And I still haven't found what I'm looking for.
Saturday lunchtime, day 20
My birthday party went very well, and I have to say that my night with the new school mistress was a lot of fun. Kaeli turned out to be a lot more amenable - and athletic! - than I might have expected, and the experience was very pleasurable. What is bothering me, though, is how I felt this morning. I felt better than I have done in years - and generally my health is quite fine - and I was also incredibly sentimental. I could hardly bear to leave Kaeli's side. Very strange. Once I had got away from the schoolhouse and was back in my part of town, I felt much more myself again, and was left with the worry that I might have led Kaeli to believe I want a girlfriend. Dammit. Well, best to stay out of her way for a couple of days. Perhaps it's just been too long since I had sex. Well, I've seen a couple of girls from the brothel in the last couple of months, but it's been a while since I just picked someone up. Although the sex at Follow Me Boy is always good, I never quite enjoy paying for something if I can get it for free. Kaeli seemed very willing to have casual sex, but she had been drinking, and she is the new schoolteacher. Probably far too respectable for me. I had best be careful there.
The morning passed quietly at the Whitechapel. I did a bit of paperwork and checked out a couple of guests. At lunchtime a couple of my patrons brought some lunch into the salon and I cadged a chunk of loaf and a piece of chocolate from them. They'd just been into town, they said, and had heard some interesting news. Apparently some whore had been shot in town last night.
Mouth still full of bread, I was out of the door without a coat.
Follow Me Boy had its CLOSED sign turned round. I felt my stomach souring, new bread and panic bouncing together uncomfortably. Karina would never close on a weekend without good reason. After rapping on the door for a while Lena came to the door. Lena always looks strong and capable, and I expect if the world went to pieces she would still carry on, but she had a strained look to her face, the whites of her eyes bloodshot.
"We're not open today, Mr Laclos," she said.
"I can see that," I said impatiently. "Lena, what the hell happened?"
"Kora's dead," she said quietly. Inside the bell rang. "I have to go, Mr Laclos, the mistress needs me."
"Can I speak to her?"
"She's with the doctor, sir." The door swung shut as Lena left with uncharacteristic abruptness.
*
I run up Silk Road, mud from the puddles splashing my fine trousers. Kora's dead? Karina is with the doctor? I need to speak to someone at the sheriff's office and find out what the hell is going on. The idea that someone hurt Kora - sweet, fragile Kora, with a heart open like a flower - makes me feel sick. And if someone hurt Karina... My mouth sets into a hard line. I have many acquaintances, but few friends, and I will not tolerate them being hurt. As I run through town I notice the feeling of vigour and wellbeing that I experienced last night and this morning increasing again, but I don't have time to think about it. There are more pressing matters at hand.
I arrive at the sheriff's office and push open the door.
[open to Hermia/Jack/Mab preferably... no, not suggesting that as a pairing :P]
[post is moving here]
My birthday party went very well, and I have to say that my night with the new school mistress was a lot of fun. Kaeli turned out to be a lot more amenable - and athletic! - than I might have expected, and the experience was very pleasurable. What is bothering me, though, is how I felt this morning. I felt better than I have done in years - and generally my health is quite fine - and I was also incredibly sentimental. I could hardly bear to leave Kaeli's side. Very strange. Once I had got away from the schoolhouse and was back in my part of town, I felt much more myself again, and was left with the worry that I might have led Kaeli to believe I want a girlfriend. Dammit. Well, best to stay out of her way for a couple of days. Perhaps it's just been too long since I had sex. Well, I've seen a couple of girls from the brothel in the last couple of months, but it's been a while since I just picked someone up. Although the sex at Follow Me Boy is always good, I never quite enjoy paying for something if I can get it for free. Kaeli seemed very willing to have casual sex, but she had been drinking, and she is the new schoolteacher. Probably far too respectable for me. I had best be careful there.
The morning passed quietly at the Whitechapel. I did a bit of paperwork and checked out a couple of guests. At lunchtime a couple of my patrons brought some lunch into the salon and I cadged a chunk of loaf and a piece of chocolate from them. They'd just been into town, they said, and had heard some interesting news. Apparently some whore had been shot in town last night.
Mouth still full of bread, I was out of the door without a coat.
Follow Me Boy had its CLOSED sign turned round. I felt my stomach souring, new bread and panic bouncing together uncomfortably. Karina would never close on a weekend without good reason. After rapping on the door for a while Lena came to the door. Lena always looks strong and capable, and I expect if the world went to pieces she would still carry on, but she had a strained look to her face, the whites of her eyes bloodshot.
"We're not open today, Mr Laclos," she said.
"I can see that," I said impatiently. "Lena, what the hell happened?"
"Kora's dead," she said quietly. Inside the bell rang. "I have to go, Mr Laclos, the mistress needs me."
"Can I speak to her?"
"She's with the doctor, sir." The door swung shut as Lena left with uncharacteristic abruptness.
*
I run up Silk Road, mud from the puddles splashing my fine trousers. Kora's dead? Karina is with the doctor? I need to speak to someone at the sheriff's office and find out what the hell is going on. The idea that someone hurt Kora - sweet, fragile Kora, with a heart open like a flower - makes me feel sick. And if someone hurt Karina... My mouth sets into a hard line. I have many acquaintances, but few friends, and I will not tolerate them being hurt. As I run through town I notice the feeling of vigour and wellbeing that I experienced last night and this morning increasing again, but I don't have time to think about it. There are more pressing matters at hand.
I arrive at the sheriff's office and push open the door.
[open to Hermia/Jack/Mab preferably... no, not suggesting that as a pairing :P]
[post is moving here]