The Death of Lamberto Fulvina - Episode III
by Giampaolo Agosta and Giovanni PorporaYear 963 After Crowning
Episode III
Don Ricardo's Move
Viscount Lamberto Fulvina must lay with one woman for each of the Principalities to win a bet against Don Ricardo de Belcadiz, to prove the superiority of Caurenzan's charms to the Belcadizian's. To make things easier, Signor Lamberto has hired the Sisters of the Private House instead, including the last of his prey, a certain Ethengarian lady.
Dramatis Personae
DON RICARDO DE BELCADIZ, SON OF PRINCE ALFONSO
Although he remains friendly with Signor Lamberto, he knows his friend
may only be as trustworthy as other Caurenzans. He intends to uncover
any deception on Signor Lamberto's part, and consequently, win the
bet.
LORD SEISYLL WITTELS, COUNT OF WYLON
An Alphatian nobleman of medium high and built, about 70 years old, he
attended the party of the bet, merely trying to win support to be
elected as Marquise during the next Awards Festival. He is a good
politician, and knows to keep women at a great distance. However, he
could escape the role of judging the bet, being known for his social
and moral decorum.
MIGUEL, DON RICARDO'S TRUSTED SERVANT.
Miguel is a young Belcadizian elf who shares everything with Don
Ricardo. To
Don Ricardo, he is more a friend than a servant, and Miguel is treated
with such familiarity.
NORA TIJLEN
A Caurenzan rogue and con artist. She is a member of the Fellowship of
the Pouch in Verazzano.
Scene
DON RICARDO'S PRIVATE STUDY IN GLANTRI CITY.
Don Ricardo is not so stupid as Signor Lamberto thinks him to be. Soon after Signor Lamberto "won the third woman's heart," Don Ricardo suspected something was wrong. With the help of his servant Miguel, he discovered Lamberto's trickery of hiring courtesans to bed with, as per the terms of the bet. Don Ricardo decided to expose Signor Lamberto's trick. He hired a member of the Fellowship of the Pouch, Nora Tijlen, to disguise herself as the Ethengarian courtesan Lamberto intended to hire. As there is only one Ethengarian among the Sisterhood of the Private Houses in Verazzano, Lamberto will be sure to fall into this trap.
Presently, Don Ricardo has invited the judge of the bet, Count Seisyll Wittels, to voice out his objections to Signor Lamberto's cheating. Miguel has just finished the final details of his master's plots, and joins the nobles in conversation.
MIGUEL: (Informally) Lamberto has hired the Ethengarian one, and he
sent an elf to do the transaction.
RICARDO: ¡Sangre y muerte! That Caurenzan worm shall crawl a long
while before he will die by the very point of my rapier.
MIGUEL: Will you challenge him, Ricardo?
RICARDO: Of course I will! But first I want everyone to know his dirty
plot, than we shall see who is the best lover. Puah!
(Shocked by the lack of formality RICARDO and MIGUEL, and still confused by the complicated tale of trickery, poor SEISYLL ventures to determine his role in the matter.)
SEISYLL: Ahem. (Cautiously) May I know what am I here for then, Don Ricardo? If you deem it useful, of course.
(MIGUEL opens the door and NORA enters. She is appears an Ethengarian woman dressed in a stylish yet skimpy silken gown. RICARDO admires her disguise, as well as her beauty, while SEISYLL is obviously scandalised by such carnal displays of flesh.)
MIGUEL: Ricardo, here is our pretty Ethengarian lady, "Leila."
RICARDO: (Admiringly) Indeed! Bueno, I am impressed!
SEISYLL: (More confused and obviously embarrassed) And may I know what
this gentle lady, so... ahem... so beautifully... yet so...
scandalou-I mean, scantily dressed... What does she have to do with
us?
RICARDO: As I told you before Lamberto is hiring Sisters of the
Private Houses to win his bet. So I substituted his last prey with
milady.
(SEISYLL takes a few silent moments of pause before finally putting together the remaining pieces of the puzzle.)
SEISYLL: So since you weren't able to uncover Signor Lamberto in the
act of hiring these... ahem, ladies... you thought it better to
"uncover" him while he tries to make us believe she's Ethengarian.
RICARDO: When that cheater will activate his medallion you and I shall
reach his room and uncover-
SEISYLL: (Insistently) Stopitstopitstopit! Please! No more useless
words. I understand my presence is extremely necessary if you would
like to win the bet. But my reputation and credibility be intact to
guarantee your honesty if I remain in the presence of such... ahem...
discussions and displays of... of... (At a loss, SEISYLL looks at an
amused MIGUEL for the proper words, but instead faces a stern
indignant NORA, and then finally turns to RICARDO for help.)
RICARDO: (Sparing SEISYLL from further embarrassment) You'll have all
the votes you're looking for, my dear Count Weasel. (Shakes SEISYLL's
hand then slaps him loudly at the back.)
(A dazed and embarrassed SEISYLL gestures to cast a teleportation spell. Before he finally disappears, he voices his thoughts.)
SEISYLL: (To himself) Perhaps I should have just earned the Marquisate...
What does Don Ricardo really have planned? And what does Count Seisyll
gain in this affair? Discover this and more in the upcoming 4th
episode of The Death of Lamberto Fulvina: Mystery!