The Vampire as Metaphor...from The (Semi-) Complete Works of William Soames Walthrop...
PG 13
Summary: A lost work of one William Soames Walthrop (...aka Spike) as it was delivered at one of Cicely Addams' house parties, shortly before Will's demise. See the reference to it in "Drusilla"...
Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...
Contributions to the recovery of the lost works of England's third worst poet are always welcomed...
Part XXXIX...
En route from Chicago, Illnois to the Union Pacific eastern terminus at Council Bluffs, Iowa…The travelers safely aboard once more.
"What a relief to be safely on our way again…" Vladimir noted with smile to the Potters as he and they, with Miss Giles and her new intended, Mr. Wainwright…A choice saluted with gracious courtesy by her employer, and currently being celebrated in the dining car by the collective travelling company, including Detective Harris and his own fiancée, Miss Jenkins…Sat at table, sipping the champagne generously provided by the Count from a stock he'd purchased from the establishment he and the Potters had sampled in Chicago. Miss DeRussell kindly having taken a seat with little Millie Reynolds at an adjacent table.
"And a toast, to our happy couple…" he raised glass. "I can't think of a finer woman than my dear Olive, Wainwright. You've made an excellent choice."
"I believe so, Count." Oliver nodded, raising glass with the others, Millie raising her milk in unison with Ms. DeRussell…Olive offering a rather shy smile…
"Oliver…" shyly coy smile… "And thank you, sir." She nodded to Vladimir. A stunningly sincere smile to her partner, he realized.
Poor thing, she is in Love. What a terrible thing and how cruel the Powers That Be that rule all, "good" and "evil" as one has them, are to do this to a pitiful creature. For, even if she takes the fellow in good time, vampiral matings rarely come to success, given the instinctively selfish nature of our demons. And if she simply kills him after a relatively short relationship…
And yet, there is Granduncle Vlad…A romance that has lasted over 400 years and led him to his current fate, trapped in stasis by yours truly. And, shameful as it may be to our kind, there are rumors of vampire-human bonding that remained stable for quite some time, unbelievable as it may be. Usually a devoted couple somehow, magics, I've heard it said, overcoming the demonic partner's urge to kill, and natural aversion to, the human partner.
Wouldn't it be an impressive tribute to Love, this odd and mysterious force, if our Olive, the most fearsome and ruthless of killers…? Though hard to imagine Wainwright accepting a vampiral mate... And Nast very unlikely to bless such a match, however indulgent he may be to his chief assassin.
"Well, I only hope your happiness matches Olivia's deserts." He smiled, sipping at glass.
"Here-here…" Potter agreed, drinking. "Yeah, congrats." Elisabeth downed hers.
"Absolutely…Nice stuff." Harris noted, taking hearty gulp though not matching Elisabeth.
"So, you'll be leaving the Count's employ, Miss?" Ana asked, sipping.
Damn better than the swill we serve at the Germania…
"I'm afraid so, much to my regret, the Count having been such a kind employer and good friend." Olive nodded.
"Hard loss for me, much as I rejoice in my dear Olive's happiness." Vladimir noted. "But I hope to be there for the nuptials…In San Francisco, eh, Wainwright?"
"That's the plan…" Oliver nodded. "And we appreciate it, Count."
"Bit hard on your family back in England, ain't it, Miss Giles? I mean, for them to find out so sudden like, that you're gonna stay in the States and all." Elisabeth noted casually.
"I've little family left, Mrs. Potter and no one immediate." Olive shrugged. "And they're used to my traveling about, with Count de la Cule. I rather think they'll be pleased to hear I'm finally settling down a bit."
"Well, not completely…" Wainwright smiled at her. "We'll be getting around a bit, even to Europe. Nature of my biz. The Brits and French are a big market, and those Prussians…" Olive smiling back…
"I hope I can be of some use to Oliver in that…Correspondence, languages, and such…" she noted. "But it will be nice to introduce him to what's left of the family when events permit."
Indeed, I actually think I may have a cousin or two yet alive for such. Though I think they'd be shocked to find me alive and looking so very young yet.
"Well, that's good." Elisabeth nodded.
"Too bad we're enroute to Los Angeles…" Potter noted. "I'd love to be there."
"Aye, we'd be missing it too." Harris nodded. "Real shame. But your business requires you there, eh?" he eyed Wainwright.
"Afraid so…My girls have to be delivered and demo'd within the month." Wainwright shrugged. "Sorry, Olive…"
"Unless of course we did…" Olive paused…Uncertainly…
Sincerely uncertain…Vladimir realized. My demon gods, girl, you have got it bad. You, Nast's Olive? Olive the unflinching revolutionary human or vampire?
Deferring anxiously to your human fiancée?
I almost wonder if Granduncle was right and miracles are possible?
"Eh? You mean do the hitchin' sooner?" Elisabeth asked. Wainwright looking at her, then Olive who gave a slight shrug.
"Of course, not if Oliver objects…" she noted. "But I'd dearly love to have you all…"
Vladimir blinking a bit…
Of course, naturally, a betrothed or wife must defer to her husband but…
Olive? He eyed the anxious face of Olive now hopefully eyeing Wainwright.
"Well…" Wainwright, carefully…Noting Olive's hopeful look. "I was hopin' to have a few folks in San Francisco to come but…If my Olivia wishes it done sooner…" he beamed at her.
Ollie…Warm smile. "It would be so nice to have all our friends here…After all we've been through together…"
"Just give me a few days to get all things set…" Wainwright noted. "We'll be traveling together a ways yet before we have to separate, we've plenty of time to pick the best place."
"Did you hear, Millie?" Marie addressed Miss Reynolds who looked at her a bit fixedly. "Miss Giles and Mr. Wainwright will marry before they leave us."
"Yes, ma'am." Nod. "That's real fine. The…Miss Giles is so nice. She's gonna be a purty…Pretty…Bride."
"Indeed…" Marie, her mind already considering…
Given her height and that lovely, piled hair…If only I were at the…I mean, a shop. One of those I must have frequented in New York.
"Oh, Miss Giles? Perhaps Millie here could hold flowers?" Marie suggested, raising voice a bit to carry. Yes, she regarded Millie with a rather shrewdly appraising air… A little freshing up and maybe a sash and some ribbon…
"Yesm, I'd like to hold the lady's flowers." Millie nodded, smiling wanly at Olive.
"That would be very sweet, dear. Thank you." Olive smiled over at her.
My, I'm going to have a real wedding, she thought happily…I never thought…
Wait…What am I…?
Oh, it's nothing, a mere human trifle…Good for our deception, of course. Sure to keep the Slayer from guessing…She looked to see Wainwright smiling at her.
Ollie…Oh…
Yes…Sure to keep her guessing…
And really, I always did rather think about how it would be if I ever…
Heck, even revolutionaries get married…And vampires mate…
"Won't ya need a preacher?" Harris eyed Wainwright. "Though I suppose you could wire ahead…"
"Olivia and I are of the free-thinking persuasion, Detective." Wainwright noted to Olive's eager smile. "A civil ceremony'll do us just fine."
"Oh, yes." Olive beamed, reaching for Wainwright's hand which he gave, she squeezing.
God forgive me, you poor thing, he smiled at Olive. I never meant to hurt you, much as I might have to destroy you.
"Oh, Ollie…" Olive, now reaching to pat his shoulder happily. "You are so good to me."
Elisabeth and Vladimir both staring at her…
Dear God, you are so cruel… Both thinking…
…
"You mean, you really still think?" Potter eyed Elisabeth at they lay in their berth, the celebration having broken up…
"I can't says fer sure, but I'm more than fifty-fifty now, she and your best bud are of the persuasion, Peter."
"Vampires?" he shook head.
"You said you believed me before…" she frowned at him.
"Yes, but…She seems so happy, even radiant. But she's a thing of evil that preys on human beings?" he eyed her. "I mean…You can't tell me she doesn't love Wainwright. Is she actually lying about that? To deceive us?"
"I don't know. May not. It happens." She shrugged.
"What…Happens? These creatures fall in love with people?"
"I've heard tales…" shrug. "Usually they were married or in love and something holds the vamp back…Magics, a curse, something…"
"Love? A curse?"
["Cicely?" a stunned William, as she suddenly swooned in her chair. He racing to her, as several gentlemen began rising. Jonathan and Henry closest after him
"Henry?! Fetch a…"
"William! Oh!" she cried. "No! No, I'm fine!" Cicely looked about anxiously, sitting up and quickly rising. "No need for a doctor, please. It's just the heat."
Love…A curse? She blanched a bit.
"You still look pale, Miss Addams." William, anxiously.
"Cicely, I think we'd…"
"No!" firmly. "I'm quite all right. Sorry to have frightened you…" she regarded the stricken face before her, then looked around again. "…All. I'm just fine. Will? I didn't mean to upset you. Pray, please continue."
"Oh, not tonight, Miss Addams. We'd best stop for this evening."
"Let me call Anne, Cicely." Henry urged. "You should get to bed."
"God no! I'm fine, will you all please stop fussing over me!" she fumed. "Sorry. But I'm just a bit tired from the heat. There's no need to be concerned. I'd feel much better if you continue, Mr. Walthrop." She eyed him, intense look.
"Please." A rather yearning but firm look.
"Just a bit longer…" he agreed, finally. Rising and offering his hand to help her to her chair, she gratefully accepting. At a nod from Henry he returned to the lecturn.
"One minute…" he raised hand.
"I really think, Foxcroft…" one man hissed to Henry who raised a hand.
"We'll continue, if Mr. Walthrop doesn't mind. Forgive me, ladies and gentlemen, I just had a spot of dizziness. I'm fine." Cicely insisted.
"For just a bit longer…" William noted.
"Please…" Cicely's look belying the casual tone…
Please…Just a bit longer…Let me have this, God. Just a bit longer…Then…]
"It can be, Petey." Rueful look.
"I refuse to believe that…" He noted. "If they can love, though…"
"Best not to think about it." She shook head. "It can git ya killed."
"Yes." He reflected. "I could see that."
He eyed her stricken face…
"Is it hard for you, knowing that?"
"Lets not talk about it, honey. Just…" she looked at him, a tear running. "I'm not a killer or a monster, Peter. I don't enjoy what I have to do. If there were another way…"
"I know, darling." He embraced her. "She may even be trying to deceive you…Get you to believe she's human."
"She's not…I'm sure of it now…" wan smile. "If only cause she's so overwhelmed by this…Poor kid."
The joy…She eyed Peter's look. "And I know the feelin'…Too well." Sigh at his look. "God, I never asked for this, Pete. My ma didn't and neither did any other Slayer. If I could save 'em, somehow…"
"I know, Beth." He whispered.
"Be careful, Pete…" she breathed. "She knows I love you as much she loves that guy. She'll try to use that."
He nodded…
"And…Please….?" She eyed him. "Don't hate me if I have to do the same?"
…