I shall name him Swishy, and I shall swirl him and he shall be mine, and he shall be my Swishy gets hit in the face with a corner Ow! Bad Swishy!
(sigh) I absolutely hated writing this chapter, I like it, but it refused to be written. Never insert a plot into your phic, means you have to do something about it and forced chapters are terrible. As to the cashews...has it been so long since "Of Cats and Cashews"? I am allergic! I take a whole two of the things and I die! Kaput! Dead! Straight to Hell! Kick the bucket and whatnot, that's why.
Review Replies (I am so good to you people)
trisana: What are you doing drunk! Your 14 years old!...good job
Reltistic: No cape for you! One is enough...how can you hate grapes?
MasqueradingThroughLife: Heh, Jacques is bemoaning the loss of his sparkly red stilettoes very much right now, thankyou to your kitty and see above as to the cashews thingummy (Jacques: Ruined! My life will never be the same again!)
daughterofdarkness87: Hmm...could be, I was just in a strange mood, Nadir does that to me
PhantomLover05: (Erik: Erik and Silvermasque more like it, have youno knowledge of thi woman's complete lack of morals?)
mrs.malfoy: (Joins in happy dance) Whee!
Sapphire Aria: Naomi is her real name, just as Adriana is mine,poe stands for Edgar allen I think, you'd have to ask her. PLot! Noooo! (runs away screaming)
Phantomfreak07: I cannot! CANNOT get my hands on Phantom, and believe me, I've tried, and i never went to Persia, but I went to the Sainte de CHapelle in Paris where they used to keep the Crown of Thorns, and that was Persian inspired I think and it was BEAUTIFUL! I pulled a lot of what i remember of it out for this chapter
Cap'n Meg: Pfft! Erik can grumble if he wants, les get pissed and watch porn! (Ahem, sorry, been watching Love Actually again)
Sirrius's Sister: Thanks! I Lurve doin suspense
eriksangelofvoice: I am allergic see statement above oh how i loathe school only three weeks to go then i never have to return again!
Ethalas Tuath'an: I'm not going to assure you, because at this moment, i dont know, they will write themselves (Healer on the other hand should have a happy ending) I love happy endings, but i dont force them if they dont work
EBC: Snarky is good, I WANT MORE MOTL!
PhantomsJedi oh you know who you are: Dont you have a nickname or something? Hmm...Im no expert on Jack, but ive never paid that much attention to politics or well...anything newew than a century and a half (Unless its books and movies)
IflyNAVY: GASP! No! Never let anyone near your computer again!
des ires: I love potatoes! Hmm, ripper will show up...sooner or later
naomipoe: THANKYOU! I love playing formal! FOr some reason, whenever i start arguing with someone, I slip into high style, but its a damn lot of fun to confuse them!
AngelicFlutist: I love peacocks, no none on the arms this time. I like that line too, I love metaphors
Vanessa: Yeah, love Nadir
Queenofinsanity: Another queen! Yay! Join up! Websites my home page!
As soon as the daroga left the room Adriana rose from her seat and began looking curiously at the Persian tapestries and statues spread everywhere, she gazed with unashamed pleasure at the bold colours that covered the walls, rich dark blues and crimsons, edged in gold leaf and painted stars. The lower half of the room was a rich, royal blue, some shades darker than the heavy brocade that dragged over the rich, ornamental rugs, which swallowed her slippers and muffled her steps. The upper half was deep imperial purple, lined with streams of blood red scarlet, gold filigree stars glimmered a steady reflective light back into the room from the warmth of the three braziers and many candles and shallow bowls of oil, set out with floating wicks in their copper depths.
"Stop poking into everything," Erik commanded, closing his golden eyes and letting his head fall back against the headrest. Adriana snorted, "Well excuse my natural curiosity," she retorted, unbuttoning one fine white glove to caress over the rich mahogany inlay of a small table, fingers searching for the grain.
"Curiosity killed the cat," Erik reminded her, opening his eyes to glare at the back she had presented to him as she continued her mental inventory, "But satisfaction brought it back," she answered, "And for your information, I had every intention of becoming a world famous archaeologist before I found my way here, so you can just shoosh,"
"You wanted to become a what?" Erik sat up straight and turned the full force of his golden eyed gaze on her, she shrugged and sat opposite him, pulling her glove on again, "An archaeologist, go play in the dirt and dig up relics of the past, rediscover Atlantis, that sort of thing,"
"You never told me this," Erik felt something, almost jealousy, stir within his breast, another shrug answered him, "You never asked,"
Erik was still surprised at her career of choice, "What kind of vocation is that for a young woman?"
"Well what kind of profession is an Angel of Music?" she asked in reply, Erik folded his arms and regarded her seriously, she raised her eyebrows in reply, waiting for an answer.
"The only kind profession that one such as myself can pursue," Erik said softly, brushing his fingers against the black porcelain of his mask.
"Enigmatic and truthful, you sound like a Vorlon,"
Erik rolled his magnificent eyes, having heard all about the world of science fiction, "Trust you to draw Babylon 5 into a conversation at a time like this," Adriana grinned, flicking her fingers at him, "What? Obsession is fun!"
Nadir re-entered, bowing politely," I apologize for the interruption," he held out a thick package of parchment to Erik, "Here are the reports, along with sketches of the victims," Erik took the folder and immediately drew out a sheaf of parchment to hand to Adriana. Nadir's eyes flickered in surprise and she began reading immediately, an intent expression on her face, after a moment she frowned and pulled out a different sheet, covered in charcoal rubbings and peered at it closely. Erik gazed expressionlessly at Nadir, "This was her idea, Daroga," he said, "Not mine,"
"But you're a woman!" Nadir protested, "How can you possibly expect to solve this?"
Adriana rolled her eyes, "Sixteen deaths and still no clues? Nadir, you need my help."
"What could you even hope to offer to this mademoiselle, you will only get yourself caught," the Persian folded his arms and jutted out his chin at the statement.
"Tell me daroga," Adriana replied, imitating Erik's tone, "How does one propose to catch a Wraith? And as to what I can offer, I come complete with common sense, women's intuition, a lifetime obsession with Sherlock Holmes and three years worth of C.S.I to back me up, all of which you are sorely lacking," she looked up from the sketching and made a face at him, "So Nya."
Nadir stared, and Erik snorted, "Argue with her if you must daroga," he advised, "But I highly doubt you would survive her,"
Adriana looked up with a smile, a blush colouring her cheeks at the rare praise from Erik, "Thankyou," she grinned
"That wasn't a compliment," he replied
"From you, is anything?" she asked dryly, Erik went to say something, then with a glance at Nadir, thought the better of it. Adriana seemed to pick up on what he was thinking and looked up again, she curled her tongue and poked it out at him.
Nadir was still staring, "Are you a woman or a child Mad- Adriana?" he amended, "For you appear as a lady, yet are as carefree as a child," Adriana flipped a careless hand, "I'm just me," she chuckled.
"Mad Adriana," Erik repeated thoughtfully, "An admirable title for one such as you, my dear,"
"Thankyou," she retorted, rolling her eyes, she held up a sheet, "Are these in chronological order?" she asked, Nadir glanced over the sheet with jade eyes and nodded, "Well that's odd," she murmured,
"What is?" Erik neatly plucked the report from her fingers and read it over quickly, she gaped at him for a moment then struggled up through her skirts and slid to the other side of the room to share Erik's divan, "His pattern's strange,"
Nadir watched them together on the couch and fought the blood that rose to his cheeks, Erik reclined on his side along the length of the divan, one elbow supporting his torso as he held out the sheet, Adriana sat leaning against his chest, one arm draped around his shoulder, pointing out the dates on the paper as her ever darkening blonde hair slithered over and against Erik's fine black suit. Her lips were close to his ear and he turned his head to regard her in puzzlement, murmuring softly, she shrugged and repeated her words, Erik nodded slowly.
(Lets get one thing straight, I do have silky hair, very silky, but not in a nice Mary Sue "Her hair shone like warm sunshine and was as pure silk and dew drops glistened in her golden threads"...sorry, have to go restart my James Blunt CD...I'm back! And I came with strawberries and ginger beer!...but in a "Mousy blonde that went red in certain lights and was bleached to bone white in summer and was slippery like eels dipped in grease and refused to stay up" type way, too silky for its own good).
Nadir blinked in confusion, this was Erik, one who never allowed another even to touch him. Here, a young blonde woman with a strange attitude draped casually over him, yet it wasn't the position that they were in which confused him, (Well, alright, maybe a little), he conceded but the way they seemed so in tune Erik rolled his eyes in exasperation at most of her comments, and she backed away easily when she drew to close and noticed his discomfort, it was as though she had made a study of him...had she?
The jangle of bells and chains alerted him, both Opera Ghosts looked up, Adriana hurriedly shifting before Erik dumped her on the floor as he streaked for the shadows.
"Dinner is served, Monsieur Khan," a plump, veiled dancer girl curtseyed her way in and bowed to Nadir and Adriana, Erik was shadowed in a corner, watching the proceedings with burning eyes. Three other serving girls followed, veils stitched in gold and silver floating around their sylph-like figures, all the colours of the rainbow and anchored by gold coin belts and cuffs. Adriana's eyes immediately lit up and she gazed hungrily at the fall of the elaborate costumes. The girls carried heavy gold platters covered in steam shells, they glided about the room and lowered the spicy Persian dishes onto the low table. Together they lifted the covers and allowed the rich scent of the fine meal to assail the senses of those within the room, then bowed again and disappeared.
Erik came forward out of the shadows and seated himself next to Adriana, his eyes sparked against Nadir's swarthy face, "Your weakness precedes you daroga," he said mischievously, Nadir winced, then sneered at his friend, Adriana rolled her eyes. "I merely offer them homes and places to work," the daroga defended his honour, Adriana sniggered, "If for nothing other than these reports daroga, I'm going to let that pass," she told him, Nadir glanced at Erik, "What would she do?" he asked, Erik shook his head, "Even I couldn't answer that daroga," he replied ruefully
"Sure you could!" Adriana bounced in her seat, "Remember when the DBCA arrived?"
Erik shuddered, "How could I forget?"
Nadir blinked, "I have been a chief of police in the political spiders web and rats nest of Persia for many years mademoiselle," he said, "I doubt that there remains anything I have not seen or could not contend with,"
"Would you care to place a bet on that, daroga?" Erik purred, Nadir raised his head to meet his friends golden eyes, fingers reaching for a pile of yellow couscous, "You doubt me?" he replied, Erik gave a short laugh, "I don't doubt her" he jerked his head in Adriana's direction, who had a spicy pastry in one hand and the stack of reports in the other, and was frowning as she ate. She looked up and met Nadir's eyes, and winked.
"Well if nothing else, I am no Vazhar Ondin" Nadir muttered, sinking lower into his pile of silk cushions, Erik started, "What forces you to bring that name up Daroga?" he demanded, Nadir rolled his eyes, "Haven't you heard, he arrived in Paris some weeks ago, with missives for the royal family." (Excuse my lack of knowledge on the French history, my interests lie a few millennia further back).
"Vaz-who-a-what-now?" Adriana asked.
"An old acquaintance of ours," Erik hissed,
"From Persia" Nadir added
"What is he doing in Paris? He hated travel," Erik frowned behind his mask then looked at Nadir, "Well?"
Nadir spread his hands, "How in Allah's name do you expect me to know?" he argued, "He was far more your enemy than mine!"
Erik rolled his eyes, "I was not the one who narrowly escaped with my head after being found in his private harem," he retorted, Nadir winced.
Adriana sniggered to herself, "Men," she muttered, rolling her eyes, Nadir's jade eyes flickered to her dry expression, "I beg your pardon?" he asked, her grey eyes danced wickedly, "Well I'm not the one quarrelling like an old married couple,"
Both men started, Erik's eyes sent a silent message to Nadir, You see what I have to deal with? He asked silently, "I saw that," Adriana said, her gaze returned to the manuscript, and her meal.
xXx
"Farewell daroga," Erik touched his fingers to his fedora in a mock salute as they prepared to leave the Persian, Adriana with a copy of the police files tucked under her cloak, she winked and Nadir bowed to them, "Goodnight my friends," he replied, and returned into his restaurant.
Anyone catch the Tamora Pierce reference?