Play@YSDC

Duc's Palace, Great Hall - Vyones, Auvergne, France
9:00 AM - Monday, April 20, 1517

Gui l'Argot made his way out of the Great Hall down a wide corridor lined with some of the Duc's artworks. There were fancy tapestries hanging from the ceiling, paintings on the walls (a mix of portraits and landscapes), and marble busts in alcoves. It all looked very valuable, but the art had the drawback that it was much too big and heavy, not to mention easily identifiable, to steal.

An elegantly-dressed, beautiful Italian lady followed Gui down the hall, also admiring the artwork, but she cast glances in his direction.

”Most beautiful, are they not?” said Gui, as he continued to study the portrait in front of him. ”The Duc certainly has an eye for the finer things…” He smiled and looked over at the woman.

"Indeed," said the lady, extending her hand. "I am Bianca Luciano, of Venice. And of course your reputation precedes you, Monsieur Gui l'Argot. Are the things said about you true, I wonder?"

Gui bowed formally and allowed his lips to graze the back of the lady’s hand. ”Perhaps, Mademoisolle, you might tell me what you have heard and I can tell you whether they are true…” he replied with a lascivious smirk.

"I have heard a number of things about you," said Bianca. "First, that you are a lover of women. I can see for myself that this is so. There are also the rumors that you are a man of many talents...some of them illicit, but also quite useful."

Gui puffed out his chest. ”Were you seeking a demonstration of my talents, Mademoisolle?” he asked, with a raised eyebrow.

"If you wish to demonstrate your love of women, perhaps later," said Bianca with a smile. "At the moment, I am more interested in your other talents. What do you know of Giuseppe de Milan?"

Gui sighed, somewhat exaggeratingly. ”Business first, eh?” he said with a smile. He glanced around then back at the woman. ”As I said to the Duc, I had not seen the fellow before that night. All I know is he was in Monsieur da Vinci’s apartment and it killed him.”

"He was clearly not as clever as he had thought he was," said Bianca. "Are you more clever than he?"

”I would certainly like to think so,” Gui replied. He studied the woman for a long moment. ”I get the distinct impression that you are building up to something so shall we skip the entrée and and proceed with the main course?”

"I like a man who gets right to the point," said Bianca. "How would you like to earn five hundred florins?"

”Five hundred Florins?” whistled Gui. ”That’s a reasonable sum of money. What would you want me to do to earn that?” He tried to keep the eagerness for the money out of his voice…

"I merely would require you to retrieve a certain object for me," said Bianca.

”And which object would that be?” Gui asked, with a slight edge to his tone. ”Would that be the same object that the late Giuseppe de Milan sought? The one that saw him dead on the floor of Monsieur da Vinci’s apartment? Was he your hireling too?”

"Were such a thing true, do you think I would admit to it?" replied Bianca. "Does it matter? You said yourself you are more clever than he. I'm sure you would not make a fatal mistake as he apparently did."

”Well, that’s true,” preened Gui, straightening his clothes and flicking off imaginary dust. ”I’m sure I wouldn’t have been caught out like that.”

Gui looked around again to make sure they weren’t being overheard. ”So is it the crystal or the puzzle box you seek? Or both?

"The crystal," said Bianca quietly, after she too looked around, "though I won't mind if it's inside the puzzle box. I'm confident I can open it, even if you cannot. You won't get paid until I confirm that the crystal is within, of course."

”Naturally, Mademoiselle,” said Gui with a bow. ”Now, I’m sure you will tell me to mind your own business, but why is this jewel of such interest to you? I’d like to know - I don’t think that it’s an unreasonable price for my assistance.”

"Of course," said Bianca. "The crystal is a relic of lost Atlantis and is a unique item. Perhaps in Atlantis everyone had one, but today it is the only one of its kind known to exist. It is also said to be enchanted. It has an unnatural glow to it."

”And the object,”” replied Gui, ”Is it dangerous to the touch?” He shrugged. ”Given my predecessor’s untimely demise I’m sure you understand my need to ask these questions.”