[hr][hr][center][img]https://s26.postimg.org/4icwbobzd/death_of_a_garden.png[/img] [img]https://media.tenor.com/images/a9d78fba52106b5308b79b8f177ebee0/tenor.gif[/img][hr][color=9999ff][b]Location:[/b][/color] Crypt Manor (London) [i]#SomethingWickedThisWayComes[/i][/center][hr][hr] Alfred frowned deeply seeing the dirt tracked in by Peter. He understood the worrisome state of the garden, but it would take time and effort to get those floors cleaned once more. That task would then fall upon the responsibility of one of the various maids in the house, in addition to what would likely be a futile attempt to get little James out of his jam stained clothing and into something suitable. Of course, then there was the matter of removing the stains themselves... Virginia, however, raised an eyebrow in curiosity. [color=9999ff]"...I do not take the request to withhold matters from the young viscount lightly,"[/color] Virginia said, pausing for a moment as she took in Peter's state of worry and fear. [color=9999ff]"But very well. I shall acquiesce to your request."[/color] Virginia then rose from the table, ignoring the pouting and pleading from James to accompany her to the garden. Whatever Peter had found, Virginia surmised it would be quite serious. "Thank you mi'lady," Peter said in a shaky voice, grateful the young master was not coming with them. He knew she didn't take the request lightly but he needed her to see this first without James at her side. "Master James, let's get you freshened up," Alfred said sternly, practically dragging the little boy away from the table and off to take a bath. James kicked and screamed a bit, causing Virginia to sigh slightly. She then headed outside of the manor with Peter, pausing on the front steps. [color=9999ff]"Please do show me what you have discovered."[/color] Making his way around the manor slowly he moved into the main part of the gardens out back, weaving through the maze of high hedges until they came to a large central are with a gazebo in the middle. Within it was a a flayed animal pinned to the wooden structure like some horrible experiment gone wrong. Blood dripping everywhere. It was hard to tell what it was at first from the hanging internal organs swaying from its split gut but as ones eyes traveled upward it became clear it was a wolf. Most wolves were extinct in the British Isles, such a rare creature now. One had not been seen south of the Scottish border in more than fifty years. The blood had coagulated on the floor of the gazebo held a warning in a language that only Virginia would know. Virginia's eyes widened at the gruesome sight, taking each and every detail in. If possible, she would very much like to preserve the specimen and see if she could figure out how a wolf had landed itself in England. She had never seen them before in her native country, only glimpsing them on occasion out in America during her training. She would use [i]sokw[/i] and walk next to them, marveling at their beauty. Even in death, the flayed animal had a certain enchanting quality to it. Standing there wring his poor hat once again, Peter relooked over the horror before him. "So you know what it says Lady Crypt?" [color=9999ff]"The youngest will die first before the pack is slaughtered,"[/color] Virginia said, reading the symbols written in blood. It was in Arre-Catte Waho. Yet the threat itself was the most alarming thing to Virginia. It was a threat against James' life. He was the youngest Crypt and while the warning did seem to suggest her parents still lived, since it was the pack that would be slaughtered second, Virginia's heart began to pound. [color=9999ff]"They mean to do this to James,"[/color] Virginia clarified for Peter. Her hands shook ever so slightly, showing the panic that had overwhelmed her. She was fiercely protective of her brother. "Why type of person would target a child?" he asked more to himself than to Virginia. Sure James was not your typical child, far from it, but that could be said of all the Crypts. [color=9999ff]"We shall make arrangements for increased protection for James,"[/color] Virginia then said numbly. She went through the mental list of families the Crypts had done business with before, those who could be trusted to provide proper aid. Her previous thoughts to visit Millicent Wyndham had been forgotten, as with her desire to visit dear departed Mosi's family. If it took the entire Crypt family fortune to provide protection for James, so be it. She would do anything to ensure her brother's safety. Peter nodded as his eyes swept over the dead animal. "How do you wish me to dispose of this?" he asked. He had wanted to rip it down immediately but had held off so Virginia could see for herself. He wasn't sure if she just wanted him to burn it, toss it, or if she wanted to do something with it in that laboratory of hers. [color=9999ff]"Use clean gloves and remove it from the gazebo. We will need to submerse it in a container filled with pure alcohol."[/color] It was a relatively straightforward process for a normal specimen, but the wolf had been almost entirely flayed. Preserving it for further analysis would be more complicated than Virginia liked, she feared. [color=9999ff]"But that is a task I may perform, Peter. If you would be so kind as to carefully move the carcass into the basement laboratory, that will suffice. I will send another to see if we have any suitable alcohol in storage while I pen some letters in order to find additional protection for James...If he should ask you about these events, tell him everything aside from the message in blood. Such sweet terror can be saved for a later date."[/color] "Right away m'lady. Will get the message cleaned up first then," Peter said as he started to turn to go get the supplies he needed. stopping his his tracks he looked back over to Virginia. "Might want to be goin' to talk to him yerself, keep him occupied whilst I get the message cleaned off afters I gets samples. You knows how curious he is, bet he already be breaking away from Alfred," he added before rushing off his hat nearly wrung in half at this point. Virginia nodded, taking another glance at the bloody writing. She was not certain as to whether or not James should be informed of the events in the garden at all. Should he ask, she did not believe the knowledge should be denied to him. But without prompting, would it be best to let him know? Peter was right--James was curious. He would want to know each and every little detail. [color=9999ff]"Thank you, Peter,"[/color] Virginia called out, before heading back inside the manor. Listening to see where her brother was in the halls, Virginia didn't hear him at first. However, an exclamation from Alfred soon rang out - "Master James, no swords in the bath!" Virginia smiled a bit and headed up the stairs. James would be occupied for at least another five minutes, giving her more time to make her decision as to whether or not to inform him of the gory details. More likely than not, Virginia would divulge them. Moving into what once had been her father's study, Virginia took up a writing implement and paper, penning two letters. [hider=To Sir Beowulf Talink]Sir Beowulf Talink, I write to you as a request for assistance in a most dire matter, in hopes of obtaining your services that shall be paid in full. In the wake of the tragedy at the Almack's Assembly Rooms, a graphic threat has been made against the life of the Viscount Wenwynith. I must then turn to those who have been allies of my family and have participated in similar business deals with us before, in order to secure protection for the viscount. I must impress the urgency of this request and a discussion of terms can be held at the Crypt Manor near the Strand at a moment's notice. Should you be unable to perform this task, I shall make other inquiries with those who are more willing. The Lady Virginia Crypt[/hider] [hider=To Dame Mary Ignatia Hale]Dame Mary Ignatia Hale, I write to you under unfortunately dire circumstances, Dame Hale. A threat has been made against the Viscount Wenwynith's life and has left my brother in jeopardy. I have no doubt that the defiled creature and the note penned in blood - the youngest will die first before the pack is slaughtered - has grave meaning. This message is not the only troubling occurrence to happen at Crypt Manor and I am writing to you as a request for aid. While we are not Catholic and certainly not Protestants, Viscount Wenwynith has a deep admiration for you and your work. I hope you are able to offer assistance and protection after the killings at the Almack's Assembly Rooms, as this is not a matter that I can take lightly. I await your reply. The Lady Virginia Crypt [/hider] Virginia then sealed and addressed the letters, carrying them with her out of the study. Her eyes swept around until she spotted one of the servants and gave quick instructions to have the letters delivered at once, without any sort of delay. The second one she spotted was sent to see if they had any alcohol of good purity in storage. It would have to be a great quantity, in order to submerge the carcass. Virginia usually was not too demanding of the staff, perfectly content to live in a home as it decayed around her. This behavior was unusual for her, but if there was one thing in the world she cared deeply about, it was her little brother's wellbeing. Her hands had a certain chill to them and Virginia pressed them together for a moment. The day was young and yet there already seemed to be too little time to accomplish all of the tasks she desired. However, by the screaming and laughter, she could tell that James had nearly finished his bath--or that Alfred had finally given up trying to attempt to get James cleaned. He was a little devil and it brought a smile to Virginia's face, despite the shock coursing through her veins. [color=9999ff]"James, my sweet little monster, have mercy on poor Alfred,"[/color] Virginia called out. She imagined it would not be too long before Peter returned with the samples and the carcass to preserve. Peter sighed to himself as he hefted down the carcass into the wheelbarrow he had lined with cloth. Leaning down once he had collected the samples he smeared the message. Clean up would take sometime but he could at least make sure that James didn't run across what was written. He doubted the boy would understand what it said since he had not been trained as of yet but if he saw writing Peter was sure James would ask Virginia about it. Grasping the wheelbarrow he moved it towards the door of the laboratory, hopefully Virginia would be there soon enough to unlock it. He didn't want to leave the mess at the gazebo long but he wasn't about to leave the carcass unattended, if James got away from Alfred he could just picture the boy running around with it as bloodied cloak. James bolted out of his room and skidded to a halt by Virginia, with a weary looking Alfred trailing behind him. Alfred's hair was a bit of a mess and the man quickly attempted to straighten it. It wasn't always easy minding James and it was definitely a bit of a physical workout. There were moments when Alfred wondered how long James would keep his energy like this, but he doubted James would ever change that much. Virginia kept him sheltered from much of British customs and society. "Whatwasinthegarden?" James asked quickly, his words mushing together. Virginia grimaced a bit. Peter had been correct--her brother was a curious little devil. [color=9999ff]"James, what do we say when we ask for things?"[/color] Virginia chided. James rolled his eyes a little bit and dropped to the ground, as if it took an enormous amount of effort. "Now, if possible," James answered, gaining him a little smile from his sister. Other families impressed the importance of [i]please[/i] upon their children. Yet the Crypts tended to teach their children to assert themselves. Manners of traditional British society were taught at an older age, once court appearances and the likes were expected. It had become tradition after one of Virginia's great-great grandfathers grew tired of getting challenged to duels over an insult to someone else's honor. Too much fun eventually was wearisome, after all. Alfred, of course, held his tongue. He wasn't sure teaching James to assert himself was really needed at this point. The young viscount already succeeded in that area. [color=9999ff]"Very good. Peter discovered the flayed corpse of a wolf--an animal extinct here in England. If you wish to train, you will perhaps see one that is not mangled one day."[/color] "Can I see it?" James whined, his eyes wide with astonishment. [color=9999ff]"Perhaps after your lessons,"[/color] Virginia answered. James was allowed into the laboratory under supervision and had a tendency to drastically alter any ongoing experiments. It would be best if she finished up with her analysis before James was allowed an opportunity for some active learning and engagement. It took a few good minutes of arguing but eventually Alfred managed to pull James away, allowing Virginia to head down the flights of stairs until she reached the laboratory door, having fetched the key from the study. Unlocking the door, she opened it for Peter and held it, in order for the man to slip inside without too much difficulty. [color=9999ff]"Thank you, Peter,"[/color] Virginia said. "Of course m'lady," Peter said as he wheeled the carcass into the laboratory. Setting it down carefully he moved the wolves body to a clear table before handing over the samples he had gathered. "Will get everything cleaned up now. I will check in on you once I am done to see if you need anything Lady Crypt," he said before moving the wheelbarrow out of the lab and getting back to his duty. He wanted to get rid of the evidence as quickly as he could. Virginia nodded, appreciating the sentiment. She didn't care much as to what happened to her clothing throughout the process of working in the laboratory, but gloves were a necessity and her hair would need to be held back. Pulling her hair back and putting on a pair of gloves kept down there, Virginia began to examine the specimens. A member of the household staff should return shortly with the needed spirits. [hr][hr][center][img]https://s26.postimg.org/40hqvtmeh/annan.png[/img] [img]https://s26.postimg.org/ebu3ohe3t/maeve_and_calum.gif[/img][hr][color=ff6600][b]Location:[/b][/color] Port Annan -> Annan [i]#EveryDayImFuddling[/i][/center][hr][hr] Maeve resisted the urge to roll her eyes as Calum nearly fell within the carriage. It was far nicer than anything she had been expecting, given that while Calum was part of Clan Cumming, he was merely a parson. It was the sort of carriage she had dreamed of having as a little girl, a thought that only made Maeve wonder for a moment if the dress they were shopping for would be just as fine. [color=ff6600]"This is gran',"[/color] Maeve said as got herself settled and she had kept her shillelagh with her. One could never be too careful. Of course, the coat of arms brought a bit of confusion to Maeve. While she had known she would be working in the Kirkpatrick household, it hadn't sunk in until now the extent of the rivalry between Clan Kirkpatrick and Clan Cumming. It hardly made any sense for her that the Kirkpatricks would accept a household staff member selected by the Cummings. Seamus must have had similar concerns when the Brennans were first approached for this assignment. She considered asking the parson more about the rivalry, but she couldn't be certain if their conversation would be truly private due to the carriage driver. She didn't want to risk betraying her cover. Calum grinned over to Maeve. "Indeed it is," he chuckled a bit as he climbed into his seat better and tapped the top of the carriage to signal they were ready to go. The carriage jerked a bit as it pulled away from the inn and towards their newest destination. Relaxing a bit, the parson had a wide tight lipped grin on his face as he watched out one of the curtained windows. The breeze coming into the carriage making the air much more pleasant. Resting his bible in his lap and his hat next to him he frowned a bit noticing the dent in it. "Oh fuddle." Maeve glanced over at the parson's mild curse. She raised an eyebrow before noticing the slight dent in his hat. In her experience, those things could be fixed relatively easily. Or at least, she always assumed they could be. To her, it was just a matter of popping the dent out with a little pressure on the other side. It was a minor approach though. If that didn't work, perhaps it could stay on a mold until it learned to hold its shape again, after dampening the areas that had gotten bent. [color=ff6600]"Don't look so glum. It can be fixed, I t'ink,"[/color] Maeve said confidently. Glancing over to Maeve, Calum nodded a bit. "I do hope so," he said as he picked up the hat and looked it over before his face dropped a bit more. From the looks of things it would not be as easy to repair as a simple pop out, there was a tear in the fabric itself. One too many falls had seemed to finally take its toll on the poor hat. Shaking his head he sat it back down beside him and glanced back out of the window. The country side rolling by them as they headed towards Annan. "Oh this should be quiet the exciting day. Annan is much more civil than the port. Is this your first time in Scotland?" he asked. The state of the hat was a bit disappointing, but they were headed to a dressmaker. Perhaps Calum could purchase a new one there or find someone more qualified to mend it. At any rate, the poor hat had no doubt been through a lot in its lifetime and might be glad for some relief. It had survived Calum's clumsiness thus far, after all. [color=ff6600]"Aye. We didn't 'av much coin at al' growin' up--an' even now, we still don't. Canny afford ter go aff ter Scotlan' whenever ye'd loike. Al' de extra coin went towards 'avin' me train."[/color] The parson looked over towards Maeve a bit surprised. "You're trained? Oh do tell, where did you go? Must have been most exciting," he said as he sat up a bit in his seat. She had gotten his attention with that little tid bit of information. Maeve nodded, realizing how little the parson actually knew about her. [color=ff6600]"The far an' exotic lan' av Ireland,"[/color] Maeve quipped, beaming a bit with pride just at the name of her land. While it didn't cost much to train in Ireland, Maeve was still lucky to have been allowed to do so. It meant less help around the house for her mother, though she came down with a plague once Maeve returned home from training. None of her siblings had trained, as their aunt and uncle hadn't viewed it necessary. Looking back on it, she was lucky to have been able to train. [color=ff6600]"But still, I enjoyed it. I didn't 'av me siblings ter watch an' I learned ter scream like a banshee."[/color] Callum looked even more surprised as he leaned back in his seat. "Well then you are going to have something in common with your new employer," he said as he rested his hands on either side of him and tried to keep from knocking himself over due to the bumps in the road. What possibly could Maeve and Lady Kingston have in common? Other than being female? [color=ff6600]"Did Lady Kirkpatrick train, I take it? Or does she jist 'av a surprisingly shrill scream?"[/color] Maeve asked, a bit surprised. Peers never seemed the type to value training, at least the women. It was an endless source of irony to Maeve. Those who could afford the training were often reluctant to undertake it. It was perhaps a perfect definition of privilege. She would've sent Roisin for training if it was practical, but not many understood Irish Sign Language. "Oh yes, very trained indeed. She is one of the Elders at this time with the Graveolase, representing Ireland," he said as he sat there. "Odd isn't it? A peer being trained in Ireland? Well, fall of the clans of Scotland has caused issues with many families. Kirkpatricks had nothing but title for so long, now they have money but their title means little with the crown. Believe she is the only Peer whoever dirtied their hands," he said before realizing what he said and stuttering, "I mean what they think of as dirtying their hands." Maeve rose an eyebrow. A female Scottish peer representing Ireland with the Graveolase? She hadn't heard before that Lady Kirkpatrick was one of the elders, with the news stunning her. That type of work was restricted to men of a certain standing and disposition. For a mere moment, Maeve felt a pang of guilt over the job that she was sent to do--to essentially spy on the Kirkpatricks. But it didn't last very long. At her core, Maeve was loyal to only three things: herself, her family, and her religion. The ends would justify the means. [color=ff6600]"I don't take any offense at dat, parson. Don't fret,"[/color] Maeve reassured him. [color=ff6600]"So why is Lady Kirkpatrick lettin' Clan Cummig' fend 'er 'ousehauld staff?"[/color] Maeve then asked. It didn't make much sense, given everything she had learned. Calum looked over towards Maeve for a moment and sighed. "She isn't..." he said before rubbing his face. Leaning forward he picked up his bag and set it down next to him in the seat. Opening it up he pulled out a clerical collar and held it up. "Father Blair is," he said sheepishly before putting the shirt back into his bag. "An Anglican Cumming? She'd have me head and while I look forward to standing before God, not ready yet," he added nervously. Maeve wrinkled her nose slightly at Calum's mention of Anglicans. However, she also was a little bit impressed with Calum. She didn't imagine him to have that sort of thing in him. He didn't seem to be made of the proper stuff for it. [color=ff6600]"As long as yer fend Catholicism before yer die, you'll be gran',"[/color] Maeve said. Her tone was an equal mixture of seriousness and playfulness. [color=ff6600]"...But Father Blair, I suppose I'll 'av ter confess me sins ter 'im."[/color] There was an amused smile plastered on her face.