Play@YSDC

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

"Wait here, Monsieur," said Henri to Gui, approaching the door to the guest suite. "I shall announce you."

”That really won’t be necessary, Monsieur. I have taken enough of your time!” said Gui quickly.

Is tipping staff an acceptable way to get them to bugger off in 16th century France?!

Gui couldn't get a handle on Henri.

Gui fumbled in his purse and pulled out three francs which he thrust at Henri. ”For your trouble, Monsieur,” he said, hoping the man would take the hint and leave.

"Oui, Monsieur!" said Henri with a smile as he made the coins disappear in an instant. "If you ever have need of anything else, you need only ask." He walked briskly away down the hall and soon vanished around a corner.

Gui sighed with relief. He thought the man might never leave! He looked around carefully to check there was no one else about then stepped closer to listen at the door, in a casual manner as if loitering but not with an ear to the door in a way that would seem suspicious…

Listen (35%) 1d100

Gui could hear muffled voices on the other side of the door.

"I can't wait for tomorrow's performance!" exulted Enrico.

"I hope it won't be like the one in Milan," said Veronique.

"Relax, my darling. You know that the play is never the same twice."

Lightly, Gui stepped over to an adjoining room and listened carefully at the door.

Listen (35%) 1d100

Gui went to the next door over, which just happened to be the suite that Story and her companions shared, and listened. All was silent within.

He knocked gently and listened carefully, and hearing no response, tried the door to see if it was locked.

There was no reply, and when Gui opened the door, he saw the darkened suite that the ladies used, currently empty except for their mysterious blue box.

Gui crept in quietly, closing the door silently behind him. He glanced around to make sure there was no one else in the room. He wasn’t, for once, planning to take anything but anyone coming into the room would undoubtedly get the wrong idea!

He gazed curiously at the large blue box as he crossed the room. What was it, anyway? It looked like it had a door, but it was only a couple of metres across so it couldn’t be very big inside.

He paused, studying it some more. It wouldn’t hurt to look inside, would it? He reached out and put his hand on the door, then stopped. What if it were trapped? What if he were found here, and accused of being a thief once more? He’d be thrown out for sure, this time. Frowning, he turned away from the box and went to find the entrance to the secret door into the passageway behind the walls…

Gui easily found the hidden catch to open the secret passage, now that he knew for what to look. As he opened it, he heard a jumbled shouting coming from the passage, from the direction of Leonardo's chambers.

If he stuck his head out, he’d be spotted because Gui knew all too well that people were drawn to a hue and cry. At the same time, if the playwright and his family were looking outside, then it was as good a time as any to look in their room.

His mind made up, he slipped through into the secret passage. Looking about to make sure no one else was in here, he carefully moved towards the next room to see what he might find.

Gui made his way down the passage to the next room over, which belonged to the players. He could see them through a peephole in the room beyond.

"We had best get ready for bed," said Enrico. "We'll want to rise early to get ready for the performance."

Gui frowned. Were they all bedding down? Any decent people would have all left the room and gone to investigate the commotion! Call himself a writer?! He should be out there, experiencing whatever it was making the noise rather than fluffing his pillows and going to sleep!

Gui sighed quietly, and put his eye closer to the peephole, trying to determine whereabouts in the room the family would be bedding down. He might have to go in there among them and didn’t want to be bumping into anyone and waking them up!