Chocolate Covered Cherries (M)

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Her elbow met to his gut.
"Quiet!" she hissed. And then tried to swat him away. "No, no!" And then she backed away nad pointed to the keyhole as she informed, "He's with the Grand Duke's visor!"

[Lion]

"Vesrik" Jude muttered to himself.  But when she moved, he leaned down and peeked through the hole, holding his breath as if they could hear him.  "Well, then I imagine they must be discussing some very important information.  We should waste much time in here.  Let's get in there and see what they're talking about."

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Jinai agreed with a nod and looked around to make sure no one was looking before slipping out into the hall. She put a finger to her lips to motion for Jude to be silent before slipping down the way. she could hear the murmur of voices and quietly, she stood beside the door.

"Yes, well, it's becoming increasingly more difficult due to the extra soldiers needed at the boarders these days."

"Yes, I know, quite trying, really," Vesrik replied, boredly.

"Yes, well.." replied the other, obviously Lord Christy. "I was hoping you'd be a bit more..."

"Ten thousand gold is the price, Lord Christy. It is what it is."

She could hear Lord Christy sigh. She wandered what they were talking about.

"I suppose I'll have ot make payments then.." Lord Christy muttered. Jinai could have swore she felt Vesrik's slimy smile as she peered through the key hole and watched the man pace through the room.

"You're a good man, Lord Christy. And as usual, business is always appreciated." And he paused to patronize the man. "Aw, don't look so glum. Wasn't there a girl you said you were set up to meet? Something hot and would look well without her dress?"
Jinai's skin crawled as again,s he could feel the slimyness in Vesirk's tone.

But it seemed Lord Christy perked up, but just a little.
"A resource of mine said she might come. As a bird. A swan but.." he flattened his lips. "I found quite a few swans, but no Lady Thames."

"Lady Thames? The name isn't familiar."

"Yes, I had only met her but once myself but..." he shook his head. "Let me tell you, she was all over me like an animal! I've never done suhc a thing. My wife, so prudent, the poor dear but oh- to think I've lived a whole life wihtout that!"

Vesrik grinned at the man's words and replied softly, almost like a hiss, "Interesting... Well, if I shall see the perfect swan this evneing, I'll be sure to let you know."
Or not..a nd see what all this fuss was about himself...

[Lion]

"I forgot to tell him it's the swan with the big red stain on her breasts," Jude remarked quietly as he listened in on the pair.  But hearing Lord Christy talk about Jinai that way made his skin crawl and he could only imagine why.  He grimaced and peered at Jinai.  "So, would you want to make your entrance now?  Or later?  I know you don't want me dragging you down."

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Jinai was NOT in the mood for Jude's jokes- for that's what she believed he was being- Smart with her. The ass. Turning from him,s he said nothing, feeling her skin burn with anger as she stormed away.

[Lion]

Jude rolled on his feet, tiptoeing up and smirking when she stormed away from him.  "I guess the only time is now."  He put his hands behind his back and stalked forth into the ball room, not beside Jinai, but certainly following in her wake, and keeping his eyes on her.

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Jinai pushed past people in order to get away from the looming figure of the jackal-masked man on her trail. Truthfully, she was sick of all of this- of the chasing, the running, the sleeping with despicable men. She had given herself away a long time ago, and just let her feelings run empty before hiding them, and the truth, all away. But now, why NOW of all times, was she thinking about this? About Jude and their relationship... about the possible child she might be carrying, about the possible men she'd have to fuck.
Growing annoyed quickly, she yanekd up a wine from a passing server and turned towards Jude and threw the contents onto his shirt. Her eyes were blazing beneaht her mask as she growled at him, "Don't ever follow me again." Before she turned away and dashed off into the crowd.

[Lion]

Jude paused and jumped when the drinks were tossed at him.  Surely several faces were turning at him in the crowd and he carefully brushed it off of him as he watched her walk away.  He too was burning underneath his mask, in anger and embarrassment and he stopped.  "I'm sorry, I suppose, " he mouthed to himself and carefully cleaned his suit.  He moved into the crowd, away from the prying eyes, to a private section of the gathering, a drawing room where he could remove and clean himself off in private.

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She was in no mood for this, for anything; for men, for sex, for love, for life- for whatever! She was just so damned frustrated and GODS! Why couldn't she just be on the rag? Then she'd know if she was pregnant or not. It had been eating away at her. How long had it been? A month? Going on two? She couldn't say, she was always too nervous over it to calculate it right, and now, as she stormed through the crowd, she was nearly making a circle until-

"Lady Thames!"
Oh God... that voice, that hideous, disgusting voice. And now she'd have to deal with him.

[Lion]

A long time passed before Jude was sufficiently cleaned and dry.  He exited the wash room and put his mask back over his face.  He meandered through the room and though he wasn't looking for Jinai, it wasn't long before he spotted that stain covered swan in  the far corner of the room, speaking to the slimy voice of none other than the visor of the Grand Duke himself, Vesrik.  Though he kept his distance, he observed the conversation from afar, when another woman approached him and began a minor conversation, that Jude did well to give generic answers too.  But all the while his eyes were plastered on Jinai, just in case.

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The conversation was... gross. She knew his eyes were all over her, and his hands- wow, he didn't even waste a second to whip ou this own kerchief to help her wipe off her stain. But she smiled sweetly at him, kept her face, she was good at that, but really.. beneath Vesirk, it was.. difficult. The conversation kept on and well, the man didn't seem to be able to let her go. Damn him an dhis social entrapment. Though his conversations were intriguing at best, Jinai somehow slipped in her conversation- mentioning something about Vesirk being business partners with Lord Christy.
He raised a brow at her.
"I beg your pardon."
Jinai tensed. Shit- did she say something wrong?
"That's what Lord Christy said, you guys did some sort of trade. He never expanded, that's how he said he knew you. I.. rahter like men with power," she said, her voice purring as she changed the subject. "Especially men close t someone like a king."

And well, one thing lead to another, and Vesirk was offering Jinai his arm, whihc she accepted as the two walked away.

[Lion]

As ever, Jude had a feeling Jinai would think fast and play her cards right.  She after all was accustomed to thinking on her feet or so she had declared on a number of occasions.  He smiled with no small degree of satisfaction at his creation, that he taught her well, and she taught him a think or two in return. 

But just when he was going to turn to actually pay attention to the woman talking to him, he bumped into Lord Christy and nearly smashed his drink into his chest.  Thankfully he didn't, and he stepped back to get a better look a the man.  "Arthur Christy!?" he forced a laugh and smiled at the man when the lord stepped back himself and looked at the stranger ahead of him.

"Jude Armand?" he asked.  "Ah!  Mr. Armand!  How are you!?"

"Fine, fine!  And you?  It's good to see you again.  I hope you are having a good time here," Jude replied.

"I-I am...though, I can't help but think of that...little thing we discussed before.  I-I just can't take her off my mind.  Have you-you haven't seen Lady Thames around here have you?"

"Well..."

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Vesrik Delcheux was a rat. A fat rat,a nd now, she somehow found herself on her knees infront of him, sucking his cock. Well, she supposed a blow job was better than getting fucked, (for she hadn't given him the offer, and so far- he hadn't asked...)
Little did she know Vesirk had a thing for blondes.. and spending all of that time around the beautiful Grand Duchess he could not hvae, and her perky younger sister... left him a bit...wanting.

And it was then she felt his finger against her chin as he propped her up to look at him.
"My sweet Lady, you should not be on your knees. Come.. turn around. And why don't you take that mask off?"
And it was more than her mask that he wanted off when his fat fingers worked at her clothes. Hefting up her dress, his entie mouth fit over her entire breast, or so it seemed, as his hot breath and slopping tongue left horrid marks all over her.
And he was rough and without taste, and it was even too muhc for Jinai to bear as she moved to protest-
He grabbed on quickly to her wrists.
"Oh what a little tease you are- thinking you can just get away after you've made me so hard?"
she glanced down at his swollen mmeber that pulsated hungrily for her.

"I don't fuck on the first date," she tried to tell him while batting her eye lashes prettily.

"Oh, but Lord Christy has said other wise..."

"Yes, well, Lord Christy made me a lot of promises.." and when she tried to move away, Vesrik grew angry. And suddenly- he smashed her head hard against the wall. She was seeing stars and whens he tried to move again, he hit her again.
She had no idea what was up or down, and by the time she realized it, Vesirk had her wrists tied tie together and attached to a table...., and his dick was inside her-
And fuck, did it hurt.

[Lion]

"...I'm afraid I haven't," Jude replied with a genuine frown and he watched the nobleman's head drop a little, the hope from his eyes gone.  "I'm actually not sure she arrived, I'm afraid.  I've been here quite early, I think I would have seen her.  But even I can't be sure.  I'm sorry, Lord Christy.  If you'd like our money back, I'd be more than happy to re-"

"No, no, please, Mr. Armand.  You did your best.  Please keep it as a token of my appreciation."  Christy smiled at Jude and pat the younger man on the shoulder.  Suddenly he smiled.  "Though the night is young, I'm sure I still have plenty of chance to spot her!  Please, keep an eye out for me."

"I'll be sure to do that," Jude nodded to him and watched as Lord Christy stepped away from him.  He turned around and eyed the crowd, and looked in the direction that Jinai went, knowing that whatever she could be doing with that vile man, it certainly wasn't anything good.  So he parted through the crowd in his own direction, and turned down the hall that he saw them vanish into.

He moved slowly, looking around and seeing no sign of them.  But strange noises soon caught his ear and he turned to the second door on the left and saw it slightly parted.  And in the crack of the door he saw the little fat man bent over a woman in a swan dress.  Those moans, those vile sounds, he knew the voice, and watching the act made him sick to his stomach.  But soon adrenaline and rage overcame illness when he shot into the room.  He took a heavy book from the shelf in the study and promptly smashed it over the head of the Visor.

"You son of a bitch!" he growled, livid beyond reason.  And if the book didn't knock him out the hard right hook to the temple certainly would.  Jude's fist hurt, but gods be damned it was worth it.

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Unfortuntely Vesrik was a thick headed man- so the book and fist only threw him off the woman, and left him seeing stars. Sitting up, he gasped and held onto his bleeding lip and glared over at the masked man who dare stop him from is prize.
"You little cunt," he cut towards Jude. "How dare you interrupt us!"

Jinai, startled, used this moment to wriggle her hands free. Once she got to her feet, she kicked the visor hard in the balls. ANd that was enough to drop him to his knees.
"Fuck you!" and she sspat n him before she ran, grabbing onto Judes hand and squeezed. "Just run.." she whispered. She didnt care where. She just wanted to be out of there, and she didn't care that she was half undressed, either.

[Lion]

Though, it didn't quite go as planned, dazing the pudgy little man was enough to give them time to skedaddle from the room.  And while Jinai may not have care if she was half dressed from the room or not, Jude did.  And before they were out of the hallway, Jude pulled her toward him and quickly fixed her dress as best he could.  The last thing they needed was the suspicion of the guards as they made a hasty retreat.  But even Jude knew with Vesrik on their tale, that would only last so long.

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As Jude was fixing her.dress she tried to urge him on.
"Come on, I want out of this place. We can find another room to.fix my dress." Though when she tried to move, something very unlike her happened as she found herself growing light headed very suddenly before she suddenly.fainted onto his arms..
Perhaps it was a building feeling, and to be raped by one so vile was.the straw that broke the.camel's back. But Jinai could not handle anymore of this and when she.came to in his arms, where ever that place was, she found herself just holding him, hugging her arms around his neck while she.avoided his.gaze as she silently cried.

[Lion]

They could not face the crowd, not like this.  So while Jinai had fallen against him, crying as it were, it was Jude who ushered them to move.  He had lighted Jinai a little off the ground to make moving flawless, as they moved toward a servants entrance, a stairwell and hallway leading to the kitchens.  He carefully closed the door behind him, and set her feet on the ground.  "Shh, shh," he whispered when his arms came around her, holding her against him.  "We'll get out of here.  Take a servants exit.  Don't worry, you're safe now." 

A few well-placed bribes later had them in a carriage exiting the grounds.  When guards came to inspect them at the gates, Jude had his arm around Jinai and smiled at the man.  "Oh, poor thing.  The time of the month came too early and she was devastated when she ruined her dress!  This was one of her first parties, so please excuse her."  The soldier paled at his explanantion - no man wanted to deal with a woman on her rag, so he quickly ushered them through and soon they were headed down the street towards his house.  Jude turned his face toward the street as his arm held her against him.

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Jinai was quiet as they moved, not saying a word as she leaned against Jude as they both sat on the same bench within the carriage. For a long time, she just listened to the noise of the carriage lurching and the horse hooves clopping against the cobble stone.

She felt so hollow, and cold, and very much a mute tot he world-
After all, she was just another body here on earth, and like all things, be they trees or rocks or even water, they had a purpose, but were just background noise, and even so- background noise had to weather the same storms as the elite.

She didn't evne bothe rto look back towards the retreating Palace, knowing, deep inside, leaving was wise but a part of her brain was still humming...
She knew she was missing a great oppurtunity to find some useful information for the mages but...
at what costs?

Shifting her weight against his side, she sighed and stared up through the window of the carriage to the night time sky. And as the stars twinkled, she let her mind wonder once again.

[Lion]

Jude knew they were missing much, but at least they would be away from danger.  He didn't know how one could recover from such a thing happening to them like that, and by such a man.  He didn't even want to think about it and would not comment on it.  It was not his place after all.  All he was concerned about was ensuring Jinai was out of harm's way.

And when they pulled up to the street his house was on, only then did Jude turn to her, gesturing to the familiar house and he asked her if she wanted to get out, solely by looking at her.