Alright, by popular demand, I have made this meant to be one shot into an actuall story. My beta source says this is one of my best works yet. And thus, happily I put this up. Please, reviews are much appreciated, and I think for once, I have created a story that is perfectly safe for Percy/Margot lovers. Good for me. Review! Gah!
You Turn and Someone Betrays You
Chapter 2: We All Are Caught In The Middle
Chauvelin closed the door behind him, stretched, and went to the cafe to get something to eat, his young assistant trailing behind him. They had managed to get Armand stable enough to move him to a climate more conducive to the doctor's treatment and the young St. Just's recovery. It would be a while yet before the boy would be strong enough to actually be of use to the agent, but he was more than willing to wait. Generally speaking, he was patient when it came to his assets.
He threw open the door of the tavern, several eyes looking in his direction, and he went and sat down at a table, one of the women quickly at his side to take his order. Just as the woman sped away to get what he requested, Andre tentatively approached the table and sat down. "Sir?"
Chauvelin sighed and poured himself a glass of wine as the woman brought it. "What is it, Andre?"
"Sir, if I may ask, the traitor-"
"You may not ask." He slowly sipped at his wine, eyes running over the occupants of the establishment and stopped suddenly on a woman that was all too familiar, and he smiled wickedly. There she sat with his personal aides, brazenly flirting with them, and he couldn't help but lean back and chuckle softly. Amused, he indicated in that direction. "You see that woman over there, Andre?"
Andre quickly looked up, followed where his boss was pointing, blushed and turned away. "Sir, I would imagine that it is rude to point and stare at strangers..."
"For one moment, drop your inhibitions. Look." He waited for the boy to turn back around and look at what he was so amusedly staring at before he softly said, "What do you see?"
"Sir, it appears to be a woman entertaining Citizens Mercier and Coupeau."
"Good work, Madeline. Look closer."
Andre squinted and did as he was told, and after a moment turned back around and looked at the bemused expression of the agent. "Sir, I may be wrong, but I think she looks a bit familiar to me."
Chauvelin leaned in close to the boy and smoothly whispered, "If I told you that the woman soliciting herself to my soldiers is none other than mademoiselle Marguerite St. Just, would you believe me?" He grinned as the boy gasped and quickly turned around again to look at the woman. "Not a very clever disguise, is it, Madeline?"
"She could have fooled me, sir."
"Yes, and that is why I am the agent, and you are just my secretary." He leaned back, patiently watched the woman like prey, and grinned as the two soldiers stood up, briefly muttered something to her, and walked away, leaving a shocked and disappointed woman sitting alone at the table. The two men walked by the table where the agent sat and he quickly reached out and grabbed one of their arms. "Coupeau, what were you and the pretty mademoiselle talking about?"
Coupeau blinked quickly and sat down as he recognized who was talking to him. "She…she was asking about the St. Just prisoner," he slurred slightly. The man had obviously been drinking.
"And how did she come to know of him, Coupeau," Chauvelin whispered dangerously, causing the man to tremble and sober up very quickly.
"I…we let it slip, Citizen…and-"
"And what did you tell her?"
"Citizen…we, that is to say…we told her that he had been imprisoned here, but is has been relocated and we know not where."
Chauvelin smiled, leaned back. Soldiers were impossible. "And had I not taken him from here, you would have shown her where he was, wouldn't you?" Leaning in closer to the man, he hissed, "And what did she promise you in exchange for such a favour, hmm?"
"Chauvelin, she…she offered to pleasure us both…and I…"
"Oh, did she now?" the agent purred, eyes narrowing cunningly as he looked in the woman's direction. Standing up, he placed his hand on the soldier's shoulder. "I did not know that you took and interest in women, Coupeau."
"I…Sir, I don't, but she…" He trailed off as the agent had already left, swaggering confidently to the table where the woman sat, staring intently at the table.
Smirking as the woman took no notice to him, he gently ran his hand over her shoulder, causing her to jump and he quickly clamped down, and purred in her ear, "What was it I heard about pleasuring the one who told you Armand St. Just's location, Marguerite?"
She quickly turned around, jumped out of her seat and looked defiantly into his eyes as she slowly backed away, which only made the agent chuckle in amusement as he sat in the chair she previously occupied. "So help me God, Chauvelin, if you touch me again…"
"Tsk tsk, Marguerite, such bad manners," the man chided. He motioned to the chair opposite him. "Have a seat, mademoiselle? No need to make a scene, unless, of course, that was your intent, I shall be happy to assist you, but I somehow doubt that is what you want, especially since your cooperation is essential to your brother's wellbeing."
Marguerite's eyes widened in fear, and she slowly took the seat across from him. "Is Armand alright? Is he hurt?"
He smiled, reached over and gently took the wig she was wearing and dropped it to the ground, his hand for a moment lingering on her own golden hair. "Is that not better?" Smirking slightly at her stone face, he leaned over the table and whispered in her ear, "Who were you trying to fool, Marguerite? Me? You were foolish to think you could. I know you, inside and out."
"Where is my brother, Chauvelin?" she asked quietly, tears choking her voice.
The agent leaned back in his chair with a bemused look on his face, lightly tapping his fingers upon the table. "At this very moment," he said slowly, enjoying the power that every word he spoke had upon the woman, "at this moment, your dear brother, I am afraid, is in critical condition." He grinned smugly as the woman paled, her eyes widened in fear, and a few tears fell from her large blue eyes. "Of course, I could not let the most loved of such a good friend perish, so I had mercy on the boy and he is being treated. However…"
"Chauvelin, stop!" Marguerite cried, tears falling rapidly from her eyes. "Chauvelin, he's my brother, please, do not do this to me!"
The Terrorist placed his elbows on the table, looked at the woman over his hands and smiled cruelly. "However, Armand St. Just's current situation can quickly be changed, for better or for worse, and I will allow you to make that choice, my Marguerite."
Marguerite put her face in her hands and wept. If there was any previous confusion as to the feelings she had for the man before her, it was quickly cleared and replaced with an utter loathing for the manipulative snake. "Please, Chauvelin, I will do anything! Just release him!"
Chauvelin slowly shook his head. "Oh no, Marguerite, I played by your rules in England, but we are now in my domain. I set the conditions, not you, my love." Noticing the woman looking at him intently through the tears, he smirked and continued. "Here is what I propose, Margot. You can either accept what I have to offer you and your brother will be allowed to live, or you can deny me and I shall march right to where I placed him and I shall kill him without a second thought. It will not be difficult, as he is too broken to move."
"Is it me you want, Chauvelin?" Marguerite cried, quickly standing and coming to stand next to the dark, amused man. "You can have me so long as you save Armand, but just know I hate you, and I will wish I were dead every second I am with you." She saw the amused smirk grow even wider, and seeing that she had hit upon his thought, she cupped his face and pressed her lips to his.
Chauvelin was just a touch shocked, but he was determined to remain impassive, to not allow any of his passions to give her the upper hand. He had the control, and something so trivial as love for this woman would not stand in the way of what he truly wanted. But still, if she was offering…
His hand snaked around her waist and he pulled her on to his lap, deepening the kiss, but going just so far as to maintain control. When he felt passion begin to overtake him, he mustered up the will to slowly pull away and looked coldly into those eyes so filled with hopelessness and hatred. Smiling smugly, he whispered close to her ear, "I appreciate the offer, Marguerite, but I must decline."
Marguerite pulled away, shocked and feeling used and defiled by the smug, confident man, and she hated him all the more. Eyes narrowing in rage, her hand quickly recoiled from his face and connected a second later, her hand stinging from the impact, and only then she realized her mistake. The pale yellow eyes suddenly became colder and his entire disposition turned to ice, and Marguerite suddenly shook with fear. The man's hand clenched painfully to her side, and she gasped, her face betraying that she was hurting and frightened. "Chauvelin…let me go…you're hurting me…"
The agent sneered and tightened his grip, getting some slight pleasure form the woman's cry of pain. Leaning close to her ear, he hissed, "I believe, mademoiselle, that you have just cost your brother his life." He savagely released her and pushed her off his lap, quickly stood and strode quickly to the door.
With a heartfelt cry, Marguerite chased after the man and clung to his jacket as she dropped to her knees before him, weeping without any control and sobs wrenching her whole body. "Chauvelin, please! Let me reconsider, I beseech you! Tell me what you want, I will do it without question!"
Chauvelin gazed down with disdain at the once proud Marguerite, now weeping and helpless at his feet. "Are you willing to cooperate this time, Madame St. Just?" The woman slowly nodded, and he grabbed her by the arm, pulled her off the ground, and took her to their table. Motioning for her to sit, she did so without question, and he sat across from her, hands folded neatly on the table. "Marguerite, you wish to save your brother?"
"Do you have to ask this, Chauvelin?"
"Then here is what I want from you." He paused, made perfectly sure that he had her full attention before coldly stating, "I want you under guard in the Temple."
Her eyes shot open and she looked in disbelief at the deadly serious golden eyes of the agent. "You are arresting me? Chauvelin, what have I done to deserve this?"
"An unfortunate association with Armand St. Just, I'm afraid. And you do make such lovely bait."
"Bait?" Marguerite's heart stopped for a moment. "You are trying to lure the Scarlet Pimpernel here using me?"
Chauvelin smirked. "Clever girl. Imagine what will happen in England when they discover that the trophy wife of their most loved fop is imprisoned in France. The Pimpernel is sure to rescue you."
Despite the situation, Marguerite laughed, which made the agent smile sarcastically. "And if I do as you say, Armand will live?"
"Your brother will have his life, and he shall be free to go as he so wishes."
"Chauvelin, you have become a fool! I shall do as you say, my brother will be free, and the Pimpernel will rescue me, I have no doubt!"
The agent leaned in closer and grinned wickedly. "And there is where your cleverness escapes you." Marguerite looked at him blankly for a moment and he revelled in the silence and anticipation for a moment before smoothly whispering, "Do as I say, and your brother shall have his life, yes, but I shall have you both here with no chance of escape. If, Madame, you agree to be held under watch, then at any time from here on out if I find either you or your brother missing, I shall kill one innocent woman or child every half hour you are gone from my vigil."
She stared in horror at the man, gaped slightly and shook as she tried to repress the quickly returning tears. "You wouldn't…"
"Do you doubt me, Marguerite? As soon as I have your agreement for your brother's life, I shall give word to my soldiers to tell all of Paris of our little deal. Now, let me ask you. If the Pimpernel were to come save you, would you go, knowing that innocent people will die the longer that you are gone?"
"You're a monster."
"Don't flatter me. Are we agreed? Your brother's life is in your hands."
Marguerite stared blankly at his hand, extended ever so gracefully out to her so that she may seal the life of her brother, and tears once again fell from her eyes. She did not want to help catch the hero, and Chauvelin had ensured that she would not leave. She was helpless, and all she could do was reach out and gently take his hand, accepting that Armand would be safe, and she would not escape, not even if the Pimpernel came. What more could she do? She did not know this hero, and her brother was oh so important to her…
Chauvelin smiled wickedly and motioned for his guards, explained the situation, and they ran off to deliver the news of the plausible deaths of the innocents were the St. Just siblings to escape the watch of the Republic. A look of triumph on his face, Chauvelin offered his hand to the desolate woman. "Come, love. Let me take you to your quarters." Without delay, she took his hand and allowed him to lead her away, the agent glowering at his new edge and definitive means of keeping Armand St. Just in his service.
