He had always hated knocking on doors. It made him anxious. Not because of the possibilities that lay beyond the door, but because he despised etiquette and was yet hard-wired to follow it. Should he knock twice? Thrice? Should there be a pause between the knocks? No pause at all? Was one pattern of knocking considered more acceptable than the other? Should it follow a rhythm? How much force should be placed behind the first knock as opposed to subsequent knocks?
His contemplation was interrupted by a deep, masculine voice reverberating from behind the polished mahogany door. "You may enter." Maximilien breathed a sigh of relief, free of his cogitations regarding the nature of alerting one's presence to a door, and swung the door smoothly. His drachen mail was absent, replaced by a white doublet whose wrinkles belied his disdain for fine dress.
The Marquis chose not to face him, of course. The rustling coming from the front of the turned highback chair indicated that he was still replacing his mask. This time it was a full-faced visage of some kind of Far Eastern monster. The last time Maximilien had spoken to the man it'd been an eagle, and the time before that a cyclops. Lady Auzenne had alerted him to the Marquis' proclivity for masks, but the dragoon would be lying if he said he had adjusted to the former's habit.
"I was informed as to the existence of a sort of complaint with which you would like to file." The Marquis spoke in a rich, smooth baritone, still facing away from his guest. The stone walls reflected his opaque tone of voice quite well. It was a trick of the ears, intended to make him appear more full of presence than he actually was.
Maximilien dipped in a smooth, well-practised bow. "With all due respect, my lord, your subordinates saw fit to abandon another one of their trophies among the Highlands."
"I do not believe previously expressed concerns were placed." The Elezen twitched the corner of his lip. The Marquis' peculiar style of speech was another one of those quirks that he had never quite adjusted to.
"I had not because my lord had assured me that it would remain an isolated incident amongst eager zealots. If you signify your presence to this extent, however, the Temple Knights may begin asking questions."
A billowy snort was heard from the front of the chair. "No Temple Knight has yet to care a whit of the cold claiming another foreign body. Think me not of king or ruler; their activities express fervour of which I am unlikely to condemn."
It took a notable amount of willpower for Maximilien to keep from sighing in annoyance. Almost as if in response, the Marquis stood from his chair. He was a tall man, dressed in a gilded black justacorps, but in addition to the mask he wore a black hood that obscured much of his features, and his height and lankiness made it ambiguous as to whether or not he was Hyur or Elezen.
"There remain a reason regardless that your summons was made. I wished to be certain of the completion of aspects of your task."
The dragoon nodded rather grimly. "It's done. I received the support of the Convictors in hunting the dragon known as Kavir myself. The dragon's horde is scattered, for now."
"And the blood?"
"My retainers collected pieces of the dragon's remains to Miss Reeves' specifications."
"Were you seen?"
Maximilien shook his head. "I managed to secure the corpse by making an excuse of claiming a trophy. Speaking of Miss Reeves, I do hope she has been using her subjects efficiently. I find Inquisitor Bellamont's....collection to be distasteful."
The Marquis folded his arms, turning away from Maximilien again. The latter did his utmost to keep from fidgeting. "Think not of the Inquisitor's methodology. The specifications of the conversion process Reeves has narrowed down to a small number of possibilities."
"That being?"
"That information is not necessary. Suffice to say that the high possibiliy is that the threat remain one unique to Ishgard."
There was a pause, and this time Maximilien let out the audible sigh.
The Marquis waved a hand, transfixed on a large tapestry that had been erected behind his desk. "Your hunt continues with full endorsement, Valencourt."
"You have not forgotten?" Maximilien said, his gaze narrowing.
The nobleman's masked visage turned to stare at the Elezen in turn. "Your war will continue for as long as you wish."
His contemplation was interrupted by a deep, masculine voice reverberating from behind the polished mahogany door. "You may enter." Maximilien breathed a sigh of relief, free of his cogitations regarding the nature of alerting one's presence to a door, and swung the door smoothly. His drachen mail was absent, replaced by a white doublet whose wrinkles belied his disdain for fine dress.
The Marquis chose not to face him, of course. The rustling coming from the front of the turned highback chair indicated that he was still replacing his mask. This time it was a full-faced visage of some kind of Far Eastern monster. The last time Maximilien had spoken to the man it'd been an eagle, and the time before that a cyclops. Lady Auzenne had alerted him to the Marquis' proclivity for masks, but the dragoon would be lying if he said he had adjusted to the former's habit.
"I was informed as to the existence of a sort of complaint with which you would like to file." The Marquis spoke in a rich, smooth baritone, still facing away from his guest. The stone walls reflected his opaque tone of voice quite well. It was a trick of the ears, intended to make him appear more full of presence than he actually was.
Maximilien dipped in a smooth, well-practised bow. "With all due respect, my lord, your subordinates saw fit to abandon another one of their trophies among the Highlands."
"I do not believe previously expressed concerns were placed." The Elezen twitched the corner of his lip. The Marquis' peculiar style of speech was another one of those quirks that he had never quite adjusted to.
"I had not because my lord had assured me that it would remain an isolated incident amongst eager zealots. If you signify your presence to this extent, however, the Temple Knights may begin asking questions."
A billowy snort was heard from the front of the chair. "No Temple Knight has yet to care a whit of the cold claiming another foreign body. Think me not of king or ruler; their activities express fervour of which I am unlikely to condemn."
It took a notable amount of willpower for Maximilien to keep from sighing in annoyance. Almost as if in response, the Marquis stood from his chair. He was a tall man, dressed in a gilded black justacorps, but in addition to the mask he wore a black hood that obscured much of his features, and his height and lankiness made it ambiguous as to whether or not he was Hyur or Elezen.
"There remain a reason regardless that your summons was made. I wished to be certain of the completion of aspects of your task."
The dragoon nodded rather grimly. "It's done. I received the support of the Convictors in hunting the dragon known as Kavir myself. The dragon's horde is scattered, for now."
"And the blood?"
"My retainers collected pieces of the dragon's remains to Miss Reeves' specifications."
"Were you seen?"
Maximilien shook his head. "I managed to secure the corpse by making an excuse of claiming a trophy. Speaking of Miss Reeves, I do hope she has been using her subjects efficiently. I find Inquisitor Bellamont's....collection to be distasteful."
The Marquis folded his arms, turning away from Maximilien again. The latter did his utmost to keep from fidgeting. "Think not of the Inquisitor's methodology. The specifications of the conversion process Reeves has narrowed down to a small number of possibilities."
"That being?"
"That information is not necessary. Suffice to say that the high possibiliy is that the threat remain one unique to Ishgard."
There was a pause, and this time Maximilien let out the audible sigh.
The Marquis waved a hand, transfixed on a large tapestry that had been erected behind his desk. "Your hunt continues with full endorsement, Valencourt."
"You have not forgotten?" Maximilien said, his gaze narrowing.
The nobleman's masked visage turned to stare at the Elezen in turn. "Your war will continue for as long as you wish."
