IC-Ep 1-Downstairs(Story/Elizabeth)

[Mr. Handy]

Duc's Palace, Secret Passages - Vyones, Auvergne, France
8:00 AM - Monday, April 20, 1517

Story and Elizabeth had taken one of the candles, leaving one for Brook and Gui. They descended the first flight of stairs, soon returning to the floor from which they had come. As they passed the hall leading back to the intersection on their way to where the stairs continued down, they saw the light of another candle in that direction.

"Halt!" called a man's voice from that direction. Apparently whoever held the candle had seen theirs too. "Who goes there?"

[SunlessNick]

"So much for noone knowing we know about these," mutters Story quietly. "Oh hello," she says to the apparent guard - "my name is Story, and this is my friend Elizabeth. We are guests of the Duc."

[Mr. Handy]

The man with the candle approached. He was indeed a guard. "You should not be in these passages, ladies," he said. "I do not even know how you found them. It is time to attend the Duc's court. I was assigned to guard the room of that thief and make sure he attends. When I knocked on his door, there was no answer. I reasoned that he must have found the hidden exit. Where is he now?"

[aine]

“I don’t know where he is.” Said Elizabeth, quite truthfully.
“Come on, Story, we’d better get ready for our audience with the Duc; we need to look our best. We will return straight to our room.” She says to the guard.

[Mr. Handy]

"There's not enough room for us to pass each other," said the guard. He backed up down the hall until he was past the intersection. He pointed to the hallway to his right, which was on Story and Elizabeth's left. "Your room will be in that direction. It's easy to get lost in here if you don't know your way around."

[SunlessNick]

"Thankyou for you for your assistance," Story says (she keeps her voice quiet - it's unlikely she can muster enough volume for Brook to hear without actually shouting, and trying would clue the guard in to there are others in the passages).

[aine]

Elizabeth sweeps past the guard with as much poise as she can muster.
“Thank you my good man!” And she leads the way back to their room. She dives through the opening into the bedroom and explodes in a fit of giggles.
“I’m sorry, Story; that was just too ridiculous! What situations we do find ourselves in!”

[Mr. Handy]

"You are welcome," said the guard. "Please stay out of these passages in the future." As soon as Story and Elizabeth moved past the intersection, he continued toward the stairs and vanished from sight. Story and Elizabeth returned to their guest suite.

Guard's Listen roll (50% skill) on the stairs:
d%
Guard's Spot Hidden roll (50% skill) on the stairs:
d%

[SunlessNick]

“I’m sorry, Story; that was just too ridiculous! What situations we do find ourselves in!”

"We certainly do," Story agrees. "Have I ever told you, most Time Lords prefer to stay on Gallifrey? At times like this I find it hard to fathom." More soberly, she says, "I just hope Brook comes back here rather than go looking for us."

[aine]

“Well that was her plan; as long as the dashing Monsieur Gui doesn’t whisk her off.
It was a pity we didn’t see where the passage came out downstairs, it might have been a useful escape route if the Duc decides to put us to work in the kitchens.
I’m worried about the audience; women don’t fare too well in these days.”
Elizabeth replies

[SunlessNick]

"Hm. It's unlikely he'll suspect us of a violent murder at least," Story says. "But he might assume we're another group of thieves. But I'm afraid theft may be the least of anyone's problems."

With a grin she adds, "You find Monsieur Gui dashing, do you?"

[aine]

Dashing as in swift of foot out of trouble, I’ll be bound. But he does have something of the musketeer about him and Dumas was my favourite author when I was little.” Elizabeth replies wistfully.

[SunlessNick]

"Brook doesn't like him. I suppose next time we split up, it'll be my turn to go with him. We should get ready for audience. Agree what we're going to say, that sort of thing. So far we are travellers who were most recently in London."

[aine]

“Why have we come here? A reason that would need us to stay for a few days at least. And need us to have a look round without the guards hindering us.” Elizabeth smiles. “I don’t suppose they have detectives in these days.”

[SunlessNick]

"Leonardo's presence is a compelling reason for anyone to want to stay a while. I would, even if there wasn't something sinister going on."

[aine]

“True. I suppose we are relatively interestingly knowledgeable too. We shall just make it up as we go- as usual.” Elizabeth says with a wry smile and then goes to dust off the cobwebs and generally get smarten up for the upcoming audience.

[SunlessNick]

Story does the same.

[Mr. Handy]

Brook soon returned to the room, from the hallway and not the secret passage. A servant came to fetch them for the Duc's audience, and all three ladies followed her down to the Great Hall.

Everyone is moving to the thread linked below:

The Duc's Court