private PSL
Dec. 12th, 2022 10:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
srsbznss[Part of the problem with being a financial advisor, Ali realized, was that it meant he had to work. And it wasn't even the fun kinds of 'work' like stacking coins and sorting them by the quality of their gold or silver, oh no. The king had made it quite clear that any coin-counting was to be done only when requested, or outside of working hours. No, Ali had to do things like read and fill out paperwork, or run analytics on tax revenue and what kind of surplus or expenditures there were in the quarter. Or, at the very least, he had to assign all of that work to one of his several secretaries. After all, he at to at least keep up the appearances of being a financial advisor, and over the last few decades he had gotten pretty good at that. It wasn't impossible, but it also wasn't nearly as fun as counting coins.
Of course, he would get odd looks if he just sat around counting coins all day. To anyone else looking in, they did not see the fearsome dragon Aligrezoph, guardian of the kingdom's treasury. They saw Ali, a normal- albeit quirky- man who kept a very small social circle in the finance department and spent most of his days trying to keep expenditures to a minimum while saving up as much as he could. All for the kingdom's benefit, of course. It totally wasn't so there would be an even bigger pile of coins for Ali to count on his breaks.
Indeed, most who looked at Ali would just see an average-looking man. shoulder-length black hair tied back with a black ribbon, piercing blue eyes, a perpetual frown stuck on his face in most situations. A lean body that was more built for flexibility and speed than strength, and a very simple style of dress in neutral colors. He looked every bit like a stuffy accountant, though Ali would argue that he wasn't really THAT stuffy. He was just comfortable with the form!
He also would not talk about his other form under any circumstances.
On that day, Ali had an armful of expense reports with him. There was to be a meeting, and he had stayed up all night with two of his secretaries preparing these reports. With the midsummer festival coming up, the festivities had to be decided upon and paid for. And, as usual, Ali wanted to keep the expenses as low as possible. For the good of the kingdom, of course. Ultimately his team had prepared a few possible expense reports, with varying amounts spent on decorations, hiring out staff, and paying guards for keeping the peace. Any one of his plans would be acceptable, but Ali was sure that someone would complain. There was always someone who complained and called him a 'coin-pinching cheapskate', but those complaints had picked up more in recent years. Already Ali was annoyed just from the thought of the argument that would happen that day when he butted heads with a certain other advisor. Sparks would fly as usual, and these weren't the good kind of sparks.
But Ali was willing to give it a chance. As people arrived at the meeting- a meeting between the king and his dozen or so advisors in the various ways of running the kingdom- Ali worked to lay out one set of expense reports at each desk. It was only two pages of paper per table spot, so hopefully everyone liked to read!
Of course, when Ali passed a certain advisor, he had to fight the urge to make a snide comment. Instead, he just held out the two-page document to him, trying not to show too much contempt when he spoke.]
Do take care of those papers, will you? My staff stayed up all night finishing them.
[He was a dragon in hiding, not a snake in hiding, but his words still had bite to them.]
Of course, he would get odd looks if he just sat around counting coins all day. To anyone else looking in, they did not see the fearsome dragon Aligrezoph, guardian of the kingdom's treasury. They saw Ali, a normal- albeit quirky- man who kept a very small social circle in the finance department and spent most of his days trying to keep expenditures to a minimum while saving up as much as he could. All for the kingdom's benefit, of course. It totally wasn't so there would be an even bigger pile of coins for Ali to count on his breaks.
Indeed, most who looked at Ali would just see an average-looking man. shoulder-length black hair tied back with a black ribbon, piercing blue eyes, a perpetual frown stuck on his face in most situations. A lean body that was more built for flexibility and speed than strength, and a very simple style of dress in neutral colors. He looked every bit like a stuffy accountant, though Ali would argue that he wasn't really THAT stuffy. He was just comfortable with the form!
He also would not talk about his other form under any circumstances.
On that day, Ali had an armful of expense reports with him. There was to be a meeting, and he had stayed up all night with two of his secretaries preparing these reports. With the midsummer festival coming up, the festivities had to be decided upon and paid for. And, as usual, Ali wanted to keep the expenses as low as possible. For the good of the kingdom, of course. Ultimately his team had prepared a few possible expense reports, with varying amounts spent on decorations, hiring out staff, and paying guards for keeping the peace. Any one of his plans would be acceptable, but Ali was sure that someone would complain. There was always someone who complained and called him a 'coin-pinching cheapskate', but those complaints had picked up more in recent years. Already Ali was annoyed just from the thought of the argument that would happen that day when he butted heads with a certain other advisor. Sparks would fly as usual, and these weren't the good kind of sparks.
But Ali was willing to give it a chance. As people arrived at the meeting- a meeting between the king and his dozen or so advisors in the various ways of running the kingdom- Ali worked to lay out one set of expense reports at each desk. It was only two pages of paper per table spot, so hopefully everyone liked to read!
Of course, when Ali passed a certain advisor, he had to fight the urge to make a snide comment. Instead, he just held out the two-page document to him, trying not to show too much contempt when he spoke.]
Do take care of those papers, will you? My staff stayed up all night finishing them.
[He was a dragon in hiding, not a snake in hiding, but his words still had bite to them.]
no subject
Date: 2023-06-03 04:54 pm (UTC)And bring me the expense reports. I will bring them along to deliver to him. This will be sorted out.
[He's not humoring questions from the man, marching off to do as he said. The halls around the treasury and Ali's den are cleared of any lingering people, told by Concord they need to keep away for now. He wants to make sure he and Ali have some privacy for this, but also... doesn't want anybody choked by brimstone smoke if it comes bellowing out from Ali's room when he kicks the door in.
Which is just what he does, expense reports tucked beneath one arm, he gives precisely one warning,]
Ali, I am coming to check on you. You can open your door or I can break it off the hinges. [a very delicate man in all things, isn't he?]
no subject
Date: 2023-06-05 02:49 am (UTC)No no, don't do that! I'm coming!
[Noises can be heard from behind the door- the sound of a bed moving, the way the clicking of talons changes to human footsteps, and then finally the key turning to unlock the door.
Concord was right, the room absolutely reeks of brimstone. But here is Ali, looking very human and also very exhausted. The bags under his eyes speak to how little sleep he has gotten. Still, he talks like he's trying to sound like he's alright, even though he is very much not.]
Um. Hi. It's been a few days, hasn't it?
[They have not been apart this long since the fireworks show last summer.]
no subject
Date: 2023-06-05 04:23 pm (UTC)Concord feels a bit guilty, wonders if his little gift caused such a reaction in the dragon. What is all this?]
Five days. You are behind on your necessary duties... [he hands a roll of scrolls over to him, which he'd had tucked under and arm]
More importantly, you are clearly not okay. What is going on?
no subject
Date: 2023-06-11 05:01 pm (UTC)So, with a guilty look in his eyes and papers in his arms, he looks back into his room, in the direction of where his bed is.]
...the eggs haven't hatched yet...
no subject
Date: 2023-06-11 08:37 pm (UTC)[Concord will march in to get a better look at things. There's no windows, which makes what he's saying a bit tricky. He does go around the back to where that stairwell to the hidden outlook is, opening that door to allow out the smoke. He already told lookouts not to worry if they spotted as much. Nothing on fire... no need to send people over for an emergency]