AU: Terre D'Intrigue - We Need To Talk About Matthieu

[oneman_onevote]

The apprentice that presents a letter at Brix nó Balm de Marsilikos' house is still young enough to be properly called a child, but bears the direct gaze and assured air of one who knows he is meant to stay with House Mandrake.

He waits with creditable calm and quiet for one who knows his vaguely-intimidating teacher is actually waiting just across the street in a carriage, and might arch an eyebrow in no uncertain terms if he takes too long.

(Havelock nó Mandrake's ways are sometimes strange, but it would be unthinkable to question him.)


The letter - when it reaches Brix - is sealed tight, and inside reads simply,

Brix, I need to talk to you.

-Havelock

Comments

[oneman_onevote]

Havelock frowns.

"Then why bring them out with Matthieu, if he was the one?"

It's not as if Brix is entirely averse to some of Mandrake's traditional tastes, as Havelock has cause to know.

Still, Matthieu did stress that his vision had been invoked, or at least involved...

"How much did he know about you both before approaching? Did he approach one of you first?"

[gothamsheiress]

"He's not familiar with the Night Court -- and even less familiar, I'd wager, with what an independent Servant might offer. He may have thought he could not indulge those desires with me. But at Gentian of all places . . ."

It would have been simple enough for him to discover which of the Houses would suit him, if that had been what he wanted. Valerian and Mandrake do have their share of infamy, after all.

"I approached him, at the celebration -- I noticed him watching me and Matthieu." She closes her eyes, not quite wincing. "I introduced him to Matthieu myself."

[oneman_onevote]

Havelock reaches out to touch her hand lightly, almost without thinking.

"You are not Mandrake-trained. Nor Valerian."

He tilts his head a little, considering. "I wonder if he knew that Matthieu was, for some of his childhood."

It still doesn't explain why he chose a new Gentian courtesan rather than an actual adept of Valerian.

[gothamsheiress]

Brix exhales, catching his hand and squeezing it gently in thanks.

"I would rather not leap to the conclusion that Lord Grue de Agen is the man who mistreated Matthieu," she adds. "Not just yet. I confess it looks likely, though."

[oneman_onevote]

He nods, and squeezes her hand in return.

"That is sensible," says Havelock, current reigning champion of leaping to conclusions. "We should continue to look at others as well."

He runs over his exchanges with Matthieu once more in his mind.

"Particularly if any of them knew about his capacity for vision. He must have brought it up to me for a reason."

[gothamsheiress]

"Indeed."

She closes her eyes again, thinking.

"Grue de Agen knows about Matthieu's gift. Both from me and from others, I believe. Finding who else might know . . ."

[oneman_onevote]

Another point against this man.

Still.

"Is it widely known, do you think?"

[gothamsheiress]

"It is . . . not a secret. His patrons might not speak about their assignations in detail, but it would be too much to expect that no one would talk about a true visionary in the City of Elua."

[oneman_onevote]

Too much to hope for, perhaps.

"True. I will try to speak to Grue de Agen, if it can be done circumspectly, then."

At the very least, they can eliminate him as a suspect.

[gothamsheiress]

She cocks her head.

"Perhaps I should recommend you to him."

[oneman_onevote]

Havelock raises his eyebrows.

"If his tastes are as I read them, I do not think we would get on."

And if he turns out to have been the man to cause Matthieu uncertainty? Definitely not.

Still, he considers the notion.

"It would give me an excuse to speak with him," he says. "Would he consider Mandrake at all?"

[gothamsheiress]

"He seems curious about the Night Court. It isn't out of the question."

She looks at him from under her brows.

"You would not be willing to yield to him, would you. Whether or not he's Matthieu's . . . unpleasant patron."

[oneman_onevote]

Havelock shrugs.

"To find out, I would."

Never underestimate Havelock's determination. Or his control issues.

"But ordinarily, no."

As previously mentioned, he does not trust easily.

[gothamsheiress]

"No, of course not." She shakes her head. "And I wouldn't suggest it -- not yet. Not unless there's need."

[oneman_onevote]

"It's a possibility."

He'll allow that much.

"But assuming he attends other functions at the Night Court, a simple conversation shouldn't be too hard to engineer."

Although it does mean Havelock will have to turn up.

[gothamsheiress]

A faint, humorless smile.

"And if worse comes to worst, it would not be unheard of for me to hold a soiree of my own."

[oneman_onevote]

"I do enjoy your gatherings."

Good wine, good company, minor intrigue.

[gothamsheiress]

"I'm sure lurking in my corners rather than Mandrake's adds much-needed variety to your life."

[oneman_onevote]

He eyes her tolerantly.

"Precisely so," he says lightly.

[gothamsheiress]

She chuckles, and it's a release.

"If I've overstepped my bounds, sir, you'll have ample opportunity to make reparations." Her smile fades. "But later."

[oneman_onevote]

He nods.

"Later."

Not too much later, with luck. Havelock wants this ugly situation resolved.