impure_tale

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The truth can be very entertaining, but better, my sweets, when it's given willingly.

[Private to Iago]

I doubt you are enjoying yourself as much as I am, so I have a proposal. Come to my cabin. We'll sit and talk -- or rather ask questions. I am affected -- I do not know if you are, but I have little reason to suppose you are not. So better to ride it out in a safe place, oui? And with all hope the flood shall have concluded by tomorrow.

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Because I don't want to talk about this. [An honest answer, but said with much venom.]

Why?

Because you're frustrating me. [He stood up, feeling slightly woozy, and just took another drink of his wine, as if that might help.]

Of course I'm frustrating you. You are having a poor time right now, and you cannot find sufficient reasoning to argue your point. [He notices a wobble in his stance, and rolls his eyes] Sit down, Iago. You may change the subject but you'll not help yourself if you wander about drunk.

I'm not going to wander. I'm going to my room. [He does sit back down, though.] I am having a poor time and you seem intent on making it worse.

I am merely offering you a different perspective. I spent thirty years in solitary confinement, Iago, and my writing reflected the philosophies of a man who speaks only to a brick wall and mistakes the echoes bouncing back as voices of agreement. Believe me, it will do you well to hear dissension.

[The soldier put a hand to his forehead.] Just shut up. I don't want to hear about any of that. I just want to sit in silence and not think about this.

That's not the game, Iago. You might distract me by asking questions.

Fine. Did you know this would happen, Marquis?

What would happen?

Between myself and Judas. You must have known that I was lying and manipulating him at first.

I could not have predicted your exact intentions, nor their ultimate outcome. I could only wait and watch and hope he had some positive impact upon you.

And you think that it did? What would you have me do now? If you could choose my actions, that is.

I think that it did.

And in truth, I would have you reconcile. If your relationship ends because there is no longer love there, that is one thing. That is an honest reason to end things. But Monsieur Iscariot has not been deceitful to you. He has not betrayed you. You were both betrayed by one man.

He read your journal, but he would not have if things were not dire. Perhaps he hoped to find a reason to accept your separation, but the man in those entries is no longer you.

I will not apologize for any of this. It's not my fault. [He put a hand to his head.] It's not my fault. [He wasn't even aware that he was repeating himself.]

Did you love her? The...the girl?

With all my heart.

Why?

Because she treated me like a normal man and not a lunatic or a monster.

Did she love you back?

Not romantically. As one would a friend, or a teacher.

[Iago tried to stand again, using the table for support.]

What did you...think of that?

[pleasantly enough, but clearly distracted] I would have slept with her if I could have. But I already knew she had her heart set on someone else.

[Iago walked over to the wall and leaned against it, needing to stretch his legs from sitting. And he needed a change of position.]

I'm sorry. [He wasn't, but he had run out of questions that mattered to him.]

For what, Iago?

[He paused.] I suppose for this. [He absently waved a hand around the room.] For all this. I don't actually feel regret, though. [He laughed humorlessly.] I just said it because I felt it needed to be said.

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