Patchwork Universe

Lady Violetta Kingsley

[color="blue"][Continued from Chimera][/color]

Emerging from the mist Lady Violetta looked down at the ship's compass in her hand. "Aha - so I'm still travelling north - that proves - well, nothing, really. Never mind. Let's see if there's another of those arrow things about. I wander how easy they are to find." Scanning the horizon (or what passed for the horizon anyway). she took note of the Imperial Foundry. "Well I suppose that if there is anything to be found, then it will be found over there, since there doesn't appear to be any other scenery of note."

Blackie at least appeared somewhat happier, and was nibbling at some nearby grass. This reminded Violetta that she hadn't eaten in ... well, quite some time, although she didn't really feel as hungry as felt she ought to. It would have been sensible to bring a pocket watch, she supposed, but it was a bit late now. Dipping into her saddlebag, she removed a bit of bread and cheese and ate it as she rode at a leasurely place towards the Foundry.

liason · Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2004 1:42 pm Post subject:

It wasn't long before Lady Violetta was spotted by one of the servants.

A customer ! Oh, but wait, were they still supposed to be serving customers ? That was Liason's idea and he was rather out of favour...

At this point, the resource gathering mob noticed the visitors and began to trundle towards them, spinning up saws and waving grappling ropes. The servant quickly anticipated the likely outcome and waved urgently to Lady Violetta.

"Welcome to the Imperial Foundry !" he shouted at the top of his voice, "Please do come this way as quickly as you possibly can... umm... if you wish." It turned out to be quite hard to be polite and authoritative at the same time, so the servant settled for waving his arms increasingly frantically.

Lady Violetta Kingsley · Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2004 8:22 pm Post subject:

Lady Violetta emerged from her (regrettably thus far signless) reverie to find a peculiar little man waving at her. Since he was the first person she'd seen who'd been remotely friendly since she had left Aldersley, she thought that she would pop along and say hello. Oh, and hadn't he said something about the Empire? Jolly good - at least that meant that she was definitely in a civilised part of the world, possibly even back in England herself. In fact there seemed to be a veritable surfeit of people eager to greet her, but best to stick with first instincts or whatever. He was also being polite, which was definitely a good sign. Clearly things were on the up.

Moving Blackie into a quick trot, she approached the frantically waving man. "Hello. I'm Lady Violetta Constance Kingsley. Since this is a rather informal sort of an adventure, you may address me as Lady Violetta." She jumped down off the horse. "I don't suppose you'd be able to rustle up a cup of tea would you? I'm somewhat parched from my ride." Looking around, she noticed for the first time the distinct lack of anything resembling a stables. "Oh, and is there somewhere I can tie up Blackie? Preferably with a nice tasty bit of grass nearby. Are those your friends over there?"

liason · Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 7:56 am Post subject:

"The Imperial Foundry is honoured by your visit, Lady Violetta. A selection of teas is available in the customer lounges. Please allow me to escort you."

The resource gathering mob was getting closer rapidly and it was at about this point that it became clear they weren't human. To start with, they were mostly too small. Second, they had the wrong number of limbs. Thirdly, they looked... Well, one of them looked a bit like a pram, another somewhat like a pillarbox with rows of triangular metal teeth and there were two with what looked like long rubber hoses for arms. They all looked rather unfriendly. Click, hiss, whirr, they went as they approached.

"Although it's somewhat irregular," the servant sounded worried, "I suppose you had better bring your mount inside."

Lady Violetta Kingsley · Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 8:54 am Post subject:

"Not to sound rude, but do your friends look like a selection of miscellaneous automatons?" Lady Violetta asked as she followed the man inside. "I only ask, you see, because I'm told that my perceptions are sometimes somewhat at variance with reality, and I just wanted to make sure we were all singing off the same sheet."

liason · Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 9:17 am Post subject:

"It's a fair description milady."

Two other servants appeared and bowed. A brief murmur of coversation resulted in a different one - dressed rather more ostentatiously in turquoise and cream - escorting Lady Violetta to more comfortable surroundings.

"Your horse will be attended to," he bowed to her, "perhaps in the meantime you would care for tea and sweetmeats ?"

Lady Violetta Kingsley · Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 10:51 am Post subject:

"That's awfully nice of you," said Lady Violetta. "I'd be very grateful."

Somewhere at the back of her mind, alarm bells were ringing. People were starting to be nice to her, and treat her appropriately. While in the normal circumstance of things, this would cause little unease, she did appear to be having one of those 'episodes'. Or at least that's how mama referred to them. Mama said that they were flights of fancy brought on by wishful thinking. And certainly she had been very wishfully thinking of a nice sit down and some tea and cakes, and here they were. Perhaps mama was right, and it was all her fancy.

Pragmatism won the day in the end, however. As long as the tea tasted tea-like, it didn't really matter whether she was imagining it or not, she supposed. Patting herself down in a vain attempt to remove some of the dust of travel, she took a seat on one of the odd looking, but nonetheless pleasantly comfortable, chairs. As she sat waiting, she hoped that Blackie was being taken good care of.

liason · Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 11:00 am Post subject:

A short while later, the servant returned carrying an elaborately fashioned tray bearing a very unusual-looking black teapot and a wide china cup. He poured her a cup of tea (and Lady Violetta couldn't help noticing how curiously quick and dextrous he was) and set a saucer with a cube of some multi-layered confection in front of her.

"An Advisor will be hear shortly to discuss your requirements," the servant bowed again, "and should you want for anything in the meantime, you have only to ask me." He then retired to a respectful distance.

Goodness, thought Attendant to himself, I do hope they're not reprocessing her mount.

Lady Violetta Kingsley · Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2004 9:30 pm Post subject:

Lady Violetta sipped her tea gratefully, and nibbled delicately at the unusual confectlon. She pondered the teapot for a moment, and decided that the odd construction of that and most of the other things she'd seen, she must be in some far flung and exotic corner of the Empire after all. Still, at least they could make a decent cup of tea, and the staff seemed remarkably efficient. She'd always suspected the Aldersley staff of being a little, well, slovenly, and this butler's quick attentions had confirmed that opinion. Still, it wouldn't do to let him get too full of himself.

"No thank you. Everything is quite satisfactory."

Advisor? What on earth was he talking about. Still, this advisor person might know where she could find a sign.

liason · Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2004 9:09 am Post subject:

And it was not long before the Advisor appeared. He was dressed in a very tight fitting dark turquoise tailcoat and sported a moustache sufficiently waxed to withstand the most severe of weather conditions.

"Mademoiselle, welcome to the Imperial Foundry," he bowed, provoking a creak of complaint from his tailcoat, "I am here to discuss your requirements with you. We are honoured to have you as a customer."

Lady Violetta Kingsley · Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2004 7:58 pm Post subject:

"Well, naturally," thought Violetta. "Who wouldn't be honored?" Yet something here was not at all right. She addressed the advisor.

"Customer, did you say? I think there's been a small misunderstanding. Your butler kindly invited me in for tea and cake, but I'm afraid he didn't mention anything about commerce. I normally leave that sort of thing to Daddy anyway.

"I regret to inform you that I am currently experiencing no lack of girders, large bells or other forged items. Well, except I was looking for a sign. Not in a religious sense, you understand, but in the sense of a metal arrow type thing. Maybe you made it for a customer? Or is it your sign? It could well be since it lead me here.

"I'm terribly sorry about the misunderstanding. I'd be happy to recompense you for the tea and cake." Violetta removed a pound note from her bag. "Would this be sufficient?"

liason · Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2004 9:25 am Post subject:

"Oh, no need for that," the Advisor held up a hand to wave the pound note away, "visitors are welcome also. As for signs, there is one out in the wilderness to the West of the Foundry. I shall arrange for you to be escorted there if you wish ?"

"I take it that you are travelling somewhere ? If so, I hope you would not object to my asking if you have any news of the wider world ? We have been rather isolated here, of late."

Lady Violetta Kingsley · Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2004 12:20 pm Post subject:

"Thank you." Lady Violetta looked somewhat relieved. "I'd be grateful, although really I only need to know which way it points. You see, things seem to have got a little confusing and the mists, well, it's easy to get lost. So I thought someone might have put the signposts up to help them remember which way they'd gone or something. As to the wider world. well that's all a bit confusing. The North Pole is now just South of here. Or at least it was - it might not be any more and to the west of that was the moon, although west somehow became south, so it might be to the south now. or it might not be. As to Aldersley, I've no idea where it's gone. I do hope the person who put up the signs has some idea what's going on. Oh, and time is being odd too - either that or I'm just forgetting things a lot. Does that help?"

liason · Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2004 1:24 pm Post subject:

"As to most of that, Madam, I fear it lies rather outside my remit. However, to the very best of my knowledge the signpost to which you referred points West. Furthermore, may I reassure you that your horse is absolutely fine."

Lady Violetta Kingsley · Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2004 3:57 pm Post subject:

"Well, I suppose I should be on my way then. Thank you for the tea. If you ever come to Aldersley do feel free to drop in for tea in return. If nothing else, you may be able to convince my mother that I didn't imagine you. A pleasure meeting you. If I meet anyone in need of metalwork, I'll be sure to send them your way. Assuming, that is, I know which way you are at the time which seems pretty unlikely at the moment, but the thought is there."

Lady Violetta rose from her seat and waited to be conducted back to her horse and the exit.