Silvia rested her head against the door and hoped the key would not turn. She needed to get inside, but still did not want to go. Dear Lord, she didn't want to go. She didn't want her last time in The Club to be like this.
Not Like this.
Still, she raised her head and wiped the tears from her face. Silvia knew the tears would flow many times tonight. She had hoped that there would be rain, to mask her face from the others she knew would be inside. But the skies were dark and clear and the streets dry leading up to the door. I guess I should be thankful, she thought to herself. He always hated rain at Furnals. Even his own.
Silvia turned the key and the door clicked open. Pulling the key from the knob and pocketing it in her skirt, Silvia knew she would have to turn it in, but she figured on doing that later. Probably as the last act before leaving the club for the final time. She was going to miss this place. Too many memories, both bad and good. The last outweighing the first. Silvia smiled at that and crossed the threshold.
Closing the door on the inside, she turned and was suddenly hit by a solid impact. Going "Whoof" and regaining her balance, she felt a sudden wetness between her breasts. Silvia looked down and saw a familiar purple scalp nestled there against her skin being shown in her corset. The face belonging to the scalp was was buried there and accompanying arms encircled Silvia's waist. Silvia could heard words and sobs coming but could not make them out.
"It's ok Pixie. It's ok." Silvia told the scalp as she turned Pixi's head so the girl could breath and rested her cheek on the top of the purple scalp.
"It'snotfair!It'snotfair!It'snotfair!" Pixie repeated over and over and over. Silvia could not help but smile at the young girl holding her. Even at 27, Pixie was still young, but not a "little". Mainly inexperienced, but oh so strong in emotions. Silvia kissed pixie on the top of the head and gently pried herself loose from the girl. Holding her at arm's length, Silvia gathered her own skirt and used it to wipe pixie's tears. She even used it to shine pixie's nose stud to see if that would elicit a laugh from the girl.
Unfortunately, it didn't work.
"Life isn't always fair, Pixie. But we have to make due somehow." Silvia told the girl. "We will get through this together tonight, the two of us and then worry about the world tomorrow." She went to hug pixie again when she heard a voice off to her right.
"Lady Silvia, we grieve with thee."
Silvia turned and saw Asheer. More than Butler, Sargent of Arms or Head of Staff, Asheer was the focal point of Sötëria, as The Club was formally called. Not overly tall, but seemed so. They were pale of skin, almost albino, but without the red eyes. Asheer's eyes were the clearest of blue. Crystal in nature, Silvia always thought. No one knew if Asherr was female or male and really no one cared. Asheer ran things for The Club and ran them well.
They held out their hand and continued with "Your Master was a fine man and shall be greatly missed by us, My Lady. Again, we grieve with thee. May we take your cape?" Silvia turned to let Asheer take her wrap, but almost before she could undo the knot, she felt the cape being pulled from her shoulders. She pulled the string and the cape took flight. Turning, Silvia saw Pixie with the it bundled in her arms, going "Let me! Let Me! Let Me!" and running off to the cloak closet. She smile after the young woman and faced Asheer to thank them for their words.
But before she could speak, Asheer stiffened their spine even more so than normally, which seemed almost impossible to Silvia. Please not more platatues, she thought. I'll hear more than enough of that before the night is done. Just let me be.
But the words Silvia thought she was going to hear did not come of Asheer's mouth, instead they said "Madam Webb wished to be informed as soon as you arrived. May we be excused to inform her?"
Silvia lips formed a hard line. This is it, she grimaced to herself. This is the beginning of the end.
"Please tell your Mistress I'll be waiting to be called before her here in the Hall."
