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[mansuetus]

Audentes fortuna iuvat.

Does fortune favors us, Tranquility?

Caesar himself was quite devoted to boldness and fortune; alea jacta est he said and the goddess of fortune favored him for many years.

in the end, she did not. it is a tricky thing, fortune and quite a riddle to guess.

[ that aside ]

An assistance is needed! For baking a cake to a friend whom I favor greatly and who, I decided, celebrates his birthday today.

Comments

[mansuetus]

There was a dream world once, signore, a world of illusions that came to be shortly after I arrived and I was lost in it for hours. I thought I saw my brother there and that he was trapped. But it was a lie, certainly, even if I had seen it; I have not seen Cesare since I've left Rome.

[ it's not something she will forget, the portraits of her family, the blood leaking from them. ]

[unaccepted]

A dream world. [ He tries it out, considering it. ] Perhaps this monstrosity gives you dreams through its emptiness, but I would not call such things illusions. It is your own mind that is fooling you, is it not?

[mansuetus]

Not quite, signore. there were some of us and we - we could enter and leave each other's dream worlds. If it were my mind fooling me, others would not be able to also experience the same nightmares, yes?

[unaccepted]

[ A pause. ] Should I ask if there is opium on this boat?

[mansuetus]

If there is - forgive me, I have yet to hear of it, I cannot tell. There might be plenty or none at all for all that I know.

[ unknown to her, she does know of it; simply she would recognize it as poppy tears. ]

[unaccepted]

You have not heard of it? [ She has mentioned Rome, so he finds that strange, but there are more important things he wants to know first. ]

Nonetheless, if there was no recreation involved in it... I would say I do not know how that is possible, but then, I could say that about many things I have come across. This technology toys with us, then, that is good to know.

[mansuetus]

I fear not, signore.

[ she nods her head. toys with is right. ]

I have named it dark magic after it happened but I think you must be right. This ship is beyond my understanding but I do not think it is magic anymore.

[unaccepted]

Magic is quite the scapegoat, but I have heard many stories about the technology in this menace. It is fantastical, and still I cannot deny the possibilities.

Still, you say you come from Rome, is that correct? What year is it for you?

[mansuetus]

1496 to the birth of our lord and savior, Christ.

[ she curtsies. ]

I am Lucrezia Borgia, a pleasure, I am certain.

[unaccepted]

[ It takes him a moment to process all of that. This woman claims to be Lucrezia of the Borgia family--and he supposes it is not so unbelievable. After all, with people of different times coming in, there must be some more well-known than others.

There is some amusement in his voice when he speaks again. ]

A pleasure? You understate yourself. There is hardly anything more incredible. I know your name, belladonna. [ He can't help himself, and doesn't try. ]

[mansuetus]

[ she smiles. she does love the nickname. ]

Some do. I do not dare guess who are the ones who heard of the Borgias of the Vatican and who did not. You have heard of my Holy Father, signore?

[unaccepted]

Even an ignorant and uneducated man like myself has heard of such a reign, despite how... cross some can become on the topic.

Ah, pardon, I am from France, of 1832. You can know me as R.

[mansuetus]

I have met another French gentleman of France, signore. Two, now that I think back. Your land seems to be well loved by the ship.

[unaccepted]

Yes, I've found some myself. It could also be that our land tired of us, and has sent us to roam the skies. There are few people who, once having visited Paris, thinks it loved.

[mansuetus]

I have always cared to visit France but the opportunity never presented itself. The French king is not quite allied with Rome.