Chapter 2: Dark Stranger Talks
Eventually the stranger reached Muriel and Courage, and Courage could see that the person had appeared to be a shadow because he was covered from head to toe in pitch black garments that seemed to eat the light of the Sun itself. With a serious caliber black trench coat covering the bulk of his body, a pair of black velvet gloves covered his hands, a satin black scarf covered his neck and lower chin, and a large black top hat pushed down onto his eyebrows covering almost his entire head as well as his face with the shadow casted from the rim of the hat.
"Greetings fair maiden" The stranger said in a deep voice, the sound of it seeming velveteen in it's baritone rolling. "of this barren land of dry dirt and dust, how dost thee do? Are thine well?"
Muriel paused for a moment in confused silence wondering if the stranger was speaking english, or some other form of foreign speech. Courage, who could understand perfectly most things humans and other creatures communicated, was left also in confusion. They both looked at each other, and then back at the stranger with puzzled faces.
"i'm sorry sir, could you say that again? i didn't quite understand ya".
"Verily, mine dear sweet madam. I asked in kindly greetings for word of thine wellbeing. Even as i might speak this to you, i can see the color of thine cheeks is in similar dress to thine eyes. Pretty as a songbird, it is indeed."
Muriel blushed and giggled girlishly, swaying with embarrassment. "Did you hear that Courage?" I think this man said i'm pretty! Or at least i think he did.."
"That's mighty fancy talk there stranger, can i ask what your here for?".
"Madam, I am here to ask you as a humble traveler, who has little but the clothes on his back for a place of sleep and rest, and refuge from this fire horned demon that beats down from his high perch." He said pointing up at the sun accusingly with a long gloved finger.
Muriel looked puzzled at the complaint of the stranger. "Are you hot?" she asked "This is the coolest weather we've had all summer, isn't it Courage?"
"mmhmm" Courage answered nodding his head knowingly.
"Madam i am being roasted like a Pig on the day of 's Feast. Mine skin very sensitive you see, and has no tolerance for the weather of the day. I beg of you mam, let me come inside that lovely abode over yonder, before i perish into nothing but the same vagabond dust that fills this environment."
"Oh my. That does sound terrible. Why don't you come inside and i'll make you a cup of tea."
"You do bless thine ears with your words Madam. I thank you from the very bottom of my soul"
Muriel lowered courage back down to the ground and lead the stranger off to the front of the house. As courage followed closely on Muriel's heels he studied the stranger closely. He seemed to glide more than walk, and he did so without making any sound at all. This confused courage because the ground around the nowhere ville farm was very dry and any steps taken were usually accompanied by a loud audible crunching sound. But as the stranger waltzed besides Muriel a strange smooth sliding motion, not even the slightest sound was made. And then while gazing down at the strangers dark boots, courage noticed something else that made his blood run cold in his veins. While he was walking directly in the silhouette of his masters shadow, he saw that it had no neighbor. Courage inhaled sharply and covered his mouth with his paws. Both the stranger and Muriel carried on to around the corner of the house leaving courage stopped dead in his tracks.
How does a shadow appear on one person, but not the other courage wondered to himself. Staring after the two that had walked around the corner of the house with an eyebrow cocked. The thought stuck in his mind for only a moment, before it passed by with the nowhere breeze. Courage shook his head, It must have been the way the light of the sun was hitting them. He thought to himself. Anything that is anything makes a shadow when the light shines on it. I wonder if Muriel will let me have some of that pie she's taking out. And with that courage hurried off again after Muriel and the stranger.
When Courage arrived in the kitchen, the stranger was sitting idly down chatting with Muriel while she busied herself preparing the tea and pie.
"- and that is why i am wrapped# in these wrappings of weathered fabrics. Thy complexion wilt simply not suffer the sun's gaze for not longer than a half of a second. Any longer to be suffered would surely turn mine body to naught but dust. Tis a dangerous life for me for sure, during the hot hours of the day."
"I see, I see. You seem to be well though Sir.. i'm sorry, what did you say your name was again?" Muriel asked looking at him behind thick glass spectacles.
"Awhh, tis not your fault Dear Lady, Not your fault. It is quite the lengthy one, even for the people of my time. Thine name is Sir Frodericksburg Von Vinkelsteinillian the 3rd by the first and two halves. Thout may call me Frod, or Froderick for short."
Oooh, Frod!" she said excitedly waving around the spatula she was using to extract the pie from the pan. "That sounds like Fred, my long lost cousin. Such a sweet man, but terribly deranged they say. He's tall and skinny just like you Froderick. You remember Fred don't cha courage?"
Memories of Fred much stronger than the smell of the fresh pie washed over Courage, was standing underneath Muriel as she brought this up. Muriel's creepy nephew who had visited not long ago. A crazed man who had a ridiculous obsession with hair. He had locked himself and courage in muriel's upstairs bathroom for 3 hours and shaved courage head to toe of all his fur. It was a traumatizing experience, and even the faint recollection had courage sick to his stomach. Muriel set down the plate of biscuits on the table along with two steaming cups of her special blend of Saffron chai Tea. Pulling out one of the dining room chairs she sat down and brushed the kinks out of her mustard yellow dress. "So Frod, why don't' you tell me alittle about yourself." She said, taking a small sip of her tea.
The strangers eyes widened with surprise, "Tell you about me? I could tell you about me, dear Lady, but it would take a lifetime to tell you everything. Possibly two lifetimes." the stranger chuckled darkly. Muriel took a sip of her tea and chuckled "oh Frod, you can't go on calling me Lady like that. Muriel is did you come up with that fancy way of talking, it does sound quite lovely." "Madam Muriel, the language that i implore is naught but the common speak of my native country. A country that i left behind a long long time ago." "where is it your native country is exactly?" ""i am hail from the shire of New Brawnsvilles, in the countryside of France. A very empty place i should say. Very similar to here, if you placed grass behest the dust, you would have the image of my home town. The very portrait" "How lovely" "yes lovely it was..but i haven't seen it for many years. Ever since i left to join the Theatre in the Engles." "oh you're into theatre? oh courage we have an actor in our company. I love the theatre, so exciting" "oh no, my lady. I am no actor. I would never subject myself to dramatizing the actions of some other persons script. I am... a scriptwriter. and a very famous one. a very famous one indeed, from the heart of where theatre and drama finds its home. Old old New York. "New york! I love new york! or at least i think i do! i've heard so many things about it but i've never been. Ive always wanted to go" "i would recommend it lady, the city is the vibrantly beating heart of the world. so many lights, so many lives bustling up and down those streets.. yes yes so much life. And so much life to come to the faces looking to put themselves high up in the skies moonlight screen. They look so bright when they come..." "You sound so articulate you must be an excellent playwright.."
"I am the best. I write only but the greatest of plays. Plays that have lead people to tears in the wake of its heart moving force. Plays that have people standing giving me applause the sound of a storm of thunder , and cheers to match the howling of the wind. For years i reigned supremely in the world of theatre with my masterpiece "In the Periffons Gatehouse". In my hometown, there was nobody who had not heard of me. People have traveled from all corners of the world to see my work. Kings and Queens Lady Muriel!… and i do not blame them. For they are truly of the material that exist only in their dreams.
"I've never heard of that play..is it popular here?"
The stranger quietly took a sip of his tea and looked away in quiet thoughtfulness."It has not been so popular here as it was back then, in my Glory day. But surely madam you have heard of the "Butterfly of shimmer and glimmer" or the "Decadent involvement of Tracia Parass"..." The strangers glance came back to Muriel's instantly….
"No, no i don't believe i have…."
"Oh heavens, well then you must have heard of the "foolhardy travels of Connevar and oak" or the "tragic tragedy of Glum Sadley" "The great great Romance of Petersone and Josephinari" "the heartbreak of Germaine"
"no , i don't believe i have heard of those either.." Muriel said looking up thoughtfully…
"My gads Lady Muriel, these productions have been known far and wide. From the farthest corners of the world. From the mediterranean coastal shores to the ice castles of Scandinavia. From distant lands of the far far east of rice and silk, to the southernmost tip of the Afrikana drum. There are not many that have not heard of my works. I was famous in my day. Famous i say!" His eyes at this point were bulging more than a little bit farther than there already puffy state, so it looked like maybe they were about to come out of his head and eat them both.
Courage wined and pulled at Muriel's gown with anxious insistence. "i don't know about this guy Muriel" he said in doggie talk. The man seemed a little to demanding in his claim to fame.
"Im sorry Sir Froderick i've never heard of you, or any of your plays. But that's nothing to ashamed about, i've never really been to any plays to know about hehe. That's nothing to be upset over, honestly."
The vampire maintained his puffy eyed stare, and seemed to be burning in the acidity of his own emotion, the painful intolerance showing in his contorted brow. He was at this point seated hunched over in his seat, crouched like he was considering leaping out of his seat. But after a second he seemed to get over his spell of indignation, and relaxed his face, and laid back in the kitchen chair.
"The citizens of this days world are not at all informed as they should be. How should i suffer ignorance and cast blame… i am in err.."
He took a pause and quietly took a sip of his tea. "I am too weary to be angry at this hour, and too weary to even be dispelling so much talk in the first place" he said before turning his head and fixing Muriel with a glassy intentful stare "tell me madam Muriel.. is there some way that thine eyes could get some time waned through? Some place that i could lay for a good length, lest awhile?"