Reaver's Servants
Reaver's Magic Photo-Box
The summer sun beamed down on the servants as they watched their boss place a machine on a tripod. They recognized the machine as a "Photo-Box", as they used to see one a lot at the circus. Logan, their house guest, stood among them, watching Reaver play around with it.
"Now, who can tell me what this is?" asked Reaver, as if addressing small children.
Rosie held up her hand. Reaver pointed to her. "It's a photo-box. We used to have a guy at the circus take pictures as souvenirs." She answered.
Reaver walked over to her and patted her on the head. "Very good. This is indeed a photo-box. Top of the line, in fact! Right off the factory floors. Reaver Industries has sunk a lot of money into these things, and I want to test it out personally. The main difference between this photo-box and the others is that this one makes the pictures instantly!" he shouted jovially.
"You mean like the pictures you took of us drunk the other night?" asked Barry, raising his hand.
"Yes, but blackmailing you all into behaving during tomorrow night's party is just one perk to having instant photographs." laughed Reaver, as his servants looked at each other, worriedly.
"It's like magic!" said Willa, happily. Reaver rolled his eyes.
Reaver waved Logan over for him to inspect the machine. "I'll be unveiling it at tomorrow's party, so hopefully this prototype will land me a few more investors. I have the blueprints in my office if you want to look over them later." He whispered, as he loaded a film roll into the machine. "I'm taking it to your sister later on this evening. If the investors see her backing this project, I predict the funding for these will flow like a waterfall." He added, with a snicker. Logan rolled his eyes and just nodded.
"Now, everyone stand by the door and smile." He shouted, as the servants scrambled to the door. Reaver then started instructing them where to stand. "Willa, stand in front. Gordon, stand to the left…no, my left. Miss Sarah, switch places with Rosie. Hatch, stand behind Willa. Beryl, fix your glasses and stand next to Gordon." Reaver kept instructing the servants to switch places. Getting confused and tripping over one another, they finally fell over just as Reaver took the first picture. "Please don't make me waste these." He said, as the servants tried to untangle themselves from each other.
"Get off my hair!" shouted Rosie.
"Who's on my arm!" cried Willa.
"Whoever is grabbing my ass, I appreciate the thought, but please stop." said Gordon.
"Oh, sorry, Gordon…" said Barry, trying to pull his hand from the servant knot.
As the servant pulled themselves free, Reaver stood over them, holding the photo-box. "If you all are done goofing around, I am trying to take a picture, here. I only have a few shots left, so please stand still." He warned, as the servants stood up.
"Maybe a different background would help." muttered Logan.
Reaver smiled. "That's a wonderful idea! Everyone, go stand on the dock!" he shouted.
Everyone tried to stand beside each other on the dock, but found it hard. "Stop shoving! Stand still!" Reaver shouted, as he readied the machine. He took the picture just as everyone fell into the lake. He examined the picture as it emerged.
"Well, you did say you wanted some action shots…" said Logan, taking the picture from Reaver.
Sighing angrily, Reaver snatched the picture back and snarled as his servants emerged from the lake. "Clear as crystal; a picture of my servants falling into water. If they were naked, I'd be happier."
Deciding that the dock was a bad idea (and after letting them dry off and change), Reaver led his servants to the waterfall. Reaver didn't realize that Reavie had gotten out through an open window and followed them. "A lovely area. A picture like this will definitely land us some investors." assured Reaver, as his servants lined up. "Smile pretty, everyone!" he shouted, as a small bird flew past the group. Reavie, with an evil glow, chased the bird, causing everyone to panic and laugh. Then the bird came at Reaver and landed on the photo-box…
Reaver got a good picture of Reavie attacking the photo-box and a few shots of the trees as he fell over. Reavie mewed happily as Reaver grabbed her by the nape of her neck. He sat up and stared angrily at her. She licked his nose. Logan picked up the photo-box and took a picture of that.
With Logan holding the cat, Reaver decided to go with somewhere more conventional (and less accident producing). "I imagine my sister would get a kick out of this." He whispered to the cat.
"If I can't get the Queen's backing for these things, then I can just forget about getting any investors at the party." said Reaver, having overheard Logan.
"Maybe we should take a break, Mr. Reaver." chirped Miss Sarah, holding up a picnic basket. "I made us a picnic lunch while we were inside drying off."
Reaver smiled. "Alright, a break would be great." He said, as everyone set up the picnic on the hill overlooking the lake. Logan smirked and put the cat down on the blanket. He then picked up the photo-box and took a few pictures of his own.
After lunch, Reaver directed them to the fields aligning the path to Bowerstone. "Stand in that field." He commanded. The servants jumped the wall and stood next to a scarecrow. "Finally, this could not fail in any possible way!" Reaver shouted with a smile. "Alright, scoot together now." He said, waving his hand about. Beryl's elbow accidently hit the scarecrow, causing it to fall over onto Willa, who screamed as if it were attacking her. Reaver got two pictures of everyone running away from Willa, the scarecrow on top of her.
Reaver and his servants drudged back to the manor. "Well, I have two shots left, and I am not wasting any more film on this pointless endeavor." He sighed, tripod slung over his shoulder.
Reaching the manor, Logan stopped them. "Wait…let me try." He said, handing Reavie to Reaver.
Logan set up the tripod and photo-box, and told Reaver to stand next to his servants. "Three…two…" then a flash of light. The image emerged a bit later. Logan handed the picture to Reaver, who smiled and nodded.
Later that evening, at the Castle
Queen Robin looked over the photos as Logan and Reaver sat across from her in the study. The blueprints were on the table, next to a tray of cookies and tea.
Reaver didn't have a good feeling about the first couple of shots, but was surprised to see the Queen giggling happily. "These are magnificent!" she shouted, happily. She giggled happily at the picture of the servant pile, and of the servants falling into the lake. The unintended close-up of Reavie attacking the camera seemed to be her favorite so far.
"I've never seen pictures so clear! And your subjects take wonderful photos." Queen Robin giggled and blushed at the pictures of the picnic lunch. "So natural!" she giggled, showing Reaver the photos Logan took.
One was of Beryl and Willa fighting over the last pudding cup.
Another was of Gordon sharing his sandwich with Reavie.
The next picture had Rosie glaring at the camera while trying to eat her sandwich.
After that, a picture of Barry and Miss Sarah sitting close to each other, blushing while sipping their fizzy pops.
The Queen laughed loudly at the pictures of the servants running from Willa when the scarecrow fell on her and finally; the Queen smiled at the last picture (which Reaver didn't want to admit was his favorite): Reaver and his servants, standing proudly in front of Lakeview Manor.
Queen Robin smiled wide. "These are magnificent. The detail is astounding and the technology is sound. But what I like the most is the way it brings people together, it's almost…magical!"
Reaver and Logan looked at each other and then back to the Queen, with a smile as if to suggest that is what they were going for (when in reality, it was more by accident). "For once, I am actually impressed with what Reaver Industries is coming up with, instead of horrified and sickened to my very core." The Queen said, happily. Reaver took compliments were he could with Queen Robin. He wasn't her most favorite person in the world. "You have my backing, whole-heartedly. I want to see these things being sold to the public by this time next year."
To celebrate, Logan and Reaver had a maid take a picture of them with the Queen, which Queen Robin kept, happily.
Reaver smiled happily and toasted himself in his office, later that night. All the servants had gone to bed, as did Logan, his house guest. Reavie was napping happily in her basket in the corner. Reaver put down his glass of wine and looked at the photo of himself with the servants. He smiled and filled the ink pen. Opening his journal, he began to write.
"My photo-box was a complete success! The Queen is backing the project fully and with that kind of backing, the investors will practically be throwing money at us. The invitations have been sent, every RSVP has been returned, so I look forward to a grand party tomorrow night. I hope my servants are ready. I realized just earlier that they have never had the honor of serving at one of my parties. Barry, understandably, is a bit nervous. I keep promising him it's not one of those parties, but I suspect he'll be hiding in the kitchen the entire time, just to be safe…or to gawk at Miss Sarah. He'll kill two birds with one stone either way. I already have tomorrow night's entertainment planned out…I hope my servants can handle it."
Reaver closed his journal and walked over to Reavie, who woke up as he approached. He picked her up and left the office. "Because of your adorable little misadventures today, you've earned the privilege of sleeping in my bed with me tonight." He said, happily, as he and the cat walked down the hall.
"Picture perfect day if I do say so myself…"
N'cha! Pictures, pictures, pictures!
I wish I could draw, because I'd draw all these photos for you guys to see, but sadly I am but a humble writer (sad).
Next installment won't go straight to the party (sorry), but I have something pretty cool planned, so do not fret, my doves. I think you guys will enjoy it.
Yes, in my game, the hero's name is Robin. I don't know why, but it just seemed to fit the character. It's a unisex name, so it fits pretty well, in my opinion. And it keeps the tradition of birds this family seems to have. Did you know Logan is a unisex name? I didn't…weird.
Well, as always, I appreciate the reviews and I want to thank you all again for reading. Keep the reviews coming and I'll keep the insanity going!
Tatty-bye, my doves!
Reaver, Barry Hatch, and Logan belong to Lionhead.