30-03-2019, 06:49 PM
Jeanne gave Helena's hair and makeup a final touch-up. Around the corner the voice of the tour guide informing the group that construction on the Grand Ballroom began in 1658 was growing nearer.
"You truly enjoy doing these, Contessa," Generalissimo Ramirez stated. She'd asked him to stick around after the meeting and make the appearance with her so he could "remind her of that important matter" if things ran over six minutes. He agreed on the condition that he also be allowed to collect the two Ultimados that La Contessa had selected for "special debriefing" after the previous night's raid.
"I really do, Hernando. I know it's a little thing, but I get to make people smile. And our economy relies on these people choosing to spend their vacation time and money here with us. When they get home, they're going to tell their friends the coolest part of their trip was meeting me." Ramirez shrugged at that. "Hey, and you too, Generalissimo! They'll talk about the day they met a countess AND a general for the rest of their lives."
Jeanne finished and Helena gave her a small kiss.
"I'm going to want cocoa in my bedroom after this, Jeanne." She gave her a slightly longer kiss. "And you stick around there too."
The tour guide was closer now and said the line that Helena took as her cue. She bent her elbow, offering the Generalissimo her arm. He held up his hand to
show her his wedding ring. She gave a mocking "Oh, POOH" look of disappointment before she began speaking to him as if they'd been in mid conversation about something else and stepped out from around the corner.
"Which is why we have to always ask ourselves 'Is this good for the people?'" Contessa Helena de San Finzione turned her head to "notice" the tour guide as she saw mouths open in surprise in the crowd. "Oh, hello, Pierre. Is this the day the tour comes through here?"
"Oh! Ah... oui, Contessa. We apologize if we are interrupting."
"Oh no, you're not interrupting at all, are they, Generalissimo Ramirez?" She said his name with more emphasis than was needed.
"Not interrupting at all, Contessa," he muttered in reply. Behind the crowd, Jeanne wheeled the beverage cart across the ballroom, kettle on the hot plate for cocoa. She smiled and watched as La Contessa clasped her hands and addressed the crowd.
"Well, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to San Finzione. I am your hostess..." At that moment, having still been looking at Helena, a corner of Jeanne's beverage cart bumped into one of the support columns that the guide had been telling the tourists about moments before. The impact caused the kettle to tip and water to slosh out and onto the hot plate's heating element. Water found its way into the interior of the device and onto the electrical components inside the hot plate. A series of short, sharp, loud popping and crackling noises came from the cart; the noise echoing through the Grand Ballroom as if someone had tossed a string of lit firecrackers into the room.
Jeanne turned recovered from being jostled and turned to face the noise. The tour group turned to face the noise. Helena and Ramirez turned to face the noise.
* * *
"You truly enjoy doing these, Contessa," Generalissimo Ramirez stated. She'd asked him to stick around after the meeting and make the appearance with her so he could "remind her of that important matter" if things ran over six minutes. He agreed on the condition that he also be allowed to collect the two Ultimados that La Contessa had selected for "special debriefing" after the previous night's raid.
"I really do, Hernando. I know it's a little thing, but I get to make people smile. And our economy relies on these people choosing to spend their vacation time and money here with us. When they get home, they're going to tell their friends the coolest part of their trip was meeting me." Ramirez shrugged at that. "Hey, and you too, Generalissimo! They'll talk about the day they met a countess AND a general for the rest of their lives."
Jeanne finished and Helena gave her a small kiss.
"I'm going to want cocoa in my bedroom after this, Jeanne." She gave her a slightly longer kiss. "And you stick around there too."
The tour guide was closer now and said the line that Helena took as her cue. She bent her elbow, offering the Generalissimo her arm. He held up his hand to
show her his wedding ring. She gave a mocking "Oh, POOH" look of disappointment before she began speaking to him as if they'd been in mid conversation about something else and stepped out from around the corner.
"Which is why we have to always ask ourselves 'Is this good for the people?'" Contessa Helena de San Finzione turned her head to "notice" the tour guide as she saw mouths open in surprise in the crowd. "Oh, hello, Pierre. Is this the day the tour comes through here?"
"Oh! Ah... oui, Contessa. We apologize if we are interrupting."
"Oh no, you're not interrupting at all, are they, Generalissimo Ramirez?" She said his name with more emphasis than was needed.
"Not interrupting at all, Contessa," he muttered in reply. Behind the crowd, Jeanne wheeled the beverage cart across the ballroom, kettle on the hot plate for cocoa. She smiled and watched as La Contessa clasped her hands and addressed the crowd.
"Well, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to San Finzione. I am your hostess..." At that moment, having still been looking at Helena, a corner of Jeanne's beverage cart bumped into one of the support columns that the guide had been telling the tourists about moments before. The impact caused the kettle to tip and water to slosh out and onto the hot plate's heating element. Water found its way into the interior of the device and onto the electrical components inside the hot plate. A series of short, sharp, loud popping and crackling noises came from the cart; the noise echoing through the Grand Ballroom as if someone had tossed a string of lit firecrackers into the room.
Jeanne turned recovered from being jostled and turned to face the noise. The tour group turned to face the noise. Helena and Ramirez turned to face the noise.
* * *
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