19 Cylus 722
After what felt like far too long sitting in the hallway outside the warden's office and waiting while other candidates took their turns interviewing, Grimwald was finally called in for his own interview. About damn time. He thought to himself. A lone, undisciplined thought. He wasn't sure he'd make a good prison guard if he couldn't learn to be a bit less... criminal. He was patient when it paid. If he got paid to stand around watching and conversing with criminals, he could manage the patience. He stood up and adjusted his rather simple clothing to make himself look a little more presentable before heading into the office. Grimwald was a good face. A friendly face. Hopefully it helped. The Yludih never wanted to bring Revan or Morton around here. He didn't need people who were this isolated to get any hints. He already had the advantage that they were far from Rharne. Why give it up?
It was hard to read the warden's face when he first saw the man but Grimwald made sure to remember it all the same. Who knew when it might be useful to have the face of the warden of the prison? It would always be risky to use, but if he could replicate it well enough and get familiar enough with the man to act the part it wouldn't matter. Alas, a plan for another trial. He needed to focus on getting hired first. Get a foot in the door and from there anything is possible. The warden was sitting in his chair behind his desk, looking over the paperwork that had been submit for the application. It had been a fun exercise for the Yludih. Almost everything on the application was a lie. Grimwald was a new face. Made up completely and worn in only a few places for fun. He'd had the face for long enough that people would confirm things, but he also had the benefit of the man in the Dust Quarter who the face actually belonged to.
The name of the man who's face he'd stolen was Adahn, apparently. He had bad habits but any good habits the Yludih was more than willing to take the credit for. The bad habits he could dismiss as not his own deeds. The recreation was not perfect and if put side by side, anyone would be able to see they were different people- but he looked close enough to be mistaken for the man. Too close for some suspicious sorts. Then again there was always the 'long lost brother' lie.
Anywho, back to the interview. Archibald Stormlight was looking over the resume that Grimwald had submit prior to his arrival. Probably same as he had been for each other person in the hallway waiting now. He gestured for Grim to take a seat in the chair opposite of him and the Yludih did without debate. Out of habit, he lifted the chair from the ground instead of dragging it backwards in order to avoid making noise. He lifted it again to scoot it closer as he sat down in it. "Hello," Grim said in what he hoped seemed like a friendly tone. Archibald set the resume he was reading down and looked up at Grimwald with narrow eyes.
Was he trying to be intimidating? Maybe he just had bad eyesight. "Grimwald Whetman." The warden said, "Interesting surname. Where are you from?" And so it began, the game of lies. The important part was to make sure that you never made a claim you couldn't stand behind. Revan was from Rharne's Dust and Earth Quarter. Morton was from Rharne as well but he claimed to be in the Glass Quarter. Grimwald... well he was from a tavern.
"Rharne." If he was quizzed about the place, it was the only one he could answer questions correctly. "Earth Quarter most my life but fell on hard times. Had to shut down my shop and move to the Dust Quarter last arc."
"I saw," Archibald said with a gesture to the resume. "What did you sell at your shop?"
"Small trinkets and baubles. I was a craftsman but not a very good one." Grimwald lied almost like breathing because this was a story he had prepared. So far, no questions he hadn't anticipated. "When the prisoners got loose my business took more than a few hits, so when I heard you were hiring I thought it would be a good opportunity to do my part to make sure it doesn't happen to anyone else."
"Ah, you're a protector." Archibald said as if he'd figured out exactly what he wanted to know about Grimwald. He was buying the lie."A sheepdog, a guardian. You're the type who wants to help to protect others." The warden paused as if he was waiting for Grimwald to understand.
"As opposed to?" A question couldn't hurt. A look of disappointment crossed the warden's face and he nodded.
"A warrior, a knight, a hero. The people who get into this kind of work so that they can stop and hurt the criminals." Archibald smiled again and said, "The prison is a good place for protectors. You wouldn't make it working for the knights in Rharne but you might make it here." Corrupt and charming as always, Archibald set about figuring out the next thing he wanted to know from his employees. "Some protectors have issues doing the job though. We work with horrible people who need a firm hand to guide them. How far are you willing to go to ensure the security of the prison."
"As far as my boss asks." Grimwald said without missing a beat. It too was a lie but he surmised it was the answer that the warden wanted. Grimwald would always go as far as he wanted to, not further. If Grimwald stood to gain something by defying the warden, he probably would take the opportunity. Archibald grinned and moved Grimwald's resume into one of two piles he had on his desk.
"That's a good answer, but is it an honest one?" The warden asked, his finger tapping on the pile he'd just set Grim's resume on. "There are a lot of protectors who don't have the stomach for this job... or the discipline. You were playing card games outside my office. If you get this job here, I don't want to see that again." Grimwald nodded his head in agreement. He hadn't thought the card game would be all that bad but he should have known.
"I have the stomach and I'll leave the cards at home." Grimwald could have been coy and said that the warden wouldn't see him playing with them, but he didn't feel like he was in a position to do so. Better to stick with the lie of being a humble shop owner than to let his pride in his ability to deceive show. The warden stared at Grimwald for a few trills more before nodding his head and picking the resume back up to examine it again.
"When could you start?" The warden asked. "Again, if you get the job."
"I'd need to go back to Rharne to lock up my house but, I could come back after that and be here to work in the morning." Grimwald said with a little bit of glee deceptively laced into his tone to make Archibald think he was getting excited. He really wasn't looking forward to the work as much as he was looking forward to meeting and learning about the prisoners and other guards. It would be useful if he ever found himself on the other side of the bars.
"Not necessary." Archibald said. "Come back in ten trials towards the end of Cylus. I have a lot of applicants but if I decide you got the job, you'll start then."
"Yes, sir." The Yludih might have wanted to gag saying that but he didn't. The warden dismissed Grimwald with a gesture and the Yludih slowly got out of his chair. He couldn't tell if he'd secured the job when he left the warden's office, but on the wagon ride back with the others who'd been interviewed he managed to figure out a few things. The others were mumbling about their own interviews and so Grimwald eventually threw out a little lie to make them more comfortable sharing their experience with everyone else. He told them that he'd been sweating so much in the chair that he thought he was going to have a stain on his back when he stood up.
One of the men in the wagon laughed, another was surprised Grimwald had been allowed to sit because he had been told to stand. A few people laughed at the one who was told that he had to stand. From there the small talk wouldn't end. Grimwald found himself overwhelmed by the speed of the conversation. There was a decent back and forth between the two sides of the wagon but Grim found himself listening more than sharing. There were some that he was confident did not get the job but there were a few he felt the opposite about. Some of them just screamed 'prison guard' when he looked at them. He wouldn't know if he'd made it in until he came back, and he would.
