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Stories of the those from House Dragoon Talanador, the Company of the Dragon and the Tavern itself.

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Post by G »

CELEBRITY JUSTICE 5/15/2012 8:25 PM RST BY RMZ STAFF
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'SWORDS' DUELIST: My Marriage Has Flatlined

Gustavus G'nort Esplanade G'neesmacher Dragoon-Talanador the Third -- the man who is mostly known for keeping the Arena open and holding numerous Baronies -- has filed for divorce from his third wife with whom he has been with for 8 years, Kaja Adair ... RMZ has learned.

According to documents filed in Rhydin County Superior Court and obtained by RMZ ... 35-year-old Talanador cites irreconcilable differences for the split, namely, the fact that he hasn't seen nor heard from his wife in approximately three years ... and lists the official date of separation as May 1, 2012.

"We agreed to have an open marriage, so neither of us would go wanting physically. But, after three years and no emotional attachment, I feel it's time for me to move on. It saddens me that it's come to this, but, you gotta do what you gotta do."

When asked if there was someone else in his life, Talanador pleaded "No comment." ... When asked if he would ever marry again, the Duelist had this to say ... "Well, when the third time turns out to not be 'the charm,' I think it's time to give up and just live my life as it comes."

The couple have no children together ... Adair could not be reached for comment.

Kaja was also a duelist -- she has held several titles in both the Arena and the Outback, including The Diamond, and the Old Temple Barony.
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Post by G »

Two days previous.

"Mai, get in here!" G called out.

"I'm right behind you, sir." Mai replied, head down as she scribbled in her notepad.

"Gah! Witch. How do you do that?"

"It isn't easy, sir. What do you need this time?" She replied dryly, full of disinterest, fully knowing that this was going to be one of those days.

"Well, see, there's this woman I am seeing that I like..." G started.

"I quit, sir." Mai quickly responded with, looking up.

"Dammit Mai, you can't quit. This is why I pay you the big bucks! I need you to help!" was the ever grouchy response.

Mai gave a long sigh, then looked back down into her notepad. "Not that I'm an expert on relationships, but what do you need?"

"Well, this woman.. she's.. pretty awesome, actually. Smart, independent, she seems to like me. Plus she has an exotic beauty about her, you know how I like that."

"Sometimes in excruciating detail." Mai mumbled as she continued writing things down. Things no one but her would ever see. Who knows what evil lurks in that mysterious notepad.

G turned to look at her, pondering that notepad, then remembered she said something. "What was that?"

"I said 'yes' to you, sir. I was agreeing." Monotone.

"Oh, well okay then. Well, anyway, this woman.. I'll call her 'Charity' for the sake of argument. Anyway, she says she likes me and all, but I had to tell her I was still married. And you know what happened next?" G gasped.

Mai gave a mock gasp after him, including the fake wide eyed shock. "She called you a philandering man-whore and suggested you get yourself checked out at the medical center for sexually transmitted diseases?"

"That's what I like about you, Mai. You never hold back. No, she ran away! Can you believe that??"

"..... No. " There's that dryness again, like, more wet in the desert.

"So I finally explained the situation to her, and we're still seeing each other. But, it won't progress unless I give her proof that I'm divorcing. Divorced. Unmarried.

What am I to do?" G sighed.

"Get a divorce."

"I know. I'll get a divorce."

"...."

"But that's going to take a while. How do I prove that I'm getting one?" G put his hand on his chin, rubbing it as he tried to come up with a solution.

Mai rolled her eyes at the situation, then folded her notepad closed, tucking the pen into the spiral before sliding it into her breast pocket. She stepped over to G'nort and took his head into her hands, lifting it up to look him in the eyes.

"Aside from the fact that you're a pig, you over think things too much. Go file for divorce, and I'll alert the media to when and where it is. You will be photographed coming out of whichever foolish law offices you file at. Make sure you look surprised, not happy. Then, it will appear in their print. You can present this to your Charitable woman. Yes?"

"Mai, that's genius! No wonder I never fired you!" G laughed and clapped her on the shoulder. "You think it'll work?"

"Well, the only other option is to create a realistic head of your wife, make it look like she was decapitated, and present it to this woman and say 'You see? I am no longer married. Take me you lusty beast.' She would be all over you."

G looked at her a moment, pursing his lips. "Think that would work?"

Mai stared at him, then turned towards the door. "I'll tell the media where you're going. Anonymously."
G'nort Dragoon-Talanador
Duel of Swords Legend. Best In The World™.
First All Time DoS Title Holder.
Listed as "Daddy" in your daughters contacts list.
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Post by Mercedes »

Outback--Evening of 5/16.


"I''ve found a bribable judge that I can sweet talk and, well, bribe into pushing the divorce through faster. " Though no one saw her enter, Mai was there, behind G'nort, her ever-present notebook with her. She gave a nod and faint smile to G's companion, then looked back to G. "So, bribe or not?"

That startled him, and he jumped a bit. “Sweet Marble Cake Jebush! How do you do that?”

"Do what?" She replied dryly, writing in her notebook.

“Oh, Mai.” Blowing off her question as his heart rate drops and he relaxes a little bit. “ Umm.. ix-nay on the Ivorce-dae in Ublic-pae”. He waves her down a bit, then leans to whisper. [color=green=“Don't say things like that where prying ears can pick it up and report it to the media.”[/color]

Mercedes blinked several times as she suddenly saw the woman behind G. A polite nod was given before she withdrew her attention so she wouldn't seem to be eavesdropping. A casually sashaying gait carried her to the bar, where she slipped behind and began to look over the bottles.

G then spoke louder. “Have you met my lovely companion, Mai?” He smiled as he watched that walk.

She rolled her eyes at the pig latin. "No". She watched Mercedes move away, then looked to G again, lowering her voice to a whisper to humor him. [color=olive="It'll have to wait. The judge is expecting me. I've accessed the necessary cash and called a number of news outlets to tell them I can neither confirm or deny the Ivorce-day rumors without a substantial kickback."[/color]

“The media's gonna report whether or not they're paid off. As for the hmm.. judiciary issues, hmm, say, 10k to make the paperwork just.. float away?” He makes little finger motions to indicate wind flowing.

"The media reports what I give them." Was that a grin? Surely not. "I'll see to it." She wrote some more in her notebook.

He gives Merci such a charming smile, then nods to Mai. “ That's why I pay you the big bucks.” Peers at that notebook. “Let me see that?”

She pushed the notebook up to G's face, smushing his nose with it, then took it back just as quickly, her pen flying over the page.

G wrinkled his nose at the pushing of the notebook in his face thing. “Very clever. Very clever.”

"Yes, I am. Have an evening." No, there wasn't a missing adjective. In deference to the others present, Mai walked towards the exit. She was also gone.


Mercedes lifted a manicured hand to wave politely to the woman G had been speaking with before lowering it to reach for a glass.

G grumbles, then moves towards the bar where Merci is. He gives Mai a half hearted wave as she walks away. “That was my assistant. She's assisting in the expediting of finalizing the divorce. That way I can finally see if your closet is color coordinated.” He grinned.

“You cannot see my closet without being in my bedroom and I believe we have discussed this.” Her voice lowered as she leaned forward so that her face was closer to his, to be sure their conversation was not overheard. “It wasn't only because of your marriage that you won't be seeing my...closet...for quite some time. I believe there was the issue of trust, was there not?” To soften the possible harshness of her words, Merci lifted her hand to his cheek so that her thumb brushed over his cheekbone as she leaned forward to kiss the corner of his lips affectionately. Nothing racy by any means but far more public affection than he was accustomed to from the brunette. She lingered there for a moment before drawing back.

He smiled and returned the kiss in the same way as she had given, then gave the eyebrow shrug as if to say 'what can you do?' “I know. And don't worry, I fully intend to earn the trust back.”



Taken from live play and edited with permission. Thank you to the players of G'nort and Mai.
Last edited by Mercedes on Tue Jul 03, 2012 8:52 am, edited 2 times in total.
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The First Confrontation

Post by Mercedes »

The First Confrontation- Arena 5/17

Charlie could find her way to the Outback so it shouldn't really be all that surprising that she could still find her way to the Arena... right? Her hair was spun in a low tight bun and a black leather motorcycle jacket (for warmth as she would never go anywhere near anything with a motor unless it was a life or death situation) had been thrown over a pair of jeans and a tank top. Her work clothes. Battered black boots thumped their way down the stairs. “Gravy Boat!”

"Hey, what's Up Chuck!" He uses his free hand to wave to Charlie.

“You're divorcing my friend, you giant tub of crap!” In a huff it would seem.

Charlie's in a huff, it seems. This should go well. He looks over to her. "Well, yeah." Obviously it was out, he read the RMZ news from time to time.

"You do realize that marriage is, like, a lifetime commitment!" One arm crossed over her chest as the other hand motioned absently around the room. "Wait. Is there another woman? There is, isn't there? Well, hell, if you aren't the most predictable womanizer in this town then I don't know who is."

And now he sat up straight. She sure did seem to touch on a sore spot and his expression matched it. "Yes, Charlotte. I am aware that a marriage is a lifetime commitment. Thing is, it has to be two people committed to each other, doesn't it? When was the last time you saw your Friend? Because it has been quite some time since I last laid eyes on her."

Mercedes cleared her throat lightly, remaining poised as she reached over to place a hand lightly upon G's forearm. This was something they both knew was going to happen eventually, no need to act surprised.

The usage of her real name caused a flicker of something to cross her face. But it came and went too quickly to be identified. Her eyes darted towards Jasper at the sound of his voice. A sharp look which softened slightly as her eyes moved back to G'nort. Until the stranger put her hand on G'nort's arm. Then the lines of her face went instantly hard once more. There was a shake of her head as her eyes shifted back towards the door.

He drew some strength from her touch, even if he's a bit stiff and cold. Yes, it was bound to come around at some point, he hadn't expected it so soon, though. "We're not all so lucky in our relationships as others. Being alone is not something I enjoy when the commitment is so one sided."

"You've clearly forgotten who you are lecturing about being alone." Her time in Hollymeade seemed to have only increased that ability for her to slide right into a lethal tone. For now, it died pretty quickly. "You make them think they matter. That this time is different than all the others. But it won't be."

"So what you're saying is that Kaja didn't matter? When she left Ticallion, it was because I made her feel she mattered? When we were together, and she cheated on me, it was because I made her feel like she mattered? When she disappeared for -Years- it was because I made her feel like she mattered? Clearly I have no feelings. Clearly, -I- don't matter. Clearly, -I- am not allowed to be happy. Is that what you're saying?" His tone had turned quite icy as well.

"That's not what I'm talking about, G'nort. I'm talking about the women that took Kaja's place every time she disappeared. I'm talking about how fast you took her back and pushed them aside every single time. Does this one know about them?" There was an upward nod of her chin to indicate Mercedes. "Does she understand your history with Kaja? Are you ready to say for certain that if Kaja waltzes her ass through that door you would not forget this girl's name and immediately take her home?"

"Women that took.. What women? Have you -any- idea what you're talking about? There were Never any other women. When Kaja last left, she agreed that it was okay to have an open relationship. That we could be with others. Do you -Really- know how many I’ve been with? I'd say you could count them on One hand, but guess what? There were -None.- That's right, Chuck. None. Zero. What's amazing is the fact that I've seen -You- more times in the last three years than I have seen her. Consider that before you start thinking I've been going around with all these other non-existant women."

Her shoulders lifted in a shrug, eyes darting towards the door once more. This wasn't work so her battered mind didn't stand a chance at focusing for very long. She'd probably reached her limits. "Sex. That's what you think I'm talking about? I'm not, G'nort. I'm not."
Last edited by Mercedes on Tue Jul 03, 2012 9:06 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by Mercedes »

continued...

Not one to involve herself in a public scene normally, Mercedes really had no other choice at this point. However, she could choose how she would handle herself. "Actually, Miss...I am sitting right here and I am open for questions. And in answer to those you have thus far...we have actually had a quite lengthy discussion regarding his marriage. I am taking no one's place nor do I place any expectations upon him or any relationship that may or may not result from the time we are enjoying together." She offered a polite smile, perhaps it was out of place in this instance but she wouldn't be rude. Her glass was lifted for a sip.

Politeness seemed lost on Charlie. Her eyes only lingered on Mercedes for a long moment before she gave a shake of her head and began thumping her way up the stairs. Maybe she was done. Maybe her brain had reset and she'd forgotten why she was here.

"If you're not talking about Sex, then what are you talking about? It's not like every time Kaja left, I went and got into a committed relationship promising a long future with some woman each time until Kaja came back. Because there weren't any. I. Am. Tired. of being left as Second String."

Evidently it was the latter. The brain resetting deal. Because she stopped at the top of the stairs only to give a confused glance around before pushing out the door. Work called and she always answered.

Yells out at the door after it closes. "GRAAAAH!" and almost throws the glass he has. But, he maintains enough control to not do that.

Takes a moment to get a couple of deep breaths in with his eyes closed. Working on composing himself. Then, a forced smile and he looks to Merci. "So, what were we talking about?"

She let out a soft whoosh of air, drew in another breath and placed the glass upon the table. Turning towards him, her hands reached out to rest against both of his cheeks with her thumbs rubbing along his cheekbones soothingly. "Deep breaths. Everything is fine."

"I expected it, eventually. Just... not from there."

She nodded lightly, her attention completely focused upon him, proven by the fact that those golden eyes weren't shifting around the room to see who was witness to the scandalous scene. She really didn't care at the moment. [color=brown"I am sorry that happened and the relaxing evening you wanted is in shambles."[/color]

He finds the touch and thumbs against his cheeks start to relax him. His blood pressure gradually lowers and he finds himself calming. "No. I'm more sorry. Sorry that you had to be subjected to that. That you had to hear what was said. It couldn't have been easy for you to hear an argument about my ex." He sighs.

"Honestly? That didn't concern me nearly as much as how upset you were. We all have our pasts. I dislike being spoken about as if I was not present and am some brainless bimbo that is unable to make an informed decision. I am not clueless to your reputation but I am not going to judge you by it. I will judge you by your actions towards me. I have expressed my desire not to rush into anything and you have been nothing but respectful of that."

At this point she let go of his face, sat down and lifted her glass for a sip. Then she did something so completely out of her character, she cursed in public...and quite loudly. "People can piss off if they don't like seeing us." She wanted -everyone- to know exactly where she stood in this. Perhaps she was being rude, but for once, it seemed like the proper thing to do.

"Yes. They can. I don't think this will be the last time someone comes after me about it, but whatever. It's done. People are going to have to deal with the fact that not only is my reputation outdated, but that if I get left and forgotten, I can move on."


Taken from live play and edited with permission. Thanks to the players of Charlie Nausikaa and G.
Last edited by Mercedes on Tue Jul 03, 2012 9:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by G »

48 Hours Prior to Filing for Divorce...



Mercedes had been sitting at the bar nursing a drink for a while. Unlike most nights, her posture is far less than perfect and she is leaning upon an elbow on the bar with her chin resting upon her palm; cheek squished up from the pressure of the lean.

He was running out of places to look. For all his time spent, he hadn't really known most of the places she'd be. Didn't help that he didn't know where Cor lived, and he'd checked everywhere else for that matter. It was only really due to Fight Night that he even showed up to the Annex, having forgotten that he'd not looked there. A quick look around to see who was present, and 'Lo! She was actually at the Bar..with a drink. A distracted wave to Wyheree and Tristan and he steps further in, heading towards Mercedes and begins trying to come up with something to say.. which comes out as sort of a weak.. “Hey.. we really should talk about this..”

That was the last thing she really wanted to hear and from the last person she wanted to hear it from at the moment. The sting to her pride was far too fresh. “Go away Mr. Whomever You Are. How do I even know if your name is really G? Perhaps you lied about that as well.” From the woman who was usually so careful to control her language and actions in public, she seemed not to care at the moment. This wasn't exactly her first drink of the night.

Well, there was no need to inform her that the letter G couldn't possibly be an actual name for anyone. Not right now anyway. A sigh as that's filed away as information to be divulged later. “That's not exactly fair, Miss "Frogs in the Pantry, Piranhas in the water." and you know it. You took off before you even gave me a chance to explain anything. Maybe if you stayed around for ten more minutes, you would have gotten the chance to hear me out and understand what's been going on.”

“Ugh! I think you said enough. You start seeing a woman and lie to her about being married and you expect her to stick around and listen to anything that comes out of your mouth after you drop that bomb? You are not a stupid man, so don't say things like that. Go away.” She lifted her drink to her lips, sipping at the pink hued concoction, still not looking at him. She would have returned the waved at Rhi but had she lifted her hand, she might be tempted to slap a certain man. It was safer to just keep one hand around her drink and the other under her thigh. A slight nod was given to the woman, however. Forgive the lack of a smile.

“Now wait a minute. I never lied about being married. It just never came up. I didn't know how serious we were getting, and the first time you even asked, I came right out and told you. But you had to go and run off without even thinking to hear me out. There's a whole helluva lot more going on in there that you don't know about, starting with the fact that my "wife" has been missing for pretty much three years, which is probably long enough to declare her legally dead.”

“I shouldn't have had to ask! You should have been straightforward with that information. If it was not an issue you would have told me. You may not have spoken the lie but you lied by omission.” She finally looked at him, golden amber eyes flashing angrily. “You seem to have no remorse either. You seek to tell me what I have done wrong by not listening to you yet you cannot even admit you were wrong. I don't want to be involved with a man that cannot even see when he has erred in judgment.”

“I would if you'd give me the chance, you know. Of course I messed up, I'm a guy, that's sort of our M/O, I'm sorry. Yes, I should have said something at the start, forgive me for having too good a time and forgetting about the wife I haven't even seen in 3 years.” He rubs his hand through his hair, frowning at the repeating. “Look, I should have told you, I know. I should have been straight from the start. It's not like I let just -anyone- pilot my ship, you know. I barely even consider myself really married anymore, considering how long she's been gone. Not that you're interested or anything, you just want to sit there and be mad at me. Don't you want to think about how it was for me? I was enjoying myself so much, I was able to forget that I was married for a while there. It's also not like you didn't know that I came with baggage and a reputation. Look, just give me ten minutes. If I can't convince you in that amount of time, well, I won't come after you. You'll be free. You'll never have to see me again.”

“Fine. You have ten minutes and then you will not speak to me again. Agreed.” With her drink in hand, the diva slipped from her stool and stormed past him and outside the Annex, into the Arena.

Glad he got the ten minutes, he turns to follow her. The only guy he might be able to relate to in here would be Tristan, so he looks his way and mouths "Women, god!" with a hands up shrug, then heads out after Mercedes. He managed to get her outside of the Annex, which means they now have the Arena alone to themselves as he heads to a table, pulling out a chair for her to sit so he can try and explain his situation.

“At least it'll be quieter here. No distractions.” He sighs, not taking a seat but pacing somewhat, then leaning against the table where she sits. He reaches up to rub his hand over his chin, thinking of the words he needs to say to convince her in the limited time he has available.

She hesitated, almost pulling out her own seat just to childishly spite him, but in the end her good manners won out and she sat down. A quiet and strained thanks was given.
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Post by G »

Continued...


“Okay. First I will start out by saying I have been really enjoying your company since we met. I haven't had as good a time as these last few weeks in many years, and I don't want it to end. So you can understand, hopefully, that I want to salvage something with you. I felt you needed to know how much I enjoy being with you. Maybe you'll understand the rest after I try to explain..”

“I've been married three times. Now, you'll probably be all aghast at the idea of that, but there's no point denying it. Each time, my wife has left me for whatever reason. It wasn't because of me or my ways. The first two left me for other guys. My last one, the one I'm still married to, left me for work. She never came back. We had agreed that we would have an open marriage, because since neither of us would see each other for long periods of time, we wanted to be sure that our "needs" were taken cared of. Of course I was okay with that, cause I was a guy. I knew she was okay with that, because she was insatiable. However, since she left, I've never been with another woman. Ever. None ever really appealed to me. I would bandy about how I'm in an open relationship and that if there were any who wanted to sleep with me, that I was available. However, I never took anyone up on that offer.”

“Still, time passed, I kept hoping that perhaps my wife would return and I could be happy again. First weeks. Then months. Finally, the third year. It's been over three years, Mercedes, since I had any word from my wife, let alone spoken to her. A short while back, not long before I met you, I started to have my doubts that I'd ever see her again. How long can a person wait before giving up? Some cultures, not hearing from someone for a year is enough to declare them legally dead, and I've waited over three. It's hard for me to admit defeat in this sort of thing, but I had finally come to the conclusion that I'd most likely never hear from her again. I figure that it's over. Either she's dead, or she's married to her work, or she's met someone else and is #$%^&* ng them as often as she wants. Either way, I'm not in her picture. Why should I keep her in mine? That's where I'm at. I can't and don't want to wait any longer. But still, I couldn't bring myself to file for a divorce and have it legally ended....”

“Then I met you, and we hit it off pretty good, really early. Sure, I thought a romantic trip would be fun. A walk on the beach, show you my ship, that night would be it, sex or no sex, it was a relaxing evening, the first night. Then, you took me up on my challenge to go sailing for the weekend. Okay, my bluff called, we went sailing. And we had a really great weekend. I let you "Drive" my ship, I never let any of my wives drive that ship. Ever. Why were you the first? I still don't know. Swimming in the bay was awesome, more relaxing than anything I've done in ages.”

“Then we came back. And a second date, then a third, a fourth. Each time was better than the last. I should have told you I was married from the start, I am really very sorry I hadn't, if I would have, then you wouldn't be so pissed off at me like you are now. I genuinely regret that I've hurt you. I couldn't bring myself to tell you because I was worried about how you would react, which is pretty much like this. I wanted to avoid either of us having this issue. Maybe it would have been good to have had it out early, I'll never know.”

“What's done is done and I can only hope you can forgive me for lying to you and leading you on. All I know is that I want to try and rebuild what we've had so far. But if you don't, well, I understand. And I can't say I'd blame you.” He is on one knee now, one hand on her knee and looking up to her.

“I probably went over my ten minutes.. but yeah...” Sheepishly.
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Post by G »

Continued...


She tried to keep her gaze straight ahead; tried not to look at him as he spoke but she found her golden gaze shifting up to where he leaned against the table. She was angry but more than that, she was hurt. This surprised her since she was normally so guarded a woman. Somehow he had managed to get through the chinks in her armor and slightly under her skin. It wasn't love, obviously, especially since she didn't believe in such a thing. She did like him, though. Quite a lot more than she had expected. She had spent the majority of her life keeping people at arm's length and somehow he had managed to get closer. Of all the men to let close to her, she chose a married man with a reputation for being a womanizer.

From where she sat, it looked like she had been played. Except, they hadn't been intimate. He had never pushed the issue and had been a perfect gentleman from the very moment they had met. Merci's hand lifted to rub at her temple, her confusion and upset had started to manifest into a headache.

As he began to speak, she turned proper attention back to him. She had given him ten minutes and she wouldn't be rude by ignoring him. He had ten minutes of her full, undivided attention. Part of her hoped almost desperately that he could somehow convince her that this had all just been a misunderstanding. She listened intently, allowing no emotion to show upon her face, though her gaze stayed upon his face during the entire speech; even as he lowered to one knee, her
gaze followed him.

She swallowed heavily when he finished, knowing she was expected to say something. “I...I'm sorry your wife is gone. I am sure it has been a lonely and painful time for you.” Always the diplomatic one, when her temper didn't have the best of her. Her lower lip was dragged beneath her top teeth as she thought about what to say next. Several moments passed as she thought, her gaze shifting to her hands in her lap and then back to stare into those green eyes she had started to lose herself within before all of this blew up in her face.

“I think I can understand why you did this. I do not feel that makes it okay, however. Regardless of any of that, the fact remains, you are a married man. Even though your wife has been gone for so long, you are still legally married and I cannot be with someone that belongs to another woman.” She paused, debating what good it would do to say what else was on her mind. Logically, it would do nothing to change the outcome but the more emotional side of Merci decided to speak anyway, even though her voice was nearly too soft to hear.

“I feel like I have known you for far longer than I actually have. I don't know if this has something to do with the strange passage of time you spoke of the first night I was on your ship, or if it is simply because we are so compatible. I don't regret the time I have spent with you at all. I only regret that this has happened and has come between us. You have hurt me, this is true. I can forgive you but I am afraid that doesn't change our situation. As much as I wish I could forget that I ever knew you were married, I cannot.”

One of her hands untangled from the other and slid over to rest upon his that was placed upon her knee. “I'm sorry. I wish I could conveniently forget who I am and what I believe.”

He shakes his head, feeling glad for her touch, though fearing it was one of sympathy because she was thinking of ending their relationship as it was. “I'm not asking you to forget I was married. I can't change that fact. I can change the fact that I -am- married, which I intend to do. Not because of you, completely, but to free myself of that fact.”

“If you no longer wish to be with me, I can't say I blame you. But I can prevent this sort of pain from occurring anymore. I only hope that whatever future I have, that you're a part of it. You said, once, that you don't believe in love. I'm pretty much at that point, too. Everyone I've ever "loved" has left me. And I'm tired of it. I just want to enjoy my life, and you've helped me to do so.”

“I don't love you, Merci, but I am quite fond of being with you. I don't want to lose that. So, if there's a way I can.. fix it. A way I can win back your trust and continue to spend time with you, I'll do it. I don't want to hurt you, and never meant to do it in the first place. It was a stupid, stupid mistake. Now, I can't guarantee I won't do something stupid ever again, much like I can't guarantee you won't hurt me or do something stupid. That's life and it's unpredictable. All I want is to make things right between us again. Is that possible?”
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G
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Location: Generally found at the Golden Ivy Tavern. If not there, then on the SpellJammer, his ship.

Post by G »

Continued...

“You intend to file for divorce?” Her head tilted, spilling gleaming black hair over one shoulder as she watched him, trying to ascertain whether he was telling the truth or just telling her what he thought she wanted to hear. After several moments, she decided he was sincere. “Once you have proof of this to present to me, if you wish to take me out on a date to see how we have been affected by it, I will accept. You may wish to not waste your time, however, if you are holding out hope that we will share an intimate relationship with one another any time soon.”

She smiled softly at his admission of not loving her. This didn't bother her in the least, in fact, she was quite relieved he wasn't trying to play her for a fool by professing his undying love. She knew better, he knew better and apparently he had enough respect not to treat her that way. “I do not love you either but I am also quite fond of you. I think that is as much as a person can expect from another one.” She was very naive in the love department, having never allowed herself to become that attached to another person, she simply chose to believe that it didn't exist instead of believing it did exist and she had somehow missed out. Maybe someday she would be swept off her feet and would experience the shock of her life upon learning the truth of it all. For now, however, amazing chemistry and shared fondness was enough.

“If you want to be a part of my life, these are my terms. This is non-negotiable.” Since they were always negotiating with oneanother, this obviously had to be added.

I've intended to file for some time. Now I have the motivation to do it sooner instead of putting it off. An intimate relationship is something we haven't had yet, and I haven't had in three years, so, I think I will be able to wait until you are ready to allow me to fight off the frogs again. I'm not going to rush you.” He felt a great deal of relief at the fact that she was going to give him the second chance he wanted, and felt he deserved. Had she just dumped him then and there over this, it might have been easier to forget her, as it obviously would have never been meant for them to be together.

He nods again. “I do want to be a part of your life, if I didn't, I wouldn't have felt the need to defend this relationship we do have. I would have shrugged, felt bad for a little bit, then gotten over it. But as far as I can tell, being with you is a relationship worth fighting for. So, I accept your terms. And there's no need to negotiate this time.” He offered her a weak smile in the end, reaching with his free hand to cover hers which covered his other hand on her knee, giving it a light squeeze.

She nodded slightly, her gaze shifting back and forth between his eyes and his lips as he spoke. An almost shy smile ticked at the corner of her lips, her guard dropping for a split second and showing the woman behind the armor. The woman that felt something within her chest warm when he said she was worth fighting for. Well, he more or less said that.

Seeing his smile as a ghost of its former glory actually caused a momentary pain in her gut. Before she could be stopped by her logic, Merci leaned forward to kiss the corner of his lips gently, trying to comfort him. How ironic this all was. She pulled back and forced the warmth in her golden eyes to cool a bit. She had to keep him at arm's length for a while, until he had earned her trust once more. This was going to be easier said than done, especially when he was close.

She cleared her throat and removed her hand from his, though slowly. “I suppose I should be going home. I will see you...maybe I will run into you in the Outback tomorrow night around seven o'clock, or...something.” She wasn't any better at being subtle than she had been the night she needed him to protect her from the frogs.

“I understand. Yes, perhaps.” He pulled back slowly, as well, moving to take a seat at the same table. “I will probably be there. Maybe I'll have something new to share with you.” Another nod. He caught the specifics of when she'd be at the Outback, basically a "I will be there and hope to see you there, too." statement. That, at least, was a positive sign of hope.

She slid from the chair and stretched her neck a little; muscles tight from tension. “Hopefully you will. Be careful going to your ship tonight.” She was delaying the inevitable but finally stepped away from him and towards the doors, looking over her shoulder. “Goodnight, G.”

He stayed there, watching her as she started up the stairs. He wanted to offer to walk her, but decided to give her the space she needed. “Good night, Merci. Sleep well.”
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Mercedes
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Post by Mercedes »

72 Hours Prior to Filing for Divorce...(5-12)

“Okay so the plan is to get into a smaller boat than yours and do... what?” Merci raised a quizzical brow as she looked up at him. One arm was bent so that her hand held his hand that was hanging loosely over her bared shoulder. Her other arm was wrapped lightly around his waist, fingers gripped lightly against the fabric of his shirt. ”I suppose I don't understand the point of using a smaller boat when you already have SpellJammer. Feel free to explain this to a land lubber like me.”

He chuckled softly, letting his hand grip hers a little more tightly. He smiled and looked back down at her with a slight shake of his head. ”The 'Jammer is for longer cruises farther out to see. The boat we're going to use isn't able to make anything close to that sort of journey. It will be something simple, don't worry. I think you'll enjoy the little surprise I have for you.”

He smiled again and continued to lead her down the dock. ”Actually, we're here. Just a few steps down and we can get ourselves situated.” He gestured to a small flight of stairs that led to a dock where they kept smaller boats like fishing dinghies, rowboats and such tied up. On this occasion, he had arranged to rent out a nice little gondola complete with a punting pole. Settled in the center was a basket with some bread and cheeses, as well as a bottle of wine and two glasses. ”Oh look. Now, who could have possibly left this here? It would seem a shame to let it go to waste, don't you agree?”

”A surprise? I love surprises!” Every other question or comment fled from her mind upon hearing that one word. ”What sort of surprise? I just know it will be fabulous.” He was not doing himself any favors by spoiling the princess more than she already was. Well, had been. Not since arriving in RhyDin but that fact didn't stop the “Spoiled Princess” mentality.

When they reached the stairs, she removed her arm from around his waist and tucked that hand into the one that had previously been dangled over her shoulder. She took the steps down at an angle so that she didn't misstep on the narrow wooden stairs in those three inch high heels. Fingers tightened around his as she finally made it to the bottom step, the supple leather of her cropped pants making a soft rustling sound as she stepped into the gondola.

Merci glanced up at G and gave him that smile that had become "his." A woman paid to smile had many, many different smiles after all. This was a mixture of delight, charm, and genuine attraction. The "Oh goodness, I kissed this frog and he became a real prince" kind of smile. It was unique to him alone. ”Who possibly? Indeed. You do realize you are spoiling me, don't you?” The tone of her voice said this was perfectly fine with her. Once settled in, she patted the cushioned seat next to her and smiled again. ”There could be...piranhas out here.” A spinoff of the frog story from the other night.

He laughed, simple and quick but definitely amused. He had helped her down the stairs and watched her every move closely, not just to admire her form, but to be sure that she didn't take an unfortunate tumble into the water. It was the smile, though, that made everything worth it. One that seemed a bit more special for him and that he was glad to claim as his own. He shook his head in amusement as she patted the seat beside her, and as she settled in, he took a step into the boat, slightly rocking it as his weight shifted it slightly.

His intent had originally been to take the pole and punt them out towards the river that split Rhydin, thinking that the moonlight and the city itself would be most romantic. But now, no, there was no rush to do that. He had an invitation that he was ready to accept. ”Oh no. That won't do. I can't have any man eating fish jumping out of the water and attacking you. Clearly, I must protect you.”

He nodded, moving to sit beside her. ”Perhaps a glass of this conveniently placed wine would help to relax your nerves and allow you to worry less about such horrible endings.” What sound did that fish make? No clue, but it wouldn't compare to a 'ribbit!' He reached down with one hand to pick up one of the glasses, ready to hand it to her.

She gave him a most serious look before gnashing her teeth to make a clicking sound. No other part of her face moved so it was quite a comical display. “Hmm I don't think that was quite right. I will try again.” Cheeks were sucked in and lips puckered into a fish face. She attempted to ask him if that was a better representation but the words were far too garbled to be made out.

This was so far out of character for the woman, that G might be wondering if he should offer her that wine, after all. She relaxed her face and smiled as he sat down; reaching out a hand to take the wine glass.“Thank you, oh brave protector of my hide. Someday, I shall repay you for being my bodyguard.”

He stared at her as she made the faces and gnashing. He wanted to laugh, that much could be seen in his eyes, but he forced himself not to. It was the fake seriousness of the situation that made it all the more entertaining. ”Oh yes. That was quite like it...” He handed her the glass and leaned forward to get his and the bottle of wine.

She would hear him snicker as he bent down, possibly notice a bit of shaking from the laugh. But when he sat back up, the serious mask was back on, then he peered suspiciously. ”Hmm, I don't know. Perhaps a few drinks in you would be a bad idea. You appear to have tipped one or two back already.” Keeping the serious, then a few moments later, the smile began to appear until he laughed.
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Post by Mercedes »

(cont...)

A look of shock crossed her features. ”What a terrible thing to say, G'nort. Absolute slander and lies. Besides, you already said it would be a shame to let this go to waste. Do you plan to drink it all yourself?” She was not nearly as successful at holding back her laughter as he had been. ”At least if you are tipsy you will just be driving this little boat instead of SpellJammer.”

”Don't think I couldn't handle the whole bottle alone!” He laughed with her. ” Although, I'd be more worried about what you would do to me if I drank it all. Who knows what evil thoughts and ideas lurk in that wonderful mind of yours.” He grinned, uncorking the bottle and leaning over to pour her glass halfway, then repeating it to his.

"I assure you that I could think up numerous scenarios that involve you drinking that entire bottle of wine." He was given an impish grin as she brought the glass closer to make pouring easier then brought it back to rest upon her knee as he filled his own glass. "Care to make a toast?"

He put the bottle back down on the floor of the boat and leaned back up and more against her, sliding his arm around her waist as he shifted to face her more. He smiled as he looked into her eyes.”A toast. Hmm. Here's to an absolutely wonderful couple of weeks spent in the company of one of the most wonderful women I have had the pleasure to spend time with, when I had thought that I would never have such an opportunity cross my path ever again.”

He raised his glass slightly towards hers to make the little 'clinking' sound. ”You're going to have to tell me of one or two of those scenarios one day, you know.” He grinned, raising the glass towards his lips.

Her own body shifted to accommodate his arm around her waist and to lean more against him. An almost shy smile played over her features as she heard his toast and felt her heart flutter within her chest. The rim of her glass was tilted to clink with his before being lifted to press to her lips for a small sip. Lowering the glass, Merci gaze through lowered lashes as she laughed softly. "I promise I will. Someday."

Another sip of her wine was taken before her head tilted slightly. "Why would you think the opportunity wouldn't cross your path again? Why is it that some lucky woman did not snatch you up by now?" Cheeky grin. "Don't get me wrong, I am very happy about your relationship status. Another woman’s loss is my gain." Did she really just say all of that? First she was making silly faces and now she was confessing to liking him. Definitely coming out of her shell a little more.

His expression soured slightly. This subject was bound to come up sooner or later. Probably best that it happened early on. That way, when and if she decided to toss her wine into his face, the sooner he could get over her. Truth be told he liked her from the start and only delayed it to spare her feelings, and his. He sighed and took another long sip from his glass, then methodically moved to place it beside him, taking his time so as to delay the inevitable for as long as he could.

He turned to face her again, only this time, the closeness wasn't there. His expression became one of conflict and some pain, mainly because of what he feared her reaction would be. He took a deep breath and knew that he had to do it. So, he did. ”Mercedes. Before I say anything, I want you to know that I have grown to enjoy your presence far more than I expected to, and truly wish for it to continue, but, if you decide against it, I would.. regrettably, understand. I do hope it doesn't come to that, though.”

Another deep breath. There was no real easy way to say this, was there? ”The reason no other woman has snatched me up by now.. well, it's like this...” A hand reached up behind his head, scratching. ”It's like this... It's because.. well.. someone had snatched me up. Technically.. I'm... married..” He flinched, squinting his eyes as he looked towards her.

Merci had begun to relax and leaned closer so that her head was resting against his shoulder as she looked up at him. The expression on his face and his sudden change in mood alerted her that something was definitely wrong here. Her golden eyed gaze flitted over his face, taking in yet another change in his features as she heard the nervousness in his voice. Already, cold dread started to creep into her gut and she sat the wine glass down so that she could press both hands flat against her belly.

With a confused look upon her face, she spoke quietly. "I have enjoyed spending time with you as well." She felt herself leaning forward as he started speaking again, a frown had just started to crease her forehead and the hands pressed to her belly suddenly balled into tight fists that left her knuckles aching and white. "Married." The word rushed from her mouth in a breathless huff.

Immediately her mind began to rewind, recent memories coming to the surface to be replayed like a video. ~The women's clothing and beauty items upon SpellJammer. The reputation he had spoken of~. Things she had overlooked when she should have put them together. Her mind, being the cruel thing it was, also replayed those tapes of ~standing on the deck of his ship in the raging storm, dancing. The morning where he had stood behind her and taught her how to steer the ship. That day on the island.~ They had been in one another's company every day since the first day they had met. And he was married.

Mercedes did the only thing she felt a woman with respect for herself could do. She slid her heels off and stood up. Without speaking a solitary word, she climbed from the gondola back to the dock and then ran up the steps. She kept running, not even sure if he was behind her or where she was going.

”That went well.” Spoken cynically as he sighed, looking down at the now destroyed evening. Even if he convinces her not to hate him, there's not likely going to be any actual romantic evenings for a while. He knew women enough to know that no matter what, she wasn't going to forgive that easily. He should have told her from the beginning, so of course he was kicking himself even as he stood to go chasing off after her. ”Damn, damn, damn. I knew this could only end in tears.”

He gave her too much of a head start, too. He could only guess which direction she had headed and only had the general idea. She was going to need some time to cope with this, but he also needed time to explain. With any luck, he might be able to get her to calm down enough to hear what he had to say, even if she didn't listen.

Taken from live play and edited with permission. Thanks to the player of G.
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