The General's words bang around Eliot's mind as he and Parker make their way back to the others. Something went wrong on the retrieval, something went very wrong, he knows it to the core of his being. Otherwise, Grace would have called him. She would have walked out of the shadows by now. Eliot would know where she is. Eliot's thoughts wander again to his past with Grace as a comfort to his worried mind.
Eliot's mind drifts back to the moment when he finally cornered the mysterious Lady Charlotte for Damien. He tracked her all over three continents and during that journey; Lady Charlotte drugged him more than once, shot him and managed to elude him as if it were her mission. Eliot is the best in the business yet this royal has proven harder to catch than a unicorn. Eliot had tracked her all the way to Prague. Prague is a city that Eliot always enjoyed for business and it is time to get down to business.
In his pursuit of her, Eliot found that Lady Charlotte had a penchant for beautiful things and beautiful places. Eliot takes in the their latest venue, as he has followed Grace into St Vitus in Prague. Eliot kept his distance to observe her purpose for the visit. She has one way in and out so he might as well enjoy this final dance. This is truly one of the most beautiful places that Eliot has ever experienced. The architecture, the scent of incense and woodwork. The cathedral is a sensory carnival as the sun light dances through the stained glass windows.
With the winter chill in the air, the Duchess is dressed in a fur trimmed cloak which only makes her look more like a character straight out of a Tolstoy novel as she moves about the space. There is a certain romance to this chase and an irony that is not lost on Eliot, Lady Charlotte has grown on him.
Eliot listens to Lady Charlotte's heels click against the marble as she walks among the space like royalty in a castle. Eliot watches as Lady Charlotte slips the cloak from her shoulders with refinement and grace, landing it on the the pew in a single movement. Grace moves about the space as she lights several candles taking a position of reverence on a kneeler.
Eliot realizes that the Lady Charlotte has long since discovered his presence in the cathedral as she motions towards the pew, offering him a seat. Eliot accepts the offered seat while keeping his guard up after one too many missteps in her presence. Grace speaks to him in a low sultry voice with her English accent filling his ears. "I will go with you if you promise that there will be no violence here. This place is sacred." Grace glances up at Eliot. Eliot understands. She treasures this place. He will respect her wish. "Please allow me to finish and then I will go with you." Eliot wonders what has changed that after so long of a chase, she will just allow him to win.
Eliot is shocked to find that Lady Charlotte is true to her word. She accompanies him from the cathedral without issue or fuss, looping her arm through his after he assisted her with her cloak. She made him into a proper escort. Eliot half expected her to evaporate into thin air in front of him or fall through the cobblestones as they walked.
Eliot strolls with Lady Charlotte through the town and over the bridge without a struggle or a fuss. The experience is one of a Sunday stroll through the hills surrounding the palace. As they pass through the arch at the end of the bridge a car meets them. Eliot places the Lady Charlotte into the back seat with care. A guard stands at the door as Eliot rounds the back of the car to take the seat next to Lady Charlotte. On the way to meet Damien, Lady Charlotte makes light conversation with Eliot as they wind through the city to the hotel. Lady Charlotte made the moment feel less like a retrieval and more like a twisted date.
Eliot escorts Lady Charlotte to Damien's suite at the hotel. It did not take long for Eliot to realize that Damien's pursuit of Lady Charlotte was that of a prize. As he watched the initial interaction between Damien and Charlotte, Eliot realized that Damien had an obsession with Lady Charlotte. Damien did not wish to harm her, Damien wanted to possess Lady Charlotte like a fine piece of art or a coveted object.
As time passed, Eliot slowly pieced the history together between Damien and Lady Charlotte from collected bits and pieces of conversations.
He learned that the only people on the planet to refer to her as Lady Charlotte were those who did not know her. He learned that his dear Lady Charlotte prefers to be called her middle name which was Grace. Eliot always found it fitting to the woman he grew to know.
As time passed, Eliot got to know Grace. Eliot became quite fascinated by her. She was educated and refined with a stubborn streak a country mile wide. She loved horses and cards. She hated Chinese food and bubbles in drinks other than champagne. Her perfume was French, her shoes Italian. Eliot thinks about Sophie and very much alike Grace and Sophie are. Eliot grew quite fond of his conversations with Grace, when time allowed for them to occur. She became part of his world since Damien took great care to shelter and protect Grace. Grace was a ray of light in Eliot's ever darkening world. He enjoyed her presence until the moment when Grace was ripped from his world. Damien's fury was impossible to quell. They all paid a price when Grace returned to the herd of unicorns.
Eliot and Parker head back to the team. Parker knows that something the General said triggered memories for Eliot. "So you going to tell me what is rattling around that head of yours?" Parker corners Eliot for a conversation that Eliot knows he does not want to have with Parker. Eliot does not immediately respond to her as Parker grows more insistent. "Eeeelllliiiiottt." Parker raises a finger and pokes at Eliot.
"What is it, Parker." Eliot is still lost in his thoughts. "Well… are we going to see where your Gracie is?" Parker's voice and intention is quite clear. Parker's response catches Eliot off guard. "You serious?" He is not sure if Parker is being Parker for if Parker actually understands this situation with any pretense of depth.
"Eliot, I saw how you were with her, she matters to you. Before we go back… let's find out where Moreau is keeping your friend." Parker stands before him with her hand on her hip in expectation. Eliot hesitates since he knows what they will find. Parker will see a willing captive. She will not understand. The bars that hold Grace are not made of steel. They are made of an exchange of promises.