Quinn du Paras
Aristocrat
His Lord the Future Duc du Paras, House Paras; engaged to Joie de Mornay
Posts: 1,898
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Post by Quinn du Paras on Jun 10, 2009 22:27:16 GMT -5
It had been too long since I’d seen Lucien and I’d sent him a note arranging to meet for a drink. I found a table off to the side but still in the midst of things where he could see me when he arrived.
I ordered a couple of ales and waited for him to arrive, looking forward to see him again.
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Lucien de Clairmont
Noble
Sovereign Duc of Siovale; Baron de Clairmont
Son of Charles and Rosetta de Clairmont
Posts: 1,079
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Post by Lucien de Clairmont on Jun 11, 2009 2:19:09 GMT -5
It seemed that we were going to drink in style. I had to admit, being welcomed without question into places like this was one of the perks of the job. Mindful of where Quinn had suggested, I had worn nice clothing, some of the new stuff that the clothier had dubbed ‘casual courtier’: a lightweight forest green vest with silver embroidery at the collar.
Upon entering, I spotted Quinn immediately and headed over, a grin on my face. “They let you in here?” I asked teasingly, plopping down in the seat across from him.
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Quinn du Paras
Aristocrat
His Lord the Future Duc du Paras, House Paras; engaged to Joie de Mornay
Posts: 1,898
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Post by Quinn du Paras on Jun 11, 2009 13:12:15 GMT -5
“For a price,” I said with a grin. “Though I’m sure it wasn’t as much as you had to pay.”
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Lucien de Clairmont
Noble
Sovereign Duc of Siovale; Baron de Clairmont
Son of Charles and Rosetta de Clairmont
Posts: 1,079
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Post by Lucien de Clairmont on Jun 11, 2009 21:25:16 GMT -5
"Well I'm a Duc now, I can afford it," I replied with a laugh. "So how have you been old friend?"
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Quinn du Paras
Aristocrat
His Lord the Future Duc du Paras, House Paras; engaged to Joie de Mornay
Posts: 1,898
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Post by Quinn du Paras on Jun 11, 2009 21:44:40 GMT -5
“Good, very good,” I said after taking a drink of ale. “Better than I could pray for. What about you? How are you finding the City now that you’ve been here awhile?”
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Lucien de Clairmont
Noble
Sovereign Duc of Siovale; Baron de Clairmont
Son of Charles and Rosetta de Clairmont
Posts: 1,079
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Post by Lucien de Clairmont on Jun 12, 2009 0:28:07 GMT -5
"Still horridly busy, but I'm slowly getting used to it. The company certainly helps," I replied with a grin, not meaning just Quinn, though he surely didn't know that yet.
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Quinn du Paras
Aristocrat
His Lord the Future Duc du Paras, House Paras; engaged to Joie de Mornay
Posts: 1,898
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Post by Quinn du Paras on Jun 12, 2009 0:32:11 GMT -5
“That’s one thing that’s easy to find in the city – company,” I said, grinning. “Especially for a well funded Duc, even if he’s as ugly as you.”
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Lucien de Clairmont
Noble
Sovereign Duc of Siovale; Baron de Clairmont
Son of Charles and Rosetta de Clairmont
Posts: 1,079
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Post by Lucien de Clairmont on Jun 12, 2009 1:08:23 GMT -5
I took a drink of ale, making a sound of appreciation. It was good. "I'll have you know that at least one woman in this place thinks I'm attractive," I replied with a grin.
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Quinn du Paras
Aristocrat
His Lord the Future Duc du Paras, House Paras; engaged to Joie de Mornay
Posts: 1,898
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Post by Quinn du Paras on Jun 12, 2009 13:18:36 GMT -5
“She must be foreign…and dazzled by the idea of d’Angeline beauty,” I said, still grinning.
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Lucien de Clairmont
Noble
Sovereign Duc of Siovale; Baron de Clairmont
Son of Charles and Rosetta de Clairmont
Posts: 1,079
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Post by Lucien de Clairmont on Jun 13, 2009 22:31:50 GMT -5
"Nope, she's D'Angeline as can be," I replied. "Remember how I told you that I was meeting with Princess Phreya?"
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Quinn du Paras
Aristocrat
His Lord the Future Duc du Paras, House Paras; engaged to Joie de Mornay
Posts: 1,898
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Post by Quinn du Paras on Jun 13, 2009 22:35:37 GMT -5
I choked on my swallow of ale, feeling it burn as it went up my nose.
“You’re joking!” I exclaimed once I could speak.
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Lucien de Clairmont
Noble
Sovereign Duc of Siovale; Baron de Clairmont
Son of Charles and Rosetta de Clairmont
Posts: 1,079
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Post by Lucien de Clairmont on Jun 13, 2009 23:10:50 GMT -5
I reached over and clapped on his back to make sure that he didn't choke completely. "Not at all. We're courting now."
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Quinn du Paras
Aristocrat
His Lord the Future Duc du Paras, House Paras; engaged to Joie de Mornay
Posts: 1,898
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Post by Quinn du Paras on Jun 13, 2009 23:15:23 GMT -5
“Elua’s balls, Lucien!” I said, wide-eyed and dumbfounded. “Do you love her?”
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Lucien de Clairmont
Noble
Sovereign Duc of Siovale; Baron de Clairmont
Son of Charles and Rosetta de Clairmont
Posts: 1,079
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Post by Lucien de Clairmont on Jun 13, 2009 23:24:28 GMT -5
"I care for her," I replied, my grin fading. He wasn't reacting with joy, just surprise. "A lot. You were the one who said someone would catch my eye right away."
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Quinn du Paras
Aristocrat
His Lord the Future Duc du Paras, House Paras; engaged to Joie de Mornay
Posts: 1,898
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Post by Quinn du Paras on Jun 13, 2009 23:27:25 GMT -5
“Oh, I know,” I said, feeling bad for ruining his happy moment. “I’m just shocked. I thought I was going to be the one with the big news.” I smiled and reached over, squeezing his arm. “I’m happy for you, really. I just can’t believe it happened so fast. It must be something in the water here in the City, both of us paired up so quickly.”
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Lucien de Clairmont
Noble
Sovereign Duc of Siovale; Baron de Clairmont
Son of Charles and Rosetta de Clairmont
Posts: 1,079
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Post by Lucien de Clairmont on Jun 13, 2009 23:43:45 GMT -5
"Good. I thought for a moment that you were going to tell me that it was a bad idea," I said with a wry smile. "But what's your big news?"
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Quinn du Paras
Aristocrat
His Lord the Future Duc du Paras, House Paras; engaged to Joie de Mornay
Posts: 1,898
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Post by Quinn du Paras on Jun 14, 2009 0:26:19 GMT -5
“It can wait,” I said, smiling. “Tell me more about you and Phreya.”
My mind raced, wondering if Phreya had told him about the time she and I had been together. Gods, how was I to bring it up subtly?
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Lucien de Clairmont
Noble
Sovereign Duc of Siovale; Baron de Clairmont
Son of Charles and Rosetta de Clairmont
Posts: 1,079
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Post by Lucien de Clairmont on Jun 14, 2009 0:56:31 GMT -5
His smile put me at ease again, for I never knew Quinn to lie.
"Well, we met for drinks as planned, and ended up going for a ride outside the City walls. And we got along well. Really well," I said with a grin. "And then we ended up going to Siovale together. She is just amazing Quinn, I don't know how I'm so lucky."
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Quinn du Paras
Aristocrat
His Lord the Future Duc du Paras, House Paras; engaged to Joie de Mornay
Posts: 1,898
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Post by Quinn du Paras on Jun 14, 2009 12:46:12 GMT -5
“She is quite nice,” I agreed with a smile. “I met her at a party once.”
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Lucien de Clairmont
Noble
Sovereign Duc of Siovale; Baron de Clairmont
Son of Charles and Rosetta de Clairmont
Posts: 1,079
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Post by Lucien de Clairmont on Jun 14, 2009 17:04:36 GMT -5
"Oh, I didn't know the two of you had met," I said, thinking it odd that Phreya hadn't mentioned it when we spoke of my time in House Paras. But then, it had probably slipped her mind.
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Quinn du Paras
Aristocrat
His Lord the Future Duc du Paras, House Paras; engaged to Joie de Mornay
Posts: 1,898
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Post by Quinn du Paras on Jun 14, 2009 18:09:15 GMT -5
“I must not have made an impression,” I said, chuckling and trying to cover what I was really thinking. “So, do you see a future for you two?”
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Lucien de Clairmont
Noble
Sovereign Duc of Siovale; Baron de Clairmont
Son of Charles and Rosetta de Clairmont
Posts: 1,079
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Post by Lucien de Clairmont on Jun 14, 2009 19:02:33 GMT -5
"Well I'm courting her aren't I?" I pointed out with a chuckle. I continued a tad more seriously. "There's certainly something between us. Whether or not it's love..." I shrugged. "I don't know yet."
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Quinn du Paras
Aristocrat
His Lord the Future Duc du Paras, House Paras; engaged to Joie de Mornay
Posts: 1,898
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Post by Quinn du Paras on Jun 14, 2009 19:04:10 GMT -5
“As long as you’re happy,” I said, smiling and reaching over to clasp his shoulder. “I wish you all the best my friend.”
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Lucien de Clairmont
Noble
Sovereign Duc of Siovale; Baron de Clairmont
Son of Charles and Rosetta de Clairmont
Posts: 1,079
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Post by Lucien de Clairmont on Jun 14, 2009 19:14:12 GMT -5
"Thanks. I think I'll need it if I want to keep her," I replied with a grin. "She's the kind of woman a simple Camaeline man only dreams about."
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Quinn du Paras
Aristocrat
His Lord the Future Duc du Paras, House Paras; engaged to Joie de Mornay
Posts: 1,898
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Post by Quinn du Paras on Jun 14, 2009 21:51:27 GMT -5
“Do tell,” I said, grinning.
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Lucien de Clairmont
Noble
Sovereign Duc of Siovale; Baron de Clairmont
Son of Charles and Rosetta de Clairmont
Posts: 1,079
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Post by Lucien de Clairmont on Jun 14, 2009 22:52:58 GMT -5
I grinned and leaned in, lowering my voice. "Well, you've met her, so I don't need to tell you how beautiful she is, and the curves given to her by the gods. On top of that, she has the smarts, the education, the humour, the rank. And she's absolutely fantastic when I get her alone." My grin turned impish, and I knew there was no way Quinn would miss my meaning.
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Quinn du Paras
Aristocrat
His Lord the Future Duc du Paras, House Paras; engaged to Joie de Mornay
Posts: 1,898
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Post by Quinn du Paras on Jun 14, 2009 22:57:22 GMT -5
I blushed and tried to cover my uncomfortableness with another drink of ale. Ah gods, this was not going to be easy.
“Sounds like she’s everything you could want,” I said, grinning and hoping he wouldn’t be too curious. “So, my turn for news now?”
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Lucien de Clairmont
Noble
Sovereign Duc of Siovale; Baron de Clairmont
Son of Charles and Rosetta de Clairmont
Posts: 1,079
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Post by Lucien de Clairmont on Jun 14, 2009 23:18:04 GMT -5
There again was the odd reaction. For some reason, I got the impression that Quinn didn't approve. My grin faded again. "Only if you promise to tell me if you think I'm making a mistake," I replied. His opinion mattered a lot to me, for he was like a brother. If something was hinky about Phreya, I wanted to know now.
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Quinn du Paras
Aristocrat
His Lord the Future Duc du Paras, House Paras; engaged to Joie de Mornay
Posts: 1,898
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Post by Quinn du Paras on Jun 14, 2009 23:23:41 GMT -5
I realized I’d been avoiding his eyes and I sighed softly. I couldn’t keep things from Lucien, he knew me too well. I was a bad liar at the best of times and it had never worked with him.
“I don’t think you’re making a mistake Lucien, I promise,” I said, my voice softer so it carried only to him. “Phreya is a wonderful woman.” I looked up finally, making myself meet his gaze as I confessed to him. “It’s just…when I said I met her, that wasn’t all that happened. It was at the Shahrizai Longest Night party and we…” I searched for the right words. “We had some time alone.”
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Lucien de Clairmont
Noble
Sovereign Duc of Siovale; Baron de Clairmont
Son of Charles and Rosetta de Clairmont
Posts: 1,079
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Post by Lucien de Clairmont on Jun 14, 2009 23:33:58 GMT -5
I blinked once, and then raised a single brow. I was under no illusion that Phreya hadn't enjoyed her youth, but Quinn? That would have been a little much even for Elua to handle without the stirrings of jealousy. I clamped down on them though, at least until I got the full story.
"Anything I should know about?" I asked evenly. "Whispered promises, heated arguments, scars?"
It wasn't just the jealousy of knowing he had been with my lamb. It was the setting. I knew Phreya had fantasies that I could never fulfill. Had she found them at this Shahrizai fete with Quinn?
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