Post by Mirabilis on Apr 11, 2009 17:03:13 GMT -5
She knew it would only be a matter of time now before they came. She bolted the door. She stood with her back pressed against its cool surface surveying the spacious living room before her. Rare silken rugs on the floor, rich tapestries adorning the walls, state of the art music system. So many Sense-Offenses, she’d lost count now. She smiled in a resigned manner and moved through the room touching precious items as she passed.
In the bedroom she shrugged off her plain workday clothes and opened the wardrobe to reveal a row of luxurious gowns in deep hues of red, her favourite colour – the colour of sin and forbidden pleasures. She chose a sleeveless one with a scooped neck made of pure velvet that fell down to her ankles in soft folds. Then moving to the dressing table she sat down in front of the mirror and unclipped her hair from its tight Librian bun and started to brush out her long red tresses, her mind slowly clearing itself of all the stress of the day.
Behind her a soft beep informed her that Charles, her domestic servo-bot was standing in the doorway.
“Mistress – will you be requiring dinner this evening?”
She smiled at her reflection in the mirror. “No Charles…thank-you. I’ll just have the chilled champagne I’ve been saving for that very special occasion.”
“Very good Mistress.” He hesitated a moment before turning. “Is…tonight that very special occasion then Mistress?”
“Yes Charles…it is.”
“Very good then Mistress…I shall make the necessary preparations then.” He turned and moved off toward the kitchen.
She continued brushing her hair, humming a soft melody under her breath as she studied the strong but tired contours of her face. Then sighing she put down the brush and opened her jewel box, choosing a string of pearls and a pair of matching drop earrings. A glance at the window told her it was full dark now and rain was softly starting to patter against the glass. The lights of Libria were magnified by the tiny droplets like jewels scattered carelessly across a black velvet pillow.
Getting up again she slipped her feet into red silk slippers and glided back into the living room, reaching down to pick up a remote control from the low glass table in the middle of the room. She flicked a button and stood still, almost mesmerized as the room began to fill with the swelling tones of Mozart’s Requiem.
Charles emerged from the kitchen carrying a brimming champagne flute in one hand and the sacred bottle nestled in an ice filled silver bucket in the other.
“Your champagne Mistress.” He gave a slight bow and gently handed her the glass which she took and placed to her ruby lips. Sipping slowly she smiled back at Charles.
“You have been a good and loyal friend Charles…I will miss you.”
“And…I will miss you too Mistress.” The bot looked almost human in that moment, staring back at her with those opaque blue eyes.
“Shall I bring the box now Mistress?”
She took another sip and turned her attention back to the music now filling the room with its plaintive chords.
“Yes Charles…I think it’s almost time.”
He turned and left the room momentarily, returning swiftly with an exquisitely carved lacquer box which he held out carefully toward her while slowly opening the lid. Inside was a unique pearl-handled berretta which gleamed in the soft light of the room.
“Perfect” she whispered.
At that moment a loud pounding on the door shattered the tranquility.
“Tetragrammaton!! Open up or we break down the door!!”
She calmly turned and stood facing the door, moving slowly backwards until she was pressed up against Charles. She felt the remote control in her right hand and thumbed the volume higher….higher. Then she drank down the remainder of the champagne and threw the glass across the room into the fireplace.
“Not yet” she murmured.
The banging became more insistent. “Open up!!! In the name of Father!!"
She stood motionless, now feeling the cool hardness of Charles’ right arm encircle her waist.
“Not yet.”
The music was building now, filling the room, beating back at those who would rob her of everything she loved.
She tensed as the door finally exploded inwards and two Grammaton Clerics, closely followed by half a dozen Sweepers spilled into the room.
“Councilor Talbot, you are charged with the crime of Sense-Offence…you will….”
She leaned her head back so it rested on Charles’ chest …”I WILL NOT!!!”
She felt the cold metal of the muzzle against her temple.
“Now Charles.”
The music reached it’s crescendo.
Followed by silence....utter and complete.
Then a soft beep...
“My Mistress regrets to inform you that she will be unable to comply with your request on this occasion.”
In the bedroom she shrugged off her plain workday clothes and opened the wardrobe to reveal a row of luxurious gowns in deep hues of red, her favourite colour – the colour of sin and forbidden pleasures. She chose a sleeveless one with a scooped neck made of pure velvet that fell down to her ankles in soft folds. Then moving to the dressing table she sat down in front of the mirror and unclipped her hair from its tight Librian bun and started to brush out her long red tresses, her mind slowly clearing itself of all the stress of the day.
Behind her a soft beep informed her that Charles, her domestic servo-bot was standing in the doorway.
“Mistress – will you be requiring dinner this evening?”
She smiled at her reflection in the mirror. “No Charles…thank-you. I’ll just have the chilled champagne I’ve been saving for that very special occasion.”
“Very good Mistress.” He hesitated a moment before turning. “Is…tonight that very special occasion then Mistress?”
“Yes Charles…it is.”
“Very good then Mistress…I shall make the necessary preparations then.” He turned and moved off toward the kitchen.
She continued brushing her hair, humming a soft melody under her breath as she studied the strong but tired contours of her face. Then sighing she put down the brush and opened her jewel box, choosing a string of pearls and a pair of matching drop earrings. A glance at the window told her it was full dark now and rain was softly starting to patter against the glass. The lights of Libria were magnified by the tiny droplets like jewels scattered carelessly across a black velvet pillow.
Getting up again she slipped her feet into red silk slippers and glided back into the living room, reaching down to pick up a remote control from the low glass table in the middle of the room. She flicked a button and stood still, almost mesmerized as the room began to fill with the swelling tones of Mozart’s Requiem.
Charles emerged from the kitchen carrying a brimming champagne flute in one hand and the sacred bottle nestled in an ice filled silver bucket in the other.
“Your champagne Mistress.” He gave a slight bow and gently handed her the glass which she took and placed to her ruby lips. Sipping slowly she smiled back at Charles.
“You have been a good and loyal friend Charles…I will miss you.”
“And…I will miss you too Mistress.” The bot looked almost human in that moment, staring back at her with those opaque blue eyes.
“Shall I bring the box now Mistress?”
She took another sip and turned her attention back to the music now filling the room with its plaintive chords.
“Yes Charles…I think it’s almost time.”
He turned and left the room momentarily, returning swiftly with an exquisitely carved lacquer box which he held out carefully toward her while slowly opening the lid. Inside was a unique pearl-handled berretta which gleamed in the soft light of the room.
“Perfect” she whispered.
At that moment a loud pounding on the door shattered the tranquility.
“Tetragrammaton!! Open up or we break down the door!!”
She calmly turned and stood facing the door, moving slowly backwards until she was pressed up against Charles. She felt the remote control in her right hand and thumbed the volume higher….higher. Then she drank down the remainder of the champagne and threw the glass across the room into the fireplace.
“Not yet” she murmured.
The banging became more insistent. “Open up!!! In the name of Father!!"
She stood motionless, now feeling the cool hardness of Charles’ right arm encircle her waist.
“Not yet.”
The music was building now, filling the room, beating back at those who would rob her of everything she loved.
She tensed as the door finally exploded inwards and two Grammaton Clerics, closely followed by half a dozen Sweepers spilled into the room.
“Councilor Talbot, you are charged with the crime of Sense-Offence…you will….”
She leaned her head back so it rested on Charles’ chest …”I WILL NOT!!!”
She felt the cold metal of the muzzle against her temple.
“Now Charles.”
The music reached it’s crescendo.
Followed by silence....utter and complete.
Then a soft beep...
“My Mistress regrets to inform you that she will be unable to comply with your request on this occasion.”
Wonderful! 
