Julia nodded at Miss.Childs response, smiling a little. She was about to go to sit beside her when a woman came into the room, the one she assumed had been talking to Miss.Childs minutes earlier.
She smiled and bowed her head out of respect, blushing slightly at her remark about fair ladies but smiling brightly, she was never one to accept compliments well.
“Greetings Miss.Henrietta..oh..uhh..Henny” She blushed further, being so socially awkward made her a quiet person at heart “I’m..I’m Julia…”
At Miss.Childs gesture, she took a seat quickly, her cheeks still slightly flushed. She watched and smiled a little as Veronica brought in the tea, though sat still with her hands in her lap.
At Hennys question she tilted her head a little. “I think I may have been a few years ago…though I’m sure I would of remembered someone so beautiful..” She blushed further, her comment hadn’t sounded so awkward in her head. “Its lovely to meet you too Miss.Henny..”
Julia looked to them both as the silence fell over the room, catching the glance they made. She remained quiet at the mention of invites, assuming they meant the ball. Looking down to her hands playing with a thread on her dress she just listened to them, wondering who they were talking about when they referred to a ‘Beast’ with a silent sigh.
Henrietta was very good at picking up on others, and noted that Julia had let out a sigh. Chewing the inside of her cheek, whilst toying with her tea cup and saucer, Henny gave Winnie a sideways glance and asked.
“Should we tell her? I mean, its only fit an proper. Might save her life one day.” Henny said, her jade coloured eyes sparkling in the reflection of the candle light. Winnie furrowed her brow, as another crack of lightning jagged along the window pane. The rain was getting heavier, the night was truly frightful outside. “Tis no time for ghost stories, Henny. I am sure Julia would like to be able to sleep when we blow out the last candle.” Winnie was concerned, that Julia might take fright from what she and Henny knew of the mysterious Count.
“But this is not a ghost story.” Henny added, turning her attention to Julia. “Many hundreds of years ago, in the forests of Bavaria, there was said to be a legend, of a man that wore the skins of a wolf. Folk stories said, that he came to villages at the stroke of Midnight, and stole villagers from their beds. Terrorizing whole towns. But the interesting part is, their bodies were never found.” Henny’s voice became a whisper, as she leaned forward in her chair. “They say that the terror did not just strike at the peasants, but a nobleman…no..he was no nobleman. A Prince. Taken from his stead and slashed by the man in the wolf skins. From that day on…the Royal family was cursed. From Father to Son.”
Winnie sat quietly, placing her tea cup and saucer upon her lap, listening to this story, like she had heard it one hundred times before.
“It is a story.”
“Is it, Winnie? Really? You know better than to lead a girl to believe otherwise. For her sake.”
Winnie then appeared perturbed and sat her cup and saucer on the side table. She then took out the invitation, that was marked with the royal seal of the Bavarian royals. In its crest; a Wolf’s head. Winnie locked eyes on Julia. Henny then pulled out her invitation,and again, the same crest.
“This is no coincidence. I will not lie. I am not an angel like Winnie here. I am of the dark, a witch. Not a bad witch, but one all the same. Why did we both get invitations? Hmm? A Bavarian Royal…who bares the mark of the wolf.”
Winnie toyed with the invitation, and then set it down again, as Henny smiled and took her hand. “You had the same sense of this that I did. The legend is truth. The man was not wearing skins of a wolf. He was a wolf…a wolf man. A werewolf.”
<3>
Julia perked a brow at the conversation between the two ‘Should we tell her? I mean, its only fit an proper. Might save her life one day.’ Tell her what? She frowned a little in confusion, though she was generally quite happy being left in the dark about things, this seemed important.
Resting her hands in her lap, she patiently waited for them to decide when she heard them talking about Ghost stories. Is that all it was? She wasn’t sure whether it was just a way for Miss.Childs to protect her or if i really was just a story.
As Henny told her the story, she was looking at her inquisitively, she was curious yes, but she would never just ask as it was rude. ‘…They say that the terror did not just strike at the peasants, but a nobleman…no..he was no nobleman. A Prince. Taken from his stead and slashed by the man in the wolf skins. From that day on…the Royal family was cursed. From Father to Son.’ This sounded more like an accusation and the truth rather than a story, even if it was elaborated. It seemed Henny knew what she was talking about and Julia’s eyes widened slightly. She had heard of this story before but it had greatly differentiated from this one.
After Henny was finished, Miss.Childs comment made her think, if she thought it was just a story…..Henny then spoke again. She was getting whiplash from all these mixed messages.
It was then the invitations were pulled out, her gaze falling on the one in Miss.Childs hand, then glancing to Henny at her comment. ‘…I am not an angel like Winnie here. I am of the dark, a witch. Not a bad witch, but one all the same…’ A witch? She had no judgment on this but she had a lot to learn about this immortal world anyway.
She looked back to Miss.Childs when she eventually admitted the truth. A Werewolf? Her jaw dropped a little. They actually exist? She looked stunned but finally spoke
“So…the Royal family are Werewolves?….” It was more for clarification than anything
“The Bavarian Royals. Why yes, Dear.” Henny said, taking a sip of her tea. She said it so matter of factly, like everyone must have known this. Winnie kept quiet during this time, as Henny took the floor. “He’s been to this country before you know. The Count. I believe his name is Virgo. Handsome devil. Surrounded by beautiful women of society. A real….lady killer.” This was said with a tone that had one suggest it was a double meaning. Winnie set down her tea cup and saucer. She was concerned that this was all a bit too much for the young lady to take in. First the mention of witches, then were wolves. What on earth would they talk about next?
“Henny..you will put the fear of God into the girl, and she only just arrived here not long ago.” It was not lost on Winnie that the young lady would be feeling fearful right now, if the rumor of werewolves existing being true.
“But Winnie, is it not true that knowledge against those that may harm us, to be the best form of defense a young girl might have?” Henny had a point, and in the light of the recent murders in Hollow street, plus rumors of things that are happening at the Cathedral, it would be a good idea to know what to look out for. Henny rose from her chair, and walked slowly to the window, where outside it was raining quite hard.
“These times are one of great change in the world. So many marvelous feats by mankind, and there are those that seek to use this for their own ends.” She looked back at Julia and then said.
“Nothing is what it seems. Behind the glamour of many lurks evil that you can’t even begin to comprehend.”
“Why do you tell us this now, Henny? Why are you not part of it?”
“I may be a witch, but then I believe in nature, and the balance of good and evil. There is a definite shift in that though. One wants to rule it all.”
<3>
Henny took her seat after peering out the window, and she could have sworn there was a mighty flash of light that had come from the high end of town. Shaking her head, trying to take her mind off what that could have been, she picked up her tea cup and drank the last of her tea. Holding the cup in her hands, she was about to say something witty, till she looked down at the tea leaves in her cup…
What she saw had her heart almost stop. The tea cup suddenly rattled in her saucer, and her hand was trembling violently.“Oh…oh no. No no no.” Henny repeated, over and over. Winnie, was surprised at Henny’s reaction over a cup of tea. “That tea is imported, all the way from the East Indies. I over only the very best.” Clearly, she thought there was something wrong with the tea, not what was left in the cup. Henny’s head rose slightly, and she tilted the cup so that Winnie could see the inside of the cup. The bottom had a marking in it. Death. Someone…very important had just died. But who?
“You read the tea leaves?” Winnie asked, her eyebrow arching.
“They never lie.” Henny muttered, and she set down the cup, suddenly becoming flustered. “Can’t you feel it? I saw the lights..I saw…I saw..” She suddenly became rigid, and fell back in her chair, as though going into a trance. Her head fell forward, like she was asleep, and Winnie inched forward in her chair, only to see Henny’s head rocket back up, eyes black as the pits of hell. The voice that emerged, was not that of Henny, but another….a dark voice that spoke in Latin.
“Pater familias…..pater familias….requiescat in pace.”
“Who…who is to rest?” Winnie asked of the spirit that had spoken through Henny. The voice replied simply; “Amos….”Winnie fell back in her chair. “Amos…Roxburg?” On the question of the name, Henny finally came too and looked up at Winnie with tearful eyes. “He’s…dead.”
The two women sat in a stunned silence, as outside the window a raven tried to tap on the window glass. Winnie knew one thing. A meeting of council would be in order….for this night, Evil had just killed one of their own.
<3>
(thread change – Town hall)
~A few weeks after the discovery of Amos Roxburg’s death~
The clock was ticking, loudly as it does, with Miss Winifred sitting in her favourite chair, doing cross stitch, while Henrietta flounced into the room, her apron covered in a nasty green stain. She was mumbling and muttering to herself, trying to clean some goo off her fingers. It was a foul smelling thing, and immediately Winnie set down her cross stitch in her lap and stared at her with steely blue eyes.
“Hen?”
“Ugh…this pongs. Yes, Winnie?”
“What…is that gunk on your fingers?”
“Oh this…this…is a disaster. I was trying my hand at a new lotion, that you use on a woman’s hair to give it a more luxurious feel. I was testing it on your cat.”
Now this had Winnie’s eye brows shoot up, as she saw Mr Snookims dart in the sitting room door, with clumps of hair falling off. Miss Winifred jumped out of her chair, seeing the cat in such a state. It stunk, and it looked terrified.
“Why did you test your potion on my cat?!” Winnie screeched, picking up the stinky pussy and then holding it out from her as it meowed pitifully. Henrietta simply shrugged and said.
“Well the maid said no, when I asked her. Didn’t think your cat would mind.”
<3>
The sight before Vivian would have been an unusual one to say the least, with the angel berating the witch for her mad potions and tampering with the Angel’s cat. Clumps of fur that were still sizzling, were dropping to the ground, seared off by that dreaded potion that Henrietta had used. It was actually looking more and more comical, as far as Hen was concerned.
“It will grow back.” Henrietta protested, right as the sound of a young girl’s voice was heard at the door.
“H-Hello, Mister Bianchi recommended I come to this boarding house to find a room while I get on my feet, I…hope I’m not interrupting anything”
Henrietta was now trying to restrain her laughter, when the maid also walked in and caught sight of the now bald and stinky pussy.
“Oh my stars…that could have been me!” Veronica the maid gasped, and she dashed over to start picking up the many clumps of fur that were littering the carpet. Winifred was still holding out the cat, when she realized she was being addressed and looked at the young girl with a raised brow.
“Just your usual pickle that my good friend Henny likes to put us through.”
“Mr Snookims doesn’t smell like pickles…more like last weeks garbage…Poooh!” Hen blurted, waving her hand in front of her face, as she tried to hold back her mirth. Torturing that cat was a lot of fun. but then the most unusual thing happened. The young girl started to speak…directly to the cat.
“Aww don’t worry Mr Snookims, the fur will grow back rather fast, if you need some to keep you warm I’m sure I can find something to keep you warm” Both Hen and Winnie watched the girl with incredulous faces, and their eyes darted from the girl to the cat and back.
No Mr Snookims, I don’t know how to knit but I promise if your Mistress allowed I am sure a blanket and a hug will suffice”
As Veronica continued to pick up the clumps of fur, Winnie coughed and urged her maid to go fetch a blanket, so the new girl could…hug the cat.
“Yes Miss Winifred.” The maid bobbed a curtsy and left the room, while Winnie set the cat down on the floor, no longer wanting to have to hold the stinky thing. She shot Hen a nasty look, as Hen chewed her bottom lip, trying not to laugh.
“How long have you been able to communicate with animals, Miss?” Winifred asked, now regaining her composure, as Veronica brought back in a blanket and handed it to Vivian. All eyes were now on the girl, to see what she would say.
<3>
“Yes Yes, I know I’m looking like I’m holding a kitty shaped bald baby Mr but its better then freezing your pussy off no?. Oh Miss, I’ve been able to do it since I was born, I can hear them and understand them as well as talk to them, for some reason when I speak English they seem to understand me word for word, A weird thing but I’ve never hated it, I often like the personality of random animals, Mr Snookims is a rather playful but from time to time relaxed cat, however is currently frightened from that Miss with the gunk on her”
-To point this our the cat hissed at Hen, which made her smirk as she went back to softly brush the fur. Smiling softly she looked at Miss Winifred-
“Oh and Miss, rude as it is I forgot to give you my name, I am Vivian Alora, Like allure but with a ah instead. It is a pleasure to meet someone that Mister Bianchi holds in great regards”
The young lady named Vivian was a complete natural when she came to animals, well, cats as far as Winifred and Henrietta knew. Her handling of the bald feline and soothing tone that she used, as she hugged it close intrigued Winnie, though Hen was still finding the entire situation amusing.
Listening politely, both women watched the young girl with marked interest. She spoke to animals in English and they seemed to understand what she was saying. And vice versa. It turned out that Mister Snookims was not at all thrilled with Henrietta at the moment, hissing at her, to which Hen simply hissed back. There was truly no love lost between the two. Again, Winnie frowned at Hen, who rolled her eyes and rose to standing.
“Fun as this has been, I do need to wash this stuff off. If you would all excuse me.” Henrietta said, taking her leave and going out of the room up to her chambers on the next floor.
Being left with just the maid and the young girl, Winifred asked that Veronica get tea for Vivian and herself, so that they might discuss her stay.
“Oh and Miss, rude as it is I forgot to give you my name, I am Vivian Alora, Like allure but with a ah instead. It is a pleasure to meet someone that Mister Bianchi holds in great regards”
The mention of Doctor Bianchi’s name did bring a polite smile to Winifred’s lips. She was terribly fond of the Doctor and hearing that he held her in high regards, brought a slight blush to her cheeks.
“Well Miss Alora…any friend of the Doctor’s is a friend of mine.” Winifred said, gesturing to the now vacated seat for the young lady to sit.
“So you are here to take up a room, and get back on your feet. Understood. Well, I do have some very fine connections in this fair town, that can help you with employment, however I would like to know a little bit about your background, before I start to recommend you to certain employers. It always pays to work with one’s strengths.”
<3>
“I…well, I used to be a young farm helper with my family..but thieves did away with them, Other then that I was raised in a orphanage that was deathly over filled, I have only recently left after overstaying my welcome or as the Mistress said “A selfish brat like you has no right to live in my wonderful home”
-She scoffed, the woman held her ego high but her treatment of the kids was often sad and soul crushing. Shaking her head softly she decided to look back to Miss Winnie with a smile-
“As you saw I am amazing with animals, my unique skill works with all kinds, even one’s I have never even talked to, its rather nice and soothing, especially when you talk to a dove, oh my they have the sweetest voice”
-She sighed happily before tapping her chin-
“I am not strong physically but I am a great multi-tasker, if for nothing else I can at least hold four plates of food in each arm or two complete haybales, one under each arm…they are heavy as all heck though Miss. Is there anything else you wish to know”
As Veronica set down the tray of tea for Winifred and her new guest Vivian, the Angel had a marvelous idea that would see the young girl gain employment quite easily, and also mean she would be paying her keep at the boarding house. As much as Winifred liked to be charitable to young waifs such as Vivian, the times did not always allow for such. Taking up a tea cup and helping herself to some sugar cubes, she stirred her tea lightly with a spoon, before taping the edge and setting the spoon down on the saucer.
“My dear, you have illustrated to me that you have a natural affinity with animals, and can also communicate with them on a level which I doubt few could match or even fathom. It is this in mind that makes me think you would be best suited working for the Zoological society. They opened a zoo here in London and I understand some of the newer attractions are rather difficult to handle. One of the Zoo’s directors is a fine man by the name of Lord Thomas Bailey. He also happens to be a veterinarian, and highly sought after by many of the higher members of society to treat their domestic pets.”
(FC : Liam Hemsworth as Lord Thomas Bailey – bio to come)
Taking a sip from her tea, she set down her tea cup with a light clink, and then placed both hands together in her lap.
“Considering your background and history, I do believe this would be a very good opportunity for you. Tell you what, I will personally send for Lord Bailey to come have tea tomorrow, and after you are rested, you can meet with him here, and hopefully, he may see the same potential in you that I see.”
Veronica popped her head in the door, and she said quickly;
“Miss, I have prepared a room for the young lady to stay in. Fresh linen and towels, so she may have a wash before bed.”
This pleased Winifred greatly, and she gestured with her hand for Vivian to follow the maid up to her new quarters.
“I can see you are tired dear, and a rest may be the best thing for you. Just follow my maid upstairs, and she will show you to your room.”
<3>
