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[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/Eg1RC2W.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/kAAi3GO.jpg[/img] [/center]
[right][color=52625F]Interactions:[/color] [url=https://i.imgur.com/3YDxiU0.png]Madamoiselle Vanille[/url], [url=https://i.imgur.com/faVWmjH.png]Marceau[/url], [url=https://i.imgur.com/RAL9Qyg.png]Madame Angelique[/url], [url=https://i.imgur.com/6v8qTbT.png]Cousin Gisèle[/url], [url=https://i.imgur.com/VIqlECP.png]Stalker[/url] [@Aeolian]
[code]Madame Angelique's Manor in Monaco[/code][/right][hr]

[color=silver]
There was an eerie stillness permeating that old, creaky library. It hung over them like a shadow, unearthing and unfamiliar as Gisèle moved closer to Bé, her eyes glazed with a thick molasses of fear. In truth, Gisèle was not completely defenseless. As was the case with most members of the Rochefoucauld family, she possessed a magic of her own, and in fact, it was quite potent. The unfortunate matter was that Gisèle did not have great control of her gifts and it often triggered when she was consumed by fright. Well, perhaps then it would come in handy.

The moment of quiet held steady, both parties not wanting to make a move until they were sure of the other's. But Bé had a remarkable, almost uncanny level of patience and knew that he could hold fast until he was sure what he was up against. And then, there was a flash of light that illuminated from behind a bookshelf labeled Eastern Antiquities, and then a blur took off swiftly toward the back exit. Bé recoiled and closed his eyes, blinded by the sudden flash. However, he knew in an instant who it was, and his posture relaxed.

[color=52625F][b]"Fool,"[/b][/color] he said, looking around his person for something. Ah...a chair, old, wooden, French provisional. It would do. His eyes glimmered with a golden light as he approached the dinky old antique, and the area around him shifted; everywhere he looked were golden threads tightly wound around one another, throbbing and pulsing as though yearning to be touched. There was always this sensation that they wanted to be pulled. Somehow, these golden cosmic filaments were alive. He looked at the threads silhouetted around the chair. The closer he got, the looser the threads became. And then he plucked one of the strings, and the mass of threads pulsated, releasing a thrumming angelic hum. Another pluck. 

And then, the golden light and threads faded from his gaze, and in place of the chair was an ornate, tasseled carpet. Miraculously, it hovered several feet off the floor, floating up and down—a flying magic carpet. [color=52625F][b]"Go, ensnare him,"[/b][/color] Bé uttered, and the magic carpet zipped off through the air, flying through the library and out the front entrance into the dimly lit corridor. The blur was at the end of the hall and made a hard tight right turn heading toward Madame Angelique's glass conservatory. The carpet took after it as Bé and Gisèle hurried into the hallway. 

From behind, Madame Angelique and Mademoiselle Vanille were fast approaching, pulling themselves along by their breeches. Bé could hear the frou-frou of their ornate, glamorous gowns, and when they were finally upon them, Madame Angelique seemed to be utterly aghast, [color=f7976a][b]"Someone, please tell me what is going on. Why did I see a man being chased through my home by a carpet?"[/b][/color] 

Bé let out a heavy sigh, [b][color=52625F]"My stalker is here. I'm handling it."[/color][/b] He realized this was the first time he had truly acknowledged that the fan was much more than that. In truth, Bé had hoped that it wouldn't get to this point, but it seemed that perhaps his mother was right after all. It was one thing: trying to get photos of him at the train station or hotel. But to trespass into the home of someone he knew. That was behavior Bé could no longer excuse and in some respects, he felt guilty to have brought this foolishness unto someone else, especially someone as completely unrelated to the matter as Madame Angelique was. In fact, it infuriated him that now she was involved.

His mother let out an audible gasp, [color=92278f][b]"Here? It is not possible, is it? How dreadful!"[/b][/color]

[color=f7976a][b]"A stalker? Heavens!"[/b][/color] Madame Angelique cooed dramatically, fanning herself like a stage actress about to swoon into the arm of her lover. Gisèle, on the other hand, looked remorseful, [b][color=bc8dbf]"I should have used my magic to stop him when I had the chance. I'm sorry Bé."[/color][/b]

[color=52625F][b]"It is of no matter,"[/b][/color] he said to his cousin, assuring her that it was no fault of her own. 

[b][color=f7976a]"Come, we must capture our uninvited guest for his transgressions against my home."[/color][/b] Madame Angelique proclaimed, and then the group took off toward the conservatory. When they arrived, the large glass-domed room was full of plants and trees and flowers that glimmered with a midnight blue. It was an ecosystem unto itself, and the starry night illuminated the room from every angle imaginable. The group looked upward toward the tree canopies at a surprising sight. There was a sophisticated collision of staircases and platforms, allowing one to walk across the canopies for a perfect view of the entire conservatory. At the very peak was an aviary of gilded cages filled with exotic birds squeaking and singing madly. And near these caged birds was Marceau. He was looking down at them proudly, a charming grin upon his countenance, and slung over his shoulder with one arm was the stalker, unconscious and wrapped up in the carpet like a burrito. 

[color=f7976a][b]"Well, well, well, who do we have here?"[/b][/color] Madame Angelique cooed, a hunger in her gaze as she looked up at Marceau and licked her lips. The tattooed man jumped down from the platform and landed on the surface floor with perfect balance, the wrapped stalker still in his grasp. [b][color=ed1c24]"The name's Marceau."[/color][/b]

[color=92278f][b]"How wonderful."[/b][/color] Mademoiselle Vanille said brightly, walking over to him.[color=92278f][b]"You have saved my son once again."[/b][/color] She turned to Madame Angelique [color=92278f][b]"This is Marceau, my son's guardian."[/b][/color]

[color=f7976a][b]"Now I could use some guarding like that..."[/b][/color] Madame Angelique said breathelessly.

Bé rolled his eyes as Marceau bowed to his mother and then approached him, placing the stalker down on the floor in front of his feet. Bé looked from Marceau down to the stalker, inspecting his face. He was alive, not to say for the giant knot sprouting from his forehead like a big pulsating red weed. It was likely a surprise one-hit knockout from Marceau. He'd probably be out for a while and wake up with a serious concussion. [color=ed1c24][b]"Want me to kill em?"[/b][/color] Marceau asked matter-of-factly, his expression uncharacteristically cold. 

[color=bc8dbf][b]"Kill him?"[/b][/color] Gisèle exclaimed with wide eyes, shocked that Marceau would even recommend something so, in her eyes, evil.

[color=52625F][b]"No."[/b][/color] Bé said, quietly.

[color=92278f][b]"What should we do with him then?"[/b][/color] his mother asked. 

Madame Angelique approached the unconscious carpet-wrapped man and stared at him for a moment. After a brief silence, she turned to Bé, [color=f7976a][b]"Worry not dearest. He won't remember a thing about this night, or you for that matter."[/b][/color]

[color=bc8dbf][b]"Of course. Your kiss..."[/b][/color] Mademoiselle Vanille whispered, recalling Angelique's magic that allowed her to manipulate the minds of those she kissed. 

Bé shared Angelique's gaze and then nodded, [color=52625F][b]"Very well. Rewrite his mind and scatter his memories to the stars."[/b][/color] He didn't need to thank her outright. She could sense the gratitude that quietly filled his sparkling ocean eyes.

This was the first time in his entire life that he actually admired Madame Angelique; the first time he looked at her and didn't recoil in disdain and annoyance. He owed her one. 

[color=f7976a][b]"With pleasure,"[/b][/color] she said calmly and then knelt down to the stalker, removed his glasses, and puckered her lips as she went in for a kiss...
 

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