#sanson imagine

[fandom-go-round]

can you do archer servant mc with charles-henri sanson? A quiet type one or maybe one of "robin hood" with similar personality with bit difference

It takes Sanson a while to notice you; you enjoy blending in and he’s usually so caught in Marie’s charisma it’s hard to focus on anyone else. He can’t deny his interest, however; you’re so similar and yet so different than the current Robin Hood. It helps him to notice you more and want to learn about you.

He finds you charming, even if you’ve never spoken a word to him. Charles likes that you help people, that you try to mend things without taking credit. It makes some of the others paranoid but he thinks it’s sweet. You care and don’t like to talk about it; he’s a more straight-forward person but it’s easy to see how much you believe in what you’re doing.

You notice Sanson paying more attention to you but write it off as him being protective. He’s always on the lookout for threats to Marie and technically you are an outlaw. Nothing prepares you for his approach during one of the events, asking for your help in repairing the Singularity. You try your best to keep a straight face but it’s easy to tell you’re shocked.

Sanson is the one to start courting you, presenting you with flowers and gifts. They’re not always as romantic or straight forward as he thinks but you love them anyway. His flowers wilt quickly and knives may only be pleasant to some people but it shows that he cares about you. The best gift you can give him is when you pull your hood back and show him your smile; he falls in love with you all over again.

[velnica]

Bath Day 26.11.2023 (Sanson/Guydelot)

Guydelot is more than happy to let Sanson ramble off his entire day... as long as they're warm and cosy in their bath, with extra fire crystals lest Sanson's prose grows overlong.

[ultimablades]

Sorry for being a broken record about this, but last night I was working on a scene that takes place in Coerthas between the Celaine meeting and Tailfeather and I just get sooooo tendy thinking about how much time Sanson and Guydelot spent just with each other. Like the WoL is popping in and out as necessary but they spend most of their journey just with each other. And I’m always thinking about all those unseen moments between before the ~fight~ in Tailfeather where they must have been getting closer despite their initial misunderstanding. Like what were they talking about, what were they doing, what kind of sights did they seen together for the first time. How do you not start to slowly fall in love when you’re both seeing an aurora borealis for the first time or venturing into a completely foreign forest together.

[ouroborius]

God Marie is being embarrassing again by fawning over other people and their little pocky game play.

[sezja]

I said it in the original tags of that ficlet, but: I don't think Sanson believes his relationship with Guydelot is deeply serious at first - he spends so much of the early part of their relationship uncertain of where the boundaries are and exactly how committed Guydelot really is; he's always ready for Guydelot to get bored. He assumes there are a lot more boundaries than there really are.

Guydelot goes in already 100% committed and in it for the long haul, but Sanson's always ready for him to run the second it starts feeling constricting.

And I think that uncertainly lingers until the Nourval incident. After that, Sanson's a lot more sure of where they stand.

[delusinalandpassionate]

man i was gonna type something out here but nothing came to mind

part 3 was so good its left me speechless

Thank you very much for opportunity to write my thought down, without thinking about intro.

I LOVE 7 CANTO.

It was amazing. I feel rewarded for all my love and faith toward Don.

AND THE FACT I PREDICTED A LOT OF THINGS ALSO FEELS AMAZING

I loved how Sancho abandons us walking forward, and for the first time, sinners follow her, listening. Paying attention.

I loved to see that story about that Bloodfiend family and how Bari changed everything. I loved to see how he changed his mind and how he tried to change everything around him. I love how when he sees "fruits" of his absence, he tries to bring justice himself, punishing his Family for crime and himself for allowing that to happen. (Also also the fact that while he speaks about his family, the fact that his relationship with Sancho is special. One he takes with him for adventure, one who allowed to run away from this prison, one who allowed to kill him, one who inherits his name. If I were Dulcinea, I would also hate Sancho. Imagine being so obviously second favorite for eternity.)

I loved that Don Quixote did so much to save Sancho from this prison and torture from hunger, and yet the first thing she does after getting saved is lock herself in a prison, ignoring her hunger. She did not want to be saved. She wanted to die here with him, and in some way, she did.

I love that Don that we meet in a beginning a prisoner who for a first time in two hundred years sees world and speaks with other people. Of course, she's weird. Genuinely, she could be weirder.

I love that she confronts sinners and their answer not to beat her into submission but talk with her.

Some of them I believe some of them not but it still was great. Seeing Sinclair stopping circle of violence and being first person to say "hey our friend is hurting, maybe WE WON'T BEAT THEM?!"

I love how desperately Yi Sang and Heatcliff don't want to see their new family to fall apart

I love how Hong Lu says the most correct things

I love how Outis SEES HERSLEF IN DON(not in a way I predicted BUT STILL), and I love how she doubts her.

I usually dislike timetavels in story, but there was something so beautiful in a way that Dante changed only a bit, only a few words, rejecting their fear to help Don.

I love how Don Quixote is broken, but there are still some embers of his ideals. I love dynamic between him and Sancho, I love his weak laughter in battle and how it's almost impossible for Sancho to lose. I love that so many skills Sancho learned from him, but in final action, he copies her, creating a lance.

I love how he dies in her hands, and Sancho keeps crying, explaining how, in the end, she changes. She wants to live, and she wants to be a hero. And how he dies almost happy seeing how his Sancho finally found something worth living besides him.

I LOVE THIS CANTO

But of course, there is some unsatisfying stuff.

We still don't know what's the deal with Sanson.

We still haven't learned what "Promised Timepiece" means.

I also think her sprite SHE HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO HAVE HER SANCHO HAIR

But not everything could be a win for me and that's fine.

I only hope that, at least in the next event we will see Sinners getting used to the idea that ancient vampire is traveling with them and that it's a conscious choice to keep sounding like that.

Also, I want them to use Don's voice actor range because SHES AMAZING

[bloodofsancho]

Theories & Speculations about Canto 7: Lightning Round

So, I've had a much longer, more essay formatted post sitting in my drafts on here for a while, and even longer on my main blog where I imported it from. But seeing as Canto 7 is just on the horizon and my real life obligations haven't gotten any lighter, I've decided that instead of writing a Big Long Theory Post about Canto 7, I would instead summarize my main thoughts/beliefs/speculations into bullet points on a single post. This still ended up being really long though. Anyway, without further ado:

Project Moon's interpretation of Don Quixote seems inspired in part by the musical Man of La Mancha. While I've seen many consider it an adaptation of Don Quixote, it's...not really. It's loosely based off of it. In the musical, it follows Miguel de Cervantes and his unnamed servant who have been imprisoned by the Spanish Inquisition and put on a play for the prisoners where Cervantes plays Don Quixote and his servant plays Sancho Panza. A female prisoner/prostitute named is chosen to play Dulcinea. She is a principal character in the play.

In the book, Dulcinea is little more than a figment of Quixote's imagination. Aldonza is only mentioned in one sentence at the end of the first chapter. She's also a slaughterhouse worker and not a prostitute.

I have absolutely no idea which interpretation Project Moon will go with. But I find it interesting that Don Quixote hasn't mentioned Dulcinea at all, while in the book she probably comes up every other sentence.

Dulcinea = Carmen?

I think the likely villain candidatesfor this Canto are either Sanson Carrasco or "Avellaneda".

Sanson Carrasco, also known as the "Knight of Mirrors" or "Knight of the White Moon" is a guy from Don Quixote's town who along with the barber and priest (make note of that btw) takes it upon himself to cure Don Quixote of his presumed madness. He's kind of a smartass. He decides the best way to cure Don Quixote of his mental illness is to defeat him as the Knight of Mirrors but ends up getting beaten by Don Quixote, and he's not happy about this and swears revenge. Later he appears as the Knight of the White Moon, and defeats Don Quixote in a duel.

In Man of La Mancha, a prisoner known as "the Duke" is chosen to play Sanson Carrasco in the play, who pretty much does the same thing as he does in the book except he's much more cynical in the play.

The other candidate, Avellaneda, would be a very interesting and very Project Moon choice for an antagonist. Alonso Fernandez de Avellaneda was the pseudonym used by an author who wrote a fake sequel to the first part of Don Quixote, which Miguel de Cervantes didn't intend on writing an official sequel to until he saw Avellaneda's work and he hated it so much it spurred him into writing an actual sequel. The existence of the fake sequel is mocked and referenced in the second part of Don Quixote, and considering the events of Canto 6 I think that's worth keeping in mind.

Now onto actual speculation and called shots for Canto 7 since I've laid this groundwork:

I think that the plot of Canto 7, at least initially, may draw heavy inspiration from Man of La Mancha. I think the Bloodfiends from La Mancha Land are possibly taking humans captive through some kind of method (attracting them to the fair maybe?) and torturing them as entertainment. Through some kind of means, the Bloodfiends have also gotten a Golden Bough, but I'm unsure how or why they would use it. Maybe someone can provide some ideas.

Humans going missing and ending up at some kind of vampire torture fair is exactly the kind of case Moses would take on. It remains to be seen if she will be there in person, or if she'll communicate with Dante through a walkie talkie or radio. At the end of the teaser, she sounded like she was talking through a radio (assuming that was in fact Moses).

Sancho is either a Fixer who Don Quixote became friends with in between establishing her human form and joining Limbus Company, or he (assuming that the blue text from the teaser is Sancho) is a Bloodfiend. Maybe both? His text from the teaser seems to be encouraging Don Quixote's delusions.

I initially thought that the Bloodfiend from the teaser could be Dulcinea (or Marcela or Dorotea)* but a user pointed out to me that she's holding large scissors so she's probably the Barber. However, this morning I looked back at the MOTWE story cutscenes with Cassetti and he refers to the Barber with he/him pronouns. I don't know if this means anything, or if it's an oversight or retcon from Project Moon.

I think there's a strong possibility that, following the Man of La Mancha line of thought, Don Quixote's true Bloodfiend identity is Miguel de Cervantes. A lot of people seem to agree with this. However, I haven't seen anyone really make any shots as to why she would seal herself away, and I think I have a plausible answer:

Being a member of the elder generation of Bloodfiends from before the White Nights and Dark Days, Cervantes is primarily nonviolent and doesn't want much to do with humans. After the White Nights and Dark Days spawned a new generation of Bloodfiends who were significantly more prone to violence, violent attacks on humans increased and this alerted even more people to the existence of Bloodfiends---especially people who would like to hunt and kill them. This put the lives of Cervantes' Kindred at grave risk, and not wanting to fight or kill humans, she sealed herself away and invented a human persona---and possibly her Kindred as well, hence how Sancho could also both be a Fixer and a Bloodfiend.

She might have invented Don Quixote with the express purpose of creating a human self who had a strong sense of justice and right the wrongs of the City. Maybe she became a Bloodfiend to start with in order to escape the injustice of the City.

This would line up extremely well thematically with both the novel and Man of La Mancha. Sancho supporting Don Quixote's dreams (or her human persona in general) could support this idea if we assume he is a Bloodfiend.

Meanwhile, the Bloodfiends are more concerned with getting their Second Kindred back once they realize who she is. This would align well with the Barber and Sanson, assuming that Sanson is a Bloodfiend and not a Bloodfiend hunter.

I realize that this is kind of a slapdash post, but I was really running out of time and on top of being both sick today and having two papers due on Sunday, I needed to get this out before Canto 7. I realize that this doesn't touch on many aspects, like the associations with Carmilla, other characters like Dorotea, Marcela, Cardenio, the priest, etc but I decided for the sake of time that I would talk about them if/when they appear in Canto 7. Regardless, I would like to hear everyone's thoughts if they have any!

[mizgnomer]

A collection of Ten and TenToo

Excerpts from Doctor Who Magazine #398, as reported by Benjamin Cook:

It’s Monday, 20 March 2008.  A man who looks like David Tennant paces around the Dalek Crucible.  This man is Colum Sanson-Regan.  He’s Irish, not Scottish, and he only looks like David from behind, really.  But that’s good enough.  He’s sporting the brown pinstripe suit, while David - the real David - wears the blue suit.  All day long, the lead actor and his double have been dashing off every half hour or so, to swap costumes.  Each scene is shot once with David in the brown suit, and then once again with him in the blue.  Colum likewise.  Logistically, it’s a nightmare. How is David keeping track of which Doctor is which?  “Well, obviously, the colour-coding is a clue,” he laughs, “but I know what you mean - are they two distinct performances?  Well, slightly.  There are different thought processes going on.  And I’ve underlined them in different colours in the script, which is a big deal.  It shows I mean business!  They’re different characters, but they’ve both got to be the Doctor.  It’s the same character, but it’s not.  It’s a tricky one, because Rose, at the end, you want to feel that she is left with the person that she loves, but also that she isn’t.  It’s quite a subtle, ambiguous ending for Rose.” Which suit does David prefer: the brown or the blue?  “I change my mind, actually.  The blue suits are getting a bit baggy,” he says, “but we’ve got some new ones coming in, which is great.  If you look at the brown suit now, it’s beginning to get a bit tatty.  But I don’t mind that.  I quite like a bit of tatty.”  And did he enjoy getting naked in the TARDIS in Journey’s End? DWM can’t imagine so.  “No, not really,” he confirms.  “It came at the end of a long shoot.  You don’t exactly have a chance to go to the gym when you’re filming Doctor Who every month, so it wasn’t ideal timing.  But it was very quick.”

Bonus: David Tennant and Colum Sanson Regan, David's stand-in for whichever Doctor he wasn't currently playing

[subiysu-chan]

More about the modern au, what would the occupation for Nicolas-Charles-Gabriel, Nicolas-Charles-Gabriel II, Jean-Louis, Louis-Charles-Martin, Louis-Cyr-Charlemagne, Marie-Joseph, Henri, Gabriel, and Charles (Longeval's son) to take in a modern setting?

Me thinks Nicolas-Gabriel I would probably prefer a quiet, clean desk job that doesn't involve controversy. Charles Martin also probably a bureaucrat, probably at a hospital. Henri...I can imagine him running a morgue as a businessman. Charles Sanson II, cop, probably. Louis-Cyr-Charlemagne, would perhaps get into activism, probably of the pro-incest kind. Nicolas-Gabriel II, probably some qualified physical work. Marie-Josephe, probably in restoration. Low pay, but also out of trouble.

[cyniibar]

Do you like my more wholesome version of the Sanson ?

Also, what do you think of the father-daughter parallels between Jean-Baptiste and Marie ? Also, do you have ideas for Madeleine-Claude Gabrielle?

About Madeleine-Claude...

out of all the Sansons, she's the most gentle and empathetic. Madeleine-Claude is genuinely tender hearted towards her younger siblings and holds deep respect for her kind step-mother (As she is the closest to Jeanne, following her footsteps to become the future 'perfect wife'). On the other hand, she's very passive and the most introverted in the household.

One thing that I'm absolutely certain of, is Madeleine-Claude being a heavy dreamer. She spends her days getting caught up in her fantasies and daydreams even while she occupies herself with daily activities. Tends to see things in an unconventional perspective. She has the softest voice, very soothing and pleasant to the ears. Though she also has a peculiar way of speaking, bringing up strange or random topics that leave some members a bit puzzled.

Madeleine doesn't hate Jeanne, but she strongly believes that no one can ever replace her mother. Her memories of Madeleine Tronson are very vague, so she fills the void by imagining her. How she felt, how she looked, her scent, and her voice....

A very sentimental and nostalgic young girl, yearning to be a child again in her mother's arms. She desires to be care free. Instead she's very insecure about her appearance, despite being a beautiful maiden, as she deals with extreme verbal abuse from Anne Marthe- insulting her of her looks and mocking her image. Because of this, her self-criticism is brutal and she had developed a hate for mirrors.

The only bond Madeleine-Claude has with her father, is when they share their aching longing for Madeleine Tronson.

Jean Baptiste looked exactly like Marie Joseph when he was just a young boy so I guess that's enough parallel as it is.

[haruhar-u]

Marie Antoinette was executed by Charles Henri Sanson

Irl Mozart knew Marie Antoinette and wanted to marry her

imagine what it was like in Ikevamp when Mozart met Charles

Also Marie Antoinette in ikevamp would be so cool even though if she was added they’d probably do what they did with Jean

[morocosmos]

FFXIVWrite 2024 Day 30 - Two Heads Are Better Than One

Masterlist Fandom: Final Fantasy XIV Characters/Pairings: Guydelot Thildonnet, Sanson Smyth, Original Female Character (mentioned) Rating: Gen Additional Notes: Continues from this.

The door shuts not-so-gently, and Yezih’s footfalls are hurried as she leaves. Just like that. The air settles into a familiar calm; Guydelot pulls out his harp.

“So what's the word, Chief?” He lays back down on the couch, plucking a few notes and looking at Sanson. The other man's hands have threaded together in a loose grip, his thumbs tapping lightly as he deliberates.

“She was sincere enough,” Sanson answers. “And I do not doubt her skill with a lance. She joined the guild only a few moons after I did — not exceptional, by any means, but a fine enough fighter by the time I left to join the Twin Adder.” 

Guydelot's ears perk up in interest. “Oh? If I’d known just how relevant Yezih was to that part of your life, I would’ve asked more questions.”

“Yezih came here to discuss joining the unit, not so that you could badger her about my past,” Sanson counters. Guydelot can see the rest of his thoughts in the way his brow scrunches up. “And you needn’t have scrutinised her so. She was incredibly nervous — almost intimidated,” Sanson says, sounding perplexed. “Though I cannot imagine why.”

“She was trying her darndest to impress you,” Guydelot casually answers for him, scoffing in part because he doesn’t think much of folks who do that, but also because he’d been plucking out the beginnings of a tune that he’s been trying to figure out for days. He gives up and sets the harp down. “I reckon she’s made of the same stiff, stern stuff as you, just a few notches more high strung.”

“Do you think so?” Sanson takes a moment to ponder the thought, before shaking his head. “Regardless, it would be strategically sensible to add another lancer into the unit. The groundwork of our training regimen already takes such things into consideration.”

“And you’d have someone to lighten the load.” Guydelot isn’t the type to nag, but he is aware of just how much Sanson already has on his plate, being the unit’s captain as well as the only lancer in the group. He isn’t going to see his dream fulfilled if he runs himself into the ground first.

“I suppose, yes.” Sanson pauses, and there’s a hint of doubt in his voice. “My main concerns are that her desire to work with Rema takes precedence, and that she wasn’t wholly truthful about why she’s so keen to join the unit.” He frowns. “She could be…confrontational at times, back at the guild. Snapping at the slightest insult or ill remark, especially when it concerned Rema or her family.”

Guydelot hums. “But maybe that’s why having her and Rema together ain’t such a bad thing? If they’ve truly been thick as thieves since they were little, that might keep her focused on what matters.” And maybe it is him playing favourites, but it’s also precisely the sort of bond that would strengthen their newest bard’s songs — Lothaire and Ceanan have more technical expertise and camaraderie, but Rema has more soul than the both of them combined. Someone she cares for would be just the thing to bring out her true potential. “Two heads are better than one and all.” He favours Sanson with a smile. “Kind of like us, eh?”

Sanson shakes his head, but the corners of his mouth tilt upwards; Guydelot takes it as a victory. “Anyroad, there’s no need to decide until we have a better measure of her. A practical exercise would be just the thing, one that incorporates the unit’s existing members…”

Guydelot knows what Sanson will be doing the rest of the day. He takes up the harp again — may as well try to salvage that tune one last time.

[diamondangelkitten]

Junelezen Day 26: Late

"You're late," Guydelot says as Alinea and Estinien make their way towards him and Sanson.

Estinien chuckles as Alinea rolls her eyes at the bard. The noise causes Guydelot to tilt his head back and smirk. Alinea flips him off before crossing her arms.

"Hello Sanson. You didn't have to bring your other half with you if he's been bothering you."

Sanson laughs, now used to their antics.

"He's been rather well behaved till now. Though I'm sorry to say, it seems Sephy's quite attached to us."

Alinea sees that indeed, her pink carbuncle has gone to sit by Sanson. Guydelot had reached over to give Sephy a scratch and apparently found the right spot, as the carbuncle's head was tilted adorably.

"Hm, well at least Demetri has more sense."

At Sephy's sad little chirp and Guydelot's deep laughter, accompanied by smaller chuckles from Estinien and Sanson, Alinea smiles and starts to relax. She makes her way to sit next to Guydelot, with Estinien coming to sit next to her and Demetri. She places a hand on Estinien's leg while leaning her head on Guydelot's shoulder.

"It's good to have you here. What do you think of Thavnair? Oh, and Sephy? I'm not actually mad at you."

Her carbuncle gives a little chirp, while Sanson starts petting her. Guydelot leans his head on top of Ali's.

"This view is beautiful. I know you all went through a lot, but I am glad we didn't have to abandon our homes."

She smiles as Estinien squeezes her hand.

"I am sorry we were late. Trna stopped us on the way. She wants to have another hippo cart race sometime."

Sanson starts laughing as Guydelot's excitement levels rise.

"Really? Can you do it now?! The radio broadcast was fine and all."

"It was great Guydelot."

"Yes, the bunnies sounded adorable Sanson, but imagine an actual bard delivering the story of the intergalatic race for the ages."

Alinea leans forward, looking at Sanson.

"He's not going to let this go is he?"

"Nope."

Estinien laughs, before joining in.

"I do have to say, I was sad to have missed the grand race. But a rematch between the top two participants would be fun."

Alinea sighs, "Not you too."

Her smile however, gives away her own excitement.

"Fine, for you all, I shall do it."

She stands, pulling the rest of the group up with her. Her carbuncles come into step behind her, as she leads the group to Trna.

"After this though, we're getting curry in Radz at Han."

[ultimablades]

Did I ever share my one bard proposal thought here where Guydelot is like, super nervous about proposing to Sanson. And he gets down on one knee but Sanson also gets down on his knees at the same time because he thinks Guydelot is hurt or sick or something, so he’s like “omg are you okay?” And Guydelot wasn’t prepared for this so Guydelot.exe has stopped running and he���s not saying anything, he’s just kneeling in front of Sanson like. 😳

Sanson’s like “Gudyelot, are you okay? What’s wrong? Say something?” with his hands on Guydelot’s shoulders. And then Guydelot finally reacts and pulls out the ring box and instead of saying “Will you marry me,” he goes “Do you want to do this?” but oh no, he has the ring box backwards so he can’t even open it, he fumbles and drops it on the ground, Sanson’s like “what????? Are you trying to ask me to marry you???” and Guydelot’s like “I’m going to be sick.” 

Obviously, Sanson says yes once he’s sure that Guydelot is not actually going to be sick and isn’t injured and he puts the ring on (a simple gold band, no stones or anything, nothing flashy, and Sanson thinks its perfect) and laughs and gives Guydelot a big kiss and says yes of course he’ll marry him. :’) 

[gachabastard]

this is not a canto vi post. just something to do while i wait between fights

no this is

sinners as ffxiv jobs!

i'm not picking any of the dawntrail jobs because we haven't seen enough of them yet.

Yi Sang: I'm thinking Sage tbh he'd slay with nouliths

Faust: Machinist, since she built Mephistopheles, I think she could build cool guns and big mechas

Don Quixote: Dragoon, and she's Estinien's biggest fan

Ryoshu: You thought I was gonna say Samurai, didn't you? Idiot. Stupid dumb idiot. She's a Reaper.

Meursault: Monk. No question.

Hong Lu: Astrologian. He would go on and on about how he learned astromancy from his grandmother or something. He and Jannequinard in the same room would be a sight to behold.

Heathcliff: Dark Knight~ I mean come on his self-loathing manifesting into Esteem is too perfect

Ishmael: Summoner. Hear me out. Leviathan and Bismarck Egis?

Rodion: Warrior, obviously. Big woman big axe.

Sinclair: This was a doozy but I keep coming back to Bard. Imagine Sinclair getting involved in whatever the hell Sanson and Guydelot have going on. Dios mio, homosexuals.

Outis: Gunbreaker, she's already got a gunblade anyway. Put the Thancred ID on her. This is Outis.

Gregor: Red Mage, because I'm ~biased~ (my Gregor alt is actually a Reaper but I already gave that to Ryoshu since it works better)

Dante: White Mage, their job is literally scraping people off the floor

Vergilius: Black Mage, solely to be in strict contrast to Dante's White Mage

Charon: Blue Mage because I think it's Funny. For multiple reasons.

[sezja]

Undercover, Part 4

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Sanson's as tense as an over-tuned harpstring; Guydelot thinks it's a wonder the man's not vibrating in place. He hasn't so much as touched the small bowl of tropical fruits Myrnarael so lovingly placed before him, and the bard doesn't need to be a mind reader to know his friend's thoughts are a malm away... or perhaps just a few yalms, with the mysterious Miss R'Shenna, and all the answers she may or may not hold. Something here just doesn't add up, Guydelot knows; the question is... how in the world do they go about finding out more information without tipping their hand?

If they push too hard, they risk running her off, missing out on the evidence of her hand in the murders. Without evidence, they're sunk. And if they wait too long... well. Last thing they need is another murder on their hands, knowing they could have done something to prevent it, if they'd only been more aggressive in their pursuit.

So. A balanced approach, then.

Luckily, he and Sanson have always balanced one another well.

"Eat your breakfast, Chief." Guydelot nudges Sanson's foot with his own beneath the table. "We'll need all the strength we can get."

With a guilty start, Sanson surfaces from his thoughts; has he even noticed he's fiddling with that fake wedding ring again? Whose brilliant idea was that, Guydelot wonders: giving Sanson something else to fret with? He supposes with no journal to keep the man's hands busy, he's got to be doing something with them. He'd packed and unpacked a journal and spare quills over and over in the days leading up to their departure, ultimately deciding against it; what if, he'd explained, someone should stumble upon his journal and blow their cover?

Guydelot, who recalls at least two particular occasions where one of Sanson's journals had fallen into the wrong hands (never mind that some of those hands belonged to a meddlesome moogle, and without that particular theft they might still be squabbling in the clouds), couldn't disagree. But it's left Sanson without his usual method of focusing his thoughts, and without that, the man's a mess.

Still, it doesn't mean that sharp mind of his isn't hard at work.

"Strange, is it not," Sanson says, so quietly Guydelot has to lean in. "The owners of the resort knew to expect us, and I can't imagine there are so many Gridanian couples visiting the island that we wouldn't be easily identified... yet they didn't think to tell their own daughter?"

Ah. "You reckon they suspect her?"

A slow, subtle nod. "Or the employees in general, perhaps, and they fear she couldn't keep our presence a secret from the others. The guards aboard the ferry knew, of course-" Otherwise they'd have never gotten their weapons and gear on board, and this isn't a mission to be undertaken unarmed. "-But it would appear few others have been informed, if any." Sanson spears a piece of fruit on his fork at last, and chews thoughtfully, keeping his gaze from drifting toward R'Shenna again with visible effort.

An accomplice among the resort's employees would make some sense, Guydelot thinks, tucking into his own breakfast. Whoever's committing the murders has a working knowledge of the island and its routines: enough to know when, say, a landscaper or housekeeper won't wander inconveniently into the scene. So. A regular patron of the resort - that'd be Miss R'Shenna, like as not, and almost certainly her man, too - and an employee or two, all working together to pick their victims, divest them of their lives and their material goods, and scurry away with the island's security none the wiser? It's a fine scheme, if a bloody one. Guydelot makes a note to himself to see if he can't get to know a few of the island's workers: surely one of them might know if any of their fellows have come into a strange amount of coin of late...

By now, more people have arrived at the restaurant. Most, Guydelot notices, appear to be on the lower end of the income bracket - those, like "themselves," for whom this is a once-in-a-lifetime vacation; an indulgence. They're eager, excited, a little bit giggly. Like kids on a first date.

Maybe he ought to be a little sillier with his stiff husband, eh? For the sake of blending in, if nothing else.

"What are you smiling about?"

He turns his attention back to the man in question. "What's not to smile about? Look at all these fine people, madly in love." Grinning, Guydelot pops a grape into his mouth. R'Shenna's also been keeping a hawk's eye on the new arrivals, he observes; if she's sizing them up as potential targets, she'll be disappointed, like as not. The wealthier sorts will have their meals delivered to their cabins... or they'll have brought their own staff, not trusting to the quality of the isle's fare. But then, seeing as she's a regular, she ought to know that, right? So what is she looking for...

Bah. They should've sent a proper inspector for a job like this. Too late to worry about that now, he supposes.

Instead, he stands, stretching. "How about a walk?"

"A walk?" Sanson blinks up at him, surprised. "But-"

"Aye, a walk. A little romantic stroll, you and I." He can't help smiling; can't help teasing. Especially not when it turns the tips of Sanson's ears pink. He offers a little bow, holding out a hand. "See the sights, learn our way around the island? This early in the morning, we might find some quiet, private spots-"

Hastily, ignoring his offered hand, Sanson rises to his feet; his face looks a touch pink now, too. "You are absurd-"

"That's why you married me, dear heart." Oh, this is fun. Guydelot never gets to flirt with Sanson; the man's staunch propriety would never allow it, not with Sanson being his commanding officer and all. Never mind that there's nothing behind it; nothing meant. What's a little flirting between friends every now and then? "So! A walk, right?"

With some good-natured grumbling, Sanson follows him out into the bright island sunshine once more, pausing only briefly to offer a polite farewell to Myrnarael. She urges them to return for luncheon and dinner, and bids them not to stray far from the beach.

She won't say why. That flicker of fear is in her eyes once more.

Not for the first time, Guydelot wishes they weren't undercover. The woman knows something; he'd bet his left arm on it. Staying on the beach is safe: it'll be busy, come mid-day. Lots of eyes, lots of people around to ward off would-be murderers. The victims thus far had all been slain in their cabins or otherwise well off the beaten path, away from watchful eyes; aye, Myrnarael has every reason to encourage patrons to stay where it's likely to be safest. What else might she know? Something about their asking after R'Shenna had the owners' daughter on edge; she knows something about the miqo'te woman with the ill-matched jewels. Something that frightens her. She didn't want the "nice Gridanian boys" prying too deep into the fancy lass's sordid history.

What Guydelot wouldn't give to be able to ask her outright what she knew! They can't go about telling all of the employees what they're about, fair enough, but surely the owners' daughter...

And then again, were it safe to tell her, surely her parents would've told her themselves.

"I hate this," he says aloud once they're safely out of earshot of the restaurant, his tone mild. "I hate all of this. All the second-guessing."

Sanson nods his agreement, frowning. "Aye, but at least we've somewhere to start." He peers up at Guydelot, sidelong. "A walk?"

Ah. Right. "Reckon we can take a walk through the rest of the cabins," he says, quiet, but conversational. "See what we can see. Who we can see." If there is a killer on the prowl, after all, they'll also be casing out the place, Guydelot reasons. "Then we can poke our way around the island, I reckon. If our man - or woman - ain't a patron after all, they'll need a cave or something to hide out in, or to stash their goods."

"These islands are full of hidden caverns," Sanson agrees, as they turn their steps toward the path leading back up into the cabins. "And few of the stolen goods have surfaced on the black market, according to the Yellowjackets." He'd spoken at length on the case with Limsa's local law enforcement - none of whom were keen to see Gridanians handling their work, but then, Sanson's an old hand by now at wrestling cooperation out of men who'd just as soon see him fail.

He's a wonder, he is.

I've got to set him up with someone, he reminds himself, as they walk, settling into a familiar companionable silence. He'd suggested that very thing on the way down, he recalls, and he means it. Sanson's too good a man to be spending all his nights alone.

Well, he amends, alone apart from me. But Guydelot crashing on Sanson's couch night after night's not really the same thing as having someone to love, is it? He needs someone to do all the silly little romantic things people in love do. Not that Guydelot knows what that's like, necessarily, but then, Guydelot's never been interested in the long game, settling down. Sanson, though, Sanson is the sort to want a house, a family, a ring on his finger; all those nice forever and always things. They don't talk about it - they've talked about a lot of things, but romance seldom comes up - but Guydelot knows Sanson; he knows Sanson'd like to come home to a spouse and hearth and home someday. And if he won't find that spouse himself, well, what's a best friend for, eh?

For now, though, it's fun to pretend he can fill that role.

"Do you think we ought to hold hands?" he asks, innocently. "After all, we are meant to be on a romantic stroll."

Sanson elbows him, instead. "You are enjoying this far too much."

"You could stand to enjoy it a little more!" He winds an arm around Sanson's shoulders, drawing him a little too close for friendly. "C'mon, Chief, I'm starting to feel insulted," he says, playfully wounded. "Anyone'd think you don't like being my husband."

He gets another elbow in his ribs for his teasing, but Sanson laughs, too. "Then no one will be shocked when we divorce at the end of this vacation. Come, now," he says, smiling. "Keep your eyes open; remember why we're here."

"Couldn't possibly forget."

"Good." After a moment's hesitation, Sanson carefully winds his own arm around Guydelot's back, letting a hand rest on the bard's hip. "Is this-"

Did his heart just flutter a little? Silly thing. "Look at you," he purrs, giving the man's shoulder a little squeeze. "We'll have you holding my hand by the end of the day, you'll see."

"Eyes open, Guydelot."

"Heartbreaker," he teases. "Fine. Let's see what we can see."