II.
"So you got caught up in those strange events at de Cheval Peint eh? I understand the hotel is having a hard time filling the opening now. Awfully terrible thing that happened there. Good to see you came out of it alright though." Grimaud handed a mug of coffee to Louise as he reacted to her story. After he had finished taking the newest progress photos of his white heather he had led the still weary Louise the few blocks back to his home. Number fourteen Rue Servandoni was a simple apartment, having at one time only been composed of a single living area and adjoining bedroom, had received by way of a staircase the apartment above it as an addition. The modifications had been made by the frivolous and impulsive owner who had lived there before Grimaud. Strangely enough, only a year after finishing such a grandiose remodel to his home, the owner had sold the now double-sized home to Grimaud for far less than it was worth. Grimaud himself, never one to question good fortune had lived perfectly contented with his lucky purchase.
As it was now the home had two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and two different living areas. The kitchen accouterments had been removed from the upstairs half leading Grimaud to conduct his normal day-to-day business and the entertainment of his very rare guest in the lower quarters, while the upper area had been converted to a spacious work area for his photography. His home was almost exclusively decorated with framed portraits and landscapes from other photographers whom Grimaud was fond of or inspired by. Despite the many people represented in portraiture Louise had seen no one who she thought looked like they might be Grimaud's family. The furniture was rather spartan, as demanded of the somewhat limited space in the photographer's home. A plain wooden, round dining table with only two chairs acted as the line drawn between the kitchen and living space. The communal area itself was only a small red couch flanked by square glass end-tables, all situated on one wall opposite a short shelf with a modestly sized TV perched atop it. A slanted bookshelf ran perfectly matched with the angle of the stairs that led to the upper story.
Louise had started her recounting of the past two days with mostly factual information. She had mentioned her and Camille's arrival in Paris, their pleasant outing, the strange violent revelations of the next morning, and their interview with Juge Badeaux. From there though Louise had changed multiple details. She had relied on the murders at the hotel as her explanation for needing new lodgings, and had made an excuse about Camille being called back home to explain her sister's absence. From there she mentioned having met the strangers in the alleyway, but omitted the details that could be connected to the Grail War. "I have certainly passed an interesting first few days in Paris."
"That is quite the understatement my dear." Grimaud put the finishing touches on breakfast, a simple matter of eggs, sausage, and toast with brown sugar as he spoke. "If you were inclined to leave Paris with all due haste and never return I don't think any Parisian could blame you. I am envious of your sister for being recalled home and leaving you to deal with all the horror and intrigue our city has to offer on your own."
"But at the same time I have been lucky to meet so many kind and interesting people." Here Louise raised her mug to her host who returned the gesture with a smile before sitting down to breakfast. "Though I must admit, I find myself at a bit of a loss as to what to do next."
"Well that's simple enough. I have some more business to attend to today. Accompany me as I go out, it will help you to learn the area, and you may perhaps see a new lodging that suits your needs or tastes."
"Monsieur I would be more than happy to assist you with your work. It is the least I can do to repay you for all the kindness you have shown me in just the few hours we have known each other."
"Then a plan for the day is made. Now, eat up. We have a full day ahead of us." Grimaud was quick to follow his own instructions and ate heartily of his breakfast. Louise required no encouragement herself. She had over the course of the morning become very aware of just how hungry her tired, battered body was. With their plates empty and their stomachs full the new friends made ready to set out for the day proper. Louise borrowed the upstairs bedroom, sparsely decorated even by the rest of the home's standards, to change into some clothing that was more comfortable for her to wear and less likely to earn her unwanted attention. Remembering the chill in the air from the first day she donned a pair of black slacks, accompanied by a maroon long sleeved button-up shirt and threw on her favorite jacket once more before heading out with Grimaud.
Louise had to master her patience while out with Grimaud. Not only had the old man taken his time with his daily tasks, but there were far more of them to complete than Louise had guessed. Between helping with his grocery shopping, buying photography supplies, talking with his old acquaintances, and more stops for more pictures at more locations than Louise had bothered to count, the day had slithered by at an infuriatingly slow pace. Yet as the pair walked back towards Grimaud's home the sun was already starting to lower itself towards the western horizon. The day had gone by slowly but it had gone by nonetheless.
Grimaud was making his last stop, dropping some developed photos off with a friend at the Église catholique Saint-Joseph-des-Carmes, a church adjoining the Catholic University of Paris while Louise waited outside in the courtyard. It was hardly a beautiful area, being nothing more than a flat enclosed space of dusty brown stonework, a single black steel gate acting as the only entrance from the street outside. However it was the nature of that confined space, and its high brick walls topped with pointed iron fences that gave it a sense of safety and comfort. Louise could feel the quiet isolation of the space, was reassured by it, and came to a resolution. It was the perfect spot for her to summon her servant. The end of the grace period Camille had afforded her was quickly drawing to an end, and the noose that was the inevitability of combat tightened around Louise's neck at the same pace. She would deliver Grimaud's things to his home, give some polite words of parting, secure her new lodgings, and later that night, in the silence of those hours after nightfall, but just before morning, she would return here and make her most important preparations.
As Louise stood like the sole stone sentinel of the church's yard, completely lost in her somber planning, Grimaud said his goodbyes to his acquaintance and crossed the space to his new companion. "Are you alright dear?"
"Pardon?" Louise, shook from her mental preparations by Grimuad's appearance, took a second to register he was addressing her.
"You looked a little pale. And your features were like you'd been cut from the stone walls. Sorry if I put you through a long day after your ordeals yesterday." Grimaud took his bag that Louise had been holding as he spoke.
"Oh, I am fine. Simply lost in thought and admiration of the church grounds."
"It's nice to know that I'm not the only one. Call me an old-fashioned fellow, but I rather like the more Spartan styling of Saint-Joseph-des-Carmes. You know they say these uniquely open grounds were used for many a deadly duel between gentlemen over the years."
"In a churchyard monsieur?" Louise was slightly alarmed at the idea of holy grounds being used for petty disputes between aristocrats with overblown senses of self-importance.
"Haha! Yes, you'd be surprised how pious they claimed to be back then, but how rarely their actions seemed to reflect that." Grimaud led Louise through the narrow gateway back onto the street as he spoke. "Now my dear, perhaps you've settled on a place to spend the rest of your stay? We've passed numerous hotels and inns as I've given you the day's tour."
"I have actually. When we first departed your home we passed the Appartement Saint-Sulpice. If it comes with your recommendation I figured on becoming your temporary neighbor."
"Absolutely it carries my recommendation! More than that, I would just be happy to have you nearby. Once can never have too many friends in their neighborhood. I hope your business won't keep you from having the occasional meal with your new friend."
"I foresee no such difficulties. In fact, let us meet for breakfast tomorrow, as a sign that I will not so quickly forget you."
"An excellent idea." A huge smile spread across Grimaud's face at the prospect. "I know a delightful cafe if you don't mind a short drive. All of the options at The Bistro de la Rue Bobillot are fantastic. And the owner, Monsieur Biscarros never ceases to entertain me."
Louise couldn't help but laugh remembering the eccentric patissier. "It sounds wonderful. I will meet you at your home at eight." Louise found herself thinking how strange it was that she had so quickly become attached to the old man. But even if she did not fully understand her predilection towards him, she knew that despite the complications to come, she wanted to maintain her relation with him as long as she could.
After arriving at Grimaud's home Louise parted ways with the elderly photographer to make her arrangements at the hotel. Her room was on the third floor, with a narrow balcony that overlooked her and Grimaud's shared street. The apartment was well equipped, but those amenities created a somewhat narrow and claustrophobic space. The stark white walls, white furniture, white drapes, and white linens did all they could to make it feel more open, but had the added effect of giving a sterile, snobbish feeling. The multiple door locks, whose old utilitarian style were at odds with the more modern dressing in the rest of the room, and the now closed off fireplace spoke to how the hotel was clearly an old building that had experienced some rather rushed attempts to modernize it.
Louise attempted to distract herself as best she could while waiting for the later hours to come. Having bought some groceries of her own while out with Grimaud she used the room's attached kitchen to prepare herself a small dinner. When her meal was finished she busied her anxious mind further by preparing all the materials she would need for the summoning. With her bag packed, her stomach full, and her thoughts still plagued by doubts, Louise checked the time and found there were still far more hours left than she'd have preferred. With nothing else left to occupy her time she lay down and let herself drift off into a sleep that provided little comfort for her apprehensive nerves.