Play@YSDC

Duc's Palace, Guest Quarters - Vyones, Auvergne, France
9:40 PM - Monday, April 20, 1517

Jacques returned to his guest suite.

Things may still be going on in the other threads, so if you are not doing anything further tonight, there may be some delay before we get to the next day.

Jacques knew that Bianca's guest chamber was somewhere in this wing of the palace like all the others, but he didn't know exactly which one. He was sure he could summon a servant and ask either for her room's location or to deliver her a message. He knew that servants were often notorious gossips, though. While he could keep a servant from determining the contents of the message undetected with a wax seal, the servant would still know that he had sent her a message and would make the logical assumption as to its contents.

Taking the opportunity to remove the various heavy items he tends to wear, Jacques winds up in a plain white shirt, pants, and sword.

After some internal debate, he sets himself down at a writing table and writes a quick note to Bianca.

"Lady Bianca,

I find myself somewhat restless and unable to relax this evening, and of course my mind turns to your lovely company which has brought me great joy these last two days. Should you be tempted to discussion of the beauty of the countries we have each visited, or any other matter that interests you over a glass of wine, it would be my great honour to host you in my rooms a short while. If you are weary, however, you must disregard this restless old knight of course. Your comfort and happiness are ever my highest priority.

Your servant,

Jacques"

He quickly seals it shut with wax upon which he stamps his signet ring. Then he finds a servant to deliver his missive, tipping them discreetly but well with a half-dozen deniers to keep the matter most secret.

The servant accepts the sealed note and the payment and departs. A short while later, there is a gentle knock on the door.

Jacques opens the door.

Bianca stood on the other side, looking radiant in a flowing green evening dress, her hair perfectly coiffed. "I could not sleep either, Sir Jacques," she said with a smile. "May I enter?"

Jacques graciously indicates for Bianca to enter.

"Madam Bianca, wherever I am, you shall always be welcome and need never ask 'May I' for anything." He pours two glasses of red wine, hands one to Bianca, then raises his own on toast.

"Please, sit and chat without need for formality or to make conversation with people who bore you. If I begin to bore you, kick me in the shin as a signal. I am here your devoted servant whose sole job is to amuse"

Bianca strode into the room and graciously accepted the glass of wine, clinking it with the one held by Jacques. "Thank you. To our generous host," she said before taking a delicate sip and sitting on a chaise longue, her eyes alight. "When my late husband was alive, I was able to have discussions with him when he wasn't away on campaign. When he was gone, though, it did get rather lonely. I doubt you could ever bore me. If you wanted to discuss warfare and military logistics, I would still find the subject fascinating. I actually know a good amount about it. As a condottiero's widow, it goes with the territory."

Jacques looks delighted. "Truly, such wisdom and learning to go with such beauty. You are a most rare of ladies indeed. I myself would always wish for a companion who I could talk at my ease with as an equal, and who could suggest good ideas and actions to me, when we were not otherwise occupied."

Jacques will offer a few general observations about the Duc's defences of the chateaux, inviting comments and thoughts from Bianca.

"I agree that the chateau could use a moat," said Bianca. "The ground surrounding it is too flat, though at least it has little foliage to conceal an approaching army. While there are no enemies to threaten it today, who knows what tomorrow may bring? The chateau is not completely defenseless, however. Archers in the towers and on the battlements could wreak havoc on a besieging enemy."

Jacques, please roll either Persuade (if you want to use reason) or Status (if you want to impress her with your pedigree and wealth). Fast Talk would be an option, but you're not very good at it. You may also get a bonus.

Jacques nods and offers some observations on his experience with the use of mortars and cannon for castle defence. "Madame Bianca, you would enjoy seeing our defences against the Turk on Rhodes."

1d%60%

In conversation, Jacques attempts to subtly include reference to his pedigree, but perhaps his desire makes him a bit ham-fisted and tongue-tied.

While Bianca didn't seem to be falling madly in love with Jacques, she seemed to like him well enough and was quite willing.

The night passed pleasantly, and Jacques was awakened in the morning by a loud knock on his door. Bianca stirred in the bed next to him, no doubt roused by the same sound. Sunlight was streaming through the window, and it looked to be a couple of hours past dawn. They had slept late, as they had been doing things other than sleeping for a while.

"Don't come in please, I am not decent just now," Jacques called from the bed.

Pausing to grin mischievously at Bianca, he murmured, "I must see to some fine breakfast. Something worthy of a perfect morning."

"Then get dressed quickly, Chevalier!" came the voice of Father Ignacio Fernandez. "I must come in. Your soul is in mortal peril!"

Bianca put a hand to her mouth, stifling a gasp.

"Ah, Father, I am most barbarous, I have not even shaved or washed. Can I perhaps meet with you in a few minutes time? I am embarrassed to have overslept. It is not like me at all. The Duc's wines are stronger than I am used to."

While prevaricating, Jacques quickly kissed the lady's beautiful hand, gazed at her with great and obvious desire, then wrapped her in a blanket and frantically ushered her to the rear of his room.

Knowing of the secret doors elsewhere in the chateaux, and how they worked, he looked for one in the same area in this room.

Jacques went through a few of the secret doors in the previous days, so is relying on something similar being here.

I am currently picturing a scene of sitcom-esque silent panic with overtones of lust.

Bianca quickly snatched up her discarded clothing as she made her way to the back of the room.

"I'm afraid I must insist, Chevalier," said Ignacio. "This is urgent. I am coming in regardless. You have one minute to prepare."

While Jacques had seen secret passages in other rooms before, and he had every reason to believe there was one here, he did not know exactly where it was.

Jacques, please roll Spot Hidden.

1d%pHdd75%

Extreme success.

It only took Jacques a few seconds to find the hidden catch. One flip was enough to open the secret door, and Bianca was instantly through it, shutting it quietly behind her.

As the secret door was shutting, Jacques mouthed to Bianca, "Stay there," and pointed to a spot just on the concealed side of the door.

He quickly pulled pants on and tucked in the white shirt he had never taken off, hastily doing up buttons. "Coming, Father."

With one last frantic look across the room, Jacques scampered over and opened the door to the Spanish Inquisition...

I would love to say the chevalier was wearing a white satin shirt, but that does seem highly unlikely.

Jacques was fully dressed when he opened the door, though there was not time to put on his armor. The priest hurried inside and closed the door behind him. He had a wild look in his eyes, and he did not seem to have slept well. He sniffed the air. "Do I smell perfume?" he asked.

"Father," Jacques began patiently, "You have got me opening the door looking quite barbarous because you said it was urgent and my soul was in peril. I grant I should not have overslept but in my defence, it is something I very rarely do."

"Please tell me this is about something more serious than a nice smelling room. What was so urgent? And should you like a cup of wine to help calm your nerves?"

"No, thank you," said Ignacio. "Is there something you would like to confess to me, Chevalier?"

Jacques, please roll Insight.

1d%H75%

Extreme success.

"Father, with the greatest of respect, you are not my confessor. Come now, what was so urgent? I will freely confess that I am thinking of breakfast."

"Your confessor is not here," said Ignacio, "and so it falls to me. It is the state of your soul that is so urgent. You know what will happen if you die unshriven, and there are dangerous forces at work here."

Jacques realized that the priest knew what Jacques had done. He wasn't sure how, but somehow he knew. There was also something else clearly on Ignacio's mind, and it was that that had disturbed his sleep and was responsible for the look in his eyes. Something else occurred to Jacques. If he confessed to the priest, he would be bound by the confessional seal not to tell anyone, whereas if he did not, the priest would be free to tell others.

Ignacio's Insight roll:
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Jacques paused briefly, but he was after all a Hospitaller of the Order of St John. And there were dangers, no doubt. He shrugged. "Very well, I'm sure you are right."

He knelt down on one knee and lowered his head. "Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been, umm, two weeks since my last confession..."

Not a Catholic myself so have no real idea how this goes except from what I've seen in film and TV.

Ignacio put a hand on Jacques's shoulder. "Tell me your sins, my son," he said.

That makes two of us.

"Well, I did throw a dagger at what I thought at the time was a murderous intruder. As it turns out, he is just a lying thief. I only really grazed him though. I do not believe he bears me any great ill will for it."

"I actually have some hopes I might recruit him as a sergeant in the Hospitallers. He would learn better behaviour among the ranks of our men. And maybe find an honest death. But I'm getting off point."

"I have also been intimate with a woman, outside of wedlock. But it was consensual, and we neither of us were committing adultery."

"Well, fornication is not as grievous a sin as adultery," said Ignacio, "but it is still serious. I absolve you, my son. You shall say ten Our Fathers, and you should also wed this woman, to make things right. It is better to marry than to burn."

"Thank you Father. And I assure you, marriage to this woman is indeed high on my mind. I would rather die than see her dishonored."

"But my soul aside, is something else troubling you, Father? You look slightly, ah, harried."

"You're welcome, my son," said the priest. "As I said, there are dark forces at work. It's this infernal play. I received a copy of script last night, and it is the most blasphemous thing I have ever read. Even the symbol on its cover is disturbing. Once the Duc is ready for an audience, I'm certain I can convince him to cancel the performance. However, the players are the source of this evil, and I do not think this will be the end of it."

"Ah, I trust to your education and experience, Father. My training lies far more with the simpler world of practical soldiering, I'm afraid."

"The ladies from Narnia were also expressing concerns about this play. I believe they also had fears it may have been heretical or something along those lines. I did not overly take them seriously, as those ladies are, well, quite foreign. Have you discussed your concerns with them, though?"

"I wonder, would you allow me an hour to make myself presentable and have a brief breakfast? Then I shall be happy to assist you as I can."

"Of course," said Ignacio. "I have not spoken to the ladies, but I shall make it a point to do so after I have seen the Duc. I shall see you later, Chevalier." He departed down the hall.

Jacques courteously followed the Inquisitor to the door, making polite assurances that he would locate the Father again later in the morning.

Once he was satisfied the inquisitor was gone, Jacques shut the entrance to his room and darted back to the other, secret door, praying that Bianca hadn't wandered off and become lost.

Bianca was still there, and now fully dressed. She stepped into the room with a smile on her face. "I heard," she said. "I could do a lot worse for a husband than you. You are a noble man, honorable and courageous. Imagine what our children could accomplish with your physique and my beauty."

Jacques kissed Bianca's hand passionately. "Beautiful lady, the mere thought makes me dizzy with joy. But honesty compells me to say you could do better than me. I am a simple knight. I have no lands. I would happily worship you to the day I die, but you could find some far greater lord than me to marry."

"For the moment though, we must get you back to your room without causing unwelcome attentions. Do you think we risk your leaving through the normal door? Or else, I could try to find my way to your room or close to it through these cursed secret passages, but they are a rabbit's warren and a half. There is some danger of getting turned about. I'm game though, if you prefer that option."

"My first husband did not even have a knighthood," said Bianca, "though he was wealthy. I can buy the lands for us that you lack. It would be a perfect match. If you propose to me, I will accept. As for my exit, I think if you ensure that the hall outside your door is clear, I should be able to leave that way."

Jacques looked both amazed and delighted. "In that case, this most humble knight shall be looking for the most romantic moment he can find."

"Meantime, let me have a look outside my door." With one last regretful kiss, Jacques scanned the hallway to see if it was clear.

1d00250020L0020500025

Success.

The coast was clear, and Bianca slipped out and vanished down the hall.

If Jacques knew how to do one thing, it was how to get clean, neat and tidy quickly and with minimum fuss. He had spent his soldier's life doing just that. In short order, he was respectable and dressed for the day.

Trying not to grin, he left his room in search of breakfast and adventure.

Jacques is moving to the thread linked below:

Breakfast Time