Alayne Lombard
Citizen
Employee at the Bath House
Lost child of the Deveroix household.
Posts: 329
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Post by Alayne Lombard on Aug 12, 2011 11:10:38 GMT -5
I was positively boiling. A thing of great beauty or great terror. Really? Really, Florian? You, who told me to hide away my body because it was distracting. People were dying at war, I was worrying myself sick about Yves since my last letter to him, people were hungry, people were poor, people were, all in all, in dire need of something better than this and all he could write about was some foreign peer's cunt?
Even if I didn't embrace his desire for a bloodbath, I agreed with some of the things he wrote but this, this, in all truth, it was empty. It held no great truth, and it was rousing me more against him than against the Dauphin, who could, for all I care, fuck the whole palace if he wished.
I'd stormed into the Traveller's Inn, glared at the barkeep (of course he had to recognize me), and stomped, even flounced, all the way to the table where I'd met the Prissy Fuck the first time.
I ordered an ale to settle my nerves, paid it absently, and waited, eyes staring at the door, as if I could burn a whole through it, tapping my foot.
You'd better wander this way, Florian. If you don't, I'll make you swallow your goddamn pamphlet next time you come to the bathhouse, I growled to myself.
The pamphlet, was lying on the table, heedlessly.
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Post by Raisa Valois on Aug 13, 2011 3:32:19 GMT -5
The search for Cascata had proven a little more fruitful, though still was rather taxing. Not to mention all the work with the house though Flower and the rest of the gang had been an invaluable and unexpected blessing. To take my mind off things for a while I'd begun to spend some more time around Night's Doorstep, hoping that it would help me to clear my head as well.
When I arrived at the Traveller's Inn it was business as usual, though there seemed to be a louder hum of gossip than was normal. For a moment I merely looked around, then spotted an unmistakeable mop of red hair.
"Alayne!" Genuinely happy to see her, I more or less skipped to the table she was sitting at, but my smile faltered when I took note of her smouldering expression.
"Are you all right?" I asked, then noticed the pamphlet on the table. Ah! Another issue of the La Voix. Still standing, I picked it up and began to read, my face blanching at its contents. The last two issues, though rather cynical and in Lady de Trevalion's case, cruel; they at least held a sort of righteous and justifiable indignation.
This was just... crude.
I looked at Alayne, remembering our conversation about this mysterious pamphlet author and realised I would probably take back a lot of the quiet respect I'd had for him.
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Alayne Lombard
Citizen
Employee at the Bath House
Lost child of the Deveroix household.
Posts: 329
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Post by Alayne Lombard on Aug 13, 2011 10:06:14 GMT -5
For every moment the door opened, I looked up hopefully, not perking up, but summoning my anger, in case I could throw something at him. When it swung open to let Raisa through, though, I felt myself deflate a little, and tried to smile, faltering because my bad mood plainly got in the way.
I'd reached to touch her hand in a friendly way nonetheless, and had waved at the thing on the table dismissively, looking again at the door while she read it, and after a moment, I was just lost in my musings, in how angry I was because it was my work tool he was dismissing, degrading, in the foreign woman's cunt.
“I'm pissed off,” I said finally, when I'd startled out of my contemplation. “And I'm disappointed.”
I thought he could do better – in fact, I thought he was better. If everyone was as angry as I was, his revolution was headed straight to a disaster.
“-- what do you think of it?”
I didn't expect prim and proper Raisa to be any less angry than I. If anything, she might well be disgusted, and I wouldn't blame her.
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Post by Raisa Valois on Aug 14, 2011 3:47:09 GMT -5
"I think it's sordid," I wrinkled my nose in distaste as I skimmed over it again. "It's little more than lewd rumourmongering. At least with the last two issues I could sympathise with his ideas about how money could be better spent, and the fact we recklessly flew headlong on into war. But it seems that now he's just trying too hard to rile things up."
Tossing the pamphlet back onto the table, I took a seat. "And really, who cares if the Dauphin is in love with this Lady de Lucca? He is not the one in charge, the Queen is running this country now. And isn't love as thou wilt the precept you all live by? I personally see no problem with the prince being in love with a foreign woman of good repute. I don't understand why he published such a petty piece. It makes me wonder if he's actually doing anything productive to address the genuine issues he's brought up before, apart from simply making pamphlets and asking rhetorical questions."
I took a deep breath and looked back up at Alayne, wondering how she'd respond to my thoughts. I couldn't help but think there might be something else about this, apart from the disappointing content, that had upset her so.
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Alayne Lombard
Citizen
Employee at the Bath House
Lost child of the Deveroix household.
Posts: 329
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Post by Alayne Lombard on Aug 14, 2011 12:14:26 GMT -5
Oh, Elua, was there something else. He had a way into the palace, he said. He wanted to kill them all, royalty, nobility, all of them.
A madman with a kind heart and ideas that ranged from brilliant to utterly sick. Oh, Florian – he was quite something.
“It makes you wonder why he went and published it. It was like he had nothing better to publish, perhaps.”
I frowned, turned it over because I couldn't stand the words on the sheet.
“It's crude and --- you know, Raisa, I'm a whore. A cunt's a pretty damn important thing to a whore, and he just went and insulted it. Mine and every woman out there. Because noble or not, we all got one, and I'm just---”
I was profoundly unhappy with him, oh yes. It was harder to want to protect him, when he produced such filth.
“It's like he went out of his way to write something bad,” I said finally.
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Post by Raisa Valois on Aug 15, 2011 8:10:47 GMT -5
I nodded in agreement; it made sense that it offended her on a different, deeper level considering; and now that she pointed it out like that it was even more reason to be infuriated. The fact that he'd angered Alayne made me livid too, for some reason.
"Perhaps he did do it for sheer spite. Who knows how his mind works? He sounds like a bitter old man with no other way to vent at the misfortunes of his life, and so, must resort to unleashing his resentment onto others."
Like as not, I was not being entirely fair with my own assumptions. Still, I was not advertising them to the world. I felt a momentary pang of guilt at my thoughts regardless. Maybe I might try to track down this mysterious author and find the cause for such behaviour.
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Alayne Lombard
Citizen
Employee at the Bath House
Lost child of the Deveroix household.
Posts: 329
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Post by Alayne Lombard on Aug 15, 2011 10:33:56 GMT -5
Sheer spite – was it spite at me for having been so blatant about my sexuality, or rather, about my work? But he came to the bathhouse. What else did he expect? It's not a bloody monastery, and I'm not a fucking Cassiline. Or fucking any Cassilines. Not that he is one. What was my mind going on about?
“No, I think he's very young,” I said, “and miserable, and maybe very self-absorbed, and perhaps he was thinking to stir the masses because he hates sex, but he forgot that this is Terre d'Ange and people here like sex.”
I frowned, looked at the pamphlet again, sighed.
“It's like he doesn't know his public.” It's like he doesn't know me.
How could he? Certainly, a small thought would have entered his selfish head, that I wouldn't like it, and if I didn't like it, it would be unlikely that Night's Doorstep would, not because I controlled it, but because I was one of many, and well.
Kind of his target audience.
Oh, Florian. Why?
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Post by Raisa Valois on Aug 16, 2011 7:59:34 GMT -5
I looked at her appraisingly. Her assessment had seemed rather familiar, she spoke as though she knew him. But what were the chances? If she did then he wouldn't have published something that was so upsetting to her, would he?
"If he's self absorbed he's probably too wrapped up in himself to care about what his public is like; just as long as he has an audience I guess he's satisfied. Makes you want to take him by the shoulders and shake him and ask him why on earth he'd say such things."
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Alayne Lombard
Citizen
Employee at the Bath House
Lost child of the Deveroix household.
Posts: 329
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Post by Alayne Lombard on Aug 17, 2011 22:46:54 GMT -5
“Aye, pretty much,” I drawled. I had to force myself not to glance at the door – what if he came in now? What of it? How would I handle this? “I mean, does he think only men would read this, and agree with it? What of men who like women? What of men who enjoy a good fuck?”
I shook my head and looked away, then sighed and took a long quaff of my mug.
“Hey, you're not drinking anything?”
For a subtle subject change, one had done better, I was sure. Then again, I didn't know what more to say. And I was a touch concerned about the barkeep – though it wasn't as if he would have known that the man I'd argued with here was responsible for the inflamatory paper on the table. Would he?
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Post by Raisa Valois on Aug 19, 2011 23:07:21 GMT -5
I was nodding in agreement, about to comment on his audience and how a lot of people besides ourselves would be offended, but then she asked a question and I stammered at the rather abrupt change in topic.
"Oh... I don't usually drink anything when I'm out. But I suppose it would be rude of me not to order something."
Belatedly, I realised she might have been waiting for someone, to have lunch maybe and I had just assumed she'd been waiting here alone. "I'm sorry! Were you expecting someone? I didn't mean to impose on your time."
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Alayne Lombard
Citizen
Employee at the Bath House
Lost child of the Deveroix household.
Posts: 329
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Post by Alayne Lombard on Aug 21, 2011 3:07:53 GMT -5
“He has lemonade at the bar, if you want something tame. Barkeep's a monarchist arse, though,” I replied, smiling a little, but still soberly. “And no, I guess not,” I replied.
It was a little white lie – I wasn't so much waiting for someone, as hoping to catch someone, and now, I was hoping I wouldn't, really.
With my anger deflated, I was more worried about the revolution – or the social change – than about my personal whatever-it-was that had made me so flustered. It was different – disapproval of the mind, not hurt of the heart.
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Post by Raisa Valois on Aug 24, 2011 5:56:55 GMT -5
She seemed a little more subdued now and I glanced at her in concern, then gave an apologetic smile. "Please excuse me for a moment, then."
I went to the bar and ordered a lemonade as she suggested, and another, slightly stronger drink as it seemed she had hardly touched her ale. Slipping back into my seat, I slid the cup across to her side of the table. "I hear it's a good drink for calming your worries. And even if you don't want to consume it we can always go find Sir La Voix and douse him with it."
As a jest it wasn't very funny, but I hoped it would at least make the situation a little lighter.
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Alayne Lombard
Citizen
Employee at the Bath House
Lost child of the Deveroix household.
Posts: 329
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Post by Alayne Lombard on Aug 24, 2011 22:35:15 GMT -5
Raisa had gone and come, and was setting a drink before me. “-- thank you,” I said, surprised and suddenly shyly pleased by her attention. “-- well, I guess we can always douse the prissy fuck if we ever find him. Or at least give him a good earful about treating women right,” I replied, my smile a bit lopsided.
“But anyway – how's your missie coming along? Find the girl yet?” I should hope so for her sake. I imagined her employer was a rather demanding fellow – like most aristos were.
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Post by Raisa Valois on Aug 24, 2011 22:57:30 GMT -5
"Oh... not yet... Slowly following clues though." I didn't mention de La Valette; I was under the impression his business flourished through secrecy and he would not appreciate whispers about specific clients. And Gil had warned against speaking or writing about it openly too. "Hopefully all the time and effort will pay off though."
It would also be harder now that Eric could no longer help. But at least I had something to go on.
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Alayne Lombard
Citizen
Employee at the Bath House
Lost child of the Deveroix household.
Posts: 329
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Post by Alayne Lombard on Aug 24, 2011 23:14:34 GMT -5
“Wellllll,” I drawled, and that made me smile. “Maaaaybe there is something for you to go on.”
I gave Raisa a cattish grin, and took a slow drink from the glass she'd brought me.
Of course, I intended to tell her what I'd found out from Yves's last letter... but I couldn't resist teasing her a little bit.
It was, I realized, that I was thinking of her as a friend. It was the first time in a while, the first time since Marie had gone to Alba, that I felt this comfortable with anyone. It was nice.
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Post by Raisa Valois on Aug 24, 2011 23:42:07 GMT -5
I blinked at her tone, my cup of lemonade suddenly forgotten as I pushed it aside and rested my arms on the table to lean in closer.
"Really? You've heard something?" Realising I sounded a little over eager I moved back slightly. "Something to go on like what?"
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Alayne Lombard
Citizen
Employee at the Bath House
Lost child of the Deveroix household.
Posts: 329
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Post by Alayne Lombard on Aug 28, 2011 9:32:29 GMT -5
“Well, I did some asking around,” I replied, feeling rather smug. “None the girls would speak of it, but then again, not everyone's my friend. But I got a friend who's got good eyes and ears in the bathhouse. He says some Danton fellow came out of the rooms one night, fairly drunk, and kept on muttering things about being expected in Siovale. Now, could be another Danton, and it's slim pickings I know, but that's what I got for you so far.”
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Post by Raisa Valois on Aug 29, 2011 7:32:37 GMT -5
It might be a slight chance, but she had managed to garner more information about Danton than I had been able to glean with my individual investigations. At least, for now, if my next meeting with Zephyr proved unproductive. Besides, I'd not heard of anyone by the last name of Danton, it could very well be the same person.
"Oh Alayne! Thank you, that is still more than I have been able to find out on my own," I gave her a hopeful look. "You don't think this friend of yours has heard anything else, by any chance?"
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Alayne Lombard
Citizen
Employee at the Bath House
Lost child of the Deveroix household.
Posts: 329
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Post by Alayne Lombard on Sept 1, 2011 22:56:37 GMT -5
“If he did, he didn't say,” I replied. “He's at war, y'know. Got other problems, if you get my meaning. But he'll come'round, he'd better, because if he don't, I'll go knock'm out in Terre-d'Ange-That-Lies-Beyond, or wherever t'is that they go.”
There was something fierce about it – I had too few friends to even consider losing one, one dear such as Yves, who was a brother to me. The bathhouse felt lonely without him.
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Post by Raisa Valois on Sept 4, 2011 6:38:12 GMT -5
"Oh... well, thank you, and him when he returns." My excitement at the new lead dampened a little, giving way to new concern over Alayne. She wore an expression like... she'd been left behind. I would pray to Yeshua and Adonai, that this friend returned safely.
"Are you all right?" I'd already asked the question before, in regards to the pamphlet, but now I was asking for the sake of finding out how she was really feeling, about everything.
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Alayne Lombard
Citizen
Employee at the Bath House
Lost child of the Deveroix household.
Posts: 329
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Post by Alayne Lombard on Sept 7, 2011 8:04:35 GMT -5
I felt my lips twitch a little. “I – I suppose I'm fine,” I said, and really, between Hal and Yves gone at war, and Necthan simply having vanished, I wasn't sure how I felt anymore.
I took a deep breath, and said, “If I was a rich aristo, bet I'd hire me a nice fine sleuth like you, help me find the missin'. As it is, guess I'll just wait.”
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Post by Raisa Valois on Sept 12, 2011 22:35:02 GMT -5
I frowned, a little disconcerted. Was she looking for someone then too? "Well, if you ever need an extra pair of eyes and ears I'm around."
Briefly, I considered mentioning de La Valette, but maybe that wasn't the sort of detective Alayne needed.
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Alayne Lombard
Citizen
Employee at the Bath House
Lost child of the Deveroix household.
Posts: 329
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Post by Alayne Lombard on Sept 19, 2011 19:49:03 GMT -5
“Well,” I said, and I nibbled my lip a little. “There's some's kind of disappeared, y'see. Not that he's terribly important,” though he was, “but I'd kinda like where he went, seeing as he wasn't off to the front lines or things like that.”
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Post by Raisa Valois on Sept 24, 2011 8:20:45 GMT -5
I couldn't help but be curious. "If you're willing to tell me his name I'll see what I can find out about him. Only if you want me to of course."
If anything I could at least help finding out the places he wouldn't be at.
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Alayne Lombard
Citizen
Employee at the Bath House
Lost child of the Deveroix household.
Posts: 329
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Post by Alayne Lombard on Sept 24, 2011 23:55:12 GMT -5
I took a moment to try to decide – and honestly, I trusted Raisa, and it wasn't like Necthan had asked me to keep him secret, or like there was any risk in it.
“Necthan,” I said softly. “Necthan Seith-Nun. He's.... well. He looks like a devil.”
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Post by Raisa Valois on Sept 29, 2011 20:29:23 GMT -5
"Necthan... that's not a D'Angeline name is it?" I mused. "When was the last time you saw him?"
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Alayne Lombard
Citizen
Employee at the Bath House
Lost child of the Deveroix household.
Posts: 329
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Post by Alayne Lombard on Oct 1, 2011 1:14:07 GMT -5
“Alban,” I said after a bit. “But he's too beautiful to be pure blood and he didn't have...” I paused and gestured to my face, “you know, the marks.”
That made me think, maybe I should write to Marie and ask – but maybe she'd be too busy, what with being with the future king and all.
Some girls have all the luck.
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Post by Raisa Valois on Oct 1, 2011 7:42:06 GMT -5
"Hmm..." I nodded. "Well, I think that's enough to go on. I'll let you know what I find."
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Alayne Lombard
Citizen
Employee at the Bath House
Lost child of the Deveroix household.
Posts: 329
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Post by Alayne Lombard on Oct 3, 2011 16:58:58 GMT -5
I couldn't help but be amazed, and I stared at Raisa, a moment. “Really? You know, I don't really have... er...”
Suddenly it felt stupid, telling her I didn't have money to pay.
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Post by Raisa Valois on Oct 3, 2011 17:39:07 GMT -5
It took a while for me to realise what she was trying to say, and when I did I shook my head profusely.
"Oh no. I wouldn't ask that of you!" I smiled at her. "We're friends right? That's how it works."
The bar was filling up, reminding me what time it was. "I had better get going. I'll try to find out what I can about Nechtan." Standing up, I gave her a hug around the shoulders and left the Inn.
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