A patient of Julian's that was seasonal vacationer to Vesuvia every Spring and Autunm finally paid their tab. That gift came in the form a strange device called a Victrola record player with a small collection of records. Brought excitement throughout the Devorak household when Julian happily wanted to try out. julius was the one that had to set up a record to the played. Being that he was familiar with the device through use of one in med school. He then left his father to go crazy over by pulling his mother in for a dance. Humming the tune when he looked into Jewel's eyes and moved in place with her. Both would end up having a mirrored smile appear on their faces when music went on.

Automaton

"You know we need to find with sea shanties." Kipling didn't know how quickly Julian would take to this device.

"Someone was already on it." julius whispered.

He ended up showing a letter sent from where ever his sister was currently receiving her nursing trying. Saying she found this record at a local vendor and thought of her father. Wanted them to play this on device called a record player for Julian on his birthday. Put a smile on Kipling's face knowing how Julian was going to react to this.

"Ilya!" Jewel called to her. "I have work. We can miss around later."

"I rather mess around. Now." He spins her around.

Jewel just laughed at him for him being a amusing little thing was acting toward this strange sort of gift. Pulling her had away from Julian to make her way toward the device and turn it off to get a better look. Taking in the all the detail of the item with her eyes and fingers long after the music stopped playing. Julian still dancing around was a sight that had julius and Kipling quite entertained.

"We need to thank Mr. Refen for this." Jewel looked to the boys.

She was already listening where they needed go for the local item she wanted to get with Kipling walking after her. Julius was told how he and Aemilia were going to be left to look after the shop. She had a lot planned to get this thank you gift put together by end of the day. Left her son to just give a faint wave while his dad just kept on dancing in place. Leaving him to watch his mother and Kipling walk out the door while Aemilia joined them.

"May I asked what was wrong with your father?" Aemilia asked as she watched Julian.

"This." Julius revealed the Victrola.

"I never seen one up close." She walked up to table.

She went on about how she only heard about these from other servants that been around one. Stories she told were from all kinds of third hand accounts of people she barely knew. Didn't mean she was stopped from talking about what had been shared.

"I can't wait to tell the others about this." She excitedly spoke.

She would have gone on about the first hand descriptions when wasn't for her needing to work with Julius. They got to work with usual duties in opening up the shop and getting Julian to focus. Not like they needed to tell him that Jewel and Kipling weren't hiding somewhere. Sending him on his way without the Victrola knowing how he would use it. Possible distraction he would make when playing records for his own amusement and not doing his work. Item was stored away in a room he wasn't allowed into to the fear of suffering the fury of his daughter and Viscount Nairyosangha.

"I never seen anyone taken to something so naturally." Aemilia was impressed with Julian's mindedness.

"Dad is usual the quickest one to adapt." Julius could never figure that part of his dad.

"Explains how he was able to survive." She pointed out to him.

Agreeing with her on this subject about his father made him wonder how well without his mother did he last out there. He knew from tellings of Grandma Mazelinka and his dad's former mentor were always there to helping him. Aunt Portia was there to set him straight when he started to get to dramatic or just hard to handle at times.

"Lets leave him be." Julius knew his dad. "He'll calm down and come looking to apologize."

He made sure to get to take the Victrola piece by piece up the stairs to his sister's room before they returned to the shop. Aemilia would man the area behind the desk once that sign was flipped over by Julius after he unlocked the door. Informing her the notebook was used for appointments to be written down when someone wanted a reading. His mother's way of keeping track of the who wants a reading a scheduled basis until his sister gets back. Juliana was usual the popular one among them since she started doing her readings at the Ash Docks and East Docks, when watching boats. Sailors and docks workers started to look forward to her visiting back when Julius was away.

"I quite nervous to be doing this alone." Aemilia never man the shop alone.

"I have faith with you." Julius assured her.

She been trained well enough by his mother to blend the right herbal mixes for people that come in with all kinds of aliments. Wanting her to learn on the fly by gaining her own experience when working someone. More of his mother's and father's ideas for her to start being more independent as a person then reply on them. He was agreeing by informing her what he wanted her to do while he helped his father out.

"So you know where everything around here and where to find me." Julius pointed upward.

He got a head of her head before being asked if he could ever do a reading for her when ever he didn't have people to read. Got her a vow he would do that some time after work when he wasn't privately seeing people to give them readings. Not that he liked the people he was reading with the cards since some of them didn't like the out come, or liked his cards. Some tried to bribed him with riches one could find a on a pirate's ship or a night of passion with exotic beauty. Rare ones would offered him better made playing cards for him use during their readings or want him exclusively. Got turned down when he request the leave or they would be shown out by Kipling and Jewel.

"What do I do about the ones ..." She couldn't finish her sentence out of fear.

"My mom already taken care of that." He was ready to explain. "Nothing to further worry about."

Not like he wanted to recall a handful of people that wouldn't take his rejects of their answers during their first meeting. Their was one or two around his age that wanted him only working for them without outside bonds. He didn't like their idea of also warming their bed beside being used as a tool for their personal entertainment. Got them asked to never return to Jewel's shop when they vowed to return.

"Alright let the work begin." She took a calming breath.

She ended saying her farewells to Julius when he headed to the stair ups yelling for hi dad to better be there or else. Not wanting to put up with the string of patents that were due to come in at any moment and make string of demands. Got him a poor singing voice accompanied by someone dancing around the clinic with his arms still holding partner. His eyes tightly shut when he was remembering all the times he danced with his wife at those special moments. Ones having to do with them attending balls with Jewel when they were in formal wear to match the theme. Her ever plastered on her face whole time when they used to be move about on floor meant for people that were dancing. Was being watched by his son who stood at the top step without a single flinch of his own muscles.

"Dad!" His son's voice stopped him."Having a nice dream?"

"I never grow bored of what me and your mother share." Julian stopped in place.

Julius had to cut his father at the beginning of his speech about him and Kipling about to step into next level of their life. Wonderful miracles of everyday life that will follow for them had him looking forward to a forbidden topic in this house. A point he made when brought up how he barely ever knew his own parents with his sister as small children. Ready to go on about how the day when Julius and Juliana came into his life as his blessed children just ended.

"We do plan on having kids." Julius whispered. "We even narrowed down how we're going to conceive."

"Willing to share?" Julian asked wanting to know.

"Like you and aunt Portia, we wants a boy and a girl." Julius lifted two fingers. "That is pretty much it."

"I am fine with that." Julian tried to not squeal.

Julius rolled his eyes at his father's childish behavior at finally getting a answer to what kind of grandchildren was he getting. Had him slowly backing off since the feelings of loneliness toward missing his daughter and Viscount Nairyosangha. Two were always in some room of his household and doing something for Jewel that was business related. One always putting away the coins he warned through her readings in some secret place in the building. Viscount Nairyosangha doing random errands for Jewel or his sister when he wasn't within the Palace fulfilling his duties.

"Does your sister know?" Julian asked wondering if Julian knew.

"Yea, She also stated she wanted to have what we wanted." Julius stated. "Narseh doesn't care either way."

Julian spent the better part of an house figuring out he was going to have four grandchildren running around. Two boys and two girls that would have parts of Jewel within them running around in the far off future. Made him more excited and start to plans on how he was going to spoil them with his form of love. He hoped would carry on his scientific mind or reasoning with a medical training from his former mentor.

"Dad." Julius knew he was lost in thought of grandchildren. "We have work to do."

Juliana would end up shaking himself from images of his what the children would look like or take after. When he grew worried over his daughter after watching his wife suffer twice with her own pregnancies. Wasn't a fate he wanted his daughter to go through when trying to bring two lives into his world. Ended up being forgotten when the creaks of the steps had him turning toward who ever had come for treatment.

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Seems the musical surprises could also be found within The Palace during the weekly tea party with Countess and her wife. They set everyone up in the large garden to surround the latest diplomatic gift to Vesuvia. Came in the form of a collection of automatons that had been dressed in traditional clothing with instruments. Each one carefully placed in a half circle to face everyone. Placed on a special structure that all someone needed wind with a special key. Just the one that wanted to do the winding was excited Julian at the sight of these mechanical dolls.

"I don't think so." Jewel waved her head.

"We don't trust him..at all." julius and Kipling were already waving their heads.

"Nope." Portia stared at her brother.

"Don't look at us for answers." Lady Nessa and Consul Valerius had just joined them.

Aemilia was the one entrusted in holding the wind up key for the mechanical dolls since Julian could never harm her. Left to seat by him as everyone else openly objected to even having him even hold the key. Just staring at him in turn when he looked at her with his arms crossed over his chest. Malak sat on the back of his chair just cawing every now and then. Flapping is wings in trying to scare Aemilia into dropping the key for Julian to be able to pick up the key. Wasn't working since she just sat there with her small hands holding onto that wind up key and not even letting go even once. Would soon come to an end when fig danishes were carried out on a silver trey for any to feast upon. One of them was a excited Julian with his finger wiggling at the chance he was going to get to seek his teeth into the crust.

"You get them unless you given up?" Jewel asked him.

"I give." Julian whispered to her.

Aemilia was out of seat and walking toward the mechanical dolls with wind up key being placed within the it's place. She took a breath and slowly started winding every few seconds with everyone's eyes on her turned back she slowly backed away. Her hands coming to rested against her heaving chest when she stopped inches from the table's edge. Watching the brightly dressed figures come to life and start to move about with music escaping their instruments and mouths. Brought a smile to everyone's faces in their own way upon watching such an delicate work move about.

"This shows how much the world is changing." Nadia was in awe.

Portia clapped the music with Nessaea sitting closely to Valerius as she hummed along with the tune of the song. Somehow a booted clad foot with metallic tip would some how start to tap along with her humming as an arm wrapped around her waist. Drawing her closer to his dark beige and white robe with shiny golden ties and lining. She quickly adapted to arm gripping her as welcoming gesture by moving closer without catching threads of her clothes. On the golden ram head brooch that was clasped on dark shawl carefully wrapped around his shoulders. Jewel reclined in her seat like Kipling and julius to just soak in the music that was being played. Asra was trying to get Muriel to enjoy the tune that was playing by getting him to come dance with him. Julian was to busy savoring the sweet and moistness from the first few bites of the fig danish he was eating. Swaying in his seat each time he chewed with a closed mouth to the music.

"Everybody seemed to be enjoying themselves." Aemilia took in the smiles she saw.

She was still standing near by to watch the way everyone was taking in the noise this new contraption made. Mood to dance almost took her over when set of pale and discolored eyes was watching her move. Hiding behind one of the many topiaries shaped like a prancing animal for no one to see him. He was nervously stood there taking in the view of someone his heart still ached at the sight of or her name was heard. Being that the tales about her working for the famed magician and Fugitive Doctor with one eye. Spoke of the new life she has outside the doors of the Palace as a member of the Devorak household in the Center City. Learning all kinds of herbals mixes that one can use for all kinds of aches all over the body along with how to tell one's fortune using playing cards. Turned in to a position as the private maid for Viscount Nairyosangha's little sister after his return from finding the Scourge of the South. Seemed to make it to his ears to the point he had to see what this change everyone was talking about was. Making him feel like a creeper after rejecting her when she still was in his employ first time since he was spying on her now.

"Well, look who's unofficially joined us from a distanced?" Valerius mockingly tone had Lady Nessa turning her head.

"Watch!" She whispered to him.

Her calling to Praetor Vlastomil made Valerius' day when the fellow palace courtier started sweating and trembling nervously. Not wanting attention to be turned him with the way Lady Nessa was calling over to him with smile and eyes glowing. Had him stepping out of the from behind the topiary with his eyes darting back and fourth as he wore his best grin.

"Join us!" Lady Nessa invited him. "I think we have space over there for you."

She pointed toward a elegant old English style bench that was big enough room to fit two people. A half a foot away from the chair Julian was sitting in as he started on his second fig danish. Jewel was the one wiping his face from the crumbles and translating to Nadia what he was saying.

"We can get you WHATEVER you want." She directed her attention to spread on the table.

She would have gone on about sorts of treats and tea blends one could pick from before sleeves arms grabbed for her. Pulled her back toward clothed chest while she was told to stop bothering the man with her nice girl act. Focus on him since he was putting up with her friends in broad day light instead of staying home. She would end up indulge him by inclining back into his embrace as his glass was refilled. Didn't stop her eyes from looking toward Aemilia to do take a hint with Vlastomil.