14-04-2019, 12:25 PM
Back at Castle Finzione, they watched the muted scene before Maria turned to Jeanne.
"I'm going to need to speak to reporters soon, Jeanne," Maria told her in French, leaving Susan out of the conversation again.
Jeanne looked La Contessa-In-Reggenza over in what appeared to Susan a very methodical and mechanical way. Jeanne said a few words, some of which Susan recalled from 9th grade French, mostly the words for "your," "face," "time," and "wear." She said the words very slowly and carefully, making Susan think of the computer on the original Star Trek series, when Kirk would ask it a question and it would reply "Working," followed by a couple of seconds of computer noises and the answer.
Sensing that she was no longer part of things, Susan idly looked around the room. She scanned some of the titles on the bookshelves and the Blu-Ray rack. From the sound of the conversation, everyone was getting ready to leave the room and put Maria into something suitable for facing the press. Susan made her way over toward one of the walls before Maria turned to see her admiring the décor.
"Susan," Maria said, switching to English, and turning to see her looking at the brickwork on one of the walls. "I am sorry that I have been unable to be a good hostess and show you around the castle."
Susan turned to her and smiled.
"Hey, I get that I'm here on what's probably the busiest day of your life. I can't imagine you'd need anything from me, but if so, just tell me what to do." Susan said, pressing on one of the stones in the wall and causing a concealed panel to open, revealing a button. She pressed the button and part of the wall slid away to reveal hidden stairs.
Maria, Jeanne, and Stavro looked at her in amazement. She turned back to the sudden silence and saw the three of them staring at her.
"Sorry," Susan said. "I've never been in a castle before today. Is finding your secret passages bad manners?"
"How did you know where that was?" Maria asked. "Only Great-Grandmama, Jeanne, and I know about the passage to Jeanne and La Contessa's bedrooms. Did she tell you?"
"No," she replied, just as confused as Maria. "I mean, I didn't know about it. I just figured this is a castle, so there's gotta be secret passages, right? It just... seemed like a good place for one. Like, maybe I made my Find Secret Doors roll just now."
Maria shook her head.
"We shall discuss it later. I must go make ready to speak to cameras. Feel free to walk around, the only area that is strictly off-limits are the dungeons, though I'm sure Great-Grandmama would not want you snooping in her bedroom," Maria said, virtually guaranteeing Susan's next destination. "Jeanne will be back afterwards to show you to your room." She walked over and gave Susan a big hug and a kiss on both cheeks. "I am happy that you are here, Susan."
During the embrace, Maria reached over and pressed the button again to slide the wall back into place.
"It's nice to finally meet you, Maria. I'll be around when you're done with all that."
Maria smiled. Susan smiled. Jeanne and Stavro smiled, then escorted Contessa Maria from the room.
Fifteen seconds after they were gone, Susan pushed open the concealed panel and pressed the button. The wall slid open, and she ascended, pushing the corresponding button on the inside of the passage to close it again. Susan wondered how she'd find her way up the stairs in the dark, when she moved and lights in the passage came on.
"Motion sensors," she thought as she ascended the stairs. "Helen really does try to think of everything."
The top of the secret staircase led to a corner where two halls branched off from it. Somehow, the right turn felt correct to Susan, and she proceeded down that hall until she got to another dead end with a button on the wall. A press, and the wall swung open.
"I'm going to need to speak to reporters soon, Jeanne," Maria told her in French, leaving Susan out of the conversation again.
Jeanne looked La Contessa-In-Reggenza over in what appeared to Susan a very methodical and mechanical way. Jeanne said a few words, some of which Susan recalled from 9th grade French, mostly the words for "your," "face," "time," and "wear." She said the words very slowly and carefully, making Susan think of the computer on the original Star Trek series, when Kirk would ask it a question and it would reply "Working," followed by a couple of seconds of computer noises and the answer.
Sensing that she was no longer part of things, Susan idly looked around the room. She scanned some of the titles on the bookshelves and the Blu-Ray rack. From the sound of the conversation, everyone was getting ready to leave the room and put Maria into something suitable for facing the press. Susan made her way over toward one of the walls before Maria turned to see her admiring the décor.
"Susan," Maria said, switching to English, and turning to see her looking at the brickwork on one of the walls. "I am sorry that I have been unable to be a good hostess and show you around the castle."
Susan turned to her and smiled.
"Hey, I get that I'm here on what's probably the busiest day of your life. I can't imagine you'd need anything from me, but if so, just tell me what to do." Susan said, pressing on one of the stones in the wall and causing a concealed panel to open, revealing a button. She pressed the button and part of the wall slid away to reveal hidden stairs.
Maria, Jeanne, and Stavro looked at her in amazement. She turned back to the sudden silence and saw the three of them staring at her.
"Sorry," Susan said. "I've never been in a castle before today. Is finding your secret passages bad manners?"
"How did you know where that was?" Maria asked. "Only Great-Grandmama, Jeanne, and I know about the passage to Jeanne and La Contessa's bedrooms. Did she tell you?"
"No," she replied, just as confused as Maria. "I mean, I didn't know about it. I just figured this is a castle, so there's gotta be secret passages, right? It just... seemed like a good place for one. Like, maybe I made my Find Secret Doors roll just now."
Maria shook her head.
"We shall discuss it later. I must go make ready to speak to cameras. Feel free to walk around, the only area that is strictly off-limits are the dungeons, though I'm sure Great-Grandmama would not want you snooping in her bedroom," Maria said, virtually guaranteeing Susan's next destination. "Jeanne will be back afterwards to show you to your room." She walked over and gave Susan a big hug and a kiss on both cheeks. "I am happy that you are here, Susan."
During the embrace, Maria reached over and pressed the button again to slide the wall back into place.
"It's nice to finally meet you, Maria. I'll be around when you're done with all that."
Maria smiled. Susan smiled. Jeanne and Stavro smiled, then escorted Contessa Maria from the room.
Fifteen seconds after they were gone, Susan pushed open the concealed panel and pressed the button. The wall slid open, and she ascended, pushing the corresponding button on the inside of the passage to close it again. Susan wondered how she'd find her way up the stairs in the dark, when she moved and lights in the passage came on.
"Motion sensors," she thought as she ascended the stairs. "Helen really does try to think of everything."
The top of the secret staircase led to a corner where two halls branched off from it. Somehow, the right turn felt correct to Susan, and she proceeded down that hall until she got to another dead end with a button on the wall. A press, and the wall swung open.
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