II.
As the Renault Vel Satis pulled up to the entrance to the Mandarin Oriental Paris, one of the city's highest end luxury hotels, Lord Wilmore opened the door and stepped out of the vehicle before it had fully stopped moving. Ali followed quickly after him once the driver had actually parked the car and sent the bewildered driver off with a wave of his hand. Ali had to nearly run to keep the swift pace of the agitated aristocrat. A number of the hotel attendants in the lobby immediately recognized the pair and rushed to their side to badger them with offers of assistance. Wilmore however was not in the mood for their particular brand of boot-licking.
"Enough! Out of my way." His words hit the employees like a crashing wave and they immediately scattered away from him. Ali followed behind and offered small nods and condolences to the beleaguered staff.
"Bad business deal." Ali stepped into the elevator after Wilmore as he gave the people in the lobby one last apologetic look. After the doors of the lift closed in front of them Ali gave his friend a confused look. "What can possibly be the matter with you? I understand you and Louise's friend didn't get off on the best foot but I saw the two of you making amends after lunch. Surely he couldn't have been that offensive to you."
"It is not wounds to my pride that I am worried about him inflicting." Wilmore stared straight ahead, not even bothering to look at Ali as he spoke.
The express elevator chimed and the doors opened on the Mandarin Penthouse Floor that was situated on the top-story. Wilmore stormed through the vestibule and sitting room, tossing his cape onto one of the couches as he passed. The doors to the terrace flew open before him and he dropped himself into a plush lounging chair that looked out over the city below. A deep agitated sigh escaped his lips as he raised his hand to beckon Ali to his side.
"Sit with me Ali. There is something we must discuss." Wilmore snapped his fingers as Ali crossed the terrace to join him. At the signal an attendant appeared seemingly out of nowhere and brought a cigar case and liquor decanter over. Wilmore poured a glass for each of them and selected two of the smokables from the box before dismissing the lackey.
"Thank you as always Lord. Your generosity has proved boundless." Ali accepted the cigar which Wilmore lit with a small black flame that he produced from his fingers.
"Ali. There is no generosity involved with what I do or procure for you. I have told you before that my resources are ever at your disposal as if they were your own. And it is on the note of our arrangement that I must speak with you."
"Has something happened? The priest said he would send a letter when the war had officially begun." Ali sipped at the expensive drink, but did so with some difficulty, his palette not used to the potent and burning flavor of the rich beverage.
"I should think that the Abbe's letter shall be soon forthcoming. No it is on the matter of your acquaintance, Louise. You had mentioned her before I met her today. What do you know of her?" Lord Wilmore took the drink in deep gulps, seeming to not even bother to taste the liquid.
"Well she is clearly from a rather loaded family-"
"Wealthy. My dear Ali. Or well-to-do even." Wilmore shook his head as he corrected Ali's language.
"Ah, yes. Excuse me. Her family is clearly wealthy. And she was here with her sister on family business. But the two of them were forced to part ways recently."
"She is here on family business. Hah. Does that at all sound familiar Ali?" Wilmore set the glass down and calmly puffed at his cigar as he waited for Ali's reply.
"Pardon Lord?" Ali gave Wilmore a look of mild amusement, unsure of where his companion was going with the conversation..
Wilmore was out of his seat and standing over Ali in an instant, black flames burning in his eyes, his shadow curling around the seated man like an octopus poised to ensnare him. "Does it not sound incredibly similar to your own terribly vague excuse you give for being here in Paris? Is it not odd that only a few days after we came here she and her sister should happen to arrive? And is it not more concerning that only two days after you met her in the company of only her sister that you should now find her accompanied by a man who was previously absent and unmentioned ? A man who is helping her with this vague business?"
"Well I had not pried that deeply into the particulars of their visit," Ali was visibly anxious beneath Wilmore's penetrating gaze, but kept some level of confidence. "But I suppose now that you mention it the whole thing does come off as a bit of a coincidence."
"Coincidence?!" Wilmore reared forward, his hands outstretched, the many tendrils of his shadow stabbing towards his apprehensive companion. Inches from Ali's face he stopped and slowly fell back and away from the terrified young man before slumping down in his chair. "Everything I am doing I do to make you a more capable master, surely you must understand that. But my how you can exhaust me so." Wilmore straightened himself out into a proper sitting position before continuing. "Master, there are several advantages servants have over humans. Beyond our superhuman physical capabilities and our myriad supernatural abilities, we are capable of detecting magic to a much greater degree than your average mage. Perhaps if you were one of the great wizards of old you would have been able to sense it as well, but I digress." The Lord paused, finally taking a moment to enjoy the sensory pleasures of the drink and smoke. "Specifically, servants are able to detect each other with fantastic accuracy. Unless the other servant has some sort of presence concealment, or their master has gone to extensive lengths to hide their true nature, it is quite simple for us to know one another."
Ali slowly raised himself out of the hunched defensive position he had taken during Wilmore's previous attack as his companion spoke. "If I am understanding you right, and I do believe I've gotten the gist of it... You can't mean...? Louise's companion?"
"I have yet to joke with you yet, have I?"
"Well yes but... That would make Louise..." Ali didn't want to speak the words. He knew what it would mean to apply the label to the woman he had taken such a fancy to.
"A master. There, I said it for you. She is one of your enemies Ali. One of OUR enemies."
"But if you sensed it, then surely he did as well."
"It is guaranteed that he also knows my true nature. We spoke on the very subject."
Ali was speechless for a moment, mulling over everything that his servant had just revealed to him. "When you spoke with him you didn't give him any… pertinent, information? "
"My true name? Don't be foolish. I didn't even reveal my class to the fellow."
Ali let out a sigh of relief. "Well that's alright then."
"So?" Wilmore seemed to be waiting for Ali to say something specific.
"So? So, it is a simple matter. I will speak with Louise on the subject."
"You will do what?" the servant was caught completely off guard by his master's words.
"I will talk to Louise. Yes, this is a war, a battle royale if you will. But that does not mean alliances, even temporary ones, cannot be formed. She's an intelligent woman. She'll be sure to see the value in our joining forces, especially once she knows what we have to offer." Ali gave his companion a knowing look, clearly proud of his idea.
"I will, against my better judgment allow you to meet with the young lady again. But-!" Wilmore was on his feet standing over Ali again, though with less malice this time, instead emitting a strong domineering energy. "You will reveal nothing of our abilities or resources to her. That secret is ours to keep. Do you understand?"
"Of course Lord." Ali did not shrink back this time, though it was impossible for him to not tremble slightly in the servant's presence.
"Very good. I leave you to your own devices for the rest of the evening. I think I will continue to admire the view." Lord Wilmore seated himself overlooking the city below once more and waved his hand as if to dismiss Ali like he was another one of the staff.