Rowaini Musketeers: One For All and All For One

[Fenris]

Jacen nods, his forehead creased in thought. He gets up and starts pacing as he sorts through the information and his own memories.

"And it was Marie that wanted to meet, but the duel started when Guillarme happened across us. Someone might have told him where to go...but we'd have to ask to know for sure..."

He looks at Tristan.

"A couple of things spring out at me from your description, and from the note. The Pumpernickel wasn't just hiding in her closet...he was looking for something. Maybe it was something specific? And in the note he says that he'd tried to win her, but she didn't notice him...then says something about a snake hiding among the king's men. I think that means us...or specifically me."

He pauses then says, "And on reflection, there was someone at the party who reminds me a bit of how you describe the Pumpernickel."

"Aric Dandillo. The braggart. Remember? Maybe we should ask to see if he was sighted around the same time that you were upstairs, Tristan...or if he was seen afterwards."

"Oh ho" exclaims Tristan "Yes, I do remember him, that little braggart going on about the trolls. You may be onto to something here my lad. Who was with him eh? Belinda and Anne. Anne provoked Gabriel into his duel and I followed Belinda up to Marie's room to find the Baker." says Tristan pacing about.


"And while I find the actions of Anne suspicious, Belinda mocked the Baker quite well. Though she could have staged it, she was the one protecting Marie and Jacen, so it is unlikely she would be in league with the Baker."


"And what about the other man there, uh, Merteuil. Hmmm. Aric, we need a Dulirand, find out where Aric is now and if he has any siblings."

 

[Shayuri]

"Lets get Marie and Tommy back in here. They might be able to tell us more."

Assuming there's no objection, he goes to the door and pokes his head out.

"Marie? Tommy? Sorry about that...want to come back in?"

 

[Rystil Arden]

*As they return in, Marie looks rather sad.*

"Is it true Jacen? Did you send me away because you thought you couldn't trust me?"

 

[Shayuri]

Jacen blinks at her, taken aback, then looks at Tommy and shakes his head.

"No, Marie, no. In fact, I want to go over with you what we were talking about. The reason I asked you to leave was because once a person hears one thing, it can sort of..."

He waves a hand in a circle, searching for words.

"It makes it hard for you to see it another way. Like, for example, if you and I both look at a painting, and then someone asks us to tell what we liked about it. I might say that I liked the realism and how the colors suggested depth or something. Which is fine, only now you've heard that, and it affects how YOU remember it. My ideas mix with yours...and what you say isn't the same as what you might have said if you'd spoken first."

"I promise, I'll tell you what we talked about. It's not secret. I just don't want my ideas to color your memories and ideas until we've all had a chance to hear them."

 

[Rystil Arden]

"Oh, I see...well that makes sense."

"Even so, if you suspect Guillaume's complicity, which I can assure is an empty suspicion, but regardless, it would only make sense not to trust anyone you didn't know for certain. And I told you Marie--if anyone, it's probably me they don't trust, not you," Tommy ponders, "So what did you want us to think about independently?"

 

[Shayuri]

"Actually, Marie convinced me that it's probably not Guillarme," Jacen admits sheepishly. "I jumped to conclusions. I'm trying to be more careful this time."

He looks at Marie. "Do you know a man named Aric Dandillo?" He then includes Tommy by saying, "Either of you."

 

[Rystil Arden]

"Umm, he's a bit of a braggart, and he likes to tell tall tales about his prowess," Marie recalls.

"His behaviour seemed somewhat similar to the description of the Pumpernickel, and so I checked the handwriting on the ransom note, and it was similar to that of Aric's RSVP. However, he was pretty much in the grand hall the entire time. He certainly could not have perpetrated all of these crimes, and he was visibly uninjured later in the evening. I can only suspect the possibility that our culprit's over-the-top antics might have been an attempt to throw us off the trail by implicating Aric in the resemblance, a caricature even, you might say."

 

[Shayuri]

Jacen nods. "That's useful information, thanks."

He looks at Marie again. "Has anyone recently professed romantic feelings towards you? Previously to the party, or maybe even during it."

 

[Rystil Arden]

"No, not particularly. I mean, I've danced with young men sometimes when I came to the parties, but Sabine is more beautiful than I am, and the elder daughter and so worthy of a greater dowry, and so, no one has tried to woo me or showed that much interest in me...Well, unless you count a certain Musketeer..." Marie smiles.

 

[Fenris]

"No, not particularly. I mean, I've danced with young men sometimes when I came to the parties, but Sabine is more beautiful than I am, and the elder daughter and so worthy of a greater dowry, and so, no one has tried to woo me or showed that much interest in me...Well, unless you count a certain Musketeer..." Marie smiles.

"Yeah, next time you fight to defend Marie's honor Jacen" says Tristan rubbing his ribs where they were still sore from the fight before elbowing Jacen good naturedly (though it nearly knocks poor Jacen down) and flashing a grin and a wink at Marie.

"Tommy, how many herbalists are around the area. Our Baker, or one of his allies must has learned his herb-lore somewhere."