I say somewhat dismissively before I turn around to get back to work.