03-04-2019, 04:41 PM
As Day Follows Night Pt. 06
"Flash of mauve, splash of puce,
fool and king, ghoul and goose.
Green and black, queen and priest,
trace of rouge, face of beast.
(Faces!)
Take your turn, take your ride
on the merry-go-round of an inhuman race."
-Andrew Lloyd Webber, "Masquerade"
The limo arrived to collect Troy and Julie Equals at 7 PM precisely. Julie had half-expected Helen to send a horse-drawn carriage with page boys in powdered wigs attending.
They sat holding hands as the car made its way out of the city center towards Finzione Castle, modern asphalt giving way to older roads still made from cobblestones, other limousines passing them or trailing behind. In the now darkened sky above them, several searchlight-illuminated helicopters waited in holding patterns to use the castle's helipad and deposit those of La Contessa's guests who thought taking a car to be beneath them. Troy turned to his wife.
"Allow me to be the first to say this evening, Mrs. Equals, how absolutely glorious you look tonight." He looked up and down at the sequined blue gown she wore. A long slit up the left side revealed her stockinged leg to him, terminating in white, strappy heels. Her sunflower hair was pulled to the left side of her head and dbangd down over her shoulder. The V-shaped neckline showed just enough cleavage to be enticing without being enough to be obvious about it.
Julie had chosen sapphire jewelry to go with the dress. Sapphire and diamond teardrop-shaped earrings dangled from her ears. A matching bracelet in white gold adorned her right wrist, her wedding ring the only decoration on her left side. It was identical to Troy's, except that whereas his ring was engraved with the words "I love you," Julie's was engraved with "I know."
Troy had opted for a tuxedo with a white jacket. When Julie put the carnation in his lapel, she made a joke about where he was going to hide his Walther PPK, which invited some more of his bad Sean Connery impression.
"And I say yes, you look wonderful tonight," Julie responded, singing the words. Troy followed up by making the guitar sounds for the next part with his mouth.
The limo turned away from the line of expensive vehicles winding up the hill to the castle and into a neighborhood where the buildings had probably been old when Napoleon's armies were a genuine concern for the people. Troy knocked on the partition. The driver pressed the button and it lowered with a whirring noise.
"Si?" The driver asked.
"Wasn't that the way to the castle," Troy asked him.
"I have special instructions from La Contessa," the driver explained without looking back. "She tell me Signor and Signora Equals no would want pictures taken by paparazzi. I am to take you to other entrance."
"Well, yeah, we're both sort of allergic to the spotlight," Julie said. "But does that mean you're bringing us round to the kitchen entrance?"
"No, Signora. Is special way, few know; only me, La Contessa, and La Contessa's maid."
"What, through the Bat Cave," Troy asked. "Did Helen buy Stately Wayne Manor?"
The driver didn't have an answer for that. They came to a stop in front of a one-room house older than all the others, made from old stone and wood, but well-maintained despite its age. No power or phone lines led from the street or overhead poles to the house.
Maria stood waving to them in the wooden doorway, wearing a modest black evening dress, being illuminated by the light of an old camping lantern she was holding. A simple gold cross on a chain hung around her neck and an emerald ring around the middle finger of her right hand were the only adornments she wore. The young woman was made more beautiful by her smile of genuine pleasure to see them.
Troy and Julie returned the smile as the driver got out and opened the door for them. Julie walked up to her and greeted her with a kiss.
"Hi, Maria. What's this place?"
Maria ushered the two of them in. Troy took in the room. It was furnished, but the furniture didn't seem to have ever been used. It looked old and hand-made, but nothing that could be called an antique.
"Is old family secret," Maria said. "But La Contessa say is ok to share with you. Come."
She led them down the stairs into an old cellar with a dirt floor. Set into one of the walls was an alcove for cooking fires. Maria touched a stone on the wall and the alcove opened up.
"Flash of mauve, splash of puce,
fool and king, ghoul and goose.
Green and black, queen and priest,
trace of rouge, face of beast.
(Faces!)
Take your turn, take your ride
on the merry-go-round of an inhuman race."
-Andrew Lloyd Webber, "Masquerade"
The limo arrived to collect Troy and Julie Equals at 7 PM precisely. Julie had half-expected Helen to send a horse-drawn carriage with page boys in powdered wigs attending.
They sat holding hands as the car made its way out of the city center towards Finzione Castle, modern asphalt giving way to older roads still made from cobblestones, other limousines passing them or trailing behind. In the now darkened sky above them, several searchlight-illuminated helicopters waited in holding patterns to use the castle's helipad and deposit those of La Contessa's guests who thought taking a car to be beneath them. Troy turned to his wife.
"Allow me to be the first to say this evening, Mrs. Equals, how absolutely glorious you look tonight." He looked up and down at the sequined blue gown she wore. A long slit up the left side revealed her stockinged leg to him, terminating in white, strappy heels. Her sunflower hair was pulled to the left side of her head and dbangd down over her shoulder. The V-shaped neckline showed just enough cleavage to be enticing without being enough to be obvious about it.
Julie had chosen sapphire jewelry to go with the dress. Sapphire and diamond teardrop-shaped earrings dangled from her ears. A matching bracelet in white gold adorned her right wrist, her wedding ring the only decoration on her left side. It was identical to Troy's, except that whereas his ring was engraved with the words "I love you," Julie's was engraved with "I know."
Troy had opted for a tuxedo with a white jacket. When Julie put the carnation in his lapel, she made a joke about where he was going to hide his Walther PPK, which invited some more of his bad Sean Connery impression.
"And I say yes, you look wonderful tonight," Julie responded, singing the words. Troy followed up by making the guitar sounds for the next part with his mouth.
The limo turned away from the line of expensive vehicles winding up the hill to the castle and into a neighborhood where the buildings had probably been old when Napoleon's armies were a genuine concern for the people. Troy knocked on the partition. The driver pressed the button and it lowered with a whirring noise.
"Si?" The driver asked.
"Wasn't that the way to the castle," Troy asked him.
"I have special instructions from La Contessa," the driver explained without looking back. "She tell me Signor and Signora Equals no would want pictures taken by paparazzi. I am to take you to other entrance."
"Well, yeah, we're both sort of allergic to the spotlight," Julie said. "But does that mean you're bringing us round to the kitchen entrance?"
"No, Signora. Is special way, few know; only me, La Contessa, and La Contessa's maid."
"What, through the Bat Cave," Troy asked. "Did Helen buy Stately Wayne Manor?"
The driver didn't have an answer for that. They came to a stop in front of a one-room house older than all the others, made from old stone and wood, but well-maintained despite its age. No power or phone lines led from the street or overhead poles to the house.
Maria stood waving to them in the wooden doorway, wearing a modest black evening dress, being illuminated by the light of an old camping lantern she was holding. A simple gold cross on a chain hung around her neck and an emerald ring around the middle finger of her right hand were the only adornments she wore. The young woman was made more beautiful by her smile of genuine pleasure to see them.
Troy and Julie returned the smile as the driver got out and opened the door for them. Julie walked up to her and greeted her with a kiss.
"Hi, Maria. What's this place?"
Maria ushered the two of them in. Troy took in the room. It was furnished, but the furniture didn't seem to have ever been used. It looked old and hand-made, but nothing that could be called an antique.
"Is old family secret," Maria said. "But La Contessa say is ok to share with you. Come."
She led them down the stairs into an old cellar with a dirt floor. Set into one of the walls was an alcove for cooking fires. Maria touched a stone on the wall and the alcove opened up.
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