Tongues And Teeth

INTERLUDE: THE GRAND DUCHESS UNSPEAKABLE

Warnings: somewhat graphic depictions of violence/illness/poisoning, strong language

INTERLUDE: THE GRAND DUCHESS UNSPEAKABLE

(Six Hours Earlier; one hour prior to Rafal's proposal. A tavern on the Bloodbrook-Netherwood border.)

"I wonder if you might be able to point me towards Deo Onasis?"

Clothilde of Eastern Snakebit turned to find a man standing behind her. She hadn't heard him come in, but that wasn't too unusual. Plenty of dubious magical people in these parts.

"I think that's his name?" the man continued. He paused doubtfully. "The one linked to the Wardwells...?"

Clothilde of Eastern Snakebit thought fast. If he was looking for Deo, and he'd specified the Wardwell connection...

She seized up the man; tall and white-blonde, pale with veins showing through, and he seethed of magic, absolutely seethed...

If she had to put a bet on who would win here, she wouldn't bet on Deo, who was barely a Wardwell in the first place, and since he was here at all, he'd probably managed to annoy Iphigenia again.

Clothilde thought back to what she'd told Iphigenia over the cure-all.

I'll get you, mark my words!

One way of going about it...

"That's the one. He's over there." she said, gesturing. "Sitting at the back. Big strong chap. Can't miss him."

"I thank you kindly. How might I repay you?"

It wasn't a debt that needed repaying, but Clothilde sensed a deeper meaning in it. A bribe, and an agreement. Whoever this sorcerer was, he was after something he deemed very important indeed, and Clothilde had just given him the key to it. All she had to do was not interfere anymore.

"Well," she said. "If we're speaking of Wardwells, there is one thing..."

And it wasn't unreasonable, really.

So, naturally, he agreed.

Deo watched him approach. He'd overheard the word Wardwell. He knew what this was.

"If you're wanting a favour or an absolution from the Grand Duchess, you can turn right back around, mate."

The man stopped by the other chair at the table, and leant casually on it. He was probably about Deo's age, harshly handsome and austere.

"Are you so protective of her interests?" he asked mildly.

Deo snorted bitterly.

"Not so. It's more that you'll have to try your luck with someone who's in good favour, right now. Ginny likes to keep me at arm's length when she can help it, and I've especially annoyed her, this time."

"I thought you had daughters with her?" said the man, taking the chair opposite him. Deo had no time for people looking to exploit his connection to Iphigenia, but he was tipsy and resentful and looking for someone to vent a few frustrations to. Perhaps if he led this guy on, a bit, he'd hang around...

"Well, sure," he sniffed. "She tolerated me much better when we were younger. She's gotten harsher with age. She was sweet on me, once, Ginny was..."

He dropped his chin into his palm, fed up.

"Weren't you betrothed to her?"

Deo grunted.

"Yeah, but it took her a really long time to warm up to me, and both our parents copped it before anything was worked out. She suggested re-pursuing it, but..." he grimaced. "First rule of Ginny is that if she suddenly changes her mind on something and you don't know why, you should stay away from it. First time we met, she barely said a word, you know? Don't suppose it helped that I told her I was hoping for one of her prettier sisters, but she didn't seem offended. Damnably hard to tell with her, though. Wicked woman. Dunno why I put up with her, sometimes. She loves the girls a lot more than she loves me... though I was kind of shocked she wanted to be a mother in the first place. Said she wanted daughters. I assume she'd have been ok with a son, but she was so damn certain she was having a girl, every time, and every time she was right... she's spooky, sometimes. Really spooky. "