d'enanigans: is calling it "the climax" too on point?

[nothing_to_fear]

This house has a very pleasant room for receiving honored guests.

In the fashion of House Shahrizai, the walls are richly tapestried (though not in identifying colors) and the couches are soft, finely upholstered. He has ordered the servants to stand ready with wine and light refreshment, and readier still to act should negotiations sour.

Jonathan sent a man to wait for Brix; he himself went upstairs to check on Matthieu. Finding him asleep, but well enough and in no danger, he returned to this room to wait.

He is reading a book of plants and their uses as they come in to light the torches.

Comments

[nothing_to_fear]

Ah," says the man with an incredibly sharp blade at his throat.

"Well. That is a tempting offer."

"My lord," one of the servants begins, but Jonathan cuts across him mildly: "Stand down."

The two Shahrizai retainers look at each other.

Slowly, they lower their weapons.

[oneman_onevote]

The Mandrake guards step in to relieve them of their weapons, and Havelock sheathes his sword in what looks like a gesture of goodwill.

(It really isn't. He just wanted a hand free, and the whip is more versatile.)

"Good decision."

If a little disappointing.

"Allow Brix to step back, and drop the knife."

[nothing_to_fear]

Very slowly, his smile more like the faint, frozen edge of a sneer, Jonathan eases back and lowers his knife.

[gothamsheiress]

Brix moves away once his knife is off her skin, backing up to Havelock's side to give the Mandrake guards room to maneuver.

[oneman_onevote]

Havelock doesn't look over at her, but waits until she is well out of Jonathan's reach before continuing.

"What did you give to Matthieu?" he asks evenly.

[nothing_to_fear]

"The list is rather a long one, I'm afraid."

Jonathan still hasn't let the knife drop, though it hangs loose in his fingers.

"But I can set him to rights. That I guarantee."

[gothamsheiress]

"Do it now. Before he suffers further."

[oneman_onevote]

"Brix."

He doesn't take his eyes off Jonathan, but for the moment seems to be ignoring what he says.

"Would you take a look at Matthieu for me? Davien knows to expect you. And before you do, is there anything I should know to ask?"

Brix is no chirurgeon, he knows, but she has more expertise than he in these matters.

And he has no intention of letting Grue de Agen within reach of Matthieu ever again if he has the choice.

[gothamsheiress]

"I'll do what I can."

She gives Grue de Agen a hard look.

"Find out who paid him, if you please."

[nothing_to_fear]

As Brix exits, Jonathan takes a moment to scan the room.

Three armed men against one armed and two unarmed; of the three, none need come within range of Jonathan's knife to be effective.

Pity.

He watches Havelock nó Mandrake with careful attention.

[oneman_onevote]

Havelock is still watching him as he assesses the room.

(It would be nice, perhaps, to think that Havelock had never seen anyone searching for ways out before.

But people come to Mandrake for all kinds of reasons.)

"So you're someone else's hand in this," he says conversationally. "I'm really not sure if that's better or worse. Who are they?"

[nothing_to_fear]

Jonathan smiles faintly.

"House Shahrizai," he replies.

"Or some of its illustrious members, at any rate. I was never privy to the complete list."

[oneman_onevote]

Oh, Brix will not be happy.

Not surprised, either.

"What you have will be fine to start with."

[nothing_to_fear]

"Then were I you, I'd speak with Iva Shahrizai."

He thinks briefly of what she would do to him if he ever planned on meeting her again.

"She will be disappointed, I'm sure, by her cousin's broken engagement. And the loss of a Servant of Naamah."

[oneman_onevote]

Deadpan;

"I'm sure."

Havelock steps in idly, scrutinising Jonathan's face.

"Who else?"

[nothing_to_fear]

This time Jonathan pauses.





"Henri Shahrizai de Brest."

[oneman_onevote]

"Why target Brix and Matthieu?"

He continues drawing slowly closer, frowning slightly.

[nothing_to_fear]

Jonathan smiles.

"Matthieu was an accident. A casualty, as it were."

[oneman_onevote]

Havelock does not react.

Visibly.

"A casualty in the cause of what?"

[nothing_to_fear]

"He sees quite a bit, does he not."

[oneman_onevote]

"That is not what I asked you."

(Consider this a warning, Grue de Agen.)

[nothing_to_fear]

Jonathan pauses.

"There was cause to believe he might learn my methods," he says. "Or my intentions. My benefactors thought it better if he were removed from the City of Elua."

[oneman_onevote]

Well, that plan blew up in their faces, didn't it?

"What intentions were these?"

We'll get to the methods in a moment.

[nothing_to_fear]

Well, there are intentions and intentions.

But yes.

Quite.

"To wed the lady Brix," he replies, mild, "and gain access to her resources."

[oneman_onevote]

Havelock raises one eyebrow.

"Truly a goal worth risking execution for."

(Sorry for the sarcasm, Brix! But given that Jonathan clearly doesn't care about her in the slightest, Havelock doesn't feel guilty.)

"In order to do what?"