The Other Place
(a semi-musical Steampunk Goth hybrid story)
Blog Sixteen: Just a Bit of Your Albino Blood and Bone
Caedar-writing-artwork.com
“She looks so peaceful like that,” Lady Steamsail says as she and her sister stare down at their aunt, who’s sleeping peacefully against one of the hall’s walls.
“Just a few stabs under the ribs,” Lady Oolong says as she places the point of her cane sword against the wound in their aunt’s side. The dark red fluid on the blade immediately beads and rolls into the wound. “She’ll sleep for an hour or two.”
“Will be gone by then?” Lady Steamsail asks, as she toes their aunts hand mirror. “Is that a very faint outline of our very own Chief Shabuni?”
“Yes,” Lady Oolong replies. She picks up the mirror and holds it so both she and her sister can see its story. “Can you hear voices?”
“Faintly,” Lady Steamsail leans in closer. “Listen, those two vampires are talking about the gathering of the most powerful aristocrats of The Other Place.”
“That’s Baron von Athanasius holding a chain leash,” a vampire wearing a storm grey overcoat says.
“Attached to that barbed collar around the kneeling Hugstari,” says the other vampire, who wears a sea green overcoat. “Who is Athanasius talking to? The one with the broad shoulders and rectangular head with the immaculate beard and mustache?”
“That is Abhilesh, the original of the name.”
“Does he belong?”
“No,” the vampire in the storm grey overcoat says. “It’s believed, he can wander to and through any Place he desires. Do you hear breathing behind us?”
Lady Steamsail stares at her sister.
Lady Oolong smiles back. “Chief Shabuni will have to understand later. No twinkling earrings this time,” she continues as the emerald green in her earrings fade.
“We should become immaterial,” Lady Steamsail says as the glow from her own earrings fades. “I believe he’s directly below us.”
They rematerialize behind the nearly visible chief.
Lady Oolong stabs through Chief Shabuni’s trousers into his right calve until the tip pierces his bone. As he falls to his knees, Lady Steamsail stabs into his left calve.
As Lady Oolong steps towards the two turning vampires, Lady Steamsail wraps the Chief’s calves with handkerchiefs. “We need your albino blood and a tinge of bone,” she explains. Making sure the knots are tight first, she whispers in his left ear, “Wait for the ticking of the clock before you depart.”
Thanks To:
Lady Evelyn Oolong is portrayed by Taylor Norris, RMT taynorris@gmail.com
Lady Marina Steamsail is portrayed by Joanne Gosling Jgosling@calclosets.com
Fireandsteel.ca for the Perched Drake cane sword and Dragonrider folding knife (see Exclusives)
Honourable Mention:
I got close to having @_melgie (Melanie) to portray Roisin Moodlive in person but perhaps another time or for another character. This is her performing a beautiful rendition of the Weeknd’s Blinding Lights.