"I am." Bastien agreed, taking a moment to flex his arm and wiggle his eyebrows. While he had not had as much time to work out his body in Caido, a lot of the natural stress and running about required to live there had kept him trim and his arms muscular. Perhaps, he thought, a regular exercise routine might be a good thing to have again. Perhaps some kind of class he could run for the citizens of Sanctuary? (Bastien-led aerobics at the temple at 8pm)
Rexanna was such a good audience, so adorably interested. With a grin, he concluded his tale: "So I am there, holding up the wrists of a nobleman with his pants around his ankles and a whole banquet of Lords looking on." He held up his hand as if holding Bruno right before her in the bathroom. Laughing, he continued, remembering the moment himself: "His father manages to yell 'what is the meaning of this?' so I simply replied: 'Master Bruno asked me to show him the savagery of my people.'"
His hand came down then and ran through his hair as he huffed out out the last of the laugh. "As much of a victory as it was, I knew I had no chance of making it out if I stayed any longer. So I toss him down and run, as quickly as I can - and the Cababinieri did not catch me for two weeks, holed up in my artist's Sanctuary."
His students had loved the story. One of the hoi polloi shown up before his own - it was the kind of story drunk artists loved. Even when he had been arrested, they had cheered. Though, Bastien's face was sombre just for a moment. "They took me to a trial. Now, I knew the council wanted very much for me to be behind bars - After all, I was taking business from their horrible loans and too highly priced Operas with my housing and free performances. All they needed was the smallest shred of evidence."
He let the suspense hang long enough that Rexanna might somehow believe he had been jailed, then broke out into a smile. "But this Bruno. He never came to the trial. Left a letter insisting he had never known me. The embarrassment was just too much; the best part of this was that he could not plot to kill me, for if he was found out, it would take him back to me. So I got away. As always." With a wink, he leaned in and stroked Rexanna's hair back, kissed her forehead.
"It is lucky that last time I had you, because there were no Lords with stupid underwear to save me." Bastien Start by admitting from cradle to tomb
Isn't that long a stay
Life is a cabaret, old chum
It's only a cabaret, old chum
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