Cirque DeVante: Chapter Five: The First Dangerous Conversation

In an effort to keep Guy from being hanged, Talia reveals a piece of information that further complicates their stay in Pragum.

Click HERE for Chapter Four!

“It’s about time you got here, Inspector!” Percy yelled, slapping the hand of a guard away and lifting himself off the ground, “I was beginning to think someone finally offed you or have you just forgotten how to do your job?”

“Quiet, Percy!” The inspector snapped, “I’m supposed to be dealing with real problems, you should just be happy I’m around to save your skin every time you start a fight.”

Percy’s jaw dropped and he wiped more blood off his nose, “You forget your place, Olivari, you may be my father, but I still out rank you.”

“Um, excuse me?” Talia raised her hand, “You can’t hang him.”

“Talia, don’t!” Guy started, looking straight at her and slowly shaking his head as her right hand drifted toward the hilt of one of her knives.

Fortunately Percy and Inspector Olivari were too preoccupied, making snide remarks at each other, to notice the subtle exchange, but they heard what Talia had said and both turned their heads to face her.

“Oh, please,” Percy quipped, “Can’t hang him my Sydding as-”

Olivari threw his hand up in front of Percy’s face, motioning for him to shut up, which he did, and then gave Talia his full attention, though his sword still stretched forth beneath Guy’s chin. “And pray tell, Miss, why shouldn’t I hang him? It’s clear this commoner has violated a serious law.”

“But that’s just the thing,” Talia pleaded, “You see he’s not a-”

“Quiet, Talia,” Guy snapped at her, “I don’t want them to know!”

“I don’t care what you want, right now, Guy, we’re not onstage anymore and I’m not going to see you hang!”

Guy fell silent, but narrowed his eyes, brooding, as the inspector looked at Talia expectantly and asked, “Well?”

“Well, and, correct me if I’m wrong, but Pragum law states that, barring serious injury or death, there shall be no capital punishment reserved for assaulting a member of your own social standing, yes?”

“Yes, but I don’t see what that has to do wit-”

“Well, then, you can’t really do anything to Guy, because he’s also a lord.”

Percy’s mouth dropped open and even the inspector seemed taken off guard. He turned to Guy, withdrawing the sword just a few inches from his face, and asked, “Is that true?”

Guy shrugged, “Maybe...maybe not.”

The inspector gave him a hard stare and said, “I don’t know what you think is so funny, Boy, your life is on the line here.”

“For Syd’s sake, Guy, just show him the ring!”

“Alright,” said Guy, making a face at Talia as he relented. He raised his hands to his neck, which brought forth the reaction of the bowmen aiming at him and he showed his palms to indicate he meant no violence, “Relax, good men, relax, I’m just retrieving the chain hanging about my neck.”

Inspector Olivari nodded at his men, indicating to them that it was alright, and Guy reached into his shirt and pulled forth a small metal object hanging on a thin, gold link chain. He jerked the object away from his neck, snapping the chain link and held it out in front of Olivari who lowered his sword and took the object in his own hand. It was a golden ring, displaying two foxes chasing each other in circles and biting on each other’s tails. It looked oddly familiar, he thought, but it was certainly not a crest he’d seen displayed in a very long time, not since… “And who did you say you were, again?”

“Guy DeVante,” he replied, beaming, giving off a curious smile that seemed to say, “Remember me?”

“I don’t understand, what are you playing at? I thought the DeVantes died off years ago, so who are you?”

“No, that’s right, my mother was Eleanor DeVante and she was the youngest in a large family of unfortunates, and, you see, about twenty five years ago, after her father died, she got married off to Reginald Torrine.”

Olivari’s face fell and he went deathly pale. He nearly threw the ring back at Guy, who accepted it, smiling grimly, and then turned away from all of them, calling off the guards with a hand motion and marching right past his son, “Come now, Percival, it’s time we get going.”

“Wha-?” Percy stared at him with dumbfounded astonishment, then stuttered out, “But aren’t you going to do anything about this? This man has affronted my honor and assaulted me, surely you can’t be saying you actually believe hi-”

“There’s nothing we can do, Percival!” Olivari whirled on his son, “He’s a lord, same as you; and the best we can hope for is a judge giving him a slap on the wrist and demanding a consolatory sum of money that he won’t pay.”

“Well, then,” Percy stuttered again, “If you aren’t going to do anything about it…” He turned to Guy and puffed out his chest, “Then I demand a duel!”

“What?” Asked Talia.

“No!” The inspected commanded.

Guy stood there, thoughtfully stroking his chin and said, “Interesting.”

And Nestor just went, “Woof!”

Percy looked around, not willing to back down now that he’d said it in public, and stood up straighter to repeat himself, “A duel! Here, tomorrow, at dawn...unless you’re not man enough to fight me when I’m expecting you.”

Guy’s face split into a broad smile and he held out his hand to Percy for the second time that day, “I accept!”

Percy turned up his nose at Guy’s outstretched hand and said, “Lord or not, yours is a hand that knows no honor and I don’t want to get infected.”

“Oh, please,” Talia muttered.

“No, wait, stop!” The inspector marched his way into the middle of them and spoke in a well practiced voice, booming with authority, “You’re not fighting anyone tomorrow, Percy...not this man, not ever, I won’t allow it!”

“Excuse me!” Percy reached out and nearly shoved his father away, “Just who do you think you are, old man? What business is this of yours? And why wouldn’t I fight him?”

“Because I know who he is!” Yelled Olivari, turning to his son, red in the face, “And I know...that you would lose.” Click HERE for Chapter Six!