Post by Liessel on Nov 27, 2019 16:05:23 GMT -5
Char:
Half an hour later, the bell downstairs rang and Felix answered it.
The woman who came up the stairs with him a moment later, gowned in dark blue, couldn't have been more different from the blond-haired twins. She shared dark eyes with them, and with some studying one might note that her nose and mouth were also very like theirs, but so distracting was the golden tone of her skin and the black of her hair that at a glance the three of them would never have been mistaken for siblings.
She wore a stylish hat wound with black netting and adorned with a spray of blue feathers. When she was introduced to Liessel, she offered her hand like a man.
"Miss Erphale, this is my sister, Catrona Gaunt," Avery had said half a second before. "Cat, this is Liessel Erphale."
Bobbi:
That time had passed with Liessel exploring the shelves and bookcases within the parlor. She had never heard of the books that the twins had at their disposal, and while the Flynns were getting dressed and ready, Liessel was taking the liberty to finger the pages of some of them. That Victoria was resting, that she was able to rest, was also on her mind. She had given Miss Pemmel a smile before the actress disappeared back into the hide-a-way that was Avery Flynn's personal apartment. It meant she moved with more care so as not to create disturbing noises. Her touch so light to the books she touched that it might as well not have been there. At the end of that half an hour Liessel was sitting on the parlor's sofa, an old book held within her hands. The words she was reading slowly, small passages here and there. It was the sound of footsteps drawing near the parlor that caused her to close the book and rise to her feet. She met Avery, Felix, and their sister with a smile, hesitating for a moment before reaching to take Cat's offered hand. It was not something she had expected. Catrona looked quite a bit different than her brothers. She blinked before speaking, casting a glance toward Avery and his brother before saying "She will understand me?"
Char:
"She'll understand your courtesy," Avery told her, nodding and looking pleased with Liessel. "We'll trim a thread out of my string for her in a moment."
Bobbi:
Acceptance of that answer brought her back around to looking at Cat. Her hand was offered, the idea of the action -- though new -- made a bit of sense, "My heart soars to meet you, carried within the hands of the Blessed." She told Catrona Gaunt. She had taken the other woman's hand, but did not grasp it as someone familiar with the gesture would do. It was simply just a meeting of skin, just contact with no grasp to it.
Char:
Catrona did the grasping and gave her hand a single, gentle shake.
Avery and Felix were watching Catrona keenly. Though smiling, her brow had furrowed faintly in concentration, but it was nearly immediate when she shook her head. "No," she said in a low and lovely voice, "I don't recognize that one." Obviously, that had been for her brothers, though she still regarded Liessel, because the shift from her manner then to a second later, when her smile redoubled for the woman, was stark. "A pleasure, my dear! One moment...."
She turned expectantly.
Avery had the shears. Felix moved to help him unknot his string and carefully tease a single long fiber from it.
Perhaps Cat couldn't understand Liessel, but she clearly knew how this worked, because she explained: "Best to hear the real words first for yourself, before the magic muddies everything."
Bobbi:
"The language?" She was watching what the twins were doing once Catrona had turned toward them. There had been many curious sights that she had seen since coming to England, and was adding this one to it, meeting this Catrona Gaunt.
Char:
"She asks if you mean the language," Felix told his sister.
"Ah--yes. I speak several and am familiar--though I'm afraid not fluent--with a few additional odd ones. Felix wondered if yours might be among the latter, but I fear not. Your tongue is very like those of this world, you see. Very human, made for humans. It is far distant from the other category of languages I've heard."
She held out her left wrist, and Avery made quick work of tying the wispy thread on. Compared to the strings worn by Liessel, Victoria, and the brothers, Cat's did not look like it would withstand any abuse.
Bobbi:
"Other categories?" She had waited until the thread was tied around the lady's wrist before speaking again, a look going to the twins and then back to Catrona, "Like Fairie?"
Char:
Catrona Gaunt blinked and seemed to sharpen in place as if a lens had corrected her image.
A smile spread across Avery's face as he relaxed. "She was in the company of one of the women who frequent's Lady Bright's salon."
That obviously meant something to Cat, and her mistified looked faded. "Ah! Of course. And, well, yes. You have it exactly, Miss Erphale!"
From the hall, and from downstairs, something banged, like a suitcase into the door.
"Never fear," Cat assured Liessel after glancing that way, "that'll be my driver. I was asked to draw a few pictures, and he has my supplies." A look to Avery. "And your groceries, knave!"
Felix said, "I'll just go help him, if you'll excuse me...." And made haste.
Bobbi:
The question of who Lady Bright was lingered just on the tip of her tongue as the name was mentioned, but the urge to ask disappeared when the sound of something banging from down the hall and down the stairs caused Liessel to jump slightly where she stood. It was like being shaken from a thought with a frightful quickness, the idea of possible dangers finding their way into the house not forgotten. An unsure eye was returned to Catrona, Avery and Felix even as Cat was reassuring Liessel that it was the driver with Cat's drawing supplies. The further ease of conversation was enough to bring some peace and nearly reburry the thought of impending danger. This was still a safe place to be. "Knave?" She picked that word up, looking between siblings as Felix took his leave, "What does that mean?"
Char:
Avery's first thought came out of his mouth: "That didn't translate?"
His sister, nearly as tall as he was, got a mischievous twinkle in her eye and jabbed him playfully in the ribs. "It means 'rogue!' My brothers are terribly good at tugging at my heartstrings until I see to their household for them."
Bobbi:
Her answer to Avery had been a head shake that was mid-way arrested in favor of an amused smile at Cat's translation, "Is that so?"
Char:
"Not--" Avery began.
"It is," Cat countered. "They borrow my maid and my butler."
"The maid just the one time. Erm. Rachel, wasn't it?"
"She told me Felix chased her out of every room she tried to clean except the kitchen and your bedroom."
"He does have some sensitive specimens," Avery mused before scoffing. "That's hardly my fault."
Bobbi:
Why did hearing that not surprise her? As she listened, Liessel chuckled, but said no more. She was only just learning about her hosts, and now their sister. These stories, the interactions, were amazing things to witness for her.
Char:
It was the look on Liessel's face that changed the focus enough for Cat to show her brother mercy. By half. "I hope my brothers haven't been terribly barbaric, Miss Erphale," she said with a smile that was meant to make it impossible for Avery to retaliate, as he had a guest.
Bobbi:
"They've been nothing but kind and generous," She told Cat, "To both Miss Pemmel and myself."
Char:
Felix reappeared gripping two fat wooden boxes, with a third, smaller one, tucked under his right arm. He huffed, his expression pinched, and asked, "Are your brushes made of lead?"
Surprise overtook Cat's face when she saw him thus, and her reply to Liessel was lost. "Felix! Dear! Why isn't Philippe helping you?"
Avery moved to do just that, but Felix was already easing the cases down.
"I told him to wait outside. It's not raining."
"What is all this, Cat?" Avery asked.
Their sister had time to frown at Felix for half a second before she was again diverted, the mood shifting. She relaxed and made an elegant gesture. "The small box contains my lead brushes. The other two contain my new optics." At that, Felix lit up. Cat said, "I also have some things for Miss Erphale, but I see now...." She smiled at Liessel from her greater height. "... they're going to require some tailoring. I hope you didn't frighten Philippe so badly that he's left them in the motorcar."
Bobbi:
There was a moment when she stepped forward to help Felix, but Avery was there lending his hand. That meant her mind could turn toward other things -- Cat was saying something about things that required tailoring, and then there were new optics -- "Some things? For me?"
Char:
"I hope you don't mind," Cat told her as Felix and Avery excused themselves to fetch up the stairs what would turn out to be two crates filled with groceries, stacked, and a stack of thick, paper-wrapped parcels topped by a hatbox. While the brothers were gone, Cat explained: "Felix mentioned you were without warm clothing and good shoes. I'm afraid my shoes won't do you much good, but I've brought a coat and some other items. I took the liberty of calling my seamstress, but she won't be available until tomorrow. There may yet be alternatives, however. I understand some of these...." She fished for a moment for the word-- "... window shops... or department shops... whatever they're called, have lovely items already made for selection. Between all our options, I think we'll do just fine making certain you'll be warm no matter how long winter lasts."
Bobbi:
"I have nothing to repay you with," Liessel found herself stammering, "But thank you Miss Gaunt." It was far more than she had expected, which was nothing. There hadn't been a thought spared to what she was wearing any farther than the amount of time she had spent letting Victoria clothe her for the chill and rain the night before. "I simply hadn't considered...."
Char:
Cat's elegant brows rose in amusement. "That you might find yourself in a place where Winter tries to drown us poor souls? I can't say I blame you. We might freeze here, but when we do it's because we're already quite soggy."
Bobbi:
"Well, yes, actually," she smiled, "I'm not quite sure what I can do to pay back your kindness, as it is I am already quite struggling with the kindness your brothers have shown. Felix mentioned they were helping me for England, but I am benefited by it as well. I'm not quite sure what to do with any of this!"
Char:
Cat moved in closer--close enough (if Liessel did not retreat) that she did not have to reach out her arm to lightly touch Liessel's hand, but only to turn her own. She pitched her voice low. "Miss Erphale, don't trouble yourself with thoughts of debts. All will be well."
Bobbi
"Are you sure?" Liessel hadn't retreated. There was not very much room behind her to go that wouldn't end without her bumping into one of the Flynn's arm chairs. Her smile was a nervous one, weak at the corners.
Char:
Cat studied her face carefully for a moment. It was hard to know where the lines were when speaking of money even with dear friends (perhaps especially with dear friends). But the heart of the topic wasn't really money, was it? Even with her brothers having bills to pay and clients to consider. "Barbarians my brothers may be," she said gently, "but as a matter of honor they would not, could not, turn away a woman in need."
Their bills might set Avery to scheming, but that lay in a reality fundamentally separate from one in which a lady came to him for help.
Bobbi:
"Barbarians?" Her brow ticked with a soft inward knitting as if the word startled her, "your brothers have not been savage in any way, Miss Gaunt."
Char:
"I tease, my dear," Cat promised her. "I'm fond of my little brothers, of course."
Heralding their impending return was the low sound of talk from beyond the hall, originating at the foot of the stairs, then a dull bang, then a grunt of effort accompanying the sounds of footfalls and the creak of wood.
Bobbi:
"That is good to hear," she confided, "Victoria thinks highly of them, as well." The noises coming from beyond the parlor caught her attention, and drew her eyes toward the door. Victoria was supposed to be resting. With that amount of noise Liessel wondered just how that was going to be possible.
Char:
Avery passed in and out of view, obscured by a burden of grocery crates. Just behind him Felix appeared with the parcels and hatbox, and made for the low table in front of the fireplace, knocking a stack of books with his foot. They didn't fall, but Catrona hurried over to push them back into a proper tower. "You need more shelves," she noted as she did so. "This is no good for books."
Felix managed to get the parcels down with dropping them into the fire. As soon as he did, Cat was waving him out of the room. "Thank you. Now: begone! I'll see to Miss Erphale. I don't think you care much about ladies' hats anyway."
Even with their height difference, she must have thought something in what she'd brought stood a chance of being suitable enough to see Liessel through a trip to a department store.
Bobbi:
Still feeling a bit unsure in the shadow of the thought of clothes shopping, and in the prospect of trying on what Catrona had brought -- the need was not so dire that she'd take what she could get in that very moment unlike the night before. There was interest, there, though! If wearing clothing from this London would help, if she could obscure even just a portion of where she'd come from then maybe slipping past Septimius would be possible! As would not drawing any attention to herself along the veins of what had happened the night before. "Thank you, Mr Flynn," she was sure to say to Felix as Cat waved him away, "for bringing your sister's things up for us."
Char:
"It was my pleasure." Felix had already begun to leave when Liessel thanked him, at which point he seemed to realize he needed to say something back. Cat raised her eyebrows at him with a tiny jut of her chin. He made a short bow and left.
And what happened next was not a fitting, not mere gifts given. Catrona Gaunt set to work on a whirlwind education for Liessel, boiled down to essentials. What a lady wore, what a lady did, how a lady spoke. There was plenty of irony and humor in Cat's explanation of many of the things that were expected of ladies, and many of the things that ladies could expect of others. She hung all of it around the very practical and concrete presence of the clothes she'd brought, using them to bridge toward a vast variety of topics.
The coat she'd brought would be long on Liessel, but with some tucking of the cuffs and some secret pinning it could be made to work. With the addition of a warm scarf underneath, the hat Cat had brought, and a pair of gloves, no one would guess that what Liessel wore underneath was not wholly suited to a London November. Especially with a trip to Cat's seamstress in the near future.
Then out of the last parcel Cat produced a pair of leather button-up boots with tidy little heels. "Here," she announced, "is where you will be grateful or never forgive me. What do you make of these?"
Bobbi
It was quite a bit to take in, even for someone who had lived their life following the path of the Blessed! At one point during the education, Liessel found herself asking Cat how it was to cope with the restrictions that women of England had to live by. Was it -just- England, or were there other places where women lived like this? The clothing itself was daunting. The tight laces and underpinnings would definitely not be as forgiving as her flowing robes. Even just the coat that Miss Gaunt provided felt confining. It was warm, though, and seemed like it would do a far better job than the costume cloak she had worn the night before. When it came to the boots, Liessel took careful study of them. "They look a lot like what Miss Pemmel had me wearing last night, though smaller."
Char:
At the question, Catrona blinked and stared blankly at Liessel for a moment before leaning in to ask kindly, "Restrictions? What do you mean, my dear?"
The matter of the shoes, if they fit, was a matter of warmth rather than style, but if Liessel was content with what she had for now, something better could be obtained later.
Bobbi:
"The clothing, all the layers you wear. How...tight...everything is....It is all very strange to me." Was her answer, and it came with an innocent blink while she tried to wrap her mind around it all. As for the boots, they were an improvement over being barefoot, but she was unsure of how much she liked them. The previous night hadn't seemed so bad while tromping across London, but today and after some rest she was finding herself missing her flat sandals. "How do you stand wearing these all day?" She asked after having them on her feet for a little less than two minutes.
Char:
Both topics were connected, but Cat seemed to be at a loss. "I'm unsure what you mean. What do the ladies of your homeland wear? And what do they do that is so different?"
Bobbi:
"I've never worn anything but my blue robes. Most other women wear the same, but in colors of their choice. When its colder, the fabric changes but the clothing remains virtually the same. And our feet -- in warmer weather we wear sandals. When it gets cold we wear flat shoes -- nothing at all like this! If a woman has the means her shoes will be lined with warm cloth or fur." A seat was taken on the sofa, the weight of her body taken off of the balls of her feet.
Char:
"Sandals? Like Aphrodite?" Cat's eyes twinkled at the thought.
Bobbi:
"Who?"
Char:
Cat nodded. "One moment--I'll show you."
The dark-haired woman rose and crossed to the back of the parlor, where the lower shelf of one of the bookcases yielded a large, leather bound volume. Careful not to let her skirt disturb any of the stacks of books back there, Cat nonetheless already had it open as she made her way back to join Liessel. Sitting down, she flipped through thick pages that showed reproductions of paintings, mostly in color.
Passing the one she wanted, she thumbed back slightly and presented the painting to Liessel. It showed the gowned goddess Aphrodite, and a number of nymphs, in Greek-inspired attire, down to their sandals. It was a Renaissance painting, a Romanticized forest setting with a spring and a waterfall.
"Here," Cat said softly. "A goddess of beauty, of love. Aphrodite."
Bobbi:
Cat was watched as she went to retrieve the book, and as she came back to join Liessel on the couch. Leaning in, the picture was studied. The details were both amazing and amusing -- the little nymphs that hovered around the depiction of the goddess were almost child-like. "Very much something like this!" She stated excitedly, "It is very similar, yes!"
Char:
"I daresay a goddess could get away with sandals in November," Cat joked, "but the rest of us require a few more layers."
Bobbi:
At that Liessel stretched her legs out and looked down at the boots she was wearing, heels tipped against the floor as she knocked the toes of her boots together, "That is rather unfortunate, I think."
Char:
Cat eyed Liessel's boots. "Oh, I don't know. I think they look quite good on you. Make you taller, too. But you may choose according to your tastes when we go out. Shall we do the portraits before or after our journey into the realm of the middle class?"
Bobbi:
"In all honesty," she told Cat with a small smile, "I'd prefer to go barefoot. But, practicality must rule! And I think we should do the portraits first. Just in case..."
Char:
That was met with a nod. "Agreed." She retrieved the small wooden box and a large notebook of thick paper from inside one of the optics cases and retook her place on the sofa. When she opened the box, a fine array of pens and charcoal pencils of various hardnesses was revealed, along with brushes, small pots of ink, blotters, a folded cloth, and pigments underneath in sealed jars. It all gave off a thick, dull scent that was the blend of oils, pencils, and the cedar of the box itself.
Cat opened her notebook to a blank page halfway through and rested it on her lap. In so doing, a few of the pages could be seen, covered every inch in sketches of people's faces, multiple angles on a particular calico cat, flowers, moths, even the very box of art supplies open before Liessel now.
"I've never quite tried to do what Felix requested," she told Liessel a little hesitantly. "I usually see my subjects myself at least once, you see. But perhaps if we take it slowly, we may between us find a way to depict the man."
Bobbi:
The box of implements and medium did not hold as much fascination as the book carried for Liessel. As pages were flipped through she caught what she could of each image by leaning in just a bit to see them better. "You drew all these?" Was asked not for clarification but because her next statement was, "They are beautiful!" Which ended with a nod of agreement to Catrona Gaunt's statement. "Where would you like me to start?"
Char:
In response to the first question: a nod. Then at the compliment Cat smiled sheepishly, pleased. "When I need to clear my head or make a peaceful moment for myself, I draw," she explained quietly, smoothing the blank page lovingly.
Then she reached out to fetch up a pencil.
"Let us begin with the man's eyes. I always start with them. They are the most honest parts of the body, and cannot be disguised. Tell me about this man and his eyes."
Bobbi:
"Well," the hesitation she started speaking with died away the more she spoke. Details were given with care toward how Septimius's eyes were shaped, how they sat on his face -- how close they were to his nose -- what they were and how cold they'd become. She went as slow as Cat needed her to, pausing every now and then to give Cat time for the rendering.
Char:
Cat sketched fast. She sat so that Liessel could see every line as it was made. She made outlines of eyes, suggested brow lines, and made a quick suggestion of the outline of a head to give the eyes context. With barely anything down, and nothing all darkened or shaded, she began to ask whether she'd drawn them too big or small. From that might stem Liessel pointing out other problems, from the shape of the head to the tilt of the brows or depth around the eyes. It seemed a good way to know which direction to take her second sketch, then a third, a fourth, each time hopefully refined in ways that might make abstract lines more and more recognizable to Liessel.
Cat had begun small; each of these initial, probing quick-sketches took up no more than a sixth of a page. When needed, she would draw out successions of shapes--maybe a row of six eye shapes, and later a row of noses so that Liessel would have a chance to say things like, "It would be most like that, but longer," or "the bridge is shallower" or whatever was appropriate.
Bobbi:
There was no shortage of "More like this," and "Yes, like that,"s as she worked with Catrona to get the likeness right. There were so many details to cover, so many little things to try to remember. The likeness, she began to worry, wasn't going to be fitting enough to be useful. Not due to Cat's efforts but for her failure to remember something properly. What she told Cat did not differ from how she had described Septimius to Felix and Avery.
Char:
The thing about slotting in something that seemed right, was that it often jarred memories about other elements of such a drawing. An eye at the right angle, corrected to be smaller in relation to a sketched-in nose, might cause memories of the nose, or the brow to become sharper. Catrona hoped for perfection, as she was sure Liessel did, but the drawing would be useful the moment it stopped being generic, and began to reflect a real man--however roughly. What more could Avery and Felix really expect?
They were still working on Septimius' likeness when Avery and Felix came in, fully dressed for going out, and formally took their leave. They took their leave in accordance with their sense of priorities: Avery, by bowing and assuring Liessel that she was in good hands, and Felix by pointing out to Catrona the elephant gun, where it leaned inconspicuously inside the parlor's broad doorway.
If this was Liessel's first real look at English gentlemen who weren't gussied up as part of a comedic opera set in Egypt, then she'd note the slimming, tailored styles. Avery wore a good suit of dark grey under his coat, with a tie of a very deep blue, a top hat, gloves, and fine shoes. Liessel couldn't know it, but Avery was at the cutting edge of fashion. Not so, Felix, though he looked just fine. Under his coat, he looked like he was somebody's driver, or like he was going to the country, in grey tweed, tall boots, and a soft newsboy's cap instead of a more formal hat.
Bobbi:
The leave taking of the brothers was taken all in good stride, the fine attire taken note of. Liessel waited until the brothers were clearly gone before asking Cat, "Can -- they -- uhm. How do they breathe dressed like that?" The clothing was quite a bit different than what she had seen at the theater the night before, and the bed clothes she had first seen Avery and Felix in. It was even different than the clothes she had seen the brothers in that morning at breakfast! Felix didn't look nearly quite so polished at Avery, and still it was quite shocking to see such tight and fine attire for the priestess.
Char:
Catrona blinked over at Liessel, and then leaned forward with a laugh. "Oh, Liessel! It must be very warm where you come from. --I promise you! Avery can do what Avery does very well, dressed in that fashion. And Felix's aim is unbothered." She winked.
Bobbi:
"It amazes me," Liessel told Cat with a bit of a blush, "It truly does! It does me good to hear that what is worn is not so binding as it appears, I just can't imagine how it would be so."
Char:
Cat looked perplexed. Was perplexed. She breathed. "Mm. Back to this, shall we...?"
If they made progress, Liessel was the only measure. The twins hoped for a picture of Geissel, too, if they could get it, but Cat thought it wisest to focus on achieving one single useful portrait, if the alternative was two of questionable worth.
Bobbi:
Cat got a nod from Liessel, and little detail by little detail the image was built and came together until, sometime later, Liessel was staring down at a pretty darn close likeness of Septimius. "That's him," was her final word on the matter, her voice small and quiet in the parlor around them, "That's Septimius."
Char:
Silent, Catrona stared at the face.
She rested the notebook evenly between them so neither had to crane to study the drawing. For some minutes she had nothing to say, cocking her head thoughtfully.
Then:
"He has sad eyes."
Bobbi:
"They used to be happier. He used to smile and laugh. Geissel made him this way." Her volume hadn't risen very much as she continued to look down at the image.
Char:
Catrona looked over at Liessel, quiet, nodding once. "Shall we find her face in a page of my notebook?" she asked very softly, reaching out a light hand to rest it on Liessel's shoulder.
Bobbi:
"Yes," for all the sadness she had felt looking the sketch of Septimius, she now spoke with resolve.
Char:
Using the same methods that had worked the best with Septimius' picture, Cat cooperated with Liessel to systematically perfect proportions and angles to the best of their united ability. She started over dozens of times, turning pages to work on the backs, redoing the small sketches to include new input or corrections from Liessel. Only the final sketch might take up an entire sheet.
Bobbi:
It would take just a little bit less time with Liessel being more comfortable with the process this time through. Details were given, and features perfected one at a time with corrections made along the way with each passing page until Liessel was staring down into the face of a woman with dark hair that was wavy and rounded eyes. She had a sharp nose, and skin deep beauty even by England's standards with high cheekbones and full lips. Her face was heart shaped, but thin. Silently, as the final image was completed, Liessel nodded. This was Geissel.
Char:
This image, too, left Catrona in contemplation for a short time. She breathed in deeply and sighed it out slowly.
"Well done, Miss Erphale," she breathed at last. "With these, perhaps you've given my brothers keys to protect you."
Bobbi:
"And England," she added quietly, still looking down at the image. After a moment she tore her eyes away from Geissel's face and looked over at Cat, "Thank you for taking the time, Miss Gaunt."
Char:
Resting the sketch on her lap, Cat regarded Liessel. At first, a smile was there, small, subdued, acknowledging the quiet thanks. When the smile faded, thoughtfulness remained. Her eyes sought Liessel's, in subtle back and forth.
She shifted, leaning very slightly closer. "If there were anything more... if you knew of further dangers... you would tell my brothers, wouldn't you? Like many young men, I suspect they privately believe they're immortal. But they are not immortal."
Bobbi:
"If I did," the woman Cat had been working with nodded just slightly, sharing her own small smile, "You may have no doubt that I would tell them. I do not want to see them harmed anymore than I would want to stop breathing."
Char:
Cat nodded. Sat more straight, and gazed again at Geissel's likeness with a sigh. "Would that our outer faces could be depended upon to reflect our inner selves. How different all of history would be." She looked sad.
Briskly, then, Catrona Gaunt stood up, her skirts falling with a rustle.
Bobbi:
By the way those words sounded coming from Cat, Liessel allowed herself a moment to wonder. The soft swish of Cat's skirts falling about her ankles as she stood brought the priestess out of her small moment. She found herself looking down at the image if Geissel and then back to where Cat now stood, "Has your history known many people like Geissel?"
Char:
"Tyrants?" Cat regarded her, having twisted back at the question. "I should say so, the world over. They seem to sprout from soil too long fallow. Once people forget to be on their guard, they rear up. Is Geissel a rarity in your home?"
Bobbi:
"If she isn't then stories of those before her are not told. The place I come from has not known anything but peace for generations, according to what is known of our history. There have been mad rulers, yes, but none so violent as Geissel."
Char:
"What makes her different, I wonder?" the woman mused, the sad note back in her voice. "There are those of our age who believe peace must beget peace. That the incidence of war is due to imperfect peace, rather than something dark in the heart of mankind."
Bobbi:
"Do you think that is true?" Liessel asked, fiddling with a frill on the mass of skirt that swallowed and covered her legs.
Char:
"No," Cat told her flatly. "But I do not think darkness is universal in us." She paused. "I hope that sentiment is not causing you to doubt. That's not what I intended to say at all."
Bobbi:
Her head shook, her brow knit in distraction. There was thought behind her features as she answered, "No, not in what I know now from having seen it myself. I am just wondering if the history of my people isn't what we were taught -- if the peace that was known before my time, and my father's time, was all just -- fabricated -- to keep atrocities shaded."
Char:
Catrona Gaunt focused on Liessel for a moment in silence. Then she closed some of the distance she'd opened between them to say: "How possible might that be? I know nothing about your society... What kind of people keep your histories, and who might be able to question the various versions?"
Bobbi:
"We do have record keepers. If anyone might know it would be them. Their knowledge of history is what keeps the stories of The Blessed and our ancestors from dying. I can imagine that it would be rather easy to change details about the past for people like them."
Char:
"Here," the lady said, "we have all kinds of counter-balances to such changes. Independent presses of all kinds that run articles detailing the work of snoops and reporters. There is what I would call a healthy skepticism regarding what our citizenry is told and what we read. A well-earned skepticism, too... but I view it like a callus. We wouldn't have it if we did not need it."
Bobbi:
"What is 'snoops'?" The question came with a curious bend to her brow, and an innocence to her voice as she looked up at Cat before standing herself. She was going to have to get up at some point, and get used to the odd footwear Cat had lent her.
Char:
"Ah--" Cat caught on the word. "--'investigators.' Forgive me. I've been reading the dreadfuls, I'm embarrassed to admit."
Bobbi:
The curious look did not disappear, " 'Dreadfuls' ?" Her expression broke into a small amused smile, "Are they called so because they are awful? Is that why are you embarrassed to admit reading them?"
Char:
Catrona frowned further, until Liessel herself saved her. "Awful, yes. So awful. I'm mortified that the low vocabulary leaks into my conversation!"
Bobbi:
A moment's thought was given to that, and how horrible the 'Dreadfuls' had to actually be to illicit such a reaction from Miss Gaunt, "I -- think I would like to read them, myself. I am curious to see how bad they are."
Char:
Catrona squinted an eye in response. "Do you...?"
Bobbi:
Eagerly, Liessel nodded, "Very much so!"
Mar 7, 4:22 PM
Char:
Cat was nonplussed, looked it, tilted her head about to say something, thought better of it and closed her mouth. "I'll... see what I can do, Miss Erphale." He reached out a gentle hand toward Liessel. "Shall we see to your wardrobe, my dear...?"
Half an hour later, the bell downstairs rang and Felix answered it.
The woman who came up the stairs with him a moment later, gowned in dark blue, couldn't have been more different from the blond-haired twins. She shared dark eyes with them, and with some studying one might note that her nose and mouth were also very like theirs, but so distracting was the golden tone of her skin and the black of her hair that at a glance the three of them would never have been mistaken for siblings.
She wore a stylish hat wound with black netting and adorned with a spray of blue feathers. When she was introduced to Liessel, she offered her hand like a man.
"Miss Erphale, this is my sister, Catrona Gaunt," Avery had said half a second before. "Cat, this is Liessel Erphale."
Bobbi:
That time had passed with Liessel exploring the shelves and bookcases within the parlor. She had never heard of the books that the twins had at their disposal, and while the Flynns were getting dressed and ready, Liessel was taking the liberty to finger the pages of some of them. That Victoria was resting, that she was able to rest, was also on her mind. She had given Miss Pemmel a smile before the actress disappeared back into the hide-a-way that was Avery Flynn's personal apartment. It meant she moved with more care so as not to create disturbing noises. Her touch so light to the books she touched that it might as well not have been there. At the end of that half an hour Liessel was sitting on the parlor's sofa, an old book held within her hands. The words she was reading slowly, small passages here and there. It was the sound of footsteps drawing near the parlor that caused her to close the book and rise to her feet. She met Avery, Felix, and their sister with a smile, hesitating for a moment before reaching to take Cat's offered hand. It was not something she had expected. Catrona looked quite a bit different than her brothers. She blinked before speaking, casting a glance toward Avery and his brother before saying "She will understand me?"
Char:
"She'll understand your courtesy," Avery told her, nodding and looking pleased with Liessel. "We'll trim a thread out of my string for her in a moment."
Bobbi:
Acceptance of that answer brought her back around to looking at Cat. Her hand was offered, the idea of the action -- though new -- made a bit of sense, "My heart soars to meet you, carried within the hands of the Blessed." She told Catrona Gaunt. She had taken the other woman's hand, but did not grasp it as someone familiar with the gesture would do. It was simply just a meeting of skin, just contact with no grasp to it.
Char:
Catrona did the grasping and gave her hand a single, gentle shake.
Avery and Felix were watching Catrona keenly. Though smiling, her brow had furrowed faintly in concentration, but it was nearly immediate when she shook her head. "No," she said in a low and lovely voice, "I don't recognize that one." Obviously, that had been for her brothers, though she still regarded Liessel, because the shift from her manner then to a second later, when her smile redoubled for the woman, was stark. "A pleasure, my dear! One moment...."
She turned expectantly.
Avery had the shears. Felix moved to help him unknot his string and carefully tease a single long fiber from it.
Perhaps Cat couldn't understand Liessel, but she clearly knew how this worked, because she explained: "Best to hear the real words first for yourself, before the magic muddies everything."
Bobbi:
"The language?" She was watching what the twins were doing once Catrona had turned toward them. There had been many curious sights that she had seen since coming to England, and was adding this one to it, meeting this Catrona Gaunt.
Char:
"She asks if you mean the language," Felix told his sister.
"Ah--yes. I speak several and am familiar--though I'm afraid not fluent--with a few additional odd ones. Felix wondered if yours might be among the latter, but I fear not. Your tongue is very like those of this world, you see. Very human, made for humans. It is far distant from the other category of languages I've heard."
She held out her left wrist, and Avery made quick work of tying the wispy thread on. Compared to the strings worn by Liessel, Victoria, and the brothers, Cat's did not look like it would withstand any abuse.
Bobbi:
"Other categories?" She had waited until the thread was tied around the lady's wrist before speaking again, a look going to the twins and then back to Catrona, "Like Fairie?"
Char:
Catrona Gaunt blinked and seemed to sharpen in place as if a lens had corrected her image.
A smile spread across Avery's face as he relaxed. "She was in the company of one of the women who frequent's Lady Bright's salon."
That obviously meant something to Cat, and her mistified looked faded. "Ah! Of course. And, well, yes. You have it exactly, Miss Erphale!"
From the hall, and from downstairs, something banged, like a suitcase into the door.
"Never fear," Cat assured Liessel after glancing that way, "that'll be my driver. I was asked to draw a few pictures, and he has my supplies." A look to Avery. "And your groceries, knave!"
Felix said, "I'll just go help him, if you'll excuse me...." And made haste.
Bobbi:
The question of who Lady Bright was lingered just on the tip of her tongue as the name was mentioned, but the urge to ask disappeared when the sound of something banging from down the hall and down the stairs caused Liessel to jump slightly where she stood. It was like being shaken from a thought with a frightful quickness, the idea of possible dangers finding their way into the house not forgotten. An unsure eye was returned to Catrona, Avery and Felix even as Cat was reassuring Liessel that it was the driver with Cat's drawing supplies. The further ease of conversation was enough to bring some peace and nearly reburry the thought of impending danger. This was still a safe place to be. "Knave?" She picked that word up, looking between siblings as Felix took his leave, "What does that mean?"
Char:
Avery's first thought came out of his mouth: "That didn't translate?"
His sister, nearly as tall as he was, got a mischievous twinkle in her eye and jabbed him playfully in the ribs. "It means 'rogue!' My brothers are terribly good at tugging at my heartstrings until I see to their household for them."
Bobbi:
Her answer to Avery had been a head shake that was mid-way arrested in favor of an amused smile at Cat's translation, "Is that so?"
Char:
"Not--" Avery began.
"It is," Cat countered. "They borrow my maid and my butler."
"The maid just the one time. Erm. Rachel, wasn't it?"
"She told me Felix chased her out of every room she tried to clean except the kitchen and your bedroom."
"He does have some sensitive specimens," Avery mused before scoffing. "That's hardly my fault."
Bobbi:
Why did hearing that not surprise her? As she listened, Liessel chuckled, but said no more. She was only just learning about her hosts, and now their sister. These stories, the interactions, were amazing things to witness for her.
Char:
It was the look on Liessel's face that changed the focus enough for Cat to show her brother mercy. By half. "I hope my brothers haven't been terribly barbaric, Miss Erphale," she said with a smile that was meant to make it impossible for Avery to retaliate, as he had a guest.
Bobbi:
"They've been nothing but kind and generous," She told Cat, "To both Miss Pemmel and myself."
Char:
Felix reappeared gripping two fat wooden boxes, with a third, smaller one, tucked under his right arm. He huffed, his expression pinched, and asked, "Are your brushes made of lead?"
Surprise overtook Cat's face when she saw him thus, and her reply to Liessel was lost. "Felix! Dear! Why isn't Philippe helping you?"
Avery moved to do just that, but Felix was already easing the cases down.
"I told him to wait outside. It's not raining."
"What is all this, Cat?" Avery asked.
Their sister had time to frown at Felix for half a second before she was again diverted, the mood shifting. She relaxed and made an elegant gesture. "The small box contains my lead brushes. The other two contain my new optics." At that, Felix lit up. Cat said, "I also have some things for Miss Erphale, but I see now...." She smiled at Liessel from her greater height. "... they're going to require some tailoring. I hope you didn't frighten Philippe so badly that he's left them in the motorcar."
Bobbi:
There was a moment when she stepped forward to help Felix, but Avery was there lending his hand. That meant her mind could turn toward other things -- Cat was saying something about things that required tailoring, and then there were new optics -- "Some things? For me?"
Char:
"I hope you don't mind," Cat told her as Felix and Avery excused themselves to fetch up the stairs what would turn out to be two crates filled with groceries, stacked, and a stack of thick, paper-wrapped parcels topped by a hatbox. While the brothers were gone, Cat explained: "Felix mentioned you were without warm clothing and good shoes. I'm afraid my shoes won't do you much good, but I've brought a coat and some other items. I took the liberty of calling my seamstress, but she won't be available until tomorrow. There may yet be alternatives, however. I understand some of these...." She fished for a moment for the word-- "... window shops... or department shops... whatever they're called, have lovely items already made for selection. Between all our options, I think we'll do just fine making certain you'll be warm no matter how long winter lasts."
Bobbi:
"I have nothing to repay you with," Liessel found herself stammering, "But thank you Miss Gaunt." It was far more than she had expected, which was nothing. There hadn't been a thought spared to what she was wearing any farther than the amount of time she had spent letting Victoria clothe her for the chill and rain the night before. "I simply hadn't considered...."
Char:
Cat's elegant brows rose in amusement. "That you might find yourself in a place where Winter tries to drown us poor souls? I can't say I blame you. We might freeze here, but when we do it's because we're already quite soggy."
Bobbi:
"Well, yes, actually," she smiled, "I'm not quite sure what I can do to pay back your kindness, as it is I am already quite struggling with the kindness your brothers have shown. Felix mentioned they were helping me for England, but I am benefited by it as well. I'm not quite sure what to do with any of this!"
Char:
Cat moved in closer--close enough (if Liessel did not retreat) that she did not have to reach out her arm to lightly touch Liessel's hand, but only to turn her own. She pitched her voice low. "Miss Erphale, don't trouble yourself with thoughts of debts. All will be well."
Bobbi
"Are you sure?" Liessel hadn't retreated. There was not very much room behind her to go that wouldn't end without her bumping into one of the Flynn's arm chairs. Her smile was a nervous one, weak at the corners.
Char:
Cat studied her face carefully for a moment. It was hard to know where the lines were when speaking of money even with dear friends (perhaps especially with dear friends). But the heart of the topic wasn't really money, was it? Even with her brothers having bills to pay and clients to consider. "Barbarians my brothers may be," she said gently, "but as a matter of honor they would not, could not, turn away a woman in need."
Their bills might set Avery to scheming, but that lay in a reality fundamentally separate from one in which a lady came to him for help.
Bobbi:
"Barbarians?" Her brow ticked with a soft inward knitting as if the word startled her, "your brothers have not been savage in any way, Miss Gaunt."
Char:
"I tease, my dear," Cat promised her. "I'm fond of my little brothers, of course."
Heralding their impending return was the low sound of talk from beyond the hall, originating at the foot of the stairs, then a dull bang, then a grunt of effort accompanying the sounds of footfalls and the creak of wood.
Bobbi:
"That is good to hear," she confided, "Victoria thinks highly of them, as well." The noises coming from beyond the parlor caught her attention, and drew her eyes toward the door. Victoria was supposed to be resting. With that amount of noise Liessel wondered just how that was going to be possible.
Char:
Avery passed in and out of view, obscured by a burden of grocery crates. Just behind him Felix appeared with the parcels and hatbox, and made for the low table in front of the fireplace, knocking a stack of books with his foot. They didn't fall, but Catrona hurried over to push them back into a proper tower. "You need more shelves," she noted as she did so. "This is no good for books."
Felix managed to get the parcels down with dropping them into the fire. As soon as he did, Cat was waving him out of the room. "Thank you. Now: begone! I'll see to Miss Erphale. I don't think you care much about ladies' hats anyway."
Even with their height difference, she must have thought something in what she'd brought stood a chance of being suitable enough to see Liessel through a trip to a department store.
Bobbi:
Still feeling a bit unsure in the shadow of the thought of clothes shopping, and in the prospect of trying on what Catrona had brought -- the need was not so dire that she'd take what she could get in that very moment unlike the night before. There was interest, there, though! If wearing clothing from this London would help, if she could obscure even just a portion of where she'd come from then maybe slipping past Septimius would be possible! As would not drawing any attention to herself along the veins of what had happened the night before. "Thank you, Mr Flynn," she was sure to say to Felix as Cat waved him away, "for bringing your sister's things up for us."
Char:
"It was my pleasure." Felix had already begun to leave when Liessel thanked him, at which point he seemed to realize he needed to say something back. Cat raised her eyebrows at him with a tiny jut of her chin. He made a short bow and left.
And what happened next was not a fitting, not mere gifts given. Catrona Gaunt set to work on a whirlwind education for Liessel, boiled down to essentials. What a lady wore, what a lady did, how a lady spoke. There was plenty of irony and humor in Cat's explanation of many of the things that were expected of ladies, and many of the things that ladies could expect of others. She hung all of it around the very practical and concrete presence of the clothes she'd brought, using them to bridge toward a vast variety of topics.
The coat she'd brought would be long on Liessel, but with some tucking of the cuffs and some secret pinning it could be made to work. With the addition of a warm scarf underneath, the hat Cat had brought, and a pair of gloves, no one would guess that what Liessel wore underneath was not wholly suited to a London November. Especially with a trip to Cat's seamstress in the near future.
Then out of the last parcel Cat produced a pair of leather button-up boots with tidy little heels. "Here," she announced, "is where you will be grateful or never forgive me. What do you make of these?"
Bobbi
It was quite a bit to take in, even for someone who had lived their life following the path of the Blessed! At one point during the education, Liessel found herself asking Cat how it was to cope with the restrictions that women of England had to live by. Was it -just- England, or were there other places where women lived like this? The clothing itself was daunting. The tight laces and underpinnings would definitely not be as forgiving as her flowing robes. Even just the coat that Miss Gaunt provided felt confining. It was warm, though, and seemed like it would do a far better job than the costume cloak she had worn the night before. When it came to the boots, Liessel took careful study of them. "They look a lot like what Miss Pemmel had me wearing last night, though smaller."
Char:
At the question, Catrona blinked and stared blankly at Liessel for a moment before leaning in to ask kindly, "Restrictions? What do you mean, my dear?"
The matter of the shoes, if they fit, was a matter of warmth rather than style, but if Liessel was content with what she had for now, something better could be obtained later.
Bobbi:
"The clothing, all the layers you wear. How...tight...everything is....It is all very strange to me." Was her answer, and it came with an innocent blink while she tried to wrap her mind around it all. As for the boots, they were an improvement over being barefoot, but she was unsure of how much she liked them. The previous night hadn't seemed so bad while tromping across London, but today and after some rest she was finding herself missing her flat sandals. "How do you stand wearing these all day?" She asked after having them on her feet for a little less than two minutes.
Char:
Both topics were connected, but Cat seemed to be at a loss. "I'm unsure what you mean. What do the ladies of your homeland wear? And what do they do that is so different?"
Bobbi:
"I've never worn anything but my blue robes. Most other women wear the same, but in colors of their choice. When its colder, the fabric changes but the clothing remains virtually the same. And our feet -- in warmer weather we wear sandals. When it gets cold we wear flat shoes -- nothing at all like this! If a woman has the means her shoes will be lined with warm cloth or fur." A seat was taken on the sofa, the weight of her body taken off of the balls of her feet.
Char:
"Sandals? Like Aphrodite?" Cat's eyes twinkled at the thought.
Bobbi:
"Who?"
Char:
Cat nodded. "One moment--I'll show you."
The dark-haired woman rose and crossed to the back of the parlor, where the lower shelf of one of the bookcases yielded a large, leather bound volume. Careful not to let her skirt disturb any of the stacks of books back there, Cat nonetheless already had it open as she made her way back to join Liessel. Sitting down, she flipped through thick pages that showed reproductions of paintings, mostly in color.
Passing the one she wanted, she thumbed back slightly and presented the painting to Liessel. It showed the gowned goddess Aphrodite, and a number of nymphs, in Greek-inspired attire, down to their sandals. It was a Renaissance painting, a Romanticized forest setting with a spring and a waterfall.
"Here," Cat said softly. "A goddess of beauty, of love. Aphrodite."
Bobbi:
Cat was watched as she went to retrieve the book, and as she came back to join Liessel on the couch. Leaning in, the picture was studied. The details were both amazing and amusing -- the little nymphs that hovered around the depiction of the goddess were almost child-like. "Very much something like this!" She stated excitedly, "It is very similar, yes!"
Char:
"I daresay a goddess could get away with sandals in November," Cat joked, "but the rest of us require a few more layers."
Bobbi:
At that Liessel stretched her legs out and looked down at the boots she was wearing, heels tipped against the floor as she knocked the toes of her boots together, "That is rather unfortunate, I think."
Char:
Cat eyed Liessel's boots. "Oh, I don't know. I think they look quite good on you. Make you taller, too. But you may choose according to your tastes when we go out. Shall we do the portraits before or after our journey into the realm of the middle class?"
Bobbi:
"In all honesty," she told Cat with a small smile, "I'd prefer to go barefoot. But, practicality must rule! And I think we should do the portraits first. Just in case..."
Char:
That was met with a nod. "Agreed." She retrieved the small wooden box and a large notebook of thick paper from inside one of the optics cases and retook her place on the sofa. When she opened the box, a fine array of pens and charcoal pencils of various hardnesses was revealed, along with brushes, small pots of ink, blotters, a folded cloth, and pigments underneath in sealed jars. It all gave off a thick, dull scent that was the blend of oils, pencils, and the cedar of the box itself.
Cat opened her notebook to a blank page halfway through and rested it on her lap. In so doing, a few of the pages could be seen, covered every inch in sketches of people's faces, multiple angles on a particular calico cat, flowers, moths, even the very box of art supplies open before Liessel now.
"I've never quite tried to do what Felix requested," she told Liessel a little hesitantly. "I usually see my subjects myself at least once, you see. But perhaps if we take it slowly, we may between us find a way to depict the man."
Bobbi:
The box of implements and medium did not hold as much fascination as the book carried for Liessel. As pages were flipped through she caught what she could of each image by leaning in just a bit to see them better. "You drew all these?" Was asked not for clarification but because her next statement was, "They are beautiful!" Which ended with a nod of agreement to Catrona Gaunt's statement. "Where would you like me to start?"
Char:
In response to the first question: a nod. Then at the compliment Cat smiled sheepishly, pleased. "When I need to clear my head or make a peaceful moment for myself, I draw," she explained quietly, smoothing the blank page lovingly.
Then she reached out to fetch up a pencil.
"Let us begin with the man's eyes. I always start with them. They are the most honest parts of the body, and cannot be disguised. Tell me about this man and his eyes."
Bobbi:
"Well," the hesitation she started speaking with died away the more she spoke. Details were given with care toward how Septimius's eyes were shaped, how they sat on his face -- how close they were to his nose -- what they were and how cold they'd become. She went as slow as Cat needed her to, pausing every now and then to give Cat time for the rendering.
Char:
Cat sketched fast. She sat so that Liessel could see every line as it was made. She made outlines of eyes, suggested brow lines, and made a quick suggestion of the outline of a head to give the eyes context. With barely anything down, and nothing all darkened or shaded, she began to ask whether she'd drawn them too big or small. From that might stem Liessel pointing out other problems, from the shape of the head to the tilt of the brows or depth around the eyes. It seemed a good way to know which direction to take her second sketch, then a third, a fourth, each time hopefully refined in ways that might make abstract lines more and more recognizable to Liessel.
Cat had begun small; each of these initial, probing quick-sketches took up no more than a sixth of a page. When needed, she would draw out successions of shapes--maybe a row of six eye shapes, and later a row of noses so that Liessel would have a chance to say things like, "It would be most like that, but longer," or "the bridge is shallower" or whatever was appropriate.
Bobbi:
There was no shortage of "More like this," and "Yes, like that,"s as she worked with Catrona to get the likeness right. There were so many details to cover, so many little things to try to remember. The likeness, she began to worry, wasn't going to be fitting enough to be useful. Not due to Cat's efforts but for her failure to remember something properly. What she told Cat did not differ from how she had described Septimius to Felix and Avery.
Char:
The thing about slotting in something that seemed right, was that it often jarred memories about other elements of such a drawing. An eye at the right angle, corrected to be smaller in relation to a sketched-in nose, might cause memories of the nose, or the brow to become sharper. Catrona hoped for perfection, as she was sure Liessel did, but the drawing would be useful the moment it stopped being generic, and began to reflect a real man--however roughly. What more could Avery and Felix really expect?
They were still working on Septimius' likeness when Avery and Felix came in, fully dressed for going out, and formally took their leave. They took their leave in accordance with their sense of priorities: Avery, by bowing and assuring Liessel that she was in good hands, and Felix by pointing out to Catrona the elephant gun, where it leaned inconspicuously inside the parlor's broad doorway.
If this was Liessel's first real look at English gentlemen who weren't gussied up as part of a comedic opera set in Egypt, then she'd note the slimming, tailored styles. Avery wore a good suit of dark grey under his coat, with a tie of a very deep blue, a top hat, gloves, and fine shoes. Liessel couldn't know it, but Avery was at the cutting edge of fashion. Not so, Felix, though he looked just fine. Under his coat, he looked like he was somebody's driver, or like he was going to the country, in grey tweed, tall boots, and a soft newsboy's cap instead of a more formal hat.
Bobbi:
The leave taking of the brothers was taken all in good stride, the fine attire taken note of. Liessel waited until the brothers were clearly gone before asking Cat, "Can -- they -- uhm. How do they breathe dressed like that?" The clothing was quite a bit different than what she had seen at the theater the night before, and the bed clothes she had first seen Avery and Felix in. It was even different than the clothes she had seen the brothers in that morning at breakfast! Felix didn't look nearly quite so polished at Avery, and still it was quite shocking to see such tight and fine attire for the priestess.
Char:
Catrona blinked over at Liessel, and then leaned forward with a laugh. "Oh, Liessel! It must be very warm where you come from. --I promise you! Avery can do what Avery does very well, dressed in that fashion. And Felix's aim is unbothered." She winked.
Bobbi:
"It amazes me," Liessel told Cat with a bit of a blush, "It truly does! It does me good to hear that what is worn is not so binding as it appears, I just can't imagine how it would be so."
Char:
Cat looked perplexed. Was perplexed. She breathed. "Mm. Back to this, shall we...?"
If they made progress, Liessel was the only measure. The twins hoped for a picture of Geissel, too, if they could get it, but Cat thought it wisest to focus on achieving one single useful portrait, if the alternative was two of questionable worth.
Bobbi:
Cat got a nod from Liessel, and little detail by little detail the image was built and came together until, sometime later, Liessel was staring down at a pretty darn close likeness of Septimius. "That's him," was her final word on the matter, her voice small and quiet in the parlor around them, "That's Septimius."
Char:
Silent, Catrona stared at the face.
She rested the notebook evenly between them so neither had to crane to study the drawing. For some minutes she had nothing to say, cocking her head thoughtfully.
Then:
"He has sad eyes."
Bobbi:
"They used to be happier. He used to smile and laugh. Geissel made him this way." Her volume hadn't risen very much as she continued to look down at the image.
Char:
Catrona looked over at Liessel, quiet, nodding once. "Shall we find her face in a page of my notebook?" she asked very softly, reaching out a light hand to rest it on Liessel's shoulder.
Bobbi:
"Yes," for all the sadness she had felt looking the sketch of Septimius, she now spoke with resolve.
Char:
Using the same methods that had worked the best with Septimius' picture, Cat cooperated with Liessel to systematically perfect proportions and angles to the best of their united ability. She started over dozens of times, turning pages to work on the backs, redoing the small sketches to include new input or corrections from Liessel. Only the final sketch might take up an entire sheet.
Bobbi:
It would take just a little bit less time with Liessel being more comfortable with the process this time through. Details were given, and features perfected one at a time with corrections made along the way with each passing page until Liessel was staring down into the face of a woman with dark hair that was wavy and rounded eyes. She had a sharp nose, and skin deep beauty even by England's standards with high cheekbones and full lips. Her face was heart shaped, but thin. Silently, as the final image was completed, Liessel nodded. This was Geissel.
Char:
This image, too, left Catrona in contemplation for a short time. She breathed in deeply and sighed it out slowly.
"Well done, Miss Erphale," she breathed at last. "With these, perhaps you've given my brothers keys to protect you."
Bobbi:
"And England," she added quietly, still looking down at the image. After a moment she tore her eyes away from Geissel's face and looked over at Cat, "Thank you for taking the time, Miss Gaunt."
Char:
Resting the sketch on her lap, Cat regarded Liessel. At first, a smile was there, small, subdued, acknowledging the quiet thanks. When the smile faded, thoughtfulness remained. Her eyes sought Liessel's, in subtle back and forth.
She shifted, leaning very slightly closer. "If there were anything more... if you knew of further dangers... you would tell my brothers, wouldn't you? Like many young men, I suspect they privately believe they're immortal. But they are not immortal."
Bobbi:
"If I did," the woman Cat had been working with nodded just slightly, sharing her own small smile, "You may have no doubt that I would tell them. I do not want to see them harmed anymore than I would want to stop breathing."
Char:
Cat nodded. Sat more straight, and gazed again at Geissel's likeness with a sigh. "Would that our outer faces could be depended upon to reflect our inner selves. How different all of history would be." She looked sad.
Briskly, then, Catrona Gaunt stood up, her skirts falling with a rustle.
Bobbi:
By the way those words sounded coming from Cat, Liessel allowed herself a moment to wonder. The soft swish of Cat's skirts falling about her ankles as she stood brought the priestess out of her small moment. She found herself looking down at the image if Geissel and then back to where Cat now stood, "Has your history known many people like Geissel?"
Char:
"Tyrants?" Cat regarded her, having twisted back at the question. "I should say so, the world over. They seem to sprout from soil too long fallow. Once people forget to be on their guard, they rear up. Is Geissel a rarity in your home?"
Bobbi:
"If she isn't then stories of those before her are not told. The place I come from has not known anything but peace for generations, according to what is known of our history. There have been mad rulers, yes, but none so violent as Geissel."
Char:
"What makes her different, I wonder?" the woman mused, the sad note back in her voice. "There are those of our age who believe peace must beget peace. That the incidence of war is due to imperfect peace, rather than something dark in the heart of mankind."
Bobbi:
"Do you think that is true?" Liessel asked, fiddling with a frill on the mass of skirt that swallowed and covered her legs.
Char:
"No," Cat told her flatly. "But I do not think darkness is universal in us." She paused. "I hope that sentiment is not causing you to doubt. That's not what I intended to say at all."
Bobbi:
Her head shook, her brow knit in distraction. There was thought behind her features as she answered, "No, not in what I know now from having seen it myself. I am just wondering if the history of my people isn't what we were taught -- if the peace that was known before my time, and my father's time, was all just -- fabricated -- to keep atrocities shaded."
Char:
Catrona Gaunt focused on Liessel for a moment in silence. Then she closed some of the distance she'd opened between them to say: "How possible might that be? I know nothing about your society... What kind of people keep your histories, and who might be able to question the various versions?"
Bobbi:
"We do have record keepers. If anyone might know it would be them. Their knowledge of history is what keeps the stories of The Blessed and our ancestors from dying. I can imagine that it would be rather easy to change details about the past for people like them."
Char:
"Here," the lady said, "we have all kinds of counter-balances to such changes. Independent presses of all kinds that run articles detailing the work of snoops and reporters. There is what I would call a healthy skepticism regarding what our citizenry is told and what we read. A well-earned skepticism, too... but I view it like a callus. We wouldn't have it if we did not need it."
Bobbi:
"What is 'snoops'?" The question came with a curious bend to her brow, and an innocence to her voice as she looked up at Cat before standing herself. She was going to have to get up at some point, and get used to the odd footwear Cat had lent her.
Char:
"Ah--" Cat caught on the word. "--'investigators.' Forgive me. I've been reading the dreadfuls, I'm embarrassed to admit."
Bobbi:
The curious look did not disappear, " 'Dreadfuls' ?" Her expression broke into a small amused smile, "Are they called so because they are awful? Is that why are you embarrassed to admit reading them?"
Char:
Catrona frowned further, until Liessel herself saved her. "Awful, yes. So awful. I'm mortified that the low vocabulary leaks into my conversation!"
Bobbi:
A moment's thought was given to that, and how horrible the 'Dreadfuls' had to actually be to illicit such a reaction from Miss Gaunt, "I -- think I would like to read them, myself. I am curious to see how bad they are."
Char:
Catrona squinted an eye in response. "Do you...?"
Bobbi:
Eagerly, Liessel nodded, "Very much so!"
Mar 7, 4:22 PM
Char:
Cat was nonplussed, looked it, tilted her head about to say something, thought better of it and closed her mouth. "I'll... see what I can do, Miss Erphale." He reached out a gentle hand toward Liessel. "Shall we see to your wardrobe, my dear...?"