TITLE: The Case Of The Sick Friend
AUTHOR: Talepiece
RATING: 12 cert.
PAIRING: Vastra/Jenny
SERIES: The Casebook Of Madame Vastra
CONTINUITY: This is the third story in the second volume of the Vastra/Jenny series.
SUMMARY: Jenny's cousin asks the two women to investigate the mysterious illness of her friend.
DISCLAIMER: Not for profit, just for fun.
CREDITS: This story is based on Anna Katherine Green's A Mysterious Case.
NOTES: Back to a more traditional Victorian-era mystery story after the last two instalments.
POSTED: April 2014
While more concerned with the future of their relationship, Madame Vastra and her friend and colleague Jenny Flint returned to the investigation of cases with a decidedly human explanation.
Jennifer Strax Vastra-Flint
London, 1948
Madame Vastra uttered an expletive of a very human nature. She tilted her head in wonder, surprised at herself for using such invective but absurdly pleased to know that she had learned it from her friend and colleague Jenny Flint.
The two women had returned to their home in Paternoster Row at some unpleasant hour of the morning two days before. The many hours before that having been spent investigating first the disappearance of Miss Ellen Hawthorne and then the true cause of her demise; an Egyptian cult in the sway of some unknown force. Vastra did not like unknown forces, particularly when they threatened the life of her friend.
She had very nearly lost Jenny and the thought had terrified her beyond measure. Certainly beyond anything that Vastra had experienced in her life before. She loved the young woman. The thought came to her mind as she stared down at the few items on her workbench.
Love, such a strange word to come to the mind of a proud Silurian warrior. And love for a human! Her people would have no issue with the gender of her chosen mate - Silurians did not concerns themselves with such prejudices - but they were not altogether free from that vice and they would certainly question her choice on the grounds of species.
Yet those many human poets were correct; there was no choice to be made. One's heart made such decisions long before one's rational mind had woken to the possibilities. That at least quelled any of Vastra's lingering concerns on the matter. What point troubling herself with the prejudices of her own people when she and Jenny had the opportunity for such happiness? Even if it might come at the cost of dealing with some very human prejudices as well.
"That too we will deal with," Vastra told herself.
She stared back down at the workbench. She and Jenny had found a number of small amulets in amongst the horror that had washed up from London's sewers and found its way, en masse, to the banks of the Thames. They were pretty little things, bright red stones that had been marked and polished to a smooth finish.
Why red, Vastra wondered yet again, when the colour blue was traditional for such Egyptian artefacts? Where they truly a part of the Egyptian rituals that the Hawthorne parents had documented to their ultimate cost? Or were they more, something not provided by the humans at all?
Vastra played the stones around the worksurface with her fingers, considering the markings carefully. Three held the key to entering what purported to be a magnificent temple, though it had been nothing but a facade for the dank sewers. Such remarkable perception technology, requiring both power and engineering well in advance of the humans. Who could possibly have put such an elaborate plan into action?
Vastra's thoughts swirled around, jumping from their recent adventure to Jenny and back again. These stones appeared to be exactly as they seemed; decorative, though with a darker, ritualistic purpose. Yet Vastra couldn't help but think that they were the key to more than just the temple complex.
She muttered another oath and the word bought her mind back to the young woman who continued to sleep in a room two floors above. Such a beautiful creature, both in her countenance and her spirit. Strong and utterly capable, yet strangely vulnerable too; committed entirely to their friendship and their work; offering herself as Vastra's guide and protector without question. Vastra felt the scales on her cheeks flare and knew that they were taking on a darker shade of green.
They had left the Egyptian Hall, determined to be clear of the place before the gentleman of Scotland Yard arrived to investigate. The night air was cold and neither woman had their outer garments, having left them with the two young men whom they had rescued. Jenny had shivered violently and then stumbled against Vastra, finally surcoming to the multiple injuries that she had sustained during her eventful passage through the complex below the Hall.
Vastra's fear had risen high in her throat, leaving her quite stunned by its intensity. She had scooped her companion up in her arms and setting aside any thought of hailing a cab at such a time of night, had made for home at a trot. Heedless of Jenny's slight weight, she had carried her to their very door, struggled to open it with her precious cargo still in her arms and finally borne Jenny up to her room.
Not for the first time, she had tended to the young woman's comfort as best she could but this time she was confronted with a small, almost broken body as Vastra eased the breeches and shirt from her. How Jenny had continued to not just function but to perform valiantly in their battle with the robed figures and the Felinoid, Vastra could not imagine and a flash of such blinding rage overtook her that she was forced to step away, pacing around the rooms until she had calmed her ire.
When her mind and body were settled once more, Vastra had set about tending to the injuries as best she could. She glanced at the little pot that still bubbled away in the corner of her lab. The unguent it contained had an unpleasant green tinge to it and an even less appealing odour but it had been most effective in soothing Jenny's battered and bruised body.
Jenny had finally returned to consciousness - if somewhat muddled consciousness - as Vastra applied more of the ointment to her arms. The dark eyes flickered open, hazy with pain and fatigue before they cleared a little and one brow rose to a perfect arch.
"Madame?" she said, "You appear to have me at a disadvantage."
Vastra smiled, "You appear to be somewhat worse for the wear, as you might say."
"I should say I'm covered in bloomin' bruises."
"You would be correct, my dear. Now, pray, remain still."
Vastra continued to apply the ointment and Jenny settled back into the bed. She gave the occasional low sigh that Vastra found most distracting and there was a particular twinkle in those dark eyes whenever Vastra looked up at her face. Distracting and most becoming, Vastra allowed as she thought back to it now.
After a little while more, Vastra had completed her ministrations and her eyes returned to that familiar face, only to find Jenny fast asleep once more. Vastra had watched her for some time, afraid in some primal - and absurd - way that leaving her now might cost Vastra the woman herself.
Eventually, her own exhaustion weighing heavy upon her, Vastra had been forced to leave Jenny to her rest. She had slept through a long and restive morning before returning to her lab to work on a second medicinal that had helped Jenny to remain asleep and - Vastra hoped - without pain for the subsequent day and a half.
Jenny would awaken soon enough and when she did, Vastra would be at her side immediately. The young woman required time to recuperate and Vastra was determined that she would get it. Determined too to ensure that her friend did not feel the need to sacrifice her own comfort or safety in favour of Vastra; something that had appeared to be the case in their recent adventure.
They must talk too and be utterly frank with one another. That much Vastra knew and she hoped that she might manage a modicum of eloquence in the discourse. Not be a foolish, lovesick child, certainly, despite feeling such at that very moment.
Then there was the small matter of the logistics of a Human-Silurian pairing. Vastra had considered the possibility more than once this past few weeks and found that such thoughts left her most discombobulated. As they did once more.
She stared down at the amulets again but could find no greater clarity in them than she could in her own thoughts. So Vastra set them aside - the thoughts and the stones - and considered the Felinoid's vortex manipulator instead.
Her people had some knowledge of the devices, having had contact with those who used them in their long past, but Vastra was certainly no expert. The device had been damaged in their altercation with the creature and removed from her by Jenny's swordstroke.
She really had been magnificent, Vastra thought and then forced herself to concentrate once more on the device. Even from Vastra's limited experience with this technology, she knew that the spacial and temporal facilities were utterly destroyed; once opened, the damage had been obvious. However, there were elements within that remained unharmed, possibly even reparable given time and care.
Vastra hoped that was true and that she had sufficient ability to do so. She hoped too that the perception filter built into the device could be restored. Such an ability would be a boon in their investigations and might even save her from having to don that ridiculous disguise every time a human being might otherwise gaze upon her true nature.
"To hell with them," Vastra muttered, quoting another of Jenny's favoured lines.
There was only one human to whom Vastra wished to show her true nature and that thought again returned the unnatural heat to her cheeks.
Then, as so often happened in their home, the doorbell chimed loud and Vastra was forced to set the vortex manipulator, the amulets and her wondering thoughts aside and return to the human world and her veil and gloves.