Search      Members      Groups      Profile      Favorites      RSS      Register      Log in
Chapter 19: The Seduction of Saul

 
(currently a favorite of 0 users)
   Storygames Home -> Stasis Hall - Completed or archived Storygames -> Galleons of the Stars
View previous topic :: View next topic  

Author Message
Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire



Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Topics: 173
Posts: 3102
Location: The Frozen North

Items
Legends
41350 Fables
Strata-gems

PostPosted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 12:44 am    Post subject: Chapter 19: The Seduction of Saul Reply with quote

Heh. Not much in the way of plot progression this chapter, but hilarity yes! Enjoy!
Warning: Yup, you guys added 'Adult Content' to this one to. Shame on you.
-----------------------------

Chapter Nineteen: The Seduction of Saul

Cobalt glared across the roomful of shouting pirates and briefly considered charming the desired information out of Bradogan later. Surely with he having lost an ear to Angelo and she having lost an eye, they could find some common ground on which to base a relationship. And throwing him a few tidbits about Mange he'd never get the chance to use would help. Then, remembering what Mange had done to this man's family, she threw that idea out the window. There was no way in hell that Bradogan, or any pirate lord worth his status, would cross Angelo Steel.

Slipping back up the stairway and out into the squalor of the street, Cobalt mused about other ways. Going to Angelo was out, after what she'd done he'd probably just cleave her in twain and laugh about it. Or spit on her corpse. And sneaking aboard the Muse was O.U.T. out! A sentient ship wouldn't hesitate to inform it's master that an unwanted person was aboard. That left only one other route...the crewmen themselves. Her usual means and methods then, all the better. Safe, simple, and 99.9% effective. Now all she had to do was find a likely crew member to fill her needs.
----------------------------

Angelo was rather pleased with himself as he wandered down one of Tallistown's many back alleys. He was whistling a tune that, if one were familiar with it, one would realize it's lyrics were not fit for ears not attached to a highly debauched mind. A bottle of fine spirits sloshed, as yet unopened, in one hand and he did a quick jig as he neatly avoided some of the offal littering the alley's cobbles. It was then that the bottle came whistling from behind to crack squarely over his head, dousing him in it's amber contents.

Unfazed and unharmed in the least, Angelo licked some of the dribbling liquid from where it ran down his face. A fetching smile quickly stretched his features as he whirled around. "Cherry! How's your mother lass?" A patch of shadow suddenly detached from the wall, the lithe form of a young Canin maid appearing as her cloaking device shut down. A scowl twisted her elegant lips, ears skewed back against her head in anger.

"You scheming, low-down, no-good, dirty, rotten,...bastard! You left Mother high and dry!" Cherry said, standing on tip-toe to poke Angelo's chest with a manicured blunt claw.

"You forgot, conniving, back-stabbing, cheating, two-timing, silver-tongued scoundrel. I expected better from you." He said in with a tut-tut, like a father scolding a child and refusing them sweets. "You'll just have to try harder."

"Ooh, why you..." Cherry never got to finish what she was saying as, at that exact moment in time, the figure of a canin running flat out on all fours flashed past the alley mouth, drawing both their attentions.

Angelo frowned slightly and rubbed his chin. "Humm...that looked an awful lot like a crewman of mine. But no, Donovan's back on the ship...where he should be...because I didn't give any of my crew shore leave...." Another figure flashed past, this time of an arcex. "And that look like Ambrois...and that could almost be Jade..." he said as a figure with a mane of scarlet whizzed past the opening. A roar, like the sea but far more mortal and very pissed off, began to buzz in their ears. Angelo nodded "And that sounds like a very angry mob. Poor souls have...wait a minute!"

Striding to the mouth of the alley, Angelo stuck one are straight out just in time to catch the fourth running figure in a spectacular 'clothes-line' maneuver. The youth landed flat on his back with an 'oomph' and turned dazed eyes to the sky. With a growl, Angelo hefted the stunned Saul off the ground until he and the shaken youth were face to face. "What the hell are you doing off the ship boy!"

Realizing, like a mouse in the talons of the hawk, that he was caught, Saul did what all terrified people do. He started babbling like an idiot. "Well we sorta jumped off after you left...went to this bar...had a drink...had another...lifted a purse...wham...it's...RUN!" With that last shout he ripped himself free of Angelo's grip and ran like hell in the same direction as the others. The roar of the mob was almost on top of them and, as Angelo peeked his head out of the alley, he observed an impressive collection of very, very, irate Tallistownians.

Torches and pitchforks wavered side by side with muskets and sabers, bringing back memories that made Angelo smile. The smile quickly turned to a frown as he realized that his disobedient crew would lead that mob right back to the Muse...and he'd just...finished...repairs. Licking his lips and shaking his head, he turned to Cherry. "Lass...when you see your mother again, tell her that yes, that brassier does make her bust look small."

With a snarl of fury, Cherry shoved Angelo out into the path of the incoming mob. "Oh look, it's Angelo Steel!" She shouted through cupped hands. Instantly the mob stopped in stride with a communal 'Huh'? En-mass, their focus shifted to the silver-winged figure in the black and red coat before them.

"Angelo Steel? GET HIM!" The furious mob roared, bearing down on the pirate.

Seeing he had only one chance of escape, Angelo took it. "Look, RUM!" He said, hurling the bottle into the crowd. For a moment, there was total confusion and chaos in the ranks of Tallistownians. By the time they recovered...Angelo was long gone.
------------------------------

The delay with Angelo had caused Saul to become separated from the rest of the group, and separation in an unfamiliar port quickly caused him to become lost. Yet fear wouldn't' allow him to slow down and get the break his lungs and legs so desperately needed. Looking back over his shoulder in an attempt to spot the mob, he failed to notice the door that swung open in front of him until he collided against it with a resounding CRACK! For the second time in thirty minutes, Saul ended up flat on his back staring dazedly at the sky.

"Oh you poor dear! I'm so sorry! Are you hurt?" A sweet voice said with utmost sincerity.

"Would you like extra cheese with that?" Saul said blinking, seeing a blurry blue form in double. Soft hands caught hold of him gently, lifting him to his feet with surprising strength.

"Here, let me help you inside." And before his wobbly brain could make heads or tails of what was happening, he found himself in a room filled with drifting wisps of scented steam. As his wits came back to him, he recognized it as a bath house, a steaming pool of warm water only a few feet away from where he now stood. "Feeling a little better? Maybe a hot soak would do you wonders, you're all knotted up." The soft voice said as gentle hands stripped away the last vestiges of his tattered shirt and began to work his knotted muscles.

Turning toward his kind assistant, Saul opened his mouth to thank the woman, because the voice was obviously female, then recognized the voice's owner. "YOU!" He said, fist lashing out to catch the slim, blue beauty square on the shoulder. "Cobalt!"

Catching up a wet towel, he twirled it several times before snapping it out at the pluni, catching her squarely on her tender midriff and drawing forth a squeal of pain. "How...who...Saul?! Is that you!"

"Damn straight you...wench!" He said, several more snaps landing and setting her to flight. He began to chase her around the bath house pool, shedding boots in the process to provide better traction. He snapped the towel with ruthless precision, keeping Cobalt on the run and squealing in pain between her words.

"Saul...wait...I...can...explain. EEK! Tabor...made...me...do..it! EEK! Please...you've...got...to...listen!" She suddenly slipped, skidding into a pillow of silken pillows in one corner. The split of her skirt showed the skin of one shapely thigh as she held up her arms to ward off any more towel snaps. "I was just trying to get us all away from Angelo before he killed one of us! I convinced Tabor to come back for you guys later, but you were gone!"

Saul stopped. Cobalt had never seemed like the bad sort to him, a little too...'outgoing' maybe, but not bad. That's why her actions back with the pygmys had surprised him so much. And where had she learned to shoot like that? But now that he stopped to consider it, he could see how Cobalt could easily come to the conclusion that Angelo had to die. He HAD ripped out her eye after all. Slowly he lowered the towel, allowing it to unwind. "Keep talking."

"Well, I'll admit. At first I was being foolish, following him around and such. But he'd beaten up Jasper sooo badly and I was sooo pissed. I wanted to get back at him, hurt him somehow. And I knew I wasn't going to be able to do that physically. So I followed him and Ambrois and I saw what I saw...but I never thought he'd do this." She gently touched the side of her face where an intricate piece of tattoo-like stickskin art covered what must be her 'ruined' left eye. A tear rolled down her shapely face from her right.

She sobbed for a second before regaining her composure. "So I made a deal with Tabor the first chance I got. I figured if he was willing to tear out my eye and beat Jasper, someone he was supposed to be protecting, nearly to death...what would he do to you and Van? I never expected you five to just...vanish before we could come get you. Never expected Angelo to survive....Oh you can't tell him you saw me! He'll kill me Saul..." She placed her head in her hands, weeping hard.

Saul felt like a heel. "You...cared...about what happened to me?"

A sniffling Cobalt lifted her face and nodded at him. "Of course. I thought you were sweet and tough. Jasper never gave you nearly enough credit for the things you did. I bet he still doesn't."

Somehow, Saul didn't feel right telling Cobalt that Jasper was dead. Her feelings didn't need another blow, especially not one that would confirm her worst fears about Angelo. "I don't take orders from Jasper anymore, I don't need him. And I'm sorry Cobalt." He reached out and embraced her, inhaling the scent of her perfume on her skin. It mixed with the perfumes of the bath house and permeated every thought that crossed his head, painting them a surreal blue. Wet tears mixed with his sweat, rolling down his skin.

Then, with a sniffle, Cobalt broke the embrace and looked at him with a lopsided smile. "You're still all tense. If you don't let me work out those knots, you're going to be in real pain. Here, stretch out on these." Cobalt patted the silk cushions as she stood, giving Saul another glimpse of her shapely thigh. "Please, to show you there are no hard feelings between you and I at least?"

Reluctantly, Saul spread out, feeling a little strange. The strange feeling quickly evaporated as Cobalt's hands went to work, a little scented oil making them slide easily across his skin. "Man, what tensed you up so badly? It's like you were running for your life."

"Yeah..." Saul sighed with a small groan of delight. "Note to self...never tell the fat barmaid she's fat. Bad things happen."

Cobalt chuckled throatily. A moment passed before her weight shifted and she leaned closer to him. "So Saul. When exactly did you become so...handsome?" She said heavily into his ear.

"What?" He said as her breath scalded his neck. The next thing he knew she'd flipped him over, blue eyes gleaming darkly as she shed everything but a thin white linen top and matching underskirt. Her grin, deepened as she stretched out, fingers lacing with his. "Cobalt..." he began but she shushed him.

"You're not Jasper's lackey...I'm not Jasper's girl." She smiled at him again. "You're really tense...I can fix that." The kiss was Saul's first and it drove all thoughts from his mind. He wasn't sure if Cobalt was good, bad, or in between having nothing to compare it to, but for him...it was a whole new thing. Somehow, some way, their weight shifted the pile of pillows and sent them tumbling into the steaming water, the kiss continuing despite the change.

In the bliss that followed, Saul suddenly realized what Ambrois meant. Every time he'd teased the arcex about his actions around Jade, the lengths he went through to get her alone. All those 'you'll see' comments and remarks about the difference between Ambrois's having and Saul's having not. He had a whole new respect for the Arcex now. As he pulled himself out of the water, wrapping a towel around his waist, he looked back at her, watching her walk up out of the water. "Wow."

She smiled at him, hefting his sodden pants by the waistband. "You forgot these Romeo." Her smile suddenly turned sour as she hurled them into his face. The next thing he knew, her hand was on his throat, her nails biting into the flesh painfully. "Listen and listen carefully Saul. The oil I rubbed on your skin is a toxin, harmless on it's own, but when combined with the toxin in this steam it creates a deadly poison in the bloodstream. It's slow acting, you won't feel the effects for a week and you might linger on another week after that."

He bucked under her, raising a hand to strike her. All thoughts of hitting Cobalt faded as she applied just the right amount of pressure in just the right spot. "Okay, ease off!" He squeaked, breathing a sigh of relief as the pressure eased.

"One more incident like that and you're going to be in deep trouble. You see, Saul, I'm going to offer you one chance at the antidote. One shot. Hit or miss. There's some information Angelo has that I want...you're going to get it for me."

"Over my dead body." Saul spat.

Cobalt laughed heartily. "Why yes...I believe that's the idea." She stood up from him, humming as she donned her still dry clothing. "Now, are you willing to hear what I want? Or are you willing to die for Angelo Saul?"
----------------------------------

Heh. What is Saul really made of?
--------------------------

You all wanted me to bring Saul into the spotlight, well fine then. Here's a shot at shaping his character to the core. I hope you enjoyed!
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."

"Music makes you braver."


Last edited by Kalanna Rai on Sat Mar 15, 2008 10:10 pm; edited 2 times in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Author Message
Mephistopheles
Respected Citizen



Joined: 24 May 2007
Topics: 16
Posts: 612
Location: Not where I want to be.

Items
Legends
6104 Fables
Strata-gems

PostPosted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 1:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

let him die because of the shame
for having allowed his thinking to be corrupted by flesh
he can tell angelo about it though, and see if angelo knows the antidote. and then angelo would know that cobalt is there as well

need another edit run through rai, otherwise, quite good. though the bliss was irritatingly non satisfactory Smile
_________________
Cause I am, whatever you say I am
If I wasn't, then why would I say I am?
I don't know, it's just the way I am.

eminem

without the threat of death,
there is no reason to live at all

marilyn manson
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Yahoo Messenger MSN Messenger
Author Message
The White Blacksmith
Elder



Joined: 02 Apr 2006
Topics: 15
Posts: 2629


Items
Legends
5046 Fables
Strata-gems

PostPosted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, I F5 Messed. Saul doesn't seem the sort of person to suddenly collapsde and tell all. He could probably beat her in a straight fight too, now he's had all the training. Then he can force her to give him the antidote anyway, or at least tell her what's in the poison.

Great chapter though!
_________________

Tea Cures All.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail MSN Messenger
Author Message
Cyberworm
Respected Citizen



Joined: 19 Aug 2007
Topics: 5
Posts: 652
Location: Spatially found, temporal lockdown.

Items
Legends
2410 Fables
Strata-gems

PostPosted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 3:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A nice scene there Rai. Well done. Though one thing caught my eye.
Quote:

She suddenly slipped, skidding into a pillow of silken pillows in one corner.


Should be a pile, maybe?

As for the DP, I think he's tough. He would maybe listen to her demands, but would laugh and say something like "Why should I tell you? Jasper is dead, and it wouldn't make any difference if I died..."

That would make a big blow to her feelings. She could even break and give him the antidote right on the spot, who knows?
_________________
Slit and Slide
One man's journey through the possibilities of solving what he says is a murder. What was it? Try not to forget.




Beyond Good and Evil
Could it be that being good is not good at all?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Author Message
Lilith
Honored Citizen



Joined: 10 Feb 2007
Topics: 82
Posts: 1597
Location: Happily curled up in a Daemon's lap

Items
Legends
9744 Fables
Strata-gems

PostPosted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 5:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
As for the DP, I think he's tough. He would maybe listen to her demands, but would laugh and say something like "Why should I tell you? Jasper is dead, and it wouldn't make any difference if I died..."

That would make a big blow to her feelings. She could even break and give him the antidote right on the spot, who knows?



Technically, Cy, she doesn't give a damn about Jasper, bitchy doxy she is.

Rai, simple! He listens, PRETENDS to agree, and gets her false information, while he's at it, he tell Angelo whats up who might actually have, oh I dunno the antidote. I mean come on, a week? Two? He's got the upper hand here, actually.

OR

Colbalt could be bluffing the whole damn thing, and again a diagnosis from Angelo/the ship's medbay will confirm that..

AND one tiny complaint here Rai...

WHERE THE HELL ARE THE REST OF THE CREW?????
_________________

© 2007-2019 Lilith
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Author Message
Cyberworm
Respected Citizen



Joined: 19 Aug 2007
Topics: 5
Posts: 652
Location: Spatially found, temporal lockdown.

Items
Legends
2410 Fables
Strata-gems

PostPosted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 6:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for clearing that up, Lil'. Smile Ignore my suggestion, Rai.
_________________
Slit and Slide
One man's journey through the possibilities of solving what he says is a murder. What was it? Try not to forget.




Beyond Good and Evil
Could it be that being good is not good at all?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Author Message
Gallant
Citizen



Joined: 02 Mar 2008
Topics: 14
Posts: 266
Location: There... No, There!

Items
Legends
1645 Fables
Strata-gems

PostPosted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 11:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Poor kid, he didn't have a chance against that maneating sea witch. I finally caught up Rai! This story has me totally enthralled! Very Happy

Donovans never been more than ten feet away from Saul at any one time in this story. Maybe he gets worried, (or relieved,) that Saul is missing and leaves Ambrois and Jade to go off and track him down. It's about time his tracking skills mentioned when this story began came into practise.
_________________
Bold as brass.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Author Message
Mother Goose
Respected Citizen



Joined: 09 May 2004
Topics: 2
Posts: 511
Location: Connecticut

Items
Legends
2798 Fables
Strata-gems

PostPosted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 6:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry, but I can't believe in the poison for a minute! Where did she get the time (and money) to set all that up, in the very street that Saul happened to be running along alone - or did she somehow orchestrate the whole bar scene and chase? And what seductress worth her salt leaves off seducing after an hour or so and starts relying on unlikely and complicated threats instead of her own tried and true powers? Wouldn't she rather keep him in thrall, convincing him that she's the only one who appreciates him (his shipmates don't and especially Angelo), that he can make her so happy by bringing her this information and she will be so-o-o grateful?

As to what happens now that she has shifted gears, I think she has badly miscalculated. He loses his illusions about her (though not his new-found appreciation of sex) and runs straight to Angelo, perhaps with Donovan's help, a good suggestion by Gallant. Or maybe he pretends to believe her and agrees to get the info, to find out what it is she wants to know, and then goes to Angelo.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Author Message
LordoftheNight
Revered IFian



Joined: 11 Aug 2005
Topics: 41
Posts: 5276
Location: Hell

Items
Legends
21370 Fables
Strata-gems

PostPosted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 8:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mother Goose wrote:
Sorry, but I can't believe in the poison for a minute! Where did she get the time (and money) to set all that up, in the very street that Saul happened to be running along alone - or did she somehow orchestrate the whole bar scene and chase? And what seductress worth her salt leaves off seducing after an hour or so and starts relying on unlikely and complicated threats instead of her own tried and true powers? Wouldn't she rather keep him in thrall, convincing him that she's the only one who appreciates him (his shipmates don't and especially Angelo), that he can make her so happy by bringing her this information and she will be so-o-o grateful?


And would she not have poisoned herself as well? If she was rubbing oil on him with her hands, her own hands would be covered in the same stuff. The steam's on her just as much as well afterall.
_________________
Punishment leads to Fear. Fear leads to Obedience. Obedience leads to Freedom. Therefore, Punishment leads to Freedom.
Ave Dominus Nox


A Fronte Praecipitium a Tergo Lupi
Blood Bowl
Scraping the Barrel
A Tale of Four Swords
Passion
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Author Message
Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire



Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Topics: 173
Posts: 3102
Location: The Frozen North

Items
Legends
41350 Fables
Strata-gems

PostPosted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 7:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In response to the poison question, she's already got the antidote Lordy, she's not worried about it. In response to the set up, it'll be explained in the next chappy...was purposefully vauge about it in this one.

Just wait, Cobalt's game is a little grander than you think.

_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."

"Music makes you braver."
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Author Message
LordoftheNight
Revered IFian



Joined: 11 Aug 2005
Topics: 41
Posts: 5276
Location: Hell

Items
Legends
21370 Fables
Strata-gems

PostPosted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 8:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So it's a simple case of knocking her out, tying her up and keeping her captive until she tells him where it is. Afterall, she'll die at the same time he will unless she gets her hands on it.
_________________
Punishment leads to Fear. Fear leads to Obedience. Obedience leads to Freedom. Therefore, Punishment leads to Freedom.
Ave Dominus Nox


A Fronte Praecipitium a Tergo Lupi
Blood Bowl
Scraping the Barrel
A Tale of Four Swords
Passion
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Author Message
Gallant
Citizen



Joined: 02 Mar 2008
Topics: 14
Posts: 266
Location: There... No, There!

Items
Legends
1645 Fables
Strata-gems

PostPosted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 2:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maybe she took it already previously in the night, leaving her immune.
_________________
Bold as brass.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Author Message
Crunchyfrog
Honorable IFian



Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Topics: 168
Posts: 3998


Items
Legends
10415 Fables
Strata-gems

PostPosted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Listen to what she says she wants to know.

He can't make any further decision until he knows what task she has set for him.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Author Message
Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire



Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Topics: 173
Posts: 3102
Location: The Frozen North

Items
Legends
41350 Fables
Strata-gems

PostPosted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 2:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Your mission, even if you don't want it, is to vote sometime in the next three days and give me an outcome to this poll...


This post will self destruct before you finish reading this senta...BOOM!

_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."

"Music makes you braver."
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
This topic is locked: you cannot edit posts or make replies.   printer-friendly view    Storygames Home -> Galleons of the Stars All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Page 1 of 1
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group. Forum design by mtechnik, customized by City of IF
All site content © City of IF or the respective storygame authors.   Terms of use
Home   Book   Storygames   FAQ   Greek myth   About   Policies