La Taverne (KOTF IC Thread)

Allthough the fight started well for Thierry, he now started to feel the hard punches from Raoul. A devestating blow splits his lip and another almost breaks his nose. Tasting the blood in his mouth, Thierry realises that he's going to lose this fight.

Using all the strenght that's left in his body, he manages to get on top of the older chevalier and while avoiding yet another punch from the iron fists of his opponent, he manages to pull his dagger and points it at the throat of Raoul.

The older man stops punching and looks at Thierry, angry and clearly disgusted that the younger man lowered himself to this treacherous move.

"Don't move, you :daisy:" Thierry said with a soft voice, his breath rasping.

Raoul moves his right hand.

"Don't you :daisy: move, idiot."

Thierry moves his dagger and puts it right against Raoul's throat.

"Yes, that's what you are, Raoul: a complete moron."

Thierry takes a deep breath and calms down. Grinning, he continues:

"So, how does it feel to be outwitted by a child, old man!"

Thierry spits Raoul in the face and quickly rises on his feet. Before Raoul has the chance to get up, Thierry kicks him in the stomach. While Raoul reaches for his stomach, groaning, Thierry kicks him again, on the back, and again, against his head. Finally satisfied, Thierry puts away his dagger, spits one more time in the direction of his opponent, whipes off the blood on his face and leaves the tavern.

Observing the proceedings from a corner, a man in plain cloths stays long enough to see if Raoul is seriously injured or not.

Deciding the situation is not too grave he slips out the door.

Upon entering the tavern Alexandre notices the mess and Thierry who just brushes by at the door looking especialy proud and out of breath.

Well this is definatly the place.
Noblemen wenches and broken glasses.

As he proccedes to the bar Alexandre notices one fine dressed man lying on the floor doubled up with blood dripping from his head.

Thierry what have you don't now.

Shaking his head Alexandre grabs the man and hoists him to his feet and plants him on the nearest chair

Rough night seigneur?

Bar keep a drink and a bandage for my unfortunate friend here!

As the fight breaks out, Christophe de Perronne stops poking at the a wicked bruise on the right side of his face long enough to watch. After it is all over, he walks over and picks up Thierry's goblet, now marred with a large dent, and takes it over to the barkeep. After the goblet has been filled, he raises it in the direction that Thierry left the tavern before draining it in a single gulp and slamming it back down on the counter.

Groaning, Raoul slowly pushes himself to his knees. Muttering to himself, he staggers to his feet and addresses the door:

"I like big, fat egos like yours Thierry. When they fall they make more noise. And sometimes they never get up. Mark my words boy, if I catch you down again you'll be lucky if someone can help you to your feet afterwards."

Taking the drink offered by Alexandre, he gulps it down, while giving Christophe a hard look. Straightening himself and adds to the room at large:

"Tell Duc Raymond that I await his reply in my room"

With that, he slowly limps up the stairs.

edit: Argh! Beaten to the punch.

:egypt:

OOC: Making a second post so this doesn't end up out of order and look odd.

Prince Louis enters the tavern and makes his way to his usual table where a few of his customary companions have already set up shop. They fill him in on the challenge and the brawl that took place, and the Prince commands that any more wine de Châtillon orders this night be put on his tab before announcing more vocally,

"A round for every man here who fought in the tournament barkeep! And make it the good stuff, not that swill you keep for the bloody tourists!"

:egypt:

Stepping around the Innkeeper, who is throwing down sawdust on the pool of blood on the floor, Hugues takes a seat. Grabbing a free drink, he raises his glass to the Dauphin and downs it in one gulp.

Well, no more talk, just have to wait for the results.

Hugues looks around.

Awfully quiet in here. Perhaps this place is getting a bad reputation?

The door of the tavern opens and Thierry enters. He sees Duke de Champagne and nods towards him, a somehow hautain expression on his face.

Seigneur.

Not waiting for Duke de Champagne to respond, Thierry walks further as if the man doesn't exist and orders a goblet of wine. While he's waiting for his goblet, he starts talking to a beautiful waitress. Within minutes she starts giggling.

Hugues shrugs and shifts a bit so that his back is facing a wall.

Thierry sees Duke de Champagne's movement, takes the waitress by her hand and goes to a chair. He sits down and pulls the cute girl on his lap; keeping one eye on Duke de Champagen and one eye and two hands at the impressive bosom in front of him.

Gaetan enters and sees Thierry sitting with the waitress on his lap, and he seems to verge on laughing before subduing it and finding Duc Hughes, whom he bows to respectfully before taking a seat next to him, his good humor quickly breaking into a grin.

"It is good to see you my Duc, have you ordered anything yet? If not, do you mind if I?"

Hugues nods amicably, with three free drinks already in him.

We seem to be drinking on the largesse of the Dauphin, or at least that's what I told the barkeep.

A man heading out the door suddenly jumps to one side as a now bright yellow Medoc bounds through the entrance.

That signals the beginning of a train of six pageboys and finally Alain. Taking up station on one of the large tressal tables he sits and proceeds to grab a handful of breast and ass of the nearest pageboy. There's a high pitch squeal and a laugh in response from the Duke.

"It seems ze place has gone dead since we started voting.

Are we mourning ze deaz of someone I am unaware of?"

Thierry looks at the Duke and then back at the breasts of the waitress on his lap.

I don't know about the others, but I'm busy with interesting affairs.

He squeezes the bosom of the cute girl and she starts to giggle.

Gaetan nearly chokes on his drink at Thierry's words, forcing him to slam his cup down and cover his mouth.

de Perronne stalks into the Tavern. He barks some orders at the tavernkeep and goes and sits in a dark corner. When his beer arrives, he sits and drinks it alone. Those nearby can hear him mumbling quietly to himself.

...outnumbered 5 to 1, but still expects to gain "bargaining chips"... ...opportunity my arse...

Gaetan, who has been sitting in the back quietly drinking since having relayed the scouts reports to the Order, watches Perronne with a careful eye.

"Dear Perronne, what on earth could possibly trouble you at such a wonderful hour? Drink, and wipe that sour look from your face!"

de Perronne spits on the floor in the direction of de Rethel.

It is telling that you would consider the announcement of treason against the King and war with Empire to be a wonderful hour. Those of us who are loyal vassals have other feelings about the matter.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TinCow

de Perronne spits on the floor in the direction of de Rethel.

It is telling that you would consider the announcement of treason against the King and war with Empire to be a wonderful hour. Those of us who are loyal vassals have other feelings about the matter.

---

Gaatan leans in close, his feature made of stone, his eyes cold pits.

"Loyal indeed. Maybe you missed my sarcasm, de Perronne, but I see that instead of being a man of hope, you are a man of despair. I do not care what number the Germans bring, at least I know I will be on the frontlines with my brothers, defending the Royaume with our blood - of you, I cannot say the same, as you sit cozily in Valencia, far from the fighting and next to allies."

"The next time you accuse me of cowardice will be your last, de Rethel."

Gaetan gets up and shrugs, and turns to leave.

"Then it is your problem, de Perronne - I am but stating facts. You will be nowhere near any battle with a German soldier in it, and likely never will. For all your talk about whom the traitors are, it is House Aquitaine who would benefit most from the 5 to 1 odds Lorraine and Burgoune must face. Tell me de Perronne, how are the women and drink in Spain?"

de Perronne's face is red with anger. He is visibly having difficulty controlling himself.

"I have travelled to Spain to fight on the orders of my Lord, the Prince, who is also currently in Spain! If you are calling the heir to France a coward and a traitor, then you will pay with your life!"

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TinCow

de Perronne's face is red with anger. He is visibly having difficulty controlling himself.

"I have travelled to Spain to fight on the orders of my Lord, the Prince, who is also currently in Spain! If you are calling the heir to France a coward and a traitor, then you will pay with your life!"

---

Gaetan whirls, his face cold, he speech level and devoid, with far to much emotion to even express.

"Is the Prince Lious you speak of King! Is he the Roi, the will of the Royaume manifest! No! He is nothing but a butcher, just like Thierry! A thief, who takes what he wants by force! A bully, who coerces and spits on those he takes from! He is nothing like the King, and I will NEVER swear an oath of loyalty to a man such as him, and will never grovel or fear any man who dares follow him!"

"He is nothing but a coward! A man like him only has loyalty to himself! Mark my words de Perronne, one day you will find yourself on a battlefield, where your courage has not broken and your idiocy has not yet waned, and you will find your beloved Prince fleeing in the other direction as he leaves you to face your fate!"

The rage on de Perronne's face boils over. He rises quickly, flipping over the table and shattering his beer mug against the nearby wall. His hand goes to the hilt of his sword, and he bellows so loud that he can clearly be heard even outside the Tavern.

'I WILL NOT ALLOW THESE INSULTS TO STAND! I DEMAND SATISFACTION BY A DUEL TO THE DEATH!"

Gaetan bows to de Perrone, and speaks calmly, a slight grin across his face.

"As you would de Perronne - I hope you are willing to die for your beliefs, as I am."

de Perronne grips the hilt of his sword so tightly that his knuckles become as white as his face is red. It is clearly all he can do not to attempt to slay de Rethel where he stands.

"Until the date of your execution is set, I suggest you enjoy what little time is left to you in this world. You will receive no mercy under my blade."

With that, de Perronne turns and walks out of the Tavern.

Thierry, who had silently slipped in without being noticed, watches how de Peronne leaves the tavern. Calmly smiling, he turns his head to Gaetan.

What do you have against butchers, Chevalier de Rethel? Maybe others are so idiotic as to release a defeated enemy to give him a chance to come back and fight again, but not me.

So, I'll take the label "butcher" as a compliment and an expression of your deep respect and awe for my superior intellect.

Thierry sips calmly from his goblet.

I take it you are not a butcher?

Thierry shrugs.

That's ok. Not all of us can be smart.

Thierry laughs softly.

Gaetan seats himself, and shrugs at Thierry's words

"A man once defeated, is a man already dead. I do not need to stab a man through his heart to kill him - he will do it himself. I do not need to slake some false sense of superiority upon my opponents blood."

Thierry looks calmly at de Rethel.

A man once defeated, will seek revenge. As will his sons.

And all those who were under his command will seek revenge too. And their sons as well.