[ open ] freedom hangs like heaven

[cesar]

Date & Time: anytime in September
Location: all the places
Characters: Cesare Borgia and YOU
Summary: Cesare knocks on certain people's doors or otherwise trawls the city, all formats are fine by me!
Warnings: n/a

Fortune favors not the bold, but the early bird, the night owl, the one who sleeps not. She favors those who know precisely where to aim before the enemy even rouses himself from sleep, from pleasure. It takes only one shot to make or break one's fortune, yet there is so little time and so much to learn, too many red herrings to eliminate.

Only five more years until his twenty-sixth year.

Cesare spends so little time in his room when he isn't bathing or sleeping (sadly still a necessity), usually returning home as the night sky grows brighter and leaving just before noon to start his nocturnal wanderings again. But when he is home, he keeps to himself, silent as a ghost and as absent as if he isn't there at all.

He gives training only the requisite number of hours, because strength and force will never be his advantage. This he already knows. Better that he deals in stealth and information, in learning more about this world to figure out which strings to pull if he were to secure his and his mother's freedom. The Initiative's intent to overthrow the tyrant is a fool's errand so he would lend it little assistance unless the mission keeps him in their good books or aids his eventual escape.

Otherwise Cesare can be found in the city, cloaked in black velvet with the hood drawn up to hide his face. But even his attire would easily betray him, since his vanity would not allow him to dress in rags to hide himself better, and the sword on his hips gleam too brightly against the dismal surroundings. His hand grips the hilt warily as he moves from one shop to another, seemingly in search of something. He would be careful not to reveal his intent while there is another customer in the room, pretending to browse the goods on display, unless they catch him in the middle of a discussion with the owner. Then they might overhear words such as maps and pearls and bullets being discussed.

 

Comments

[deadlybanker]

[And the keyhole was carefully disguised as a metal candle-holder, hanging on the wall just where the hollow space had been discovered.

He did agree, but instead of saying so he sheathed his blade. ]

We are after the same thing then. Have you discovered the entrance?

[cesar]

[ Cesare is searching about that place, even trying to pull at the candle-holder, which refuses to budge. He gestures for the other man to come over with the key. ]

I might have.

[deadlybanker]

[It would have been a shame to go through all the work and then not see what was behind the locked door.
Giovanni swung over the counter himself and presented the key. ]

There must be an opening for this some where.

[But it did take a little searching to find the keyhole. It was fairly well hidden. Eventually the hole was discovered and with a turn of the key the hidden door swung open.]

[cesar]

[ He takes that key from the man with a nod, squinting his eyes at that candle-holder until he finally locates the keyhole. The entrance unlocks with an audible click, though it takes some more fumbling with the wall before it swings open to reveal the damp room hidden behind it. No matter how foul the smell, Cesare only thinks to smile with achievement. Success! ]

And what do you hope to find behind this door?

[deadlybanker]

I am searching for the same things you are.

[Which was why he still felt the need to be on guard around the other man. Maps, information, especially clues about the weaknesses of either side of this conflict would prove useful. But, if this gentleman intended not to share...

The room was dark as well as damp but there was a candle sitting on a nearby shelf. This was lit as Giovanni led the way into the room. There was crate upon crate of smuggled goods. Some of the boxes were labeled with things like 'wine' and 'clothing' but most of the others only sported unidentifiable stickers, no doubt these were falsified markings to allow their entry into the prison.]

It looks like we will have to search for what we want.

[cesar]

You cannot know that if I have not told you what I seek.

[ But now Cesare's only being petulant. He gladly lets the other man to walk on ahead, even trailing behind to try and peek into one of the crates labelled wine. Might as well kill two birds with one stone. ]

Tell me what you are seeking so we can help each other.