I wanted to be that glass ballerina there,
In the music box, with real human hair.
She spins the moment you open up
and the notes sing us to sleep.
I could stand watch while you dream,
I remain on point in case you should scream.
Awake at midnight when the shadows
flit across your room.
If I could be that toy
I could be your lullaby.
If I could be that dancer
You could never tell me goodbye.
I shall never judge
I shall never say a thing
And I have faith you will never
break me.
I wanted to be something with tiny gears
That you could turn on for your ears
Around bedtime when lullabies are crucial
For you to find your sleep.
I could stand watch while you dream,
I remain on point in case you should scream.
Awake at midnight when the shadows
flit across your room.
If I could be yours
I could be your lullaby.
If I could be that dancer
Yours until you would find
Something new to love
Something new to keep
I always had faith you would
break me.
Am I so easily discarded?
Am I so easily discarded?
Showing posts with label sincerity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sincerity. Show all posts
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Draining the Humor (8)- simple understanding
8-simple understanding
Orion could not help but feel pain looking at the level of Hell Dante preserved for Sodomites. The illustration caused him grief, not because he thought he would merit it in his afterlife. No, he had been a merciful man. More merciful than the average. But a fellow person thought Orion deserved such torture.
He and his wife were looking over the haunting image. Orion laughed suddenly, recalling the time Bri had spoken up at tea about the Divine Comedy, in front of company “Who does Dant think he is? This work is not funny in the least.”
“What are you laughing at?” Bri asked, running a hand through his hair.
“The time you thought the ‘Divine Comedy’ was supposed to be funny.”
She hit his arm playfully and sat in his lap. He kissed her, lingering. “Brigid, you light the dark for me.”
She laughed and gave a subtle blush.
“Orion…”
When the butler appeared in their doorway, Bri jumped from Orion’s lap and straightened herself out. The man turned red and apologized. “I’m sorry, my lord and lady, your door was open.”
“It is alright, Papworth. What is it?”
“A visitor, my lord. A Mr. Frunberg.”
Orion set the illustrated volume on the nightstand. Bri had dragged him from his study to do something besides work. But now it was time to get back on schedule.
“I will be down in a second.”
He parted Bri with a kiss and descended the steps. At the bottom of the stairs the large frame revealed Amadeus.
“Amadeus?” he stopped at the foot of the stairs.
The German nodded to Orion with a slight smile, but a furrowed brow.
“Is there something the matter, my friend?”
“No, sir. I am here to pay you a visit.”
“You are? Would you care to sit?”
Amadeus nodded and followed the earl into the drawing room. The maid was cleaning feverishly and Orion called to her lightly, “Lily. Take some time to rest.”
The young maid turned to Orion, “Thank you, sir.”
He could sense she was tired, and he thought it cruel to work servants to the bone. They were people, after all.
“What brings you here, Mr. Frunberg?”
“I worried.”
Orion smiled at Amadeus’ characteristic short answers. He leaned forward in his chair, “About what, pre tel?”
“You were upset at the race track the other day. I wanted to see if you were doing well.”
“Very well,” Orion could not help but smile wide, “My wife sees to it that I do not stress. I have no hard feelings toward Mr. Arteberry either. It is only his way.”
“I know you will forgive him. You seem to be a merciful man. I am only worried about you. I mean to tell you something,” the man hesitated, blue eyes hazing a bit, “something private.”
Quite suddenly, Orion felt his flesh become excited, but he kept it at bay. The timing was strange and he did not understand it.
Amadeus looked about the den. “Permission to speak freely?”
When Orion nodded, his companion tensed in his armchair, “My sister was in the madhouse too. It is not a good institution. It is not a fair way. I am sorry for your hardship.”
It was unexpected, like cold but refreshing water. Orion had no time to choose his words this time, “Amadeus, I am sorry. Has she left?”
“She died in Constance Asylum. They fed her pills that make seizures.”
Orion hung his head in heavy thought. His worst torment in those dark days was the thought of perishing within the walls of the madhouse. Thrown into bedlam by men who wanted to disenfranchise him as a melodramatic, shy 15-year-old. He had no voice…
“Dark days pass for some of us. Not all…but I am lucky. Thank you, Amadeus. I greatly appreciated your kindness.”
“How is your wife?” the man seemed suddenly nervous.
Orion looked the muscular man up and down and smirked. What did he have to be shy about?
“She is well. Would you like to speak with her?”
As they headed up the stairs, Orion was hyper-aware of the doll maker’s eyes on him and the feeling gave him warm sensations. He could not help but wonder how strong Amadeus truly was... When they reached Bri’s chamber they found the door ajar and no woman inside.
“She is likely at the pond feeding her swans,” Orion shrugged. “She loves her animals.”
Amadeus stepped forward, as they were alone in the room. Orion’s heart jumped.
“My lord…permission to speak freely? There is something I must say,” his tone was demanding. It was hardly a request, more of a demand.
Orion would have bristled at the harsh tone, except that he realized it was only Amadeus’ way of speaking. He nodded and held his ground.
“Arteberry is so vulgar…” He reached out and cautiously, with one finger stroked Orion’s face. “You can find another…”
“You think so?” Orion asked.
He was utterly in shock, and yet a part of him suspected Amadeus was like him. Though he could not tell if the man was offering companionship or suggesting Orion simply find better.
“And you do not judge me?”
“I think you are beautiful…” Amadeus offered with a grunt. “A man like Charles will insult you. You could have any you wish. Why him?”
“You are most kind,” Orion heard his own voice lowering.
He inched forward. “Have you a better suggestion?”
He looked the man over quite obviously then. He was quite attractive and Orion would not deny him a night of experimentation.
“Your wife is correct that if you hold such things in you will become ill. But you should be selective. You can have any man you wish…”
Orion smiled and stepped forward. He had always suspected curiosity from Amadeus. But in retrospect, he could see the attraction. Why had he been blind?
He kissed Amadeus, chaste but lingering.
© 2011 Luz Briar. All Rights Reserved.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Mad Earl poem: Doctor’s Help
(A break from fiction. Here’s a poem.)
Doctor’s Help
You only meant to help
You extend your hand
My advise; withdraw it, my friend
Some have lost fingers this way.
You only meant to preach.
You tonic is
A weak arsenic
You hand it to your friends
To keep them your subjects…
You only meant to treat
Doctor, as you are
Your advise; stay ill, in need
Of your cabinet—
Yes, you only meant to bleed.
Your treatment is
Breakage of limbs
Severed feet and leeching
Patients, for your keeping.
Tell me your intentions are good;
I would rather rot than commend myself to you.
Your aid is pain
Spewed diagnosis based
On your ignorance
And your empty well-meaning head.
(A/N: the fifth poem in the Mad Earl poetry collection. )
© 2011 Luz Briar. All Rights Reserved.
Friday, March 11, 2011
The Earl Swan- a short story
(click to enlarge. Some silly illustration of the story. Desdemona is threatening Orion with a violin bow, in case you were wondering…)
The whole story is posted. Click the link below to read from the start if you haven’t yet. It’s a light read.
http://briarprose.blogspot.com/2011/02/story-earl-swan-part-1.html#links
If you read, as always, please let me know somehow (comment, click response, etc). Nice weekend, all!
Earl Swan is © 2010-2011 Luz Briar. All Rights Reserved.
Monday, March 7, 2011
story- Earl Swan (6)-Epilogue
(PLEASE click response or comment if you have read, especially if you have read the whole story. I want to know your opinions or at least that you were reading.)
Final Part
-6-
Bri’s eyes landed on the bride where she stood chatting with the other women.
Her hand lifted from her side and she pointed at Des with great derision. Her laugh erupted and she screamed, “Witch! Liar! Unforgiving SLUT!”
All eyes were on Bri now and she seethed, “How could you! I will KILL you, Desdemona! If that is him, I will KILL you!” she gestured to the roasted bird.
Bri ran from the scene, tripping once on her skirts but jumping up swiftly. She scurried to the pond, quickly for it was downhill. The ornamented swans all swam away from her, save one. It wagged its tail and stepped out of the water, shaking itself off.
Bri recognized her earl swan and she gathered the animal into her arms. “Darling! Oh, I thought they had killed you! I’m so sorry.”
She made her way back toward the reception, with the swan in her arms.
Of course, there were no eyes that were not on her. She was still seething. “I thought you had cooked him, Desdemona. I am sorry I had an outburst.”
With that, there was uproarious and merry laughter.
“Poor dear,” a woman exclaimed. “She thought we were eating her pet!”
Though the crowd was ready to laugh it off as some terrible misunderstanding—for who had not wanted to call Desdemona those words before? -- Bri remained stoic, teeth bared.
Des approached her, pulled her close then and whispered in her ear, “A kiss will change him back, love.”
“What?”
“A true love’s kiss,” Des whispered. “I am giving you this one chance.”
The crowd was straining to hear the women’s words but Bri backed up, holding the swan.
“Right here? Right now?”
“Last chance,” Des offered, flipping her curled hair back.
Bri eyed the swan, which looked at her blankly. Poor Orion. If he died a bird Bri would never forgive herself.
Thinking of the short lifespan he would lead while caged in a bird’s form, Bri took the bird’s bill in her hand and kissed it lovingly.
There was a crushing silence on the crowd. Then, the voice of Bri’s former husband began to laugh and all joined in the uproar. Derision and jeering came from all direction and Bri turned her eyes to Des with fury.
“The bird is still a bird, and the slut still a slut,” Bri spat.
Des wore a cruel smile, but before she could have fun with her joke, a powerful but soft baritone silenced the crowd, “That is Quite enough!”
People made a clearing, and the tall mystery woman pushed forward in the crowd and seized Bri by the shoulders. She threw back her veil to reveal green eyes and Bri nearly fainted.
“M-m-m-my Lord!” she exclaimed. “You’re a lady!”
“Oh, yes…” Orion looked himself over, a convincing, albeit tall, woman. “I can explain the dress.”
“You look nice,” Bri offered, still hugging the bird.
“Thank you,” Orion curtseyed. He then turned his sharp eyes to Des, calling everyone’s attention to the flustered bride.
“This woman tried to have me killed! And apparently now she’s tormenting her own bridesmaid!”
Orion yanked off the wig of long blonde hair and revealed himself to everyone.
“Is that man wearing a DRESS!” one man shouted.
“I had to. I have been hunted for over two weeks now because Desdemona Parade has paid for my assassination.”
Des made a quick attempt for people’s pity, citing that the earl was mad. “Just look at him, he’s in a dress!”
The crowd had a second shock. Puli, the butler stepped forward and vouched for Lord Hookwell. “He’s telling the truth…” Puli stepped forward and offered himself as evidence, “I am ashamed of my original role.”
At Puli’s side, a lawman, dressed well for the occasion but still sporting his badge commanded everyone to remain calm while he took Desdemona into custody.
The other shady servants began to disappear one by one, sneaking off, adding to the suspicion. The crowd was soon spreading out, leaving Des unprotected/
The lawman took the bride by the arm and led her away, but not before she shot Bri one last look of real panic. Bri turned back to her swan and set him on the ground.
“My lord…I thought you were a swan. She…she told me my kiss would turn you back.”
“I was hiding until I could get to you. But, Brigid, you kissed a dirty pond bird for me?” he asked, massaging her ear.
She had already forgotten he was dressed as a woman.
“I would kiss 99 more dirty pond birds for you, muffin.”
“Ah, well…that won’t be necessary,” he promised, watching the loyal bird on the ground.
“I tried to contact you. But it was difficult. I came here today to talk to you in disguise…I was not going to reveal her until after you knew…”
Bri threw her arms around his neck without warning and forced their mouths together. Then many were watching the small woman kiss the tall man in a dress, but there was less to be said, for the same woman had already kissed a swan.
EPILOGUE
Bri sat across from the earl in the carriage.
They were going to town, nearly two hours after Desdemona’s wedding. Orion had reappeared after going into the Parade mansion and immerged a man again, all signs of lace and ribbons gone.
“I am still impressed, my lord,” Bri told him, “with how pretty you are as a woman.”
“Thank you, my dear. I had to be convincing.”
He had explained the course of events to Bri after things had simmered down at the estate. Desdemona was in the custody of the police for the night, being questioned about her underground connections. Her servants, all but Puli, had slinked off to avoid capture.
“They were probably once soldiers, we mustn’t judge them too harshly,” Orion explained, “Britain has not been so kind to them.”
The officer in the crowd had been aware of Orion and Puli’s presence, for they had gone to authorities first.
Bri was still processing it all when the earl asked her, “What about your friend?”
Bri blinked at him.
“The swan?” he laughed.
“We are only good friends, I promise.”
They shared a laugh before Orion took her to a coffee shop where they sat down to unwind.
“I noticed my notes rummaged through…” he spoke up in the silence.
Bri blew on her coffee to cool it and smiled. Her laugh came up and she shook her head, “I was delusional. I really believed you were a bird, my lord.”
“And you stayed in that awful woman’s presence to be near the bird.”
“She would not fire me.”
“If she had, though, what would you have done?”
“Taken Muffin with me.”
“So, you believed she was a witch and knew she felt malice for you? But you stayed.”
“Yes…yes, I suppose I was mad in more than one way.”
Orion was careful, reaching over to take Bri’s hand into his. “Ms. Salud, would you be my bookkeeper?”
Some of her anxiety drained when he asked this. He was offering her a job.
“You wish for me to work with you?”
“I have been working on a book for quite some time. I need help, though. I know I’ve told you about it, but not thoroughly. Are you interested, Ms. Salud?”
She wanted to laugh at the way he tried to ice over his true intentions. She had always expressed interest in his strange projects. This particular book would be a study on “paranormal sexuality,” much to everyone’s horror. But the earl was content on probing the dark spaces of mythology for answers that others seemed to avoid.
But Bri knew the real question he was asking. It was more than a bookkeeper he saw her as.
“I would be happy to be near you.” she grinned. “I feel at peace with you.”
He smiled then, and laughed, somewhat nervous. It was refreshing to see his composure break down. “I feel the same. I…” he looked about.
There were no eavesdroppers and the barista was busy in the back of the shop.
“I…have never met a woman like you before. You understand my meaning?”
She nodded. She understood, because she had no expectations of him and did not insult him when he did things differently.
“You do? You understand?”
She could feel his hand tremble a bit. He was sensitive and sometimes she forgot how much.
“I understand,” she whispered. “Many men want to be a lover, they want to love someone and woo them, to make them swoon and whatnot. You want to be loved. You want someone to woo you and make you swoon.”
He was quiet, only staring now.
Bri offered. “I understand, muffin. You don’t have to be nervous.”
As the barista reappeared, whistling to himself, Bri went to release Orion’s hand but his fingers remained firm, linked with hers. She smiled and offered her other hand so that they were equal.
Before nightfall, Orion took Bri back to Parade estate, where she packed many of her things. She did not own much but her clothing and book collection. But before she left the estate, she visited the pond and collected her favorite swan.
She and the earl waited by the pond and sure enough, a large male swan floated over to them and Bri outstretched her hands. He walked into her embrace and she lifted him.
“You think they will mind him on the train?” Bri asked.
“I’m sure they can be persuaded,” Orion reminded her.
She was not used to having an employer spend their wealth in her favor.
As they began to return to the carriage with the bird, they stopped when they heard the swish of many wings. They turned to see that the flock had risen and flew above their heads, creating a small wind in the process, pushing them forward. They paused for one moment more, watching the swans form a perfect V in the sky.
“Dazzling,” Orion mused.
Bri put one arm about his waist and held the animal in the other hand, and they continued walking, following the arrow the birds made in the sky.
© 2010,2011 Luz Briar.
Final Part
-6-
Bri’s eyes landed on the bride where she stood chatting with the other women.
Her hand lifted from her side and she pointed at Des with great derision. Her laugh erupted and she screamed, “Witch! Liar! Unforgiving SLUT!”
All eyes were on Bri now and she seethed, “How could you! I will KILL you, Desdemona! If that is him, I will KILL you!” she gestured to the roasted bird.
Bri ran from the scene, tripping once on her skirts but jumping up swiftly. She scurried to the pond, quickly for it was downhill. The ornamented swans all swam away from her, save one. It wagged its tail and stepped out of the water, shaking itself off.
Bri recognized her earl swan and she gathered the animal into her arms. “Darling! Oh, I thought they had killed you! I’m so sorry.”
She made her way back toward the reception, with the swan in her arms.
Of course, there were no eyes that were not on her. She was still seething. “I thought you had cooked him, Desdemona. I am sorry I had an outburst.”
With that, there was uproarious and merry laughter.
“Poor dear,” a woman exclaimed. “She thought we were eating her pet!”
Though the crowd was ready to laugh it off as some terrible misunderstanding—for who had not wanted to call Desdemona those words before? -- Bri remained stoic, teeth bared.
Des approached her, pulled her close then and whispered in her ear, “A kiss will change him back, love.”
“What?”
“A true love’s kiss,” Des whispered. “I am giving you this one chance.”
The crowd was straining to hear the women’s words but Bri backed up, holding the swan.
“Right here? Right now?”
“Last chance,” Des offered, flipping her curled hair back.
Bri eyed the swan, which looked at her blankly. Poor Orion. If he died a bird Bri would never forgive herself.
Thinking of the short lifespan he would lead while caged in a bird’s form, Bri took the bird’s bill in her hand and kissed it lovingly.
There was a crushing silence on the crowd. Then, the voice of Bri’s former husband began to laugh and all joined in the uproar. Derision and jeering came from all direction and Bri turned her eyes to Des with fury.
“The bird is still a bird, and the slut still a slut,” Bri spat.
Des wore a cruel smile, but before she could have fun with her joke, a powerful but soft baritone silenced the crowd, “That is Quite enough!”
People made a clearing, and the tall mystery woman pushed forward in the crowd and seized Bri by the shoulders. She threw back her veil to reveal green eyes and Bri nearly fainted.
“M-m-m-my Lord!” she exclaimed. “You’re a lady!”
“Oh, yes…” Orion looked himself over, a convincing, albeit tall, woman. “I can explain the dress.”
“You look nice,” Bri offered, still hugging the bird.
“Thank you,” Orion curtseyed. He then turned his sharp eyes to Des, calling everyone’s attention to the flustered bride.
“This woman tried to have me killed! And apparently now she’s tormenting her own bridesmaid!”
Orion yanked off the wig of long blonde hair and revealed himself to everyone.
“Is that man wearing a DRESS!” one man shouted.
“I had to. I have been hunted for over two weeks now because Desdemona Parade has paid for my assassination.”
Des made a quick attempt for people’s pity, citing that the earl was mad. “Just look at him, he’s in a dress!”
The crowd had a second shock. Puli, the butler stepped forward and vouched for Lord Hookwell. “He’s telling the truth…” Puli stepped forward and offered himself as evidence, “I am ashamed of my original role.”
At Puli’s side, a lawman, dressed well for the occasion but still sporting his badge commanded everyone to remain calm while he took Desdemona into custody.
The other shady servants began to disappear one by one, sneaking off, adding to the suspicion. The crowd was soon spreading out, leaving Des unprotected/
The lawman took the bride by the arm and led her away, but not before she shot Bri one last look of real panic. Bri turned back to her swan and set him on the ground.
“My lord…I thought you were a swan. She…she told me my kiss would turn you back.”
“I was hiding until I could get to you. But, Brigid, you kissed a dirty pond bird for me?” he asked, massaging her ear.
She had already forgotten he was dressed as a woman.
“I would kiss 99 more dirty pond birds for you, muffin.”
“Ah, well…that won’t be necessary,” he promised, watching the loyal bird on the ground.
“I tried to contact you. But it was difficult. I came here today to talk to you in disguise…I was not going to reveal her until after you knew…”
Bri threw her arms around his neck without warning and forced their mouths together. Then many were watching the small woman kiss the tall man in a dress, but there was less to be said, for the same woman had already kissed a swan.
EPILOGUE
Bri sat across from the earl in the carriage.
They were going to town, nearly two hours after Desdemona’s wedding. Orion had reappeared after going into the Parade mansion and immerged a man again, all signs of lace and ribbons gone.
“I am still impressed, my lord,” Bri told him, “with how pretty you are as a woman.”
“Thank you, my dear. I had to be convincing.”
He had explained the course of events to Bri after things had simmered down at the estate. Desdemona was in the custody of the police for the night, being questioned about her underground connections. Her servants, all but Puli, had slinked off to avoid capture.
“They were probably once soldiers, we mustn’t judge them too harshly,” Orion explained, “Britain has not been so kind to them.”
The officer in the crowd had been aware of Orion and Puli’s presence, for they had gone to authorities first.
Bri was still processing it all when the earl asked her, “What about your friend?”
Bri blinked at him.
“The swan?” he laughed.
“We are only good friends, I promise.”
They shared a laugh before Orion took her to a coffee shop where they sat down to unwind.
“I noticed my notes rummaged through…” he spoke up in the silence.
Bri blew on her coffee to cool it and smiled. Her laugh came up and she shook her head, “I was delusional. I really believed you were a bird, my lord.”
“And you stayed in that awful woman’s presence to be near the bird.”
“She would not fire me.”
“If she had, though, what would you have done?”
“Taken Muffin with me.”
“So, you believed she was a witch and knew she felt malice for you? But you stayed.”
“Yes…yes, I suppose I was mad in more than one way.”
Orion was careful, reaching over to take Bri’s hand into his. “Ms. Salud, would you be my bookkeeper?”
Some of her anxiety drained when he asked this. He was offering her a job.
“You wish for me to work with you?”
“I have been working on a book for quite some time. I need help, though. I know I’ve told you about it, but not thoroughly. Are you interested, Ms. Salud?”
She wanted to laugh at the way he tried to ice over his true intentions. She had always expressed interest in his strange projects. This particular book would be a study on “paranormal sexuality,” much to everyone’s horror. But the earl was content on probing the dark spaces of mythology for answers that others seemed to avoid.
But Bri knew the real question he was asking. It was more than a bookkeeper he saw her as.
“I would be happy to be near you.” she grinned. “I feel at peace with you.”
He smiled then, and laughed, somewhat nervous. It was refreshing to see his composure break down. “I feel the same. I…” he looked about.
There were no eavesdroppers and the barista was busy in the back of the shop.
“I…have never met a woman like you before. You understand my meaning?”
She nodded. She understood, because she had no expectations of him and did not insult him when he did things differently.
“You do? You understand?”
She could feel his hand tremble a bit. He was sensitive and sometimes she forgot how much.
“I understand,” she whispered. “Many men want to be a lover, they want to love someone and woo them, to make them swoon and whatnot. You want to be loved. You want someone to woo you and make you swoon.”
He was quiet, only staring now.
Bri offered. “I understand, muffin. You don’t have to be nervous.”
As the barista reappeared, whistling to himself, Bri went to release Orion’s hand but his fingers remained firm, linked with hers. She smiled and offered her other hand so that they were equal.
Before nightfall, Orion took Bri back to Parade estate, where she packed many of her things. She did not own much but her clothing and book collection. But before she left the estate, she visited the pond and collected her favorite swan.
She and the earl waited by the pond and sure enough, a large male swan floated over to them and Bri outstretched her hands. He walked into her embrace and she lifted him.
“You think they will mind him on the train?” Bri asked.
“I’m sure they can be persuaded,” Orion reminded her.
She was not used to having an employer spend their wealth in her favor.
As they began to return to the carriage with the bird, they stopped when they heard the swish of many wings. They turned to see that the flock had risen and flew above their heads, creating a small wind in the process, pushing them forward. They paused for one moment more, watching the swans form a perfect V in the sky.
“Dazzling,” Orion mused.
Bri put one arm about his waist and held the animal in the other hand, and they continued walking, following the arrow the birds made in the sky.
© 2010,2011 Luz Briar.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
story- Earl Swan (5)
(PLEASE click a response/comment if you read!)
part 5 of 6
-5-
In another week’s time, it was made public that the heiress Lady Parade would be wedding the Honorable Sir Juan Baker. As Des’ ladies’ maid, Bri was of course expected to attend. She was to arrange the household staff for that bright day, except she was not enthused at all.
For one, she was busy with trying to turn the poor transfigured earl back into a man. She carried the earl swan with her through the house sometimes, and the staff at first feared for her sanity. But Des allowed for it, as it was something she and her new fiancé found amusing.
Des had tied a bow about the bird’s neck to easily tell it apart from the other swans. But soon it was clear that the animal had no need for a bow, because he took to following Bri inside most of the times, much like a dog.
She was sad on the first evening when she served the bird left-over chicken and then realized the horror of it.
“No! I’m so sorry, my lord!” she declared taking the plate away.
Bri detected some sadness in the animal at the table. She had almost forced Orion into cannibalism. Instead, she took out stale bread and gave them to the sad bird.
“I’m sorry for everything…” she told him as he ate.
The other staff must have watched on with wide eyes and concerned spirits.
As for Des’ Indian henchmen, Bri had not seen or heard from their head butler Puli in quite some time. In fact, he had disappeared around the same time as the earl, Bri noticed. But there was nothing she could make of it just yet.
At night, she refused to send the swan back out to the pond so she filled the extra tub with lukewarm water and let him paddle in circles until he flew out at the bedside and went to sleep.
In her spare time, she researched the reversal of hexes. She took the swan with her wherever she went, for she feared Des would kill and cook him if she turned her back. Now, when she met the heiress’ eyes she was fearful.
One evening as she ventured to the library with the swan shadowing her, she bumped into the heiress.
“Ms Salud? Good evening,” she gave a small nod to the bird, “My lord, how are you?”
“That is not funny,” Bri interjected. “Do not mock his position.”
“Why not? He mocked mine when he slept with my closest friend.”
Bri gave pause to this. No, she would not be swayed to apology now. She had already apologized after all, as did Orion.
“I am sorry you have felt betrayed. Now this evening I will ask you what I have every night for the past two weeks—“
“No, I will not change him back.”
“You can’t, can you?” Bri taunted. “You toyed with magic you don’t even understand, didn’t you?”
“I could if I wanted to,” Des whispered. “Don’t speak too loudly. The maids already want to send you to Bedlam.”
“You’re the one who belongs in a straightjacket, my lady.”
Bri glared at Des’ chest then, in search of any change. Des’ eyes widened slightly and for a moment her façade was cracked. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing, my lady. Excuse me now, I am going to read.”
“Don’t forget your beau.”
Bri fumed and marched into the privacy of the library. She already had a stack of books prepared for further reading. She had tried many things, such as waiting for the full moon and magical potions to free Orion from the spell. From what she read of mortals changed to beasts, their lifespan would extend somewhat longer than the average beast, but not by much.
She took a break from the books of folklore and myth, and visited the section on animals. She turned to a collection of bird watcher’s statistics and held her breath. She found the number of years for a healthy male swan and she dropped the book where she stood. She collapsed, sliding down the bookcase and finally wept.
She had doomed Orion to such a short life. She had taken away his voice and his mobility. She had even stripped him of his name and dignity. She wept for a long time there in the dimly lit library, into her hands.
She felt a nip at her ear and turned to see the earl swan staring at her. She collected it into her arms and cooed, “I’m so sorry, Muffin. I’m so sorry.”
Outside, hidden some ways in the surrounding forest there was a tree where Bri had etched a drawing of a woman. She had driven a nail into the effigy’s chest several nights ago and each night, as the ritual told her, she drove it in deeper. Her final hope was to kill the witch that had cursed her lover and perhaps in turn free him from the curse.
Tonight, she drove the nail in one more peg. But she recalled, as she lowered her hammer, that Des showed no signs of weakening.
She looked down to her bird companion and frowned. “Perhaps she will turn me into a rat. And then we will live about the same time, muffin…”
On the day of the wedding, Desdemona Parade had never looked more stunning. Brigid Salud had overheard some of the Indian servants discussing slaughtering the fattened swan for a meal, and they did so in their native tongue, not knowing she was fluent. She heard one of the men ask “How do I know which swan is the loon’s pet?” to which the other replied “It has a ribbon tied around its neck.”
Bri stole many ribbons from the dressing room then and ran to the pond. She decorated all the swans she could grab with them and arrived back to the house smelling of dirty pond bird. Her reason for not just removing the earl swan’s ribbon was that he was clearly the largest swan and would probably still be picked out. She instructed the earl swan to remain in the pond with his kin, so to avoid being cooked.
Then she was off to help Des prepare for the wedding.
“We are thinking of children’s names,” Des spoke idly as Bri helped to tie her corset. “I like the name Mercy but I think it is too common.”
“I would name a girl Hippolyta if you want uncommon,” Bri told her, pulling the laces extra tight.
“I would not ask your opinion on this matter. I am only thinking aloud to settle my nerves. Your marriage failed and produced no children.”
“I have a child,” Bri corrected her.
“What?” Des’ eyes widened in the body mirror. For a moment, Bri thought, the heiress really was pretty, when she was not acting. “You and Lord Arteberry had a child?”
“No, I was pregnant when I was a young girl and came to England from India,” Bri told her with a shrug, “I gave the child to proper parents. She never needed to know she was the result of cruelty.”
For once, Des had no dramatic face to offer and Bri was glad. If only she could shock the woman more often.
“I did not know.”
“You never asked,” Bri reasoned.
The hour of the actual wedding arrived. Bri happened to see her former husband Lord Arteberry in the reception, but she avoided him by wearing a blue veil and being amongst the bridesmaids. Arteberry was speaking to a tall, pale-haired woman who also wore a veil of white, concealing her features. Surely, he was trying to woo her. Bri rolled her eyes and proceeded with the wedding. Despite Des’ proclaimed hatred, Bri was, in fact, the maid of honor, donned in blue and bedecked with flowers.
But whispers from the other women were making her livid. The outdoors reception was nettlesome because it was windy and Bri was afraid for the earl swan. She counted Des’ Indian servants and noticed one number missing. She could not help but suspect that the man had gone to the pond in search of Orion. Or perhaps it was only Puli, missing as he had been for weeks now.
The ceremony became gloomy for Bri, as she thought of the fleeting nature of life. How long did a bird live? But really, how long did a man live? She was weeping when Des and Juan took their vows and kissed. Nobody thought a thing of it, because it was an occasion to cry joyously.
At the reception, a sumptuous feast was sprawled out across many picnic tables and the nobles gathered together to make small talk. Of course, Des’ wedding was large and immodest. Nothing about Des was subtle, after all.
From across the yard, the tall woman she had spotted earlier was walking towards her. But the cook had arrived and blocked Bri’s view. He set a tray on the picnic table and pulled off the top. People began to gravitate towards the main course but Bri let them pass her. She was like a dead woman standing as they shuffled past her and she stared, the blood draining from her face.
A large roasted bird was the main course.
© 2010-2011 Luz Briar.
part 5 of 6
-5-
In another week’s time, it was made public that the heiress Lady Parade would be wedding the Honorable Sir Juan Baker. As Des’ ladies’ maid, Bri was of course expected to attend. She was to arrange the household staff for that bright day, except she was not enthused at all.
For one, she was busy with trying to turn the poor transfigured earl back into a man. She carried the earl swan with her through the house sometimes, and the staff at first feared for her sanity. But Des allowed for it, as it was something she and her new fiancé found amusing.
Des had tied a bow about the bird’s neck to easily tell it apart from the other swans. But soon it was clear that the animal had no need for a bow, because he took to following Bri inside most of the times, much like a dog.
She was sad on the first evening when she served the bird left-over chicken and then realized the horror of it.
“No! I’m so sorry, my lord!” she declared taking the plate away.
Bri detected some sadness in the animal at the table. She had almost forced Orion into cannibalism. Instead, she took out stale bread and gave them to the sad bird.
“I’m sorry for everything…” she told him as he ate.
The other staff must have watched on with wide eyes and concerned spirits.
As for Des’ Indian henchmen, Bri had not seen or heard from their head butler Puli in quite some time. In fact, he had disappeared around the same time as the earl, Bri noticed. But there was nothing she could make of it just yet.
At night, she refused to send the swan back out to the pond so she filled the extra tub with lukewarm water and let him paddle in circles until he flew out at the bedside and went to sleep.
In her spare time, she researched the reversal of hexes. She took the swan with her wherever she went, for she feared Des would kill and cook him if she turned her back. Now, when she met the heiress’ eyes she was fearful.
One evening as she ventured to the library with the swan shadowing her, she bumped into the heiress.
“Ms Salud? Good evening,” she gave a small nod to the bird, “My lord, how are you?”
“That is not funny,” Bri interjected. “Do not mock his position.”
“Why not? He mocked mine when he slept with my closest friend.”
Bri gave pause to this. No, she would not be swayed to apology now. She had already apologized after all, as did Orion.
“I am sorry you have felt betrayed. Now this evening I will ask you what I have every night for the past two weeks—“
“No, I will not change him back.”
“You can’t, can you?” Bri taunted. “You toyed with magic you don’t even understand, didn’t you?”
“I could if I wanted to,” Des whispered. “Don’t speak too loudly. The maids already want to send you to Bedlam.”
“You’re the one who belongs in a straightjacket, my lady.”
Bri glared at Des’ chest then, in search of any change. Des’ eyes widened slightly and for a moment her façade was cracked. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing, my lady. Excuse me now, I am going to read.”
“Don’t forget your beau.”
Bri fumed and marched into the privacy of the library. She already had a stack of books prepared for further reading. She had tried many things, such as waiting for the full moon and magical potions to free Orion from the spell. From what she read of mortals changed to beasts, their lifespan would extend somewhat longer than the average beast, but not by much.
She took a break from the books of folklore and myth, and visited the section on animals. She turned to a collection of bird watcher’s statistics and held her breath. She found the number of years for a healthy male swan and she dropped the book where she stood. She collapsed, sliding down the bookcase and finally wept.
She had doomed Orion to such a short life. She had taken away his voice and his mobility. She had even stripped him of his name and dignity. She wept for a long time there in the dimly lit library, into her hands.
She felt a nip at her ear and turned to see the earl swan staring at her. She collected it into her arms and cooed, “I’m so sorry, Muffin. I’m so sorry.”
Outside, hidden some ways in the surrounding forest there was a tree where Bri had etched a drawing of a woman. She had driven a nail into the effigy’s chest several nights ago and each night, as the ritual told her, she drove it in deeper. Her final hope was to kill the witch that had cursed her lover and perhaps in turn free him from the curse.
Tonight, she drove the nail in one more peg. But she recalled, as she lowered her hammer, that Des showed no signs of weakening.
She looked down to her bird companion and frowned. “Perhaps she will turn me into a rat. And then we will live about the same time, muffin…”
On the day of the wedding, Desdemona Parade had never looked more stunning. Brigid Salud had overheard some of the Indian servants discussing slaughtering the fattened swan for a meal, and they did so in their native tongue, not knowing she was fluent. She heard one of the men ask “How do I know which swan is the loon’s pet?” to which the other replied “It has a ribbon tied around its neck.”
Bri stole many ribbons from the dressing room then and ran to the pond. She decorated all the swans she could grab with them and arrived back to the house smelling of dirty pond bird. Her reason for not just removing the earl swan’s ribbon was that he was clearly the largest swan and would probably still be picked out. She instructed the earl swan to remain in the pond with his kin, so to avoid being cooked.
Then she was off to help Des prepare for the wedding.
“We are thinking of children’s names,” Des spoke idly as Bri helped to tie her corset. “I like the name Mercy but I think it is too common.”
“I would name a girl Hippolyta if you want uncommon,” Bri told her, pulling the laces extra tight.
“I would not ask your opinion on this matter. I am only thinking aloud to settle my nerves. Your marriage failed and produced no children.”
“I have a child,” Bri corrected her.
“What?” Des’ eyes widened in the body mirror. For a moment, Bri thought, the heiress really was pretty, when she was not acting. “You and Lord Arteberry had a child?”
“No, I was pregnant when I was a young girl and came to England from India,” Bri told her with a shrug, “I gave the child to proper parents. She never needed to know she was the result of cruelty.”
For once, Des had no dramatic face to offer and Bri was glad. If only she could shock the woman more often.
“I did not know.”
“You never asked,” Bri reasoned.
The hour of the actual wedding arrived. Bri happened to see her former husband Lord Arteberry in the reception, but she avoided him by wearing a blue veil and being amongst the bridesmaids. Arteberry was speaking to a tall, pale-haired woman who also wore a veil of white, concealing her features. Surely, he was trying to woo her. Bri rolled her eyes and proceeded with the wedding. Despite Des’ proclaimed hatred, Bri was, in fact, the maid of honor, donned in blue and bedecked with flowers.
But whispers from the other women were making her livid. The outdoors reception was nettlesome because it was windy and Bri was afraid for the earl swan. She counted Des’ Indian servants and noticed one number missing. She could not help but suspect that the man had gone to the pond in search of Orion. Or perhaps it was only Puli, missing as he had been for weeks now.
The ceremony became gloomy for Bri, as she thought of the fleeting nature of life. How long did a bird live? But really, how long did a man live? She was weeping when Des and Juan took their vows and kissed. Nobody thought a thing of it, because it was an occasion to cry joyously.
At the reception, a sumptuous feast was sprawled out across many picnic tables and the nobles gathered together to make small talk. Of course, Des’ wedding was large and immodest. Nothing about Des was subtle, after all.
From across the yard, the tall woman she had spotted earlier was walking towards her. But the cook had arrived and blocked Bri’s view. He set a tray on the picnic table and pulled off the top. People began to gravitate towards the main course but Bri let them pass her. She was like a dead woman standing as they shuffled past her and she stared, the blood draining from her face.
A large roasted bird was the main course.
© 2010-2011 Luz Briar.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
story- Earl Swan (4)
*(Click a response/comment if you read please. It encourages me to share more!)*
part 4 of 6
-4-
It came to Brigid as no shock when Desdemona did not dismiss her. Des had always been a woman of more bark than bite. What did shock her was the earl’s notable absence around the mansion. Or anywhere else for that matter.
Bri inquired into the town, going to market for her mistress. She intentionally selected rotten fruit and deformed eggs during the trip, but she also queried every busy-body she could find. No gossip had spread of the earl, and nobody knew where he had gone off to.
She sent a lengthy letter of inquiry to Constance Estate, Orion’s home, asking the staff there and any relatives as to his whereabouts. In a week’s time she had a reply, and it did not make her happy.
Orion was, for lack of a better term, missing.
It began to hurt at the week’s end. Bri felt her chest tighten at the thought. Where would he have gone? Was he hurt?
Of course, she glared at Des whenever their paths crossed. Des’ usual verbal ramblings were no longer Bri’s to hear, of which she was grateful. However, she was left with no clues.
By the eighth day of Orion’s absence, she finally sought her mistress out. She had done her morning errands, commanding all of the household staff on upkeep and the like. Now she had a moment to spare and she was going to use it.
“My lady,” she put her hand on the bow of Des’ violin, stopping the tremulous noise. “I want to know where he is. What will you have me do?”
Juan was in the large room with Des today. He was a tallish man with long, brown hair, easy on the eyes but profoundly shallow. He and Des made a fine match.
He nodded at her as she stared, her eyes narrowed in ill-humor.
“Juan, this is my librarian-assistant- ladies’ maid, Brigid Salud.”
“I have heard of you,” Juan smirked.
“We’ve already met, Sir Juan.”
“We have?”
“At my ex-husband’s wedding,” she said flatly. “You were 13 then.”
“I don’t recall being there.”
“Oh, you were there.”
Des pouted, apparently angry to have the attention stolen from her. She reprimanded Bri, “Let’s not talk about you-know-whom. The engagement is off, I have a lawyer on his way today along with an old acquaintance of Orion’s.”
“A lawyer? An old acquaintance? I thought you said you turned him into a swan, my lady.”
Juan snorted and Des shot him a look.
“Yes, but he can’t tell anyone that, now can he?”
“He can if the lawyer is fluent in Quack,” Bri snipped.
“HaHa,” Des feigned laughter. “You are so clever.”
They argued for a moment more, with Des commanding Bri to leave her presence. But Bri refused, raising her alto higher. Finally, she seized Des’ violin and threw open the room’s windows, running onto the balcony. She held the violin over the edge and put a hand on her hip.
“I have six more,” Des folded her arms, stepping onto the balcony.
“I know where they are,” Bri answered coolly.
“ Oh, look…” Des pointed to the pond where the swans, geese and ducks were lounging. “There is his lordship right now.”
“Cut the humbug, Desdemona!”
“Darling!” came Juan’s voice. “There is a man here!”
Des cocked an eyebrow at Bri and turned slowly. Bri lingered with the violin for a moment. She stared at it and then sent it flying over the edge.
Back in the drawing room, a new figure had entered. A man of distinguished appearance, perhaps handsome in his better days. He had black hair streaked with gray, and dark eyes.
The three seemed already familiar, leaving Bri the odd woman out. At least the newcomer grinned at her cordially.
“Bri, have you met Dr. Madison?”
Bri blinked, looking from each face to the other.
“Why don’t you tell my ladies’ maid what you and Lord Hookwell’s ‘relationship’ was.”
“It happened to be years ago,” the doctor mumbled. “I came to vouch for his infidelity in confidence, my lady.”
“He hasn’t been unfaithful,” Bri defended Orion. “Not until me.”
“His word against ours,” Des reminded the maid.
Bri’s laugh erupted then. Under other circumstances she would have been embarrassed, but today she was too angry.
The doctor stepped over then. He was aggressive, grabbing Bri’s shoulder and looked her over. “That is fascinating.”
Bri pulled away defensively and the doctor mused, “I never would have thought…”
“Can we get onto business now?” Des demanded.
“…he would lay with a woman,” spoke the doctor.
“Well, he did. Why are you helping this woman hurt him, doctor? What wrong has he done you?”
“None, Ms. Salud. But the Lady Parade has money,” he smiled wryly. “I am getting old, I will need to retire soon.”
“Tell her what a raging sodomite he is,” Des grumbled. “Tell her how he disappeared from home when he was 15 and spent a year with you—“
“Business,” the doctor turned around, also apparently tired of Des’ cruelty. “When will the lawyer be here?”
Bri could stand it no longer. Again, she found herself storming out of the room in a rage.
Raiding Des’ library was an easy task. The only use it had was by staff and the employer when she wanted new books to display on the front coffee table. Des recalled the ones that Des had ordered to look at time and again. Certain things that the heiress thought were deviant. The Witch’s Grimoire, for example, which Des seemed to believe contained spells. She was unaware that it was possibly the most misogynistic piece of literature ever written, and little more than a guidebook for hunting down ‘witches.’ She did know of a few books that covered folklore and pagan practices. Those were the ones that Bri checked out. She also rummaged through the writings that Orion had left behind, because he did happen to be an expert in demonology. It was the topic of his thesis in University.
Brigid had needed to force herself to do this research, because it was preposterous.
Then again, a wise Brahman in India had once taught her that a closed mind was the worst handicap.
Hexes to change a human into an animal seemed common enough, though Bri could not find a universal method amongst magicians. Often, in myth, as Orion’s notes told her, the gods would transform themselves into animals to seduce maidens. But sometimes, such as the case of the arrogant spinner Arachne, a mortal would be transformed into some lowly beast as a punishment.
“But how do I know…?” she asked the silence, as she lay in her bed, throwing another book aside.
Finally, thanks again to Orion’s notes, Bri had some form of an answer.
Usually a piece of clothing or a prized possession of the person is presented to the animal in legends. If the animal becomes possessive of this item, it cues the searcher as to whether or not this is that person.
It was the dead of night, but Bri ran to Orion’s chamber anyway. She searched the drawers and turned up empty handed. Des must have emptied the room out. Keeping her anger at bay, Bri then marched to the study. The same study where she had seduced the earl. There on the desk, his reading glasses were left untouched.
She ran with them outside, after seizing a lantern and ventured to the pond.
Most of the animals were asleep, but a few were stirring. Bri’s lantern seemed to bother them greatly.
She felt a great fool shouting it, but she forced herself. “Muffin? Are you there?”
After a moment of silence and soft quacks, Bri peeled into laughter. She had to wipe a tear away from her eyes at the thought of herself calling out to a pond like this. In her momentary hysteria, she put Orion’s glasses on and tried to simmer down.
The glasses were snatched from her face then. “Ow!”
She opened her eyes to behold a swan, the same large one from the other day, clamping the glasses in his jaws.
She stared, unable to hold in her laugh.
“Holy mother of god…Muffin?”
© 2010-2011 Luz Briar.
part 4 of 6
-4-
It came to Brigid as no shock when Desdemona did not dismiss her. Des had always been a woman of more bark than bite. What did shock her was the earl’s notable absence around the mansion. Or anywhere else for that matter.
Bri inquired into the town, going to market for her mistress. She intentionally selected rotten fruit and deformed eggs during the trip, but she also queried every busy-body she could find. No gossip had spread of the earl, and nobody knew where he had gone off to.
She sent a lengthy letter of inquiry to Constance Estate, Orion’s home, asking the staff there and any relatives as to his whereabouts. In a week’s time she had a reply, and it did not make her happy.
Orion was, for lack of a better term, missing.
It began to hurt at the week’s end. Bri felt her chest tighten at the thought. Where would he have gone? Was he hurt?
Of course, she glared at Des whenever their paths crossed. Des’ usual verbal ramblings were no longer Bri’s to hear, of which she was grateful. However, she was left with no clues.
By the eighth day of Orion’s absence, she finally sought her mistress out. She had done her morning errands, commanding all of the household staff on upkeep and the like. Now she had a moment to spare and she was going to use it.
“My lady,” she put her hand on the bow of Des’ violin, stopping the tremulous noise. “I want to know where he is. What will you have me do?”
Juan was in the large room with Des today. He was a tallish man with long, brown hair, easy on the eyes but profoundly shallow. He and Des made a fine match.
He nodded at her as she stared, her eyes narrowed in ill-humor.
“Juan, this is my librarian-assistant- ladies’ maid, Brigid Salud.”
“I have heard of you,” Juan smirked.
“We’ve already met, Sir Juan.”
“We have?”
“At my ex-husband’s wedding,” she said flatly. “You were 13 then.”
“I don’t recall being there.”
“Oh, you were there.”
Des pouted, apparently angry to have the attention stolen from her. She reprimanded Bri, “Let’s not talk about you-know-whom. The engagement is off, I have a lawyer on his way today along with an old acquaintance of Orion’s.”
“A lawyer? An old acquaintance? I thought you said you turned him into a swan, my lady.”
Juan snorted and Des shot him a look.
“Yes, but he can’t tell anyone that, now can he?”
“He can if the lawyer is fluent in Quack,” Bri snipped.
“HaHa,” Des feigned laughter. “You are so clever.”
They argued for a moment more, with Des commanding Bri to leave her presence. But Bri refused, raising her alto higher. Finally, she seized Des’ violin and threw open the room’s windows, running onto the balcony. She held the violin over the edge and put a hand on her hip.
“I have six more,” Des folded her arms, stepping onto the balcony.
“I know where they are,” Bri answered coolly.
“ Oh, look…” Des pointed to the pond where the swans, geese and ducks were lounging. “There is his lordship right now.”
“Cut the humbug, Desdemona!”
“Darling!” came Juan’s voice. “There is a man here!”
Des cocked an eyebrow at Bri and turned slowly. Bri lingered with the violin for a moment. She stared at it and then sent it flying over the edge.
Back in the drawing room, a new figure had entered. A man of distinguished appearance, perhaps handsome in his better days. He had black hair streaked with gray, and dark eyes.
The three seemed already familiar, leaving Bri the odd woman out. At least the newcomer grinned at her cordially.
“Bri, have you met Dr. Madison?”
Bri blinked, looking from each face to the other.
“Why don’t you tell my ladies’ maid what you and Lord Hookwell’s ‘relationship’ was.”
“It happened to be years ago,” the doctor mumbled. “I came to vouch for his infidelity in confidence, my lady.”
“He hasn’t been unfaithful,” Bri defended Orion. “Not until me.”
“His word against ours,” Des reminded the maid.
Bri’s laugh erupted then. Under other circumstances she would have been embarrassed, but today she was too angry.
The doctor stepped over then. He was aggressive, grabbing Bri’s shoulder and looked her over. “That is fascinating.”
Bri pulled away defensively and the doctor mused, “I never would have thought…”
“Can we get onto business now?” Des demanded.
“…he would lay with a woman,” spoke the doctor.
“Well, he did. Why are you helping this woman hurt him, doctor? What wrong has he done you?”
“None, Ms. Salud. But the Lady Parade has money,” he smiled wryly. “I am getting old, I will need to retire soon.”
“Tell her what a raging sodomite he is,” Des grumbled. “Tell her how he disappeared from home when he was 15 and spent a year with you—“
“Business,” the doctor turned around, also apparently tired of Des’ cruelty. “When will the lawyer be here?”
Bri could stand it no longer. Again, she found herself storming out of the room in a rage.
Raiding Des’ library was an easy task. The only use it had was by staff and the employer when she wanted new books to display on the front coffee table. Des recalled the ones that Des had ordered to look at time and again. Certain things that the heiress thought were deviant. The Witch’s Grimoire, for example, which Des seemed to believe contained spells. She was unaware that it was possibly the most misogynistic piece of literature ever written, and little more than a guidebook for hunting down ‘witches.’ She did know of a few books that covered folklore and pagan practices. Those were the ones that Bri checked out. She also rummaged through the writings that Orion had left behind, because he did happen to be an expert in demonology. It was the topic of his thesis in University.
Brigid had needed to force herself to do this research, because it was preposterous.
Then again, a wise Brahman in India had once taught her that a closed mind was the worst handicap.
Hexes to change a human into an animal seemed common enough, though Bri could not find a universal method amongst magicians. Often, in myth, as Orion’s notes told her, the gods would transform themselves into animals to seduce maidens. But sometimes, such as the case of the arrogant spinner Arachne, a mortal would be transformed into some lowly beast as a punishment.
“But how do I know…?” she asked the silence, as she lay in her bed, throwing another book aside.
Finally, thanks again to Orion’s notes, Bri had some form of an answer.
Usually a piece of clothing or a prized possession of the person is presented to the animal in legends. If the animal becomes possessive of this item, it cues the searcher as to whether or not this is that person.
It was the dead of night, but Bri ran to Orion’s chamber anyway. She searched the drawers and turned up empty handed. Des must have emptied the room out. Keeping her anger at bay, Bri then marched to the study. The same study where she had seduced the earl. There on the desk, his reading glasses were left untouched.
She ran with them outside, after seizing a lantern and ventured to the pond.
Most of the animals were asleep, but a few were stirring. Bri’s lantern seemed to bother them greatly.
She felt a great fool shouting it, but she forced herself. “Muffin? Are you there?”
After a moment of silence and soft quacks, Bri peeled into laughter. She had to wipe a tear away from her eyes at the thought of herself calling out to a pond like this. In her momentary hysteria, she put Orion’s glasses on and tried to simmer down.
The glasses were snatched from her face then. “Ow!”
She opened her eyes to behold a swan, the same large one from the other day, clamping the glasses in his jaws.
She stared, unable to hold in her laugh.
“Holy mother of god…Muffin?”
© 2010-2011 Luz Briar.
Friday, February 25, 2011
story: The Earl Swan (part 1)
(Bri & Orion. By me. Yes I know I draw like Dr. Seuss…)
If you read please CLICK A RESPONSE or COMMENT to let me know people are reading. Much appreciated.
(part 1 of 6)
The Earl Swan
England, 1850
1
The librarian fastened the lace of her boots and then grabbed her load of books from the ground. Desdemona Parade’s library was so vast and so quiet the whip of the laces and crinkling of pages echoed. It never ceased to give the librarian Brigid the spooks. On more than one occasion she had screamed to find someone behind her, usually the sulky heiress Desdemona herself.
“Ms Bri,” came a lush voice.
This time it was not Desdemona. Bri jumped and her nervous tick--a petulant, uncontrolled laugh--bubbled up. It was such a deep, manly laugh, and she such a petite woman, that it never ceased to give people a start.
When she met Lord Hookwell’s green eyes her face reddened and she apologized for dropping her books.
“My lord, you move like a shadow.”
“I’m sorry, Ms Salud. I was only saying hello,” he gave his wide smile. “I did not mean to startle you.”
“My lord—“ the laugh “-- I can never quite come to grips with the gigantic SIZE of this library. For a woman who never reads, really…” she caught herself insulting Des, Orion’s fiancé, and bowed her head, “I mean, it is HUGE, you must admit.”
Bri had clutched her bundle of books to her bosom. Then, she loosened her grip, realizing that the books bunched her large breasts up and she did not need to distract the poor earl.
“What is your business in the library, sir?” she teased.
“The librarian is good at conversation,” he complimented playfully “and Des is boring me with her talk of…well, you know the way she gets.”
Bri’s laugh popped up again. “Pardon, I can’t seem--” again “to get the laugh under control today.”
Orion laughed, his face suddenly brightened. He was a slender figure, a bit taller than average and Bri always had to stare up at him, due to his tallness and her shortness. He had light blonde hair and a gaunt face which often gave him a melancholic look. But best of all was his toothy smile. He had the nicest teeth Bri had ever seen on a man.
“You have a unique voice, Ms. Salud. I’m sure you’ve been told that before.”
He was accustomed to her laugh by now, and did not mock her for it.
She snapped out of her daze, reminding herself that Orion was almost a decade her junior and her employer’s fiancé. It was something Bri had to remind herself often, for she was a lusty woman at heart.
“Yes, yes,” she smirked. “My voice. Thank you, I suppose. It is a melting pot from India to England, I’m afraid…”
Bri was told often that her accent was strange. What with being an English waif born in India, raised by both natives and Britons.
“No, it is the voice itself I would say,” Orion mused, bending down to collect a book that Bri had overlooked on the floor. “But sadly I must return to Desdemona and the ‘planning.’ Until later--” he took her hand and squeezed it. “Farewell.”
Bri felt her insides cool as her cheeks flushed, and then the earl was gone, like a swift white swan lost in the bright sunlight.
She cursed herself privately. She had already suffered much drama with her ex-husband, an unfaithful viscount who ventured all the way to Parliament to divorce Bri. And what for? Because she refused to turn a blind eye on his affairs. Of course, he chalked it up to her being “frigid.” But nothing could be further from the truth, as evidenced by the problem she had now.
Lusting after an engaged earl…she reflected, climbing a ladder to shelve a book. That would be my luck…
“Bri, I want your opinion on something,” Desdemona summoned the librarian-assistant, who was truly her ladies’ maid at the end of the day. She pointed a long, manicured fingernail to the window, a landscape of rolling green hills. “Elephants…”
The woman let the statement linger with much importance. Bri cocked an eyebrow.
“my lady…they never forget?” Bri tried to make sense of the heiress’ statement.
“Haha. No. what do you think of elephants instead of horses for the wedding? Would Lord Hookwell be too shy about it?”
“Far too modest,” and reasonable, Bri managed not to add.
“Ah, he has no imagination,” Des proclaimed in an exaggeration.
“I would beg to differ,” Bri offered, pouring the lady’s tea. “Your fiancé is very artistic.”
“Oh,” she snapped suddenly. “that reminds me.”
No topic could stay on anyone else for very long. Des needed time to shine, after all.
Much to Bri’s dread, Des grabbed for her violin in the corner and abused its strings too quickly to make any sort of music. Bri refrained from covering her ears, though the effect of the sound was very much like a cat falling out of a window repeatedly.
“Did you recognize the piece?”
Piece of Shit, in D-minor.
“Yes…uh, no.”
“Mozart. The Magic Flute,” Des raised an eyebrow proudly, not mentioning what part of the opera she had been ‘playing.’
“I’m sorry, Ms. I missed it.”
Des’ dark eyebrows dropped and she attacked the violin again in another melodramatic display, her face held stoic purposefully to appear alluring. At times, Bri wanted to jump out of the window with the imaginary cat.
The heiress Desdemona Parade was a beautiful woman, with pale skin and long dark hair. But there were many things, in Bri’s opinion, that ruined the would-be beauty. Des wore a vial of “blood” as a necklace, she professed to know spirits and be a practitioner of witchcraft. She scarcely did smile except in a contrived way and what she liked was selective and of no real opinion except what it contradicted. She thought herself a master musician after three years of dabbling in violin along with other rich young nobles. She was at home in the social circle of young rebellious artists with nothing to stand up against.
Worst of all, Des considered Bri one of her closest friends for the ironic reason that Bri would not lie. She amused Des, it seemed. Bri was a woman who could not be bothered with pretensions and flattery. Her lack of social graces-- that distinct tick of hers-- her mousy looks—she had buckteeth, large brown eyes and brunette hair -- and the famous divorce from a viscount; all of these factors added up to Bri’s being gutted of any false hopes for social status. Sometimes Bri felt like a “deviant” accessory for her friend-employer, like a sort of slave-made handbag made from the skin of baby animals.
“I’ve thought of inviting Jaun to the wedding,” Des spoke, probably cued by the glazed-over look in Bri’s eye.
“Will Orion--eh, Lord Hookwell, be bothered with that, miss? That seems a tad…absurd…”
Juan was one of Desdemona’s many lovers. Bri had met the man and found him as pretentious as the heiress herself.
“My fiancé doesn’t know so he has no reason to care,” she sighed, “Juan is sad since…we were intimate…he says, frankly, no other woman compares.”
Bri was standing behind Des, so she was able to roll her eyes freely. More secrets from Orion?
“What if he interrupts the wedding?” Bri asked, not masking her bitterness. “He will if he loves you and wants you.”
Usually her sarcasm flew over the heiress’ head, so she did not worry about masking it.
Des pasted on a smile and perked up. Again, she stroked the poor violin and continued to play. “Do you think Orion will be angry if I tell him?”
Bri unleashed the truth, all the while Des kept silent in an attempt to be mysterious.
“Ms, frankly I worry his heart will break. It is the third time this has happened with three different men. Three is excessive.”
“He wants to fester in his pants,” Des breathed.
Bri held her breath. Again, Des was trying to be serpentine and falling short. It was downright farcical.
“Do you mean, Ms. Parade, that he will not perform in the bedroom? I don’t think you are using the word fester correctly.”
“Fester means to rot. What do you think I should do, Ms. Bri?”
Bri continued but all the while Des was sulking while ‘playing’ the violin. Bri, accustomed to being tuned out whenever critique arose, began to toss out nonsense to see if the woman would notice.
“If you want a turkey for a house pet, you should fill its litter box with wood shavings. It is a dumb bird and will try to eat sand or rocks you put in a box. Also, it has been known to trip.”
“Interesting,” Des stated, eyes closed. “He’s a sodomite, you know?”
Bri’s jaw dropped. She knew that Des had been implying this for a long time now. But to hear her actually say it sent Bri off the hinge.
“Ms Parade, your husband might be refusing you because you aren’t properly wed yet and he wants to avoid a pregnancy. Furthermore, not every man who rejects you is a sodomite. Perhaps you should think before you assume things.”
“Are you finished?” Des asked, looking up from her violin, still playing.
Bri nearly wished the duchess would fire her on the spot. Alas, she kept attacking the violin and now Bri had to quit the room, lest she yell at her employer more.
She knew the earl well from having spoken so often to him, both in letters and in the library. Their friendship was not so well-known to Desdemona but that was just as well. If the duchess knew of their friendship, surely jealousy would be ignited.
But never did Bri have the courage to ask Lord Hookwell, the 3rd Earl of Constance, whether or not the nasty rumors were true. There were some who said he fancied gentlemen over ladies, but Bri shrugged that off as foolish chatter. The lord was engaged to a woman, after all.
But now, Desdemona’s using this as an excuse for infidelity had pushed Bri to the limit. She must speak to the earl.
© Luz Briar 2011. All Rights Reserved.
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