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”You wished to see me Lady Josephine?”
Josephine did not look up from her papers as the man entered the room.
”Ambassador Montilyet, please. Come in, close the door behind you.”
There was a moment of hesitation before the sound of the heavy wooden door closed slowly. The small office that Josephine had taken over was really too small for more than two or three people, but the chantry proper had a tendency to echo.
Josephine still did not say anything, playacting going through some paperwork, letting the man sit in his discomfort. She would not offer him an inch more respect than she had to.
Finally as the man cleared his throat to say something, Josephine spoke, cutting him off.
“Quartermaster Threnn has informed me that she has received reports of several instances of you referring to our troops in a disparaging manner. Specifically you have been referring to our elvhen allies and even the Herald herself as “Knife-Ears”. I have verified the reports personally, to my disappointment.”
Josephine looked up at the man, eyes narrowing. The man was a good two heads taller than her, but Josephine was quite pleased to see him flinch slightly.
”The Inquisition has no more need of either your wares nor your steel. You have until the end of the day to pack up your things. We will provide you with an armed escort to the main trade road for your protection.”
The man stared at her for a long moment, slowly turning red in the face.
“You can’t do this. Inquisition needs my goods, nobody around is willing to sell to you lot, especially at my prices. Are you really going to throw that all away for some nasty words?” He imitated Josephine’s Antivan accent on his last words, a curious choice for a man technically begging for his job.
While he did have a point, it was nothing that Josephine hadn’t already considered.
”You forget, ser, that I am the heir of an esteemed Antivan mercantile house. I have contacts arriving with requisitions within the next week.” Josephine allowed some of the disgust she felt towards the man color her tone, rendering it ice-cold. “I had planned to keep you on with us in thanks for your efforts, and offer you the chance to make further supply chain connections. Something that I had hoped to be of great use to a small merchant such as yourself. Alas, I overestimated your character.”
The man seemed to be teetering between shame and anger. Good. Josephine’s intent was to dress him down as if she was scolding a child. What a joy to know that it was working.
He opened his mouth to protest or perhaps once more beg for his position, now knowing the opportunity he had ruined, but Josephine simply did not have the time.
She sat at her desk, pulling out her quill to start writing a letter.
“The Inquisition and Herald Lavellan thank you for your service.” Josephine made sure to emphasize the Herald’s last name specifically. “You may go.”
For a moment, Josephine thought that he might lean towards anger, perhaps even attack her. But instead he wilted like the sad sack of flour he was and slunk out of the room.
Josephine waited for the sound of his footsteps to lead out of the chantry before heaving a heavy sigh of relief.
”Most impressive, Lady Ambassador.” Leliana stepped out of the shadowed corner of the room, a small grin on her face. “He’ll certainly be thinking of this moment for the next few years.”
Josephine managed a small smile, heart still beating quickly. She truly hadn’t been sure if the merchant would react violently to his dismissal, so she had requested that Leliana be prepared to help if things went poorly.
Luckily he behaved as many such bullies did when confronted with resistance. Like an absolute coward.
”From what I’ve gathered, he was a right ass. I could arrange to have him injured for your trouble.” Leliana’s tone was light, conversational enough that Josephine wasn’t sure if it was a joke or not. Which meant she had to address it directly.
”As tempting or well-deserved as it might be, we cannot maim or beat every person we meet with similar views. Else we would likely cut ties with half of Ferelden. ” Josephine said pointedly, raising an eyebrow at her old friend. “I believe his public dismissal will serve as an apt enough example of what will not be tolerated.”
Leliana let out a dramatic sigh. Once a bard, always a bard.
”Fine fine. I’ll leave you to your work.” As Leliana started to go to the door, she paused and looked back at Josephine curiously.
”Do we actually have a resupply coming in next week?”
”No.” Josephine admitted, finishing up the letter she started. She blew on the ink to dry it before rolling it up tightly.”But we should soon. This is a letter Lady Delacroix, a general goods merchant well known for her fervent devotion to the Chantry. With Lady Lavellan’s new moniker as Herald of Andraste, we should be able to levy that devotion to provide us aid. If you could send your quickest raven to the Delacroix estate, I believe we should have a true re-stock in a month if not sooner.”
Josephine held the parchment out to Leliana. “The Inquisition is heading for the Storm Coast next. We can gather raw materials there if needed.”
Leliana chuckled as she took the letter, giving Josephine a fond look.
”Always the smartest in the room, Josie. Do you want Herald Lavellan to know of this?”
Josephine was quite pleased with how this meeting turned out, and a part of her did want to provide the Herald with proof that the Inquisition was ready and able to support her against anything, even bigotry within their own ranks.
But the Herald was burdened enough already. She didn’t need to worry about their personnel as well.
“Dealing with such matters is under my purview as her Ambassador. I see no need to concern her with such things. But thank you for your help Leliana, truly.”
Leliana gave a somewhat exaggerated bow to her friend, pulling a grin from Josephine in turn.
“For you, Josie, always.”