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Seas Of Erin > Cecilia > Give me a sanctuary


Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 26 2008, 07:40 PM
Renaud stifled a cough as he climbed the stairs to the apartment that had now been arranged for him. No more sleeping in the office, no more running himself ragged. He knew he needed to rest, needed to calm things down, especially after being out of breath and coughing after a single flight of stairs.

"Merde!" he coughed, pressing the handkerchief to his mouth. He had to lean against the wall for a moment, forcing himself not to continue coughing. There would be blood again, he could taste it. Metallic. Still, not as much as before, nor as often. He was no longer dying actively, but degenerating passively, a little each week.

Still, the news that Kuleliti was finally parted from her head made everything feel brighter. One chapter of his past he could finally lay at rest, even though he wouldn't break out the good wine until he had the head in front of him. Now all that remained was the girl...

He pushed the key in the lock, pressing the door open with a foot as he always did. it was a rare time he did not enter a quiet room with a hand on his gun these days, and this was no exception. But nothing was there. As always. Sighing a bit he pulled off his uniform coat, hanging it over the back of a chair, inwardly missing Bonet. He'd grown dependent on the man dealing with the parts of life he thought less important. He even missed the nagging. Perhaps he should call on the maid downstairs to see to the bath, he needed a shave.

But then again, everything in Cecilia made him feel dirty these days.

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 26 2008, 07:49 PM
As the door clicked closed, a low, whispering voice slid out from behind it.

"You sound horrible, Renaud," said the woman in the battered dress standing in the corner, plain of feature, her thick brown hair done up like one might expect of a minor noble's child. "You should take things a little easier in your advancing years. Take a vacation, maybe."

She remained still, dark eyes following his movements.

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 26 2008, 07:53 PM
"Merde!" Renaud swore again, the gun out as soon as he had turned, aimed straight at the woman. He might have sounded as if he would have wanted to cough up his lungs, but his hand was steady. "Mademoiselle Nanton." There was a faint disbelief to his voice there.

But he didn't doubt it was her. It was hard to imitate those eyes.

"This is considered my retirement I'm afraid Mademoiselle, a bit healthier than the Wreaths. Drier climate, less assassins. So far."

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 26 2008, 07:59 PM
"Put it down, Renaud." She smirked some then as she spoke, "Or should I snap a salute to the Grand Commandeur?" The woman took a step closer to the man, the genial smile on her face not reaching her eyes.

"I imagine it must have been nice, though. Sun, sand, a lot of very nice people all around you happy to help you out?" She shook her head, still smiling that empty smile. "It must have been nice."

And took a step toward the man, hands behind her back.

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 26 2008, 08:07 PM
"Ah, ma cherie..." Renaud smiled equally thinly, and did not lower the gun. "No salute needed, you are after all not under my command at the moment. Grand Commandeur or not. In fact..." He was not taking his eyes off the woman, but he did take a single step back as she stepped forward.

"In fact I do believe you are supposed to be dead Mademoiselle Nanton. Dead and gone. You are fortunate I don't believe in ghosts."

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 26 2008, 08:13 PM
"Yes. Supposed to be." The woman tilted her head up a little, raising a hand--one holding a knife--to tap the blade on her chin as if thinking, eyes remaining on the Commandeur's. "Why should I be dead, Renaud?"

She tapped the blade on her chin a couple more times, before snapping her arm downward and sending the blade into the floor, "That's right. You left me in the mud with a bullet in my stomach while you got to go home."

Jolie stood still then, "And you're the Grand Commandeur now. And I'm a ghost."

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 26 2008, 08:20 PM
Renaud's gun did not waver as the blade came out, he had expected as much. Luckily the woman seemed calm enough for now. But he did not lower the gun, just relaxed a hint as the blade hit the floor.

"Mademoiselle... I could not even begin to imagine that anybody could survive such a wound. Anybody would have thought it fatal, and at the time we had no time to bring back the dead if we wanted to keep our skins intact. And as you say, I am the Grand Commandeur now, I'm sure we..." he'd spoke too much and too harshly, and the climb up the stairs still lingered in his lungs. Despite his best attempts, the cough came, the gun wavered as he nearly doubled over from the effort.

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 26 2008, 08:27 PM
The woman watched him, listened to him talk and talk.

And talk and talk and cough.

She softened some when he began coughing, taking advantage of his doubling over to bring her other hand up, holding a musket, training it on the man.

"Sure we can what, you thieving waste? Go back to how things were? Put me back on the payroll and everything is beautiful skies again?"

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 26 2008, 08:31 PM
Renaud wiped his mouth with his free hand, not bringing the gun back up to aim at the woman. She had the advantage there, she might as well pull the trigger if he did that. He wouldn't put it past her.

Instead he made a show of gently pushing the gun back into his belt, as if he first now heeded her earlier words.

"Thieving waste?" His eyes grew sharper as he straightened his back "I made you what you are Nanton, don't forget that. I stole nothing I had not given you from the start."

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 26 2008, 08:40 PM
As he put his gun away, she tucked hers into her dress behind her back. She wasn't afraid. Not of him. She stepped towards him again, eyes narrowing just a little.

"You made me, Renaud." The woman's lips screwed up tight, like a scowl, "Then you left me. I wouldn't have left you like that. I wouldn't have." She held her hands out towards the man as if to ask for an embrace or to make to strangle the man.

"Then I had to make myself." Jolie leaned towards him, taking another step toward him, "You can't take that. YOu can't take that." She scowled a little, flexing her hands and pushing them down to her sides.

"It seems that I'm in a good position to take something from you. That should help."

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 26 2008, 08:48 PM
Renaud did not point out that the reason why she wouldn't have left him the way he left her, was because she needed him far more than he had ever needed her. Instead he forced himself to relax further, as if she had been a vicious dog he didn't need to provoke.

It wasn't far from the truth.

"Cherie..." The voice had softened again as he reached out, gently putting a hand on each thin shoulder. "I know you wouldn't. But I couldn't risk everything for a single person. That's not how it works cherie and you know it. Not if you want to get the job done." She was a pawn and he was the hand that moved it. It was obvious which was the most important one.

"And you are alive. You made yourself anew. Isn't that enough?" Distract her from the thoughts of taking something from him, he did not need that grief right now.

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 26 2008, 08:53 PM
"When I want to get the job done, I clean up after."

But, then, that would have meant he shoot her in the head to have kept it all clean.

He had let her...

She realized she was humming a little, a raspy, growly thing in her throat and forced herself to stop, focusing on his eyes.

Then she lunged forward a little, snapping her teeth half an inch from the man's nose.

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 26 2008, 08:59 PM
Her eyes were dark, and as always Renaud feared a bit what he might find down there. "You were not a job cherie and you know it. You were a horrible accident." He tightened the grip on her shoulders as she went for his face, long fingers digging deep into her flesh as he pushed her back.

"Merde Nanton, control yourself."

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 26 2008, 09:04 PM
The woman took a step back, folding her arms over her chest, still watching the man before looking away.

"I still had something to protect."

It was all she said before looking back to the man, "Control. You don't care. You don't care." She scowled up at him, breathing heavily, almost panting before trying to take a few deep breaths to keep herself calm.

"Did it work? When you left me. Were you successful?" she near spat the word.

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 26 2008, 09:11 PM
Renaud pulled back his hands, letting her go. He still kept them relaxed and ready though, his whole body tense and prepared for what might happen. "I care cherie, you know that even if you are angry now. I cared when I picked you back then, I cared when I gave you a chance to be useful, and I care now." He kept his voice carefully soft, he did not want to provoke more coughing.

"And it worked. I was successful. You did your job, I did mine."

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 26 2008, 09:19 PM
"Always talking. Always talking. Like you're trying to confuse me."

She glared at the man, "You still don't care. You wouldn't know it if it didn't come with another medal." She took hold of his coat then, holding it up. "You need warm bodies. You need to put them in places and make cold bodies." Her back tensed a little as if she meant to rip the coat apart before throwing it back down.

"What are you protecting now, Renaud?" She glared at the man, "Or are you finally happy now that you're on top?"

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 26 2008, 09:24 PM
"That is how the Navy works. That is how the Empire works, cherie, we are nothing but bodies to them. Me as well as you." Renaud stifled a cough, pulling out his handkerchief to wipe away the small specks of blood that had caught on his hand earlier. Not as much, he could imagine there having been some improvement.

"I serve the Empire mademoiselle Nanton, now as I did before. I am not ready to retire yet... despite the allure of this place might have for some."

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 26 2008, 09:29 PM
"The great and powerful Empire." She flexed her hands, "Merde." She hated cursing. It made it harder to do what she did. People forgot who you were supposed to be when you cursed.

Jolie looked over at the man, "Sit down, Monsieur Moreau. You sound horrible." She knelt down slowly, pulling her knife out of the floor. "So what great thing does the great empire have you doing now?"


Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 26 2008, 09:37 PM
There. Renaud relaxed some at the change in her tone, walking over to his desk. He didn't exactly turn his back to her though. "Wine, mademoiselle?" He pulled out his chair and sat down, rather more heavily than he had meant. He had lost weight since Jolie saw him last, that much was obvious, especially when he unbuttoned the top button of his shirt to ease his breathing a bit.

"The Empire... ah, the usual. It is ever hungry to expand his borders, and there are two opportunities that might arise in the near future. Internal strife always makes for rich pickings. There was no need for me in the Wreaths anymore once I'd rooted out the worst imbeciles there."

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 26 2008, 09:48 PM
He was sick. Sicker than he sounded.

She flexed her hands slowly, looking around the room. Jolie looked over at the man and nodded, "One glass."

"Got out of the habit." She touched her stomach then, "Picked up a few more." She shrugged her shoulders and stood in front of the man. They didn't trust each other. That made sense. "What's the strife?"

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 26 2008, 09:53 PM
Renaud poured a glass for each of them, letting her choose which one to pick. He was drinking a lot less than before, this bottle was mostly for visitors. As such it was quite a decent vintage.

"You wish to come back into the arms of the Empire again then mademoiselle Nanton?" Renaud raised his glass and sipped it. "I could use you. Bonet is off on his own business, he is no longer my aide de camp." He lowered his head there, looking humble.

"In some ways I am truly put out to pasture." But he would have none of it.

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 26 2008, 10:01 PM
"You can't get up stairs. I'd put you out to pasture, too." She shrugged and took one of the glasses, idly shifting her wrist, setting the wine spinning in the glass. "But you have people who might work for you."

She scowled softly. And it cost money to get places. She wanted to choke him. To shoot him in the stomach and leave him to die. She'd watch and make damn sure he was, too.

"And I don't care about the great Empire." She shrugged.

"I won't be another girl scrambling for a rich husband." Jolie's voice was little more than a whisper at that. "I want this on my terms."

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 26 2008, 10:06 PM
Renaud's fingers tightened around the glass, eyes sharp as he glared at the woman. "I was ill recently. Pneumonia." But he was growing old and he knew it. Even without the consumption he was hardly the man he once had been.

"As much as they ever were on your terms mademoiselle. I have no need of a girl scrambling for a rich husband, I am in need of a girl that can slit a throat and step away before a drop of blood hits her dress. You know what work I would have you do... do you object to that these days? Is that one of the things you have learned while re-creating yourself?" He was not mocking her, his tone was mostly curious.

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 26 2008, 10:15 PM
She looked up from her wine, dark eyes watching his, "You should have been more careful." Letting yourself get sick.

Not like she hadn't. Infections, weakness, months laying in her own filth, delerious.

"You need to breathe to be the best."

"And I'm not some would-be courtisan." She tossed her knife up in the air lazily, "And no matter how out of practice I am," she caught it on its way back down, "It's what I'm good at. It's how I got here."

She snorted a little, "Certainly, you didn't think I made it here on my charming personality, M'sieur Moreau."

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 26 2008, 10:20 PM
"I need to breathe to live mademoiselle, let's not mince words here." Renaud laughed, and managed to have it not turned into a cough. Of course his amiable manners were just a show pulled tightly over a core that was on edge and wary. He could not read Jolie the way he used to. She had changed.

They both had.

He kept his eyes on the knife.

"You have a rare talent for killing mademoiselle Nanton, it is not something that comes easy to most people. Especially women. And I would not have you attempt to play the courtesan in depth anymore, last time added enough complications." He grimaced as he remembered, sipping the wine to wipe away the taste of blood.

"I never minded your personality really, with Bonet around you were refreshing. You evened each other out."

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 26 2008, 10:33 PM
"Hm. Bonet." She smirked a little at that, looking down at her wine as she saw him sip his before finally taking a sip.

"It's not that rare. Being a woman who does it just makes it easier to get a job doing it." She looked down at the liquid, swirling the liquid around in the glass, grimacing. "People like you need people like me. And there's enough of both kinds of us that I always find work."

She looked over at the man, "And if I never hear one more soft, simpering noble try and tell me how well they'll protect me, I think I'll go to Hell a happy woman."

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 26 2008, 10:42 PM
"And with all those people in the world, you are once again back with me. Full circle mademoiselle Nanton." Renaud bowed his head watching ever move the woman made. "Hell... hell is for the weak of mind cherie, that hopes for justice after death when they don't dare to work for it in life. There is no hell."

He sounded certain enough of that.

"When you came here, were you planning on killing me?" He tilted the glass slightly, watching her, thin face intense and focused.

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 26 2008, 10:46 PM
"If there is no Hell, there should be." She kissed her forefinger and crossed herself as if by reflex.

"I owe you much, Renaud." She sipped her wine again, watching him intently, "And the thought of filleting you is crossing my mind. And we haven't seen each other in a long time. It'd be a shame to end it so soon."

She smirked some, "You are a sick old man now. And while I'm weaker than I was, I'm still stronger than you."

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 26 2008, 10:51 PM
Renaud scoffed, giving the woman a dry look. "Admit it Nanton, you need a goal, you need direction, you need a meaning with your life as much as anybody else. That was exactly what I gave you. A meaning. A place to belong." He had not cared much for her smirk, so perhaps he pushed her a bit too hard.

But he was not a sick old man.

"Perhaps you are stronger than me. But that is not what this is about. Where it matters, you know who has the upper hand. Me." She had let him speak. That was her downfall. Because even after this time, he still knew what she wanted.

He hoped.

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 26 2008, 10:59 PM
She scowled at the man, her eyes flitting over his neck; his chest; his arms. Immobilize, cripple, kill.

The right spot and.

Jolie finished her glass, "That's only because..." She trailed off, "Because you're Grand Commandeur and I'm one of your hired help." She scowled at the empty glass, "Because you're a man and I'm a woman and you have a lot of people who want to do what you say and I have to sneak my way into your apartment because people happily believe I'm your night's entertainment."

It made her good at her job.

But she hated the looks.

"So what 'purpose' are you going to give me?"

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 26 2008, 11:08 PM
But now Renaud was smiling. He had her. It might not last, but at least she had not changed enough that he couldn't string her along if he needed to. He finished off his own wine, then poured another glass, giving her a questioning look if she wanted any.

"That is the way the world is mademoiselle, we work within the world, we cannot change the rules. Nor the ones we are. That being said..." He pondered what to do with her. He didn't trust her yet, so it was better to keep her at hand until he once more was certain of her loyalties.

"You will once more work for the Empire. And if things go as planned, eventually I might need you in quite a distant place. A place where the word of women holds truer than the word of me." He smirked faintly at that. "But first I need to consolidate my position here."

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 26 2008, 11:19 PM
"There are all kinds of rules you can break. Along with other things," she smirked at the last of his requests, looking over at him as she shook her head toward the wine.

"A place where a woman was more respected than you?" She snorted a little, "Sounds strange. Do dogs fly and pigs walk upright?" Jolie flexed her hands absently, "And who needs to be out of the way for that to happen, M'sieur?"

She hated how easy it all was. But if that was the only sacrifice she'd have to make for some normalcy she supposed she'd have to make it. It didn't involve getting on her back for anyone. A rare commodity enough.

And that was good enough.

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 26 2008, 11:29 PM
"By all accounts it is a strange place. The Erins islands, isolationist little spot up north. It's on the verge of civil war, and as you know mademoiselle, war means opportunities. But where and when depends. Bonet is currently sailing there on a scouting mission, it is too soon to see what side the Empire should back in all of this."

He fingered the hilt of his gun with one hand, sipping the wine with another. "The last Grand Commandeur in this place was hopelessly corrupt. He's let several of the local magistrates near dependent on bribes. I do think it would ease matters if one of them succumbed to an accident. They are dealing with dangerous criminals after all, and I have enough evidence amassed that it would serve as an example to the rest."

He smirked a bit, fingering the gun. Just because the magistrates were beyond the reach of the law, didn't mean they were beyond his reach. Accidents did happen.

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 26 2008, 11:36 PM
"War..." She smiled a little, thinking back to the last one.

"I should still at least stab you, Renaud." She sighed a little, "It just feels too good to be back at it. In the service of the glorious empire." She smirked some and looked over at the man, taking knife in hand.

"You know you don't have to tell me why, Renaud. I'm not here to ask you a lot of questions. You won't tell me the truth."

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 26 2008, 11:46 PM
Renaud stiffened slightly, eying the knife. Always the knives. The woman had an inappropriate relationship with them. "Very well. The name of the man is Magistrate Francesco Gentilini. It should preferably be done soon." He put down the glass, still fingering the gun, pondering the woman in front of him.

She would be useful. She had always been useful. And dangerous.

"I am not as resilient as I once were... you should remember that." But he made no real move to dissuade her.

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 26 2008, 11:52 PM
She shrugged, watching the way his eyes followed the blade.

Jolie recognized the look and put down her glass, tucking the blade back into the battered dress, "Mess or no?"

Stepping closer to the man, she leaned toward him, dark eyes staring at his with a sudden anger, "Don't get ideas, M'sieur. I know how much your loyalty is worth." She frowned a little, "And I can see how resilient you have become." She flexed her hands then, "I won't forget."

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 26 2008, 11:56 PM
"Mess." Renaud grimaced faintly, putting down the glass of wine. It was a gamble as always, but he'd gambled with this woman before. She was not a player, she was the dice, and she usually rolled him sevens. It was worth a bit of inconvenience for that.

So, with a look of distaste on his face he stood, slowly pulling out the gun and putting it down on the table behind him. "You always did adore your messes mademoiselle."

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 27 2008, 12:06 AM
She smiled slowly, closing her eyes.

And when she opened them, she seemed quite calm indeed.

"They prove a point." She smiled at the man then, an expression she didn't seem to feel. "And there is a lot less effort involved." She shrugged nonchalantly.

Because stealth was the hardest thing, truth to tell.

She realized it was wrong to enjoy such work so much. And she was no Black Widow or Great Dragon. She was just a mostly-dead girl.

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 27 2008, 12:09 AM
"The blade then I suppose, it would be fitting." Renaud had not taken his eyes from her during all this time. She was damaged, oh so very damaged. But useful. "Tell me then cherie..." His voice was almost soft as he reached out to touch her cheek. "Have you missed me even a little bit?"

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 29 2008, 02:35 PM
With a deliberate slowness, the woman reached up and took hold of his wrist, pulling it down away from her face, brown eyes looking down at the man's feet before looking back up to his face. "M'sieur, that's enough."

She cracked her neck a little, "I know my blades and I know my work. I've needed money. And something to do." She smiled a little before taking a step back.

"I wanted little more but to cripple you. Or to drop you on an island with a knife in your stomach." Jolie turned away then, "God help me, M'sieur Moreau, I don't know why you aren't dead already."

That was a lie.

He was alive because she'd been adrift too long. And the thought of having to do something after it, to try and become more than another woman in whatever city she was in all over again...

She'd suffer him to live for that.

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 29 2008, 11:36 PM
"I have been cheating death for a long time now mademoiselle. It seems that in the end, people find more use for me alive than dead. Including you." Renaud was still standing straight and rather stiff, as if he couldn't bring himself to relax around her.

No wonder really. The woman had never been well, but always too intense. And so very useful.

"And I will give you something to do. And money. You know that. There is always tomorrow to kill me" he offered agreeably.

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 29 2008, 11:43 PM
"Don't joke about that, M'sieur. You know I haven't a great sense of humour." She almost smiled before seeming to relax, holding up her glass.

Jolie looked one way and another, flexing her hands, "Another glass." She scowled some, looking over the man's shoulder and back to the door, then back to him. "...I'm not... how have you been? Besides choking on your own breath?"

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 29 2008, 11:54 PM
"Who said it was a joke? You know what stakes I play with Mademoiselle Nanton. And I am one man here, with one crew, in a country where I don't know who to trust. It is easier to trust a woman you know whats to put a knife in your throat." Renaud bowed slightly, then poured her another glass, hands steady.

"Once I was promoted to Grand Commandeur in the wreath, things quieted down. You know how scares resources were... but when we finally got the order to deal with the pirates once and for all, I was transferred here. It's been... interesting. The Empire has been keeping me busy. Other than that? Not much." He never had much personal life.

Except... "You would not know. Kuleliti is finally dead. I can't wait for the woman's head to arrive here."

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 30 2008, 12:05 AM
Jolie smirked a little, sipping her wine. She was somewhere where she had SOME footing, at least. And that was no reason to let herself get as drunk as she wanted to be.

"Do I dare to ask what you plan to do with it?" She smiled over at the man, realizing suddenly how common she must seem now.

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 30 2008, 12:10 AM
"I'm not sure Mademoiselle. Gloat to it. Piss on it. Use it as a paperweight." Renaud shrugged, watching the woman.

"I have it on good authority that she is dead, but until I see it I won't believe it. She's been rumored dead before."

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 30 2008, 12:17 AM
"Rumours of death are exaggerated sometimes." The girl almost smiled at the man, "By people who'd rather it was true, usually." She narrowed her eyes briefly at the man before shrugging and sipping at her wine, slowly stepping around the room on quiet feet.

"So what DO they have you doing now that she's apparently dead, Renaud? Signing papers?"

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 30 2008, 12:22 AM
"Oh, I never minded the paper. How else would you find a paper trail to follow." Renaud smiled a bit to himself, looking smug. "As I said, the Empire is gearing up for expansion once more. I am just a simple man greasing certain wheels... and scouting the paths. Cecilia here... it is a nest worse than the Wreaths were, at least there the people were corrupt but competent. Here they are incompetent and corrupt. or worse, honest but stupid." He rolled his eyes.

"Bonet has gone north, into the Erins. But I'm not certain I trust him anymore... the man had the balls to blackmail me."

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 30 2008, 12:27 AM
"DID he?" Jolie smirked a little at that, sipping her wine, "Good for him. You don't get blackmailed enough." She looked around the room, touching the wall. "And this place... honest and stupid is easy enough to break. And between us there are enough incompetents to redirect or clean up."

She shrugged some, "Looking to have an empire of your own, M'sieur?"

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 30 2008, 12:40 AM
"Mademoiselle, what need would I have of a country of my own. I am loyal to the Empire. That is the strength of a country, it does not fail you like people do." He bowed slightly, chuckling a bit at Bonet. "Oh I do admire his balls. He wanted a promotion, a sum of money and a medal. Perhaps he's worried I am holding a grudge."

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 30 2008, 12:46 AM
"I'd almost forgotten what a believer you are," murmured the woman, shaking her head and downing the last of her wine. "It's nice to hear that you kept your sunny disposition." She shrugged some, "I thought I was the dour one."

"Money and a medal? Is that all?" Jolie let herself sink onto a chair in the room, "I would have held out for a ship of my own. Or a city."

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 30 2008, 12:49 AM
"Ah, the man is too much of a realist. He was always thinking small. If he ever let go of that tiresome resistance to his true talents, he'd have risen further already. Instead he was satisfied as my aide-de-camp, and with picking fights and sleeping with sailors on the side. Such a waste. But at least I managed to get him to do one final service..." Renaud smiled faintly, looking amused

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 30 2008, 12:51 AM
"Maybe he just likes being under you." She smirked at the man for a moment before setting her glass on the floor, crossing her legs modestly. She'd always wondered what was going on with that man... "And what service was that?"

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 30 2008, 12:55 AM
There Renaud did flinch a bit, giving her a stern look for that comment. It seemed to be a bit of a touchy subject, Bonet wanting to be under him.

"The commendation he blackmailed me into getting him... I arranged so that it was for sinking Kuleliti's ship. It was sunk a few weeks earlier, and I wanted him to be a target. The witch might be dead, but there is still a daughter to contend with."

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 30 2008, 12:58 AM
Jolie chuckled at that, no small part of her liking to see the man squirming like that. "Renaud Moreau throwing someone between himself and someone who wouldn't mind peeling his skull with her teeth? Never would have imagined."

The woman absently played a coin between her fingers, looking over at the man curiously, "So what of the daughter?"

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 30 2008, 01:04 AM
"She is her mother's daughter. Apparently she has pretending to be her for the last years, she would take up the mantle." Renaud siched, swirling the drink in his glass.

"I want her brought in alive. I made Bonet swear to that. If she goes after him... which she might, I hope he remembers it."

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 30 2008, 01:07 AM
"I wouldn't. Crazy sharp-toothed witch came after me..." She shook her head slowly, "So why do you care if she's alive or not? She's better dead. Dead and fed to whatever monsters she keeps on hand. No cleanup needed. Set the boat on fire on your way out."

Let 'em all burn up.

"Hope the daughter doesn't have one of her own, hm? A scary thought. A whole army of her..."

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 30 2008, 01:09 AM
"She's young. Must be... twenty four by now." There was a strange tone to his voice, suppressed pain and worry. "It was twenty four years now since I escaped her ship."

Jolie could do the math.

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 30 2008, 01:12 AM
The woman raised her brow at Renaud, letting his statement hang in the air for a moment before speaking, "She might've started early. And in my experience, viciousness is a lot easier when you're young." Jolie grinned a little at that, "Have to hope she doesn't hold much of a grudge."

"I always did wonder how you ended up not on the menu..."

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 30 2008, 01:16 AM
"She has her own way of recruiting people. Even white devil redcoats. Ways of making sure she can trust them. HAD I mean... merde, it is hard to think of the woman as dead."

"It was a long time ago. But she is my daughter. I fear I shall not have another." He looked a bit ill at ease about that, but it was true.

He'd slept with enough women now that if it should happen again, it would have.

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 30 2008, 01:18 AM
"...ah."

For a long moment the woman was quiet before looking up at the man, "If it's up to me, it'll be short, then."

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 30 2008, 01:20 AM
"You do not lay one finger on her Nanton. Or... at least do not kill her. I want her alive and I mean it." Renaud was looking straight at the woman now, a bit of the old smolder back in his eyes. "If she needs to die, I will do it myself."

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 30 2008, 01:22 AM
Her lips curled into a smile then, a slow thing.

Then she inclined her head to one side in assent, "Alive. I have to say, I never imagined you for a sentimental type." She shrugged some.

"Or is it just for her?"

Posted by: Renaud Moreau Jul 30 2008, 01:28 AM
"I have not even met her. I am not going to order my own flesh and blood killed without laying eyes on her first. I never even knew she existed until a few months ago." Renaud shook his head, stifling a cough.

"Or perhaps you are right. Maybe I am getting sentimental in my advancing years."

Death approaching... it made you think.

Posted by: Jolie Nanton Jul 30 2008, 01:30 AM
"Ah, turning into an old man." She smiled a little then, "But, then, I must be getting older, too, seeing as you're getting older still."

Or maybe she'd just seen the alternatives.

"She'll try and kill you first. You know that, don't you? If she's one of them..." She shook her head.

"But, then, that'll at least be fun to see."

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