A meeting with Miss Keyes

[Martha Villiers]

Down in the cellar vault beneath the Avalon nightclub, far away from the press of dancing Mortals, the lights are low and the atmosphere is one of lemon scented calm.

Tiny Martha sitting meekly and quietly on the sensible sofa in the Common area and seems to be reading through various invoices, 8x10 glossies of prospective Ember staff and working at something mundane on the simple Wi-Fi laptop at the coffee table.

Sweetly attired in her usual English school uniform: a neat straw boater, a black blazer...a pair of scholarly spectacles are perched on the end of her nose, Martha wears a long gymslip shows her legs to mid calf...her raven black hair is tied into long and neat twin tails. Each twin tail is tied with a neat red ribbon bow. She wears her C-Leg, a pair of white kneesocks and a pair of carefully polished black Mary Jane shoes. A crisp white blouse is obvious where the gymslip reveals it, as is her red necktie tucked neatly into her gymslip. A simple metal walking cane rests next to her on the sofa.

She glances to The Stairs to check to see if Catherine is arriving.

[Catherine Keyes]

Catherine literally scampered into the restricted, vampire-only areas of the Avalon. For once she wasn’t dressed to impress, and actually looked as if she had been working on something. Her clothes were comfortable: loose pants and a black tank covered by a grey cardigan wannabe. In her hands she carried a manila folder and a silver spiral bound notebook, behind one ear rode a pencil.

She smiled at the herald as she approached. “I am sorry if I kept you waiting, Miss.” The smile was obviously apologetic and a bit nervous, she hadn’t exactly been in Avalon recently due to her project.

[Martha Villiers]

It was hard not to draw various conclusions from the scampering and casual entrance. Martha looked up at the sound of feet working on The Stairs and peered at Catherine over the rims of her spectacles. Tracking Catherine's path across to the couch and coffee table.

The first conclusions she drew were that Catherine must have exhibited the exact same attributes at school. Always late. Homework rarely done on time. Teachers perpetually frustrated at a pupil who, with a little more hard work and application, could be in the top flight of achievement. Martha briefly shook her head. Here Catherine was, about to meet the Herald of the Domain...the very mouth piece of the Wishes of The Prince...and she arrives in haste and wearing jeans.

The young people these days... she bemoaned to herself. Entirely ignoring the fact that the fashions she had followed once elicited the exact same remark from her own elders.

Smiling to show Catherine all was actually well, Martha nodded and made a point of 'saving early, saving often' and paused in her preparatory work for Halloween in the Elysian Fields. Martha gently closed the lid of the laptop as she spent a few moments watching Catherine fluster by the seating.

A gentle hand gesture invites Catherine to sit. "Good evening, Miss Keyes. You are not so late. I feel no need to rebuke you for matters of punctuality!" she giggles happily, "A delight to see you!" she added. "Please...please...do be seated. Can I offer you a glass of chilled lemonade, I wonder?" she gestures cheerily to the glass tumblers and jug of freshly made lemonade on the coffee table. No doubt the source of the lemon fresh scent in the air. Ice cubes floating on the surface of the drink.

While she waits for Catherine to settle, Martha smiles. Seeking to reassure.

[Catherine Keyes]

Catherine sits down carefully, grateful that her pages hadn’t decided to take to the air again. In that moment she looked over the lemonade, “I do not think that would be a good idea, Miss.”

Projectile vomiting was not exactly something that she wanted to experience that evening.

She set the folder on the table, careful to not let it overlap the images at which Miss Villiers was looking. “You wished to discuss the most recent event, If I remember correctly. And particularly my skill at writing, I do have some of the poem finished.”

The Bard had been late, and she didn’t want to seem incompetent at her chosen trade as well -- particularly the Prince's Herald.

[Martha Villiers]

Martha was a little upset. She had spent time and effort in making the lemonade and offered it with good grace. For her offer to be rejected with polite words was one thing; for it to be called outright a bad idea was something altogether different.

The Beast within her wanted to react badly. Very badly.

Her small hands balled into fists and she had to take a moment to ensure discipline. To ensure that her Beast remained at heel.

Catherine, however, would have to work doubly hard now to win back the favor and good intentions which had instantly evaporated.

"Not...not a good idea?" she echoes, slightly perplexed, "I am sorry you feel that way..." she paused. Taking a moment to calm the Beastial instinct for petty revenge. Martha gripped at her knee joints with busy hands and again toook a moment to remind herself of the goodness and beauty of life and unlife...that she can...must...rise above the temptations of the Beast and all the Wickedness.

"...well...as to your work..."

Although the grip on her knees never slackens, Martha nods gently to Catherine as a smile is offered.

"Yes...yes...your work." her tone now brighter, more cheerful, "please tell me of your work...I wish to hear more." another smile. A sincere one too. "Did you work to the format of the balled? Or in free verse? I am as much interested and fascinated to hear of your creative process, Miss, as I am to hear of the work itself." her words also sound sincere.

[Catherine Keyes]

The very distinct feeling that she had offended the Herald settled around her. “Pardon me, Miss Herald Villiers, if I may offer an explanation?” Catherine grasped at what few straws she could foresee as potentially working in her favor. However, she wasn’t about to bring up something like that if Martha had no desire to hear her.

The icy feeling of displeasure, despite the Herald’s slowly changing demeanor, did not leave the back of Catherine’s mind. And for a moment a look of nervousness crossed her face again as she settled the notebook in her lap and withdrew the pencil from her ear.

“My creative process, is quite simple, and in no way unique. I am working my way through multiple forms; as I have three that are my favourite: the Ballad, the Epic, and a conglomeration of styles and rhyme schemes that shift. Generally the Ballad is my form of choice; however I would not wish to disappoint those who hear it.”

She lifted the folder off the table again and placed it in her lap. Then looked down at it. “Actually I have some of the notes I drew back up after Court, if you wish to see them. I was not entirely sure if you had any desire to know of my method. Please forgive me for being slightly unprepared.”

[Martha Villiers]

All smiles and good mood again, Martha nods as Catherine talks about her work. "A ballad sounds most splendid!" she watches happily as Catherine gathers her notes and, keen to show her sincere interest, Martha nod and offers her hands to accept the notes. "If I may see the notes, I should be glad...thank you! But...what explanation did you have, miss?" she asks, unsure what explanation needs to be offered, as if the earlier matter was already far in the past.

[Catherine Keyes]

Catherine paused for a moment before handing the folder over to the Herald. “That, I did enjoy lemonade in the past, Miss Herald, but that partaking of it now causes unpleasant and rude side effects, and that I wish to not subject you to such a thing.”

Catherine was sure that the Martha knew what she was speaking of, but she knew that you only had to accidentally try to continue eating after the embrace once before you never really wanted to experience that form of eating disorder ever again.

[Martha Villiers]

Martha guessed as much, but wanted to find out what Catherine would say. Nodding, she mentioned, in a gentle tone of advice rather than rebuke, "My father would have briskly beat me for similar ill manners...in future a simple 'yes, please' or 'no, thank you', will suffice, Miss. Others at Court will be far less forgiving of ill manners than I, Miss. I offer this as simple good advice to you, rather than rebuke." she smiles to show she means her words. "After all," she adds brightly...clearly hoping to move on from any ill feeling, "...I have asked you here to listen to your work and admire your talents!" another happy smile as she now begins to read the notes.

Taking care and attention to study and read in silence the and examine the technical aspects the poetry and prose in the notes.

Martha takes a long time with the notes; clearly fascinated by them.

She looks to Catherine and asks sweetly, "Will you offer a recitation, Miss? Or do you feel the work too incomplete for such activity?"

[Catherine Keyes]

Catherine only nodded silently, her manners did slip at times and she was still learning the required hold on them. Particularly around some members of the court and domain.

As Martha works her way over the notes, the pages of description and attempted starts and couplets. “Please forgive me Miss Villiers, but I do not believe it is nearly as complete as the last I recited to you. And much more work is being put into it. I would not voice the poem so early, should it put preconceived thoughts on the actual vocalization.”

The bard hoped this would appease the Herald, as the lighting of the pyre was personally Catherine’s favourite part, despite the elaboration she had begun to add into it; and truly only an outline was spread out.