Lechance

Sadie had picked up a new shipment of fabrics at the post office, dropped off a letter to be sent home and then purchased some sundry supplies at the general store. She was pleased by how conveniently her shop was placed and had assured Mrs. Haggerty -- a vivacious married woman that was helping her in the shop -- that she'd be fine and didn't need an escort. She'd rather Mrs. Haggerty mind the store while Sadie was out.

She was loaded down with packages as she headed back down the street and didn't notice the puddle she was about to step in.

The air was crisp, the sky a clear blue and the marketplace was buzzing with news as parts of conversations drifted across the gathering.

"Did you hear? The sheriff's gone missing!"

"Well I heard they've asked that Jonas Wilder to step in, be in charge."

"I went out to look at that rift my children heard about. It doesn't look safe at all. I've forbidden them to go out there again."

"And then he just hugged him, right there!"

The crowd fell silent as an elaborately dressed woman with a large piece of paper rang a bell and stepped into the middle of space. Her red and gold robe, white breeches, black boots and a tricorne hat caught everyone's attention.

"Oyez, Oyez, Oyez!" she shouted in a voice that could be heard throughout the market. "These are the proclamations, bylaws, market days adverts and sundry notes of importance for the City of LeChance for the week of September the twenty-first, in the year of our grace eighteen hundred and seventy-three, the right and honorable LeRoy LeChance, mayor, and spoken by your most humble servant Anastacia Mason on this twenty-fifth day of that month."

She paused to catch her breath and to make sure all were paying attention, then glanced at her paper.

"The mayor would have it noted that in the absence of Sheriff William Bowbuck, he has asked Chief Deputy Jonas Wilder to act in his stead and has given him all rights and privileges of that office until such a time that William Bowbuck should be recovered or his body found. The mayor commands all residents to accord Acting Sheriff Wilder with the respect and allegiance due that office."

"Furthermore, anyone with knowledge of the whereabouts of William Bowbuck or details of his disappearance should present themselves immediately at the sheriff's office for inquiry."

Another pause and the town crier looked around the crowd. This part was sure to get a reaction if for no other reason than that it broke a long-standing tradition.

"Furthermore, in his office and capacity as yenta, the honorable and worthy LeRoy Lechance would have these Marriage Banns read and announced for the first time:

Mr. Jonathon Stanton to Mr. Benjamin Simoneaux
Mr. Jonathan Ibis to Miss Effield Gallehawk
Miss Delphina Salas to Miss Harriet Palmer
Mr. Julien MacKallister to Mr. Theodore Nordstrom

If there are those among you who know reasons why these matches should not be allowed to progress, they are commanded to present themselves to the yenta to give such information as is right and proper."

A few more minor announcements about sales and market hours and the woman rolled her paper and made a final salute before moving through the crowd. She would repeat the news throughout the town all day but she knew most of it would be spread before she got to her next post.

Mercedes had allowed Alex and Thea to lead her up to where they'd seen the fissure. There was no red or black smoke, nor did they hear any weird noises, but the fissure was definitely still there. The soil didn't look any different, but it seemed to her to be a fairly large opening compared to the magnitude of the quake itself, but she was no scientist.

Thea looked rather vindicated as Mercedes agreed that yes, it was rather impressive looking. She hadn't known the two children to be trouble makers or liars, but their story did seem a little far fetched. That was, however, before the rumors that the sheriff was missing.

Having assured herself that there was in fact something there, Mercedes went back into town, her hair was askew and she was sweaty, dirt marring her clothing and her face. Very, very unlike her usual appearance. She was not surprised when someone stopped her.

William's new house was rather bare, but he still took pride in having its address printed on his new calling cards - which arrived almost at the same moment as the new letter from the Yenta. He was somewhat surprised to find he had been matched to a man - William was looking more for a wife than a partner - but it took all sorts to make a strong household (as his mother had been keen on repeating, generally while sighing at his father's absent-mindedness admittedly) and, in any case, he did not wish to be seen as rude, especially by strangers.

He carefully wrote out his response -

Mr J. William Freeman
requests the pleasure of calling upon
Mr Simon Belgrave
on Wednesday from four o'clock
at his convenience

- and, enclosing his card, had it delivered to the man in question. Father Marks had previously agreed to chaperone the earlier match; he would do so this time as well.

Temporary booths seemed to have sprung up overnight in the open space near Ms. Sheedy's hotel. Merchants of all kinds were selling their wares -- food and cloth, tools and trinkets, necessities and things people didn't really need, but wanted. Some of the expensive goods were tucked within the safety of more permanent "stores" in the building that housed the nickelodeon.

Performers roamed through the crowd and the streets, and there was a bright, festive feel all about.

A few blocks away, near the smithy, the livestock market was slightly less festive (and slightly more oderous) but still just as popular.

Sadie had rushed out with a few of the others from Ms. Sheedy's hotel the instant the tremors stopped. She'd dressed hurriedly and held her cloak tightly about her as she headed toward the town square with the others.

"Excuse me," she said, as they passed someone on the sidewalk. "Do you know what happened?"

There had been no reply to his calling card, for which William could think of only a few reasons. The color of his skin he could do nothing about. A possible lack in his training when it came to courtship etiquette could certainly be rectified in theory but, though he knew pride to be a sin, he could not bring himself to ask for more training. The credentials of his profession he could certainly train for - the finer points of metalworking definitely needed to be added to his skill-set if he was to continue being of use to Mister MacKallister - but that was a long term plan. That left one other point of disfavor, his continued lodging with the other unhoused Ascendants, and that, at least, had a short term solution. A house had already been offered. He merely had to pick one.

Except that even this fell down, for William found himself unable to decide what exactly he was looking for. Something in the center of the town? Something further out, where town houses became country houses, became farm houses? Certainly a small garden or a plot to grow his own vegetables on would be appreciated, but he had grown sick of wide open spaces in his travels across America. The beach-front properties were out of the question, of course. This still left a number of options. Should he look for somewhere small and move (if and) when matched? Should he look for somewhere larger to keep? How many rooms did he need and of what sort? Was it better to be convenient for work or for groceries, for church or the library? Just how far could his wage be spread for necessities and upkeep?

Each time he thought he'd refound his decisiveness, a dozen extra questions occurred to him until, by mid-afternoon, he could be found wandering slowly around the streets, eyes drifting from empty house to empty house, lost in a haze of possibilities.

( Letters to Ascendants )

( Beloved )

Despite it being Monday, noon found Julian outside near the playground with a leather bound journal and a pencil, drawing intently, while he periodically looked up to keep an eye on Michel and his kite.

When he looked up next he saw Michel trying to show someone how the kite worked, handing it to him. Julian winced, standing up and marching over, "My apologies, is he bothering you?"

William had been offered a house, his right as Ascendant, but he could not accept until he knew he could properly pay for upkeep out of a continuing wage, not just his meager savings. Consequently, when he set off that morning in his best black suit and simple hat, it was from the boarding house, along with a few of his fellow lodgers.

It was only after William had arrived at the cathedral and the others had dispersed that it occurred to him a chaperon might have been needed; Ms Palmer was unbetrothed after all. Yet the cathedral, while sizable for the small city, was well attended, with small groups of people chattering softly together around him, waiting for the start of the services, so they would not actually be alone together. That, surely, was appropriate enough?

Unsure, he introduced himself to the priest, explaining that a young Beloved new to the faith would be joining him. 'New to the faith' was, admittedly, somewhat of an exaggeration as Ms Palmer had only agreed to attend one service, but it gave him an excuse to remain with the priest at the cathedral entrance, engaging in rather stilted small talk while they waited for her to arrive.

Assuming she hadn't changed her mind since Friday evening.

The market square was covered in a large tent, glittering candles lighting up the green and the cobblestoned area. There was a feast, laid out for all new arrivals from the week before. Not all of the city were there by any means, though all had been invited. Still. The party was some 500 strong, food was readily available wine flowed, and there was dancing, a live band playing lively music.