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At Bournemouth House:
*Truck from DPS (Deppville
Parcel Service) pulls up in front of Bournemouth House, driver emerges, sets box in front of the door, rings bell; returns
to truck, drives to next delivery. The box is addressed to Raven, and contains
several gifts and a letter from Manouche*
Happy Birthday to my little mate!
I dearly hope I’ll see you today, I figure with all that’s going on in town, our paths are bound to cross. But I wanted to be sure you have your gifties in time, so here they are. I talked to your Uncle Gili about what to get for you, because I wanted to get something to celebrate your
Indian heritage. He came up with a few ideas, and we eventually decided that
Gili, Pammy, Mr. Blake and I would go in together to get you several things from all of us.
Gili and Pam got you the wolf pendant, the key ring, which Gili made himself, and the silver coins, which are commemorative
and will increase in value with time. Mr. Blake has always enjoyed encouraging
your creative side, so he chose the soapstone carving kit. Once you get up to
speed, I would like to commission a smudge pot from you. I’m sure True
Dreamer must have taught you about smudging at a very early age, using Indian sage to ward off negativity, bless a new home,
and so on. My Romany family was keen on this ritual as well, and one of the elders
had a beautiful little soapstone smudge pot, I’ve never forgotten it, I loved it when he would find need to bring it
out. So that’ll be my request, once you get the hang of your new craft.
The final gift is from me – a highly appropriate suggestion from Gili, as a gift from one dreamer to another,
a dream catcher. Once again, I’m sure you’re familiar with it, but
I’ve included Gili’s description at the end of this letter, because I love the way he explained it, so much that
I made him repeat it while I wrote it down. I figured you would like having your
uncle’s take on it, in his words. I hope this dream catcher brings you
great prosperity.
From our dreamer exchanges, I’ve sensed your love and best wishes to Mr. Blake, and I’ve shared them with
him for you. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how anxious he is
to see you, we both look forward to a good long visit with you soon. Until then,
Happy Birthday, Raven, my dear beautiful boy. We all love you very much, we’re
all proud of you … I could never regret any dealings with Nate and Marchand, because those trials brought me to you. Tout le meilleur, et petit rêveur,
Manouche
From Gili:
An old Indian legend says
that the night is filled with dreams. Good and bad dreams. The circle represents
the circle of life, and the web-like patterns within the dream catcher cause the bad dreams to become confused and entangled
… caught in the web until the first light of dawn, which evaporates them like the morning dew. Good dreams are clear and know the way, guided by the bead spirit to the center hole, where they easily
slip through and gently slide down the feathers to the dreamer below, bringing good luck and prosperity. The slightest movement of the feathers indicates the passage of yet another beautiful dream. The dream catcher is used to stop negative forces and filter them so we can focus on the good forces and
use them to accomplish our goals in life.
Halloween
Manouche *examines
herself carefully in the full-length mirror, to make sure she hasn’t missed something in her costume; she finally nods,
satisfied. She’s the spitting image of Commander Portsmith. She grins,
wraps a white scarf tight around her neck, leaves the bedroom and goes downstairs to the study, where Blake is writing. She stands at the doorway for a moment, smiling happily; she had set up this office
just for Blake when she moved into the house, hoping he would return. There had
been times when she wondered if she should just give up and convert it into a room for another use, but she could never bring
herself to do it. Now, seeing him sitting at his old desk, frowning down at a
sheet of paper, she’s glad she left it alone* By th’ powers, William
Blake, ye are th’ finest sight I could hope for …
Blake *looks
up, grins, then does a double-take* Oh god, that’s perfect! You look just like her. I would never know it was you if I
saw you on the street.
Manouche *laughs
as she approaches him, puts an arm around him* That’s th’ idea, love. I’m leavin’ now to ‘ave a bit o’ fun. Don’t get so caught up in yer scribblin’ that ye ferget t’ come to Chez Roux. We ‘ave t’ celebrate O’Malley an’ Donnie’s day, an’ we’ll be
wishin’ Raven a happy birthday … an’ I know everyone’ll be glad t’ see ye’ve returned. An’ ye still need t’ meet Don Juan’s lovely Ava. *hugs him*
Blake: No worries, I’ll be there in a little while.
*shakes his head at the page, finally picks it up, wads it into a ball, drops it in the wastebasket by the desk. Looks up at her ruefully* I may be along
sooner than later. I hope I haven’t lost my knack for poetry.
Manouche *leans
down, kisses him* I’m sure ye ‘aven’t. Jus’ out o’ practice, is all. Ye been through
a lot, love, don’t be too impatient with yerself if ye ain’t completely back t’ yer old self right away. Takes time, savvy? *kisses him again*
Blake *kisses
her, then pulls away slightly* That’s it, that costume has got to go before
we take this any further. I feel like I’m kissing Portsmith! Very disturbing …
Manouche *laughs* Well, don’t let th’ power go to yer head!
Do ye ‘ave a costume in mind? It ain’t mandatory.
Blake: Not sure … I’ll think about it.
*grins* Have fun … but be careful, honey, don’t get in trouble. I don’t think Portsmith’ll be very thrilled if she sees you …
Manouche *waves
a hand* I don’t reckon we’ll be seein’ ‘er at Chez Roux. Too much o' the weddin' party goin' on there.
Her former employee, marryin’ a pirate? Not bloody likely that she’ll
want to attend an' wish 'em well. *kisses him again* See ye later, love. *she straightens up, puts on a hat as
a finishing touch*
Blaken *looking
at the hat, whistles* You really better hope she doesn’t see you now. That hat’s bigger than anything she owns!
Manouche *laughs,
leaves him to his writing, stops before walking out the front door and puts on dark glasses just like the ones she’s
seen Portsmith wear. She leaves the house and heads toward town, choosing to
walk, enjoying the crisp fall day. She comes into town, no one pays her much
mind as she makes her way through the neighborhoods toward Chez Roux. Passing
From Hell Court, she sees a familiar figure, and she grins, thinks to herself* Ahh, Corso! This is perfect. *she clears her throat, raises her voice, calls out to him, imitating Portsmith as best she can* Dean! What the hell are you doing here? Bloody idiot, is this what I pay you for? Slinking around
with the dregs at From Hell Court? Watch your step, Corso, you can be replaced.
Corso *jumps in the air looking
very guilty* Oh no, I was doing very interesting res ... *takes a closer look* Ha ha, very funny. I am dying of laughter. Are you mad? She's going to throw you into jail for impersonating and ridiculing her.
*then he grins* I love that idea.
Do you know what revealed you? You have still to practice that cold grey
imperious stare of hers.
Manouche *grins*
Blast, I reckon I shouldn't 'ave removed th' dark glasses fer effect when I accosted ye. I'll leave 'em on from now
on, 'cause I don't think I'll ever quite get th' stare right. *puts the glasses back on* Go along with it fer
a time, though, savvy? Could be good fer a few laughs. She won't be arrestin' me fer impersonatin'. If she
did that, she'd 'ave to arrest th' whole bloody town fer impersonatin' someone, it bein' Halloween an' all. *leans toward
him slightly* Anyway, if she does decide to try, I'm sure I can count on ye to help bail me out. Do that much
fer me, mate, an' per'aps I'll be persuaded to not tell Portsmith a few things I know about you an' some o' yer extra-curricular
activities. Do we 'ave an accord?
Corso *grins* Yea, that's a deal. I'll help you out if anything happens,
but Commander Portsmith despises this kind of carnivals so she will probably keep to the castle with Lady Ainsworth and her
tea parties. Au revoir! *and he
slinks into a silent dark alleyway*
Andrew and Charlie *clad as Commander Portsmith in the white uniform and dark shades
approach yet one shabby tavern and den carrying a heavy pillowcase, Charlie raps at the door*
Get immediately out you skunk!
*A dirty frightened face peeks cautiously out*
But I pay! I already pay!
Charlie *sternly, imitating Portsmith's
imperious pose and voice* Are you trying to tell me that you have forgotten the
extra tax for special days? Hand immediately out the money or you will never
see the daylight again.
*The face disappears for a moment, the emerges again, this time whining* Don't put me into the dungeon, Commander, I'll pay, I'll pay. *hands
over a dirty pouch full of coins*
Andrew *steps into view* You filthy
maggot! Where are the candies!
*The face gives a shrill shriek seeing
a second Portsmith and disappears, Andrew and Charlie laugh hysterically, then they head for the next victim*
Andrew: You are sure she won't see us?
Charlie:
Don't be dumb. She hates Halloween.
*adjusts his big hat, rounds a corner and sees Manouche with Corso, pales and steps quickly back* Er … On second thought, I think that I can't carry a heavier load.
Let's get home and quick!
At Chateau Blanchefort:
Portsmith *reads the letter
addressed to White Raven Abberline once more*
Dear Raven, Congratulations on your birthday. It has come to our
knowledge that you are a talented young artist, and young talents are always near to my heart. Therefore, you are granted
one two hour visit per week to the Famous Blanchefort Gallery to study and sketch a collection of the world's finest art.
Commander
M.Portsmith
Very pleased with herself and her elegant stationery with her arms, VERITAS VOS LIBERAVIT over
a fiery dragon, she shuts the envelope and seals it in the oldfashioned way and calls Wilson to deliver
it to Bournemouth House. Then she picks up her new magazine and starts to read more about manipulating children, noting how
rulers invariably let themselves be photographed with kids. Intrigued, she reads on about the importance of having god-children.
*
At Bournemouth House:
Wilson *drops the letter in the mailbox at Bournemouth House*
Raven *hears a sound, runs
to the door and opens it, sees no one there. Looks up, sees an envelope in the
mailbox, reaches up and grabs it, sees it’s addressed to him. Opens it,
beams, runs back into the house, calling out* Mother, Father … I got a
birthday present from Commander Portsmith! I get to go to her house an’
draw stuff in her art collection!
*Just then
a large bird flies through an open window, lands and perches on the back of a sturdy chair. Seems
to look expectantly at Abby, and there’s a tag tied to one of its legs.*
(Tag) To my darling son,
Raven
Love Mother
Raven *runs into the room,
stops short as he sees the beautiful owl perched on the chair, staring at his father*
Oh, boy! *runs up to the bird, sees the tag on its leg, spins around,
beaming excitedly at Abberline* Oh, Father, isn’t he handsome! Can I keep him in my room?
Abberline *stares at the
owl* An owl? Inside a house? I wouldn't call it handsome, but if that's what you like .. *sighs* Sometimes she really is weird, isn't she. What's an owl good
for? Oh, and when you have brought that beast into your room, I have something
to say to you, so be back soon.
Raven: Yes sir. *he holds out an arm, the owl hops on as if it knows
him, he grins. He takes the owl to his room, speaking softly to it, and petting
it and admiring it for a few minutes before he leaves the room, closing the door behind him and returns to Abberline* You wanted to talk to me, Father?
Abberline *nods solemnly
to him* Take a seat. *he hands him
two large leatherbound books* I know why she sent that owl to you, and I don't
resent your Indian roots at all, but I want you to remember that you are also part British, you are an Abberline. A British gentleman. So, this book is the sketch book of my
Great Aunt, she wanted me to inherit it, and my sisters never forgave me that ... Anyway,
that's not the point. She was a very good artist, as you will see. And the
second one is an empty sketchbook she gave me in the hopes I should show some artistic tendencies
- which I never did, so it remains empty, until you fill it. It's yours now.
*Raven opens it and sees the dedication: 'To my dear nephew Frederick. There
is no Science without Art', and under it in Abberline's hand: 'To my dear son Raven'.* And,
to remind you of your British roots and heritage, I want you to have these, though you won't need them yet. *He opens a box lined with dark blue velvet - there is an ancient looking gold watch and a pair of small
golden cuff links, with the initial A carved on them.*
Raven *stares at the beautiful
gifts, astonished* Oh, Father … *he holds them carefully, examines each
item a long time, his eyes wide. After a few minutes, he looks up at Abberline,
his eyes filled with tears* F-Father … I … I … I’ll make
you proud of me, Father. Thank you. *he
sets everything down, stands up, holds out his hand, his eyes very dark and serious.
They shake hands, then he can’t hide his joy, and he throws his arms around Abberline*
Abberline *hugs him, relieved
that he liked the gifts* And now, best get ready for the party and the wedding
of Donnie and Grace.
At Arwen:
O’Malley *upstairs in the bedroom getting ready for the wedding ceremony and the party at
Chez Roux; she presses her hand against her stomach and takes a deep breath in an attempt to make the butterflies settle down.
She sits down by the small make-up table and takes her hair out of the pony-tail,
letting the long, black curls fall down over her shoulders. She adjusts it a
bit with her fingers and picks up the wreath of wild flowers; she attaches it to her hair with some hairpins and moves on
to applying her makeup. Nothing heavy, just a bit of concealer, eyeliner, and
a clear lip-gloss. She looks in the mirror and nods satisfactorily. She goes over to the wardrobe and takes out the beautiful green dress; as she puts it on carefully so as
to not mess up the hair and makeup.*
Donnie *downstairs and has changed into a black suit with a green tie that matches O’Malley’s
dress; he attaches a wild flower to his jacket and with a nervous gesture pats the pocket of his pants to check that the ring
he bought for O’Malley is still there. He glances towards the stairs wondering
what’s going through O’Malley’s mind. Despite knowing in his
heart that she loves him, he is still nervous. The first time he asked her to
marry him, she turned him down. The second time she accepted his proposal, but
later broke up with him. A part of him is still worried that she won’t
go through with it after all, but all he can do is hope that third time’s the charm and after all, this time she asked
him and a lot has happened to her in the time that has passed; she has learned more about who she is and seems to be less
scared of being in love and of being loved. He glances around the living room
and goes out on the deck to make sure everything is set for the ceremony. The
deck has been decorated with flowers, and white roses have been strewn on the floor of the deck, creating an aisle. He returns to the living room and continues upstairs; he softly knocks on the bedroom
door.* Gracie?
O’Malley *approaches the door and answers without opening it* Ye
can’t go in ‘ere! Ye’re not suppose te see the bride before
the weddin’. It’s bad luck.
Donnie *smiles* I guess that’s true, although,
I have seen you in the dress before. *Leans against the door; speaks softly*
But it’s OK, I just wanted to hear if everything is as it should be?
O’Malley *smiles* Oh aye, everything is right
as rain, luv.
Donnie: Good, I’ll go back downstairs and wait
for Monroe and our guests then. *turns to leave*
O’Malley: Donnie?
Donnie *turns back* Yes?
O’Malley *hesitates* I’m sorry fer making
ye wait fer so long an’ puttin’ ye through all that.
Donnie: Not to worry, you’re worth it …
all of it. I love you.
O’Malley *smiles; tears form in her eyes* I love
ye too …
Donnie *softly* I’ll see you downstairs in a
bit. *walks back downstairs with a quiet smile*
At From Hell Court:
Delano *considers taking the dead Loralee with him and wait for her to rise again as a vampire,
but the thought of Corso returning to the apartment and finding her either dead or as a vampire is simply too irresistible,
so he decides to leave her lying on the couch. He leaves the apartment the same
way he came in, and disappears into the night*
En route to Arwen:
Ava and Don *on the their
way to Arwen*
Ava: i hope we arent to early dear i dont want to be to early
Don: we wont be early by the time you have waddled up there if should be ok
Ava: Very funny, Don. I can’t wait to see O'Malley’s
dress i hear it’s beautiful. *They arrive at Arwen clutching a rather large
wedding present for them. Don knocks on the door.*
Donnie *opens the door and
smiles a little nervously* Hello and welcome. You
must be Don and Ava, Grace told me about you. *Steps aside holding the door
for them* Do come in. You're the
first ones here so it'll be a little while before we can get started. *Points to the table set up with glasses
and bottles of champagne, rum, brandy, scotch, and sodas* Would you like something
to drink?
Ava: Thank you dear yes we are. Sorry we so early Don didnt want to be late. O'Malley has
said so much about you a soda would be nice Donnie
Don: it finally nice to met you Donnie. i'll have a rum thank you
very much. this is for you and O'Malley.
*hands over their present*
Donnie: It's quite
alright, to be honest, it's good with a distraction. All this waiting makes a
guy nervous! *Takes the present* Thank you very much. I'll just put it on the gift table so Grace and I can open it together later. *Puts the present on the gift table, goes to get them drinks. Returns with a soda for Ava and a rum for
Don.* Here you are. *To Ava* If you want to talk to Grace just go on upstairs, I'm sure she won't mind the company.
Ava: You sure she wont mind Donnie i don’t want to be a pest. Thank
you very much my favourite. I'll leave you boys to it then.
Don: thanks Donnie wow that’s good Rum. Ava you call me if
you need me.
Donnie: Oh yeah, I'm sure.
*Smiles* You're welcome. *To Don after Ava has left* So tell me, were you this
nervous on your wedding day?
Don: i was indeed i was so
nervous thats why we eloped for my nerves where to much i couldnt say all the things i wanted in front of every one else
Delivery man *drives large
truck up to front of Arwen, climbs out of truck, leaving two other men sitting inside the cab; approaches front door, knocks
loudly*
Donnie *hears someone at
the door, to Don* Hold that thought. *Goes to open the door* Hello?
Delivery man: Yeah, I got a delivery for a Mr. and Mrs. Donnie Brasco, from Mr. and Mrs. William Blake. Sign here. *hands clipboard to Donnie, turns toward truck,
yells* Okay, guys, bring it in! *the
other two men climb out of the cab of the truck, go around to the back, carefully and very expertly move a large, rectangular
object covered in quilted packing material. They roll it up to the porch, place
ramps in strategic places so they can bring the object up to the front door, Donnie quickly steps out of the way as they push
past him, bring the object into the house. They remove the protective wrappings
to reveal a player piano with stained-glass windows and carvings on the front*
Delivery man *to Donnie,
as he takes back the signed form* Thanks, bub.
Let us know where ya want it, and we’ll move it for you. *cranes
his neck, eyes the liquor table with great interest* You can take your time decidin’
where you want to put it, maybe consult with the little woman. The boys an’
I can, ah, have a quick drink while we wait, if you don’t mind. Oh, and
here’s a letter to go with the piano. *hands Donnie an envelope*
Congratulations and best wishes to our dear friends O’Malley and Donnie!
Every fine new home should have a piano, and this one plays itself, to accompany those romantic evenings you’ll
be spending together. Please keep in mind, both of you, that this is a piano
and not a desk, and should be handled with care (wink!).
Much love and happiness to you both,
Manouche
William Blake
Donnie *somewhat baffled
at the large gift, scratches his head and runs his hand through his hair; points to a spot* You
can just put it over there, if she'd like it somewhere else, we'll find someone to move it for us. *Reads the note; laughs at Manouche's reference to a desk; to the delivery men* Thank you very much. I'd give you a tip, but I don't have my
wallet right now. How about a cold beer instead?
Delivery man
*smiles broadly* Well, that's very kind of you, mister. Oh, an' many happy returns of the day. *shakes Donnie's
hand roughly, calls out to his crew* Okay, men, you heard what he said! Get that piano over against that wall,
an' then you can have a beer! *looks at Donnie, winks, grins* It's good to be foreman. *walks over to the
bar table, grabs a beer*
Upstairs …
Ava *waddles up the stairs
and knocks on O'Malley's door, knocks* O'Malley its me Ava.
O'Malley *opens the doors,
smiles* 'Ello Ava, come in, luv. 'Ave a seat, I reckon ye don't want te be standing on yer feet fer too long in yer condition.
Ava: *smiles back at O'Malley* Thanks O'Malley you look beautiful my dear how lucky is Donnie to have found you. I wish i had a proper wedding now but the one i did have was beautiful don’t
get me wrong.
O'Malley *beaming* Cheers
luv. Not always sure who be the lucky one though. Maybe once the twins are born, ye can 'ave a proper weddin'...a renewal
of vows or something te that effect. But I reckon it don't matter much what kind o' wedding it is, as long as ye
love each other. After all, a wedding don't make a marriage. Ye can 'ave the perfect weddin' an' still 'ave a bad marriage,
savvy?
Ava: your right O'Malley it doesn’t make a perfect marriage a great wedding. You are both so luckly
to have found one another you two look great together now would you like a drink because i can go downstairs and get you one
if you like.
O'Malley
*tries of hide her relief at the offer of a drink* A small glass o' rum would
be lovely. Are ye sure ye don't mind another trip down them stairs?
Outside …
Manouche and
Blake *approach Arwen, admiring the scenic beauty of the surroundings and the house*
Manouche: Blimey, it’s stunning, innit?
Blake: Gorgeous. *looks at her* So how did the costume go over earlier? Did you fool a lot
of people?
Manouche: It were a bit of a bust. There weren’t
many people about to try it out on. Reckon everyone had plans. I fooled Dean Corso fer about five seconds, but it were a grand five seconds. I thought he would jump out o’ his skin. *grins* I figure I’ll try th’ costume again later, after th’ weddin’. We’ll see if I can fool some people at th’ party at Chez Roux.
Blake: Well, for my money, I’ll be very happy if you don’t get a chance to change. You look absolutely beautiful this evening, and I’d love to show you off at
the party later. *gazes at her approvingly*
Manouche *smiles* Cheers, love. I don’t often get
a chance t’ bring out th’ finery, an’ I’m glad ye approve. Yer
bloody handsome, yerself. *nods at his fine black suit, links her arm in his,
leans over, kisses him, then quickly wipes her lipstick off his face. They walk
up to the front of the house, notice the truck* Uh-oh, looks like our gift ‘as
arrived! I’m glad it’s on time, but … blimey, I hope it didn’t
cause too much inconvenience, with Donnie an’ O’Malley tryin’ t’ get th’ house ready fer th’
festivities, an’ all. They step up to the door at Arwen, Blake knocks*
Donnie *barely reaches to
take a step away from the door when he hears someone knocking; opens the door; smiles as he sees Manouche and Blake*
Manouche, Blake, come on in. I'm
glad you could make it and I know Grace will be too. *Leads them inside* Thank you for the gift, it's amazing! Although,
I must admit I've never tried playing. *Points to the drink table* Can I get you a drink?
Manouche: No, Donnie, you relax. I’m goin’ t’ make
a batch o’ me Kir Royales, fer anyone who wants ‘em. Then I reckon
I’ll find th’ bride an’ see how she’s farin’. *moves
close, kisses Donnie on the cheek, smiles at him* Congratulations, luv …
an’ I’m glad ye like th’ giftie. *smiles at Don Juan, turns
to the bar table and the task of mixing drinks*
Blake *shakes hands with
Donnie* Congratulations, Donnie, O’Malley’s a great girl. I know you two will be happy. *holds a hand out to Don* I know we met at some point, Don, but it’s been a long time. William Blake. *shakes his hand, smiles* I look forward to meeting your wife. *turns to Donnie* Beautiful place you found here, this house is fantastic. *looks around the room appreciatively*
Donnie *To Manouche, smiles* Thank you. That sounds good, I'm sure
everyone will enjoy that. And I'm sure Grace will appreciate the company.
Ava's up there now too. *To Blake, beaming* Thank you, I'm sure we will be too. And welcome back,
Blake. *Looks at him sympathetically* I
heard you've been through quite an ordeal, we're all glad to have you back. *Glances
around the room* Yeah, it's great! I was just taking a walk and fell in
love with it the minute I saw it. I actually thought Grace would object to leaving her ship, but I guess she
feels at home with the forest being so close by. *Grins* As much as she insists that she's a pirate first, there's definitely a lot of Irish and a lot of wicca
in her too!
Blake: That sounds like the way Manouche found her place. Just an
old run-down mill till she got ahold of it. I think we’re going to follow
your lead, and hold our wedding ceremony at home, too. We just need to decide
on a date. *he gazes lovingly at Manouche, then grins as he watches her talk
the delivery man and his two helpers into trying Kir Royales; they drink, and nod approvingly*
Looks like she’s giving those guys a new experience in drinking … they’ll never go back to beer again
by the time she’s done with ‘em! *takes out a cigarette, lights it,
offers them to Donnie and Don* It was a strange ordeal, to say the least …
I’m not clear on it all, so much of it is hazy. Just as well, I’d
like to forget it ever happened, and hope I never go through anything like that again.
But it sure makes you appreciate everything around you all the more, when you can survive something like that. *gives Manouche another dreamy glance*
Manouche *returns, carrying
a tray with glasses for each of them* ‘Ere ye are, mates, Kir Royales all
around … an’ three fer th’ ladies upstairs an’ meself. I’ll
leave ye to it. *winks, turns, carries the tray up the stairs to find O’Malley
and Ava*
Blake *to Donnie* So
what're you doing these days, now that you're not working for Portsmith anymore? *smiles* That's got to be a bit
of a relief!
Donnie: *takes a cigarette,
Blake lights it for him* That sounds great. Let us know when you've picked a date. *Laughs* She is quite the bartender.
*Turns serious* I imagine it is for the best not to think too much about such things and just go on with your life; appreciate
the good things. *Smiles* And judging by the way you're looking at her, I gather that's what you're doing. *To Manouche*
Thanks, I don't think I've ever tried one of these. *Tastes the drink, nods appreciatively* It's good! *Turns to Blake* Yes,
it is good not to work for Portsmith, she is a strange character! I haven't really been doing much, mostly helping Grace.
She's had some ups and downs trying to piece together her background and learning to deal with certain aspects of herself...I'm
sure you've heard by now that she has powers. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around it, but she seems to be handling
it now. It was scary for a while though.
Blake *sympathetically* I have heard a little bit about what was going on, and I’m sorry you two went
through such a rough time. But looks like all’s well with you both now. You’ll have to tell me all about it, another time, I’m sure Manouche would
want to know, too. She only knew a little, from a coupla times she saw O’Malley
recently … I guess O’Malley came out to visit her at the house once, and they had a little talk. *takes a drink* They are good, aren’t they? Careful, though, they sneak up on you! *pauses, takes another drink* What's your plan for the
honeymoon? Are you taking a trip?
Donnie *grins* Let's just say I got to really feel the rough times. But
yeah, all's well now. *Looks suspiciously at the drink in his hand* I guess
I should hold back a little, I would like to walk in a straight line down the aisle. The
honeymoon ... all I know is that we're taking The Brave, Grace is insisting on keeping the destination a surprise.
*Frowns* Not sure I feel comfortable about that.
Lady Cynthia
*arrives in a long gown of fashionable emerald green with a small silver scull brooch to show that she follows the latest
pirate trend, she bursts into the room* What a very nice little cottage you have! *looks
around her with a critical eye, then turns to Donnie* May I congratulate you
on this special day. *hands him a small gift wrapped artfully in pink paper,
the gift contains a tiara for Grace and a tie pin for Donnie, both imitating old Celtic art* So where is the bride? I heard that Kat is not well and may
not attend the party, and frankly, new mothers should stay with their babies, after all, that is their duty. I did not attend any parties for a whole two months when Georgie was born. SO,
I thought that Grace would surely love to have me as a witness, after all, it was I who chose her wedding gown. And it would be most fitting that I stand with my brother, wouldn't it?
Commander
Portsmith *following Lady Cynthia, clad in a new immaculate uniform with a slightly larger hat than before and there are two
feathers in it, looks disapprovingly at Lady Cynthia* Being the representative
of the administration of Deppville, the only proper way is that I stand as witness instead of Kat. *looks sternly at Donnie* After all, you are a former employee
of mine.
Donnie
*smiles as politely as possible to Lady Cynthia* Hello and welcome. Thank you for the present, I'll just put it with the other presents, we'll open them together later.
Oh? Kat's not coming? Well, I suppose it is a bit too early to be attending a party. Grace
is upstairs with Ava and Manouche ... *Frowns* Uhm, I don't know about being
a witness though. I think I'll leave that decision up to Grace, after all I chose
Abberline and she chose Kat, so she should be the one to choose the substitute. *Glares
at Portsmith with surprise* Commander! You came ... how nice of you. *Takes a big gulp of his drink* As I was
saying to Lady Cynthia, it will be up to Grace who the other witness will be. She's
upstairs ... *hesitates* I guess you can go up ...
Manouche *comes back downstairs,
approaches the group* Blimey, O'Malley is a real finger in th' eye, she's bloody
gorgeous! Wait'll ye see 'er ... I've come back fer more drinks, she an' Ava
went through 'em right fast ... *stops, sees Lady Cynthia and Portsmith, smiles* Ahhh,
'evenin', luvs. Yer both lookin' quite fine.
Lady Cynthia, I don't believe ye've met me husband, William Blake. *turns
to Blake* This is Lady Cynthia, love ... th' Inspector's sister.
Donnie *breaks into a big
smile at the mention of Grace in her dress; gets an idea* Manouche! It seems that Kat is unable to make it. Maybe you could stand
in for her and be a witness? I'm sure Grace would like that.
Manouche: By th' powers, 'course, mate, I'd be honored. Long as it's
all right with O'Malley, I'd love to. But let's wait an' see, per'aps Kat'll
still make it.
Donnie *smiles, relieved
that they won't have to choose between Lady Cynthia and Portsmith* Of course!
I'm sure Grace will be fine with it, in case Kat doesn't make it.
Portsmith
*exchanges a loaded look with Lady Cynthia* Well, I neither of us is fine
enough for you, I guess I can leave you to your feasting.
Lady Cynthia
*rolls eyes* Commander, you are a great bore. I am sure they will want you as a godmother for their children. *takes Portsmith by the hand and shoves
her up the stairs* Let's meet the bride. I
hope she after all doesn't appear barefoot, as she threatened to do. What a disgrace
that would be.
Portsmith
*muttering * Bloody pirates ... *but she follows Lady Cynthia. Donnie pretends not to hear the frightening notion of Portsmith being the godmother of his children*
Manouche
*stares after them, wide-eyed, then leans in close to Blake, murmurs* I'm sure
glad I got home in time to change out o' that costume before th' weddin'. Can
ye imagine, if I'd shown up 'ere dressed as Portsmith an' had her see me? *snickers*
Blake
*laughs* You better think twice about wearin' it to the party at Chez Roux. She might surprise you and turn up there.
Aaron Monroe *reaches Arwen,
sees the front door is ajar, steps inside, looks around at all the people. Sees Donnie, pushes through to him, shakes
his hand* Mr. Brasco, Aaron Monroe, Justice of the Peace. Beautiful place you have here. *smiles*
Everything is in order, whenever you and the bride are ready. In the meantime, I'll simply help myself to a drink, I
won't take you away from your guests. *smiles at the others, walks over to the drink table*
Donnie *smiles; the butterflies
returning to his stomach, knowing it will be soon* Thank you, I think we'll
wait a few minutes more.
At Bournemouth House:
Kat *Glaring* Like bloody 'ell!! Abby be bringin' that gift o'er 'ere …
Abberline: Er, what gift?
Kat: The big flat package back there. Where be your mind?
Abberline:
Somewhere else, I guess ... Oh that
... *looks at approvingly at her in the green dress, he himself is dressed in a tux, with a starched shirt
front, a black tie, and small golden cuff links.* We'll be late. Are you sure that Candy will manage with Chiana? Maybe I
should take a look at her.
Miranda
*appears in a new cream-coloured dress, shyly* Can I come too?
Raven *stands in the doorway,
smiling* I'm ready too, Father. *looks
at his parents, then Miranda* You all look wonderful ...
Kat *Sighs, looks at Miranda*
O'course ye can luv. I don't think
Grace will mind. Abby ye said yerself Candy was a capable nanny. Now stop yer worryin' eh? Like ye said, we be late.
Miranda
*smiles, she is sure that Ichy will be there too in a gleaming uniform* Thank you!
Abberline
*still worried* Well, we'll have to leave Chiana ... I would have loved
to take her with, but I guess that she's too small ... You know, maybe we could have that formal wedding later, so that she could
be a bridesmaid. *starts to think of a 1-year old Chiana in a princess dress,
till Miranda wakes him up*
Miranda:
The taxi is waiting. You are the witnesses, you must not be late!
At Arwen – upstairs:
O'Malley
*Upstairs in the bedroom O'Malley sitting on the bed chatting with Ava, her bare feet hanging over the edge; hears a
knock on the door* Come in … *grins* … unless it's Donnie.
Downstairs:
DeeDee *steps out of the
taxi in her very tight dress, totally open at the sides, held in place by small brooches.
The dress had to be sewn on her, but being a model, she's used to that. Her
platinum blonde hair is in a loose bun with strategically placed strands falling in her face.
She has very large silver hoops and the same silver sandals she wore at Chez Roux earlier. She has used generously her new perfume she got from Daddy, Dark and Hot, and she feels just excellent
knowing that she's perfect when she steps into the house and sees Donnie* Hello,
Donnie! *she smiles and kisses him on the cheek a little too long, letting him
feel her perfume, pressing her body against his* You look so gorgeous!
Donnie *staring at DeeDee
with an almost frightened expression while silently wondering what O'Malley will do when seeing her* DeeDee, you're here, what a surprise. Thank you, you
look ... uhm … nice.
Malachi *arrives, looking
very hot in a black suit and red shirt open at the collar, carrying a gift-wrapped bottle of fine champagne. He enters the house, smirks as he sees DeeDee draping herself all over Donnie, slips past the group and
sets the bottle on the gift table. He goes to the drink table, pours a glass
of rum, then falls into a conversation with the delivery man and his crew, who are now on their third round of Kir Royales. He lights a cigarette, glances over and catches Manouche’s eye, winks. She winks back, beckons him over, and his eyes widen as he sees Blake standing next
to her. He excuses himself from the workmen, quickly comes over to Manouche and
Blake, grabs Blake’s hand, shakes it warmly* Blake, I knew you were back,
I was hoping you’d be here tonight. You look great … and you’ve
come back just in time. *nods toward Manouche*
Trouble girl here is utterly hopeless without you. *smiles*
Blake: Malachi, so good to see you. *he puts his arm around Manouche* No doubt about it, my girl an' I work much better together than apart … *turns
and kisses her lips*
DeeDee *notes Malachi's appearance,
approaches the group* You must be Manouche, I have heard so much of you. I really must congratulate you with the choice of the dress, that's the hottest trend
and it suits you so well. *turns to Malachi* Can
I get a cigarette?
Malachi: Manouche, Blake, this is DeeDee, she works in that new boutique in town, Pink Perfection. *looks at her* Sure, babe, you can get a cig. *takes out pack, holds it out for her; she takes a cigarette out, he lights it for her*
Manouche *looks at her with
a raised eyebrow, then smiles* Ah, I see.
So ye work at th’ shop where O’Malley got ‘er dress. Blimey,
it’s beautiful. *looks down at her dress, then back at DeeDee* Thank ye fer th’ compliment, luv, I do rather like this frock meself, it’s quite comfortable
fer formalwear. I ‘ave t’ be comfortable, or I’m miserable. *looks over at Donnie, who still looks like a deer in the headlights, then back to
DeeDee* So, are ye ‘ere as a friend o’ th’ bride or th’
groom? Th’ way ye greeted Donnie, I almost thought … that is, that
ye may be related, or somethin’ along them lines …
Malachi *to Manouche* She comes from a very demonstrative family.
You may remember her cousin Daphne … *grins, then turns his dark eyes on DeeDee, taking in every curve*
Sergeant Godley *appears
in the doorway, clad in a brown suit that has seen better days, carrying a package wrapped clumsily but with great care, scans
the crowd, trying to find Donnie, but his gaze lands on Manouche and Blake, and he brightens up and goes straight to them,
looks at distaste at DeeDee's revealing dress* Manouche! Blake! How wonderful to see both of you! *hugs Manouche and drops the package, the turns to Malachi* A
new girlfriend, I suppose?
Manouche *returns
his hug, beaming* Ahh, Sergeant, I been wonderin’ where ye been. *grins at him* Portsmith hasn’t sent ye off on any further
wild goose chases in Bermuda shorts, has she?
Blake: Sergeant Godley, it’s so good to see you!
Malachi *reaches
out, shakes Godley's hand, grins* Godley, how have you been? *glances at DeeDee, then back at Godley* Ahh, nooo, not exactly
a girlfriend, we didn’t come here together. DeeDee, this is Sergeant Godley.
Godley, this is DeeDee. You may have met her sister Candy ... she's the new nanny at Bournemouth House.
DeeDee: That's right,
love ... *brushes his cheek with her lips, then his ear, flicking her tongue, letting him feel her bared thigh against his
leg, enjoying his gaze on her body* Let's go and get me a drink.
Malachi: Sure, I guess we could … *looks past her toward the door, face brightens* Oh, sorry, DeeDee, my date’s here … *looks at everyone, nods slightly,
steps away from them, heads for the door, where Petra has just arrived, wearing a beautiful, silver evening gown. She looks a little shy at first, then smiles when she sees Malachi coming toward her; he embraces her,
kisses her cheek, brings her back over to the group* Everyone, this is Petra,
you’ve probably seen her at Chez Roux. *motions toward the others* Petra, this is Manouche,
her husband William Blake, Sergeant Godley … and you’ve met DeeDee.
Donnie *smiles as he sees
Sergeant Godley* Godley! How good to see you! I don't think I've seen you since I stopped working. How are
you?
Godley *wipes his brow, a
little ashamed of the little package he has, a 19th century lantern for the veranda wrapped up by himself* No, long time no see. So you are getting your own pirate beauty. *grins* A very good choice, I have to
say. How does it feel?
Donnie *smiles* Nothing like it, every man should have a pirate woman! *he
smothers a laugh as he sees Malachi walking towards his date, leaving DeeDee*
DeeDee: Hi, Petra. *shrugs, thinks, well you can't always be lucky, turns back to Malachi* Call me when you've got enough of chemistry.
Ciao! *heads towards Donnie again, smiling, swaying her hips* Aw, handsome, you look scared. Are you nervous? Come on, it's just a small ceremony where you get handcuffed for the rest of your life. *moves close to him, whispers in his ear, strokes his cheek* Is
that what you really want?
Malachi: I’d listen to her, Donnie. When it comes to handcuffs,
she knows what she’s talking about. *grins almost innocently, lights a
cigarette*
Meanwhile …
*After leaving O'Malley to
change, Ava went downstairs to look for Don she bumps into Manouche*
Ava: Hello Manouche how are
you, you are looking lovely my dear. And who be this handsom man you are with? *Spots Don* Don there you are, this is
Manouche my dear she makes a good cocktail, non alcoholic of course. Do you know
if Willy and Madame are coming?
Manouche:
Ava, good t' see ye ... yer lookin' fine, as well. I'm assumin' Willy an' Madame will be 'ere, but this is a very busy
day for them, Halloween an' all. If they don't make th' weddin', I reckon we'll see 'em at Chez Roux later. *puts
a hand on Blake's arm* This is me husband, William Blake ... love, this is Ava, Dons' wife ... an' soon to be new mum.
Blake *smiles*
Nice to meet you, Ava, and congratulations.
Ava: Its very nice to meet you Blake i have heard so much about you and thank you very much dear.
Don: Hello Manouche, hello Blake, it’s finally nice to met you. Ava
hasn’t stop talking about that cocktail, I think its been the highlight of her month.
I must say you look lovely today would you two like a drink?
Manouche: I’ll come with ye, mate. I’d
be more than ‘appy to make another round o’ Kir Royales, Don, I think ye'll like 'em. An I'll mix
up me non-alcoholic specialty fer Ava, of course. *smiles at Ava*
Ava: Thanks dear *smiles back* so Blake how is your poetry dear i hear its
great you look so well dear.
Don: Thanks Manouche thats kind of you. i dont know
what Ava has against orange juice every time i mention it she goes green. i wonder
do you mind if i ask you something dear i mean you don’t have to if you don’t want to my dear, but …
Manouche *looks at Don curiously
as they approach the drink table* What is it, mate? Ask away. *starts mixing drinks*
Don: i know how kind you
have been to Ava lately and well we don’t know many people in Deppville yet and well i was wondering would you be sam’s
god mother i mean you don’t have to i just some whom can look after him well. i mean you don’t have to, i
don’t trust Portsmith at all she has Ava wrapped around her finger i mean she wants something more out of this
god parent thing and we really trust you, you seem so good with the triplets. Ava
was too nervous to ask she didn’t want to scare you off you know it would make the godparent thing complete, Lola has
Willy and Madame, and well Sam has *rolls eyes* Portsmith. Please don’t be frightened off my dear, i know you and Blake are soo happy. i would want Sam to be in that environment if anything was to happen to Ava and me.
Manouche *stares at him,
surprised* Blimey … I’m not frightened off. That’s quite an honor. It’d be me pleasure, mate,
but … if ye’ve already promised Portsmith, ye’d best make sure she understands ye an’ Ava have both
changed yer minds. Word to th’ wise, luv … Portsmith don’t
take disappointments very gracefully, savvy? *leans closer* If ye can clear it with ‘er, an’ if ye an’ Ava are sure that’s what ye want, then
Mr. Blake an’ I would be happy t’ take on lil’ Sam. Jus’
make sure that’s all squared away before we make it official, ay? An’
if that’s all a bit too sticky, ‘ere’s another option. Ye could
discuss it with Willy an’ Madame, an’ if they’re keen, ye could then tell Portsmith that ye’ve decided
Willy an’ Madame should be godparents to both Lola an’ Sam. Th’
reason this may work out better is ‘cause Portsmith is quite fond o’ Willy … I don’t think she’d
mind losin’ godparent status to Willy as much as she would mind losin’ it to me.
She don’t care much fer me, or fer any other pirates, fer that matter.
*winks, smiles* An’ now, we ‘ave drinks all around! *picks up a tray with glasses, one with a straw in it to indicate that it’s non-alcoholic for Ava. She and Don head back to the group, hand everyone their drinks*
Don: *walking with the tray* Thank you dear. well in our family we have three (2 women
1 man) Godparents to each child you see and well i dont think Portsmith we be bothering with the twins really i think she
will be using it as an excuse to make herself more popular you know what i mean. i mean is that you will be given Sam if anything
was to happen we will make sure of it make all officle my dear she can have her title but he would left in your hands. Lola
will be having Willy and Madame. Sam would have you and Blake, *Rolls eyes* and Portsmith im trying to think of a way to back
her out of it but how
Ava: oh they look good Manouche your are amazing cocktail maker me and Blake where discussing about
his poetry what an amazing man he is indeed. Thank you dear.
Godley *looking very worried,
shakes his head, takes his drink, tastes it and frowns; to Manouche* That creature
there, that DeeDee, is she really the sister of Candy? She looked like a very
nice girl, but if her sister is like that .... *puts a hand on Manouche's arm* Manouche,
do me a favor. Keep the siren off from the Inspector. I have not forgotten Daphne.
Manouche *watching
DeeDee, shakes her head, looks at Godley* I ‘aven’t met Candy. Ye know I would do anythin’ in me power to assist, but … I don’t
know that there’s much I can do. I don’t think I ‘ave so much
influence over what goes on in th’ Abberline household. *brightens* But no worries, luv. Fred an’ Kat
‘ave been gettin’ on better than ever lately, they've come a long way in their relationship. An’ now that she’s presented him with that beautiful baby … well, I don’t reckon
he’ll ‘ave eyes fer another woman ever again. *beams* ‘Ave ye seen Chiana, mate? I were there t’ help
deliver ‘er, an’ she’s jus’ about th’ prettiest lil’ thing I’ve ever seen.
Godley: Oh yes! I saw them taking her out, such a sweet little baby she is. What
makes me so worried is that all seems to go so well, I would hate see something bad happening to them now. I met Kat at Bournemouth House, and with the way she looked at him, I do have to say, despite all my suspicions,
that they seem to do well together. And I am so happy for you and your Blake. You do look radiant, my dear.
Manouche *smiles* Cheers, mate. I ‘ave to admit,
I feel radiant. ‘Avin’ Mr. Blake back home, it’s a dream come
true. I were so afraid I would never see ‘im again. *puts a hand on his arm* An’ I ‘aven’t forgotten
yer kindness t’ me when I were in such despair, either. I cherish yer friendship. *leans in and kisses his cheek*
From upstairs …
Portsmith *not being very
interested in the bride, comes down the stairs and heads toward Don and Ava* How very nice to see you. *shakes vigorously
Don's hand, then turns to Ava* And how is my godchild to be doing?
Don: hello Portsmith *quickly releases his hand from her grip*
Ava: he's fine Portsmith just excited kicking about in there causing havoc.
Portsmith *beams at them*
Perfect, just perfect! That's how it should be, that's the sign of a healthy little ba... er.. kid. I hope that you will keep
to non-alcoholic drinks *looks at her sharply* We wouldn't want to harm the babys...
Ava: of course Portsmith
Manouche made it and its beautiful of course not all i drink is non alcholic my dear *turns to Manouche* maybe you could
when Sams older teach him about ships im sure he'll like that i think he might be a water baby you know. *to Godley* hi there Godley was it i dont believe that we
have met before im Ava and this is my husband Don.
Don: Hi there it’s nice to met you
Godley *grins* Nice to meet you! You are in the family way, eh? That's good, very
good. Has it been going well *confidentially to Ava* I must say that an expecting mother is one of the most
beautiful sights in the world. *and suddenly he feels sad, remembering how many times he told the same to Victoria,
every time when she was unhappy and lonely and felt that the Inspector was avoiding her, that he had stopped loving her.
He sighs, then brushes her out of his mind*
Ava: *blushes* yes yes everything
is going well they are always on the go its nice to meet you to dear. are you ok would you like another drink dear?
DeeDee *smiles back at Malachi,
not a bit annoyed. Deppville is a fantastic place full of gorgeous males. To Petra* You've made a nice catch, Petra,
I see that you have really made good use of those chemistry lessons. *impatiently,
she starts to scan the crowd, seeking Abberline, after all, he's a witness and should be in time ...*
Malachi *laughs* You’re resilient, DeeDee, I’ll give you that!
Petra *smiles a little confused
at DeeDee’s comment* Catch? It’s
a date, we’re not getting married. *looks at Malachi, arches a brow* Are we?
Malachi *grins* Not today, sweetheart. *squeezes her hand, looks at her, then
at DeeDee* How about I get drinks for both of you lovely ladies? *looks at DeeDee* Yes, I can bring you a drink, even if we’re
not on a date together. Unless they’ve changed the rules, and we’re
only to accept drinks and cigarettes from our partners this evening. And if that’s
the case, then I guess Manouche has just romantically linked herself with two-thirds of the room. *laughs as Manouche raises her eyebrows at him*
DeeDee *laughs at his comment
about the rules* In that case, darling, I'd get nothing to drink, appearing without a partner. Yes please, a gin and
tonic would be nice. *to Manouche* Seems that you are getting all the attention here. *frowns* Is there something wrong with
my dress, do you think it's too loose or doesn't it sit well on me? I am getting worried - I have been here half an hour and
no one except Malachi has turned his gaze on me.
Manouche *grins*
Well, luv, that's not really true. I've seen th' delivery men over there give ye several lengthy glances. Trouble
is, ye've planted yerself in amongst a group o' happily attached men. It don't mean they ain't lookin', after all, they're
human. But they're not quarry, savvy? Try chattin' with 'em, ye'll have more fun if ye get t' know 'em.
An' they'll enjoy yer company more if they're not made t' feel like creatures o' prey. *takes a drink*
At Corso’s apartment:
Loralee *lies lifeless on the couch; suddenly her face changes and the demon is revealed. She opens her yellow, beastly eyes and glances around the room, for a moment confused about where she is. But it quickly comes to her and she remembers everything … Blake killing her,
Delano bringing her back as human, Delano telling her how the gypsy helped him find her, and Corso tricking her into going
with him. Though already feeling the thirst for fresh blood, decides to stay
and wait for him wanting to give him a little surprise when he returns. She morphs
back to her beautiful human features and sits up on the couch, a little smile forming on her face, her eyes gleaming*
Corso *returns whistling
to the apartment after Manouche played her little prank on him. On the road he
met a young gypsy who insisted on selling white roses to him, and finally, to get rid of the guy, he buys five roses, thinking
that actually it would be weird seeing Loralee's reaction, now that she's a living woman. Instead
of shunning them, she'd be glad for the roses he brings to her. He shrugs, looking
at the roses, wondering what is so special with the white ones.* Loralee, I am
back! I am sorry it took so long, so I brought you some flowers as an apology!
Loralee *pretending to still
be human smiles pleasantly* Not to worry, I have been fine. I found a book to read. *Sees the white roses, but keeps her
composure* Will you be a dear and put them in some water for me? I want them to last as long as possible.
Corso: Of course! *takes them to the kitchen, puts them in a beer
glass because he has no vases, pours a whisky for both ot them and returns to the couch, puts the roses down and hands her
the glass* Well here's to our meeting again. *raises his glass*
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