Chapter Nine: The New Mission
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen- minus one- stood all around the freshly dug grave in the African soil. The tombstone was of black marble, the etchings filled in with gold. The grave marker had been hand made by Hephaestus, in honor of his niece's father's death, to honor the extraordinary mortal man. Around the stone were planted flowers known as brushfire, tiger lilies, witch blood, and royal teardrops. None of them had yet bloomed, nor even sprouted yet, having been planted only an hour ago. Mina imagined they'd be a lovely tribute to Allan from Jessie. "You remember when he said Africa would never let him die? I wish the old bloke had been right." Skinner said sadly. "So long, Allan." Henry whispered. "Goodbye, Mr. Quartermain." Nemo bowed his head. "Farewell, Mr. Q." Mina whispered. "Forgive me, Quartermain." Dorian Gray, alive and well once more, looked unbearably sad. He turned towards the great marble mansion belonging to the Quartermains, and saw a heart breaking sight. Jesshiquekah Quartermain was dresses somberly, as was her doll, Clarice, that her father had given her on her eighth birthday. Both feminine forms were clad in black breeches, black boots, black tunics, and dark red shirts. Their hair was tied off in identical braids by matching black ribbons. Jessie's eyes sparkled with tears. Her hair was dyed black, and her eyes were a deep sapphire of misery. Her harp was slung across her back, and her doll was clutched in her arms as she made her way to the gravesite.
"I love you, Mommy." She whispered. "I love you, Daddy." In her mind, she whispered, I know you'll come back soon. Goodbye for now. Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say goodnight until it be morrow.
"Are you alright, Jess?" Tom looked up into her face from where he knelt beside the grave. The harper nodded softly, fingers caressing the tombstone lovingly before bending and trailing her fingers over the soil where she'd planted the flowers. Her fingertips gave off a faint glow, but nothing really happened. She took up her harp and began to play her father's favorite song. Mina and Nemo both recognized it after a few verses.
"There she weaves by night and day,
a magic web with colors gay.
She has heard a whisper says
a curse be on her if she stay
to look down to Camelot.
She knows not what the curse may be,
and so she weaves on steadily,
and little other care hath she
The Lady of Shallot,
but in her web she still delights
to weave the mirror's magic sights
for often through the silent nights
a funeral comes with plumes and light
and music down to Camelot.
And when the moon is overhead
come two young lovers lately wed...."
She could not continue, but simply stared at the gravestone. Finally, she whispered, "It isn't fair. It isn't fair at all. Goodbye, my dearest Father. I love you always." She walked away. She didn't need to see the flowers bloom. Mina and the others did. They came, they saw, they were awed. Nemo looked after Jessie's small, dark figure as she walked to the automobile.
* * *
"We have a new mission." Nemo said softly. Jessie continued to stare off into space.
"Oh?" Henry murmured, surprised.
"Do tell, Captain." Dorian murmured.
"We're going to Ireland. It seems the Druids require our assistance." Jessie looked at Nemo, but said nothing. "Let us be on our way, then." Jessie merely sat, waiting. Waiting for the next mission to start. Waiting to see Ash again. Just waiting.
The End
Look for Jessie's next adventure in "Spin Moon Magic."
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen- minus one- stood all around the freshly dug grave in the African soil. The tombstone was of black marble, the etchings filled in with gold. The grave marker had been hand made by Hephaestus, in honor of his niece's father's death, to honor the extraordinary mortal man. Around the stone were planted flowers known as brushfire, tiger lilies, witch blood, and royal teardrops. None of them had yet bloomed, nor even sprouted yet, having been planted only an hour ago. Mina imagined they'd be a lovely tribute to Allan from Jessie. "You remember when he said Africa would never let him die? I wish the old bloke had been right." Skinner said sadly. "So long, Allan." Henry whispered. "Goodbye, Mr. Quartermain." Nemo bowed his head. "Farewell, Mr. Q." Mina whispered. "Forgive me, Quartermain." Dorian Gray, alive and well once more, looked unbearably sad. He turned towards the great marble mansion belonging to the Quartermains, and saw a heart breaking sight. Jesshiquekah Quartermain was dresses somberly, as was her doll, Clarice, that her father had given her on her eighth birthday. Both feminine forms were clad in black breeches, black boots, black tunics, and dark red shirts. Their hair was tied off in identical braids by matching black ribbons. Jessie's eyes sparkled with tears. Her hair was dyed black, and her eyes were a deep sapphire of misery. Her harp was slung across her back, and her doll was clutched in her arms as she made her way to the gravesite.
"I love you, Mommy." She whispered. "I love you, Daddy." In her mind, she whispered, I know you'll come back soon. Goodbye for now. Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say goodnight until it be morrow.
"Are you alright, Jess?" Tom looked up into her face from where he knelt beside the grave. The harper nodded softly, fingers caressing the tombstone lovingly before bending and trailing her fingers over the soil where she'd planted the flowers. Her fingertips gave off a faint glow, but nothing really happened. She took up her harp and began to play her father's favorite song. Mina and Nemo both recognized it after a few verses.
"There she weaves by night and day,
a magic web with colors gay.
She has heard a whisper says
a curse be on her if she stay
to look down to Camelot.
She knows not what the curse may be,
and so she weaves on steadily,
and little other care hath she
The Lady of Shallot,
but in her web she still delights
to weave the mirror's magic sights
for often through the silent nights
a funeral comes with plumes and light
and music down to Camelot.
And when the moon is overhead
come two young lovers lately wed...."
She could not continue, but simply stared at the gravestone. Finally, she whispered, "It isn't fair. It isn't fair at all. Goodbye, my dearest Father. I love you always." She walked away. She didn't need to see the flowers bloom. Mina and the others did. They came, they saw, they were awed. Nemo looked after Jessie's small, dark figure as she walked to the automobile.
* * *
"We have a new mission." Nemo said softly. Jessie continued to stare off into space.
"Oh?" Henry murmured, surprised.
"Do tell, Captain." Dorian murmured.
"We're going to Ireland. It seems the Druids require our assistance." Jessie looked at Nemo, but said nothing. "Let us be on our way, then." Jessie merely sat, waiting. Waiting for the next mission to start. Waiting to see Ash again. Just waiting.
The End
Look for Jessie's next adventure in "Spin Moon Magic."