Compartment 9

[aine]

"Ah, no. Actually I came to see you. To um... to apologise for startling you last night. For starters." He smiles hopefully and steps further into the compartment and espies the sketch book. "By Jove, that's rather good!" He looks closer and realises the disturbing subject matter. "Oh! Rather dark though. Was this after I met you last night? Did it give you nightmares, seeing the attendant unconscious?" He gives Lily a sharp look, readjusting his impressions of her as not quite just an attractive young lady. "Or are you of The Modern School of Art? May i have a look?" Without waiting for an answer, he flicks through the rest of the sketch book to see if it is Lily's normal style or just something caused by last night.

[Kadael]

Lily raises an eyebrow at his answer, visibly surprised. "Oh? Oh, well, he does want to speak to you. As I said, I'm sure he--" She cuts herself off when she sees Cecil looking at her sketchbook, and goes pale (well, paler than usual) when he starts going through it. "I'd rather you didn't-- ...suppose if you want to, sir. Really, I'm a painter, those are only sketches-- yes, yes, it did give me an awful fright. I swear I don't usually... well."

The other pages in the sketchbook confirm that this isn't that out of the ordinary for her; there are still-lifes of flowers and self-portraits here and there, but also drawings of (sleeping or dead?) women with bloody bite marks on their necks, several sketches of a looming, powerfully built figure, and a page of what appears to be sketches of an oddly proportioned cat.

Keeper,Things Lily fears: her brother. Books Lily has read: [i][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmilla]Carmilla[/url][/i].

[Laraqua]

Germany, 09:10

The lights flicker on and then off again overhead (it's getting gloomy outside so it's more noticeable than it otherwise would be) and a weird static charge seems to sift through the air, lifting hairs on end and sending little electric shivers down their spine. For a moment, it almost seems as though one of the drawings writhes on the page.

[aine]

"Do you read much of Stoker's work or James?" Cecil considers the nightmarish sketches. Lily is definitely not ordinary. As the lights flicker, Cecil squints hard as the weird cat writhes and turns to look at him. "By Jove! It's happening again!" Cecil tears his eyes from the page and tries to focus on Lily to see if she is affected by the abnormal atmosphere.

[Kadael]

Lily squirms uncomfortably on the banquette, blinking up at the lights, brushing a hand through her hair. "Yes, sir, I've at least read Dracula," she says, glancing at him before looking all about the compartment. "Did this happen last night? I... I don't know if I like this train much. Strange things keep happening."

[aine]

"You're right there; this is a singularly unpleasant train and strange things keep happening. I feel like I'm going bonkers half the time; I see things that aren't there or that other people can't see. I've seen some nasty stuff too you know, a bit like these." He indicates the sketches. "And then the lights go weird or, or we almost seem to be somewhere else. At least, that's what happened last night when I looked out of the window. We were travelling through countryside where these things (sketches) would be right at home. Something that Dante would come up with." He shudders.

[Kadael]

Lily smiles thinly at her sketchbook and the drawings of the strange cat, lowering her voice to a soft near-whisper. "I hope I haven't unsettled you too badly, Lord Linscott. My brother won't be very happy with me if I have."

She blinks at Cecil then, and cocks her head to one side. "Seeing things others can't? That's... fascinating, if I may say so. Only on this train?"

[aine]

"Yes, only on this train. And there's something devilish going down, I can tell you." Cecil rubs his brow. "Have you seen oddities too, Miss er,may I call you Lily? I don't think I have the pleasure of your brothers acquaintance and yet you say he wishes to meet me. What does he do? In a day-by-day capacity that is? If you do get into trouble for disturbing me, it won't be caused by the scary doodles I can assure you."

[Kadael]

Lily looks away and brushes some nonexistent lint off the skirt of her dress. "I... wouldn't say I have, no. It's just interesting that you see things." She shrugs. "As for my brother, Charles is... a secretive man. I haven't been allowed to know what he does, but I know he has plenty of friends aboard."

She furrows her brow and twists her mouth into a strange frown, speaking once again in a hushed tone. "He wants to speak to you about last night. ...About me."

[Laraqua]

Germany, 09:25

Their conversation is interrupted by a further conversation in the hall as one of the compartment doors opens.

"Hmm, this train appears to have bypassed Ulm," says an unfamiliar woman's voice in a warm and velvety voice that couples a high class British and Russian accent.

"Regrettably so, but this train does need to catch up on lost time," says Kliment.

"You were not the conductor when I first arrived," says the lady.

Kliment's smile can be heard through his words. "The initial conductor is feeling rather poorly so it fell to me to step into his place. He should soon be well enough to assist."

A pause as a door opens.

Unfamiliar German male voice,"Good evening, fraulein. I hope you have found the breakfast to your liking."

Previous woman's voice in German,"Of course, Dr. Heydrich. The cuisine aboard this train is superb."

German man with a hopeful tone,"I hope you might share a cigarette with me in the Smoking Car."

Female voice in German with a carefully neutral tone,"I do not share, Dr. Heydrich, but I am willing to accompany you."

You would at least be able to pick up that the woman refers to the German as "Doktor Heydrich". Their footsteps carry on down the corridor. Though either of the two inside the compartment could peek out to catch a look at them (refer to the corridor post for pictures), neither of them can leave the compartment without Charles Gavigan stepping out of the other room to interrupt them.

"Good morning, Lord Linscott, I trust you slept well," said Mr. Gavigan, extending his hand with a wry smile on his lips.

[aine]

Cecil frowns gently at Lily's comment and is about to reply when he catches a glimpse of the German woman's dress as she whisks past. He opens his moth to continue when he is interrupted by Mr. Gavigan entering. Unaccountably, he feels the hairs on the back of his neck prickle but he steels himself and shakes Lily's brother's hand. "Moderately so, moderately so, thank you; lulled by the music of the rumbling wheels as it were." He casts a look at Lily as he tells the fib. "And you, sir, a blissful sleep or were you enjoined to partake in the fine entertainments the Orient has to offer?"

[Kadael]

Lily seems very interested in the conversation outside, at least until the other man comes along and they start speaking in German. She jumps slightly when Charles enters the room, straightens her back, and almost cringes when Cecil looks at her.

[Laraqua]

"Has anyone mentioned how brilliant your use of the English language really is?" asked Mr. Gavigan. "You are positively skilled with general verbal rhythms. Perhaps you could assist me with a little something? I have recently acquired an intriguing idol that has a riddle attached at it's base. Perhaps you could assist me with its meaning?" He looks to Lily. "Could you please go out and fetch us both a cup of tea? There's a good girl."

[Kadael]

Lily sighs quietly, her shoulders drooping before she stands up and nods at her brother. "Of course, sir." She turns and heads out of the compartment, shutting the door behind her.

[aine]

Cecil is rather surprised and slightly disappointed that such a characterful and self possessed woman would bend so meekly to her brother's whim. He wonders if they are putting on some sort of show just for him but he can't think why. He bows slightly as Lily departs."Earl Grey with a slice of the arcane." he murmurs and then turns to Charles, "Drat, I knew that infernal classical education would be my undoing one of these bright days!" He says jovially, hiding his true thoughts. "Well, with any luck I shall be utterly confounded by the puzzle and thus maintain a fashionable facade of ignorance. Is this idol historical or merely hysterical?"

[Laraqua]

"I think you'll find it thoroughly entertaining," said Mr. Gavigan. He withdraws from his pocket the idol - rather an amulet - of disturbing proportions that seems to hearken to some terrible prehistory. He passes it to Cecil, revealing a phonetic inscription on the back that seems - for some strange reason - to be rather new. "It has a phonetic inscription on the back. If you would be so kind as to read it? Perhaps that might shed some light on the situation?"

عن الحب هو بداية و نهاية كل شيء ، كما أ
أتعهد نفسي.

Cecil can't quite comprehend what it says, likely due to the shock of the amulet's disturbing aspect and because his understanding of written Arabic was never very good. He also can't quite place it's anthropological origins. His shocked mind does, however, manage to correlate its unusual and mythic design which brings to mind tales of Trickster Gods and Ancient Prophets worshipped in the dark and chaotic places of the world.

OOC,the image is embedded in the amulet link.

[aine]

Cecil attempts to hide a shudder and his distaste as he studies the amulet closely. It shakes him up rather badly and he can't concentrate enough to read the words. "Some sort of over-beardly eastern warrior? The inscription is not original I'd say; the metal is far too shiny." He shakes his head. "Is it in Arabic? I'm sorry, my Arabic is pretty non existant. But may I borrow it for an hour? I know someone who can solve it in a jiffy. I can meet you back on the breakfast car if you like."

[Laraqua]

Charles smiles, and Cecil gets the feeling he knows about Amadi. "Sure, I was about to suggest the same thing."

[aine]

Cecil smiles a little sadly and pockets the amulet. "Then I shall see you later." He bows and takes his leave, rather glad to leave the compartment and looking forward to seeing his friends again.

[Laraqua]

Germany, 09:25

Charles is left alone in the compartment. He smiles privately to himself and picks up a local newspaper.