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Post by Prince Reese de Somerville on Apr 21, 2008 15:57:49 GMT -5
I was bored, going out of my mind bored. My card game didn't start for several more hours, I had little to occupy me at my rented rooms. And I needed to do ANYTHING beside dwell on Juliette and the upcoming festival.
So I was swilling cheap drinks in this dive again. Not my favorite place to loiter, but the chances of something interesting, i.e. a fight or bar brawl, occurring was higher than at the more reputable establishments I frequented. Really, I just wanted to see some sport and have a good laugh at someone else's expense till it was time to be off.
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Prince Gratien de Somerville
Royal
His Highness the Comte d'Azur and Prince of the Blood; House Somerville
Married to Lola de las Aragonia. Brother of Azabel, Reese & Pierre de Somerville
Posts: 1,486
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Post by Prince Gratien de Somerville on May 2, 2008 13:26:35 GMT -5
I had spoken to some people who I knew were aquaintances of Reese and had finally tracked him down at Le Poulet Gauche. I walked with heavy strides into the tavern stopping only to look around and find where Reese was. He was easy to find and I walked toward him pulling out a chair and sitting next to him, my gaze locked on him.
"Reese." I said calmly.
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Post by Prince Reese de Somerville on May 2, 2008 14:02:59 GMT -5
Buggery Hells.
Gratien, cool as you please, dropped into the seat across from me, looking non-homicidal, a plus. Minus, he was here at all. Plus, there were witnesses if he tried to murder me. Minus, no one was likely to stop him from murdering me, not in this hell hole. A good brawl was worth watching, not interrupting.
Not good.
Keeping my body relaxed, as much as I could, I sat up a bit straighter and picked up my drink. Downing the contents I slammed it on the table and gave Gratien my patented nonchalant grin.
"Which god did I spite to deserve this unexpected pleasure?"
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Prince Gratien de Somerville
Royal
His Highness the Comte d'Azur and Prince of the Blood; House Somerville
Married to Lola de las Aragonia. Brother of Azabel, Reese & Pierre de Somerville
Posts: 1,486
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Post by Prince Gratien de Somerville on May 2, 2008 14:12:39 GMT -5
"Shut up." I said shortly.
"Look, I'm going to lay it out plain and simple, if you think that you can take her from me, I won't stop you." I leaned onto the table keeping my gaze on him.
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Post by Prince Reese de Somerville on May 2, 2008 15:27:50 GMT -5
Shit. Of all the pestilent whores to have whelped a son, why did he have to be born to my mother? I knew what he meant. Somehow, the rat bastard, had won her back. And she was more fool than he for taking him back. By Kushiel's Stone, I'd have clarification. Always know the rules, so you can violate them.
"Take her from you? You left her. Nothing to take from you. Besides, she's a woman, not a hand of cards or a horse. She'll make up her own mind. And you have more bad marks against you in her books than I do right now. So sod off, with your grand gestures and rot." I leaned away from him, ready to kick him in the face if he tried to come after me again. I wouldn't be sucker punched twice by the long reached bastard.
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Prince Gratien de Somerville
Royal
His Highness the Comte d'Azur and Prince of the Blood; House Somerville
Married to Lola de las Aragonia. Brother of Azabel, Reese & Pierre de Somerville
Posts: 1,486
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Post by Prince Gratien de Somerville on May 2, 2008 16:11:48 GMT -5
"Then prove me a bastard Reese," I through my hands up, palm up, and leaned back. "You said she didn't deserve to be with me, prove me wrong. If you're too afraid to go for it then fine, I accept your withdrawal happily." I smiled actually enjoying the interaction.
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Post by Prince Reese de Somerville on May 4, 2008 20:53:34 GMT -5
All pretense and jollity left my face smooth and blank as glass as I looked at him and rapidly calculated. What was his angle? What the buggering hells had gone on between the two of them? What was he offering?
Still thinking, I splayed my hands on the scarred surface of the table, feeling the gin sodden wood and letting it ground me. "What, exactly, are you saying Gratien? Spell it out for me, I don't want to misunderstand this. I withdraw from nothing, you were the one to do that. So explain to me this situation now, and your rules for it." I had a very good idea of what he was saying, and deep in my gut a curl of vicious pleasure bloomed. He wanted to play a game with me, the prize being Juliette. No trace of my feral delight showed on my face or in my eyes, just smooth caution.
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Prince Gratien de Somerville
Royal
His Highness the Comte d'Azur and Prince of the Blood; House Somerville
Married to Lola de las Aragonia. Brother of Azabel, Reese & Pierre de Somerville
Posts: 1,486
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Post by Prince Gratien de Somerville on May 4, 2008 22:41:52 GMT -5
"No rules dear brother." I said leaning back slightly. "If you think you are worthy enough for her then come and claim her. I won't stop you, I won't even bad mouth you. I'll tell Juliette to go alone to the Beltane fete, there you'll have your chance. Woe her if you must, and if you can take her away from me then she's your's. I'll walk away and never look back. One condition though..." I leaned forward. "If you do this, you can't look back. No more whores, no more sleeping around. She's it, for the rest of your life." I raised a brow. "Can you do that? Can you give everything up for her?"
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Post by Prince Reese de Somerville on May 5, 2008 9:57:54 GMT -5
This is what going mad must feel like. Or being pole-axed. Gratien was being far too rational, far to sane about this. There was a catch. Not just giving up my wicked ways. Something else. Naturally I stalled in order to think.
"I've only slept with two whores. Saffryn and a friend of our mother's. I never paid anything for the rest, just the pleasure of my company. Not the point, but I do have a reputation to maintain. Though no longer, if what you are saying is true. Why? Why walk away and give her up to me just like that? What's the catch other than my promised monogamy? I've already given up much for her, or did you forget that you banished me from the family home?"
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Prince Gratien de Somerville
Royal
His Highness the Comte d'Azur and Prince of the Blood; House Somerville
Married to Lola de las Aragonia. Brother of Azabel, Reese & Pierre de Somerville
Posts: 1,486
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Post by Prince Gratien de Somerville on May 5, 2008 15:18:02 GMT -5
I ignored his excuses and his comment about a family friend that he had slept with, though it ilicit a feeling of disgust. But his question made my face go cold and my body numb, my nostrils flared slightly as I thought. I exhaled and binked before bitting the inside of my cheek and answering.
"I need to know," I said softly. "I need to know if its true." I wouldn't, couldn't elaborate. I'd keep my mouth shut for now.
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Post by Prince Reese de Somerville on May 5, 2008 15:44:33 GMT -5
There he was, back to being the short tempered, homicidal brother I loved best. He looked on the edge of losing it, and barely restraining himself. An objective part of me admired his restraint, knew it cost him much to even look at me right now. The rest of me was scoffing at him for being such a poof about all this.
I was still skeptical, and couldn't just let it lie. "Need to know if what is true? If you're not good enough for her? I'd say that's true. If I'm not good enough for her? True as well. Or-" my brain boggled a little at this possibility but I said it anyway. "Or if it's true that she feels something for me in return?" That would be a twist.
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Prince Gratien de Somerville
Royal
His Highness the Comte d'Azur and Prince of the Blood; House Somerville
Married to Lola de las Aragonia. Brother of Azabel, Reese & Pierre de Somerville
Posts: 1,486
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Post by Prince Gratien de Somerville on May 5, 2008 20:40:38 GMT -5
I looked down as he spoke thinking on his words. When he finished I exhaled and looked up at him and calmy said.
"All of it." I said plainly and honestly.
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Post by Prince Reese de Somerville on May 5, 2008 22:31:32 GMT -5
"Oh." I mumbled, shocked again into quiet. Gratien was being honest. It was frightening. We had never been close enough to be honest with one another. At least not since we were very young and much more ignorant of the world and ourselves.
I coughed, clearing my throat and pushed the bottle of gin I had on the table toward him. It was as close as I would ever come to an apology.
"It all lies on her though. I won't push her if I'm not her choice. I'll fight tooth and nail to convince her, but if ultimately it's you she wants... I will hate you both for it, but I'll wish you well on your marriage day and be gone from your lives." Truth. If she chose him, I wouldn't ever be able to bear the sight of either of them again.
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Prince Gratien de Somerville
Royal
His Highness the Comte d'Azur and Prince of the Blood; House Somerville
Married to Lola de las Aragonia. Brother of Azabel, Reese & Pierre de Somerville
Posts: 1,486
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Post by Prince Gratien de Somerville on May 6, 2008 11:06:26 GMT -5
I looked at him then to the bottle and took it. Bringing it up to my lips I took a long sip then scrunched my face at the burn of it. I nodded at his words, understanding the truth of it.
"I don't know if I can marry her." I said taking another long drink and pushing the bottle back. I lent forward and laced my fingers in front of me. "Not after this." I sighed softly then lent back a bit against my chair. "Honestly, Reese I hope that she chooses you."
It was strange how all of these had taken me to Reese to the boundaries of our bonds -or lack there of- and back again.
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Post by Prince Reese de Somerville on May 6, 2008 22:59:20 GMT -5
More honesty, more sharing. The sentimentality of it made my skin crawl and my gut churn. I needed to puke, or punch him to dispel it.
Instead I took up the bottle and easily took a long swig, feeling my eyes water slightly at the burn. Ah, nothing like cheap gin to rot the soul.
"With my track record, it's unlikely, though I'm going to do my damnedest to convince her. She's probably better off without either of us. Doesn't mean I'm quitting, not hardly. I'm just saying 's all." I gave him a measured look, debating. Fuck it. I wanted to know and since we were being all rational- "Why did you leave her? It couldn't have all been due to me. I know you don't rate me that much of a disturbance to your calm."
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Prince Gratien de Somerville
Royal
His Highness the Comte d'Azur and Prince of the Blood; House Somerville
Married to Lola de las Aragonia. Brother of Azabel, Reese & Pierre de Somerville
Posts: 1,486
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Post by Prince Gratien de Somerville on May 7, 2008 14:53:14 GMT -5
I looked up at him and leaned back completely, my hand clasped together in my lap. "I don't know." I said softly. "Probably because I think that you deserve her more." I shrugged and stood from the table.
"Look, this isn't a game." I said leaning on the table with both hands. "I love Julie, I do. But I don't think we're meant to be together. I surprisingly think that despite your reputation, and if you could clean yourself up a bit, that you would make a pleasurable suitor to her." I stood straight and came over to where he was sitting.
"Strangely enough, I think you're right. I'm not a nice guy. I'm not some one she should love." I sighed. "Strangely enough I think she should love you, and even stranger I want to help. But if you're not willing to actualy work, if you're going to blow this with her, if you're just doing this just to get her into bed." I looked across the room then shook my head and looked back at him. "Then I'll kill you." I gave him a grim look, but a small half smile broke my face. "She's too special to have you destroy her."
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Post by Prince Reese de Somerville on May 7, 2008 16:43:04 GMT -5
Even as I knew how serious he was, how serious I was, I grinned right back. "Fair enough, brother, fair enough. I may even let you if everything fails. But it won't, I'm just that good." I snorted a laugh at myself and took another pull of gin.
"You off then, having warned me good and proper?"
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Prince Gratien de Somerville
Royal
His Highness the Comte d'Azur and Prince of the Blood; House Somerville
Married to Lola de las Aragonia. Brother of Azabel, Reese & Pierre de Somerville
Posts: 1,486
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Post by Prince Gratien de Somerville on May 7, 2008 17:01:58 GMT -5
I bit my inner cheek trying not to chuckle but allowed a small smile. "That good eh?" I muttered under my breath.
"I suppose I am," I said fully looking away then back at him. "Azabel misses you, you should come by the town house and see her."
With that I nodded to him and with heavy strides left the tavern before more could be said.
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