And Finally, the Perfection of Man - Chapters 6- 10

Since the first part was getting too long for my tastes (I like to keep things simple and sweet), I've decided to split these chapters up into parts. Normally I review in large bunches because I speed read and filter out unwanted/unneeded content, but this work has so much shit in it it takes me longer than usual. Quality over quantity, I say.

They weren't even side by side; To the Marquis' greatest misfortune, this table, which was very useful to him, prevented him from getting any closer to the assassin. He could have settled against Arno, using his shoulder to rest his head, and, cradled by his breath, he would have fallen asleep peacefully, without Arno noticing. He let out a small sigh of contentment as he imagined the young man bringing him inside in his powerful arms and-

"Marquis, stop kicking me. "

Despite the Marquis wanting to burn down the Café, Arno's letters, and force himself on Arno, he's irritated that a table gets in the way of him gallivanting into Arno's arms. He's acting like a breathless virgin, though I know this isn't the case at all. I have no idea why they're even eating together; it's one of those 'domestic bliss' moments which has no place and which I have no care for.

He chuckled, and knew that under this hood, Arno was smiling too. Adorable, that's the word he was looking for. Arno was adorable, with this childlike air, this air of pure satisfaction that this warm atmosphere nourished.

Arno is not a child. He is a man. This infantilism speaks volumes, and it's done - I'll say this until I am blue in the face - to make him look submissive. You can't write beautiful verses on how he's a lethal killer, a wildcat ready to strike, before reneging on it and saying he's simply an ignorant, adorable kid.

"If you want to recover your freedom as quickly as possible, then there is no time to lose. Arno paused, weighing the pros and cons of the words that were to follow. "Don't worry, I'll be back before I even have time to miss you." "

If the tone of the thing wanted to be funny, the subtext came too far from the depths of the soul for it to be taken lightly.

" Perfect then. I wish you luck in your research, my dear Arno. You better keep your promise ... ”

One of the issues with this pairing is how inconsistent Arno's characterization is. He goes from being annoyed at de Sade's presence, to being uncomfortable, and now to being affectionate. Why? It's not like he knows how jealous and possessive de Sade truly is or how he reacted to Arno's correspondence with Napoleon. Why is Arno concerned about missing de Sade, when it hasn't even been a month?

It was going to be a breeze for Arno to find him, however, getting him to speak was quite another matter. These kind of men had a bitter pride which did nothing to facilitate communication.

Luck smiled on him, since the building which served him as a pedestal housed within it what was tragically called the antechamber of the guillotine, which had seen the most famous of the French pass. Sneaking inside was always a challenge that he gladly accepted, the number of guards in the Palace representing a real challenge.

The road to Fouquier was obviously full of pitfalls. A man of such cruelty as his was necessarily well watched, Arno was going to have to be tricky.

The plan he had in mind was not the most original, certainly. Interfering in one of the guards' bastions to steal a uniform, even the most basic of thieves could have had this idea; but the success rate of this plan seemed to him decent enough to attempt it. 

OK, so this is the subplot for this fic: Arno has to find the people responsible for throwing de Sade in jail. During my first read through, I never grasped why any of this was necessary or why such 'cruel', yet public men were 'hard to find'. I also don't know why Arno is deciding to disguise as a guard, when he's perfectly capable of sneaking his way to Fouquier.

Arno, having no way of recognizing Fouquier (he had certainly seen him during his numerous missions, but after months of confinement, he was probably no longer the same), took the risk of approaching the one of the prisoners looking for tiny information, a clue that could help him find his prey. 

For some reason, authors have a hard time writing Arno as intelligent. He is always written as if he's an idiotic with no observational skills. He has 'no way' of recognizing his target despite seeing him during his missions. He knows from a ledger where Fouquier is hiding, so recognition isn't an issue. This concern is later addressed when he speaks to other prisoners, so I have no clue why having an issue finding the guy is, well, an issue.

He had never been very good at interrogation; the only person who had ever given in to his intimidation was La Touche, who had gone to warn his master as soon as he had let him go. Arno knew he lacked natural persuasion, unlike his many contacts in the capital, but he could not afford to fail here and now. 

OK, no.  Arno likely learned how to interrogate from Bellec. When he marches up to people they are scared pretty shitless. Arno can also be persuasive when he wants to be - that's one of the benefits of being witty: you find ways to have people get what you want without them realizing they're being had.

Behind him, Arno heard two prisoners whispering to each other, and he was obviously the subject of their conversation - he had to act quickly: staying here was jeopardizing his blanket too much, and God knew that the fabric of the uniform was uncomfortable.

This is entirely Arno's fault, you know. You know empty prisons have echoing walls, right? Even whispers echo. You're grandstanding and you know it. What, did you think you'd get away with this so easily? Jeez, Arno. You need to think ahead for once.

So there were still honest people on this planet. What a pity for him; anyway, he had always preferred scum. 

Yeah...why? And no, Arno isn't a guy to prefer 'scum'. Ironically that's de Sade.

Arno had to go out. The murmurs had become rumors, rumors, alarm bells. They recognized the intruder in him; the assassin knew that somewhere in this huge building, they were busy stopping him. Not that the chases were boring - it was always exhilarating to see these little men in uniform getting upset at his speed - but Arno knew of no passage that could get him out discreetly. 

This could have been avoided had he looked at a thing called blueprints. Or, you know, scouted the area before going inside? When in doubt, know your way out. If you don't, well. You deserve to get fucked.

The fresh outside air was a real liberation. Arno did not wait to recover his precious costume and to get rid of this too sticky disguise. When he dropped the hood on his forehead, he let out a ridiculous little sigh of contentment; he was definitely spending too much time in his assassin uniform. One of these days, he would end up sleeping in it so much he appreciated the comfortable texture of the fabric. 

I'm glad he has time to change clothes! Besides, Arno is an Assassin. The uniform is part of the job. Not sure why him 'spending too much time' is an issue.

Chapter 7 has mint sweets. I love mint myself, but this is one sure way to make me choke on them.

He barely had time to announce himself at the castle of the lordship of Echauffour that already, a cold voice resounded from the top of the stairs, giving chills to Arno.

" Do not say anything. It created a scandal again, didn't it? "

Madame de Montreuil was neither very tall nor richly dressed. Her graying hair was brought back to the back of her neck, hidden by a linen cap. Her dress was not the newest, but still in good condition, the purple color having lost none of its splendor. The only piece of jewelry she wore was a cross around her neck, silver shining in the sun.

This is the woman who threw de Sade behind bars. Arno never thinks to ask why, but merely assumes she is an accuser with no evidence to back up her claims. In fact he forgets about it later, and the authors don't even think of the logical problems with this.

"… Madam," he began after taking another look at his cross. I do have some… Questions about your son-in-law. "

The last word seemed to add ten degrees to the atmosphere. The look of his host could have changed him into stone if he had had the misfortune to pronounce the name of the Marquis. However, it was in a perfectly mastered voice that the lady spoke:

"Would you like to have coffee with me, right?" You settle in the living room, at least? It is not a place to hold a conversation. 

I don't blame this woman for being steely. Arno, for whatever reason, doesn't take the accusations leveled against the Marquis seriously because he's never picked up a newspaper in his life. His initial discomfort around de Sade is withered away in the light of these accusations, mainly because Arno takes it upon himself to act as de Sade's protector. This reminds me of the defence around O.J. Simpson: people knew he was guilty, but a rigged jury acquitted him anyways.

"Madam, I fear that none of this is the cause of my presence here. He put the most respectful tone possible in his voice, trying to forget the explosion of bitter freshness in his mouth. "Your ... stepson is not in prison. "

Seeing the housekeeper raise an annoyed eyebrow behind his cup, he thought he should have added an "unfortunately" at the end of his sentence.

"What ?"

"You heard me right. Sorry, ”he added hastily.

I'd have the same reaction. de Sade was thrown into prison for a reason, and Arno is sent on this quest for no reason other than the Marquis asked him to. He doesn't think or remember how de Sade kissed the hands of an underage girl he very likely sexually abused back in the Court of Miracles, so to see him jump to the aid of a guy he can't decide causes his discomfort is jarring. He is defending a sexual abuser - nothing more, nothing less.

This time he got the impression that his host's confused look was due to his attitude rather than his words. Uneasy, Arno replaced himself on the couch, dying to scrutinize anything other than the penetrating eyes of Madame de Montreuil, and did himself violence so as not to spit his candy on the ground. 

Again, totally human reaction. Arno is being a whipped bloodhound, sniffing the ground in search of a body he doesn't think was murdered by his owner.

"However, it turns out that ... I'm just looking for people who may have been behind a campaign against your stepson." Indeed, several notices of arrest have been issued against him, and I was wondering if you could have, from afar or up close, had anything to do with this whole affair. "

Yeah this plot doesn't make a lick of sense. He goes to find the people responsible for throwing de Sade in prison for no explicable reason, and fetches the 120 Days of Sodom manuscript when it was already removed from the Bastille at this time. And Arno has the gall to ask this woman why she put de Sade in jail! Hey, buddy, ever thought of looking at police and arrest records?

As he explained, he saw the housekeeper's face stretch out with pure suspicion mixed with sincere interest. When he finished his semi-question, she gauged him from head to toe with a whole new expression, and he couldn't tell if it was good or bad news.

"... Well, that is certainly very disappointing," she said after a while. You have come all this way, young man, to tell me that this filth is still alive?"

"Still alive ? But, you just said that-"

"I know what I said, Mr. Dorian. An individual like Sade should be dead by now, or waiting for his conviction. Knowing that he is still free to this day gives me a very powerful feeling of annoyance. " 

Hey, Arno. Use some of your critical thinking skills and ask this woman why she was involved throwing her own son-in-law in jail. Or why his wife lavished him with gifts in prison. Or why the cops are suddenly concerned about the health and safety of prostitutes when de Sade is around. Try asking those questions instead of assuming the guy is free from guilt when you know he isn't.

Sade was just bait in trouble. Arno had obviously heard of his deceptions and various adulterers in the four corners of Europe; when the Marquis boasted of his conquests, his marriage rarely came to mind.

No, of course not. You're his next conquest and you simply don't know it yet. You'll happily play the idiot and acknowledge de Sade is trouble while allowing him to slick up your asshole. 100% solid character development with a capital 'D'.

"I did not come to judge the behavior of your stepson, Madam. With all due respect, I just want to be neutral." Arno almost choked on his saliva when she gave him a deadlier look than ever. "Answer my question and I will go, without more ceremonies. "

 You don't even know his behaviour, don't you Arno? Despite him wanting to touch you? Despite him undressing in front of you and waiting for you to wake up so he can watch you undress? Despite him getting angry you didn't write him a letter? You deserve to choke on your spit. You're a fucking idiot.

“Despite all the hatred that this disgusting character awakens in me, I dropped my accusations against him years ago. I understood that there was no real justice in this world, from now on I only wish the happiness of my daughter. I would of course be delighted if a miracle fell from the sky, but you know that hope is getting slim today. "

This should be an admission to Arno that de Sade is truly guilty of all the things he's accused of, but that he simply bribed his way out of justice's reach. This is how Harvey Weinstein managed to get away with his crimes: money. When a woman confides there is no justice in the world and how she wishes her son-in-law will get his, it should be a sign not all is right.

The weight on his throat evaporated; Arno was very happy not to have to face the wrath of this lady, he doubted he could escape alive from this house if he came to raise his voice against her.

You should be a man of justice, Arno, not a man who takes a guilty man's word at face value. You know what he is until it's convenient to act like you don't know. After being told the charges were dropped because nothing would be done, instead of getting rightfully angry, you treat it as a false charge. He hates Montreuil more than he does de Sade because she speaks the truth. He hates the mint candy he's chewing on than the objectively disgusting behaviour de Sade engages in.

That's one way to completely devalue his character. Anything to get him to bend over, I suppose.

Chapter 8 is much longer, and as such there is more content to uncover.

Chapter 8 is much longer, and as such there is more content to uncover.

Lying on the bed, legs elegantly crossed like his arms, staring at the ceiling whose paint was peeling, he did not know what to think. Already all night long he dreamed of the young assassin and his adventures, imagining his flexible body jumping from roof to roof with a grace worthy of a feline. He had to be put to the test, by dint of being solicited throughout the day; the Marquis was sure that Arno would not say no to a little massage on his battered muscles when he returned from his mission.

Another matter to add to the list of things to do when his assassin returns.

de Sade is admitted he'd 'solicit' Arno for sex and in a moment where Arno is in a vulnerable position - in this case, tired and sore - de Sade can make the innocent suggestion that he's touching him to 'work out those sore muscles'. It's the thinking of a sexual predator. You two don't even have a modicum of trust formed.

All these discoveries did not bother him, quite the contrary; but he needed to see more, to soak up every room the place had to offer. Sade knew he was suspended. He didn't have much time before he left, either by the arrival of Arno or the end of their little investigation. Once this ... Unfortunate mishap ended, he would have no pretext to come and search the rooms.

Yes, how dare the man who's trying to free you take you away from snooping through his personal belongings. If only he know how badly you wanted to destroy his memories so you can supplant them with your body. What a selfish, arrogant way of thinking. It's more an 'unfortunate mishap' you won't get to seduce a man who doesn't want you, versus you actually having your freedom.

There was a moment of blankness in his mind, as if it had stopped working. The vision blurred, but not to the point of passing out, his eyes staring at the room from a whole new angle, full of illusions and colorful chimeras. Even with his eyelids obstructing his vision, he clearly distinguished this mass of fantasies, these spots of color appearing and disappearing in an eyelash flicker.

He blew again; loneliness was definitely not a good friend. He had to find this key as quickly as possible, so that his mind would never tire of the vegetative state in which he was plunged all day long.

While it is true in AC lore humans have the ability to use Eagle Vision, total mastery of it is exceptionally rare. I have no idea where de Sade got the ability to use or experience Eagle Vision aside from the authors' 'just so' narrative. He conveniently gets the Vision to find Arno's key, so he can open up the locks of his life and destroy more of his things.

What he was about to do was far from a good idea. To delve into the heart of his favorite assassin was not fair at first. But again, Sade didn't think his reputation implied reasonableness. 

"I have the right to look through your things, because by nature I am unreasonable and you'll forgive me anyways."

The Marquis had simply frozen. Was he going to take hold of these pieces of paper as he had done in the past to satisfy his ugly curiosity? Was he going to seize something that Arno himself no longer dared to touch because it was so sacred?

Many times he had been described as the Devil incarnate, a beast crossing all barriers and going against human nature; perverse, monster, demon, all these insults resounded with melody in his ears. But from there to betray his only and faithful friend? The only person risking his life and his honor to protect him? Maybe one day. His curiosity would wait; all he was looking for was that poor silver key, placed on the letters like a metal seal. Just grabbing it while brushing the inked paper burned his fingers. 

After finding personal items Arno views as absolutely sacred, de Sade takes it upon himself to look through them and potentially destroy them, because they are memories which do not belong to him. By supplanting Arno's memories of his love, de Sade can insert himself into her place. He is using the excuse of, 'Well I'm just curious, you can't blame me' so he can find more ways to ruin a man who is wasting his time on a guy who only wants to use him.

The next outfit was recognizable among a thousand, and Sade stopped there longer than necessary. Arno wore it when he came to collect his parchment in Saint-Denis: a more elaborate version of his classic navy blue uniform, where the colors of the French flag were pleasantly mixed on the hood and sleeves, while remaining rather discreet. The red piping running along the edge of the hood slid along all the seams, in an elegance that the Marquis found more than charming. Perhaps he could hope to see Arno wear it again, or at least get the address of his tailor. With a small smile, he read the plaque indicating that this was the dress of the Master Assassin Arno Victor Dorian, and felt a certain warmth in front of the letters. 

The descriptions of the Café and the Assassin Legacy Room aren't bad. When the authors aren't writing a psychological and sexual manipulation fic, thinking it's fine if you pressure someone enough to say yes, the literary language and descriptions are quite nice. However, at the end of the day, de Sade is gathering information to one-up Arno in the hopes Arno will finally consent to his advances. This cannot be erased even with all the nice, unrelated tidbits of clothes and architecture.

Pushing the seat with a weary gesture, the Marquis sat down just in front of what seemed to be a vacant job. Arno's tight handwriting had filled half a page, stopping in the middle of a sentence. Sade did not have the courage to read all these hasty words on paper; he was really going to have to give lessons to Arno to improve his calligraphy, even an experienced man like him found this chain of sentences simply illegible.

Here comes a subtle insult of Arno's intelligence: his handwriting is sloppy. Even though, thanks to the Abstergo manual - and even if you don't own it, it's not hard to deduce - Arno's penmanship is pretty damn nice. It'd be hard for him to have sloppy handwriting given his education. He had a noble upbringing, he wasn't a slacker or a street urchin learning the alphabet.

Arno was still a jovial young man and above all deeply in love when he wrote and received these letters. Arno was the one he had fallen in love with several years ago, in front of the Court of Miracles. He only had to take hold of these fragile, so fragile sheets of paper to find these memories. It was not big, and nobody would know anything about it.

Fragile enough for you to ruin them with a single touch, which is what you intend to do. You don't like it how Arno had good memories with a woman, let alone you. Hence the seduction technique to make him forget all about it. The Élise plot is a convenient Red Herring. If you don't like her, fine, but don't underestimate how much Arno loved her. These mistakes are unforgivable when OC's are concerned, but plenty of liberty is taken when same-sex pairings are involved. Anything goes, and no one says a thing because they are too afraid of being called homophobic.

With religious caution - which was unprecedented irony for him - he opened the box to put the key back in, and placed a finger on the first envelope. In a few seconds, the latter left her eternal rest to undergo a new inspection, and Sade let her eyes drift on the date for the sake of chronology - even if it means breaking into Arno's most intimate papers, as much respecting the thread of events.

Even a statue of the Virgin must be treated with care before you defile her. de Sade reads Arno's letters and the content is happily lifted from the Wiki. How quaint. How cheap. How...predictable.

It was simply fascinating to follow the hunt for a traitor through correspondence; to see the passions unleashed, to grasp a whole relationship through a few words, to understand each nuance of Arno's actions in a moment of reading. The Marquis had often fallen for epistolary works. It was a master's turn to know how to bring together the different points of view to bring the plot to a climax, a veritable affront to modesty when you entered the intimacy of characters who thought they were alone with their pen - he was happy to shoot his hat to Laclos. On the other hand, Sade had always respected the motivations of the girl De La Serre: the sparkle in her eyes, her determination to wash the name of her family, her impressive fighting skills.

de Sade shows far more respect for Élise than he ever does Arno. He appreciated her wit, her fire, her passion, yet for Arno he denigrates and desires to manipulate. He wishes to see Arno act like a blushing bride before the Marquis takes his anal virginity. de Sade respects the motivations of a dead lover, but not for the man he is ruthlessly pursuing. Him peering through Arno's letters has less to do with respect, as I've written (and it'll be repeated), but more to do with finding leverage.

It was almost ridiculous that he hadn't thought of comparing the two matches earlier. His nostalgic smile turned into an almost evil grin, where he scrutinized the letters with military stamp as if they could reveal to him the exact nature of the relationship they were carrying, if he was indeed right to see those around him. from Arno the same path paved with pride and emotions left aside so as not to appear vulnerable. This narrow adjective which was naturally added to all those who counted for his favorite gave him the feeling of being offside.

He felt this sneaky jealousy invade him again before looking away, chasing away those dark ideas and probably foolish assumptions from his mind. There was only one letter left. The most recent of all, and certainly the most loaded with painful emotions. Unfolding the paper, the Marquis was besieged with deductions before he had even read its content. Unlike the others, the calligraphy of this proof of the past had lost in delicacy and gained speed. The letters were much leaner, the roundness much less pronounced and above all, only three tiny paragraphs occupied all the white space of the paper.

I know what de Sade is doing here. He's going to compare the letters of Élise and Napoleon, and conclude that Arno loved both equally with all the ensuing sexual and romantic passion. This 'sneaky jealousy' arises from the fact de Sade cannot have access to Arno, yet these other two did. Now, I'm not sure how Arno managed to wrangle an anal play session with Napoleon, but I'll roll with it just this once. At least Arno and Napoleon managed a connection, whereas the Marquis uses possessiveness and psychological tricks to make Arno feel guilty for whatever choices he makes. When Arno has emotions for anyone other than the Marquis, he gets angry. This isn't healthy. And yet people call out Reylo for Star Wars being a manipulative pairing!

Even though this hasn't happened - yet - de Sade already compares himself to Élise and Napoleon. He continues:

He didn't have the words. Until the end, this woman, this formidable woman had believed in her ideas, had believed in a hope that had fooled her and pushed her into the arms of Death. "  My love". Was it possible to love someone so much? To have so much self-confidence that losing your life is just a ridiculous break before the most beautiful reunion? Nothing equaled Élise's tenderness and composure, nothing equaled this strong woman who had never given up, and who had never stopped believing in Arno.

Sade felt very upset in comparison; how could he compete with her? What madness had taken him when he had one day said that he could have an equally strong place in the heart of the assassin? Elise, admirable and admired, loving and loved, what could be more than a simple pastime beside such a character.

In short: Élise truly loved Arno. She was willing to have a future with him, but revenge and a need to put an end to the force undermining the French Templars took over. That is why the romance is a tragedy. She didn't use force or manipulation, but trusted Arno with her journals and her most intimate thoughts. Compare this to how de Sade feels: he is 'upset' he cannot compete with a woman who earned Arno's love, and is upset he can't occupy a place in Arno's heart without using some nefarious tactics to get there. It is one thing for a normal person to wonder if they'll ever be loved or if they are worthy. But this? This is petty, possessive, and demanding. It's coming from the lips of a man who openly said if he couldn't get Arno by seduction, he'd take him by force.

The assassin had grabbed him by the shoulder. In a few movements, the letter and its companions had found their place within the closed case, and the Marquis had found himself against the wall, which he had knocked without warning.

Arno breathed loudly, his gestures were anarchic, imprecise. The fury shining in his eyes had no equal on this earth; Sade knew that his mistake was going to cost him his life right now. It is a great tragedy to die at the hand of your loved one.

"You ... You have no respect! No outfit, nothing! I have been running for days all over France to try to save your skin and you ... You are only an ingrate ! "

I don't blame Arno for a second. He has every right to be angry. Here's this guy who you are saving for no reason, who is totally ungrateful for everything you do, sitting in your room looking through the letters of your deceased beloved and who's upset he can't compare. It is a shame, though, that Arno does not actually kill de Sade. That would be too easy, too much of a helping of common sense.

His fist hit the wall violently, right next to the head of the Marquis who could only jump in fear. For fear, yes . He was terrified, terrified of his own actions and their consequences, terrified of sad anger, terrified of having disappointed his killer, protector and friend so much.

" Curiosity is a bad thing. "

He had a nervous laugh that wanted to be relaxed, but nothing could fool an angry lion. Overwhelmed by this fury, the Marquis looked away in shame, his gaze going back and forth between the box, the letters on the desk, the blue coat that Arno must have put down when he arrived-

After this fight, de Sade has the 'dignity' to feel ashamed. He clearly felt no shame when he rapes Arno in another story written by the same authors (which I'll get to). Again, Arno is well within his right to be angry. You don't do things like that when you love another person. You don't go through their personal belongings unless they're willing to share them with you. You have to have trust. Yet here? No trust. Just brutal seduction.

"You think you are above all that, right ?! You think you can do anything, because I've always agreed to help you ?! Arno Dorian, that poor jug ​​that helps and forgives! I'm only good at that! " 

A quote which sums up the story well. Too bad the authors will forget they ever wrote this, and Arno will go on as if de Sade never looked through his things or toyed with his feelings. It'll all be a nasty dream.

The authors said they spent hours pouring over old maps of Paris so they could 'get a feel' for the architecture. It's a pet peeve for me to read authors spend 'hours' over research they don't actually use or care for. One of these authors wasn't even aware Napoleon was Corsican, not French. It says enough about their veracity for authenticity.

In Chapter 9, Arno has second thoughts about his outburst:

Arno was exhausted. Mentally and physically. He did not like to get upset. He hated losing control of himself in anger, howling so loud that he could make the walls shake. He who forced himself to remain calm regardless of the situation, to always take a step back on the events, he was outraged by his own behavior.

Finally.

Not really. Everything was mixed. On the one hand, shame genuinely permeated his thoughts: that was not how his late father had educated him, there were other ways to externalize his grief - alcohol perhaps, surely, if only there were a few bottles left in the cellar of the Café-Theater. On the other, he was obviously legitimate, even kind if he took into account all the actions and other infamies of the dubious character who still lived with him.

Arno should not have to apologize or feel shame for a single thing. His outburst was justified. He's only feeling guilt because the authors want him to feel guilty for standing up for himself, versus keeping him angry because what the Marquis did was objectively shitty.  He should not be outraged at his own behaviour, but he should be outraged at de Sade's - whom he of course forgives.

He got bogged down. There was no rational explanation for his presence here at the edge of this window. It was past midnight, Dumas knew perfectly well that Arno was aware of everything that was going on in the country and yet he was trying to bring logical reasoning to the fact that he simply wanted to take advantage of the pleasant company that only Bonaparte was able to offer it. Besides, he could have gone through the door.

Arno's bipolar tendencies sure are grating. He goes from being righteously angry one moment, to stuttering the next in the presence of Dumas. He's there so he could hopefully find Napoleon and suck his dick so he could feel better, but alas, the dick sucking is not to be found.

He let out a laugh to lighten the mood, but his gaze failed to match that of the general. Napoleon was amused by this awkwardness; once the surprise passed, he had guessed the intentions that Arno had coming here, and he found it ... Touching. Yes, Arno, as embarrassed as he was by his own desires, was definitely a touching man.

I just love how Arno is made awkward for no reason at all. It's like all the confidence and charm he's been constantly described as having goes up in smoke when he sees his boyfriend. Arno isn't an awkward lover; he usually becomes more sarcastic when he's unsure of something. This cucking only makes him look bad.

 "I received your letter, by the way. But I did not have time to answer it."

"Ah ... "

Was Bonaparte the kind of person to blush? What part of his body was red when he was uncomfortable; neck, ears, cheeks? Arno could see nothing, in the near darkness where the two were plunged.

" I missed you too… "

Napoleon could have dreamed it. After all, Arno's voice had only been a whisper lost in the howl of the wind; it was probably just a fanciful thought, drawn from his imagination tired of hoping too much.

So this is the relationship Arno and Napoleon share: subtly sexual, with the two exchanging love missives hidden in letters. Napoleon blushes whenever Arno compliments him and vice versa. Despite the latter having an outburst over de Sade going through his departed love's letters, he's willing to forget all of that provided he can fuck the future Emperor of France. Man, that's shallow. 

"I didn't know you were so sentimental, my friend ..."

The joke did not pass. Not at all even. He saw Arno look up in what seemed like a perfect mixture of laughter and sigh.

“Your ability to divert conversations is legendary . "

Napoleon's armrest was gripped by a foreign hand, and the little general felt his ship capsize to meet lively, magnificent and incredibly powerful eyes. Arno could have lowered his hood indoors, especially when he was so close to his face.

Oh, here we go. Sexual tension scene in 1...2...3...

"Admit it."

"What ?"

"That you have played the idiot enough that you are not. "

Napoleon opened his mouth, then closed it. Foolishly. Arno's lips. Her brown eyes. Another round trip between the two, the time that his pride goes to line up somewhere with his reason, far from anything that could prevent him from committing the greatest mistake of his entire career.

But his hesitation was too much. Arno's hand retreated, he slackened suddenly in his seat. The tension that had just collapsed had gasped. 

I gotta hand it to Arno. When one old dude can't get into his pants, he goes and tries to get into another guy's pants. Hence all the focus on Napoleon looking at Arno's lips and wanting to kiss him and form a more sexual relationship during his military campaigns. Someone's gotta warm the tent.

As it turns out, the whole thing diffuses with Arno refusing Napoleon's advances and Napoleon being the moody Italian. He gets angry Arno is 'missing someone else', despite not even bothering to ask who Arno misses or why. de Sade's tactics seem to be working. He even got a slammed door to the face!

"Strange, as we miss certain details when we are fixed on something else. "

This time, Arno remained silent. He was no longer angry, only frustrated at how much Dumas had fun playing the soothsayers of Pont Saint-Michel, in an almost puerile insistence, in his opinion. He wrapped the cup of coffee to occupy his hands, thinking while feeling the heat settle on his gloved fingers with satisfaction. In the middle of the half-lit living room, an outside spectator would have thought that a dizzy man had forgotten the light rather than two men were inside.

During this chat, Arno is confronted about how he barged into the Tuileries expecting Napoleon to do something for him, and when Arno was confused on what he really wanted - as well as rejecting Napoleon's advances - got the token 'slammed door' treatment. Dumas notes how quickly Arno traveled there and he must have done it for a good reason. When pressed, Arno doesn't really answer, but Dumas deduces he did it for a distraction. 

"Don't get me wrong, Arno. The man looked up. Dumas had left the window to join the sofa in front of him. The same sofa where Bonaparte was standing, a few minutes earlier ... "I'm not trying to upset you. But you must admit that arriving in an office at such an hour, passing through the window, is not something that we see every day ... Or rather every night. "

Dumas is right - Arno is being unfairly catty and unreasonable. He's acting like a hormonal teenager. Reminder he went there so 'blow off some steam' with a hopeful blowjob. Sounds to me Arno has behavioural problems of his own and that's why he goes from place to place unsure of everything.

 The general took his place on the arm of the sofa instead of sitting properly, and Arno could not help seeing it as a personal affront to the owner of the place unlike a disdain for propriety. Not in the least affected, Dumas put his tea on the coffee table, just in front of the bad coffee, and continued calmly:

"It makes me say that you came here to get something, right?" "

The assassin took the time to respond, silently noting that something could have been replaced by a more specific term - intelligence, information, service; but no, in Dumas' mouth, it was this vague vagueness, something , which left an evocative doubt.

"... Maybe," Arno conceded in a bored voice.

"From General Bonaparte."

"... from General Bonaparte," he repeated after a moment.

Dumas seemed stupidly proud, whether it was the amused spark that lit his eyes or the little grin that could have gone unnoticed if it did not face the light of the moon. Arno surrendered.

Here's the thing: Arno could have simply told Napoleon he was looking for a lead to help a friend and that he was sorry to interrupt him so late at night. Napoleon suffered insomniac episodes during his life; I'm sure he wouldn't mind having something distract him and eventually make him sleepy. Arno didn't do this, instead he barged into Napoleon's rooms, acted aloof on what he wanted, and turned it into a romantic proposal he rejected. All of this is Arno's fault. He really can't act rational to save his life. Leave it to Dumas, the half-black dude, to tell him what's up.

His laughter had a soothing echo at Arno's. Indulging in a man who was not his original target, this is indeed a curious game in which he was going to engage. What a beautiful mistake he had made in thinking of finding any comfort in this idiot of Bonaparte, it was towards Dumas that he should have turned from the start; towards someone who certainly amused him by turning him crazy, but someone who remained ready to reach out and lend an attentive ear. 

You have to wonder, then, why Arno has a man-crush on Napoleon when he knows he's an idiot. Hell, everyone's a bloody idiot here. The authors can't decide on how they want Arno to act, so he jumps all over the personality charts. Dumas is going to offer sense, but Arno isn't going to take it.

"Oh yes, he is indeed tyrannical as a man. But with you, it's more ... Particular."

"… What do you mean by that ? "

The general distractedly stroked his mustache, lost in thought.

“Let's say that the relentlessness it takes to seek your attention is something quite unique."

"Bonaparte is not looking for my attenti- oh. Oh . "

The assassin had suddenly straightened up, taken with an almost divine revelation. Dumas shook his head gently with a sigh as weary as amused. All the answers were in his hands, but he had to be forced to look further than the tip of his nose for Arno to finally understand the why and how.

I have a hard time believing Arno didn't know Napoleon had a boner for him. He exchanged letters with him even de Sade interpreted as sexual, and Arno burst into his room late at night for 'help' Napoleon interpreted as sex. There's very little real communication going on, so not only does Arno not even know where his sexuality lies on the spectrum, he doesn't know when others are attracted to him. He keeps walking into these explosive situations because he lacks self-awareness. Le sigh.

“Humans are complex beings. And in these times when lies reign supreme, it is never easy to share the truth of your feelings. So we hide under a mood, under an exacerbated curiosity. We force things, we take the wrong paths."

...Which is what de Sade is doing, and which Arno remains blissfully unaware of, because he's an idiot.

"You speak as if you were omniscient."

"I'm just an observer, Mr. Dorian. You should try to be a little more one of these days. Who knows, this may give you answers to your questions. "

Very well. The general seemed closed to the idea of ​​clearly indicating the route to take. But Arno couldn't decently leave empty-handed. This discussion, he couldn't take it anymore. In a few minutes he had said Bonaparte's name far too many times, and Arno had the impression that it was all obsessive, something he absolutely didn't want to happen.

Dumas is literally telling you to use your head, Arno, which you seem incapable of using. Good Lord, every time these authors write Arno they can't decide how they want to write him. He's an emotional, moody son of a bitch who can't understand he's being sexually coerced, or he's an idiot who doesn't know another man has a crush on him. His handwriting sucks, he can't blend in or find out where a famous judge is, and he's just a fucktard. No one seems able to get him right.

Chapter 10 has 'uncut' scenes, though none of them seem to add anything to the plot.

Versailles. Arno hadn't been back there for a long time. The district had lost its splendor, however, one continued to feel its power by crossing the streets. Arno was walking quietly. After all, he was in no rush, watching the noble population gradually regain their rights between these walls. Versailles remained Versailles; a revolution as formidable and brutal as it could not erase centuries of history.

Now, there may be room for correction here, but Versailles after the Revolution was largely emptied of people. It had no real economy; it's money-making was in the court. Once the monarchy was abolished it became a haven for criminals and general pandemonium. After the Terror, folks like Paul Barras would buy properties for knock-down prices and liquidate the properties of former nobles so the profits could end up in the state coffers (the state was still massively in debt). It was the intervention of the State declaring Versailles a monument that the place was not completely ransacked. It landed in the government's possession, where it remains to this day.

Now, coming from two Frenchwomen, who no doubt are proud of this history, this shouldn't be an issue. Yet, why am I getting this shred of bad history? Have the authors not held their end of the bargain and kept up their research venture, or, as many have accused me of, am I simply bullshitting?

The noble population never regained their 'rights' behind Versailles. The 'new nobility' which would crop up in Napoleon's rule ended up buying the lands and the properties.

"You are indeed Louis Nicolas Dubois, one of the accusers of the Marquis de Sade for I quote" contempt of the moral life "?

" … Yes ? I should not have ? "

He gave a slight nervous laugh, which Arno hastily erased from his hand.

"No, you did well, luckily. This sentence came out more bitterly than he wanted. "Only, I was put in charge of his file - an acquaintance who wants to keep an eye on him, you understand - and recently, new charges have fallen on his head. Are you concerned?"

"Not to my knowledge, unless someone used my name for personal revenge. I would love to help you, albeit tiny, my good sir, but I don't know anything about these stories. I am really sorry. "

Arno wasted his time listening to this guy hand out judgments, when he could have easily found out when his schedule begins and ends. For whatever reason, he couldn't have found this guy earlier despite him being a civil judge and whom presided over de Sade's case. And for whatever reason, this plot involves Arno trying to clear de Sade's name when the evidence against him is pretty damning, and Arno, for want of his intelligence, doesn't give a shit.

" Hold ! His wig was crooked again as he handed the file over to him. "A copy of the whole affair, my secretary must have had a flash of genius when he copied it all by hand. You can keep it, if it's for a good cause! You seem to be a good person. "

His smile was so sincere, so bright that Arno contented himself with a slight thank you, before putting the precious papers in the inside pocket of his jacket.

"I hope that you will succeed in sending him behind bars. This man is dangerous, one has to wonder who may well be the unconscious obsessing to protect him. "

Everyone wants to put de Sade behind bars. Arno cannot fathom why. Apparently Arno isn't as diligent in his newspaper reading as he thinks he is, because de Sade's infamous writings were known throughout Paris. Having sex with prostitutes at that time wasn't illegal - most women unfortunately had to go into that profession - but it was what he did with them which earned him notoriety. Dubois wonders who'd be crazy enough to protect de Sade. Arno doesn't even know he fits the bill. 

Arno's laughter - as well as his response of which he had already forgotten the ins and outs - sounded utterly false. It is true, who was stupid enough to hide a pervert imbued with himself in his apartments full of secrets? You really had to have no survival instinct to tackle such a task.

A nice little bit of self-awareness helps. It's as if the authors know Arno is being a dimwit, but roll with it anyways because this plot comes first. I have to ask: who's stupid enough to bring a pervert to an orphanage for protection? Arno Victor Dorian, that's who.

Sometimes he just said to himself that fate chose a soul at random to have a little fun, and that he was one of these merry elect. 

Hey, you chose this life. You are choosing to be a guy with a trailer park IQ. That's on you.

The most annoying thing, thought Sade, was that this departure was his fault, a serious fault moreover. He had spent the night not sleeping, which was nothing new, of course, but he had spent the night picking up the letters, putting them away as they were before. He had spent her sitting in this wide armchair in the bedroom, his head resting in the palm of his hand, and he had spent her regretting. 

OK, I'll tell you what's annoying: an entitled Marquis who believes he's not at fault and the object of his desires believing he is at fault for having a normal, human reaction to a predator going through his personal belongings. Even when Arno told de Sade not to go through his things, de Sade does it anyway. Why? Because he believes he is entitled to do so. He's just 'trying to figure the guy out.'

Yes, Arno's leaving is your fault. But you'll never truly own up to it, merely suggesting it's Arno's fault for taking it so badly. Gaslighters are pretty skilled at that.

Obviously, the Marquis de Sade was not pitiful. He was only ... Frustrated, to see that he hadn't known how to anticipate Arno's return, to have been stupidly surprised with the latter's greatest treasure in his hand. He was annoyed to see his emotional dissection put on hold, because he had thought that Arno could still take a hit, a cleverly spicy remark, when that was not the case. This delayed his research, his discovery of his assassin's past. It was boring, very boring. 

Again: you're not upset because you're truly guilty. You're upset because you lost control. You are annoyed you cannot emotionally 'dissect' the man, and you thought Arno had more gusto so he could take the desecration of his belongings laying down. He's only upset he's delayed in his discovery of Arno's past, not actually upset or afraid he angered Arno for what he did. He is annoyed at being inconvenienced, nothing more.

This last point made the task much more difficult than it was at the start. So difficult that even after hours of thinking, he still couldn't figure out how to soften his man without having his throat opened or his neck broken - which, in another context, would have been a most endearing thought. 

All you're concerned about is getting Arno in bondage. You're not concerned about how he really feels aside from what kind of reaction you'll get.  The authors sure do get his predatory nature right - but they make Arno his victim. Why? Well I guess because he's pretty and he can't fight back, that's why.

"You seem to know him well."

"Since the time he stayed here, I learned a thousand and one things about this charming young man. I am, moreover, extremely surprised that an individual as reserved and polite as he was able to arouse such terrible anger. I wonder what fly might have bitten him ... ”

Yeah. Not guilty because you're actually guilty. Guilty because you were denied something you longed for. 

She glanced at him sideways, and the Marquis was brought before a court. However, without dismounting, he replied in a voice cleared of all guilt, a bit proud, if we dwell on it.

"It turns out ... That Mr. Dorian is often upset in my presence. The gentleman ran out of his mouth with amusement which he did not restrain, finding the situation very funny. He marked the capital with an innocent little smile. "Which is a shame, and I'm the first to be sorry. "

No, you're not sorry. Only sorry you couldn't seduce him fast enough. You already made Arno feel bad for a completely justified outburst, good job with your gaslighting techniques.

"It turns out, madam, that my curiosity is very real. But Arno Dorian's absences are numerous in this place, and you will understand that I resolved to assuage my interests during these absences. Unfortunately, it seems that a ... Misunderstanding led me to read letters that were not intended for me. "

Madame Gouze immediately changed her face. Almost horrified, she murmured in the tone of realization:

“You have read Mademoiselle De La Serre's letters. "

Sade was almost surprised to see her react like this: he had assumed, seeing the sacred casket as an altar, that no one other than Arno knew what was inside. He was mistaken. 

Yeah, imagine being condemned by a woman who knows Arno pretty well and getting her to confess you aren't that bad of a guy. She knows what you did was wrong. It was a breach of trust you didn't even earn. You burned the bridge before you even tried to cross it, and now pass yourself off as the victim, the one who 'did nothing wrong.'

How is this relationship wholesome, again?

"Yes," he agreed, pretending not to be affected. It was not my primary goal, of course. "

Obviously.

“These letters are the most precious memories of Mr. Dorian. Madame Gouze had resumed in a white voice. "You had no right to touch it."

"Of course," conceded the Marquis in an annoyed tone.

You know the phrase, 'out of the mouth of babes'? I learned years ago shit-thors weren't going to listen if you said characters were OOC or if the gay relationship they wrote wasn't wholesome or didn't fit. I found that showing the author what they wrote in the original format they were meant to be read in forced them to confront it. In this case, all I got was a single-sentence response. But I let the text speak for itself: this pairing is based on a guy who is annoyed his love interest got angry at him for desecrating his belongings. Not legitimately guilty. Not ashamed. But annoyed he didn't get what he wanted. A normal person would say 'Fuck you, dude'. This is my Fuck you, dude.

"You don't understand, citizen. This is a serious fault." The manager looked frightened at him. "You must not be without knowing that Mr. Dorian was no longer the same after the fall of Robespierre. It took weeks to get out of his silence, months to get out of alcohol. One day, he left for Franciade, and he did not return for three weeks. We thought he was lost. "

She put a hand on her heart, the deep pain of a friend on her face.

"If you only knew the pain that Monsieur Dorian felt. If you only knew what Madame de La Serre meant to her ... You would never have laid your sinful hands on these letters. Monsieur Dorian is far too nice a boy. If it had been me, I would have thrown you out for your unforgivable crime. " 

When you have other characters who you for your actions, and all you can do is act annoyed, you are up Shit Creek without a paddle. You are disgusting. If you aren't willing to confront your faults and acknowledge what you did was terrible, you have no chance of winning over the one you care about. You aren't even friends, not even fuck-buddies. de Sade did this for spite and for his pleasure only.

She left him alone for a moment, just long enough for the Marquis to take all his remorse in the face. He shouldn't have searched. He shouldn't have opened the trunk. He shouldn't have taken the letters, read them with such disgusting greed, or spent hours and hours on them. (And maybe he shouldn't have called Arno as soon as he found himself on new charges. He should have fended for himself, leave Arno with people who deserved him and run away from it all. )

"You who know him ... I must be able to be forgiven, right? " 

There's a moment of human conscience here, but it's wasted the minute de Sade asks if he'll ever be forgiven. Note it's not asked at the bottom of his heart, it's asked on part of his wounded pride. It's as shallow as it's ever going to get.

Madame Gouze looked at him for a few seconds, as if the angel and the demon on her shoulders were fighting assiduously in an epic battle, then she drew a chair with a sigh (very long, very weary) to face him.

"I don't know if you're worth it." 

She's right, yet does any of this matter? No, it does not. This is what de Sade says afterwards:

"Why Monsieur Dorian? Honestly, where to start. You said it yourself. Charming, generous, honest, hand on the heart. Who could resist such a soul, Madame. I am certainly a criminal, but a writer and above all a man above all, sensitive to the beauty of things. "

He punctuated his argument with a small grin who wanted to be not guilty. Madame Gouze was still staring at him without a word. 

Again, nothing to do with his guilt. It has everything to do with seducing Arno; to satisfying de Sade's pleasure, not Arno's. It's one-sided, possessive, and abusive. Arno doesn't deserve this. No one does. Yet here we are - this is a serious story based on this pairing. I have no doubt in my mind that had Unity been an enormous success, this pairing would be as large as the Ezio/Leonardo pairing.

 "Mr. Dorian will not forgive you as easily. If he comes back in the week it will already be a miracle, don't expect too much from him. I hope you will at least apologize - and I don't care if it's your habit. Be as sincere as possible and above all never search his private life again. Leave the dead where they are, and focus on something else. Like, for example, the well-being of your protector who seems to be eluding you. "

de Sade doesn't give a damn about Arno's well being. All he has cared about is his own boredom and annoyance that Arno isn't being a good boy and isn't getting on his knees for him. Asking de Sade to be sincere is like asking a dog not to fuck or eat everything in sight. 

The Marquis nodded wisely to the understanding of these words. All that was left was to wait (which he had been doing since the start of this adventure), to kill time in one way or another. At least that would give him the opportunity to mentally prepare to face Arno and his resentment, Arno and his anger, Arno and his hurricane of feelings. It was necessary to choose the right words, to repeat the good gestures so that the young man was not again tempted to run away. A whole operation that the Marquis never thought of performing in his life one day (the excuses stained his pride too much for that).

Eh...what adventure? You're living at another guy's expense. You've done nothing to earn your keep. You ruined any relationship with him - BUT of course Arno will forgive you and fall in love with you again. Reminder Arno's anger and hatred towards de Sade was completely justified. If you care about someone, you don't do something like that to them as I've said before. Arno has every right to resent you, but you're going to make it like you did nothing wrong. As you say, excuses stained your life. Why would you need to change?

But hey, unlike the men who are very comfortable in their high positions, Arno had a determination and a much more competent network of snoopers. Only, the surroundings of Paris were immense. Fields, peasants, mud and dust. Arno walked around the shacks, questioning people from right to left in search of any information.

Apparently not, as it took you this long to find Dubois and Fouché from the annals of the Directory. The former was a public judge, the latter a guy wanted by the state. Arno couldn't use his 'network of snoopers' to find out why de Sade was wanted by the Templars. That's OK, though. Gouze will simply show him the Assassin crypt and subsequent base - that'll help, won't it?

"Have you accused the Marquis yes or no, citizen Fouché? "

The man in question opened and closed his mouth stupidly, like a fish - like Bonaparte too, and Arno was angry at his unconscious for thinking of the general at a time like this; but at the same time to rebuff a policy known for its exploits had something incredibly liberating about it. Seeing him comply was an even more pleasant bonus.

Fouché is being interrogated for what he knows about de Sade and whether or not he's made any accusations recently. If the guy was escaping the reach of the Directory like de Sade, why would he make any new accusations? Certainly not to save his own skin. And if Arno's 'network of snoopers' were useful, wouldn't they have provided this information so Arno wouldn't have to travel to the countryside?

No answer is provided. Fouché wants to be a cop, or something, and Arno leaves without getting what he wants.

What Sade found it hard to admit when he stepped into the crypt was that although he was intrigued by the place, he couldn't help but get frustrated. He set his eyes on the stones, the large open cage, the different alcoves leading to him, he didn't know where; and irretrievably, he ended up thinking that if Arno had been there, he could have answered all his questions, with the same annoyed pout that he found so charming. Not that he was annoyed having to find the answers for himself, of course. But to know, in the back of his mind, that his favorite assassin was not with him when discovering the secrets of his society was something ... Boring.

Buddy, you pissed on the proverbial royal pooch. Arno isn't and has never been indebted for you. I still don't know why the Templars wants your stanky ass. Whenever you screw something up big time, like your relationship with Arno, it is never your fault. You just have to wait until Arno gets tired of being angry before making your move. It's not as if he has any short-term memory loss, oh no.

The assassin did not seem surprised to find him here, which was a good thing - he would not take any admonition about his situation - and he went to the display holding a file under his arm that Sade didn’t had never seen. By the candlelight that lit the crypt, he met an unyielding look, a closed face, but still more welcoming than the rage of the day before, and more accessible than usual.

It took a while for Sade to realize that Arno was wearing the hood less and less in his presence, and that this was what made it easier to read. 

As I've said before, Arno has every right to be angry at you. You broached his trust. Don't act like he's irrational for acting the way he is.

After the lion's anger, the Marquis now faced a stubborn grudge, intrinsic to the human race. In a parallel reality, the simple man he was would have flatly apologized for his outrageous behavior, and everything would have returned to the way it was before. Before, Arno almost liked to endure his mockery or his remarks all day long without ever raising his voice.

The more internal monologue I hear from this guy, the more I am tempted to reach through the screen and scream at Arno to kill him. Despite the earlier feelings of fear and quasi-shame the Marquis felt, as well as the personal pep-talk with Madame Gouze, de Sade plainly doesn't give a shit. It's about his pride, his satisfaction. He doesn't even try to reach out to Arno; he merely assumes Arno will overcome his pride and get over his anger. The entitlement is galling. 

But things were not so done. Sade had already tasted the captivating scent of personal pride, a poison that he could no longer get rid of today.

Arno, in his greatness of soul, and with all the respect in which he held honesty, could have forgiven him - of course, after two or three typical admonitions for his somewhat authoritarian character. He would have offered to help him in his multiple readings of the file, and together, they would have finally found the why of the how of all this incredible adventure.

Again, you are expecting Arno to forgive you. Expecting! Not earning said forgiveness in a display of humility, but expecting Arno to lay down and forgive you so you can finally stick your cock in his ass.

Also, what fucking adventure? I'm not going for a ride here, I'm just being led on a merry-go-round through a vat of shit.

Here he is back to the starting point. First chapter, the meeting, simple and concise, where he had to charm the hero, interact with him through subtle sentences, until the reader understands that it would be essential to the intrigue.

Finally.

He would have liked to be essential. Like Élise and her love, like the other Icarus and her ambition. But it was not completely. It was a distraction, another appetizer, something that wakes up a few pages and which we tire of in the next chapter. 

You need to earn trust and you need to earn someone's love. You, in all your petty jealousy, wanted to destroy Arno's establishment, burn his letters, and felt like you were inadequate compared to the love of his life. To make yourself feel better, you went through his letters - after being told not to do it and told by the Madame of said establishment you fucked up pretty badly - and the one you are pursuing exploded in anger at you. It was all entirely justified. Even then, it's not enough. None of it is your fault. You are merely annoyed and distracted by Arno's human reaction to your abominable behaviour.

You are not essential. You're a parasite.

He would have liked to tell himself that Arno could continue to write the tumultuous story that was his life. He would have liked to tell himself that he was ready to disappear at one time or another. But, being honest, who would have wanted to part with such a hero? No one, let alone Sade. Arno was Hercules, Ulysses, Tristan and many more.

He was his most beautiful muse. And for nothing in the world he could not have parted with it. 

Word of advice? Stop trying to write someone else's story for them. You about as lovely as a tapeworm wriggling in someone's small intestine. Not once have you ever felt guilt or a modicum of respect. You wedge your way into his life and demand to be loved.

I still have no idea what the plot is supposed to be. The story wraps up in the next three chapters, and do you think there's going to be a satisfying ending? Hell no. If I get can as much insulting bullshit as I did in this bunch of chapters, I will for the next few. If I can read stuff from Frenchwomen who were unaware the Directory seized a bunch of noble properties for their perusal, while saying they spend hours studying 18th century French maps, am I going to get a better historical experience? No. I'm going to get a stale, mouldy piece of bred with a bunch of roaches crawling in it. I should think the roaches would show me more respect and hold more dignity than these ladies.

Arno is indeed a beautiful muse. Too bad he's going to be raped like Ganymede.