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Welcome to Charming, the year is now 1894. It’s time to join us and immerse yourself in scandal and drama interlaced with magic both light and dark.

Where will you fall?

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Queen Victoria was known for putting jackets and dresses on her pups, causing clothing for dogs to become so popular that fashion houses for just dog clothes started popping up all over Paris. — Fox
It would be easy to assume that Evangeline came to the Lady Morgana only to pick fights. That wasn't true at all. They also had very good biscuits.
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Private
Cleanin’ Out My Closet
#1
2nd January, 1890 — Ministry of Magic Cells
Galina
The first day back to work after an extended break was never an especially pleasant experience - particularly when one had spent three days in the Hospital in a brain-induced sleep - but Morwenna was felt grumpier than the situation warranted when she received a memo requesting her presence in the cells. Irritably replacing her quill into the ink pot she got to her feet with as much spryness as she could manage these days: the full moon was approaching rapidly, but she still had a few days to catch up on work before she became a living zombie during daylight hours for a week.

Hopefully anything complex would wait till the middle of January.

Downstairs the guards opened the gates and directed her towards the woman who had requested her presence.

"You're looking well," she certainly looked pale but that was to be expected and Morwenna had taken great pains to make sure that anyone who was incarcerated under the laws of her department was kept as well as possible. Within the budget of course. "I hope they're treating you respectfully?"

And if they weren't it was just as well that she was in the mood to take somebody to task.


The following 1 user Likes Morwenna Skeeter's post:
   Aldous Crouch

[Image: rjts7m.png]
MJ knows my soul rings to the rune of this iconic hat
#2
It seemed a lifetime (or three) since Galina and Mari had made the promise. Seemed as if it had been a different set of people altogether when it had been made. But a promise was a promise. Even an agreement made between two people who had once been traveling companions but had blossomed into the only family the other had, even those agreements were to be honored. When it came to Mari Galina knew she’d keep the promise. Knew she’d act on Mari’s wishes. She might be practical, but acting on this particular promise was pragmatic enough that Galina could no longer continue to sit here idle. Mari, for all her faults, would not wish it.

When Ishmael had smuggled in news late in December Galina had felt a sense of dread seize her stomach. She had known what to do when she heard that Mari had not returned to the coven. She had been gone for well over a year, longer even then Galina had languished in this jail. Longer than the promise dictated. Galina knew, in her heart she had on some level already known, Mari wasn’t coming back. There was no need to protect her now. No need to keep silent. She could act on what Lyra and her lawyer and everyone around here had insisted on - talk. Give the truth. Save herself. And Galina was selfish and pragmatic enough to do just that.

Footsteps indicated an approaching visitor. Her visitor. She steeled herself, reminding herself of court, of the salons she had been a part of. It wasn’t swallowing her pride it was being practical, realistic. She settled herself on a chair as if it were a salon she owned and organized and not a jail cell, looking at ease in her captivity.

Mrs. Skeeter appeared looking rather as if she had eaten something particularly sour. Hadn’t all Ministry employees been home the past few days? Galina wondered, judging by the relative silence that had settled around the cells. It wouldn’t do to dwell on reasons for the woman’s mood, but perhaps she might find out through questioning. Not that that was her goal here.

Well enough.” Galina shrugged as if it were nothing for the woman to concern herself with. Afterall, she was locked in a cell, in her mind that was hardly respectable treatment for someone she suspected they knew hadn’t committed the crime. She wasn’t a fool, however, they had needed the public to feel safe by putting her in here. Well now they did and they and they had long since forgotten the very events that had led to her current circumstances.

Remembering the woman’s last visit, Galina felt it rather more prudent to cut straight to the chase. “Last time we visited,” Galina said as if this had been a mutual thing,”you had offered to help.” And Galina had stubbornly refused to say a thing, now though, there was nothing to stay her tongue any longer. She would not be a captive in a cage of her own creation any longer. “So, Mrs. Skeeter, how can you help.” Galina, of course, knew, but she wasn’t going to play that card - yet.


[Image: xKclfq.png]
an amazing bee work of art
#3
Conjuring herself a chair rather than wait for whichever guard had vanished to try and find her one Morwenna resisted the urge to sigh. They had been through this last year and since then the vampire had offered them nothing: not a single name, location or solid fact had passed the being’s lips as far as Morwenna could tell and she had little belief that anything was going to change.

It might be a new year, a new decade, very nearly a new century – if she managed to live that long – but vampires were endless beings and Morwenna had known some of their number to live in the cells for decades before so much as requesting a book to pass the time. Stubborn souls did not grow more amenable over time in her experience.

“I suppose that would depend upon what you told me,” Morwenna replied cordially, balancing her walking stick across her lap. She had received a brass dragon head with sapphire set eyes for Christmas and had been quietly pleased when somebody had joked at the resemblance; she had sent them away with a glare so taut they almost tripped on it but it was gratifying to think this was how she was still seen by some.

“I am in no mood for a verbal joust Galina, so first I would like to know that you actually intend to talk this time.”



[Image: rjts7m.png]
MJ knows my soul rings to the rune of this iconic hat
#4
Shame. Galina did always enjoy a good verbal repairte, but there was a time and place for such a thing. Stuck in a cage looking for no way out, indeed that was the time, now, when she had made her choice, well that was a different story.

Would I have asked to speak to you if I did not?” Galina cocked her head to the side looking at the woman as if she had expected more astuteness from her. “You have my assurances that I shall be most amenable to this discussion.” Galina continued, remembering when such words had almost been a dance to her. Steps carefully placed to find a way out of a situation to save herself. It appeared that this would once again be the case.


[Image: xKclfq.png]
an amazing bee work of art
#5
“I’m glad to hear it,” Morwenna replied, straightening her back and suddenly far more interested that she had been before. It had been a year, after all, so her expectation that the vampire might one day wish to confess had rapidly declined with each passing month – apparently she had been too quick to give up.

What a wonderful world it was, she thought with dry amusement, that even at her age she could still learn something new.

“Would you care to begin with explaining the incident that saw you incarcerated here?”



[Image: rjts7m.png]
MJ knows my soul rings to the rune of this iconic hat
#6
The woman's demeanor changed with Galina's assurances making Galina rather sure that the woman would listen to what she'd have to say. That filtered away with the very first question. So long they had presumed her guilt that it should hardly shock her they'd wish for her to immediately agree to a confession. Mrs. Skeeter would be sorely disappointed with what Galina was about to say.

"Certainly." Galina agreed placidly, "As much of it as I can." She added.

"I never knew Mr. Baudelaire. I am sorry to tell you that I never even encountered the man. The first time I heard of him or saw him was his name printed in the paper a few days after his murder." This better be the right choice, Lyra for all her damned talk, better have put her faith in the right plan of action for Galina still didn't believe her alibi would actually see her released from this prison. The ministry still needed a scapegoat. She wasn't foolish enough to think they'd release her simply because she said she hadn't done it.


[Image: xKclfq.png]
an amazing bee work of art
#7
“An easy enough claim to make,” Morwenna observed dryly, though she was gladdened at the fact they finally seemed to be getting somewhere. It was quite true that the investigators in her department and Mr Greyback’s had never managed to conclusively prove that Galina had known Baudelaire before his death, but even being ignorant of somebody’s existence certainly didn’t make one incapable of their murder.

“Please go on.”



[Image: rjts7m.png]
MJ knows my soul rings to the rune of this iconic hat
#8
It was an easy enough thing to claim, Galina knew that all too well. She had seen plenty of innocent people killed for less than this. But she continued, steeling herself to be as forthright as possible. "Indeed. However, on the night in question I was in Irvingly." Galina continued, remembering Lyra's pursuit of her. "Or rather on the outskirts. Lyra Potter found me near the church and our discussion lasted until dawn. We spent the day in the cover of the Church." By saying this Galina also knew that there was no way forward other than admitting the very truth she had tried to hide. Mari's protection would soon crumble to ash as if the sun itself had set it to fire.


[Image: xKclfq.png]
an amazing bee work of art
#9
Lyra Potter.

The name immediately conjured up an image of a young woman who had sat in her office not too long ago, looking as respectable as any vampire ever did, and Morwenna observed Galina over her glasses. There really was no way of knowing if she was lying or not – certainly they had not managed to perfect a way of telling in the year she had been here – so could she take this on face value.

“Why hasn’t Miss Potter come forward? Surely she must know of your plight and wish to see you liberated?”



[Image: rjts7m.png]
MJ knows my soul rings to the rune of this iconic hat
#10
"Indeed. She encouraged I speak out about it the moment she found out I was arrested." Galina agreed as if they were discussing a matter over tea. "I was hesitant to do so because ..." For the first time Galina faltered. She steeled herself, sending a silent prayer to Mari - wherever she was - that she would forgive her and seek shelter beyond this island. "Because the description was so close to my own I could only think of one other who might fit it." Galina feel silent for a moment knowing if she didn't mention Mari now Mrs. Skeeter's next questions would only bring it out into light more horribly. "My sister." Well close enough to sister, the Ministry didn't need to know there was no blood relation there beyond that of being a member of a rare species.


[Image: xKclfq.png]
an amazing bee work of art
#11
“Your sister? I assume you don’t mean biologically?”

As she asked her question – one she already suspected the answer to – Morwenna removed her glasses and resisted the urge to sigh with utter irritation at the investigative department. Surely, surely, it had occurred to somebody to look into whether Galina was especially close with any of the other vampires? They had never managed to establish any specific motive for the other woman’s actions and this was clearly what they had been missing all along.

“Do you have any idea where she may be now?”



[Image: rjts7m.png]
MJ knows my soul rings to the rune of this iconic hat
#12
"Indeed." Not that it was any of the Ministry's business. A centrury with another being rather blurred the lines between blood and family.

Galina bit back the smart retort on her lips. Better to comply with as much grace as possible. "I do not." No, it was much better to keep things short and to the point. Mari's whereabouts hadn't been found by Galina before her imprisonment, nor Ishmael since, nor anyone that they knew of. Nor did it do anyone any good to mention Mari had been missing for much longer than Galina would care to admit.


[Image: xKclfq.png]
an amazing bee work of art
#13
No, of course she didn’t, it would have been far too simple that way. Morwenna couldn’t really blame the vampire though – she had been locked up for a year so the chances of her having kept accurate tabs on her sister were slim. As were the Ministry’s chances of catching up with her.

“Can you at least give us a name?”

Not all vampires registered with the Ministry of course, and even fewer made regular use of the blood banks, but Morwenna was confident that somewhere among their labyrinthine files there would be an answer to whoever this woman was.

Or else they were probably fucked.



[Image: rjts7m.png]
MJ knows my soul rings to the rune of this iconic hat
#14
Of course Galina should have expected the question, a century of protectiveness though, is a hard thing to contain, still Galina managed it, her face as placid as ever. They needed a name, but not a whole name. Besides, to Galina Mari’s name was just that, her real name was not that of Galina’s sister as that made it truth enough.

Meri.” Galina let the name fall between them, grateful that there were a number of other facts that could remain left unsaid. Just because had agreed to talk did not mean she had to explain absolutely everything, she only had to answer the questions directed at her.


[Image: xKclfq.png]
an amazing bee work of art
#15
It wasn’t much but it was more than they’d had to go on in over a year so Morwenna would take it for now. She had been taking a keen interest in the case but she certainly didn’t know every name in the vampire community – hopefully one of her staff would and they could finally begin to untangle this web.

“Thank you,” Morwenna said sincerely, getting to her feet, quite sure she would not get anything more out of the vampire woman today. “This may be worth your freedom but I cannot guarantee anything. You understand I hope?”



[Image: rjts7m.png]
MJ knows my soul rings to the rune of this iconic hat
#16
"I do." Galina said simply with a small nod of her head. They each had roles and politics to play, no loyalty to each other. Although in Galina's experience even loyalty had its boundaries. For now at least she had taken a small step, a practical step, a step much more like the Galina she had once known rather than the Galina she had formed around Mari, that was enough.


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