Book the Second, Chapter the Eleventh: A Lengthy Trek

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

A young fellow of particularly attractive features, arrayed in what appears, at first glance, to be an eccentric combination of military garb with such decorations as are favored by certain aboriginal inhabitants of the New World, approaches the newcomers.

Grinning first at Doctor North, he says, somewhat mysteriously, "What's up, Doc?" Then, becoming a bit more serious, he continues, "No strangers here, man. We're all brothers and sisters, dig? Join the party!" He shakes an object resembling that small percussive instrument known as a tambour, producing a not unpleasant sound.

Nearly simultaneously, a young lady, wearing what one might take as a gown from the fabled days of King Arthur, her waist-length golden hair entwined with flowers, approaches Lepus, her pale blue eyes open wide.

"Oh, wow, heavy," she says. "You're, like, real into the Druid scene, right? I can so relate. I'm a Scorpio with Mercury in the 8th House, so I'm, like, really, really sensitive to vibes. What's your sign?"

A large and muscular man, wearing leather clothing decorated with various symbols and the words DIRTY SAINTS MC, walks up to Ivan, carrying two small metallic-looking cylinders.

"Wanna brew, pal? Gonna be an arm wrestlin' contest later, be a break from all this lovey-dovey stuff."

Meanwhile, a dark-skinned man, possibly of Moorish ancestry, whose clothing is much simpler than most -- merely a white shirt with very short sleeves, and dark blue trousers -- approaches Eliza, makes a bow that would find favor even in the court, and extends his hand.

"Dance with your prince, my lady fair."

[SunlessNick]

Eliza doesn't know what to make of this strange man, having never seen one with such a skin tone as he - then she remembers her father telling her that people from different parts of the world sometimes bear different features. In any case, she is touched by his immediate acceptance of her despite her countenance, and takes his hand. "I am no princess, but certainly I shall dance with you."

[Mr. Handy]

"Perhaps not a Princess," says Henry, "but you are a Lady, the daughter of an Earl." He nods to the young man who approached him. "My wife is a musician of great talent. It is too bad she is not here. I think she would enjoy the music. If only I had the means to record sound, so that I could bring it back to her."

OOC, That would be groovy! [b]Henry[/b] and [b]Liz[/b] would get a kick out of meeting each other.

[jp1885]

Lepus gurns a grin at the girl.

“Thy knowest the mystic arts, hm? ‘tis said the fae folk danced in the night sky the hour I was born. The wild dance of the hare, ‘tis supposed.”

“Tell me of this place oh maiden; we have traveled far - be we still in Curnow?”

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Eliza doesn't know what to make of this strange man, having never seen one with such a skin tone as he - then she remembers her father telling her that people from different parts of the world sometimes bear different features. In any case, she is touched by his immediate acceptance of her despite her countenance, and takes his hand. "I am no princess, but certainly I shall dance with you."

The movements made by the dark young man -- and, indeed, by the others present -- do not resemble those witnessed by Eliza during your brief time in society. Rather, they seem to follow no particular pattern, but reflect rather the whimsical moods of those so engaged, with no evident pattern.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"Perhaps not a Princess," says Henry, "but you are a Lady, the daughter of an Earl." He nods to the young man who approached him. "My wife is a musician of great talent. It is too bad she is not here. I think she would enjoy the music. If only I had the means to record sound, so that I could bring it back to her."

OOC, That would be groovy! [b]Henry[/b] and [b]Liz[/b] would get a kick out of meeting each other.

"Your old lady couldn't make the scene, huh? Bummer. Hang on a minute."

He leaves for a few minutes, then returns with a fellow wearing spectacles who carries a large rectangular object, bearing two large, spinning disks. Attached to it is rope of some sort, at the end of which is an oblong object, which the fellow points at various places.

"Show this guy how to use the tape recorder, Sparks." He leaves.

The man addressed in this whimsical fashion, who is a bit older than others in the crowd, shows Doctor North the object. "You ever use one of these things?"

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Lepus gurns a grin at the girl.

“Thy knowest the mystic arts, hm? ‘tis said the fae folk danced in the night sky the hour I was born. The wild dance of the hare, ‘tis supposed.”

“Tell me of this place oh maiden; we have traveled far - be we still in Curnow?”

"Um, I dunno. Is that, like, anywhere near Frisco?"

[Mr. Handy]

"I have not," says Henry, examining the device with great interest, "but I am a quick study."

[jp1885]

Lepus shrugs.

“Depends where this Frisko is I s’pose. Be we in England then, oh maiden?”

[SunlessNick]

The movements made by the dark young man -- and, indeed, by the others present -- do not resemble those witnessed by Eliza during your brief time in society. Rather, they seem to follow no particular pattern, but reflect rather the whimsical moods of those so engaged, with no evident pattern.

This display reminds Eliza somewhat of the Greek worshippers from the past. "What is the name of this dance?" she asks.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"I have not," says Henry, examining the device with great interest, "but I am a quick study."

Such prediction proves accurate, as the nimble mind of Doctor North soon unravels the mysteries of the device, enabling the rotating disks to store any sound at which the rounded cylinder is directed, and to recall such when directed to, by depressing certain levers in the correct manner.

Whilst his master is busy with this mechanistic inquiry, Ivan has taken the opportunity to join a group of rough-looking men who engage in contests of strength, accompanied by much consuming of metal containers of what seems to be watery ale of poor quality.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Lepus shrugs.

“Depends where this Frisko is I s’pose. Be we in England then, oh maiden?”

Giggling in a fetching fashion, the young woman shakes her head, accompanied by the tinkling of many tiny bells woven into her long hair. "Wow, you must be really high. We're in California, you know? Like, Altamont, California? Getting ready for the big concert at the raceway. You gonna be digging the Stones tonight?"

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

This display reminds Eliza somewhat of the Greek worshippers from the past. "What is the name of this dance?" she asks.

"Lady," replies the dark man, "if you gotta name it, you ain't feelin' it. Just groove on the vibes and fly, baby!"

[jp1885]

“Mayhap, though we have moved stones enough recently. Be there many to dig?” Lepus replies.

“California? The new world? Far from our destination be we! Know thee of a Captain Palliser? ‘tis said he would reach his end in this place.”

[Mr. Handy]

"This is wonderful!" says Henry after experimenting with the device. "May I buy it from you?"

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

“Mayhap, though we have moved stones enough recently. Be there many to dig?” Lepus replies.

“California? The new world? Far from our destination be we! Know thee of a Captain Palliser? ‘tis said he would reach his end in this place.”

The young woman shrugs. "Never heard of him."

Sudden shouts distract her. With a frown, she says "It's those cycle creeps again. I mean, love everybody and all, but some folks are harder to love than others, you know?"

There does indeed appear to be some sort of altercation amongst a group of men arrayed in leather, whose appearance is that of ruffians.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"This is wonderful!" says Henry after experimenting with the device. "May I buy it from you?"

"I guess so. Got lots of AV equipment at home. Kind of a hobby. Say, ten bucks?"

[jp1885]

“Psht! Ragamuffins and rapscallions!” exclaims Lepus. “Fair lady, will not stand!”

Squaring his shoulders and walking more upright than he has for a long while, he approaches the group.

“Ho fellows! Cease thy japery, lest it offend the gentle maidens of this place!”

[Mr. Handy]

"I'm afraid I only have British money," says Henry, "but one of your American dollars has about the same silver content as four shillings, or about five dollars to a pound sterling. If a 'buck' is American vernacular for a dollar, then ten of them would equate to two pounds sterling." He produces eight crowns. "Will these do?"

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

“Psht! Ragamuffins and rapscallions!” exclaims Lepus. “Fair lady, will not stand!”

Squaring his shoulders and walking more upright than he has for a long while, he approaches the group.

“Ho fellows! Cease thy japery, lest it offend the gentle maidens of this place!”

Lepus discovers several of the large men holding Ivan by his arms and legs; a task which requires a great deal of straining and sweating on the part of the imprisoners. Helpless in their grip, the mighty Russian is subjected to the indignity of having multiple containers of the metal-encased ale poured upon his head.

One fellow, standing aside and enjoying the spectacle, grins at Lepus.

"Say what, man? Anyway, we're just havin' some fun with the guy. Kind of a initiation ceremony, like. Welcomin' him into the Dirty Saints."