Hellooooo readers! !
a special Hello to Cliffhanger2 ( I send you virtual cake) who is the reason and driving force behind this story being updated today!
Hope you guys like the update and pls review! I'll try to be more consistant with updating bahahah hopefully. but i have learnt not to make anymore promises... because you shouldn't if you don't know for certain if you can keep them like some people!
but anyways enough on that enjoy the chapter :D
"Round up, round up" Erskine's voice rang out across the square. He was standing on top of a podium a metal megaphone in his right hand as he gestured wildly with the left.
"We have a great display today folks, my good friend Skulduggery and his fascinating counterpart Ghastly Bespoke, as well as the crowd pleaser, the sword swallowing Ms Tanith Low, come in all and see her amasing show. Children under three enter free when accompanied by an adult over sixteen. Two farthings for entry, it's really a great place to spend the day, Erskine Ravels Freak show come one and all!"
Valkyrie sighed agitatedly as Erskine's voice floated through the window of her room. It was ridiculous really what they had to put up with. Sure it paid well enough, but no one seemed to realise that they were in fact still human. It must be at least half nine in the morning meaning she should be getting up and preparing for today's audiences. She rolled out of her bed and proceeded to fill the basin beside it with water without once looking in the mirror. She dipped her hands in and brought her face down washing it thoroughly. She reached around blindly for a few seconds till her fingers closed over the rough material of her face washer. She brought it up and began patting her face dry.
Once the first part of her morning routine was over Valkyrie then moved towards her chest of clothes, she opened the lid and pulled out her outfit. Ravel had given it too her a few days after her arriVal. He stated it would go excellently with her act. She held it up and stared at it in slight disgust.
She hated wearing it; it made her look like a lady of the night. The bodice was a black corset re enforced with whale bones. The skirt was a tulle underlay with red lace and deep crimson muslin over the top stopping just above her ankles. The back was covered in a deep red silk material gathered at her waist and cascading down behind her. He stepped into it and pulled it up to her chest holding the corset in place she shuffled over to the wall behind her bed and knocked three times.
A short knock from the other side sounded in response so she stepped back and waited. A few seconds passed before the door knob to her room was twisted open. In stepped the tall lean body of Skulduggery already dressed in his short sleeved dress shirt with a grey vest snugly over the top. His outfit whilst it did not literally expose areas of his body to plain sight was certainly form fitting enough around his chest that it let little to the imagination.
He caught Valkyrie's gaze and smirked.
"Surely, my buttons can't be that enchanting Val?" he taunted jokingly.
"Oh but they are Mrs Kenspeckle certainly did an excellent job on repairing them." She hurriedly replied blushing.
Skulduggery's smirk became deeper, he took a few slow steps towards her and Valkyrie felt the sudden tension heavy in the room as he said lowly.
"It's Mrs Grouse my dear" he said huskily. "Now turn around so I can fasten this stupid outfit."
Embarrassed, with arms still clutched to her chest to hold up the infernal dress she rotated displaying her bare back to Skulduggery.
She felt him step even closer before his hands reached out grasping the corset and straightening it so it sat properly. He rested one of his hands at the small of her back as he pulled the top lace tight.
Valkyrie Gasped unprepared for the sudden jerk and squeezing of her chest.
"My apologies." Skulduggery said laughter in his voice. "You may want to move your mane of hair to the side." He whispered bringing his lips close to her ear. "Otherwise I might accidently get it caught in these laces."
She nodded mutely and was just about to reach up to move it when she felt his cool, gentle fingers skim her back moving her slight curls over her right shoulder for her.
"Thanks" she said shakily.
"No worries Val" he replied moving his hands back down to continue lacing her up.
"Make sure its tight." She called to him. "Erskine said last week's was too loose."
"I see." came Skulduggery's voice a hint of suspicion in his tone.
However Valkyrie felt him tightening the laces around her waist without further complaint.
When he reached the last lace she felt him tie it in a tight knot and then bring his hand over to her shoulder gathering her hair and letting it fall gently once again over her back.
"Thank you Skul." she said clearing her throat and turning back around to face him smiling.
"No problem." He said smugly folding his arms over his chest and peering at her as though assessing her appearance.
That must have been his objective Valkyrie thought because he reached up gathering a piece of her hair and twisting it intricately.
"Do you have a hair pin?" he enquired.
Caught unawares Valkyrie hesitated. "Um... yes I do have a few... just over here."
She motioned for him to follow and the two of them, him still holding her hair and her hobbling slowly, made their way over to her water basin. Resting beside it were a few hair pins, Skulduggery reached down and grabbed a few pinning down the first piece of hair he'd styled. He then gathered another piece twirling it once again and pinning it down as well.
"There we go, that looks much better." He stepped back with his hand on his hips and smiled smugly.
She reached up to feel what he had done, turning she looked up at the small mirror on the wall. Skulduggery had formed two small twists on the top of her hair either side. She smiled they looked like little rosettes and gave her outfit a more gentle and innocent appearance.
"Well now we are both ready for work I guess" Skulduggery sighed heading to the door. He held it open for her and they both walked out and down the corridor.
"Erskine said that he might bring out Fletcher this afternoon see how he took to the crowd." Skulduggery said casually.
"Oh really?"
"Yes, though we will be meeting him at breakfast."
"Oh joy, hopefully it isn't too awkward."
"Nah, I'm sure it'll be fine."
They rounded the corner and took the stairs up to the next level. A few more corridors and they entered the dining room, allot of the freak shows inhabitants were already seated and consuming their breakfast, or in the case of Tanith attempting o consume some breakfast.
She spotted the pair of them and frantically waved them over eyes wide pleading.
Valkyrie and Skulduggery made their way over.
"Good morning Tanith" they both greeted her.
"Thank god your here! Quick sit down the both of you." Valkyrie and Skulduggery made to sit down next to each other on her left.
'NO!" she squealed. "You're gonna have to separate, quick one on each side!" Puzzled Skulduggery moved to her right and sat down.
Tanith breathed a sigh of relief.
"What's wrong Tan?" Valkyrie asked just as a shadow loomed over her from behind. She rotated in her seat and turned to look at who had just stopped behind her.
She as meet with the lean face of a young man with outrageous blonde hair standing up at all angles. Had he forgotten to rush it this morning and style it?
"Hi!" the man said overly cheerful, he extended his hand to Valkyrie eagerly. "I'm Fletcher Renn"
As Valkyrie hesitantly accepted his hand shake she heard Tanith's exasperated groan.
:D Smiles!
Skul 3
review and eat cake mohaahha
(Cliffhanger2... now im in a serious cake craving mood bahahah hope the chapter was good :)
*~V.S~*
