Forceful

Blood and Protection- Chapter 2.5

Hand in hand, two lovers entered a manor which suddenly felt too good to be true. Them, the outcasts, the sinners, and ultimately, the lovers, were safe. Safe from the cruel and unforgiving world of 1897 Italy and their norms. They were allowed to love and let love in this house, and for them, that seemed like heaven

They say, when something looks and feels too good to be true, it most likely is. 

People dressed to perfection and mindless chatter of estates and large sums of money were what filled this party. Celestin nor Astore knew any of these people, much less the man who invited them in the first place, but still, they mingled.

Hello's and hi's exchanged with people who welcomed them with open arms and blended them into their conversations with questions like "What're your names?" and 'How long have you been together?". It was particularly offbeat for the two of them to talk so openly of their love and they knew that if this was anywhere else, they'd be arrested immediately, so that was a breath of fresh air.

At midnight, a bell was rung and everyone started tapping small forks against their champagne flutes, so to fit in, Celestin and Astore did the same, despite not knowing the purpose. After a few seconds, a handsomely aged man appeared at the top of the main staircase. In his hand, a cane and his body decorated with fine silks and delicate embroidery. 

The lovers stole a glance at each other and they both realized that this must be the (in)famous Jules Lucien Fâcheux, the host of this party.

"Welcome, everyone! Thank you to everyone who has been here before for gracing me with your presence for yet another year! For the newcomers," Fâcheux's eyes fixated on Celestin and Astore "I hope we can celebrate many years together."

People began clapping and after a while, he descended the stairs to mingle with his guests. He talked to many people, politicians from back home in France, famous singers, and after a while, he glided over to where the two lovers stood by the food table.

"I assume the food is to your liking, gentlemen?" Jules asked in the midst of Celestin chewing and Astore drinking. They both chewed and gulped a little faster and told Jules that the food was magnificent, better than anything either of them had tasted, and that said nothing about the soup Astore had this morning.

"Mr. Fâcheux, we just wanted to thank you for inviting us to such an event, but, as you can hopefully understand, we have questions. A lot of them," spoke Astore before the host had a chance to say anything else.

Jules chuckles while nodding his head and asks the two of them to follow him to a more private area. They follow behind the man as he leads them up the grand staircase he descended mere minutes ago. Celestin wonders if it will be a bad impression upon his guests if Jules Lucien Fâcheux leaves them on their own, but doesn't voice this out loud as he is nowhere near being close enough to this man to criticize his actions.

He slowly leads them to a room that looks like a library, but with a lot more sitting than either of them thought necessary. "This is where anyone I have business with talk, thus the sitting and ashtrays- I hope you don't mind the musty smell of smoke, I've grown used to it," Jules said and excused himself to a room connected to the present one. He quickly returned with three cigars in hand. He handed one to both boys and a tool to cut the top with as well. Astore really did not want to smoke, especially not something as potent as cigars. 

The side of the rolled cigar said 'Mayan' in crude writing and Celestin quickly spoke up after seeing it. "The coarse and raw writing, the flaky texture of the wrapping paper, don't tell me..These are the Mayan Sicars?!" Jules chuckled in amusement and quickly sat in the lounge chair beside the excited boy.