The Seduction of Chadwick: Road to the Ramblin' Queen---+ The Road to the Ramblin Queen "So," Mandor said, as the carriage started on its slightly jolting way from the courtyard of the castle to the Chaosian Embassy, "you have some experience of the Ramblin' Queen. What delights should I expect there?" He was dressed impeccably in a suit of rich golden cream with an open neck, and he was carrying a cane decorated, at the top, by a silver eagle's claw clasped around a golden ball. "Many and varied," Vikund replied."I'm surprised your brother hasn't told you everything about it; he often visits. Most of the staff are from Cornaro, and all trained in the local pleasure palace. They are courtesans, not whores. The lady of the Queen, Petra, gets quite prickly if you refer to them as anything less." "They are all trained escorts, so if you engage them in conversation you may be surprised how articulate they can be," he added. "Antonia is Petra's number two, though probably the security man Vincenzo would dispute that. I would expect him to be sniffing about a fair bit with there being new clients tonight." Mandor smiled. "And does he indulge in articulate conversation, too?" he asked. "No," Vikund replied. "He is everything one expects from a nightclub bouncer." "You surprise me," said Mandor. "I would have thought that a Madame of such famed taste and style would have selected something rather more in keeping with her establishment than brute force." "Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there's rather more to him than that," Vikund replied. "It's just I've yet to see his softer side," he smiled. "And I'm sure he's very good at what he does; that is, looking after the staff. It wouldn't surprise me if he's a Cornaro mafiosi but I do not know his full history. Not that it matters; he's here now and his influnce, strong though it is, is confined to the Queen." Mandor's strange eyes gleamed for a moment, and then were hooded. "A man with influence in a closed world," he said. "Interesting." The carriage drew to a halt. "The Embassy," said Mandor. "You had better see if our companion is ready." "He'd better be," Vikund replied, and exited the carriage. He strode confidently up the steps of the Embassy and announced himself to the staff on the door. "Please inform Ingrey Wereathe his carriage is ready. The Prime Minister does not expect to be kept waiting." "The Prime Minister will not need to wait," came the dry voice of Ingrey Wererathe, walking down a staircase and approaching Vikund at the entry hall. Still in purple, white and gold, Ingrey still managed to look formal, but far less so than he had dressed for his office. A small black box was held in his hand, tucked into a pocket underneath his cloak as he approached. "I may not be up to your own standards of expensive taste, Vikund, but I do not think I will be too far out of place at Petra Benedictsdottir's establishment. Shall we?" Ingrey gestured with his hand to let Vikund lead him to the waiting carriage. Vikund's welcoming smile vanished. "Her name is Rossi. That's R-o-s-s-i. If you call her Benedictsdottir she'll have us tossed overboard," he said firmly. "You're a diplomat, aren't you? So be diplomatic." He recovered his composure and the smile returned. "You brush up well, Ingrey. I'm sure you will fit in just fine aboard the Queen." Ingrey gave a look of illuminating the incompletely informed and shook his head. "I am quite aware of her given name, Vikund, and I get along well enough with her staff, of all sorts. Her lineage, however, is something that should never be forgotten and that is why I employ it as appellation in referring to her outside of her own presence. You would do well to remember that. But there is no need for ire, let us proceed." Vikund stepped up to the carriage door and opened it for Ingrey to join the Prime Minister. Once he was inside, he hopped in himself. Mandor greeted Ingrey with a nod and a wave of the hand that invited him to take a seat opposite. Once Vikund was seated, he raised his cane and struck twice on the ceiling of the carriage - the signal to move on. Once they were in motion he said, "Well, gentlemen, of all the delights to be spread before me this evening, which would you recommend?" "My income and expenditures aboard the Queen are limited, sir." Ingrey admitted. "However, for one with coin, the choices you have are varied, in all senses and tastes can be sated. "The wine cellar, for instance, would meet even your standards, sir." Ingrey said. "As well as their culinary delights. Ingrey suddenly regarded Vikund. "Vikund, did you happen to inform the proprietress that the Prime Minister was arriving?" "Should I have?" Vikund asked innocently. "I find a sudden crisis brings out the best in people. If the Prime Minister requires it, I can call ahead." He looked enquiringly at Mandor. "As for the delights of the Queen, I find the conversation there is always stimulating. Is there a special occasion for this visit?" Vikund enquired. "Unless you would call my first visit to the establishment a special occasion in and of itself, I see no reason to designate it so," said Mandor. "And are you saying that the Ramblin' Queen is so ill-regulated that my arrival will throw things into ... confusion? I was given to understand it was rather better than that. "On the other hand, any establishment that welcomes my brother as a patron may well be ... dubious." "He *is* the king," Vikund replied. "Establishments are obliged to welcome him whether dubious or not. "I think you will find the Ramblin' Queen a cut above his usual haunts," he added, settling back into his seat. "Yes." Ingrey added dryly. "The establishment is of high quality, sir, but no establishment would take the sudden appearance of the Prime Minister for Amber's first visit, and unannounced at that, without some consternation, at least inwardly, on the part of the Proprietress and her staff. She will want things to be at their best for you. "However, I think that you will see soon enough for yourself, sir." Ingrey said. "Good," said Mandor. "One does grow tired of everywhere one visits smelling of new paint." The carriage was moving more swiftly down the hill now. Considering the discussion over, Vikund settled back into his seat. He pulled out a small notebook and began to read through, making a mark here and there. Clearly, despite his casual appearance, he regarded the night ahead as purely for business. Ingrey gave a nod and a look of mild agreement to Mandor, and settled back in the carriage. His fingers now and again reached inside of his cloak to the small box that he had secreted there, but otherwise remained quiet as the carriage rolled toward its destination Although there was a disturbance - from outside - as the carriage was slowing to a halt; the sound of a horse galloping towards them at speed. "One trusts it's not an assassin," said Mandor mildly. "I trust we are all armed?" "Allow me," Vikund offered, and opened the carriage door. He leaned out enough to get a look at the pursuer, and there was a throwing knife in his hand that wasn't there before. Ingrey remained in his seat, but his face had a slightly wary look of possibly anticipated violence as he regarded the door. A horse was charging towards the carriage, and the riverboat beyond. On her back, Morgan was bent low. "Hooooo!" he shouted as Joy closed on the carriage. With a wicked grin he kicked his heels into her flanks. He seemed to be aiming at a point just ahead of the carriage, inches in front of the harnessed horses, on a trajectory that led to the gangplank leading onto the boat. Mandor, still within the carriage, leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. "I think I recognise that ... voice," he said. "I do," Ingrey said quietly. The look of wariness was replaced by a look of slight relief. Vikund ducked back into the carriage and shut the door with a weary look. "It's just Morgan joyriding again." He said, and waited for the carriage to come to a stop. Mandor nodded. "Merlin with him?" he asked. "I only heard one horse." "He was alone, Vikund?" Ingrey inquired mildly. "Alone," Vikund confirmed, "though I expect he is merely the vanguard of a larger foraging party." Outside the carriage Morgan raced mere inches in front of the carriage horses, who reared back in shock. Joy raced up the gangplank and Morgan urged her into a leap onto the deck of the Queen, scattering boarding passengers, and then brought her around into a tight turn, bleeding off her speed and excitement. He slid off the back of the panting horse. "Prime Minister off the starboard bow!" he shouted. "Stand by to assist boarders!" There was a moment of astonished silence before activity exploded around him. "Captain Morgan!" Barked the Security Chief from the upper deck. "Get that beast off this ship immediately!" Security moved in immediately to calm down the frayed tempers left in Morgan's mad dash and to usher them inside for a much needed drink in a quiet parlor. A blonde young man Morgan would recognize as Alex and one of those often seeing to the security of Merlin's group onboard, walked up to him grinning. "Oh, you're in for it now. Thanks for the warning though." Alex handed him his drink of scotch on the rocks. "Shall I take your horse back to the street before our Captain has a heart attack?" Morgan chuckled as he accepted the drink and handed over the reins. "Thanks, Alex," he said. "Don't take her too far away, I'll be leaving soon. But I didn't want to get stuck in line behind everyone fawning over his Mandorness. Any chance I can get a quick talk with Petra before she gets drawn away to deal with that? If not, then maybe Antonia?" He grinned. "And in the latter case, by no means let Antonia know she was second choice." "Never let it be said that you are a stupid man," Alex chuckled. He took the reins and and glanced up at the upper deck before looking back at Morgan. "Vincenzo's closer," he smirked but then his eyes traveled past Morgan's shoulders and the smirk faded. "Or maybe not." Antonia was coming through the doorway towards them. She paused and looked from the marred deck to the horse then at Morgan and Alex. She did not look pleased to see any of them just then. "I'll just be going," Alex said quickly and left as fast as Joy would allow him to down the slant of the gangplank. "You will be getting a bill," Antonia informed Morgan flatly, arms crossed over her chest. "Will you be joining us tonight or did you just feel the need to annoy Vincenzo and be on the receiving end of one of Petra's rants?" Meantime, in the carriage, Ingrey looked at Vikund and Mandor. "Waiting a few moments more after Morgan Deirdresson's over-enthusiastic heralding our arrival before exiting the carriage might be wise. In any event, it seems, Vikund, that the proprietress will have someone else with whom to be cross over the Prime Minister's precipitous and unexpected arrival." Mandor smiled, "On the contrary. I can think of no time more perfect for our arrival." He moved to opnen the carriage door himself and sprang lightly down, then paused for his companions to alight, looking up at the glittering craft before him. "Delightful," he said. "We'll go aboard immediately - unless the horse has proved somewhat nervous in disembarking." Vikund stepped up at Mandor's side. The knife had vanished as quickly as it appeared. "The tall one with silver streaks in his hair is Vincenzo," He informed him sotto voce. Ingrey exited the carriage behind the two gentlemen and stood at attention, slightly behind both Vikund and Mandor. His face took the mien of quiet chastening from a superior, and he held his hands in front of him, clasped. As Ingrey stepped out of the carriage, several things happened - though all were not visible from the pier.... On the upper deck, Angelo and a tall woman in a stylish suit took steps back from Vincenzo who was muttering about Amber's obviously drugged water supply. Below, men moved in to calm the frightened carriage horses. But then the door opened to the carriage and he noted who stepped out besides the Prime Minister. He straightened from looking over the railing and smiled as he watched the scene below. "So...you are not angry?" the woman asked warily. "Me? Oh, no," he purred. Vincenzo glanced briefly away from the group on the pier to his assistant. "But Petra will be. She isn't fond of surprises. She is not going to be pleased." Angelo stopped giving Morgan dark looks and grinned. "I'll just go prepare to undock, shall I?" He was dismissed with a nod and the woman looked back down at the late arrivals. "And she'll be mad at..." "Si," Vincenzo said smugly, adding with a verbal sneer. "Bioata leccaculo." He glanced over at the woman at his side. "Be a dear, Portia, and go see if Petra is still in the main lounge and has been made aware of our gate crashers. Be sure she knows who they all are. Hurry." Vincenzo's attitude of anticipation was infectious, and Portia strode purposefully but lightly off to find the lady. Even if it wasn't public, there was going to be an explosion of epic proportions later. Sliding the hidden panel to the side, Portia stepped into the dark space as she door closed behind her. Two steps later she was sliding down a firemen's pole into the storeroom behind the bar. Straightening her leather suit jacket, she stepped out to find Petra among the colorful crowd of hosts and guests. Several of whom were casting looks towards the top of the stairs or watching security. Clearly some noise had made it inside but without the ringing of the security bells, most had chosen to ignore it. Portia located Petra just at the base of the grand stairs speaking to Antonia and hurried over to whisper in Petra's ear. Petra's smile turned a bit brittle as she turned to look at the other woman. "Is that so?" she said darkly. The heartbeat of tense silence passed before Petra was again all business. "Very well. Inform Armand at the bar so he can let Sergio know. Then stay nearby. You may yet get to throw someone overboard." Antonia waited until a grinning Portia left "What happened now?" A hard glint appeared in her eye. "Oh, nothing really. A name just moved up on my list." Petra waved it away and her expression cleared. "But that can wait for the proper time. As you know, the Prime Minister is outside. Operation: Pan will play out tonight as well from the sound of things. Please go see to Morgan then to the plan, oh, and send Sorcha down from the billiards room, and take Dawn to her secondary post." Antonia nodded and regally ascended the stairs to do her part. Petra exchanged her glass of champagne for the one of Atlantean Fire Wine brought to her by a snickering Armand as he passed on his way to the dining room. Petra shot him a mildly disgusted look but it was wasted on his cheerfulness. "The gods are all twisted masters," she observed under her breath and took a significant drink of the stronger alcohol. "And they play with my deck tonight." Forcing herself back 'on' immediately, Petra smiled brilliantly at the Sultan who stopped in front of her. She didn't care if the Prime Minister was on his way in, she still had a business to run and the best way to calm the undercurrent of tension in the air was to be seen as calm herself. Even if she did want to rip strips from someone's hide. "Masaa al kair, Sultan Rajim....." Meanwhile outside, Alex had passed the late arrivals and nodded respectfully at Mandor as he led Joy out to the line of hitching posts. On the deck, a pair of deckhands was covering the scuff of hooves left on the deck with a large carpet. And at the coach, and an unruffled former dueling champion stepped forward from calming the carriage horses and offered a bow worthy of the Prime Minister's rank and perhaps a bit more. It was Ramon, afterall, and he did things with grand gestures. "Good evening, Prime Minister, and welcome to our humble establishment." He nodded to Ingrey, "Ambassador, a pleasure as always." "Buona Sera, Ramon" Ingrey replied, in an only slightly accented version of Ramon's native language. He offered a rare smile. "Un piacere come sempre." Ingrey nodded in agreement and translated immediately. "A pleasure as always." Having addressed all those he considered important, Ramon turned his complete and respectful attention back to Mandor. "We will be leaving the dock in a few moments, if you will follow me, I will show you to the main lounge." He paused. "Unless you wish a more discreet entrance?" Ramon shrugged and smiled. He had obviously enjoyed Morgan's entrance. "Not that it would be as discreet as one may have wished after that charge, I can but try my humble best" "Thank you," said Mandor. "I cannot hope to match the flamboyance of Lord Morgan, but I would be delighted to come aboard. I trust we shall have a fascinating evening." "We shall endeavor to make it so," Ramon declared and took the lead up the gangplank. He made his leisurely way up the gangplank. If it swayed at all, Mandor seemed entirely unaffected. Vikund followed with the look of a man about to enter a boxing ring rather than Amber's premier pleasure palace. His eyes darted here and there, noting people and their places. He said nothing. Ingrey took a position at the rear of the procesession, returning to a quiet, solemn mien, his eyes mainly on Mandor and his reactions. As they stepped onto the deck, a deckhand closed the gate behind them. No one else would be boarding from the pier. Ramon stopped at the doors and flung them both open at once, opening the main lounge and the grand staircase to the visitors. It was a mark of how good the staff was at their jobs that no one did more than register the arrival before going back to what they were doing. The tension that had been there just moments before was gone. Pockets of conversation scattered around the floor, the guests were diverse nationalities. Talen's music provided background to the spirited crowd that waitstaff wound through smoothly bearing drinks and hor'dourves. At the base of the stairs, Petra's conversation with the Sultan ended and she turned to face the party on the stairs with a gracious smile. Ramon beamed at the room in general and stepped to one side, offering Mandor another bow. "Welcome to the Ramblin' Queen, Prime Minister. "Thank you," said Mandor. He stood for a moment, looking around with an expression of remote interest - perhaps even a little amusement - as though he was fascinated to learn how the ordered chose to conduct themselves for pleasure. His gloved hand rested light on the head of his cane - the golden ball gripped in an eagle's claw. "Madame my hostess," he said to Petra, and bowed, as though she had been a Duchess. "Such a charming hideaway you keep here. I cannot believe it has escaped my attention for so long." "Nor can I, Prime Minister," Petra replied with an arch of an eyebrow that conveyed both amusement and mild disbelief. "I certainly hope we exceed your expectations this evening." She turned her smile to Ingrey and gestured with a tilt of her head to something behind him. Looking stunning in a starpless sheath of violet, Sorcha was standing several steps up from the group, waiting patiently. Petra smiled at Vikund. "Cara mio," she purred lowly. "What a surprise." But she didn't wait for their responses before turning back to Mandor. "Is there anything of particular interest for you this evening?" Vikund offered a brief smile and a bow of the head, "Good evening," he said simply. Once this close his eyes never left her, though her attention was focused elsewhere. Ingrey turned around at Petra's subtle motion. For those who could seen Ingrey's face, the dour, serious mien melted as his eyes gazed up and found Sorcha. His body softened, too, and he raised an arm as he walked the several steps to offer her his arm. "Sorcha, Signora bella." "Sarei felice affinchè lo accompagni stasera." Ingrey continued. "I have a small token, a gift for you, too. I think you can guess what it is." Mandor was looking around with interest - although his strange eyes never moved that far from Petra herself. "Oh," he said, "I am very open to ... experience." His look settled fully on Petra, and he smiled slowly.
|
