Re: The inevitable week

[Casandra Lightheart]

She stood from her chair and nodded at Leo.

"Thank you Leo, please if he starts to hurt try to get him to drink the tea."

She then turned to Ama and the girls and smiled as she headed out the door.

"I am ready."

[Ama]

She was ready. "This way please." Ama began heading down the hallway with Cary and Aliza behind her. Down the stairs and to a different section of the Manor is where they would head.

In the back of the section was an enclosed botanical garden. Filling the room was a vast assortment of herbs and plants from all over the world. All were labeled, and if looked closely one would find some that were specific to Drow.

The back wall was made of glass allowing the nature light of the sun to shine in. Against the far wall stood several bookcases, each full of various text. Sectioned off in parts, each place provided for plants needing a different eco-system than the rest. There was even a portion sectioned off for the creation of mixtures.

Opening the door, Ama held it open for Casandra to enter first. "After you, Lady Lightheart."

[Casandra Lightheart]

Cas followed them Kjay on her heals, she was making note of the turns they took and different hallways they went down. She had never been in this part of the manor before she wanted to stop and look at things but she refrained and followed till Ama stopped in front of a door opening it.

"After you, Lady Lightheart."

She stepped into the room and just stopped and stared; she didn't know what to say.

"I... thank you just doesn't seem to be enough."

She turned and hugged Ama she didn't know what else to do.

Moving further into the garden she began exploring the different eco-systems looking at all the plants and herbs. This was the most amazing thing.

She saw some that she had no clue what they were even labeled as they all were she had never heard if them.

Moving over to the book on the shelves she pulled some of them out and began to skim through them before putting them back. She did remove one and carry it with her it had a large section of relieving pain and while she knew what she wanted to do to help the Marques it never hurt to have a back up plan. Putting the book into her herb bag and continued over to the apothecary room.

She looked around the room and smiled. Everything was here plain unscented lotions that could be used to mix things like what she had left for the Marques back, there were burners, scales, oils, vinegar. This was everything she would ever need.

Flasks and jars of all different shapes and sizes were on shelves along the walls vials with stoppers, most were empty waiting to be filled. The ones that had items in them were labeled.

The drawers under the wooden counter tops were all labeled as well she opened a few and found brass measure cups and spoons, special scissors and knives for cutting and chopping herbs, motors and pestles of different sizes and even several drawers holding motors and pestles for herbs that should not ever be mixed with others so that they were always kept separate.

On the walls were hung pictures of skeletal and muscular structure, and a large full size chart showing pressure points for acupressure therapy.

During the whole time she was looking through the room she was talking softly to her self making mental notes.

Then it came to her, she ran out of the apothecary room and went to the area that housed the eco-system that would mimic a temperate forest and began to look at all the herbs till she found the one she wanted.

Putting gloves on her hands she began to harvest the leaves making precise cuts with a special knife she took out of her bag. When she had enough she wrapped it in a cloth and took it to the apothecary room.

She didn't have time to prepare the herb like she wanted to proper potency would require two weeks for drying time she didn't have two weeks she needed this now. Removing her gloves she moved to the wood oven and began building a fire she was going to force these to dry quickly. Once she got the flames hot enough she would be able to bake the leaves dry. Kjay seeing that she was going to be there a while laid down on the floor in a corner watching her.

Satisfied with the heat from the flames she found a pan suitable for what she needed and put her gloves back on she arrange the leaves so that they were all side by side none of them over lapping and placed the pan into the wood oven she left it open she had to watch the leaves closely.

She removed and turned the leaves several times during this process; it took about thirty minutes for her to be satisfied with the leaves her face was red from the heat because she was only about twenty feet back from the flames as she watched the leaves. She removed the pan a final time and placed it on the counter after placing a towel on it to prevent the wood scorching from the heat of the pan.

Carefully she removed the dried leaves and placed them back onto the cloth. She went to one of the small drawers containing it's own mortar and pestle; the label on it said that it was used for Garden Flax. Leaving the gloves on even though it would make her job harder she crumbled the leaves into the pestle and began to crush them into a fine powder.

She dumped the powder into a bowl and began to mix in water. She kept mixing till it was the consistency of a paste and then placed it in a bottle and put a stopper in it. She found a draw with blank labels and pens.

She wrote on the label ~Garden Flax Paste~, she adhered the label to the bottle and placed it in her herb bag. The whole process had taken nearly an hour.

She quickly went to the sink and thoroughly cleaned everything she had just used she wouldn't leave it to anyone else if they touched the flax their hands lose all feeling for several hours. She put everything back where it belonged.

"I have to get back to Amadeo, this will prevent him from feeling any pain at all from his back for several hours. The Garden Flax is not easy to come by and I have been out of it for a long while."

She left the garden moving at a very fast pace to the Marques' room. Once there she opened the door and entered not bothering to knock. Was he still there?

[Doctor]

Once Casandra left the room with Ama and the other servants, and the door was closed, Leo approached the bed where the Marqués lay. Just as before he went into his pocket and withdrew a small, paper thin, disc that he then inserted into the Marqués mouth. It was time for him to wake up for there was work to do. It was after a moment or two that the Marqués heart beat at a normal speed and he opened his eyes.

Once he was awake, Leo applied the lotion that Casandra had left and filled the Marqués in on what was going on. There was a nod in agreement and the Marqués was up and dressed in little time. During this process the Doctor came into the room and looked over the instructions that Casandra had left, pushing up the glasses which were on his face.

He looked up from the note to see that the Marqués and Leo were both dressed and heading to the bathroom. The Doctor let them go with advice to the Marqués to be careful. What he said was always taken, even if it was lightly. Then, they were gone.

The Doctor straightened his glasses and poured a cup of juice for himself before he took a seat at the fireplace in a chair. The pair of servants that had come to take away the done plates earlier were back and they were in the process of changing the bed linen when Casandra entered into the room.

[Casandra Lightheart]

She entered the room only to find him gone. She sighed, but stood straight and walked over to the fireplace and sat down in the other chair. Kjay right behind her knowing that she was sad laid his head in her lap. Cassie began to absently pet him. She looked at the Dr.

"How is he? I was hopeing to catch him before he left I made something for him from a special herb I found in the gardens."

[Doctor]

A smile crossed his face and he gave a nod to her and the large animal when they chose to sit with him at the fireplace. He still had the glass in his hand, though the juice that was in it was nearly gone. "Señor Minguéz applied the lotion which was left. I saw the application of it once the Lord of the Manor had awoken."

Inquoiring of what else she had brought he was not wanting to simply take it. "I assume he is to be all right. I give him my advice even though I know most of the time it is not taken into much heart. He was well enough to walk unassisted."

[Casandra Lightheart]

She was still petting Kjay he seemed to have a calming effect on her. Kjay watched the Dr for a while then closed his eyes.

"What I just made is much better then what he just used."

She withdrew the bottle and passed it to him.

"Please becareful and don't let it touch your skin you will lose all feeling anywhere that comes in contact with this paste for several hours."

[Doctor]

"I am always careful."

The one who applied it would wear gloves to prevent their hands from losing feeling. Gloves or another sort of application. He took the mixture from her and looked it over. Then he rose and placed it on the desk with the others.

There he cleared his throat and made a fuss over arranging the bottles there and looked at the tea mixture. "You need not stay here in the room. Should be out taking the enjoyment of the place you are having your stay. Wouldn't want to keep yourself shut up in a room all day for no purpose." The Doctor said with a sniff as he pulled back the curtains on one of the windows. They were suppose to open them and had forgotten. Sunlight. Sunlight was good and it was a bright day outside.

[Casandra Lightheart]

"We have no intention of staying in this room do we boy?"

She ruffled the fur between Kjay's ears.

"Tell me Dr, what is the most common reason you are called to the Manor?"

She had every intention of going back to the garden and looking more, maybe latter she would go for a ride, all she knew was she would be back for dinner.

[Doctor]

The question she asked him struck him as strange. "The most common reason?" The Doctor asked again, just to be sure.

He continued to think on her question as he sat by the fire. The people of the Manor were generally healthy and Ama knew basic first aid. "The answer to your question dear is, check-ups." That was a reasonable answer to give and one that could have other meanings as well.

"The staff here is in good health."

[Casandra Lightheart]

"Thank you Dr, I am sorry I confused you, I was wanting to make the best us of the gardens I was just shown. There are plenty of herbs but not a lot that are mixed."

She smiled.

"I am looking for a way to help out here."

[Doctor]

"It is my understanding that the one who designed the room only mixed the herbs when knowing that would be needed. Some things take time to prepare and they would be handled accordingly."

He scrubbed his chin and fiddled with his glasses. "I do say with the staff here you wouldn't think that it was years since the room was last in use. A good job they do. A good job." He began to gather up the remains of his things that were around the room. "You are a guest, you should enjoy. The Lord of the Manor would likely like to know that you are enjoying yourself rather than being trapped in worry."

[Casandra Lightheart]

She smiled at the older man as she watched him and then stood herself.

"Dr I do enjoy herbs and mixing remedies, but since everyone seems so set that I get out and enjoy my self I will Kjay and my horse Wind Rider and find my way to the beach."

She moved for the door

"Make sure that he knows where to find me if he returns before I do."

[Doctor]

"Ah yes, la playa." He smiled, believing that she actually was going to go out and enjoy herself. "I am sure that if you need assistance in finding it, I am certain your maids can help or anyone else you may ask."

With his things gathered he went for the door. "I will be going. Maybe we will see the other again. Chao." The Doctor went out the door.

[Casandra Lightheart]

She smiled again as she watched him leave then picked up the bottle with the Garden Flax she refused to leave it sitting anywhere.

True to her word she went to the stables and saddled Wind Rider herself and requested horses for her maids.

"Do you know how to get to the beach?"

[Marqués del Stry]

When Casandra asked about the beach she was answered accordingly. They told her that it was not far, simply down past the vineyard and southwest. If she followed the sound of the waves she would make it easy.

Meanwhile, the Marquès and Leo were down in a secret part of the basement. They were not alone for they stood amongst other figures. These were clearly men and they may have even been Elven. With there heads covered it was hard to tell. They stood with a table between them, five hooded figures on one side and the Marquès and Leo on the other.

On of the figures stepped out of the line they were in and withdrew from the inside of the cloak he wore, a sealed envelope. "For you." The envelop placed in the table, long fingers slid it to the other two men. "This, belongs to you."

The Marquès reached across the table and picked up the envelope. It was not flat like it held papers, but contained a circular shape. The only way to make sure it was what he thought it was would to be to open it. The Marquès kept eyes on the men as he opened the envelope. Inside, was a silver choker with three diamonds to indicate the front. He had believed this to have been stolen, but they had it.

"What else are you keeping from me?" asked the Marquès as he closed the envelop and handed it to Leo. "How many more of you do I have to kill to get my answers? It makes no difference to me."

"You, a male, would threaten us?" The voice that spike this time, and previously, had been female.

"I would threaten your goddess herself."

That statement brought about a few mutterings from the group, but Marquès couldn't quite make out the Drow he heard - he would ask Leo later. He always seemed to pick up bits of conversation he had missed.

"That is your cue to leave."

Leave they did.

[Casandra Lightheart]

She nodded to the maids as she pulled a cloak from the wardrobe. Going to the stables she saddled Windrider herself and urged him onto a run Kjay followed closely at Riders heals. She ran him through the vineyard to the southwest; the maids had been right she heard the waves breaking and could smell the salt and followed the sounds and smell till she found the beach.

She reigned Rider in and just took in the beauty she had not seen the ocean in a while. Urging Rider into a run again she took off across the beach at waters edge, she was laughing as the wind hit her face.

"I should have done this eailer."

[Ama]

Evening came and with it dinner preparations. Ama waited as the meal was prepared: Rock lobster tails, wild rice with scallops; all this was place upon two plates along with a porcelain soup tureen filled with onion soup. This was then placed upon a tray which Ama then directed two of the maids to take.

Up the stairs and to the Master's room they went. There the tray was placed on a table, the maids preparing it for when the inhabitants would return. Normally he would have his meals in the dinning hall, but not on this particular night.

By looks of the room, no one had been here practically all day, which wasn't odd at all. After the table was set they began to prepare the room for the evening.

[Casandra Lightheart]

Cas had spent several hours on the beach riding and gathering shells and interesting bits of driftwood that had come in with the tide.

It was getting late and by the time she reached the manor it was almost dusk. She road up to the stable and waved off the stable hand as she dismounted. She took all Rider's tack off and rubbed him down herself got him fresh water and feed. It wasn't that she didn't trust the stable hands it was just something that she had always done he was her prize stallion and had made her a lot of money and he deserved the best care that she could give him. It also gave her advanced warning to potential problems.

Kjay was sitting outside the stables waiting for her when she came out, she reached down and scratched him behind the ears before going inside and up to the Marques' room. She smiled at Ama as she entered. Kjay went and laid down on the rug in front of the fire.

"Thank you dinner smells wonderful."

She went to the wardrobe and pulled out a dressing robe and headed to the bathroom; she needed a quick shower before dinner.

She turned on the water and left it to run while she undressed putting her clothing over a chair. The herb bag she placed on a table before stepping into the shower.

She closed her eyes and just stood there letting the hot water sooth slightly sore muscles.

[Marqués del Stry]

The business of the Marqués and Leo had taken up the rest of the day. They had gone from the basement dealings to handling things outside. Due to his ordeal the Marqués took longer when it came to some things than with others but, when it was time to have a face to present, it was always the business one. No trouble belayed to anyone.

Time was carrying on, the sun was already halfway down and the Marqués was standing over a desk somewhere in the Manor, looking at papers. He may have been there a while. His forehead held a few beads of cold sweat, his shirt unbuttoned at the top and soiled with traces of grim and wiped blood, hair was slightly tousled but otherwise fine.

Leo came into the room with a suit bag draped over his arm. "Necesitamos ir," he said as he set the bag down on the desk. "Ella está allí." (1)

There was a rushed tone to his voice that let the Marqués know that he was running out of time. "¿Ya? " He looked around at the papers and began putting them away. "Puedo hacer esto más adelante." (2)

Time was spent getting ready.

It was not before too long that the Marqués and Leo were having made their way through the hall and towards his room. He was dressed in dark brown pants with a black belt. A light fabric fitted black top and a brown dinner jacked on top. He left h is hair out but combed.

When he entered he gave smile to the servants who were still there and took a seat at the table as he waited for Casandra to come out.


_{1 - "We have to go. She is there."
2 - "I can finish this later."}

[Casandra Lightheart]

She finished her shower and got out drying off. She began to sing to herself. She found lotion sitting on the vanity and began applying it. She smiled as she smelled the honeysuckle, aparently they had thought of bringing more then clothing to the Marques' room.

He would hear her voice from the bathroom as she brushed out her hair. Soft bbut strong and clear very sweet.

Love doesn't ask why
It speaks from the heart
And never explains
Don't you know that
Love doesn't think twice
It can come all at once
Or whisper from a distance

Don't ask me if this feeling's right or wrong
It doesn't have to make much sense
It just has to be this strong
'Cause when you're in my
arms I understand
We don't have a voice
When our hearts make the choices
There's no plan
It's not in our hands

Love doesn't ask why
It speaks from the heart
And never explains
Don't you know that
Love doesn't think twice
It can come all at once
Or whisper from a distance

Now I can feel what
you're afraid to say
If you give your soul to me
Will you give too much away
but We can't let this moment pass us by
Can't question this chance
Or expect any answers
We can try, maybe we can try

Love doesn't ask why
It speaks from the heart
And never explains
Don't you know that
Love doesn't think twice
It can come all at once
Or whisper from a distance
So let's take what we found
And wrap it around us

Love doesn't ask you why
speaks from the heart
And never explains
Don't you know that
Love doesn't think twice
It can come all at once
Or whisper from a distance

Love doesn't ask why

She put on the dressing gown and came out into the room and stoped. She smiled as she saw him.

[Marqués del Stry]

He thought that he had heard something. Once the servants were all done with the things in the room and Leo had seen to this and that, the Marqués thought that he had heard singing. It was not overly loud, but a word or two that drifted out here and there.

Presently Casandra came out of the bathroom and he stood when he saw her, standing at the side of the chair. "Hello Casandra. I hope you had a good day." He moved to the other chair at the table and pulled it out for her. Waiting, and expecting, her to take a seat.

[Casandra Lightheart]

She moved to the chair that he had pulled out, but before she sat down she leaned up and kissed him on the lips, soft but lingering.

"Thank you, I love the gardens, I actualy made something for you but when I got back you were gone."

She sat in the chair and placed a napkin in her lap.

"The day was wonderful after spending some time in the garden I spent it on the beach with Rider and.."

She used her head to indicate Kjay if she said his name he would be right there by her side. She was not worried he would beg for food but he had to be tierd and she wanted him to sleep.

[Marqués del Stry]

The Marqués could do nothing but smile when she gave him the kiss and said that she liked the garden. When she sat in the chair he pushed it in for her before he moved to his seat on the other side, sitting down slowly.

"I am glad that you like the garden. Thought maybe it would be useful and educational since you have said you deal with herbs."

They would not have to serve themselves for once they were seated one of the servants took to portioning off their plates with food. "I hope that the rest of your week here is spent in as much joy as today was for you." He said with a smile. "If you would need something I am confident that the servants will be able to help."

Almost as an afterthought he added. "You have a lovely voice."

[Casandra Lightheart]

She smiled at him.

"It is the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me."

She looked at him and barely blushed not at the compliment but that he had heard the song she sang.

"Thank you"

She waited till they had been served and the staff was gone.

"Amadeo, I care for you and because I care for you there is something you must know, something that while I don't hide is not common knowledge to thoes that have not knowen me for at least five years."

She went on so that she would not, get sidetracked.

"I have ten year old twins a boy and a girl, Natalie Yevone and Deacon Frost Jr. I call then Natie and DJ."

She took a deep breath.

"Right now they are on earth in the care of the vampier council because they were not safe with me, thier father tried to have them kidnapped twice and other people tried to have them kidnapped so they would have a hold over thier father."

She looked down and tried to fight the tears.

"I have not seen my children in five years and have very limited comunication for fear that they will be found."

She looked back up at him the tears falling but silently.

"I want them back Amadeo, but to do that thier father has to die, he used to to have a child, he never loved me, he saw me as young nieve and beautiful enough to give him what he wanted. I discovered this right before the twins were born and went into hiding."

She took a deep breath.

"I found Venis and the Society of the Blood Rose when my twins were three.
Venis tried to help me keep them hidden and shielded but shortly after thier fith birthday, the final atempt to kidnap them scared me into asking Venis for help sending them away to protect them."

Her voice was barely a whisper.

"I am sorry I did not tell you sooner and will not blame you if you want to stop seeing me, not everyone wants an instant family and it is not like with me you can tell I have children."

[Sponsored content]