Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi
Usual disclaimers apply. Forever Knight and the characters and situations
contained therein belong to Mr Parriot and Sony/Tristar. This is my story
and I claim copyright hereto. Archive rights given to Mel Moser for
fkfanfic and Cousin Mary if she wants it. Anyone else is welcome but please
ask first. Flames are not wanted but comments are welcome at
blot30@hotmail.com
This is the fifth story in a series and follows "I sing the body electric."
The series is set after Ashes to Ashes and there are spoilers for that
episode. It will make more sense if you read the others in the series first.
This is certified as PG although I wouldn't recommend it for children as
some of the themes aren't quite suitable. The title means "Fortune,
conqueror of the world" and is taken from "Carmina Burana" by Carl Orff.
Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi 1/1
By Spike Shovelton
Tracy glared at the crowd as she straightened the skirts of her ballgown.
She was so pissed off with her father. He had insisted that she attend this
stupid, unnecessarily boring ball. Accordingly she was missing her crime
and punishment class. She had just managed to get her flat redecorated
after the fire, so the smoke marks were gone and the place was almost
habitable, and now she had to go out for a dull evening.
She had been looking forward to this evening's class. It was an examination
of the differences in punishment between religious and secular legal
systems. Plus she had wanted a word with Lacroix about Nick. Instead she
was stuck here avoiding her father's lecherous friends.
She looked across the room where Nick and Nat were standing looking at each
other. Nick didn't really want to be there either. Natalie had been given
an invitation and she and Tracy had worked it so that Nick would be forced
to ask her to accompany him. He stood there, looking very handsome in his
black tie.
"Hi Trace." She turned to see a friend come over. Tracy had known him
longer than she could remember. They had been at school together and gone
to the same piano teacher with varying degrees of success. Simon Walker was
a musician, naturally gifted as a composer and as a performer. He was
starting to make a name for himself.
"Hi Simon." She smiled at him. "How is life treating you?"
"Not bad, you look well." Simon smiled at her. "I take it that being a
police officer suits you."
Tracy looked at Nick and Nat, standing awkwardly. She had intended to go
over and speak to them. "Simon would you do me a favour?"
"Of course." He responded. His voice was light, the excellent diction
showing his musical training. Simon had white blonde hair and blue eyes.
His Nordic roots meant that he looked every inch the Viking.
"You see the woman over there in the emerald?" Simon nodded. "She really
wants the man to dance with her but won't ask. Could you ask her to dance
and make him jealous?"
"You know him?" Her friend asked.
"He's my partner. Those two refuse to get together. They love each other
but won't." She looked hopefully at her old friend. Simon sighed finally.
"You realise that Andrew will kill me if he finds me flirting with a woman."
Simon shuddered and Tracy smiled at him. Andrew was Simon's partner of the
last seven years. "My reputation, Iago my reputation." He cut an
exaggerated pose.
"With acting ability like that, no wonder you became a musician." Tracy
said. Finally her friend nodded and turned to walk over to Nat.
Tracy watched Nick pacing up and down and finally turning away. "Don't you
even think about it." She murmured and then sighed. Tracy walked over to
where Nick was heading away.
"Running away?" She asked and Nick looked at her. "Standing there looking
daggers won't help."
"Hello Tracy it's nice to see you." Nick said, although his tone was not
encouraging.
"Getting grumpy with me won't help either." Tracy said and looked at him.
"Try going over and cutting in. I think Nat would thank you for it."
"She's enjoying herself." Nick pointed out. "I should leave her to it."
"The hell you should. She wants out. I know that look." Tracy said, not
entirely truthfully. "You go and cut in politely." She smiled at him.
"Besides you need to get your act together."
Nick looked at his partner. She had become quieter since Vachon died, no
longer putting up the cheerful façade he was used to. Now she seemed
glowingly insistent. Nick wondered why he had never noticed that before.
"Okay I'll try it." He conceded and was rewarded with her now rare sunburst
smile. He walked over to where Natalie was dancing and Tracy watched as he
cut in. Simon gave way and Tracy watched contentedly as her partner and his
coroner danced.
The music was a leisurely waltz, beautiful Strauss music bringing the
richness and vibrant colours of Vienna into the room. Tracy watched as Nick
danced, holding Natalie slightly too close and smiling into her eyes. They
moved as one and it fitted them. She watched for a moment as they spun,
Nick moving with all the skill and experience of years of training and
Natalie was smiling as though she had just been given heaven on a plate, but
her eyes remained wistful.
"You really should not interfere." A voice purred in her ear. She turned
to see a recognisable face. He always looked so good in a tuxedo.
"Let them be. They deserve to be happy." Tracy asked and he looked at her
with interest. "They will be when she has to join you, why make them wait?"
"It is not your affair." Lacroix responded his voice calm. He looked Tracy
over, taking in the vibrant burgundy dress. "You look quite delicious
tonight."
"Stop changing the subject." Tracy snapped. "I want to know why you won't
let them be together. Don't they deserve it? Nat loves him for all his
faults and Nick hasn't looked at another woman all evening. You should let
them be together. They love each other and that is rare." She glared at
him. "No you don't care what they do, don't care that they are wretched
apart."
Lacroix looked at her. She was beautiful when her passions were roused, her
pulse raced intoxicatingly and her face was flushed with colour. He was
sure she would taste equally good. He felt a strong desire to drag her into
a corner and take her, strip the clothes from her body and make her scream
with pleasure, before sinking his aching fangs into her beautifully shaped
throat, bring her across and keep her with him, his for all eternity. At
least until he worked out what it was about her that drew him.
He realised that it would not be wise. She was watching him, waiting for a
reaction. "I care very much for Nicholas." He said finally and looked at
her. "Come." He took her arm and led her across the room. Tracy wondered
if she had pushed him too far. His face was set and no trace of the
charming companion of the song recital remained. Once they had moved into a
quiet alcove he looked at her. "Charm runs in his family." He said, his
voice soft. Tracy had to strain to hear it. "Nicholas had a sister once,
equally charming and quite lovely."
Tracy began to put the pieces together. She had asked Nick about his
siblings and he had said that he had a sister but she was dead. "You loved
her?" She remembered some of the more pointed radio shows. "Nick stopped
you from getting together with her."
"We made an agreement, that I would not go to her, if he would agree to give
up to me any woman he truly loved." Lacroix said softly. "At the time he
had no true love. He has known many women since then, but Natalie was the
first one he had truly loved. If he moves for her, he knows I will claim
the bargain."
Tracy looked at him. That was very unfair but she could hardly say that.
She considered the matter. "The paterfamilias speaks." She said harshly
and he nodded. "Nick's sister, would she have wanted to see her brother
alone and unhappy?" Tracy asked and looked at him, seeing fury cross his
face. "Worth considering, isn't it?"
"No." Lacroix responded. "Nicholas and I made an agreement."
"You think he hasn't paid for it? How many times have you screwed his love
life up?" Tracy asked angrily. "He deserves to be happy."
"Why?" Lacroix asked calmly. "Why should he have that which I was denied?"
"Nothing stops you from finding another love does it? You don't need to be
unhappy, if you let yourself then you could enjoy life. You're rich,
successful, don't crack mirrors." Tracy looked him over. Hell I could
introduce you to a dozen women tonight who would jump on you, not to mention
Cindy from class."
"I'd prefer that you didn't mention her." Lacroix responded and smiled at
her, but his eyes remained sombre. In truth he had wondered about the
merits of letting Nicholas have his coroner. The boy did seem genuinely in
love and Lacroix had a healthy respect for Natalie Lambert. Besides Tracy
was right, Fleur wouldn't have wanted her brother to be miserable. He
considered the issue and looked at Tracy Vetter. No he was not going to
give in to this. It was bad enough that Nicholas sought mortality he would
not give him happiness too. "No, and if you are wise you will not ask
again."
"You won't let them be happy?" Tracy asked and he shook his head. She
sighed, she had to do something. She looked at Nick and Nat and then past
them to the card tables at one side of the room. As at most society balls
there were a variety of games available, poker, blackjack, baccarat and
roulette. Proceeds went to the charity and nobody won that much. You got
twenty dollars worth of chips with the ticket and after that you could buy
more. "So you won't do it to help them, or because I asked you nicely."
"No." Lacroix could see that she was thinking of something.
"How about playing for it." Tracy said knowing that this was either going
to work or get her killed. Still Nick was her partner and she owed him.
Plus she was sick of him being in a bad mood. "We play a game, if I win you
let Nick and Nat get together."
"What's in it for me?" Lacroix asked. This could have potential. He was
intrigued now.
"What do you want?" Tracy asked and he studied her.
"Your life?" He asked and she shook her head.
"I don't like Nick that much." Tracy said dryly. She wanted to help not
get killed. "I'm not suicidal, anything that involves my winding up dead is
out of the question."
"Your trust?" Lacroix suggested and she paused a moment. "No I have a
better idea. If you lose you agree to my sharing my experiences of Roman
life with you." Tracy looked at him uncertainly. "You would not die. I
have excellent control. You would be reasonably sure to survive."
"I see." Tracy looked at him. If she had to give him that then she would
be required to trust him. She remembered their earlier conversation when he
had wanted to share his experiences as vampires did and she had refused.
She felt a shiver run through at the thought and wondered whether she was
afraid or excited at the prospect of seeing through his eyes. This could be
dangerous. "You would have to give me your word not to kill me."
"You would have my word. I would only need a little to enable me to give
you my experiences." Lacroix studied her and smiled. What he did not say
was that sharing blood with her would create a link between them, bringing
her one step closer to him. Tracy knew that if he won she would have to
trust him with her life. That did not sit well with her. She looked again
at Nick and Natalie.
"Okay then, you have a deal." She extended her hand and he took it and
smiled at her. "Which game do you like?"
"I think blackjack. The one who has closest to twenty-one wins." Lacroix
said and she nodded as they walked to a table. They were alone.
"No whammying the croupier." Tracy murmured and he nodded.
The croupier was a slender Indian woman who ran elegant fingers along the
top of the shoe of cards. She controlled the bank. They had the table to
themselves and she nodded as she dealt each of them a face down card. Tracy
looked at hers and forced her face to remain blank. She had managed to
force her expression away as she tried to consider her options. Lacroix was
revealing nothing in his expression. Obviously his age gave him a good
poker face.
"One dollar." She wagered and handed over one of her chips.
"Two dollars." Lacroix responded, knowing that it would annoy her that he
wagered more.
"Do you wish to double that?" The banker asked and Tracy shook her head,
knowing that she was not going to rise to the "I can bet higher than you"
game. Lacroix smiled and shook his head.
The croupier dealt them another card. This time the cards were face up so
it was clear what was happening. Tracy had a two and Lacroix had a ten.
Tracy considered for a moment. "Carte." She said and the croupier dealt
another face up. This was an eight. "No more." She said quickly. She had
ten in the visible cards together with the unknown of her secret card.
Lacroix studied his and smiled. "Carte." He said and the croupier handed
him another one, this time a six. "C'est tout." That gave him sixteen plus
the concealed card.
The croupier turned over her own cards revealing two nines. "I stand." She
said, in a soft, firm voice. "I have eighteen." The croupier said quickly.
"Monsieur?"
Lacroix turned his card over. He had a ten, a six and a three. "I stand on
nineteen."
Tracy smiled, feeling triumph push through the adrenaline. She turned over
her own card. She had the two of spades and the eight of diamonds and with
it the jack of diamonds. "Twenty." She said in triumph.
Lacroix looked at her. "It would seem that you win." Lacroix said. His
face was void of expression and Tracy could not decipher the look in his
eyes. "I will inform Nicholas that he may please himself with Natalie
Lambert."
"Okay." Tracy said and looked at him as he walked away. Now that was an
anticlimax. Then again, what had she expected? He looked even more alone
than usual and she sighed in sorrow. It didn't feel like a victory, she
felt as though she had lost. No, more as though she had pushed him into a
corner. She hadn't expected him to concede so quickly. She watched as he
talked to Nick, his face set in the familiar lines and Nick's body language
showing surprise and suspicion. She watched as that was replaced with joy
as Nick walked over to where Natalie was surrounded by people. Nick's joy
was mirrored by that on Natalie's face. She felt rather than saw Lacroix
appear beside her.
"I do not know if they will be happy together." Lacroix said in a soft
murmur.
"I hope that they will." Tracy said and looked at him. "Maybe Nick will be
easier to live with if he's happy."
Lacroix sighed. It could be worse. He had been wondering what to do about
Natalie. Ever since the enforcers had insisted that she join the community
eventually, he had known that he would have to do something. Once she came
across it would be difficult to separate her from Nicholas. He knew that
his son really loved her and would be unwilling to allow Lacroix to
intervene. He had been seeking a solution that would not make him appear to
be weak. At least this way he could feel that he had not given in. He had
been defeated by chance. That was not such an ill thing. Tracy had enabled
him to resolve the Natalie situation easily. He looked at Tracy. If she
had been prepared to wager such a high stake then she must be starting to
trust him. He smiled softly at his companion. "Would you care to dance?"
His voice was caressing.
"Why not?" Tracy asked and took his hand, trying to work out whether she
had won or lost.
Natalie looked around, held in the cradle of Nick's arms. They had stopped
dancing but could not seem to let go of each other. She could feel him
breathing, soft, unnecessary exhalations against her hair. Lacroix had
released Nick, told them that they were free to screw their lives up. She
smiled and Nick looked down at her.
Lacroix looked at his deceptively soft armful of mortal, golden hair
shimmering in the lights, as they danced. He smiled as he relaxed the
mental shield he kept over his presence, letting Nicholas know that he was
still there. He watched as his son responded to the mental dig in the ribs
and looked around. When his eyes settled on the vampire dancing with his
partner Lacroix could feel the irritation and alarm. Well he had said that
Nicholas and his mortal could be together, but he wasn't going to make it
too simple. He did love keeping Nicholas on his toes.
Tracy looked at him and saw Nick looking across the dancefloor with panic.
She glared at the old vampire. "Whatever you're doing, stop it." She said
and Lacroix smiled serenely. When the dance finished Lacroix bowed and she
curtsied as best she could. Nick came over and she smiled at him. "Hi
Nick. You remember Mr Lacroix?" She asked with her best innocent smile.
"We arrested him over the head in the fridge." She smiled at him and
Natalie looked at her uncertainly, trying to work out what Tracy was doing.
"I had no idea he knew you so well."
"Oh yes." Lacroix said and smiled.
"He was just telling me the funniest story about you almost selling your
sister to some Arabs by mistake." Tracy said as Nick squirmed. "You must
tell me some more Lucien, I may call you Lucien?"
Nick repressed a groan as Lacroix smiled. Natalie hid her laughter, well
aware that Lacroix was jerking Nick's chain and Tracy was enjoying this.
"But of course my dear. Then you must tell me more about Nicholas's
experience at the charity football match." Lacroix said and Nick tried to
work out what was going on. Had Lacroix freed him only to attack through
Tracy? What did he plan to do next? How much did Tracy know?
Natalie sighed. She was not going to have Nick brooding all night now she
had actually got the green light from the old Roman. She wanted some more
dancing and then some fun. The last thing she wanted was Nick fretting all
evening about his partner. "Nick." She said, her tone plaintive. "I think
I'm getting a headache." She visibly wilted and Tracy smiled, recognising
the trick.
Nick slid into solicitous mode and Natalie shot an amused grin at Tracy
before Nick led her away, one arm around her waist.
"Devious." Tracy commented and Lacroix raised one elegant eyebrow. "You
realise he is going to be scared stiff that you might be using your evil
powers to manipulate poor, innocent police officers?"
"I hope so." Lacroix smiled. "I may have agreed to allow him to be with
his lover, that does not mean I will become kind and sympathetic."
"You are a twisted bastard." Tracy said, her voice mixing disbelief and
appreciative respect. He nodded. "Sometimes I think that if I had any
common sense I would have stopped going to those classes."
"It is a little late for that now." Lacroix said and smiled. He fully
intended to have her, he was too interested to change his mind at this
stage. Besides, he was enjoying the campaign. He rarely had such an
enjoyable battle, and to the victor would go the spoils. He might have lost
this match but the game would continue and in the end Rome always conquered.
The End
1) Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi means "Fortune, conqueror of the world." It is
the title given by Carl Orff to the opening section of his most celebrated
work "Carmina Burana." The section describes how luck, like the moon always
changes and human fortune changes with it. The words come from medieval
texts but Orff's music transforms the text. No infringement of his
copyright is intended.
2) The blackjack description has been taken from Encarta. It isn't a game I
know well so I don't promise to have described it accurately. If it's wrong
then it's dramatic licence.
3) "My reputation Iago" comes from Othello by William Shakespeare.
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