"Actually, your father told me that the Council has to vote on new staff for the Hermetic library, and I'm looking for a post as a scribe and a laboratory assistant. Do you mind if I come with you so that I can ask them about it?"
Folk Ken (Magi) 2 should do.
Interesting thinks Hiems. Clearly, there is more here than meets the eye, and I don't think the surprise is gonna be pleasant.
Hiems nods
Please to meet you. I am Hiems Ex Miscellanea, formerly from Phoenix Covenant, and here is Lady Cygna Of Bjornaer, also from Phoenix covenant.
Liliana makes a curtsy and extends a hand for Hiems to kiss. "A pleasure to make the acquaintance of one of the blood. If you wish to be inducted into the mysteries of faerie magic, come to me."
Shmuel barges in then, with Claudia trailing behind him. "Sorry to intrude, Aunt Lily, but you're going to get rid of me now and I don't want to leave home, please. I think I should be included in the discussion about what you're going to do with me," he declares with a frown. "Oh, and this is Claudia, she wants a job as a scribe."
Liliana nods. "The both of you, please wait in the council antechamber. We will bring you in when your issues are brought up."
[color=red]"It had been," Cygna says, still glaring at the Merinita maga.
The angry expression on Cygna's face fades as she smiles softly at Hiems askance.
Hiems makes a baisemain, relieved that the tension has somewhat eased.
I never considered this possibility, and, to tell the truth, I have no idea at all of what this might entail. My tradition isn't interested at all in Faerie, instead focusing on the ways to tap our inner nature to improve our magic. I am ready to talk to you about this, but can't promise you I'll follow up.
Whatever Liliana says, Hiems will thank her, exchange a few words, and then take his place, right next to Cygna. This as a message to everyone, Cygna included.
"Your inner nature is fae. If you wish to tap your inner nature to improve your magic, then you must, of course, follow through with fae magic."
Liliana sits at the head of the table, in a large granite seat carved with two perched owls at each side, and a third owl in flight at the headpiece.
"Let us get started, as the latecomers may straggle in.
"First order of business-- some of you may already be aware, but yesterday a man came by, one Thomas ap Rhodri. He claims to be Prince of Gwyedd, and is demanding the requisition of our archers for a campaign against his cousin, Llewelyn Fawr. We owe fealty to Chester, but the Welsh control this territory now. Indeed, our archers are Welshmen themselves, and many of them recognize this man's name, and wish to embark out of respect for his father. I do not know whether this will cause problems for us with the Baron de Montalt, or his lord, the Earl of Chester, but I also do not know whether we can refuse this... request. Regardless, we must give the man an answer this evening."
((It was mentioned that Sophronia had already paid off the vis debt in the Epiloge to Chapter 4. Did that already happen, or is it about to happen? Also, mentioned something about renegotiating rates. If a renegotiation is in order, it's such a waste that the prior debt was paid off.))
"We should bring in the captain of our archers and determine what kind of strain this will place on our resources, and find out why our men wish to follow him in a spat between cousins. Do we have any knowledge about what's causing the spat? I think inviting him in to dicuss the matter further is also something to consider." Sophronia seems annoyed, this is one of the last things she wants to get involved with, more distractions keeping her from her true task.
Liliana frowns. "I do not know how they are managed... though I know someone who may." She rises and opens the door, and ushers the little boy inside. "Discipulus, who is the captain of the archers?"
Shmuel clears his throat. "The archers don't have their own sergeant, or internal structure. They answer directly to Marcus, with no internal heirarchy. Don't you remember? The archers joined the turb after Aislinn killed th--"
"Yes, I recall how they joined the covenant. Thank you discipulus. You may wait outside until you are needed next. Please send for Marcus immediately."
The boy slinks off.
And a latecomer will straggle in.
Iapetus enters into the meeting room with restrained haste, trying not to draw attention to the fact he's running late - everyone already knows he's late, he doesn't need to make a scene of it - and he moves to a seat. The Spanish magus is wearing robes of a lovely shade of yellow (the foul probationary robes) and he seems to be a bit damp. He settles in quiet and comfortable, brushing his dark hair back from his face. He gives a polite nod to anyone who looks at him, but does not wish to interrupt the proceedings with his late entrance.
Sinmore walks in after Iapetus but snatches up Samuel and plants a kiss on his cheek before letting him scoot off.
"Sorry I'm late." she mutters before sitting on the floor so as not to break (another) chair.
Liliana sighs. "Perhaps as soldiers, one of you may have some knowledge of the Welsh conflict for which our archers are being requested?"
Tabanus politely, but quietly takes his seat. He looks a bit sleep-deprived...
Claudia follows Shmuel into the antechamber, where she takes a seat and waits nervously to be called. This was a mistake, she thinks. They're not going to want someone like me. They have real apprentices to help in the laboratory, not someone who should have been killed with her pater in the explosion. And I'm sure that they have scribes who are much more capable than I am, as hard as I try. I only hope they take pity on me and let me do what I can here and not make me leave.
Lily sighs at the latecomers and the general reticence. "Very well. I will tell this Thomas to do as he pleases with our grogs, and simply hope we get them back some time.
"Next on the docket would be the new members. Assuming no one has any objections..." She rolls out the bottom of the enormous scroll upon which the charter is penned, and hands the quill to Hiems and Cygna (in that order 
).
"And speaking of new people, we should decide what to do with Samuel. And this friend of his." She rises and ushers in Shmuel and Claudia.
"Samuel, what would be an ideal solution for you?"
The boy scratches his head. "I don't want to move away from home. I don't get on well with my parents or my brother, but now that... now..." His reddened eyes fill with tears. "They're all I have left anymore. Can't someone here take me on?" He blows his nose loudly on his own sleeve, and seems to calm down as he talks about himself. "I mean, I'm smarter than everyone in this room combined, AND better educated, so it's not like I wouldn't pull my own weight in the laboratory."
Liliana ponders. "As much as I would love to have someone of your aptitude, not to mention your endearing humble nature, I would not have any apprentice lacking the blood. I would have to Warp you myself in order to initiate you into our Mysteries, and that is... a matter of personal embarrassment. It would be best if someone else could take you." She looks about at the gathered magi. "Any volunteers?"
Sinmore snuffles in response and pats Samuel affectionately on the head. "I'm so sorry for your loss Samuel. I would love having you as an apprentice, but you and everyone knows you're far too smart for me and I'm not ready for an apprentice yet anyway. I'm sure someone will take you in to finish your training."
"Excuse me, Maga, we were waiting for someone to report on the situation, I very much wish to hear that report."
Looking at Samuel, "House Tremere is always interested in seeking candidates. If I were to take you as an apprentice, you would only stay here so long as I stay here, at best. And it might be the case that someone higher placed in the House would wish to claim you from me, much like Justinius claimed me from my first master."
Cygna stares in dumb wonder at the sheer size of the woman. She had always considered herself tall (and not without reason)...but this? Sinmore has to be seen to be believed...and Cygna is seeing but isn't entirely convinced that she's believing.
[color=red]"Not to sound rude or impertinent...but what are we signing? We," Cygna says with a brief glance at Hiems, [color=red]"have had bad experience with signing a charter in which details had been obscured, to our regret."
Sophronia chuckles a bit, "Obscure isn't the half of it. That document is so legally dense you could spend months reading it and still not be finished. Justinius would often threaten me with being forced to read it when I was his apprentice. I only took cursory glances at it, as I've been able. The details are going to be obscured, just by the size of the document and the overly legalistic writing method of its author. You can be sure that you've never read anything like it before."
Iapetus takes a moment to look around, making sure nobody in armor wandered in without his hearing it. After a moment, Iapetus says, "I am sorry, Maga. I am no soldier, and my knowledge of the local goings-on is limited to the Hermetic."
Iapetus will do his best not to look totally lost, since nobody actually told him what they were talking about. But then, he is a probationary member, so decisions on such magnitude are likely not his to make.
"I would have much I could use such an able student for. However, I am a terrible teacher, with no patience." Iapetus settles back in his chair, tugging at his foul robes a few times for comfort. "Besides, you would be better serve as an apprentice for someone who is a full member, and not scrambling to still pull their own weight." The Spaniard gives the apprentice a grin, before looking away, his attention drawn to the other newcomers, while everyone else focuses on Shmuel.