by J M Bannon
“I suppose if you're going to sin, it should be here,” Dolly replied.
Rose walked up to Preston, gave him a kiss and stepped aside. The organ tune changed, and the bride began to march down the aisle with her father. The Baron looked as if he had been in a rainstorm. The sweat was running off him and he was green about the gills. Elmore chuckled inside thinking about the burly German barely able to stand, and the slender Englishman looked sharp and spry. Love will do that.
The bride's face was covered in a white lace veil that matched her exquisite ivory satin ensemble and long train, complete with fripperies and fobs, also designed in Paris. She carried a large spray of flowers, almost too much for a girl her size. Seeing the flowers in her hands made Elmore notice similar bouquets at the end of each pew and about the altar.
At the end of the walk, the Baron raised Lorelei’s veil and gave her a kiss. The proud father’s emotions were evident. He turned to shake Preston’s hand and then made his way to the first pew to sit next to his wife.
The ceremony had a strange sensibility, the small wedding party made things feel intimate, and space seemed quaint until you recognized this wasn’t a country church but the private family chapel and just a tiny part of the castle. As the minister began speaking in German, Elmore tuned out.
He turned to Dolly, “If I nod off give me a nudge.”
“I was just going to ask the same of you.”
* * *
7:40 P.M. The Grand Ballroom, Traube Castle
The festivities were in full swing. Dinner had finished and several dances ago, Preston and Lorelei had their first dance as a married couple. With all the celebration, travel and guests, this was the first time that Azul, Preston, and Rose had a chance to talk.
“I must say Sister, you look spectacular, only outshone by the bride herself. I was surprised by your attire, this may be your most shocking,” said Azul with a complimenting smile.
Rose looked down at her gown and smoothed her skirt, “I don’t have anything against skirts, I have just found with where my work takes me I need more flexibility and range that this attire does not provide.”
“Well you are stunning,” said Azul.
“Besides, I figured I would be shocking enough walking out of the church with a seven-foot-tall metal man; no need to challenge fashion sensibilities,” said Rose.
“Fair enough. While I have you two, I hope you don’t think it too rude to discuss some business,” posed Azul.
“Is this to do with Alfie?” asked Preston.
“No, Why?” asked Azul.
“He has been after me about you and your whereabouts,” said Preston.
“Same here, and what's all this business about accommodating his upgrades and needing me to help with your transition,” followed Rose.
“I left him a bit cross back in England. He has taken up with this group of mechanists doing advanced work, and he’s taken it upon himself to design a new body for me. While I appreciate the gesture, when I went up there I was treated like a lab experiment, and frankly, I don’t feel it’s any of their business how my insides work,” said Azul.
“He pressed me about the gemulet. I made it clear that you’re a unique situation and that Angelica had more to do with your ability to operate the suit than I did,” added Rose.
“That’s modest of you, but I don’t wish to speak of that matter, when I return I will mend that fence. That is unless he is here?” said Azul.
“I’ve not seen him, was he invited?” asked Rose.
“Who wasn’t invited? I’d say he is more bitter about this than we thought given he didn’t show up to wedding,” said Preston.
“As I said, I’ll mend that fence. Preston when you return from your honeymoon you and I must get to it. I have come to a dead end with the Brotherhood. Those that were still active with the practices of caretaking the Emerald Tablet were of little help with the history. They had more questions for me than they had answers. I then took a different approach, and that was to begin looking at common mythological themes. Stories similar to the Emerald Tablet, mystic objects hidden and cared for by ancient ritual or secret orders,” said Azul.
“So, you’ve come to believe my theory that disparate cultures with common rituals and myths are connected,” said Preston.
“It makes sense, the problem is I have identified more than four of these. Some have more promise than others but there is more to sift through before we find the common thread,” said Azul.
“What are you planning to do if you determine where the other two are imprisoned?” asked Rose
“I hope that there may be a society that has some knowledge of the origins. At least one better organized than mine,” said Azul.
“Why not just entomb him like Prulfas? The three of us were able to do that,” suggested Rose.
“That’s not a permanent solution and as you see if not maintained the prison will collapse. Pruflas was able to escape from his bonds. We need a final solution,” said Preston.
“I’ve been working on a way to capture him just in case. Wouldn’t it be better if we were able to at least hold him in the short term until we had a permanent solution?” said Rose.
Azul shook his head, “The most disconcerting part for me was how Caiaphas made us do his work by having us think the Emerald Tablet was a revered object. I feel like a fool.”
“Well, I say when you and I get back to London you can look at the contraption I built for him,” said Rose.
The music stopped, and Lorelei waved to Preston to come on to the dance floor. Her current partner was Elmore who bowed and extended his hand in a mock invitation to Rose.
“You two go and prance about. Let your lovely wife know that I have the next dance with her. Oh, and Preston I have a few books I picked up on my recent travels for a wedding gift. I had them sent to the Esperancé” said Azul.
“I hope I’ll have the time and energy to read them. I am going on my honeymoon,” said Preston as he pulled Rose to the dance floor.
Azul stood watching tapping his foot to the music as his two friends picked up the dance.
A footman came up to him with a note and handed it to him, “Thank you,” said Azul he slipped the card out of the envelope and gave it a cursory glance. The writing was Arabic, and its message grabbed his attention.
“Who gave you this?”
“The gentleman in the lower courtyard, sir. He is waiting for you there,” said the footman.
“Show me,” ordered Azul.
The footman guided Azul through the castle and to a set of heavy wooden double doors. One was slightly ajar.
Azul turned to the footman who gave him a nod, “Yes, sir in there,” the footman opened the door for him.
The courtyard was dark and empty. Azul stepped in. At the far end, there was a shimmering rectangle like a window to a different place; a well-lit room. He walked closer to determine if this was some type of theurgy.
Out of the shadows to his left stepped a figure. Like Azul not an ordinary man but a human figure made of metal.
Azul was shocked at the person’s ability to project a thought directly into the gemulet where his spirit was contained.
“Don’t be surprised that we have come to this, just please step through the portal.”
Azul turned towards the doors he entered. He found flight, the preferred alternative in most situations. But at the door were two mechanist men of Fletcher’s newest design. Their eyes had a blood red glow. Two more stepped out of the shadows behind the armored fellow.
The four automatons closed in on him. They were fearsome looking, the heads were skulls wrought of metal and unlike what he saw before in Fletcher's workshop, these automatons had been augmented with armor — clearly ready for battle. They grabbed his arms and legs lifting him up. He tried to fight, but they were stronger.
“Oh, Fletcher what have you done, don’t tell me you're in cahoots with Caiaphas and
his brotherhood?” said Azul as he tried to wriggle from the four holding him.
They carried him through the gate and into a well-lit laboratory filled with clockwork and equipment. A bearded man approached him with a screwdriver and began removing the screws that held his chest plate closed. Setting the plate aside the man started to work the power cells out of their clips. The last thing he saw as his vision faded and he snapped back to the confines of the gemulet was another of these mechanist men walking through the gateway with a bundle in his arms.
Azul was trapped inside the mechanist man and powerless to move him.
* * *
8:04 P.M Courtyard of Traube Castle, Silesia, Prussia
Gerrard stood in his armor watching the four mechanist men carry Azul through the portal back to the Palazzo. As much as the older mechanist man writhed he was no match for the newer designed models.
Another of his minions stepped out with a bundle of cloth ad handed it to Gerrard.
He unrolled the blanket dumping the contents inside on the ground.
He walked through the portal, and his companion followed him. The gate shut and all that was left in the courtyard was the parts of Fletcher’s first mechanical arm and one of Dimetri’s old gateway clocks. More than enough to bait the witch into his trap.
* * *
9:07 P.M. The Grand Ballroom Traube Castle
As Preston approached the table, he watched Rose’s face. Illuminated in the candlelight and haloed in flowers she looked like a Rossetti painting. Rose was intensely looking at Elmore as he spoke. Elmore’s arms went into a flourish, and she burst into laughter. He hadn’t seen her like this; she looked happy and unburdened - joyful. He hoped that Rose too could find someone, the cowboy certainly seemed interested. He was hesitant to bother her, but he wanted to say his goodbyes to Azul and Rose before heading off with Lorelei on their honeymoon.
“Have you seen Azul?” asked Preston.
“Not since earlier this evening,” replied Rose.
“Mr. Gilchrist let me just say this is the best wedding I have ever been to and I hope that I get invited to your next one as well,” said Elmore.
Preston and Rose chuckled.
“I hope that you will reciprocate soon and invite me to yours,” said Preston with a raised eyebrow.
“On that note, I’m going to go get another drink, Can I get either of you anything?” asked Elmore getting up.
“No. thank you,” said Rose.
“Not after last night,” said Preston waving his hand. Once Elmore had left the table Preston continued with Rose.
“I have to say I’ve never seen you like this,” said Preston.
“Oh, in skirts, yes you have, you’ve seen me when I used to wear my habit,” said Rose.
“No, I mean calm and happy,”
“Is it that obvious?” she said.
“Yes, and let me just say if you are having some reservations about moving forward with your Marshal, do not hesitate and make my mistakes. Don’t let your convictions or his get in the way of you two being happy,” said Preston.
“What are you talking about?” said Rose. Preston observed a flush of embarrassment on Rose’s face.
“Your affections for each other, they are obvious to see. I noticed it at the engagement party and again here. Follow your heart and enjoy each other’s company this detective work can be done by others,” said Preston.
“Duly noted Mr. Gilchrist now why don’t you go worry about your own romance?”
“Well, that’s it. It’s time for Lorelei and me to depart. We are going to spend our Honeymoon night on the Esperance and start our tour. I can’t find my old boy anywhere I want to say goodbye and be off. Frankly, I’m torn I cannot wait to sightsee, but I also want to get to work on what Azul had mentioned about these similar artifacts from different parts of the world,” said Preston.
“Take a few books to read at night,” said Rose.
“Oh, I have more than a few stashed aboard,” he said with a smirk, “If my wife gives me a moment to read them.”
A footman came up on to the dais and approached Rose and Preston.
“Mr. Gilchrist, The Vizier, was not in his room,” said the footman.
Preston gave Rose a concerned look.
“Could you please have the staff look for Mr. Hassan. He shouldn’t be too hard. His is a seven-foot-tall mechanist man,” said Preston.
“This is not like him. I’ll have a look for him, but this place is so bloody big,” said Rose.
“Why I’ll get Henrik, the Baron’s man to escort you. He will be an excellent guide; the only thing is his English isn’t the best,” Preston said with a frown. He looked down the dais where Henrik was standing behind where the Baron and the Baroness sat. Preston waved him over.
“This shouldn’t be your concern tonight, I’m sure he is just off prowling the castle,” said Rose as she craned her neck and reviewed the crowd.
“I looked in here already,” said Preston.
“I’m looking for Dolly. There he is. If I’m going to traipse around the castle I’m going to catch up with Dolly.” said Rose.
* * *
9:23 P.M. The Grand Ballroom Traube Castle
“Henrik, I need your help finding Vizier Azul,” asked Rose. She stood with Dolly just outside the grand ballroom.
“Yes, Mistress,” replied the blonde-haired man.
One of the footmen approached. Henrik spoke to the man who answered and pointed down the hall.
“He said that he saw the metal man go to the lower coach yard.
“Lead on,” Dolly instructed.
The three made their way down the grand staircase from the ballroom and into the main hall. This part of the castle had the old Teutonic feel mixed with rustic hunting lodge. The walls were covered with so many animal heads Rose wondered if there was any wildlife left on the property. Intermixed with the hunting trophy were paintings of the various Traube patriarchs.
Rose was having trouble keeping up. The voluminous skirts and tight shoes were getting the best of her. Moving down the hallway and then down another set of stairs this part of the castle was unadorned. Raw stone wall, rustic wood doors and shutters with the faint scent of horse.
“Here is the courtyard and coach house,” said Henrik.
The large double doors to the outside were ajar. Dolly pushed ahead of Henrik and entered, Rose was right behind.
“Get us a lantern,” said Dolly standing over something on the ground.
Rose looked then squeezed on the front of her dress to make it easier to crouch down, “This is Alfie’s prosthetic arm. I would know, I helped him build it,” she stood up and spun around looking for more clues while at the same time wishing she had her kit. “Augh, I have nothing with me, Dolly, I left all my gear back at Hawkin’s House on a promise to really make this a holiday.
Henrik and a footman came into the courtyard with three lanterns. Most of the castle was gas lit, but this area hadn’t been upgraded. Dolly took one of the oil lamps, “Henrick, I don’t want you to upset the party. Be discreet I need you to see if there are any police representatives here, otherwise we need to contact the authorities.”
“Police?” asked Henrik.
“Yes,” confirmed Dolly.
“Should I get the Baron?” asked Henrik looking more worried and confused.
“I would rather you fetch me an English-speaking policeman.”
“Duke Gorber, he speaks English and is the security minister,” said Henrik.
“Excellent get him. Be discrete. No need to ruin the party,” Dolly turned to Rose, “I suggest you go back with Henrik and see the Gilchrist’s off. Tell them your metal golem is indisposed, otherwise, those two will be setting aside their travel to chase about with us.”
“Schau hier,” said the footman.
Rose approached the spot where he stood across the yard to see a small clock sitting on the stone. The craftsmanship was unmistakable to Rose. She had seen a clock like this
before.
Dolly crouched down getting close but not touching the mechanism, “Damn, I’d swear that’s identical to the clock Allard used. They’re back in business, and they were here.”
* * *
9:42 P.M. The Stables,Traube Castle
Dolly stood by the doors to the courtyard smoking his pipe. He had the staff bring more lamps and sent Rose back to the wedding reception. She resisted, but he made the point that without her equipment this would require good old detective work and he was the good old detective.
A gentleman about his same age with a bushy handlebar mustache and wearing a Prussian uniform with a chest full of medals approached. There had been dozens of these gents at the wedding, all higher ups in the various ministries or the Guild of Alchemy. He wondered what it was with these Krauts and their uniforms, even the postman dressed like he commanded a regiment. The man was escorted by Henrik, so he assumed this was the Duke the footman had mentioned.
“I am Manfreid Willhelm Gorber, Duke of Magdeburg and Minister of Internal Affairs,” said the man with a click of his heels.
“Superintendent Inspector Fredrick Adolphus Williamson, Metropolitan Police, you’re associated with the constabulary here?”
“Superintendent Williamson, I am the King’s instrument for domestic peace,” said the Duke.
“Well, it sounds like you’re the right fella, you might need to get some of your local officers on this, but I am certainly happy to have someone of your rank here to discuss this matter,” said Dolly.
“The man’s demeanor changed “Is there an imminent danger? The guest list at this event includes my nation’s most prominent businessmen and aristocrats,” asked the Duke.
“They could be, but I don’t want to cause a panic. I sent Rose, the Maid of Honor, who happens to be one of my detectives to see off the newlyweds. That should naturally begin to clear out the guests. The problem we face is that the Best Man has gone missing,” said Dolly.
