PRIVATE ☏ VIDEO TO DUMAGE MOULET | THURSDAY EVENING

[socialgraces]

[She uses the video chat option on their cell phones, realizing Dumage might not trust that it was Francesca, back from the dead, just from the sound of her voice. She certainly doesn't look her best, but at this point, she really doesn't care. She'll just curl up on the couch in her room, take a deep breath (because this is like most dramatic/awkward/intimidating/terrible/unpredictable news to give someone, and it's tying her stomach up in emotional knots. That's on top of the ones already embedded in her abdomen from the last two days. She makes quick to press the 'Call' option on the touch screen before she hesitates any longer.

When (and if) Dumage pops onto the screen, Francesca just gives her a small, very exhausted smile.]

Hi.

Comments

[postergirl]

[ Surprise works its way across her features, though she tries to school it with a wry comment. ]


... I imagine I'm not getting phone calls from the after life, which means a 'welcome back's in order. Or an 'oh thank heavens'.

[socialgraces]

[Her lips twitches into a smirk.] The latter feels more appropriate.

[Her gaze drifts to something just off the screen for a few silent moments before she turns her attention back. She looks as if she's just not sure quite what to say in this moment.]

[postergirl]

To no one's surprise, they didn't say how it happened.

[socialgraces]

I can imagine not. It was a sensitive situation to begin with. [She hesitates for a moment.] We were attempting to establish diplomatic relations between a settlement of sun elves and a human city. We had hoped an alliance between the two would give them the edge they needed to push back an aggressive drow settlement also in the area.

[postergirl]

And how exactly did Wynn expect that to end? Everyone joining hands and singing Koombayah?

[socialgraces]

Well, at first, that's what I was worried about as well. It seemed beyond impossible. But that wasn't what he actually wanted from me. Though I must say, I did have the mayor in the palm of my hand by the end of it. [She can't help but sound a little bit guilty.]

[postergirl]

Of course you did. But that isn't always enough, no matter how well you do on your own.

[socialgraces]

[There's a distance in her tone as she explains.] The drow had an informant in the local government, and he let them into the municipal building. A private conference was called after my meeting with the mayor, inviting military and governing officials right into their hands. And they butchered all of them. Well, except one, I've been told.

[postergirl]

How dreadful. And you were there?

[socialgraces]

Yes. [She responds quietly before finding her voice again.] I needed to find out if Wynn's suspicion's were correct, about the humans' true intentions. I doubt anyone saw what actually happened coming. Except Christos, for some reason. [She mumbles out the last bit, the realization just hitting her.]

[postergirl]

In other words, Wynn sent you in to a death trap?

[socialgraces]

I could have run away. I could have left without any of them knowing I was there.

[postergirl]

... So why didn't you? [ she would have... ]

[socialgraces]

I... couldn't. [She seems confused with her reaction for a moment as well, before she puts some weight behind her decision.] It was the most horrifying and grotesque thing I had ever seen. Not to sound preachy but I just couldn't abide by the injustice of it. It's what I had warned the mayor about to begin with.

[postergirl]

But you must have known you'd be slaughtered out there.

[socialgraces]

Well I didn't really have much time to think it all through. I can't lie, my first instinct was to run for help, but I knew it would be too late if I did. I didn't know what I was facing, but I had a better idea than anyone else in that room.

[postergirl]

Well, it's easy to see why someone up top thought you deserved a second go, at least.

[socialgraces]

[She rolls her eyes.] Oh please. I'm not trying to make myself into some hero. It was just a... sense of duty, or something. I suppose after all these years it's been thoroughly drilled into me.

[postergirl]

So modest.

[socialgraces]

For some reason it feels as if it would have been more heroic to not leave the place a corpse. [Her tone is sarcastic, but not biting. This is actually quite... relaxing to Francesca. She appreciates consistency, insensitive as it might be.]

[postergirl]

Yes, well, something to work on in the future, no doubt.

[socialgraces]

You know us Knights - always striving to be better. [The change in mood is almost enough to make her forget the actual nature of this call. Almost. She smiles to herself distractedly for a moment before her amusement starts to fade.] I'll definitely not be first in the line for the execution next time.

[postergirl]

I think you've earned your right to slide into the back, dear.

[socialgraces]

I doubt I'll be seeing any of that anytime soon. I feel like I'm under house arrest right now. [She glances around the room in mock suspicion.] Although I'm not going to complain either.

[postergirl]

Think of it as a vacation. I know that's how I'm looking at my mission.