Raiha

[RIGHT][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/maceyellen-chronicle.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/ladybavariaavatar.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/primas-avatar.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/princessaugustine-avatar.jpg[/IMG][/RIGHT] [LEFT][FONT="Times New Roman"][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][i]Macey stood in front of the full length mirror she and her sister shared, her hair carefully assuming the low coil that would set off the hair ornaments slipped into the high curve of the bun. As the only Almagest attending the Royal Coronation of the new Dynast king anyway, she might as well go all out. A dark red gown, touched here and there with flickers of gold thread, sweeping down to her feet, hiding the tips of her boots. Simple jewelry, she knew better than anyone how bad it would be to try and upstage the annoyed princess that would be forced to attend by law.[/i] "Do you think the Princess will try to feign a headache to get out of the proceedings?" "If I were her I'd just decapitate myself and get it over with. She'll never be the Queen now." [i]With a wry chuckle Mell put the finishing touches on her mistress's coiffure and stepped back to let her survey the effect. A slow turn, and the ensemble was pronounced complete. Picking up her purse on the way out the door, Mell followed after, in the black that artfully set off her mistress's gown. The two made their way down the abandoned hallways, a lone servant or two greeting them as they headed for the main doors. The carriage pulled up just as Macey was drifting down the stairs, the footman leaping down to hand her in. Within the hour, they had pulled up to the magnificent grounds of the Mirror Palace, and the footman was assisting Macey down the steps of the carriage. Mell trailed close behind, unwilling to leave her lady's side for a moment. Too soon, the Lady Bavaria drifted over in her own finery to proffer a hand to Macey, all for show she was sure. Macey gripped fingers with her ever so politely, her smile rather fixed.[/i] "Why Macey Ellen, you made it. I was afraid there was nobody left to come to the coronation." "I'm so sorry to have shown up then. But alas, some properties must be attended to regardless of personal feeling." "Speaking of which, I never got the chance to ask you about that traitor boy, Gadget. Wherever he is." "I'm afraid that until you can show me the same kind of government credentials my previous employers had, you'll be forced to keep asking me for the rest of eternity. Although I know a couple of rather good forgers who may be able to assist-" [i]With a flash of rage, Bavaria looked Macey directly in the eyes, only to find a smirk of smugness glinting in her expression, dancing in her smile. She flounced off, only to be replaced by the Princess Augustine herself, determined to greet every guest of high birth even if it killed her. Mell prodded Macey surreptitiously, who turned exactly in time to greet the very out of sorts royalty. The princess brought a dramatic hand to her forehead much to Macey's amusement.[/i] "Ah Macey, so good to see another Almagest here today. Perhaps you'll be able to understand my horrible plight." "All to well your Highness. I think Czenovia could've benefited immensely from a female ruler such as yourself." "Why I had no idea your sensibilities were so modern." "Well incase you've forgotten, I am the only noble lady thus far to initiate divorce proceedings with her former husband." "Of course! How silly of me to have forgotten such a thing. If you'll excuse me, I see other guests that need fleecing... I mean greeting, before the ceremony begins." [i]With that, the disgruntled would be Dynast ruler tripped off, the train of her be-ruffled gown tossed about by the breeze that was swiftly becoming an annoyance. Macey and Mell made their merry way to the chairs that had been set up under a rather sturdy looking pavilion, dozens of servants standing in attendance, some with huge smiles on their faces, others looking half asleep. Macey sat, inwardly praising her servant for suggesting a subdued gown instead of something more overblown. In this weather, such a thing would've been a total disaster. Just as she was wondering if the new Dynast ruler intended to make his subjects wait until they fossilized, he made his appearance, sweeping across the raised platform like he had built it himself. His two manservants flanked him on either side, looking about as pompous as the man himself. The podium that had been set up just for his use glittered under a fresh veneer, and he made his way to it and took up a rather arrogant stance. At least to Macey's mind.[/i] "My loyal subjects, how good to see you all here. Today we remember a great leader, a king to be remembered, a-" [i]Macey struggled to stay awake. The effect of his sweeping rhetoric, and empty phrases was as powerful a soporific as the best sleeping potion Alecia could mix up. [/i] [/COLOR][/FONT][/LEFT]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]I think your first goal should be not getting caught while doing this prank. And then to not slip in fall in whatever soda you end up using. It'd be slightly humiliating if you took a tumble on the roof. And you might break limbs. Beware. And your friends are wrong. Use Alka-seltzer. It can make seagulls AND ducks explode.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]"This weapon shall bring an end to misery though only an Almagest can wield it." "But one must do it with pure intentions or everything will end in misery." -Al Bhed only referred to the fact that it was a letter replacement cipher system. And because you let that slip, I was able to whip out the faithful pencil and paper and start scribbling. Granted I'm now slightly less sane than I was five seconds ago, but who cares? HAH![/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]Great, so after expressing an interest in having Macey make a public appearance at the coronation ceremony to represent some of her family's interests....I find that Shy has officially dragooned me into writing it myself. .......sometimes I wonder why I still live? WHY?! But actually it shouldn't be that bad, except if someone could post that isn't me before 4-5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, that would be good. Double posting is a sin.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[quote name='Allamorph'][FONT=Arial]Don't worry about her; she's in my hands now. (Well, mine and Andrew's.)[/FONT][/QUOTE] [COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]Oh dear god, they've got me! They've got me! GAH! You might not worry, but I'm worried![/FONT][/COLOR]

[RIGHT][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/marieevangeline-chronicle.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/maceyellen-chronicle.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/gustave-avatar.gif[/IMG][/RIGHT] [COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]"This is awful Macey. How are we supposed to help him if he vanishes whenever a threat appears?" "Can't blame him really." "Do you think he'll come back any time soon?" [i]Gustave turned to Macey with a frown on his face, his expression puzzled, even though she'd taken the time to explain who and what Gadget was awhile back.[/i] "Either way, I can't move forward without him in my lab. Speaking of which, I need to take care of some things there before dinner. If you'll excuse me?" [i]Macey Ellen tripped down the staircase to her lab, key in hand, a pile of notes from her upstairs desk under one arm. Her sister had left a few of her own notes on the desk, and most of them were written in the same short hand Macey used, only with a slightly heavier ink line. The beauty of it all was that anyone curious would have to first decipher the system they used, a plan that had become increasingly clever as government officials became more and more curious to discover exactly what Macey was creating. Once in the cool dark, dusty room that was her secret haven, she locked the heavy wrought iron door behind her and leaned against it for a moment, collecting her thoughts. A quick sweep of the room confirmed that the RPG had already been through. Nothing was missing, but everything was slightly out of place. Odds are they'd been totally baffled by her system of note taking, just the way she'd intended. She sat down at her oversized desk and set down a heavy sheaf of parchment that had fallen to the floor. Picking up one of her lighter quills, she dipped the point down into the ink well. A fresh sheet of paper across her desk, and she began to write down her findings thus far. And depressing they were. Macey leaned back slightly, ink splattered on her nose and fingers. Her voice echoed dully around the still room, the sound absorbing itself.[/i] "There won't be a cure. Not without Gadget close enough for me to study. And goodness knows where he's gone." [i]Without her subject, there was almost nothing to work on, and thus mentally assured, she sealed the file that contained all her pertinent research on the project, should the new government be interested in the work that had gone so wrong. All that remained to deal with was her own project. Part of her was disappointed she'd had so little time for it, but given the way the last project went, her interest had flagged, if only for a little while. Gustave was fascinating in his own right, and she'd be happy to leave this place. It wasn't like her work couldn't continue without this lab. And she'd have to continue it. She needed a way to quantify what had happened to Jack the last time she'd been here. Or perhaps just an excuse to throw herself into another project and sequester herself from the madness that was going on over her head, in the rooms above.[/i][/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]But now me has the clothes. So I can't be Nudiepants. Try again you clumsy bastards. But other than that, clever on jolting her. Too bad you'll have to keep doing it to keep her under. To quote Zoidberg: "More...MORE!"[/FONT][/COLOR]

[quote name='Sandy']I'm sorry, guys, but hosting an RPG together is not an easy task. Anyone who has actually been through that must know what I'm talking about.[/QUOTE] [COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]Jesus Christ people, I leave for 9 hours to actually sleep and the place explodes. But seriously. Nobody's saying that pulling off this story is easy, and I'm relatively sure that nobody thinks your job is simple and painless.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[i][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]The hit went down just like they?d planned it. They knew when they took the contract, it would spell their deaths. But they didn?t care. There were some things worth dying for. And they?d die together. Both came home, feeling the dancing behind their eyes. Little pinpricks of light that swirled to their breathing, their beating, and they paused at the door. Raiha left it unlocked and leaned against the last person who would see her living. He stood still, letting her breathe for just a few moments. He stroked her hair with a hand that nearly covered an entire side of her head. Both were exhausted, her jumpsuit splattered with blood and sweat. His suit was covered as well, and the two turned, returning to their routine. He set down his guns, the weapons heavy against the floor and wall. She set down her own, crossing against his.[/i] ?Do you think they?ll give us enough time?? ?They don?t have a real rush. We did the job. Now all they have to do is clean up the gigantic mess we made for them.? ?If they interrupt us, I?ll be pissed. The least they could do is let us do it our way.? [i]In the bathroom, she stripped off her clothes, tossing them carelessly against the wall, leaving her with enough time to undress her husband. The lights dimmed, they kissed, nobody watched them. It grew quieter, the sound of their breathing and skin brushing against skin heavy in their ears. The clocks around the house ticked themselves into oblivion, silent in the face of death. On the oversized California King bed, assassins reclined. Taking her repose, curled up against the giant of a man she?d made her way in life with, she seemed as small as a child. His hand could cover both of hers, her body pressed against his, the sheets tucked up around her chin. He looked down at the exquisite woman, pressed against his bare chest, her eyelashes fluttering in rest. Both had been poisoned earlier this evening, both were going to die soon. But on their own terms, they?d take their deaths as they pleased. Raiha stirred, Gavin covering over her shoulders with his fingers, pulling her up to his level. Perched over his stomach, she leaned down and kissed his lips slowly, her tongue flicking across his own. Her fingers tugged against his hair, scraped against his neck, felt the puckered wound under his left arm. She passed over it carefully, and stroked his cheek with the back of her hand instead. He pulled her closer, her fingers digging into his shoulders and the kiss enveloped their thoughts, pressing back their death.[/i] ?Tell me you love me.? [i]He kissed her desperately, clung to her like she?d just melt away if he let her go for a minute. Raiha pushed herself up slowly, leaning over him, dark brown hair slipping down the side of her cheek, her lips pursed slightly.[/i] ?I?ve always loved you.? [i]Gavin sighed, pulled her close again , a faint smile on his lips, the sheets tangled around their legs, the sweat from both the poison and the excitement. Time stopped for their sake, hand grabbing, touching, wrenching, scratching. Grievous wounds under the skin, death pressing against the door now, pushing his luck, pushing his rights. Raiha hunched over her husband, the knife in her hands, the other pressed against his one empty hand. His own blade pressed up against her chest, and she looked into his eyes, the pain dulling their once brilliant sheen. And she shoved herself forward, reflexively stabbing back down against him. Both dropped their blades, both writhed into their deaths, Raiha falling forward, collapsing against her husband, shaking fingers clasping his, a soft sob in her throat. ................. The men stood over the bodies, holding their rifles, looking down at the corpses of Raiha and Gavin. One flipped over the girl, her hair glittering in the harsh lights. The wound in her chest flecked with dark red blood, the wound under her arm dark green. It?d only been a few hours, but both were cold, empty, hollow. Gone.[/i][/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]I end with a vowel, which is more than you two can say. Hmph![/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]Alas, I don't understand the A squad joke. Too little 'culture' growing up.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[i][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]He stood on the roof, his head tilted back slightly. It was a bad night, with a dog moon half full, hanging in the sky. The skin on the back of his neck prickled slightly, but he had a job to do, and his fears wouldn?t stop him. Perhaps it was his imagination, but he saw for perhaps half a second, a specter of a beast, trailing behind him in the corner of his eye. It flashed between four legs and then two, and then disappeared entirely when he tried to look at it directly. He shrugged off the thought and looked back down at what he had to do. The alley below was crowded with people, all of them demonstrably guilty of crimes that had as of yet not been paid up in full for. Their boss had already gone down. Someone had drowned him in an aquarium the week previous, and taken out his body guards as well. Now that was all left to deal with were the rest of his underlings. And his boss?s boss. Tough world, and he had to do it alone. Nobody to help him but his guns. Speed loaders ready. Holsters empty. Heavy and dull in his palms, he gripped his only friends left in this world, and stepped out over the empty air. The hero fell forward, face first, the wind whistling and pulling back his hair, the corners of his jacket, the cuffs of his pants. He flipped forward, landed on one foot with enough force to shatter the asphalt, which he did. People looked up, looked at him, and then fell back, rag doll physics taking the front seat as he began to take steps forward, knees bent slightly. One arm up higher than the other, both filled with five pounds of gun each, both jerking back with every shot. People fell, their chests full of hot lead and blood, spurting, gouging, covering everything. Across the narrow concrete walls, men, women, old and young fell, covered with their own deaths. And he kept going forward.[/i] ?Have to finish what she started.? [i]And she?d started good. Nobody had expected her to take out the boss and his closest underlings armed only with one sword and bad clichés. And he, armed with industrial grade guns, was going to do the rest. Fighting for a higher cause than just greed, pride, honor. He?d die doing the right thing. If he?d known what events he?d set in motion, what he?d summon to his side, perhaps he wouldn?t have been so afraid, but swallowing down his fear. He went. The doors to the club were open, and bullets ripped around him, tearing his clothes but not his flesh. He wasn?t wearing a vest, but they didn?t reach him regardless, and it made no sense. He didn?t understand why he wasn?t dead yet, and he didn?t understand why. But the gangsters that died around him did. In their hideous last moments of life, as their souls were ripped from their still warm flesh, they saw Her following in his footsteps like a loyal pet. For she was loyal, if not a pet. Clearing out the wide open space was easier than he thought. Reloading in a corner as the concrete around him shattered and sprayed, he still yet lived. Full of blood and hopes he charged forward, towards the back room. And he kicked open the doors. The boss was there, standing cocky with one shotgun in his hand, pointed towards him. The man pulled the trigger, but nothing died except those behind the hero. The man himself was still alive and breathing. Covered over in a glow, eye shine in the darkening quiet, filled with a righteous burning rage that singed the clothes still left to him, made his guns flash and shiver in his palms.[/i] ?You- you?re supposed to be dead.? [i]He fired again, frustrated, pumping rounds into him, the shells clattering on the floor, to no avail. Once he?d finished shooting fruitlessly into thin air, our hero jerked himself forward, gun in the mouth of the man who stood for everything evil in the world, and pulled the trigger. Brains splattered outward, backwards, everywhere. Skull littered the ground, people shouting all around. But he turned, the gun a bloody mess of saliva and gore in his hands, hearing nothing at all. It was quiet, so quiet he could hear his own slow breathing. The carnage around him was glorious. And he could finally see what he?d seen before ever so clearly. He sank to his knees in sudden exhaustion, breath louder in his ears than before. Nothing living stirred in the building, but he could see She Who Consumes. The legend he?d heard of, read about, even seen once before, now before him. She drew back black lips from pale pearly teeth and smiled at him once. His voice echoed dully in the room, the sound swallowed up by the legions of corpses surrounded them both.[/i] ?Have you come to take me home?? ?Your work here is done. She?s come to reward you. Follow the cord.? [i]He blinked a few times. The Hound of Hell hadn?t spoken to him, but Her master had. And he?d sent a Scion of Darkness, a Hellion, to bring him to his glory. Such as it was. A cord stretched from his chest beyond the beast, and She dipped her head at him once, then trotted out of the club, and upwards onto air. Into light. Into nothing at all.[/i][/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]Well, as James and I considered over AIM, Macey still has her lab to address. Her notes on Gadget might force her to remember him and his issues, that and her return to the house will prompt people to tell her of the latest misfortune. Too bad we can't find the invisible boy.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"][i]Eiyaga Meya panted for air, her ribcage in the process of knitting itself back together. Bone fusing perfectly with bone, no scars or spurs on the actual skeleton. But it was a slow process, and she didn't heal quickly. Normally, with a simple cut, her flesh sewed itself back together almost as fast as the cut was inflicted. But this was the new shit. And it was taking so long. So very long. She rolled over onto her side, the rain water had been choking her as it pooled in her throat. But choking was the least of her problems. Stress fractures up and down her body had appeared. She looked like she'd been split in half and slapped back together. Lines of red up and down her body, scored lines. And her eye blinked once more. Blood slowly dispersed itself from the white of her eyes, slipping back into their own veins. The single hazel orb flashed once, as she shuddered and shivered in the self induced cold. The pool of blood and water had frosted across the edges. Beautiful patterns of pink crystals. There was blood in the water, blood all over, blood covering everything. Her fingers twitched slowly, one after the other, wiggling twice, spasmodically, then pausing. Driven by an inner fire, she slowly pushed herself upwards, water sheeting down her face, hair sticking to her cheeks.[/i] "Fuck...fucking fuck." [i]Her elbows buckled underneath her and crashed back down, half on her side, half face forward in the water. The repairs were still incomplete. Eiyaga's chin rested on a hollow in the asphalt, and she found herself with just enough energy to wonder what was taking so long. Already she was forgetting what Dani had done to her, the memory layering itself silently in the back of her mind, to save her from the blinding fear. She knew she'd fallen from a window, hit her head, but she couldn't understand what was wrong now.[/i] "I should be better now. It's been so long." [i]With just enough strength, she rolled over onto her back again, keeping her head tilted to one side to keep the rainwater out of it. The stress lines were beginning to slowly heal, the internal damage had come first. And her new ribcage was almost complete, the fusion an almost total success. But the scar on the side of her head was fresh, and raw, and lymphing fluid. Again she blinked, and her fingers twitched once more. It was so hard. So cold. But a twinge in her lower back told her that her curse was just starting to build up speed. Pity the first poor soul to get close enough to her when it began to bloom. She'd beg them to help her. Maybe this time there would be help. But the last one had been stopped before it had finished. She'd never make it this time. She'd never tried to suppress the curse. Already she could feel twinges of pleasure digging sharp fingers inside to her thighs.[/i][/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]So, shockingly, I find myself experiencing something of a writer's block. But on the other hand, if James has ideas, or if anyone thinks she should jump off of a cliff to escape the crimson woe of it all, let me know. I take requests. I'll be here all night![/FONT][/COLOR]

[i][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]So there I was in the dead of night, the sun high in the sky. It was half past the wrong time in the wrong place but it was too late to leave. It was cold. So cold. My knickers were in a twist and my pants were on fire. But whatever. I had a job to do after all. I walked down the alley, right in the open, and saw them all. Premonition, D.B., and Aceburner were lounging uselessly in front of the club. I knew their boss, Mr. Sinster Knickers, alias Allamorph was inside, thinking himself safe. But not for long. I stepped out into the light, letting it wash over me, just to turn and hear Premonition say,[/i] ?You look like ten miles of bad road.? [i]D.B. Looked up and added his own input,[/i] ?I was wondering when you?d show up. Trying to find you is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.? [i]Aceburner chuckled and fondled the handle of his baton, trying to look appropriately evil but ending up just making me want to snort right into my handkerchief. He tapped it in his free hand and walked towards me, the others following suit.[/i] ?Many hands make light work, so I say we make light work of her!? ?Now now, that?s no way to treat a girl.? ?Don?t you fret your pretty little head about it.? [i]I felt my head at that point experimentally. Didn?t feel particularly little, but I suppose it was pretty ...well...pretty.[/i] ?Don?t put off tomorrow what you can do today!? ?Eye for an eye!? [i]Well at least that last cliché made sense. I mused inwardly; I really had taken Mr. Sinster Knicker?s eye one night in a fight, and now I was back to finish the rest of him off. Perhaps that was why I was ten seconds away from being eviscerated. Instead of lying there and taking it however, I leapt into action. Drawing my sword in one movement, I took out the first of the unlucky ones in one fell swoop. Premonition fell, stabbed right through the chest and I leaned forward to get a better look at his face.[/i] ?Get the point?? ?Damn. I?ve bought the farm...? [i]Famous last words over with, he hurked up his last breath and died. I withdrew the sharp and pointy object from his chest and turned around to face DB and Aceburner, both hurtling towards me like it was going out of style. Both fell, their heads separated from the rest of their body and I sheathed my still bloody weapon with a smirk.[/i] ?What?s that up on the road ? ahead?? [i]Kicking open the club doors I saw Mr. Sinister Knickers jump to his feet and knock over his table. The aquarium next to him was the only light, and it washed over us like two toads in a Cuisinart.[/i] "Where did my guards go?" "Well one bit the dust, and the other two kicked their buckets. Right down the street... And now it's time for you to be sleeping with the fishes." [i]He drew his gun and started firing at me, predictably emptying his entire clip into the air, since every single shot missed me entirely. Not one to miss an opportunity, while he uselessly tried to fiddle with his 'speed' loader, I tipped him backwards into the 200 gallon aquarium that had been so conveniently placed right next to him. His head banged against the glass at the base of the tank and the fish watched him with some interest. Unconscious and soon to be deader than a doorknob, I let him drown and brushed my hands against the back side of my pants.[/i] "My work here is done."[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]And the trip was a success! Everyone had fun except for one jerk but he can go drown himself in the snow outside. But anyway, aside from accidentally forgetting my knife in my purse and setting off a million alarms and getting patted down...everything went relatively smoothly. They ran my bags several times though, but everything was great. [URL="http://students.juniata.edu/wainwne04/colin2.jpg"][U]Picture[/U][/URL][/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]They all talk about me like I'm not right here watching them.....watching.....watching.. ....daddy...? Sorry, Freudian moment. Anyway, if Gadget wants to find Macey, I suppose he could. But this begs the question. What exactly do you think she could do for him? She's in the same position as other Almagests, although less likely to obey Bavaria, she has no more REAL power over defying the law than anyone else. Hiding him in the remnants of her lab is out. Hiding him at Vincen'ts is equally unwise. Having him just be invisible all the time isn't a great idea either. ALthough it would work mostly.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[RIGHT][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/maceyellen-chronicle.jpg[/IMG][/RIGHT] [COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"][i]Macey stood in the center of her room, turning around slowly. In her mind, she compiled a list of things she'd take with her to Anova. Some of her embroidered bed sheets and quilts to be certain, as well as some other simples. Mell arrived soon after, her arms full of some of things things Macey had already asked her to fetch. A traveling chest was open near the bed, the base already lined with fresh paper. Holding one end of a heavy quilt, she helped Mell fold and lay it down at the base, followed with other things as well. Eventually it came to Macey's attention that she was packing things that she'd sewn herself, as if she were putting together another dowry chest. She shrugged her shoulders inwardly, a smile playing about her face. This new day had already improved her mood somewhat. Mell left to fetch some of her dresses and corsets, while she placed a few of her better pieces of jewelry in a small wooden box. She slipped it into one of the corners of the trunk and then sat down at her vanity desk for a few moments. One of other household servants dropped by with lunch, a note on the tea service this time.[/i] "Where did this come from?" "Don't know Miss, it was there when I picked it up." [i]With careful fingers, she picked it up and opened it. This time, it informed Macey not of another death, but of Audrey's incarceration. Her location and crime were also listed, as well as some pertinent information about who to contact to argue in her favor. Macey crushed the note as soon as she'd finished memorizing it, tossing it almost carelessly into the fireplace. Mell returned soon after and continued packing. Macey stood at once and went behind her screen to dress. Dark, formal tones, black this time. She had Mell fix her hair while she put in stern silver jewelry. Several minutes later, she was standing downstairs, being handed into a carriage by one of the spare footmen.[/i] "Where to Miss?" "To the Mirror Palace if you please. I have a date with a prisoner." [i]He nodded and whipped up the horses, the journey brief. She'd already sent ahead a servant with news of her arrival, hoping that the quicker she showed up, the less likely they'd be to refuse her. Macey held one of her larger purses in her hands, her hat tipped down to cover her eyes slightly. Eventually they reached the destination and she stepped out, making tracks for the prison entryway, the warden eying her with some asperity. [/i] "Miss Almagest?" "I trust you had news of my coming. Take me to see Audrey Bertrand at once." "Are you sure you want to do that? It's no place for a lady?" "If that were the case she wouldn't be there right now would she? Take me to her now." [i]The inflection Macey put on 'now' left no room for discussion. He jumped to his feet and led her down several staircases into the heart of the prison. Macey set her shoulders and her jaw, unwilling to show fear where it'd be useless. Then she stepped forward slowly towards the cell the warden indicated belonged to Audrey and another female prisoner.[/i][/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]Despite my total lack of coherence right now, I think I'll try posting anyway. Sort of. Macey would set aside some of her things, but don't panic and think she's moving right away. Gustave has to announce it first. But she'll be reminiscing a tiny bit perhaps. And her servant'll go with her.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]Why didn't Felix notice that Eiyaga's covered in horrific masses of scars and has massive stress and fracture lines all over her body? She looks like a mirror after you kick it. That and her missing eye is kinda obvious.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]So even though I now have a killer flu strain, I'm still going to drag my pitiful carcass on that plane this Thursday morning. And fly! Fly! Actually while I'm waiting in Arizona I plan to charge my laptop and iPod and other stuff too. Yeah. Technorama![/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]Farewell and Adieu to you Spanish Ladies.... But anyway, I like how I'm the Captain of the Screaming Mermaid, and my image has me looking like I'll happily riddle you full of holes just for giving me a wrong look. That and the multiple references to my callous sarcastic and awesome nature are properly illustrated by my signature. Excellent choice doctor.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[quote name='Aaryanna_Mom']No, it's all within very basic music theory. Simple and to the point if you understand it. Be nice dear. Someone put a lot of work into preparing this surprise for us and I enjoyed it. I had my answer to the clue before I signed in just now, since I made a copy this morning and didn't return online until I had the answer.[/QUOTE] [COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]I meant 'find it on mount grail' was vague. Not the actual plot clue itself, I thought that was very well done, and fun because I actually figured it out. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[quote name='Aaryanna_Mom']I've been looking at this all morning and I believe I've figured it out so bear with me here. As you said Raiha, the first line is referring to the middle C on a piano. [/QUOTE] [COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]*dances a merry jig with you across the hallway* Ahah! Lady Catharine and Macey Ellen for the win! WE WIN! HAHAHAHA! Actually any time the number 26 is thrown out there in a clue, it's always invariably related to the alphabet. Ah well. We win. Too bad that's like the most vague clue ever.[/FONT][/COLOR]