Post by RAIVEN on Oct 31, 2006 1:04:35 GMT -7
Dear Reader,
It nears All Hallow's Eve and Sharkey has been helping me prepare for the festivities here. Our celebrations will be held in the Town Inn of Byrendell this year as I am unable to travel. I have been immobilized by the Telus curse as has Sharkey and a few others. Perhaps, some special magic of the evening will release us from this wretched curse but for now we are grounded and must spend our time on the 'Other side'.
As it turns out our preparations have been fraught with difficulties and a mystery of sorts as well.
Early this afternoon, as I was passing the large formal dining rooms, I could hear what sounded like shouting and pounding coming from within those rooms. I stopped to investigate. As I approached the large glass doors that are kept closed and locked when we are not entertaining guests, I could see Sharkey there pounding on the window and pleading to have the doors opened.
I ran over to her as it was obvious all was not well.
I reached to turn the great skeleton key in it's lock but it was not there! I could not see it on the ground nearby either. I searched the area but to no avail. Sharkey was shouting something about an evil spirit. I motioned to Sharkey that I was going to go to the kitchen entrance.
"We are locked in Ma'am!" She yelled through the glass to me.
"I will get cook's key Shark. Please calm yourself.!" I shouted back. She nodded but did still look frightened.
I obtained the key from Cook's small office and unlocked the pantry entrance to the dining room.
Sharkey and the two servants who were with her nearly knocked me over with their hugs at the relief of being freed from the room.
"What happened here?" I asked the three of them.
"We were preparing the room for the feast tomorrow night, when the kitchen door slammed shut, Miss." It was Penny replying. I turned my attention to her. "We paid it no mind at first but when I tried to leave to get more linens for the tables, the door was locked. None of the cooks were in that kitchen today Miss, they are all working in the big kitchen today. It could not have been them."
It certainly did seem strange, but I was sure there was some logical explanation to it all and said so.
I propped a chair against the door from the pantry to keep it open but the missing key from the main foyer doors was indeed a puzzle to me.
A few hours later one of the serving girls appeared at the door to my small den where I do the household accounts.
"Miss RAIVEN?"
Come in, Penny. What is it?" She looked completely distraught.
It's a disaster Miss! Please come quick. Sharkey bids you come quick!"
I put down my pen. "What happened? Are you hurt? Where is Sharkey?"
"The dining room, Miss" and she was out the door with me trying to collect my thoughts and rushing to follow her.
We arrived at the formal dining room doors together. Sharkey let us in. They were no longer locked? I did not unlock those doors before. I had no time to dwell on that little oddity, however, as Sharkey was pointing to one of the large round tables.
It was a complete disaster. The large chandelier above it had fallen on the table that had just been set with all its cutlery, charger plates, linens and glasses.
Sharkey almost hysterical. "It's a ghost did this Miss. I know it is'.
I give her a hug. "Now Shark, surely you are not frightened by ghosts. You hunt in the swamp all the time. Did anyone get hurt?"
"Ma'am, I can see what is in the swamp! The Cat. He got a couple of cuts when the glass flew but he is ok."
"Cat is here? Back from Bal Tor, already? I was not expecting him until tomorrow! Where is that scoundrel?"
I was personally pleased that he had arrived. The General, himself, had just gotten back that morning as well. it seemed that all of Chaos' children would be gathered for the feast.
"At your service, Madam."
"Cat!" I gave him a hug. "It's been a long time. Correspondence from Tor is slow to say the least. But why are you here in the dining rooms?"
"I thought, I might find you down here fussing about."
"Please, let me just see into this latest disaster and I will meet you in the bar for a glass of our fine wine."
He nodded his agreement, bowed ever so slightly and was off to the pub.
I turned my attention back to the disaster that was the table. Sharkey and the girls were busy picking up the pieces of glass and debris.
"Well, let's get this cleaned up and reset. I will have the handy man check the chains on the chandelier. Probably they were just worn." A weak link. A worn rope. The great light fixture was lowered to light the candles and raised back into position each evening this dining room was used.
Confident that Sharkey and the serving girls were calmed down and able to cope, I went down to the pub to meet the Cat.
There he was and as often happened a crowd had gathered round his table as he regaled them with stories. And tonight as it was so near to All hallows Eve, it was ghost stories he was telling.
The publican put a glass of wine in my hand and I took a seat in the 'story circle'. I raised my glass slightly to him as he told his story and let myself get lost in the tale.
It nears All Hallow's Eve and Sharkey has been helping me prepare for the festivities here. Our celebrations will be held in the Town Inn of Byrendell this year as I am unable to travel. I have been immobilized by the Telus curse as has Sharkey and a few others. Perhaps, some special magic of the evening will release us from this wretched curse but for now we are grounded and must spend our time on the 'Other side'.
As it turns out our preparations have been fraught with difficulties and a mystery of sorts as well.
Early this afternoon, as I was passing the large formal dining rooms, I could hear what sounded like shouting and pounding coming from within those rooms. I stopped to investigate. As I approached the large glass doors that are kept closed and locked when we are not entertaining guests, I could see Sharkey there pounding on the window and pleading to have the doors opened.
I ran over to her as it was obvious all was not well.
I reached to turn the great skeleton key in it's lock but it was not there! I could not see it on the ground nearby either. I searched the area but to no avail. Sharkey was shouting something about an evil spirit. I motioned to Sharkey that I was going to go to the kitchen entrance.
"We are locked in Ma'am!" She yelled through the glass to me.
"I will get cook's key Shark. Please calm yourself.!" I shouted back. She nodded but did still look frightened.
I obtained the key from Cook's small office and unlocked the pantry entrance to the dining room.
Sharkey and the two servants who were with her nearly knocked me over with their hugs at the relief of being freed from the room.
"What happened here?" I asked the three of them.
"We were preparing the room for the feast tomorrow night, when the kitchen door slammed shut, Miss." It was Penny replying. I turned my attention to her. "We paid it no mind at first but when I tried to leave to get more linens for the tables, the door was locked. None of the cooks were in that kitchen today Miss, they are all working in the big kitchen today. It could not have been them."
It certainly did seem strange, but I was sure there was some logical explanation to it all and said so.
I propped a chair against the door from the pantry to keep it open but the missing key from the main foyer doors was indeed a puzzle to me.
A few hours later one of the serving girls appeared at the door to my small den where I do the household accounts.
"Miss RAIVEN?"
Come in, Penny. What is it?" She looked completely distraught.
It's a disaster Miss! Please come quick. Sharkey bids you come quick!"
I put down my pen. "What happened? Are you hurt? Where is Sharkey?"
"The dining room, Miss" and she was out the door with me trying to collect my thoughts and rushing to follow her.
We arrived at the formal dining room doors together. Sharkey let us in. They were no longer locked? I did not unlock those doors before. I had no time to dwell on that little oddity, however, as Sharkey was pointing to one of the large round tables.
It was a complete disaster. The large chandelier above it had fallen on the table that had just been set with all its cutlery, charger plates, linens and glasses.
Sharkey almost hysterical. "It's a ghost did this Miss. I know it is'.
I give her a hug. "Now Shark, surely you are not frightened by ghosts. You hunt in the swamp all the time. Did anyone get hurt?"
"Ma'am, I can see what is in the swamp! The Cat. He got a couple of cuts when the glass flew but he is ok."
"Cat is here? Back from Bal Tor, already? I was not expecting him until tomorrow! Where is that scoundrel?"
I was personally pleased that he had arrived. The General, himself, had just gotten back that morning as well. it seemed that all of Chaos' children would be gathered for the feast.
"At your service, Madam."
"Cat!" I gave him a hug. "It's been a long time. Correspondence from Tor is slow to say the least. But why are you here in the dining rooms?"
"I thought, I might find you down here fussing about."
"Please, let me just see into this latest disaster and I will meet you in the bar for a glass of our fine wine."
He nodded his agreement, bowed ever so slightly and was off to the pub.
I turned my attention back to the disaster that was the table. Sharkey and the girls were busy picking up the pieces of glass and debris.
"Well, let's get this cleaned up and reset. I will have the handy man check the chains on the chandelier. Probably they were just worn." A weak link. A worn rope. The great light fixture was lowered to light the candles and raised back into position each evening this dining room was used.
Confident that Sharkey and the serving girls were calmed down and able to cope, I went down to the pub to meet the Cat.
There he was and as often happened a crowd had gathered round his table as he regaled them with stories. And tonight as it was so near to All hallows Eve, it was ghost stories he was telling.
The publican put a glass of wine in my hand and I took a seat in the 'story circle'. I raised my glass slightly to him as he told his story and let myself get lost in the tale.