Fic: The Raven And The Nightingale Book III: Cherry Blossoms (18/22)
Title: The Raven And The Nightingale Book III: Cherry Blossoms (18/22)
Author: BradyGirl_12
Pairings/Characters (this chapter): Lionel Luthor, Victor/Nora (Nora does not appear in this chapter), Patrick/Donna, Bruce/Dick, Lana Lang, Theodore Roosevelt
Genres: AU, Historical, Mystery, Romance
Rating (this chapter): G
Warnings (this chapter): None
Spoilers: None
General Summary: Bruce and Dick get caught up in political intrigue during a business trip to Washington City.
Chapter Summary: Meetings take place all over the city of Washington and its environs.
Date Of Completion: May 5, 2020
Date Of Posting: May 30, 2022
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, DC does, more’s the pity.
Word Count: 1482
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
Author’s Note: The entire series can be found here.
PART FOUR
BARE BRANCHES
April 16, 1908
XVIII
APPLE BLOSSOMS
The scent of apple blossoms
Wafts through the air,
Pink and white
Beauty everywhere.
Elizabeth Cooper
“Nature’s Bounty”
1899 C.E.
Lionel waited patiently in his carriage. The weather was pleasant, so the wait was fine by him. He had driven himself out in this surrey and spoke conversationally to his horse.
“Well, Frederick, it’s a fine day. Virginia in April isn’t so bad, is it? Clean air and lovely flowers.” He noted apple blossoms floating by on the breeze. The horse whinnied and Lionel smiled. “Glad you agree.”
The clop-clop of a horse’s hooves alerted Lionel to an approaching carriage on the side lane. A smart gig came into view and the driver drew close, saying “Whoa!” as the horse stopped.
“Hello, Doctor,” said Lionel.
Dr. Victor Fries climbed out of the carriage. Tall and balding, the well-dressed man looked at Lionel with pale blue eyes. He leaned on a silver-headed cane and asked, “Are you going to play Lord of the Manor up there or are you going to come down here to talk?”
Lionel smirked. He climbed down and faced Victor. “What have you got for me?”
Victor looked relaxed. “One of my assistants is working on some kind of gas. Poison, he says, which could be useful in a future war. He keeps the formula in a wall safe. I don’t know the combination. I figure you can get a safecracker for that. Better just take pictures. A Kodak Brownie should do the trick.”
“Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out,” Lionel drawled.
“It’s what you pay me for.”
“Well, you’ll get paid when I do.”
“I know.” Victor smiled. “Double-crossing me would be a bad idea. You’re too smart for that, Lionel.”
“So are you, Victor.”
“My wife is going to the Arbor Day celebration on the 24th. I shall escort her, and the staffs of myself and Dr. Isley are all going. The labs will be empty, and so will the rooms upstairs. My assistant’s room is on the second floor, northeast corner.” Victor climbed up into the gig. “See you on payday.” He turned his horse around and disappeared down the lane.
Lionel watched him go. “Well, Frederick,” he said, stroking the horse’s back, “It looks as if Victor is merely mercenary, except he isn’t. He was born and grew up in Prussia, and he’ll always be more interested in helping his native land over money. He thinks he has me fooled. Silly scientist.” He patted the horse and got into the surrey, slapped the reins and Frederick clopped down the road.
& & & & & &
“Wow, you look great.”
Donna curtsied in her melon-colored dress. Patrick smiled. He extended his hand.
The two of them entered a hansom cab and headed to the Rose Petal Café in downtown Washington. The cab stopped and Patrick helped Donna out. They entered the café and ordered tea and scones.
“So how’s the Project going?” Donna asked.
“Swimmingly. We broke ground this week.”
“Great. Very noble, medical research.”
Patrick nodded. “An admirable mission. I’m happy to be a part of it.” His blue eyes gleamed. “You look like a cat who just ate the cream.”
“I heard something on the grapevine.”
“Oh?”
“Yes.” She lowered her voice. “There was a robbery at the Austrian-Hungarian Embassy last night.”
“Wow! How come it’s not in the papers?”
“They’re keeping it quiet.”
“What was taken?”
“Some of Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s personal jewels.”
“Not all of them?”
Donna shook her head. “The thief was careful. He left behind anything with the royal crest, like a signet ring.”
“Clever. He only took things easy to fence, I’d bet.”
The waitress brought their tea and scones. They drank the hot mint tea and sampled the raspberry and blueberry scones.
“Aren’t you acquainted with the underworld?” teased Donna.
“Hey, I read the Police Gazette.”
Donna ate a raspberry scone. “We had a wave of robberies in Gotham last year. The thief was never caught.”
“The good ones rarely are.”
Donna considered. “Do you think it could be the same thief?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Plenty of cat burglars out there.”
Donna conceded that was true She took a sip of tea and reached for another scone.
& & & & & &
Dick lolled at the table in Bruce’s suite while Bruce paced. “Did you know that Dr. Victor Fries was born in Prussia?”
“I knew he had a faint accent.”
“It was in the bio that Lionel had in his notebook.”
“Lionel’s always thorough.” Bruce crossed his arms. “I’m going to pass along all we’ve learned to Uncle Ted. He invited me to lunch today, ostensibly to discuss the Project.”
“Enjoy. I’ve got some errands for today.”
“Okay.” Bruce leaned down and kissed his lover. “See you later.”
& & & & & &
Dick sauntered into the Main Reading Room and smiled at Lana at the Librarian’s Desk.
“I got your call. What do you have for me?” Dick asked.
“Oh, this and that.”
He smiled. “Here and there?”
“Yes and no.”
He laughed. Lana took a piece of paper out of her skirt pocket and slid it over the desk to Dick.
“I managed to get some information on these countries and their current politics, all tied in with nationalist movements and military build-ups.”
“Thank you, Miss Lang.”
“I wish I could have come up with something juicy.”
“Sometimes the juice is in the facts.” Dick winked.
“A lovely philosophy.” Lana touched her pompadour. “How are you enjoying the books?”
“I’m learning a lot. Lincoln was such a fascinating man.”
“He was one of a kind, all right.” Lana shifted a pile of books.
“Will you be attending the Arbor Day ceremony this year?”
“Yes, I have the day off. I’m looking forward to it. Will you be going?”
“Yes, Miss Scidmore invited us.”
“Miss Scidmore! She’s a wonderful woman.”
“A determined one.”
“Determined women get things moving,” Lana said firmly.
“I appreciate determined women,” said Dick with a smile.
Lana answered with a smile of her own. “I look forward to seeing you on Arbor Day, Mr. Grayson.”
“Same here, Miss Lang. Thank you for all your help.”
“My pleasure.”
& & & & & &
“Ah, my boy. The cook is exceptional, huh?”
Bruce had to admit that his uncle was right. The chicken breast had been cooked to perfection and seasoned with spices that enhanced the flavor instead of overwhelming it. A medley of colorful vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers and radishes) and buttery mashed potatoes were delicious side dishes.
“Garden vegetables in the garden.” Bruce smiled.
“You should taste his steak.”
“Is that on the menu for state dinners?”
Theodore laughed. “Sometimes. I like a good steak. Enjoyed the best on the ranch in my days out West.” He speared a piece of chicken with gusto.
The Rose Garden was a beautiful setting. Flowers were beginning to bloom and buds were unfolding on the trees. The day was warm so the President had suggested lunch outside. Their table was under an apple tree in full bloom.
“This was a great idea, Teddy.”
Theodore grinned. “I have great ideas all the time.” Bruce laughed. “Now, Nephew, what have you got for me?”
Bruce relayed what he and Dick had found out since his last report to Theodore. The President chewed thoughtfully on his chicken. “Interesting.”
“Any progress on the code?”
“No.” Theodore sighed. “Code-breaking is slow business.”
“Yes, Dick and I haven’t been able to make any progress.”
“I didn’t know ballet dancers were code-breakers.”
Bruce smiled. “Dick has many talents.” He sipped his wine.
“Alice was impressed with him.”
“She has good taste.”
Theodore grunted. “I knew Luthor was up to something.”
“If there’s shenanigans going on, Lionel can be found.”
Theodore scooped up a forkful of potatoes. “He’s a rapscallion, all right.”
Bruce could not argue with that. The smell of apple blossoms was pleasant. “This china is impressive.”
“Pretty fancy. Did you know that Ulysses Grant was nervous using the White House china for fear of breaking it?”
“No, I didn’t.”
Theodore shook his head. “The man was a brilliant general, but he should’ve never run for President. He trusted people too much.”
“And you don’t.”
“In this town?” Theodore snorted. “Don’t turn your back.”
“Sounds like big business.”
Theodore drank his wine. “Very similar. They’re both about money and power, just in different ways.”
Bruce pushed his vegetables around with his fork. “Sound philosophy, Uncle.”
“I’m not just a pretty face, Nephew.”
Bruce grinned. “I wish I had more for you.”
“You’ve brought me plenty. I’ll get the Secret Service to watch Lionel.”
“He's sure to spot them.”
“I won’t be using agents already on my detail. We’ll get some from out of town.”
“Never underestimate Lionel Luthor.”
“Don’t worry, Bruce. I didn’t get this far underestimating people.”
Bruce figured that his uncle was right, but he also knew that Lionel was not the usual sort of adversary. Those who did underestimate him usually regretted it.
This entry has been cross-posted from Dreamwidth. Comment on either entry as you wish. :)
This chapter can also be red on AO3.
Author: BradyGirl_12
Pairings/Characters (this chapter): Lionel Luthor, Victor/Nora (Nora does not appear in this chapter), Patrick/Donna, Bruce/Dick, Lana Lang, Theodore Roosevelt
Genres: AU, Historical, Mystery, Romance
Rating (this chapter): G
Warnings (this chapter): None
Spoilers: None
General Summary: Bruce and Dick get caught up in political intrigue during a business trip to Washington City.
Chapter Summary: Meetings take place all over the city of Washington and its environs.
Date Of Completion: May 5, 2020
Date Of Posting: May 30, 2022
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, DC does, more’s the pity.
Word Count: 1482
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
Author’s Note: The entire series can be found here.
PART FOUR
BARE BRANCHES
April 16, 1908
XVIII
APPLE BLOSSOMS
The scent of apple blossoms
Wafts through the air,
Pink and white
Beauty everywhere.
Elizabeth Cooper
“Nature’s Bounty”
1899 C.E.
Lionel waited patiently in his carriage. The weather was pleasant, so the wait was fine by him. He had driven himself out in this surrey and spoke conversationally to his horse.
“Well, Frederick, it’s a fine day. Virginia in April isn’t so bad, is it? Clean air and lovely flowers.” He noted apple blossoms floating by on the breeze. The horse whinnied and Lionel smiled. “Glad you agree.”
The clop-clop of a horse’s hooves alerted Lionel to an approaching carriage on the side lane. A smart gig came into view and the driver drew close, saying “Whoa!” as the horse stopped.
“Hello, Doctor,” said Lionel.
Dr. Victor Fries climbed out of the carriage. Tall and balding, the well-dressed man looked at Lionel with pale blue eyes. He leaned on a silver-headed cane and asked, “Are you going to play Lord of the Manor up there or are you going to come down here to talk?”
Lionel smirked. He climbed down and faced Victor. “What have you got for me?”
Victor looked relaxed. “One of my assistants is working on some kind of gas. Poison, he says, which could be useful in a future war. He keeps the formula in a wall safe. I don’t know the combination. I figure you can get a safecracker for that. Better just take pictures. A Kodak Brownie should do the trick.”
“Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out,” Lionel drawled.
“It’s what you pay me for.”
“Well, you’ll get paid when I do.”
“I know.” Victor smiled. “Double-crossing me would be a bad idea. You’re too smart for that, Lionel.”
“So are you, Victor.”
“My wife is going to the Arbor Day celebration on the 24th. I shall escort her, and the staffs of myself and Dr. Isley are all going. The labs will be empty, and so will the rooms upstairs. My assistant’s room is on the second floor, northeast corner.” Victor climbed up into the gig. “See you on payday.” He turned his horse around and disappeared down the lane.
Lionel watched him go. “Well, Frederick,” he said, stroking the horse’s back, “It looks as if Victor is merely mercenary, except he isn’t. He was born and grew up in Prussia, and he’ll always be more interested in helping his native land over money. He thinks he has me fooled. Silly scientist.” He patted the horse and got into the surrey, slapped the reins and Frederick clopped down the road.
& & & & & &
“Wow, you look great.”
Donna curtsied in her melon-colored dress. Patrick smiled. He extended his hand.
The two of them entered a hansom cab and headed to the Rose Petal Café in downtown Washington. The cab stopped and Patrick helped Donna out. They entered the café and ordered tea and scones.
“So how’s the Project going?” Donna asked.
“Swimmingly. We broke ground this week.”
“Great. Very noble, medical research.”
Patrick nodded. “An admirable mission. I’m happy to be a part of it.” His blue eyes gleamed. “You look like a cat who just ate the cream.”
“I heard something on the grapevine.”
“Oh?”
“Yes.” She lowered her voice. “There was a robbery at the Austrian-Hungarian Embassy last night.”
“Wow! How come it’s not in the papers?”
“They’re keeping it quiet.”
“What was taken?”
“Some of Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s personal jewels.”
“Not all of them?”
Donna shook her head. “The thief was careful. He left behind anything with the royal crest, like a signet ring.”
“Clever. He only took things easy to fence, I’d bet.”
The waitress brought their tea and scones. They drank the hot mint tea and sampled the raspberry and blueberry scones.
“Aren’t you acquainted with the underworld?” teased Donna.
“Hey, I read the Police Gazette.”
Donna ate a raspberry scone. “We had a wave of robberies in Gotham last year. The thief was never caught.”
“The good ones rarely are.”
Donna considered. “Do you think it could be the same thief?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Plenty of cat burglars out there.”
Donna conceded that was true She took a sip of tea and reached for another scone.
& & & & & &
Dick lolled at the table in Bruce’s suite while Bruce paced. “Did you know that Dr. Victor Fries was born in Prussia?”
“I knew he had a faint accent.”
“It was in the bio that Lionel had in his notebook.”
“Lionel’s always thorough.” Bruce crossed his arms. “I’m going to pass along all we’ve learned to Uncle Ted. He invited me to lunch today, ostensibly to discuss the Project.”
“Enjoy. I’ve got some errands for today.”
“Okay.” Bruce leaned down and kissed his lover. “See you later.”
& & & & & &
Dick sauntered into the Main Reading Room and smiled at Lana at the Librarian’s Desk.
“I got your call. What do you have for me?” Dick asked.
“Oh, this and that.”
He smiled. “Here and there?”
“Yes and no.”
He laughed. Lana took a piece of paper out of her skirt pocket and slid it over the desk to Dick.
“I managed to get some information on these countries and their current politics, all tied in with nationalist movements and military build-ups.”
“Thank you, Miss Lang.”
“I wish I could have come up with something juicy.”
“Sometimes the juice is in the facts.” Dick winked.
“A lovely philosophy.” Lana touched her pompadour. “How are you enjoying the books?”
“I’m learning a lot. Lincoln was such a fascinating man.”
“He was one of a kind, all right.” Lana shifted a pile of books.
“Will you be attending the Arbor Day ceremony this year?”
“Yes, I have the day off. I’m looking forward to it. Will you be going?”
“Yes, Miss Scidmore invited us.”
“Miss Scidmore! She’s a wonderful woman.”
“A determined one.”
“Determined women get things moving,” Lana said firmly.
“I appreciate determined women,” said Dick with a smile.
Lana answered with a smile of her own. “I look forward to seeing you on Arbor Day, Mr. Grayson.”
“Same here, Miss Lang. Thank you for all your help.”
“My pleasure.”
& & & & & &
“Ah, my boy. The cook is exceptional, huh?”
Bruce had to admit that his uncle was right. The chicken breast had been cooked to perfection and seasoned with spices that enhanced the flavor instead of overwhelming it. A medley of colorful vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers and radishes) and buttery mashed potatoes were delicious side dishes.
“Garden vegetables in the garden.” Bruce smiled.
“You should taste his steak.”
“Is that on the menu for state dinners?”
Theodore laughed. “Sometimes. I like a good steak. Enjoyed the best on the ranch in my days out West.” He speared a piece of chicken with gusto.
The Rose Garden was a beautiful setting. Flowers were beginning to bloom and buds were unfolding on the trees. The day was warm so the President had suggested lunch outside. Their table was under an apple tree in full bloom.
“This was a great idea, Teddy.”
Theodore grinned. “I have great ideas all the time.” Bruce laughed. “Now, Nephew, what have you got for me?”
Bruce relayed what he and Dick had found out since his last report to Theodore. The President chewed thoughtfully on his chicken. “Interesting.”
“Any progress on the code?”
“No.” Theodore sighed. “Code-breaking is slow business.”
“Yes, Dick and I haven’t been able to make any progress.”
“I didn’t know ballet dancers were code-breakers.”
Bruce smiled. “Dick has many talents.” He sipped his wine.
“Alice was impressed with him.”
“She has good taste.”
Theodore grunted. “I knew Luthor was up to something.”
“If there’s shenanigans going on, Lionel can be found.”
Theodore scooped up a forkful of potatoes. “He’s a rapscallion, all right.”
Bruce could not argue with that. The smell of apple blossoms was pleasant. “This china is impressive.”
“Pretty fancy. Did you know that Ulysses Grant was nervous using the White House china for fear of breaking it?”
“No, I didn’t.”
Theodore shook his head. “The man was a brilliant general, but he should’ve never run for President. He trusted people too much.”
“And you don’t.”
“In this town?” Theodore snorted. “Don’t turn your back.”
“Sounds like big business.”
Theodore drank his wine. “Very similar. They’re both about money and power, just in different ways.”
Bruce pushed his vegetables around with his fork. “Sound philosophy, Uncle.”
“I’m not just a pretty face, Nephew.”
Bruce grinned. “I wish I had more for you.”
“You’ve brought me plenty. I’ll get the Secret Service to watch Lionel.”
“He's sure to spot them.”
“I won’t be using agents already on my detail. We’ll get some from out of town.”
“Never underestimate Lionel Luthor.”
“Don’t worry, Bruce. I didn’t get this far underestimating people.”
Bruce figured that his uncle was right, but he also knew that Lionel was not the usual sort of adversary. Those who did underestimate him usually regretted it.
This entry has been cross-posted from Dreamwidth. Comment on either entry as you wish. :)
This chapter can also be red on AO3.