Lounge Car

[Raziel]

Fernand lowers his paper again and arches an eyebrow before lowering his paper completely.

French,"Well thank you for the complement about my French, but I think I'm a little old for you. Also this may just be me being humble but I don't think I'm that attractive."

"You're English is also very good."

[Laraqua]

"I spent a lot of time in England," she says, leaning on her elbows on the table.

French Conversation,"And perhaps I'm looking for a distinguished older man to help me get through the cold winters of a wartorn Europe. Are you getting off in Germany?"

[Raziel]

French,"No I'm getting off at the end of the road. I have business in Istanbul and you?"

[Laraqua]

French Conversation,"I'm also getting off at Istanbul. I've noticed that you keep yourself to yourself. That seems most unfortunate. You seem a clever sort of fellow, if unusually restrained for a German. I jest! I jest! Oh, you must think terribly of me. I must seem horribly nosey just coming down here and sitting down with you. How positively American of me! You see, I'm actually terribly shy and I don't know anyone else on this train. Oh, I cover my shyness well with my prattle but what else can I do? It's either all or nothing. Whew, I really am quite American, aren't I?"

[Raziel]

French,"A little, but don't worry I'm also a bit nosy."

He leans in.

French,"I spend my time listening into people. I can understand how annoying it can be when that one person just won't engage with others making it impossible to listen in and find out what kind of person they are." "It is also a good way to test my knowledge of languages."

[Laraqua]

Nico Dubois leans in as well. "Now you really have my attention, mister...?"

[Raziel]

French,"Because you have found out I'm an eavesdropper? Has anyone ever told you, you're a bit strange."

[Laraqua]

French Conversation,"I prefer to think of myself as a unique individual capable of fully embracing the joys of life. One can hardly say that I wouldn't make for a wonderful dining companion."

[Raziel]

French,"I see, now I'm intrigued. Very well I suppose it would be considered antisocial for me to eat alone in the first place."

[Laraqua]

She gives him a winsome smile.

French Conversation,"There's the spirit! Best not be anti-social about the Orient Express. Otherwise what would be the point in coming along in the first place? Have you had the chance to make the acquaintance of anyone so far aboard this train? I'm dreadfully curious about everyone! If these walls could talk,what tales they would tell! Perhaps we could play a game? A tale for a tale. A secret for a secret. An intrigue for an intrigue! Doesn't have to be your own, of course."

[Laraqua]

Lounge Car, Paris, 20:45

Larry Clinton and His Orchestra with Bea Wain - Deep Purple

The lounge car is decorated in the Art Nouveau style with many a decorative flourish, particularly on the rich mahogany ceiling panels. Fresh flowers adorn the tables, at the moment blue orchids, with beautiful lamps adorning the window sills. Each table holds two very wide, oh so comfortable, arm chairs made with a blue-grey upholstery. The chairs are so large that they limit the number of people who can fit around the tables and therefore within the Lounge Car itself but on the plus side the chairs are perfectly comfortable and would be perfect for a quick snooze. It’s a perfect place to read by day, enjoy cocktails before dinner and a nightcap after dinner though the Bar Car works for a more active form of drinking. There is no smoking allowed in the Lounge Car. That is the province of the Bar Car. Occasionally a staff member may pass through this car to see if there is a need for any drinks, mostly coffee or tea, or anything else to keep people comfortable. Some people take their breakfast in this room rather than in their compartments or prefer to take a snack or light meal in this car. The teak wall panelling, inlaid with rosewood, are suffused with the scents and memories of bygone days. The carved scrolls, cornices, and scallops at the friezes and borders, are adorned with gilded metal flowers and that reach up but never reach the arched ceilings.

The Smoking Car is almost empty, barring two couples that are remarkably alike in their own way. Each couple contains an older man and a younger woman, though there the similarities end. One of the women, a blond, is highly attractive and completing a crossword puzzle while her husband pointedly ignores her in favor of reading the newspaper. The other woman is a perky brunette who leans forward over the table, speaking in conspirational tones with a sly grin in French to a rather less committed older man who has a newspaper but isn't reading it right at this moment.

The door to the communications compartment between the Smoking Car and the Lounge Car opens and Amadi enters, followed by Schiller who has Cecil and Charles a step behind (in order to fit through the doorway and the corridor) who were holding onto Schiller's arms and seem to be guiding him from behind. The newspaper-reading and crossword-completing couple hardly look up but the pretty brunette's gaze is quickly captured.

Pictures of those entering the Lounge Car in the order of their entrance:

Cecil

Schiller

Charles Belanger

Amadi

"This looks serious," says the perky brunette in a French accent. "Is this gentleman under arrest for some reason? How scandalous!" She seems rather excited by the whole idea.

[aine]

Cecil takes one look at the talent in the lounge and says quietly to Amadi, "Dib dib, there you are, this train isn't so barren after all. Looks like there may be dragons guarding the fair damsels however. Are you up to the challenge?" He eyes up the newspaper-wielding gentlemen. To the perky brunette,

"Madame, we are but lowly squires attending this fallen knight back to his castle." As an aside he says to her in a low voice, "Too much to drink, I fear!"

[Laraqua]

"Ooh, how positively scandalous," said the perky brunette. "Is he drunk?"

"Excuse me, sir, are you a doctor?" asked Amadi, peering down at the brunette's friend.

[Raziel]

Fernand raises an eyebrow. "Yes why how drunk precisly is he?" He says with a German accent.

[Laraqua]

Amadi gazes at the other couple who seem to be deeply invested in their duties (perhaps in order to concentrate more on their ears) and then ducks his head to speak more closely to Fernand. "Nothing to eat or drink, I'm afraid. He just simply ... stopped."

Schiller's eyes appear to be quite glazed, the pupils dilated, and he evidences no change in expression whatsoever.

[Raziel]

"I apologise I thought you were referencing to the other man." Fernand's demeanor seems to instantly change as he inspects the stricken man.

He turns to the woman across from him. "Miss my medical bag is in the G compartment of the Yennifer car, could you fetch it." He says with tone of haste.

[aine]

"Please, allow me. As you are being so good as to look at the chap, the least I can do is act as errand boy. I'm sure madame would make an excellent nurse, if you'd be so kind to assist that is, Madame?" Cecil transfers his hold so the doctor can take his place. "Your name, Sir? So I don't alarm the attendant."

[Raziel]

"Doctor Fernand Bedel. Please hurry." He clear a section of the table for the man. "Do you know if he is on any medication." He says to the other man who was assisting the patient.

[Laraqua]

"I really haven't the foggiest," says Amadi, seemingly unfazed by Fernand's concerns for Schiller. He takes the man's arm and waves it a bit, showing the looseness of the muscles. "He doesn't seem to be at all there anymore. I think he went to have a chat to a pair of people and then he simply ... stopped. He blocked up the aisle for nearly half an hour before this other fellow..." he gestures toward Charles "...noticed upon attempting to leave."

"Charles Belanger, how do you do?" says the fellow indicated. "To be honst I have nothing more to add to this fellows' astute observations so ... if you will excuse me I think I shall help ensure the conductors let us through."

[aine]

"Lord Horfield." Cecil sketches a bow, "Right away, Doctor Bedel, I'll be back before you can say stethoscope." He nods to Beranger and then sets off Briskly towards Yennifer Car. He curses under his breath.