Before the Snow ~ by SaralynArati

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"I made one upon joining the Syndicate," Cat says, "by which Prem Deva is to receive all of my crystals, to help her set up her own shop. Everything else I possess would go to Laelinae. I'm not, from a financial standpoint at least, a particularly tempting target; my landscape gardening business is successful, but hardly lucrative in comparison to even de Seleni family money, much less what my mother owns." "Don't discount that, my dove. I recommend that you investigate every contingency."

8 years ago

SaralynArati

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"Not completely sane, my prosaic little dove, nor is it thoroughly effective, since here you are, regardless," Sevresina responds, in no way offended. "While we are following the money, however, and as you do exist, my dove, have you made a will in testament? If so, who would profit by your death, and do they know that? Conversely, if you haven't made such a provision, who stands to gain under those circumstances?" Catleya, similarly unruffled by Madame du Leethe's directness, smiles wryly.

8 years ago

SaralynArati

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"Most likely, aside from a few personal bequests, the entirety of her valuables would revert to either her family, or Meretris's. After his death, of course, and barring any bizarre legal stipulations," states Sevresina, managing not to sound either boring or bored. "Yet Catleya's birth forestalls all of this..." puts in Velen, slightly worried. "Yes, it seems very rational when you say it, Madame, but is it genuinely... well... sane, to kill a man just to keep his cour childless?" asks Cat.

8 years ago

SaralynArati

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"All right, we need to check the articles of inheritance on file in the government archives to ascertain the disposition of Sobralin D'Esperis's property, and to verify what would've happened to Laelinae's estate if she'd been childless. That's a place to start, at least," summarizes Velen. "Meretris became my mother's heir when their marriage united his prestige and her wealth. Now it's me. But I have no idea what would occur if he predeceased her and I were also dead, or had never existed."

8 years ago

SaralynArati

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"Madame, that's... positively labyrinthine," Velen says, impressed. Sevresina merely smiles sweetly. "Do you truly suspect my father's murderer of such convoluted motivation?" queries Catleya. "Again, I know almost nothing, my dove. What I surmise may have happened is that a 'simple' elimination of an obstacle turned out to have more and more awkward and unanticipated consequences for the guilty individual, and perhaps the situation escaped his... we're postulating a man, still?... control."

8 years ago