The Lucas Letters: Despatch Three
Duty yields to forbidden desire in the personal communications of drac physician Lucas Rouseau.
The Lucas Letters are best read in order
Find the previous despatches here
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The Lucas Letters: Despatch Three
Appartement 5, 3ème étage
14 Avenue de Camoëns
75116 Paris
France
27th January
Lucas,
It is good to hear from you, my friend. And yes, you are right. We must drink together again very soon. You well know, my obligations presently keep me in Charmant. Therefore, I am relying on you to make this happen imminently.
As for the Chateau de la Lune, it is yours on the full moon. Be warned though, Fickleturn is currently appointed there. The goblin’s mandatory service is due to his latest double dealings. Slippery as he is, his transgressions were borderline and not fitting a more severe punishment. Avail yourself of him as you see fit. As much as I despise his underhand ways, he is competent and will not cheat me—nor consequently you—as he understands full well that the dungeon awaits.
I have to say, I was surprised to hear of your doubts concerning Camille Amiel. Know that the assembly, myself included, have considered the matter of your Keeper partnership long and hard, guided by the ever-wise counsel of La Vieille. The match appears extremely promising, auspicious even. For that reason, I hope most dearly that the testing goes well and your concerns are assuaged.
Belomar
Status: SENT
To: LucasRouseau@gmail.fr
From: HectorFournier@CabinetMedicalTarascon.fr
Date: 29 January
Subject: Practice transferral
Dear Lucas,
Touching base as I haven’t heard from you for a few days. I believe the majority of the paperwork has been sent. Could you confirm you have received it? My solicitor and I await your signature on a couple of documents before we may proceed.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Hector
Dr Hector Fournier
Médecin généraliste
Cabinet Médical Tarascon
1096 E9, 09400 Tarascon-sur-Ariège
Tél. : 05 61 05 47 82
Courriel : HectorFournier@CabinetMedicalTarascon.fr
RPPS : 10100456789
Ce message et ses pièces jointes sont confidentiels et destinés à la
personne à laquelle ils sont adressés. Si vous avez reçu ce message par
erreur, merci de le détruire et d’en avertir l’expéditeur.
Status: SENT
To: HectorFournier@CabinetMedicalTarascon.fr
From: LucasRouseau@gmail.fr
Subject: Practice transferral
Date: 29 January
Dear Hector,
Apologies for the delayed reply. Your documents have arrived. However, there are a few matters concerning my move to Tarascon that must be dealt with before signing. I’ll update you in a few days.
Best,
Lucas
SLAUGHTER: DO NOT SEND
30th January
Dearest Belomar,
It was a pleasure to receive your reply the other day and to make contact with the real you rather than these imagined communications that are nothing more than screwed-up conversations with my own dark self.
Though I have to admit, it was more than a little disturbing to read of your confidence in my partnership with Camille Amiel, when the pairing is clearly not at all appropriate. Moreover, it is inconceivable. But the testing will settle the matter in your mind as well as in mine.
I am certain she will fail, and because of it, today I write calmly. My scrawl is almost legible for once. There is no need for me to concern myself with thoughts of the woman any longer, for she will not be a part of my life. No doubt a more suitable candidate will be appointed in her place, and the affair will be concluded speedily.
I’ve not returned to Tarascon since the night I succumbed to my drac. I wince now, thinking of how I was subject to my own physicality. In all my years of restraint, rarely have I been unable to control myself. But today, though the snow still dresses Paris in white and the Seine is leaden, the sun streams through the window. It gives me hope—no, surety—that there is an unhindered way forward.
The Chateau de la Lune is prepared. I have cast the most potent colludes, using rare herbs to ensure they augment the chateau’s powers. Being within its phantasmal walls once more has been curious. The vestiges of the millennia-old dark elves’ exploitation of humanity hang about it. The subjugation attempt to infiltrate mortals’ sleep could not be allowed to continue, yet because of their designs, it is the perfect testing ground for Keepers.
It fascinates me how the place possesses the power to draw the darkest fears from a candidate and project them into their dreams, whilst at the same time giving the overseer access to that selfsame mind. And I confess, darkness stirred up a little within while I made the preparations, old memories I fought hard to resist. I will be glad when the chateau has its attention fully upon Camille Amiel. The experience of being confronted with her worst nightmares will be too all-consuming, for there is always darkness within that we cannot face.
Perhaps you would chide me for this, Belomar. Actually, I know you would. But if you had seen the turmoil the woman stoked, you would understand—likely after laughing to your belly.
That scum Fickleturn is not pleased at having to work with me. Not that he is ever pleased at much. But he is adept at what he turns his oily hands to, and I have no doubt he won’t betray me with the threat of the dungeon looming. To ensure that he does his best most diabolical handiwork in condemning Camille, I have given him a not inconsiderable amount of gold, and promised more on completion, when Camille fails.
Perhaps she deserves a fair trial, but I won’t allow that to gnaw at me, for I cannot risk her success.
My only present regret is that I’m messing Hector Fournier around. It’s unlikely another suitable partner will be found in Tarascon, and I will be posted elsewhere, though the place is in need of Keepers. The paperwork is well underway for the transfer of his practice. I will have to let him down, something I’m averse to doing. He’s a good man, and a part of me longs to return to Tarascon.
Oh, and there is yet another thorn in my side. Slaughter and the Men.
Not only were they protesting about having to dress up as fluffy black sarramaucas, the disguises Fickleturn found for them for the concealing of our fae natures, but Slaughter, speaking on the behalf of the whole goddamned lot of them, insisted that it isn’t right that I go so hard on Camille, asserting that it’s not my place to interfere with what La Vieille has decreed, and he is convinced no good will come of it.
Ridiculous.
So displeased were they, one might think they’d leave me to it. But no, still they insist on sticking to my side, their cusses and grumbles causing me a grievous headache.
I resorted to ordering a large platter of cream patisserie. The Men are strong and fearless, but even they are unable to resist such things. Slaughter and a few of them are now cream-drunk, comatose and snoring on the rug before the fire. The rest of them are back in their cave doing the same. The stuff puts them out better than ten barrels of scrapelather ever could. I will have peace until tonight when the testing begins.
Whoever said I resort to underhand means?
But curses there are plenty of them, and the patisserie bill was not inconsequential.
No doubt next time I write to you to myself, it will be with great relief that I detail Camille’s failure and all that has taken place in the Chateau de la Lune.
It will be a pleasure to bring this affair to an end.
Status: SENT
To: FredericNoir@MedecinsSansFrontieres.fr
From: LucasRouseau@MedecinsSansFrontieres.fr
Date: 29th January
Subject: Immediate leave request
Dear Frederic,
I require leave from the 30th January to 3rd February. Apologies for the late notice, but a personal matter has come up. I understand there are enough staff to cover me at that time, though I hope this is not putting the team to too much inconvenience.
Best,
Lucas
Status: SENT
To: LucasRouseau@MedecinsSansFrontieres.fr
From: FredericNoir@MedecinsSansFrontieres.fr
Date: 29th January
Subject: Immediate leave request
Dear Lucas,
Granted. And it’s not at all an inconvenience. It’s hard to stop you working. I believe MSF owes you about six months’ vacation at this point. We’ll catch up when you return.
Best,
Frederic
The events that take place in the Chateau de la Lune are detailed in Folkloric Fae (A Prequel Novella to the Folkloric Series), if you want all the details. Available free by signing up to my newsletter here.)
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