Gregor

"I should thank you for the wonderful meal, Master Gregor," Aesten replied, his green eyes echoing the smile that he flashed at the Innkeeper. "But we do need to discuss business, or so you say. I must admit curiosity..." Aesten peered at the young innkeeper and noticed the slight flush that coloured the man's ears a faint rose.

"Yes, well," Gregor blustered a bit, before finally coming to the matter. "It's about your daughter, Master Aesten. The Lady Orchid." Aesten leaned back in his chair and folded his hands on his lap, considering. While many marriage proposals had come for his daughter in the last several years, he had not found one that suited him. His daughter was a self-centered and rather vapid thing, concerned only with her appearances and well being. Any man who married her would be unhappy, and any trader would find himself without trade.

Yet then again, an InnKeeper was something different. The money Gregor was bringing in was easily a match to his, and that was from dignitaries and townsmen alone.

"Now, I know I'm not some fancy trader or wellborn, like you are, Master Aesten," Gregor continued, unaware of Aesten's thoughts. "But I run a good business here and it's solid; I'll be able to provide well for her and any children that come of the union. And, I'm quite aware of the Lady Orchid's preferences towards money and luxury, and I'm able to make sure she has both without chancing anything." Aesten raised his eyebrow at this and Gregor ventured a small smile.

Well, I'm the Innkeeper. They don't notice me down here. She's met and even talked to me a half-dozen times and I suspect she doesn't even remember. But that's fine."

Aesten mused, and Gregor held his breath slightly. Finally, Aesten smiled at the man.

"Well, lets look over your books, Master Gregor. I need to see if what you've said is true."

Married to the woman that he fell in love with at first sight, Gregor took a lot of abuse from his unhappy wife. Saddened by her ability - or lack thereof - to share his love, Gregor lavished all of his attentions on their only child, Fleur.

Even though she had spurned him herself, Orchid was jealous of the attentions spent on the child and did her best to equally reward Fleur with attention of her own; negative and bitter.

Gregor kept the running of the Happy Hornet Inn in his own hands, and those of his trusted accountants. Well aware of Orchid's ability to spend money rather than save it, he made his will and filed it with the local magistrate, leaving the Happy Hornet to the one who loved him - his daughter - and made certain that should he pass on before she could take it, his accountants would see to the daily running of the Inn and control its money.

He never realized just how close he was to his own death when he did it.