Eventide Marauder (Moriarty the Patriot Fanfic)

Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Favor

      A week after the birthday party, Duke Dreux-Soubize and Raoul were facing each other. Between them was a table and they sat on the opposite's sides.

Raoul was glaring at his uncle while the latter was wearing an unpleasant smug smile on his face as he checkmates Raoul's black king. The uncle and nephew are playing chess. And the Duke has won the game again.

" One more time? "

The Duke asked as he looked at the irritated look of his nephew.

" No! I'm not playing anymore. You know that I am shit in this game and would never win against you! "

" Language. "

The Duke chided and Raoul ignored him. He even has the gal to stick out his tongue at him.

A slight smile was revealed on the Duke's face at that behavior. Sometimes, even with his intelligence, there are moments where Raoul would reveal an unexpected childish behavior.

He also doesn't follow every one of his words or conform to the rules and standards that were taught to him by the tutors. His nephew was willful, doing anything that he wants and has a distant view. He was a very interesting child and also a mystery.

The Duke shook his head and get out of his reminiscing things about his nephew when he heard the sound of a fist hitting the table. His nephew has done a stupid move that harmed himself, but he was glaring at him.

" It was stupid!  "

Raoul said loudly and with annoyance.

" You know that I would never win chess against you, Uncle. Why did I even agree in the first place? It was stupid of me making that deal.. "

Raoul said to him. But Duke Dreux-Soubize was certain that the last part was a mutter that was never meant to be heard of him. But he can't help but also come up with an answer inside his mind.

Raoul stared at him again after lowering his head when he muttered. His golden eyes were narrowing at him.

" So, Uncle... Can you please be honest with me? I would never have a chance against you of winning the game. "

" How can you be certain of that? "

The Duke asked with amusement on his face. Raoul thought for a moment before answering.

" Well, I would have a chance..  but not right now. Maybe in a few years, I could win— Wait!.."

Raoul exclaimed and left his seat. He was now standing and glaring more fiercely at his uncle.

" You were deflecting the topic and throwing the conversation elsewhere. "

The Duke's expression becomes more amused. The standing Raoul glared at him and pounded his fist in the small table again while standing.

" I was... You were correct. "

" Uncle..."

Raoul sighed tiredly.

" Could you just please tell me the truth? I have been feeling irritable since you have used me as a bargaining chip to that Asshole. I didn't win once this past few days. I feel so used. "

Raoul said as a matter of fact. He was now looking at him emotionlessly. Duke Dreux-Soubize wince a little bit at that expression directed at him. He knows that when Raoul used that expression he was well past the anger and what he feels was more beyond the anger.

Weighing the facts and making things into consideration, Duke Dreux-Soubize decided to tell some things to his nephew. Tell some truths since he use his nephew as a bargaining chip and let him be kidnapped without his consent.

" I have bargained your spending some time with him a little bit in exchange for some favor. "

" Favor? "

Raoul asked intrigued.

" Could you please tell me how a crook thief could do you some favor? "

" Well, your father isn't an ordinary thief. "

Raoul didn't look too impressed. The Duke Dreux-Soubize thought with amusement for a moment before he continued.

" Since the day your mother has come into my home, I decided to investigate the circumstances other than her launching her tale of how she and your father have a falling out with each other. "

And how he thought for a bit to teach that guy some lessons but he didn't.

" I decided to have someone investigate your Father since that day. "

" So, you have someone stalking him since then? "

The Duke Dreux-Soubize twitched a bit when he heard Raoul praise his words like that.

" I didn't have someone stalking him, I just ordered someone to watch him. "

Raoul becomes more unimpressed.

" Stalking, Watching, Observing and Investigating. Different words with meanings. But definitions and words can be blurred and twisted. "

The Duke Dreux-Soubize stared as Raoul go back on sitting on his chair and started arranging the chess pieces in the board again.

" So what did you discover that he has to have you asked him a favor in exchange for a little bit of time with me? "

" In those few years, I have watched on how he went from a not so ordinary crook with an unusual background to becoming one of France's most powerful people in the underworld. "

After saying those words, Duke Dreux-Soubize watched his little nephew's reaction. He wasn't disappointed with what he was currently seeing right now. His little nephew was looking at him with a dumbfounded expression on his face. For a few moments, his little nephew look at him quietly before opening his mouth and started asking him.

" I'm sorry? Did you say that asshole has delved deeper into committing more atrocity and ended up as one of the most powerful people in the criminal society of this country? "

He could hear the bitterness, sarcasm, and disbelief in Raoul's voice. The Duke knows that despite being intelligent, it was unavoidable that Raoul would feel hostility towards that man. And maybe that was why Raoul was angry towards his father. He could understand the experience that his mother went through because he can grasp properly what has happened with his mind. He was different from other children. He knows that his father did something wrong to his mother that's why he was angry at him.

Raoul doesn't wish his Father to be reunited with them. He doesn't need him in his and his mother's life. And the Duke Dreux-Soubize knows that he would keep it that way.

He has seen the way that man has revealed a little bit of melancholic expression after he returned the unconscious Raoul. The man looks pitiful... But he doesn't deserve any sympathy from him.

The Duke Dreux-Soubize was unimpressed with the unfaithful man. If he have no use or connections, he wouldn't consider making deals with the man. But him being one of the most powerful in the Underworld of France has some use to one of their organization's current missions and goals.