Amaretto smiled when Johanna turned her head. She looked down the street an then turned to the cabbie and spoke in her monotone voice. "Please turn down the next street and wait there please."
The cabbie tipped his hat and then climbed into the driver's seat and dirrected the horses to take the carriage downtown the next street to wait. Johanna then turned to Amaretto and grabbed her by arm and began to husstle her towards the alleyway.
"Hey! What are you doing?"
Johanna didn't speak to Amaretto, but instead spoke to Alice. "Iron men are on the way. We need to get out of the street."
Alice's face turned grave and then she carefully took Katherine's arm and began to direct her as well.
Amaretto tried to stop Johanna, but was unable to. "What are Iron Men?"
Alice looked aghast at what Amaretto said. "How do you not know what Iron men are?"
Katherine smoothly inserted a response, "We are actually from Indus. In Indus there are no Iron men out there."
Alice turned to Johanna and Johanna nodded her head. "They are at the other side of the Empire. They are a colony. That is outside of the Empire's purview. They don't use Iron men."
At this Alice nodded. "Iron men are the policing force here."
"Aren't they called 'bobbies'?" Amaretto looked confused.
Alice responded. "No. They switched to a more... reliable policing force a with the invention of the steam engine."
Amaretto looked at Katherine, who made a slight shrug of her shoulders. Amaretto allowed herself to be dragged along by Johanna before she asked, "What do you mean?"
At this Johanna put up a hand. "They are almost here."
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Grain...
Alice clapped her hands together She turned to Johanna and said, “Did you hear that? We come highly recommended.”
Amaretto looked to Johanna and saw the woman nod her head but the blank look that was in place never seemed to change. Alice turned to face Amaretto and then allowed her face to turn into a serious look. “Our first stop should be the Tower Clock.”
Amaretto had a spark of recognition to what Alice said, but quirked her eyebrow. “You mean the Big Ben? I've always wanted to see it.”
Alice stopped and frowned at Amaretto and then turned a look to Johanna. Johanna shrugged and then Alice turned back to face Amaretto and then said, “What is Big Ben?”
Amaretto blinked and bit her lip for a moment and then looked at Johanna who stared back with an equally blank stare. She had not really expected anything from the woman but when she looked back at Alice, the blond still had the questioning look on her face. “Isn't that the name of the clock?”
Alice turned back to Johanna and then stared blankly back at Amaretto again. “Do you mean Ol' Henry?” I don't think I have ever heard it called Big Ben before.” Alice frowned and then put a single hand on her hip. “Where did you say you were visiting from again?”
Katherine spoke up almost instantly in order to smoothly cover up suspicion. “We never said. We lived in Indus for most of her life. While there, we might have not heard some of the things that they told us correctly.”
Alice nodded and smiled as if that explained everything. “Well then, you are in for a treat then. I am almost sure that you will love all the new amenities that Johanna and I will show to you. You cannot leave here without seeing Buckton Palace. It's where the current Queen resides.”
Amaretto listened, amazed at how different everything was. She knew some of the facts of England, but this was not the same place that she grew up with across the Atlantic ocean. This was a different place altogether, with a different history and a different destiny. She was not sure if she could stomach the difference. The oddness of it all was the most disconcerting part. Talking with Tempus most certainly did not help her at all. Amaretto took a deep breath. Here they were in a place that looked like old England, acted like old England, but was not in fact old England.
At that moment, there was a hiss and a clanking sound. Johanna turned around and looked behind them all down the lane. The sky was no longer pelting rain, and the humidity was now causing the cobblestones to steam just a little. With a voice that was just above a whisper, “they are coming. I would suggest that we adjourn away from the street. This way the Iron Men will not see us.”
Alice nodded her head vigorously in agreement. “I don't think we should go into the clock shop though. We have to make sure that no one is found.”
Amaretto looked at Alice with confusion. “What do you mean?”
Katherine cut in, “Perhaps in the alley way?”
Alice looked over at the alley way and then grabbed Amaretto and hustled towards the thin space in between the buildings across the street with Johanna and Katherine following closely behind. As they bustled into the alley Johanna paused and looked around the side. “They are coming down the lane.”
Amaretto still looked concerned. “What's coming down the lane? What are you so worried about?”
Alice turned to Amaretto. “you've never heard of the Iron Men? How have you never heard of them?” Alice looked sternly and rather confused.
Katherine smoothly answered again. “We come from Indus. There is no need for them there.” Katherine spoke with a reserve and a hesitancy however when she said it. Amaretto suddenly realized that her aunt was trying to lie. Alice did not seem to notice.
Johanna spoke softly to Alice. “Not all of the colonies have them Alice. I know that Indus does not have them.”
Alice seemed to accept this and turned back to Amaretto and said, “Iron Men are the policing force here. They have been up in arms for days now because someone tried to kill the Chancellor.”
Amaretto looked to her aunt and Katherine and her aunt mouthed 'Prime Minister'. Amaretto nodded her understanding. She turned to ask her next question.
Amaretto looked to Johanna and saw the woman nod her head but the blank look that was in place never seemed to change. Alice turned to face Amaretto and then allowed her face to turn into a serious look. “Our first stop should be the Tower Clock.”
Amaretto had a spark of recognition to what Alice said, but quirked her eyebrow. “You mean the Big Ben? I've always wanted to see it.”
Alice stopped and frowned at Amaretto and then turned a look to Johanna. Johanna shrugged and then Alice turned back to face Amaretto and then said, “What is Big Ben?”
Amaretto blinked and bit her lip for a moment and then looked at Johanna who stared back with an equally blank stare. She had not really expected anything from the woman but when she looked back at Alice, the blond still had the questioning look on her face. “Isn't that the name of the clock?”
Alice turned back to Johanna and then stared blankly back at Amaretto again. “Do you mean Ol' Henry?” I don't think I have ever heard it called Big Ben before.” Alice frowned and then put a single hand on her hip. “Where did you say you were visiting from again?”
Katherine spoke up almost instantly in order to smoothly cover up suspicion. “We never said. We lived in Indus for most of her life. While there, we might have not heard some of the things that they told us correctly.”
Alice nodded and smiled as if that explained everything. “Well then, you are in for a treat then. I am almost sure that you will love all the new amenities that Johanna and I will show to you. You cannot leave here without seeing Buckton Palace. It's where the current Queen resides.”
Amaretto listened, amazed at how different everything was. She knew some of the facts of England, but this was not the same place that she grew up with across the Atlantic ocean. This was a different place altogether, with a different history and a different destiny. She was not sure if she could stomach the difference. The oddness of it all was the most disconcerting part. Talking with Tempus most certainly did not help her at all. Amaretto took a deep breath. Here they were in a place that looked like old England, acted like old England, but was not in fact old England.
At that moment, there was a hiss and a clanking sound. Johanna turned around and looked behind them all down the lane. The sky was no longer pelting rain, and the humidity was now causing the cobblestones to steam just a little. With a voice that was just above a whisper, “they are coming. I would suggest that we adjourn away from the street. This way the Iron Men will not see us.”
Alice nodded her head vigorously in agreement. “I don't think we should go into the clock shop though. We have to make sure that no one is found.”
Amaretto looked at Alice with confusion. “What do you mean?”
Katherine cut in, “Perhaps in the alley way?”
Alice looked over at the alley way and then grabbed Amaretto and hustled towards the thin space in between the buildings across the street with Johanna and Katherine following closely behind. As they bustled into the alley Johanna paused and looked around the side. “They are coming down the lane.”
Amaretto still looked concerned. “What's coming down the lane? What are you so worried about?”
Alice turned to Amaretto. “you've never heard of the Iron Men? How have you never heard of them?” Alice looked sternly and rather confused.
Katherine smoothly answered again. “We come from Indus. There is no need for them there.” Katherine spoke with a reserve and a hesitancy however when she said it. Amaretto suddenly realized that her aunt was trying to lie. Alice did not seem to notice.
Johanna spoke softly to Alice. “Not all of the colonies have them Alice. I know that Indus does not have them.”
Alice seemed to accept this and turned back to Amaretto and said, “Iron Men are the policing force here. They have been up in arms for days now because someone tried to kill the Chancellor.”
Amaretto looked to her aunt and Katherine and her aunt mouthed 'Prime Minister'. Amaretto nodded her understanding. She turned to ask her next question.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Grain...
Alice looked at Amaretto with a perplexed look. "Lightning? Why are you looking for lightning? The rain storm just ended some time ago."
Amaretto rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me you have never heard the phrase?"
Johanna shook her head and Katherine placed a reassuring hand on her charge's shoulder. "You must remember Amaretto, that we have traveled quite far and they may have in fact never heard of the coloquialisms that we use."
Amaretto thought for a moment and them realized that her aunt was indeed right. This was a whole other place. Even if it looked like Victorian England, that did not mean that it was.
"I'm sorry," Amaretto said a little demurely. "My aunt Katherine is right. Forget what I said."
Alice smiled warmly and then moved to stand next to Amaretto, her red dress almost instantly clashing with Amaretto's own. "Don't worry about it. The Watchmaker said you would have some mannerisms that would be considered passing strange."
At that moment, Amaretto thought that the way Alice spoke was 'passing strange'. She looked to Katherine an her god mother smiled back. Katherine then turned to Alice and them said, "so the Watchmaker said you would show us around?"
Alice smiled. "Indeed."
Amaretto rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me you have never heard the phrase?"
Johanna shook her head and Katherine placed a reassuring hand on her charge's shoulder. "You must remember Amaretto, that we have traveled quite far and they may have in fact never heard of the coloquialisms that we use."
Amaretto thought for a moment and them realized that her aunt was indeed right. This was a whole other place. Even if it looked like Victorian England, that did not mean that it was.
"I'm sorry," Amaretto said a little demurely. "My aunt Katherine is right. Forget what I said."
Alice smiled warmly and then moved to stand next to Amaretto, her red dress almost instantly clashing with Amaretto's own. "Don't worry about it. The Watchmaker said you would have some mannerisms that would be considered passing strange."
At that moment, Amaretto thought that the way Alice spoke was 'passing strange'. She looked to Katherine an her god mother smiled back. Katherine then turned to Alice and them said, "so the Watchmaker said you would show us around?"
Alice smiled. "Indeed."
Grain...
The Black carriage stopped in front of the watch shop and the two horses on front of the cab nickered. Amaretto looked to her aunt. Katherine raised an eyebrow in return. The man driving the cabbie jumped down from the front seat and came around to open the door on the side. As he opened the door, he doffed his cap and then put his hand out.
From inside the cab stepped a woman in a bright red dress with a small bustle on the back. Her blond hair was wound tightly into curls which draped from under a rather large brim hat that was draped with a small veil. Her hands, covered with long gloves made of lace trimed with fur, gracefully accepted the cabby's hand and stepped down from the carriage.
As the woman moved to the side, the cabbie held out his hand an another woman took his hand. This woman had long delicate hands and long straight black hair that had been brushed to an almost impossible shine. It was held back by a simple band of blue ribbon. She was wearing a governess dress that was easier on the eyes than the other woman's red. The navy colored silk however clung scanalously to her frame. Large brown eyes stared back at Amaretto, seemingly lidded by tiredness.
The blond lifted her hands and carefully pulled back the veil. With curious eyes she looked first at Katherine and then at Amaretto.
"Are you both friends of the Watchmaker then?" The blond looked at them both earnestly and Amaretto looked at her aunt for guidance.
Katherine smoothly turned what appeared to be confusion into confidence and said, "Indeed; we are both aquainted with him."
At this the blond smiled and said, "Wondeful. I am glad to see we arrive on time then." The woman put her gloved hand out to Katherine, who in turn grasped it and shook. "My name is Alice Crowley, and this is my friend Johanna Dee."
Katherine smiled in turn. "My name is Katherine and this in my neice Amaretto. A pleasure to meet you."
Amaretto blinked at Alice's candor and put her hands on her hips as she frowned. "Aren't you forward with information? How are you sure we are the ones that you are looking for?"
Alice looked at Amaretto with a blank look on her face. She turned to look at Johanna who held a blank expression. Her face was a perfect mask of neutrality.
With a frank tone, Johana proclaimed, "No one can lie about the Watchmaker."
Amaretto frowned and looked at Katherine. She then said in a rather sarcastic voice, "Tempus is the nicest person I have ever met." she raised her eyebrows and then said, "This whole trip is not the most unfair thing to ever happen to me." She looked up at the not so dreary sky and then looked at Alice and Johanna. "Where's the lightning?"
From inside the cab stepped a woman in a bright red dress with a small bustle on the back. Her blond hair was wound tightly into curls which draped from under a rather large brim hat that was draped with a small veil. Her hands, covered with long gloves made of lace trimed with fur, gracefully accepted the cabby's hand and stepped down from the carriage.
As the woman moved to the side, the cabbie held out his hand an another woman took his hand. This woman had long delicate hands and long straight black hair that had been brushed to an almost impossible shine. It was held back by a simple band of blue ribbon. She was wearing a governess dress that was easier on the eyes than the other woman's red. The navy colored silk however clung scanalously to her frame. Large brown eyes stared back at Amaretto, seemingly lidded by tiredness.
The blond lifted her hands and carefully pulled back the veil. With curious eyes she looked first at Katherine and then at Amaretto.
"Are you both friends of the Watchmaker then?" The blond looked at them both earnestly and Amaretto looked at her aunt for guidance.
Katherine smoothly turned what appeared to be confusion into confidence and said, "Indeed; we are both aquainted with him."
At this the blond smiled and said, "Wondeful. I am glad to see we arrive on time then." The woman put her gloved hand out to Katherine, who in turn grasped it and shook. "My name is Alice Crowley, and this is my friend Johanna Dee."
Katherine smiled in turn. "My name is Katherine and this in my neice Amaretto. A pleasure to meet you."
Amaretto blinked at Alice's candor and put her hands on her hips as she frowned. "Aren't you forward with information? How are you sure we are the ones that you are looking for?"
Alice looked at Amaretto with a blank look on her face. She turned to look at Johanna who held a blank expression. Her face was a perfect mask of neutrality.
With a frank tone, Johana proclaimed, "No one can lie about the Watchmaker."
Amaretto frowned and looked at Katherine. She then said in a rather sarcastic voice, "Tempus is the nicest person I have ever met." she raised her eyebrows and then said, "This whole trip is not the most unfair thing to ever happen to me." She looked up at the not so dreary sky and then looked at Alice and Johanna. "Where's the lightning?"
Friday, January 22, 2010
Grain....
"I don't want to get used to it! I want to go home!" Amaretto's voice was terse and she was beginning to get angry.
"I'm sorry Ama, but you're going to have to face it; we aren't on Earth Secundus anymore. People will want your Hourglass here too..."
Amaretto looked at her aunt with confusion playing through her features. "Earth Secundus? What's that?"
Katherine sighed in an exasperated tone. "My darling little Ama, that is where you are from. That is the reality where you grew up and where you are most comfortable. This place however, while it is close to your time is very different. It runs on a different time axis and has a whole different history.
Katherine looked out at the street and as she did so Amaretto frowned at her. "Reality and time axis," she mumbled to herself, "I don't understand what you are talking about."
Katherine seemed not to notice Amaretto mumbling and said, "What that history may have been, I am not sure. I will say this however: God save the Realm!" With that she pointed upwards. Amareto allowed for her eyes to wander in the direction in which her aunt was pointing and she gasped. Fluttering and flying in the wind was the Union Jack, but it was slightly different. In the center, superimposed above the traditional colors, was a large bronze gear with a ring of gold in the center.
"What is that?" Amaretto pointed to the flag and looked at her aunt with surprise.
"that my dear," began Katherine, "Is the sign of the Empire and realm of New Machina, also known as the Second Great Empire of England, upon which the sun has never set." Amaretto blinked a few times at this answer. Katherine watched in amusement as Amaretto's mouth dropped open.
"New Machina? What happened to just normal England?" Amaretto turned back to look at the flag as her aunt shrugged.
"That's something that Tempus would be able to answer and explain easier than I. Speaking of which, since we wound up here, he must be somewhere nearby...” Katherine trailed off as Amaretto's head whirled. She had to many questions about what was going on. Wasn't this supposed to be a trial period of some sort? First it was the hourglass, then it was la sorcéire, now it was this. There did not seem to be any shortage of problems going on around here. Amaretto felt like her head was going to explode.
Her Aunt suddenly chimed out happily”There it is! Come on, let's get inside before we are noticed.” Amaretto's hand was grabbed by her aunt and she felt herself being dragged across the street into a watch shop. The rain sloughed down and caught her off guard, but when she got into the shop, she realized that she was soaked anyways, even for the short distance that they had covered from the alley mouth to the shop. It took but a moment more, but her musings about how wet she was were soon replaced with the loud ticking that she head next.
The sound filled the whole of the shop and, though it was very quiet, was actually quite deafening. Amaretto's aunt breathed a sigh of relief. Amaretto was surprised to see that Katherine was not soaking wet. The next thing that went through her mind however was that she was in a watch shop. The horrifying image of all of the watches and clocks going off at the same time went through her mind. She hoped that it would not happened and thankfully, it didn't. Inside of the store behind a rather large counter top was an old woman who looked them both up and down.
The Woman was dressed head to toe in black. She wore a tight corset and a stiff necked blouse that was severely buttoned up all the way to her throat. Her hair was tied up into a bun at the base of her neck and was tightly cinched. The woman looked at the both of them and Katherine tried to smile at her to open the woman a little bit more, but that didn't actually seem to work.
“We are here to see the watch maker, is he in?” Katherine's voice seemed a little forced, but there was nothing that anyone could do about it. The woman behind the counter rolled her eyes and then pointed to a curtained doorway that was behind the counter. Katherine continued to smile and then grabbed Amaretto's hand rather firmly and all but dragged her through the curtained doorway. At that moment, Amaretto felt the familiar pull of something and then there in front of her was Tempus once again.
Tempus' mouth twitched slightly and then he said rather loudly, “you made it! Thank Fate!”
“I don't feel much like thanking anyone,” Amaretto mumbled. It was then that her stomach lurched. She clutched at her middle and fell to her knees.
“Tempus, make some tea. Her stomach is catching up to her now.” Katherine leaned down and patted Amaretto on the back.
The room was familiar to Amaretto, but as she watched Tempus began to set out tea on the small table that sat beneath the towering dark shadow. He started to absently pour himself a cup when he said, “Well I for one am glad to see you both are still alive.”
Amaretto blinked. “Still alive? Still alive? There was a chance that we could have been killed when you sent us off?” Amaretto forced herself off the floor and then shakily stood her ground to stare at Tempus.
Tempus paused and looked at his teacup frowning. He then looked up and said, “Well I hate to admit it, but when I sent you and Katherine to Monde Cruex, I was a little worried...” his voice trailed off.
“You thought that we were going to die! I ought to kill you!” Amaretto surged forward only to be stopped by her churning stomach settling and the firm grip of her aunt's hand on her shoulder.
“Now, now darling. Even though you want to, you can't. The line is simply too long.” Katherine paused to glare at the man in front of them. Tempus actually looked to the ground as his cheeks flared a deep red crimson due to embarrassment.
“sorry,” Tempus said. “When the alarm went off I knew it was trouble ans so I fixed coordinates without even thinking and I didn't realize it till later.”
“Well we made it giver or take a few miles,” replied Katherine acidly. “the temple was not crowded thank god. La sorcéire showed us something rather disturbing though that we were hoping to discuss with you.”
Tempus picked up the cup that he had initially been pouring tea into and then moved forward to pass it to Amaretto. “What did you see?”
The answer burst forth from Amaretto's lips before her aunt could even answer. “Her double at the Sand Mirror is in trouble!”
Shock fell along the lines of Tempus' face for a moment before he placed the cup on a saucer and laid them back upon the table. As he did so, Katherine walked over to the table and searched around the cup s and glasses for a moment before turning her full attention to Tempus. “Still no table brandy Tempus? You really should get some just for me at least.”
“No brandy at high tea,” snapped Tempus. Katherine looked surprised at the tone that Tempus had used. She then sat down in one of the small wicker chairs that surrounded the table and began searching through her purse, all the while muttering dire precautions and unimaginable curses under hear breath at the man who had denied her.
Amaretto looked back behind her aunt and Tempus at the table and once again saw the strange tower once more in her view. It was still shrouded in darkness, but Amarretto swore that as she stared at it, she saw a giant pendulum. It was slowly swinging back and forth without making a single noise. “Hey Tempus, what is this thing?”
Tempus paused in his pacing for long enough to turn his head and gaze towards Amaretto.
"I'm sorry Ama, but you're going to have to face it; we aren't on Earth Secundus anymore. People will want your Hourglass here too..."
Amaretto looked at her aunt with confusion playing through her features. "Earth Secundus? What's that?"
Katherine sighed in an exasperated tone. "My darling little Ama, that is where you are from. That is the reality where you grew up and where you are most comfortable. This place however, while it is close to your time is very different. It runs on a different time axis and has a whole different history.
Katherine looked out at the street and as she did so Amaretto frowned at her. "Reality and time axis," she mumbled to herself, "I don't understand what you are talking about."
Katherine seemed not to notice Amaretto mumbling and said, "What that history may have been, I am not sure. I will say this however: God save the Realm!" With that she pointed upwards. Amareto allowed for her eyes to wander in the direction in which her aunt was pointing and she gasped. Fluttering and flying in the wind was the Union Jack, but it was slightly different. In the center, superimposed above the traditional colors, was a large bronze gear with a ring of gold in the center.
"What is that?" Amaretto pointed to the flag and looked at her aunt with surprise.
"that my dear," began Katherine, "Is the sign of the Empire and realm of New Machina, also known as the Second Great Empire of England, upon which the sun has never set." Amaretto blinked a few times at this answer. Katherine watched in amusement as Amaretto's mouth dropped open.
"New Machina? What happened to just normal England?" Amaretto turned back to look at the flag as her aunt shrugged.
"That's something that Tempus would be able to answer and explain easier than I. Speaking of which, since we wound up here, he must be somewhere nearby...” Katherine trailed off as Amaretto's head whirled. She had to many questions about what was going on. Wasn't this supposed to be a trial period of some sort? First it was the hourglass, then it was la sorcéire, now it was this. There did not seem to be any shortage of problems going on around here. Amaretto felt like her head was going to explode.
Her Aunt suddenly chimed out happily”There it is! Come on, let's get inside before we are noticed.” Amaretto's hand was grabbed by her aunt and she felt herself being dragged across the street into a watch shop. The rain sloughed down and caught her off guard, but when she got into the shop, she realized that she was soaked anyways, even for the short distance that they had covered from the alley mouth to the shop. It took but a moment more, but her musings about how wet she was were soon replaced with the loud ticking that she head next.
The sound filled the whole of the shop and, though it was very quiet, was actually quite deafening. Amaretto's aunt breathed a sigh of relief. Amaretto was surprised to see that Katherine was not soaking wet. The next thing that went through her mind however was that she was in a watch shop. The horrifying image of all of the watches and clocks going off at the same time went through her mind. She hoped that it would not happened and thankfully, it didn't. Inside of the store behind a rather large counter top was an old woman who looked them both up and down.
The Woman was dressed head to toe in black. She wore a tight corset and a stiff necked blouse that was severely buttoned up all the way to her throat. Her hair was tied up into a bun at the base of her neck and was tightly cinched. The woman looked at the both of them and Katherine tried to smile at her to open the woman a little bit more, but that didn't actually seem to work.
“We are here to see the watch maker, is he in?” Katherine's voice seemed a little forced, but there was nothing that anyone could do about it. The woman behind the counter rolled her eyes and then pointed to a curtained doorway that was behind the counter. Katherine continued to smile and then grabbed Amaretto's hand rather firmly and all but dragged her through the curtained doorway. At that moment, Amaretto felt the familiar pull of something and then there in front of her was Tempus once again.
Tempus' mouth twitched slightly and then he said rather loudly, “you made it! Thank Fate!”
“I don't feel much like thanking anyone,” Amaretto mumbled. It was then that her stomach lurched. She clutched at her middle and fell to her knees.
“Tempus, make some tea. Her stomach is catching up to her now.” Katherine leaned down and patted Amaretto on the back.
The room was familiar to Amaretto, but as she watched Tempus began to set out tea on the small table that sat beneath the towering dark shadow. He started to absently pour himself a cup when he said, “Well I for one am glad to see you both are still alive.”
Amaretto blinked. “Still alive? Still alive? There was a chance that we could have been killed when you sent us off?” Amaretto forced herself off the floor and then shakily stood her ground to stare at Tempus.
Tempus paused and looked at his teacup frowning. He then looked up and said, “Well I hate to admit it, but when I sent you and Katherine to Monde Cruex, I was a little worried...” his voice trailed off.
“You thought that we were going to die! I ought to kill you!” Amaretto surged forward only to be stopped by her churning stomach settling and the firm grip of her aunt's hand on her shoulder.
“Now, now darling. Even though you want to, you can't. The line is simply too long.” Katherine paused to glare at the man in front of them. Tempus actually looked to the ground as his cheeks flared a deep red crimson due to embarrassment.
“sorry,” Tempus said. “When the alarm went off I knew it was trouble ans so I fixed coordinates without even thinking and I didn't realize it till later.”
“Well we made it giver or take a few miles,” replied Katherine acidly. “the temple was not crowded thank god. La sorcéire showed us something rather disturbing though that we were hoping to discuss with you.”
Tempus picked up the cup that he had initially been pouring tea into and then moved forward to pass it to Amaretto. “What did you see?”
The answer burst forth from Amaretto's lips before her aunt could even answer. “Her double at the Sand Mirror is in trouble!”
Shock fell along the lines of Tempus' face for a moment before he placed the cup on a saucer and laid them back upon the table. As he did so, Katherine walked over to the table and searched around the cup s and glasses for a moment before turning her full attention to Tempus. “Still no table brandy Tempus? You really should get some just for me at least.”
“No brandy at high tea,” snapped Tempus. Katherine looked surprised at the tone that Tempus had used. She then sat down in one of the small wicker chairs that surrounded the table and began searching through her purse, all the while muttering dire precautions and unimaginable curses under hear breath at the man who had denied her.
Amaretto looked back behind her aunt and Tempus at the table and once again saw the strange tower once more in her view. It was still shrouded in darkness, but Amarretto swore that as she stared at it, she saw a giant pendulum. It was slowly swinging back and forth without making a single noise. “Hey Tempus, what is this thing?”
Tempus paused in his pacing for long enough to turn his head and gaze towards Amaretto.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Grain Redux... Traveling and Amaretto enters a new Dimension...
The world that swallowed her was bright and filled with sound. It was like a tunnel that seemed to fall in an endless pit. Lights in dots of all sizes whizzed past Amaretto's face and upwards. The sounds of a thousand voices and more filtered past her ears in such a rapid succession that they hardly registered. Most of it was a blur. She looked up, but could not see her aunt through the light. She looked down, but saw nothing except a small pinprick.
Then there was darkness. The darkness of the pinprick widened into a hole and then it seemed to swallow her up and Amaretto felt herself falling through the air and then crashed to the floor. She lay there gasping and choking, starring at the ceiling when a blip appeared before her. She stared at the dot and then heard a sound. Above her, the sudden form of her aunt falling was the next thing that she saw. She tried to move out of the way, but it was in vain. Katherine fell directly on top of Amaretto.
"Please, get off of me."Amaretto sucked in breath as Katherine rolled off of her and then took in ragged breaths of her own.
"That was not a fun trip at all," muttered Katherine.
"Could have fooled me," Amaretto responded acidly.
Katherine sighed and then sat up, dusting herself off. She looked around for a moment and then said, "Wait, where is my purse?" Amaretto tried to give her a look which she hoped was as scathing as possible. She was however very surprised by the look of understanding that crossed her aunt's face. Katherine stuck her arm out and from above them the purse fell. The straps whipped around her wrist perfectly and the bag slipped down , coming to rest and hang from the crook of her elbow.
Amaretto felt her jaw drop. Katherine simply reached into the bag and pulled out a compact. She flipped open the small mirror and began to check her make up. "Well now," she said snapping it shut after a moment, "Let us see where we are."
Amaretto reached out a hand and Katherine helped her to stand up. As she brushed herself off, she reached up a hand to check and see if the necklace was still around her neck. The Hourglass was warm to the touch and Amaretto sighed for just a moment. She watched as Katherine walked over to the end of the small alleyway and then nodded her head. She turned around and at that moment, there appeared to be a popping sound. There was a rush of air and then the world seemed to tilt back into focus. A rush of air swished past Amaretto and she took a breath and she could taste the subtle tang of smog in the air. Rain started to fall from the sky and pierce the area in the small alleyway around her and her aunt. Katherine reached into her purse and pulled out a small parasol umbrella and opened it. Amaretto looked up at her aunt. "What just happened?"
"Oh, the bubble, that was just the adjustment happening. Whenever you travel through time and space, the world creates a small bubble that allows your whole being to adjust to the new world that it is on and also where you have been. You will get used to it soon."
"I don't want to get used to it! I want to go home!" Amaretto's voice was terse and she was beginning to get angry.
"I'm sorry Ama, but you're going to have to face it; we aren't on Earth Secundus anymore. People will want your Hourglass here too..."
Amaretto looked at her aunt with confusion playing through her features. "Earth Secundus? What's that?"
Katherine sighed in an exasperated tone. "My darling little Ama, that is where you are from. That is the reality where you grew up and where you are most comfortable. This place however, while it is close to your time is very different. It runs on a different time axis and has a whole different history.
Katherine looked out at the street and as she did so Amaretto frowned at her. "Reality and time axis," she mumbled to herself, "I don't understand what you are talking about."
Katherine seemed not to notice Amaretto mumbling and said, "What that history may have been, I am not sure. I will say this however: God save the Realm!" With that she pointed upwards. Amaretto allowed for her eyes to wander in the direction in which her aunt was pointing and she gasped. Fluttering and flying in the wind was the Union Jack, but it was slightly different. In the center, superimposed above the traditional colors, was a large bronze gear with a ring of gold in the center.
"What is that?" Amaretto pointed to the flag and looked at her aunt with surprise.
"That my dear," began Katherine, "Is the sign of the Empire and realm of New Machina, also known as the Second Great Empire of England, upon which the sun has never set." Amaretto blinked a few times at this answer. Katherine watched in amusement as Amaretto's mouth dropped open.
"New Machina? What happened to just normal England?" Amaretto turned back to look at the flag as her aunt shrugged.
"That's something that Tempus would be able to answer and explain easier than I. Speaking of which, since we wound up here, he must be somewhere nearby..." Katherine trailed off as Amaretto's head whirled. She had too many questions about what was going on. Wasn't this supposed to be a trial period? First it was the glass, then it was la sorcieire, now it was this. Amaretto felt like her head was going to explode.
Her aunt suddenly chimed happily. "there it is! Come on, let's go before we are noticed." Amaretto's hand was grabbed by her aunt and she felt herself being dragged across the street into a watch shop. The rain that poured down from the sky sloughed down and caught her off guard, but when she got into the shop, she realized that she was soaked. That was second however to the silent ticking that seemed to fill all of the silence next.
Then there was darkness. The darkness of the pinprick widened into a hole and then it seemed to swallow her up and Amaretto felt herself falling through the air and then crashed to the floor. She lay there gasping and choking, starring at the ceiling when a blip appeared before her. She stared at the dot and then heard a sound. Above her, the sudden form of her aunt falling was the next thing that she saw. She tried to move out of the way, but it was in vain. Katherine fell directly on top of Amaretto.
"Please, get off of me."Amaretto sucked in breath as Katherine rolled off of her and then took in ragged breaths of her own.
"That was not a fun trip at all," muttered Katherine.
"Could have fooled me," Amaretto responded acidly.
Katherine sighed and then sat up, dusting herself off. She looked around for a moment and then said, "Wait, where is my purse?" Amaretto tried to give her a look which she hoped was as scathing as possible. She was however very surprised by the look of understanding that crossed her aunt's face. Katherine stuck her arm out and from above them the purse fell. The straps whipped around her wrist perfectly and the bag slipped down , coming to rest and hang from the crook of her elbow.
Amaretto felt her jaw drop. Katherine simply reached into the bag and pulled out a compact. She flipped open the small mirror and began to check her make up. "Well now," she said snapping it shut after a moment, "Let us see where we are."
Amaretto reached out a hand and Katherine helped her to stand up. As she brushed herself off, she reached up a hand to check and see if the necklace was still around her neck. The Hourglass was warm to the touch and Amaretto sighed for just a moment. She watched as Katherine walked over to the end of the small alleyway and then nodded her head. She turned around and at that moment, there appeared to be a popping sound. There was a rush of air and then the world seemed to tilt back into focus. A rush of air swished past Amaretto and she took a breath and she could taste the subtle tang of smog in the air. Rain started to fall from the sky and pierce the area in the small alleyway around her and her aunt. Katherine reached into her purse and pulled out a small parasol umbrella and opened it. Amaretto looked up at her aunt. "What just happened?"
"Oh, the bubble, that was just the adjustment happening. Whenever you travel through time and space, the world creates a small bubble that allows your whole being to adjust to the new world that it is on and also where you have been. You will get used to it soon."
"I don't want to get used to it! I want to go home!" Amaretto's voice was terse and she was beginning to get angry.
"I'm sorry Ama, but you're going to have to face it; we aren't on Earth Secundus anymore. People will want your Hourglass here too..."
Amaretto looked at her aunt with confusion playing through her features. "Earth Secundus? What's that?"
Katherine sighed in an exasperated tone. "My darling little Ama, that is where you are from. That is the reality where you grew up and where you are most comfortable. This place however, while it is close to your time is very different. It runs on a different time axis and has a whole different history.
Katherine looked out at the street and as she did so Amaretto frowned at her. "Reality and time axis," she mumbled to herself, "I don't understand what you are talking about."
Katherine seemed not to notice Amaretto mumbling and said, "What that history may have been, I am not sure. I will say this however: God save the Realm!" With that she pointed upwards. Amaretto allowed for her eyes to wander in the direction in which her aunt was pointing and she gasped. Fluttering and flying in the wind was the Union Jack, but it was slightly different. In the center, superimposed above the traditional colors, was a large bronze gear with a ring of gold in the center.
"What is that?" Amaretto pointed to the flag and looked at her aunt with surprise.
"That my dear," began Katherine, "Is the sign of the Empire and realm of New Machina, also known as the Second Great Empire of England, upon which the sun has never set." Amaretto blinked a few times at this answer. Katherine watched in amusement as Amaretto's mouth dropped open.
"New Machina? What happened to just normal England?" Amaretto turned back to look at the flag as her aunt shrugged.
"That's something that Tempus would be able to answer and explain easier than I. Speaking of which, since we wound up here, he must be somewhere nearby..." Katherine trailed off as Amaretto's head whirled. She had too many questions about what was going on. Wasn't this supposed to be a trial period? First it was the glass, then it was la sorcieire, now it was this. Amaretto felt like her head was going to explode.
Her aunt suddenly chimed happily. "there it is! Come on, let's go before we are noticed." Amaretto's hand was grabbed by her aunt and she felt herself being dragged across the street into a watch shop. The rain that poured down from the sky sloughed down and caught her off guard, but when she got into the shop, she realized that she was soaked. That was second however to the silent ticking that seemed to fill all of the silence next.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Grain Redux... In which a test run is agreed to...
"So I should think of this as a test then?" Amaretto frowned and looked at her aunt. Katherine smiled sadly.
"A test seems to be an interesting way to put it, but yes. This is a test. However, this test has no room for failure." Katherine shook her head ant then looked back at La sorcière who simply stared back in incomprehension. Amaretto was not pleased with the situation and didn't look it either.
"I must say that this seems a little bit rushed... I don't like this at all." Amaretto bit her lip.
La sorcière looked at her with clear eyes that seemed to pierce Amaretto to the core. "When you loose someone close to you, then you can come back to me and tell me that it seems odd. She is normally the only person that I may talk to. If no one goes to save her then I may never talk to anyone ever again except for those who have a wish and those who are on a pilgrimage."
Amaretto looked away, feeling shame color her face. The small girl looked as if she was about to say something when the water around them began to boil.
"What's happening?" Amaretto looked around panicking not sure what it was that she was supposed to do.
Katherine frowned and slightly stumbled as she tried to look up something on her palm pilot. "I have no idea. There is no information on an earthquake today." Amaretto was about to say something, but Katherine prattled onwards. "Though we are in Monde Creux, I don't think that I get reports on the palm for this then."
"I think this is something else though," said La sorcière. Amaretto tried to step back when she almost tripped over her own feet. She fell forward onto her knees. Her ears picked up a slight keening noise. Leaning forward, she realized that it was coming from the mirror below.
"The sound... it sounds like the same one we heard from when we were with Tempus." Amaretto spoke, trying to get her aunt's attention and failed at it. "Aunt Katherine!"
The Godmother didn't look at her but had a surprised and slightly worried look on her face. Amaretto took her index finger and poker her aunt in the side.
"OW! That was uncalled for!" Katherine narrowed her eyes as she looked at Amaretto with displeasure.
"Just listen!" Amaretto pointed at the mirror.
Katherine rolled her eyes and listened for a moment and then knit her brows in frustration. "It does sound the same," she began.
La sorcière pointed to a section of the mirror that cleared and said, "That is why. An alarm has been set off."
"Another alarm, great," Amaretto complained. She looked in the direction that La sorcière was pointing in.
At that moment, there was a sudden screech in the glass around them and the otherwise turbulent water turned a rather rapid shade of greenish red. It was probably the most vile color that Amaretto had ever seen. Katherine looked at it an said so.
"Quickly," La sorcière said.
Katherine held up her hand and shook her head. "There must be something that is tripping an alarm somewhere. What is this alarm for?"
La sorcière waved her hand at the water below them and the whole mirror turned into its innocuous sheet of glass once more. There, displayed on the crystalline surface was a picture of a group of people who were walking across the deserted sands of Monde Creux. They were dressed in a rather strange motley of clothes, but the one thing that stood out was the fact that they were wearing large wooden masks that covered their faces.
"Are they walking towards here?"
La sorcière nodded her head. "That is what it looks like. It appears that she has sent people after you."
Amaretto sneered at first and then her face shifted to confusion. "There is no reason to... wait what?"
La sorcière raised her hand and the whole of the mirror solidified again. Amaretto tried to say something, but Katherine interrupted her by waving her palm pilot around. "I just got an email dictating that the Hourglass is about to be contested! This is not good."
Amaretto looked like she was getting sick. "Contested? What does that mean? Someone else is going to be able to have this thing? I say let them."
Katherine grinned. "It means that if we don't move, we are going to be killed."
"Is that supposed to be funny?"
"Not at all, it is merely the truth." Katherine began to giggle slightly.
Amaretto looked to the girl who was frantically moving towards her side. "you have to get out of here now," said La sorcière. "I cannot allow for her to get her hands on your hourglass!" La sorcière raised her hands and the chamber took on a somber hue at that moment.
"Who is she?" amaretto's voice was full of confusion. She looked at her aunt who was frantically using her palm pilot.
La sorcière ignored her though. "I'm going to send you through paralax..."
"Para-what?" amaretto tried to say more, but was cut off at that moment.
"A test seems to be an interesting way to put it, but yes. This is a test. However, this test has no room for failure." Katherine shook her head ant then looked back at La sorcière who simply stared back in incomprehension. Amaretto was not pleased with the situation and didn't look it either.
"I must say that this seems a little bit rushed... I don't like this at all." Amaretto bit her lip.
La sorcière looked at her with clear eyes that seemed to pierce Amaretto to the core. "When you loose someone close to you, then you can come back to me and tell me that it seems odd. She is normally the only person that I may talk to. If no one goes to save her then I may never talk to anyone ever again except for those who have a wish and those who are on a pilgrimage."
Amaretto looked away, feeling shame color her face. The small girl looked as if she was about to say something when the water around them began to boil.
"What's happening?" Amaretto looked around panicking not sure what it was that she was supposed to do.
Katherine frowned and slightly stumbled as she tried to look up something on her palm pilot. "I have no idea. There is no information on an earthquake today." Amaretto was about to say something, but Katherine prattled onwards. "Though we are in Monde Creux, I don't think that I get reports on the palm for this then."
"I think this is something else though," said La sorcière. Amaretto tried to step back when she almost tripped over her own feet. She fell forward onto her knees. Her ears picked up a slight keening noise. Leaning forward, she realized that it was coming from the mirror below.
"The sound... it sounds like the same one we heard from when we were with Tempus." Amaretto spoke, trying to get her aunt's attention and failed at it. "Aunt Katherine!"
The Godmother didn't look at her but had a surprised and slightly worried look on her face. Amaretto took her index finger and poker her aunt in the side.
"OW! That was uncalled for!" Katherine narrowed her eyes as she looked at Amaretto with displeasure.
"Just listen!" Amaretto pointed at the mirror.
Katherine rolled her eyes and listened for a moment and then knit her brows in frustration. "It does sound the same," she began.
La sorcière pointed to a section of the mirror that cleared and said, "That is why. An alarm has been set off."
"Another alarm, great," Amaretto complained. She looked in the direction that La sorcière was pointing in.
At that moment, there was a sudden screech in the glass around them and the otherwise turbulent water turned a rather rapid shade of greenish red. It was probably the most vile color that Amaretto had ever seen. Katherine looked at it an said so.
"Quickly," La sorcière said.
Katherine held up her hand and shook her head. "There must be something that is tripping an alarm somewhere. What is this alarm for?"
La sorcière waved her hand at the water below them and the whole mirror turned into its innocuous sheet of glass once more. There, displayed on the crystalline surface was a picture of a group of people who were walking across the deserted sands of Monde Creux. They were dressed in a rather strange motley of clothes, but the one thing that stood out was the fact that they were wearing large wooden masks that covered their faces.
"Are they walking towards here?"
La sorcière nodded her head. "That is what it looks like. It appears that she has sent people after you."
Amaretto sneered at first and then her face shifted to confusion. "There is no reason to... wait what?"
La sorcière raised her hand and the whole of the mirror solidified again. Amaretto tried to say something, but Katherine interrupted her by waving her palm pilot around. "I just got an email dictating that the Hourglass is about to be contested! This is not good."
Amaretto looked like she was getting sick. "Contested? What does that mean? Someone else is going to be able to have this thing? I say let them."
Katherine grinned. "It means that if we don't move, we are going to be killed."
"Is that supposed to be funny?"
"Not at all, it is merely the truth." Katherine began to giggle slightly.
Amaretto looked to the girl who was frantically moving towards her side. "you have to get out of here now," said La sorcière. "I cannot allow for her to get her hands on your hourglass!" La sorcière raised her hands and the chamber took on a somber hue at that moment.
"Who is she?" amaretto's voice was full of confusion. She looked at her aunt who was frantically using her palm pilot.
La sorcière ignored her though. "I'm going to send you through paralax..."
"Para-what?" amaretto tried to say more, but was cut off at that moment.
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