The Funeral - Alphonse Delaunay - 02/11/22
Nov 16, 2022 23:08:20 GMT
Andy D and Orianna Èirigh like this
Post by Alferron Blackbriar on Nov 16, 2022 23:08:20 GMT
"Fucking headache.." muttered the boy in the finery as he crumpled into a heap on the plush bed in his suite. The Gilded Mirror truly was one of the few establishments that could keep up with his demanding tastes; one of the few places here with rooms to board that actually cared about interior design and served clients of greater financial fortune, ones that could be more powerful allies to him. Yet, as a foul, acrid smell reached his nose, he feared for his continued tenancy.
"Godsdamn- Delenarr, the tangerine! How many times?!"
The drake was busy depositing a potion flask onto a pile of gold and other seemingly random items on the floor, including a half eaten tangerine that had clearly been there for an entirely excessive period of time and was clearly beginning to rot.
"No." came the monosyllabic reply.
"Why?! I don't understand why you didn't just eat it when you got it?"
"Because then I wouldn't have it!"
Venting his frustration with a sigh, Alphonse peeled himself off the bed before quickly seizing the tangerine from the pile, to loud protestations from the drake, before promptly tossing it out of the window to the street below.
"I will not forget this grave insult, bo-"
He was interrupted by the sound of a few gold coins from Alphonse's hand hitting the floor, which he quickly began to nudge towards his pile.
"Bribery... will not work... on me, boy..."
"Yeah, whatever..." Alphonse hummed, laying himself down on the bed again. "This was supposed to be such a nice day. All I wanted to do was dress in finery, get acquainted with some of the upper echelons of K'ul Goran, make some business contacts, meet a ravishingly beautiful foreign dignitary and all would have been well. Now I'm wrapped up in political drama."
"But does this not work to our advantage?"
Alphonse drew himself up and sat cross legged, propping his head up with his arm.
"Okay, let's think about this. The Optimates are the old guard who want to preserve the old culture of K'ul Goran, which I heavily resonate with. Like I get it, they were manipulated by devils, but the richness of the traditions, that history, the architecture! To dismiss all that would be throwing the baby out with the bathwater, surely? However, they have an isolationist stance when it comes to foreign relations. As far as I understand the Dawnlands pretty much bailed them out in the war some time back so that's curious. The Purists, as hardline as they are are much more accepting of cooperation with the Dawnlands."
"Which led to us being used."
"Okay, we were never able to substantiate that, but it did seem odd that Senator Marius had a speech just ready to go when we found that death threat from the Vanguard. And it's oh so convenient that that gives him the ammunition he needs to commit another purge of any sympathisers, or at least, anyone he deems sympathisers. Which well, given that people know him as the guy who purged them the first time, the people will trust his judgement this time. Whoever it points to. You catch my drift?"
"My, how positively scandalous." Delenarr drawled.
"Indeed. It's fascinating, I always thought these electoral systems were so tumultuous, but this is something else. Like with a classic monarchy, the king is dead, long live the king and bar some real cloak and dagger shit that doesn't change. Here? It's like a succession crisis every time someone dies, and this one feels like it's moving fast towards open hostilities."
"So then which is our horse, or rather, cow to back?"
"Heh, I see what you did there..." Alphonse chortled. "Like I said, we have to think about this from how this benefits us, and Ambassador Vellus had a point; the Purists benefit the Dawnlands way more. I mean economically thinking, if there was a good trade agreement, that could be something we could profit from once we set up a good enterprise. I don't much care for being used, but if we can use in turn..."
"And what if this Marius decides to sell us out later?"
"Don't you worry. One way or another, we will have our satisfaction." Alphonse declared, drawing a dart from his sleeve to illustrate the point. "Also, the next time we go back to Zot Goran, we need to find Alva's genasi priestess lady for them, whatshername... well I hope they remember because I don't. They had a good thing going, just didn't stick the landing. I reckon I can give them pointers and they'll have her hook, line and sinker."
"I say you should have just taken her for yourself."
"Oh come now, Del, that's hardly sporting. They were the one who first laid eyes, and the one with the interest, it is only right that one gives way."
"The only rights belong to those with the power to have and to hold."
"Yeah, and if I ever took advice on these things from you I'd be dateless for the next century! Now come on, there are some suckers with gold to spare at the poker tables downstairs."
"Godsdamn- Delenarr, the tangerine! How many times?!"
The drake was busy depositing a potion flask onto a pile of gold and other seemingly random items on the floor, including a half eaten tangerine that had clearly been there for an entirely excessive period of time and was clearly beginning to rot.
"No." came the monosyllabic reply.
"Why?! I don't understand why you didn't just eat it when you got it?"
"Because then I wouldn't have it!"
Venting his frustration with a sigh, Alphonse peeled himself off the bed before quickly seizing the tangerine from the pile, to loud protestations from the drake, before promptly tossing it out of the window to the street below.
"I will not forget this grave insult, bo-"
He was interrupted by the sound of a few gold coins from Alphonse's hand hitting the floor, which he quickly began to nudge towards his pile.
"Bribery... will not work... on me, boy..."
"Yeah, whatever..." Alphonse hummed, laying himself down on the bed again. "This was supposed to be such a nice day. All I wanted to do was dress in finery, get acquainted with some of the upper echelons of K'ul Goran, make some business contacts, meet a ravishingly beautiful foreign dignitary and all would have been well. Now I'm wrapped up in political drama."
"But does this not work to our advantage?"
Alphonse drew himself up and sat cross legged, propping his head up with his arm.
"Okay, let's think about this. The Optimates are the old guard who want to preserve the old culture of K'ul Goran, which I heavily resonate with. Like I get it, they were manipulated by devils, but the richness of the traditions, that history, the architecture! To dismiss all that would be throwing the baby out with the bathwater, surely? However, they have an isolationist stance when it comes to foreign relations. As far as I understand the Dawnlands pretty much bailed them out in the war some time back so that's curious. The Purists, as hardline as they are are much more accepting of cooperation with the Dawnlands."
"Which led to us being used."
"Okay, we were never able to substantiate that, but it did seem odd that Senator Marius had a speech just ready to go when we found that death threat from the Vanguard. And it's oh so convenient that that gives him the ammunition he needs to commit another purge of any sympathisers, or at least, anyone he deems sympathisers. Which well, given that people know him as the guy who purged them the first time, the people will trust his judgement this time. Whoever it points to. You catch my drift?"
"My, how positively scandalous." Delenarr drawled.
"Indeed. It's fascinating, I always thought these electoral systems were so tumultuous, but this is something else. Like with a classic monarchy, the king is dead, long live the king and bar some real cloak and dagger shit that doesn't change. Here? It's like a succession crisis every time someone dies, and this one feels like it's moving fast towards open hostilities."
"So then which is our horse, or rather, cow to back?"
"Heh, I see what you did there..." Alphonse chortled. "Like I said, we have to think about this from how this benefits us, and Ambassador Vellus had a point; the Purists benefit the Dawnlands way more. I mean economically thinking, if there was a good trade agreement, that could be something we could profit from once we set up a good enterprise. I don't much care for being used, but if we can use in turn..."
"And what if this Marius decides to sell us out later?"
"Don't you worry. One way or another, we will have our satisfaction." Alphonse declared, drawing a dart from his sleeve to illustrate the point. "Also, the next time we go back to Zot Goran, we need to find Alva's genasi priestess lady for them, whatshername... well I hope they remember because I don't. They had a good thing going, just didn't stick the landing. I reckon I can give them pointers and they'll have her hook, line and sinker."
"I say you should have just taken her for yourself."
"Oh come now, Del, that's hardly sporting. They were the one who first laid eyes, and the one with the interest, it is only right that one gives way."
"The only rights belong to those with the power to have and to hold."
"Yeah, and if I ever took advice on these things from you I'd be dateless for the next century! Now come on, there are some suckers with gold to spare at the poker tables downstairs."
