POVERO Chapter Seven

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ewancummins
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POVERO Chapter Seven

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AT FOLBRE HOUSE, THE TENSE INTERVIEW CONTINUES...


Aldron Folbre paces the floor, waiting for Alfonse to answer his questions,
Adam wrote:
"No, we haven't spoken to outsiders about this," Alfonse says, "That was why I had hoped to engage an outsider to return her to her house. If your men bring her back, there will be questions as to how you became involved. Even the best story can fall apart under close scrutiny."
"Yes. That is true."

Aldron Folbre stops pacing
" But I'm paying you to help her and Richard marry. I'm not paying you to run after coaches. Nor did I engage your services for you to keep secrets from me. This is all rather suspicious, and I begin to wonder if her story will match yours. So tell me plainly, where is Elissa Holbin? "

The guard in the room steps close to Alfonse and claps a hand on a dagger at his belt. He smiles at the mage.

Aldron inches closer, his hands very near the protruding hilt of a stiletto tucked in his doublet.His lips press into a thin line, neither a frown nor a smile. He maintains eye contact with Alfonse unless the mage blinks or turns away.
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: POVERO Chapter Seven

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Alfonse raises his hands, trying to appear nonthreatening. "Lord Folbre, you mistake my meaning," he says, "If I am being cautious, it is because I am trying to look out for Miss Holbin's well being. Someone betrayed our plan, someone who knew the details intimately. You say you are suspicious of me? That is for the best, you should suspect everyone involved." He leans forward, raising his eyebrows meaningfully at Folbre. "As I currently do. I don't know that Richard didn't betray us. I don't know that one of the members of my crew didn't betray us. For that matter, I don't know that YOU didn't set us up. At this point, I'm not ruling anything out."

He looks over his shoulder at the guard. "If you don't believe me, then I suppose I'm in a bit of trouble. I know where the girl is, and my compatriots know that I came here. If something happens to me, they will know it happened at your hands. The smartest thing would be for us to put our blades away, put our cards on the table, and work together to figure out what happened here."
"Of course," Benn mutters, "It would be a damned shame if we ever knew what the hell was actually going on."
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Re: POVERO Chapter Seven

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Adam wrote:Alfonse raises his hands, trying to appear nonthreatening. "Lord Folbre, you mistake my meaning," he says, "If I am being cautious, it is because I am trying to look out for Miss Holbin's well being. Someone betrayed our plan, someone who knew the details intimately. You say you are suspicious of me? That is for the best, you should suspect everyone involved." He leans forward, raising his eyebrows meaningfully at Folbre. "As I currently do. I don't know that Richard didn't betray us. I don't know that one of the members of my crew didn't betray us. For that matter, I don't know that YOU didn't set us up. At this point, I'm not ruling anything out."

He looks over his shoulder at the guard. "If you don't believe me, then I suppose I'm in a bit of trouble. I know where the girl is, and my compatriots know that I came here. If something happens to me, they will know it happened at your hands. The smartest thing would be for us to put our blades away, put our cards on the table, and work together to figure out what happened here."
"Seize him."

The guard grabs at Alfonse...
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: POVERO Chapter Seven

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"Lord Folbre, this is foolish," Alfonse protests, not resisting as he is seized, "You have nothing to gain from taking me by force. We can settle this like gentlemen, or you can continue with this and hurt your house in the process."
"Of course," Benn mutters, "It would be a damned shame if we ever knew what the hell was actually going on."
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Re: POVERO Chapter Seven

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Adam wrote:"Lord Folbre, this is foolish," Alfonse protests, not resisting as he is seized, "You have nothing to gain from taking me by force. We can settle this like gentlemen, or you can continue with this and hurt your house in the process."
"I don't intend to harm you if it is not necessary. But I must get to Elissa Holbin now. So take me to her. If it turns out I misread the situation, I will apologize to you and you will still be paid. If it turns out you betrayed me, if you have harmed Elissa or Richard, killed my men..."

He draws his stiletto.

" You won't go before a magistrate, Alfonse."
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: POVERO Chapter Seven

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ewancummins wrote: "I don't intend to harm you if it is not necessary. But I must get to Elissa Holbin now. So take me to her. If it turns out I misread the situation, I will apologize to you and you will still be paid. If it turns out you betrayed me, if you have harmed Elissa or Richard, killed my men..."

He draws his stiletto.

" You won't go before a magistrate, Alfonse."
"Very well," he says, "But it's you and this guard only. I won't put my crew or Miss Elissa in danger by letting you bring a full party along to ambush them."
"Of course," Benn mutters, "It would be a damned shame if we ever knew what the hell was actually going on."
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Re: POVERO Chapter Seven

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Adam wrote:
ewancummins wrote: "I don't intend to harm you if it is not necessary. But I must get to Elissa Holbin now. So take me to her. If it turns out I misread the situation, I will apologize to you and you will still be paid. If it turns out you betrayed me, if you have harmed Elissa or Richard, killed my men..."

He draws his stiletto.

" You won't go before a magistrate, Alfonse."
"Very well," he says, "But it's you and this guard only. I won't put my crew or Miss Elissa in danger by letting you bring a full party along to ambush them."
"That sounds very much as if you are leading me into an ambush. No deal. Now, are you going to guide me to her without further coercion or must this discussion become uncivilized ?"
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: POVERO Chapter Seven

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"Think for a second, Lord Folbre," Alfonse says, trying to remain calm, "What scheme do you think I'm trying to pull here? If I wanted to discredit you, I'd be speaking to her father right now and telling him the name of my employer. If I wanted to hurt Elissa, I'd not be speaking to you at all. I haven't asked you for blackmail money or a ransom. I'm just trying to look out for her safety and the safety of my fellows. If you don't feel safe with one guard, then bring two. I want to take you to her, I just don't want her or my friends to be harmed in the process. Put yourself in my position and ask yourself what you would do."
"Of course," Benn mutters, "It would be a damned shame if we ever knew what the hell was actually going on."
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Re: POVERO Chapter Seven

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Adam wrote:"Think for a second, Lord Folbre," Alfonse says, trying to remain calm, "What scheme do you think I'm trying to pull here? If I wanted to discredit you, I'd be speaking to her father right now and telling him the name of my employer. If I wanted to hurt Elissa, I'd not be speaking to you at all. I haven't asked you for blackmail money or a ransom. I'm just trying to look out for her safety and the safety of my fellows. If you don't feel safe with one guard, then bring two. I want to take you to her, I just don't want her or my friends to be harmed in the process. Put yourself in my position and ask yourself what you would do."
"I might do the same. But I am not in your position."

He lowers his stiletto, but does not sheathe it.

"If we wait much longer, the sun may rise before we reach her. So, one last time with gentleness, where are you holding Elissa?"
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: POVERO Chapter Seven

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Alfonse mutters to himself and scowls. "She's at the hunting lodge where we encountered the group who mugged you," he says. "But you should know that our men will go to the Holbins if anything happens to me or the girl, and they will know who was responsible for it." He snatches his arm out of the guard's grasp. "So, shall we be going?"
"Of course," Benn mutters, "It would be a damned shame if we ever knew what the hell was actually going on."
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Re: POVERO Chapter Seven

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Adam wrote:Alfonse mutters to himself and scowls. "She's at the hunting lodge where we encountered the group who mugged you," he says. "But you should know that our men will go to the Holbins if anything happens to me or the girl, and they will know who was responsible for it." He snatches his arm out of the guard's grasp. "So, shall we be going?"

"Of course. "

Aldron opens the unlocked parlor door and steps into the hall.

The guard draws his dagger and remains close to Alfonse.

Aldron calls for more men.

In a moment, ten swordsmen in brigandine jacks answer the call.
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: POVERO Chapter Seven

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Alfonse smiles. "Well, at least I know I'll be well protected."

He follows Aldron out into the hall.
"Of course," Benn mutters, "It would be a damned shame if we ever knew what the hell was actually going on."
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Re: POVERO Chapter Seven

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Adam wrote:Alfonse smiles. "Well, at least I know I'll be well protected."

He follows Aldron out into the hall.

The party proceeds outside.

Six of the men hurry out of sight when Aldron orders them to "bring the horses."
They aren't gone for long at all, and they return leading two horses each. The animals are already saddled.

says "Me and eleven of my men. You can ride double with one of the guards, Alfonse."

The guard escorting Alfonse says,
"You sit in front. I'll ride on the rump."
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: POVERO Chapter Seven

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ALFONSE.......




THE RIDERS travel down the road toward the hiding place.

Aldron rides in the lead near his prisoner.
The Master of House Folbre wears a dun cloak , the cowl pulled up.
He comments to Alfonse on the way,
" Sorry about all this dramatic stuff. You just seem...dodgy. For instance, you said hunting lodge, back there. Odd. My man in the watch told me it was an old vineyard. Of course you would have expected that I checked up on your work. But we must be thinking of the same place, as you said fought the thugs there. Converted to other use after the vineyard closed, I suppose."
He chuckles.
" If it turns out I misjudged you, I'll owe you more than an apology, Alfonse. Maybe I'll have to help you get married, hey? Some rich widow? But first we fetch Richard's lady love."

As the mounted column draws near the site, Aldron slows his horse, then halts.He twists in the saddle and reaches into his saddlebags.
"Now, Otho!"

The guard riding on the horse rump, just behind Alfonse,reaches round sticks his dagger point under the wizard's Adam's apple.

In a high whisper, Aldron addresses his brute squad.
"Alright men, these fools have ruined the original plan, so we do it the simple way now. Go in and kill everyone. That includes the lady. But make sure she sees one of you wearing this-"
He tosses a dark blue cloak to one of the riders.
A silver owl embroidered on the breast shows plainly in the moonlight.
" And tell her The Savelles send their regards before you cut her throat. Leave her nearby but not in the vineyard, with the bloody cloak close. Take the rest out to sea and dump them the usual way."

He dons a fancy ball mask.
"The wizard and I will discuss some things at my estate. Otho, come along."


Otho presses the point a little harder and drags at Alfonse's collar,wobbling on the horse's rump as he shifts his seat.

The ten killers move into the vineyard area on horseback...
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: POVERO Chapter Seven

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THE VINEYARD CABIN


TOM is on the verge of nodding off when Gem's growling draws his attention to the window near where GERTIE sleeps.
The dog whines, standing over Tom's sister with its ears flattened and its snout thrust toward the shuttered window.
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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