Where: A Street Not Far From The Palace. When: The Eighteenth Of Maccius. Who: @rothbabin
Though the masks may change daily, hourly in some cases, the faces of Court for the most part remain the same day in and day out. One knows their stories, detailed accounts of every exploit and embarrassment sniffed out and passed around by insidious gossips, their haunts and habits, their allies and enemies. Between all that, one generally has enough information to feel out their character and position, make an accurate assessment of the role they’ve been cast to in the grand masque playing out on the political stage. This makes any unknowns both interesting and valuable. They could feasibly be shaped into anything, like a beautiful empty manor waiting for carpets and furnishings. So many possibilities-- it could become a palace or a brothel, depending entirely on who has the pleasure of filling it. How limited by comparison is everything already completed and labeled. The influx of new additions has, therefore, been a great delight to Gisele.
The fascination she’s picked up with Chevaliers in undeniable, stemming from the improbable but oh-so-enticing idea that she could get her hooks into one of Calandre’s elite and induct them into the fold of conspiracy. The recently arrived trio attracts her personal attention even beyond that, though-- between Adraste and Medraut, how could they not? And their senior officer, Roth, is certainly not spared her notice, unknown that he is to her. At every chance, she’s been careful to observe body language, mark each acquaintance, and gather what whispers she can manage to overhear, constructing a narrative for him from the gathered clues, a narrative she thinks she could nudge here and there into something that suits her.
She's been considering this goal fairly often, returning to the thoughts each time she spies him on his business about the city or his name is mentioned in passing, and yet for all this thinking, she’s yet to actually construct any kind of approach or plan of attack. It’s perhaps for this reason that when she by chance encounters him as she’s returning home one day, she jumps at the opportunity. Deliberately, she blocks his path down the street, forcing him into a conversation. All it will take are the right keywords to catch his interest and make his time hers, and she’s fairly sure she knows at least one. “Excuse me, Monsieur. Forgive me if I’m mistaken, but you’re that chevalier that took my champion from me, aren’t you?” She doesn't sound offended or upset, but there's still a demanding edge beneath the polished politeness. Gisele capitalizes on paradox-- harsh words, a soft voice, cold eyes, a warm delivery. “Babin, is it? You have a moment to chat, yes? Seeing as we’re practically extended family through Medraut and all.”