wanderinghamsa (wanderinghamsa) wrote in shadowlands_ic, @ 2017-07-12 09:14:00 |
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Entry tags: | keira adams, zipporah bakst |
Who: Zipporah Bakst, Keira Adams
What: an orientation
Where: L’albergo
When: July 8th [Backdated]
Rating: G
Zipporah stood on the street, shading her eyes, looking up at the five-storey apartment building Lady de Palermo had indicated as the location of her organization. It was a nice enough building in the North of London, far further north than Zipporah had ever travelled before, and quite unassuming -- like a pleasant boarding house for middle class young ladies.
She could read between the lines, however -- she was canny enough to understand that the Lady di Palermo’s organization wasn’t entirely legitimate. It couldn’t be. It was why she’d suggested coming to them instead of having them go to her -- there were far too many gangs in her area of town, and she didn’t want trouble with the Tigers if a rival gang were to intrude in their territory. Working for a criminal organization didn’t bother her overly much -- she knew there was a certain degree of danger in doing work for such a woman, but she paid well, and the services they were being asked to provide weren’t out of the realm of the ordinary. What Lady di Palermo and her women got up to as part of their organization was none of Zipporah’s business -- they were clients, just like anyone else, and she was grateful for the steady and generous income Lady di Palermo was offering in exchange.
It’d taken a few streetcars to get there, stretching the limits of her navigational skills, and Ach was heavily laden with bulging bags of supplies, the first of what she suspected would be many loads he’d carry to fully supply the room Lady di Palermo was making available for her use. While she was a little tired and frazzled, and a touch trepidatious, she was pleased at her having found the place.
After a pause, she walked up the stairs to the building and rang the bell, Ach standing at the bottom, waiting patiently.
Keira was studying. It seemed to nearly be the thing she always did these days. She needed to get it right, though. A test was coming up and she would not be satisfied if she did not get a 100% on it. Anything less was not good enough in her eyes, which was the way she took on anything. She was just flipping a page in a book when the bell rang and her head came up. She waited a few seconds and when she didn’t hear footsteps of someone going to answer it, she stood and went to do it herself.
It only took her a few minutes to get from her study room to the front door and pull it open only to find a woman and a very tall man.
“Can I help you?” She asked, looking at the woman and then noticing the man with bags of items. Was there a delivery happening today? Had anyone told her to expect anything or anyone. She couldn’t quite remember, all she had in her mind were French words and math equations.
The woman who answered the door was rather normal-looking -- oh, she was quite pretty, of course, beautiful, even, but her clothes weren’t outrageous, and she didn’t particularly look like she was part of a criminal organization. Zipporah faltered, wondering if she was in the right place after all.
“I am Zipporah Bakst?” She said, looking up at the woman, uncertainty written all over her face. “I am here for to set up the medical room.” She lowered her voice. “It is at the request of Lady di Palermo, for La Sorellanza. Is that this place?”
Zipporah Bakst Keira thought and then the light came on. That was right, they were expecting a witch to come and set up in one of the rooms. “Right, right,” she said. “I apologize, I’ve been studying, brain is mush,” she smiled. “Come in, please,” she moved to the side and opened the door wider. “I can show you to the room where you will be setting up,” she then added.
“I’m Keira Adams,” she then introduced herself. “Only one of the many women who live here,” she explained once the woman and the gentleman were both inside. “Please come this way,” she gestured and started to lead them to the room. “Did you find us without too many issues?”
“I am pleased for to be making your acquaintance. Not too many, no,” Zipporah replied, and with a series of hand gestures and glances, ordered Ach to place his burdens in the foyer and step back out to sit on the stoop as a courtesy, before running to catch up to Keira -- the bags could wait to be unloaded until she’d seen the space. “I had to take several street cars -- it is very far north, but the neighborhood is very pretty. And this place...” she looked at the entryway, which was very nicely appointed, with large ferns.
“This place is not what I expected,” she finally said, looking over at the pretty red-headed woman who was leading her on.
“And you… you said you were studying?” Zipporah asked, curious. “What, exactly?”
“Is magnificent?” Keira asked with a smile, finishing Zipporah’s sentence. She then laughed when the other woman then said it wasn’t what she expected. “It wasn’t what I expected either when I first came here,” she mentioned. “It has become my home and I find myself very lucky to be here,” she added.
“Yes, studying,” she nodded as they walked down the hallway. “I go to University and was just going over some mathematics,” she finished answering. “I have an upcoming test and the pressure is on,” she then stated just as they came to the third suite. “Here you go,” she said and opened the door. “This is where you’ll be.”
Zipporah’s eyes widened. “To University?” She said, in admiration. “You? Truly?” She colored immediately. “I did not mean for to imply… only just… I didn’t know women did such things. How marvelous.” She shook her head, wondering at it a little. “Which discipline do you study?”
She paused at the entrance to the room, taking it in -- a simple iron stead bed with clean, crisply white sheets, and a trunk at the base, presumably with clean replacements. There was a dresser with a multitude of small drawers, and a basin and pitcher of water resting on it, and a larger cabinet in the corner, along with two light wicker chairs.
Pleased, she nodded her head. “This will do quite nicely,” she said, smiling.
Keira gave a chuckle at the woman’s astonishment to her going to University. “I am, indeed,” she smiled warmly, letting Zipporah know there was no hard feelings for her reaction. “It’s difficult for women to get in I believe, but there have been a few women who have tried. You’ll find most of the women in this house have either already gone, are going, or will be going to University,” she added. “I’m studying to get my degree in the science program, to learn business, with a side order of French,” she answered her. “It’s all very daunting, but in the end it should all be worth it.”
She stood back to let Zipporah look at the room. “You’ll find everything here is state of the art, mostly,” she smiled. “Lady di Palermo, will be pleased to know that you like the room. Could I help you carry your bags? And then afterward I’ll make you some tea. I own Hidden Treasures, the tea and bakery shop, so I know my teas,” she grinned.
Zipporah looked over at Keira, a bit flabbergasted.
"You... you own a tea shop. You go to University. Others here do too. What... what is this place?" She'd had a few interactions with the local gangs in her neighborhood -- some less fraught than others -- but this was like no gang she could've imagined in a million years. She should have known it would be out of the ordinary, given the patroness, but it was still surprising.
Perhaps it wasn't a gang after all, and she'd misunderstood the Lady di Palermo -- simply assumed. Perhaps this really was a legitimate.... organization of women? That was all she'd said in their first meeting, so it was certainly possible. She colored heavily again in her momentary embarrassment. "I thought... I mean... well." She waved a hand dismissively, not wanting to suggest what she'd thought, as it might cause offense. "I was expecting something quite different," she ended, lamely. "Your help and tea would be lovely. ...What is it like, working with the Lady di Palermo? She seems most generous, but quite a..." she dug for the turn of phrase. "A natural force," she finally settled on.
Keira couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. “This place,” she spread her hands out. “Is a home for women who...seek an equal footing in the man’s world,” she said. “It’s a place where us women get the help to do the things such as go to University. There are other things involved that I’m sure the Lady di Palermo will explain to you. We’re a family here, all of us sisters helping each other out.” She left out the thievery and such things, unsure what the Lady di Palermo wanted Zipporah know.
She gestured toward the door and allowed the woman to step out first before going back to where her things were. “I haven’t had much interaction with Lady di Palermo,” she said. “But she definitely a force to be reckoned with. Her presence is known the moment she steps into the room, she nearly commands it,” she explained as they walked. “When I moved here, I was alone and unsure of what to do with myself. She gave me direction and I’ve learned a trade or two that comes in handy in life I suppose,” she chuckled. “It’s become my home and I love being here as I am sure you will as well.”
Zipporah shook her head as the two of them made their way back to the foyer and loaded up with bags. “She had a telephone installed at my apartment as if it were nothing. Just like that.” She laughed a little. “It's quite something.”
This talk of a place for women --a place where they could learn a vocation -- it spoke to her, deeply, and she felt her shoulders lighten despite her heavy load of bags. Even if they weren't entirely legitimate, there was something inherently appealing to the notions Keira spoke of. “I never thought there could be such a place as this,” she remarked, her voice quiet and thoughtful as they made their way back to the room.
“It is good to hear. Very good. I am… well. I am still in disbelief that such a person would show such attention to someone like me and my Auntie, would be so… so free with her generosity, but this helps for to explain some. And it is good you are happy here, that you've found it rewarding.”
She set the bags down and looked at the cabinet and dresser appraisingly, already thinking ahead as to how she might organize her supplies.
Keira smiled at the mention of the telephone. It didn’t surprised her that the Chiara had done so for Zipporah. “What she can manage to do and how quickly she can get it done, is rather astonishing and empowering considering she is a woman,” she said as she adjusted bags in her hands. “It makes one feel as if she, herself, can accomplish great feats.”
“I never knew a place like this existed, either, but all things are possible. Especially here,” she told Zipporah. She put the bags down and took a small look around the room herself before turning her attention back to the other woman. She was fairly certain that if Chiara had taken to the woman and her aunt, that there was probably a reason for it, not only to help them but maybe something they could offer the sisterhood.
“Why don’t you take a moment to get situated here, and I’ll go make that tea and bring some to you along with some biscuits,” she smiled.
“Yes please. That would be wonderful. Thank you,” Zipporah replied, and in a sudden burst of happiness and gratitude, she reached for Kiera’s hand and leaned up to give her a kiss on the cheek. “I was not expecting to be so welcomed,” she said, warmly, “and I can Imagine that you are busy enough with your studies, to be taking the time to help me, it is so good of you.”
Keira froze a moment when the kiss to the cheek came. Then she reminded herself to smile and give Zipporah a squeeze of the hand. “It’s not a problem, and I’m happy enough to not have my nose stuck in a book,” she smiled warmly. “I’ll return in a few moments.”
Keira hurried off and left Zipporah to busy herself with putting her belongings away. Once in the kitchen, she put a pot on to boil water and then set about putting a tray together to carry to Zipporah’s room. She made sure there was sugar cubes, honey, small spoons and then biscuits. Once the kettle sounded off to let her know the water was ready, she then poured it into two small tea cups that sat on saucers. She then added infusers to the water that held her own blend of tea leaves and let them sit while she carried the tray to Zipporah’s room.
“Here we go,” she smiled as she entered Zipporah’s room. “Take a moment to rest and have some tea.”
By the time Keira returned, Zipporah had started to unpack the carefully labeled muslin bags full of herbs, new linen towels, and glass containers full of various ingredients they'd carefully packed in straw in a wooden crate, along with an assortment of instruments, new and shining in the late afternoon sunlight -- twenty pounds could go a long way, and they'd taken care -- nothing but the best for their new patroness.
She’d started to sort her supplies, but she looked up as Keira approached, not realizing until then just how sore her feet were, and the crick she had in her neck from leaning over the growing piles on the floor.
“Oh, thank you,” she said, a little shyly. She was a touch embarrassed at her effusive display, noting Keira’s stiffness as she left -- perhaps she'd overstepped or caused offense? But Keira’s smile as she returned seemed friendly enough, and the tea was divine. “This is quite good,” she said, a quick smile on her face. “I'd expect no less from someone who owns owns a tea shop.”
Keira had set the tray on a table and took a seat and sip at her own tea. She smiled as Zipporah complimented her tea making skills. “I learned in Ireland,” she said. “When my husband would go off for days, I would have to find something for me to do and I found that everyone likes a good cuppa,” she explained. “When I came to London, I thought it would be a great business and I haven’t been shown wrong yet,” she smiled.
“So, I understand that you are to be our physician or something of that sort?” Keira asked.
Zipporah nodded. “My Auntie Miriam is most skilled in the healing arts, especially women's health, and I've been taught well by her. We'll be coming by once a month for to be seeing seven or so at a time for regular visits, and should something sudden come up,” she shrugged. “We have a telephone,” she added with a shake of her head and and grin.
“Most of this is standard supplies for the checking and maintaining health of the blood, bones, and organs, for the regulation of courses and prevention of diseases, tools to listen to heart and lungs and so on, and some things on hand for anything more serious that may come along. Never hurts to be prepared.”
She grinned. “I suppose it would be more appropriate to call us healers than physicians. Witches will also suit.” She took another sip of tea, humming in appreciation. “Ireland, you say? Well. You do indeed make cups quite well. I shall have to go to your shop sometime to have more,” she added, a little daringly. This entire venture was pushing her out of her usual comfortable haven of her apartment and neighborhood, so she figured why not.
Keira was interested in what Zipporah was saying. Chiara wanted all the women to get regular check-ups and she could understand why. A sick sister could get others sick and a whole house of sick women would not be good. “I’ve never seen a physician or healer of any sort,” she said after a moment. “Are you and your aunt skilled in...other species?” She asked then. She was sure if the woman was a witch, then she knew of the different supernatural species, or she hoped so because if she were to be checking out the women of this house she’d see plenty of different species.
“Ireland, yes,” she nodded. “It was lovely there, but I have to admit that I really do like London,” she stated.
Zipporah smiled back. “I know what you mean. I prefer London to where I came from too, for all its noise and bustle.”
She pondered Keira’s query. “I am more familiar with some than others,” she said honestly enough. “I know for to be careful with certain metals for some who are wolves or forest folk, and I know the Lady Di Palma is… well. Is not human.” She'd heard stories over the years of bloodsucking creatures who were constantly hungry, inhuman, tortured souls, but Chiara hadn't met her expectations at all.
She hadn't thought about the fact that the women in the Sorelle might not be human either. “I may have to learn more of these differences, the… the unique needs of some. My auntie knows more than I do. Still,” she said stoutly, “we will be sure to be asking what would be needed for every person, and will work with them as to what would be best.”
At the very least, they'd be more likely to have their patients tell them what was needed, rather than keeping it secret for a regular physician, one who wouldn't know any better.
Keira nodded with a small smile before taking another sip of tea. Keira knew enough to be quiet about certain things, especially that there were more supernatural species out there than what one would realize. She had thought that with Zipporah coming to be their physician, that she’d know more about the species, but it seemed that she might be having to learn a little on the way; there was nothing wrong with that.
“Well, there are a variety here,” she said. “Though no werewolves, so you won’t have to worry about them,” she said.
“Really?” Zipporah replied, raising an eyebrow. “I see. That is good to know.”
She wasn’t worried particularly about werewolves, generally speaking -- she hadn’t reason to yet. She and her auntie had treated one recently, and she’d gotten along fairly well with Peter (even if he was a bit of a cad). She wondered if the species kept separate, like the various groups clustered in her neighborhood -- the Jews keeping distinct from the Russians and the Irish, the gangs from each butting against one another in various clashes.
She had no doubt her time with the sorelle would be quite an education -- on many fronts. “I look forward to learning all I can,” she said, honestly, and taking another sip of her wonderfully made tea in a room that’d been made up just for her and her Auntie, surrounded by fresh and new supplies (with the leftover money enough to replenish their supplies back at home), she smiled. “I look forward to it very much. And this tea is… how do you say… marvelous. I shall have to come by your shop for more,” she added with a grin.