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!

Through the hole, Gui saw the main room of the guest suite. Enrico and Veronique went through a door on the right side of the room. Charles and Giulia each went through separate doors on the left side of the room, leaving the chamber deserted.

Gui, please roll Idea.

It occurred to Gui that the players may not have heard the distant shouting, which had now stopped. He could only hear it because he was in the passage, which also indicated that perhaps the door from the passage to Leonardo's chamber was open too, and he was only able to hear it at all due to his excellent hearing.

On realising that the door to Da Vinci’s room was open, Gui jerked back and checked the passage, lest there be anyone else in there.

Eyes and ears straining, he moved closer to see what was afoot…

He’ll try to sneak closer…

Sneak (45%) 1d100

Gui paused in the darkness, holding his breath whilst trying to hear what was happening…

Listen (35%) 1d100

Edit: … but Enrico had started to snore so a bull elephant could have walked past playing the trombone and Gui would have been none the wiser…

As Gui approached the open secret door to Leonardo's chambers, from which candlelight spilled, he could barely hear people talking, but he couldn't tell who was speaking or what they were saying.

Moving very carefully, Gui edged closer, trying to make out who was speaking.

It wasn't until Gui got much closer that he could actually make out what the voices were saying.

"Well done, Mademoiselle," said Leonardo. "I knew you had a keen mind."

"Yes, truly, I have always loved puzzles of all sorts..." replied Story, "this one is quite clever, Maestro, as is to be expected."

"Why yes Monsieur," said Jean Luc, "pray do tell how you go about creating such a puzzle?"

“We could leave the box and its contents here now that Story has solved it. I’m sure it would be quite safe in the Master’s chambers,” Elizabeth said.

"Yes, it should be safe here," said Leonardo. "Thank you. Well, the first step was to think of an idea for a puzzle and draft it on paper before I actually start to construct it. Coming up with the idea is the easy part. I have so many ideas, and there isn't time enough to put them all into action."

Was that the box that held the jewel?! Gui listened intently for further information.

“Why don’t we all go for a walk before it gets too late. I haven’t been out all day,” Elizabeth said. “And I’d love to hear some more of your ideas, Master.”

"Of course," said Leonardo. "A stroll sounds like just the thing."

"I'd be delighted," said Diego.

A walk? That sounded like an excellent idea! And he silently willed them to heed Elizabeth’s suggestion!

"Not me," said Story. "I never did get anything to eat and I'm famished. I'm going to go see what I can find in the pantry. Anybody want to walk me down?"

"That sounds like a plan," said Jean Luc, "nothing like fearing for your life to rouse the appetite, plus some brandy will work wonders for my nerves, lead on mon chere."

“Let’s go!” said Elizabeth. Footsteps walked noisily out of Leonardo's chambers, and soon all was quiet.

Gui waited a moment more, then carefully peered into the room. Was anyone there? And where was the metal monster?

Gui looked around the corner through the open door. The first thing he saw was Jacques, standing at parade rest just six feet away, looking right back at him. The automaton was standing in the room too. It didn't have a weapon in its hand, but somehow that didn't make him feel much better. Nobody else appeared to be present in the room. There was a canvas on the easel with a portrait of Elizabeth in progress. Even in its incomplete state, with the outlines drawn in charcoal and work on the face only just begun, it was of impressive quality. Was Elizabeth really that beautiful? Her eyes seemed to follow him too. Also, the puzzle box rested upon the desk.

Jacques rolled his eyes. "St John preserve us. Be grateful I don't have my throwing dagger in hand, L'Argot," he said.

”Merde!” sighed Gui. ”C’est le pompe à chiasse!”

He remained at the threshold. ”What of the metal man? Is he awake?” he asked Jacques.

"Ah mon ami! You escaped the Spanish inquisition?" said Jean Luc's voice from the hall.

Jacques calls to the hallway: "It's just L'Argot. Come back."

Everyone is moving to the thread linked below:

Secrets