The group unanimously decided to go quietly. Emma thought it was best to be taken to the front hall where the rest of the team was. From there, they'd figure out how to get Remy out of this mess that really, for the first time, he had nothing to do with.
Guilds, Emma sighed. They always want something they can't have. In Jean-Luc's case, he claimed he wanted peace between the Guilds, but if he really wanted that, Remy would have been sought out years ago to appease Bella Donna. No, Jean-Luc wasn't willing to trade his son for peace, but for the power Sinister offered? Well, that's a different story.
Then, there was Bella Donna, the swamp witch who was still madly in love with Remy, even after he murdered her brother. Emma couldn't help but think that she was a revenge motivated woman, who really didn't love Remy at all and just wanted him by her side so she could see how miserable he was at all times. This theory escalated to the top of Emma's list, when Bella Donna recognized Rogue, who had her arms around Remy. If looks could kill, the face Bella Donna gave Rogue would have done just that.
As for Remy's part in this twisted web of lies and deceit, he was surprising calm. In fact, he looked completely at home, which was when Emma suspected that Remy did actually have a plan to get himself out of this mess. He betrayed no emotions on his face, but fiercely held Rogue's hand as they entered the hall where they were able to see the rest of the team, Jean-Luc, and the Thieves.
Henri looked sick with worry over his brother's well being, and fidgeted back and forth. Emma knew he wanted to speak up against his father, but wasn't sure how to broach the subject. She had to admit, she felt sorry for Henri, who lacked the courage to stand up to his father and his Guild. She didn't fully understand the code of Thieves, but from what Henri had said, it was generally poor form to sell out a fellow Thief, even if that Thief had been exiled eight years ago.
Henri had stated that Remy would always be a Thief, no matter where he went in the world. It was his birthright as 'le diable blanc'. All Emma had understood from this 'white devil' garbage was that Remy was prophesized as the Guilds' savior, and would bring about the collective success of both warring Guilds all because of his mutant eyes. The whole thing was ridiculous backwoods, mumbo jumbo mysticism.
Remy now stood with Rogue, directly in front of Jean-Luc and Bella Donna. Remy removed his hand from Rogue's and opted to slide his arm around her waist. To Emma it looked like he was deliberately goading his father's temper and Bella Donna's contempt.
Rogue was nervous and angry at the same time. She wanted nothing more than to tear into Bella Donna and give that woman a physical manifestation of a piece of her mind. She'd had enough of this woman's damn meddling, and it was ending today, if Rogue had any say in the matter.
As for Jean-Luc, Rogue could see the resemblance in Henri, there was no mistaking that they were father and son, but similarities ended with looks. Personality wise, they were night and day. Where Henri seemed as laid back and jovial as Remy, Jean-Luc was a hard, serious man. Rogue wasn't even sure his face was built for smiling. And if it was, he sure wasn't smiling at her. And that was okay, because he sure as hell wouldn't be getting any warm greeting from her.
"What is this Remy?" Jean-Luc asked harshly, obviously meaning her within Remy's arm.
"You're going to have to be more specific," Remy answered blankly.
What was he doing? Rogue stared. It was blatant that nobody spoke to Jean-Luc like this.
"You haven't been gone so long to have forgotten your place," Jean-Luc replied angrily.
"I'm an exile. I know my place very well. I owe you nothing and I owe the Guilds nothing," Remy answered back in his monotone voice.
"I decide who is a Thief and who is not," Jean-Luc cried angrily. "And I revoke your exile and call you Thief!"
Jean-Luc's decision seemed to startle everyone but Remy.
"Fine," Remy answered simply. Jean-Luc relaxed, he had won. Rogue watched as Remy calculated his next move and continued to speak, "But by code, my wife must be called into the Thieves, as well."
There was honest to God gasping throughout the Thieves. Remy held up his left hand, wiggling his fingers, letting the dim lighting catch Robert Lord's wedding band. Jean-Luc's face went red. Bella Donna's went even redder. Remy had just made Rogue the wife in question. Remy had better know what he was doing…
"Absolutely not!" Jean-Luc raged towards his son. "The Guild refuses to acknowledge your marriage to this… this outsider! You are a Thief, and by my order, you will marry Bella Donna like you were supposed to eight years ago! You will bring peace between our Guilds. There is no brother to object to you this time!"
"Yes, there is," Henri spoke up quietly.
Remy whirled around to face his brother. Jean-Luc looked ready to kill both his sons.
"Henri, don't," Remy pleaded to him.
Henri shook his head and stepped forward in front of Remy and Rogue. Rogue had no idea what was happening or what had just passed between the two brothers.
"I object to Remy LeBeau, le diable blanc's marriage to Bella Donna, and I challenge all who oppose this lady's honour as his true wife." Henri said defiantly as he motioned to Rogue. "Remy has been gone for eight years as an exile, it should have been expected that he would take a wife outside of the Guild."
The crowd became unruly now. Thieves and Assassins began to argue amongst themselves. For the first time since being here, Remy looked nervous. Henri speaking up hadn't been part of his plan.
"She's my wife, and I'll defend her honour," Remy said loudly.
"You can't!" Bella Donna shrieked viciously. "Henri has called it and therefore it is his duel. He will fight both the Patriarch of the Thieves and the Patriarch of the Assassins, unless the lady wishes to defend herself."
Rogue now understood what was going on. Remy had used her position as his 'wife' as a means to duel both Bella Donna and his father. If he won, he was a free man and they would walk out of here unharmed. Then Henri had stepped in, calling the duel first. Now Henri had to fight both Patriarchs. By the look on Remy's face, Henri wasn't as good a dueler as Remy. Henri went ghostly pale as he was handed a rapier, and Rogue knew he was going to die.
"I'll defend myself!" Rogue blurted out. Relief swept over Henri briefly, until he realized her life was now forfeit. Bella Donna smiled her snake smile.
"Chere!" Remy hissed, his voice now strained with worry. "This is dueling, not fighting. There are rules of engagement that must be followed. You don't know the first thing about duels—"
"I may not, but you do," Rogue answered with a sly grin. "And I've got you and your memories locked away in my head. You know I'll fair better than Henri."
"But, Chere—"
"Trust me, Sug."
Remy sighed in defeat and cupped her face in his hands kissing her lips. "Always," he answered.
Rogue was handed a rapier.
Jean-Luc's voice rose above the crowd. "Anyone who interferes with the duel dies along with the lady."
Storm held Logan back, and Remy stepped aside, watching warily.
Always keep an ace in the hole. Rogue walked over to Logan and kissed him quick on the cheek, absorbing his healing mutation.
"Smart girl," Remy whispered in relief.
She proceeded to 'say farewell' to all her friends, making sure to absorb a bit of each one. You never knew when their mutations would come in handy. Rogue was fairly certain both Bella Donna and Jean-Luc would bend the rules and she would be ready for it.
She faced Jean-Luc first. He had years on Remy, but Remy had his mutation to aid him. She concentrated hard on Remy, calling up his knowledge and memories within her mind. She felt the slight tingle of energy course through her body and the restlessness, the need to move, that came with it.
She heard someone in the crowd gasp, "She's got his eyes!"
Rogue smiled at Jean-Luc.
She was ready.
Dueling was like dancing, and like dancing, she followed the steps, letting her body move with the ebb and flow of the rhythm Remy instinctively knew. He was the driving force, and all Rogue really had to do was sit back and let Remy's muscle memory take over. She hardly realized she had even beaten Jean-Luc, until she heard her own voice say, "Forfeit or die."
With the tip of her rapier held neatly at his throat, Jean-Luc fell to his knees and dropped his sword. "Forfeit. You dance like a Thief," he rasped.
Rogue kicked his rapier out of the way, and Jean-Luc slowly got to his feet and left the duel. Surprisingly, he'd dueled honourably. Bella Donna stepped in.
"I'll cut those eyes out," she snarled and the next duel began.
Bella Donna would cheat. Rogue knew that. To what extent, she had no idea. She moved more violently than Jean-Luc and Rogue had to keep on her guard. Remy's memories proved to be enough to keep the duel going, his knowledge clued her in to all sorts of 'cheats' Bella Donna was using. She could hear Remy shouting in outrage to his father on the sidelines, pointing out all sorts of misconduct. Neither Thief nor Assassin chose to interfere. The duel kept on regardless of Bella Donna's poor sportsmanship.
"Emma, we need to get Sinister out of this building, take away the Assassins' bargaining tool," Remy yelled out to Emma in his mind.
"Already on it, I sent Kitty and Nightcrawler out at the beginning of the duel. Nothing like a good diversion." Emma's voice twinkled in his mind.
With Sinister out of the building, the Assassins had just lost their edge over the Thieves and Remy was about to put his new plan into action. Rogue was still dueling Bella Donna, regardless of the downfall of the duel. It was likened to a bar brawl now, and the only reason nothing had been called on Bella Donna was because the Thieves wanted Rogue to lose.
It was the perfect time for Remy to interfere. It was instant death to anyone who interfered with the duel and helped Rogue but, if Remy jumped into the duel, what we're they going to do? Kill their bargaining tool? Not likely. It would come down to trades. The Thieves had Remy in plain sight, but the Assassin's had lost Sinister to the X-men. And if Sinister were no longer there, the Thieves would be offended and join his side against the Assassins.
Remy joined the duel the very instant Rogue had been knocked down. If Bella Donna wanted a fight, she would get one. The crowd went wild as Remy snapped out his Bo staff.
"You've chosen death, for her and yourself!" Bella Donna screamed. "You can't do that!"
"Bring us Sinister and we'll trade. Him for me. That's what this is all about," Remy replied. "No more games, Belle, you want me? Give the Thieves Sinister as you promised."
Bella Donna eyed Remy suspiciously. "What are you playing at, Remy?"
"I come willingly, you let Rogue and my team leave New Orleans safely. No trouble."
Bella Donna thought it over.
"Get Sinister, now!" she barked to her Assassins. Three men faded off into the shadows.
Remy waited patiently, knowing Sinister would not be found. Ten minutes went by and the Thieves became antsy and suspicious.
"Well?" Jean-Luc snapped at Bella Donna. "Where is Sinister?"
Remy smiled in delight when the Assassins arrived empty handed and whispered urgently to Bella Donna. Her eyes widened in shock. Then she hissed something anger. Jean-Luc caught it right away.
"The deal is off without Sinister, Bella Donna. That was our agreement. Remy for Sinister. Are you refusing to keep your word as the Patriarch of the Assassins?" Jean-Luc's voice boomed across the hall. Dead silence from the Guilds followed.
Bella Donna said nothing. She turned to Remy in rage. "You did this!" she screamed and lunged at him with her rapier still in hand.
"Oh no you don't, Sug," Rogue shouted, grabbing Bella Donna by the hair and swinging her across the floor. "We ain't dueling anymore, and brawlin's more my style."
"Enough!" Jean-Luc shouted. "Thieves, we have been betrayed by our rival Guild, and our honour is at stake. Let us regain it in blood!"
The Thieves went nuts. Within seconds, a full war broke out between the Guilds. Remy grabbed Rogue and weaved to the exit where the rest of the X-men stood.
"Let's get the hell out of here!" Remy shouted.
"What about the Thieves?" Emma asked, eyeing Henri who was fighting off two Assassins.
"What about them? They did me no favours here," Remy answered coldly, heading for the door.
"Then what about Henri?" Emma called after him. "He's your brother and he didn't sell you out."
"Em, this happens on a daily basis. Henri and I were raised in this. He can handle it. He was born to," Remy sighed.
Sure enough, Henri had already taken down the two Assassins. Emma sighed in defeat. Henri gave her a quick salute and smile, before he jumped onto the next group of Assassins. She gave him a quick wave goodbye and followed her team out the door. Always a Thief.