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Post by Christian Ward on Oct 1, 2016 2:28:59 GMT -5
The Inn Keeper had seen the rapport between Christian and Diana the other day, so when Christian asked if she were still around the Inn Keeper was all too happy to offer more information than was needed. Those were the perks in his line of work. You ask for knut and the give you sickle, just in case it benefits them in the future somehow. Diana was planning to be in London for a few weeks at least, looking for something the Inn Keeper didn't know. She spent her days elsewhere but always returned in the evening, a tired but determined look on her face. This was enough to put his plan into motion.
At seven that evening, Christian sat in the lobby of the gloomy inn. He had been assured that Diana would return within the hour. All he had to do was wait.
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Post by Diana Ward on Oct 1, 2016 2:42:18 GMT -5
Diana was in a mood. Another dead end had her feeling defeated, angry, and above all hurt - though she'd never admit it. She had been obsessed since discovering her daughter's existence, but along with her mission to find the girl was the knowledge that Diana's world was dangerous. She had to simultaneously look for her daughter, conceal her intentions from those who would use it against her, and clean up the mess her father had left her if she was ever to live "happily" with her child.
Tonight was particularly bad. Diana felt dirty, her hands were literally still stained with the blood of her latest victim - a repugnant slaver who specialized in child trafficking. It was hard to say whether Diana's feelings of filth came from touching the man or torturing him. In the end Diana knew that she felt fine, she'd bury it deep where she buried everything else. She wanted to find her daughter, but who would she be when that happened? And was her daughter better off not knowing her?
These were the questions Diana might have dwelled upon that night as she poured herself into bed exhausted, but tonight there would be no melancholy guilt-ridden thoughts.
Her step faltered as she felt him before she saw him in the lobby.
Merlin what now.
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Post by Christian Ward on Oct 1, 2016 2:55:52 GMT -5
As Diana entered the inn, Christian rose from his seat. She was clearly in a foul mood, more so than he was expecting based on the inn keeper's description. Nevertheless, he would continue on. He forced the most sincere look he could muster and started with "I'm sorry." Whether or not a man has done something wrong, it is generally advised that he apologize. "About the other day..."
He noticed her hands were bloody, but she didn't appear to be injured. This was not her blood. Ever more intriguing, this woman. With a hint of worry in his voice, he added "you're bleeding. Are you alright?"
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Post by Diana Ward on Oct 1, 2016 3:08:20 GMT -5
She was too stunned for words to speak as he stood in front of her apologizing. He was apologizing for the other day? If she hadn't been so stunned she might have screamed at him to apologize for sixteen years ago, or maybe she wouldn't have, that might have showed that she still cared, which she didn't.
She quickly moved her hands behind her, "It's nothing. I'm fine." then with a hard edge to her voice, "Why are you here? And don't tell me it's to apologize for the other day. The truth Christian, what do you want?"
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Post by Christian Ward on Oct 1, 2016 3:31:28 GMT -5
He had done relatively nothing wrong sixteen years ago, and any misguided actions could be chalked up to the ignorance and stupidity of youth. While he understood some of her anger directed towards him, not knowing the whole of her story, or rather their story, left him bewildered at her emotions now. Was she really so blindingly furious at him after a week of...whatever it was, more than fifteen years ago? He couldn't be the sole reason for her drastic personality change.
"The truth is, I wanted to see you." Technically, yes that was the truth. "I was shocked to see you here, after all this time. And Nigel," he gestured to the Inn Keeper who was pretending not to notice them. "He told me you hadn't checked out yet." Another truth. He was full of truths today.
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Post by Diana Ward on Oct 1, 2016 3:40:51 GMT -5
If by "relatively nothing wrong" meant leaving in the middle of the night with no words, parting or otherwise, then sure. If completely disappearing and being unreachable as Diana went through a nearly full term pregnancy on her own meant "relatively nothing wrong", then sure. But Diana didn't hate him, not truly, nor did she blame him for his actions. He was young, so was she. It was just simpler to keep her emotions cold where he was concerned.
Diana shot a glance at "Nigel" the inn keep whose name she had only just learned from Christian. The look she sent him was not pleasant, and subtly may have promised revenge, he certainly wasn't living up to the extra galleons she had given him to keep her presence quiet.
"Well, you've seen me. As for checking out, I'll be leaving tomorrow so there's no need for Nigel to be loose with information concerning my whereabouts."
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Post by Christian Ward on Oct 1, 2016 3:52:57 GMT -5
He stepped closer to her, flashing a charming smile. "Come on, Diana. Let me buy dinner. Or at the very least a drink. I know I owe you much more than that." He didn't. At least, he didn't think he did. But then his version of the events were drastically different from hers.
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Post by Diana Ward on Oct 1, 2016 13:29:18 GMT -5
His smile was still devastating to her, as was the scent of him which added to his presence as he stepped closer to her. She fought the urge to jump back.
Diana was too old for this. All through her pregnancy she dreamed of Christian coming back into her life. He'd find out about the baby, apologize for leaving her and decide that he wanted to marry her. She'd naturally refuse thinking he'd only be staying for the baby's sake, but who was she kidding? She'd have done anything for him to want her. If she could have planned the pregnancy she might have, but that had been a happy accident or a tragic one.
Focus on the pain.
"No. You don't owe me anything." She didn't really believe that, but then if she thought about it he couldn't give her the past 15 years so why dwell?
She turned away from him and headed for the stairs, her foot met the first step when she turned her head over her shoulder, "Give me a minute to clean up."
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Post by Christian Ward on Oct 1, 2016 18:56:02 GMT -5
Christian saw something soften in her, just for a moment, before she spoke and turned away from him. He waited patiently, almost counting down to what he knew would happen next. She hesitated on the stairs and he grinned devilishly. "Of course," he replied, a more pleasant looking smile flashing across his face now.
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Post by Diana Ward on Oct 1, 2016 20:42:51 GMT -5
There was nothing soft about Diana's decision to go out with Christian that night. She couldn't trust the man further than she could throw him, but if he was up to something it was better to stop it in its tracks than run away because of "feelings"
Diana took a quick shower, she needed the heat to make her feel better, cleaner, but she used magic to do her hair and make up which saved her time. She dressed simply using the cliche "little black dress" and met Christian at the stairs when she was finished.
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Post by Christian Ward on Oct 2, 2016 2:18:23 GMT -5
For the dramatic change in her appearance, Diana didn't take long in returning to the lobby where Christian waited. He heard her footsteps on the stairs and turned to greet her, falling silent instead. Her legs seem to go on for days, and the little black dress she donned hugged her womanly curves. His eyebrows raised.
"Wow, when you said 'clean up' you really meant it," he said honestly. "You look gorgeous." He was not expecting to feel his heart race slightly at the sight of her. He would not be distracted from the job at hand, but what could it hurt to have a little fun before getting things done?
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Post by Diana Ward on Oct 2, 2016 2:38:35 GMT -5
When Diana had attended Hogwarts she was a tall lanky (shapeless) teenager, and wizarding robes did nothing for the feminine figure. After school and during their brief affair she had picked up more curves, but was still relatively clueless about her appearance. Pregnancy gave her additional curves that she kept, and Whistler brought her to Madeline who taught her all she could ever want or need to know about femininity and its power.
She understood that power very well now as a woman, and often it was her most deadly weapon. She was pleased to see Christian affected - though she wouldn't show it - but she was also surprised. He had seen her in almost every single way a man could see a woman and yet he was looking at her now as if he never had before.
She almost raised a challenging brow at his comment until she realized he was honestly complimenting her.
"Thank you."
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Post by Christian Ward on Oct 2, 2016 3:04:08 GMT -5
"I shouldn't be surprised, you were always beautiful." He could barely remember her during their time at Hogwarts. Other than her following him around. His real memories were of their week together, before he sneaked off in the middle of the night and before she became a threat so terrible that a hit wizard was hired to take her out. He knew the game well enough to know that this dress had seen plenty of action in it's day. Seducing men into divulging secrets, information she needed for whatever her purpose was. Men were weak when a gorgeous woman was involved. Most men, anyway.
"How do you feel about French food?" Christian was not inherently wealthy, but he'd made the business much more profitable than it had been when his father was in charge. The large sum of money that had been transferred into his account at Gringotts this morning alone would keep him in fancy French food for the rest of his life.
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Post by Diana Ward on Oct 3, 2016 0:00:05 GMT -5
She wasn't comfortable with his compliments. For all of her life when it came to this man she always felt at a severe disadvantage. He was the beautiful one. The one that everyone wanted. She was an afterthought.
Even when they were "together" she felt she had to prove herself to him somehow, if she were the best lover he had, if she was beautiful, witty, the perfect housekeeper, then he'd want her. She had wanted him so desperately.
Grateful for the restaurant question she turned the tables on him, "I'm not sure you've earned dinner, let's get a drink."
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Post by Christian Ward on Oct 3, 2016 1:32:50 GMT -5
She had changed so much since their last encounter. He quite enjoyed this cheeky Diana. She would keep him on his toes. At the moment that was not a bad thing. But Christian had become accustomed to thinking ten steps ahead, and could see her being trouble when the time came. He would need to be able to subdue her audacious spirit.
"As you wish." He held the door for her and once on the street of Knockturn Alley he guided her up the cobblestone path and out onto the wider, well lit Diagon Alley. There was a nice bar not far past the night club that he had his sights set on. Again, he held the door for her and admired her shape as she walked in.
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Post by Diana Ward on Oct 3, 2016 2:17:00 GMT -5
Diana walked with him, aware of her surroundings as if someone or something were after her. It wasn't an overt action, but someone of Christian's caliber would likely notice.
If they paused she kept her back to the wall so not to be attacked from behind, little things that were completely innocuous to the casual observer.
Diana's lethal calm was failing her, as they allowed silence to pass between them her thoughts kept going back to their time together and what had happened since. Several times she wanted to turn back and tell him that she changed her mind, but she couldn't not if he was a threat, she needed to take care of him then and there.
She decided to play her own game by placing her arm in his as they walked.
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Post by Christian Ward on Oct 5, 2016 0:35:00 GMT -5
Diana's mannerisms had not gone unnoticed. She was more alert and more cautious than one might expect, unless of course you were the type of woman who would have a hit wizard hired to kill you. Then her behavior was perfectly understandable. Christian kept his observations to himself as they entered the lounge, Diana on his arm.
The lighting was soft and flickered as glowing orbs floated near the ceiling. The room was furnished with white sofas and low, black tables that lined the walls. In the middle of the lounge were several round, black tables with overstuffed, white chairs surrounding them. On the far side of the room was the bar, behind which shelves stacked up to the ceiling each filled with different bottles and lit from behind. The bartender, a man in a suit, was summoning a bottle from the top shelf with a flourish that was added to wow the ladies sitting in front of him. The room was filled with a soft murmur of people chatting and peaceful instrumental music playing. Christian paused to let Diana decide where she felt most comfortable sitting.
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Post by Diana Ward on Oct 5, 2016 0:42:14 GMT -5
Diana paused in the doorway with Christian. It was a nice place, beautiful really. Under ordinary circumstances this would have been a lovely date - then it hit her. She had never been on a date with Christian. They never went anywhere. Once their affair began they stayed inside and in bed pretty much the entire time. Long enough for her to become pregnant, and him to disappear. Long enough to shatter a young girl's heart and dreams.
How was it that now, after all this time, he wanted to take her out when that had never been his priority with her before?
She had dismissed all advice when she was younger about making a man "work for it." She was naive and in love. She believed that if you loved someone you didn't make them earn your love, love was free. Expectation on the other hand, wasn't.
She realized later on that she had simply expected something in return for her love. She expected, or rather hoped, he could love her too. What was she expecting now?
A trap.
With that thought firmly in mind she pointed toward a dark "intimate" corner sofa, "Over there." she suggested.
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Post by Christian Ward on Oct 5, 2016 1:17:04 GMT -5
Christian nodded and led the way to the only spot in the entire building where someone could not walk up behind you. She was predictable in this way, Christian was learning. No sooner had they sat on the cushions than an attractive young waitress appeared with a drink menu. "Do you need a minute?" she asked.
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Post by Diana Ward on Oct 5, 2016 1:48:21 GMT -5
"Bourbon. Neat." she answered. There was no way she was getting through this night completely sober. Her nerves were frayed as is, but she kept calm and confident. She could handler herself much better now.
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