Wai~!!! It’s another chapter!
Disclaimer: Wish I owned both, yet I don’t own either. Don’t steal my fanfic!
Chapter 13: Toxicology
“I’m so pleased you came to visit me, Count.” Madame Violet de Villefort simpered. * Such a charming man! * It was the next day, of course. Ash had stayed the night and hastily returned to his home that morning.
“It is nothing, my lady…”
“I owe you so much! You saved my life. Tea?”
The Count took a sip, frowning slightly at what he encountered just below the surface of the steaming liquid. Not poison…but… no. She couldn’t be-.
On the other hand, she may well be.
Violet nibbled daintily on a blueberry tart. It should work any second now…
Lance’s golden eyes dilated slightly, as he stood. “Madame… would you permit me to open the window? It is getting rather stuffy in here…”
“Oh, of course! We can leave the house. Let me show you my secret hideaway. I apologize for our poor hospitality…” Violet said brightly. He followed quietly, like a shadow.
Foolish woman… was she trying to seduce him?
Still, this could play to his advantage quiet nicely…
“Your hideaway is a greenhouse?” Brilliant foliage and sweet perfume embraced them as they stepped through the doors.
“Yes.” Violet blushed, looking down. “As a woman, I am ashamed.”
“Such lovely flowers…” Monte Cristo brushed white-gloved fingers against a petal. “But all the flowers Madame loves, share one alluring trait…”
“And that is?” Violet prompted. * They’re pretty? They smell nice? Men… ah well, he can’t possibly realize… *
“Beneath their beautiful blossoms, they all hide poison…” He half-smiled. “Belladonna. Mandragora. Datura… beautiful, are they not?”
Violet early fainted. How had he guessed! She ducked her head down as a blush tinted her cheeks. “I-I didn’t notice…”
“Does Madame also have an interest in poisons then?”
“Oh no!” The woman said, blushing. “Oh no, nothing like that! You frighten me, Count!”
“Do I?” His voice was soothing; melted honey… “My dear, poison is the one thing that captivates men… and all who pursue poison have one thing in common…” “What is that?” Violet couldn’t stop herself, she felt drawn to him, gazing deep into his golden eyes…
“Why, all those who use poison are beautiful…” He whispered, drawing her into an embrace. “Beautiful…”
Violet wasn’t sure which one of them made the first move, but she felt so warm…
Perhaps she should not have tried to drug him…
Elsewhere, at Morcerf Manor…
“Well, son, you have returned.” Giovanni smiled. “Did you spend all night up drinking and gambling? Shame on you!”
“No, nothing like that!” Ash frowned. “I was simply drowsy after my swim.”
Giovanni raised his eyebrows. “You went swimming? Ashura, it is three months until summer arrives, what were you thinking? You could have frozen!”
“Actually, father, it was pleasantly warm.”
“Where did you swim, then?”
“M. Le Comte has an artificial lake underneath his villa.”
Giovanni’s eyebrows shot up. “I heard that he was eccentric, but this is something completely new. So you swam.”
“Yes, I’m embarrassed to say I did…”
“In your best black silk pants?”
“My apologies, father… I could not help myself.”
Giovanni sighed. “It’s at these times that I am reminded, you are still a child, Ashura. It is fine… next time you desire to swim, please remember to ask for bathing garments.”
“Yes father.”
Back in his room, Ash flopped down on his velvet-carpeted floor. What a mess! Well, not really. The swimming had been fun, and then they’d had a nice dinner – well, the Count of Monte Cristo didn’t eat much, but that was nothing unusual. He never seemed to. Maybe he really was a vampire, like some of the young Italian nobility had gossiped about back in Rome…
Then again, the food had been delicious. Seafood, but Ash could not fault it. He liked seafood, but not as much as, say, roast pork…
Monte Cristo had tasted sparingly, and then retrieved from his cloak a small pillbox, made of a hollowed out emerald. Inside, there had been several silver droplets – at least that was what he had initially assumed them to be.
The Count was ill though – that must be his medicine. He hadn’t pried.
The Count… well, what was he supposed to think? He didn’t know the man very well. Monte Cristo had saved his life though! But he was so mysterious.
What on earth was his real name? Surely his family name was not Monte Cristo? No, that could not be it…
“Excuse me, monsieur.” A maid interrupted, “But your mother wishes to see you.”
“My mother? I’ll be there in a few minutes.” Ash promised. Hurriedly, he straightened his mussed hair and changed into a more comfortable pair of pants and a shirt. Then, he went to Delia’s room.
“Mother?”
Delia sighed as she looked at her son. He was so innocent, so naïve… if only he knew the truth about his parents. Yes, Delia loved Giovanni, but was it in the way of a lover, or just a close friend?
She would not tell him though.
Ash had stayed with other families’ overnight, and even for a few weeks, but she had known more about them. What if this stranger had hurt her precious baby?
She would not forgive him if that had happened!
“I’ll get straight to the point Ash. Did he hurt you?”
Ash blinked. “Mother?”
“Did the Count attempt to harm you in any way?”
“Of course not! Mother! Just because we don’t know him that well doesn’t’ mean he’s evil! Father said that he seemed trustworthy!”
“You are friends, then…”
“Of course we are friends.” Ash grinned. “Isn’t it nice?"
“Yes, Ash, but I still want you to be careful.”
Ash looked exasperated, but contrived to conceal it. “Mother. What could I possibly have to fear? The Count saved my life, so I doubt that he has some sinister plot to kill me. He does not drink wine, except pure water tinged with a little sherry. Most often it is just fruit juice. He does not gamble, and he has no mistress I could possibly steal away.” Ash hesitated slightly – what if it that was a lie and Princes Lorelei – whom he had yet to meet – was the Count’s wife or something? No, that seemed just wrong, so he spoke on. “And he would not try to borrow money from me without intending to mock me. So really, what do I have to fear?”
“Nothing, my child. I am sorry.” Delia said.
“It is nothing, mother. I know you worry over my sake. But please, I feel that I can trust him.”
“Yes, child.” Delia smiled. “Could you leave me now?”
“Of course, mother.”
After he had gone, Delia shook her head. “Stop it, woman. Your fiancée is long dead and gone – he drowned and died, and there is nothing I can do to change the past. But… this Count… for some reason…”
He reminded her of Lance.
It was not the man's appearance; it was his voice. It sounded like Lance’s voice, only softer and yet at the same time, chill like ice… or the sharp flash of a rapier before it was buried in warm flesh. She shivered.
No, Lance was dead, and there was no use bringing up the past. Still…
She would feel much better if she knew for certain that the Count was really friendly towards her family… especially her son…
Her precious baby boy…
Back at the Villefort estate…
“A token of our friendship, Madame. May it bring your heart’s desire.” A sonorous voice whispered in her ear.
Violet stared at the lovely golden ring that she had been handed. A lovely ruby glimmered, a single stone… no, surrounding it was a small ring of crystal.
“It is beautiful,” She breathed, “But I cannot accept this.”
“Do you not wish my friendship?”
“No! Quite the contrary – I only do not know what my husband will say.”
“Do you love him?”
How could he ask such an indiscreet question! Violet blushed. Surely she did not enjoy Villefort's company anywhere and in any way, but…
She reminded herself that the count was foreign and probably knew not of their customs. “No… I… I cannot answer you. It is too personal to disclose.”
“Then forgive me for my inquiry. I am sorry to have committed an indiscretion.”
“Oh! It is nothing – truly, it is nothing… I will take the ring,” She said, avoiding his star-bright eyes.
So… desirable…
No! She had her son to think of! And yet, if she divorced Villefort, the Count was surely rich enough to provide? Besides, he seemed genuinely attracted to her1
With that thought, Violet fled. There was too much on her mind now! She could not see him!
“I-I am feeling unwell. I must retire. I am sorry, count.” Violet said, before she fled, trying not to babble.
The corners of Lance’s smile curved up in a cruel smirk, before he left the house, Violet’s apologies ringing in his mind.
This was so simple…
End Chapter
Completed 3/3/05
Lance: interesting
Phantomness: Yep! ^-^
Ash: Love is a poison too! And boy, does Lance know how to manipulate it! The question is, does he truly love anyone? In the book the Count loved first Mercedes, but then his princess…