Chapter 4: Exploration of two old towns
Avery stared in shock at Crystal wearing the yellow dress, her hair tied up in a blue ribbon and another around her neck, the white shirt resting nicely under the dress. Her wavy brown hair fell over her shoulders, and her sea-green eyes sparkled. She turned, confused at the maid's pale face, and gave a playful curtsey. "Hi Avery!" She called, and Avery blinked a little, before grinning back. "Goodness, you look beautiful, child!" She smiled, and Crystal twirled, her eyes shining. Then she realized Avery had brought pancakes, her favourite. Grinning, Crystal took the tray and began to eat, complimenting the food. Then, another knock startled her, as Christopher walked in, a rose petal stuck on his head. He sweetly smiled at Avery, before revealing a rose behind his back, which he handed to the child. Crystal took it- it smelled wonderful- and put it behind her ear. Christopher and Avery then excused themselves, and Crystal continued to eat her breakfast, but she heard faint whispers of conversation- "remarkable…indeed, it is a strange coincidence…she's almost like…very pretty…", and tried to ignore them, as they were private.
When she had finished, she put on some yellow shoes she had bought a long time ago, and headed downstairs, meeting her parents in the sitting room, decorated with shelves full of books and another old fireplace, decorated with pop out shells and a lantern hung on each side, which seemed pointless to Crystal, but she just shrugged. Her father sat in a business shirt and some black trousers, despite the fact that it was summer break for all of them, and her mother sat in a light blue dress with a white collar and puffed sleeves. But when they saw Crystal, both of them froze and stared for a second. After a tense silence, Alec was the first to speak, approaching Crystal a little warily. "Where did you get that outfit, honey?" He asked, and she explained about the trunk being full of items. Marie nodded, before smiling and telling her she looked beautiful. Grateful, Crystal took both of her parents' hands and they headed out to the car, with Christopher and Avery waving them off. They passed a few different signs before finally reaching Tumbleweed, situated on the other side of Thunder Mountain. The sleepy old town had few buildings, but a saloon and a few stores were still standing, as well as some homes for the few residents. Nearby, an old mine stood unused, its tunnel leading down into some caves. Crystal was very curious, but she didn't dare explore them without her parents. Plus, her dress would get dirty. So, she followed Alec and Marie, who were approached by an old man named Barnaby. He began to talk to Alec about the gold that used to be found in the mountain, before noticing Crystal and stopping mid-sentence, simply looking at her in confusion. "My, my, it's the old Ravens girl herself!" he laughed, and Crystal raised an eyebrow, Alec immediately whispering to Marie, who led Crystal away before Barnaby could talk to her more.
The two walked toward the Gold Dust saloon to get a drink, as it was a hot day. Crystal held onto her mother's hand, slightly awkward. "Mum, who was that man? And why did he call me the old Ravens girl?" she asked, and Marie's face hardened. "Some lunatic dear. Ignore what these townsfolk say, they think you look like a previous resident, but I really don't see the resemblance." She spoke, her words having a venomous tinge to them. Crystal nodded, and the two walked into the bar, where a friendly woman named Annie welcomed them. She had blonde plaits and a rounded figure, wearing a jumpsuit made of denim, a scarf on her head and a checked apron around her waist. Her boots clacked as they walked, and Crystal stared at them- red cowgirl boots! Residents sat drinking, sending their welcomes to the two, who took a seat in the corner. Crystal was a little nervous, but began to look at the different residents, who all bore similar attire- button-up shirts in various shades of off-white, and overalls in a brown colour, cowboy hats and boots decorating their heads and heels. One of the men, who Annie referred to as 'Smoky Sam', waved at the young girl, and she waved back, shyly. Annie then brought them the menu, and another man named Harris stood up, heading over to the piano, beginning to play jazz as Annie talked, telling them a little bit about the saloon and how she inherited it from her parents, and that it went all the way back to her grandparents, who wanted to start their own business during the boom. She continued that although Thunder Mesa is still a prominent town, Tumbleweed wasn't so lucky, and that they rarely get visitors, so they are happy to have the family in town. Marie politely listened, a little annoyed by the attention, but Crystal enjoyed the conversation. Annie brought their orders- tacos and macaroni and cheese, and then asked if either of them had ever had a hoedown before, with Crystal shaking her head. Annie grinned, before vocalizing a call.
Immediately, everyone in the bar, except Crystal, Marie, and the working bartenders and chefs, jumped out of their seats and began to stomp and clap, with the pianist playing an upbeat tune which made Crystal sway as she ate. Everyone exploded into dance, Annie holding out her hands for Crystal, who accepted, laughing as she was swung around and passed from person to person, everyone rhythmically stomping and clapping to the music, which Crystal joined in with. Everyone formed a circle, continuing to clap, and Annie did a solo dance, her feet kicking and her hands on her hips. Then, she took Crystal's hand and encouraged the girl to dance with her, the two of them arm in arm hopping in circles, laughing the entire time. Crystal caught sight of her mother's tight gaze and felt her face pale- Marie's gaze was absolutely furious, and she knew their fun would end soon. Marie was obsessed with the concept of shame in her family, and often used the word "ashamed" when scolding her daughter. Crystal had a feeling that word would be said many times in the next conversation, but she wafted those thoughts away. Annie twirled her around, and everyone clapped, with Smoky Sam and a man named Peter copying their dance as they clapped. Annie returned Crystal to her seat as the dance ended, everyone cheering and even the bartenders laughing alongside them. "Enjoy your food sweetheart!" Annie called, leaving her to finish her macaroni and cheese. Crystal ate ravenously, not even daring to look at Marie, whose face was hard and cold. When they finished, Marie paid, and Crystal said goodbye to Annie, with Annie taking a photo of them for one of the walls, with a photo of her grandparents at the very top, accompanied by other photos of past visitors. Annie smiled, with Crystal waving as the two left.
Outside, Marie didn't even have to speak for Crystal to know she was in trouble. "Firstly, you dress like some girl from the 19th century and wear clothes which are probably disgusting, and secondly, you join the circus?" Marie spat, forcing Crystal to look up at her. Crystal already felt tears prickling her eyes. "Think of our family! We have an image to uphold, especially living in that dump of a manor. I don't want you bringing us shame, understand?" Marie hissed, tightly holding onto her daughter's arm. Crystal bitterly nodded, feeling her eyes welling up. It wasn't fair. Marie and Alec never let her do anything. Everything that she did brought them shame, or they weren't around to notice. She wiped her eyes with her free hand, feeling a burning hatred for her parents that she normally contained. "I'm already bringing you shame; you adopted me because you couldn't have children." She mumbled, Marie tightening her grip with fury. She turned Crystal toward her, stopping in the middle of the street. "How dare you." She hissed, reaching up to slap her daughter, when Alec showed up. "Marie…" he simply spoke, soft and sweet. She put her hand down, seeing Barnaby not too far behind Alec. "Ah, madame Marie! You'll be delighted to know that your husband and I have finalized an agreement to search for gold underneath what remains of the old Fort Comstock!" He smiled, and Marie's angry expression turned into a demure one. She nodded, and Alec led them to the car, Crystal crying silently in the backseat, her hands tightly clenched.
As soon as they reached the manor, she ran past Christopher and Avery, up the stairs, and flopped onto her bed, her sobs finally beginning. She hated her parents for how they treated her- they had chosen her, so why did they treat her so horribly? She sniffled, before hearing a knock. "Go away…" she muttered, her head in the pillow. The smell of hot cocoa drifted into her room, and she wiped her eyes- the person clearly wasn't leaving. There, in the doorway, stood a man she'd never seen before, with reddish brown hair and deep brown eyes, his tan skin contrasting the green of his uniform. He offered her a slight smile, and she wiped away her tears, sniffling and nodding. The man walked in, simply setting down the cocoa, and then opened his arms, ready for a hug, a beating, whatever. Crystal ran into his embrace, unsure why, but she needed a hug. The man held her for a moment, and she began to calm. He offered her a cup of cocoa, him taking the other cup, and the two sat on the window seat, with the man moving the music box onto the footstool. "I'm Florence. And you are?" he asked, his voice calm and considerate. "My name is Crystal…" she stammered, a little embarrassed by her tears. Florence raised an eyebrow as he looked up at the sun, high in the sky as noon passed. "I take it your morning trip didn't go too well?" he asked, and Crystal nodded, uncertain. "I danced with some people in the bar, and it upset my mum." She explained, and Florence rolled his eyes. "Old people, eh?" he muttered, slightly cheeky. Crystal giggled as he shushed her, realizing what he had said. Florence then seemed to have an idea. "Ever been to Rainbow Ridge?" he asked, and she shook her head. He slyly smiled. "Want to take an afternoon trip? I can bring Chris and Ave if you'd like?" he asked, and she enthusiastically nodded, grinning. "I'd love to!" she laughed, and he grinned too. "Let me get the two- we can borrow the servant car." He planned, running off. Delighted, Crystal got her shoes on again, and wiped her face in the bathroom, excited to go on another adventure.
When the group reached Rainbow Ridge, they immediately headed into the convenience store, where a man named Claude tipped his hat to them. Florence immediately started talking to him, while Christopher and Avery pulled out a shopping list. They walked toward various aisles, grabbing meat and vegetables and even cakes for the next few weeks. Crystal followed the two of them closely and found that even shopping could be enjoyable when it was with people who were kind to her. Midway through their list, Christopher wandered off and Avery led Crystal toward some necklaces, asking her what types of jewellery she liked. Florence reappeared, with Claude, who explained that he was a descendant of the original Thunder Mesa Mayor, named Louis Mauger. After his death, the Mauger family left the town for good, instead relocating to Rainbow Ridge south of the mountain. Claude worked as a train engineer and was renowned for his tales and stories about his grandfather, who got into all sorts of exploits as mayor, including fixing a runaway train. Crystal was intrigued by all these stories- everyone in the three towns she knew of were connected to the history of the manor and the mountain. Christopher finally appeared with a set of paints, telling Avery his supplies were running low. She agreed to keep his purchase a secret, and Florence paid with the family's funds, Crystal also promising to not tell.
The group then visited the post office, where Florence and Avery were given packages, and Crystal noticed a strange photo on the wall, a woman dressed in a red dress and dancing amid a crowd, reminding Crystal of Annie. This woman was named Diamond Lil, and, upon closer inspection, she was clearly holding a diamond above her head, the men vying for both her attention and the riches she possessed. Crystal looked closely at the placard below the photo, stating she was in the Lucky Nugget Saloon in Thunder Mesa, in the year 1860. Curious, Crystal asked Florence if he knew anything and he smiled, stating that Diamond Lil was in love with a tribe member of the indigenous camp nearby, and they had a child, his grandfather. Then, the group left as the sun began to set, heading back to the manor. The servants unloaded the food immediately, Crystal helping, and they all sat together afterwards, telling Crystal stories about their lineages and various funny tales they had encountered from other residents. When this was done, Crystal headed to her room, deciding to rest. She wondered if there was a town to the north of the mountain, one similar to Tumbleweed or Rainbow Ridge. She'd ask Christopher tomorrow.
Interlude: A party to bring the house down.
The boy wakes up, his eyes full of sleep and exhausted. He yawns, getting dressed as quickly as possible. Suddenly, just after he's ready, the girl runs in, her eyes shining. "Happy birthday!" She yells, embracing him in a tight squeeze. He laughs, and she hands him a box. "Are mother and father celebrating?" He asks her, but she shakes her head. "They're busy- father's in his study, like always, and mother is out in the village collecting sewing supplies for Lucy." She explains, and he nods, slightly upset but trying to hide it. "Open your gift!" The girl insists, and the boy smiles, pulling off newspaper wrapping with various drawings on it, revealing a little box of tin soldiers. The boy's face breaks into a huge grin and now he squeezes the girl, wrapping his arms around her. "I love them! Thank you!" he yells, her returning the hug and the both of them laughing with joy. Then, the girl's name is called by one of the servants, so she's gone. The boy begins to play with the soldiers, creating an imaginary battle between two of them. Come to think of it, he had once heard his father heading out to duel, and coming back with a hat from his opponent. He shrugs, maybe his father just wanted the hat. Speaking of which, he should probably go and find him. He runs down the stairs, a little soldier in hand, and sneaks around the first floor until he reaches the study, adjacent to the sitting room. Mother is not back yet, she's taking a while. He gives a soft knock, but it is barely audible, and then takes a peek inside the study, where two people are embracing each other in the shadows. Curious, he steps closer, wondering if his mother is back already and he just did not hear her come in. A hat is thrown- his father's top hat swirls through the air until it lands on the floor, and his familiar laugh echoes through the room. The boy wonders who he is hugging, maybe a new business partner? But, in a flash, a lock of blonde hair reveals itself, and the boy feels a strange sense of dread. He drops his tin soldier with a clatter, and the two figures disperse, his father looking worriedly around the corner, where his gaze rests on his son. The blonde-haired servant- the one who he nodded to earlier- stands awkwardly. The boy nervously backs away, but his father holds out a hand. "Son, it's your birthday today. What do you say about us taking a little trip together tomorrow?" He asks, and his son nervously nods. "But, if you want to take that trip, you don't tell your mother what you saw, okay?" he asks, and the boy once again nods, before turning around and opening the door. His father notices the soldier and calls out. "You forgot this." Is all he says, before turning back to the servant with blonde hair.