The Great Danton

[thegreatdanton]

A handsome young man, thirty-something years in age strides in with impeccable posture, holding himself high with a confidence that might almost be arrogance. Almost. His hair is dark, his features strong and his manner of dress slightly more expensive than most men of his profession in turn-of-the-century London. His clothes are heavy, warm, and

Comments

[fallen_april]

"The Mansion is generally what we call it." April says with a smile, balancing a 1-year-old boy with dark blonde curls on her hip.

[thegreatdanton]

"So I've heard." Angier frowns for a moment before smiling again. "This your son, Madame? Quite the handsome fellow."

[fallen_april]

April beams and kisses the baby's cheek. "Yes he is. Just like his father." she says with a little wry smile. "And just like his Daddy." she coos.

"I'm April, by the way." she says with a smile. "And this is William."

William tilts his head curiously at Angier.

[thegreatdanton]

Angier raises a brow some, almost involuntarily though not at all rudely. More out of curiosity. "Beg pardon? Are his father and his Daddy not the same person then?" Almost unheard of in a woman so young, where he's from. The only time women ever remarried is if they were widowed for some reason or another, after all.

The out-of-place Londoner bows his head in greetig. "Rupert Angier, it's a pleasure to meet you both."

He smiles at the child. "Good strong name, William."

From his pocket Angier produces a folded handkerchief and places it in his hand before the child. He passes his hand over the thing several times with nothing happening, until in one pass the thing disappears from his palm entirely. He holds up both of his hands to the child as if to demonstrate he's not holding it. "How do you like that, William?"

[fallen_april]

Will stares at Angier's hand for a moment, then tugs on April's shirt. "Mama, look!" he says insistantly. April laughs a little.

"Yes, darling, I see." she reassures him. "That's quite a trick, Mr. Angier." she says. "And in answer to your question, no, his father and his Daddy are two different men." Unlike in his time, it wouldn't be unheard of for her to not know who the father is. "Uncle Roger and Papa Yero, right?"

"Unc Wog!" Will says happily. "Papa! Where Papa?"

[thegreatdanton]

"Simple slight of hand is all." He reaches behind the child's ear and produces the handkerchief again for the boy. Pledge, Turn, and now Prestige.

He nods. "I see. I'm certain the circumstances are none of my business, but good for you, if it is in the best interest of yourself and the boy. He really is a charming one."

[fallen_april]

"Well, it wasn't really my desicion to make, sadly. We're lucky to have your Papa, though, aren't we?" Will nods and kisses her cheek.

He talks at Angier for a moment, reaching out for the handkerchief. "Pretty! Fo-wer Cee!"

April smiles a little.

[thegreatdanton]

A slight frown at that. "I'm sorry to hear that, then. That's the way it always seems to work out, isn't it? Count yourself lucky though. My wife passed before we could have any children."

Amused, the man passes Will the kerchief. "Have at it, William. Keep it if you'd like, I have more than I'll ever use."

[fallen_april]

"I'm sorry to hear that." April says with true sympathy.

Will squeals happily and waves the handkerchief. "Mama! Mama! Fo-wer Cee! Pess fo-wer Cee!" April laughs.

"God, such a doll. Yes, yes, I see, you have a present for Gracie, that's very sweet of you." She looks up at Angier. "Sorry. He's... rather fond of his..." she frowns. "Well let's see, she's my goddaughter and her parents are his god parents, so... she's his godsister?" she shakes her head. "Regardless, they're very close."

[thegreatdanton]

"Don't be. I've done my best to see that the man at fault regrets it the rest of his life."

Angier laughs. "I was wondering what he was saying. It's always good for children to have playmates, especially if they haven't any siblings."

[fallen_april]

"Indeed." She says, letting Will down to toddle awkwardly, waving the handkerchief about happily. "He and Gracie are very close. She'll be a year old in a little less than two months."

April smiles sadly at him. "He looks so much like his father. Acts like him too, sometimes, even at this age."

[thegreatdanton]

The boy is regarded curiously for a moment before Angier turns back to the mother. "May I asked what happened to the father?"

[fallen_april]

April sighs. "It's... complicated." She looks down at her wrists and sighs, looking back up. "How much do you know about this place, Mr. Angier?" she asks with a tight smile. "About the people who come here?"

[thegreatdanton]

"I would imagine." Very little gets past Angier's notice, this action included though the man says nothing on it and allows the obviously difficult conversation to drop.

"Absolutely nothing. All I've been told is that the place is a mansion with no master of the house, in no specific location."

[fallen_april]

It's difficult, it's painful, but she has every intent of answering his question - eventually. "All sorts of people come here. From all sorts of worlds and times and... Sometimes they're dead." she says softly.

[thegreatdanton]

Angier nods as softly as April speaks. "I believe it." Those words speak volumes. Angier himself was killed by the same man responsible for his wife's death. And yet, here he stands, a cane in hand but other than that seemingly no worse for the wear.