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"Mademoiselle," René Belloq said, offering his arm to Ulla Tornaes.
She smiled, taking it. "Merci."
The petite man smiled. "Tak, surely? Are you not a Princess from the faraway land of Denmark?"
"Only for tonight," Ulla told him.
The flowing multicolored dress that seemed to prioritize the amount of cleavage it was showing over any historical accuracy was very much not Ulla's style. She had almost considered telling the hotel clerk to get her a male costume instead.
But why not? This was a costume party after all, why not play a role? Tomorrow she would return to her masculine clothes, tomorrow she would once again be Ulla Tornaes, the adventurous caver.
But for tonight she could play the part of a poor crazy princess.
She gave Belloq a look, wondering how much of his current appearance was a falsehood.
The black frock coat was a good fit to him and he managed to carry the decorated sword at his hip and his fanciful plumed pirate hat with theatricality that made it all seem like an intentional gesture.
He seemed at ease with it, most other men would have looked ridiculous wearing what he did.
Ulla glanced at her dress. She felt ridiculous. It had been a while since she had worn women's clothing. She'd have to get in character.
But Ulla liked the visual image of her and René together. She was taller than him, and the sleeveless low cut dress was showing her well-toned arms. They were an odd pair. There was something very comforting in the image to Ulla.
She let him lead her out of the hotel and to the street. "Will you be a pirate for tonight?"
"Perhaps. It is Mardi Gras, who is to say what will happen?"
"As long as I will not be found face down in the river next morning. I am not going for full authenticity."
René laughed. "You really need to stop listening to our dear friend Jones. I fear he has filled your head with lies and conjecture."
"You think he is not reliable?"
Ulla was not quite yet certain what he thought of Indiana. But if anything he seemed earnest, and Ulla had come to trust him.
"Jones is direct, and in some ways at least deceit does not come to him easily," René said. "But he is bull-headed and has his biases."
Ulla nodded. "That makes sense."
Not that she was going to trust René fully, but the way Indiana had spoken about him had felt... Off.
"He really does hate me," René said.
Ulla gave him a look. "I wonder."
René smiled again, and this time Ulla was certain that the smile he gave her was fake.
"But why are we wasting time talking about Jones, when there are far more pleasant ways to spend our night!"
Ulla brought her hand to her chest melodramatically. "Oh dear, what kind of obscene revelry are you trying to seduce me into?"
"Worry not Mademoiselle, I will keep you and your honor safe. Trust me."
He pulled on her arm. It was not in Ulla's nature to let others take the lead, so for a second she resisted, before remembering the role she had decided to play.
He led her through the colorful crowd of people. It had been a while since Ulla had been middle of a crowd like this. She had spent several months camping on the Guadalupe mountains, alone most of the time. She enjoyed a solitary existence, but cities had their charm.
As did the man next to her. She had no intention on sleeping with him, and was almost certain his desires did not lay in women's direction, but she was enjoying the flirting.
He was intelligent, and as they walked through the city, he would occasionally stop to point at a building or other landmark and give her a quick nugget of New Orleans history.
Ulla mostly listened, occasionally dropping a question.
And she wondered about René Belloq.
There was something very earnest about him too, she felt. Ulla wondered what he would be like tomorrow, when the revelries of the masquerade would be over.
Once again, Ulla found her thoughts turning to René and Indiana.
Any casual observer would have thought the two of them were complete opposites in every possible way.
But-
"You are very similar, Indiana and you."
René glanced at her. For a fraction of a second he looked genuinely unguarded.
And like he wanted to believe it.
Before he could reply, Ulla continued: "And I think he knows that too."
René shook his head and the smile Ulla had learned to recognize as fake danced on his lips.
"Perhaps it is too late for you, Mademoiselle and you should get to bed. You are starting to make no sense. Or is it your role as Ophelia seeping to your words? Or is it the absinthe talking?"
"Perhaps so," Ulla said. "But how do you say, In vino veritas, no? Alcohol reveals the inner desires, is that not the wisdom?"
She thought back to their dinner earlier. The three of them at the table, her, René and Indiana. How for a small moment when the two men had discussed the beliefs different ancient societies had about the shape of the world she had felt like an intruder. Indiana had smiled at something René had said and for a fraction of a second his fingers had brushed against René's.
The moment had passed quickly and Indiana had returned to his previous hostile attitude towards René.
No , Ulla thought, He had ramped it up .
"Are you genuinely going to go through with it?" Ulla asked. "The duel?"
René shrugged. "Perhaps. Perhaps we have passed the point of no return?"
"It's foolish posturing."
"Perhaps you are familiar with the concept of doppelgänger?" René asked.
"A double. A person who looks like you."
"Or perhaps is like you. A shadowy reflection. You see him standing across the room and know the world can't possibly have room for both of you. You are too similar, you inhabit the same place in the world. And you know it can't go on forever. We always hate the qualities in others we recognize in ourselves."
They stood in silence for a moment. Eventually Ulla spoke.
"Do you hate him?"
Belloq didn't answer.