Patchwork Universe

Jones · Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2004 3:52 pm Post subject: Repairs and Reparations

Jack had noticed with relief that his two children had taken their water fight out into the kitchen garden and joined Lady Violetta. It had given him the chance to perform a grim duty.

Miraculously the donkey the Jones family kept had survived the nightfall and the monsters and Jack had harnessed her to the small cart he used for produce deliverys. Now in the back of the cart were two long wooden boxes and two small leather sacks.

The first box contained the remains of 'John Angelis' and the name John was chalked on the end end next to a sigel of spiritual potency. The second was likewise marked with the name 'Michael' and two more sigels, one the same as John's the other to indicate the dead man had been a priest. The two sacks contained what possessions survived the death of the two men.

Covering the whole of the back of the cart with a tarpaulin, Jack Jones sat down outside the pub and reviewed the remainder of his task. The body of the Ograda lay like a felled giant and normally Jack would not have hesitated to butcher the corpse for any parts of value in alchemy. Now, tired and saddened, he sat instead thinking of the two dead men. Had they friends among the other customers? Where should they be buried? Jack had wondered about interring them in the earth near the cottages, creating a small cemetery.

But Juniper had said something that had made him decide against this plan. John and Michael were dwellers in the quilt. They had come from other places than this, as Juniper had. If she died she had asked him to take her back to the rose garden. So, this rite he would perform for the dead here today. Wherever they were now, perhaps they would appreciate the thought that brought their bodies back to their homes.

[ooc: When the Never Deal With a Dragon thread ends, this new thread should be the point of entry for anyone returning to the Public House.]

Jones · Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2004 2:52 pm Post subject:

Jones had turned his back on the quarrelling customers and returned to the public house. As he saw Jack outside he stopped and laid a hand affectionately on the other man's shoulder.
"How are things?" he asked, looking up at the blackened and sodden thatch.
"Oh, the fire's out," Jack offered a weary smile. "Though Jon and Jessamin have nearly drowned us all with those water wands." Glancing over at the cart and the donkey he added. "And I've attended to the bodies."

"Bodies?" Jones frowned. "I heard the priest died. Who was the other?"
"A man named John Angelis," Jack replied. "He was killed by firedrakes near the cottages, trying to help Jessica and Jareth."
"I remember him," Jones nodded. "He had intended to stay tonight..." his words trailed off as an ellusive memory floated across his mind.

"Dad," Jack had been thinking as well and he interupted his father's musings. "I want to take Michael's body back to his home. And John's. We fought together, it;s right that I take him back to his kin."

"It's too dangerous," Jones spoke automatically. "I don't want you crossing the mists. You know what could happen..."

"Dad," Jack looked serious. "I need to do this. I can't hide behind you all my life. Besides..."
At the expression on his face Jones felt suddenly afraid and watched as his son produced two crumpled pieces of paper.
"The first was on the door, the second we found in the attic," Jack explained. "Jane wrote them. She's gone, Dad. She ran away with that young thief, Larkin. She said she wanted to have a real adventure."

"Damn that lad to hell and back," Jones snarled. "A real adventure? She's as bad as those clowns arguing about what a dragon owes in blood money while two men lie dead." He shook his head and sighed deeply. "I'll have to go after her."
"Dad... she's growing up," Jack tried to explain but he knew at the outset it would do no good.
"She's a foolish girl and she's got no idea the dangers that await her." Jones set his face into a grim expression. "I'm going after her. I'll take the bodies back with me as well, there's no need for you to do that."
"No, Dad, I'm doing it." Jack stood firm. "I've got the cart ready. I've explained to Juniper and to mother. I'm doing this.... but if you want to come with me..."
"Very well," Jones smiled and put an arm around the younger man's shoulders. "I'd appreciate the company."

Helping Jack to his feet the bar-keeper continued:
"I'll have to explain it to your mother but then we can be off. I've no desire to spend much longer with the current crop of customers and we'll have to close the tavern for repairs at any rate."

As they walked together through the door Jones frowned again. What was that memory, something to do with the man Angelis. Something important he was sure...

Jones · Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2004 2:04 pm Post subject:

In the public bar chaos reigned. The floor was awash with water and the remains of meals, smashed crockery and broken glass. The only thing that could be said for it was that it was in better condition then the upstairs.

According to Jack the cottages were intact and only a little damaged, although a tribe of goblins seemed to have rampaged through one of them. Therefore Juniper, Doctor Domenova, Jessamin and Jonathan had been deputised to strip all the linens and valuables from the upstairs rooms and take them across to the cottage to be stored. Jessica was caring for baby Jeb, still fractious after his nighttime journey through the monstrous afternoon. Jennifer and Jareth were cleaning up the public bar, at least enough to make some business possible again.

"I'm surprised you didn't object, to Jones and Jack leaving, at a time like this," Jareth was saying and Jennifer raised her eyebrows at him.
"They wouldn't have listened to any objection I made," she said wryly. "So far better to keep silent."

Jareth seemed surpised but Jennifer knew her husband well enough to understand that nothing would have kept him from going after Jane, not while the rest of them were safe at home. And Jack, he'd dug in his heels on the matter of the priest and the other young man. He'd have gone whatever Jones said to him.

Tipping a pile of broken glass into the packing crate they were using for rubbish, Jessica crossed to the door of the public bar. The inner doors to the lobby and the outer door had both been propped open and now she pinned up a message on the outmost door.

Jones' Public House is closed for renovations. We apologise for the inconvenience. Visitors for the Jones Family or Dr Domenova should enquire at Old Cottage, to the northwest.
- The Proprietor

"You're really shutting down the pub?" Jareth shook his head. "I never thought you'd do that."
"Not for long," Jennifer assured him. "Just as long as it takes to get the place cleaned up and the new thatch laid. And perhaps add that extension I've been wanting..." She smiled. "Think of it as an opportunity. While Jones' is away you can put into action some of your own ideas."
"I've always thought it would be nice to have a smoking room..." Jareth said hopefully. "With books that gentleman could read and perhaps a choice of tobaccos."
"There you go," Jennifer said, encouragingly. "You can talk to Jessica about where best to build one."

Privately she was relieved that it was then Jones and Jack came back downstairs with packs ready for their journey. it was often alarming to discover how little ambition some people had. At least that wasn't true of her husband, she thought proudly, seeing him dressed in his adventurer's garb.
"You're ready, then?" she asked. "Which way will you go."
"The sign for the map is east," Jones said, thoughtfully. "But I would like to inspect the new building in the north first." His expression went vague again and Jennifer turned to Jack.
"You've said farewell to Juniper and the children?" she asked and he nodded.
"Of course, Mam, but Juniper isn't worried and the children are excited. They want me to bring them back a present," he smiled and Jennifer smiled back. She thought it wasn't just the little children who were excited, Jack was impatient to be out in the world.

"Station!" Suddenly Jones was rushing round to the bar and unlocking the cash box in which they kept the customers' money. "Station!" he said again and just as Jennifer was going to ask him what on earth he meant he produced a small piece of stiffened paper and waved it at her.
"That John Angelis lad paid for his drink and board with this," Jones announced. "A station. He implied it was currency but Station is what it says on that building in the north, the one that opened the hole to the caverns. A hole that opened not long after he gave me this..." Taking it between his fingers he made to tear it in two and Jennifer leapt to grab his hand.
"Careful," she warned. "If a station is the name of the thing that plugs the hole, what will happen if it is destroyed?" Taking the piece of paper from her husband's unresisting grasp, she put it carefully back in the cashbox. "Let's keep it safe," she said. "At least until we understand what it is."
"Well and good then," Jones agreed. "But we'll go first to the north, to look at the station, before we take the dead back to their kin."

Jack nodded willingly, ready to face whatever may come. Jones' expression was grimmer and he had oiled his axe, ready for battle. Jennifer watched them hitch up the cart and take their places, waving goodbye with the cheerful smile she always wore when members of her family set out to brave dangers.

She had her own work and, returning to the pub, she prepared to set about it.