Post by DreamWeaver on Nov 15, 2013 19:35:58 GMT
Robeyn Elariel was mad.
There was no doubt about it. He was completely, raving mad. But you see, the advantage with being a madman is that everyone underestimates what they're capable of. To do this would be a mistake of unimaginable proportions. Even a madman can be powerful and, mad or not, Robeyn Elariel was one of the most dangerous men in Elendel. Of course one would not know this, to look at him. He is an unassuming man. Stooped, with grey hair and normally with a slight grin as if he finds amusement everywhere, he can frequently be seen at meetings of the senate, sitting in his chair and giggling at something none can see. He is dismissed by those who consider themselves above him, even the man who could crush him utterly by lifting a finger ignores him. That man, Highland Venture, is the reason Robeyn is not currently the most openly powerful man in Elendel.
But enough about the details of politics, you want to know what is happening now. Robeyn was sitting in his carriage, feeling every gap in the cobbles that it ran over. He was holding his silver pistol in his right hand, his left resting on his knee as he examined the weapon. He wasn't happy about being forced to leave his home, he preferred people to come to him. But the person he was going to visit was certainly persuasive and Robeyn would welcome any chance to increase his influence over them, though the prospect of going to visit them unguarded scared him. Indeed it should have, even had he not been paranoid and insane. There was a risk they knew far more than he had anticipated anyone learning for a long time, a large risk. Dare he expose himself. He had already decided he was to visit them, as you know. However he was tempted to simply lay out his plan to see how they responded. His rational mind knew such an idea was insanity. But rational thought was losing its grasp on his actions. If he hadn't been mad, he would have been terrified.
He sometimes couldn't control his own body. He said things without meaning to, ruining plans that had taken months to reach fruition. But these are the pains a madman must face to reach his goals.
Venture was weakening; his grasp on the Atium supply slipping as supplies dropped below the predicted rates and the scavengers in the senate scented blood. They snapped at Venture like rats and those that didn't snap begged on their knees for his favour. All save two. Robeyn himself and the only other man in the senate he respected. Benoit Hilt. The young man was a genius himself and had influence far beyond what he should have had, judging by his interactions with those around him and indeed how many were around him at any one time. Like fawning idiots, they swarmed to surround him as men swarmed to surround Venture. But Robeyn was confident his plan would succeed. After all, he was a genius. Mad yes, but a mad genius is all the more dangerous for his insanity. It is impossible to predict the actions of a man who cannot predict them himself.
The carriage stopped and the head of House Elariel stepped from the door opened by his coach driver. The man, eyes covered with dark glasses to protect his too sensitive Tineye's sight from the multitude of lamps that adorned the streets, bowed profusely and backed away to allow Robeyn to descend to the street. Everything Robeyn did was suddenly dignified and sophisticated. There was a stance to him, a sense of a man confident and calculating who didn't just think he was better than those around him. He knew it. His eyes were cold, his face neutral. He held out a hand for his cane, not even deigning to look at the man. When the dark wood and aluminium wolf's head slapped into his palm he slapped the point to the ground and walked forward.
Raising a hand he gestured and his servant came and knocked on the door.
It opened and the butler looked out at him, peering. "I request an audience with the owner of this house." Robeyn's voice was as hard as steel and twice as cold. "Go fool, tell them that Robeyn Elariel wishes to speak with them."
There was no doubt about it. He was completely, raving mad. But you see, the advantage with being a madman is that everyone underestimates what they're capable of. To do this would be a mistake of unimaginable proportions. Even a madman can be powerful and, mad or not, Robeyn Elariel was one of the most dangerous men in Elendel. Of course one would not know this, to look at him. He is an unassuming man. Stooped, with grey hair and normally with a slight grin as if he finds amusement everywhere, he can frequently be seen at meetings of the senate, sitting in his chair and giggling at something none can see. He is dismissed by those who consider themselves above him, even the man who could crush him utterly by lifting a finger ignores him. That man, Highland Venture, is the reason Robeyn is not currently the most openly powerful man in Elendel.
But enough about the details of politics, you want to know what is happening now. Robeyn was sitting in his carriage, feeling every gap in the cobbles that it ran over. He was holding his silver pistol in his right hand, his left resting on his knee as he examined the weapon. He wasn't happy about being forced to leave his home, he preferred people to come to him. But the person he was going to visit was certainly persuasive and Robeyn would welcome any chance to increase his influence over them, though the prospect of going to visit them unguarded scared him. Indeed it should have, even had he not been paranoid and insane. There was a risk they knew far more than he had anticipated anyone learning for a long time, a large risk. Dare he expose himself. He had already decided he was to visit them, as you know. However he was tempted to simply lay out his plan to see how they responded. His rational mind knew such an idea was insanity. But rational thought was losing its grasp on his actions. If he hadn't been mad, he would have been terrified.
He sometimes couldn't control his own body. He said things without meaning to, ruining plans that had taken months to reach fruition. But these are the pains a madman must face to reach his goals.
Venture was weakening; his grasp on the Atium supply slipping as supplies dropped below the predicted rates and the scavengers in the senate scented blood. They snapped at Venture like rats and those that didn't snap begged on their knees for his favour. All save two. Robeyn himself and the only other man in the senate he respected. Benoit Hilt. The young man was a genius himself and had influence far beyond what he should have had, judging by his interactions with those around him and indeed how many were around him at any one time. Like fawning idiots, they swarmed to surround him as men swarmed to surround Venture. But Robeyn was confident his plan would succeed. After all, he was a genius. Mad yes, but a mad genius is all the more dangerous for his insanity. It is impossible to predict the actions of a man who cannot predict them himself.
The carriage stopped and the head of House Elariel stepped from the door opened by his coach driver. The man, eyes covered with dark glasses to protect his too sensitive Tineye's sight from the multitude of lamps that adorned the streets, bowed profusely and backed away to allow Robeyn to descend to the street. Everything Robeyn did was suddenly dignified and sophisticated. There was a stance to him, a sense of a man confident and calculating who didn't just think he was better than those around him. He knew it. His eyes were cold, his face neutral. He held out a hand for his cane, not even deigning to look at the man. When the dark wood and aluminium wolf's head slapped into his palm he slapped the point to the ground and walked forward.
Raising a hand he gestured and his servant came and knocked on the door.
It opened and the butler looked out at him, peering. "I request an audience with the owner of this house." Robeyn's voice was as hard as steel and twice as cold. "Go fool, tell them that Robeyn Elariel wishes to speak with them."
