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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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blakethesecond
2008-04-29 07:33 pm UTC (link)

Christopher studied everyone at the ball. The rich, the poor, the seemingly innocent - which was, in fact, all of them. Some he deduced were actually oblivious to their surroundings. Others were painfully aware of the danger that was lurking around every corner and Christopher was one of them.

Still it did not mean he wasn't going to take advantage of the wine on offer. He had heard rumours in his particular circles that the Ambassador might be one to trust with his own little business in Surrey. Charlot was, at that moment, covering for him while he meandered around the ballroom deducing who was a threat and who was in need of a guiding hand.

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ex_the_ambas216
2008-04-29 08:06 pm UTC (link)

"Lord Blake?" He asked, having had one of his English aides point the man out to him a moment or two before. The English had far too many nobles for such a small country, he decided, and many of them appeared to him to be exactly the same. Same accents, same opinions, same dry, dead sense of humour. Still, when in Rome...

"I am glad you could make it this evening. I understand you do not stay in London very often?"

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	blakethesecond 2008-04-29 08:18 pm UTC (link)
	Christopher noted this man as he approached and when he began talking he instantly put two and two together. With a small yet muted smile he greeted the Ambassador with a courteous bow. "Not if I can help it, Monsieur Ambassador. I find it tedious and far too busy. I reside in Surrey. It is a magnificent ball you have held tonight, though..." (Replies frozen) (Parent) (Thread)

ex_the_ambas216
2008-04-29 08:27 pm UTC (link)

"I am glad you think so, Lord Blake. Such things are strange to me, I hope I have not been... too Spartan and offended any delicate English sensibilities harboured by your kinsmen?" He asked, smiling slightly as he glanced about the room. "You would tell me, I hope, if I made a terrible faux pas?"

"Surrey? That is further south than here, is it not? You will forgive me, I hope. I have left London very little so far, but I have not been here long. London keeps me busy. But I understand why you would want to leave, my lord. It does... ingrain itself into your skin, does it not?"

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blakethesecond
2008-04-29 08:35 pm UTC (link)

"If you have they have gone unnoticed by me," Christopher replied, smiling politely, "and I would of course correct you if you so wished me to. I would not want your splendid ball to turn sour simply because I did not speak up."

He sipped the drink in his hand, listening to the Ambassador while looking at him closely. All the time he was assessing whether he was to be trusted as his charges had told him so. "Yes it is south of here. Not too far but far enough - I do feel confined when I am here, the country is far better suited to my current temperament."

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ex_the_ambas216
2008-04-29 08:45 pm UTC (link)

"I am sure the evening would not be ruined entirely, sir, but perhaps some of my guests would go home offended. They would say, Not only did that horrid Revolutionary serve me unchilled champagne, but he was also rude! No wonder in France do they cut off peoples heads." He said, a smile tugging at his lips as he picked up a drink of his own.

"If only all temperaments could be cured by a visit to the countryside. Alas, it is not so. But I do believe that then the countryside would be crowded with party guests and king's cousins, and the cities and towns filled with farmers, without money or land enough to feed themselves. I have heard that cobblestones are not the most fertile of crops."

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	blakethesecond 2008-04-29 08:54 pm UTC (link)
	Christopher smiled at his joke, amused that he was actually giving him a lead to take a conversation. With another sip of the wine he shook his head. "No, they do not grow very well under cement! But tell me, Ambassador - is it true what they say of your stance on the Revolution? That you are with those who are battling for equality?" (Replies frozen) (Parent) (Thread)

ex_the_ambas216
2008-04-29 09:05 pm UTC (link)

Léon inclined his head, "Is that not what all human beings deserve, sir? The same chance as their fellows, and the same opportunities as their brothers? The quality of a man's soul is not based on the wealth of his parents, or how soft the fabric of their clothes."

"In England, they think a man who thinks such things is mad. Or French. But more likely he is both. Is that your opinion?"

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	blakethesecond 2008-04-29 10:06 pm UTC (link)
	"I heartily agree with your sentiment," said Christopher carefully, "and I house several more who share the same mindset. It is those who expect poorer families to settle to a life of slavery and ill treatment that are mad, sir, for they do not even realise they are slaves themselves." (Replies frozen) (Parent) (Thread)

	ex_the_ambas216 2008-04-30 05:53 pm UTC (link)
	"Slaves at least to their habits and vices, my lord." He says, agreeing wholeheartedly. "It is a slavery of the soul, rather than that of the body. The worst kind." He pauses, draining his glass. "You house like-minded people? I am surprised, I did not think there were more than one or two individuals in England were so enlightened." (Replies frozen) (Parent) (Thread)

	blakethesecond 2008-04-30 05:59 pm UTC (link)
	"Oh, they are not from England," he said poignantly, giving the Ambassador a rather significant look and paused so that his words had the chance to sink in and make their mark. "But you are right. England has very few people who would support the cause as readily as I do." (Replies frozen) (Parent)

jacques_belmont
2008-05-02 12:08 am UTC (link)

Normally Jacques would refuse to do anything his father had done, just on the principle of the thing, but if he refused to talk to everyone his father had talked to that evening, he would stand alone in the corner conjugating Greek verbs in the conditional tense. There was only so much Greek a man could handle in an evening full of liveried servants circulating with trays of wine-glasses.

He grabbed two glasses off of a passing tray and turned to Christopher, drunk enough so eliminate his habitual reserve, though not so drunk as to become unintelligable. "Might I interest you in a glass of wine, sir?"

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blakethesecond
2008-05-02 02:43 pm UTC (link)

Christopher looked at his empty hand where a glass of wine should have been. He had been so lost in looking for potential rescuees or even imposters, that he had forgotten to even wet his whistle.

"Why thank you sir," he told him, smiling politely. Was he French? The slight slur to his voice indicated he was from some foreign origin but Christopher couldn't be sure. "I appreciate it."

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	jacques_belmont 2008-05-02 05:26 pm UTC (link)
	Jacques handed it over. "It is no problem at all." He bowed. "Jacques Belmont, sir. I regret to say that that-" Jacques pointed at the Ambassador with his other hand, the wine sloshing in his glass "-is my father." He rolled his eyes. "I hope he did not bother you unduly?" (Replies frozen) (Parent) (Thread)

	blakethesecond 2008-05-02 05:56 pm UTC (link)
	Christopher looked over to where the man pointed and resisted the urge to give a chuckle. On looking back to the Ambassador's son he shook his head. "Not at all, Monsieur Belmont," he said, now realising he was French, "it was a fine conversation. We actually found we have a few things in common. Why would you think he was bothering me?" (Replies frozen) (Parent) (Thread)

	jacques_belmont 2008-05-02 07:50 pm UTC (link)
	Jacques grimaced histronically. "You must forgive me. Sometimes I forget that fathers are capable of pleasing of people too." He hesitated; he had to move with delicacy here. "On... what points did you agree?" Please not any of his father's corrupt habits. (Replies frozen) (Parent) (Thread)

blakethesecond
2008-05-02 07:54 pm UTC (link)

Christopher chuckled. "Please do not apologise. I know how frequently sons dislike their fathers - to be sure I am one of them," he explained, hoping to soothe the man's worries. "We agreed on the fact that most Noblemen are wicked, the way they treat their inferiors - or that they even think they are inferior in the first place. That they are slaves to their money and greed, where the bourgeois are simply obliging the human need to survive."

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jacques_belmont
2008-05-02 08:14 pm UTC (link)

Jacques brightened immediately. "Really? I am glad to find someone else of the same mind. That is the great triumph of the Revolution, exposing the injustices of the previously ruling class and allowing true men of talent and skill to fix the problems of France. A man of capabilities may come from any social lass; he only needs the opportunity, such as the one given by the revolution, and he may do great things!"

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	blakethesecond 2008-05-02 08:38 pm UTC (link)
	"I agree wholeheartedly," he said, nodding towards him. "I have been painfully aware of the inadequacies of the rich for many years now. Unfortunately I have born the brunt of many." With a weak smile he cleared his throat. "I am Lord Christopher Blake." (Replies frozen) (Parent) (Thread)

jacques_belmont
2008-05-02 09:43 pm UTC (link)

Jacques grinned. "It is a pleasure, citizen. I do regret hearing that you have suffered, however." He paused. "I hope it was not... unduly horrible. I have read things...." Jacques trailed off. "It does grieve me to hear that the excesses and oppression of the aristocracy occured on both sides of the Channel. I fear it may be too late to offer my assistance, but it is yours, if you find a use for it."

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	blakethesecond 2008-05-02 10:08 pm UTC (link)
	Christopher gave him a courteous bow, a smile on his face. "I appreciate that, sir. Though I may not require it now, who knows when I shall need your assistance in the future? It is true circumstance and family were not the best to me early in life. But I seek to rectify that now." (Replies frozen) (Parent) (Thread)

	jacques_belmont 2008-05-02 10:51 pm UTC (link)
	"I am sorry to hear it," Jacques said. He felt stirrings of honest concern. He knew the horrors of unhappy family life. "I do not mean to pry if it is a particularly painful subject, but, ah... you seek to rectify it?" (Replies frozen) (Parent) (Thread)

	blakethesecond 2008-05-02 11:16 pm UTC (link)
	"I intend to make sure that no-one experiences loss or pain such as I did, inflicted by the higher society which is supposed to be so highly regarded or esteemed. I mean no ill! Simply justice." (Replies frozen) (Parent) (Thread)

	jacques_belmont 2008-05-02 11:26 pm UTC (link)
	"That is very admirable, sir!" Jacques smiled again. "Very few men would seek justice. That was part of the reason I became a lawyer- the search for justice and for Right." (Replies frozen) (Parent) (Thread)

	blakethesecond 2008-05-02 11:31 pm UTC (link)
	"A lawyer? Oh, we don't have many of those in England," he said, rather cheekily and sarcastically but he didn't know whether Jacques would catch on. If he did, he hoped he would not be offended: it was something which Christopher had not been able to stop coming out of his mouth. "Why did you choose that?" (Replies frozen) (Parent) (Thread)

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jacques_belmont, 2008-05-02 11:59 pm UTC

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