InsaneJournal

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Léon Belmont (ex_the_ambas216) wrote in toujoursliberer,
@ 2008-03-28 07:54:00

Entry tags:

ambassadors_ball, leon_belmont

An Invitation to the French Ambassador's Ball
Subject: The Ambassadors Ball
Where: The French Embassy
Who: Léon Belmont, the French Ambassador to the English court
Warnings: none as yet
Open to: All (all players may attend either as invited guests of the ambassador, as servants or guests of those invited, as staff, or as gate-crashers.)

The ballroom of the Embassy was already growing busy, and when Citizen Belmont paused for a moment besides one of the large windows, he could see yet more carriages pulling up outside, wreathed in the mist blowing in from the river.

The quartet had been playing now for a good half an hour, new French tunes as well as those the English favoured. His staff was busy handing out good French wine, and then refilling those glasses when they were drained.

It was going to be a good evening, and not only in the eyes of the party-goers. With some of England’s most prominent aristos on the guest list, and some than some newly arrived French nationals, tonight would be a night of information gathering, of sizing up the opposition, and perhaps even ensuring some of those French escapees were returned to face justice.

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loveanddespair
2008-04-24 11:29 pm UTC (link)

"Señor! How kind of you to say!" Sabana replied, fluttering her fan coquettishly. "I hardly know of anyone else here who would call England a delight but I am most grateful to be on its shores."

She looked him over, still smiling widely as she tried to place him and could not.
"I'm afraid, Señor, you have put me in quite a delicate position for you seem to know me and I do not know you."

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the_legman
2008-04-24 11:49 pm UTC (link)

"Well, when one considers the alternative I can imagine even the most loyal of French nationals would call this country a sweet relief."

Ferrand shook his head, still smiling, and put up a hand lightly to his chest, "Duchesse, I would be honoured but greatly surprised if you did know my name, indeed I can hardly expect a great woman such as yourself to remember the name of every admirer of your work that you meet." He recalled being at a few of the same court functions as she but she, unlike he, would have no compunction to recall the name of every person she met at them. Especially one of a foreigner from the colonies without even a title to his name. "My name is Ferrand Duval. I am a writer for the newspapers and so have the pleasure of spreading the word of your singing to the masses far and wide." Far being the operative word here as he'd even sent a copy of his review to the Gazette, along with the political consequences as well, but that was beside the point.

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	loveanddespair 2008-04-25 08:17 am UTC (link)
	Sabana clapped her hands together delightedly. "I believe I have read some of your work, Señor, and greatly enjoyed it. But then I always enjoy the works of those who praise me. Don't you?" (Replies frozen) (Parent) (Thread)

the_legman
2008-04-25 09:21 pm UTC (link)

Ferrand beamed, pleased as anything to hear that she'd read something of what he'd written (and remembered it), and laughed. "I'm afraid I can't comment. We who give the praise rarely, if ever, receive it ourselves. That is an honour kept solely for the editors, alas."

He waved his hand then, as if clearing the air, "But, Duchesse, pray tell. How did you manage this miraculous escape of yours?"

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loveanddespair
2008-04-25 09:26 pm UTC (link)

"How unkind! I shall make sure then to keep up with your reports from now on and praise you whenever we meet."

Sabana's smile fell and she glanced around the room, unsure of who she could trust. She felt Ferrand would not be a danger but here at the ball she could hardly reveal her contact without endangering them all.
"Is this for your newspaper? I'm afraid I cannot name names." She said, fanning herself briskly. "I have friends who would have hated to see my lose my head. It is so hard to sing without a body."

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the_legman
2008-04-25 09:42 pm UTC (link)

"My lady, you honour me far too much." He responded, with a smile, but still a touch embarrassed.

Ferrand shook his head vigorously and lowered his voice, "No, no, of course not. I understand far too well the perils of revealing the locations of certain people and those involved with their escape. No paper or even other persons in my line of work will ever hear anything about this." He had his own people to protect after all and if word ever got out that he knew the locations of anybody who fled they would be put at risk also. "It's simply for my curiosity alone and possibly the chance to thank who ever helped you. Although, if I might ask, does this mean you plan to continue singing? Is that not a bit risky?"

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loveanddespair
2008-04-25 09:49 pm UTC (link)

"I think it may be too hot for me here. Would you accompany me out to the gardens, Señor?" She asked, taking hold of his arm.

Once they where outside and away from watchful eyes and gossipy tongues Sabana relaxed.
"Mercedes Dupont, Señor. I had a contact in France who sent me to him and he brought me across to England." She rested her hand on her hip, gazing up in to the night sky. "No, only private performances. I am hoping to attach myself permanently to England, at least until the danger has passed."

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the_legman
2008-04-27 10:15 am UTC (link)

He was a bit surprised at her request, or rather not at the request itself but the action that came with it, but nodded and walked out with her anyway. "Of course, Duchesse."

"Dupont." He repeated, trying to place the name, before shaking his head. "I don't believe I know anybody by that name. Was he at the court?" He followed her eyes up to look at the sky, it was a clear night and the stars were just visible through the murk and the haze of the city smog, and smiled. "A good plan, if I'm allowed to say, although did you never think of returning home to Spain?"

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	loveanddespair 2008-04-30 09:13 am UTC (link)
	"No, he was not. He is a sailor." She pauses and then corrects herself. "A captain, he has a trading permit and moves between England and France." Sabana gave a small shrug of her shoulders in answers. "I thought of it, but an adventure and new life in England seemed more promising." (Replies frozen) (Parent)

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