Nightly Walks Burnwell rushed through the town's many streets. He was certain that those circus freaks were close behind him but he was not sure how far. Just at that moment he noticed Charles coming out of a tailors in a brand new tux and rushed over to the man, "Charles my love!!" He called out with a quick wave. Charles glanced up at the butler then turned his nose up and started to walk the other way. "Wait up Charles!!" Burnwell called out as he ran up to the actor, "Don't leave me." He exclaimed. Charles spun around to face his ex-boyfriend, "Leave you? If I remember correctly it was you who left me." He exclaimed trying to keep a hold of his emotions. "I am truly sorry." Burnwell apologized, "I was rash and should not have sent you away so quickly." Charles crossed his arms and gave the man a cold gaze, "Do you expect me to simply come running back to you then?" He inquired crossly. "Listen, I'm sorry." The butler repeated, "I cannot put into words how horrible I feel about what I did to you." He stated, nervously peer around for any sign of the circus performers, "Listen, we have to get off the streets." He grabbed Charles by the arm; "It will be safe at the manor." Charles abruptly pulled his arm out of Burnwell's grasp, "Who says I want to come with you? Why are you glancing around like a wanted man?" He eyed the man closely, "What have you been up too? Running from another lover perhaps?" He remarked snidely. "No, no!!" Burnwell protested, he spotted a strange glow moving down the street to his left and started to inch in the opposite direction, "Nothing like that. It is just not safe out here." "Well then, be on your way." Charles remarked as he started towards the glowing lights, "I am returning to the Raven's Keep. To be with those who truly care about me." Burnwell grabbed the man by both shoulders and looked him in the eye, "You are going to think I'm crazy, but there are some rather insane men out there that will kill the both of us if they discover us on the streets." He explained bluntly, "So you are coming with me, to the manor, and I'm not taking another 'no' out of you is that clear." He demanded. Charles slowly nodded in shock of the butler sudden commanding tone, and then allowed himself to be dragged towards the Holland manor. **** Victoria dropped a heavy wooden toolbox upon the café patio. Her dress had been replaced with a pair of overalls, and hair was held up with a train engineer's cap that her father had given her long ago. She placed a couple of nails between her teeth and picked up a piece of plywood, prepared to get to work. She stared up at what remained for the front of her shop and she shook her head in dismay for the carnage, trying to think of how she should go about repairing the mess. Meanwhile a couple of surviving patrons helped clean up the chaos inside. Elizabeth picked up a couple of chairs and looked them over. Seeing that they were still intact she moved them to the side of the room so that someone else could sweep the rest of the rubble out of the building. She righted a table when something fell to the ground and knelt to look under the table in search for what could have dropped when she noticed a little red book. The moment she picked up the book she knew it was Jamie's, she could feel the girl's presence on the book. Elizabeth slowly turned it over in her hands, feeling its warmth wash over here. Its leather cover mesmerized her when the sounds of shouting jarred her from her thoughts and forced her to look up to see a mob was beginning to gather in the central square outside of the café. Victoria took the nails out of her mouth and called out to one of the passing men, "What is going on?" She inquired. A man with a torch in hand stopped and looked up at the café owner, "Oh, Victoria. Have you not heard the news?" He remarked, "The dead are rising and we saw one of them walking up to Greystoke Castle." Victoria tried to hold back her anxiousness of the news, "So why are you all assembled?" She asked curiously, glancing around at the people gathering with their weapons and torches in hand. "We think that Lady Clara Greystoke is to blame for this madness." Another angry townsfolk cried out with a bunch of others nodding in agreement. "We need to put an end to this." Another stated. Elizabeth stepped out onto the patio with the book held tightly to her chest, "Is it Jamie's body that they are talking about?" She whispered into Victoria's ear. "Most likely." Victoria agreed uneasily. Elizabeth hugged the book tightly, "I wish there was a way to free her soul." **** Alexandra glanced down the hill at the town as they approached the gates to the Holland Manor, "Is that a fire?" She inquired curiously. Alice spun around, "What where, Lady Alexandria?" She squealed in delight, "Maybe the town will burn to the ground." "That is not good." Alexandra remarked glancing over the town with her eagle like eyes, "The flames seem to be moving and there are small clumps here and there." She noted. "What do you think it is, Alex?" Alison inquired feeling uneasy for the first time in her life. "A mob maybe." Alexandra commented, watching the flickering lights very carefully, "They seem to be heading towards Castle Greystoke. We should get back home quickly. Before they come this way." She placed a hand around Alice and Alison's arms and led them through the gates. Lord Holland paced in the main hall with all but a few of the lights on, "This is not good." He muttered anxiously, "Where has everyone disappeared too?" He asked the empty room. Lilian leaned back in a chair, "Will you stop worrying." She remarked nonchalantly, "The girls always return and that nanny is probably lost in the hedge maze again or something like that." "What about Burnwell?" The lord asked restlessly, "He has never gone missing before." He explained, "Never in the twenties years of him working here. Maybe I was too harsh on the man." He wrung his handkerchief between his hands as he only did when he was truly upset. Suddenly the main doors opened and the twins entered followed closely by their friend. Alexandria quickly rushed the two girls into the house and closed the door behind her, being sure to securely lock the door. Alison saw her father and ran towards him with open arms, "Father, we are back!" She exclaimed wrapping her arms around her father's waist. Her father's face brightened at the sight of his daughters and returned Alison's hug, "I was so worried about the two of you." He stated, grateful that they were still alive, "Where on earth have you been?" "Sorry Father." Alexandria responded as she backed away from the door, not able to take her eyes off of it, "We went to see a friend and had a hard time getting back. The towns people seem to be gathering into quiet a mob out there." She explained coolly. "I see..." The Lord said, not really playing much notice to what his daughter was saying. He attention instead was directed to the left of Alexandria, at Alice standing next to her, "And who may this be then?" He stood to his full height and spoke in a tone of nobility. Alexandria rolled her eyes at her fathers attempt at acting like he was something great, "Father this is our friend Alice." She introduced the girl to her father, "Alice, this is our fa-" "Lord Holland," The lord announced interrupting his daughter, "Always a pleasure to meet one of my daughters friends." "She is their only friend." Lilian remarked cynically Lord Holland turned to face his eldest daughter, "Would you try to be a bit more polite?" He demanded. "If I do can we finally begin dinner?" Lilian inquired selfishly. "But Burnwell is not back yet." The lord reminded anxiously, "He is the only one who knows how to control those servants of ours." Lilian got to her feet with a huff, "I'll deal with them." She remarked fearlessly, "Sometimes I wonder how you became a Lord in the first place." She muttered under her breath. The lord turned to his daughters and their friend, "Would you like to stay for dinner?" He invited, placing a hand upon Amanda's shoulder and leading her towards the dining hall. Alison rushed over to her sister's side, "What do we do?" She inquired as her sister glanced out one of the windows beside the main doors, "He will never listen to us." "We hope they do not come this way." Alexandria remarked and quickly ushered her sister to the dinning hall, taking the occasional glance behind her. **** Steamy water slowly filled the large tub as Jamie watched in awe. The last time she was in one of the Castle's washrooms she did not have time to admire the working of the room. She was fascinated by the artistry around the toilet and tub. Anita watched the bear in amusement, "Lady Greystoke had washrooms like this installed a few years back." She explained to Jamie, "She says that every home will have one in the future. It is amazing how much Lady Greystoke knows about things." Jamie turned around from her spot on the toilet lid, "Where does she get all this stuff from?" She inquired curiously. Anita dropped a set of towels on a hook near the bath, "I think it has something to do with her circle of colleagues. Or that is what I've been told." She explained with a shrug then turned around to face Jamie's headless body, which still stood near the door to the room, "I guess we should get you washed up for dinner now shall we?" She stated with a wry smile, glancing at the body's blood soaked garment. Jamie glanced into the tub again then at her furry body, "Is that really going to be alright?" She inquired worrisomely. "Lady Greystoke insisted everything would be fine." Anita replied stepping towards Jamie's body only to have it back away and cover itself with its arms. Anita glanced down at the teddy bear, "What is wrong with it? I just want to help it out of those dreadful clothes." She explained. Jamie gave an uneasy smile, "Maybe it is shy." She remarks. The truth is that she did not like the idea of the maid stripping her clothes off anymore then her body seemed to and the moment she thought of this undesired experience the body showed signs of the same feelings. Anita observed the body carefully, "Do you think it has its own feelings and thoughts?" She inquired with growing interested. At first Anita felt revulsion over being forced to help Jamie's two halves bathe and now she found herself genuinely intrigued by the prospect. Jamie shrugged, "I have no idea. I do not even know how it is able to move or how it managed to find its way here." She remarked. "Hmmm...." Anita reached out for the body again only to have it pull out of her reach, "Please be good." She protested grabbing a hold of the body's arm, "Lady Greystoke insisted that you bathe before dinner. We cannot have you attending dinner all bloody like that." "Having troubles there, Anita?" Maria inquired, standing at the door to the washroom with an amused grin upon her face. "My lady!!" Anita exclaimed, spinning around and standing in front of Jamie's body, "You should not be in the room a man will be bathing in." She scowled at her mistress. Maria merely smiled, "Oh do not be such a stuffy." "I thought you were helping Lady Amanda with a new gown?" Anita inquired as her mistresses entered the room and moved over to where the teddy bear sat. "I did," She stated, "She is having a bath right now and does not need my help with that." She explained as she picked up the teddy, "However you seem to be in need of assistance." "But, My lady!" Anita protested, "You should not see a man naked before you are wed. I will help him." "Not like I have not seen you nude before." She mumbled into Jamie's furry ear causing the girl to blush under her fur. "Huh?" Jamie noticed that the neck of her body was flushed as well, "How can that be?" "What be?" Maria turned to look at what it was that caught Jamie's attention and smiled, "Hmmm? Are you two connected in some way?" Maria inquired curiously as she stepped towards the body, moving Anita to the side. Maria reached out her hand and ran a finger along the buttons of Jamie's shirt, not even affected by the layer of blood over Jamie's body. "Ummm... M... Maria?" Jamie stammered nervously. Anita gave her mistress a wide-eyed look, "My lady! You should not be touching him in such a manner." She exclaimed, frustrated by Maria's behaviour. Maria glared down at her maid, "Anita, in all the years that you have known me have I ever been attracted to a man before." She inquired irritated by her maid's lack of vision. Anita thought for a moment then shook her head, "Never..." She followed Maria's arm to her hand as her mistress ran her fingers across Jamie's chest. "M... Maria...?" Jamie continued to stammer, glancing from her body to the maid and back again, "Are you sure about that?" Maria stopped on Jamie's breast and caressed it lightly, causing the teddy bear to let out a soft moan, "What do you know." Maria stated with satisfaction, "This could be interesting after all." She remarked with a grin. Abruptly Jamie's body sprung to life and grabbed Maria's breast, "Hey!!" She stumbled backwards and they all fell into the tub, Maria, Jamie's body and the teddy, leaving a rather surprised Anita standing at the side of the tub staring down at them. "My Lady!!!" Anita cried out as she took Maria by the hand and pulled the girl out of the tub. Maria allowed herself to be hauled up to a sitting position at the side of the tub, "Thank you Anita." She said gratefully. "Help!!!" Jamie's gargled cries called out from the water. "Oh Jamie!!" Maria quickly pulled the bear out of the tub and handed Jamie to Anita before turning back to the tub to help the body around so the neck was above water. Water spluttered out of the esophagus and one could hear it struggling to breath. The corpus quickly leaned over the side of the tub to allow some of the liquid to fall to the floor from the opening in its neck and began to breath normally again. Anita set the teddy on the toilet and wrapped a towel around her, "Are you alright, my lord?" She inquired concerned for her future master as she rubbed the towel over Jamie's fur. Maria suddenly broke into laughter, "That was so funny!!" She exclaimed gleefully, "Did you do that on purpose?" She asked Jamie through her giggles. Jamie shook some of the water from her fur, "I had no idea that would happen." She remarked innocently, putting up a paw to stop the maid from drying her further, "You were the one who provoked my body." She blurted. The body stood up in the tub and shook the water from its arms. Her cloths clung tightly to her body revealing her rather feminine frame. Suddenly all the pieces fell into place in Anita's mind and she gave Maria an appalled look of shock, "My Lady!!!" She cried out. Maria stopped laughing and gave Anita a dead serious glare; "You are not to tell anyone about this. Is that understood?" She commanded. "But... My lady?" Anita began to stammer. Her mind puzzling over the situation, "He is the paper boy, is he not? The one you were with the other night?" Maria simply nodded, "She is that and so much more." Maria got to her feet and wrung her dress out, "Now if you could fetch me a dry gown I will help my future wife bathe." **** To be continued...
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