There was a moment’s pause as gears and mechanical bits shifted noisily around, then gradually the chains holding them aloft began to descend. Small portholes in the walls showed the passing of rock and the water that filled the elevator shaft—water that helped control and protect the lift’s movements.
The speed of descent slowed; the rock disappeared as they passed into the underwater house. The elevator came to a rest and the frames around the door sealed with a sucking sound. The lift opened to a domed, metal room.
Belle stepped out onto a grated walkway. She followed the path down a few stairs and out into the hallway. Here the floor was suspended, giving a flatness to a circular hall. She turned right into the armory where she removed her cloak, weapons, and Electro-Phonic Chip.
Henri met her on the way to her bedroom. She assured him that she was well and informed him of the situation with Delano and Honor. After a kiss on the cheek, she bid him goodnight and entered her room.
Belle stripped off her clothes with the aid of the Governess; a wall-mounted device that worked both corsets and hair. Then she pulled out her pins and turned the dials on the machine’s display. Deft, metal hands reached out and gently tied her locks into a nighttime braid.
But it wasn’t straight to bed, Belle desperately needed a bath. The large porcelain tub filled quickly with clean steaming water, pulled and filtered from the ocean. She settled in for a long soak.
Three extra spouts hung over the tub. Belle pulled the first, letting rose oil drop into the water. The second was holy water, ordered by the church to cleanse their souls. The final spout was the wonderful invention of liquid soap. Belle went through all three of these, then rested her head on the bathtub’s rim.
A large half-moon shaped window took up most of her wall. Outside there was no sky or stars; only the black abyss of the Norwegian Sea surrounding the house. Belle stared into it till her water grew cold, thinking of what tomorrow would bring.
Her father was going to travel into Vakre Fjell, hoping to evade all hellhounds to reach a far off port. For much of that journey, his Electro-Phonic Chip would be out of signal range. She’ll have no way of knowing if he made it safely until his hunting party returns.
This was a trip Belle had been worrying about for weeks. But he just had to reach Skjebne Port, and his hunting party was far more experienced than hers. Not one of them was worried about this journey. So why couldn’t Belle shake this strong feeling of dread?
Henri pulled Belle in for a hug, squeezing like she didn’t have a shoulder wound. She clenched her teeth and squeezed back. They stood, along with a small crowd, outside the border of Vakre Fjell. Henri’s hunting party was assembled and ready for the dangerous trip. The Responsibly Fiscal Currency Counter had been moved to a cart, which was harnessed to Magnificent and draped in a protective cloth.
“Please be safe, Père.” Belle pleaded into his ear.
Henri patted her shoulder and pulled back to rest his forehead against hers. “Do not worry. My Hunters are the best—even better than yours.”
“I’ve never known you to be a liar, monsieur,” Gastone said, coming over to shake Henri’s hand.
“Watch it, boy!” Henri pointed a menacing finger at him, then gave Belle’s forehead one last kiss. “Love you, my fille.”
“Love you too, Père.”
Before Henri could mount, he accepted the well wishes of local officials and a blessing from the Father. To Belle’s relief, Bishop Sauvage hadn’t come. The crowd of excited townsfolk would have kept Henri there all day, but he eventually shooed them off. Henri waved to Belle from atop Magnificent and signaled to his men.
The crowd moved out of the way as the Hunters positioned themselves around Henri and his invention. Vakre Fjell looked like a winter wonderland straight out of a fairytale. Several feet of fresh snow
The speed of descent slowed; the rock disappeared as they passed into the underwater house. The elevator came to a rest and the frames around the door sealed with a sucking sound. The lift opened to a domed, metal room.
Belle stepped out onto a grated walkway. She followed the path down a few stairs and out into the hallway. Here the floor was suspended, giving a flatness to a circular hall. She turned right into the armory where she removed her cloak, weapons, and Electro-Phonic Chip.
Henri met her on the way to her bedroom. She assured him that she was well and informed him of the situation with Delano and Honor. After a kiss on the cheek, she bid him goodnight and entered her room.
Belle stripped off her clothes with the aid of the Governess; a wall-mounted device that worked both corsets and hair. Then she pulled out her pins and turned the dials on the machine’s display. Deft, metal hands reached out and gently tied her locks into a nighttime braid.
But it wasn’t straight to bed, Belle desperately needed a bath. The large porcelain tub filled quickly with clean steaming water, pulled and filtered from the ocean. She settled in for a long soak.
Three extra spouts hung over the tub. Belle pulled the first, letting rose oil drop into the water. The second was holy water, ordered by the church to cleanse their souls. The final spout was the wonderful invention of liquid soap. Belle went through all three of these, then rested her head on the bathtub’s rim.
A large half-moon shaped window took up most of her wall. Outside there was no sky or stars; only the black abyss of the Norwegian Sea surrounding the house. Belle stared into it till her water grew cold, thinking of what tomorrow would bring.
Her father was going to travel into Vakre Fjell, hoping to evade all hellhounds to reach a far off port. For much of that journey, his Electro-Phonic Chip would be out of signal range. She’ll have no way of knowing if he made it safely until his hunting party returns.
This was a trip Belle had been worrying about for weeks. But he just had to reach Skjebne Port, and his hunting party was far more experienced than hers. Not one of them was worried about this journey. So why couldn’t Belle shake this strong feeling of dread?
Henri pulled Belle in for a hug, squeezing like she didn’t have a shoulder wound. She clenched her teeth and squeezed back. They stood, along with a small crowd, outside the border of Vakre Fjell. Henri’s hunting party was assembled and ready for the dangerous trip. The Responsibly Fiscal Currency Counter had been moved to a cart, which was harnessed to Magnificent and draped in a protective cloth.
“Please be safe, Père.” Belle pleaded into his ear.
Henri patted her shoulder and pulled back to rest his forehead against hers. “Do not worry. My Hunters are the best—even better than yours.”
“I’ve never known you to be a liar, monsieur,” Gastone said, coming over to shake Henri’s hand.
“Watch it, boy!” Henri pointed a menacing finger at him, then gave Belle’s forehead one last kiss. “Love you, my fille.”
“Love you too, Père.”
Before Henri could mount, he accepted the well wishes of local officials and a blessing from the Father. To Belle’s relief, Bishop Sauvage hadn’t come. The crowd of excited townsfolk would have kept Henri there all day, but he eventually shooed them off. Henri waved to Belle from atop Magnificent and signaled to his men.
The crowd moved out of the way as the Hunters positioned themselves around Henri and his invention. Vakre Fjell looked like a winter wonderland straight out of a fairytale. Several feet of fresh snow
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