JulianaCarnivalEve
From IMiA
Lord Verian O'Ceal was a mystery to her, and one she intended to solve. He'd been acting strange at the party, much more strangely than the last event they'd both attended. Something was different, and she couldn't put her finger on it. He'd been attentive last time, even nice. This time he showed up riding on horses, drunk, and trying to draw something from her. There was an undertone of petulance to his slurring, a way his eyes kept slipping away from hers that made her believe he was hiding his true feelings.
When she went across the room to get herself introduced to Prince Julian, her namesake and perhaps the only member of the royal family she truly admired, Verian had passed out in a drunken sprawl. That struck Juliana as odd. She began to doubt he was drunk at all. He was up to something, she was sure, whatever his state of inebriation. When the prince took Lady Genvieve out to dance, Juliana moved to follow the footmen who were carrying Verian up the stairs.
The other of the twins DuMas caught up with her rather quickly. Juliana motioned her to come along, not about to stop, having only a vague idea where they might be carrying her prey off too. Madeline seemed concerned her grace was about in the house with no protection. This made Juliana smile. Madeline tried to discourage her pursuit, which did not work. In the end, the Duchess had her way, and the guards opened the door to the room. Lord Verian, of course, had gone missing. Juliana looked at Madeline with pity, and headed back downstairs.
On her way down, a messenger caught her. Her heart jumped into her throat. The last time she'd received a message at a party it was a rather nasty blackmail letter. Later, she'd almost died of poisoning. Juliana just managed to maintain her composure as she read this one. This was worse than a blackmail letter.
There had been a fire at the House of Flowers, a brothel in Southside. Juliana cataloged that knowledge into one section of her brain while another scanned through faces of people she knew who might have been there. She forgot all about Madeline standing there, and walked briskly into the ballroom. She quickly spotted and headed for Van Alliki, scanning the room for Phillip. She found the Duke speaking with Prince Caine, and found herself unwilling to take the time required to diplomatically extract her husband from such a conversation. She quickly paid a servant to take a note to Phillip, and she left with Van Alliki.
She was unhappy with her reaction to the fire. That more women had been murdered, and that there was sorcery involved, was in itself no surprise. It seemed every year about this time, since before they'd arrived home, some kind of ritualistic killings had gone on. Whores were always easy targets, but this brought the total to thirteen dead, at least, over the last three years, not counting the more conventional murders, accidents, and suicides. She'd snapped at Captain Hawk. And she'd apologized, because she hadn't meant it. He was a simple cop, not a detective, and one with no resources at that.
Arryl was down there too. Juliana sighed. It seemed like Eric had taken her advice to heart, back in the old days. She'd returned to an Amber where he had a finger in everything. Arryl had been at Baylesport after the poisonings, even though it was Prince Caine who had been dispatched to deal with the aftermath. She'd been around town, just 'having a good time.' And now she was here, helping the sole descent watchman in Southside with this murder investigation. And Arryl was Eric's creature, literally, so far as Juliana was concerned.
After a few minutes of staring at the smoldering heap that was once a thriving business (if one of ill repute), Juliana forced herself back into the carriage and headed to the House of Veils where the survivors had been sent. She was only slightly nervous. She generally did not take her carriage into town, preferring to ride in. She felt more vulnerable in the carriage, even with Van Alliki right there.
She arrived to find most everyone calm. The children were still a bit wide eyed, but whatever crying that had gone on seemed to have ended. She did not see the doorman/bouncer. 'He probably didn't make it out,' she reasoned. 'He probably went back in one too many times.' She settled herself on a bench and asked a few questions. Just a few. She didn't want to get everyone upset again.
It wasn't long before Varien arrived. He walked right over and picked up Rachel and pulled her to him. A tiny little thing, Rachel, the kind of woman who looked like she needed to be taken care of. He was honestly concerned, frightened even. Rachel started crying. Juliana raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. She hardly expected Varien would be the only nobleman who would show up in person, although most of them would just send notes and gifts to help. She watched Varien and Rachel, feeling the beginnings of jealousy, and musing over the nature of society.
Why are you here? Varien asked. Juliana sighed and looked around. She didnt draw back from the venom in his voice. If anything, she wanted to comfort him. He looked very upset. She did, indeed, wonder why she was there. She could have just as easily stayed at the party, rubbed elbows with the royals, and come down in the morning. She hadnt considered how any of the nobles or royals at the DuMas party might feel about her leaving them to go hand-hold some displaced whores. Shed just left, and that was that.
Rachel continued crying quietly against his chest. Juliana leaned up, feeling rather defensive. I dont know what youve heard, but these women are my friends. She watched him and realized her saying so changed nothing. She leaned back and kept her face still. She was surprised to find she cared what he thought, perhaps because he was here, and even Phillip wasnt. She hadnt wanted Phillip around this badly in a long time. She looked over at Van Alliki, standing guard by the door. I wish Phillip were here, she thought out loud. She hadnt meant to say it. She looked down at the floor and tried to get rid of the lump in her throat.
Im sure the Duke be down soon, Your Grace, Van Alliki assured her. She sighed again, and looked back about the room. She didnt think Phillip would be down soon. Theyd been growing apart, and it hurt much more than shed ever thought it would. When she did see Phillip, he was often withdrawn or cagey. She had been trying to write off the behavior to stress. He had so much to do, so many responsibilities. Yet hed always made time before.
And then there were the rumors hed been seen arguing with Prince Eric. That theyd almost come to blows. She rubbed her temple and looked up to see Varien carrying Rachel out. Rachel was another amazing woman. She'd helped the children escape. The children who could be found, that is. Juliana stood, meaning to follow, but Elyssa walked in. Looking at Elyssa in the doorway, scanning the room, she faltered and sat back down. Realization had struck.
Three of the children were missing. The three babies, all of whom had been rumored to be Prince Bleys' offspring. And there stood Elyssa. Elyssa's mother had worked in a higher-class brothel than the House of Flowers. Juliana had wondered, ever since she'd met Elyssa on her return to Amber, which of the royal princes might have had a part in her birth. Elyssa was just as beautiful as her mother, but she shined in a way Delilah never had. Delilah had been through things Elyssa had been protected from, though. Juliana remembered Delilah just like she remembered every other damaged woman who'd come across her threshold. Delilah had simply dehydrated herself trying to lose weight too quickly. She'd been good at what she did, and she hadn't wanted to escape it. And perhaps Elyssa had been Delilah's ticket to retirement. She'd never told Elyssa she knew her mother. Juliana wasn't sure Elyssa knew what her mother had done for a living. She'd never asked after Delilah at all, sure at the very least that was not even the woman's real name, and yet here Elyssa stood, full knowledge in her eyes.
Juliana drew a breath to speak, but Elyssa came and knelt beside her and said, "the children." Juliana had said earlier that there were some risks one did not take. She still felt she could not take them. She could not say aloud what she was thinking. That might get them both killed.
"Yes, I hope they are safe," she whispered.
Elyssa nodded. "I'm going to find them. Do you want to know, either way?" she asked. Juliana looked at her and wanted to reach out and touch her, pull her in, and whisper some kind thing. She couldn't though. This wasn't her beautiful daughter. This was a jewelry merchant she knew as an acquaintance, and that much only because she was so good at what she did. Juliana clamped down on her emotions again, and nodded.
"It's not that I want to know, but I need to, I must, so yes, I would like you to tell me what you find. Thank you for coming to ask," Juliana said coolly. Elyssa nodded again and said she understood. She took her leave and Juliana went to look out the window, turning her back on Van Alliki and the survivors. It was still full night. She felt her age. She had not really thought the children could be Prince Bleys'. None of the other princes had ever claimed a child. Someone had believed it though. Someone had believed it enough to murder and destroy. She desperately hoped the little bodies would not be found in the remains of the building. Better for them to be kidnapped and alive.
She turned back to the faces in the room, most still dirty but for tear tracks. There were things she could do to make this better. She gathered the survivors up, and started sending them in carriage-loads to Janet. It almost distracted the children, getting to ride in a fancy carriage. The first load went with a note to Janet, explaining them and what was to come. It was a relief to be doing something. She rode up to Janet's with the last group; the madam, in fact, and one of the younger girls. Van Alliki insisted on riding up with the driver, so it was just the ladies in the carriage.
The young one looked cold, even wrapped in her blanket, so Juliana pulled a fur wrap out of her seat's compartment and wrapped it around her shoulders, clasping it. "Your Grace, I couldn't..." she began, but Juliana shushed her.
"Please call me Lady Juliana down here. I get enough 'your graces' at home. That wrap means nothing to me. It is the most wonderful thing in the world not to have to worry about money. In fact, you keep it. It might be awhile again before you are making enough to get by. You should be able to get a decent amount of money for that, even dirty."
"You will steal all my girls from me while you have this chance," Madam Ganas stated flatly. Juliana shook her head.
"I'm only helping those who need help, Grace. I will say, I'd even give you a loan to get you started back up, if you'd promise me you will be very selective in who you recruit, and send anyone who does not belong in the business to me but I couldn't get away with that. I'd be sat down, and kicked out of every circle "
"The Duke wouldn't let you do it," Grace laughed.
"The Duke will do what I ask," Juliana said petulantly, then sighed. "But even I can't be this naïve. No. If I could Grace, I would. I am all for healthy food, and safe shelter and your having enough money for proper medical care. But I can't go as far as to fund you."
"I couldn't take it if you did. It'd put me head to head with the Unicorn Social Club, and that is a fight I'll run from any day. That Chastity is a dangerous businesswoman. She'd have her claws out if you got into funding brothels."
Juliana blanched. She hadn't even thought of that. A smile slowly came to her. She really could give the best brothel in the City a run for its money. She knew everyone connected with the business. But, of course, she could never do it. It would be going too far. What a challenge it would be though. There were days when she wished she was one of the crimelords, and all these social rules meant nothing. Nights like this one, especially, she wished she had a better network of information. Someone had to have seen something around the House of Flowers when the fire broke out.
Juliana was relieved on her arrival at Janet's shop to find all the children asleep under the quilting tables in the back made into little forts for them. A few of the older newsboys were running errands for the women. Word must have spread almost immediately. The older ones were always so helpful. James had raised half of them to believe their job was to be knights in shining armor for the women of the night. A crisis like this suited them.
One sat against the archway to the back room, quietly telling a story to a few younger ones who couldn't sleep. The youngest looked to be about ten, and her forearm was wrapped in bandages. Burns. The ones on the main floor had burns from falling, blazing debries. The ones from the upper floor had cuts, broken bones, and deep bruises from jumping. Juliana set her jaw again. Unicorn she felt angry, and terrified.
Still no Phillip. That pissed her off too. Has he just gone on home? she wondered in dismay, unable to understand why he would leave her alone to deal with this. It wasn't like him.
Janet walked up and put her arm through Juliana's, silently joining her in listening to the tale this simple news-boy was spinning for his new young friends. "If I was young again, I'd marry him," Janet whispered. Juliana's eyes filled with tears.
"If I was young again, everything would be different. Everything," she told Janet in her own whisper. "I wouldn't marry anybody. Not ever. I'd run away to Gaiga and I'd go to school on an equestrian farm, and I'd spend all my days training horses, and I'd never have a care in the world about any of this." Tears spilled over.
Janet joined her in crying. "You're right. I wouldn't marry him, either. I'd go hunt down your Duke and court him. Then I'd be rich, and damned be all if I'd be down here, almost morning, in my best new gown, all ruined, tending to a bunch of whores, Jules. You should go home."
Juliana turned to her. "Why do you think he hasn't come?"
"Phil?" Janet wiped Juliana's face. "You said you just lighted right out of there."
Juliana shook her head. "I sent him a note."
"What did it say, Jules? 'Sorry, love, must run off into great danger now. Make my excuses to the prince you're talking to. Don't worry your pretty head. I don't need your help.'"
"Fucking hilarious, Janet."
"Well? How is he supposed to take it? You really expected him to be here by now, I know, but maybe he's just reacting to what you're always telling him. 'I don't need you.'"
"I do, though," Juliana whispered very quietly. "I wish he'd show up. I'm starting to get very worried. He wouldn't stay away, even if I hurt his feelings even if he thought I needed a lesson "
"He'll come down when he can, Jules. He will. He's a good man. Something must have come up. Who knows, with princes at the party," Janet shrugged. "You know, your cosmetics are all running. So much for not crying, hm? Let's sneak upstairs and clean up what we can, real fast."
-- Main.LizTrumitch - 23 Oct 2004
