InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Sometimes they come back.."

Mercedes Dupont (mercedes_dupont) wrote in toujoursliberer,
@ 2008-04-24 21:51:00

Entry tags:

mercedes_dupont, sabana_alvarez

Mercedes Dupont: Rescuing Sabana
Item: A letter sent from Mercedes Dupont to Sabana Eleadora Alvarez
Warnings: None
Open to: Sabana, anyone else in Dunkirk at the time

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loveanddespair
2008-04-24 09:04 pm UTC (link)

Sabana had burned the note, which she now regretted as she could not remember exactly what it had said but to be found with it on her person would be too dangerous - both for her and for the man her contact had arranged for her to meet.

She lingered in the shadows of the tavern, shawl pulled about her face. She had a bag of clothing but she had left it in the room she had rented. It would have been too suspicious - loitering here with a travelling bag. Better to let them think she was some sort of lady of the night.

She looked up and down the water front, realising they had made no provisions on how to tell each other apart from the other people milling around the dock.

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mercedes_dupont
2008-04-24 09:16 pm UTC (link)

It was cold, on the sea-front, bitterly so, even though inland had been warm earlier in the day. It was the wind from the sea, and the encroaching night, that made his wait so unpleasant. Being damp from sea-spray did not help, especially when he could feel himself shiver and his muscles begin to cramp. She had not arrived as yet, not that he had seen, and with no patrol set to come past for several more minutes, Mercedes stood, and stretched his muscles.

From his new vantage point he could see someone, a woman, waiting by the tavern. A whore would be inside on a night like this, or at least with a friend. He headed towards her, although in reality it seemed he was heading for the door of the tumble-down building, but stopped, hand on the door, just about to push it open. "Are you hoping to set-sail soon, Mademoiselle?" He asked, glancing over her. The olive skin and dark eyes marked her out from the usual pale, mousey French aristos. "The tide will change soon and no ships will leave till dawn."

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loveanddespair
2008-04-24 09:24 pm UTC (link)

Sabana glanced across at him. She had thought him simply a sailor come for a drink but now she wondered. If he was her contact why had he only just appeared? Perhaps he was an agent undercover, looking for those trying to escape? But if she did not take this chance she would be marooned here forever.

"I was hoping to indeed, Señor." She said, looking back towards the seafront. "But I fear the man sent to collect me has forgotten."

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mercedes_dupont
2008-04-24 09:29 pm UTC (link)

Mercedes couldn't help but grin. "I am sure he has not forgotten about such a beautiful woman, mademoiselle. Perhaps he was staying out of the cold, as you should be. It is too cold to huddle in doorways, perhaps we should talk elsewhere? Unless, of course, you would rather sing?" He asked. He was sure this woman was her, Louis XVI's Songbird, she had been nicknamed, according to his contact.

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loveanddespair
2008-04-24 09:35 pm UTC (link)

"Sing?" Sabana asked, although she too smiled now. "I think I could sir, I have arranged a room upstairs if you would like to join me."

Let those who saw them think what they might, and all the better for it, Sabana decided. And, if this man was not her contact, well...she had done worse things in her time.

She let him open the door for her and led him up the stairs at the back of the inn, trying not to let it bother her that people looked. It was safer this way.
She took the key from her pocket and unlocked the spartan room, gesturing for the man to enter before her.
"I hope it is too your liking." She said, loudly enough to be heard and then shut and locked the door behind them.

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mercedes_dupont
2008-04-24 09:44 pm UTC (link)

As soon as the door was shut again, he relaxed and smiled slightly, "If you would collect your belongings, mademoiselle, we should leave as soon as possible. The tide will shortly turn against us, and I do not want my ship being search tomorrow as she was today. Please, if you will allow me to take your bag?" He asked, holding out his hand, "I have friends who enjoyed the Opera in Paris last season." He adds, with another grin, "Although I myself have never been."

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loveanddespair
2008-04-24 09:46 pm UTC (link)

Sabana nodded, reaching for the travelling bag she had left on the bed which she handed to him. It was not too heavy, it contained a few dresses and letters which she had wanted to save. Her money and her jewellery she had sown inside the gown she wore now.

"Do I have these friends to thank for your help?" She asked, unlocking the door and letting him leave before her.

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mercedes_dupont
2008-04-24 09:56 pm UTC (link)

"You do, and I am glad I could be of service." Mercedes replied, hoisting the bag over one shoulder and proceeding back down the stairs. No one noticed them go up, and no one noticed them go down again afterwards, and for that he was thankful. "As soon as you are aboard mademoiselle, we shall be sailing. But we shall be in Dover by tomorrow morning." He smiles as they exit onto the street, and offering her his hand, he dashes across to the quay, although there is no large boats docked. "The Apollian is moored a little off shore, I am afraid. I shall row us out in but a minute."

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loveanddespair
2008-04-24 10:00 pm UTC (link)

"I shall have to find some way to repay them." Sadana said, clutching at his hand as they ran. "This is all terribly exciting, terrifying but exciting."

She let him help her down into the little moored row boat, crouching over to hide herself in the shadows. They where so close now she could not help but fear the patrol would happen upon them at this very moment and her freedom would be snatched away.

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mercedes_dupont
2008-04-24 10:09 pm UTC (link)

As he dropped down into the boat, coming around the corner by the tavern he saw, or thought he saw, the flash of white and red uniforms. He motioned for her to be silent, a finger on his lips, and eased the oars a little out of the water. He was right, the sound of marching feet came closer, but evidently the soldiers had neither seen or suspected anything, and so had continued on their way.

"And it never becomes any less exciting, Mademoiselle. Although one does become practised." He smiles, as he began to row, taking them out from under the jetty, out into the harbour, where his ship waited, silent and shadowy in the water. "I think we are safe enough now for introductions. My name is Mercedes, Mademoiselle. Captain Mercedes Dupont."

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	loveanddespair 2008-04-24 10:15 pm UTC (link)
	"Captain!" Sabana clapped, rather delighted. "A gentleman rescuer. I am indebted to you, Señor. My name is Sabana Eleadora Alvarez, although I suppose our contact already told you." eek. I'm sorry I spelt Sabana's name wrong a few times back there. Chalk it up to sickness. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

mercedes_dupont
2008-04-24 10:27 pm UTC (link)

"A pleasure to meet you, Señorita Alvarez." He laughs at his mispronunciation. "Forgive me, I have hardly yet mastered English. But no, I was not told of your name. It is safer that way, for all of us concerned." He smiles, and then as their little row-boat knocks against the side of the Apollian, he unhooks the oars from their rollocks, and stores them carefully at the bottom of the boat.

Above, several of the crew look over the edge, one dropping down a ladder, the other two long, thick ropes. "If you will climb aboard, Señorita." He says, offering the ladder to her, as he ties the ropes through the metal rings at each end of the boat, ready for her to be hauled up.

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loveanddespair
2008-04-24 10:34 pm UTC (link)

"Promise not to look up my dress?" Sabana called to him as she hoisted her self up the ladder, climbing unsteadily in her grand shoes, the rope ladder swaying.
She looked down and was almost overcome, her fingers tightening on the rope as she thought how easy it would be to let go and plunge down into the dark, churning waters and be swept to her death. Sabana shook her head, looking back up. She had not come this far to give in to vertigo now. She reached the top and let the sailors pull her on bored. She thanked them excitedly, glancing back quickly to see where Mercedes was.

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mercedes_dupont
2008-04-24 10:41 pm UTC (link)

He was up the ladder only a second after her, climbing one handed with her bag of belongings in the other. "I try very hard, Señorita, but I look just once." He teases her, in very poor Spanish, before gesturing her towards the main deck, the crew behind them beginning to haul on the ropes that brought the little row boat out from the water.

"There is a cabin for you, if you would follow me down. I know it is not very luxurious, but I hope it will do for a few short hours?" He said, leading her down some steps, and towards a door, which he opened, showing her in. "You are directly below my cabin here, so if you have any concerns, I will help you as best I can."

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loveanddespair
2008-04-24 10:48 pm UTC (link)

The room was not to Sabana's usual standard but after everything that had happened it looked like a room in the palace.
"It is more than adequate, more than I could have asked for." She whispered, hardly able to believe that after months of turmoil, of near misses and frantic disappearances into the night she was going to be safe in a few short hours. Tears overwhelmed her.

"How can I ever repay you for the danger you have put yourself in and the kindness you have shown me?"

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mercedes_dupont
2008-04-24 10:55 pm UTC (link)

He'd dealt with tearful, hysterical, overwhelmed and relieved women before, more than ever before in these last few months, but it did not make it any easier to deal with. "You don't owe me anything, Señorita. It has all be sorted already. You should get some rest, and by the time you wake up, you will be able to see Dover from the deck." He reassures her, "And then, one day, you will invite me to an opera." He adds with a smile.

"We should cast off in a moment, I should help my crew, Señorita. Will you excuse me?" He asks, regretfully. "Sleep, and you will be safe in the morning."

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	loveanddespair 2008-04-24 11:02 pm UTC (link)
	Sabana slept only a few fretful hours, tossing and turning in the little bed. She was not used to boats or hard, uncomfortable beds. She let herself out onto the top deck, shivering a little in the night air. She felt still that she should repay her debt and so she knocked on the door to his cabin. "Señor?" She asked. "Señor, may I come in?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	mercedes_dupont 2008-04-24 11:06 pm UTC (link)
	It was late, but not late enough and there was still work to be done. He didn't mind, of course, that the plotting of maps and the calculations were interrupted, however. "Señorita?" He said as he got to his feet and opened the door. "What is wrong?" He asked, concerned, and stepped back to allow her in. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	loveanddespair 2008-04-24 11:12 pm UTC (link)
	Sabana passed the room, not standing still as she feared she would lose her resolve. "Please, I still feel there is so much I owe you but I have very little too offer. Would you accept a small token of thanks?" She stopped pacing and turned to face him. "Would you spend the night with me?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

mercedes_dupont
2008-04-24 11:18 pm UTC (link)

Mercedes did not know how to reply. He merely stood there for a long moment, throat dry and his mind blank. When he did manage to reply, his words were quiet, "I... Señorita, there is really, really no need... You see I...There is someone..." He swallowed, and pulled himself together properly, "You do not need to thank me, Señorita Sabana, no need at all. You owe me nothing."

It had hardly been many months since he was last propositioned, in the same cabin, in much the same way. Then, of course, he hadn't felt so inclined to decline the offer of companionship.

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	loveanddespair 2008-04-24 11:23 pm UTC (link)
	Sabana nodded. In truth she had not wanted to share his bed but she had felt at least obligated to suggest the idea. It had been what men had wanted for favours in the past. She sat down on the edge of the bed with a sigh, out of relief rather than sadness. "Someone? I am sorry then for making such ovations. She must be a very lucky girl" Sabana teased gently. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

mercedes_dupont
2008-04-24 11:27 pm UTC (link)

Mercedes coloured, only slightly, but in the bright light from the two lanterns hanging from the ceiling beams it was probably quite obvious. "Yes. Very lucky." Although Aimé would certainly hate him if he knew Mercedes was calling him a girl. "But, not... erm..." He paused, and allowed himself to sit back down on his previous vacated chair, unsure of how to continue, although he could still feel the woman's eyes on him.

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	loveanddespair 2008-04-24 11:32 pm UTC (link)
	Sabana's smile widened. "But not a girl? Come now, Señor, I worked in the Opera. I have known my fair share of men who did not appreciate the fairer sex." She explained, thinking him very sweet to trust her so soon, but perhaps saving someone's life created that kind of companionship between two people. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	mercedes_dupont 2008-04-25 07:31 pm UTC (link)
	The blush deepened, and he fidgeted uncomfortably for a moment before clearing his throat. "I did not exactly say that, Mademoiselle." He attempted to say, although his voice did not sound as convincing as he wished it had. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	loveanddespair 2008-04-25 07:44 pm UTC (link)
	"Ah, but it was what you did not say that gave you away!" She replied, her smile widening still. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)