The Halls of Medeia - Prologue

[Ail]

Victoria speaks clearly, so that everyone can listen to her:


"The rules of our school dictate that meals are taken all together in this hall at a fixed time. We don't just come and sit when we wish, but when the bells ring for us to gather. And it is quite disrespectful to just leave while the others are still eating.

These are the rules, George. It is your first week here, but you should learn them. "


Victoria exudes an air of authority. Beside her, Emilia Fairfax, the headmistress, has a softer expression than her sister. She takes the word next,

"Come, come, let's not make too much of a fuss. Please, go back to your seat George, when everyone is ready we'll all be able to go back to our rooms or take a bit of merriment in the company of others."

The other students resume their eating, and gradually the noise of conversation refills the room.

[steveflam]

George's eyes narrow, clearly not happy with these rules at all. "I'll go back and sit, but please make sure I get a copy of YOUR rules. I fancy you wouldn't like to be embarrassed in front of the whole school, ma'am, as I have been, Maybe next time you could happen to let me know the rules first as that is your duty and not mine."

He returns to his seat, folding his arms and purposely looking at her until the time comes to be dismissed.

[A G Thing]

Christine glad her joke went over well, gives a supportive smile toward Frances as she seems a lot like her in her attitudes and opinions. "Well I study mostly music and acting and am hoping to find a career on the stage! I want to sing and dance and play my music while traveling the world. Be modern and independent in both life and when I perform. That's the plan at least. How about you? Any plans for your education?"

Of course when Bennedict chimes in to speak toward Frances she looks at him. "Frances sounds like a smart modern young woman to me Bennedict. I know the cages are needed for the circus to safely transport and contain the animals but that does not excuse cruelty she witnessed. They should be kept kindly or not at all for they are innocent." Then she looks to Frances with a determined smile when she speaks her next sentence even though she is speaking to Bennedict she seems to try to be talking to the girl too. "When you call someone a revolutionary remember that to those with such spirit that is not an insult but a complement." She turns her gaze back to Bennedict after that, her determined look staying in place. "Just because we have a revolutionaries fire in our spirit does not mean we want to burn everything we think is wrong down. We just want that fire to shine bright enough to reveal what we see is wrong and show it needs to change. We just want things to be fair, equal and right for everyone. Fire is used to forge and create not just destroy. The fires of revolution need not be confused by violence but they must still be stoked with the strength of conviction to be bright and hot. We cannot expect a message with a dim flame to be noticed." Christine looks quite animated about the subject and seems happy to speak about it in such a manner. It was something she felt quite strongly about and it showed upon her face in a blush.

Of course when Alma finally turns introduces herself Christine smiles and nods. "Well I am glad to meet you Alma. I'm Christine. I guess I have been a bit scatterbrained myself. Been kinda busy trying to investigate a mystery and have been a bit absorbed by it. Are you new here this year?." She extends her hand across the table to the girl in a friendly manner. The girl seemed nice but Christine wondered if she was okay as she was very quiet spoken. She was curious about her and wondered if she was just shy or such but she for some reason found a sort of interest in the girl develop just from their initial small talk. Christine found her mind starting to be resolved to perhaps walk back to the dorms with her later so she might talk with her. But perhaps she would open up some more here.

Of course as Oliver speaks up Christine thinks about what to say in continuing her conversation between with Frances and the two boys but George beats her to it! In his less than tactful way... She thought he was right about what he was saying but he was seemingly being very dismissive and rude for no reason she could see other than his being upset. While she knew he had strong feelings about the subject and his earlier outburst with Georgina was quite amusing this seemed different. Georgina was insufferable on a good day and not likely to be a friend and had asked for it. But this was just between him and people who were trying to be his friends. He was being rather abrasive and though she had begun to accept he was rough like that and in fact liked that quality about him she wondered why he was so bothered. She thought about speaking to Oliver, Frances and Bennedict to explain for George but she did not know what to say and wondered if she should. She decided perhaps to wait to see how it went first before she spoke up.

But as he speaks to Alma she looks at him and while she did not show it on her face she was shocked and finally a bit upset. He had not been purposefully trying to be rude she believed but he certainly seemed to have just brushed her off in disinterest. Her face went a bit flush at this point even though she knew he probably meant nothing by it, but he did not even want to try it seemed to get to know the girl before abandoning her attempt to speak with them. She was thinking harder now about what to say and held herself from just snapping out his name in frustration, but at his announcement to leave she is again shocked and begins rise to go over to stop to him. But he has already started to leave the table faster than she can easily get up.

Before she can speak to call his name however, Miss Fairfax sudden outburst is loud and the hall going silent is quite noticeable. Christine stays half sitting as she watches George and listens to the loud conversation between the faculty and him. She watches the whole thing play out as it did and as he takes his seat again Christine lets her anger somewhat subside sitting fully again as well. It really had been unfair for him to be so singled out in such a fashion but she knew that was the way of things here. She couldn't really fault him his anger toward the teacher, even if again he spoke his mind and his emotions clearly rather than tactfully. But she could not deny that while the anger had subsided it was still there but mixed with a determination to speak with the boy.

George was her friend and she did not know what was going on with him but something seemed to be bothering him. She watched him carefully as she pushed her glasses up on her nose again as they had slid down. The string was still lose from her time dancing at camp but that had gone unnoticed as she had been thinking hard and was used to the action.

She knew despite her earlier plans that she would have to plan to meet with Alma later as this was bothering her too much to put aside right now. But even though she planned to talk to George, she wondered what she could say to him as she did not know completely what was wrong. She glanced to occasionally watch George as she cleared her own plate and joined somewhat in conversation with the others still when they might speak up but her mind drifted back to her friends agitated behavior. She would catch him in the hall after the meal. They needed to talk and by then she planned to have something to say to him.

[Ail]

Victoria visibly does not like George's tone, and since she is the one responsible for keeping discipline in school, she responds as haughtily as before to the young boy.

"Students will not speak to theirs masters in that tone here." she says assertively to everyone present in the hall.
"I want you to come to my office after dinner, Mr. Wentworth."

Then, she continues.
"The rules are made known to everyone who enters this school. They are available in the library and in the public folders near the chapel and the registration office, under the care of Mrs Buxington. "

[steveflam]

Victoria visibly does not like George's tone, and since she is the one responsible for keeping discipline in school, she responds as haughtily as before to the young boy.

"Students will not speak to theirs masters in that tone here." she says assertively to everyone present in the hall.
"I want you to come to my office after dinner, Mr. Wentworth."

Then, she continues.
"The rules are made known to everyone who enters this school. They are available in the library and in the public folders near the chapel and the registration office, under the care of Mrs Buxington. "

George rises from his chair, furious. "Well I do not appreciate your tone to me in front of the whole school. Maybe if you had madse it clear to a new student like myself, we sould not be having this stupid conversation in front of everyone" He starts walking towards the exit of the mess hall. "I am leaving here whether you liek it or not and will wait for you outside your office."

[A G Thing]

Christine rises and does not wait for anyone to speak or listen and moves to follow moving up next to George. She had planned to speak with him but she does not say a word as she follows him from the room, other than to grimly push her glasses back up on her nose as they walk to the office where he is headed.

[Ail]

No one opposes Christine and George as they exit the dining hall. Although there are many looks at them, especially from the younger students, and some of them may wish to do the same, no one follows them either.

Silence fills the hall again.

[A G Thing]

Christine followed behind George and allows him to move as he wishes. For a time there is silence as she has no real words to say it seemed. The dark hallways of the school and the distance between them make her draw out her lantern but he seemed to be ahead of her so she lit it keeping pace.

Something was bothering the boy more then he had been letting on perhaps and that thought bothered her in turn. There was little she could think to say other than to try and be there and be supportive since she did not know what it was. She measured her words in her mind as she tried to keep pace with the boy as they walked and her nerves had to be fought from her voice as she spoke what she finally decided to say. She kept her voice friendly and calm almost to the point of apology to the boy as if none of this bothered her except perhaps that she was worried for him. She did this by simply reminding herself that she was speaking with a friend and she would be supportive. While this was not her only concern at the moment, she was not willing to give up on him.

"So what is the plan George?"

She waited for an answer because while she was upset and confused with his actions and behaviors she believed she understood part of it but she would only know if he told her. His spark of determination to learn and even adventure was one thing but his way of leaving others behind and his abruptness in dealing with them seemed to be from something afflicting him personally. They had just started the school year and he seemed as if possessed with some drive she could only somewhat understand. She thought she was coming to know the boy well enough in their friendship which had seemed to be growing fast and that was to her liking. But things had changed so quick she did not know what to think.

Clearly her way of trying to open him to things perhaps had backfired and she would not push him so again for he had been quick to react. But if he needed to set the pace for a time in their friendship she was willing to give him the lead in the decisions.

So she waited to see what George would choose now.

[steveflam]

George frowns, not at Christine, but his temperament. HE isn't usually rude but he holds strongly to his beliefs and principles. What he believes is right and wrong.


"Just blowing off a little steam, not upset at you. Surely I will be reprimanded, neither do I care about that. So as to my, er plan?
Well, uh, lemme see. I plan to do as much research as I can about the ruins, be it here in the library which I doubt will be very forthcoming given what we have been told by the school about it at any rate.

Use the town's library as well as book stores for any information about the ruins. I didn't want the others to hear this, just you. I
don't rightly trust anyone cept you thus far. AS for what that old gypsy said, she can kiss my arse for all I care. I plan to maybe even get a job if I can at the bookstore or even library. I will do it for free even, just to have a chance to look at all their books and gather as much information as I can."

He turns and his hand moves to the string holding her glasses. He tightens it and pats her hand. "There, that should hold better. I still think there is a better way to hold glasses on yer head, whether it be you or anyone else."

He smiles, sighing.

"Please keep in mind, unlike anyone else here, I have never attended school of any sort, so this is all new to me. I know Miss whatsername will give it to me but like I said previously, I don't rightly care."

[A G Thing]

Christine listens and smiles a bit as at Georges words she lets her anger and confusion fade away. She also lets him fix the string to hold her glasses noting that she had not really noticed it and with an awkward smile at the pat to her head but she is happy just to know why. "Thanks George. I think you have it figured out then. I hope we find some more in those books and I'll help. Rumors and tales are fine and good to start but a few facts would really be good before we go in. I am almost ready to break in to look now."

She then moves her lantern to one hand and readjusts to carry her bundle in the same hand and moves up beside him and puts her now free hand on his shoulder. "And it's fine if your angry with her. I know I'm angry about how she handled that. I have had it happen to me before. My adventures often got me into trouble. Back then I did not handle it well either... So I know that since I walked out as well, I get to follow you to Miss Fairfax's office. School rules and all." She says that last part with her own bitter looking smirk that shows this was definitely not her first time for such nor that she was happy about it.

"I know that you and I probably see things different about what that old gypsy woman did and did not say to you. I get why your mad. But I know for a fact you don't play games with words and don't really like them. They do to survive and I was surprised they let us in as easy as they did. I should have said that it may take some time with them. Or it may not be easy for them to trust us. I was just excited because it had been a long time since I had been with any of my gypsy kin... They had ghost stories and legends about everything it seemed and they let me hear them but I was told not to tell others. I guess I just forgot how closed off they can be with first meetings. But don't take it personal with them. Please. It was important to me, and I just wanted to share it with you too. You don't have to go back, but know that they have good reason for being closed off. My gypsy sister and her family were chased away... Chased away by intolerant people. Chased away for being near me." Christine seems somewhat saddened by that but keeps a smile on her face though it is not as bright as before.

Still her gaze takes on a very meaningful look as she looks in his eyes trying to show the importance of her next words. "But I am really happy to know you trust me. I trust you too. So I want you to trust me on this... Since your new I get the rules being hard. I was new once too. And I know you have your beliefs and I get your anger... I do... A lot! It is not easy to be patient when everyone is fighting about pointless things like money and status. I've heard more of it then you can know. But I have found... Through experience, that we have to remain patient. I hope with understanding perhaps that people can reach a common ground. I have to hope people can change George. Because sometimes anger can cost us. It can especially cost us a lot when status is involved. I don't want you to lose this shot. You may not care now but they have the power. And while we know that status means nothing to us it does to too many others."

At this she does have moisture glistening in both her eyes now and at this time her accent has fallen back into a far thicker Scott-English but the look on her face is determined and angry looking though and her voice is rather upset sounding and loud but not a yell. The change however is a bit jarring! "Thay mey no think thair wrang but thay dae hit acause thay think thay knaw best. But thair wrang, an unless ye play thair gemm thay mey tak hit aw frae ye! Juist play, but play yer wey an play tae win George. Ance ye hae this eddication thay canna tak hit frae ye. E'en gif things dinna chynge at least ye will be able tae dae whit ye want."

She was mad. But clearly not at him. She was being serious. All this was something she apparently kept within for a while and while it was directed at him it sounded personal as well. Still after it had come out she began to fidget a bit but she did not look ashamed just flustered. She knew it was loud and she knew he was close. Her face was flush with emotion and she stopped looking him in they eyes but looked elsewhere. "Juist be careful George." Her voice much calmer then and softer slowly had her accent fading once again back to the flat english she had learned to speak.

[Alastor]

In the renewed hush that has fallen over the dining hall, Niles attempts to revive the hesitant conversation which had been taking place around another table.

"Ya were after mentioning the new football club in Liverpool." He prompts a student sitting across from him with mostly feigned.

Once the others around his table have recovered a bit from their shock and resumed talking, Niles glances over to where George and Christine had been sitting to see how their companions have reacted to the disturbance.

[Ail]

Oliver nods a bit to the others as George, after George and Christine leave the room, saying "I told him, they'll make him conform".

Niles can make a Sense Motive check on him. DC: 12.

Bennedict is muted, amazed, but only for an instant, and his face quickly hardens as the mouth stretches in a thin line. It is a similar expression to the one Christine noticed in the Gypsy camp. Niles can also try a Sense Motive on him, but DC 20.

Alma just shrugs, and goes on eating as if nothing had happened. Frances, on the other hand, is agitated. She's going to say something, but looks at Bennedict and decides to shut up. There is some conflict in her expression.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Not a long time passes, until George and Christine can hear steps in the corridor. They turn expecting to see Victoria. The Dean for Studies (who takes Discipline as a main responsibility of her functions) is accompanied by the Headmistree, Emily.

As they approach, their expressions reflect their distinct personalities. While Emily shows an air of deep concern, her sister seems simply to be angry. Despite that, she lets the briefest of smiles escape her lips as she notices Christine.

She opens her door and gestures for the students to follow them.

Emily follows them and stands by the window. Then, Victoria closes the door, locks it, takes the key and sits at her desk, facing the students.
She then locks the door behind them, and takes the key.

[steveflam]

George frowns. "Are you afraid we're gonner escape or somethin? Why'd yer lock tha door exactly? I ain goin nowheres n neither is Christine."

[A G Thing]

In the silence of the short time before they were met by the staff Christine left George to his thoughts as she had her own. She knew George understood but if he would take her advice would be another matter. However when Dean Victoria and Headmistress Emily both arrive she focus's her thoughts to the present.

Christine enters the room when gestured to and even slightly returns the smile to Emily but not too much as she settles into a calm look as Victoria was in no mood.

When George speaks up about the door being locked, Christine does not disagree about them not running but considering they both left a room when asked to stay she sort of understands it... Still it does bother her that the door is locked but she pushes it aside for the time.

She waits patiently for what is to come standing next to George.

[Ail]

"I don't want anyone to interrupt us, George." And that is all Victoria says on the matter.
Without giving time for a reply, she begins, sternly.


"What you did was very serious, George. I am aware you have never been in a school before, but you are in one now. This is a large community and with so many people together, there have to be rules for people to respect each other and do their work. There is a main purpose in here: to teach and educate students. This requires obediance and observance of the teaching method.

It is my duty to keep discipline in this school, and I can not allow anyone, George, anyone, to give a bad example to the other students. If everyone began acting like you do, looking at you as some sort of inspiration, or being extremely disrespectful as you were to me, there could be no teaching in this school. Learning is hard. Most people do not enjoy the effort it takes to learn, young girls and boys, in particular, have hundreds of things they would rather be doing. If there is no respect for the teachers, there is no teaching.

I hope you appreciate the effect of your actions, and that you may consider them well before you decide to act like a revolutionary again.

Regarding your punishment... you should consider yourself lucky that my sister wanted to be here.


Victoria stays silent, although her authoritary figure does not relent. She has not addressed Christine, her message had a clear recipient. But Emily, who was still standing by the window, now takes her turn.


"George, I wanted to be here because you are not a normal person. I agree with Victoria, nor could it ever be otherwise, that your attitude was irresponsible and dangerous. But I am not interested in punishing you. That is, in any case, my sister's duty, but at my request, she has agreed to relent... this time only.

But I want to know what makes you so wild, George. You don't look like a violent boy, and yet your reaction was full of rage. Why, George? 'What afflicts you; how can I help you feel better in this school; why did you react like this'. Those are the questions I ask myself now.

I am glad to see you here also, Christine. Even though you were not ordered to come, it is logic that you did. But I really have no observations to make: it is clear you came here out of friendship for George. That friendship will be important to him, but you need something more... you both need something more, if I am judging you well, Christine. I have decided you need supervision from a grown-up, someone who knows the school and has time to spend with you and to try and help you integrate.

I will talk to Father Niles, I want him to be with you as his duties allow, to be your mentor at least for this term, and keep you out of trouble, try to polish that harshness. You could be two diamonds, but will they shine?"

Well, well... I have talked too much, already. Do you want to say anything?




Victoria's face is unreadable. It is very hard to say whether she is pleased with the outcome or not.