swordoutofstone

[swordoutofstone]

Arthur held back a sigh, trying not to get frustrated with how particular Adam was being about the investigation that he had brought to the table, after all. Showing any signs of impatience didn't seem like an option, though, with someone who would likely get up and leave at first sight of it. "Okay, well, if I told you all the mechanics behind it, that wouldn't be very secure, would it? Of course I have more than a simple lock to keep it all protected, but if I told everyone about it, then I run the risk of someone figuring out a way to get in, so I just say it's a lock." For every step forward he took with Adam, it felt like two steps were taken back just seconds later. Arthur finally let out a breath, calming his unusually high level of frustration. "Adam, we are a centuries-old institution with no record of data breach in recent history. I promise you, your information is going to be secure, as is all of your friends'. Everyone who works in this building is here because they want to help you, including me." It was all he could say to reassure him--Arthur just hoped now that it would stick.

Accepting the card, he took a few moments to deeply stare at it, memorizing as much of it as he could in just those first seconds before tucking it into his pocket. It would go straight to Claude, rather than be of any use for himself, but he still felt slightly better knowing that he now had some information on the witch. She knew so much about him and what he was dealing with, it only seemed fair that he had the same, for in case he needed it. His mind already wandering off to the worst case scenario where everyone on the island found out about his curse and how he’d need the owl lady’s information to sell her out as well. “That’s it?” he asks as Arthur answers his original question, finally looking back over at the man in bewilderment. “You work with how many magical beings - witches and whatever might exist out there - and your best line of defense is a lock?” It seemed a bit ridiculous to Adam, that his information wasn’t going to be better protected, and he was admittedly put a bit on edge by the realization. “Tell me it’s at least some kind of enchanted lock, only accessible by your specific DNA or essence?”

[swordoutofstone]

"Right," he responded, nodding his head slowly at her as he struggled to process just how much was going to need to be done to get this plan in working shape. He'd been putting this off as much as possible, admittedly, and definitely could've been more put-together than this, but it was too late to beat himself up right now, especially in front of Claire. "When do you think we should be doing this? Should we tell, you know, the humans' politicians so they know this is coming, or leave them in the dark?" Those were the biggest questions he still had yet to figure out, having procrastinated coming u p with answers for months now. But, Claire was here for a reason: to help, not to shame him for not having all of this sorted. "Oh, god, we're going to have to put it to a vote, too, aren't we?" He stood up, beginning to pace behind his desk while he stressed over the prospect of having to convene the entire council. Arthur liked to avoid large-scale meetings like those as much as he possibly could. "Sorry, I'm--I know, it's going to be a lot of work. But we'll get it figured out, right? We can figure this out. I mean, I don't think it would be a hard vote to pass, if we even need one. I need to read the bylaws on that. If we don't have to have one, we won't."

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Claire didn't take help lightly, appreciating anyone willing to put themselves into the shoes of magic users. Some didn't even feel safe enough to be out once it got dark and others had watched their family perish at the hands of a hunter. After all the fighting she'd been doing to get the borders reopened, she didn't want to see it all go to waste and let them win again. She was relieved to see that Arthur had seen her side of things. "It'll be on your desk tomorrow morning," the blonde assured him. If he was on-board Claire knew this could truly come to fruition. The man didn't even know how important he was to the people, a face to be trusted, and a leader for all the people, not just some. "I could not agree more. There are a few powerful magic users that might be helpful. Even if we wouldn't normally be who they sided with, this unites magic users everywhere." A few names came to mind but she wasn't sure if Arthur saw it the same. If anyone would be able to convince them to join the cause it was him. "Of course." Claire nodded in understanding and agreement. "This is our fight after all and we'll be stronger if we work together. I think this is something that we all can agree on." The hunters had been an issue for all those who were magic which was why she thought it might be time to show them who they were really messing with. "I'm not sure they're all ready to hear the truth." Though it might not have been the way she wanted things to be it was the way they were. "A need-to-know basis right now makes sense. We don't know who could be delivering information back to the hunters."

[swordoutofstone]

The stress that was relieved from the blonde's body with a simple acknowledgement of his willingness to help her was palpable. There were few people who he'd met who truly cared about others the way that Claire did--he knew that she was pleading with him out of her desire to keep the people under her jurisdiction safe, not for personal gain. Knowing this about her was what pushed Arthur to give in, to at least see what he could do to help her. "Get me a list, and I can reach out to them, too. Especially the ones who seem reluctant." Names were already running through his head, people who he thought might be at least neutral to the prospect of the borders opening again. "We need to come up with some way to protect us against the Hunters--even though it's not their season, I get the impression that Gaston, especially, doesn't really care about upholding any of the rules we've set," he grumbled, remembering their last encounter that almost ended in Arthur's head on the wall. "Let's not reach out to any other humans yet. That'll be reserved for if times become desperate," he decided, thinking of the people at the bottom of his mental list who might have personal stake in getting the borders open.

Arthur could sense the desperation and fear in her voice, and he couldn't blame her. This was the most physically trapped they'd ever been, but the outside influences he knew were at play made him want to simply avoid the conflict that awaited them if he chose to open the borders. There was no way for everyone to be happy, though, which was the prime issue he'd faced in his position. "I know, Claire," he assured her, leaning forward with his head in his hands as he pondered the impossible. She was right: there was nowhere for anyone on the island to flee if they. needed safety, but how safe would it be if he opened the borders and let them all await their fate? He took a breath, finding it impossible to tell her that he wouldn't be doing anything but letting this continue. "If I do this, we need a solid plan of defense first," he conceded, sitting back up. "We need to be prepared for whatever's coming. I don't want everyone's only option to be to run, and leave their homes. If that's the only path to safety, then I don't know if the risk of having to get everyone and their families out of here is even greater than things remaining as they are." He really didn't want to have to put it to a vote, but if his hands were tied on both sides, that might have to be the only way to make a decision. "I can call an emergency meeting to come up with a plan. It'll have to be all hands on deck, and it'll have to be air-tight. No one else can see this coming."

[swordoutofstone]

For all that Adam had seemed reluctant about, Arthur continued to remind himself that this was an isolated problem, not an issue concerning the entire community he was responsible caring for. If he wanted to deny his services, so be it, but Arthur wouldn't give up until he at least had the names of the other people who were affected. Even if Adam himself wanted to stop investigating then and there, his friends might be seeking help without knowing what kind of resources existed for them out there. He slid him the card for Eda's, hoping he wouldn't find it in the hallway in the trash by the time he left later. "Just between the two of us," he confirmed, "I keep the more recent ones here, in my office, in a locked filing cabinet. The ones from years ago are in archives down the hall, also locked." Never before had he dealt with someone who was so skeptical of him after they'd been the one to seek him out, but there was a first time for everything, he supposed. "I promise, no matter what we discuss in here, or anywhere, it's not going to be heard or read anywhere, by anyone, who doesn't have proper clearance."

Throwing one last glance around the room, he slowly lowered himself into one of the chairs across from the desk as instructed. Watching the other man closely, Adam didn’t hesitate in reaching to accept the sheet of paperwork slid across the tabletop for him. His eyes scanned to quickly read as much of it as he could, even while Arthur explained the contents of it out loud anyway. For all he hated getting involved in any of the business matters or decision making required for his restaurant, that didn’t mean that he wasn’t competent at understanding everything. These types of contracts and agreements were pretty standard amongst the businessworld that he had spent his entire life navigating. Nodding his head in a silent agreement to the offer of changing the primary contact to be Claude instead of himself, Adam figured that was probably for the best. “I’ll take the card,” he also agreed, even though he had no intentions of reaching out to the woman himself. It was best to at least know who it was that was going to be dealing with their case, after all, and perhaps one of his friends might want to contact her themselves. Even though the thought of allowing his friends to speak with the witch had just crossed his mind, Adam still wasn’t ready for the other man to outright ask about any of their own curses. Yes, they were all in this together in a sense and he had known that eventually down the line he was going to have to share some of their stories, but he hadn’t been prepared for that time to come so quickly. “Confidential as in just between the two of us? No others will have access to the records? And where are those said records held?” It may seem harsh to ask his concerns so outright, but Adam didn’t care. This was the safety of his friends being placed at potential risk - he wasn’t about to take any chances.

[swordoutofstone]

Arthur could sense the desperation and fear in her voice, and he couldn't blame her. This was the most physically trapped they'd ever been, but the outside influences he knew were at play made him want to simply avoid the conflict that awaited them if he chose to open the borders. There was no way for everyone to be happy, though, which was the prime issue he'd faced in his position. "I know, Claire," he assured her, leaning forward with his head in his hands as he pondered the impossible. She was right: there was nowhere for anyone on the island to flee if they. needed safety, but how safe would it be if he opened the borders and let them all await their fate? He took a breath, finding it impossible to tell her that he wouldn't be doing anything but letting this continue. "If I do this, we need a solid plan of defense first," he conceded, sitting back up. "We need to be prepared for whatever's coming. I don't want everyone's only option to be to run, and leave their homes. If that's the only path to safety, then I don't know if the risk of having to get everyone and their families out of here is even greater than things remaining as they are." He really didn't want to have to put it to a vote, but if his hands were tied on both sides, that might have to be the only way to make a decision. "I can call an emergency meeting to come up with a plan. It'll have to be all hands on deck, and it'll have to be air-tight. No one else can see this coming."

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Claire understood his concern for her, appreciating it even if she knew he wouldn't approve of her methods. She hadn't explained to anyone she worked with that she'd grown up with the Hopper boys. They had never needed to know and even now as she asked Colin for protection Claire didn't feel as though she should share. Some things were best left unsaid, especially when it dealt with politics, that she knew for certain. "I've put security measures for myself in place," the blonde assured him quickly. There wasn't time for lengthy explanations anyway when she worried what might come of all she'd built. Still, within seconds it crumbled in front of her as Arthur explained his stand on the border opening. Claire was taken back, confusion flooding her features that were once so certain he would understand. Perhaps it was her fault for believing a human could see the desperation of her kind. "They are killing so many of us, Arthur. We're fish in a barrel here," she tried to explain and urge him to take over her cause. "I have watched us be hunted, slaughtered, and stood idly by hoping I would be able to give them somewhere safe to run if they so chose. I fear the Order will never outnumber the hunters when they haven't stopped multiplying, and we're running out of options." She felt her heart racing as if her last option was pulling from her grip. "I can't watch any more of us die like this, I won't."

[swordoutofstone]

"Snow?" he echoed, his thoughts immediately going to one of his friends who had similar powers. Arthur quickly noted down the boy's name, finding it rather fitting that his surname coincided with his abilities. He wondered if there was any connection there by blood to the other blonde he was thinking of, though she'd never mentioned any relatives off the island before. "We have a member, a good friend of mine, who has similar powers," he explained, the reasoning behind his sudden scribbling. "She's able to do a lot with ice. I'll have to introduce them, if you all become members, which, of course, I hope you'll both consider."

The creature who she described wasn't anyone Arthur had heard of before, especially not on the island. But, if his danger was imminent, then he was glad he got to speak to the dentist before he could really strike. "A Fearling? What exactly is that?" he asked while he continued to jot things down, making note that it seemed to be something that happened while people were sleeping and defenseless. "Tatiana, this is my job. I'm glad you're telling me all of this," he assured her, looking up from his notepad as she frantically apologized. He offered her a shrug and a small smile, hoping she would be willing to continue despite how much she'd already told him. "But, I hope you don't mind that your answers have made me think of more questions. Like, have you encountered him before, spoken to him? Do you know what exactly his motivations are for doing all of this? Sometimes it's just power, or money, but I've seen people do quite a lot more for considerably less. Also, do you know when he got here? Was it before our borders closed, or was there a way he got in?"

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Tatiana nodded at his request but that didn't stop her from glancing over at his notebook, a smile forming as she settled back into her desk chair. Even if it was silly, she couldn't help but feel important since he wanted to write down what she was saying. The blonde had forgotten much of the life she had before and come to comfort with her Guardianship. The fact someone wanted to know more about it and she was actually able to tell them made her want to flutter. "Of course, you should meet Jack too! He's another Guardian, brings us the best snow around," she boasted about her friend. All of them were important, even when they didn't see it, but she was sure to remind them. The Guardians didn't always get along like most families yet Tatiana had been the glue for many years now. She paid attention to them all and made sure to give each of her friends their own time. To Tatiana, they were special.

The blonde gave a soft laugh with a shake of her head, not wanting him to apologize for asking questions. "No, I like it!" She assured him, sitting up and leaning forward ever so slightly. "I can't tell you the last time I got to talk about all of this. Not all of us are here, you know, the world still goes on. Right now it's just Jack and I but the others come when they can, especially if we get word on Pitch." Tatiana realized she needed to rewind herself after answering some questions while posing others. If she was to explain the situation then she would need to start from the beginning. "Pitch Black, he's... the Boogeyman or what people call the Boogeyman. He's nightmares embodied, he is darkness itself and he was last seen on the Isle," she started to expand on the depth of her mission there. "If he starts taking over people's dreams then he can turn them into Fearlings, and trust me, we don't want that." She'd only had to deal with them once before and for a moment she wasn't sure they'd all make it out. In fact, Sandy had been the one that was hit the hardest which she never wanted to happen again. "We've been looking for him for generations but thought he had been put at bay until North got word of him being here. That's when he sent Jack and I here to keep an eye out for him and be prepared for when he strikes," she exhaled heavily at the end of her tale, leaning back lifelessly into her chair. The blonde only sat up upon realizing how much she'd rambled herself, having more to say than she even thought. "I'm sorry, I didn't even make sure that all made sense! Silly me, I forget that this is all new to you here, I imagine it must be overwhelming too." Tatiana offered a smile of her own as it seemed they both were at fault. "Don't worry, I have a feeling there will be time for my questions when we get there," she assured with a wave of her hand.

[swordoutofstone]

It sounded like Claire had gotten much further in her quest to get the borders open than Arthur had known. From what he'd heard about him, Colin was a kind of man to be feared. He would rather stay as far away from him as possible, especially about things involving his own job, but there was a chance he already knew more about the Order than Arthur would like. But, what was more important now was what Claire had revealed about herself. "What?" Arthur had never been in such visible shock around her, but what he was most concerned about was her safety, than anything else. "Are you in danger? Do we need to put you in protection?" He knew Claire could handle herself, but there were precautions and a chain of events to take once someone in the Order needed it. "I just don't know if we're there yet, Claire. I understand there are benefits, and there are people who have arguments for either side, but I don't know if we're strong enough. We don't even have unity amongst the people who should be on our side, nevermind those who are against us. And what if another attack comes in the meantime? It's ... there's just so much at risk."

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It hadn't been easy to come to the conclusion that things were going to change. Whether she wanted them to or not, her plans needed to be shared with Arthur so that he could make sure the work was followed through. There were few people who she trusted with the work she'd been giving her life to but she knew it would be in good hands. So much so that she took his into her own, offering a sad smile for what reality Claire would soon face. "How I wish I could tell you everything right now..." Her voice faded off and she shook her head of the negative thoughts that flooded it. There were so many things she wished she could say but there simply wasn't the time, at least not right now. "I have been trying to get the borders opened for the last few months. It will happen if we're able to hold off another attack and show that the Isle isn't a threat," she paused knowing what she said next would change things immensely. "My identity has been compromised and I can't be the face of it anymore. I need you to take my place to make sure things get followed through." There was so much else to say but she hoped he didn't need to hear it all now. Claire planned to tell him everything once she was certain it was safe to do so. "Can you do it for me? I know it's asking a lot but there isn't anyone else I'd trust to do this besides you, Arthur."

[swordoutofstone]

"I'm well aware," he assured him, extremely keen to the fact that the people who he was supposed to be protecting were in danger. His entire job was to keep people safe, and he knew he could be doing a better job, but what people didn't understand about his job was how nuanced it was. It was as though he had a knife at his throat at all times, ready to slice whenever he pissed off the Hunters too much. "It's complicated. I know it sounds a lot simpler than that, and it should be, but, unfortunately, with who's against us, it's not."

What mattered most to him, at this point, though, was finding a way to neutralize where all magical beings were. They were all on two halves of what should've been the same fight. "What would you do if the borders were open?" he asked, shifting away from the argument at hand to perhaps an even more polarizing one. But, he truly had no idea where Morie or Maleficent stood on this, and now was the time to ask, if ever. "I don't know if and when they will be. I have no control over it. But, if it becomes a factor, in the future, I want to get ahead of the curve with knowing where you stand."

"I don't think you understand, Arthur," Morie's patience wore thin, anger simmering in his chest. He had lost his loved ones to the Hunters and had endured societal ostracism for being different -- for being magical. The option of resorting to brutal means seemed ever-present. "We're already in danger," Morie asserted, feeling as though he were speaking to a wall, unable to comprehend the depth of their loss. "I've already lost loved ones. I should have been dead by now if I hadn't been lucky," he paused, scoffing at the term 'lucky'. Survival never felt fortunate to Morie; it felt dreaded. Glancing back at Arthur, he signaled his conclusion to the conversation. Uncertain of what he wanted, he knew this wasn't it. "The revolution cannot be stopped, Arthur. You're either with us or against us. Either way, blood will be spilled."

[swordoutofstone]

Arthur's interests were piqued at the mention of looking for someone, and the we she'd included herself in. He pulled his small notepad from inside his suit jacket's pocket, a pen attached across the top. "Do you mind if I take notes?" he asked, knowing some people were touchy about that sort of thing, including the man at the head of another case he was working on. Something about the blonde indicated that she'd be much more willing to give up information, and work with, though, which was always Arthur's favorite kind of case brought to him. It was nice to know that he wouldn't have to add the extra work of precise questioning onto his load.

"What do you mean by looking for someone, exactly? As in, who's the someone, how long have you been looking, and who else is looking for them?" he began with, blurting out the questions before realizing he'd fallen into his habit of spewing far too many questions at once. "Sorry, we can take that one at a time, if you want. I don't mean to overwhelm you, or anything," Arthur clarified, offering an apologetic smile. "I came here for you to ask me questions, and I just gave you a whole handful."

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Tatiana nodded in understanding which caused a curl to bounce loose and into her face. She was quick to tuck it back into place to not distract the man who had come to visit her that day. "Of course, wouldn't want to let in any spies, right?" The blonde released a soft giggle at the very thought, feeling excited by the idea that she was involved in something bigger than herself. Not that the Guardians hadn't been similar but this had been the first taste of adventure she'd had since arriving. She couldn't remember the last time she'd flown or collected a tooth, having her fairies cover for her while she was here. It wasn't until they were in her office that she felt comfortable enough to start divulging the truth about her involvement with the Guardians.

It was designed to her interests, teeth, bright colors, and far too many trinkets. Since becoming the Tooth Fairy she had missed a normal life with material things, friends, events to attend. Even though what brought her here was sinister, she'd actually been enjoying her second chance at life. Her features brightened at the idea and nodded as she took her own seat across the desk from him. "Well, I guess I want to know what I can do to help. You see, we're here looking for someone but it isn't an overnight kind of thing," the blonde explained. "I don't know of anyone else here who's like me, even having a place to spread my wings if you will would be appreciated." The questions were more of an explanation that she hoped made sense. It wasn't easy to draw out her situation for him though offered answers to whatever he wondered about her. "It's just nice to feel alive again and I want to help everyone else however I can."

[swordoutofstone]

With her verbal acceptance, Arthur slid another piece of paper to her, the very same one he'd given her before with the precautions he had to take for her hiring. "Same as always, you know the drill. Though, I might need to come with updated copies if anything changes on the contacting front." If he had it his way, Eda would be able to contact any one of Adam's friends for firsthand accounts of their night and how they'd been affected, but it would take some more work to get there. Even breaking the news that he'd sought outside help would be hard to break, but Adam seemed like a sensible guy. At the very least, Arthur could assure him that there was only one other person who knew about all of this, and it would remain that way. He smiled asa her answer remained the same as it was each time he asked her. "It's not a coven, you know. I certainly can't lead one." He literally couldn't, even if he tried, but Arthur continued to try to prove that the Order wasn't the kind of organization that shut anyone out. "I just don't want you to think the offer is ever off the table, in case you change your mind."

Now that peaked her interest even more. Multiple different curses, all stemming from seemingly the same spell, and the man in question that brought all this to Arthur’s attention didn’t want the others getting involved. Figuring anything out would be quite the challenge - which might have deterred other witches from taking on the case, but Eda was no ordinary witch. She was the owl lady, wild and chaotic, and she loved nothing if not a good challenge. Plus, ever since being cursed herself, she’d always had a soft spot for others suffering from other conditions. And if she couldn’t find a cure for them - hopefully at the very least she’d be able to draft their own version of her elixir to help with the symptoms. “Alright, I’m in,” she agreed, setting aside the envelope for further inspection when she was alone. She expected that to be the end of their conversation, but of course Arthut couldn’t leave without throwing out another offer to join in on his little organization. An offer that was met with a roll of her eyes and Eda falling backwards into her chair, feet coming up to rest on the counter as she lounged. “Nah. I’m a wild witch, remember? I fly solo. That coven life isn’t for me.” Or at least, that’s what she always said. Truth of the matter was now between King and Luz, as well as all of their friends, she had started building a coven of her own. Even still, she wasn’t about to openly join another group that required her to be obedient or subordinate to anyone.

[swordoutofstone]

Arthur gestured for the other man to sit as he took his own behind his desk, fumbling for the copies he knew he kept in one of the folders in his desk. He pulled one of the few in his filing cabinet out, inspecting the top sheet before knowing this was precisely what he needed and sliding it over to Adam. "This is exactly what they get, one for every case they're hired for. You can keep the copy, if you'd like, to read all the fine print. It's essentially outlined rules for contact, and, of course, strict inability to speak on the matter with anyone not involved with listed parties on the front page. Most of the time, and in your case, that's just me, and the person who contacted me, which is you." Arthur nodded in understanding, knowing from the few times the other man had approached him in particularly peculiar circumstances that there was an unspoken understanding that they had to make things seem as normal as possible. "I can get her an amended copy with Claude's name on it as the primary contact, if you'd like. However, you can also feel free to simply call her with any questions--I can get you her business card. She owns a store a few miles from here, actually. Weird place, lots of magical artifacts and whatnot," he mused. Arthur paused, a question of his own, which he thought he might've earned the trust to have answered at this point, "I did want to ask, if you're comfortable sharing, what exactly each of your friends are affected with, and their names, for my personal records. This can remain confidential, if you'd like."

None of this was easy - accepting help, opening up about what had happened to him and his friends, or being at the mercy of others to find an answer to their problems. Adam had lived almost his whole life being taught that he was better than any of this - that he should never show any signs of weakness or vulnerability… And what made him more potentially vulnerable than admitting he was cursed into becoming a beast three days a month? But he had to remind himself that he wasn’t the only one impacted by all of this - that he had sought out Arthur for help not only for himself, but for his friends. They had all suffered long enough thanks to him and it was high time he started actually doing something to fix things. “And what does that contract entail?” he asks, unable to help but need all the information. For all he wants to be able to trust the other man, it’s going to take some time to work up to actually getting to that point. “I can’t have her approaching me. I’m unfortunately a public figure on this island, I can’t have anyone suspecting anything. If she needs more information or to speak with one of us, it would be best to go through Claude.” Perhaps he shouldn’t offer his friend up as the point of contact with whoever this woman may be, but he figures that the man won’t mind, if it means getting potentially closer to finding a cure to this curse.

[swordoutofstone]

who: arthur & @snwqueen where: arthur's office

It wasn't unusual for the eldest Arendelle sister to call him for a meeting, given that he had gotten to know her business almost as well as she did. Though he was only a few years older than her, her father had made the decision to entrust the Order with their company had anything happened to him. It was almost like he'd predicted the future, as, a few years later, Elsa had shown up looking for help within Arthur's first few years in charge. Her powers were ones unlike he'd ever seen, and the way she'd managed to keep them hidden when they could've so easily been revealed was even more remarkable to him. It had been a long, stable friendship that Arthur was glad to have kept despite the unfortunate circumstances on which it had been built.

He hadn't gone to her sister's wedding, having offered to be there but learning that Elsa herself wasn't in attendance had been strange. That was exactly what he thought she might be coming to him about: simply to talk about her decision, as a friend. The thought of having a personal meeting on his calendar was honestly a nice reprieve from doing the work he had outstanding. Arthur waved her in through the glass door, shutting his laptop. "So, should I be sending my congratulations to your sister? How did everything go?" he asked, being rather socially out-of-the loop when it came to things like this.

[swordoutofstone]

Arthur waved off her concern with his hand, finding it probably even more strange that he'd decided to come in like he had a regular dentist appointment to speak to her. He was even ready to pay at the desk if that's what he needed to stay undercover. "Not peculiar at all. We get calls of interest all the time--it just takes a while to process and be sure that they're not dangerous." He stood from the chair to follow her into her office, where perhaps it would be more safe to talk about these things behind more secure doors, with none of her patients able to sneak by and overhear them.

With enough research done on the woman and the people with whom she was affiliated, Arthur could tell that there was some deep history there that he would have to ask her about himself. As much as he was sure that she had questions for him, he had come prepared with a few for her, too. Tatiana's office was much brighter than his own, more updated than the old wooden fixtures he hadn't bothered to replace when he'd gotten the job. "Well, I always like to give someone who contacts me a chance to start with any questions they have, or I can give a brief summary of what it is we do, and what kind of services we offer to magical beings, so, that's entirely up to you. There are a few things I have to keep confidential until you sign any membership papers, should you be interested in joining, but I can tell you if that becomes the case."

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There were more things going wrong on the Isle than most people knew about. She'd gotten word of the Order which would hopefully provide somewhere for her to use her abilities for good. Pitch could be anywhere which was why she wanted to find the right place to inform people of what impending doom might be coming. Arthur Pendragon was the name she'd been given upon doing some digging into the group that she'd only heard through whispers. Tatiana hoped her call hadn't come off strange, inviting him to discuss matters of magic with her. If he had seen all that she'd imagined then it wouldn't be anything he hadn't gone through before.

Although she hadn't expected him to show up at her place of employment. It came as a surprise when she came into the room and saw him sitting there. A smile slowly started to crease her own lips as she sat on the stool beside him. "Well you have a beautiful smile, you don't even need me," she assured him with a laugh and flashed her own pearly whites. "Please, call me Tatiana." She hoped their relationship would be one of closeness as she desperately needed someone to confide in about what she'd seen. "I am so glad you came in. I was worried my call had come off a little peculiar." The blonde pulled the gloves off her hands, tossing them into the bin as this wouldn't be a normal visit for her either. In fact, this was far more important than her practice but she wouldn't be telling her other patients that. "Would you like to come to my office? Not that I wouldn't love to make sure you have no cavities but maybe on your next visit," Tati giggled with her nose scrunching up as she did.

[swordoutofstone]

Arthur nodded to confirm, knowing how strange and unique the case was. He also didn't know exactly how each person had fared the night that they were all cursed, not having spoken to any of Adam's friends himself. What they were cursed with was still unknown to him, even Adam's own results still not entirely clear. "You can speak to the man I've been contacting, Adam. But, he's rather protective of his friends, and keeping that he's speaking to us a secret from them." It wasn't exactly the way Arthur would've gone about one of these things, but it wasn't his case. The best he could do was to pray that none of it would become his problem in the future. "I suppose that's about as good as it can be, right?" Arthur wasn't good with small talk, especially not with the older women in the Order who he knew were way smarter than him. "Well, everything's good on our side, you know, if you're ever interested in coming to any meetings, or anything. I know that's not exactly your speed, but, you know, you're always welcome," Arthur offered, having shared the same sentiment nearly every time he saw her. He had a feeling it would be turned down again, but he still felt obliged to extend the offer nonetheless.

Leaning forward from her reclining position, the front legs of her chair landed on the floor with a clang as she reached to grab the folder pushed her way. A small hum of intrigue left her lips as she peaked inside to see a considerable stack of papers waiting within the folder. Arthur was nothing if not thorough, as she already knew, which was helpful but also meant quite the amount of work for her. When it came to charging the order for her help, Eda had a tendency to want to give them a discount, knowing they were doing good work for the island - but the more paperwork that the leader slid her way, the more compensation she was going to want for having to deal with such formalities. “One curse affecting multiple people differently? Strange,” she mumbles as her brain starts going through any spell or curse she knew of already that could have such impact. Nothing came right to mind and she knew she was going to have to give this a bit of research. “Are they trying to stay hidden or will I be able to speak to them for myself?” The answer might have already been in the papers, but Eda wasn’t about to start pulling those all out right in front of the man. No, her work would be done in private, with perhaps the help of King and Luz, but no one else. “Well I’m not getting rich anytime soon, but the bills are getting paid and I have my apple's blood supply covered, so yeah - sure. We're booming."

[swordoutofstone]

There had been cases like this before, when people were reluctant to hand over any personal information; it came with the territory of the job. Arthur could tell that Adam was going to be one of those people from when they'd met, but he hadn't seemed to take much of an issue with it until now. "She only knows your name, not any of the others. Though, I did tell her this didn't affect only you." As they entered the beige, mundane looking office building, of which Arthur's office was on the top floor, he felt slightly more inclined to speak freely. "We do have a confidentiality code here. Anyone I contact with personal information about people in situations like yours have a contract to sign. We handle incredibly sensitive information, you know. All of it is for the protection of anyone with powers or affected by magic in some form." More than that, if this was going to work, there had to be some sort of understanding between the two that Arthur was doing this with the best of intentions in mind. "That being said, I understand this is all new to you, and that it can be quite a bit to wrap your head around. I just hope you know that you can trust me, and anyone who I trust, too." Arthur opened the door to his office, letting Adam step inside before him.

Taking the phone from the other man, Adam supposed there was no fighting this. Exchanging contact information was a necessary evil and so he put in his own number as well as Claude’s before returning the device. It’s surprising for a moment, the way that Arthur seems to already know his friend both by name and his status within the restaurant. Though he suppose it’s a good thing to know that the man was doing research himself, he still didn’t like that any of his personal business needed to be brought into the equation. “Yes, he does,” was the simple answer he gave along with a curt nod before his eyes narrowed as the man continued speaking. Perhaps he should have been prepared for this, considering Arthur had admitted on their first meeting to having no magic himself, as well as the fact that he wasn’t really much of a curse expert at all. But he still hadn’t realized that in order to find the help he and his friends needed even more people were going to need to get involved. “Does she know who we are? Or just the information about the curse? I – I don’t know how much the others want anyone knowing. I hadn’t realized any of this information would be given to anyone else.”

[swordoutofstone]

AARON TVEIT as CHRISTIAN MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL

[swordoutofstone]

who: arthur & @pearlywhiites where: tatiana's office

This wasn't a regular dental check-up, despite how it might've seemed to the secretary with whom he'd checked in at the desk. Arthur had heard of the Guardians, wanting to get them on the Order's side since he'd gotten a tip on their existence. It'd just taken some trouble to track them all down, especially when most of his time had been spent on debating what to do with the border, or recover from hunting season. But, now that things had slowed down, he figured it was time that he took a little trip to the dentist office where he'd discovered a certain fairy worked.

"Doctor Dent," he greeted as she stepped into the room, Arthur seated upright in the dental chair. He held out a hand to shake, a smile on his face as he remained in his position, hoping to make it clear that he wasn't here to get his teeth checked. "I believe we spoke on the phone--I'm Arthur Pendragon. Sorry to, uh, come bother you at work, but I prefer to meet people in places that wouldn't cause any alarm to anyone who knows them," he explained, offering an apologetic shrug. "Though, I actually should switch my dentist, if you're taking new patients."