And Then There Was Fiction - Chapter Two · Jun 28, 07:28 PM

All around the parlor, were seating colorful guests, in all varying attire. The first guest, who upon being pressed, only revealed his name to be ‘Erik’, was seemingly more at ease once the guests began to arrive, although he did not interact with any of them. Legolas and Gimil were gazing at the interesting paintings on the wall, while young Susan scolded her little brother. Jack Sparrow was no where to be found, although faint noises in the wine cellar could be heard.

Barbossa was seated in a large armchair, next to Erik, watching Raoul de Chagny closely. He did not seem to realize that Jack Sparrow had arrived at all, rather, he was more focused on the party who were not becoming rapidly drunk.

Albus Percival….well. Dumbledore, was relating to Raoul de Chagny all the fine points of lemon drops, and how useful they were to keep certain creatures out of one’s garden. Raoul de Chagny seemed distracted, before Dumbledore insisted he speak his mind. “A penny for your thoughts, young man!”

Raoul shrugged, “I was just thinking of my wife, Monsieur. She wished to come today, but she was ill.”

Anyone looking might have caught Erik, apparently consumed in a book, flinching at the mention of Raoul’s wife. Barbossa, being of a very sharp sort, looked between the two for a moment, when a malicious grin crossed his features. He turned to Erik, and in his gruff voice, asked, “I wonder, kind sir, if you are acquainted with the de Chagny’s?”

Erik looked directly into the eyes of Barbossa, leaped up and, shouting in a voice that sounded as smooth as honey, yet with a tone as harsh and cold as ice, “My acquaintances are none of your concern, sea rat!” All eyes fell on him. In his sudden rage, his wide-brimmed hat had fallen to the floor.

He had a normal face, though there was something distinctly odd about his features. They were stiff, and emotionless, though his bright yellow eyes shone with obvious anger, and every sort of emotion possible to be contained in such a man. After a few moments of silence, it finally dawned on the larger portion of the guests that although very ingeniously constructed, Erik wore a mask. A mask that resembled, in the dim light of the parlor room, a real face. But it was as immobile and expressionless as all his other masks previous. Which, of course, nobody in the room except Raoul knew about. The young man paled as he recognized the emanating power of the Phantom, and he took a step back, suddenly bumping into a table that he had not know was there before.

Upon the glass coffee table lay a key, and a small scrap of paper, with flowing handwriting scrawled on its surface. Raoul looked around at the other guests, then bent down to pick it up. Erik, once again seated, pulled his hat back on to cover his face.

Everyone else excepting Erik, Barbossa, and of course, Jack Sparrow (who was still in the wine cellar) gathered around Raoul as he read the note.

Dear Guests,
You are all wondering by now for what reason I have requested your attendance to what may seem to most of you to be a very dull, run-down old mansion. I assure you, this is most definitely not so, and while some may see my reasons as mad, you will just have to discover the validation of such an accusation for yourselves.

You all are to stay for the duration of the evening, and by the time of precisely 11 O’Clock, either you will decide to return to your distant homes, which you have traversed in great extent and to large sums paid, or to remain in my home.

I fear that important matters keep me from greeting you to my household personally, but I am sure you will find that my hired help is most capable of making your stay as comfortable as possible.

Be assured, you will not be required to pay me, OR my hired help any sum of money for the entirety of your stay. This one is completely free of charge, and I would be hard put to it to request such a thing of you, when you have all traveled so far, and been curious so long.

Please, do look upon the table before you; there is a small key there. It goes to the cupboard behind the wine cellar, which holds the key to each of your rooms, should you decide to stay. If you do not, please return the key, and the slip of paper with your name and directions to your room.

Thank you all, and hopefully, I will be seeing you soon.

Your Good Friend,
M.Nicholas

All the guests looked at each other in curiosity, none speaking. Finally, Gimli son of Gloin gave a deep grunt. “Well, that sounds amiable of him! Leaving his company without a hello, nor a goodbye! Without an explanation!”

His best friend, Legolas, said nothing, merely standing in thoughtful silence, his otherworldly beauty darkened by the look of contemplation on his brow. All around the room was a feeling of silent suggestions, each in turn being refused by its maker. Ridiculous notions floated through the very air they breathed, and each looked at the others in turn, wondering who the mysterious owner of the mansion must be.

“Doesn’t anybody know who the bloody bugger is?” Suddenly piped up Edmund Pevensie, the noisy boy from earlier. He was infamous for completely ignoring the age-old rule of ‘Children should be seen, and not heard’, and was quite happy to be the first to speak out amongst so many adults. His sister Susan shushed him, telling him to behave. Without speaking, anyone could tell that Susan was very afraid. Being the only female, not to mention one of the only children, she was vexed by the change of situation, and ignored by the rest of the party. Their parents would never have consented to the instructions on the mysterious note left on their doorstep two weeks earlier, but as they were now under the care of a certain eccentric old man while their parents were away, there was not much choice in the matter. After reading the note with a queer gleam in his eye, the professor then insisted Edmund and Susan leave the other siblings behind, and accept the invitation. After much protests, they had been sent on the next train out. Susan had never felt so much like an object before. It seemed like the professor had wanted them to leave!

“My dear boy, you have no idea with whom you are dealing with. And as this is his home, I am certain basic mannerisms require you to refrain from insults.” Erik’s voice was sharp as steel, hissing through the air like a whip. Edmund was indignant, and puffed out his small chest with as much determination as a little boy could muster in the presence of such a demanding and frightening grown-up.”And do you have any idea with whom you are dealing with?” The boy demanded. Erik’s eyes flickered with a fury barely contained. His eyes flitted about the room in a slightly mad fashion, and he took a deep breath, staring at the carpet of the parlor. Standing, he walked out of the room, shutting it behind him with a chilling click.

Dumbledore chose this time to rise, a happy twinkle in his blue eyes as he surveyed his fellows. “Well, now. Well now, indeed! I suppose we all have our theories on the mysterious person who has allowed us to remain in this quite beautiful house, despite not being able to entertain us personally!” He sat upon the coffee table, twiddling his thumbs with a beaming smile. “Do everyone tell the rest how they came to this very place in the world. It is quite a coincidence, you know. Quite a coincidence, indeed.”

Barbossa stood, walking over to the mantle to stare into the tiny flicker of flame on the hearth. It gave the room no warmth, but it was not as if Barbossa could feel it’s sensation anyway. Transfixed with the flame, he spoke in a monotone, and that slight insane edge to his voice was quite apparent as he told his tale.

“It was not three months ago, when I received the letter. Strange, how it came to me. Almost as though the one who sent it had powers beyond natural… I was standing upon the deck of my ship, watching the sea roll past, and wishing for the dawn to arrive. It was about the fourth hour of the new day, and the sun had not yet risen on the horizon. It shocked me, to be true. Usually the sun arises early on the sea, being as there is nothing in it’s way to arrive.

I could have sworn upon me own mother’s grave that there was no letter at all, seeing as how it floated through the air, light as a feather, flittering down to land on the poop deck, at me feet. I bent down, picked it up, and found it was addressed to none other than me. Upon reading it, I decided a bit of something to drink, to calm me nerves, was in order. I promise ye, I left that letter in me jacket pocket, but when I searched to read it again, it was gone. The letter was very plain, hand-written with a strange, green color to the pen. It stated that I, Captain Hector Barbossa, am very much needed at the home of a certain M. Nicholas, and that it would be very much in my favor to leave me crew behind.” Barbossa turned to the rest of the group, decided against mention the leverage which had been included in the letter.

Also, my dearest Hector, I promise that as many apples as you wish will be provided. You will find them quite enjoyable, my household produces the finest.

Some sort of trickery was behind all of this, he was certain. But not a word he spoke, the amount of trust with his companions not appearing with the ability to become established. Legolas chose this moment to speak up. Barbossa turned from the fireplace, to watch the beautiful young man as all the others did.

“Our letter arrived in much the same way. But in a more believable fashion. I was watching my knives being reforged, as a particularly difficult match had caused them to dent. As that is a disrespectable way to go on a hunt, I was especially eager for them to be finished by the end of the week. As the smith was placing the finishing touches, a scout elf came into the area, and came directly to me. A human, most likely an ambassador of his race, had come, to discuss respectable trades with my father, and to request I come with him to his land, for I was much wanted. He gave me a letter, which I read with ample curiousity, and I placed it on my personage for utmost safety. When I searched for it later, it was missing.”

The rest agreed, their letters had arrived similarly. After a few minutes of silence, Colin entered the room, to announce that supper was being served in the dining room, and that he had been instructed to accompany them all there.

What was to happen in that room, with its old oak table, and velvet cushioned chairs, was only to be discovered upon the guests’ entry.

— MaskedNicci

---

Commenting is closed for this article.