This was just a ficlet on my tumblr but I really want to expand on it.
~JM
The concert hall near empty but lit with soft, warm lights. The grand piano sits in the center of the stage, quietly playing Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No.3. Hannibal paused at the top of the stairs leading up to the stage, unable to see who was performing. But the invitation having come from Tobias himself, Hannibal dared to hazard a guess.
"She plays wonderfully, doesn't she?" Tobias' voice came from behind the blocking curtain. He stepped forward with his hands palms up to show he was unarmed.
Hannibal took a breath. "Giselle Mercier, daughter of Franklin Mercier and Ella Budge, your sister. She was third in her class in Julliard until she dropped out due to the unfortunate death of her parents. She is your only surviving relative."
Tobias gave a knowing smile. "I'm flattered that you've done your homework."
"No doubt you've done yours."
Tobias nodded once and watched his niece the way the lion eyes the gazelle. "She could have been top of her class if she had gone back; practically threw herself into music after her parents' death. But it wasn't to be."
Confused, Hannibal asked, "What do you hope to gain by meeting me here? What's to stop me from killing your beloved niece?"
"That would be a true waste. No, you appreciate the elegant too much to kill her." Tobias tore his gaze away from Giselle and looked at Hannibal. "What do either of us stand to gain from the death of the other?"
"Territory. Satisfaction."
An eyebrow rose in mild amusement. "We aren't animals; there's no territory to gain. As to satisfaction, there is only so long that feeling lasts. What I propose is a truce. You keep to yours, and I to mine."
Hannibal tilted his head, regarding his adversary. "You've shown me Giselle as your valuable piece."
"As a sign of good faith. Do you accept?"
The music stopped abruptly, pitching them into quiet.
Hannibal smiled. "Your niece plays beautifully."